Nicky's at South Archer and Austin Avenues. ( Aka "Nicky's Gyyros") Chicago Illinois. March 2013., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.
For many years when I used to live on the southwest side of Chicago, I always enjoyed the variety of inexpensive and often tasty neighborhood street corner eateries.
One of those places I enjoyed, was this little establishment at the northeast corner of South Archer and Austin Avenues in Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood, that was known as "Nicky's". This little Greek owned neighborhood take out eatery, was refered to by many local southside Chicagoans and myself as "Nicky's Gyros".
I was a regular visitor to this Nicky's, and some of their other unoffial satelite locations like the one at West 47th Street east of South Kedzie Avenue, or the one I west to on South Kedzie Avenue and West 58th Street.
One of my happy and cost effective dining memories of Nicky's during the 1970's and 80's, were the lunchtime specials. One of them was the "99 Cent Big Baby Double Cheesburger" or the 3 Hot Dog Special for $1.25. I was earning minimum wage earnings at a few of my jobs after I graduated from Curie High School in 1981, and Nicky's was well within my budget back then.
Although Nicky's is a tiny place with a counter along the windows to dine inside at, the people who worked here were very nice to me. It was a southside neighborhood establishment with a quaint but unique local neighborhood charm.
After being away from here for many years, I had the opportunity to stop in recently, and enjoy some of those fast food favorites I used to eat here. You can still find the Big Baby Double Cheesburger here today, as well as that Grecian favorite Gyros, deep fried Pizza Puffs, the Tamale Boat (Chilli and a Tamale) or even the Tamale on a Bun which some southside Chicagoan's refer to as a "Mother in Law".
Thanks.
Eddie K
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