Radio edit above. Extended interview below.

Chicago is a restaurant city, one of the world’s best, and at the top of the list of Windy City restaurateurs is Alex Dana. In 1973, he opened his first restaurant on the corner of Washington and Wacker in the heart of the Loop. It was across from the Opera House, and his recipes won the hearts and palettes of opera fans and performers. A year later, he began building what would become the first of the Rosebud Restaurant Group.

Located on Taylor Street in Chicago’s Little Italy, it was originally named Bocciola della Rose (Bud of the Rose). Wisely, he changed the name to Rosebud, which opened in 1976 and it quickly became known for its delicious, authentic, Italian cuisine and as a hot spot for celebrity sightings. In the audio clips above, Dana tells WGN’s Steve Alexander about late night visits from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and others after they performed, and he talks about his special friendship with Tony Bennett. More contemporary stars became fans, including Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and Oprah Winfrey. Rosebud on Taylor St. is where Rosebud traditions were born 51 years ago and it remains open today.

Over the decades, the Rosebud Restaurant Group expanded to include Rosebud on Rush (1992), Carmine’s on Rush (1995) which opened as Carmine’s Clamhouse. “Actually, that was a laundromat, then El Cerrito came and put an addition on the top and made it a restaurant. Carmine’s, with its patio dining, became one of “the” spots in Chicago to see and be seen. “What made us there was the outdoor seating. That’s what that street’s known for. That outdoor, in the evenings, people wanted to hang out” and people watch. In 2023, Dana decided the old building had given as much as it could, and he leveled it and built a brand-new Carmine’s, which is opening this summer. There will not be sidewalk seating. Instead, there will be a second-floor outdoor terrace/patio that will be outstanding. It seats 100-125 people and you overlook Rush Street and everything, and you feel so comfortable and safe up there. You’re not on the street, but yet, you’re there, you know? And at 10 o’clock, the police close up the sidewalk seating, but we’ll be able to stay open (with our outdoor seating) till two in the morning.”

Another Carmine’s opened in Rosemont, with more Rosebuds added in Deerfield, Lemont, and Naperville, and Rosetta Italian in Chicago’s Theater District, and Mia Rosebud in Boca Raton, Florida.

Dana tells Alexander the key to success and longevity in a very difficult business is passion. “I love what I do. I love what I do. And my father and mother loved what they did. They were great restaurateurs because they worked hard, like I do. We’re back-of-the-house people. I’m in the culinary world. Management is beautiful with the guests and waiters and all of the people who take care of the customers, but I still like being on top of the red sauce and making sure it’s what people want everyday.”

Labor–finding and keeping good workers–has been an issue for the restaurant industry. “But you know what?” asks Dana. “If you make the people feel like they’ve got a home, and they’re happy, and you pay them well, it’s good.” He concedes that it isn’t a business for everyone and is hard on families. Six-day weeks, and the notion of spending weekends with your spouse and children like people in other industries do? “You don’t do that in this business. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, where are you at? Saturday night at five o’clock, you know what that’s called? Showtime, here they come!”

One of Dana’s tenets is: “You can’t look back if you want to move ahead.” That may have propelled him over the past half-century, but you can’t blame the guy for revisiting some of the many memories he has assembled in an iconic career.

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