Anybody Remember these Chicago Places?

I like to sit and reminisce sometimes on a cool autumn day...my thoughts often revolve around food and drink. I'm thinking about these Chicago places that I remember from my youth...anybody else remember these places and want to share their memories?

MATH IGLER'S...Our high school German Club would eat here once a year. They had "singing waiters". I remember one waiter chugging a whole stein of beer and then leading us in a round of "Schnitzelbank".

THE BROWN BEAR...Another German restaurant that the German Club visited just once. They had "singing waiters", too.

SHERLOCK'S HOME...Can't remember the address of this place, but "Jacque's" (now defunct) was in the same building. They served British pub fare. The decor reminded one of...well...Sherlock Holmes' flat. Wingback chairs, dark wood paneling, and so on. Their menu was printed on a faux British pound note.

A BAR THAT SPECIALIZED IN "COHASSET PUNCH"...Can't remember the name of the bar, but we'd see this place near the train station. There was a big neon sign in the shape of a lighthouse, if I'm not mistaken. My friend's mom (a native Chicagoan) told me once that they put a fresh peach in the bottom of the punch glass?

AN ASSEMBLY LINE TYPE OF STEAK PLACE...Our class stopped at this place for lunch once when I was in junior high. All I can remember is that you got this pretty big steak dinner for very little money. I remember T-bone steak, baked potato, corn on the cob were on the plate. It wasn't really a cafeteria, though. Does this place ring a bell with anybody? I don't know its name or whether it's even there anymore.

I could be wrong, but I think the "assembly-line steak place" was Ponderosa. I don't think there are any in the Chicagoland area anymore, but I know there's still one in Manitowoc, WI (close to the Roadfood reviewed Penguin Drive Inn).

As for the other places you mentioned, I have no recollection of them. Hope that helps.

How about George Diamond's Steak House, where the steak was brought to the table on a charcoal grill? Or the Pickle Barrel on Wells where a crock of great dill pickles and a bowl of popcorn was set on the table as you sat down. They had great open face reuben sandwiches.

quote:

Originally posted by hawkeyejohn

How about George Diamond's Steak House, where the steak was brought to the table on a charcoal grill? Or the Pickle Barrel on Wells where a crock of great dill pickles and a bowl of popcorn was set on the table as you sat down. They had great open face reuben sandwiches.

HAWKEYEJOHN: I don't think that the steak place was George Diamond's, because the steak wasn't brought to the table on a charcoal grill. A server brought the steak, but it was on a platter. I don't recall dill pickles or popcorn on the tables, so it couldn't have been the Pickle Barrel.

JLOBOUGH: Definitely wasn't a Ponderosa, because the decor didn't have a western theme. The restaurant I remember was right downtown in the Loop somewhere.

Had forgotten that George Diamond's ever existed, as much as used to enjoy it. Know I must be getting old! Assume that it has long been gone.

Did Chicago ever have Tad's?? That sounds exactly like the Tad's Steak Houses that were in [I believe] NYC and Philly...You got that steak, tater, corn in the late 60's for like $1.79!

ConeyIslandLou, I know there were Tads in New York City in the summer of 1960 with food exactly as you describe -as best I remember, it was just walk down a line and pick up platter at line's end. Not certain about this, but don't believe there was much, if any, choice of how steaks were cooked. Seems all were about medium (fine with me since that's the way I like a steak). While that meal surely wouldn't win any awards, it was not that bad and was a godsend to me what with my budget at that time. Price was $1.79 at most; seems like most basic dinner was $1.49 with certain extra cost options available.

the assembly line steak place could have been ronny's steak house which i understand still exists.can remember the cohassett punch place but can still see the sign in my mind and always wondered what cohassett punch was.

Assembly line steak? Nope, don't remember. But what happened to the Cafeteria style Harmony House? Used to be one in Winston Park,(Melrose park subdivision) in the 60's and 70's. You went through the line, everything was al-a-carte.
Skips Drive-In on North avenue right down from Polk Brothers
Dumpling House,(someone told me it was still there) on Archer and Harlem ave??? Or somewhere around there.
Kon Tiki Ports in some big Hotel, Michigan ave. (they let me order and drink Mai Tais as a teen (Prom)
Chicken House, North ave in Melrose Park
And a million beef and dog joints that ain't where they use to be anymore

What I miss most in Chicago(land) are:

Mary's Cupboard (for ribs and chicken) on Green Bay Road in Winnetka
Toddle House (for hash browns at midnight) in Hubbard Woods
The personality-plus State Street branch of Gold Coast Dogs
Spinning Salad Bowl at Don Roth's Blackhawk Restaurant in the Loop (there's still one in Wheeling, I believe)
That place in the old Stockyards where they used to brand your steak (I think ... this is going WAY back)
The Indian Trail in Winnetka -- a real old-fashioned tea room
The OLD Lou Mitchell's, when Lou greeted you

quote:

Originally posted by jbburn

the assembly line steak place could have been ronny's steak house which i understand still exists.can remember the cohassett punch place but can still see the sign in my mind and always wondered what cohassett punch was.

JBBURN: I checked out Ronny's Steak House online. They don't have a website, but I gathered enough info to be pretty certain that the "assembly line steak place" of my youth was Ronny's. Thank you so much!!

quote:

Originally posted by KimChee43

quote:

Originally posted by jbburn

the assembly line steak place could have been ronny's steak house which i understand still exists.can remember the cohassett punch place but can still see the sign in my mind and always wondered what cohassett punch was.

JBBURN: I checked out Ronny's Steak House online. They don't have a website, but I gathered enough info to be pretty certain that the "assembly line steak place" of my youth was Ronny's. Thank you so much!!

Where was Ronny's?

SPADOMAN: I learned that Ronny's is still in business! The address is 340 S. Wabash Avenue.

quote:

Originally posted by KimChee43

SPADOMAN: I learned that Ronny's is still in business! The address is 340 S. Wabash Avenue.

Thanks. Going to Chicago in a week or two to visit Mom. If she lets me eat anywhere else but home, I'll wander over and take a picture!

quote:

Originally posted by spadoman

quote:

Originally posted by KimChee43

SPADOMAN: I learned that Ronny's is still in business! The address is 340 S. Wabash Avenue.

Thanks. Going to Chicago in a week or two to visit Mom. If she lets me eat anywhere else but home, I'll wander over and take a picture!

SPADOMAN: Don't just stop at taking a picture of Ronny's. Go on inside, have one of those steak dinners, and share your experience with the rest of us!

I chowed down lots of steaks at George Diamonds as a kid, but my favorite steak joint was Joe Steins on Roosevelt Road (12th Street back then) on the west side of Chicago. The ultra thin Romainan skirt steaks were a slice of heaven and on each table was a bottle of orange Old Colony pop. In the late 60's, Joe Steins moved to the north side of Chicago, but the food and the service never matched the original. My favorite baby back ribs were served at the Cork on Dempster in Skokie and Fanny's in Evanston gave you all the spaghetti you could eat. On the west side, Helen & Millies had wonderful french fried shrimp and Sam & Hy's was the deli for corned beef & lox. The Ranch on Devon, Super Dawg, and Johnny's Original (on Maxwell Street) were my first hot dog haunts. By the way, I can still find Bosco and Green River, but it looks like Kayo is gone forever.

Wow Chicago style dog, I don't remember any of those joints. Good call.
I did go to school with a kid named Jody Stein and his folks owned Stein's on Roosevelt road in suburban Broadview. It was right near 1st ave(river road).

quote:

Originally posted by chicagostyledog

I chowed down lots of steaks at George Diamonds as a kid, but my favorite steak joint was Joe Steins on Roosevelt Road (12th Street back then) on the west side of Chicago. The ultra thin Romainan skirt steaks were a slice of heaven and on each table was a bottle of orange Old Colony pop. In the late 60's, Joe Steins moved to the north side of Chicago, but the food and the service never matched the original. My favorite baby back ribs were served at the Cork on Dempster in Skokie and Fanny's in Evanston gave you all the spaghetti you could eat. On the west side, Helen & Millies had wonderful french fried shrimp and Sam & Hy's was the deli for corned beef & lox. The Ranch on Devon, Super Dawg, and Johnny's Original (on Maxwell Street) were my first hot dog haunts. By the way, I can still find Bosco and Green River, but it looks like Kayo is gone forever.

I've seen some of "Fanny's" products at Dominick's (a Chicagoland supermarket chain) in their freezer section. The meat sauce comes immediately to mind, but I know that there were other products for sale. I'm pretty sure I saw Kayo there, too, but I'll have to doublecheck. I used to like Kayo when I was little.

I was going to suggest that it was Ronny's, but I see others already have. The "new" Ronny's is in the modern State of Illinois Thompson Center. So, it's not the same location you remember. I hear the food's about the same, though.

I remember most of these places. Math Igler's "Casino" was one of the many great German restaurants in Chicago in those days. Remember Heidelberger Fass on Lincoln Avenue? Sherlock's Home was on Lincoln Avenue just across the street from the Biograph (scene of John Dillinger's last movie).

My wife remembers many Cohasset Punch drinks, but can't recall the name of the place. Was a great stop on the way from work to the train.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Stern

What I miss most in Chicago(land) are:

Mary's Cupboard (for ribs and chicken) on Green Bay Road in Winnetka
Toddle House (for hash browns at midnight) in Hubbard Woods
The personality-plus State Street branch of Gold Coast Dogs
Spinning Salad Bowl at Don Roth's Blackhawk Restaurant in the Loop (there's still one in Wheeling, I believe)
That place in the old Stockyards where they used to brand your steak (I think ... this is going WAY back)
The Indian Trail in Winnetka -- a real old-fashioned tea room
The OLD Lou Mitchell's, when Lou greeted you

Getting back to Skip's Drive in. Used to go there every Friday night (back in the late 50's) with all the "guys" piled into either my Dad's 57 Ford or my cousins Dad's Buick. Drive out North Avenue to Skip's and cruise the lot. I wonder how they made any money there because all we went there for was to drag race Eastbound on North for a quarter mile or try and pick up chicks in other cars.

If you went to watch you parked in the Polk Bros. lot on the South side of North Avenue and sat on your hood. Some of the guys would actually bring checkered flags with and get out onto North Avenue and start races. I think the Police ignored that a lot in those days and infrequently showed up.

We also went up to the "Pie Pan" which I think was at Cicero Avenue and maybe Touhy or Dempster. Hang out for people that wanted to race on the Edens Exway.

As for other Memories ....

Rainbow Cones on the South Side. (Still there I believe)North of 95th and Western I think. On Western.
White Castles at 3AM after many beers or you did not like your date. Min 6 of them (the WC).
Top of the Rock at the Prudential Building for great romantic dinners
The Playboy Club and dancing with the bunnies at 5AM.
The Cave on the West Side for the greatest burgers and place to eat (Still there I think)
Lake Front to watch "submarine races" with your favorite date. Montrose Harbor.
Edgewater Beach Hotel - Prom night from Lane Tech HS. 1956.
Villa Venice for a great dinner and a boat ride.
The HUB on Harlem Avenue for some great roller skating. (Gone)
Henry's the Mc Donalds alternative.
Russels on North Avenue near the old Skip's where we used to turn around to go back. This place is still there and great Ribs and BBQ Pork Sandwiches. Corner North and 1st Avenue or River Road.
The ARC out on Milwaukee Ave that had the greatest chicken dinners. (Gone)
Carsons for Ribs. Great!
Stock Yards Inn - Many years ago with my parents! Now gone but the downside was we lived on the Northwest side and when the wind blew from the South, Whew!

Still there:

Lukes Hot Dogs on Harlem near Addison.
THE GREATEST ITALIAN FOOD on the South Side - JC's Pub, 127th and Cicero. When we go to Chicago we always go there! Say hello to Joe for us. He is always there to welcome diners. Nice bar also! Food is all home cooked and excellent. Go on Thursday night for Lamb Shanks, out of this world!

My brains are fried on this subject. Will be back for more once my wife gets home. She remembers things.

Don and Pat
Castle Rock Colorado

There used to be a small shop at the "L" stop at Wrigley Field that made killer roast beef snadwiches. It was a long long time ago, but I remember them being a subsandwich that had the roast beef piled maybe two inches high. My father-in-law lived a couple of blocks from there and we used to get them for dinner every now and then. I haven't been back there in many many years; don't know if the place is still there. But, if it was it would almost be worth the trip.

I also used to get a great Veal Parmigon (sp?) at the Maxim's in downtown Chicago. I understand there may be two Maxim's. The one I liked was in a sub basement area. I think it was one State street. The amazing thing is I have tried veal since and can't stand it but I loved it there.

Oldfrt, my first car was dad's 57 Ford Tudor(black & white with a gold design down the side). I spent many Friday & Saturday nights at Skips on North & 1st Ave in Melrose Park. The Pie Pan was on the corner of Cicero & Peterson, not far from Lockwood Castle, home of the Giant Killer(Chicago's largest ice cream sundae). As a kid, I worked at Henry's Drive-In on Lincoln Avenue in Lincolnwood and in another life, I worked at Polk's Warehouse, next dooor to Skip's. I was in the store the night it burned down. We could see the smoke all the way into southeastern Wisconsin from that fire. Spent a few nights in Waukegan "scooping the loop" and always raced at Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, WI or U.S.30 in Dyer, IN when the weather was warm. Some of the best street racing took place along the railroad tracks that paralleled LSD by the museum on the south side. Food was great, gas was cheap, and cars were fast. What more could a boy ask for?

Hey ChicagoStyleDog, great memories! We probably raced you on North Avenue a few times. I lived around Fullerton and Cicero in the City and greatest pizza was Leonardo's on Fullerton. The soda fountain at Walgreens after school, the old butcher shop with saw dust on the floor, Good Humor guy on the three wheel bike/cart with the bells, Frank the Peddler (Vegetables) that came down the alley every Saturday ...

I didn't have my own car till 63 and around 64/65 spent a LOT of time at Union Grove racing. Street racing was rampant back in those days as you well know. Every intersection with a traffic light was a opportunity. I guess people just knew that on a warm Friday or Saturday night to be carefull when crossing the street.

Don

Man, Chicago, I miss that town. Many days lunch for the Continental Bank bunch was BERGHOFF'S, and the Mrs. and I always loved The Italian Village for a night out. Also visited my first LUM'S in Chi, and had the best pizzas anywhere at UNO's or DUE's. I'm hoping at least some of these places survive. And is the Comeback Inn on the southwest side still there?

I just found your request for information about the "Home of Cohasset Punch" which was Ladner Brothers at 207 West Madison Street.

There used to be several cafeteria-style places in the 60's serving a rib eye, baked potato, Texas toast and maybe a small salad for around a dollar, around Chicago. As I recall there was a similar one in Urbana or Champaign.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS-Dad

I just found your request for information about the "Home of Cohasset Punch" which was Ladner Brothers at 207 West Madison Street.

Yes, that's it! Thanks very much! I'll have to look to see what's at that location now. I wonder how long Ladner Brothers has been gone.

quote:

Originally posted by a noid

Man, Chicago, I miss that town. Many days lunch for the Continental Bank bunch was BERGHOFF'S, and the Mrs. and I always loved The Italian Village for a night out. Also visited my first LUM'S in Chi, and had the best pizzas anywhere at UNO's or DUE's. I'm hoping at least some of these places survive. And is the Comeback Inn on the southwest side still there?

Come Back Inn in Melrose park Recently closed it's doors for good. My favorite was Slicker Sam's (right behind Come Back) where folks in jeans sat at long tables next to those in Tuxs to enjoy incredible Italian Food.

I remember such a steak place on Wabash under the El, Tadd's Steakhouse

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Stern

What I miss most in Chicago(land) are:

Mary's Cupboard (for ribs and chicken) on Green Bay Road in Winnetka
Toddle House (for hash browns at midnight) in Hubbard Woods
The personality-plus State Street branch of Gold Coast Dogs
Spinning Salad Bowl at Don Roth's Blackhawk Restaurant in the Loop (there's still one in Wheeling, I believe)
That place in the old Stockyards where they used to brand your steak (I think ... this is going WAY back)
The Indian Trail in Winnetka -- a real old-fashioned tea room
The OLD Lou Mitchell's, when Lou greeted you

I have the recipe for that Spinning Salad Bowl, of course it's not quite the same. The place I remember in the stockyards where you chose the steak and they scraped the mold off from aging and branded it, was The Stockyard Inn.

Great topic! Did not know the Come Back Inn closed, oh well. Great Burgers! How about the Beverly House at the corner of Vincennes and Beverly at 103rd? Used to go there for lunch. Gone now! Shem's on Vincennes, long gone, for the best Pizza and very cold Hamm's beer!

Late night was the Blue Note on Halstad around 103rd, gus behind the bar, a great Juke Box, booze and belly rubbin late at night.

Babes Farm House, 127th maybe around 123rd.

Is Helenas Rest (Polish) still open on Milwaukee Ave.?

Sak's at Chicago Ave and Damen was the GREATEST! Uke food, great borscht and pierogies + cold beer. We will check that out next month.

Gateley's People stores, Michigan Ave in Roseland, sandwiches!

We are going back in May and going to find out what places are left.

We miss the good ole Chicago food!

Don and Pat

Oldfrt,

How about those ribs at the Homestead on 113th & Vincennes or the plates of pan fried perch & frog legs in butter at Phil Schmidts?

scrape the mold off of aged steaks? that doesn't sound too good

That is too bad about Come Back Inn, we went on lots of dates there.
Favorite restaurants downtown were the Forum Cafeteria (loved their chicken pot pie) and the Berghoff for corned beef and creamed spinach. Is the Italian Village still around?

There were several of the "assembly line" steak houses in Chicago. Besides Tadd's and Ronny's, there was Mr. Mike's. This was my personal favorite and was at Wabash and Van Buren (I think Ronny's may of gone in there). Mr. Mike's was there in the 60s. I used to eat there every week after I got paid at Marshall Field's.

Some of my other favorite Chicago restaurants that are gone were Esquire Steak House (other end of the scale from Tadd's, etc.). Esquire was on Monroe, between State and Dearborn and was across the street from the Shubert Theater (where I worked when in high school).

Corona Cafe was on Rush, near Grand. Italian food in a nice dining room, they also had a seperate counter area with a different enterance. A lot of the newspaer guys used to eat there.

The Forum on Madison was my favorite cafeteria. I remember they used to give you hard red plastic covers for your coffee cup so your coffee would not get cold while you carried your tray to a table.

Wimpy's. They were all over the loop. There was one alongside the aforementioned Shubert. Also on Wabash and Lake, Washington between State and Wabash (across from Fields), Clark and Madison, Chicago and Michigan.

Does anyone remember Edward's Grill on North State around Oak? Or the 6 Below at 6 South Clark? 6 Below was downstairs from a Pixley and Ehlers cafeteria and was across the street from the 1st National Bank of Chicago.

Gertie's on 59th & Kedzie for ice cream. Also for ice cream the original Buffalo on Pulaski. And Lockwood castle for super sodas and super sudaes. All gone.

quote:

Originally posted by sonoma66

There used to be a small shop at the "L" stop at Wrigley Field that made killer roast beef snadwiches. It was a long long time ago, but I remember them being a subsandwich that had the roast beef piled maybe two inches high. My father-in-law lived a couple of blocks from there and we used to get them for dinner every now and then. I haven't been back there in many many years; don't know if the place is still there. But, if it was it would almost be worth the trip.

I also used to get a great Veal Parmigon (sp?) at the Maxim's in downtown Chicago. I understand there may be two Maxim's. The one I liked was in a sub basement area. I think it was one State street. The amazing thing is I have tried veal since and can't stand it but I loved it there.

I don't get to Chicago much, but live just north of the Illinois-Wisconsin line (which makes for some VERY interesting discussions during football season for some reason). Three memories I have from the Wrigley Field neighborhood:

Lucky's Sandwich Shop. They piled the slaw and the fries in our sandwiches. Interesting. Pretty good, too. Lucky's topped America Onlines list of "Best Cheap Food" when I took my niece to a Cub game, so we went. It wasn't hard to blow off the McDonalds on the other corner of Clark and Addison.

Salt-N-Peppers: Haven't eaten there, but it's definitely on the list.

Cubby Dog's: I love a good Chicago Style Dog with more produce than hot dog. Where are the CUCUMBERS? I'm not a fan of pickles or peppers, but love the fresh tomatos, onions and cukes and NO KETCHUP. I use the ketchup to dip my fries in.

I may be getting a bit ahead of myself, but The Berghoff 17 W. Adams St. (I mis-located it to Michigan Avenue on another board) is closing on Feb 28th. I ate there as a sailor in 1981, and that corned beef sandwich was great! I'm told they fried up a mean chicken, too, but haven't had that. I gotta get there in the next two months!

We ate at the Berghoff last night. There was a 45 minute wait just to get into the building and this was at 4:00pm. Same waiters, same good food, fast service, and reasonable prices for a downtown restaurant. We visited Marshall Field's after dinner.

We ate at Berghoff the night before last. Good food, and attentive, friendly service all at a reasonable price. They made us feel welcome as though we ate there every day. What a loss.

we use to street race by the incinerators and off elston and webster by sollys italian beef, sit on the hood and watch people blow up stuff

does anyone remember o henrys hamburgers at kiddieland on golf and skokie blvd outside of chicago?

Yup, there was another one on Lincoln Ave. near the old Niles East High School. It looked kind of like a McDonald's (old school; walk up window, no indoor seating, no drive thru) as I recall. I remember the name as just "Henry's", no "O" in front of it.

quote:

Originally posted by hawkeyejohn

Or the Pickle Barrel on Wells where a crock of great dill pickles and a bowl of popcorn was set on the table as you sat down. They had great open face reuben sandwiches.

I remember it from the 60s, back when that area was "Old Town". They had an awesome hamburger served on flavorful black bread and all for a decent price. I really miss it, as well as that seafood place that used to be on N. Clark (I think) a few blocks north of the Loop.

The Pickle Barrel had a second location in the mall at the SW corner of Howard and Western. While we're talking deli's, how about the Belden Deli. Not so long gone, but deeply missed.

Another long gone spot: the Dr. Jazz Ice Cream Parlors. One on west Montrose, the other on Chicago Ave. in Evanston. These places were owned by Joe Bortz who later purchased the building that housed Sally's Ribs up on Western Ave. He turned it into Sally's Stage, a cathedral of convoluted bad taste bringing together roller skating singing waiters, a huge theatrical pipe organ and some of the most mediocre pan pizza ever tasted, all in one cavernous room.

His Dr. Jazz ventures were only slightly more well advised. The gimmick was a roomful of restored, working nickleodeons that created an ear splitting cacophony as you sat and ate some pretty good ice cream. The ice cream, as I remember, was made on the premises. Their signature flavor was peanut butter, which was used in many different incarnations, most notably, their peanut butter milk shakes. Hey, we were teenagers, it was the '70s, we were from the suburbs, always looking for something to break up the monotony. Dr. Jazz did the trick.

I haven't read all these posts, but, did anyone mention Buffalo's Ice Cream Parlor on Irving Park? They opened a second location up on Dempster in Morton Grove. It didn't last but a few years. The original was around for decades, though. A true Roadfood institution that was tragically lost to urban redevelopment and greed.

Henrys was the fatal alternative to McD's back in those days. Never lasted. As for Loud Organ Music, how about the HUB Roller Rink on Harlem Avenue and roller skating to the Organ Music! Had a lot of great Friday nights there.

Don

I worked at Henry's on Lincoln Avenue in Lincolnwood in 1962. It was owned my Morton Phillips. It was a wonderful time and a great place to work. Besides hamburgers and cheeseburgers, Henry's offered fried chicken and shrimp, real home made pies, and ice cream treats made in a Taylor machine with a dairy mix similar to Tastee Freeze & Dairy Queen. I left Henry's in September of 1965 when I went off to college in Carbondale(SIU). In 1966, Phillips detached himself from the Henry's chain and renamed the restaurant after his wife(Alpha's). The only other fast food restaurant in Lincolnwood was "Richard's" Drive-In, just north of Henry's on Lincoln Avenue. By the late 60's, both were out of business.

The original Buffalo's on Irving Park & Pulaski was always a family favorite. There were other wonderful ice cream places in our area:

Lockwood Castle-Home of the "Giant Killer" on Devon & Caldwell
The Pie Pan on Cicero & Peterson
Thompson's on Touhy Avenue in Park Ridge & Devon in Lincolnwood
Jalin's on Crawford & Lincoln in Lincolnwood
Howard Johnson's across the street from Jalin's
Tastee Freeze on Devon in Lincolnwood

CSD

In the early 1990's, I was in Chicago on a business trip the day the subway was flooded by the break in the waterways. I was in a new high-rise at the edge of the lake in the flat of a Mr Cohassett picking up the results of a market research project he had done for my company. His flat was positioned so that we could look down at the business district along the lake front and see the commotion the water was causing.

At the end of our session, Mr. Cohassett gave me a bottle of "Cohassett Punch". On the label was a picture of the lighthouse that stands in the town along the Maine?? coastline where his family settled in America. And the family at that time was still producing in a very limited quantity, using a family receipe, the peach liqueur labeled "Cohassett Punch". Being a member of the family he had a good supply of it which he gave to some of his clients.

I found it to be a very refreshing drink on the rocks with a distinctive light taste. Everyone I served it to found it enjoyable as well. However, when I tried to obtain another bottle, I struck out. I believe the only distributor was in Chicago, and at the time I contacted them, they no longer carried it and advised me that it was out of production.

I have since retired and no longer have any contact with Mr. Cohassett as well, But I do have a very pleasant memory of this drink and my time that day in Chicago.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Stern

What I miss most in Chicago(land) are:

Mary's Cupboard (for ribs and chicken) on Green Bay Road in Winnetka
Toddle House (for hash browns at midnight) in Hubbard Woods
The personality-plus State Street branch of Gold Coast Dogs
Spinning Salad Bowl at Don Roth's Blackhawk Restaurant in the Loop (there's still one in Wheeling, I believe)
That place in the old Stockyards where they used to brand your steak (I think ... this is going WAY back)
The Indian Trail in Winnetka -- a real old-fashioned tea room
The OLD Lou Mitchell's, when Lou greeted you

Here are some that are gone but not forgotten,

Armando's on Rush Steet. My favorite Italian restaurant of all time.

Glenwood Inn in the south suburbs for delicious frog legs and stuffed mushrooms.

The original Gayietys for ice cream and chocolates, although they did open a shop in Lansing, IL later on.

The Surf This was on Michigan and 11th right next to my Grandma's apartment building.

[ b]Jimmy Wongs
Carsons I think there were a few of them. Amazing
ribs.


I remember going to the Pickle Barrel With my family sometime in the 70's. They showed Rocky And Bullwinkle on a large screen.

Several favorable references to the Pickle Barrel on this thread. I attended the U. of Ill. in the early sixties and they had a branch of the Pickle Barrel in Champaign on W. Green St. near the campus. Same wonderful food at prices the students could afford.
QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

As I remember, Sherlock's Home was on Delaware, just west of Michigan Avenue. I loved that place. It was the only place where I could get steak tartare with confidence in the quality of the meat!! And they served it the way I liked it--with raw egg yolk and raw onion ring on top, topped off with capers. Mmmmm!!

Now, can someone tell me where Math Igler's was located? I loved that place, too, but can't remember location. Was it off Western Ave.?

Used to go to Carson's for Ribs in Skokie. Salad was a whole 1/2 head of lettuce with dressings in those corny metal cups on a wire carousel. They had several joints. I believe they made all their ribs in huge pizza ovens. They gone?

Was an ice cream joint we all went to on the south side...Melody Lane. They had these huge ice cream concoctions that some would take a 1/2 dozen of us kids to finish.

London House on Wacker Drive was a place for special dates. Great entertainment too....George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal (sp) and a lot of other greats. My buddy got us thrown out one night for putting a french-fry on a guy's head that was babbling too loud.

We used to go into the black neighborhood to the Sutherland Hotel Lounge. They never carded us white kids. No cover or minimum. The stage was in the center of the huge circular bar. I saw Ramsey Lewis, Dave Brubeck and Lambert, Hendrick and Ross there among others. Anyone remember L, H and R? Annie was gorgeous and grew up into this frumpy woman that played some supporting roles in movies.

My aunt married this Italian guy and they lived a couple blocks away from the Home Run Inn when it was on 31st street. Unimaginely great pizza. I remember they'd cut it with a huge set of scissors. I know they're still in business, because I've bought their frozen pizza in San Diego and now in Charlotte. If you can find it, I think it's the greatest tasting frozen pizza available.

Used to go to a bunch of places in Old Town on Friday and Saturday. Anyone remember "Bughouse Square? I'm pretty sure it was on Clark Street. It was a very small park. Anyone could get up on a milk carton or whatever they had there and talk (rant) about whatever they wanted. You can pretty much guess the topics from the name of the place.

I think Lindy's on Archer near Western still exists. Great late night (or anytime) spot for a great greasy hamburger and fries. I think they tried to get high-falootin' and joined some ice cream outfit and started franchising. Don't know if that was a flop or not. They also had great chili.

Used to get a "Beanie-Weenie" at Boston Baked beans (I think) on State Street near Randolph after my shift as an usher at the Oriental Theater. Is the Oriental still there? I haven't been back to Chicago in about 25 or more years. I'm dying to take my wife there. She's never been and gets tired of me still talking about it all the time....same as when I blab on about the Army.

Carson's for Ribs in Skokie is long gone from that location, but they're thriving on Waukegan Road, just north of Lake-Cook. There's also still one in Chicago near Clark & Peterson.

The Carson's on Peterson Avenue is closed. I've been a fan of the Home Run Inn on 31st since my birth. I saw Rennie Davis, one of the Chicago Seven, fire up a crowd at Bughouse Square. He was wearing a Chicago Police Department shirt.

Thanks for the update on the Carson's on Peterson.

I was in Chicago this week. I'm pretty sure I saw the sign for The Oriental. We stopped in At Marshall Fields (refuse to call it Macys) which is in the theatre district.

The "Oriental" was completely refurbished some years and is now a stage (mostly musicals) venue. I think it's now the Ford Oriental Theater.