Big Star goes Diner - Dove's Luncheonette

Needed a place to eat near the busy Wicker Park intersection and decided to give the new Dove's Luncheonette a try. In case you've been living in a pothole somewhere this is the new Southern inspired Mexican diner from the One Off Hospitality Group, owners of Big Star next door. Maybe because the Bears had just played or maybe because there is no patio and the day was beautiful, who knows but it was tame with plenty of places to sit. I like what they did with the inside as it's it's not too decked out, pretty minimal actually, it feels like a diner so that's good.


Sitting at the counter overlooking Damen avenue

Props for keeping the drinks in the Big Star price-range of $8. I don't know about y'all but I'm enjoying my nights out less and less upon getting my bill loaded with $13 cocktails. Believe me I'm not cheap but damn those add up. Good sippers here as expected from the team also behind Violet Hour across the street. As far as food prices go they didn't exactly stick with them relative to Big Star. Then again these are plates of food and not tacos or chips with guacamole to share. Still these are small plates of food. She tried the chicken fried chicken and it came with two pieces of breast meat, looked more like two strips. The flavor profile was there with the chorizo verde gravy along with grilled onions, green beans and peas being a hearty combo but for $15 I want some mashed potatoes underneath at the very least.


Chicken Fried Chicken

I opted for the red chile chicken enchiladas and went West Texas style with a fried egg on top. Described as corn tortillas and roasted chicken thighs with guajillo-ancho chile sauce, queso oaxaca, queso fresco, cilantro, onions and pickled serrano chiles these sounded like they could please if I was able to look past the $14 pricetag. I wish I could've but I would've been more satisfied if these were around $8. I liked the fact they used chopped thigh meat and the flavor profile of the sauce was similar to Big Stars popular panza taco but they weren't rolled tight enough and the dish eventually morphed into the texture of a baked casserole. It was hard to get a bite of it all in one. Maybe they should go all out West Texas style and stack them. I do suggest liberal use of their homemade hot sauces and salsa, I thought all of them were great and useful in taking the dish a step up. More cheese and sauce wouldn't of hurt either. Another thing they really could of used were some rice and beans by their side. In the end it's on you to decide for yourself. I wont rush back, but I'm sure I'll be back.


Red Chile Enchiladas with a fried egg added on

Dove's Luncheonette
1545 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 645-4060

Edited bc I labeled the chicken fried chicken as steak in the picture headline

i think its funny that people insist on local farmer produce, free ranged pastured chicken,100 % grassfed beef and yet they complain about the prices of food. its not like the restaurant is just throwing prices on a menu. they cost out everything involved. oh , u want a busser to make sure ur water is filled? oh u want more than one server so ur wait is not 45 min? oh u want a dishwasher so u can have clean silverware? u know that house made hot sauce that u recommend to pour on everything...well that cost money too.... im just sick of people not in reality with restaurant pricing. stay home.

Excuse me but when did I say I demanded the ingredients? How much do you think that hot sauce cost to make? Gimme a break. Three enchiladas with a fried egg on top for $14 is expensive. Disagree? Feel free but I'm going to keep eating out, I'll just go to a Mexican restaurant when the taste for enchiladas comes around. While I'm there, there will be homemade salsa and a person pouring water for me and I won't pay $14 for them. Someone needs to eat out more. By the way Bartman, I waited longer than 40 minutes for the food. I chose not to mention that bc they did just open.

I didn't see Da Beef say anywhere that he demanded locally grown, organic, whatever products. That's the first of many strawmen you've conjured to support your comment. As to providing basic services - a dishwasher, bussers, etc. - these are costs that almost any restaurant must take into account. Providing basic infrastructure in a restaurant does not justify charging $14 for a plate of chicken thighs with corn tortillas and cheese. Do you know how cheap these things are wholesale? If you want to rant about how you loathe "cheap" people, go do it in the comments section of a troll friendly website.

Oh, and the Cubs suck, always have, always will.

LOL; don't let 'em get to ya, Beef. Thanks for the report. I can't seem to link to the menu but it's on their FB page for anyone who's interested. Seems to me that their competition is not any of the excellent taquerias but the new Xoco, which also ain't cheap.

Thanks for the report Da Beef. I got pretty excited walking past Dove’s Luncheonette on Saturday. I love old-school diners and soda fountains and Dove's is as classic looking as it gets. Seriously two thumbs way up to the interior decorator, the place looks like a movie set designer's wet dream of a diner (which is just as it should be). Therefore I was disappointed to find out that the menu was mostly Mexican fusion food. Don’t get me wrong I love Mex food as much as the next guy but this was a real bait and switch. Not sure I understand the purpose of gussying up the place diner-style and then serving enchiladas maybe it is some kind of ironic hipster thing, god knows. Also Chicago is a very crowded market when it comes to excellent Mexican food at every price point, whereas the classic diner is a dying breed and we could use more of em around.

Ok admittedly I have not eaten there so all the above commentary is more or less useless. Usually I despise people who bitch about everything but the food at a new restaurant so in this respect I have become what I hate, sorry everyone. But sometimes you gotta let it out.

eating while walking wrote:Therefore I was disappointed to find out that the menu was mostly Mexican fusion food. Don’t get me wrong I love Mex food as much as the next guy but this was a real bait and switch.

Isn't it supposed to be texmex?

Habibi wrote:Oh, and the Cubs suck, always have, always will.

Proud to be "one of the three thousand" that former Cub manager Lee Elia ranted about.

I went last week Thursday at about 730pm and got sat right away. The wife and I were out in that area so decided to try it. We both enjoyed our meal and drinks, me more than her I think but she doesn't rant and rave about food like I do. I had the chicken fried chicken and thought it was delicious and quite filling. Mine was bigger than what da beef posted, one big breast, it was moist and juicy, loved the breading which had a nice peppery kick and the gravy was excellent too. I had a taste of the wife's chile relleno and thought the sauce was delicious. Drinks were good, not great, the mint looked kinda sad that day. It did take awhile to get our food too, not 40 minutes but close. Still working out the kinks I believe. I didn't mind the price tag really, I thought it was worth it cause I enjoyed it. I'd go back but I would probably hit Big Star before Dove's if I was in the area. I liked Dove's but I love Big Star.

For what it's worth I dined there just a few days later and had the exact same enchiladas and my portion was substantially larger ... AND more sauce ... AND more cheese.

It was enough for a very solid, filling lunch and 50% leftover.

The blood sausage was fantastic also.

To the other bro (eating while ...), this is like a diner in the southwest. Yes, there are actually diners there that look like this and serve food like this. I'd be sad to live in a world where my own limited experiences dictated my opinions but to each his own.

It's not one of the best places ever, like avec or Publican, but it makes sense in the space and does what it's trying to do competently which is about all I could ask of this particular concept.

what a joy it is to eat at a counter again! and the stools are so close together(but not uncomfortably so), that i don't believe anyone will be using their laptop while eating which makes me very happy. people actually talk to each other- i chatted with people on both sides of me, on both visits. the last time i enjoyed counter service like this was many years ago at the original Wishbone on grand. and there's a turntable next to the liquors. i made a request and was serenaded by the great jackie wilson while i ate...
i've eaten lunch here twice, and absolutely loved the food, the staff and the room. no, it's not texmex; dove's is calling their food mexican/soul food. everybody wants a label on everything- so they've given us one. the chicken fried chicken was a very large portion; beautifully crunchy spicy, not greasy batter. wonderful with peas and green beans, and a little cream gravy. my other lunch was the ethereally light corn tamal with caramelized squash, banana peppers and scrambled eggs. maria's ginger beer (from right here in bridgeport), washed everything down deliciously. my only disappointment was the horchata pie from hoosier mama's. i know they have many fans- i'm not one. the crusts are pale and tasteless. but the horchata filling was tasty.

disclaimer: dennis, the chef, is a neighbor of mine.

queequeg's_steak wrote:For what it's worth I dined there just a few days later and had the exact same enchiladas and my portion was substantially larger ... AND more sauce ... AND more cheese.

It was enough for a very solid, filling lunch and 50% leftover.

Right on Broph! Did they up the total to four enchiladas? Or did they switch to flour tortillas? Care to explain? Otherwise I'm not sure how they'd be substantially larger, the tortillas are one size. Did you eat before stopping in? 50% leftovers huh? I don't know maybe I'm just an American pig but one and a half enchiladas aren't ever going to fill me up. Y'all seem pretty upset I gave it an average review but what can you do. You tried and decided for yourself, much like me.

queequeg's_steak wrote:To the other bro (eating while ...), this is like a diner in the southwest. Yes, there are actually diners there that look like this and serve food like this. I'd be sad to live in a world where my own limited experiences dictated my opinions but to each his own.

It's not one of the best places ever, like avec or Publican, but it makes sense in the space and does what it's trying to do competently which is about all I could ask of this particular concept.

Actually it's described as a mash up of Southern and Mexican cooking and that's what it is, I wouldn't call it Southwestern food unless you include Tex-Mex in that category which I do not. In fact someone I was talking too about Dove's had wished they went that route and were serving green chile cheeseburgers, carne adovada, frybread tacos, stacked blue corn chicken enchiladas etc. When I'm in the mood for a Mexican inspired diner I still like Danny's Egg Head over Dove's. Though I never said Dove's was awful so y'all need to relax on that. It is what it is, a concept in a trendy restaurant neighborhood. There's room for all types of restaurants in the City of Big Shoulders.

....Actually it's described as a mash up of Southern and Mexican cooking and that's what it is, I wouldn't call it Southwestern food unless you include Tex-Mex in that category which I do not. In fact someone I was talking too about Dove's had wished they went that route and were serving green chile cheeseburgers, carne adovada, frybread tacos, stacked blue corn chicken enchiladas etc. When I'm in the mood for a Mexican inspired diner I still like Danny's Egg Head over Dove's. Though I never said Dove's was awful so y'all need to relax on that. It is what it is, a concept in a trendy restaurant neighborhood. There's room for all types of restaurants in the City of Big Shoulders.

thanks for the mention of danny's egg head. i keep driving by, and meaning to check it out. it looks great, but the link on your website to danny's website didn't work for me....

Really enjoyed the zippy Ham & Cheese Ahogada I tried yesterday . . .


Ham & Cheese Ahogada



Bloody Mary

The sandwich was really tasty -- nice, not-too-sweet ham, flavorful cheese, a great tolero roll and a perfectly cooked egg atop the whole business. The sauce was much more acidic and assertive than I can remember having with other ahogadas. This seemed almost like the chili-vinegar slurry that you'd use to make Mexican chorizo. I really enjoyed it.

I generally avoid vodka and all its connections but the Bloody Mary seemed to be the most culinary beverage on the menu, so I decided to try it out. I think it's pretty much the same version Publican serves at brunch but I'm not entirely sure of that. It was savory and spicy but maybe it wasn't the best drink to order with this sandwich since it was also fairly acidic and combined with the sandwich, it was a bit redundant. In any event, I'm very much looking forward to returning and checking out more of the menu. I arrived just before 4 pm and the place was only about 25% full, so if one is hungry at that hour, it may be a good time to go.

=R=

My expectations were low when I decided to give Dove's a chance, but I was pleasantly surprised by our first experience.

Between the 4 of us we ordered the blood sausage, Romanesco Salad, Ceviche, Chicken fried Chicken, Pozole, Enchiladas, and Chiles Rellenos. Everything was good and a few things great. My favorites probably the Chicken fried Chicken and the Pozole. The chicken was juicy with a nicely crispy breading, and I loved the sauce and preparation. The portion was very substantial, as was the Pozole which was very rich and spicy, though there was not much hominy in the bowl.

I enjoyed the fact that they had cheap Mexican beers on draft, and on a whim I mixed up a pretty good michelada using the table hot sauces, black pepper, and some extra limes, next time I'll probably just ask if they can make one for me.

I'll add that my chiles rellenos were about the most perfectly fried I've ever seen. A batter that actually sticks to the peppers and remains crunchy; something I had yet to see in any chiles rellenos. My only issue was that I could have done with about double the portion size.

Gah, I hate to be such a negative nancy these days, but I guess I've been in the midst of a dining slump.
Anyway, by no means did I hate my maiden voyage to Dove's and since I generally trust One Off across the board, I know I'll be back here. Great space, sitting at the bar reminded me as much of a boisterous tapas bar in Spain as an old school diner. Staff was awesome, a bunch of familiar faces from other favorite haunts around town. And yes, I really like the trend in cheap beer (after this solo dinner I headed up to Slippery Slope, which is also friendly on the wallet). Not only were drafts cheap but my favorite pilsner, Bohemia was only $4 a bottle. Even the top shelf reposado tequila only ran me $7 for a fair pour and they have nightly $4 shots.

So the food– and mind you I only sampled one thing. The enchiladas. I could argue the price to plate size ratio, but I felt pleasantly full afterwards. With the low drink prices, I feel like overall the value is not bad here considering the high rent neighborhood. Enchiladas seem so simple yet are so often mis handled. I'm not even totally sure what my preferred style is– a drier more "authentically" Mexican style or saucy/cheesy Tex Mex. There is one variable which is a deal breaker for me– the tortillas must be fried. Dove's rendition (that night at least) was built on thickish, hand made tortillas that I found to be quite mismanaged, not fried and more than a few minutes past their warm and supple prime. They verged on tough. All the rest of the components were of great quality– chewy queso, earthy chile sauce, and real nice fresh and crisp coins of pickled serranos. The chicken had some texture to it, seemingly roasted, also nice. And while the plate looked very pretty, once I started poking around, things were assembled out of balance, with a melted cheese clump on one side and the tortillas rolled around variable amounts of meat, kinda like what I'd expect from the corner taqueria. It just didn't come together.

I'll be back to try more of the menu, I'm hearing good reports all around. And as far as a lively place thats easy on the eyes, I can't think of a better place for a cheap shot and a beer in the center of "the crotch".

Made my first trip last night. As a left-hander, luncheonette- or family-style isn't the best for me. There's a lot of elbow bumping. But whatever. My dining companion and I had a very nice experience. Our order included the pozole, which, while non-traditional, was deep in flavor and the do-it-yourself add-ons (lime, radishes, cabbage, tortilla chips) were a nice touch and added a welcome complexity to the soup. My friend got the tamale, of which I only had a bite but which was excellent, as well. Perhaps my favorite dish of the evening, though, was the starter: beets in a mole sauce with sesame seeds. The first bite was weird. But as we got into it it made perfect sense. The guy who was pouring our water (who said he was from Mexico) volunteered that he had a similar experience. Beets and mole? But it worked. Very inventive, great service, nice room. That pozole might become a favorite on cold winter nights. I'll be back.

Didn't love their pozole either, found it a bit thin. Nowhere near the depth of a recent bowl crafted by young chef Zaragoza at the 7th anniversary party of the family flagship.

Made it back to Dove's earlier this week with a couple of friends and I have to say that I'm really smitten by it. 3 of us shared a bunch of tasty dishes and with the exception of one sorbet, there was nothing I wouldn't eagerly order again . . .


Cobbler Cocktail of the Day
My companion's drink. I don't know the details.



Roasted Romanesco | pipian verde, fried lemons
This was a fun spin on romanesco. It was vibrant and perfectly acidic. A real punch but a lovely one.



Red Chile Enchiladas | chicken thigh, guajillo-ancho chile sauce, queso Oaxaca, queso fresco, cilantro, onions, pickled serranos
Really loved the chicken and the multi-chile sauce.



Chile Rellenos | anaheim peppers, farmers cheese, chayote squash, pickled pasilla chiles, tomato-serrano broth
A stylized, contemporary take that really worked in that the dish was delicious and new but also very comforting. The chiles were fried perfectly and were oh-so-light in texture.



Pepper & Potato Hash | fried potatoes, shishito peppers, aioli, charred scallions, queso fresco
Loved these crispy potatos -- couldn't stop eating them, in fact -- and the other ingredients were a great match.



Chicken Fried Chicken | chorizo verde gravy, sweet peas, pearl onions
Superior comfort food. Really tasty stuff with some beautifully contrasting textures, too.



Smoked Brisket Taco Norteño | avocado, pico de gallo, chicharones, green chile vinaigrette, flour tortilla
Unctuous, delectable brisket. Really well prepared and nicely matched with the other ingredients. Damn, that's a big taco!



Condiments
Some great stuff here. A hot sauce (right), a chile-infused vinegar (left) and a chile oil (in the tin), similar to what is served with Carne en su Jugo at Los Gallos (and other spots).



Horchata Pie (Hoosier Mama)
All the components of horchata . . . in a pie!



Atlantic Beach Pie (Hoosier Mama)
Saltine crust with an exceptionally tart and delicious lemon curd filling.



Bourbon Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Luscious, rich and comforting.



Mexican Chocolate Sorbet
A bit overly spiced IMO. I'm not a huge fan of clove and there was quite a bit of it here.

=R=

fropones wrote:I'll add that my chiles rellenos were about the most perfectly fried I've ever seen. A batter that actually sticks to the peppers and remains crunchy; something I had yet to see in any chiles rellenos. My only issue was that I could have done with about double the portion size.

OMG, pretty much yes.

jefe wrote:Didn't love their pozole either, found it a bit thin. Nowhere near the depth of a recent bowl crafted by young chef Zaragoza at the 7th anniversary party of the family flagship.

Yup on that too. Of the things tried, this was the only miss. A huge gap between this and the other stuff. Found the broth underseasoned. It looked deeper and more impressive than it tasted.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Loved these crispy potatos -- couldn't stop eating them, in fact -- and the other ingredients were a great match.

And that too. Place seems rather consistent.

Now, I was just commenting on another thread on the presence of value. Something you may or not see. At Dove's, I saw it, although just very barely (I would say the same for Big Star). Still, I'm a bit irked that the chicken fried chicken does not come with mashed potatoes, and bread is an upcharge. I mean I can go to Cho Jung and get a market's worth of greens for one dish. They cannot afford here, a slice of toast to add to a plate?

Made my second trek to Dove's tonight and it was just as great as the first. I wasn't feeling up for a full plate, so I went with the potato & pepper hash and an order of blood sausage. The morcilla was nicely plump with just the right amount of iron flavor. The real winner was that hash though. The potatoes stayed crisp throughout my meal and they provided a nice vehicle for the addictive almond(?)-based salsa in the condiment tray. I just fear that I won't be able to eat hash again unless it is bathed in aioli.

My girlfriend had the chile rellenos (after tasting a bite of my order on our first trip) and her mom had the taco norteño. No complaints for anyone. The taco was huge and I definitely will be getting it next time.

Can't say enough great things about Dove's. The vibe is unpretentious and the food is great. Spinning real vinyl doesn't hurt either.

Third time's a charm. I loved everything I ate tonight at Dove's.

The potato & pepper hash was probably the highlight– crispy, peppery, and creamy. Can't say I've had a dish like this one.

Chicken fried chicken was a pleasurable gut bomb, perfectly soothing on a frigid night.

Loved the Smoked brisket taco norteño as well. The flaky on the outside, presumably larded tortilla was the highlight and a much closer commute than Gage Park or Northlake. Two thick nuggets of brisket were just barely smoky, but awesomely textured– with some chew left to the meat but tender enough that the supplied steak knife was unnecessary. Sharp radish slaw and creamy cool avocado crema rounded things out perfectly.

Dove's, count me a fan.

I visited Dove's for the first time today and came away impressed. I had the chicken fried chicken and really enjoyed it. While I didn't find the chorizo verde gravy to be as flavorful as it sounded, the chicken itself was perfect -- crisp, nicely seasoned breading, and really moist.

I ran into REB while waiting for my table and she got me very excited to try one of the pies for dessert . . . but by the time I finished the chicken, I pretty much needed a nap . . . very filling!

My dining companion had the huevos rancheros. I only had a couple of bites but thought they were excellent. I also really liked the housemade salsas. I look forward to returning and trying more of the menu.

Diner, eh? Has anyone seen the phone?

AngrySarah wrote:Diner, eh? Has anyone seen the phone?

huh. why don't you explain what's bothering you....

AngrySarah wrote:Diner, eh? Has anyone seen the phone?

Don't worry. I got it. Very funny! Unfortunately, the original photo links are dead, so no one can see what you're talking about.

First time last night. Mixed feelings, but would go back, for the hash and to try other dishes.

Loved the potato pepper hash, great dish and I couldn't stop eating it.

Really wanted to try the beets, but they were out.

The server steered me away from the releno or tamal to the enchiladas. Good, but nothing I felt I would go back for. As Beef mentioned, mine seemed to blend into a casserole, not that I don't like casseroles.

My buddy ordered the ham shank. I didn't try, but he thought just OK, and not much meat. He loves ham shanks and isn't usually a big eater. Felt the dish was too 'tomatoey'…

Appreciated the drink prices, but should have just ordered a mescal or tequila. I had the tequila cobbler, which was orange based, on the server's rec. It had a weird herbal aftertaste that I couldn't put my finger on. My friend said he wouldn't order the Sixth Stairstep again, again he felt something unusual, but not pleasant in the drink.

justjoan wrote:

AngrySarah wrote:Diner, eh? Has anyone seen the phone?

huh. why don't you explain what's bothering you....

'joan, deciding that AngrySarah was bothered demonstrates why you're one of my favorite curmudgeons (coming from me, that's no small praise)!

And, 'Sarah, I read your post--and Laughed Out LOUD! ...You go!

--mhl

Had a fun breakfast at Dove's the other morning. My wife and I split the brisket hash and a quinoa "pancake". The pancake was a single, large cake -- more cake than pancake, though it was cooking in a pan. It had persimmons inside and was topped with granola and some crema. Excellent dish. Hash was a winner also. Looking forward to coming back for lunch or dinner sometime.