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Franks For the Memories
Categories: Restaurants Chicken Wings Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Sandwiches Chicken Wings, American (Traditional), Sandwiches [Edit]
645 E Hawley StMundelein, IL 60060
(847) 949-9464
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 6 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Caboose was started by two long time friends that aspired to create a casual atmosphere while serving up quality fare ("not your standard fare"),… read more »
48 reviews for Franks For the Memories
Review Highlights
"I used to live in Buffalo and went to the Anchor Bar."
(in 4 reviews)
"I tried the hot, extra hot and suicide sauces."
(in 3 reviews)
"All skin, no yummy meaty goodness."
(in 8 reviews)
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48 reviews in English
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Review from Mel M.
Grayslake, IL
10/21/2011
I've eaten wings at Buffalo's Anchor Bar and many times at Franks For the Memories. I can't tell the difference. The taste was identical.
I always get "hot" wings at Franks, and their curly fries. I can't tell you much about their other entrees because I'm addicted to the wings.
I don't know about the naysayers who have written negative reviews about Franks' wings; they taste just like the original. -
Review from Kenneth W.
Spring Grove, IL
1/17/2012
Best wings in Northern Illinois. Santa always stops for wings and a Loganberry drink when he is in town
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Review from Kevin P.
Mundelein, IL
11/28/2011
Anyone who rated this place below 5 stars either was born with no common sense, or didn't order the wings. These wings are the best in the midwest. Order their buffalo style wings and you will thank me.
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Review from Alec C.
Wilmette, IL
6/27/2011
I don't know if all the 5 stars for Franks is based on a faint memory of childhood dreams after little league and peewee football, or maybe I'm being overly harsh on this place after some friends set extremely high expecations of Franks For the Memories having wings that are "The Bomb."
But, well, they were a bomb. An explosion of adjectives and faint innuendo that can be described as a sloppy, hot mess of flaccid wings. There, I said it; a hot mess of flaccid wings.
I don't know if the urban in me would have to request wings "fried hard" as I once overheard at a chicken joint in the city - or maybe say "well done" for here in the suburbs. But, I assumed, for having a marketing campaign that boasts wings and tradition dating all the way back to the invention in Buffalo NY, and bringing back a piece of the original, blah blah, blah, that this would be the Holy Grail, end all be all of wing-istence; a higher calling one step below Nirvana.
Either these wings suck, or Nirvana, The Holy Grail, and even Buffalo, NY, aren't really all that great to begin with.
The wings are soggy and faintly spray-tanned with the standard "hot sauce" The fries are good; crispy with a touch of oil - and somehow, I believe that if a restaurant were to ever manage to f-up fries they wouldn't be around too long nor would I waste time rating them.
But coming back full circle to the wings; I want you to imagine a chicken, full of optimism and youth, chilling with his/her chicken friends, hanging out in the coop - then imagine that life being taken away to be frozen and fried at this place. This is one of those times I kinda feel bad for the chicken. Honestly, where's PETA when you really need them? Save the poor little clucks for a better life elsewhere.
1 pound gets you seven wings - yup, 7 wings. Fantastic for a 10 year old, but I like my wings like the Jersey Shore loves hair gel; lots of it. Once you add up all the extraneous items, ranch, fries, soda, etc; the lunch deal really isn't a deal at all.
I won't put the names of other places with much better wings than this place so their good names don't get associated by SEO and "wings" internet searches. But definitely go elsewhere.
And as a footnote - I personally wouldn't trust a place that advertises as "Franks" which suggests an affinity to hotdogs and then you see in the back an INDEX CARD over all the toppings which lists what goes on a Chicago-Style hotdog. If you don't know how to properly drag an all beef hotdog through the garden then maybe you should rethink your marketing.
Just me. But then again, what do I know? -
Review from Richard R.
Barrington, IL
Updated - 4/30/2011
OK, now I'm sure I don't like this place.
It was bad enough that they don't know how to make Chicago-style hot dogs, but, in checking out some of the other reviews here, I thought maybe wings were their specialty (notwithstanding the fact that their name emphasizes 'hot dogs').
But, yesterday I had a powerful hankering for some good chicken wings. I get on Yelp and see a lot of good reviews for their wings, so I thought I would give them a second chance.
Ugh. There's no other way to say it: the wings here sucked. Unless, of course, you like your wings simply broiled for a few minutes and then have some cheap Louisiana-type hot sauce poured on top of them.
That's it? Those are the wings that are: "saucy, affordable and delicious"? Those are the wings that are: "amazing tasting"? These are the wings that are: "the best wings in the northern suburbs"?
The wings at Buffalo Wild Wings (yuck) blow this place away. Heck, the wings you get from Jewel's deli counter are better than the wings here.
I don't like to rip places, but BUYER BEWARE. If you really like wings and actually know what good chicken wings taste like, then don't come here.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/23/2011
I'm seeing good reviews for their wings, but I had stopped in for a hot dog and was very… Read more »
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Review from Dawn B.
Arlington Heights, IL
7/29/2011
So we're super picky about our wings and this place never lets us down. They know how to cook them properly, We've never had a rubbery one yet. Fantastic selection of sauces and heat levels. You buy them by the half or whole pound increments. Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing and celery costs extra. I will say that the Ranch dressing has an odd taste and we've taken to using a grocery store ranch instead. The Bleu cheese is fine.
We stop by whenever in the area and have many a time, made a special trip from Arlington Heights to go pick them up.
The zucchini sticks, mushrooms and corn fritter things they have are ok too. They have Green River pop bottles in the cooler as well as a few other out of the ordinary pops. The homemade brownies are great for desert. Counter service is always fast and friendly.
You're going to need a whole pile of napkins for wiping off the silly grin on your face when you indulge in these. Enjoy. -
Review from Kristina A.
Chicago, IL
6/7/2011
I would marry this place if I could.
Best bleu cheese ever. Best wings ever. Fries aren't bad either. -
Review from Mark F.
2/15/2011
To quote the late Chris Farley, "Tommy likey. Tommy want wingey." http://tinyurl.com/4oy...
What a beautiful, delicious, wing-filled hole-in-the-wall.
When I can order wings by the pound it puts a little wing sauce stain of happiness on my heart.
It's tough to write a review because my mind keeps drifting off to wing paradise.
They're saucy, they're affordable and, best of all, they're delicious.
They have the right amount of spice (I like them medium).
As an added bonus, if you can't enjoy them right then and there (a sad atrocity in and of itself), they provide you with reheating instructions and extra sauce.
Praise the wing gods for Franks. -
Review from Samantha L.
Arlington Heights, IL
11/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Good food, prices and great service. An all around fun time. It was kind of a dive, but the wings are good and the sweet potato fries were even better.
I'm actually glad that this restaurant didn't cross my path until now. Cholesterol and Blood Pressure-speaking, it would not have been a good time. -
Review from Markale E.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2011
Easily 5 stars.
I have tried tons of different kinds of wings. Franks has the best wings I have ever had.....by far. There isn't much else to say. -
Review from Michael B.
Vernon Hills, IL
2/15/2011
I am a huge fan of this place. I used to only go to Gators Wing Shack. I never thought that that place could be beat. I was wrong I still like the Wings at Gators just as much but they are so expensive.
At 5 bucks a pound I cant complain. I think a pound works out to somewhere around 7 wings.
Franks for the memories = Amazing tasting and Amazingly cheep wings. -
Review from Jeff H.
Vernon Hills, IL
5/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was very excited after reading the reviews to check out authentic Buffalo Chicken Wings. I've tried many area places, Buffalo Joes, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wingstop, etc., but had to try this place. I think reading the reviews first set my expectations too high and I was a bit disappointed on this trip, but parts of the reviews were spot on.
The chicken wings were ordered with their mild sauce, the tamest of those offered. The wings were meaty and very well cooked, which prior reviewers got spot on. The mild sauce, however, was so mild that my daughter and i both found it nearly flavorless, much to our disappointment. There was nearly no zing or flavor that we could tell. Given the connection to New York that the owner proudly displays, including souvenirs from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo where the dish was invented, our hopes were set very high, and our wing sauce experience unfortunately did not meet those expectations.
The blue cheese dipping sauce was very good, and there was a huge chunk of blue cheese in our side of sauce, so I'm confident it's a quality blue cheese sauce.
We also had a turkey burger and curly fries, which were fine. Nothing spectacular but nothing terrible, either. And to be fair, we came for the wings, so these items did not affect my rating.
I'd have given this place 3.5 stars if I could based on this trip. I'd go back to try a less mild sauce to see if that helps, which I'm inclined to think it would. The meaty wings are cooked perfectly, and if sauced to our liking this would be a 4 or 4.5 star review. -
Review from Angie M.
12/26/2008
The best wings on earth.
Ever.
Ever, ever.
Seriously.
Stop reading this reveiw, get off your ass and get to Franks for the Memories. -
Review from John L.
Chicago, IL
12/1/2008
If you want real authentic Buffalo Wings, look no further than Frank's for the Memories. The family that opened this fine establishment in 1984 is from Buffalo, NY. And they brought their authentic wing recipe with them.
Unlike BW3, the wings are big and meaty. I tried the hot, extra hot and suicide sauces. The main ingredient of the suicide sauce is Chili Garlic Sauce (like the red sauce they have on tables in Thai restaurants). Awesome! The "Spudsters" are a hit too. They are mashed potato bites that are breaded and deep fried. So puffy and light!
Forget BW3. If you're ever in the far north suburb of Mundelein, don't forget to get your wings! -
Review from Aloysius T.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 6/5/2009
Came back here again. Great wings again. These types of wings need to be eaten fresh. It is of the utmost importance:
on a sidenote: Chili was homemade and damn good; one of the best I've tried
These wings boil down to skin to white meat ratio. The reason why these wings are good, is that they did there homework when they chose their chicken wing supplier. These wings are big, so you get a nice crisp skin and still lots of white chicken goodness. That's why you need to consume them quickly. Since there is a lot more white meat to these wings, the meat hardens and the tastiness will quickly degrade rather quickly. Granted they are still good. But fresh, they are much better. With most other wings, they don't taste too much worse when they cool, since you can't get much white meat offa them in the first place. But these wings are good, and need to be consumed fresh.
Wingstreet from Pizza Hut: soggy mush
BW3: Wings are too small, and they tend to overfry them. All skin, no yummy meaty goodness.
Remember: Skin to meat ratio
This place isn't huge by any means, it's more of a take out joint; but they do have some tables. And some outside perfect for nice days.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/26/2009
If you are a wing fan, you gotta check this place out. Otherwise consider yourself incomplete.
These… Read more »
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Review from Kevin S.
Mundelein, IL
7/29/2008
This family restaurant is famous for introducing the delectable taste of Buffalo Wings to the Chicago-land area. I heard about it from an old co-worker that grew up in Mundelein. The workers are very friendly and don't mind asking your question of "how many wings come in each pound".
They sell wings by the LB and also offer other sauces like BBQ, Golden, Teriyaki or Suicide. The hot wings are big and succulent and the hot sauce is the best I have ever tasted. I went to Wings Fest for the first time this year and was disappointed that Franks was not in attendance. They definitely would've won "Best Hot Wing" if they were there.
I recommend ordering in advance if you have large orders because they do get really busy. I went here the Friday before last year's Super Bowl and they were already receiving orders for Super Bowl Sunday.
If you live in Lake County, love buffalo wings, and don't know about this place, SHAME ON YOU! If you don't live in Lake County and love wings, make the trip. It is worth it! -
Review from Dean K.
Buffalo Grove, IL
1/21/2009
The wings were excellent here. Very meaty. I had read the reviews previously and have been waiting to go until I had the chance today. I tried the mild and the teriyaki. Both were excellent. The blue cheese dressing is to die for as well.
The owner here is exceptionally nice as well. I will definitely be going back when in the area. -
Review from Vlad A.
4/29/2010
The wings are great here, but everything else is sub-par. The fries are soggy, the hot dogs are somewhat ok. They also charge a buck for a refill. C'mon hot wings and you want to rip us off for refills?
There is also NO washroom on site.
I will go back when the urge for wings calls, as there is nothing else available in the area. (BWW is a joke and so is Little Caesars and Pizza Hut with their soggy wings). Too bad Hooters shuttered a few years ago. -
Review from Morgan L.
9/7/2009 1 photo
Coming from Seattle, my family and I wanted to try ALL the great food that us west coast kids dont get often. My family who lives there told us to go to Franks to try the wings. I have never liked wings, so I wasn't that excited but Franks was amazing! We ordered 8 pounds of wings, and ate them all. We got to try the hot, extra hot, and suicide. All were great.
I won't be eating wings again till I come back to Chicago! -
Review from Natasha G.
Chicago, IL
3/8/2010 1 photo
I'm not going to lie, I was mildly disappointed. I love wings, love love wings. They should be a food group, I love them so much.
I've heard so much about Frank for the Memories, even my parents love it, they can't be wrong can they? My boyfriend and I grabbed lunch here: hot wings and suicide wings, a hot dog and curly cheese fries (for good measure). The best thing about the meal you ask? THE MELTED CHEESE that came with the fries. For real, this cheese was magical, I was almost sad to throw the rest of it away.
The wings were meh, or maybe because they forgot to give us our ranch dressing and suicide wings NEED ranch, it helps subdue the intensity of the wings while at the same time enhancing it. The first and second wing(s) was good, pretty tasty, but the more wings we ate the dryer they got the longer we waited. And these wings came DRENCHED in sauce, no bueno.
The wings here were unmemorable so maybe they had a bad day, but the cheese, people...the cheese is dreamy. -
Review from Eric P.
Palatine, IL
2/10/2010
I was totally hyped to go to this place as it was far north from me and was excited to hear this had the original NY buffalo sauce. So I went on my long journey north, yearning to taste this beauty.
I went in only to find the place small and tiny, with no heating but I didn't care because I was getting spicy original ny sauce wings that will keep me heated!
And finally got the wings and I tell you... I was sadly disappointed! I mean they weren't bad, they were good, not great, not mindblowing, not out of this world. not I will migrate north every time I have a craving good... just good.
I found the wings to be small, not hot enough, and the sauce was way too tangy and vinegary for my taste. It just wasn't amazing. I can say buffalo joes in Evanston are still kings, and gator's pub second. and these would be 5th somewhere. If you are in town and want some wings then go for it but no need to go out of your way for okay wings.
3.5 stars. -
Review from Doug A.
Fox Lake, IL
4/30/2009
Franks owns the wing competition. If you ever come down Hawley street through Mundelein, make it "must" to stop at Franks. They sell them buy the pound. There were two of us and we got 4 pounds together which turned out to be 28 wings. We engulfed them. I got the hot and he got the mild. Sauces were excellent. Big ass pops to hammer down the chicken. Instead of frying them in oil I beleive the use a butter that they cook them in.
Everything is great about this place. Small little place that you probably wouldn't stop at if you were just driving by. Everytime we go fishing up around these parts we make it a point to stop and get 4 pounds of wings. -
Review from Jay N.
Lombard, IL
1/29/2010
Decent sized wings with plenty of sauce. Definitely as close to true Buffalo style you'll get in the suburbs. The owner gave us a sample of the suicide which weren't that hot. The suicide seemed to have some Asian influence - Sriracha or hot oil?
They charge wings by the pound (approximately 7 wings / lb.). Refills on drinks are $1 and the family size fries seemed a little small. The owner was pretty pleasant telling us some of the eating contest stories. We left at 815 and they locked up and turned off the lights right then considering I thought they closed at 9. Overall, a pretty good place for wings. -
Review from Jill L.
Lake Zurich, IL
2/21/2009
These are the best wings in the world! I love Franks!
We order the 120 wings. -
Review from Greg G.
Vernon Hills, IL
10/10/2009
FrAnks is definitely one of my favorites. It is a tiny hole in the wall wing shack that kicks corporate chains asses (b-dubs).
I really haven't tried much of their menu outside of the wings but everyone else loves it. The only reason I don't give them five stars is because sometimes they douse them in too much sauce and the actual fried chicken they use is one of the best parts. I just request light sauce with a little extra on the side. -
Review from Mike J.
Vernon Hills, IL
10/9/2009
3 Words:
THE BEST WINGS!!!
That is all that needs to be said. -
Review from Frank N.
11/10/2010
I haven't been there in a while, but I do distinctly remember those Suicide Wings!!!! I think I need to make a trip there now...
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Review from Ken J.
Lake Zurich, IL
2/19/2011
Best wings in Northern Suburbs. i enjoy their mediums and hot. BBQ are my kids favorite. Don't know much else expect, get the wings, you won't regret it, unless you are a vegan. :)
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Review from K J.
Chicago, IL
2/16/2011
You'll never taste better wings. Anywhere. Ever. That is all.
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Review from Jared P.
Libertyville, IL
8/9/2011
I can't even begin to describe this place. I guess I will start by saying that it easily coasts to the title of the best place to eat in Mundelein. Noweher else even compares. The original owner grew up in Buffalo, NY, and that explains why the best thing on the menu is the Buffalo Wings. If you aren't in the mood for that, though, the burgers are great, too. Fries are also good. Never a single complaint about this place from myself or anyone else I have talked to in the 12 years I have been going here.
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Review from Cheryl V.
Mundelein, IL
12/31/2010
I love wings! I have had all sorts of "buffalo" or hot wings but my favorite has always been Frank's! My family loves wings! We order these for numerous family events and we always run out. My husband finally ordered the party pack so that my sister wouldn't worry about running out!
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Review from Jonathan C.
Chicago, IL
3/28/2008
The best Buffalo wings in the Chicagoland area. Nay, the state. No, the Midwest! Oh what the hell - the best outside of New York. I am a fried chicken addict and Buffalo wings are a major subsection of fried chicken. Frank's is my reference Buffalo wing recipe, the sauce is amazing and perfect. I've had literally hundreds of different Buffalo wing saucesand wings. But this place, in its weird building, in Mundelein, IL of all places, still reigns as the number one. That my friends is astounding. I recommend calling about 15 minutes ahead if you want to avoid a wait, this place can get pretty busy. It has a small dine in area inside and some outside seats when the weather is good, but most of the busy is take out.
Listed in: The Chicken Rankings
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Review from Jacob J.
11/23/2009
Grossly overrated with stars? 3 to 4 at best.
Meatier than the rest ? Oh yes.
Tons of different flavors? Yes, indeed.
Costly? Average.
Satisfied? Same as any other wings.
Return visit? Once is enough.
The drive out there was long; stopped by while checking out the Long grove Apple fest. If you plan on making the drive just for wings you are truly an adventurer, expect a nice hour long plus drive though Illinois country you never knew existed not far from Chicago. The place is run down and with the number of five star reviews plus word of mouth from locals I'm surprised they had never updated their look. Dining area is composed of yellow painted wooden, curved booth seating for two per side. Enough seating for twenty and Franks has their own parking lot. They have to be banking or had been at some point yes? It's like stepping back into the 80's which is fine since the locale fits with the establishment. Staff is pleasant and can answer some questions depending on whose manning the counter. B.S that sauce is an additional charge, I'm talking about condiment sauces like Bleu cheese or ranch & celery. Prices aren't so bad, but if you're trying to taste many sauces the bill adds up against you. Typically a 1/2 pound runs at $3.25 and you get approximately 7 pieces, hardly any small ones, mostly meaty. When the wings are served they are piping hot and overly saucy. I had a small fry with my order which was a dollar and the basket was about 2" by 2"inches, tiny; curly fries. Franks has about ten sauces or more to choose from and six of which are specialty, this difference is not reflected in their on-line menu. If you like hot, they offer mild, medium, hot, extra hot and suicide.
For what it was, it was good. Can't say I'd go driving thirty five miles again for wings. One thing I wonder; if you have been to a new Buffalo Wing wings, you would know that for the first six months to a year they serve large wings almost the same size as Franks. As they create a regular customer base they mix in regular sized wings. In that Franks is rock-star for keeping their wings, mighty and meaty.Listed in: Chicken - the always…
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Review from Tim M.
Mundelein, IL
11/19/2010
The authentic wings are great here, my only regret is that their hottest flavor isn't quite hot enough for me.
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Review from Aaron E.
Mundelein, IL
5/31/2011
If you want meaty, fresh wings with a huge variety of sauces, come here. They're incredibly tasty and the wings are just BIG. I'd say you easily get twice the meat per wing that you'd get at BWW and others. They sell by the pound, and usually 1-2 lbs will finish off event he heaviest eater. They are so damn good. The other thing that makes frank's great is that all of their sides are so reasonably priced. If you live in the area, do yourself and your gastroenterologist a favor. Eat at Franks!
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Review from Jay K.
1/9/2010
Enough has been said about the wings. There great. I'm here to talk about the HOT DOG. It's a dog from New York that's grilled or charred a little then they dress it up with the typical Chicago dog trimmings. Warning:They put ketchup on the hot dog. No problem, just ask for it without ketchup. I always get some wings and a hot dog chaser, or sometimes no wings and two or three dogs. The place is a real joint and there are a few booths and counter space to eat inside. Table outside weather permitting of course.
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Review from Sarah D.
Chicago, IL
3/27/2010
I dream about theses wings. I think they would be best described as the best thing I've put in my mouth.
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Review from larry b.
Woodstock, IL
9/7/2009
Franks has great wings. I used to live in Buffalo and went to the Anchor Bar. Franks is as good or better.
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Review from Patty R.
Lake, IL
9/13/2009
Real Wings! No breading, best tasting Blue Cheese, Careful on the Suicide Sauce.
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Review from seth p.
Brooklyn, NY
9/12/2009
As a life-long (forty-year) resident of the city, I have always harbored deep fear and opprobrium for the suburbs. But my first visit to Mundelein was extremely pleasant.
Frank's advertises "THE BEST AUTHENTIC WINGS WEST OF BUFFALO SINCE 1984." My girlfriend, who used to live in Buffalo, says Frank's sauce is "the same recipe" as the Anchor. (She said the chicken's not as crispy as the Anchor's, though.) No stranger to spice, Frank's Suicide Sauce made her shiver. But hot as it is, its tangy tastiness is in no way masked.
$7.29 got me four big wings, a cheeseburger (quite decent) and tasty lingonberry juice. LINGONBERRY JUICE! Next time I'll try a hot dog too -- they feature Sahlen's, a Buffalo brand.
When I walked into Frank's, which is a great classic drive-in type set-up, a middle-aged white guy was explaining in excruciating detail the business mechanics of franchising to a small African teenager. The kid was hanging on his every word, grinning and soaking up all the info, looking ready to begin his American business empire. When I sat down to eat, I opened the Pioneer News (the very well-written community paper) to the young man's picture - he's big news as one of Mundelein's newest exchange students!Listed in: North Suburbs
