RJ Grunts

RJ. Grunts has been a part of Chicago’s Lincoln Park restaurant scene since June 10th 1971, when Rich Melman and Jerry A. Orzoff opened the restaurant at 2056 North Lincoln Park West. It was the first restaurant created by what would become Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, one of Chicago’s dominant restaurant groups.

Melman and Orzoff wanted RJ. Grunts to be different from the more formal restaurants of the time. They created a casual restaurant centered around American comfort food such as burgers, sandwiches, and milkshakes. They also incorporated vegetarian, organic, and macrobiotic options that were unusual for a restaurant in the early 1970s. The restaurant was designed to be fun and informal, with quirky decorations, music, and humor that reflected the culture of the time.

The restaurant took about three months to kick off. Initially, business was slow, and Melman was worried about the fate of the restaurant, but then RJ. Grunts caught on and quickly became one of Chicago’s most popular restaurants. Its success gave its founders Melman and Orzoff the opportunity to continue experimenting with new restaurant concepts, which led to the creation of Lettuce Entertain You.

RJ. Grunts was credited with being among one of the first restaurants to offer an all you can eat salad bar, and even helped popularize potato skins as a restaurant appetizer. The restaurant’s menu was intentionally broad, combining the fried food with healthier, more experimental options, which would become a reflection in the rest of the Lettuce Entertain You restaurants.

The restaurant’s name itself comes from “RJ,” the founding partners’ first initials, while “Grunts” refers to a joke involving Orzoff’s girlfriend and her not so nice nickname Piggy, because of the way she ate. The unusual name became part of the restaurant’s playful identity and helped distinguish it from conventional dining establishments.

RJ. Grunts became a gathering place for Chicagoans and attracted well known visitors. During its early years, it became a gathering place for celebrities such as Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, and half the Bears team, among many others. Its location near Lincoln Park Zoo made it a natural stop for tourists.

More than fifty years later, RJ Grunts is still operating in its original location. Its decor, music, and menu draw on the restaurant’s 1970s identity, and the menu is still similar. In a city where restaurants, buildings, and businesses constantly change. RJ. Grunts has managed to remain recognizable while also beckoning a part of the neighborhood’s history.

Author Review:

At RJ Grunts, I particularly enjoy their burgers, but they also have a great and plentiful brunch and lunch menu. What makes this restaurant especially special to me is its connection to my family. My mom, a student fresh into law school, used to come here more than twenty years ago, along with others in my family. Knowing that I am sitting in the same restaurant decades after they first visited makes the experience very personal. It is also a great spot for DePaul students because it is only about a 10-15 minute walk from DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus. While it’s a little more pricey, it’s great for an occasional casual get together. It is also so special to experience an institution that has been part of Lincoln Park for more than fifty years.

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