Nostalgia & History > railroad themed restaturant in Chicago

This is a long shot -- does anyone remember a restaurant on 95th Street in Chicago that served the food via a Lionel train? They had an elongated horeshoe-shaped counter and the train would bring your burgers from the kitchen. I went there as a kid in the 1950s and often think about it whenever I drive down 95th Street. I remember longing to have one of those big Lionel transformers for my little layout.

Funny the memories that stick with you...


Jerry
Rome,Italy/Whiting, Indiana

I don't remember that one; but there was (is?) one like it in Des Plaines, IL. Gerry

The Choo Choo Restaurant in Des Plaines is still open and located at 600 Lee St about a block north of the Metra station on the UP-NorthWest line.

There is a new kid on the block in Downers Grove, IL across the street from the Metra-BNSF station. The Two Toot Cafe also uses Lionel trains to deliver meals to the tables and counters.

I prefer the food at the Choo Choo over the selection at the Two Toot but both places are more geared toward younger kids.

Cheers in Boston served beer to Norm and Cliff by Lionel.

Gonut

Ate at Snackville Jct. just last summer on a visit to see my oldest childhood friend. Typical burger joint fare and better than average milk shakes and malteds. Had the unfortunate experience of watching a basket of fries and a dog get spilled when a flatcar truck went on the ground coming out of the curve furthest from the kitchen. Interestingly, each time I've been there in the last 3 years, I've seen two elderly gentlemen with a cardboard box loaded with a few old Lionel locos seated at a table near the restroom. I suspect that when business is slow between meal times, they swap out the power on the railroad and perform Road Foreman duties.

Bad news- a co-worker lives in the neighborhood and just advised that April 30th is the last run for the Snackville Junction.

Thanks for the replies, folks. Yes, I do remember it being in Evergreen Park or Beverly. I'll be in the States for a couple of weeks and perhaps I can convince my Mom to go to lunch there!

Jerry

The Big Downtown @ 124 S. Wabash (Palmer House Building) has an overhead model L train that sometimes runs.