Thread: Another Chicago food experience?

On Feb 11, 7:35*pm, Andy <a...@b.c> wrote:
> Another Chicago experience?
>
> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed Devebic's
> in Chicago.
>
> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers as
> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back in
> the 50's?
>
> How is the food?
>
> Andy

I used to live in Chicago, and as it happens, have a friend who was a
waiter at Ed Debevic's. So for what it's worth...

The rude/cheeky waitstaff is part of the fun. They never go TOO far
(unless you're horribly sensitive without a sense of humor at all).
They also get up on counters and do dances like the mashed potato, the
Madison, the car wash, etc.for added entertainment. The decor is
amusing, too (they have an "Elvis Room" which REEKS of kitschy fun).

And honestly, the food IS good. Great shakes,burgers,etc. But also
good pot roast and meatloaf, etc. PLUS what diners do you know of that
have beer? Hmmm...

Oh, and good "forgotten foods" like a Green River soda.

It can get crowded,but it is good food. Plus if you have kids it's an
instant hit.

Just my two cents,
Kris

Andy wrote:

> Another Chicago experience?

> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed Devebic's
> in Chicago.

> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers as
> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back in
> the 50's?

> How is the food?


This one's for tourists and families from the burbs come downtown to
screw around for a day. It's less than a mile from me and I go past it
all the time and never stop.

It's supposed to be a retro diner, but we have plenty of store-front
diners that are the real thing, without the tourist schtick.

Across the street is Al's Beef, and I definitely stop there.

Kris said...

> On Feb 11, 7:35*pm, Andy <a...@b.c> wrote:
>> Another Chicago experience?
>>
>> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
Devebic
> 's
>> in Chicago.
>>
>> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers
a
> s
>> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back
i
> n
>> the 50's?
>>
>> How is the food?
>>
>> Andy
>
> I used to live in Chicago, and as it happens, have a friend who was a
> waiter at Ed Debevic's. So for what it's worth...
>
> The rude/cheeky waitstaff is part of the fun. They never go TOO far
> (unless you're horribly sensitive without a sense of humor at all).
> They also get up on counters and do dances like the mashed potato, the
> Madison, the car wash, etc.for added entertainment. The decor is
> amusing, too (they have an "Elvis Room" which REEKS of kitschy fun).
>
> And honestly, the food IS good. Great shakes,burgers,etc. But also
> good pot roast and meatloaf, etc. PLUS what diners do you know of that
> have beer? Hmmm...
>
> Oh, and good "forgotten foods" like a Green River soda.
>
> It can get crowded,but it is good food. Plus if you have kids it's an
> instant hit.
>
> Just my two cents,
> Kris


Kris,

Nice positive review!

The "on camera" customers also liked the place/treatment (naturally!).

I'm sure I'd enjoy it too!

Thanks!

Best,

Andy

Cuthbert Thistlethwaite said...

>
>
> Andy wrote:
>
>> Another Chicago experience?
>
>> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
>> Devebic's in Chicago.
>
>> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers
>> as some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from
>> back in the 50's?
>
>> How is the food?
>
>
> This one's for tourists and families from the burbs come downtown to
> screw around for a day. It's less than a mile from me and I go past it
> all the time and never stop.
>
> It's supposed to be a retro diner, but we have plenty of store-front
> diners that are the real thing, without the tourist schtick.
>
> Across the street is Al's Beef, and I definitely stop there.


Cuthbert Thistlethwaite,

I saw or read about Al's Beef. Either on TV or here on rfc. I can't recall.

Thanks!

Best,

Andy

Andy wrote:

> Another Chicago experience?
>
> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
Devebic's
> in Chicago.
>
> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers as
> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back in
> the 50's?
>
> How is the food?


It's a terrible place, a tourist trap, a place where clueless white - bread
suburbanites or others with unsophisticated palates go. It's on par with
Rain Forest Cafe, Kalipornia Pizza Kitchen, or even Chuck - up Cheeze...all
chain places with a very tired schtick. I guess they'd be a treat for
toddlers out for their first dining "foray". They also get a lot of
business during the high school prom season, which tells you about the level
of their offerings...

You have to realise that most all of those places featured on The Travel
Channel pay to be "featured"...what you see are essentially infomercials.

I don't understand why anyone would to go eat a place where the waitstaff is
"rude". You can get "rude" at any random resto in a place like Chicawgo
(especially Korean or Indian places) and most of us encounter extreme
rudeness in this urban environment on a daily basis. I'm not *paying* for
the "privilege", fer chrissakes...

Anways, Andy, here are some reviews from the Yelp review site, nobody is
real wild about the joint. I've posted from review excerpts after the URL:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ed-debevics-...deluxe-chicago


"I just can't do it anymore ... the appeal for this place is gone, well at
least for me it is. While I can't see locals making regular visits, luckily
for this place, tourists and newbies will yearn to give it a go. I say go
ahead and try it once but more than that and you are asking for it.

The food is just OK at best as there really is nothing special on the menu.
With that being said, what is up with the prices for such mediocrity? I got
charged 5 and change for what amounted to be a cup of chili - they say it is
a bowl but I wasn't born yesterday! They keep this up and the customer will
be the irate ones with the attitude and not the staff as their gimmick
implies.

I'm basically giving this two stars instead of one for two reasons. One,
tourists feel compelled to go there and I'm all for keeping them happy. Two,
this place is next to Hooters which counts for something in my book!
--------------

Just saw this place featured on some Travel Chanel program on the best
diners in America and felt that I needed to give my thoughts on that.

This place sucks. The food sucks and the gimmick gets old real quick. You
want a great, authentic, Chicago diner? Go to Standees
--------------------

So I went here for the first time last night and for the same reasons that
it is so popular, I hated it. It's great for kids. I don't like kids. It's a
tourist trap. I don't like tourists. It's loud and crowded with people. I
don't like loud people.
---------------------

Craptastic. That's what I think about Ed's. I had an amazing opinion about
this place until I tried it again. I wanted to show my sister, an out of
town visitor, some of Chicago's uniqueness; Ed's was the wrong choice.

When we sat down we got the gimmick, but then heard the server not only
complaining about being there on Friday night, but also bitching to the
hostess about getting double sat. Even if you are supposed to be rude as a
product niche that is unacceptable product behavior. I should tip you when
you complain about having to serve me? Let's have a wake up call. You are a
waiter, serving people is your job. You should be happy to have customers
that want to tip in this recession.

As for the food, it was atrocious. The side bar items were soiled and empty
and my blue cheese burger had something on it, but it was not in the blue
cheese family. It resembled a sauce that would be the love child between
mayonnaise and mold. For a $9 burger I don't think expectations of actual
blue cheese crumbles are unacceptable.

Either way Ed's managed to cross itself off of my list.
------------------------

Don't get it. It might have been cute and novel like 25 years ago. Now?
Now so much so.
------------------------

The food itself is okay, but seriously, do you want to wait 30 to 60 minutes
for a table so that you can eat food that you can get anywhere else?
Believe me, the food here is unspectacular at best! There appears to be no
specialty and nothing out of the ordinary here. Maybe this is a place to go
to if you have guests from out-of-town, but Chicago has so many other unique
restaurants that are actually WORTH waiting an hour for a table.
--------------------------

Maybe if I was a 12 year old girl I would love this place.

Maybe if I was a tourist I would love this place.

Maybe if I had never been to a diner before I would love this place.

Maybe if the food actually tasted good I would love this place.

Maybe if I actually liked having crappy service, rude servers, and things
thrown at me I would love this place.

Maybe if I enjoyed cheesy themed restaurants I would love this place.

However I am none of these things so you know what? THIS PLACE SUCKS."


</>

Gregory Morrow said...

>
> Andy wrote:
>
>> Another Chicago experience?
>>
>> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
> Devebic's
>> in Chicago.
>>
>> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers
>> as some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from
>> back in the 50's?
>>
>> How is the food?
>
>
> It's a terrible place, a tourist trap, a place where clueless white -
> bread suburbanites or others with unsophisticated palates go. It's on
> par with Rain Forest Cafe, Kalipornia Pizza Kitchen, or even Chuck - up
> Cheeze...all chain places with a very tired schtick. I guess they'd be
> a treat for toddlers out for their first dining "foray". They also get
> a lot of business during the high school prom season, which tells you
> about the level of their offerings...
>
> You have to realise that most all of those places featured on The Travel
> Channel pay to be "featured"...what you see are essentially
> infomercials.
>
> I don't understand why anyone would to go eat a place where the
> waitstaff is "rude". You can get "rude" at any random resto in a place
> like Chicawgo (especially Korean or Indian places) and most of us
> encounter extreme rudeness in this urban environment on a daily basis.
> I'm not *paying* for the "privilege", fer chrissakes...
>
> Anways, Andy, here are some reviews from the Yelp review site, nobody is
> real wild about the joint. I've posted from review excerpts after the
> URL:
>
> http://www.yelp.com/biz/ed-debevics-...deluxe-chicago
>
>
> "I just can't do it anymore ... the appeal for this place is gone, well
> at least for me it is. While I can't see locals making regular visits,
> luckily for this place, tourists and newbies will yearn to give it a go.
> I say go ahead and try it once but more than that and you are asking for
> it.
>
> The food is just OK at best as there really is nothing special on the
> menu. With that being said, what is up with the prices for such
> mediocrity? I got charged 5 and change for what amounted to be a cup of
> chili - they say it is a bowl but I wasn't born yesterday! They keep
> this up and the customer will be the irate ones with the attitude and
> not the staff as their gimmick implies.
>
> I'm basically giving this two stars instead of one for two reasons. One,
> tourists feel compelled to go there and I'm all for keeping them happy.
> Two, this place is next to Hooters which counts for something in my
> book! --------------
>
> Just saw this place featured on some Travel Chanel program on the best
> diners in America and felt that I needed to give my thoughts on that.
>
> This place sucks. The food sucks and the gimmick gets old real quick.
> You want a great, authentic, Chicago diner? Go to Standees
> --------------------
>
> So I went here for the first time last night and for the same reasons
> that it is so popular, I hated it. It's great for kids. I don't like
> kids. It's a tourist trap. I don't like tourists. It's loud and crowded
> with people. I don't like loud people.
> ---------------------
>
> Craptastic. That's what I think about Ed's. I had an amazing opinion
> about this place until I tried it again. I wanted to show my sister, an
> out of town visitor, some of Chicago's uniqueness; Ed's was the wrong
> choice.
>
> When we sat down we got the gimmick, but then heard the server not only
> complaining about being there on Friday night, but also bitching to the
> hostess about getting double sat. Even if you are supposed to be rude as
> a product niche that is unacceptable product behavior. I should tip you
> when you complain about having to serve me? Let's have a wake up call.
> You are a waiter, serving people is your job. You should be happy to
> have customers that want to tip in this recession.
>
> As for the food, it was atrocious. The side bar items were soiled and
> empty and my blue cheese burger had something on it, but it was not in
> the blue cheese family. It resembled a sauce that would be the love
> child between mayonnaise and mold. For a $9 burger I don't think
> expectations of actual blue cheese crumbles are unacceptable.
>
> Either way Ed's managed to cross itself off of my list.
> ------------------------
>
> Don't get it. It might have been cute and novel like 25 years ago.
> Now? Now so much so.
> ------------------------
>
> The food itself is okay, but seriously, do you want to wait 30 to 60
> minutes for a table so that you can eat food that you can get anywhere
> else? Believe me, the food here is unspectacular at best! There appears
> to be no specialty and nothing out of the ordinary here. Maybe this is
> a place to go to if you have guests from out-of-town, but Chicago has so
> many other unique restaurants that are actually WORTH waiting an hour
> for a table. --------------------------
>
> Maybe if I was a 12 year old girl I would love this place.
>
> Maybe if I was a tourist I would love this place.
>
> Maybe if I had never been to a diner before I would love this place.
>
> Maybe if the food actually tasted good I would love this place.
>
> Maybe if I actually liked having crappy service, rude servers, and
> things thrown at me I would love this place.
>
> Maybe if I enjoyed cheesy themed restaurants I would love this place.
>
> However I am none of these things so you know what? THIS PLACE SUCKS."


Greg,

Holy cow!!!

I get the message!!!!

Yikes! Glad I asked.

Thanks! I'll return the favor if you ask about Philly someday, if you don't
already know.

Best,

Andy

Cuthbert Thistlethwaite wrote:

> Andy wrote:
>
> > Another Chicago experience?
>
> > Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
Devebic's
> > in Chicago.
>
> > What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers
as
> > some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back
in
> > the 50's?
>
> > How is the food?
>
>
> This one's for tourists and families from the burbs come downtown to
> screw around for a day. It's less than a mile from me and I go past it
> all the time and never stop.
>
> It's supposed to be a retro diner, but we have plenty of store-front
> diners that are the real thing, without the tourist schtick.
>
> Across the street is Al's Beef, and I definitely stop there.


Yup, Cuthbert, Ed's is definitely a tourist trap. If someone wants real
Chicago diner atmosphere, go a bit west to the White Palace Grill. It's the
real deal, IIRC over 70 years old. Good diner grub and real "atmosphere",
prolly half the price of less of Ed's. A few years back the chi.general
gang had a meeting there, I think barb or someone took pix (I did not
attend). You can't get a better recommendation than that!

Lou and others will chime in on Al's Beef, I've never been...

Here's some Yelp reviews of White Palace, some are pretty good, I've
provided some excerpts:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/white-palace-grill-chicago

"World famous White Palace Grill serving the best eats on Canal/Roosevelt 24
hours a day, 7 days a week. They also own Hollywood Grill off Ashland and
North Ave...just incase you didn't know.

May I suggest the 2x4 breakfast? You get 2 fluffy pancakes,2 crispy bacon
strips, 2 eggs basted and 2 sausage patties. You can't go wrong there.
Doesn't matter what hour you eat, you can order breakfast for dinner and
dinner for breakfast! I also like the old school diner like stools that
gives it that "Rebel Without a Cause" ate here vibe.

The cooks are lightning fast, and Hector the manager/ jokester host always
has a newspaper handy for the morning breakfast consumers.

This awesome mom & pop business was also featured on Guy Fieri's food
network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives".
-----------------

love the White Palace Grill!

Honestly, I've never been incredibly wowed by anything I've had there, but
it's a perfect greasy spoon diner. Open 24 hours, I'm always satisfied with
the food and the service. Plus I dig the Chicago mural on the wall. As a
non-native it's fun to try and figure out who everyone is.

Major bonus points for having fancy coffee mate creamers!
--------------------

24 hours - snappy waitresses - grits as an option instead of hash browns -
you get a true pulse of the city. I love this joint and always will. It's
really fun at 4:30 am on Sunday morning. The Maxwell Street vendors are
crawling in for their first cup of coffee. I swear in the corner you can see
Nelson Algren taking notes. A true Chicago classic..."

</>

Andy wrote:


> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed Devebic's
> in Chicago.
>
> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers as
> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back in
> the 50's?


Geeze... Sounds like Joe's Crab Shack. I hatehatehate that sort of
nonsense. Every ten minutes or so the entire waitstaff drops everything
to stage an "impromptu" dance routine. And meanwhile, your food sits
cooling in the back...

If I'd known it was THAT kind of place my family and I would never have
darkened their threshold. Even my kids - pre-teens at the time -
thought it was stupid. Just fix my food correctly and deliver it
promptly. If I want to watch dumbasses dance I'll go to a club.

The only time I've ever truly enjoyed dancing by a restaurant employee
was about 25 years ago, down in the Yucatan. It was an open air
restaurant, thatched roof, bamboo beams, concrete floor, out in the
middle of nowhere. Lizards and cats running around, great food and
cheap, too. We were the only gringos.

One of the waitresses got off work but stayed over, drinking shots with
the handful of guests still there. Classic mayan gal, short, pushing
40, shading into stocky; if you saw a still photo of her you'd have
judged her plain but she had a great laugh.

But then her favorite song came on the radio and all alone she got up
and danced and there wasn't a person there who wouldn't have called her
beautiful. She was sunlight and palm tree shade, cool breezes,
turquoise water; tequila and clean sweat. Not a single overtly lewd
move but she made me almost sorry to be straight and they should have
passed out drool bibs to the menfolk.

Gregory Morrow wrote:



> Yup, Cuthbert, Ed's is definitely a tourist trap. If someone wants real
> Chicago diner atmosphere, go a bit west to the White Palace Grill. It's the
> real deal, IIRC over 70 years old. Good diner grub and real "atmosphere",
> prolly half the price of less of Ed's. A few years back the chi.general
> gang had a meeting there, I think barb or someone took pix (I did not
> attend). You can't get a better recommendation than that!

Yes, I remember the event but didn't go either. Pics were posted.
Couple weeks ago they went to the cafeteria in the Vienna Hot Dog
Factory and I joined them. It was fun.

White Palace charm is a bit diminished by changes in the property
immediately to the north, which now blocks the formerly spectacular view
of the west side of the Loop, but that sure won't keep me away.

> Lou and others will chime in on Al's Beef, I've never been...
>
> Here's some Yelp reviews of White Palace, some are pretty good, I've
> provided some excerpts:
>
> http://www.yelp.com/biz/white-palace-grill-chicago
>
> "World famous White Palace Grill serving the best eats on Canal/Roosevelt 24
> hours a day, 7 days a week. They also own Hollywood Grill off Ashland and
> North Ave...just incase you didn't know.
>
> May I suggest the 2x4 breakfast? You get 2 fluffy pancakes,2 crispy bacon
> strips, 2 eggs basted and 2 sausage patties. You can't go wrong there.
> Doesn't matter what hour you eat, you can order breakfast for dinner and
> dinner for breakfast! I also like the old school diner like stools that
> gives it that "Rebel Without a Cause" ate here vibe.
>
> The cooks are lightning fast, and Hector the manager/ jokester host always
> has a newspaper handy for the morning breakfast consumers.
>
> This awesome mom & pop business was also featured on Guy Fieri's food
> network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives".
> -----------------
>
> love the White Palace Grill!
>
> Honestly, I've never been incredibly wowed by anything I've had there, but
> it's a perfect greasy spoon diner. Open 24 hours, I'm always satisfied with
> the food and the service. Plus I dig the Chicago mural on the wall. As a
> non-native it's fun to try and figure out who everyone is.
>
> Major bonus points for having fancy coffee mate creamers!
> --------------------
>
> 24 hours - snappy waitresses - grits as an option instead of hash browns -
> you get a true pulse of the city. I love this joint and always will. It's
> really fun at 4:30 am on Sunday morning. The Maxwell Street vendors are
> crawling in for their first cup of coffee. I swear in the corner you can see
> Nelson Algren taking notes. A true Chicago classic..."
>
> </>



Deciding where to eat in that neighborhood can get confusing -- besides
the White Palace, you have Manny's Deli (where Obama ate recently)
around the block, and Eppels (which is what I mean by a store-front
diner, sort of like a Golden Nugget but in a store-front) on Roosevelt
right there.

Everyone on the board from outta town, this is the city, and these
joints are the real deal. Forget about Ed Debevics and all those kids.
Come eat with real cops, hookers, brokers, Streets and San guys,
reporters, bums, judges, Presidents, and bookies. Do yourselves a favor
and check these places out if you come here.

On Feb 11, 7:56*pm, Andy <a...@b.c> wrote:
> Kris said...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Feb 11, 7:35*pm, Andy <a...@b.c> wrote:
> >> Another Chicago experience?
>
> >> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
> Devebic
> > 's
> >> in Chicago.
>
> >> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers
> a
> > s
> >> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back
> i
> > n
> >> the 50's?
>
> >> How is the food?
>
> >> Andy
>
> > I used to live in Chicago, and as it happens, have a friend who was a
> > waiter at Ed Debevic's. So for what it's worth...
>
> > The rude/cheeky waitstaff is part of the fun. They never go TOO far
> > (unless you're horribly sensitive without a sense of humor at all).
> > They also get up on counters and do dances like the mashed potato, the
> > Madison, the car wash, etc.for added entertainment. *The decor is
> > amusing, too (they have an "Elvis Room" which REEKS of kitschy fun).
>
> > And honestly, the food IS good. Great shakes,burgers,etc. But also
> > good pot roast and meatloaf, etc. PLUS what diners do you know of that
> > have beer? Hmmm...
>
> > Oh, and good "forgotten foods" like a Green River soda.
>
> > It can get crowded,but it is good food. Plus if you have kids it's an
> > instant hit.
>
> > Just my two cents,
> > Kris
>
> Kris,
>
> Nice positive review!
>
> The "on camera" customers also liked the place/treatment (naturally!).
>
> I'm sure I'd enjoy it too!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Best,
>
> Andy- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You're welcome. I do admit, though, that the place is touristy. But
I lived in the city (I wasn't a white bread suburbanite by any means,
as some claim only went there) and went. Probably aided by the fact
that my friend got me free stuff and I was in my 20's living paycheck
to paycheck.

But honestly, it's not anywhere near as bad as a Rainforest Cafe or
Planet Hollywood. And the food WAS good.

You could do worse. But the Italian Beef nearby is a must if you had
to choose between the two.

Kris

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:52:34 -0600, "Gregory Morrow"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Cuthbert Thistlethwaite wrote:
>
>> Andy wrote:
>>
>> > Another Chicago experience?
>>
>> > Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed
>Devebic's
>> > in Chicago.
>>
>> > What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers
>as
>> > some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back
>in
>> > the 50's?
>>
>> > How is the food?
>>
>>
>> This one's for tourists and families from the burbs come downtown to
>> screw around for a day. It's less than a mile from me and I go past it
>> all the time and never stop.
>>
>> It's supposed to be a retro diner, but we have plenty of store-front
>> diners that are the real thing, without the tourist schtick.
>>
>> Across the street is Al's Beef, and I definitely stop there.
>
>
>Yup, Cuthbert, Ed's is definitely a tourist trap. If someone wants real
>Chicago diner atmosphere, go a bit west to the White Palace Grill. It's the
>real deal, IIRC over 70 years old. Good diner grub and real "atmosphere",
>prolly half the price of less of Ed's. A few years back the chi.general
>gang had a meeting there, I think barb or someone took pix (I did not
>attend). You can't get a better recommendation than that!
>
>Lou and others will chime in on Al's Beef, I've never been...

Al's Beefs are as Chicago as it gets. Some rate it #1. I did a 2
year gig a few blocks from the Taylor street location and had lunch
there often. It's not cheap but quite good. The picture on their
website shows a traditional Chicago hot dog but IIRC the Taylor Street
one made them with onion, mustard and sport peppers only. There's a
location in Evanston. If Michael is reading maybe he can stop in next
week.

http://alsbeef.com/company/locations.asp

Lou

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:08:33 -0600, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Deciding where to eat in that neighborhood can get confusing -- besides
>the White Palace, you have Manny's Deli (where Obama ate recently)
>around the block, and Eppels (which is what I mean by a store-front
>diner, sort of like a Golden Nugget but in a store-front) on Roosevelt
>right there.
>
>Everyone on the board from outta town, this is the city, and these
>joints are the real deal. Forget about Ed Debevics and all those kids.
>Come eat with real cops, hookers, brokers, Streets and San guys,
>reporters, bums, judges, Presidents, and bookies. Do yourselves a favor
>and check these places out if you come here.

You posted a good food link over in chi.gen. I don't want to step on
your toes so would you please post it here too? It was pretty fun.

Lou

Kris wrote:

> But honestly, it's not anywhere near as bad as a Rainforest Cafe or
> Planet Hollywood. And the food WAS good.

While traveling for the government with a group, we ate at a Rainforest
Cafe one night. I don't even recall which city we were in (so many
cities, so little time) but I recall that the food wasn't bad at all. I
remember I had some adult foo-foo drink and a couple of appetizers for
my meal. I've had worse. Sometimes finding a cheap place to eat that
suits a large group of varied tastes is a PITA. This place worked well
for that.

Lou Decruss wrote:



> You posted a good food link over in chi.gen. I don't want to step on
> your toes so would you please post it here too? It was pretty fun.


You must mean this:


http://www.greasefreak.com/


Guy goes around to all kinds of regular Chicago eateries and takes pics
of his meals, then posts them in several food categories, with ratings.
Emphasis here is on "regular" places. He does not go to the likes of
Charlie Trotter's.

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:45:57 -0800 (PST), Kris wrote:

> On Feb 11, 7:35*pm, Andy <a...@b.c> wrote:
>> Another Chicago experience?
>>
>> Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed Devebic's
>> in Chicago.
>>
>> What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers as
>> some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back in
>> the 50's?
>>
>> How is the food?
>>
>> Andy
>
> I used to live in Chicago, and as it happens, have a friend who was a
> waiter at Ed Debevic's. So for what it's worth...
>
> The rude/cheeky waitstaff is part of the fun. They never go TOO far
> (unless you're horribly sensitive without a sense of humor at all).
> They also get up on counters and do dances like the mashed potato, the
> Madison, the car wash, etc.for added entertainment. The decor is
> amusing, too (they have an "Elvis Room" which REEKS of kitschy fun).
>
> And honestly, the food IS good. Great shakes,burgers,etc. But also
> good pot roast and meatloaf, etc. PLUS what diners do you know of that
> have beer? Hmmm...
>

trio, in d.c., was a diner situated between a baqr and a pizza place, all
owned by the same man. you could get a mixed drink in there. (the diner
and bar are still there; the pizza place is now a raw bar.)


your pal,
blake

On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:27:17 -0600, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Lou Decruss wrote:

>> You posted a good food link over in chi.gen. I don't want to step on
>> your toes so would you please post it here too? It was pretty fun.

>You must mean this:

>http://www.greasefreak.com/

Yep. That's the one. I see Carms Beef is in there. I always liked
them. Unfortunately I think they went downhill after the old lady
died. The kids sold a franchise in Villa Park to two boneheads who
couldn't get along and it's now a Little Ceasars. (Uggg) The one on
Wolf road is still there but Paul's is only a mile away and it's a
much better value and just as good. And he makes a great thin crust
pizza. We've god friends out in LaGrange Park and we order from
Paul's a lot.

Thanks for the link.

Lou