eat where the pro's eat

athlete-owned restaurants...I used to love Pete Rose' and Wilt chamberlains spots as a kid when I visited my grandparents.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/espn-eat-at-the-pros

Pete Rose had a restaurant in the Cincinnati area during his paying career. I believe that it was open less than a year.

Mike Epstein had a pretty good BBQ joint in El Toro, CA that closed in the mid-nineties.

With a FEW exceptions, I doubt if you'll see many of the sports stars in the restaurants that are open in their name. Ozzie's in St. Louis is one exception.

jlawrence01 wrote:With a FEW exceptions, I doubt if you'll see many of the sports stars in the restaurants that are open in their name. Ozzie's in St. Louis is one exception.

Add Ditka's as an exception, although you won't see Iron Mike cooking up porkchops every day.

stevez wrote:

jlawrence01 wrote:With a FEW exceptions, I doubt if you'll see many of the sports stars in the restaurants that are open in their name. Ozzie's in St. Louis is one exception.

Add Ditka's as an exception, although you won't see Iron Mike cooking up porkchops every day.

Would you see Ditka cooking up pork chops any day?

aschie30 wrote:

stevez wrote:

jlawrence01 wrote:With a FEW exceptions, I doubt if you'll see many of the sports stars in the restaurants that are open in their name. Ozzie's in St. Louis is one exception.

Add Ditka's as an exception, although you won't see Iron Mike cooking up porkchops every day.

Would you see Ditka cooking up pork chops any day?

It was a figure of speech. Thankfully, real cooks make the porkchops and not Da Coach.

Harry Carrey was known to hang in his namesake, was he not?

It may not be a very "LTH" kinda place (not the least a lot of people around here on not that into sports), but I've always enjoyed it a lot, even without Harry.

jlawrence01 wrote:Pete Rose had a restaurant in the Cincinnati area during his paying career. I believe that it was open less than a year...

With a FEW exceptions, I doubt if you'll see many of the sports stars in the restaurants that are open in their name. Ozzie's in St. Louis is one exception.

Actually Pete Rose did his radio show from his spot weekly and was there every time I went, I must have at least five Pete Rose signed balls. Wilt Chamberlain was also at his place alot when they were both still around. This was when I was young so it was more about the games and stuff than the food...both were doing what D&B does now long before they arrived. No mention of Steve Stone and any of his restaurant ventures but he has many and you'll always see him at any given one if he is in town.

Although I will say that upon closer inspection of the list that I enjoyed Dan Majerle's sports grill during a visit for the cubs-dbacks game last year...it was what a sports bar should be is what I remember thinking.

I never made it to cheli's chili but I always heard it was good. Ive had thoughts of opening my own chili bar right there in its current place do to the fact nothing has moved in since and I like the location as a eating place pre and post Bulls/Blackhawk games.

Clyde Drexler's family had a fairly well-regarded barbeque restaurant in Houston, but it was a family venture that well pre-dated his basketball career, so maybe it doesn't quite fit in this thread. I never ate there (and believe that it might have closed), but it had quite a following in Houston.

On a completely different take, we haven't had time to research, but isn't there a restaurant somewhere in the 'burbs that's owned by astronaut Jim Lovell? Sparky has a photo of him in his room...

Mhays wrote:On a completely different take, we haven't had time to research, but isn't there a restaurant somewhere in the 'burbs that's owned by astronaut Jim Lovell? Sparky has a photo of him in his room...

Does Lovell's ring a bell? (Western Lake Forest)

Well, hell, if I'da known it was that easy, I'd have started with google ....

HI,

Since this thread has covered sport's star restaurants and astronauts, then I can bring up Oprah.

I never went to the Oprah-Lettuce Entertain You joint venture called Eccentric. Just last night it came up in a conversation by someone who went there a few times. He said he always saw well dressed women who seemed to on the look out for Oprah, who was never there when he was. I think these celebrity restaurants have a suggested tacit promise the celebrity-owner just may be on the premises.

Of course, the only time I ever went to a Kenny Rogers rotisserie chicken, I had no expectations of meeting Kenny. Nor did I expect to see Roy Rogers, either.

Regards,

Does anyone else remember Northbrook's Jim McMahon's restaurant? I booked a 50th birthday party there for my sister, with promises that Jim himself would be in the house, to the delight of my teenaged nephews. Needless to say, Jim didn't show and the restaurant didn't last.

I ate at Michael Jordan's restuarant once (my sister was a secret diner so I got to go for free).

Mr. J was not there.

If you want to meet a famous athlete, Leon Spinx used to hang out at Saluki a lot.

Hi,

Actually one of the better spots to incidentally see local politicians is Manny's at lunchtime. My only in the flesh view of Governor Ryan was at Manny's. I've seen Tom Roeser, Jim Thompson and a bunch of alderman there, too. I never go up to them, I just check them out and go back to why I am there.

Regards,

I remember someone in the Trib commenting that statistically speaking, you were more likely to run into McMahon at any restaurant other than Jim McMahon's....

I'll say that for Manny's, too. You really do see machers there, either ones you actually recognize or folks who are unmistakably of the breed (most recognizable by their entourage, I find).

When Walter Payton was alive he could be seen at Walter Payton's Roundhouse in Aurora. He liked to sit in with the bands on Friday nights.

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

Since this thread has covered sport's star restaurants and astronauts, then I can bring up Oprah.

I never went to the Oprah-Lettuce Entertain You joint venture called Eccentric. Just last night it came up in a conversation by someone who went there a few times. He said he always saw well dressed women who seemed to on the look out for Oprah, who was never there when he was. I think these celebrity restaurants have a suggested tacit promise the celebrity-owner just may be on the premises.

Of course, the only time I ever went to a Kenny Rogers rotisserie chicken, I had no expectations of meeting Kenny. Nor did I expect to see Roy Rogers, either.

Regards,

I did, however, sidle up to the urinal at Eccentric only to see Dick Van Patten standing next to me. Talk about the thrill of a lifetime!

Is it true why they call him... Van Patten?

Speaking of celebrities well-endowed by their names, there is of course this encounter.

Mike G wrote:Is it true why they call him... Van Patten?

Speaking of celebrities well-endowed by their names, there is of course this encounter.

And imagine how my mind raced to find a suitably tasteful though witty comment re: "Eight is Enough."

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Actually one of the better spots to incidentally see local politicians is Manny's at lunchtime. My only in the flesh view of Governor Ryan was at Manny's. I've seen Tom Roeser, Jim Thompson and a bunch of alderman there, too. I never go up to them, I just check them out and go back to why I am there.

Regards,

On more than one occasion I have seen Jerry Reinsdorf at Manny's. Ryan, not surprisingly, it was in Las Vegas where I ran into him (twice!).

Another place that is always filled with familiar faces is the White palace grill. Over the years I have seen at least 10 NBA players eating there late night including Kevin Garnett, ScoPip, Derrick Rose and even Jerry Reinsdorf. Its also a prime spot for them to get robbed, which has happened a few times.

It reminds me of a really funny article I one read about NBA players and their obsession with the cheesecake factory.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-3 ... -This.html

I once had a $90 lobster at Doug Flutie's in South St. Seaport in NYC - I made the mistake of not asking what the market price was!

I once saw Gary Barnett in the long gone 'Coaches Cafe' in Evanston.

The only celebrity restaurant I know where the namesake was always there was Grandpa's in NYC. Al Lewis, aka Grandpa Munster was always at the door (and quite a character).

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Actually one of the better spots to incidentally see local politicians is Manny's at lunchtime. My only in the flesh view of Governor Ryan was at Manny's. I've seen Tom Roeser, Jim Thompson and a bunch of alderman there, too. I never go up to them, I just check them out and go back to why I am there.

Regards,

RL is also a good place to see local politicians. Despite the lovefest displayed on TV last night, I wouldn't expect to see M. Madigan, Blago, Daley et al., sharing a table there anytime soon, though.

Many years ago, I went through a two-month stretch in which I'd see Dennis Rodman somewhere every week or so. It was always at a different place, too. It was bizarre, like, oh, there's Dennis again. I once saw Derek Lee at Nordstrom. I sat near Lee Trevino on a flight to Chicago from Hartford. I sat next to some former golf pro whose name now escapes me and actually chatted with him the entire flight -- one of my most entertaining seatmates ever. Apart from old Dennis, I've never seen a pro sports player at a restaurant.

MJ spent a fair amount of time at 160 Blue back in the day

In the politician-not-athlete vein, my wife and I were seated next to Governor Blagojevich and his family at Bistro Campagne on Christmas eve. Leaving all political opinions aside, he was very gracious in speaking to everyone who wanted to say "hi" to him even though he was clearly trying to enjoy a holiday dinner with his family.

The actor Danny Glover was at Babbo when we were there last weekend.

The only time I've ever had dinner at Custom House, Mayor Daley came in with a party of about six and had dinner at the table behind us.

aschie30 wrote:Apart from old Dennis, I've never seen a pro sports player at a restaurant.

Please excuse the quoting myself, but that's not true. A few years ago, I saw Mark Prior standing outside of Japonais, with a gaggle of chicks, at a late-ish hour, on a night when the Cubs were playing and he had just commenced another one of his questionable DL stints. I was very tempted to roll down the window and yell, "Go back to work, ya beatnik!" But I didn't.

Dionne Warwick was in line with me at Taco Bell in Northbrook Court. Wearing sunglasses I still knew who she was. I checked the schedule for Ravinia to find she was the headliner for the evening.