Robin Brankey owned a real estate company in the 1970s. When the economy sagged, he decided it was time for a change. He had previous experience in the food industry, so a restaurant seemed a good choice.
Brankey searched Lake County and found a spot where there were no other restaurants at the time, in a good-sized community with a central location. He chose Lindenhurst as the home for R.J.`s Eatery. (The R is for Robin, the J is for a former partner, Jim.)
”People streamed in,” Brankey said. ”There were crazy for it. We just weren`t prepared for the large turnout.” R.J.`s Eatery offers an extensive menu featuring Italian and Mexican food along with steaks and seafood. ”We`re probably most well known for our pizza,” said Brankey. ”We feature pan, thin-crust and a special double-decker with two crusts and two complete layers of cheese and sauce. We`re soon to be debuting our new menu with more exotic pizza selections such as a Hawaiian, with pineapple and Canadian bacon, and a spinach, onion and bacon pizza.”
R.J.`s Eatery is tailored to family needs. ”Today there are a lot of working parents,” said Brankey. ”The extra time they have they want to spend together with their children. We have a video game room for the kids. The adults can enjoy a variety of foods from a hamburger to delicious seafood. We also offer an extensive salad bar as well as a sundae bar for dessert.”
Burgers start at $4.95. Entrees range from $5.95 to $13.95.
”We`re like a family,” Brankey said. ”Some of our employees have been with us since our opening in 1980. They seem to really like working here. It takes everybody working together to make a restaurant special.”
Is Brankey happy with his selection? ”Yes,” he said. ”And we really want to thank the community for their continued support of our place,” he added. ”Without it, we wouldn`t still be around.”
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R.J.`s Eatery is at 1913 E. Grand Ave. in Lindenhurst. Hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Delivery is available from 5 to 10 p.m. weeknights and until midnight on weekends. Call 708-356-2300.
