Well, Upon Further Review, Maybe You CAN Go Back Again!
Written: May 14 '01 (Updated Dec 30 '01)
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Pros: great sandwiches and fried onions make this a satisfying casual dining experience.
Cons: Booths and aisles a little cramped
The Bottom Line: they do an extremely good job at moderate-priced casual dining. Have the burgers, fried onions and German Chocolate Cake. The reubens are good, too.
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| Saxguy's Full Review: Hackney's - Glenview East Lake Ave |
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a somewhat disappointing trip to Bob Chinn's Crab House. Well, yesterday, for Mother's Day, we went to another restaurant of my youth: Hackney's on Lake Avenue in Glenview, Il. My wife had been there several times and enjoyed it, as had I -my first being on my first high school date in 1972.
That high school date was a fiasco. I was going to go out after pep band with this cute guitarist named Jean. So, I was trying to find the restaurant beforehand, went too far west, got behind a freight train and was late to the band. The rest of the date was better, though....
And this Mother's Day dinner was very, very nice.
Hackney's is a long-established restaurant, with a mild Irish theme, done long before it was trendy. It's large, with several rooms. Casual dining, with tables and booths available. The food is generally heavy - they are known for their Hackney burger (deep fried hamburger) on their own dark rye, with a brick of fried onions and German Chocolate cake for dessert. Recent improvements in the menu have made it more accessible to all, with some lower calorie and vegetarian options.
Yesterday, my wife, my son and I had three different sandwiches. There was a buffalo burger (yes, bison) on the menu, which my son chose. My wife got the reuben sandwich (corned beef and sauerkraut on rye) and they switched half. I got the Hackneyburger. I asked for it medium and it came medium rare, which was fine.
Of course, this was after we had demolished a full brick of fried onions. It is literally a brick of raw onions, breaded on the outside and fried so that the breading is crispy yet the inside is not overdone. The consistency is that of sauted onions. What's interesting is that the bricks are not as greasy as I remember - I think they used more oil years ago. Then, they were good, now, they are better.
My wife and my son enjoyed the sandwiches. My wife said that it was one of the better reubens she's had - and she's always looking for places that have good reuben sandwiches. My son liked it so much that we ordered one for carry out, which he had that evening.
After the sandwiches, my son talked my wife into a piece of German Chocolate cake. It was large and moist, with plenty of great frosting. It looked great although I didn't have any, my son and my wife did. They argued over the last piece, so it must have been good.
There were some other desserts, mostly ice-cream based, including ahot fudge sundae and a turtle pie. We didn't have those, although they did look interesting.
The service was helpful, low-key yet attentive, delivered by a few people of college-type age.
The final score, including tip, was a little over $50 for a meal that we enjoyed as much or more than the one at Bob Chinn's. We did not have any alcohol, although my son did have a root beer.
This was more fun than my first date, where I was nervous. Now, it was family and it was a comfortable and satisfying experience.
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Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Hackneyburger on dark rye;
Brick of fried onions;
German Chocolate Cake
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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