Here are some of my favorites over time...including some that still are around and others long since closed for business. I guess they aren't "classic" but they were memorable for me:
Italian -
Slicker Sam's in Melrose park
The pizza was a thicker crust, but was not the belly busting overdone cheese bomb that many now have adopted as the Chicago style deep dish. No, the Slicker pizza was light on cheese and had a delightful and light tomato sauce. The chalk board menu had dungeness crab which would attract many Japanese businessmen coming in to do business in Chicago and the best conch or scungilli salad (always misspelled as "scongil salad" on the chalk board menu).
Fast Food -
The original Al's Beef on Tayor - They now have franchises, but the original place on Taylor is still the best, in my opinion (went there after the Sox Opening day and it was still very good). We used to go to Mama Tish's a few blocks West on Taylor for Italian ice after a beef at Al's but I did not look for it when we were there.
Russells Barbecue in Elmwood Park- We used to go there after a day at Kiddieland for the pulled pork or pulled beef barbecue sandwich. Have not been back there in decades but I heard it is still open.
Burger and Beer -
Come Back Inn (while I am mentioning Melrose Park)
Anyone who ever went there with me loved the place. The outside had a large polar bear in a circulating glass cylinder. Inside the place was dark with a stamped concrete floor where you were encouraged to throw peanut shells from whole peanuts which they put on every table. The famous fireplace had an enormous see through opening and floor to cathedral ceiling boulders with a deer head mounted on ones side and the deer hind on the other. The burgers were the best and the atmosphere was so wonderful you just wanted to stay and have a great time long after your meal.
French -
Cafe Bernard This place may still be around and if so, I trust that is still as good as it has been over the years. I always enjoyed the escargot, the duck as well as a dessert of white chocolate mousse with mixed berries.
The Bakery- Beef wellington was smashing there.
Greek - The original
Greek islands and
Parthenon were the best places and are still there, although Greek islands was originally across the street on Halsted from its current locale. Love the gyros and tzatsiki, the sea bass, taramosalata, cold octopus salad and loaves and loaves of Greek bread with sesame seeds..
Mexican -
La Hacienda Del Sol This place was on the corner of Lincoln Park West and Armitage . The owner knew how to marinate and cook flank steak so that it was black on the outside yet tender and moist on the inside. It was the best bistec i have ever had in the US or Mexico, I am not kidding it was that good. The owner featured that steak in a few dishes. It was served by itself in a dinner or as the "Fondue Hacienda" cut into strips under a flaming fondue of melted cheese to dip the steak into. Awesome and never duplicated in quality or presentation in any Mexican restaurant about town as far as I know.
Indian -
Bengal Lancer's This was on the second floor of a three flat on Clark street just North of Belden. You would go up dark carpeted stairs and open a door like you were going into someone's old apartment. Inside there were only a dozen or so tables in an atmosphere that was just right for indulging in the flavors that Mr. and Mrs. Dixit used to create. The aloo vada, and the lamb biryani were among many fantastic entrees that they published in a book entitled, of course :"The Bengal Lancer's cookbook" . Their famous Pimm's Cup served in a metal stein with mint sprig and cucumber slice was refreshing with the spicy cuisine.
Polynesian -
Kontiki Ports Entry on Lower Wacker. Great Mai Tai cocktails and after those I don't recall much...
German -
The Berghoff - Very good schnitzel and creamed spinach. I also liked going to lunch in the adjacent bar where they had a chef standing there to carve corned beef for your sandwich.
Ice Cream - The Original
Rainbow Cone on Western - Still going strong. You have not lived until you down a rainbow cone on a hot summer evening. Slices of Palmer House, New York cherry, Pistachio, Strawberry ice cream and Orange Sherbert slapped into one memorable cone.
Melody Lane - on 87th - we used to go there as kids for parties and partake in large ice cream dishes, not up to Rainbow's ice cream quality, , but they were just enormous - large enough for the whole gang to share.
and as some more memories return:
The Half Shell - Don't know if that is still around but it was (still is ?) in the garden level of an old three flat on Fullerton and Orchard, I believe. The place was basically a basement (concrete floors and all) with a bar and a few tables scattered around, but we used to go there for a salad with romaine, sweet onions, and an excellent mustard salad dressing (I think they used Coop's mustard) and then the best frog legs I have had.
Helen's Olde Lantern A classic old restaurant in Blue Island. Does anyone remember Helen?
Mama Louisa's This lady used to work at Lou Malnatti's I believe, and still serves up a very respectable version of Lou's deep dish pizza in a small unassuming place on Cicero in Crestwood.
The Dill Pickle This was a great downtown Deli on Plymouth Court, right next to the old hotel where they shot the scene with the Penguin in the original Blues Brothers.
Great corned beef on rye with of course, a dill pickle for lunch.
Tad's Steakhouse This was on Randolph, I believe, in the Loop. Wow, this is really going back to my early days when my mother took us shopping downtown. They served a Bonanza style steak with garlic bread and baked potato for some outrageously cheap price. As a treat later we would have a shake on the round stools at State Street Walgreens counter.
The Magic Pan This was a franchise creperie that was around for a few years. My favorite locations were the one in the loop and the one in the Oakbrook shopping center. The mandarin orange with almond salad was great and so were the crepes. I wonder why such a nice franchise shut its doors, but, like some of these other places, we can only imagine why they may have closed for business.
Last edited by
alottatumor on August 3rd, 2008, 12:07 am, edited 1 time in total.