I was just struck by the "of its kind" because it made me realize I don't know how I'd categorize Toons.

Great NEIGHBORHOOD Restaurant. Personally for me that is Toon's to a T. Is there a sports bar on every block on the Northside? Yes. And unfortunately they are all becoming owned by two groups, Spare Time Productions (Riverview, Daily Bar, Southport Lanes + others) or the 4 Corners Group (Schoolyard and a dozen Schoolyard copies). Pre-packaged food dropped off by the Sysco truck every morning with the only difference between the menus being tater tots or waffle fries.

Toons is the kind of place where I love to drop in on a lazy afternoon, drink some beer, have some wings and read the newspaper. It's one of my two places to hide when life drops some bad news (other being Goose Island) because of the comfort level. It's the meeting place for me to see my good friend who lives in that neighborhood because even though it's on Southport it doesn't feel like I'm on that strip of Chicago hell. Finally, I've never mentioned LTH, I've never met Danny and I've never name-dropped the fact that one of my bartenders works a couple shifts a week at Toons. Regardless I'm always treated warmly and like a "regular", to me the perfect example of a GNR.

...I agree that Toon's is something of a respite in the extreme immediate area, but as someone who lives nearby I'm always a little suprised by how much people dis the "Southport Corridor" for its Trixiness (if Trixie even means anything anymore).

In addition to Toon's, you have Tango Sur and Mercado with all their house-made empanada, blood sausage and sweetbread goodness/strangeness. Like them or not, those places are real. Quite nearby are Deeleece, not my cup of tea but well liked here and not a sports bar; Asado, the quirky and great coffee roaster; J. Meinl; a couple of very solid corner bars doing thier own thing in Ten Cat, Long Room and Ginger's; and Peruvian sit-down Macchu Picchu. Widen the circle a wee bit and you have Diner Grill, Resi's, TAC, and Laschett's. Not bad at all, really, and Toons is in the middle of everything.

I am working my way thru trying many of the recently nominated GNR spots and will report back on those when I try them out and or make much needed return visits. In the meantime, my previous posts on Toons speak for themselves. I love Toons as a GNR and support it's nomination. It seems to me like there's alot of different interpretations of what a GNR is here on the site. Which is fine, why wouldn't there be when there are already so many GNR's that are different like day and night. You got a list that includes Johnnie's and Moto, Katy's and Calumet Fisheries and so on. I look at the GNR list as great because you can find a great burger shack on the southside, a Belgian beer place with great bar food up North or a good meal with some taste and value in a yuppified part of town. It's got the city and the land around it covered. I mean hey, the Southside is as much a part of Chicago as the Northside is if you think different, your probably not from the city anyway, Montclare is as much a part of the city as the Magnificent Mile and so on. Hell, this is a list that's got great spots in the boondocks if your ever out that way.

So I don't see why a GNR cant be a place with a big time chef or a blue collar joint, a bakery or a local neighborhood bar where people stop to drink good beer and sip on not so skimpy mixed drinks. Why not when with the good drinks and people you can also eat better than good American bar food and chit chat with friendly folks? and if you happen to be a sports fan (god forbid) you can watch the game no problem. Just a heads up since I know so many here are anti sports which might cause for people to be anti Toons, just because a place serves beer and has fried foods on the menu as well as sports on the TV doesn't make it a sports bar first. I was at Owen & Engine last week eating fish and chips at the bar while watching Chicago Bulls basketball. Yes at Toons they do cater to KU Jayhawk basketball fans (I'm not one, haha) but that's because the owner is a proud alum and is taking advantage of a way to make some money in these tough times, nothing wrong with that...


Piggy Fatoons say's stop hating!

Toons is worthy of a GNR because that's what it is. A great neighborhood spot to eat and drink, it isn't ESPN Zone or Dave and Busters people! Nonetheless its a bar with great food and entertaining times with good convo, where you can also watch sports at, still it's not a sportsbar. The hospitality is always warm and they remember you when you come back and before you know it your a regular. Another reason I love Toons as a GNR is its a place for everyone. It's not one of these newly opened trendy spots started by a "celeb" chef who invited everyone "in" to a special preview dinner so he could hear them tell him/her how great they and they're spot are. I have met so many LTH'ers at Toons (multiple times and more so than not by chance) that I wont name names because I'm afraid I'll forget a few and thus might offend someone. haha. Hell I met Danny the owner, thru LTH, long after I was going there for food and sports. But not just that I've met many other great LTH folk at other events that I attended because I became friendly with people who I met at Toons, that, to me anyway, is a great neighborhood place along with so many other things like this.




Whether your hungry and want a good bite to eat and need to check some email, they have free wifi for you. Or maybe you want to get out away from the computer and lay off the twitter for a while and get some sun at a time when its around? they have an outdoor deck that's great for eating, drinking and watching those pass by They still got a shuffle board when most places got rid of theirs a longtime ago and in an area like Wrigleyville where there are so many sports bars serving straight from the freezer to the fryer foods, Toons is a great change of pace from both the people and foods in those places. This is the best spot for some eat and drinks pre or post Cubs games. Nonetheless its still a neighborhood bar first that also serves great bar food and that's what I'm trying to get at.




I know most of that was about the freindly and warm welcoming staff, top notch American micro brews along with many reasons other than the food but I thought I'd let it be known. I don't see any problem with handing out free samples of made from scratch soups and gumbos and giving regulars a piece of fresh from the smoker pulled pork and what not. Why not? if the foods good and it is, they'll order some this time or the next time around. So many places do this, it's not a big deal and not done to make friends, it's good business. I didn't know a place had to have an old man mad at the world 'cause it left you behind grouch like Burt running it to be considered a GNR type spot




Now I also know GNR's are many things including great ethnic gems found in neighborhoods not in Timeout's demographic but I didn't know that's all they were. I love sports and I love the food that goes with it. The problem is most of these places these days don't care and just want you to buy $12 buckets of Miller Lite and whatevers on special which is usually what needs to go because its old. So Toons is great for a guy like me. I'm born and raised in LP and was here in the 80's (probably) before you and all this thats here now.

But sometimes I just need a chill spot with good food and the games on nearby, something that's not what I described above and that's Toons. No ones calling the food groundbreaking but it is great. The aforementioned made from scratch soups, stews and gumbos are so great in the winter this is my go to spot when I want some fresh made soup with flavor, the fries are fresh and never frozen and they have the best cheese fries of any bar outside New Orleans (they do them NOLA style). I'm a Wing King and their chicken wings are best in the city by far. So many chicken sandwiches suck that I stopped ordering them but nowadays after finding it at Toons, I get the San Diego Chicken sandwich a few times a year. The burgers are fresh hand patted and anything but skimpy, the BBQ is better than most bbq shacks and the ribs gotta be the best bar ribs in the city too if I may say. But hey like all other bbq joints, its about timing so don't judge one bad experience as the norm. I love the pulled pork nachos and Irish nacho (fries instead of chips) with brisket and would say these dishes epitomize great gameday grub. Lot's of talk and chat on this thread has been about the special event parties and those are something special.



People might want to wonder "ya but if it's not done everyday or available all the time then it's not a part of the menu and its food" and I guess you can, but you cant get fresh crawfish year round and the weather for roasting a full pig isn't always right in Chicago. So as far as I'm concerned, when you add everything together Toons equals a great neighborhood spot.

I'm looking for a place where my wife and I can hang out on Friday afternoon and watch all of the NCAA basketball games, while enjoying some good food and beer. I've seen some posts referring to a good tap list, but there isn't anything on the website and they don't utilize beermenus so I'm just wondering if anyone could give some examples of the stuff they usually have on tap. Any Daisy Cutter?

Here is the current list for Friday: Stella Artois, Bell's Amber, Konig Pilsener, Lagunita's Little Sumpin, 3 floyds Pride and Joy, Founder's Red Rye Ale, Abita Amber, Guinness Stout, Metropolitan Dynamo Copper Lager, Two Brothers Resistance IPA, Point Belgian White, Fat Tire, Miller Lite, Samuel Adam's Noble Pils, Goose Island 312, Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale. Looking forward to a great tournament. Of course hoping the Jayhawks go deep this year. All Micro-Brews are on special on Fridays. Stop on by.

jhawk1 wrote:Here is the current list for Friday: Stella Artois, Bell's Amber, Konig Pilsener, Lagunita's Little Sumpin, 3 floyds Pride and Joy, Founder's Red Rye Ale, Abita Amber, Guinness Stout, Metropolitan Dynamo Copper Lager, Two Brothers Resistance IPA, Point Belgian White, Fat Tire, Miller Lite, Samuel Adam's Noble Pils, Goose Island 312, Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale. Looking forward to a great tournament. Of course hoping the Jayhawks go deep this year. All Micro-Brews are on special on Fridays. Stop on by.

Great, thanks Danny. Red's Rye and Little Sumpin Sumpin can certainly get me through the day.

Reds Rye and chicken wings, doesn't get much better than that on Friday afternoon.

Kennyz wrote: I won’t bother reporting on what my wife ate (boca burger, as fine a rendition as possible, I suppose)

I didn't bother looking at the menu because I thought there wouldn't be anything for me.

I just read this post and now I know better.

I'm looking forward to going to Toons!

Thanks Kenny

Dinner w/a side of March Madness minus any serious St. Paddy's day silliness last night--first time trying the smoked turkey--pulled breast on an interesting bun--definitely not your typical burger bun--with both BBQ and Wing sauce on the side. LOVE the pickles. Great sandwich. Also tried one of BF's onion rings (all he would part with and then only because I gave him a serious guilt trip) as well as tots. BF now loves Toons as much as I do!!!

I hope to see some fellow LTHers next Saturday for Toon's second crawfish boil of the season. jhawk1 knows how to throw a serious Nawlins style party. Mudbugs, red beans and rice, premium brew and pineapple vodka shots!!! OOOOOOOEEEEEEEE!!!

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=31334

Lots of LTH love for Toons yesterday...stopped in for a late lunch and early games with BF's son and his buddy who enjoyed their "beers" (Abita Rootbeer--great stuff!) and some pretty terrific chicken tenders (love when the kids actually comment on how good the food is--NEVER happens--they usually just inhale or pick). I had my first Black and Blue burger there (perfectly medium and juicy; not overloaded with ingredients, just a dusting of spicy rub, a sprinkling of nicely tangy blue cheese and a few onion strings) and the equally delicious, seriously beer-battered onion rings.

Happy to run into jimswside and family but sorry we missed you P4L!!

May end up back there later today...at BF's suggestion--he's HOOKED

boudreaulicious wrote:May end up back there later today...at BF's suggestion--he's HOOKED

I landed just after sunset. Ordered the Boca Burger with swiss & sauteed mushrooms and those onion rings.

Wow! They went on the burger.

I still wished I ordered the fries. Hmmm, wish the bartender had mentioned the Abita Rootbeer. He was great because he said soda was generic so I ordered my usual cranberry, pineapple & lime.

I'll be back.

What time are you heading over today?

pairs4life wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:May end up back there later today...at BF's suggestion--he's HOOKED

I landed just after sunset. Ordered the Boca Burger with swiss & sauteed mushrooms and those onion rings.

Wow! They went on the burger.

I still wished I ordered the fries. Hmmm, wish the bartender had mentioned the Abita Rootbeer. He was great because he said soda was generic so I ordered my usual cranberry, pineapple & lime.

I'll be back.

What time are you heading over today?

Awaiting further instructions (Mike had to go to an adult baptism (!) in Frankfort...) If we go, probably around 5:00ish

boudreaulicious wrote:

pairs4life wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:May end up back there later today...at BF's suggestion--he's HOOKED

I landed just after sunset. Ordered the Boca Burger with swiss & sauteed mushrooms and those onion rings.

Wow! They went on the burger.

I still wished I ordered the fries. Hmmm, wish the bartender had mentioned the Abita Rootbeer. He was great because he said soda was generic so I ordered my usual cranberry, pineapple & lime.

I'll be back.

What time are you heading over today?

Awaiting further instructions (Mike had to go to an adult baptism (!) in Frankfort...) If we go, probably around 5:00ish

Fresh batch of really delicious vegetarian muchroom soup wasn't on the board yet this afternoon, but available for the asking

My wife and I enjoyed a nice afternoon of basketball watching at Toon's on Friday. This was our first time here, and we enjoyed the relaxed neighborhood feel of the place. The good food and beer didn't hurt either.

$4.50 draft microbrews with the solid selections mentioned above.

For food, we ordered some wings. They are a very good version. Expertly fried, big and meaty with a nice sauce.


I ordered the $4 special Cajun Chicken Po'Boy w/onion rings add-on. Let me start with the onion rings. These were really good. Loved the beer batter. The sandwich had good flavor. Decent spice from the cajun seasoning, not dry chicken.


My wife ordered the Jive Turkey sandwich. As has been said before, there is a ton of smoke flavor in that turkey. Really delicious. The fries were good, although a lot of them were undercooked and soggy.

My wife and I were at Toons for lunch on Sunday. The popcorn shrimp were tasty, although I don't know if they were scratch made. Her reuben was good - although the quality of the corned beef did not have the kind of melt-in-your mouth tenderness you find at Manny's or the Burghoff. My pulled turkey was better in concept than in actuality - I really wanted to like this sandwich, but the turkey was overwhelmed by the sweet barbecue sauce.

ld111134 wrote:I really wanted to like this sandwich, but the turkey was overwhelmed by the sweet barbecue sauce.

Sauce on the side...along with a side of wing sauce--spread a little of each on the bun--works every time Lets you taste the smoked meat which is delicious!

the wimperoo wrote:For food, we ordered some wings. They are a very good version. Expertly fried, big and meaty with a nice sauce.

Toon's lunch included Jeff Olsen, long time bartender (retired) and one time owner of Yak-Zies on Diversey. Yak-Zies is justifiably well known for wings and it was high praise indeed when Jeff said Toon's wings were a close second to Yak-Zies and the only other wings he enjoys in Chicagoland.

Toon's Wings

We were down the street at the Music Box for the John Waters double header and stopped in between films for a bite to eat. We weren't terribly hungry, so we split some wings and popcorn shrimp, which were both great, but those wings were really, really good! We were able to catch the end of the White Sox game before heading back to the theater and the staff were pleased to see we were fans (as many of them are) and chatted with us a bit. It turned out a few people there live over in Logan Square & also enjoy the Bob Inn, so we were introduced around and treated like old friends. They could not have been nicer, just a really nice interlude this evening. I genuinely look forward to returning and trying that Georgia Reuben I spotted on my way out, I'm jealous of those that live closer!

Ursiform wrote: I genuinely look forward to returning and trying that Georgia Reuben I spotted on my way out, I'm jealous of those that live closer!

Pretty sure the Georgia Reuben is a special...

Yes, it is. I should have clarified "that I spotted on the specials board on the way out," but it was late and I was sleepy.

Ursiform wrote:Yes, it is. I should have clarified "that I spotted on the specials board on the way out," but it was late and I was sleepy.

Just wanted to spare you the disappointment of getting there from whatever distance you had to travel and it not being availalble The specials are so varied and good that you usually can't go wrong with whatever is on offer though.

Ursiform wrote:We were down the street at the Music Box for the John Waters double header and stopped in between films for a bite to eat. We weren't terribly hungry, so we split some wings and popcorn shrimp, which were both great, but those wings were really, really good! We were able to catch the end of the White Sox game before heading back to the theater and the staff were pleased to see we were fans (as many of them are) and chatted with us a bit. I genuinely look forward to returning and trying that Georgia Reuben I spotted on my way out, I'm jealous of those that live closer!

must have just missed you. Me and some buddies hit Toons before we went to Cubby Bear, Sluggerz & Big Star.

THat Georgia reuben did look good, so good I had to make one at home last night.

I Do It Daily vouches for this place. Along with Local Option, it has the best bar food in the city.

had a great sammie other day at toons
georgian ruben
smoked turkey on marble rye, was great

pairs4life wrote:

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:L But if I had a guest in from out of town and was giving them a food tour, Toons would not cross my mind as a place to go.

I've never been to Toons. There are GNR's that I enjoy that I would never think of taking a guest from out of town. The first one that comes to my mind is Old Fashioned Donuts. I still think it should be a GNR. Another is Marie's Pizza & Liquors. Still another is the Brown Sack. I adore all of these places and wouldn't think to take an out of town guest to any of them.

That doesn't mean they aren't worthy of GNR status.

Peace,

I stand corrected. I gave options to Out-of-Town Guest and they chose the Brown Sack. They had a fantastic time. We then went on to take over all the tables at Hoosier Mama Pie for a Perfecta of GNR Greatness.

ronnie_suburban wrote:But if I had a guest in from out of town and was giving them a food tour, Toons would not cross my mind as a place to go.

For the record, I'm not the one who made the comment above about not taking out-of-towners to Toons, even though it's attributed to me. Something got messed up with pairs4life's post. If you look back upthread, you'll see that it was actually she who wrote that.

Coincidentally, not only did I send out-of-towners to Toons, last week I sent 2 visiting chefs from Poland to Toons. They asked me for suggestions on a good place to go for wings and I recommended Toons as the first choice. Later that same evening, I ended up at Toons and ran into the guys to whom I'd recommended it. They really loved it and thanked me profusely for the recommendation. No surprise, our wings that night were as good as ever. This might not be Chicago cuisine, but it's the best rendition of this dish in all of Chicagoland.

=R=

The Small Household Food Exchange descended upon Toons last night. We sampled several things off the menu, plus had a couple of items sent out compliments of the house. We started with chicken quesadillas and pork sliders, both sent out by Danny. (Thanks!) The pork sliders aren't on the menu, but should be. Perfect for the someone like me who might not want a full sammy. We also had wings, ribs, fried catfish, onion rings and made sure we had both fries and tater tots as our sides. We also split a pulled pork sandwich.

The kitchen definitely has a deft hand with the fryer, even if the starting product is frozen. I really enjoyed the onion rings and fries. I can also understand why the wings receive so many accolades. I ordered a cup of the soup of the day: carrot ginger. Great flavor, although I was surprised there were chunks of carrots in the soup. That's not a knock: I usually expect a smooth puree for that type of soup. Moetchandon had a turkey burger and declared it good.

All in all, a pleasant evening with good food, beer and excellent company! I hope others will share their thoughts.

Had a really nice little meal tonight and realized it's been a while since anyone posted here. Wings great as ever but it's the gumbo that sets this place apart. Loaded with smoked turkey and wonderful andouille with the perfect snap to it. SO satisfying on a rainy night. It's really nice to have a good bar with great food in the neighborhood.

Any word on future crawfish boils? I've been jonesing for one since last year's NOLA trip, but always seem to miss them.