Quintessential American Comfort Spot?

Hi All. I am in need of a great, down home, meat and taters joint that screams 'MERICA! It cannot be the Depot American Diner* Not so much Southern (or the Southern) or Soul, but I don't mind hearing those suggestions. Think Meatloaf, Mac & Cheese and sassy ladies slangin comfort food. I've thought about Golden Steer, since I've been going there forever, but that's more steakhouse and the Palace, but I'm already going there. I don't know though...so lost. My brain is completely maxed out.


FULL DISCLOSURE: This will most likely be featured on second season of Sandwich King. *Hence no Depot (thanks Fieri.)

Thanks in advance! I love you all.

Jeff

Doesn't hit all your points but I do enjoy Ina's. May be a little upscale for you.

Miller's Pub
134 South Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603

old ladies and old bartenders for sure...

If you are going to cite Millers Pub, Ill offer Ceres Cafe in the board of trade building. I have been going to lunch there forever due to the fact my office was a block away. Its very retro and old school and caters to traders. Strong drinks. The food is good, heavy stick to the ribs stuff, soup, breaded pork tenderloin, pot roast as well as the usual sandwiches and salads. Huge fish sandwiches. I do not hear too many people giving this place love but its as good or better than a lot of the diner type places that are discussed on here. Mind you its not a trendy place or upscale but kind of a hidden place that is popular with the lunch bunch and happy hour folks.

PS check out the cafeteria in the basement.

Hi Jeff,

My favorite place for comfort food is MarketHouse. It's a little more upscale, but they have such incredible dishes.

http://markethousechicago.com/menus_new.aspx
The best pot pie I've ever had, as well as a great meatloaf and mac and cheese
Their lunch menu is so affordable - they have a 30 minute 2-course executive lunch for just $12. You choose soup/salad/sandwich - two of the three. They have a few incredible grilled cheese sandwiches as well as a peanut butter & jelly.

Also, Table Fifty-Two is very good but even more upscale. I love their three cheese mac, cornbread with bacon and jalapeno butter, buttermilk goat cheese biscuits

Three places come to mind, but one of them, Patty's Diner, has closed. The other two are Ohio House and White Palace Grill. White Palace may have appeared on DDD, but I'm not sure. Both have been discussed here in detail.

Ohio House Restaurant
600 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
(312) 751-2038

White Palace Grill
1159 S. Canal St.
Chicago, Il
(773)939-7167

stevez wrote:The other two are Ohio House and White Palace Grill. White Palace may have appeared on DDD, but I'm not sure. Both have been discussed here in detail.

Ohio House Restaurant
600 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
(312) 751-2038

White Palace Grill
1159 S. Canal St.
Chicago, Il
(773)939-7167

White Palace has been on DDD but Ohio House is a great suggestion.
It doesn't get a lot of love around here but I'd add Perry's


Perry's Deli
174 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60606

nicinchic wrote:Miller's Pub
134 South Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603

old ladies and old bartenders for sure...

Good call.

How about Ramova Grill in Bridgeport? Chili, diner food, quite a culture and history.

I'd say Russell's in Elmwood Park, since it clearly isn't in the barbecue category. However, while I continued to love it long after everyone else thought it sucked, it has been downright abysmal on my last two visits. They must have swapped to a different food service for all of the sides, drinks, and perhaps even the breads, so that only the chipped meats in the sandwiches and the sauce offer a whiff of nostalgia.

Valois. Although I never loved the food I do love the scene. Hmmm, maybe it's time to visit it again.

Valois
1518 E. 53rd St
Chicago, Il.
773.667.0647

cheffjeff wrote: I've thought about Golden Steer, since I've been going there forever, but that's more steakhouse

Schaller's pump in Bridgeport was always a favorite place to go for this type of meal when we lived in Canaryville. Now We live about 2 blocks from the Golden Steer and I gotta tell ya, I miss being close to Schaller's.

With their history and White Sox crowd I think they could be a contender in this. Their food was always very satisfying and they always got a good crowd of people. I haven't gone there in a few years but I assume they're still putting out some quality food there.

Cheff - Since you "don't mind hearing those suggestions" have you been to Priscilla's Ultimate Soul Food Cafeteria in Hillside? I believe there have been other recommendations for this place here on LTH - I love it for great comfort food. I'm sure you can come up with some great sandwich ideas there!

According to their website, Saturday is meatloaf day, which I have not tried, and mac & cheese every day. Also, I don't believe Guy Fieri has made it there - yet!

Cheff Jeff,

I am a fan.
Old Oak Tap is, I think the place to go. They hit it out of the park with the variety and twists on the menu.
http://www.theoldoaktap.com/menu_food.html

You will thank me, and maybe have me on the show

Cheers!

Patty's would have been perfect. I've always thought of Ted's as Patty's Lite.

Ted' s Snack Shop
1924 Crain St
Evanston

Another interesting variant ... possibly the best classical diner that features bi bim bap:

Evanston Grill
1047 Chicago Ave # B
Evanston

pairs4life wrote:Valois. Although I never loved the food I do love the scene. Hmmm, maybe it's time to visit it again.

I loved Valois when I lived in Hyde Park ... a perfect sense of place. Had a lovely first date there too and definitely appreciated the gentleman who would suggest Valois rather than some usual brunch spot.

Siun wrote:I loved Valois when I lived in Hyde Park ... a perfect sense of place.

And it's one of the main reasons I'm happy to be back in Hyde Park. The food is standard, classic, and well-worn in every sense of each of those terms. But damn, do I love it...

Offering a bit different sense of meat and taters is Top Notch--killer burgers and more-killer fries. A burger is a sandwich, right? And it doesn't get too much older-school on balance in Chicago anymore.

mtgl wrote:

Siun wrote:I loved Valois when I lived in Hyde Park ... a perfect sense of place. . .

Offering a bit different sense of meat and taters is Top Notch--killer burgers and more-killer fries. A burger is a sandwich, right? And it doesn't get too much older-school on balance in Chicago anymore.

Another Valois fan here, but Top Notch is a more off-the-beaten-path choice. I've only had the burger there, but I bet they do other things well.

FWIW, I think of Manny's as a comfort food cafeteria, rather than a deli. True, I usually get the corned beef or pastrami/corned beef half and half, but the roast beef, the short ribs and the beef stew are good as well. Not a fan of their soups.

Jimmy's Char House in Elgin. It's like a Greek diner taken to another level, serving all comfort food classics (chicken brochette, liver and onions,) plus steaks, rotisserie chicken and excellent seafood (e.g. "black-and-blue" swordfish, an occasional special - a blackened swordfish steak with blue cheese).

Jimmy's Char House
2290 Point Boulevard
Elgin, Illinois 60123
(847) 783-0200
http://jimmyscharhouseelgin.com/

L. Woods in Lincolnwood, which was just mentioned in another topic, is a great fit. It's the closest thing you'll find to a Wisconsin "supper club" in the Chicago area.

Another option is Kappy's Pancake House in Morton Grove. Don't let the name fool you; it's a classic Greek diner, with a huge menu serving lunch and dinner as well as breakfast specialties, everything expertly prepared, a place where you walk in and they make you feel like family. To see and hear more, check out the video in this post.

nr706 wrote:Patty's would have been perfect. I've always thought of Ted's as Patty's Lite.

Ted' s Snack Shop
1924 Crain St
Evanston

Just be aware, unless their hours have changed, Ted's is open for breakfast and lunch only, not dinner.

Skrine Chops could fit the bill since its meat and potatoes, on a sandwich no less.

Skrine Chops
400 S Financial Pl
(between Congress Pky & Van Buren St)

http://www.skrinechops.com

MacArthur's
5412 W. Madison
Chicago IL

I'll throw one in from left field: Delia's Kitchen in Oak Park. Nearby, cheap. Panther in the Den started a thread about it a while back.

Hi,

If it were my decision, I would go to Evanston Grill, which is run by new Americans from Korea.

In this diner, you can get a mhays approve Rueben sandwich, grits and dare I say Korean standards like bi bim bop which they call Bee Beem Bop. It is definitely a greasy spoon diner with more (unintended) character than most.

It is definitely off the radar, completely undiscovered (from a destination dining point of view) and it is family business who could really use the business.

I do hope somewhere in your credits that your source materials get their due.

As I recall they gave us a calendar the last time we visited.

Regards,

Thank you all for the unbelievable amount of suggestions.

Table 52 is wonderful, I love Dehlias in OP. My favorite ham and cheddar omelet. the best. I love Skrine's but they burt down and are currently rebuilding. Ohio House - Classic , Old Oak looks so perfect, White Palace, Soul Food Joint in Hillside, so many suggestions.

I will filter these through my main brain and hand a list in to the producers. I will keep you guys posted.

Also, we start shooting the "Verite" pieces (fancy word for on-location spots) first week in January. I will keep you all posted and let you know where I will be and when. At least I'll know, when I'm at a place, worthy people will be there stuffing their face along with me.

Thanks again,

Jeff

I think an interesting place to try could be Northdown Cafe and Taproom at 3244 N. Lincoln Ave.

All homemade classics, no old lady waitresses though.

Stanley's Kitchen & Tap

Nite 'N Gale in Highwood