Chicagoist: Melrose Restaurant: An Ode to Diners

Shawna

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 09:09:37 -0600

Third Coast at 1260 North Dearborn is my favorite spot for late night treats, or organized Sunday brunches. It gives a cozy, small-town feel to the Gold Coast, and the french toast is awesome.

Extra Ordinary Boy

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 22:24:31 -0600

I do love the Melrose - and Stella's. Did anyone mention Nookie's Tree on Halsted? (Does that fit the 'diner' definition?) What about the Heartland Cafe in Roger's Park - on Lunt - just west of the L...

steven

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 14:47:28 -0600

Ohhhhhh i loooove Melrose. Eggs and ham off the bone with those hash browns...nothing better for breakfast.

xc

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 23:34:09 -0600

Melrose is a VERY overpriced diner. Their food is just okay. Just okay.

dave

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 22:35:41 -0600

I'm sure I'll get slapped around by the natives here, and called a "Chad" or something, but Stella's has so far been my only diner experience in this fine city, and it was one I'd like to repeat ... fresh strawberries on Belgian waffles?? Apple-chicken sausage? Delish.

dave

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 22:35:11 -0600

sten

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 21:13:04 -0600

Huck's, either on Archer or Marquette. Don't bother on a Sunday morning, though. When I lived that far west, Brandy's on Archer and Cicero was ok, too. "Every Chicago neighborhood is peppered with numerous all-night diners and greasy spoons," *sticks head out window, surveys Hyde Park, retreats grumbling*

addy

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 20:34:52 -0600

The Golden Apple at Lincoln & Wellington was always a good spot.

justin

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 15:51:39 -0600

Yuck. Melrose is pretty gross and pretty sloppy. But if bleachy, runny eggs are your thing, then wait to be seated! Want skanky? Go to the Bridgeport Diner on 35th and Halsted.

grub

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 15:15:32 -0600

Stella's on Broadway is definitely solid. I used to get breakfast at the corner spot at Halsted and Belmont when I was in the area. I could get a huge scrambled eggs based meal affordably. Personally, I think Golden Nugget generally does a good job, especially with breakfast. At least I can get perfect, HOT pancakes there unlike more trendy spots, like Orange. When I lived on the south side, my friends and I used to hit this spot near, I think, 79th and Western for breakfast (see a trend here?). I can't remember the name for the life of me, but they served some great, plate sized pancakes that hit the spot after working 3rd shift. What bothers me are people who frequent diners for the dingy, retro atmosphere. Like they get to feel an occasional connection to the working class by preciously suffering the decor and shitty food. I love diners. The service can be surly, the atmosphere can be weathered, but they need to have good quality comfort food. (Mashed potatoes, burgers, meatloaf, breakfast, etc.)

Zak

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:34:18 -0600

If you're on the far northside...Standee's is pretty amazing...the food is adequately lousy (order breakfast, you can't screw up eggs too badly), but the crowd is interesting and they serve grits.

jon

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 13:08:59 -0600

hands down, pauline's on ravenswood, in NW andersonville

Joanna

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 13:04:31 -0600

I miss living near Melrose. It always hit the spot. Nothing has quite filled the void. Sigh.

james s.

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 12:42:13 -0600

it wasn't until i moved into a neighborhood where no restaurants are open past 10p.m. that i fully missed the melrose. for people who get off work past midnight, it's a god-send. the never-ending coffee and iced tea are great and i love the mix of wait staff -- there are eastern european boys, downhome sort of middle-aged women, and some younger guys and gals. one of the first times i ever went there, when in college, it was feb. and i ordered a milkshake. the waitress berated me for ordering a milkshake when it was below freezing outside. OK, in spite of that experience i grew to like the place. my fave entree is the julienne salad, which is a sald for people who don't like salads but who to say 'i ordered a salad.' it's packed with meats and cheeses and you get 1000 island dressing with it. Their chicken livers are really good too. and you can't beat the window booths. past midnight it's like dinner and a show. Second place would have to go to Nookie's, which is a step or two up from diner, but it's still got the same basic ingredients -- endless coffee, people who've just come out of bars, the baskets of bread, and open 24 hours on weekends -- that a proper diner should have. And you know a diner must be good if cops are always eating there. Late at night it amkes you feel just a bit safer too.

DuncanHusky

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 12:17:44 -0600

I'll go far afield and toss out Las Vegas Restaurant up in Antioch. It's your basic Greek family diner, but the food is just plain excellent, and affordable too. When we visit friend up there, that's a mandatory stop for Sunday brunch.

FernLaPlante

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:58:41 -0600

@scientist - once a year I would say "let's try Melrose again. It's in the neighborhood and it's always busy" and each time it was bad. Oh well, there are plenty of other diners in the area.

a scientist

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:51:47 -0600

@FernLaPlante - you had 5 bad experiences? you're a trooper. one bad experience is all it takes for me.

geekgrrl

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:47:36 -0600

pronounced AM-bee-ance (hard A's implied).

s

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:21:59 -0600

so far a very food-centric day on chicagoist... i like getting my breakfast on at the hollywood grill... regardless of their questionable conformity to the health codes.

Hanna

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:05:05 -0600

Arent' bugs and rodents to be expected at a diner? Part of the ambiance, if you will.

Consumatron.com

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:04:01 -0600

I used to live a block away from the Melrose and would make frequent 3AM trips to the corner for their Tomato Basil & Parmesan omelette. Best egg concoction in town!

rachelle bowden

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 10:58:51 -0600

I used to love the Lincoln but then one of my friends was there and saw a rat run through the dining room and now the Lincoln is on The Banned List.

FernLaPlante

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 10:50:30 -0600

I have been to the Melrose 5 times in as many years and have had really bad experiences each time (dead mosquitos in the iced tea, glasses with lipstick on them, undercooked food, insects on food etc.) I have to say that next to Clark's on Belmont it is one of the worst places in Lakeview. I would vote Stella's diner on Broadway as my favorite diner.

Aaron

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 10:34:44 -0600

hands down my favorite diner has to be "Cozy Corner" on Milwaukee and California.