UM Chicago Alumni Club Tailgate & UM Alum-Owned Restaurant @ Ryan Field

Happy gameday! For those headed into Evanston today, I wanted to share a few fun gameday details. I'm also a UM alum ('09) and sit on the board of the local UM alumni club (UMCGC). I'm a local Chicagoan and Evanston restaurant owner. To say the least, all of my worlds are colliding today and I can't be any more excited. Know many of you are looking for things to do, drink, and eat in town, so hoping you find this helpful!

Michigan Tailgate Hosted by Michigan Sponsor Bars & Local Alumni Club

Our local alumni club has partnered with 3 of our sponsor bars -- Celtic Crown, The Diag, and Fifty/50 -- to put on a huge Michigan tailgate at the Canal Shores Golf Club, 2 blocks straight east of Ryan Field, conveniently and literally right next to the Central St. Purple Line stop (great for those using public transportation). The guys at Celtic Crown are leading the charge and do a great job with these tailgates (their restaurant group works with other B1G alumni bases and have done similar tailgates). Expecting a crowd of nearly 1,000 and it's a whole setup of craft beer tents, food, bags/cornhole, other games, big screen TVs, private bathrooms, and more. Goes from 12:30-8pm and includes all the food & drink you can handle. Awesome deal for only $40. They also have buses taking folks up to the game from each of the 3 sponsor bars -- that ticket is $70. Official event information is here. Know that you can still buy tickets at the actual tailgate.

Personal Ties to the Tailgate & Ryan Field

As I shared off the bat, I am a local restaurant owner. I was literally born & raised in my family's restaurant and it's been a lifelong dream to open my own spot. 2 years ago, I finally left my corporate career to pursue my dream -- enter, Viet Nom Nom, my Vietnamese-inspired fast casual restaurant. We opened our first brick & mortar in downtown Evanston, across the street from the public library. We have deep roots into Northwestern with my business partner having gotten his MBA from Kellogg in 2015 -- we have operations all across campus and hope to go coast to coast, primarily in big campus towns, including Ann Arbor. We're committed to doing food the right way inside & outside of the kitchen, and that includes using food to create impact in our community, providing food to local soup kitchens / several non profits & fundraisers + hiring from underserved communities. (This is my absolute passion and believe so much in what we're doing, I can go on & on, but trying to keep this as short but relevant as possible!)

I'm really excited to be serving at this tailgate -- we're doing fun sample bites, including mini rice bowls, summer rolls, and mini banh mi hot dogs (I partner with the iconic Vienna Beef, so for those looking for Chicago foodie bucketlist items, can check one off here!). My menu is geared to handle multiple dietary needs, so gluten free / vegan / dairy free / nut free accommodations are in our wheelhouse for those heading to the game that have special dietary needs!

Ryan Field Stadium Eats (Local UM-Owned Restaurant)

One of NU campus ties involves serving food at Ryan Field every gameday. This is our second season doing so and we're located in the southeast end zone food court. We're closest to Gate J. My kiosk will be serving banh mi, banh mi hot dogs, skewers, and rice bowls. Again, very allergen friendly and we can accommodate all sorts of dietary needs & preferences. More than just a personal plug, this entire food court  focuses on local eats -- great way to get way better than avg stadium fare and support several local folks & independent owners. My peers serving Jamaican jerk, bbq, pizza, and more are incredible with their hustle and similar commitments to the community & their team members.

If I can be of any help for those in town -- whether it's directions, recommendations, or pointers, please do not at all hesitate to call/text or email me. Can reach me at [email protected] and 630-992-1851. Hope everyone has an amazing & safe experience while in Evanston. It's always a blast to take over Ryan Field and a great excuse for me to change out from my purple duds into my maize & blue gear :). I'll be working the tailgate and the eventually the stadium, hope to meet many of you today. Go blue!

Alan