I've eatten at this restaraunt since I was a toddler..and it is JUST as good as it was back then. ANYTHING Â and eveything you could want is More than Likely on the menu. The service is good and one of the owners are ALWAYS on site, just incase you need to discuss a less than average situation. Â I usually get a cup of Lemon Rice soup,bc I'm Greek and it's just as good as my Nounna used to make. but everything is fresh and comes out made to order and HOT. and they're open late too. definatly check out the Commander...MArk the manager will take good care of you
Review Source:If you are looking for fancy, keep driving. Â The Commander is an old-school, unapologetic NWI staple. Â The waitresses? Â Been there for-ev-er. Â Seriously. Â If you came to the Commander in your youth, they probably waited on you. Â I suppose that could be good or bad. Â Depends on what they remember about you.
The food here is Greek diner usual. Â Good soup, good club sandwiches, decent enough omelet and yummy fried mozzarella sticks and onion rings. Â Exactly the kind of grub you tend to crave when you hit up such an establishment. Â The clincher, for me, has always been the lemon rice soup. Â It's amazing. Â Not in a Michelin star rating way, but in a homey, heart-warming, coming home sort of way. Â It isn't unusual for my daughter and I to sneak in for a soup-for-dinner night out when it is just the two of us. Â The apple and the proverbial tree and all that. Â
Other reviewers noted that there is still a smoking section and that the Commander is a cash only joint. Â Both of those things are no longer in effect. Â The Commander now accepts credit cards and there is no longer a smoking section (the times are a'changin' in the NWI). Â
One word of warning: the wait staff at the Commander still total checks by hand. Â Make sure to give your check the once over as math is not always one's strongest suit. Â I've found that I've been over and under-charged at times. Â Nothing nefarious in the works, just some computational errors.
Overall, the Commander is your average been-there-forever hole-in-the-wall Greek diner. Â Keep your expectations real and order accordingly and you will be A-OK.
We come here often, and usually with a group of 8 to 10 ... given a few minutes for set-up, they never have a problem seating us. You'll find old customers, old waitresses, and old owners - so what's not to like about this family-run business. This place doesn't take itself too seriously. They are a diner and a good one. They serve a wide variety of food, they serve it fast, and they serve it hot. Even when we arrive with a group they get the order right, and they never hurry us to turn the table. You can get breakfast anytime ... my favorite is the taco skillet. Â Give it a try.
Review Source:We had a really good experience at this restaurant. Â The staff is very friendly and the hostess made us feel extra welcome. Â The lemon-rice soup (Greek: Avgolemono) is the best I've ever had and our entrees came quickly and were fresh! Â I had the Commander Skillet and my wife had the Reuben. Â Killer fries! Â If you're in Town, check this place out. Â You'll be hooked like a trembling fish.
Review Source:Never had Scrod. Trying it. I'll let you know. SMOKING SECTION!? Come on people, the 50's have long since past all of us by. The place has been around a long time. The menu is extensive and eclectic: Greek, Italian, fish, steaks, burgers and a huge breakfast menu. Service was attentive.
Review Source:I am not usually the one to talk bad about a business because I am a business owner.
However this is a special case...
I went to dinner here last night with my family. The waitress was sweet, the coffee service was great, but the food service was horrendous.
I ordered a salmon dish with no butter and extra lemon. Â When it arrived it not only came cold but soaked in butter and not a one lemon on the plate! Â I asked for them to get me a new one, moments later the MANAGER returned with the same salmon on a new plate. Â I told the manager that I did not want butter on it. He said the cook made it with lemon and water..... hmmmm I said it's yellow and greasy and well tastes like butter and when I pat it with my napkin it leaves the napkin yellow and greasy. Lemon and water dont do that. Â So he sat it down and did NOTHING to rectify the situation. Â I normally would not be so particular if I wasnt dieting. Even more so I do not like to be lied to. Â What if I was allergic to butter? Worse, what if I believed him and ate it. Commanders would have a hefty lawsuit on there hands. So I got a box and gave it as left overs to my mom for lunch the next day and didnt eat.
Next, my uncle ordered a sirloin med/well his first one came well done and burnt. Â So, he placed another order for a T-Bone this one was not only well done and burnt but you could tell the meat was old. Â He cut every inch of the steak trying to find a good bite that was a little pink and found NONE. We sent it back and got the bill.
Nothing was taken off.
This blew our minds. Â
My dad is a frequent customer there in fact my mom and dad eat out twice a day every day. Â Won't be frequenting here ever again and will never recommend this place to any of our other many many friends and family in the NWI or all of Chicago land either.
A word to the cooks ( I used to be one )
It is always better to under cook a steak than to over cook one. Â This way if it is unsatisfactory to the customer then it is easy to send back to be cooked longer, thus being cost effective to the restaurant. Â But, if you had a good manager you would know this. Oh, and pay attention to the tickets no butter means no butter.
My advice to the owners is to stop in more often this is how businesses go out of business no matter there reputation or how long they have been in business. Â One bad complaint echoes for years and will eventually lead to more complaints that then leads to no more customers. Â 6 plates including our 3 were sent back within 45 minutes! Â Might want to save your restaurant before it's too late
I hope the owners read this. Â I hate for ANY business to fail no matter how I was treated or that I had to pay an entire bill for food that was prepared incorrectly.
I also wasnt aware you HAD to give at least one star because I wanted to give none!
I would give this restaurant a 5/5, but the only thing that keeps me from doing that is its dated decor. Â If they were to update the interior a little bit, replace the ceiling tiles and grid, etc., it would make a huge difference. Â Aside from that, here's the scoop on this place from dining and service standpoint: Â Go here. Â ANY breakfast item is done up right! Â I've had so many items from their menu and have yet to be disappointed. Â Their food comes out HOT (so many places fail in this area). Â They serve ice water with all meals, and with almost all meals (check the menu or ask the waitress), you will get bread and crackers, soup and/or salad, FRESH bread rolls, and a dessert! Â For a small up-charge, you can have something for dessert other than their rice or bread pudding, jello, or ice cream, such as pie, cake, eclair, etc... all are very good! Â Something else that sets this place apart from so many other places is that it is family-owned... the brothers or the mom and dad will be there, treating you like you're someone special, and they walk around asking everyone how they're doing - with sincerity!. Â It is obvious that the other employees take this as their cue because they, too, treat you very well. Â I even notice that the bus boys at this place do an OUTSTANDING job as they IMMEDIATELY clear the tables and set them for the next group, bringing the water and other stuff that helps the waitresses out. And, don't leave here before at least trying their lemon-rice soup... they are proud of this recipe and have good reason to be as it is served HOT and is just so SO good! I could write up my thoughts on so many of the food items, but at some point, you just need to go and try it out!
Update: 9/16/12: They took advantage of Indiana's new no-smoking law and completely cleaned the place - ceilings, walls, etc. - and repainted everything. Â It looks really nice now. I have yet to receive anything from the kitchen that isn't very hot or tasty. Â People need to check this place out if they haven't already!
Surprisingly not too bad. Restaurant was clean and populated mainly by retirees. Service off the bat wasn't great but our waitress warmed up after a few minutes (I guess it was pretty busy). Food came INSANELY fast and was plenty hot. I had the Denver omelette, it was tasty with big chunks of peppers and onions. My girlfriend had the Belgian waffle. She thoroughly enjoyed it. Best of all...bill was $15! Never going to beat a high end brunch in nearby Chicago but it was a pleasant surprise and we'll be returning.
Review Source:It was a Sunday afternoon road trip that introduced me to the Commander (named rightly so, for the commander painting that is hanging behind the register). Â I was told that the lemon chicken and rice soup was "to-die-for", and my traveling companion was certainly not incorrect by that statement. Â It was mighty tasty!
I love random holes in the wall, but what I love most about the Commander is that there is a smoking section. Â Call me crazy, because I'm not a smoker, not even in the slightest sense of the word but I think that when you get used to there not being a smoking section it becomes a novelty of sorts. Â So, we sat in the smoking section just for principle and ever-so-anxiously awaited for someone, anyone to light up. Â
Yup!
Â
So maybe my review is a bit biased but when you are traveling from Illinois to Indiana and have a bit of time for a meal swing over to the Commander. Â We had a great time while we were there. Â The server was attentive and friendly. Â She ensured our sodas were filled when they ran out and that we had the correct condiments for our fries.
Took my husband here for breakfast for his b.day...it was packed at 10 am..but we didn't have to wait for a seat..I really liked how 2 of the staff other then our waitress said Good Morning to us..that was cool..I had the 2 eggs with corn beef hash with Cin. Raisin bread and butter...it also came with hash browns...but the sliced potato kind not the stringy kind. I asked for my eggs over hard...and they were not runny at all but I would have taken them off a min. earlier..the ends were a bit overcooked. Â The potaoes/hash browns were great...typical diner poatoes...the hash browns were folded over..which I admit looked a little weird on my plate but when I opened it with my fork and steam came out it was cool...the flavor was GREAT...just like corned beef hash should taste like!! But the reason I would go back is the damm Cin. Raisin Bread...GREAT crust on it...was SOFT and BUTTERY..real BUTTER and NOT SPRAY...shame on you diners who use spray butter!!! Our waitress was really nice and friendly with us...the guy..am not sure if he's a manger or something..asked us if we liked our food and how we were doing...I REALLY appreciated that..he actually seemed genuine...the waitress refilled my husbands coffee 3 times..he didn't have to wait for a warm-up! Which for me is the mark of good service! I would so go again...fair prices and good diner food..but be warned...they only have Louisiana Hot Sauce..No TABASCO...so if your a fan...bring your own!!
Review Source:Strolled in Sunday morning at 11 a.m. with a group of five. We were seated within 10-15 minutes (fab on a Sunday morning) and handed a HUGE menu.
Here's the deal: it's old school. The place is jammed, space is tight and the waitresses are at least 50 years old with matching black/white uniforms who know that good service means your coffee cup is never empty (thank goodness). If you like too much watery Ranch dressing on your iceburg lettuce salad, diet cola sans carbonation, super dry hamburgers and lots of cheese, you'll love this place. The food is average, but the price is right and you can order a burger first thing in the morning or get a side of onion rings with your eggs. And the lemon rice soup...a bowl of magic if you're recovering from a little too much fun the night before.
I love a bunch of unfriendly employees (minus our server, lucky me) staring me down because I still have my original teeth. Me and our friends have been coming here for a while now, jumping the Illinois border for a restaurant with ashtrays, and although we fell in love with the place, its been diving.
Their food is sub-par, terrible even, fruit straight from the can, meat that sits under a red-light for hours a day. Booths that if you put your feet up, you'll get yelled at, which I understand, but it's a larf being told that they're "leather". Dirty, dirty, dirty place, just dirty, power-wash the floors and booths please, I understand you allow smoking but, for god sake wash the walls! Again, also, if you don't mind being stared at (really, they will not break eye contact with you), then just visit Munster!
The icing on the cake is when I had a lack of cash, so I went up there and payed with my credit card, assuming everything would be alright. Wrong, after being stared down at their disgusting counter, the crusty old owner asked if I would walk to an ATM. Fed up, I did, I payed, I left, I'll never return, hard to believe this place used to be worth a twenty minute ride.
local family place..... you will see at least 5 friends there when you go...everything on the menu avaliable all the time......went for breakfast this morning....over heard a kid at next booth say......*daddy, why are that girls eyes so red*.... haha.....dint want breakfast food..... so i went with the philly ( no green peppers please ) an fries....... fries at 9:00 am ..... yumm .....tender beef....lots of melted cheese,,,,, soft roll.... was excellent...... dad had pork chops an eggs.......stole a bite of the chops....crispy outside and tender inside......the best part of pork chops is the crispy fat on the outside .......cooked perfect.....my partner in crime, Ashley, had oatmeal... i wanted to slap her.......dads payin jeeze order up !!! .......you get choice of salad, juice or soup with your order.....no doubt i went for lemon rice soup.......the have the best i have ever had....get it to go on cold winter night.,,, a couple house made rolls and your happy happy......no room for pie after, dang....excellent service.....coffee filled all the time.....a local treasure......YOU NEED TO BE OPEN 24 HOURS ..... then i dont have to drive across the bridge (which is painted MUSTANG colors now haha ) to Top Notch.....great place... Danny? Â button up your shirt lol
Review Source:I remember when this place was built. Well, kinda. I was just a wee thing.
There is nothing better than going in here on a quiet afternoon, getting a cup of the lemon rice soup and a grilled cheese and sitting with a book.
This is an old school diner/family style restaurant of the highest order. The prices are cheap, the food is kind of greasy, but it is GOOD. You'll get fast service. Everyone is friendly. Most of the people who work here have worked here FOREVER. The menu is HUGE.
I'm fully in love with them, and will go here forever.
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