Roy opened the first Choo Choo in Skokie in 1949 with partner William Indelli, a 19-seat counter where two O-scale trains -- a Pennsylvania steam engine and a Santa Fe diesel -- hauled food baskets past brakeman-capped waitstaff who called orders to the kitchen and signaled "ready" with a real steam whistle. James brought the concept to Des Plaines in 1951, and this is the location that stuck. The restaurant still mixes its milkshakes on a Multimixer, the same machine Ray Kroc was peddling before he bought out a McDonald's stand; legend has it Kroc tried to buy the Choo Choo outright and got turned down.
The building itself, built in 1956, came from Robert Stauber, an architect who studied under Mies van der Rohe and later worked on McDonald's own building plans. Ownership has changed hands a few times since the Ballowes sold in 1974, but the model train and the gimmick nobody's managed to copy successfully are both still running.
No photos yet — be the first to add one.
Have a photo from a recent visit? — customers and business owners both welcome.
Know about a deal here that's not listed? Add it below — we'll verify and publish it.
to suggest a special.
Think The Choo Choo deserves Iconic/Notable or Super Gem status? Tell us why.
to nominate a gem.
Every restaurant, dive, diner, bakery, and beef stand that made its way onto the show — plus an interactive map of every stop.
The Chicago Specials Score: member votes plus our own editorial judgment, updated as new spots earn their place.
Every real, verified Chicago event worth planning around — browse month by month, from this weekend to next summer.
Chicago