Diner Grill - [Not] Closed?

Chicagoist has me worried:

http://chicagoist.com/2008/08/27/has_di ... st_sli.php

Any news or recon available?

I was just there. Looks like a not-devastating grease fire. Sign in the window said "closed for remodeling due to fire."

I drove by today on the way to a fantastic lunch at the Globe (was very surprised to find a phenomenal beer list at a place I've never heard about), and it doesn't look serious. Diner Grill actually looked like it always does (all the lights were on), just no one manning the grill or anyone inside. If it's going to reopen, it won't take long.

m'th'su wrote:I was just there. Looks like a not-devastating grease fire. Sign in the window said "closed for remodeling due to fire."

Thanks for the ace investigative work. It would be a shame to lose an institution such as the Diner Grill.

I find it amusing how many descriptions of the Slinger are slightly confused. Of course there's a very good reason for that.

Mike Sula wrote:Home of the devastating Slinger (two all-something patties, cheese, grilled onions, hash browns, chili, and white bread—a contender for best hangover breakfast). . .

Don't forget the two fried eggs, an important part of the Slinger.

Chip Dudley wrote:For the true Diner Grill experience, get the Slinger: two hamburger patties covered with cheese, topped with two eggs, blanketed with hash browns, then inundated with a couple of scoops of chili and served with slices of white bread on the side.

The hash browns aren't on top. They form the foundation.

Nicholas R wrote:Most famous for The Slinger (their version is a plate of hash browns, topped with two cheeseburger patties, topped with top eggs over easy, which is then smothered in chili, cheese, and onions) . . .

Cheese and onions don't top the Slinger (see the photo that accompanies the above description). You get your cheese on the burgers and your onions with the hash browns. Adding more would be excessive.

Here's a prized possession, my Certificate of Stupidity signed by Rich, best grillman ever.

My favorite Slinger story is from several years ago. A group of us found ourselves hungry after a night at the Artful Dodger (RIP.) It ended up being a dismal night for one of my friends as his leather jacket was stolen from the bar. (Don't ask me why he didn't have a "bar jacket" with him, but I digress.) We were sitting next to two other hungry, slightly inebriated patrons. The conversation turned into a bet as to how quickly my friend could eat a Slinger. Our counter mates bet $100 that my friend couldn't finish it in 10 minutes or less. Little did they know that they were betting against a human vacuum. Seven minutes later, our counter mates were poorer and my friend was on his way to a down payment on a new coat. He said he could have eaten it faster if he had let it sit for a few more minutes before the official timer started. The grill man was so moved (amused? bemused?) by my friend's stolen coat tale and the Slinger inhalation that my friend was awarded a blue stuffed dinosaur that was on a shelf. The Blue Thing, as we fondly named it, was a dusty, stale grease-scented relic that never regained the place of honor it had on the shelf at the Diner Grill.

All of this reminds me that I am long overdue for a trip to the Diner Grill when they reopen!

LTH,

I called Arnold's at Broadway and Irving, same owners as Diner Grill, and the woman who answered Arnold's phone said they are trying to reopen Diner Grill as fast as possible, maybe one week.

Enjoy,
Gary

I wouldn't worry too much. IIRC,the same guy owns Arnold's‎ @ 4001 Broadway and maybe others? I'm sure he'll rebuild.

Arnold's
4001 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 929-3338

Drove past this afternoon and they were open for business.

Open, cleaner, better than ever. New menu signs and some new, completely utilitarian fixtures inside are the only differences. The atmosphere has not changed an iota. Cheeseburger with bacon and egg and some swell hash browns hit the spot. One must get ham (cut to order off the bone) or bacon (thick cut and always griddled to order) with anything at DG. If I ever order a Slinger again (doubtful), it's going to have a side of ham on it.

Steak and Shake now offers the "Steakburger™ Slinger Skillet"

A skillet full of hash browns, topped with Steak n Shake Genuine Chili, two Steakburgers, shredded cheese and two eggs. Also available with sausage patties. $5.99

Served midnight to 6AM
http://www.steaknshake.com/menu/late-ni ... er-skillet

Artie wrote:Steak and Shake now offers the "Steakburger™ Slinger Skillet"

A skillet full of hash browns, topped with Steak n Shake Genuine Chili, two Steakburgers, shredded cheese and two eggs. Also available with sausage patties. $5.99

Served midnight to 6AM
http://www.steaknshake.com/menu/late-ni ... er-skillet

Until you posted this I never bothered to google "the slinger". Surprisingly, it is a st. louis specialty. Not surprisingly, ReneG already took the trouble of documenting that.

Artie wrote:Steak and Shake now offers the "Steakburger™ Slinger Skillet"

A skillet full of hash browns, topped with Steak n Shake Genuine Chili, two Steakburgers, shredded cheese and two eggs. Also available with sausage patties. $5.99

Served midnight to 6AM
http://www.steaknshake.com/menu/late-ni ... er-skillet

Haha, that's actually interesting! (and knowing how I'm familiar w/Diner Grill's Slinger) Don't know if I'd go out of my way necessarily to try that, but I'd be open to doing so if I ever find myself near one late at night?

Drove past yesterday and while devoid of customers, lights on and cook visible waiting for someone to show up. Fire damages must be repaired as looks like business as usual.

smokinjoe wrote:Drove past yesterday and while devoid of customers, lights on and cook visible waiting for someone to show up. Fire damages must be repaired as looks like business as usual.

Yes, this thread was started in 2008. Diner Grill is definitely open.

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Fire struck on Christmas Eve, but it looks like they plan to reopen after repairs:
http://chicago.eater.com/2016/12/27/140 ... istmas-eve

Diner Grill to reopen by March after Christmas Eve fire

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Still not open since the 7th when I checked. In fact, It has never even been cleaned post fire. Doesn't look like it's coming back.

Sauganaut wrote:Still not open since the 7th when I checked. In fact, It has never even been cleaned post fire. Doesn't look like it's coming back.

I wondered the same when I drove by in mid-March and saw it still boarded up. Probably too soon to say it's not coming back. Sometimes, if there are insurance issues, these things can take a lot longer than one would expect.

=R=

Spoke to someone in the family the other day, believe it or not they are still tied up in building permits! From someone who knows how long this takes it should be somewhat streamlined for a business that suffers a tragedy like a fire to get them back up and running ASAP. Oh well Sweet Home Chicago...

jhawk1 wrote:Spoke to someone in the family the other day, believe it or not they are still tied up in building permits! From someone who knows how long this takes it should be somewhat streamlined for a business that suffers a tragedy like a fire to get them back up and running ASAP. Oh well Sweet Home Chicago...

Thank you for this info. I've been finding this all very stressful.

jhawk1 wrote:believe it or not they are still tied up in building permits!

A source close to the situation says the delay is due to recalcitrant United passenger costs. Diner Grill owners should be made whole in the next, ie. 2023, state budget.

"The Slinger" shall rise again!

Diner Grill Rebuilds After Major Fire: 'It's Going To Be The New Old Diner'

LAKEVIEW — Nine months after a fire broke out at Diner Grill on Christmas Eve forcing it to close, the rebuild process has begun.

Construction crews started work Friday morning, knocking the roof off the structure at 1635 W. Irving Park Road that has housed the 24-hour diner for 78 years.

Owner Arnold DeMar said he wanted to get to work on rebuilding the restaurant right away, but the city held up the process considerably.

"It took five months to get a building permit," DeMar said. "The building permit was finally issued on June 20. And then they wanted the diner to have one-and-a-half-inch water lines, and it's had three-quarter-inch water lines for 78 years. That took another four weeks; we just got the permit for that on Monday.

DeMar hopes to be able to open sometime in November, but he said realistically he's aiming for Dec. 1.

All will be right with the world.

My friends who are fans -- and know the owners -- tell me that re-construction is very much under way and that Diner Grill will rise again soon.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:My friends who are fans -- and know the owners -- tell me that re-construction is very much under way and that Diner Grill will rise again soon.

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Looks like the windows were recently replaced and exterior painting is complete.

A couple day ago I saw some people around the front of the building. They looked like they were construction guys.

The tiny restaurant could “hopefully” open in February, according to DeMar

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/12/168 ... re-slinger

Sometimes I wonder why anyone would even bother trying to build or rebuild anything in this town. Jeez.

Diner Grill, famous for its slingers, to reopen 2 years after fire
http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Dave148 wrote:Diner Grill, famous for its slingers, to reopen 2 years after fire
http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Given the fact that no re-opening date was actually mentioned in the piece, isn't its publication a bit premature and pretty much useless? That said, I'm certainly excited that it will be opening again . . . someday.

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