Zephyr is Closing

I loved this place when I was a kid, and even more when I lived a block away a few years ago.

It will be sorely missed.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/9000 ... 10.article

Do you think they will sell the whipped cream machine?

That is so sad.
We went there all the time in high school!

I heard about this earlier today, but decided not to be the one to make the first post in order to avoid breaking Cathy2's heart.

"Owner Byron Kouris, 71, said a lease dispute with his landlord will force the soda fountain diner to close Oct. 22."

This is happening way too often.

I was sad to hear this news, but almost more for the nostalgic factor. The last couple of times I'd been to Zephyr in the past year or two the service was lousy and the food was just acceptable. Plus, a flooded men's room with no soap and no one taking care of the problem was... awesome.

However, this gives me precious little time to try The War of The Worlds!

stevez wrote:I heard about this earlier today, but decided not to be the one to make the first post in order to avoid breaking Cathy2's heart.

Thank you for your consideration.

It is a sad day.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Thank you for your consideration.

It is a sad day.

I feel your pain. We talked about how I felt when Buffalo closed its doors.

yawn. not worth visiting any longer, good for it to go away.

in fact, very similar to the berghoff! food wasn't that good, but had sentimental value for some folks.

here's to an interesting restraunt taking it over.

Here's to sentimental value. (Just to put in my two-cents' worth, the couple of times I went to Zephyr, it was quite good, all in the past two or three years, although I also was a big fan of Swensen's outpost in Indianapolis in the mid-80s, so what do I know?) So, up with sentiment. And also with sympathy, discretion, sensitivity and good manners in our posting here.

HI,

I was never impressed by the food though I do like the ice cream, which I will miss quite a bit.

War of the Worlds was often a nice way to finish off a day's excursion or an evening out for us. It was really very good and quite a good deal: 10 scoop sundae, 3 toppings and extra whipping cream without extra charge for less than $10. By contrast, their 2 scoop hot fudge sundae was around $4.

The news of their closing has been met with sadness in my family.

Regards,

The Zephyr closing... Boy that really hits the heart. That was one of the first places I took my wife when we were first dating. My favorite was the British Burger and, without fail, one of their amazing chocolate shakes... Very sad to hear.... I'd rank that heart breaker up there with losing Demon Dogs...

Another fond memory is taking one of my youth leaders from church there when I was in junior high. After looking at the menu for about 10 minutes he finally looks up at the waitress, and with pure genuineness and cluelessness says: "I think I'll have the The Hootchy-Kootchy please..." Oohh the memories...
so sad to hear...

~GS

This is so sad... my boyfriend rather infamously downed a War of the Worlds all by himself.

Twice.

We may have to go out to see that again before the 22nd. I've never had the food, but the ice cream is great, and all of his high school friends gathered there whenever everyone was in town.

Don't be so sad.

Rosemary, the manager, is planning on opening her own place. I'll post here when she does.

AnneK wrote:Don't be so sad.

Rosemary, the manager, is planning on opening her own place. I'll post here when she does.

I hope that's good news, but when the former manager of Buffalo opened his own place, it still wasn't Buffalo.

I was giving a tour to my sister in August, dinner at Sunshine Cafe, then drive around pointlessly for a while and end at Zephyr for dessert. Can't say I ever liked the place much, or went there more than once or twice, when I lived in uptown in the 70's ( ), and it was not so great this time either. Seemed tired, too.

So put me in the group that liked it more in concept than reality.

I thought Zephyr was ok. Never had anything but ice cream there.

FWIW, I read the following on another message board; it's purely heresay:

"Zephyr Cafe (1777 W. Wilson Ave.; 773-728-6070), the beloved 30-year-old Ravenswood diner closing on October 22nd due to lease difficulties, may be resurrected. “I think that we have found a small location that’s going to be nearby,” says Rosemary Lucas, the general manager. “There will never be another Zephyr like this, but Byron (Kouris, the owner) is going to help us create a smaller Zephyr.” Lucas says negotiations are under way, lawyers are involved, and if all goes as planned, the new Zephyr will open in “three to six months.” Check www.zephyricecream.com for updates."

Where this information is from I have no clue. I found no news on the website.

Where this information is from I have no clue.

It was in yesterday's Morsel's e-mail blast.

Regards,

I will miss the Grande Royale

Another late-night restaurant bites the dust!

What are they going to put up there instead? More condos? Or a strip mall with a Starbucks and a Blockbuster Video?

LAZ wrote:
What are they going to put up there instead? More condos? Or a strip mall with a Starbucks and a Blockbuster Video?

Hopefully a Walgreens and a cellphone store.

I remember Zephyr well and fondly from visits with Fr. Riley from Trinity Episcopal, just down the street, back in the late '70s, but the two visits i made with Barb in the last year or so... i was very _very_ disappointed. Service, hygiene, etc, were very subpar. it was utterly non compel.

I'm afraid the Zephyr died a while ago.

On the bright side, Margies opened a new (some months ago) location a few blocks away.

.max

Now if Margies bought the whip cream machine from Zephyr's, then Margies would be worthwhile making a visit. It's when they pull out a can to create the crowning glory ... well it's not for me.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Now if Margies bought the whip cream machine from Zephyr's, then Margies would be worthwhile making a visit.

...and maybe if they bought their ice cream and hot fudge from somewhere else too.

HI,

I visited Zephyr's in its last days. It wasn't quite the same product I had long experienced, it was more like cleaning the cupboard before they closed. For example, their ice cream products always had slivered almonds, then in its final days had shifted to salted, somewhat rancid, pecans.

I had also noticed a surprising increase in their sundae prices with a War of the Worlds jumping from around $9 to around $13. While still a decent price for a 10-scoop sundae with three toppings, it was nonetheless a surprise.

I visited the galley station where they made their ice cream sundaes. While I really wanted to capture the final glories of their whip cream machine in action, it comes with a wee bonus of an assembly of a Son of Frankenstein sundae.

Zephyr's RIP

Regards,