Restaurants in Evergreen Park

For more than 40 years, the hot-dog doyens at Johnny O's have served up bun-hugged franks and classic American eats, including the nationally famous Mother-In-Law sandwich—a Tom Tom beef tamale nestled in a bun and smothered with chili—which earned the No. 6 rank for Most Sensational Sandwich on TLC's Best Food Ever. As a dine-in and walk-up joint, Johnny O's lets customers snuggle up with a hot dog in one of its turquoise padded booths or grab a bite to go to enjoy at their favorite quicksand pit. In addition to hot dogs, the Chicago staple doles out hearty breakfast sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and freshly fried sides.

Waffles’ lineup of sweet and savory brunch dishes "taps the full potential of its namesake dish," according to Time Out Chicago, which named it the city's Best New Breakfast of 2012. French irons press out a menu with two distinct styles of waffles: fluffy brussels waffles made from an airy batter base and liege waffles caramelized with pearl sugar inside and out. Like spies at a candy factory, chefs fill pockets with sweet flavors, including specialty options such as the green-tea waffle with lemon-ginger chantilly cream. Alternatively, savory waffles adopt toppings such as slow-roasted short rib and pork-and-lamb meatballs.

A selection of egg dishes, sandwiches, and salads can also be washed down with pours of freshly squeezed juice or a flight of specialty hot chocolates. During open hours (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), guests enjoy ample elbow room in the 2,300-square-foot space, where picnic benches and chairs line striped walls as colorful as a sass-talking rainbow.

Recipes from South-Central Mexico inspire the chefs at Amelia's Mestizo Grill, but the menu also incorporates familiar Old-World flavors. The spirit of innovation undergirds their commitment to traditional Latin-American staples, with dishes such as the grilled pork tenderloin with roasted quince that the Chicago Reader claimed, "could have come out of a far more pretentious kitchen." Stuffed poblano peppers arrive with a sherry-pecan sauce, and smoky chipotle peppers add a distinctive kick to the Mediterranean-tinged flavors of the grilled rack of lamb and potato gratin.

Coming back to its roots once again, the restaurant's dining room embodies a down-to-earth ambiance, complete with exposed brickwork and simple wooden chairs. A red accent wall adds a splash of color to the space, as do vibrant paintings of flowers, children, and Mexico's first rainbow.

Live music and nightly specials on comfort fare, beer, and cocktails lure spirited crowds into Drum & Monkey, a cozy Irish bar located near the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The establishment's draft-libation varieties include Smithwick's, Bell's Oberon, and Miller Lite, and a menu loaded with comfort fare acts as a perfect quaffing countermeasure. To create the house specialty, irish nachos, chefs swap out tortilla chips for fried potatoes, and serve them to diners seated at the bar or writing poetry about particle physics at long wooden tables. Drum & Monkey encourages late-night revelry with its 2 a.m. closing time and weekly events, including Tuesday-night karaoke, Thursday College Nights, and live music.

Maddanthony's Bar and Grill sports 2,000 square feet of lounging space with plasma televisions and pool tables. Waiters pile plates with food from sister restaurant LaCoco's Pizza & Pasta next door and pour suds until 4 a.m. Sunday–Friday, 5 a.m. on Saturdays, and forever during a time warp. Darts leagues fling projectiles at targets throughout the fall, and karaoke enthusiasts belt tunes on Tuesday nights. The bar maintains a young, energetic vibe with abundant events and eats, hosting nights centered around UFC matchups, boxing tournaments, and high-octane city-council meetings.

Carnitas Don Rafa's owner Rafael Vega transforms the knowledge he inherited from his father, a butcher turned restaurateur, into a menu of homestyle Mexican fare. Staffers lovingly stuff tortillas and tortas with a variety of proteins, including carne asada, milanesa, or the house specialty, the eponymous carnitas, made from a family recipe. A parking lot next door keeps faithful chariots and dune buggies safe as patrons pick up their doggie bags.