After 63 years, a popular Oak Lawn restaurant will close its doors for the last time.
Petey’s Bungalow Restaurant and Lounge, 4401 W. 95th St., will cease operations after Tuesday, Oct. 15. The restaurant, a local fixture known as a classic supper club, has been at the same location since 1961.
In a Facebook post, owner Petey Kattos announced that the restaurant will close. He said opening the restaurant was a dream come true when he and his wife, Mary, first started it.
However, since Mary died last year, Petey said he has been deeply affected, and it is time to close the restaurant.
“Mary and I lived the American dream,” Petey said, explaining that the restaurant was more than just a place to dine; it was a gathering spot for the community. “As time passes, you finally realize when it’s time to end a chapter.”
The restaurant was a favorite of many residents dating back to its early days, featuring steaks, relish trays, martinis, and the vintage sign outside the building along 95th Street.
Kattos, 81, remained a fixture in the kitchen, often greeting customers and helping prepare meals. He noted in his Facebook post that while the restaurant wasn’t as full as it had been in the past, it was still performing well enough.
A bungalow house on the corner of 95th Street and Kostner Avenue, the building was converted into a steakhouse and seafood restaurant and has remained that way for generations.
Kattos said the restaurant will honor any outstanding gift certificates through the final day.
Mayor Terry Vorderer, a lifelong resident of Oak Lawn, said he will be one of the many customers sad to see Petey’s Bungalow close.
“I live a block away, and I can say this is a loss for the people of Oak Lawn,” Vorderer said. “For me personally, this is a big loss. I’ve been dining there for over 50 years, and I had some of my first dates with my wife there. He’s more than a cook, he’s a personality. He would come out and talk to the customers. I love the man, I really do.”
The mayor recalled that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Petey’s Bungalow was staying afloat by offering pickup service, he was amazed at Kattos’ output. Vorderer said Kattos made meals that “could fill a truck.”
“He’s the hardest working man I know,” Vorderer added.
In addition to Petey’s Bungalow, the Kattos family opened Petey’s II Restaurant Lounge in Orland Park in 1969, which served the community until it closed in January following Mary’s death.
“To those who have been loyal and supportive, our family sincerely thanks you for being part of our journey, our story, our history, our fond memories,” Kattos wrote in a farewell address.
Kattos continued to operate Petey’s Bungalow, where customers could come in for their favorite steak, chops, chicken, baby back ribs, seafood, fish, or Grecian-style entrees.
Vorderer and his wife, Linda, plan to dine one more time with friends at Petey’s Bungalow before it closes.
“I really liked his fish, but I think I’ve had everything on the menu,” Vorderer said. “What can I say? Things change, but it is a loss.”