"I became addicted to grilled cheese sandwiches when I was 11 years old. My family was vacationing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and I spent every day at the New York Yankees' spring training camp. Armed with a pen and an autograph book, I got the autograph of every Yankee player and coach, including Stengel, Mantle, Berra, Reynolds, Raschi, Lopat, Rizzuto and Mize. When the team took its break for lunch, I departed to a diner a few blocks away for a grilled cheese sandwich, fries and Coke. I preferred grilled cheese sandwiches to hamburgers and cheeseburgers. But the grilled cheese sandwiches at Cheesie's Pub Grub are at a different level. The OG, Mac, Tenderizer and Melt are in a different class, like the Yankees. Located at 958 West Belmont Avenue, at Sheffield, in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood, Cheesie's offers delicious sandwiches along with a full bar and arcade games. Open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday, it also features a Sandwich of the Month and a Mega Cheesie's Challenge that begs this question of all hungry customers: Can you eat a 16-inch, eight-pound grilled cheese in 60 minutes? I didn't bother to try. Instead, I chose to sample the house's signature grilled cheese sandwiches--the OG with American cheese and cheddar cheese spread on Texas toast served with tomato soup dip, the Mac with American cheese, cheddar cheese spread and house-made macaroni and cheese on Texas toast with tomato soup dipping sauce, the Tenderizer with cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, bacon, fried chicken tenders and tendy sauce on Texas toast and served with ranch dressing, and the Melt with American cheese, mozzarella cheese, marinated chicken breast and 1,000 Island dressing and tomato on Texas toast and served with creamy pesto mayo dipping sauce. Also be sure to start with a 12-ounce bowl of tomato soup or a 12-ounce bowl of beef chili topped with a cheese blend, chives and sour cream. If you are really hungry, try the Sandwich of the Month, the Yount, with cinnamon and sugar infused apple slices, caramelized onions and strawberry glaze topped with melted brie and white cheddar on cinnamon raisin bread and served with a caramel dipping sauce. With seasoned fries with honey mustard. There also is a Cheesie's location at 1365 North Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Grilled cheese was never like this."
