Dan Ryan Alternative: Stony Island

For those who use the Dan Ryan, my sympathies for the next three years. You have been encouraged to try new routes, which will allow LTHforum friends to use their commuting time as an opportunity to explore new food venues.

To begin this new series of data points, I have combed through our archives for places already identified on Stony Island:

Caribbean

Sazerac advised:

Uncle Joe's Jerk
8211 S Cottage Grove Av
(773) 962-9935

Chicken

Evan B. Druce wrote:Popeye’s

I would say that there are a few bad Popeyes in the bunch, but the South Side seems to have more than its fair share of good Popeyes. The one on 35th near King Drive and the one on 87th and Stony Island are consistently fresh and always busy, while the Popeyes on 47th and Cottage Grove (the closest one to my apartment) is somewhat lacking. Popeyes on the whole is no Gus' Fried Chicken (Memphis, TN), but is definitely the best of the national chicken chains. However, the company that manages the Chicagoland Popeyes could do a better job of keeping its restaurants clean (the 87th/Stony location often smells stale), could renovate their restaurants so they don't look like condemned buildings (all Popeyes should follow the example of the Damen/Fullerton/Elston location and not the 35th/King Drive location), and offer the full menu at all their locations.

Liquor

According to Sazerac

Kenwood Liquors
8810 S. Stony Island Ave.
Chicago, IL 60617
Phone: 773-374-0512

Polish Sausage

Sazerac wrote:The Maxwell Street Polish (24hr) on Stony Island & S. Chicago Ave will give you a good fix if you're up late

Soul Food

Rene G wrote:A slight correction: the original BJ’s Market on Stony Island has cafeteria service 6 days a week but offers a buffet on Sunday only (and only after 11am). The BJ’s on Western and the newest one on 79th don’t have buffets. Even without the buffet BJ’s isn’t a bad choice for picky eaters because, like Hyde Park’s famous Valois, you can “See Your Food.”

All in all I like BJ’s, especially their mustard catfish. There is certainly better Southern style food to be had in Chicago but BJ’s offers a very easy introduction to soul food and the Sunday buffet is a great opportunity to try a wide variety of dishes.

BJ's Market
8734 S Stony Island Av
773-374-4700

Fleeting moments:

ReneG wrote:The Melon Bus gets around. Saturday it was parked on Stony Island near 73rd, not far from Moo & Oink (“We’d Like to Meat You”).

Along this route there are likely other finds to note. Maybe tamale stands will erupt to feed those sitting in traffic. Perhaps there are cross streets with lots of venues like 75th or 79th Streets, which can be suggested for further exploration.

Perhaps this activity will make lemonade of a lemon situation.

Happy Hunting!
Regards,

Brilliant threads for the Dan Ryan debacle.

How 'bout Calumet Fisheries for some smoked fish? Or deep fried...anything?

Calumet Fisheries
3259 E. 95th Street
773.933.9855

We usually jaunt down Stony Island when heading back from out of town; I sometimes stop at Moo & Oink for cheap good meat.

Thanks for the lunch recs - gives us another reason to stop. It's a nice part of town!

Mhays wrote:We usually jaunt down Stony Island when heading back from out of town; I sometimes stop at Moo & Oink for cheap good meat.

Thanks for the lunch recs - gives us another reason to stop. It's a nice part of town!

One of Chicago's stalwarts of southside meat sales, Moo & Oink, will be offering BBQ samples to entice weary travelers into the store (given the expected pace of traffic and warming weather pack or procure a cooler to protect that meat). From a Chicago Tribune article:

Likewise Barry Levy, president of Moo & Oink, a retail and wholesale meat store at 71st Street and Stony Island, plans to take advantage of his location on an official detour route by holding barbecues in the store's parking lot. Commuters will get free samples so they can taste the wide array of meat he sells.

"Tell everyone to look for our smoke and barbecue," he said. "When it's warmer and when the traffic flow is nice, we will be barbecuing."

in hyde park.. its only 3 or 4 blocks off of the stony island "detour" (which i have been taking instead of the dan ryan for a long time...).. haven't been yet but have heard great things..

i almost ended up there the other night, but my other half decided on something else.. so there's always next time!

La Petite Folie
1504 E. 55th, Chicago
Tel: (773) 493-1394

dddane wrote:in hyde park.. its only 3 or 4 blocks off of the stony island "detour" (which i have been taking instead of the dan ryan for a long time...).. haven't been yet but have heard great things..

i almost ended up there the other night, but my other half decided on something else.. so there's always next time!

La Petite Folie
1504 E. 55th, Chicago
Tel: (773) 493-1394

Beware the potential of a Check Please! effect, as this was recently featured - quite favorably (made me want to run down and join the CPE crowd, in fact).

If Cottage Grove is alright then GNR Barbara Ann's BBQ must be included (see this!).. Although Mack is no longer pitmaster there¹, my recent experiences with their links have been good (though they were a tad overdone).

Another definite stop should also be Old Fashioned Donut for their Apple Fritters (note the capital A and F). I will note that these can be portioned, and saran-wrapped do freeze well – just zap a bit for a breakfast, that'll get you through the Damn Ryan mess.

Close to Kenwood liquors, just off Stony Island on 87th Street – Pete's produce is a nice grocery store. They carry quite a bit of Carribean seasonings and bottled items, also file powder (ingredients: sassafras; that's it). A fair meat counter – they have in their refrigerator very good hot links (Grant Meat Packing company) and inexpensive frozen rabbits (a bit scrawny; origin China). I've liked the quality and price of their fresh fruit. They also always have raw peanuts².

1. apparently Mack is looking into opening his own establishment somewhere on 95th St...
2. on your left as soon as you enter, back in the lower shelves next to the roasted and salted ones


Barbara Ann's BBQ (and Motel)
7617 S Cottage Grove Av.
773-651-5300 (updated number)

Old Fashioned Donut
11248 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60628
773-995-7420

Pete's Produce
1543 East 87th Street
Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 374-9732

Kman wrote:his location on an official detour route by holding barbecues in the store's parking lot. Commuters will get free samples so they can taste the wide array of meat he sells.

"Tell everyone to look for our smoke and barbecue," he said. "When it's warmer and when the traffic flow is nice, we will be barbecuing."[/b]

Wow - I'm guessing that they'll know how to do it, too! Can't wait.

If Cottage Grove is alright then GNR Barbara Ann's BBQ must be included (see this!).. Although Mack is no longer pitmaster there¹, my recent experiences with their links have been good (though they were a tad overdone).

[size=10]1. apparently Mack is looking into opening his own establishment somewhere on 95th St...

Sheesh. Talk about burying the lead

Is this recent news, about Mack? Any idea when? And where? I thought he had gone back to Mississippi! It would be great if he opened a place of his own, especially if he did so by summer

BTW, if Calumet Fisheries is ok... maybe Pupuseria el Salvador as well? If the Dan Ryan thing had happened 6 months ago, would it have maybe saved Tacos del Pacifico? (BTW, any news whatsoever on them? Id give a lot to be able to taste that soft fish, hard fish, soft shrimp, hard shrimp, hard scallop combo again).

And if one is taking 95th... Top Notch Beefburgers in Beverly isnt too far away,
either, one of the better burgers in town. (As also Thats-a-Burger on 71st...
but while they do an awesome burger, there is no place to sit, and the burgers can take a half hour to prepare

c8w

HI,

At 95th and the Dan Ryan is the other Jim's Original Polish, to quote myself:

Jim's has a 2nd location just off I-90/94 at the 95th Street exit (just north of the fork where I-57 the glory road to Memphis begins). Jim's is located just east of the highway bridge on the north side of the street next to the gas station at State St and 95th.

Just to keep things confusing, the mounted parkway sign says "JJ Top Dog." Whereas the building facing 95th says, "Jim's Original Maxwell St. Polish."

Like our other Jim's, it has 24 hour service, the heady smells of grilled onions and Polish hit you in the face as you exit the car. There was also a polite panhandler who kept his manners despite my equally polite decline to feed his habit with my money.

Regards,

Moo and Oink, 7158 S. Stony Island, a wholesale and retail provider of meat, and almost every other kind of food, has cookouts some evenings, usually 2 or 3 a week. They don't seem to be sure of the schedule, but even if they aren't doing any cooking when you go there, you will probably find some very good food prices.

Hi,

If you are taking the alternative Stony Island route to access the Skyway, then please be advised several blocks south of Moo and Oink on the west side of the street a Baylor watermelon bus can be found.

The Baylor Melon Market is really the best source for buying watermelons.

Regards,