Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone


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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: Llepke (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 21, 2010 01:51AM

fleurblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do remember Binyons. I went there for office
> lunches. The big draw was their turtle soup and
> bay scallops.
>
> I think it was at the the bottom of LaSalle St.
> near the Board of Trade. Jackson St. maybe.
>
> Also, they had a booth at the Taste of Chicago for
> many years--turtle soup was on the menu.
>
> I think it closed in recent years.

Binyon's 327 S Plymouth Ct is now called The Plymouth

Turtle Soup !!! anyone remember Nantucket Cove at Oak and Michigan, the turtle soup came with a tiny crystal pitcher of sherry

and Charmet's made fountain creations, my dad used to take me there for ice cream after watching the Pearson Hotel get torn down to make way for Water Tower Place

I miss Rocky's, used to be just south of Navy Pier in front of the military parking lot, sold bait up front, fried perch and chips in the back, picnic tables right on the edge of the water, old geezers were always fishing there, and old man Rocky sat at the front door in a baby-blue vinyl overstuffed chair covered in duct-tape

Carmine's used to be Guadalaharry's 1043 North Rush, before that there was a Norge laundromat that was torn down

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: Richard Stachowski (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 21, 2010 06:33PM

The Blackhawk what I remembered was to be serving horse meat for beef. That was one of the scandles back in the 40' and 50's.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: Richard Stachowski (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 21, 2010 06:35PM

Quartermaine56 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes there were some very nice eateries in the
> loop, I enjoyed The Walnut Room (Marshall Fields),
> The Narcissus (Marshall Fields),Bergdoff's,Billy
> Goats on lower Wacker Drive and most of the
> deparment stores had eateries.


Billy Goats is still there.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: liz (---.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net)
Date: January 27, 2010 04:35AM

There was a place called flo's that was known for its hot pie.what about eddie's place that was right under the l.I remember they had ashtrays that said stolen from eddie's.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: LPLT (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 21, 2010 08:02PM

I recall a place called Flo's, on the south side of Randolph, between State and Dearborn. Great burgers there.

There was also a good coffee shop-type place on Madison, just off of State, called 'Round the Clock.

I used to go to a Wimpy's off of state. Can't remember if it was Adams or Jackson but it was near a Mr Submarine.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: tjhbob (---.hlrn.qwest.net)
Date: February 21, 2010 09:35PM

YES! I remember "The Little Corporal". There was a to dye for Sunday Brunch 1968-1972. The best cure for a hangover ever. Introduced to Bagals & Lox. Also what happened to One IBM Plaza across the river. A long time Customer Engineer/ Programming Systems Representative School location that started off in the Woolworth Building across from THE Palmer House a bit south onState Street I believe. And the maybe original Sheraton Chicago on Michigan Avenue south of 919 North Michigan Avenue. Hef's place on the east side.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: StrayKitten (66.28.242.---)
Date: February 25, 2010 06:16PM

I remember The Little Corporal well. My folks and I had lunch there when we were downtown to go to the Mortgage Company when we sold our house in 1966. It was a fancy restaurant to us then and such a treat! We went again when I began working downtown and my mother met my dad and I for an early dinner. I remember feeling so grown up then because I was working downtown!

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: irishtom29 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 26, 2010 01:48PM

I went to Austin HS in the mid 60s and would ditch school and take the EL downtown for the day. I ate often at the Wimpy's on Randolph and those $1.29 steak places; one at Van Burn and Wabash and one on Randolph.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: shoreline (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 26, 2010 03:17PM

Are you talking about Ronny's Steak House on Randolph west of State? You probably went across the street to the Treasure Chest afterwards as we did. On the north side we would refer to it as "cuttting class."

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: FranCarmen (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 01, 2010 02:50AM

Came across [i]Chicago Confidential[/i] by Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer (1950) at the library today.tongue-in-cheek and offensive in parts, but lots of info. here for example are their dining list,all with addresses listed in book and in some cases the maitre d' names. All these were loop or near north except where noted.More than a few of these lasted into the sixties.
[b]DINE WITHOUT ORCHESTRAL DIN:[/b]
Binyons
Boston Oyster House
Cafe de Paris
Cameo Room
Chez Paul
Don the Beachcomber
Fritzel's
Henrici's
Imperial House
Isbell's
Jacques
Shangri La
Staly's
Tip Top

[b]INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, NO DANCING[/b]
Boeuf Sur Le Toit
Gibby's
Jazzy, Ltd.
Old Heidelberg
Palmer House Chicago Room
Singapore

[b]WITH DANCING[/b]
Ambassador Hotel East, Pump Room
Ambassador Hotel West, Buttery
Blackstone Hotel, Balinese Room
Congress Hotel, Camellia House
Ivanhoe (up at Clark near Halsted)
La Salle Hotel, Lotus room
Ye Olde Cellar

[b]WITH FLOOR SHOWS[/b]
Alabam
Bismarck Hotel Siwss Chalet
Blackhawk
Blackstone Hotel Mayfair Room
Chez Paree
Ciro's
Edgewater Beach Hotel Marine Dining Room
Palmer House Empire room
Sherman Hotel College Inn
Stairway to Stars
Stevens Hotel (now the Hilton) Boulevard Room
Vine Gardens

http://francesarcher.com

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: captain54 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 01, 2010 03:37AM

this is great, thanks for digging that up..

not mentioned is the Cape Cod Room at the Drake and the Italian Village...still in operation....also, Chez Paul, the Empire Room at the Palmer House, Binyons, Blackhawk....all lasted well into the 80's and some beyond.

the two oldest still operating eating establishments are on the south side...Shaller's Pump, in Bridgeport, the oldest continually operating restaurant in Chicago (since 1881), and Rainbow Ice Cream @ 9233 S Western Ave, since 1926



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2010 03:47AM by captain54.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: FranCarmen (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 01, 2010 11:35PM

More great stuff from the 1950 book, [i]Chicago Confidential[/i]. I guess this needs to go under another heading, but it is a continuation of the earlier conversation and I supposed you'd get something to drink at these joints.

One of the authors, Jack Lait, wrote for the [i]Chicago Herald[/i] and later for the [i]Chicago Tribune[/i],where he wrote a column, "In the Wake of the News."

The book has all sorts of lists, for example, where you could find a blacksmith in 1950: James Barber, 4230 South Emerald, or Charles E. Larson, 2645 North Keeler.

But here's the X-rated stuff, under a chapter heading, "Bare Babes"
(quoted)
"Stripping is illegal, said the cop as he directed us to one of the following Palaces of Peel:
Aloha, 2443 W. Madison
Backstage, 935 W. Wilson
Club Majestic, 1658 W. Madison
El Mocambo, 1519 W. Madison
Flamingo, 1359 W. Madison
4811 Club, 4811 W. Cermak (Cicero)
French Casino, 641 N. Clark
Glass Show Lounge, 2950 W. Madison
Gayety Cafe, 551 N. Clark
L & L Cafe, 1315 W. Madison
McGovern's Liberty Inn, 661 N. Clark
Music Box, 932 W. Madison
Playhouse, 55o N. Clark
Post Time 357 N. Clark
Rio Cabana, 400 N. Wabash
Riptide, 101 State (Calumet City0
606 Club, 606 W. Wabash
So-Ho, 1124 W. Madison
SPA, Rush at Walton
Talk of the Town, 1159 N. Clark
Trocadero, 525 S. State
21 Club, 21 State (Calumet City)"

http://francesarcher.com

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: captain54 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 02, 2010 02:23AM

wow....I forgot that N Clark street was a pretty seedy strip, back in the day..

I'm 99% sure that the strip clubs scenes for "Mickey One" (filmed in Chicago in 65' with Warren Beatty) were filmed in a club just south of Chicago Ave on Clark.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2010 02:25AM by captain54.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: davey7 (---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: March 02, 2010 12:15PM

My mom mentioned last time we ate at Italian Village that she'd eaten there with her sister when they were in College - around 1950 I think.

Yeah, Cal City used to be known for strip joints and speakeasies. My mom's other sister took a year off from college and worked in the loop (and Marshall Field's on Thursday evenings). She told my cousin to go to Rush Street when he visited us in the 80s. I think he was expecting teenage hookers (Angel - honor student by day...) or something - I remember seeing those near the White House in DC - very blatant - in the mid-late 80s.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: FranCarmen (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 03, 2010 12:10AM

I don't think we've mentioned Como Inn. When did that come on the scene?
Also, Greek Village was around back in 1950. Others: Adolph's, on N. Rush, Kungsholm, Meson del Lago, La Tour (not sure of the spelling but it was on the outer drive, I think), London House.

http://francesarcher.com

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: irishtom29 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 13, 2010 06:35PM

There used to be an Italian place with pretty good pizza on the south side of Van Buren around LaSalle, back in the 1960s, I used to go there when I was runner at the Board of Trade. I can't think of the name, anybody remember?

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: fleurblue (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: March 14, 2010 03:07PM

http://www.planet99.com/chicago/restaurants/como_inn.html


Here is a pretty interesting link for Como Inn. I went there a few times with office groups and others and loved the food. Do you remember the intimate little cubby hole booths with drapes? I guess for romantice types or planning mob hits?

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: fleurblue (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: March 16, 2010 01:47AM

If I'm not mistaken, didn't Flo's on Randolph have a giant container of pickles on each table to snack on before your meal? Also, I remember there was a balcony above the front door. A swing hung up there featuring a pretty girl in a sexy outfit. I guess in warm weather only.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: greatzambo (---.dhcp.stpt.wi.charter.com)
Date: May 31, 2010 10:15AM

There was Tynan's on Madison; the chain of B/G cafeterias, one was across from the Art Institute on Michigan Ave.; King Arthur's Pub at Adams and Wells - my personal favorite from 45 years ago; a Hungarian place The Epicurean, on Wabash across from Lyon and Healy; Diamond Jim's was kiddycorner from Daley Center; Harding's for corned beef and cabbage was on Wabash by Iwan Ries pipe shop and the big Kroch's and Brentano's; Paulson's Koffee Shop on North Wabash nr. Washington, where every letter C on the menu was replaced by a K; Le Bordeaux, lower level off State and Madison SW corner; and Le Petit Gourmet in a courtyard building on the east side of Michigan Ave., north of the river.
Another old favorite was on Ontario just east of Michigan, Mike and Pete Fish's.
For the people here who remembered Charmet's at Chicago and Michigan, to the west of it on Chicago was Julian's and to the east, next to the Cinema Theatre, was The Scheharazade, which featured belly dancers.

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Re: Great Loop Eateries Now Long Gone
Posted by: Richie (---.hsd1.in.comcast.net)
Date: July 06, 2015 03:44AM

Does anyone remember a Jewish restaurant on Wabash just south of Adams on the east side of the street? Probably from the 60's and 70's or sooner.

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