Eric S.
Yelp
CHARRED & SKEWERED
The unlikeliest of places serves up mean meats on the mean streets of the Montclare neighborhood.
This is the kind of place that Dennis Farina (RIP) would've eaten at if he was a normal guy. You remember Dennis Farina. Jimmy Serrano from 'Midnight Run', Ray Barboni from 'Get Shorty', the narrator of 'Unsolved Mysteries'. Classic mobster personality, unmistakable voice.
I only mention this because while eating lunch here on 7/12/18, I saw a guy that looked JUST like the late actor, and heard another guy that sounded just like him. It makes sense, since Dennis F was actually born in Old Town and served on the force for 18 years with Chicago's finest.
Anyways, back to the story. Mr D's is from the late 1960's and looks like the part. It's run by an old guy and his wife (presumably this is Mr D and Mrs D). Steak sandwiches are a standout item that won them accolades as part of the Chicago's Best series.
Everything is cash only, and that's okay cuz it's relatively cheap. My kabob ($8) came with tomato slices, grilled onions, and a lemon wedge.....which gave the huge chunks of kebab meat a fantastic zip. Fries are included with every sandwich, so don't be taken aback by the prices.
The freshly cut fries are amazing, some are crispy crunchy while others are nice and potato-y. Pop is $1, served in cans, and yes, RC Cola is one of the choices. They still have a corded, landline phone that makes the seldom heard "brrrring brrrring". Awesome.
* TL;DR *
If this place were any more 'old school', they'd be serving sabertooth sandwiches on stone slabs. Mr D's has been around for eons and apart from new paint, it's doubtful that anything has changed since then. It doesn't even bother me that they're cash only.
The kabobs are excellent, the fries are great, and it brings me endless joy to think that maybe -- JUST MAYBE -- Dennis Farina once came here on his lunch break as part of CPD's burglary division from 1967-1985. Seriously, google it.
In a world that's gone completely digital, Mr D's Shish-Kabobs is still analog, and that's pretty damn awesome.
"You bet your fuckin' ass I recommend 'em" - Dennis Farina (probably)