Bars of the Western World #2: Meier's Tavern, Glenview Finding myself in Glenview around 5:00 today, and coming up on a 6:00 conference call, I parked myself in a bar (it was convenient, plus doing business in a tavern sends the right message to clients about what it’s going to be like working with me).
I’d been by Meier’s Tavern a load of times, and today, as the sun cut golden through the windows of this white wood roadhouse, nothing looked better than my frosty mug of Dab (far from the world’s greatest beer, but equally far from the worst).
This place is a throwback, specifically to the 30’s (there’s a photo at the front, by the candy bars and smokes, of the place during “the height of the depression,” (as it was oxymoronically captioned). The walls are wood-paneled; there’s a nice- looking long bar, packed with business men and construction workers -- a bunch of television sets and checker board tablecloth tables set up in two rooms. Out back, there’s a lot of space for parking, and a wooded area for whatever.
I ordered a platter of tater tots. Tater tots are a marvelous invention; unfortunately, they are frequently consumed at home, and thus rarely deep fried, which is the only way they (and so many other things) shine. The tots at Meier's were pretty much exactly as they should be: crunchy on the outside, fluffy in the inside, and not at all greasy.
The rest of the menu was, well, somewhat lengthy but limited. Lots of the usual bar food type things, and a Gourmet Sandwich. I queried my waitress, and she averred that this was the fanciest thing on the menu: turkey, ham, cheese and thousand island dressing. Sounded pretty good, but as I was meeting the wife at Ravinia later for dinner and Lyle Lovett, I stuck with the tots.
Seated at the back of the place, I had a good view of the kitchen, where one elderly man cranked out mostly sandwiches and fries for what must have been 50 or so people at the dinner hour. He didn’t crack a sweat.
Meier’s is a fine little place; I’d like to check it out after-hours.
Meier’s Tavern
235 Lake Street
Glenview, IL
847-724-0477