Alex Klementzos, Owner of Oak Lawn Family Restaurant, Dies At 88

OAK LAWN, IL — The owner of the popular Oak Lawn Family Restaurant, Alex Klementzos, died Monday at home of a massive hemorrhage. He was 88.

Klementzos was a legend in Oak Lawn and worked up until his death, manning the cash register, seating customers and supervising the floor. He knew the name of every regular and never failed to inquire about their families. He would greet his female customers with a courtly “dear.”

“Alex would always greet his customers with a friendly hello and welcome you by name,” said Tr. Alex Olejniczak, who grew up going to the restaurant with his parents. “He was a giving kind man who was always willing to support a fundraiser that helped people in the community. He made sure that all kids got a sucker on their way out of the restaurant. It was a tradition he took joy in. He will be missed.”

Klementzos was born Sept. 16, 1934 in Greece. He saved up for ten years to immigrate to the United States. With just the clothes on their backs and too poor to own a suitcase, Klementzos, his wife, Kaliroe, and then 2-year-old son Pete, set sail for the United States in March 1963. They spent 28 days at sea riding in steerage.

“He was so proud when we pulled into New York Harbor,” Pete Klementzos said. “He held me in his arms to look at the Statue of Liberty. He tried to hold his arm up in air like the statue. He said it was the proudest moment of his life.”

Pete Klementzos said his father immediately got work in restaurants, washing dishes before being promoted to cook. He attended school at night to learn English.

“He just kept going forward,” Pete said. “He did really well for himself. He was always on the right side of the law and worked his butt off for his family.”

Klementzos and his family settled on the South Side at 56th Street and Kedzie, where a second son, Tom, was born. In the 1960s, Klementzos took over the legendary Rainbow Restaurant then located at Dearborn and Huron Streets, before the restaurant relocated a block away to Clark and Dearborn. Popular among police officers, cab drivers and night shifters, Klementzos ran the Rainbow until 2004.

“He got up every morning and drove from the South Side to North Side to be there at 4:30 a.m.,” Pete Klementzos said. “It was only closed on Christmas.”

Alex and Kaliroe moved to Oak Lawn in the 1980s where he continued his morning trek to River North. After leaving the Rainbow, Alex and sons, Pete and Tom, bought the Oak Lawn Family Restaurant, 5769 W. 95th St. in 2006, where they continue to run their family enterprise.

“My father was a self-made man,” Pete Klementzos said. “He always said this county doesn’t give you anything, except for opportunity.”

Alex was preceded in death by his wife, Kaliroe, who died in 2018. He leaves his sons, Peter (Toula) and Thomas (Marlys). He was the cherished papou to Alexandros (Chelsea), Alexander, Peter (Sarah), Thomas, Angeline (Niko) Marneris, and Caroline. He also leaves his siblings Theodora (Kosta) Argyropoulos, and Vasilo ( the late James) Siaperas and the late Yianni Klementzos, and a dear uncle to many.

A visitation will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 8, immediately followed by a funeral at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 10301 Kolmar Ave., Oak Lawn. Entombment to follow at Bethania Cemetery. Services are entrusted to Blake-Lamb Funeral Home. Face masks are required.