Newest Joliet Restaurant: 'Our Steak Sandwiches Are Amazing'

JOLIET — As 2025 gets underway, Joliet's American Legion Hall on Ingalls Avenue is positioned to become one of Joliet's hottest new restaurant draws now that the former owner of Great American Bagel has left Essington Road for good.

Tom Grotovsky, one of Joliet's best known faces in the restaurant industry, opened The Curator's Cafe restaurant on Wednesday at Joliet's American Legion. He's staying open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and the bottom of his menu adds, "Sometimes Sooner, Sometimes Later, Sometimes Sundays."

"No deliveries, but we are doing carryout, dine-in and banquets," he explained to Joliet Patch. "We do catering."

One of the most important messages that Grotovsky wants to convey to everyone is this: "It's open to the public. Anybody can come in off the street."

People can also order beer or wine with their meals because "they have inexpensive drinks," he said of the American Legion bar.

The hall can seat 160 people, and the bar area can seat another 40 to 50 patrons.

Tom and Kathy Amos were his first customers on Wednesday. "They had the bacon cheeseburger and coleslaw," Grotovsky noted.

For people suggesting there are too many Mexican restaurants in Joliet nowadays, you won't find any Mexican food at The Curator's Cafe in the American Legion Hall.

For someone unsure what to order, Grotovsky suggested they try his steak sandwich.

"To be honest, our steak sandwiches are amazing. Our burgers are great. The steaks are charbroiled," Grotovsky said. "They're over 8 ounce steaks, New York strips, and my burgers are 5 ounces."

The Curator's Cafe features: hamburger, steak sandwich, The Van Gogh, grilled chicken sandwich, a shrimp platter, fish and chips, garden salad, chili, soup of the day and sides such as "Chef Tom's own creamy coleslaw," French fried crinkle cut potatoes and whole onion rings battered and fried.

"This is the first menu, so I've got to see what sells," he remarked. "The shrimp and cod are hand-breaded by me. The chili and soups are homemade. I just want to be known for good quality food at a decent price. I honor veterans. I believe all the veterans should have good food at a reasonable price."

Grotovsky spent more than 11 years on Essington Road where he was best known for having the Great American Bagel. In 2024, he ended his partnership with Great American Bagel and opened his Curator's Cafe for breakfast and lunch.

How did Grotovsky wind up taking over the kitchen at Joliet's American Legion?

"They kind of recruited me into this," he said. "I feel I was blessed to get this offer here. We just ask for your patience as we transition from a bakery to restaurant and know that we have customers' best interests at heart here."