The previous occupier of the Carson's building was the Prime Rib. The building was painted blue or pink. Its immediate cross street neighbor was Tempe Judea.

Anybody remember Jordy's on Skokie Blvd. just south of Golf Rd. My mom used to take me there when I was a kid. Still crave their hard shell deep fried tacos...true gringo food.

And before Carson's on Niles Center, that building housed The Prime Rib. Around 1971-1973, it was the go-to underage hiring place for 14-15 year olds who aspired to be a busboy harassed by alcoholic bartenders. It was either there or Majestic order warehouse on Skokie Blvd. Guess labor laws weren't quite as stringent back then..

And rfleisch, I do remember Colombo's on East Prairie/Dempster, lived in the 'hood from 1982-1996. Went there are few times--good food, never caught on.

jnm123 wrote: It was either there or Majestic order warehouse on Skokie Blvd. Guess labor laws weren't quite as stringent back then..

Thread hijack-----Oh jeez, I had totally forgotten about Majestic.

Now that I remember Majestic, there was also "Mostow" on Oakton and "First Distributors" at Lawrence and Pulaski.

To those who don't know what I'm talking about, these places were locally owned discount stores that sent out massive catalogs. You would visit the barebones showroom to see and buy the item, and then you would grab it off of the conveyor and schlep it home.

nr706 wrote:The original Carson's was on Niles Center, between Conrad and Crain, IIRC, opposite the entrance to the Skokie Swift parking lot. Townhomes/Condos there now.

I lived about a half-block south of there in 1986 or 7, and when the wind was blowing the right way, it was, "We're going to go pick up some ribs for dinner, aren't we?"

nr706 wrote:The original Carson's was on Niles Center, between Conrad and Crain, IIRC, opposite the entrance to the Skokie Swift parking lot. Townhomes/Condos there now.

Yes, indeed. And I am a bit ashamed to admit that after more than one Yom Kippur fast, I went there for take-out ribs. Goodness, the au gratin potatoes there were a guilty pleasure.

It had the best chopped liver ever in the waiting room. I miss the place every time I drive by.

How many remember the original Raymond's work store on Lincoln, next to the Skokie Theater? It was the only place to buy Levi's back in the 1950's. Raymond's eventually moved to Oakton, where it lost it Farm & Fleet decor, to compete with Mr. Junior's, the best place to buy your Bar Mitzva suit in Skokie. How about Berman's Bootery on Oakton? When the original store burned down on West Roosevelt Road in Chicago, my Uncle Abe reopened it on Oakton. My best friend, Joel Jacobs, opened TKG The Kosher Gourmet on Dempster in 1970.

This ain't about food, but yes, chicagostyledog, Raymond's on Oakton was a happenin' place to be circa late 1960's/early 1970's. Besides great jeans, there was the fashion du jour--BIG bell-bottoms, Nehru jackets, wide belts, paisley shirts, Ringo caps, platform shoes, etc. In short, the most god-awful period clothes in history.

Back to food. Right around there (Oakton/Skokie Blvd.), the Corner Hut on Keating Ave. had top-notch dogs & fresh-cut fries for the day. They moved a block away to Kilpatrick but still on Oakton in the early '70's. Parkside Snack Shop just east of Knox had a killer soda fountain, was popular a little before my time, probably early 60's.

rfleisch--I lived down the alley from Carson's in the early '80's, and man alive, that smell o' the ribs--it was like the Pied Piper. They were REAL good back then, certainly better than now. I'll bet anything they have a different source. And...I'd order by phone, then walk over 15 minutes early to have a cocktail in the dark bar & scarf copious amounts of their killer (in more ways than one!) chopped liver on cocktail rye with chopped onion.

Does anyone remember a restaurant on, I think, Golf Road called Bippy's or Bippies or something like that? I've never been there. I just remember the outside of it.

Also, what about Martin's which was located in that little strip mall on Church Street and Niles Center Road? I had a crush on a waitress there. She looked like a tall Raquel Welch. Wasn't it called something before Martin's? Remember Dab's Pharmacy in that same mall, technically, on the corner of Church and Keating? Weren't the owner's initials DAB? He was a humorless, scary looking cuss with white hair. We little kids were afraid of him. Remember Otto, the crossing guard on Church and Keating, near Dab's? He was a big, old German guy, a teddy bear with white hair and a crew cut. Very nice guy. He let me hold his stop sign (with a handle attached) all the time.

Also, it was Acres, then Zweigs, right?

Wow! Thanks for all the memories, Carson's on Niles Center was the first place I overhead ribs.

Also, it was Acres, then Zweigs, right?

yep. i really loved acres. my family ate there regularly when i was little. zweigs came later, but i always missed acres. justjoan

I wonder if anyone has a photo of the original "Hot Dog Hut" on Oakton just east of Skokie Blvd. That was my first Chicago dog.

It was a tiny, literal hut -- years later they opened the "Corner Hut" the next block over, and the original became a record store -- I think some time in the 70's, but it could have been the 60's. Later it was torn down and the small retail strip went in.

The Corner Hut has been gone a while now too, and it went through its ups and downs with the economy and several owners before finally disappearing (now just a grease stain beneath a Montessori school).

JoelF wrote:I wonder if anyone has a photo of the original "Hot Dog Hut" on Oakton just east of Skokie Blvd. That was my first Chicago dog.

You might want to check here - http://www.skokiehistory.info/

Wow - memories!
Too bad we did not take pictures then the way people do today.

This really goes back a long way, but I recall before all the different restaurants that came to be at Dempster and Skokie Blvd, it was Aunt Jemima's. Pancakes and I know I am not making this up but a women worked there who was hired to portray Aunt Jemima. She would grab me and smile, I sort of feared and adored her at the same time. This has to be like 1963 - 1965. I am 50 and I remember this as one of my first memories.

This thread has jarred bits more:
The ice cream scoops at Cock Robin were square!
Henry's at the corner of Skokie and Golf Rd.- a real hamburger drive-in before McDonald's worked its way into our wiring. - Henry's stood in front of the site of Kiddieland (Fun Fair). I recall all the rides: the boats towards the front, the Wild Mouse which I was scared to get on, the Tilt-A-Whirl. Skeeball in the front. I was quite young, so I remember loving the train. (BTW, they have a little train right now at Old Orchard for young kids, and I can't look at it without all the emotions of that era rushing back.) When they ripped Kiddieland down, I remember the huge construction site with mountains we played on forever. (Can you imagine construction sites left open these days for kids to use as playgrounds?!!!!).
Jordys right across the street was a bit later when we were young teens. They had 4 hamburgers for $1.00 (!), and like mentioned above - the best deep fried tacos ever. Pinball and a jukebox, spent way too many hours there. Jordy's went in the spot that Door County stood where my dad would get lox and bagels on Sunday mornings - a dark cramped, smelly piece of heaven. Oh, I long for good smoked chubs.

Peacock's of course (that was Wilmette), and before Chances R, etc, that spot was a Bonanza where both my brothers worked as teens. A Western-themed cafeteria type venue where you would walk up with a tray and tell them what you wanted cooked right there while you stood and waited. Chances R was a huge novelty with the peanut shells all over the floor - can you imagine that today with the plethora of allergies and lawsuits?

Whew...I'm sure more will come to me.
Fun thread!

Great thread! I grew up in Skokie in the 70's and early 80's and two restaurants I remember that I haven't seen mentioned so far are The Magic Pan which was a crepe restaurant in Old Orchard and The Skokie Club, which was just north of Dempster on Skokie Boulevard. I also fondly remember the Touhy House, which was on Touhy across from where Village Crossing is now. I remember liking their pizza. Of course, I was just a kid at the time, so who knows?!!!

ETA: Thought of another one! Anyone remember Moloney's ice cream parlor at Oak Mill Mall? I remember going there for friends' birthday parties in the mid 70's.

the name of the little diner on niles center and church by martin and marbry realtors was buddys delicatessen, right next door to dabs pharmacy and it was david burkes initials that made up the name, that old man would watch you like a hwak thinking your a thief, bought lotsa candy and model cars to build there, i also worked at jordys and lord what a health dept nightmare. bumpkins was on golf road under edens xpwy and was orig called romi's for years. does anyone remeber a hot dog place i think called hanks a hundred feet west of mcdonalds on dempster and niles center, before they expanded the parking lot and made it a drive thru in 1979, and who can forget sarkis even though he was a hundred yards into evanston

also note acres and zweigs deli were on crawford and church on the nw corner across from endlers pharmacy, it later turned into a greek diner that was very good with gyros

Scylla wrote:Great thread! I grew up in Skokie in the 70's and early 80's and two restaurants I remember that I haven't seen mentioned so far are The Magic Pan which was a crepe restaurant in Old Orchard.

Lettuce Entertain You bought the name and resurrected the concept in Northbrook Court. I remember having one of my first dates at Magic Pan.

jnm123 wrote:
Back to food. Right around there (Oakton/Skokie Blvd.), the Corner Hut on Keating Ave. had top-notch dogs & fresh-cut fries for the day. They moved a block away to Kilpatrick but still on Oakton in the early '70's. Parkside Snack Shop just east of Knox had a killer soda fountain, was popular a little before my time, probably early 60's.

Not far from Alexander's drug store across from Oakton Park! Bought a lot of candy there over the years.

When we first moved to Skokie, there was a carryout place called Frank's Suburban BBQ on Church, in the strip center just east of what later became Zweig's. In my opinion,they served better ribs than Wesley's, but their inferior location did them in after just a few years. BTW, anyone remember what preceded Zweig's? I can't think of the name, but they served the first 3/4 pound hamburger I'd ever seen. Candlewick? Does that sound right, or am I having another senior moment?

My place for ribs was The Cork on Dempster and their home made Corkette creamy garlic dressing was amazing.

Paul SL wrote:When we first moved to Skokie, there was a carryout place called Frank's Suburban BBQ on Church, in the strip center just east of what later became Zweig's. In my opinion,they served better ribs than Wesley's

For me, Wesley's was all about the broasted chicken. Ribs weren't even a consideration.

stevez wrote:

Paul SL wrote:When we first moved to Skokie, there was a carryout place called Frank's Suburban BBQ on Church, in the strip center just east of what later became Zweig's. In my opinion,they served better ribs than Wesley's

For me, Wesley's was all about the broasted chicken. Ribs weren't even a consideration.

...and the broasted potatoes.

so....unless I have missed a post or two.....Dempster and Hamlin in the A framed building, Spicers ribs then later pop n fresh pies both circa early to mid 70s.

Several mentions of Barnum & Bagel, but I remember its predecessor, the Gold Coin (a favorite for the after bowling crowd). Also a Ground Round where Giordoano's is on Dempster and Austin in Morton Grove. And finally, my all-time favorite pizza - Barnaby's on Caldwell just south of Oakton, which I think is Park Ridge. The gold standard for pizza in my book, and still there.

jerry1

Also Morton Grove, not Skokie, but my family used to love going to Lil' Abner's, on Dempster just east of the train tracks. Not great food, but a fun theme.

jerry1 wrote:Several mentions of Barnum & Bagel, but I remember its predecessor, the Gold Coin (a favorite for the after bowling crowd). Also a Ground Round where Giordoano's is on Dempster and Austin in Morton Grove. And finally, my all-time favorite pizza - Barnaby's on Caldwell just south of Oakton, which I think is Park Ridge. The gold standard for pizza in my book, and still there.

jerry1

Barnaby's is in Niles. And wasn't there a Ground Round at Dempster and Waukegan, where the KFC is now, in front of what was then Korvette's? I remember it was a chain with peanut shells on the floor. I think there used to be a Sir George and the Dragon where Portillo's is now across from Lutheran General. Not Skokie but nearby lol.

Yes, the Ground Round was in front of Korvette's, not at Dempster and Austin. For a while the Buffalo was on the NW corner, another restaurant on the NE corner, the SE corner was Sun Drugs and I don't remember the SW corner before the current strip mall but there was a tiny diner just to the west, by the lighting place. And yes this is Morton Grove, not Skokie.

The restaurant next to the lighting place was Violet's, and it's still there. It's a breakfast/lunch place, cash only. And you're right, it's in Morton Grove.

Diannie wrote:Yes, the Ground Round was in front of Korvette's, not at Dempster and Austin. For a while the Buffalo was on the NW corner, another restaurant on the NE corner, the SE corner was Sun Drugs and I don't remember the SW corner before the current strip mall but there was a tiny diner just to the west, by the lighting place. And yes this is Morton Grove, not Skokie.

When you say "the lighting place", I assume you're referring to Jacobson's, which closed a year or so ago. It was indeed at Dempster and Austin in Morton Grove.