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Community Corner

Jack's Restaurant Dishes Out Disappointment

Skokie spot may have a loyal, nostalgic following but is unlikely to win over new regulars.

Editor's note: Our food critic is off this week so we're running a previous restaurant review. Also, if you have recommendations for a future restaurant review post a comment below or send an email to georges@patch.com

has been a Skokie institution for more than 50 years, but it has little to offer beyond nostalgia. If you’ve never been to the spot, there’s no reason to seek Jack’s out.

Open since 1956, Jack’s was originally open 24 hours and served as a popular hangout for smokers and high school students. After Illinois passed its smoking ban, the restaurant management changed the hours. Jack is now only open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., though its massive menu still offers plenty of dishes such as meatloaf and steak that would be more traditional for dinner.

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The large space at 5201 Touhy Ave. has classic diner décor. It’s filled with booths and big tables for larger groups. Potted plants sit by the windows and other plants hang over the divide between the dining room and the counter area and cash register.

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There was a solid crowd a little after 1 p.m. Saturday, largely made up of groups of senior citizens. A few families and younger solo diners were also present. Jack’s has inspired a lot of loyalty from both customers and employees. Even the cashier has been there for seven years.

We grabbed a booth near the kitchen and were quickly brought menus and water. I asked the waitress if she had any breakfast recommendations. She gave a pretty generic answer, telling me it depended on what I was in the mood for and then just naming dishes at the top of the menu. The waitress seemed in a hurry, so I just went for a spinach and feta omelet ($7.75) and my boyfriend chose the Southern fried chicken ($8.95). For drinks we got lemonade ($2.10) and a large glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice ($2.95). The rich, pulpy juice turned out to be the best thing we ordered.

The fried chicken came with a choice of one of the restaurant’s two soups of the day ($2.95 a la carte). My boyfriend chose the matzo ball, but as soon as we saw it he wished he’d gone for the chicken and wild rice. The soup consisted of a mildly spiced broth and a few small chunks of carrot and celery surrounding a giant matzo ball that was flavorless and too firm.

Our entrees came out quickly but continued to disappoint. The fried chicken plate contained plenty of meat, but it was so bad my boyfriend spent most of the meal picking at my food. The breading was thin, the meat was dry and there was a yellow film at the bottom of the pieces. The accompanying green beans looked like they’d just been dumped out of a can and went untouched. The only redeeming quality was the fries, which were very hot and thick.

Jack’s omelets are thin rather than fluffy, which is actually the style I prefer. I still found my dish to be subpar. While the feta was solid, the omelet featured chopped spinach rather than full leaves, giving it a mushy texture. The large portion of shredded hash browns was fine, though could have been cooked more since the crispier parts were much better.

I’d never been to Jack’s before and I acknowledge that there might be some great dishes on its menu that I just haven’t tried. But I didn’t find anything there that seemed promising enough to make me want to come back. There are simply better and more affordable restaurants in the area that offer similar fare. Jack’s is a restaurant with a long history, but it won’t see me there in the future.

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