Snuggled into the corner of the iconic Beldon Stratford Building on Lincoln Park West is a gem in the world of cuisine. Behind rusty mirrored doors lies a French bistro that has become a Lincoln Park classic and a Parker favorite. The dimly lit dining room provides just enough light to see the neutral colored tiles and black and white photos of Paris that have been present since the restaurant’s start.

The cozy space was first leased to “Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises,” a privately owned restaurant business, in 1981. The Chicago based company, which has created numerous restaurant concepts, opened a French restaurant by the name of Un Grand Cafe, now known as Mon Ami Gabi.

John Mahady, a longstanding waiter and office worker, at Mon Ami Gabi started working for the restaurant when it was still called Un Grand Cafe. “It has changed very little since the start,” Mahady said. “We opened the windows, we put in a sitting bar, we redid the kitchen, we changed the name. But really, there isn’t much of a difference.”

The original restaurant, Un Grand Cafe, was started by Rich Melman, the founder of the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant company. Melman brought in Gabino Sotelino to be the chef at the Lincoln Park French restaurant. As the business continued, Sotelino became a partner in Un Grand Cafe and started other Chicago restaurants like Ambira and Cafe Baba Reba with Melman. As Un Grand Cafe made its way to cities such as Washington D.C. and Las Vegas, Sotelino wanted his name in the title. Thus, the “Gabi” in Mon Ami Gabi comes from Sotelino’s first name. Today, Sotelino spends his retirement in the Basque region of Spain.

Mahady, who saw many of the changes that Melman and Sotelino brought,  has had many memorable experiences from his years working at Mon Ami Gabi. From spilling banana foster on top of a woman’s head, to singing to diners, he has countless stories to tell. The loud nature and old time club–like feeling the restaurant provides replicates the iconic dining experience in Paris, and never ceases to draw back customers of all ages for its oysters, plats du jour, and famous steak frites.

The Sandlows, an elderly couple in the neighborhood have been coming to Mon Ami Gabi twice a week since it opened in 1981. Greeted by hugs and kisses from the staff, the two take their usual seats where they are served their usual drinks without a word of instruction. “It’s really homey,” Mrs. Sandlow said. “They make you feel very comfortable. It exudes warmth. They get to know you. You get to know them.”

On a normal night, regulars such as the Sandlows occupy a large number of the tables in the restaurant. “90% of the people I wait on a night are regular customers,” Mahady said. “One of these families is the Marks. I’ve seen them grow up, get married, have kids, having those kids go to college.”

A member of the Marks family, Oliver, is a sophomore at Parker. “There is a great sense of community at Mon Ami Gabi,” Marks said. “I feel welcome every single time I go.”

Along with the Marks family, junior Maddy May and her family, are also regular diners. “It’s a tradition for me and we have been going there since I was born,” May said. “We know most of the staff there so it’s always welcoming when we go.”

With the restaurant’s close proximity to Parker, it can be a staple for students, teachers, and faculty. Whether it’s the location of a standard sit down family dinner or somewhere to unwind after parent-teacher conferences, Mon Ami Gabi seems to often make its way into Parker life.

Though there are one-timers, the regulars preserve the classic feel of Mon Ami Gabi. “The loyalty I’ve established over the years makes working at Mon Ami Gabi is amazing,” Mahady said, “It’s like working in my very own dining room.”

While tradition is essential to the business of this restaurant, little fixes to certain aspects of the restaurant have had their benefits. General manager Sue Kim has worked at Mon Ami Gabi since April of 2013. “There were not a lot of things broken with it,” Kim said. “But like most restaurants that have been through a lot of years, it just needed a fresh pair of eyes to see if there were different entrepreneurial opportunities.”

Kim’s management style, with fresh eyes to the business,  has brought much success to the institution. Since she began working for Mon Ami Gabi, the restaurant’s sales have increased by almost 8%. Along with this, she has focused on improving the overall experience for customers by adding Sunday brunches, installing an outdoor bar, and establishing off-site catering.

The classy, old style atmosphere of Mon Ami Gabi proves the point that tradition and history create long lasting success. “Consistency is the core of what makes Mon Ami Gabi special,” Kim said. “It’s not the hip, cool place that just goes away. It’s a longstanding tradition in the neighborhood.”

Back in the days of Un Grand Cafe, diners would dance during dinner and chat with the tables around them. Though times have changed, and the once brown table clothes have changed to white, the restaurant will always remain the “jewel” of Lincoln Park.