Lincoln Restaurant

Monday night is banjo night. The banjo group is awesome. Mostly old guys in their 50s-70s playing mostly banjos. One guy played a washboard. Various other instruments. Giant mug of beer for $7. I did not eat any food. The drinks and banjos are good.

The only redeeming quality about the Lincoln Restaurant is Banjo Night, which should be a rite of passage for anyone living in the neighborhood. However, the food isn't very tasty. If you do go for banjo night, settle in with one of the cheap beers and enjoy the banjo tunes (after you've eaten dinner at home beforehand).

This was once a moderately priced family restaurant with Italian-American cuisine. Located on Lincoln just north of the Lincoln Damen Irving Park intersection. Named after Lincoln, his likeness on a huge sign outside. Well-lit. Generous portions. Two and a half scoops of ice cream in a tall sundae glass, was priced as one serving. Plenty of seating. Two rooms. Main, tables in the middle, button tufted booths on the sides. My family and I would sit in a comfortable booth which was good-sized, not cramped at all. Friendly waitresses. The era of black uniforms, "Hi honey" kinds of ladies that made you feel like they really cared about pleasing you - and they did. Used those amber colored large water glasses. Simple iceberg lettuce, couple of large tomato slices, a few croutons. Back when I had the hots for thousand island dressing. Served breakfast, lunch, dinner, anytime. Open early, closed when 10pm was late for the family to come home. Food was decent, home-cooked. Better some days than others. Still filling and good. The days of soup, salad, entrees and desserts which did not cost you an arm and a leg. A nice neighborhood restaurant. I never saw the banjo playing phase. I wonder if Abe would have approved. I liked his restaurant the way it was. Sad it's gone.

It's a big place with biscuts and gravy. They also have Cokes the size of your head. Not a classy place, but a classic place.

They where very friendly