Lindy's

Culled from: Drury, John. Dining in Chicago, New York: The John Day Company, 1931, pp. 111-112.

Note: The Newberry Library holds the personal papers of author John Drury.

LINDY'S, 75 West Randolph Street

Situated in the heart of showland, Lindy's is one of the most popular theatrical restaurants in town. Go there any hour of the day or night (it never closes) and you will be certain to find some star from a current show, or a host of near-stars and satellites. Sam Horwitz, the entertaining proprietor, is well known to them all. Mostly you will find them here after the show, from midnight on — dining, laughing, telling stories, greeting each other or partaking of Sam's toothsome after-theatre specialties. That group over there in one of the booths under the mezzanine, exploding in laughter at frequent intervals, might be listening to stories from the lips of Julius Tannen, the comedian. Or those two jovial fellows in the corner might be that incomparable team of fun-makers — Clark and McCullough. Others come here when they are playing in Chicago — Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, Sophie Tucker, Fanny Brice, Herbert Rawlinson, Texas Guinan, Rudy Vallee, Phil Baker, George White, Georgie Jessel.

Many local newspapermen eat here; also such noted Randolph Streeters as Milton Weil, the music publisher; Phil R. Davis, the poet and divorce lawyer for theatrical people; Gail Borden, the columnist; and Sam Gershwin, the theatrical advertising man. They all come because they like Sam Horwitz and his foods. Sam, by the way, was the founder of the original Lindy's in New York City.

Emil, who made a name for himself as chef in De Jonghe's famous old Chicago restaurant, presides over Sam's kitchen and is responsible for the popularity of those after-theatre specialties — Italian spaghetti with mushrooms, Chinese chop suey, French pancakes, Emil's special chicken a la king, German potato pancakes, fried New York counts, kosher frankfurter sausages, American ham and eggs, shrimp salad a la Russe, and Mexican chicken chili con carne. The service in Lindy's is quiet and quick and the waitresses are always helpful. There is a $1.75 table d'hote dinner that is commendable. The a la carte is less expensive.

Maitre d'hotel: Sam Horwitz