Dukes Drive-In To Reopen In New Mokena Location

MOKENA, IL — Hog Wild Express in Mokena closed its doors for good April 10, but it didn't take long for another well-known restaurant to jump on the chance to take over the space inside the Gas N Wash at 19990 S. LaGrange Road.

Dukes Drive-In was a staple in Bridgeview for 44 years but closed in 2019. Now under new ownership, Dukes is expected to resurrect itself in Mokena in early June.

The restaurant made the announcement April 11 during a Facebook Live video on the Dukes Italian Beef page, and Patch confirmed the news with management at Gas N Wash.

"Yes, Dukes Beef as of this moment is officially reopening in Mokena, Illinois, right off of LaGrange Road," said Luke Lally, who has been running the Facebook page for Dukes.

The new Dukes will still have the same flavor its customers came to love over the years because the restaurant has contracted with the same suppliers it used in Bridgeview, Lally said.

And loyal Dukes' customers also can still expect to see those classic cars filling the parking lot, too, Lally said.

"We've got plenty of room for that," Lally said.

There will be at least one new addition at the Mokena location: a drive-thru, according to Lally.

Dukes Drive-In was owned by Bud Dukes. The new owner, Bill Humphrey, is the son-in-law of Bud Dukes.

Humphrey was in Florida during the announcement but shared a message to his customers on the Facebook live video. He said Bud Dukes' wife, Joan, gave him and Lally "her blessing" to reopen the restaurant in Mokena.

"Usually when something reopens, everyone says, 'Oh, it's not the same,'" Humphrey said. "But, I'm here to assure you we're going to have the same bread, same beef recipe, same sausage, same hot dogs, same big bag of fries. Everything should be the same. It should be great."

Related:

• Dukes Drive-in To Close After 44 Years On Harlem
• Hog Wild Express In Mokena Permanently Closing Sunday