LAKEVIEW — After a sudden shuttering Tuesday that left some longtime patrons devastated, Melrose Restaurant has closed for good after 56 years.
On Wednesday, a sign listing the space for rent was posted in the window of the no-fuss diner, 3233 N. Broadway.
A woman who answered the number listed on the sign confirmed "the place is vacant right now," but referred further questions to another source.
Says for rent now. pic.twitter.com/mhufpX5JW7
— AFG, Esq. (@agrange) August 2, 2017
Melrose Restaurant opened in 1961 and is known for its tasty, no-fuss diner fare as much as its 1960s-style yellow sign and green facade that touted its pancake specialties, grill, fountain and broiled food in red neon lettering.
Melrose Restaurant had all the standard iconography of an American diner, from the laminated countertops to the chrome stools and a menu that goes on for pages. For decades, it was open 24 hours and never closed, although that changed following the death of its longtime owner in 2010.
Located across from Nettelhorst Elementary, the diner has outlived countless other eateries as the Lakeview East neighborhood underwent major changes over the decades.
It served breakfast, lunch and dinner, with massive omelettes and "corned beef hash as it is supposed to be done."
Many who ate there over the years recalled fondly their earliest days in Chicago, while tourists visiting Boystown or Wrigley Field found it to be an easy and reliable place to grab a bite or a late-night cup of joe.
North Broadway neighbors still have a solid range of choices when it comes to tasty breakfast skillets or the ultimate grilled cheese. Stella's Diner on North Broadway is a few blocks south of Melrose Retaurant, while The Bagel is on the corridor as well.
Farther north, Cafe L'Appetito is newer to the neighborhood, but provides well-made Italian deli meals, and Ann Sather serves up Swedish breakfast dishes.
