chef joe wrote:What WAS the concept?

If I remember it was basically roast beef and mashed potatoes. Sort of like an all you can eat place, but the only entree was roast beef. I could be wrong on the all you can eat, it's been a long time.

An underlying concept for this Greek-owned steak joint was also some gambling. The owner was cited for it in 1988, I believe, and it seemed to have a rogue, unsavory (not taste-related) feel at times.

I recall Mister Rickey's on Skokie Bl as a decent deli spot.

...named after Rich Melman. It was the first 'nice' restaurant at which I was allowed to dine, maybe 1965.

It has come up before, but there was the "other" Herm's on Dempster, the little wooden shack. Was it not ironically named Herm's Palace?

Poochies opened in the early 70s I'm pretty sure. I can remember eating there as early as maybe 1972 or '73.

Wesley's, in response to an earlier post, stayed open until the last 70s I'm pretty sure. I believe my family trekked there for a rare eat-in meal after the big snow of '79. Maybe it was earlier than that.

Although I grew up near Dempster & Crawford (born in '66), I have zero recollection of Kelly's. But I have a vague memory of a Jack-in-the-Box on Dempster. Am I imagining that?

I grew up on Enfield (near Dempster and Crawford). I have very faint memories of Chicken Unlimited (on Dempster?), the Ground Round, and Eastern Style Pizza.

I recall my dad calling the two Herm's places Big Herm's and Little Herm's.

Ram4 wrote:I grew up on Enfield (near Dempster and Crawford). I have very faint memories of Chicken Unlimited (on Dempster?), the Ground Round, and Eastern Style Pizza.

I recall my dad calling the two Herm's places Big Herm's and Little Herm's.

I "think" Ground Round was at the southwest corner of Lincoln/Crawford.

Dave148 wrote:

Ram4 wrote:I grew up on Enfield (near Dempster and Crawford). I have very faint memories of Chicken Unlimited (on Dempster?), the Ground Round, and Eastern Style Pizza.

I "think" Ground Round was at the southwest corner of Lincoln/Crawford.

I checked their website, they're still around. There's one in Janesville, WI. I doubt they still play cartoons and the Three Stooges though.

There was a Ground Round(and YES they still serve popcorn and old movies on wall) in Palza Del Lago on Sheridan Rd in willmette.
i can't remember the one in skokie though. my sister worked at the one in willmette

chef joe wrote:There was a Ground Round(and YES they still serve popcorn and old movies on wall) in Palza Del Lago on Sheridan Rd in willmette.
i can't remember the one in skokie though. my sister worked at the one in willmette

Wow, they still do the popcorn and movies thing? When I look at their website, it's like looking at another Bennigan's/TGIF/Applebee's. I had at least one birthday party at Ground Round in Skokie around 1979.

The Ground Round was indeed at Lincoln/Crawford, which is Lincolnwood, not Skokie (but close enough). Right down the street from the awful Jojo's (always good for a bottomless cup of coffee for late-night study sessions).

JoJo's!! Yes, I remember THAT!! guess i NEVER went to that particular Ground Round. We always went to the one @ Plaza Del Lago in Willmette.

Anyone remember Jim's Char Broil next to Laury's Records on Sherman in Downtown Evanston? Across from the Sherman (Greasy Spoon) Grill which is now a Pannera I think
I just saw WGN Lunch Break with none other than Chef David Jarvis from Melange in Northfield. I worked there from the day it opened until the day it closed.
Chef Joe

Chefjoe has inspired my sense for nostalgia and I've been busily looking for images online. So far this is all I found (Skokie/Gross Point circa:hard to tell) I can easily make out Turnstyle and Polk Brothers. Will have to print and enhance to make out more.

http://labelscar.files.wordpress.com/20 ... nstyle.jpg

Hmmm.... getting warmer, archive of Skokie business photos (spotty but cool):

http://www.skokiehistory.info/gallery/b ... ss1947.htm

Oh man, memory lane! Find more please! I went to Sharp Corners which would be on the right.

If you navigate around the Skokie Historical Society site (my second link) they have some cool photos.

i remember turnstyle, that photo was linked here b4........still trying to get someone who remembers the inside of kelly's drive in where dengeo's is now.....the uniforms were vertical red stripped almost like prison camp uniforms.....it was strange

any way, if you don't know already...i m writing a book about how i became a chef and why....so i m trying to recal early childhood restaurants my mom used to take us kids back in the day....any/all comments are helpful

thanks

Speaking of pizza - I'll add LaRosa's on Dempster.[/quote]

Whoa - what a memory. I could swear LaRosa was actually, er, really good. And they delivered!

Anyone remember the Chinese spot in the same shopping strip? The neon sign advertising 'Big Meat' made my Mom chuckle every time we passed by on Dempster. Never did get the joke...

Speaking of eyesores, there was Hershey's hot dog shack directly across the street on the S side of Dempster. They were Herm's principal competition as I recall. Although Herm's son Mark disparaged the product, I thought Hershand his wife did a nice job. (One of my less-than-bright schoolmates tried to rob Hershey's at gun point once. Didn't get far...barely made it across the street before being apprehended in front of Gilbert's bicycle shop. I can see robbing a bank- at least in theory - but a tiny hot dog shack?)

The same LaRosa is now located on Milwaukee in Lincolnshire/Vernon Hills and the food is fantastic. They have sit down and carry-out. On their carry-out menu they tout that they used to be located in Skokie.

I'll add Noshery on Main St. to the list.

Dave148 wrote:I'll add Noshery on Main St. to the list.

Wasn't that in the present day location of Patty's?

stevez wrote:

Dave148 wrote:I'll add Noshery on Main St. to the list.

Wasn't that in the present day location of Patty's?

Close. Noshery was in the 4000 block of Main St, just west of Crawford. It was in the strip mall on the north side of the street that also had Skokie Hardware.

Morry's was where Patty's is located.

ok now wasn't the picnic tree (Then the chandiler) right by that too. I believe my mom shopped at a Jewel that was where the present day ethnic market is now?

chef joe

chef joe wrote:ok now wasn't the picnic tree (Then the chandiler) right by that too. I believe my mom shopped at a Jewel that was where the present day ethnic market is now?

chef joe

The Jewel was on Dempster just west of Crawford on the North side of the street (next to the gas station). I think it's some kind of ethinc market now. For a while, it was Woman's Workout World.

stevez wrote:

chef joe wrote:ok now wasn't the picnic tree (Then the chandiler) right by that too. I believe my mom shopped at a Jewel that was where the present day ethnic market is now?

chef joe

The Jewel was on Dempster just west of Crawford on the North side of the street (next to the gas station). I think it's some kind of ethinc market now. For a while, it was Woman's Workout World.

Picnic Tree/Chandelier was at the northeast corner of Keeler & Dempster. Jewel was located what is now Village Market Place & Scandinavian Design.

thats what i thought........getting all of this down now

chef joe

Does anyone remember a small French place near the corner of East Prairie and Dempster called Columbo's?

I moved into the neighborhood back in the mid 80's, and recall visiting at least once before they closed. Food was reasonably priced and pretty well prepared, if memory serves me.

An earlier post asked about a Jack-in-the-Box on the N side of Dempster just E of East Prairie. That's confirmed (though we never quite understood the appeal given the proximity of Big Herm's and Hershey's). A few others on Dempster not yet mentioned from the 60s/70s era are Piccolo Mondo for Italian, The Cork for, well, typical American, and Hacienda for Mexican. The last place was a pretty big deal when it first opened in the 70s, signalling the arrival of 'ethnic food' right here in the burbs. Woo hoo.

Going a bit further afield, kudos to the Mister Ricky's mention. And what about Fannie's on Emerson in Evanston for Southern style food. That also was a pretty big deal as I recall - very exotic and exciting at the time.

not familar with that one, but i do remember4 several FAILED restaurants near St Louis and Dempster. there was a gulliver's there, a lenoa's and a whole list in between...........anybody remember any of these

frannie lazar was an old school cook who had a line of frozen foods as well as the restaurant in evanston. she died and the place closed up which is too bad cause it was an ok restaurant at times......but it was more itailian food, although they did have some great fried chicken brought out on a silver platter no less

chef joe

chef joe wrote:but it was more itailian food, although they did have some great fried chicken brought out on a silver platter no less

And, don't forget the spaghetti!

How about Desiree' at the northwest corner of Oakton & Lincoln?