With its 1950s décor and music, Garibaldi’s is known as the place for a party. Whether that’s a Girl Scout bridging, an end-of-the-year junior high band party, a milestone birthday or a reunion, there are bound to be crowds in the party room or hanging around the claw machine.
“It’s just one of those things,” general manager Steve Carlson said. “We tried to come up with a theme of Elvis and roller skates and ‘Elvis ate here.’ Plenty of our older customers come to eat and listen to the music. It brings back memories.”
Garibaldi’s has been a mainstay in the northwest suburbs for the past 40 years. Owner Gary Mednicov ventured out to the Midwest from the Boston area, and two months later Carlson joined the venture.
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The Italian eatery from the East Coast was up for the challenge of staking a claim in the land of deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, Carlson said..
“The bigger surprise was what was here 40 years ago,” said Carlson of Sleepy Hollow. “Woodfield mall had just been built. It was farmland and fields. We took a chance, and 40 years later, here we are.”
Garibaldi’s is known for its floppy New York-style pizza slices, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, hot oven grinders, breaded chicken breast sandwiches and Italian cold cut subs with oil and vinegar, which Carlson grew up eating. “Our Italian lemonade is known in all of the northwest suburbs. This lemonade is unique to Garibaldi’s,” Carlson said.
But what makes the restaurant special is the customers, Carlson said.
“I can’t tell you how many customers came here as kids and now they bring their kids here. Or they worked here and now their kids work here. The parents come up to me and say they want to send their kids here because they like our work ethic,” Carlson said.
With two locations, Garibaldi’s finds ways to expand providing food service at outlets like the Hoffman Estates Park District, Schaumburg Boomers Stadium and, most recently, the Sears Centre, home of the Windy City Bulls, the Chicago Bulls’ D-league.
That’s in addition to hosting fundraising nights for local schools.
“We’re committed to the community,” Carlson said, “and once you commit to the community, they commit to you.”
Pricing: Appetizers from $1.99 for French fries to $12.59 for 16-piece buffalo or barbecue wings. Salads from $3.69 for side Caesar to $8.29 for Gino’s Italian. Hand-tossed pizza from $10.99 for a 12-inch cheese to $16.49 for 16-inch cheese. Slices from $3.75 for cheese to $54.25 for pepperoni or sausage. Specialty pizzas in seven varieties from $14.99 for 12-inch to $22.99 for 16-inch. Homemade Italian dishes from $6.29 for mostaccioli to $8.69 for veal Parmigiana. Submarine sandwiches from $6.99 for pepper and egg and $7.59 for Stromboli. Char-grilled sandwiches from $4.69 for Wisconsin cheeseburger to $6.59 for chicken breast Parmesan. Kids’ meals $5.79 for five options.
Shonda Talerico Dudlicek is a freelance reporter for the Courier News.
Garibaldi’s Italian Eatery
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Address: 2346 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates, and 1960 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights.
Contact: 847-884-8663 for Hoffman Estates or 847-577-4000 for Arlington Heights, or go to www.garibaldis.com