C & G Restaurant

C&G is the intersection of Black & Latino Southeast Chicago.

You're going to be eating next to abuelos y abuelitas y "eses" y homies from 93rd & Essex yelling in their cell phones talking about "Yo, I want my money, son!"

And then you'll see folks like me and my dad, "middle-class" folk from the other side of Commercial Avenue, having breakfast after church.

And in between all this neighborhood theater, there are pancakes and French Toast, and hot buttered rice and grits and fresh squeezed juice. There are big sandwiches, like you'd make at home, and spaghetti dinners.

Is it outstanding food? No. Is it a "shithole?" No. I like C & G because it does pretend to be anything more than it is: a neighborhood diner. A place where all parts of the neighborhood can eat, together, safely, and be on their way.

I can live with that.

Seriously, this place is a shithole.

The grease they fry their food in tastes like it hasn't been changed in seven years and is beyond bland. Their donuts are always stale and really sketchy people go and spend their day there.

The only thing I love about this place is that they have this old school 1950's orange juice machine that churns out FRESH, SQUEEZED orange juice every morning. I love subsituting my coffee with a large cup of this juice!

Other than that, if you're looking for decent diner food, head to ROMA'S down the street!