Michaels North is definitely NOT Lou Mitchell's

Hi,

I don't have any nostalgia for Lou Mitchell's Restaurant and Bakery, though I would welcome the opportunity to go.

I actually thought I was going to Lou Mitchell's on Saturday when family duties forced an early appearance to Culinary Historians. What I had not noticed was the Lou Mitchells at the corner of Clark Street and North Ave had departed 18 months ago. Instead, there is now a Michael's North with I believe to be intentionally muddled signage to suggest Mitchell's, if you do the quick glance.

Since we were already there, we decided to eat at Michael's North. I ordered an Egg's Benedict, which came with fried potatoes. I asked for onions in the potatoes, which resulted in a 50 cent up charge. Yet, my requested onions were scarcely present and I was so unexcited by the potatoes, they mostly went uneaten. The Eggs Benedict was largely marred by an overly lemony Hollandaise sauce and not quite enough.

It's really too bad it wasn't a Lou Mitchell's as I was looking forward to identifying the Bridgeport Bakery items.

So if you still believe there is a Lou Mitchell's at Clark and North, then please cleanse the information from your mind.

Lou Mitchell's Restaurant & Bakery
565 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60661
312-939-3111

Michael's North
101 West North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
312/642-5246
24/7

I always thought that the restaurant at Clark and North was always just called Mitchell's, sans Lou. The same Mitchell's, I believe, which is now at Clybourn and Racine.

Cathy2 wrote:I actually thought I was going to Lou Mitchell's on Saturday when family duties forced an early appearance to Culinary Historians. What I had not noticed was the Lou Mitchells at the corner of Clark Street and North Ave had departed 18 months ago. Instead, there is now a Michael's North with I believe to be intentionally muddled signage to suggest Mitchell's, if you do the quick glance.

To further muddle the situation. The former restaurant at Clark & North, as well as its still open branch on Clyborn is not, and has never been, Lou Mitchell's. As you pointed out in your post, Lou Mitchell's is on Jackson Blvd. The restaurants you are referring to are called The Original Mitchell's, in an attempt to play off the Lou Mitchell's name. As I understand it the Original Mitchell's people are estranged members of the Lou Mitchell family (an uncle or cousin, IIRC). The comparison between Lou Mitchell's and Original Mitchell's is like comparing The Original Uno's with the Franchised Uno's. Ther name is similar, but the food is 100% different.

Steve,

I probably joined the legions of the confused! Whoever this Michael's North establishment may be, they continue the tradition of muddling and confusing innocents!

Thanks!

My confusion was cleared up when I finally deigned to dine at the place a month or so ago (it's Michael's North; haven't been able to find out where South is). A pleasant surprise. I had a spinach & feta pie and a small bowl of chili. The lady had a cheddar/sausage/mushroom/onion/spinach omelette. Tasty vittles, comparable to Melrose in Lake View (another late night fave) without the personality.

I haven't eaten there, but it's always packed. The dynamic at work seems similar to that of Hollywood Diner: drawing the undiscerning from the Piper's Alley/Lincoln Park tourist diaspora(instead of say, Wicker Park and Bucktown). Compared to that of Hollywood, I'm sure the crowd(but not the food) is much different.

If you are looking for a diner-type meal--or a breakfast-anytime place--in that neighborhood, Nookies on Wells, north of Eugenie, is a better choice.

"The sign said 'breakfast served anytime' so I ordered french toast in the Renaissance." - Steven Wright

Thanks for the recommendation.

Nookies
1746 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60614
312-337-2454

Thanks, Cathy. Where are my manners?

To be completely fair, I think the clamor for Lou Mitchell's is rooted in nostalgia. I live near there and have had great expectations from Lou Mitchell's based on the hype and well, when you get down to it, mitchells is really just another diner serving stale milkduds. The food is coming from a slapdash and overworked kitchen.

Don't get me wrong, they have one of the top 5 signs in chicago and the facade on the front of the building is classic. The food is not particularly bad, just not exceptional in any way.

Lou Mitchell's stands out in that it uses butter, fresh ingredients, and good quality baked items. So it's better than diners using butter flavored oil, frozen OJ and potatoes, and Wonderbread. But that still isn't enough to get me out of bed on Sunday and into a line on Jackson. Not to seem boisterous, but I can fry an egg real well.

Now, when I am dragged there for work, I get the savory stuff. The opened faced hot turkey is a brilliant example (but again, I mean to say only within the limitations of the genre).

I would never send a tourist to LM for Breakfast if Manny's were open.

Alas, Lou Mitchell's on Jackson USED to be something to talk about in a good way - now it is something to warn people away from. I am 30, and have fond memories of eating there when I was a little tyke. My grandmother took me there, and Lou was still alive greeting people as they came in and passing out full-sized boxes of Milk Duds, and donut holes! The food (we were always there for breakfast) was fabulous, fresh, and plentiful - waffles almost floated off the plate and melted in your mouth, sausage links were of the large and plump variety, the butter was whipped, stewed prunes were sweetened with orange, and sample cups of homemade frozen yogurt were complimentary. I was also impressed with the water filtration system. My little cloud of happy memories was rudely burst several years ago when I went back during my college years....Lou was sadly departed and had been replaced by a sourpuss "hostess", the Milk Dud boxes had shrunk to the size that holds two or three, the donuts were m.i.a., waffles leaden, service rotten, and prices inflated. I felt like the hobbits must have when they returned to the Shire and found their homes destroyed. R.I.P., Lou Mitchell's.

claire wrote:Alas, Lou Mitchell's on Jackson USED to be something to talk about in a good way - now it is something to warn people away from. I am 30, and have fond memories of eating there when I was a little tyke. My grandmother took me there, and Lou was still alive greeting people as they came in and passing out full-sized boxes of Milk Duds, and donut holes! The food (we were always there for breakfast) was fabulous, fresh, and plentiful - waffles almost floated off the plate and melted in your mouth, sausage links were of the large and plump variety, the butter was whipped, stewed prunes were sweetened with orange, and sample cups of homemade frozen yogurt were complimentary. I was also impressed with the water filtration system. My little cloud of happy memories was rudely burst several years ago when I went back during my college years....Lou was sadly departed and had been replaced by a sourpuss "hostess", the Milk Dud boxes had shrunk to the size that holds two or three, the donuts were m.i.a., waffles leaden, service rotten, and prices inflated. I felt like the hobbits must have when they returned to the Shire and found their homes destroyed. R.I.P., Lou Mitchell's.

Could it be that a little (or a lot) of nostalgia ruined your experience? Surely, you can't fault Lou Mitchell's for not giving away full-size boxes of Milk Duds given the difficulty of any restaurant to turn a profit. I haven't been in over a year but when I was there then, they were handing out donut holes as well, if my memory isn't failing me.

claire wrote:Alas, Lou Mitchell's on Jackson USED to be something to talk about in a good way - now it is something to warn people away from. I am 30, and have fond memories of eating there when I was a little tyke. My grandmother took me there, and Lou was still alive greeting people as they came in and passing out full-sized boxes of Milk Duds, and donut holes! The food (we were always there for breakfast) was fabulous, fresh, and plentiful - waffles almost floated off the plate and melted in your mouth, sausage links were of the large and plump variety, the butter was whipped, stewed prunes were sweetened with orange, and sample cups of homemade frozen yogurt were complimentary. I was also impressed with the water filtration system. My little cloud of happy memories was rudely burst several years ago when I went back during my college years....Lou was sadly departed and had been replaced by a sourpuss "hostess", the Milk Dud boxes had shrunk to the size that holds two or three, the donuts were m.i.a., waffles leaden, service rotten, and prices inflated. I felt like the hobbits must have when they returned to the Shire and found their homes destroyed. R.I.P., Lou Mitchell's.

I had a similarly disappointing experience at Lou Mitchell's last month. Lou Mitchell's used to be the place I would go with my family for breakfast when my grandparents and other relatives visited us from New York. I have some great memories of those times and the food was consistently excellent. To me, it has always been one of the great Chicago institutions.

But last month I took a couple of out-of-town visitors there and it was a nightmare. Poor service, no refills on drinks, cold and severely burnt toast and even the omelets did not seem up to their former quality. Then, a waitress at the next table accidentally spilled coffee, hitting the person at the table next to me and did not apologize. Of course, the manager on duty noticed and this resulted in a screaming match between the waitress and the manager right in front of the customers. But, never an apology to anyone.

I felt awful having dragged my visitors here, and left sadly remembering much better days.

aschie30 wrote:Could it be that a little (or a lot) of nostalgia ruined your experience? Surely, you can't fault Lou Mitchell's for not giving away full-size boxes of Milk Duds given the difficulty of any restaurant to turn a profit. I haven't been in over a year but when I was there then, they were handing out donut holes as well, if my memory isn't failing me.

Milk Duds were only part of the problem; claire also found the "waffles leaden, service rotten, and prices inflated." It'd take a lot more than a larger box of candy to make up for that. And I agree, I'm not terribly fond of Lou Mitchell's prices, although I've found the service O.K. and never have tried the waffles.

BR wrote:I felt awful having dragged my visitors here, and left sadly remembering much better days.

BR,

A month or so ago, maybe more, I attempted to go to Eleven City diner for breakfast, even though they advertised they would be open at that hour no soap radio.

Ended up at Lou Mitchell's, got a few free donut holes, nabbed a pack of milk duds, had a just fine breakfast in good company. I will say I am not, nor was I ever, a regular at Lou M's, my expectations going in were moderately low and all points, food, service, ambiance, exceeded.

This is not to say I will be going back soon, just that I did not, by any means, have a dismal experience.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

BR wrote:I felt awful having dragged my visitors here, and left sadly remembering much better days.

BR,

A month or so ago, maybe more, I attempted to go to Eleven City diner for breakfast, even though they advertised they would be open at that hour no soap radio.

Ended up at Lou Mitchell's, got a few free donut holes, nabbed a pack of milk duds, had a just fine breakfast in good company. I will say I am not, nor was I ever, a regular at Lou M's, my expectations going in were moderately low and all points, food, service, ambiance, exceeded.

This is not to say I will be going back soon, just that I did not, by any means, have a dismal experience.

Enjoy,
Gary

Well, at this point, mere bitterness will probably prevent me from returning . . . at least for a long, long time.