Ed Debevic's

05/03/08

Worst restaurant I have ever been to

by Rincewind at Citysearch

I had the misfortune of going to this dump back in 1993. I was part of a high school art class (who didn't care about the Art Institute at all) on a field trip.

"Gotta go to Ed's! Gotta go to Ed's!" they kept screaming.

My only choice was to stick with the group, so we walked umpteen blocks in the cold to "Ed Debevic's". Apparently, they all knew about its "shtick" but I didn't. It was a long day and I just wasn't even hungry.

So we went in there and good grief. I thought I had walked into a diner that "Sesame Street's" Oscar the Grouch would go to. Loud, screaming music blared from the speakers, competing with the loud, screaming insults the waiters and waitresses yelled at the customers.

The student group I was in lit up like a Christmas tree when a bellowing waiter (a failed actor from some community college) led us to a bunch of dirty, grimy booths near a window.

Everyone yapped how "good" the fries were, I looked at the terrible prices. My appetite was shot by this point, so I ordered a can of creme soda. (It was ten times the price than for a can of soda from a vending machine).

So as I looked at the menu, someone in our group said they needed styrofoam cups to the waiter. A moment later someone said "Look out!" and I looked up from my menu just in time to see a package of syrofoam cups smacked me in the face. The entire class roared with laughter at me as the waiter sneered "Yer s'posed ta CATCH EM!"

The fries came, and thankfully I didn't eat any. They were your basic fries you'd get at a real restaurant like Bennigan's, TGIFriday's, etc. only these limp things looked like they had been stepped on and were literally floating in a grayish-brown lumpy substance. The menu called it "gravy". It looked and smelled like something my cat hacked up on the rug.

Remember that one South Park episode: "Hey Kenny! I'll give you 5 bucks to eat that spleen!"

Given the choice, I'd rather do that any day than eat at Ed Debevic's.

• Pros: Nothing!
• Cons: Everything!!!

02/09/08

Worn out schtick and cruddy food.

by jkdee at Citysearch

What was once clever and well-produced diner-sass is now lame, forced, unfunny attitude. If you like moronic screaming and dismissive wait staff, then this is your place. There really is no reason to waste money on below average food served by Columbia College rejects.

Avoid the "Pulled Pork Sandwich" like your life depends on it......because it just might!

• Pros: Parking in front, but it's $8+tip to watch a guy drive your car 10 ft.
• Cons: loud wait staff, bad food.

10/23/07

You have to be kidding :-(

by longdropper at Citysearch

The loud verbal assault by the barman at least got the hostess to get us a table, however being purposely ignored by every waitresses was too much to bare, definitely not the place for kids (unless they enjoy watching a barman getting knocked out). Avoid like the plague.

06/08/07

Can I give this place less than 1 star? Anyone giving it more than a zero, they work there and are saving their jobs.

by jamestames at Citysearch

The place is the worst. The people working there are total tampons. The people that eat there only go once for the nostalgia... what a shame to burn your hard earned money eating cardboard.

• Pros: nothing
• Cons: all

04/26/07

Not my cup of tea......

by tb5150 at Citysearch

I have been there a few times and I honestly have not enjoyed one thing I ever ordered on the menu. The kids like it, they get a kick out of the wait staff and costumes. But I even felt that they were a little too rude, they got my order wrong one time and they were so nasty about fixing it! I understand that they put on a show for everyone but come on it is still a restaurant and I still expected much, much better service and food for the cost.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Too many to mention

03/26/07

I got burned on my credit card

by viclas at Citysearch

These guys charge you 20% extra on your credit card without any authorization. What a bunch of snakes. Crumby food, terrible service, over priced and they are trying to cheat people. Thieves.

• Pros: nothing
• Cons: Don't go

03/17/07

Rude service. Bad food. Over priced. Dirty conditions. Why are people still going?

by christyloveschicago at Citysearch

It's ? that keeps people coming. I gotta think that the one time people eat here, they would rather go someplace else. It hurts to spend money like this.

There's more grease in the employees hair than in the fryer. About the employees: Odd and petty nasty in a ha ha I finally can be mean way. Doesn't look like any of them take showers before coming to work. I gotta believe they don't wash their hands because the bathrooms didn't have paper towels.

It's a pretty scummy operation.

• Pros: Downtown
• Cons: Everything else. Not worth a dime.

03/17/07

Don't Go. Expensive, poor poor quality and horrible service. The theme is dead!

by nickgino at Citysearch

Expensive and poooooor quality. It's not mocking fun anymore, its just rude and dirty. The bathrooms were filthy and the staff were out of control. Neve again. You've been warned.

Each time the waiter came to our table we prayed he wouldn't talk too much and leave quickly.

• Cons: Low quality. Dirty. Poor service. Expensive. We were sad when we left that we spent the money there. The business has got to be dying.

03/17/07

Horrible everything. You have to have a low self-esteem to like it.

by gilkay at Citysearch

Ed Debevics was the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant. The food was terrible and the service was worse. The old mock hurry up and eat thing has degenerated into dirty and rude. The employees are trying to run it into the ground under the whole "rude" concept.

3 adults and a child was $48. Expensive and terrible food. Don't tip, don't go and don't be sad if you have a bad experience. You were warned.

Ed Debevics is riding on their name momentum but its pretty much done. Chicago has great restaurants... Ed Debevics is no longer one of them.

• Cons: Horrible everything. You need a low self-esteem and low standards to like it.

02/13/07

HOSPITAL FOOD

by coalcitykid at Citysearch

This place is AWFUL! The food is good if you like what they serve in the school cafeteria or COUNTY jail. C'mon people I have had better onion rings at Burger King! The meals are large,the stuff they serve is 'CHEAP'. How can a place with no kids menu be "KID FRIENDLY"? $5.50 for a hot dog is a little steep. The VERY POOR service is written off as "ambiance",amazing. We have been here more times than I care to admit (we travel with team sports and the 'new' people insist on going here) and I cannot believe how bad it is! Its the same story after every visit-"I can't believe I just spent $50.00 for that slop!" Save your money! Step inside,look around then RUN, RUN FAST and FAR AWAY.

• Pros: GOOD MUSIC
• Cons: EVERYTHING ELSE