Say Your Goodbyes to Martino’s
Historic hot dog spot, first opened in 1977, will close in December.
Martino’s, 1215 W. Layton Ave. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Martino’s has been a southside staple for nearly 50 years, serving hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches just a stone’s throw from the airport. The historic restaurant, 1215 W. Layton Ave., has drawn generations of repeat customers—many of whom rave about its banana malts, chili dogs and former mini golf course, which entertained children and teens in earlier decades but has since shuttered.
Now, Martino’s is saying goodbye.
The restaurant is set to close Dec. 19, capping off 48 years in business. Owners TJ and Cathy Anderson shared the news on social media Tuesday morning, setting off a flood of comments reminiscing about family outings, meet-cutes, mid-work stops and more—all set against the backdrop of the yellow-awninged, counter-service spot.
“Martino’s has never been just about making hot dogs,” TJ said. “My mom taught me something when I was very young: if you put love into something, people will come and they will remember and they will enjoy and they will return. That’s all Cathy and I have ever done.”
The restaurant, which first opened in 1977 under Mary Anderson, will continue as usual for the next six weeks, giving patrons a chance to pay their final visits, enjoy a few more Chicago-styles and share their favorite memories with staff.
“We’re hoping, up until we close, that we have a lot of our customers come in to visit and tell us their stories,” Cathy said. “I’m really looking forward to that.”
Following the closure, the couple plans to refocus on family—including a new addition, a grandchild, due in December. They also plan to use the extra time to travel, as vacations have been rare over the past four decades. One thing that won’t change is their closeness. But this time, it won’t be confined to the four walls of a restaurant.
“My wife and I spend every waking moment together, and we have since the day we got married,” TJ said. “I don’t know how to live my life without my wife involved with me and everything that I do.”
The Andersons’ online announcement hinted at Martino’s future, telling customers, “This isn’t goodbye forever,” and urging them to “stay tuned…”
“We’re not ready to share yet, but we are exploring some other opportunities to keep Martinos viable,” Cathy said. “Martino’s as a company is still going to exist … just at that location, it’s not going to be there anymore,” TJ added.
For now, the Andersons remain focused on day-to-day operations at Martino’s, which is open Monday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The restaurant is closed Sundays.
In addition to hot dogs—available with a range of toppings—and sandwiches, Martino’s offers entrees like spaghetti with meatballs or sausage, fish fry, corn dogs, soups and appetizers including eggplant fries, chili cheese fries and cheese curds. Save room for dessert—the restaurant has cakes, brownies, cookies and a rotating daily special.
For more information and future updates, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
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