Caldwell's - Touhy & Caldwell - Niles

Good hamburger cooked to order. Good looking philly cheese steak that used bland frozen steak slices. "Roast Turkey" special came out of a freezer and cans and was mediocre. Soups are out of a can. We've had steaks and whitefish previously and they are typical of 24 hour restaurants - nothing special. Frozen vegetables come steamed "raw/al dente" whether or not you request "softer" for seniors. Good coffee.

Service is generally ok but this recent visit was nothing but problematic with the waiter (problems in many categories and poor problem resolution with the manager). Prices are high. The newer decor is nice. This is our final visit to Caldwell's.

Walked in once for late breakfast/early lunch. Nothing was wrong but we didn't stay, don't recall why.

The joint is all about a good looking dining room with lazy cooking and high prices. I don't think it will last. The former incarnation was a Greek upholstered sewer with marginal food. Now, the building was rebuilt with the same owners and same marginal food.

The place cannot survive if each customer only eats there once.

I do love the decor and the food is not impressive but I have had some pretty good things, not outstanding but decent. We go there every once in a while because they are either open 24 hours or very late, and usually the food at late-nite/24 hour joints is hideous. Plus the bar is nice for a late, cheap, quiet drink. The fact that it's almost within walking distance is also a factor. But with the new interior, it would be nice to see a more impressive, but still inexpensive, menu so they can get more people in.

Plush wrote:The former incarnation was a Greek upholstered sewer with marginal food. Now, the building was rebuilt with the same owners and same marginal food.

The place cannot survive if each customer only eats there once.

The former place was an outpost of The Melrose, which had great breakfast food. The corned beef hash in particular was outstanding. I was sad to see it go and even sadder when Caldwell's took it's place. I am among the customers who has only eaten there once and that is very unlikely to change.

The former incarnation was a Greek upholstered sewer with marginal food. Now, the building was rebuilt with the same owners and same marginal food.

And long,long before that the same location hosted a Howard Johnson.

JSM wrote:

The former incarnation was a Greek upholstered sewer with marginal food. Now, the building was rebuilt with the same owners and same marginal food.

And long,long before that the same location hosted a Howard Johnson.

The Greek Upholstered Sewer (which would be a great name for a band) was White Dove, and before that it was Three Tables (or was it Three Doves and White Table?)

I have no idea when this happened, but yesterday I drove by and noticed OPENING SOON signs in all the windows. Hope that's true; that was our second go-to late-night place besides Sally's on Harlem & Higgins.

Pie Lady wrote:I have no idea when this happened, but yesterday I drove by and noticed OPENING SOON signs in all the windows.

Its my understanding Caldwell's is retooling and will reopen late January, early February.

I've heard it will be with a different operator, the previous owner is retiring.

JSM wrote:

The former incarnation was a Greek upholstered sewer with marginal food. Now, the building was rebuilt with the same owners and same marginal food.

And long,long before that the same location hosted a Howard Johnson.

Actually the HoJo was behind this restaurant and is still there but is another Motel.

I think it's an America's Best something something, which was a Days' Inn til just recently.

Mr. Pie and I are having a debate. He swears there was a restaurant at this location that had a name that had something to do with time, similar to 'Round the Clock. I think he's nuts. Anyone remember this? He said it was within his time living in this area, 15-20 years.

It was The Melrose for at least 10 years before that was knocked down for the current place. That was a 24-hour restaurant.

Prior to the Melrose, wasn't it was the Four Doves?

Those are the only two I remember, too.