Moon's Sandwich Shop [Corned Beef, Grits and Banter]

LTHForum,

It is my pleasure to nominate Moon's Sandwich Shop for an LTHForum Great Neighborhood Award.

I learned early on don't judge a book by it's cover and Moon's cover, exterior that is, gives not a clue to the friendly people and hearty delicious fuel for belly and soul contained within.

Moon's Sandwich Shop Since 1933



Moon's has energy, humorous banter between, well, everyone in the place, sweetly savvy waitresses ribbing customers, customers counter, countermen counter counter customers, grill men grill and all the while large to herculean portions of corned beef, eggs, grits, pancakes and the occasional daily special make way to hungry customers.

Knowledgeable grit meisters have rightly praised Moon's grits, stark white mounds dotted with chunks of butter often with a pair of over easy eggs nestled along side.

Moon's Grits and eggs



Daily specials shine, Meatloaf dense, elemental, a beefy dark star imploding upon itself dragging in shards of green pepper,

Meat Loaf



Everything I've tried at Moon's has been good to very good, ok, I'm not wild about the chili, from 30's Style Burgers to sausage and pancakes, but Moons linchpin, how I first heard about Moon's just prior to JustJoan's inviting Moon's post, is the corned beef. Moon's corned beef is in the top couple in Chicago, right along side Manny's, juicy, slightly fatty, delicious be it on rye, as breakfast meat or, seemingly the most popular form at Moon's, piled high with mashed potatoes, corn and gravy.

Moon's Corned Beef





One of the benefits of being a semi regular is I've developed a casual conversational friendship with Henry, aka H.J., grill man extraordinaire and advanced amateur astrologist. How many people do you meet in life that can make silky smooth scrambled eggs and tell you, with some certainty, how the rest of your week will be.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of Moon's Sandwich Shop as an LTHForum Great Neighborhood Restaurant.

Enjoy,
Gary

Moon's Sandwich Shop
16 S Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
312-226-5094
Open 7 days a week
5:30 am - 3:00 pm M-Sat
7:00 am - 2:00 pm Sun.

I happily second this nomination. To my mind, Moon's has the best scrambled eggs in the city. The grill man has a gift! Moon's is literally a vanishing breed. At one time, there were 5 Moon's locations. This is the last one remaining. It's an anchor in a neighborhood that for so long has had little else to offer. Truly a GNR by any stretch of the definition.

moon's is one of my favorite places to eat, particularly for breakfast. it's also a great place to take out- of- towners, as it's a great antidote to the idea that experiencing chicago consists of going to the art institute and shopping on michigan avenue. i heartily endorse this nomination. justjoan

I drove past Moon's Saturday afternoon, and if I hadn't just come from stuffing myself at another current GNR nominee, I would have been in there enjoying their fabulous corned beef (or maybe just some grits) and asking them about the enormous condo building that has sprung up immediately to their south and how they expect it to affect their business. If I'd known Moon's was being nominated, then by gum, I would've made the sacrifice and stopped by anyway. Great nomination.

We will be putting ourselves in the same position tomorrow - not to mention that I want to try D's Irie as well....

So I got around to it today. Letter-perfect nomination: I probably never would have tried the place without prompting, but enjoyed my lunch immensely.

Moon's sounds like a great place, but I'd love to see a little more evidence of its influence on this community.

All I could find was one thread over the period of about two months, from two years ago, plus some other miscellaneous G Wiv recs and an aschie 30 reference to it being featured on Diner's & Drive-Ins.

Now, that thread is probably enough, in that it has a number of different posters who visited and most were pretty favorably impressed (though a couple less enthusiastic experiences as well), so I'm inclined to vote yes on this one, but I'd love to see community input on 2 points:

1) Is the food as good as it sounds?

2) Do you think this place has the LTH track record worthy of a GNR?

Aaron Deacon wrote:All I could find was one thread over the period of about two months, from two years ago, plus some other miscellaneous G Wiv recs and an aschie 30 reference to it being featured on Diner's & Drive-Ins.

The main Moon's thread starts in 2006 and goes though 2008 with the last post in July 2008.

Aaron Deacon wrote:1) Is the food as good as it sounds?

Better.

Aaron Deacon wrote:2) Do you think this place has the LTH track record worthy of a GNR?

Here's a recent post by Mhays and a quick google site search turned up a number of scattered positive mentions, though when you have a place that both JustJoan and I both dote upon that fact alone seems it should be grounds for some type of award, if not a GNR.

More threads and posts:
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=164507#p164507
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=168730#p168730
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=193707#p193707
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=206953#p206953
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=117870#p117870

Aaron Deacon wrote:Moon's sounds like a great place, but I'd love to see a little more evidence of its influence on this community...

2) Do you think this place has the LTH track record worthy of a GNR?

I'm sorry I haven't been able to get to Moon's prior to the end of the comment period. Unfortunately, it does not appear that many other LTHers have either. Looking through the past 2 years of threads, I see maybe 4-5 total comments about actual meals eaten at Moon's. There are - to be sure - a few more mentions about it being a good place, but nothing else from people who've actually reported about having eaten there. Are 2-3 reports per year enough to make a GNR? My mind says no, but (obviously) I'll let the voters decide.

Whether or not it wins a GNR, I hope I haven't just pissed off Gary so much that he'll decline to join me for Moon's sandwich sometime.

Kennyz wrote:Whether or not it wins a GNR, I hope I haven't just pissed off Gary so much that he'll decline to join me for Moon's sandwich sometime.

Kenny,

You have until tomorrow at midnight to comment, I suggest breakfast at Moon's. One taste of corned beef, grits and eggs and there will be no doubt Moon's is GNR material.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Whether or not it wins a GNR, I hope I haven't just pissed off Gary so much that he'll decline to join me for Moon's sandwich sometime.

Kenny,

You have until tomorrow at midnight to comment, I suggest breakfast at Moon's. One taste of corned beef, grits and eggs and there will be no doubt Moon's is GNR material.

Enjoy,
Gary

I'll honestly try, but it's gonna be tough. I lump this in the same pre-nomination category as a Tavola and Kang Nam. Both, in my opinion, had borderline track records that made a decision tough to reach. Both also had a good number of people report about very recent meals, and in each case I think the nomination was solidly tipped to one side of the scale or the other. Right now, to me, the Moon's scale is still suspended in near perfect balance. I hope at least a couple of people do come out of the woodwork to help tip it one way or the other.

Kennyz wrote:Looking through the past 2 years of threads, I see maybe 4-5 total comments about actual meals eaten at Moon's.

In an exercise worthy of Raymond Babbitt I counted the number of different people making positive mentions of food at Moon's in the mentioned threads, total 15.

This is a particularly useless exercise from my perspective as I am a firm believer in resonance, overall LTH love, not absolute numbers.

Enjoy,
Gary

Kennyz wrote:I'm sorry I haven't been able to get to Moon's prior to the end of the comment period. Unfortunately, it does not appear that many other LTHers have either.

Actually, I've stopped by a few places including Moon's. I have held off on posting about some of them. I guess I took to heart some comments people made to the effect that a single visit during the nomination and comment period doesn't do much to build up the track record they're looking for in a GNR. There's been a lot of dispute over what constitutes a GNR and I've wondered whether my opinion would help or not. So I've been hesitant to post it.

For what it's worth, I had lunch at Moon's last week. I had the corned beef sandwich and really enjoyed it. A huge mound of delicious corned beef along with some very good tomatoes on rye bread with lettuce and mustard. Something that really stood out for me was the pickles. These weren't from a jar, but seemed to be house-brined, thick slabs of salty cucumber that really made the sandwich pop. I've been thinking about the sandwich every day since then, especially after having a really disappointingly poor corned beef sandwich at a River North "Irish Pub" for lunch on Friday, and I might have to bike down to Madison and Western for lunch again tomorrow.

Of course, that's only one sandwich (or two if I make it there again tomorrow) and I don't know how heavily that will weigh in the voters' deliberations. But one thing I can say about the place is that, apart from the food, it fairly oozed character. Sitting at the counter and eating that sandwich, I felt as if I were at least peripherally participating in a Chicago that is somehow more real than the Chicago that I am normally a part of. And that may not be enough to make a GNR either. But Moon's seemed like something special to me.

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:

Kennyz wrote:I'm sorry I haven't been able to get to Moon's prior to the end of the comment period. Unfortunately, it does not appear that many other LTHers have either.

Of course, that's only one sandwich (or two if I make it there again tomorrow) and I don't know how heavily that will weigh in the voters' deliberations...

Jim,

I don't know either, but I for one certainly appreciate the post. I think Gary may be right about the larger number of positive mentions, but with many of them it is unclear whether they're based on actual, relatively recent experience (i.e, within the last 2 years) or just nostalgia. At least to me, up to the minute posts like yours really help corroborate the idea that even if those other posts are about long-ago memories, the place maintains a good deal of resonance. I'll be trying to sneak over late morning or early afternoon myself, but it's gonna be tough.

Kenny

Kennyz wrote:

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:

Kennyz wrote:I'm sorry I haven't been able to get to Moon's prior to the end of the comment period. Unfortunately, it does not appear that many other LTHers have either.

Of course, that's only one sandwich (or two if I make it there again tomorrow) and I don't know how heavily that will weigh in the voters' deliberations...

Jim,

I don't know either, but I for one certainly appreciate the post. I think Gary may be right about the larger number of positive mentions, but with many of them it is unclear whether they're based on actual, relatively recent experience (i.e, within the last 2 years) or just nostalgia. At least to me, up to the minute posts like yours really help corroborate the idea that even if those other posts are about long-ago memories, the place maintains a good deal of resonance. I'll be trying to sneak over late morning or early afternoon myself, but it's gonna be tough.

Kenny

No doubt recent posts carry more weight than old posts, but I have the feeling that Moon's is not the kind of place that changes much with each passing year.

But one thing I can say about the place is that, apart from the food, it fairly oozed character.

Hopefully that's one of the parts they put plastic sheeting over to keep it from dropping into the food.

Well, I cast my three "votes" I said I would cast, but if I am allowed a freebie, for what it's worth; my reading of this thread and track record certainly supports this place as a GNR. In fact, I have always been especially impressed how this place has risen to it's level of GNR-ness. This is a place that defines LTH resonance IMO. I've never eaten here, and rue that Justjoan did not "discover" it before our (long ago) Westernathon, but I easily see it as a GNR.

One of the few places I hadnt been. Love it. Only thing I wasnt happy about was the fact I read about this places years ago and just got there this week. I support Moon's.

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:Actually, I've stopped by a few places including Moon's. I have held off on posting about some of them. I guess I took to heart some comments people made to the effect that a single visit during the nomination and comment period doesn't do much to build up the track record they're looking for in a GNR. There's been a lot of dispute over what constitutes a GNR and I've wondered whether my opinion would help or not. So I've been hesitant to post it.

Hey, track record is track record...in case anyone else is holding back, please post!

And thanks, Jim, specifically for your account of Moon's. I'm envious.

I don't know if third party accounts should be allowed here, but since there was no way for me to get there today, I asked a friend who is a stay-at-home mom that lives a few blocks from Moon's to check it out. She went with baby in tow, and since she refuses to register and post here, I'll have to report what she said: "Holy S--t, Why the f--- haven't you told me about this place before? I thought you were supposed to be the all-knowing food schmuck! Those were the best f---ing eggs I've ever had. I didn't even think I liked grits. Grits give me a f---ing orgasm now!"

Though I hope the baby was out of the room for this dialog, I do appreciate her effort to check out Moon's for me.

Anonymous Mother wrote:"Holy S--t, Why the f--- haven't you told me about this place before? I thought you were supposed to be the all-knowing food schmuck! Those were the best f---ing eggs I've ever had. I didn't even think I liked grits. Grits give me a f---ing orgasm now!"

Now that's what I call an endorsement.

You might well imagine that I'd back off of my tentative plan to hit Moon's again for lunch today, given that I'd be biking there from River North in the rain. But then again, I'm sure many LTHers will understand the perversity of the urge that made me go anyway. I am not a fairweather cyclist; nor am I a fairweather eater, and if I said I was going to make it there, then make it there I would. Soaked to the bone.

Since I was cold and wet, I started with a bowl of chili this time. The chili was fairly standard diner chili, beans and ground beef and a little flavor that was vastly improved by the addition of oyster crackers and some hot sauce that was sitting out on the counter. Warmed up thusly, I tackled another corned beef sandwich. My experience this time around was consistent with my previous report. Fantastic sandwich, maybe a bit too much mustard but I like a sandwich that's a bit sloppy.

I put off getting back on my bicycle and instead sat at the counter for a while after eating, soaking up an extra portion of the character I mentioned in my last post. Some stained ceiling tiles, hoods that could have been cleaned a little more vigorously, but very clean in the food prep areas. The guys next to me good-naturedly hassling the girls behind the counter, who were hassling them right back. A lot of smiling and shouting. A fella asking me if I was selling Newports. His friend, out of sight behind me, shouting "No, the other white boy!" A turkey plate slapped down on the counter along with the observation "Yo big Al, you know they say you are what you eat!" Some talk about the comparative merits of west side girls vs. south side girls. Huge plate of corned beef after huge plate of corned beef served up with a lot of personality.

I left a little extra on the counter for the entertainment and rode back to the office. Again, I have no doubt that this is a very special place, and I support its nomination as a GNR.

stevez wrote:

Anonymous Mother wrote:"Holy S--t, Why the f--- haven't you told me about this place before? I thought you were supposed to be the all-knowing food schmuck! Those were the best f---ing eggs I've ever had. I didn't even think I liked grits. Grits give me a f---ing orgasm now!"

Now that's what I call an endorsement.

From a terrific f*cking mom!

Needing to run an errand near my home on the near (North)West side, I stopped in for takeout today at Moon's. I split two sandwiches with a colleague -- the corned beef, and today's special, the roast beef. These are very old-school sandwiches. What I mean is that they belong to the minimalist school -- no fancy bread, toppings, combinations or aiolis -- thus each ingredient, specifically the meat, has to be good in order to pull it off. Both the roast beef and corned beef were stellar examples (I preferred the corned beef). The CB was served on fresh rye, with a good squirt of mustard, snappy pickle, a pretty good tomato and sad iceberg lettuce, which I'll give Moon's a pass on because anything other than iceberg seems too bourgeois for Moon's. The roast beef again was high-quality, served on a classic example of an old-fashioned "hard roll" (my choice) but was less successful due to commercial, off-tasting mayo. While I thought these were excellent examples of these types of classic sandwiches, I wished both the corned beef and the roast beef were seasoned more, the roast beef tending a bit toward the bland, but appropriately beefy and minerally tasting -- again, a testament to the quality. I was hoping for some type of horseradish mayo or something to give it a kick, but again, that doesn't seem suited to Moon's philosophy. These old-school sandwiches were good trips down memory lane for us.

Moon's itself was bustling and on ambiance alone, is a total GNR place. Whether my singular good sandwich experience (which is consistent with others' experiences, by the way) along with total neighborhood ambiance is enough to push it as a GNR, I'll leave for others to decide, but I support it.

I had an inaugural lunch at Moon's today, and like others, I can't believe it's taken me so long to get there. I'll start with the food...I tried the corned beef sandwich and ate a plate full of buttery grits, over-easy eggs, bacon and wheat toast. All most excellent renditions, with the only minor glitch in the "rye" bread. The corned beef is worthy of a better slice of rye. And I have much respect for any grill master who can cook an over easy egg so well--perfect runny yolk, without the surrounding viscous weirdness.

I also noticed this:

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:Something that really stood out for me was the pickles. These weren't from a jar, but seemed to be house-brined, thick slabs of salty cucumber that really made the sandwich pop.

The scene itself is even better than described. "Friendly" doesn't quite cut it. Nor does "gritty" or "authentic". Alice meets Good Times in 2008? Along with the bumping and rocking and singing going on behind the counter, the grill guy was a marvel to watch. Deft with a spatula--after watching him whip egg shells behind his back into trash cans and perform all manner of food acrobatics on the griddle, he laid the spatula down. Then he accidentally bumped it. Fast-as-hot-grease, he caught it, mid-air, without missing a beat on the grill. Awesome.

I fully support this nomination.

acrobatics, comedy, and orgasms. In anticipation of a soon-to-come visit to Moon's, I'm afraid my expectations may have grown unreasonably high in the last few hours.

aschie30 wrote:The CB was served on fresh rye, with a good squirt of mustard, snappy pickle, a pretty good tomato and sad iceberg lettuce, which I'll give Moon's a pass on because anything other than iceberg seems too bourgeois for Moon's.

You didn't really eat a corned beef sandwich with lettuce on it, did you? That stuff has to be removed before eating. Lettuce, and tomato for that matter, on a corned beef sandwich is as out of place as strawberry syrup on kimchi.

Edited to denounce tomato on a corned beef sandwich.

Anonymous Mother wrote:"Holy S--t,...Those were the best f---ing eggs I've ever had. I didn't even think I liked grits. Grits give me a f---ing orgasm now!"

If this quote is not part of the official GNR certificate (suitable for framing), I will be very disappointed!

Buddy

A great old-school diner in an out-of-the-way neighborhood, I support Moon's for renewal. Admittedly, I've only had their breakfast food, but it was executed very well. Amazing grits.