After returning from World War II, American service members brought back memories and souvenirs from the South Pacific. In the 1940s and 1950s, and even into the 1960s, tiki bars popped up all over the United States, including in Chicago, as people found escape from drudgery and horror.
Chicago has contributed countless dishes to global food culture, from the obvious (deep dish pizza) to the less obvious (chicken a la king). Many people are unaware that Chicago is where flaming saganaki, a famous Greek dish, was developed. A staple of Greek cuisine, the fried cheese dish is flambéed in brandy tableside by owner Chris Liakouras.
Take a look at these old photos to see what Chicago’s restaurants looked like in the 1950s.
#1 Porterhouse Room, College Inn, Sherman Hotel, Chicago
#2 Elizabethan Room, Congress Hotel and Annex, Chicago
#3 Glass Hat Restaurant, Congress Hotel, Chicago
#4 Kon-Tiki Ports Restaurant, Sheraton-Chicago Hotel at 501 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
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Great atmosphere and great food!
#5 Kon-Tiki Ports Restaurant, Sheraton-Chicago Hotel at 605 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
#6 Martinique Restaurant and Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago
#7 Stouffer’s Top of the Rock, Prudential Building, Chicago
#8 View from the Allerton Hotel, “Tip Top Tap” Cocktail Lounge, Chicago
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Hangout for celebs who were in town
#9 Swiss Chalet, Bismarck Hotel, Chicago
#10 Antonio’s Steak House at 1528 N. Wells Street, Chicago
#11 Bamboo Inn Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge at 11 N. Clark Street, Chicago
#12 Cafe Bonaparte Sheraton, Blackstone Hotel, Chicago
#13 Cafe Bonaparte Sheraton, Blackstone Hotel, Chicago
#14 Camellia House Restaurant, Drake Hotel, Chicago
#15 Cape Cod Room, Drake Hotel, Chicago
#16 Cape Cod Room, Drake Hotel, Chicago
#17 Club El Bianco at 2747 West 63rd Street, Chicago
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The best Italian restaurant in Chicago. Especially the Fiesta Dinners
They closed on the south side and opened in Morton Grove in the North burbs.
Never was the same! They didn’t last very long
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#18 Fireplace Inn at 1448 N. Wells Street, Chicago
#19 Henrici’s Restaurant at 67 West Randolph, Chicago
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Great service and always consistently good.
