Town Traditions: Cookie's Restaurant, Part Of Minooka For Decades

MINOOKA, IL ? Family style, American restaurants often come and go, and running one in a small community can be even more challenging, but not around Minooka. One of the best known local landmarks is Cookie's Restaurant and Lounge at the corner of Wabena Avenue and Mondamin Street, in Minooka's little downtown business district.

For the past 43 years, Cookie's has been a fixture in Minooka, a growing village of 12,758 along Interstate 80 between Joliet and Morris.

The Norton family first opened Cookie's in 1982, and it's been thriving ever since.

For his annual state of the village address at Minooka's Village Hall, Village President Ric Offferman told Patch's editor that he gets the food catered from Cookie's.

"Nobody is disappointed when we do," Offerman remarked during Monday's interview. "I've never had a bad meal."

A key reason for Cookie's success is the ownership stability. The Norton family has always owned and operated Cookie's, the village president noted.

"It's family oriented, and they take a lot of pride in what they do," Offerman said.

Patch asked Offerman to name some of his favorite meals.

"Probably right now it is the Tuscany chicken," Offerman said. "If you like frog legs, they've got pretty good frog legs. And, they've got a baked lemon cod that is awfully good."

Located at 103 West Mondamin, Cookie's Restaurant has a stellar rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars with 328 Google Reviews.

Two weeks ago, a woman named Ashley gave Cookie's a five-star review on Google, remarking: "This place is a hidden gem! The food is delicious, and the service is always top-notch. Truckers: if you're driving through Minooka, this place is worth the walk from the truck stop!"

Around the Joliet region, the Merichka's Restaurant on Theodore Street since 1933 is best known "for our world-famous poorboys," the Merichka's website declares. But many people in the area believe that there's another restaurant that's 25 minutes away that offers delicious poorboys on the same level ? if not even better than Merichka's in Crest Hill.

That restaurant is Cookie's in Minooka.

According to its website, Cookie's is known for its cozy, rustic and hometown atmosphere, and it regularly draws large crowds from Channahon and Shorewood. While Cookie's is probably best known for its different poorboy selections, "you are sure to find something for everyone here at Cookie's ... from salads and sandwiches, to fried chicken and ribs, to delicious steaks and seafood."

Cookie's features a spacious dining room and there's a large bar behind the dining room with a lot of space for customers to eat here as well. Cookie's is also known for its daily specials and a variety of fresh homemade soups.

On Sunday, the daily specials at Cookie's included cream of asparagus and beef noodle for the soups. The dinner specials were the fried chicken dinner, which comes with mashed potatoes & gravy, plus soup or salad for $13.95. The other special was the deep-fried walleye for $19.95.

Christina Van Yperen, president & CEO of the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce, praised Cookie's Restaurant for having a central role in maintaining the charm of Minooka's downtown. She said that Cookie's is considered a "cornerstone."

"Cookie's is the largest attractions for downtown Minooka. We get people from all over who come there," Van Yperen said.

One of the key reasons that Cookie's has become a destination restaurant is because the restaurant staff are always welcoming, whether you are a returning regular customer or someone who just walked inside the door for the very first time.

Cookie's is open Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m.

A faithful member of the Chamber of Commerce, Cookie's is known for being generous and giving back to the community, Van Ypersen said.

"They're always trying to help any way they can," she said. "Whether that's helping local organizations with donations or publicity or events. They give back quite a bit."