Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, or at least recognizes your face.

Glenn's Friends Restaurant and Tavern, on Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond's North Side, is that kind of place.

The original Glenn's opened in 1937 and enjoyed a 69-year run before closing in 2006. It has re-opened under new owners.

The place is small, and it's hard to get a seat on Friday and Saturday nights when there is a DJ playing R&B hits from the past and present.

But the place recently started serving lunch, with $5 daily specials and a limited menu. I decided to try it.

When I show up after 2 p.m., there are three guys at the bar and me.

Did I miss the crowd? The bartender says they are still building the lunch business.

The $5 specials that day include a personal pizza, two beef hot dogs with fries, chicken "wing dings" and fries, two chicken and cheese tortillas, a large house salad, or a cold plate with chicken, tuna and potato salads. I am told I can also order from the regular dinner menu.

I ask about the tortillas. I get a noncommittal response, which I guess means they are not available. I order the chicken wings, which come with fries.

The wings take about 10 minutes to cook. They are crispy on the outside and the meat is tender. The fries are OK but not as brown as I like.

The total for my food and my drink is just less than $7.

A week or so later, I return. The cook, who mingles out front between orders, greets me with, "You're back."

The lunch menu is longer this time. There is a daily special of spaghetti, salad and bread. There is also a house salad with grilled or fried chicken. I ask for the tortillas again, and I get the same noncommittal response. I order the Italian sausage with green peppers and onions, with fries, for $5. I get it to go.

The bottom line: You can get a filling meal at Glenn's for lunch. Just a short trip north of downtown, it's easy to get to and has off-street parking. Look for the neon sign in the window, and don't let the exterior scare you off.
Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or TLSmith@timesdispatch.com.