Pursuit wrote:Two loop lunch places that come to mind and are greatly missed: Ups and Downs, which did terrific carved beef tenderloin sandwiches on an onion roll, and the legendary Bar RR where I'd always get the "Talian!" and a beer

themaven wrote:Does anybody remember that Creole/Cajun po'boy place that used to be on Damen Ave. in Wicker Park, circa 1990? They had the best fried oysters and shrimp that I have had in this city (prior to my visit to Troha's last fall). Cracker meal breading; not cornmeal (too heavy), or flour (too light, and oddly flavored), or batter (too thick) and nicely seasoned. Just like Mom used to make. I really miss them. If I remember correctly, it was owned by a pair of brothers from Louisiana. What happened to those guys anyway? Did they open a new place?

tarte tatin wrote:I'm not sure if this is the correct thread for this question, but does anyone remember the name of the restaurant that was in the Oceanique space on Main in Evanston before Oceanique opened? It was in the late '80s, I'm thinking.

tarte tatin wrote:I'm not sure if this is the correct thread for this question, but does anyone remember the name of the restaurant that was in the Oceanique space on Main in Evanston before Oceanique opened? It was in the late '80s, I'm thinking.

Xpi6tiva wrote:I have to add my memory of a restaurant long gone to see how off my memories of it are. I was about 4-5 when we'd go there so it's my memories are not very accurate. The place was called Full House located out at Irving Park and Barrington roads. I remember it had an incredible salad bar and a giant fireplace in the center of a large room. It seemed we always went with a group of people to celebrate something. And I got to play with the cigarette machine while we waited for a table. Does anyone have any memory of this place?

Xpi6tiva wrote:And I got to play with the cigarette machine while we waited for a table. Does anyone have any memory of this place?

Santander wrote:Realizing it's a longshot: does anyone recall a "Casper's Place" (or in an original incarnation, "Casper's Friendly Place") on Manheim Road in the 'burbs in the late 1960s / early 1970s? I'm researching it for a family project and would love to hear any recollections or mentions you run across, however vague.

cito wrote:

Tom wrote:Ria's Pizza: 3943 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago. Really good deep dish, my favorite neighborhood pizza back in the late 1960's--early 1970's.

Ria's provided me with my first deep dish experience. I was a big fan of their pizzas, and we preferred them over Lou Malnati's Lincolnwood (his one and only location at that time). Ria's was always busy, and I have always wondered why they closed-- early 80's if my memory is accurate.

ddam7 wrote:

cito wrote:

Tom wrote:Ria's Pizza: 3943 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago. Really good deep dish, my favorite neighborhood pizza back in the late 1960's--early 1970's.

Ria's provided me with my first deep dish experience. I was a big fan of their pizzas, and we preferred them over Lou Malnati's Lincolnwood (his one and only location at that time). Ria's was always busy, and I have always wondered why they closed-- early 80's if my memory is accurate.

Does anyone remember who was the owners of Ria's pizza? Is their any way I can get in touch with anyone who worked their ? Any info would be so much appreciated Thanks Dee

Phil wrote:Janson's, another famous Beverly hamburger/hot dog drive in still stands at 99th and Western.

After nearly two years of standing vacant on the corner of 99th Street and Western Avenue, Janson’s Drive-In has a new owner and is expected to open by summer.

Janson’s new owner, Haiwei Yuan, of Griffith, Ind., said he is completing rehab work that began in April 2012 after real estate developer Mike Ford purchased the property earlier that year with Gus and Wendy Pettas.

Ford, of Palos Park, had planned to open Janson’s in June 2012, he said in a previous interview with The Beverly Review. He has since sold his interest in the business after he was unable to secure financing to finish the rehab work, according to sources.

The Pettases, who owned and operated Wheatfield’s Restaurant in Tinley Park for 27 years, are still on board and will serve as the operation managers for Janson’s once it reopens, Yuan said.

“I’m using the same supplier and keeping the tradition and taste,” Yuan said.

A Beverly landmark for more than 50 years, Janson’s recipe for success was fresh, quality ingredients and efficient service, according to Joe Janson, whose father John “Jack” and his brother Tom opened the restaurant in September 1960.

“We always used name-brand ingredients—never the cheap ketchup and mustard—and we used a produce man who delivered the lettuce, tomatoes and onions fresh everyday,” Joe said. “We gave the customers a good product for their money.”

Janson’s hot dogs were made by Oscar Meyer but were prepared with beef instead of the traditional pork, Joe said. The recipe was unique to Janson’s and one other hot dog stand in the city of Chicago, he said.

Artie wrote:

Phil wrote:Janson's, another famous Beverly hamburger/hot dog drive in still stands at 99th and Western.

New owner to open Janson’s

After nearly two years of standing vacant on the corner of 99th Street and Western Avenue, Janson’s Drive-In has a new owner and is Iconic, retro drive-in opens its doors on Monday under new ownership after two-year absence.
Posted by Lorraine Swanson (Editor) , April 06, 2014 at 09:06 PM

The iconic Janson’s Drive-In at 9900 S. Western Ave., will re-open on Monday under new ownership.

Local residents were heartbroken when the landmark Beverly restaurant announced it’s closing after 52 years in 2012.

Gus and Wendy Pettas, and developer Mike Ford bought the restaurant and have been renovating it ever since.

Patch called in the middle of a training session over the weekend, but we were told that Janson's will open its doors at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

For the time being, Janson’s will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., seven days a week.

Janson’s is already taking lunch orders by phone at 773-941-6283.

Welcome back! Here’s to another 50 years.expected to open by summer.

Janson’s new owner, Haiwei Yuan, of Griffith, Ind., said he is completing rehab work that began in April 2012 after real estate developer Mike Ford purchased the property earlier that year with Gus and Wendy Pettas.

The Pettases, who owned and operated Wheatfield’s Restaurant in Tinley Park for 27 years, are still on board and will serve as the operation managers for Janson’s once it reopens, Yuan said.

“I’m using the same supplier and keeping the tradition and taste,” Yuan said.

A Beverly landmark for more than 50 years, Janson’s recipe for success was fresh, quality ingredients and efficient service, according to Joe Janson, whose father John “Jack” and his brother Tom opened the restaurant in September 1960.

“We always used name-brand ingredients—never the cheap ketchup and mustard—and we used a produce man who delivered the lettuce, tomatoes and onions fresh everyday,” Joe said. “We gave the customers a good product for their money.”

Janson’s hot dogs were made by Oscar Meyer but were prepared with beef instead of the traditional pork, Joe said. The recipe was unique to Janson’s and one other hot dog stand in the city of Chicago, he said.

http://www.jansonsdrivein.com

Iconic, retro drive-in opens its doors on Monday under new ownership after two-year absence.

The iconic Janson’s Drive-In at 9900 S. Western Ave., will re-open on Monday under new ownership.

Local residents were heartbroken when the landmark Beverly restaurant announced it’s closing after 52 years in 2012.

Gus and Wendy Pettas, and developer Mike Ford bought the restaurant and have been renovating it ever since.

Patch called in the middle of a training session over the weekend, but we were told that Janson's will open its doors at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

For the time being, Janson’s will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., seven days a week.

Janson’s is already taking lunch orders by phone at 773-941-6283.

d4v3 wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:

The spouse recalls an ice cream place in the North Riverside Mall, 1970's and perhaps into the early 80's, with a specialty dish called the Pike's Peak, a huge sundae for five or more persons. She says that the Peak was carried out by two waiters, in a huge bowl.

Possibly Farrell's, a chain from the West Coast.

Yeah, Pikes Peak was definitely a Farrell's thing. It may have been the progenitor of the Trough. In the 70's, they had the Pike's Peak and the Zoo (which they still have). They would sometimes change the name of Pikes Peak to a local mountain, and the Zoo to a local zoo. In Seattle, the Peak was called the Mt. Ranier and the Zoo was called the Woodland. In Portland, it was Mt.Hood and Burnside. I wonder if the N. Riverside place served a "Brookfield Zoo" ?

Robert “Bob” Farrell, the founder of the popular Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour chain that opened shops across the nation, died Friday morning. He was 88 years old.

Dearly departed: 15 Chicago restaurants Phil Vettel misses the most

Rene G wrote:

Tom wrote:I remember a Wimpy's in the north Loop (Randolph or Washington west of State Street) back in the early 1960's.

The Loop had Wimpy Grills since the 1930s and at one time they numbered over ten. By 1965 they were down to four Loop locations: 17 E Washington, 159 N Wabash, 1 N Clark and 20 W Monroe. In addition to a few in the neighborhoods, there was a Wimpy's on Chicago just west of Michigan. That stretch of Chicago Avenue between Michigan & State would become a magnet for fast food chains when they were still somewhat unusual downtown. By 1977 Arby's, Jack-in-the-Box, Burger King and McDonald's could all be found in those few blocks.

Tom wrote:If memory serves, "fast food" as we know it today--McDonald's, Wendy's and the like--didn't invade the Loop before the 1970's. They were a suburban and outlying city phenomenon that didn't exist in the inner city.

Burger King, which opened at State & Congress in 1973, might have been the first of the nationally-known fast food chains to open near the Loop. But King Kastle (a White Castle imitator) was already at State & Randolph by that time and places like Burger City and Burgerbar* were on State Street in the '60s. Wendy's opened in 1975 at Clark & Madison and so might have been the first major burger chain in the Loop (I suppose one could argue whether it was a major chain back then).

* See jazzman's mention above. Burgerbar was at 156 N and 350 S State.