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I would like to nominate Chuck's as an LTHForum Great Neighborhood Restaurant. Why? Because Chuck goes the extra mile to please his customers, has great food at great prices and a constantly evolving menu of specials. He is willing to listen to customer criticism and is a gracious host. Whether eating at Chuck's with my family or with a large group of LTHers, it's always a good meal,

Plus, his mom's cookies are really good.

There are a couple of links to Chuck's in the forum, but this one is from the most recent LTH dinner:

viewtopic.php?t=3725&highlight=chucks

Suzy

Chuck's
6501 W 79th St.
Burbank, IL 60459
(708) 229-8700

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" There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
- Frank Zappa

Having enjoyed Chuck's both at a wonderful LTH dinner, as well as on my own with the Bride, eating his regular stuff, I heartily second.

Ambitious, usually very good, unassuming, and freindly atmosphere. Chuck's adds a heckuva lot to this neck of the woods. I am particularly impressed by his soups, tho his peach cobbler is also pretty delectable.

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d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within

I agree. Besides outstanding food. Chuck's fits the meaning of "neighborhood restaurant". No fancy, slick advertising, with songs, jingles, and cutesy commericals. No pretentious themes, kitsch, or, illusions. The restaurant stands on its product and the product is good food.

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Bruce
Plenipotentiary
bruce@bdbbq.com

Raw meat should NOT have an ingredients list!!

I mildly disagree, Bruce, tho this in no way reduces my enjoyment of the place - Chuck is a pretty able restaurateur, marketer, and business person. The place has a certain slickness to it, a calculated lack of pretension, and hominess if you will. Not bad, oppressive, or unpleasant, but Chuck clearly has ambitions for his place as a business and has planned to get there.

Has anyone ever asked him how he decided on the look of the place? It seems like there are so many conflicting themes - Southern Cafe, Barbecue Joint, and adventurous Mexican/Southern restaurant - going on in the food, but he went for a pretty straight western barbecue motif for the interior (the web site and menus do not follow that theme, interestingly). A wise choice, because it seems to have the most draw right now (see this post for how a similar look changed the business of Gemato's with no change, other than the look and name of the place http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=16099#16099).

Anyway, while Chuck is a genuinely nice guy, and the place delivers consistently for me, I also give him credit for planning, packaging and marketing in a way that Fabulous Noodles, as an example, does not.

You tell me if I am just picking nits here.

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d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within

Yes.

I mean what do you think about La Quebrada's photographs of Acupulco cliff divers? (there's a hidden message here folks.)

I guess all I would say is, attention to decor is not mutually exclusive with a GNR.

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Think Yiddish, Dress British - Advice of Evil Ronnie to me.

The Local Beet's very big list of 2013 Farmer's Markets

I tend to agree with dickson, I think Chuck's atmosphere is a little more/cutsey/kitchy/calculated than your average neighborhood joint. Probably due to a reasonable amount of press coverage, a significant expansion, and more success than your normal neighborhood joint.

But, this is picking nits.

Nevertheless, I love Chuck's in every way. Chuck created that place based on home-cooking for the neighborhood, doing it his own way, in his own style. Chuck's is a perfect GNR.



Wasn't it originally called Chuck's BBQ? That would explain the motif.

Best,
Michael / EC

Hi,

It was my birthday over the weekend. We'd seen a play, then it was my choice to pick our dinner destination. This is always a challenge, because what I like is not always my family's liking. In fact, I was told to come up with a place "We'd all like." Translated: not something weird only you will like.

I took them to Spoon Thai over Christmas holidays, chose their food carefully and after a while my sister was ordering Crab Rangoon (what LTH'er would ever order that at Spoon Thai?) because nothing was to her liking. Spoon Thai is not held in high esteem with my immediate family, except my brother-in-law and my Mother. When my Dad went to an event planned by someone else, he did find Spoon more to his liking.

My other goal was to bring them someplace they would otherwise not choose to go. I brought them to Chuck's because his food range is so wide ranging (BBQ, Creole, Mexican), everyone could find something. If they didn't like it, then it was more likely their choices rather than the food itself. I'd also checked his specials of the day before leaving home and knew his Creole marinated and breaded catfish would win my Mother's approval.

My family's choices went the gamut: Creole BBQ Shrimp, rib tips, BBQ chicken, Cajun Catfish, BBQ Brisket and Churrasco. Instead of complaints, I had happy noises of people eating their food and liking it. None of this Cathy2 dragging us over hill and dale just because SHE picked dinner! If it were not sooooo darn far away, it could easily become a regular family destination. Or at least when we are downtown, it won't be too much to persuade them to return.

I've been shopping BBQ caterers for a non-LTH event later this year. I'd read my Dad the catering menu sometime ago. When I reminded my Dad this was the place I'd quoted earlier, he agreed this would be a great place to involve.

Chuck's already had my endorsement. And he has my family's also, which is a tough group to make happy.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

I would enthusiastically nominate Chuck's again. We ate there a few weeks before the Mardi Gras bash. The food is as good as ever. My oyster po'boy was terrific and my husband ordered a steak special that was not only cooked to perfection, it was so huge it hung over the edges of the plate. Seriously, it was too big of a portion for one person, so I assisted him by swiping small pieces of it for myself.

Sorry, I just realized you only wanted posts on the restaurants in the list. I really have to start paying more attention!

Suzy

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" There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
- Frank Zappa

The list is a suggested list, it's okay to comment otherwise, though I think Chuck's is an example of the kind of place that's had enough continuous comment over time to be a fairly clear re-cert.

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To echo Mike, we are not discouraging any posts, ever.

We were just saying that we looked at all the renewals and most of them seemed pretty clear repeat winners, but we needed some updated comments on a few of them to get an idea on wheter people are still enjoying them, because without that they might not be renewed.

And even of that list, I expect most of them will be renewed, people just have not had any new information so they did not post on them. But we need confirmation that they are still doing a good job and are popular with the posters.

But post, suzy, post.

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d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within

We visited Chuck's for the first time this past Friday at lunch on the way to pick up our daughter from Eastern. We are still talking about it. My wife and I both got the crawfish po' boys deluxe, with two side dishes, Karen got the rice and cole slaw, and I got the potato salad and the rice. I also got a cup of gumbo. My 12 yr old daughter got the quesadilla appetizer which filled an entire platter, with big piles of sour cream, salsa, and quacamole. She also ordered fries. Everything, from the fries, to the cole slaw, potato salad, ...etc. was terriffic! We ate everything. The service was the best too. I asked for cocktail sauce and a big cup was brought out immediately. All I can say is wow. I wish we lived closer.

This restaurant is currently up for GNR renewal. Please post your comments below.

Thanks,

=R=
for the GNRs

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

I've only been to Chuck's twice but I genuinely love the food and the vibe. The meal we were served at the 2008 Holiday Party was a pork-infused gastronomic orgy. Not only was everything delicious, decadant and inventive but the way Chuck and his staff meticulously took care of that buffet line was the stuff of legends. Everything was hot and constantly replenished, at least until we finished most of it off. I cannot recall ever having enjoyed better food served for that many people. And having lived in New Orleans for a couple of years, there's no place in Chicago where the food reminds me more of New Orleans than Chuck's. No other place comes close. It's just got that certain something; that GNR radiance.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

ditto what Ronnie said. Chuck's is a no brainer GNR

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

I'm posting here partly to tell jimswside that he should post his opinion without worrying about other people attacking it (don't take it personally), just because all information is worthwhile.

The other reason is to say that Chuck's is comfort food for me. It's a relaxing, reliable place when we're feeling under the weather or exhausted or have just gotten off a plane at Midway. A bowl of chili and a special (cochinita pibil, the filet au poivre, etc) or the etoufee or the smoked chicken dinner and Beth and I are both happy.

It's not the best cajun, or mexican, or barbecue, or probably anything else in the Chicago area. But some of the dishes are so good, and the place so comfortable, that I love it, and I'll always be a regular.

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

thanks for calling me out...

ok, first off I have no axe to grind with Chucks, etc. I just didnt enjoy my 2 visits on back to back weeks this past fall. Its nothing personal & I respect others opinions as well as the board consensus.

I guess I was just disappointed with my experience @ Chucks after being blown away by every other GNR I had visited & have visited since(I think I am at 23 +/- visited in the last year or so). With how much I like food(typically I think about my visits with anticipation for the days leading up to any GNR visit), and how far I drive on the weekends or worknights to try these places(often 90+ miles each way) I had gotten used to setting the bar pretty high for any restaurant holding the GNR staus, so perhaps this is my problem/hangup/own issue.

I researched Chucks on the net and read everything I could, I read about his studying bbq, working for Bayless, etc. So I was excited to have this place within striking distance of my work which other than the row of Chinese places on Ogden Ave from Westmont to Lisle does not have much to offer. So I went for lunch and came away liking the hot link I tried, and not liking the ribs(I figured if a restaurant touts its ribs as the best in the city they should be decent.). The ribs didnt taste smoked, and there was not a smoke ring. My guest had the catfish, and chicken tenders, and they were perectly fried. I also thought the Brunswick stew was good as well as the Mac-n-cheese. Hardly a scathing review, but I just was not impressed.

So I went the next week thinking I had missed something, and decided on the cajun blackened ribeye with etouffee (supposedly a chucks special), as well as a bowl of red. The Bowl of red was excellent, but not a destination type dish at least for me(I am more of a chili dog guy vs a bowl of chili guy, once again diffeent strokes). The steak was where the problem was, I know Chucks isnt a steakhouse, and I was not expecting it to be, but cooking a steak to order isnt that hard. I wanted my steak medium rare, it came beyond well done, and the cut was fatty even for a ribeye( I drive 20 minutes each way to Chucks on lunch so I did not have time to send it back, otherwise I would have been late getting back from lunch). The etouffee sauce was pretty good, dark, and flavorfull. However serving this selection with a baked potato is odd to say the least. Give me an order of white rice, or even some dirty rice, and if they could get the steak right it would be a winner. Once again that is one persons opinion about an entrees starch choice, and me having an issue as a former line/broiler cook with the inability to cook a steak to order.

I can see how there could be a comfort factor with Chucks for people who live in the proximity, so I guess I can see the neighborhood aspect, and allure of Chuck's. If the board believes Chucks to be a GNR I respect that & wish Chucks good fortune, I am just providing another data point.

I've said my peace & final comments about Chucks, let me have it.

* post edited for grammar, and spelling goof-ups *

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I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com

Hey, if it doesn't do it for ya, it doesn't do it for ya. There's two or three on the list that stump me, too, but I know other folks love 'em.

That said, if I was going to be executed on live television, the chicken fried chicken with the bacony green beans and mashed potatoes with sage gravy would definitely be one course in my last meal.

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New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
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Jim,

There are a couple on the GNR renewal list that don't do it for me, not active dislike, more like a big ~shrug~. I fully recognize that not every restaurant, GNR or otherwise, is going to trip everyone's trigger and I'm comfortable with that fact.

Enjoy,
Gary 'That's why Baskin Robbins makes 31 Flavors of Ice Cream' Wiviott

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

I should point out Chuck's is not one of them, I am a fan of Chuck's, and Chuck for that matter, and full support GNR renewal.

Enjoy,
Gary

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

The mysantla tamal and chili are enough to win my support for Chuck's, though I've liked everything I've had at his place. With the holiday party postings, there is probably more positive documentation on Chuck's food than just about any other GNR...still, as jim points out, there can be slips. No surprise, but such shortcomings seem very rare.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Recent posts on Chuck's here and here and here.

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No guts, no glory.
http://www.chicagonow.com/quips-travails-braised-oxtails
http://quipstravailsandbraisedoxtails.blogspot.com/

I am not a big fan of some dishes at Chuck's either - his barbecue is decidedly middle-of-the-road in my book, for example. His cajun offerings, soups and the Mexican specials, on the other hand, are usually top notch.

Never ordered the steak, so I cannot comment.

Strange it may be, but the thing I find most impressive about Chuck's is his catering. I have enjoyed it twice, and amazingly on both occasions the food was generally better than when I order off the menu. And I usually hate the mushy, over-cooked crap at buffets. But Chuck's offerings are usually ambitious, cooked right (served in pretty small batches and replenished continually - it is a lot more work, but that seems to be the secret) and just damned good.

Combine all that with the good prices and warm vibe, and it makes it as a GNR for me.

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d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within

Add my support to Chuck's! While I too am not a fan of his bbq, I enjoy his New Orleans bbq shrimp, many of his mexican dishes, his fantastic smoked corned beef sandwich, and his different soups. Great place.

I went to to Fat Tuesday parties organized by Chuck. I agree with Dickson's comments that Chuck is the master of buffets. He also catered an event in Highland Park that left my friends impressed, because similar local caterers are just not good. It was also why Chuck was a first pick for our holiday party. You knew he orchestrates his buffets well enough that nobody will get any rubbery overcooked food.

Just love Chuck!

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

This place is up for renewal of its GNR. Please post your comments here until 10/10/11.

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

Although they took my favorite chicken sandwich off the menu, they still offer it once a month on their monthly specials:). My favorite meal here it the mexican pot roast. Whenever I have guests from out of town, I tend to take them there knowing they are a great restaurant. This is a Great Neighborhood Restaurant.

I'll throw down for Chuck's. The man himself often makes the rounds, the menu is pretty broad but mostly well-executed, and even the BBQ is on the up, my least favorite part of the menu. Other standards have remained the same, the beer program's improved (Hopslam on tap + Cochinita Pibil?!? Yes, please!) and the place is bigger and parking more convenient than previous incarnations.

Chuck's is like the utility infielder of the southwest side--it's close (to me) and fills whatever need you might have.

We go, we are never disappointed. Yes, I disliked the Q for years, but Chuck has taken steps to improve that and it is decent these days. The specials, soups, Mexican fare, and house-made corned beef are all very good, the place is friendly, and I like it's unassuming sports bar/family restaurant disguise.

Plus, Chuck is the single best catering chef I know in Chicago, a master of the chafing dish, and an all around nice guy. Hmmm, maybe Chuck could open an institutional kitchen and start providing the prepared dishes for all the Greek-owned family restaurants in Chicago. What an improvement that would be.

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d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within