By 
Al Capone, also known as one of Chicago’s most notorious gangster bosses, had an abundance of retreats and vacation spots where he could unplug from his extremely busy life of murder and mayhem and enjoy some peaceful R&R. These include St. Paul MN, Hot Springs AR, as well as some lesser known hideouts where he could maintain his anonymity, such as French Lick IN, Brookfield WI, Olean NY, Lansing MI, Dubuque IA, and Johnson City, TN. But one of Scarface Al’s all-time favorite places was much closer to his home, in Kankakee, as Kankakee Illinois Hospital was well known to Chicagoans looking to have a good time. Kankakee County towns had a reputation in the 1920s and 1930s for being open, fun places where anything went.
Kankakee County’s motto was “Just an hour from Chicago, but a world away.” According to Jorie Walters, a researcher at the Kankakee County Museum, there isn’t much written documentation of Al Capone’s influence in the area, but everyone knows the truth. Walters’ information was obtained from books, history columns in the Kankakee Daily Journal, oral histories, and ancient museum archives. She says some of the local dives that were owned or frequented by Scarface Al include Bradley Illinois’ Hawaii Motel; a safe house at L’Erable on the Iroquois River that was heavily fortified against unexpected and unwanted visitors; Nel Clark’s, a brothel in Kankakee now called City Tavern; The Sahara Restaurant on Fifth Avenue in Kankakee; and the Radeke Brewery, also in Kankakee, which was secretly owned by Al Capone in the 1920s and 1930s. Kankakee was also the hometown of Fred Burke’s moll. Burke was Capone’s main enforcer who planned and executed the 1929 Valentine’s Day massacre against Bugs Moran’s gang.
Another of Scarface Al’s favorite places was Miami Gardens, near Peotone Illinois Hospital, which was a bar and brothel in the Prohibition Days and is now called Edwin’s Bar. Scarface Al had the reputation of being the chief taster of the wares he sold in his brothel. The Miami Gardens had high, ornate ceilings made of tin, and there was a secret garage with space for twenty cars in the basement of the building that is riddled with bullet holes in the walls. Gang executions are rumored to have taken place in this hidden garage. Another favorite hangout spot was Club 54 restaurant near the Manteno Illinois hospital (just south of Manteno where Governor’s Highway meets 500E). This restaurant was actually a brothel.