Yankee Doodle Dandy...Long Gone?

When I was about 11 years old, I tried a "grown up" hamburger, called a "Dandy Burger", for the first time at Yankee Doodle Dandy. It resembled a Whopper mostly; however, they used a special kind of sauce as well. There were 2 locations near us--one in Elgin, Illinois, the other in Barrington, Illinois--both long gone. Does anybody remember this chain? Was it strictly regional (Chicago area) or was there a franchise in your area? Does the chain even exist anymore?

I used to go to one in Elmhurst, they knocked it down and put a Bailey's there years ago.

The last one that I remember was off of Mannheim Road in LaGrange, which closed about 6 years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by saps

I used to go to one in Elmhurst, they knocked it down and put a Bailey's there years ago.

The last one that I remember was off of Mannheim Road in LaGrange, which closed about 6 years ago.

SAPS: Thanks for the info! Do you remember what was on a "Dandy Burger" and what their special sauce was like? Seems to me the sauce wasn't 1000 Island dressing, but I could be wrong. Also, did you ever eat at "Hamburger Heaven" in Elmhurst?

I've been going to Hamburger Heaven since I was four years old, and I'm 38 now. I've been there twice this year; after all of this time, I finally discovered their root beer shakes.

I like to run around the area and find different burger joints. If I were to make a top 5 list, it would be this. I'm not saying these are "hands down, the best burgers" because I'm always searching for new places, and there always seems to be a better burger out there. If you have any favorites, let me know.

1. Charlie Beinlich's, Northbrook
2. Goldyburgers, Forest Park
3. Moody's Pub, 5910 Broadway, Chicago (just went there Friday, 1st time, also have fresh cut fries)
4. Bristol Tap, Bristol, Il
5. Come Back Inn, Melrose Park

Hamburger Heaven gets special mention, but its not one of those beefy burgers. It always tastes good to me, but for some people that haven't grown up with it, they don't think much of it. It still amazes me that it takes them 10 minutes to make a burger.

The Country House in Batavia has excellent burgers, also toss in Hackney's.

I forgot about Country House. They would probably take the place of Come Back Inn. I still like Hackney's although it was better when I was a kid. I used to love those fries that they had, that would get all stuck together. The onion loaf is excellent as well, but look out the next morning!

quote:

Originally posted by hawkeyejohn

The Country House in Batavia has excellent burgers, also toss in Hackney's.

SAPS and HAWKEYEJOHN: I agree with you about the burgers at the Country House, but I think that the ones served at their original location in Countryside, Illinois are the best. Did you know that the Countryside location is haunted? There's a write-up about their ghost on their website (I think it's www.burgerone.com); I've also seen the Country House featured on a number of programs about ghosts--usually on the Discovery Channel. I always feel a little creepy when I have to use the ladies room there, as the ghost has supposedly been seen in the mirror. I was always a confirmed skeptic about stuff like that, until my sister moved into an (unknown to her) haunted house several years ago. I've had several unexplainable experiences there. Also, some ghosthunters who've been featured on the Discovery Channel a lot set up all their equipment and captured a bunch of phenomena on videotape at her house. Yikes!

Made a mistake...the original Country House restaurant is located in Clarendon Hills, Illinois and not Countryside. Sorry about that.

There used to be a yankee doodle dandy near Clark and Diversey in Chicago.But I think it was torn down in the early Eighties and replaced with a Golden Nugget pancake restaurant.

There was a Yankee Doodle Dandy on Milwaukee Ave in Libertyville. One of the great treats of the summer was when my parents allowed my brother and I to ride our bikes there for lunch. Milwaukee Ave is a busy street and probably not the best place for young kids to be riding thier bikes but I think that my folks used to do this so that they could get in some "nookie" time.

I can't remember when they closed but a gyros place called Fodraks now occupies the location.

MOUSEC: Loved your post about riding your bike to Yankee Doodle Dandy for lunch. Good heavens, we could ride our bikes ANYWHERE without giving a detailed report to our parents in those days. Whoever heard of "play dates" at that time?!! We live in a different era, though.

I suspect that my parents always sent us to the "Saturday Afternoon Matinee" (50 cents each; keep your ticket stub, and you get in free the next week; always B-Grade movies; one time, they had a double horror movie feature, and my little sister had nightmares for years!) as well as the "Sunday Afternoon Skate" at the Polar Dome at Santa's Village in Dundee in order to have some "private time" together. Parents can be extremely sneaky. And we thought teenagers were bad.

quote:

Originally posted by KimChee43

When I was about 11 years old, I tried a "grown up" hamburger, called a "Dandy Burger", for the first time at Yankee Doodle Dandy. It resembled a Whopper mostly; however, they used a special kind of sauce as well. There were 2 locations near us--one in Elgin, Illinois, the other in Barrington, Illinois--both long gone. Does anybody remember this chain? Was it strictly regional (Chicago area) or was there a franchise in your area? Does the chain even exist anymore?

Just found this old post but yes i do remember Yankee Doodle Dandy.Years ago i worked in Elgin IL and ate a Yankee Steak sandwich almost everyday.I loved those things!!!The burgers had more of a tartar sauce thing going on.I wish those places were still around!

I used to live in Elgin and remember that YDD had a better roast beef sandwich than Arby's did. Although, back then there was a Cal's roast beef place that paled both in comparison.

My wife grew up in LaGrange Park and remembers eating at the one on LaGrange Road near 31st. I *think* it might've still been in operation in the late '80s when I lived in Hillside. She also remembers one in Elmhurst.

Brad

Oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, brother...

I grew up in Elgin, Illinois, and my buds and I frequented the Yankee Doodle Dandy after delivering newspapers. Last I knew, the restautrant was an independently-owned burgers/hot dogs/gyros stand when I left Elgin in 1994.

There was also a ratty little ice cream-and-burger joint diagonal from YDD called Prince Castle. I think it was affiliated with Cock Robin restaurants, IIRC.

There used to be a Yankeeburger in Nelsonville, Ohio and we'd take our yellow Lab there because his name was Yankee. But it closed and the place is now a bank.