Eddie's return to downtown Arlington Hts. going smoothly

Devin Schaeffer is pretty proud of the spruced up Eddie's, a downtown Arlington Heights restaurant that's been a landmark for decades on the north side of the tracks.

Of course, when you're talking about a business that's about 60 years old, it takes more than a coat of honey beige paint to bring it up to date and up to code.

Schaeffer and her partners - family members and her boyfriend, Aaron Lee - took down a wall, installed new floors and ceilings and expensive things like plumbing and wiring and a new kitchen. Eventually they put more than $500,000 into the building at 10 E. Northwest Hwy. during a year of remodeling that culminated with the opening in November.

There are two things Schaeffer did not mess with - the gorgeous bar in the middle of the main room, and the fish fries.

OK, she did add a bit to the back of the bar and she installed purse hooks, which she said are very popular with the ladies, who are an important part of Eddie's clientele.

But she dares you to find anything different about the fish. The batter is the same, the oil is the same, and on Wednesdays and Fridays a man named Francisco still comes in to fry the catch, when it's all you can eat for $10. The main drawback is you might have to wait an hour for your food.

Eddie's, which opened in 1949, has had rocky times in recent years since offspring of the original owners sold it in 2006. It's had a few owners and has been closed much of the time before it was purchased by Barbara Schaeffer, Devin's mother.

Hot items on the new menu include tuna melt with apple wood bacon for $4.49 and the barbecue pulled pork sandwich for $4.99.

Devin Schaeffer was thrilled when one young lady enjoying a pub-crawl called her mother to report she was at Eddie's and got a dose of nostalgia over the phone.

She thinks she has come up with a combination of decor and entertainment to keep regulars and newcomers happy.

The decor includes a stone tile floor, six televisions, sports logos and pictures of icons like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, not to mention works by local artists, apparently de rigueur these days in Arlington Heights restaurants.

The dining room can be used for private parties for up to 80 people when the dart teams aren't tossing. It's particularly appropriate for coed wedding showers, said Schaeffer.

Entertainment at Eddie's includes live acoustic music from the 1980s and '90s on Saturday night; trivia on Thursdays; and karaoke coming soon. The restaurant is closed Mondays during the winter.

A back door makes it easy to park in nearby garages or on the street, said Schaeffer.

"A lot of people feel good that this establishment is back up and running and comfortable - a good hangout for everybody," she said.