Faux ’50s Diner Ed Debevic’s Is Back (so is the chrome, neon, and theatrically rude servers). 159 E. Ohio St.
Ed Debevic’s, the famously raucous retro diner starring singing, dancing waitstaff, returned to Chicago last week, six years after its original restaurant was demolished in River North. Now located in Streeterville and owned by Bravo Restaurants, the new Ed’s still features diner food served by theatrically rude waiters in a shiny faux-’50s setting with lots of chrome, neon, and sassy signage.
The menu revives many of the classics from the old days, including chili, Ed’s Mom’s Meatloaf Sandwich, and the World’s Smallest Sundae, but it makes a few concessions to the 21st century, namely an Impossible burger. The servers still dress in vintage splendor with buzz cuts, Buddy Holly glasses, and coonskin caps, but times being what they are, they’re less touchy-feely than in days of yore, and instead of dancing on the tables, they’re encouraged to use special ledges and a runway that extends the length of the main dining room.
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