OFFBEAT: RJ Grunt's celebrating 40 years
I'm in good company at 40 years old.
While in Chicago over the weekend with friend Mary Beth Schultz of Valparaiso to meet director John Waters, we were looking for just the right place to eat.
Mary Beth lived in Chicago just after she finished nursing school. One of her first apartments was just off Belmont near Lake Shore Drive in 1970.
And it was at this time, she first met Rich Melman and Jerry Orzoff, who traveled in her same circle of friends. These two men are the great minds who began Chicago's now famed Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, which started with their first eatery R.J. Grunt's, still across from Lincoln Park Zoo at 2056 N. Lincoln Park West.
Mary Beth was surprised I'd never been to R.J. Grunt's and better yet, last Friday, June 10, marked the 40th birthday of the restaurant's opening.
I found the food terrific, especially the burgers and homemade chips. The name R.J. Grunt's comes from the first initial of Rich and Jerry's names combined with the name of the first short order cook they hired for this restaurant. (His name was actually spelled Grundt, but they opted to drop the "d.")
The decor and cozy atmosphere of R.J. Grunt's looks as if it has been frozen in time.
If they could talk, I'm sure the large, oversized wooden booths and tables would share many savory stories from the past four decades of "table talk" from guests they've accommodated.
For the complete story, click here.
While in Chicago over the weekend with friend Mary Beth Schultz of Valparaiso to meet director John Waters, we were looking for just the right place to eat.
Mary Beth lived in Chicago just after she finished nursing school. One of her first apartments was just off Belmont near Lake Shore Drive in 1970.
And it was at this time, she first met Rich Melman and Jerry Orzoff, who traveled in her same circle of friends. These two men are the great minds who began Chicago's now famed Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, which started with their first eatery R.J. Grunt's, still across from Lincoln Park Zoo at 2056 N. Lincoln Park West.
Mary Beth was surprised I'd never been to R.J. Grunt's and better yet, last Friday, June 10, marked the 40th birthday of the restaurant's opening.
I found the food terrific, especially the burgers and homemade chips. The name R.J. Grunt's comes from the first initial of Rich and Jerry's names combined with the name of the first short order cook they hired for this restaurant. (His name was actually spelled Grundt, but they opted to drop the "d.")
The decor and cozy atmosphere of R.J. Grunt's looks as if it has been frozen in time.
If they could talk, I'm sure the large, oversized wooden booths and tables would share many savory stories from the past four decades of "table talk" from guests they've accommodated.
For the complete story, click here.
nwi.com (June 15, 2011)