Ed Debevic's revisited

Wandering around River North early this Sunday, we were driven more by desperation than curiosity to the flickering Open sign (moth-to-the-flame) on Ed Debevic's front door. When this place had first opened under LEYE auspices we had visited occasionally to experience, in its faux-diner atmosphere, the simple, freshly cooked cuisine supposedly found in the typical roadside diner in the days when most interstates were two lanes. What we found this past Sunday was a similar faux-diner/roadhouse-bar atmosphere with a cuisine consisting of, among other things, pasteurized eggs (only scrambled and omelets offered on menu), deep-fried tater tots, reheated sausage patties (pucks?), and watery coffee. Certainly, a suitable destination for any I-57 junkie in need of a Denny's fix (no biscuits and gravy, tho).

I agree. I just took the kids to the one at the Yorktown Shopping Center in Lombard. Burgers were overcooked, the once-good meatloaf was horrible, service was with high-school kids who just weren't that entertaining. Plain awful.

While I don't like to eat at Ed's...I will say that their chili is surprisingly good. It's made with cubed (about a 1/2 inch cubes) chuck that is cooked down in a tasty, smooth "gravy" (good spice level, real chile flavors) and served with whatever fixin's you want (beans, pasta, sour cream, etc.). The meat itself ends up meltingly tender.

Has anyone else ever tried it?

With this thread and the Feb. 7 comment on the Ambria thread, one wonders whether the decline in LEY restaurants is across the board, or just happening to these two once notable - and very different - locations.

With this thread and the Feb. 7 comment on the Ambria thread, one wonders whether the decline in LEY restaurants is across the board, or just happening to these two once notable - and very different - locations.

Ed's isnt LEYE and hasnt been part of the group for many many years.

Ambria is a gem and is one of Chicago's highest rated restaurants - earning 4 stars from Phil Vettel last year.

LEYE is as strong as ever.

Ed Debevic's, which was originally started by Lettuce Entertain You, had expanded to a whole bunch of locations, including Phoenix, Beverly Hills, Milwaukee, and New York. Those have all been closed, and only two remain, on Wells in Chicago (River North) and in Lombard.

Hi- Ed Debevik just served their last meal at their 640 N. Wells location last night. Apparently that was their last location they had open.. The building is being torn down to make room for rental apartments. According to their website, they are eventually planning to open up somewhere else in the loop.

It's been some years since were there, but I did appreciate that on our last couple of visits they had largely dropped the "faux-abusive" schtick. Or maybe they still used it on tourists but dropped it for locals who they sensed were over it. When that nonsense was stripped away, what you had left was a pretty decent place for a burger and a shake.

My guess is that if they reopen at all, they will end up opening a place in Navy Pier or some other tourist-centric location. That seems to be their target demographic.

NFriday wrote:Hi- Ed Debevik just served their last meal at their 640 N. Wells location last night. Apparently that was their last location they had open.. The building is being torn down to make room for rental apartments. According to their website, they are eventually planning to open up somewhere else in the loop.

Haven't been in decades, since my then-small kids started to wise up. Surprised me to see that it was still open.

A New Ed Debevic’s Could Open Next Year in Streeterville

https://chicago.eater.com/2017/12/22/16 ... w-location

I had only been to the Deerfield location over the years. I hope they come back, I thought it was a fun concept and I'm a sucker for 50's diner type places although I remember the food wasn't anything special as the years went by. One of my memories of them was having the best coca-cola. I normally don't drink pop much anymore, but I would there. They could do it right if they wanted to.

Raucous Retro Diner Ed Debevic’s Plans to Resurface in Streeterville

https://chicago.eater.com/2019/11/7/209 ... restaurant