Hollywood Grill

I did an open search on "Hollywood Grill" and wasn't able to find much, so I figured, what the hell.

Has anyone been here on the Corner of Ashland and North Avenue? I live right around the corner and pass by frequently and it's always packed at odd hours in the evening. I should probably just go, but wanted someone's opinion first.

Thanks

Hollywood Grill
1601 W North Avenue
Chicago, IL

Never been there myself, but I did hear that Jaslene, winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8(?), was spotted there recently, in case that influences your decision either way...

I think that it's packed at odd hopurs because it's one of the few places open at odd hours and it sits right between Lincoln Park and Bucktown. I've had a couple of meals there. Nothing superlative. Nothing horrifying.

Nothing great, eaten there many times. Its one of those diners that has food from every country (greek, chinese, mexican, american etc) but doesn't really specialize in anything. Breakfast is decent.

Not a bad breakfast choice for the immediate area. Some of the Mexican breakfast items have a little heart to them.

I used to frequent Hollywood Grill about ten years ago when I lived in the area and would stop in after my restaurant closed. I have a fond memory of once seeing the manager smoking a cigarette while behind the grill.

You could do a lot worse.

Hollywood Grill is owned by the same guy who owns White Palace. The menus can be a little different and the atmosphere and feeling of the palace is probably better, however most of the menu items are the exact same. So if you like White Palace and are near the Hollywood Grill, it should get the job done.

Oh dear god:

to bad the search function isn't tighter or you'd gather a better consensus-

unless you're a hooker, a (bridge n tunnel)hipster, or a vagrant you should stray far from the Hollywood Grill



it's a lackluster Greek diner, nothing more and yet it stokes it's ravening grills, it's Molochian furnace with the coin of the aforementioned...sigh...

Christopher Gordon wrote:Oh dear god:

to bad the search function isn't tighter or you'd gather a better consensus-

unless you're a hooker, a (bridge n tunnel)hipster, or a vagrant you should stray far from the Hollywood Grill



it's a lackluster Greek diner, nothing more and yet it stokes it's ravening grills, it's Molochian furnace with the coin of the aforementioned...sigh...

I don't think that's fair representation of the Hollywood Grill; it's the pimps that hang out there, not the hookers!

Anyway, they're not a bad diner. The breakfast items are decent, it's open 24 hours, and they serve alcohol. What more do you need?

YourPalWill wrote:I think that it's packed at odd hours because it's one of the few places open at odd hours and it sits right between Lincoln Park and Bucktown. I've had a couple of meals there. Nothing superlative. Nothing horrifying.

That sums it up well. Average diner fare that draws a large crowd because of its location and late hours, and certainly not the quality of its food.

I can't say I've ever had superlative eggs + bacon + hash browns, but that's all I eat there.

Seems a really unfair assesment, I go to Hollywood at least once a week. Been going there for 10 years at least. They have good , decent, greek diner type food. Do yourself a favor and order the homemade salsa on the side, it's craveable. I usually make it there Sat or Sun morning, my days of the 3am are over, very drunk crowd in there at those hours.

Christopher Gordon wrote:unless you're a hooker, a (bridge n tunnel)hipster, or a vagrant you should stray far from the Hollywood Grill

having worked at a bar down the street from hollywood grill for over 4 years - this statement made me laugh.....because of how absurdly untrue it is. Anyone who knows anything about Hollywood Grill knows that there is no typical crowd in there.

You're gonna get businessmen after a long night on the town, hookers, pimps, lincoln park chads and trixies, hipsters, cab drivers, drunk people, service industry folk - you name it - at 4 am on sunday, they'll ALL be there.

Having said that - i've never been there stone sober. So, that says something a little bit. Its not a bad place at all if you're up late and have had a few drinks and want some food. I just wouldn't take a date there at 7 pm on saturday night - she won't be happy.

djenks wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:unless you're a hooker, a (bridge n tunnel)hipster, or a vagrant you should stray far from the Hollywood Grill

having worked at a bar down the street from hollywood grill for over 4 years - this statement made me laugh.....because of how absurdly untrue it is. Anyone who knows anything about Hollywood Grill knows that there is no typical crowd in there.

That's too bad. I was planning to head over there tonight, as it sounded like entertaining dinner company.

Truth be told, I think enjoyed my one visit to Hollywood Grill immensely. Other truths be told, I have no idea what I ate, very little recollection of anything that occurred that evening, and some regrets that I discovered the morning after. Perhaps I was on my way home from your bar.

Kennyz wrote:Truth be told, I think enjoyed my one visit to Hollywood Grill immensely. Other truths be told, I have no idea what I ate, very little recollection of anything that occurred that evening, and some regrets that I discovered the morning after. Perhaps I was on my way home from your bar.

this sounds like the typical Hollywood Grill experience.

Man, some funny stories have come from that place. Does anyone remember when a car crashed into it late one night? right into the dining room. I have not been able to confirm this story, but it is one of many stories i've heard come out of that place - and something like a car crashing into hollywood grill (and everyone just carrying on with their meals) seems like a very possible scenario.

A side note - before Flash Taco got a make over (and presumably new management) you could find yourself a much better meal down the street there then at Hollywood. Nowadays Flash Taco is not very good.

djenks wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:unless you're a hooker, a (bridge n tunnel)hipster, or a vagrant you should stray far from the Hollywood Grill

having worked at a bar down the street from hollywood grill for over 4 years - this statement made me laugh.....because of how absurdly untrue it is. Anyone who knows anything about Hollywood Grill knows that there is no typical crowd in there.

You're gonna get businessmen after a long night on the town, hookers, pimps, lincoln park chads and trixies, hipsters, cab drivers, drunk people, service industry folk - you name it - at 4 am on sunday, they'll ALL be there.

Having said that - i've never been there stone sober. So, that says something a little bit. Its not a bad place at all if you're up late and have had a few drinks and want some food. I just wouldn't take a date there at 7 pm on saturday night - she won't be happy.

My Wicker Park pedigree reads 6 years in the apt. buildings at Blackhawk and Ashland(1998-2004)...I know of which I speak vis a vis Hollywood Grill. And the s/o called that area his home from the early-90's on...we're rather adept at spotting Bridge n Tunnel hipsters and yuppie-ite transplants. FYI.

This is great, all of these posts make me want to check it out even more. I'll get back and post once I do, hopefully this week. Oh, how does Chicago have bridge n tunnel people? Hilarious.

Shaggywillis wrote:This is great, all of these posts make me want to check it out even more. I'll get back and post once I do, hopefully this week. Oh, how does Chicago have bridge n tunnel people? Hilarious.

You know, the El goes over a bridge at the Damen stop and through a tunnel on its way to the Division stop

Shaggywillis wrote:how does Chicago have bridge n tunnel people? Hilarious.

What the hell are bridge and tunnel people?

djenks wrote:

Shaggywillis wrote:how does Chicago have bridge n tunnel people? Hilarious.

What the hell are bridge and tunnel people?

It's New York talk. It refers to folks visiting or working in the city who have to cross a bridge or go through a tunnel to get there.

What the hell are bridge and tunnel people?

NY talk for anyone outside of Manhattan.

in this usage---Bridge n Tunnel: generic derogatory term for hipster suburbanites

see also: trust fund "gutterpunks" at the Belmont Punkin Donuts (is that even still there anymore?)...I imagine The Alley, etc. draws the same poseur crowd...

Christopher Gordon wrote:see also: trust fund "gutterpunks" at the Belmont Punkin Donuts (is that even still there anymore?)

LOL! Yes it is. We used to live over there and I had to walk by that place on my way home from work everynight. Still as "Punked" out as it always was.

I saw White Palace profiled on an old "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" and Guy Fieri was raving about all the food made from scratch, including in-house roasted turkey for sandwiches. Is the food at the Hollywood Grill comparable. I've lived nary three blocks from the place and have never gone in. I hear raves about White Palace, so I wonder if this place is as good.