Johnny's Prime Steak House, Chicago 1960

This is a 1960s menu from Johnny's Prime Steak House in Chicago. The menu cover and a mural on the wall of the restaurant depicts the traditional song 'Frankie and Johnny':  It tells the story of a woman, Frankie, who finds that her man Johnny was making love to another woman and shoots him dead. Frankie is then arrested.

"Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts
They had a quarrel one day
Johnny he vowed that he would leave her
Said he was going away
He's never coming home...
Frankie took aim with her forty-four
Three times with a rooty-toot-toot"

From what we know, Johnny's wasn't a fancy place. Patrons sat in red leather banquettes in a wood-paneled dining room. It was all about huge steaks – ladies could ask for their own special cut – at prices that make us wistful today. They took their liquor seriously too – there is a great selection of cocktails.