Lou Mitchell’s diner celebrates 100 years

On November 11, 1926, the Bureau of Public Roads launched Route 66, a 2,400-mile-long federal highway system, the first of its kind, that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. Though largely unpaved initially, the new transcontinental highway connected local state roads and rural Main Streets. It immediately became a popular route because it offered better weather conditions than previous east-west roadways. 

Legend says that the so-called Mother Road begins here, on West Jackson Boulevard, at Lou Mitchell’s, a classic American diner, where “the world’s best coffee” has fueled patrons for the road trip of a lifetime — or just another day at the office — since it opened over 100 years ago, in spring 1923. 

And though the city that surrounds the diner has grown tall with skyscrapers over the years, little has changed inside. The original wooden stools at the multi-sided counters are packed with coffee-sipping, newspaper-reading regulars; couples cozy up in the wooden two tops; families share laughter over silver dollar pancakes in the larger booths. Shiny silver toasters pop up slices of bread ripe for a generous spread of butter, the salty-sweet smell of bacon wafts through the air, and servers swerve from table to table, gracefully balancing fresh-from-the-skillet omelets and steaming coffee pots.

“Travelers from around the world start their Route 66 journey here,” said Audrey Colone, general manager at Lou Mitchell’s for the past 15 years.

Colone can usually be found pouring coffee and chatting with tourists from near and far.

“France, Italy, Brazil, Korea, Japan. Last year a huge group of German motorcyclists rolled in, taking over the entire block.” 

Beyond weary travelers, Lou Mitchell’s is also the unofficial whistle-stop on local and national campaign trails. City mayors, governors, senators, representatives and even presidents (Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush) have rubbed elbows on the winding Formica countertop with world-famous athletes, coaches, movie stars and regulars, digging into menu favorites like the jumbo sour cream omelet (crispy bacon bits, chopped tomato, and a dollop of sour cream), hobo-style skillet (an omelet with golden hash browns added to the mix), the “world’s fluffiest pancake” topped with sliced bananas, pecans and strawberries, or “Mitchell Mouse”-style pancakes with blueberry eyes, a Milk Duds nose and a whipped-cream smile. 

“Sen. (Dick) Durbin stops by once or twice a month; he always orders two eggs over easy, no potatoes, with tomatoes and chicken sausage and multigrain toast on the side,” said Colone.

“After hours, shows like ‘Chicago PD’ and ‘Chicago Med’ film here. We’re a true diner; our look has been the same since day one. Everything’s original. Nothing’s been moved. Our special blend of ‘world famous’ coffee has been served from the same urn since the 1950s. This is the iconic diner scene.”

Lou Mitchell’s focus on excellent, consistent comfort food served in generous portions and at fair prices has had customers coming back again and again for a century, a milestone in the culinary industry, which sees over 40% of new restaurants fizzle out by the end of their first year.

“The old adage ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ has proven true here. We still follow the original recipes; we try our best to keep everything the same,” said Nick Thanas, who, along with his wife Katherine, owns the diner.

“We have customers in their 90s that remark that their coffee and omelet taste just the same as when they came here as kids so many years ago.”

“Everything is cooked to order, with top-quality, fresh ingredients,” said Colone. “We don’t skimp on ingredients or preparation. All pastries — bismarcks, brownies, muffins, almond slices, pies and donuts — and the bread — Greek, wheat, rye, raisin, dinner roll, cinnamon raisin bread — they’re all baked in-house. Our orange and grapefruit juices are freshly squeezed every morning.”  

The 15,000+ eggs served here in an average week are delivered farm-fresh daily; the premium bacon is “hotel cut” — triple-thick butcher cut. The always-golden french fries are hand-cut and fried in peanut oil. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, fresh turkeys are whole-roasted, and fresh potatoes are boiled and mashed with butter and milk for the turkey dinner platter. Honey, orange slices, spices, and fresh orange juice are simmered for hours in-house to create the diner’s signature orange marmalade.

And what about those extra fluffy Lou Mitchell’s jumbo omelets?

“Our omelets are made according to a three-step process,” explained Colone. “First, we mix the eggs — and eggs only — in the milkshake machine to fluff them up. Then we fry them up in a skillet, and finally, the omelet is baked in the oven for a bit.”  

Founder William Mitchell named his diner after his son Lou, who eventually ran the restaurant into his 70s. In 1992, Lou Mitchell sold the restaurant to his niece, Katherine Thanas, and it remains in the Thanas family today. 

“I grew up at the restaurant,” Said Nick Thanas. “Uncle Lou was quiet, with a dry sense of humor. When the restaurant was packed, he’d joke, ‘Doesn’t anyone have to go into work today?’ ”

In-restaurant perks abound at Lou Mitchell’s, reflecting the Greek tradition of warm hospitality. 

All ladies and children traditionally received Milk Duds when they entered the restaurant. Since the pandemic, however, the Hershey Co. has ceased producing small-sized packages of the beloved milk chocolate-coated caramel candies, so donut holes, still warm from the fryer and dusted with powdered sugar, greet hungry guests instead. Every diner receives a side of orange slices, too. It’s also perhaps the only diner in the world that always serves dessert after breakfast: a complimentary scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream to cleanse the palate.

Employees linger for ages, too.

“Our employees are like family,” said Thanas. “Donna Fenton has waited tables here with us for decades, and she just celebrated her 95th birthday together with our 100th. Even in her late 80s, she worked four days per week.”

Fenton still works as a hostess on Saturdays and Sundays, leading customers to their seats with the same cheery pep in her step she’s had since day one.

“She started working at age 13 at a diner in her small hometown in Nebraska and found a home away from home here in Chicago at Lou Mitchell’s,” Thanas said.

Martin Anya has been working as a chef behind the scenes at the diner for over 40 years.

“All my friends are here; my co-workers and customers are long-time friends,” said Anya. “And I can cook anything and everything, though I’d have to say my specialty is my meatloaf.”

“We’re like family here, keeping the traditions alive together,” confirmed Colone. “And his meatloaf is the best!”  

“Don’t ask me to reveal the top-secret recipe!” Anya half-joked. 

Lou Mitchell’s will be offering weekly specials throughout the year in honor of its 100th anniversary. 

Be sure to take a cup of the “world’s best” coffee to-go and plan on loosening your belt a few notches before you hit the road.