Restaurant before Lincolnwood Malnati's?

Just had a stupid argument about the restaurant that occupied the Lincolnwood Lou Malnati's in the 1960's before Malnati's. I have an opinion, but don't want to prejudice any reply I might get. One of us said that it was a German restaurant. The other said that the German restaurant was about a block north on Lincoln Avenue. If you know the names of both, it would be a doubly enlightening help. I tried Googling it, but had no luck.
Thanks to all,
Jerry

Geez, I assumed, and thought the lack of response may have confirmed, that the Lincolnwood Lou Malnati's was always such. Not sure why.

On a whim I just called my pop. He said the location used to be a steak house type restaurant called Novak's that had a good run. Before that, it was another resto he could not remember off the top of his head.

My pop also remembers when Lincolnwood was nothing but paved streets with no buildings. Construction halted during the depression.

Where the Bunny Hutch now is there used to be a Root Beer joint. All you could drink for a nickel. They'd drink 'til they puked. For some reason, diarrhea was also a common side effect, and had to be relieved in the fields just west of there.

-ramon

Thanks for your response. Wow! The Novak's place goes back even farther than I was referring to. Please ask your dad if he thinks that before Malnati's, it was something like "Chicken in the Rough" or "Chicken in the Basket". Since he has such a good memory, ask if he remembers the German restaurant that may have been "Bergmann's", or if he has a better recollection of the name. I think it was a block north of Malnati's, but would love confirmation. As far as Lincolnwood goes, Mayor Henry Proesel changed the name to Lincolnwood from Tessville in 1936. As for the "Bunny Hutch", it was owned (along with the miniature golf course) for years by the Klatzko family, who owned a huge tract of land that, in the 1950's extended through the Kiddyland and Lincoln Village properties. As for the root beer and puking goes, that takes the mystery out of the great green lawns just west of Bunny Hutch. Thanks for any further info you can provide.

Chicken in the Rough was the 'signature' dish of Novak's restaurant. I always ordered it and enjoyed it with the honey they provided on the side for dipping.

I have access to Chicago Tribune archives online and ads show me that as late as 1968, the restaurant in Loncolnwood where Malnati's is at was indeed called Novak's. By 1971, it had changed over to Malnotti's.

KajmacJohnson wrote:I have access to Chicago Tribune archives online and ads show me that as late as 1968, the restaurant in Loncolnwood where Malnati's is at was indeed called Novak's. By 1971, it had changed over to Malnotti's.

The first two Malnati's locations, which were Lincolnwood and Elk Grove Village, opened in 1971.

Ramon wrote:On a whim I just called my pop. He said the [Lou Malnati's] location used to be a steak house type restaurant called Novak's that had a good run.

thecherngroup wrote:The Novak's place goes back even farther than I was referring to. Please ask your dad if he thinks that before Malnati's, it was something like "Chicken in the Rough" or "Chicken in the Basket".

findcrime wrote:Chicken in the Rough was the 'signature' dish of Novak's restaurant.

Novak's, known for Chicken in the Rough, was in existence from about 1950 (or before?) until the late '60s (Lou Malnati's opened in 1971). They were one of the dozen or so restaurants in the Chicago area that licensed the popular fried chicken recipe from the pioneering Oklahoma franchiser. This was decades before Colonel Sanders made his mark. Chicago's first Chicken in the Rough was served by Round Robin in Logan Square. They introduced the dish in 1939, only two years after licensing began. Younker's was another early Chicago vendor. Here's the Chicken in the Rough logo from one of their postcards. Note the cigar clamped in the bird's beak.



The standard Chicken in the Rough dinner ("Every Bite a Tender Delight") was half a fried chicken "served unjointed, without silverware, with gobs of shoestring potatoes, a jug of honey and hot buttered rolls." In the 1950s there were more than 250 Chicken in the Rough franchises across the country but by the late '70s fewer than 20 remained. Today it's down to three—two in Michigan and one in Canada.

thecherngroup wrote:The other said that the German restaurant was about a block north on Lincoln Avenue.

thecherngroup wrote:Since he has such a good memory, ask if he remembers the German restaurant that may have been "Bergmann's", or if he has a better recollection of the name. I think it was a block north of Malnati's, but would love confirmation.

The name Bergmann's is correct. The restaurant was indeed a block north of Lou Malnati's, where Great Beijing now stands (6717 N Lincoln).

stevez wrote:

KajmacJohnson wrote:The first two Malnati's locations, which were Lincolnwood and Elk Grove Village, opened in 1971.

Here's my question: Did Malnotti's build an entire new structure or is that the same building Novak's used? Loved Rene G's history lesson about Chicken In The Rough which I had heard of before but didn't know too much about. Restaurant, regional chains and retail business history in general fascinate me to no end. I tend to sop up this kind of stuff like a good hot buttered biscuit.

KajmacJohnson wrote:

stevez wrote:

KajmacJohnson wrote:I have access to Chicago Tribune archives online and ads show me that as late as 1968, the restaurant in Loncolnwood where Malnati's is at was indeed called Novak's. By 1971, it had changed over to Malnotti's.

The first two Malnati's locations, which were Lincolnwood and Elk Grove Village, opened in 1971.

Here's my question: Did Malnotti's build an entire new structure or is that the same building Novak's used?

The Tribune archives hold your answer. Here's a sentence from the first review of Lou Malnati's.

On 21 March 1971, Will Leonard wrote:The former Novak's restaurant, at 6649 N. Lincoln Av., has been completely redone with warm, soft lighting, dark wood paneling, red carpeting and stained glass windows.

Rene G wrote:.

On 21 March 1971, Will Leonard wrote:The former Novak's restaurant, at 6649 N. Lincoln Av., has been completely redone with warm, soft lighting, dark wood paneling, red carpeting and stained glass windows.

Hahaha! Awesome, thanks. Did not go back to take a look.