Luna’s Pub and Grill at Norris University Center hosted its grand opening ceremony Monday morning.
While the pub’s soft opening began mid-December, Monday marked the first time many students set foot in Luna’s. Lakefront views, free appetizer samples and jazz music courtesy of student performing arts groups welcomed visitors.
“We picked today really specifically,” Norris Executive Director Corbin Smyth said. “First day of Winter Quarter. Students are back. Really, we’re messaging, ‘This is your place beginning today.’”
Donors, Norris staff and members of University administration also attended. Interim University President Henry Bienen helped cut the ceremonial purple ribbon before doors opened.
The launch comes after popular late-night Evanston restaurants closed within the past year, beginning with Reza’s Restaurant in May. Bob’s Pizza, known for Tuesday Trivia Nights, closed in October, and Chili’s shuttered its doors in December, days before Luna’s began business.
Starting week one, Luna’s will offer karaoke from 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays and trivia from 7-9 p.m. Thursdays. Variety nights scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Fridays will begin in February.
The menu, though not as lengthy as those of Chili’s or Bob’s, includes similarly hearty dishes like bacon jam poutine and hot honey fried chicken sandwiches.
Luna’s also serves alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and hard seltzers to those 21 and older with a valid government-issued ID. Although a former Norris bar sold alcohol from 1982-92, the offering surprised McCormick senior Sebastian Yens.
“I know a bunch of schools do it, but I just never thought I’d see the day that Northwestern did it,” Yens said.
Yens and Weinberg senior Lily Groth ordered nachos and a pub pretzel with their free appetizer vouchers, available to the first 50 NU students in attendance. However, both students said they think the menu is expensive.
Students can use dining dollars and Cat Cash at Luna’s. Many upperclassmen like Groth and Yens do not purchase a meal plan with those options.
“Anyone I talk to, the first thing they say when they pull up the menu is ‘$20 for a burger is insane,’” Groth said.
Communication junior Grace Hall also went for the vouchers. After polishing off a pub pretzel and a platter of bacon jam poutine, she and her friends said they enjoyed the lakefront views, the performing arts groups onstage and the “comfy chairs.”
Like many NU students, Hall had heard about plans for a Norris pub for years.
“I didn’t think we would ever see it in our lifetime,” she said.
NU first announced renovations to Cohen Lawn, then named the East Lawn, in October 2022, funded through donations that at the time totaled $6 million.
An outdoor patio that accompanies the pub is slated to officially launch May 13 during a “campus community celebration,” Vice President for Student Affairs Susan Davis said.
Davis took a moment after Monday’s ceremony to sample a few of Luna’s dishes as student a cappella group THUNK sang a Frank Sinatra tune.
“It’s a dream come true,” Davis said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the variety nights and did not specify when they started. It also incorrectly stated the patio opening ceremony date. The Daily regrets these errors.
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