In Chicago back in the late '90s-early 2000s, there was a grilled chicken place at the corner of Wabash and Monroe called Taza. Dozens of chickens grilling at any time, having been basted in a citrusy marinade, baskets of warm pita bread for the grabbing, mashed red potatoes that were super-creamy even though the skins were included.
I used to work around the corner, and the place was invariably mobbed at lunch-time. But when I was back in the area after changing jobs in 2002-03, it was closed. 
Some of the Chicago restaurants that I miss the most are:
Zum Deutschen Eck - big German place in Lakeview
Demon Dogs - hot dog joint under the el tracks at Fullerton
Como Inn - big old-school Italian restaurant and wedding hall
Scoozi - yuppie Italian place in Lincoln Park
Come Back Inn - homey ski-lodge feeling joint in Melrose Park
Wraps. They were a restaurant in Houston located near my sister’s. They served these great overstuffed tortilla wrapped sandwiches which they would make to order right in front of you. I had always assumed they were part of a chain (they had that feel). But when the “local one” closed I checked and found out it been the only one.
Oh, I remember Demon Dogs. I had a couple of franks there before one of the early Chicago Dopefests, because I knew I would need them to soak up the booze. That was where I first met Gaudere, Unclebeer, and Jophiel.
I drove past Como Inn dozens of times, but never dined there. I was in the Rosebud
Restaurant on Taylor Street a couple of weeks ago, though…best red sauce Southern Italian I’ve had in ages.
All those places in Brooklyn are closing down. Where am I supposed to get a good mozzarella en carozza or veal Parmesan?
I think Muncie Indiana still has a sizzler.
I miss Noble Romans. They have take out places, but that isn’t the same and the selection isn’t as good. Plus the one sit down Noble Romans left on the west side of town doesn’t make very good food.
I also miss Ryan’s, which was an american buffet.
When I lived in Pittsburgh, there was a family-owned restaurant called Fatigatti’s (sp?), or “The White Front”, not far from Bridgeville. Great food, including a wonderful spaghetti with a garlicky, tangy meat sauce, the likes of which I’ll never taste again. Good seafood too. They closed in the 90’s, when the kids didn’t want to take over the business(as I understand it).
One of my all-time fav places.
Radar, you shouldn’t be eating that stuff at your age–what would Col. Blake say?
How about Gino’s and Ameche’s–founded by Colts players before the bastards slunk off to Indiana. Remember their slogan: “Everybody goes to Gino’s, 'cause every other place is closed.”? 
That was the last reason I had for ever returning to the Jewel of the Patapsco River Drainage Basin.
Is White Castle still around?
I was there just last month!
And how many of us remember the Automats in NYC? I used to go there every day for lunch. Most days I got the baked beans, but on payday I got the pricier chicken pot pie. Everything they had was the best, especially the lemon meringue pie. And the best coffee ever! My favorite Automat was on 5th Avenue, off 34th or 42nd. It was downstairs, and everything was art deco, all black trimmed with chrome.
I’m happy to see Burger Chef mentioned above! That was always a special treat.
I miss London’s Dairy Bar. Not a full-menu restaurant, but more like what older people would call a soda fountain, except it was a big store. My favorite was always shakes because they were made with real ice cream and blended right there. They’d fill you glass, and give you the blender cup with the remaining shake that you could share or add to your glass. And of course the window to the bottling plant was right inside the store. I think watching those processes destined me to be a manufacturing engineer!
I’m not sure what happened to them; the dairy company itself was bought in the mid-90’s, and I’m pretty sure the new bridge span is on top of their former plant location.
It is, around here. And you can get their burgers (frozen) in supermarkets.
Went there years ago on a family trip. Amazing “Old World” setting & a huge menu. Which made me really want to return, although I realized I probably wouldn’t…
In Houston, Leo’s was my family’s favorite Old Time Tex Mex. Today’s Tex-Mex & Mex-Mex places are better in many ways. But I’d still love another Meatless Plate from Leo’s.
And I love my neighborhood artisanal Tiki bar. But I wish our local Don the Beachcomber’s was still around. Fake rainstorm, Pu Pu Platters & all…
From Nebraska: Venice Inn and Piccolo’s have both closed. This has put an end to the 70 year Caniglia’s Restaurant dynasty. These people gave me my first job.
Around the turn of the century, (2000) there was a little breakfast and lunch place in a small town near me. “The Main Street Cafe”. It was fantastic. Rumor was that that the owner was a professional chef slumming because of legal trouble, and I believe it. His wife was the waitress, short-tempered and sarcastic. I saw her throw more than one party out of the place for asking stupid questions, but if she liked you she was wonderful.
They baked their own bread. They made their own sausage. They changed the specials constantly. The Irish breakfast with homemade soda bread and fried tomatoes. The Southern breakfast with ham steak, fresh biscuits, and homemade grits. The New York, Lox, bagel and a Knish. Endless varieties of pancakes and French toast and Waffles. It was heaven. Too good to last. Buddy and Patty, If you’re out there, I miss you, come back!
Time for me to reminisce about Bill Knapp’s of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio again.
<<frisson of euphoric recall>>
Burger Chef (and Jeff) for sure. Miss that place.
H Salt Fish and Chips After all these years, still haven’t found a place nearly as good.
Chi Chi’s Yeah, I know it wasn’t authentic Mexican but I liked it.
Bill Knapp’s Always felt young there, as we would generally in the minority in being under 80. Decent food at a decent price.
Last is for Muskegon MI only, but the Doo Drop Inn had great food.
Crappy name, though.
All in Cleveland:
Piccolo Mundo was a nice Italian-style bistro in the Warehouse District. Good pasta.
Frank & Pauly’s was another good Italian restaurant just off Public Square. Giant portions.
Fatfish Blue was a Cajun/Creole restaurant at Prospect and Ontario. I still miss the etouffe.
I think every third town in Wisconsin has a bar (or maybe supper club) which carries a variation of that name.
My wife and I loved the Come Back Inn; we were heartbroken when they closed.
Not too far away from there was Nielsen’s in Elmwood Park. I only ate there a few times (it was a more upscale place), but it’s where my then-girlfriend and I went for dinner on the night that I proposed to her, so it held a special place in our hearts, and we were saddened when it closed a few years later.
The Chicken Soft Taco Diablo was a thing of beauty. I have not had one since we moved away from Colorado Springs in '87 but they were my absolute favorite restaurant food when I was in Jr. High.
