Cozy Noodle: Evanston, IL's Happy Mutant haven

AKMA Adam sez, "After three years of living in Glasgow, we couldn't miss the opportunity to return to Cozy Noodle in Evanston -- our favourite restaurant here, where we used to live. We love the food and service, but the thing that sets Cozy apart is its vertiginously happy-mutant decor. The dining room was busy tonight, but I managed a few photos of the collections of Pez dispensers, Beanie Babies, licesnse plates, joke signs, bobbleheads, old-time radios, robots, lunch boxes, and fruit cans. No trip to Evanston will be complete without checking out Cozy's coections. And ask for the Chicken Rama (they'll substitute tofu for the chicken, if you're a vegetarian as I am. Mmmmmmmm!)"

Cozy Noodle [Flickr] (Thanks, AKMA)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: carbs • design • Food • happy mutants • photoscarbs

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chgoliz

Evanston, vegetarian food, and no mention of Blind Faith Cafe?
- me3dia
  
  Well, no, because this post isn’t a rundown of every vegetarian restaurant in Evanston. It’s just about Cozy Noodle and their crazy decor.
DrMedicine

There’s also one near Wrigley Field.
http://profiles.google.com/wordtrey Trey Muhlhauser

Their Tom Kar soup is the best I have had.
http://www.microcar.org microcars

If you are in to decor, try pushing it further and head to Lucky Platter- old Circus sideshow posters, a ceiling meticulously decorated with little aluminum foil balls, very tasteful naive art everywhere, cool trophy mash-ups and those amazing fish made from coffee cans, mailboxes and other bits of scrap metal.
Food is good too.
- Christopher Edman
  
  I love Lucky Platter but, in my opinion, Prairie Joe’s takes the cake as far kitschy art (made by the owner), wacky tchotchkes, and various other ephemeral knick-knacks are concerned.
- chgoliz
  
  I’ll second Lucky Platter.
http://profiles.google.com/callypowers California Powers

Seems like a more orderly version of the Paper Moon Diner http://flic.kr/p/71EcJb, whose food has, sadly, gone downhill the last few years.
For much, much better food and still enjoy mondo-gonzo decor, go to the Golden West, not too much farther away http://flic.kr/p/5FN4Xi. Say hi to the moose’s head when you’re there.
If you need a “fame geolocator”, it’s across the street from Cafe Hon (even post-Hells Kitchen-dude makeover it still has lousy food).
noksagt

I strongly second Lucky Platter on Main St in Evanston. I’m in the bay area now, but my mouth is now watering just thinking of sweet potato fries drenched in hotsauce and a portabello mushroom sandwich and a tamarind margarita or a decent bloody mary.
Diana McNally

Holy crap! I just had lunch from Cozy! It was, per usual, dee-lish! One of these days I’ll get out of the office and go check out the cool restaurant. Thanks for the pics!
Adam Haus

One of my favorite places near the office (the one near Wrigley is about the same; run/owned by the brother of the owner of this one) and a lunch stop every 1-2 weeks. The food more than lives up to the decor. Their bubble teas are also excellent.
neilinchicago

You missed some of their best: In the second front window there’s a slightly bigger than life size statue of Elvis — and each morning when they open and make offerings to the Buddhas, they give some to Elvis too.