Seeing Stars: Restaurants Owned by the Stars..
  

 
603 N. Hollywood Way,
Burbank, CA  /  (818) 563-2800

You know Joe Mantegna.

You may know him as Rossi on Criminal Minds. Or, if you're a fan of The Simpsons, you may know him as the voice of mobster "Fat Tony".  Or perhaps you remember him best from the popular family show, Joan of Arcadia, where he played Joan's dad.

Or if you're a movie fan, you may know Joe best as Joey Zasa in The Godfather: Part III, or from Three Amigos, Forget Paris, or Up Close & Personal, among others... In 2011, he got a star on the Walk of Fame.

But what you might not know is that he owns a casual family restaurant, right here in L.A., just a few blocks from the Burbank studios.

Joe was born in Chicago, so it might not surprise you that his restaurant is called Taste Chicago, and features Chicago-style favorites: Italian Beef sandwiches, deep dish pizza, ribs, Annisetta salad, Polish and Italian sausage, homemade meatballs & marinara sauce, Chicago dogs, frozen custard and Lemon Italian ice, famous Eli's of Chicago's cheesecakes and Bristot espresso.  It's a big menu.

Taste Chicago opened in 2004 (with a lot of help from Joe's wife, Arlene Mantegna), so it's already lasted a lot longer than most celebrity restaurants.

Don't expect fancy.  This is a small, casual place, with Cubs & White Sox jerseys on the wall, and Chicago games on the TV,  where you order at the counter.  (It also does take-out.)  Portions are generous.

And as a bonus, "The Matthew Aaron Show", a popular L.A.-based entertainment Podcast, broadcasts live from every Wednesday afternoon, from 4 to 6 p.m.  Nick Searcy ("Justified"), Jim O'Heir ("Parks & Rec"), Vinessa Shaw ("Side Effects"), Tim Matheson ("Animal House") & Jim Piddock ("Best in Show") have all dropped by recently.

Here is a Google StreetView of the restaurant.

Taste Chicago is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on Fridays &Saturdays.

Getting there:  Taste Chicago is located at the northwest corner of Hollywood Way & Verdugo Way, just north of Warner Bros. Studio, and just northwest of NBC and Disney Studios.  And about three miles northeast of Universal Studios Hollywood.  Parking is free in the small lot out front. 

[ For more information, go to Taste Chicago's official website at: www.tastechicago.biz ]