Chitown B wrote:also, one had a bad time because they were out of pot roast and turkey. which is a bad thing, but it doesn't mean the food was bad - just bad timing.

She's the same one who used the term "cute" to describe the decor several times...I wanted to reach through the set and smack her.

Bad timing, to be sure, but there's something to be said for the DAD being out of the two things I think they do best. I mean, I love the place, but I'd be pissed if I made plans to come in from somewhere else and they weren't fully stocked with the good stuff. Just sayin'.

I have eaten at the Depot Diner twice and I am not inclined to return. Both visits were around noon on a Sunday and the staff seemed to be woefully hung-over and not what I would call welcoming. The food was average to good. The first time I had the pot roast sandwich which was tasty enough, but the food service grade fries were a big let down. On the second visit I had the burger which was pretty much unseasoned and at best a "meh". However, the tipping point is that the restroom is filthy, not dirty mind you, but filthly which is a total turn off and shows a lack of caring or pride.

Just wanting to shine a little love into this thread. I frequent the Depot- been probably almost two dozen times. Granted, I am usually there on a weekday for a late lunch when the staff has their ducks in a row and time and patience to lovingly cook my food to perfection. I have been there when they are slammed and maybe found the ratios of my rueben to be off or experienced a curtness from a staff member (to which I usually respond in an affable way "crazy one, huh?" and typically receive a conciliatory response of someone who is simply working their ass off). I have found that Robert and co. are a dedicated, talented, and customer- pleasing crew turning out fine- tuned, well executed versions of the classics. Just last week I had a textbook- perfect diner style omelet with ham, cheese, and mushrooms. The club or any of the house-roasted turkey sandwiches- delightful, the rueben-one of my favorite versions, fried chicken- awesome; double decker grilled ham and cheese- damn, the home made chicken soup, the donuts, and on and on. I brought a buddy of mine (who cooks at one of our very own GNRs) for the first time and with his beard bejeweled in gravy droplets, declared the pot roast the best he's had. The only dish that wasn't up to my specs that I've had at the Depot- and I've easily tried half the menu- was the chicken salad, but that's 'cuz I make such a darn fancy version for myself at home. I recommend to the naysayers dropping by on a less busy afternoon or early morning during the week and give it another chance. Love the Depot!

WCIBN wrote:TDAD was one of the restaurants reviewed on this week's Check, Please! and it didn't fair too well. One rave review (a LTH Forum member?), one lukewarm review and one reviewer didn't like it at all.

If you missed it and want to view it, the show will be replayed on WTTW three times in the next few days. Scheduled replays are: Saturday 2/13 @ 4:30pm, Sunday 2/14 @ 9:30pm and Monday 2/15 @ 4:30am.

Maybe I've fallen victim to rosey colored glasses syndrome, but didn't all of them agree that the food was good?
The lady did say that that fried chicken was kinda "meh," but in the same breath said the meatloaf was really good, and the guy who was trying to impress the world said that his B&G were really good, and his kid's spaghetti and meatballs were really good. Both the lady and the guy who was trying to impress the world seemed surprised to be remembering that they did, in fact, like the food. I can't really understand why the guy who was trying to impress the world would order B&G and then say that the food was too heavy for him to eat several times a week, but maybe that's just my normally skewed seebee take on things ppl say. As always, I take the show with a grain of salt, because editing is a powerful tool.

agreed, seebee. i watch a lot of Check Please, and to my eyes it was an all around good review.

Chitown B wrote:agreed, seebee. i watch a lot of Check Please, and to my eyes it was an all around good review.

Interpolating for the fact that people are generally polite on Check, Please!, I thought it was one of the most negative segments I can remember seeing in a long time. When 2 of the 3 people have more negative comments than positive ones to say about a place, it can't really get much worse, since 1 of the 3 recommended it in the first place. Even Avenues, which one might think would be far more polarizing, fared much better. Not saying these opinions necessarily matter but I didn't get the sense that this was a "good review" by any means.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Chitown B wrote:agreed, seebee. i watch a lot of Check Please, and to my eyes it was an all around good review.

Interpolating for the fact that people are generally polite on Check, Please!, I thought it was one of the most negative segments I can remember seeing in a long time. When 2 of the 3 people have more negative comments than positive ones to say about a place, it can't really get much worse, since 1 of the 3 recommended it in the first place. Even Avenues, which one might think would be far more polarizing, fared much better. Not saying these opinions necessarily matter but I didn't get the sense that this was a "good review" by any means.

=R=

Does that mean no "Check Please" effect for the Depot? I'm curious. I think lots of people go to a place because it was featured on TV.

I'm thinking I must be more dismissive about ppl's judgements about ambience, and more focused on the food on that show. I heard the lady say that the meatloaf was "pretty good," or "really good," and the guy who wanted to impress the world said both his B&G, and the spaghetti and meatballs were "pretty good," or "really good" as well.
The lady did say the fried chicken was not the greatest, and the guy was not a fan of the egg cream, but the comments about the food were not bad in general, I didn't think. I do get that most ppl are trying to be polite, but both the lady and the guy who wanted to impress the world both sounded pretty surprised when they both commented that the food was good.

I don't know. Everything was going so smooth Saturday night. I parked right in front, made my way in, and found a lone counter stool in the corner. Then the hostess came over and rudely tossed me out because he had an idea to somehow seat a party there once everyone else ate and left. I thought the the idea of counter seating was grab a stool and eat?

Mikey wrote:I don't know. Everything was going so smooth Saturday night. I parked right in front, made my way in, and found a lone counter stool in the corner. Then the hostess came over and rudely tossed me out because he had an idea to somehow seat a party there once everyone else ate and left. I thought the the idea of counter seating was grab a stool and eat?

So it was SRO on Saturday night when you were there? See that's just it, I wouldn't expect any diner on a Saturday night to be packed. Sounds like "Check Please" effect to me.

pairs4life wrote:

Mikey wrote:I don't know. Everything was going so smooth Saturday night. I parked right in front, made my way in, and found a lone counter stool in the corner. Then the hostess came over and rudely tossed me out because he had an idea to somehow seat a party there once everyone else ate and left. I thought the the idea of counter seating was grab a stool and eat?

So it was SRO on Saturday night when you were there? See that's just it, I wouldn't expect any diner on a Saturday night to be packed. Sounds like "Check Please" effect to me.

Packed on a Saturday night isn't unusual for the Depot if you are there during peak hours.

ucjames wrote:Packed on a Saturday night isn't unusual for the Depot if you are there during peak hours.

Is the "rude tossing out" described by Mikey something you can imagine happening there on any given Saturday night, or does it sound really atypical to you?

riddlemay wrote:

ucjames wrote:Packed on a Saturday night isn't unusual for the Depot if you are there during peak hours.

Is the "rude tossing out" described by Mikey something you can imagine happening there on any given Saturday night, or does it sound really atypical to you?

I've never seen anything like that. Packed? Absolutely. Rude tossing out - make that any kind of tossing out? Never.

Though from the description it sounds like there was a group waiting to grab adjacent stools when Mikey inadvertently took one of them. Doesn't excuse any rudeness, but I can understand why he'd need to give up the stool.

ucjames wrote:

riddlemay wrote:

ucjames wrote:Packed on a Saturday night isn't unusual for the Depot if you are there during peak hours.

Is the "rude tossing out" described by Mikey something you can imagine happening there on any given Saturday night, or does it sound really atypical to you?

I've never seen anything like that. Packed? Absolutely. Rude tossing out - make that any kind of tossing out? Never.

Though from the description it sounds like there was a group waiting to grab adjacent stools when Mikey inadvertently took one of them. Doesn't excuse any rudeness, but I can understand why he'd need to give up the stool.

Just curious: was there a "Please wait for hostess to seat you" sign anywhere?

riddlemay wrote:Is the "rude tossing out" described by Mikey something you can imagine happening there on any given Saturday night, or does it sound really atypical to you?

Rude, atypical, absolutely.

And, at the risk once again of seeming so invested in places that they feel that any criticism, however mild, of that beloved place is, by extension, an attack on them and..... I'd venture "tossed out" and rude are in the eye of the beholder.

Far as Depot asking people to move a seat at the counter, yes, absolutely, I've been politely asked myself to scooch down or wait to sit down to make room for another party. Its a small place and when they get busy I do not begrudge them wanting to maximize customer flow.

Enjoy,
Gary

I never saw a wait to be seated sign. I wasn't physically thrown out, just asked if I wanted something to go.
No worries, I just thought I knew diner etiquette after eating in so many. I never had a problem at the Apple Pan for example....

Apple pancakes were absolutely ace this morning. Place was packed, but my family and my daughter's kindergarten teacher got there just in time to snag the table in the back. Service was great, too, though hidden away like that I may have missed my quota of automatic coffee refills and had to ask. It was all I could do to get up and leave when I was done, rather than stay put for lunch.

Well, if there's a Check, Please effect even when you didn't get the greatest reviews, it was in full effect at Depot Diner this morning; first time I've ever had to wait there (only a few minutes, but getting busier by the time we left).

Service was on top of it and biscuits and gravy were as good as ever.

When my 9 year old daughter's business in Oak Park was concluded this morning we swung by the Depot and our hearts started to sink when we saw the late model SUV's parked on the street. It was a ten minute wait so no bother.

We were seated at the counter and in a few minutes were joined by one of Chicago's finest who as it turned out shared some common history and friends. He gave me his business card, "here's a get of jail free card" which my girl loved. He asked his neighbors to the left, "so you came here from Glenview just to eat." He then spun 180 degrees, made a face, swiveled back and asked again.

Didn't know about Check Please but that explains it.

As the cop walked out...he only had 20 minutes to eat....he told the people waiting..."order the French Toast."

My girl ordered lunch so that she could keep her powder dry for the pie.

General Tso wrote:The pot roast sandwich is between does have both a heel and a crown but is intended to be eaten with silverware. This threw me off. I thought that if a sandwich was open face, you eat it with silverware. If it has a crown, you pick it up with your hands.

Well, needless to say, with the gravy and all, eating it with my hands was a disgusting (but tasty) spectacle. It was only after I was done that I asked the waitress which method was intended.

Something Jean Joho said recently bears on this subject, and I am in full agreement with his thinking though one-generation-removed from his food attitude: "I’m European, now I quarter the burger, and even when I quarter the burger I have a tough time eating the burger with my hands."

When eating a burger, I prefer to use silverware, though sometimes it feels rather...prissy.

So tomorrow is a big day for me, finally after three years of living in this city I am going to The Depot American Diner. I'm so psyched, it's been on my list for years but never made it out west.

I've been reading this thread all afternoon, trying to decide what I should order and it's going to be a tough call. All the food looks amazing, the pot roast sandwich has the lead at the moment. As well, I am a big sweets person, so I HAVE to get dessert.

Can't wait.

Shaggywillis wrote:So tomorrow is a big day for me, finally after three years of living in this city I am going to The Depot American Diner. I'm so psyched, it's been on my list for years but never made it out west.

I've been reading this thread all afternoon, trying to decide what I should order and it's going to be a tough call. All the food looks amazing, the pot roast sandwich has the lead at the moment. As well, I am a big sweets person, so I HAVE to get dessert.

Can't wait.

The Sweet potato pie was very good a couple of weeks ago. Not too sweet, I'd ask them not to dust with powdered sugar.

You can't go wrong on any of the desserts. I'm partial to the donut holes, but red velvet cake is awesome as well...

Shaggywillis wrote:...I am a big sweets person, so I HAVE to get dessert.

Can't wait.

Get whatever u want for dessert, you'll prolly be lured into ordering the donuts, ya almost have to. I will say this tho: the bread pudding is high on my list, and travels/holds up in the fridge quite well. If you're big on desserts, a "now and later" is quite possible.

Let me say, that it is worth the drive to Cicero to eat here. I went with two friends late Saturday afternoon, about 1:30 and there was no wait.

Started with a chocolate egg cream, because I've never had one before and I don't think this drink is my cup of tea. It had the salty flavor, from the soda but it was just okay. This is not the fault of the diner, but of my taste buds as I'm quite sure I wouldn't enjoy an egg cream from anywhere.

Got the Club sandwich which was really good. There was a lot of turkey on the sandwich, real turkey that is, and the bacon they use had a great smokiness to it. I also enjoyed the real white bread they use, I don't really eat bread, but this was amazing. The fries were also very good, nice and hot and crispy and soft inside.

For dessert, had to go for the donuts. I'm a donut sucker and these rocked. Not sure about the chocolate milk/hot chocolate side that came with it, but the donuts themselves with the cinnamon sugar was amazing. Fresh and hot, get them if you go.

Anyone else hear of Depot American Diner opening a second location in Berwyn? I just saw it listed in the city council meeting packet for tomorrow.

Went over to have lunch today and found the restaurant with the blinds down, closed. They're not done, likely just rehabbing the space, but call before you venture out...

From the Depot website:

The Depot American Diner will be closed Monday, May 3, 2010 and Tuesday, May 4, 2010 for floor repairs. We will reopen Wednesday, May 5, 2010.

Stopped by on Friday, bringing a friend over for the first time, and I am happy to mention that the place was packed at 1:30 pm with about 4 to 8 people waiting for a seat all of the time we were there. There were a few taking pictures, inside, outside and of the food. From what I could see the Pot Roast Sandwich, Roast Turkey Dinner and Donuts were flying out of the kitchen.

Found out they are up to 30# of Pot Roast a day.

Great that they are doing well! Robert is happy.