Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants


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Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: jak378 (---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: November 08, 2012 01:26PM

I was reading the thread titled "Shanghai Lils" and all the references to north side eateries. I started to think about some of the great, unheralded south side places that are long gone.

There was a Nielsens on Western at about 79th that was probably owned by the same folks that owned to one on northside. One of the best, but the didn't serve cocktails because they were in a dry precinct was Mickleberry's at around 94th and Western. The Beverly House had great food. I was introduced to Italian Food at a young age in Louis George's on 69th and Wood. There were a couple of really good places on far south Ashland, Cal-Mars and the St. Lo. Both always busy.

Herman's later Oswald's, 56th and Ashlland with great German food. Sharko's, I believe there may have been 2of them, but I only remember the one on 63rd that was popular with the airport crowd, as was Santucci's on Cicero. Slightly out of the city was Tokar's on 111th St. They stayed in business into the late 70's and possibly the early 80's. The area around 79th and Kedzie had 2 great places: Jaycee's and Aylward's at 78th St. We also got great meals at the Swiss Chalet at 104th and Western.

Over east was Alexander's with great onion rings and a place called the Esquire on 63rd near Stony Island.

I guess that my last entry can be one of my real favorites. A place that if not opened all night, was at least open very late and was a great stop after being out partying. Elliotts Open Kitchen on Garfield west of Normal. The best barbecue I have ever eaten. No table, just a long counter and carry outs. A bag of delicious donut holes served to everyone. In later years I remember that they moved out to Lyons on Ogden Ave., but it was never the same.

All of these places had great food and I believe that the reason for that was that every thing they offerred was made fresh, on the premises. Nothing frozen or brought in from another source. I don't think we will ever see that againk, at least not in a medium priced place

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 08, 2012 03:20PM

jak378 wrote:

"Over east was Alexander's with great onion rings and a place called the Esquire on 63rd near Stony Island."

Tell me more about "Alexander's"; I suspect that I was at the restaurant sometime in the mid 60's; was it in Hyde Park?

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Chipast (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 08, 2012 10:17PM

No, It was in South Shore.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: ambrosemario (---.hsd1.in.comcast.net)
Date: November 09, 2012 10:50PM

Alexander's was located on 79th street as Far East as the 79th street bus would take us. From there we walked to Rainbow Beach (late 1960's). Alexander's remained in business until not too many years ago. I seem to recall driving that way about 10/15 years ago and was surprised to see it still standing and open. However, I drove by that way just a few months ago and it was gone. I worked as a busboy and dishwasher at the Beverly House in the mid-60's. Located at the triangular corner of 103rd and Vincennes & Beverly, The Beverly House was an upscale, fine dining restaurant and banquet hall. The owners, Sam & Eva Corkalo, maintained strict cleanliness in their kitchen. That place was spotless before any of us went home at the end of the night. As a footnote, in the early 60's they briefly went with some fairly big name entertainers. Liberace is one name a remember performing there.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside R)estaurants
Posted by: fleurblue (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: November 11, 2012 08:45PM

This one wasn't too far south; Harlem south of Ogden. I am referring to The Dumpling House. A nice homey place serving a European menu (Bohemian mostly). It was still around in the '90s.

The homemade soups, dumplings and complimentary kolachky were great. We used to take carry-outs too.

On the weekend evenings they featured a woman playing the accordion. A riot!

Roast pork and chicken were the favorites.

Up Harlem north of Ogden was/is the Riverside Restaurant. Same food; a bit cheaper. Don't know if it still exists but it was a real bargain.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside R)estaurants
Posted by: jak378 (---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: November 14, 2012 07:32PM

fleurblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This one wasn't too far south; Harlem south of
> Ogden. I am referring to The Dumpling House. A
> nice homey place serving a European menu (Bohemian
> mostly). It was still around in the '90s.
>
> The homemade soups, dumplings and complimentary
> kolachky were great. We used to take carry-outs
> too.
>
> On the weekend evenings they featured a woman
> playing the accordion. A riot!
>
> Roast pork and chicken were the favorites.
>
> Up Harlem north of Ogden was/is the Riverside
> Restaurant. Same food; a bit cheaper. Don't know
> if it still exists but it was a real bargain.


This brought to mind 2 grreat Bohemian restaurants on 26th St. One was Antoinette's, and I cannot remember the name of the other one. I think it was around 26th and Hamlin.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Richard Stachowski (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 16, 2012 11:28PM

[b]Leo's Castle @ 51st & Hermitage. Syrena's @ 47th & South Wood St. How about my hotdog stand at 51st & Wolcott across from Cornell Park where I sold hotdogs?[/b]

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 17, 2012 10:05AM

Richard Stachowski Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Leo's Castle @ 51st & Hermitage. Syrena's @ 47th
> & South Wood St. How about my hotdog stand at 51st
> & Wolcott across from Cornell Park where I sold
> hotdogs?

Surely, they were Chicago style hot dogs; a Vienna sausage with lots of mustard, onions, relish, tomato, pickles, cucumbers, and sport peppers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2012 10:18AM by nordsider.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: stan (---.ph.ph.cox.net)
Date: December 06, 2012 04:31PM

How about the Cloud Room at Midway Airport in the 1950's. I worked there for a few years. I remember Mr McCabe, Mrs Stevenson, Great memories.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: jak378 (---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: December 07, 2012 06:04PM

stan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about the Cloud Room at Midway Airport in the
> 1950's. I worked there for a few years. I
> remember Mr McCabe, Mrs Stevenson, Great memories.


Ahh, the Cloud Room. Great views and to my memory at least great food. I believe it was owned either by Fields or Carsons. We went there often on Sundays, had dinner with a table by a window, and after dinner, for 10 cents, we could wander around on the observation deck above the terminal. They had little speakers at various intervals, you put in a dime and you could hear the talk between the tower and the aircraft. I'm pretty sure that when we first started going there it was still Municipal Airport.

It was my first interest in aviation.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: tomc (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 13, 2012 01:36AM

Yes, Jak378, I remember Elliotts very well. Right next to the railroad embankment and all done in white on the outside. We once lived at 55th and Bishop and I recognize some of the other names mentioned. Now I do wish that you would get off of this subject as you are making me darn hungary and it is getting too late to go antwhere or even rustle up some grub.
Tom C

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: tommy wilson (---.lv.lv.cox.net)
Date: December 14, 2012 12:59PM

CORNELL SQUARE PARK HOME OF THE REBELS BACK IN MY DAY.WE DID NOT GET ALONG WITH THAT GROUP.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: tommy wilson (---.lv.lv.cox.net)
Date: December 14, 2012 01:04PM

JAK DONT FORGET CLUB CORSICA ON WESTERN AVE
YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD APPETITE.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Julie (---.war.clearwire-wmx.net)
Date: December 18, 2012 08:45PM

Richard: I remember that hot dog stand....we used to go there after picking my dad up on Friday nights at midnight from CCC on Ashland. I loved being up that late when I was young. That's where I learned to put chili an EVERYTHING!
And I remember Syrena's too. We had my grammer school graduation dinner there. (St Basil) Their chicken soup was awesome. Remember how they called it a "private club, and you had to be buzzed in?

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Julie (---.war.clearwire-wmx.net)
Date: December 18, 2012 08:51PM

And there was Gus's at 51st and Damen. And the chinese restaurant on 55th, I think, just off California. They had a koi pond in the lobby. And one on I think, 55th and Kedzie (?) right across from Talman bank..

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: tommy wilson (---.lv.lv.cox.net)
Date: December 18, 2012 09:33PM

GOOD MEMORIES JULIE

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Richard Stachowski (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 18, 2012 10:07PM

[b]If you talking about 55th & California that is the Hong Kong resterant. The owner BobEng and his father were friends of mine. I also grew up in the 50's with Gus . His second place was an 51st & Damen. His 1st was a half block west on 51st street.His lace now is at 93rd & Harlem in front of Menead's..His uncle had Leo's castle at 51st and Hermitage. That's what I know about the people you mentioned.[/b]

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: tommy wilson (---.lv.lv.cox.net)
Date: December 18, 2012 10:34PM

I THINK THE TWO BOYS FROM 51ST DAMEN WHERE GUS AND LITTLE JOHNNY

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Nudog (---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: December 25, 2012 05:29PM

[i]This one wasn't too far south; Harlem south of Ogden. I am referring to The Dumpling House. A nice homey place serving a European menu (Bohemian mostly). It was still around in the '90s.

Up Harlem north of Ogden was/is the Riverside Restaurant. Same food; a bit cheaper. Don't know if it still exists but it was a real bargain.[/i]

The Dumpling House went out of business about 5 to 8 years ago and is a Mexican Rest now, reflecting the change in the area.

The Riverside is still in business, just south of the Burlington tracks on the west side of Harlem, The Czech Plaza is also still in business, on Cermak across the new Walgreens in the Plaza. Also Klas's one of the oldest and largest is still running on Cermak in Cicero, about 1/2 mile east of Austin. Old Prague at Cermak and Austin burned in the early to mid 90's. Suspected arson fire according to news reports. The site is now a Walgreens.

Very few Czech eating establishments left.

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Re: Now for some remembrances of Southside Restaurants
Posted by: Shelly1960 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 29, 2012 11:41AM

Universal Ice cream shop 51st and asland had the best green rivers and root beer floats! And tip top restaurant across the street,,i used to go there after church on sunday with my dad and get the hot chocolate with whipped cream on top! Peoples theatre on 47th and asland...weekends hanging out all day with friends watching elvis movies!

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