After 53 years, Pal Joey’s pizza shop is closing

A destination for pan pizza in the Western suburbs since 1973, Pal Joey’s in Batavia is closing, its owner announced Tuesday.

“For 14 years in Batavia and 25 overall, I have had the honor and privilege of serving this community,” owner John Hamel wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday. “We strived to be more than a place to eat. We made it our goal to be more for our guests and the community and tried to make a difference. I know how much of a shock this is and all I can honestly say is, I’m sorry.”

The multilevel restaurant at 31 N. River St. has outdoor dining on a patio overlooking the Fox River.

Hamel, who’s owned the business since 2001, could not be reached for comment.

No closing date was listed, though in his post, Hamel urged people to “please come in over the next few days.” He did not state a reason for the closing.

“I'm sorry see it go but we've got people certainly looking around Batavia, kicking tires to open a new restaurant. So we'll see how it comes together,” Batavia Mayor Jeffrey Schielke said.

Named for the 1957 movie “Pal Joey” starring Frank Sinatra, the pizzeria opened under its original management in 1973 at 920 Roosevelt Road in West Chicago, where the WC Social Club is now located.

For decades it was a go-to locale, crowded with family gatherings, Little League team celebrations, and birthday parties, as customers savored the sweet pizza sauce and other offerings such as chicken fingers.

Pal Joey’s also sold its pizza at the former Wheaton Bowl at Gary Avenue and Geneva Road in Wheaton.

The restaurant, originally opened by Joseph Imbrogno, according to the West Chicago Voice, moved to 440 E. Roosevelt Road in West Chicago in 2001. That location closed in 2023, according to the Voice.

In 2012, a second Pal Joey’s location opened at its current spot on River Road.

Citing rent increases at the more than 100-year-old building, Hamel moved the restaurant to the corner of Main Street and Randall Road in Batavia in 2018. But four years later, he moved back to 31 N. River St.

Hamel left clues in his social media post that he would attempt a return to the hospitality business.

“I know this will not be forever,” he wrote. “… I hope to find a home for a carryout/catering space where I can continue to offer our famous pizza and more.”