The ones I would truly mourn would be more for the people involved then personal loss. Places like Burt's, that you know will only close permanently when Burt or Sharon are too sick to continue. Places like Honey 1, where you know Mr. Adams put so much heart into his product. And I'm sure there are plenty more like this that I can't think of at the moment.

I would almost feel like an orphan if I was suddenly deprived of my weekly visits to Kiki's Bistro and Nha Hang Vietnam.
And I share Matt's and Gary's fondness for not only the food but also the always friendly welcome of Pramote and his wife at Rainbow's,

David Hammond wrote:Good thought for parallel thread: Restaurants We're Still Mourning. For me, Horwath's.

Such places could be posted in this existing topic:

All The Old Familiar Places (RIP)

Thanks, Darren!

Totally forgot about that thread. Thanks for the reminder.

I have an entry, but I'm going to keep it a secret. Something about this exercise makes me nervous, like to name a restaurant is to alert fate to do what fate has a nasty habit of doing. I realize I'm a minority of one in that feeling, but all the same, I'm playing it safe and not identifying my choice.

riddlemay wrote:I have an entry, but I'm going to keep it a secret. Something about this exercise makes me nervous, like to name a restaurant is to alert fate to do what fate has a nasty habit of doing. I realize I'm a minority of one in that feeling, but all the same, I'm playing it safe and not identifying my choice.

At least you're not worried that we'll all deride you for your choice!

=R=

Sun Wah BBQ. So many memorable meals.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

riddlemay wrote:I have an entry, but I'm going to keep it a secret. Something about this exercise makes me nervous, like to name a restaurant is to alert fate to do what fate has a nasty habit of doing. I realize I'm a minority of one in that feeling, but all the same, I'm playing it safe and not identifying my choice.

At least you're not worried that we'll all deride you for your choice!

True. The derision of the mob is one thing I don't lose sleep over.

For me, it's Cross-Rhodes in Evanston. I've been eating here since I was a kid and lived a few blocks away. It's one of the last places still around, unchanged from when I was young. It's a place I still crave regularly, especially the insanely delicious Greek fries.

Cross~Rhodes
913 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
Telephone (847) 475 4475
http://crossrhodes.biz/

Merlo on Maple
Coalfire
Lao Sze Chuan
Next

Having read through the other replies in this thread, I will concur with Vital Information that it would be Gene's and Jude's.
It seems to me that the new model for restaurants is, "Charge more and make people think it is worth it." New restaurants offering quality items at lower price points seem to be non-existant.
I shudder at what may happen when the only "restaurant" food lower-income people can squeeze onto their budgets come off the "value" menus at McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Taco Bell, & Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Darren72 wrote:For me, it's Cross-Rhodes in Evanston. I've been eating here since I was a kid and lived a few blocks away. It's one of the last places still around, unchanged from when I was young. It's a place I still crave regularly, especially the insanely delicious Greek fries.

Cross~Rhodes
913 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
Telephone (847) 475 4475
http://crossrhodes.biz/

I'm still missing Dr. Jazz, which occupied that spot before Cross-Rhodes. Had my first - and best - peanut butter shake there.

That is an easy one. Arrenello's Pizza in Glenwood. The best stuffed pizza there is.

I'd like to play, even though we aren't Chicagoland.

Barney's Bar & Grill
Evansport, OH



No need for a street adress, if you can find Evanport, you have found Barney's. Standard bar food, but well done. Evening specials, everythings good. Two cheeseburgers, fries and a couple beers each will set you back $25, including a very generous tip. Not bad for a night out with the Mrs (only the best for us).

Anytime you go in, you might see suits & ties at one table and construction guys, covered in dirt at another. At least half the people in there are farmers, anytime you stop. Don't even think about trying to get a table during deer season, at noon.

Barney's closing is something I don't even want to think about.......

Some really great thoughts on this thread, including many old places I'd also mourn even though the food might not be world class. Had a big win at work today and went directly to Monk's Pub, for example. Would have gone to Miller's if I'd been on that side of the Loop.

Another old place that I just love, where the food isn't tip top (though not bad) but all else is: Club Lago. Dropped in there the other day and it felt like home. Great to see business pick up as the 'hood becomes a fancy high rise area. I know luminaries such as PIGMON and VI are fans. Hoping places like the Club, Big & Little's, the cabbie joints, and Mr. Beef can hang in there as the neighborhood becomes the Upper East Side.

This is easy for me. Pizzeria Due. I've been going there for over 40 years. I still get misty-eyed when I dig into it. It hasn't changed a bit. The feeling of nostalgia is overwhelming.

Czech Plaza

Darren72 wrote:For me, it's Cross-Rhodes in Evanston. I've been eating here since I was a kid and lived a few blocks away. It's one of the last places still around, unchanged from when I was young. It's a place I still crave regularly, especially the insanely delicious Greek fries.

Cross~Rhodes
913 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
Telephone (847) 475 4475
http://crossrhodes.biz

Cross Rhodes is still there and still going strong. However, like many restaurants, much of its personality came from its original owner-founder, Jeff Russell. I used to love watching him man the front counter, juggling multiple phone calls and pickups and checkouts all at the same time, always with a smile and without missing a beat. At the time of his unfortunate passing a couple of years ago, he had already mostly turned over operation of the restaurant to his daughter, and it still has the same food and atmosphere as always. But I still miss seeing Jeff when I walk in. (You can read more about Jeff here.)

Personally I'm still in mourning over Demon Dogs, at least every time I hear a song from the band Chicago. The saying "a hard habit to break" was as true of one as I can remember. The cold sweats the first few years were brutal. I miss it ALL, from the five foot high metal basket of fresh cut fries ready for the fryer to the double dogs down over to the neighborhood garbage cans and my man Pete's Notre Dame memorabilia on the back wall near the side entrance, and lets just say I'm not very fond of Notre Dame. While I'm very grateful spots like Redhot Ranch, Jimmy's and Gene & Jude's still slang my favorite style of hot dog, the atmospheres just aren't the same. These days? Either Johnnie's or Athenian Room as they too are longtime favorites. I'd say Pat's Pizza but it aint been the same since they moved off Sheffield, pizza is as good as always, but again the memories are gone.

What if they closed down a restaurant and opened a funeral home in the same location? Or what if a funeral home had really good catering? Would you mourn when they close?

Spaccanapoli. Their closing would have been even more devastating to me years back when they were the only game in town, but they still do EVERYTHING right, at least for me, when I need a transport back to Italy.

I'm still in mourning since Silver Cloud closed. Simple but delicious comfort food.

Silver Cloud closed???

nsxtasy wrote:

Darren72 wrote:For me, it's Cross-Rhodes in Evanston. I've been eating here since I was a kid and lived a few blocks away. It's one of the last places still around, unchanged from when I was young. It's a place I still crave regularly, especially the insanely delicious Greek fries.

Cross~Rhodes
913 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
Telephone (847) 475 4475
http://crossrhodes.biz

Cross Rhodes is still there and still going strong. However, like many restaurants, much of its personality came from its original owner-founder, Jeff Russell. I used to love watching him man the front counter, juggling multiple phone calls and pickups and checkouts all at the same time, always with a smile and without missing a beat. At the time of his unfortunate passing a couple of years ago, he had already mostly turned over operation of the restaurant to his daughter, and it still has the same food and atmosphere as always. But I still miss seeing Jeff when I walk in. (You can read more about Jeff here.)

Thanks for this. I went to NU. And back then I ate everything. Half a chicken with fries, lemon soup, or salad was $5.45 after tax tip not included. I even brought my family and roommates there for lunch after graduation, both undergrad and nine years later graduate school.

boudreaulicious wrote:Silver Cloud closed???

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140828 ... ners-split

leek wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:Silver Cloud closed???

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140828 ... ners-split

Damn the Silver Cloud was my new place for Sloppy Joes since the Brown Sack took them off their menu

Zaragoza

Buffalo Joe's. Too many post-NU football game memories here. The pictures of anthropomorphic vegetables, the same staff for years, just too precious to lose.

boudreaulicious wrote:Silver Cloud closed???

Can you believe it? I am seriously heartbroken.......

Not to make this the Silver Cloud Obituary Thread, but I'm shocked and sorry to hear about their closing. A Bucktown resident since they first opened, I've had enough Silver Cloud sloppy joes and tater tots through the years that they might reasonably be listed as a cause of death in my obituary. Not destination dining, lord knows, but a solid, predictable neighborhood joint.