Cogito wrote:But I thought that the current Nicky's is the same location as the original Carm's?

While it is possible I am wrong I am 99% sure it was at the SW corner of Wisconsin and Roosevelt. The same corner with the small strip mall that has contains Salerno's Pizza, Cappuccino's Cafe and Tasty House Restaurant (chinese).

I remember gazing longingly across the street having my first disappointing beef at their new location on the Oak Park side where Ino's Tacos is now.

I did attempt to check old aerial imagery but the 1939 aerial photos were too old and the 1999 black and white imagery was too new.

I will continue to attempt to verify...

Cogito wrote:

dicksond wrote:I have been in a happy Al's/Chickies/Johnnys rut for some time, tho I was distressed to hear recently that Chickies really has been sold (have not verified that personally, but the source was a reliable LTH'er)

I hope Chickies new owner keeps up to the old standards.

Last time I was in Chickie's the owner told me 45 years was enough. He said that one of his long time employees family was buying it and that his number one guy was going to manage the business. He said they aren't going to change anything Unlike the store he sold in Cicero. One Can only hope.

In regards to Carm's, in the 80's my wife and I used to go to the one on Roosevelt (south side of street) and then go to Parky's a couple of stores East for a bag of fries. Never made it across the street when they moved.

The Carm's in Hillside has alot of photographs on the walls from the stores on Cicero and on Roosevelt. They also had a short lived store on Roosevelt in Lombard next to what I think is Famous Liquors.

Hit Paul's for lunch today for the first time in over a year. Not sure what has happened but the IB sandwich was not as good as it used to be. I tried this version on the garlic bread as recommended upthread and that was a pretty good twist. The beef seemed dry, and really asted and looked like processed roast beef. Also the giardinara they used to heap on the sandwich now came in 2 little solo cups.

This may have been my last visit to Pauls' as Little Joe's in Countryside is about as close to my work, and alot better.

I work pretty close to Paul's and have been there quite a few times. I would agree that the Italian beef is nothing special. The things I like are the Chicken Parmigana sandwich and the Veal Parmigana sandwich. Both are huge sandwiches that come with fries and are pretty tasty.

the wimperoo wrote: The things I like are the Chicken Parmigana sandwich and the Veal Parmigana sandwich. Both are huge sandwiches that come with fries and are pretty tasty.

good call:







thats the "small" and it was plenty for me.