We would order a bowl of croutons with a side of ranch.” Places like Jim’s Grill gained reputations through word of mouth, much like the bands its customers listened to. No one had Google or Yelp (or Eater) to direct them to hidden gems. The restaurant had a large vegan selection, a rarity for the time: “The underground music community, being the adventurous group of people that we were, we wanted more adventurous food than, say, going to Denny’s or Olive Garden,” Jim Magas of Lake of Dracula said of the restaurant.Īlas, not all towns have a Jim’s Grill, and for plenty of kids in the north and south suburbs, Denny’s was the only game in town for a late-night snack. In April, the Chicago Reader spotlighted Jim’s Grill, a Korean spot that was open in the ’80s near the Metro on Irving Park. “And the great diners have an atmosphere about them, which makes sitting there for as long as it takes to get through your breakfast and the conversations that ensue.” “Diners know that they’re not making high cuisine,” Albini says. Without alcohol, the straight-edge movement took off, with kids shunning shots of Jägermeister for milkshakes loaded with whipped cream.

In that way, diners became incubators for musical talent. There, kids could talk about bands and develop the type of relationships that could bring young musicians closer together, fostering a strong rapport they could take to the stage with them. So that was latched onto by all the meatheads as an insult.”īeing grouped with Devo never felt like an insult to Albini, but there was comfort in knowing punks could find shelter at legendary late-night Chicago restaurants like Salt & Pepper Diner, Jeri’s Grill, Pick Me Up Cafe, Clarke’s, Cozy Corner, and the Golden Nugget. “Devo had appeared on television and they were sort of the archetype for weirdo bands. “You’d be traveling with your cohort - you wouldn’t be by yourself that often - but when you were, meatheads would drive by and shout ‘Devo’ out the window. “You’d be traveling with your cohort - you wouldn’t be by yourself that often - but when you were, meatheads would drive by and shout ‘Devo’ out the window.” Albini - who went on to tour with bandmates in Big Black and Shellac before producing iconic albums for Nirvana, the Pixies, the Stooges, and Helmet - recalls how he and his friends were treated by jocks and others for their mohawks, dyed hair, piercings, and leather jackets. The legendary artist Steve Albini came to the Chicago area as a teen from Montana to enroll at Northwestern University in Evanston in 1980. Ironically, these types of sports fans now pack the bar across the street from Wrigley Field, representing a mainstream audience and even warranting a mention in Ted Lasso. The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl has talked about seeing his first show at the Cubby Bear, which created a punk haven away from jocks in the ’70 and ’80s.

The all-ages punk rock scene in Chicago encompassed venues like Fireside Bowl in Logan Square, the Riviera in Uptown, and the Metro in Wrigleyville. In similar pockets across the country, diners represent an underappreciated tradition as a third-place escape where all ages commune. Why not gather at the late-night diner? With their all-ages approach and reasonably priced menus, diners were and, and to an extent remain, integral to local punk scenes - in Chicago and beyond. And when the concert gets out, it always feels too early to go back to mom and dad in their suburban homes.

LaTrace, receiving advice from Wentz, and mingling with other underage kids who listened to punk rock.Ī limbo exists for teens who attend shows at bowling alleys, basements, and dives: They’re too young to go to bars and too cool for fast-food restaurants, which aren’t open all that late anyway. Music is no longer Siska’s full-time gig, but he recalls growing up around diners on tours with his bandmates including lead guitarist (and former Curbed Chicago editor) A.J. “Someone probably ordered some Moons Over My Hammy,” recalls Siska.

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