Happ Inn Northfield

Is now open (according to their website at least). Anyone been yet?

The Happ Inn
305 Happ Road
Northfield, IL 60093
847-784-9200
http://happinnbarandgrill.com/

This probably won't be much help, but my dad had dinner at Seul's Tavern near the Happ Inn this week and said the wait for a table was around 45 minutes. This doesn't necessarily mean the food is good (although considering the pedigree I'd bet it is) but more because any new restaurant on the North Shore tends to get swamped with people who want to try a new place. I'd be interested in hearing how it is too - my dad will be a likely patron and I'd love to give him the advance scoop.

Taking reservations at Open Table.

For what it is worth I understand Sam Luna who was the owner/chef at Mesa Luna in Three Oaks,Michigan(which seemed to get decent write ups here) is the chef or a chef at Happ Inn.Just some info to pass on.

I ate there last week for a business dinner. 4 people total with a reservation. We were greeted upon entering as we gave our reservation information. The space is nice with plenty of room between tables and inviting booths. We chose a table in the middle of the space. We immediately ordered drinks and an appetizer of guacamole. I was a bit surprised by the limit of wines available by the glass. The guacamole arrived and was good although the portion was on the small side.

For entrees I ordered the fish special which was a snapper served over Spanish rice with crispy potato strings on top. I felt the dish lacked flavor on all levels. The fish and the rice were very bland. One person at the table ordered a blackened fish sandwich which they also said was bland.

Another person at our table ordered the mini burger sliders for their entrée. When they ordered the burgers they specifically asked for no ketchup or mustard. When the sliders came out they had both. We pointed this out to the waitress and asked for some fresh buns absent the mustard and ketchup. The waitress apologized and said she would bring out some fresh buns with lettuce and pickle. After a wait of about 10 minutes the new buns were brought out. Unfortunately, they also had ketchup and mustard on them. When we were able to get the waitresses attention we pointed this out and she said she would take care of it immediately. The waitress than went to the table of 6 next to us and began taking their order. Why she didn’t immediately go back to the kitchen and solve this problem is a mystery. Shortly after this, I believe it was Carlos who was walking the dining room checking on tables. He came to our table and we explained what had happened with the sliders. He looked down at the plate and basically said “They look good to me, I would eat them” and than walked away. No apology, no offer to make things right. Our waitress did offer to take the charge for the sliders off the bill after we declined the third attempt to correct the problem since everyone was done eating at that point.

I must admit that the last time my wife and I ate at Carlos and Cafe Central, I was similarly unimpressed.

This was a few days after the opening so we understand there are going to be issues, but I expected more from the food itself.

There were several tables with children and the prices were appropriate for the space and the menu. I think if I went back I would stick with the burgers or the pizza and hope for a better outcome. I would also like to see more wines by the glass and perhaps a larger selection of unique draft beers (10 or more). This is the type of restaurant where I probably would bring the kids for an early dinner and would be having 1 or 2 drinks with dinner, not a bottle of wine.

And if the target is higher end burgers and pizza, than a glass of wine or a good draft beer would be great.

Went for a late dinner last night - First sign was a bad one. Stood next to a dirty high-top in the bar for close to five minutes. No one ever cleaned it. Funny thing is that the owner was talking to the table next to it and didn't even notice. Not a good sign. We moved to another table after the people there moved to a table in the restaurant. The space is very nice. Very comfortable. Extremely crowded for 9 p.m.

We ordered cocktails, waited very long for them to come (mine was incorrect but it was cold and needed so I didn't send back). Being late we decided to just order one appetizer and one entree for the two of us. Waited forever for server to come back and take the order. Decided on the mushroom and cheese taquitos and the fish and chips. Waited even longer for the food. Taquitos were unreal. Unreal in that I can't understand how so many ingredients could have absolutely no flavor. Even the refried beans had no flavor. French fries were cooked correctly except they were drenched in salt. I love salt but this was even too much for me. The high point was the fish, tasty breading, moist fish, excellent tartar. Hoped a dessert would salvage an over-all mediocre meal, went with the servers recommendation for "cake in a cup". Should of been called 9 ounces of whip cream on top of 1 ounce of cake. All flavorless again.

2 cocktails + 1 beer + 1 appetizer + 1 entree + 1 dessert + coffee = $60.00. I may go back to try a burger, the strange thing is that even those all sound incredibly mediocre. Maybe it fits the palate of the average consumer but overall we found everything very boring.

Can I ask what's a high-top, other than a gym shoe?

Katie wrote:Can I ask what's a high-top, other than a gym shoe?

A high-top is a taller table usually in bar areas that uses bar stools for seating.

The Happ Inn is now open. The spot seems to be slightly cursed. Any experiences yet?

I'm going to race right there, as soon as I know what state you're talking about. Kinda cryptic.

Yeah, a description, location, phone number would be nice. Something like that.

Mike G wrote:I'm going to race right there, as soon as I know what state you're talking about. Kinda cryptic.

We've merged the newly-started thread about Happ Inn with one that was already running. Hopefully, that will dispell your confusion.

Carry on,

=R=
for the moderators

The Happ Inn is now open. The spot seems to be slightly cursed.

Slightly? I have little doubt that there are sacred Indian burial mounds underneath atop a layer of shattered mirrors and mummified black cats.

I do miss the Brasserie T days. Great (relatively) cheap eats. And my kids were virtually guaranteed of running into one of the Bulls players during their golden era.

I don't believe the space is cursed. Brasserie T was doing just fine but internal problems -- not the space itself -- brought it to an end. Before that, Danny's Place also did well there until ownership over-reached during a tough business environment and brought it and an ill-timed second location to a close.

More recently, rent was very high, making it extremely difficult for anyone to make ends meet in that location. I'd heard that the rent was over $30k/month. It'd be hard for anyone to make it in that space at that level. Given that parameter, MK North (and the subsequent A Milano Grill) never had a chance. Aside from the very high rent -- and the fact that bar sales are generally about 20% of total sales in the suburbs -- it was not a well-run restaurant. Haussman Brasserie was helmed by a team that has all but failed financially in every location they've ever occupied.

This is a big space with ample parking and easy access to I-94. It's in a heavily residential area which offers very few other dining choices. I hear that the rent has been greatly reduced, too. If Happ Inn is run well, they'll make it.

=R=

To me "cursed"=incapable of sustaining a long-term tenant.

This is a big space with ample parking and easy access to I-94.

That pretty much describes all the reasons why the location should be successful but nobody has been able to make it work in 20 years (for long enough to qualify as a "success.") I live closer today than in Brasserie T's heyday and while I may have made the extra effort back then you really need to woo people to that location and nobody has been able to succeed in a long, long time. It also doesn't help that the area has been dotted with equally good or better spots in recent years.

I wish them well, but there's definitely a ingredient that's lacking in what otherwise should be a winning formula.

spinynorman99 wrote:To me "cursed"=incapable of sustaining a long-term tenant.

This is a big space with ample parking and easy access to I-94.

That pretty much describes all the reasons why the location should be successful but nobody has been able to make it work in 20 years (for long enough to qualify as a "success.") I live closer today than in Brasserie T's heyday and while I may have made the extra effort back then you really need to woo people to that location and nobody has been able to succeed in a long, long time. It also doesn't help that the area has been dotted with equally good or better spots in recent years.

I wish them well, but there's definitely a ingredient that's lacking in what otherwise should be a winning formula.

Again, I'm saying that the multiple failings in that space have had very little to do with the location -- other than the coincidence that the entities that failed all shared it. I think the lacking ingredient, if there even is one, has had a lot more to do with the tenants (and their specific circumstances) than the location.

=R=

Hmm....

Do you watch Mad Men? This week they had a scene where they presented a client (Pepsi) with exactly the ad concept the client requested but it fizzled. There was some discussion of a missing "something" that no oe could put their finger on.

I think that the Happ Rd. location has more than one missing "something" as I alluded to above.

1) It's just a bit off the beaten path - it is very convenient to the expressway and with plenty of parking but unless you're planning to go there not a spot that you'd otherwise pass with regularity, so it easily falls off the radar.

2) (sort of the flip side of #1) There are plenty of competitors in more convenient or visible locations.

So I think it's more than coincidence -- and some of the former tenants had all the earmarks of long-term success but I think ultimately location killed them all in some way.

spinynorman99 wrote:Hmm....

Do you watch Mad Men? This week they had a scene where they presented a client (Pepsi) with exactly the ad concept the client requested but it fizzled. There was some discussion of a missing "something" that no oe could put their finger on.

I think that the Happ Rd. location has more than one missing "something" as I alluded to above.

1) It's just a bit off the beaten path - it is very convenient to the expressway and with plenty of parking but unless you're planning to go there not a spot that you'd otherwise pass with regularity, so it easily falls off the radar.

2) (sort of the flip side of #1) There are plenty of competitors in more convenient or visible locations.

So I think it's more than coincidence -- and some of the former tenants had all the earmarks of long-term success but I think ultimately location killed them all in some way.

I'm not sure I agree but I appreciate your perspective on this. And to support your argument, you can only get on the Edens going south at Willow (not north) and you cannot exit at Willow when traveling south on the Edens. So, if you're coming from the north, its location isn't quite as convenient as if you're coming from the south.

As for competitors, I just don't know who they are -- at least in that direct area. But generally speaking, everything's a drive in the suburbs, so even places in other suburbs might be considered nearby competitors.

I have inside information from investors of both Danny's Place and Brasserie T that leads me to believe those places would have succeeded if their management had not over-reached. Of course, it still boils down to speculation.

In any event, I wish Happ Inn well and hope they make it.

Btw, I love Mad Men!

=R=

Brasserie T rolled their profits from the restaurant into opening their store a few doors down which fizzled and collapsed the empire. There's more to it than that but on the practical side that was the beginning of the end. Which then led to new beginnings.

spinynorman99 wrote:Brasserie T rolled their profits from the restaurant into opening their store a few doors down which fizzled and collapsed the empire. There's more to it than that but on the practical side that was the beginning of the end. Which then led to new beginnings.

I'd say it was more like the tip of the iceberg.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:<snip>
I'm not sure I agree but I appreciate your perspective on this. And to support your argument, you can only get on the Edens going south at Willow (not north) and you cannot exit at Willow when traveling south on the Edens. So, if you're coming from the north, its location isn't quite as convenient as if you're coming from the south.
<snip>=R=

I live right at Willow and the Edens and getting off at Tower and zipping down the frontage road is no big deal after you've done it once. That said, you can drive by the place every day and not know it's there. The sign is not that big and the mall is set far enough back that you can't easily see it. It's not a well traveled road either unless you are a local or are going to New Trier W.

spinynorman99 wrote:Brasserie T rolled their profits from the restaurant into opening their store a few doors down which fizzled and collapsed the empire. There's more to it than that but on the practical side that was the beginning of the end. Which then led to new beginnings.

This is what I'd heard, as well. Fwiw, that shop, Three Tarts Bakery (nee Vanilla Bean Bakery), has been rolling along for some time. They seem to do well and often have a line out the door at lunchtime. Fwiw, I really enjoy their offerings.

In any case, I decided that rather than speculate any further (I love restaurant theory but it only gets you so far), I'd check out Happ Inn for myself. So, the other day after work, I headed down to Northfield, past my usual watering hole, and grabbed a seat at the bar. The weather was cooperative and the large, floor-to-ceiling doors that separate the bar area from the front patio were wide open, creating one, very comfortable, indoor-outdoor space. I ordered an Old Fashioned, which was fairly boilerplate. It started with muddled foodservice maraschino cherries and a half-wheel of fresh orange. I was happy that no additional sugar was added but the barkeep did squeeze a shot of sprite in after the bourbon. The net result was not something I loved but it was made with care, which I appreciated. The bourbon selection was decent, if not super premium. In addition to Woodfood Reserve, which I selected for my OF, there was also Basil Hayden, Booker's, Bakers and Maker's Mark. Obviously, cocktails are not the thing in the northern suburbs but others were better than the seldom-ordered OF. Sour mix, bloody mary mix and other bar components -- like limoncello -- are made in-house. This definitely puts the bar at a higher level than many places in the area. I tasted a Lemon Drop (which incorporates the limoncello), which was nicely balanced and definitely not too sweet. The prickly pear mojito, another custom libation, was tasty, too.

Food-wise, things were mixed, as well. Guacamole was tasty, as was a somewhat unusual cheeseburger soup, that tasted like a burger and the condiments. Chicken tinga pizza was ok. The crust was not very crispy and played more like a pastry than a pizza crust. Toppings were a bit bland, too. We tried a couple of different burgers that were both very good -- and cooked properly, to order (even though the menu states that all burgers are cooked to medium, that merely represents the default and we had no resistance ordering ours medium-rare). The 'Big Happ' is basically a higher-quality Big Mac (with tomatoes). The Chili Philly burger is topped with poblano rajas, Philadelphia cream cheese and crispy fried onion strings. Again, both burgers were tasty, but I wished the philly were some other sort of more pungent cheese. Its heaviness more or less masked some of the other components. The Southwest chopped salad -- corn, blackbeans, carrots, green onions, red pepper and tortilla strips -- was good, too. I thought the dressing was a little bland but I appreciated the quality of the salad nonetheless. For me, the Herb-roasted chicken was not so great. It was extremely dry and I did not personally care for the seasoning mix at all. The mini salad with which it was served was comprised of bouncy baby greens but the fries were not even close to worth the calories.

Service across the board was excellent, friendly, accomodating and helpful. I listened in while a manager briefed the staff before service (near the bar) and it's clear that there's a tremendous amount of care being applied to the service details at Happ Inn. Carlos and Debbie Nieto were both on premises, too, which I think is a very good thing. I enjoyed my first trip to Happ Inn and will return again soon to check out a few more of the menu items. Right now, there's nothing other than curiousity compelling me to return but after having tried so few of their offerings, that's not entirely surprising.

=R=

I visited Happ Inn tonight and thought it was decent, certainly nothing remarkable. I'll first say that the place was packed which is good to see because I generally thought crowds were a bit light at the predecessors. They also have a nice outdoor front patio which will be great for those last few weeks of decent weather. Carlos and Debbie wandered the patio and dining room throughout the night. Service throughout the evening was excellent - friendly, accommodating and the staff just seemed to go above and beyond trying to please the customers.

I ordered the sunrise burger which was topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, a sunny side up egg and tabasco sauce. They asked me how I wanted it prepared and I ordered medium rare (Ronnie, I didn't see the mention of burgers being cooked to medium and it's not on the online menu, so maybe this has changed?). It was probably closer to medium, but not much. The patty itself was a bit dry and under-seasoned, but the egg was beautifully fried and gushed yolk when cut, and once I added a little salt and pepper, I thought it was pretty good. French fries were a bit on the bland side really.

I also tasted the roast chicken and I agree in all respects with Ronnie - dry and the seasoning mix just didn't work for me, although I could not figure out all of the components. The salad served with the chicken (seemed Mediterranean inspired) was very nice though and featured a wonderful lettuce mix, great tomatoes and a tasty vinaigrette.

I also tasted the southwestern chopped salad and this was my favorite item of the evening. I actually thought the dressing worked very well with the ingredients, complementing but not outshining them. Overall, I'd say the meal was kind of middle-of-the-road but the excellent service will make it likely that I'll give it another try.

Whoever asked if this location is cursed may be on to something, but it's possible Happ Inn will succeed because it offers a decent choice for families with kids. For that reason, I wish them all the best.

For those looking for something even slightly elevated above the norm, steer clear or just lower your expectations. We found the food to be largely tasteless, the menu unfocused and our genuinely sweet waitress completely out of her element in the most basic conversation about the menu. One simple test I have for whether a restaurant kitchen is paying attention is to see how a field greens salad comes out. Does it contain those dreaded bits of rotting leaves that can run rampant in field greens? And is it over-dressed? The answer was yes to both. A topper of chicken on one of the salads tasted like it had been boiled in water.

The owners appear to care a lot about serving customers. That's always a good thing. And I am completely sincere when I say that if you have some kids in tow and need a place to have a quick dinner, it's definitely a place to try. The food is at least as good as other kid-friendly spots on the North Shore and the atmosphere / decor a notch above.

Anyone seen the Chicago Sun Times today?

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/d ... antreviews

Nice review of The Happ Inn. I have really enjoyed their Angus burgers as well. (so many varieties) This place will be around unlike the previous restaurants in this location. and Pat Bruno your wife is correct the skirt steak was perfect!

Going there tonight. Anyone have any more recent intelligence?

I've been to the Happ in a few times now for dinners with a friend who lives down the street. It has a nice bar and is a good option if in the area and you want a beer and a burger. The higher end menu items I've seen haven't looked great, so I've never ordered. We usually just sit and eat at the bar where they have a nice draft beer selection. Each time I've been there a walk in table had a wait of about 30-45 min.

That being said, that space has always haunted me after finding a live worm in my take home fish and chips from Brasserie T.

P. Channon wrote:That being said, that space has always haunted me after finding a live worm in my take home fish and chips from Brasserie T.

That's funny, I once found a live cricket in my salad at Brasserie T. It didn't stop me from going back.

Happ Inn is just ok in my book. My problem is that everything I've had there from the salads, to tortilla soup, to burgers seem really bland.

saluki9 wrote:

P. Channon wrote:That being said, that space has always haunted me after finding a live worm in my take home fish and chips from Brasserie T.

That's funny, I once found a live cricket in my salad at Brasserie T. It didn't stop me from going back.

Happ Inn is just ok in my book. My problem is that everything I've had there from the salads, to tortilla soup, to burgers seem really bland.

I didn't find it as funny!

I was eating my fish when I saw something MOVE through it. Gross.

Dinner was a wonderful occasion company-wise, but, yeah, the food was very OK. It was a decent option for this large and diverse a group (in terms of ages and tastes), but the apps were nothing special and my burger (the black and blue), lacked an discernible blackened seasoning. That said, it was packed, which speaks more I think to a lack of dining options in the area than to the overall food quality.