I've been wanting to try Mort Anthonys. I've heard it's really good. I've been working in the Grand and Ogden area since 1993 and living there for the last 2 years. I've always been a big fan of that neighborhood. It has been changing over the last few years. Look at how division st. has changed in the last 20 years. It used to be boarded up store fronts and now it has fancy restaraunts and bars up and down the street. They are in the process of doing the same on Chicago Ave.
I love the Chili at vinne's. D'mato's has really good pizza bread.
Sorry for getting off topic with the food references.
I know Bella Nolte has mob ownership along with Salernos.
It's been well documented about Richards being mob owned and a hangout. It's kinda funny because when you go into Richards they have Goodfellas and Casino posters on the wall along with a New York mob chart. Not the kind of things you would expect to see in a mob hangout. The drinks are cheap and you do have a lot of characters drinking in there. My girlfriend and I will go there sometimes if we are waiting for a table at Piccolo Songo. I still need to try LaScarola which was a favorites of Lombardo.