Review: White Palace Grill: Old-Fashioned Diner in the Heart of Chicago

In the heart of Chicago, at 1159 S. Canal Street, the intersection of Canal and West Roosevelt Road, sits the White Palace Grill (312-939-7167). The owner also owns and operates the Hollywood Grill off Ashland and North Avenue. They've been flipping burgers at the White Palace since 1939. The diner features breakfast 24 hours a day and the menu prices ranged from $4.75 to a high of $11.95, making it a favorite of cops on the beat.

I stopped in and chatted with the manager, Hector Rivera, who was very friendly and accommodating in answering my questions and actually sat down in the booth with my friend Joann and me. "I've been working here since March 27 of 2001," explained Hector, who had been sent back to answer our questions by the young waitress. Hector also proudly announced that he had recently lost 67 pounds.

We asked Hector what famous people had frequented the diner. He mentioned that Bono of U2 was just in, with only his manager accompanying him. Other celebrities he has served in the White Palace include Art Kelly, P. Diddy, Don King, Michael Jordan and Koko Taylor. He pointed out a painting on the wall next to the booth we were occupying, which featured some of the famous people who have come for the food, including John Cusack, both Mayor Daleys, Koko Taylor (now deceased), and Michael Jordan. The ceiling also has some artwork and there are articles about the place framed everywhere in this classic diner.

The booths have a strict two-hour limit on seating, and website responders, like James E. of Chicago said, "If you're looking for a classic dining experience, this is the place..." A patron from Washington, D.C. (Kevin T.) said, "It's hilarious to see tons of people clearly dressed up for Michigan Avenue hotel bars and River North clubs slink in here after dark, looking for a greasy breakfast." He added, "This place looks bootleg during the day."

I asked who the blonde-haired guy was on the menu. He looked like Joey Fatone with dyed blonde hair, to me. Apparently, this was a celebrity from the Food Network named Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Grills on the Food Network, who recently did a televised piece on the establishment.

Another diner, Nicholas H, writing on the diner's website (www.whitepalacegrill.com) said, "If it weren't for the bright city lights outside, you would swear by the smell of Aqua net and the Midwestern slang that you were in rural Indiana at some truck stop plastered in Coca Cola tins."

The diner is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year, and their A1 burger was recommended to me by the manager and the omelettes were getting good reviews from the reviewers on their website.