the case of the missing gyros (former home of Gina's Cuisine)
424 S. Wabash
"If you don't get this kind of place, you don't get it. It's an artifact of another era, a genuine Loop greasy spoon. There used to be dozens of these magical little heart-attack factories; places where potatoes, cheese, and "meat" were, in differing permutations, turned into an endless number of menu items. To be fair, fish and dubious-looking vegiburgers are also available. Me, I get a grilled cheese with tomato. "Without fries," I always say, and they looked puzzled and maybe a little hurt.
The decor is fabulous, consisting of mismatched thrift-store planters and art, snapshots of customers (some with insults scrawled across them), and a teevee always tuned to CNN. Greatly missed: the old tables, which had circular grooves routed in them, and contained tiny model trains, protected by cigarette-smoke-stained plexiglass tops." -- Elise E. @ yelp*
*6/2011 update -- Combined with 422 S. Wabash, a former currency exchange, now experiencing the Grand Opening of The "L" Cafe or (t)(L)(c).
**11/2015 update -- Now operating as BeeZZee cafe.
***6/2021 update -- BeeZZee did not weather the pandemic and is now shuttered.
the case of the missing gyros (former home of Gina's Cuisine)
424 S. Wabash
"If you don't get this kind of place, you don't get it. It's an artifact of another era, a genuine Loop greasy spoon. There used to be dozens of these magical little heart-attack factories; places where potatoes, cheese, and "meat" were, in differing permutations, turned into an endless number of menu items. To be fair, fish and dubious-looking vegiburgers are also available. Me, I get a grilled cheese with tomato. "Without fries," I always say, and they looked puzzled and maybe a little hurt.
The decor is fabulous, consisting of mismatched thrift-store planters and art, snapshots of customers (some with insults scrawled across them), and a teevee always tuned to CNN. Greatly missed: the old tables, which had circular grooves routed in them, and contained tiny model trains, protected by cigarette-smoke-stained plexiglass tops." -- Elise E. @ yelp*
*6/2011 update -- Combined with 422 S. Wabash, a former currency exchange, now experiencing the Grand Opening of The "L" Cafe or (t)(L)(c).
**11/2015 update -- Now operating as BeeZZee cafe.
***6/2021 update -- BeeZZee did not weather the pandemic and is now shuttered.