95th and Ridgeland- Oak Lawn

[cdc3217]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I can see how my posts came across that way but the truth is that I absolutely love the south side. It is what it is, though, and one has to be honest. Fine dining is not its forte. This isn't really a problem for me though because I can get downtown in 20 minutes and, as you point out, I eat out mainly on the weekends.

Chi-Tung is ok. I actually like the service a lot but find the food ordinary. Leonas is, well, Leonas.

I have eaten everywhere imaginable around there and have come to realize that the restaurants just aren't for me. I like just about everything else, though.

I have to say, the Beverly Leona's really is a disservice to the chain overall. I used to LOVE Leona's, but the service at this particular one and the atmosphere in the restaurant are really lousy, IMO. The food is still OK, but not worth the hassle.

What about Koda in Beverly? I have not been in but I hear it is quite nice?

[ajolotl]

Yes, Koda is very good.

Originally Posted by cdc3217

I have to say, the Beverly Leona's really is a disservice to the chain overall. I used to LOVE Leona's, but the service at this particular one and the atmosphere in the restaurant are really lousy, IMO. The food is still OK, but not worth the hassle.

What about Koda in Beverly? I have not been in but I hear it is quite nice?

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by prairiestate

Excuse me? We've had fine dining for quite a while. Our Red Lobster is over 30 years old!

Lets not leave out the "Old Country (Barf) Buffett" It has eatinin tables and every thin.

[Justabystander]

Francesca's is really not all that more expensive than any regular restaurant, (my favorite chicken cesar salad, huge is 8-9 bucks) and the area, with a large population and on the intersection of two busy streets and the outlot of a mall ( I am guessing that is where the old Bennigan's was ), should do actually do pretty well. I live in Hinsdale, and visit the one in Palos Park a couple times a year, always crowded, and would have no qualms about visiting Chicago Ridge off of 294 to go to this place. I don't know why people have to slam the south side........ Oak Lawn is a nice town, and I am sure that there is alot of disposible income in the area to support this place. Yum.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I just looked at their site. I suspect it will be a glorified Leona's or Olive Garden. Not that I doubt the original one was good, but once they make it to places like Oak Lawn the quality is usually marginal. you can put the restaurant on the south side but you can't take the south side out of the restaurant.

The location is pretty good. It is in the far western part of Oak Lawn close to 294, there is ample parking, and there are a lot of nearby solidly middle class neighborhoods to draw from. I suspect it will do ok.

It's way better than Leona's and Olive Garden. Despite its chainification, this place is the real deal.

[intrdznr]

Heck, yeah they can use a nice restaurant in OL! I grew up there (left about 12 years ago) and to date, I think the nicest places we ever had to eat were Bennigan's or Girodano's. Red Lobster if you could stand the hour wait. A town is largely defined by what types of businesses choose to set up shop there, right? And it's incumbent on the residents, in my opinion, to do all they can to support desirable businesses lest they fail. After all, how many great little businesses have been replaced by "payday loan" places? Good luck to Francesca's!