NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 20:43:07 CDT Organization: Prodigy Internet http://www.prodigy.com X-UserInfo1: S[O_BXCEVBTUCR\[@BJD]V@APZXTPO\MAPVZKB]MPXHDUWYAKVUOPCW[ML\JXUCKVFDYZKBMSFX^OMSAFNTINTDDMVW[X\THOPXZRVOCJTUTPC\_JSBVX\KAOTBAJBVMZTYAKMNLDI_MFDSSOLXINH__FS^\WQGHGI^C@E[A_CF\AQLDQ\BTMPLDFNVUQ_VM Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 01:43:07 GMT Xref: usenet.INS.cwru.edu chi.eats:15864 Too bad, Oak Park and River Forest, where many people were raised, never developed a real restaurant culture due to what my Father refered to as "blue laws," i.e., no alcohol. But there were points of light. Check out: Johnnies on North Avenue east of Lathrop ( good beefs, close da door ) Goldyburgers in Forest Park west of Harlem, south of the L ( made it to number 1 spot on a major, area-wide burger list a couple of years ago ) Russell's at North and Thatcher ( BBQ beef is wonderful. Fries suck. Try two or three BBQ beefs at once, no fries; judge for yourself ) ( New, see caveat ) Amato's Pizza on Harlem north of North Ave ( IF this is a successor to the Amato's which was at North and Austin, then worth a look ) ( New, I never went ) Caponie's Pizza. 3350 N. Harlem; reviewed on "Check, Please", 2 of 3 liked it well enough. Also, if the establishment is still there, investigate: Horwaths on Harlem a couple of blocks north of North Avenue ( nice in the 50's ) Salvatore's on Ridgeland, just north of Lake ( Mexican ) Don't bother: Homestead on North between Thatcher and First ( now WAY past its prime. In the 50's, it was nice, especially the deviled crab appetizer. I think it was called "Rickett's Homestead." On a New Year's day in the 90's, I took out a very old lady from the neighborhood ( the family domestic, actually ) to afternoon supper there. She was thrilled to visit one of the old places; I was appalled. Threadbare. I stood there and remembered myself running up and down the curved staircase, about 45 years ago. Staircase looks kinda small, now. Mollie, since passed on, raved about our little outing. But forget about this place. Parky's on Harlem north of Madison. My first and only time, in 67 maybe, my buddy and someone got into it and my buddy's tooth was chipped. Didn't like the place and never went back. Even now, I think that all that angular 50's architecture should be condemned and bulldozed. Eat that, Parky's! Tired, tacky Outfit joints on the north side of Roosevelt, east of DesPlaines, or tired, tacky outfit joints anywhere else out there. Places you will never enjoy, too bad, but of which you might want to know, having moved there: Otto's, in Forest Park. Like the more recently deceased Zum Deutschen Eck, and the Golden Pheasant ( formerly at North and Clybourn ), wonderful German places. All gone, now. Perhaps Otto's was the first to go? My last time: maybe 79. Nielsen's, a Danish complex on North Ave, west of Oak Pak Ave, as I recall. Dazzling clean place, lots of agreeable, pleasant food. Skip's Drive In. Here, we digress from the concept of "restaurant" a bit, but not from "food." South side of North Avenue, between Homestead and First. Burgers served to Hot Rods. Real T-birds. Teens. Corvettes. Young girls. Music. Young dudes, and more young girls. Lighting by Lucas. GTOs. Burgers. Music. Kids. Dad's powerful new car. "Greasers". Two-door Hardtops. Younger siblings one desperately wanted to "ditch." Over-size chrome reversed-wheels. "Surfers", or "Doopers" ( me ). Fries. Shifting by Hurst. Shakes. Chrome. All teens were strictly forbidden to go to Skip's, hang out, or to street-race; so, everybody went to Skip's, hung out, and street-raced. With our parents' brand-new muscle cars. Hee, hee, hee. If one really wanted some meat, some actual food, one drove back east on North Ave to Russell's at Thatcher. To this day, there is no traffic control between First and Thatcher. Beat ya there! Then all of a sudden, over a short time, every one went off to college, and got VWs. Who would'a thought? Skip's closed in the 70s. Cheers Chad H. wrote: > > Hi, > > Just moved to Oak Park. Anyone got favorite places to eat out here, or > recommendations of places to avoid? > > Chad
Chicago, IL
Oak Park Eateries
User-Agent: Xnews/4.06.22 Lines: 139 NNTP-Posting-Host: 12.250.166.42 X-Complaints-To: [email removed] X-Trace: sccrnsc02 1022559223 12.250.166.42 (Tue, 28 May 2002 04:13:43 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 04:13:43 GMT Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 04:13:43 GMT Xref: usenet.INS.cwru.edu chi.eats:15868 Lets get up to date and out of the 50's. Try Marion Street Grill a block north of Lake on Marion. Upscale, elegant. Or Grapevine on a block south of the El on Oak Park . little store front with great middle eastern food, reasonable. Or Winberries on the corner of Lake and Oak Park.. a chain, but pleasant and varied menue. See my comments below preceded by LG> > Check out: > > Johnnies on North Avenue east of Lathrop ( good beefs, close da door ) LG> Not what it used to be, but long lines anyway.. Had an italian beef the other day.. pretty good > > Goldyburgers in Forest Park west of Harlem, south of the L ( made it to > number 1 spot on a major, area-wide burger list a couple of years ago ) > LG>Make sure to go there only in the summer and eat out doors.. The food is great, but indoors is dank and musty > Russell's at North and Thatcher ( BBQ beef is wonderful. Fries suck. Try > two or three BBQ beefs at once, no fries; judge for yourself ) LG> A far far cry from what it used to be.. Very disappointing the last few times.. [ I had my first cup of coffee there in the late 50's0 > > ( New, see caveat ) Amato's Pizza on Harlem north of North Ave ( IF this > is a successor to the Amato's which was at North and Austin, then worth > a look ) > LG> Haven't tried > ( New, I never went ) Caponie's Pizza. 3350 N. Harlem; reviewed on > "Check, Please", 2 of 3 liked it well enough. LG>> hAVEN'T TRIED > > Also, if the establishment is still there, investigate: > > Horwaths on Harlem a couple of blocks north of North Avenue ( nice in > the 50's ) Still there.. walk in the door and you are instantly transported to the 50's.. not ed Debevic style, but old fashioned white table cloth elegant.. meat and potatos kind of place. > Salvatore's on Ridgeland, just north of Lake ( Mexican ) > LG> GONE for over a year.. now being remodeled as a kitchen supply store. > Don't bother: > > Homestead on North between Thatcher and First ( now WAY past its prime. > In the 50's, it was nice, especially the deviled crab appetizer. I think > it was called "Rickett's Homestead." On a New Year's day in the 90's, I > took out a very old lady from the neighborhood ( the family domestic, > actually ) to afternoon supper there. She was thrilled to visit one of > the old places; I was appalled. Threadbare. I stood there and remembered > myself running up and down the curved staircase, about 45 years ago. > Staircase looks kinda small, now. Mollie, since passed on, raved about > our little outing. But forget about this place. > Well it isn't thaaaaaaat bad, but also not what it used to be. > Parky's on Harlem north of Madison. My first and only time, in 67 maybe, > my buddy and someone got into it and my buddy's tooth was chipped. > Didn't like the place and never went back. Even now, I think that all > that angular 50's architecture should be condemned and bulldozed. Eat > that, Parky's! LG> PArky's hot dogs are o.k. but the best thing is after they put the hot dog in the bottom of the bag they fill it with good, thick, hot, greasy fries.. the way they should be... but for a better dog, try Tasty Dog on Lake a block east of Oak park.. now on the south side of the street but moving to the north after a public uproar when the property was about to be sold and the restaurant razed. > > Tired, tacky Outfit joints on the north side of Roosevelt, east of > DesPlaines, or tired, tacky outfit joints anywhere else out there. > > > Places you will never enjoy, too bad, but of which you might want to > know, having moved there: > > Otto's, in Forest Park. Like the more recently deceased Zum Deutschen > Eck, and the Golden Pheasant ( formerly at North and Clybourn ), > wonderful German places. All gone, now. Perhaps Otto's was the first > to go? My last time: maybe 79. > LG> Been too long to remember, but since 79. > Nielsen's, a Danish complex on North Ave, west of Oak Pak Ave, as I > recall. Dazzling clean place, lots of agreeable, pleasant food. > LG> One of the greats.. Went there after many dances in the 50's and for a family dinner for 20 or 30 people the night before my daughter's bat mitzvah... but now, sadly... long gone.. replaced by a Binny's liquor store. > Skip's Drive In. Here, we digress from the concept of "restaurant" a > bit, but not from "food." South side of North Avenue, between Homestead > and First. Burgers served to Hot Rods. Real T-birds. Teens. Corvettes. > Young girls. Music. Young dudes, and more young girls. Lighting by > Lucas. GTOs. Burgers. Music. Kids. Dad's powerful new car. "Greasers". > Two-door Hardtops. Younger siblings one desperately wanted to "ditch." > Over-size chrome reversed-wheels. "Surfers", or "Doopers" ( me ). Fries. > Shifting by Hurst. Shakes. Chrome. All teens were strictly forbidden to > go to Skip's, hang out, or to street-race; so, everybody went to Skip's, > hung out, and street-raced. With our parents' brand-new muscle cars. > Hee, hee, hee. > > If one really wanted some meat, some actual food, one drove back east on > North Ave to Russell's at Thatcher. To this day, there is no traffic > control between First and Thatcher. Beat ya there! > > Then all of a sudden, over a short time, every one went off to college, > and got VWs. Who would'a thought? > > Skip's closed in the 70s. LG>It was great and was a model for the drive in in "Grease," which was originally set on the nort' west side.. the author went to taft.. but the characters were straight out of steinmetz. Flannel skirts, DA haircuts and all. > > Cheers > > > Len