Opened in 1959 by Ann Sangiacomo, Mickey’s Drive-In remains a Bellwood staple and regional favorite for all who seek great food and the at-home feel of a friendly Mom and Pop restaurant.
Mickey’s Drive In was established at a time when eating by the roadside or on the hood of your car was a part of Americana. It was Annie’s dream to have a little business of her own. With just a few hundred dollars and the help of her husband Mickey, Annie transformed a roadside ice cream on Mannheim Road into a hot dog stand serving what we now know as the Chicago Style Hot Dog : A steamed bun with mustard, relish, onion and sport peppers. With the help of family and friends and a commitment to her dream the business and the menu slowly grew.
The little store got a little bigger in the 1960’s when the old outdoor walk-up window was closed in so Mickey’s customers could stand at the counter, protected from the Mid-west weather, and eat their sandwiches. All four of Annie and Mickey’s kids met their wife’s or Husband’s at work…. “because that’s the only place they were ever allowed to go” is the joke in the family. Annie and Mickey’s grandchildren have worked there many of them as their first paying job and the legacy continues in the fourth generation with Annie and Jake taking a hand.
What started over sixty years ago is alive and well and carries forward the family tradition. Come join us at Mickey’s and say hello to Mickey Jr. and Frank while you’re there.