Not everything in the area is Guidos and Chets (and, as a half Italian, half Slav, I half take offense to the stupidity of those comments -- come up with different shorthand, please). Not that this Guido/Chet hangs out in the neighborhood much, but the original Morton's, PJ Clarke's and the Zebra Lounge jump to mind as places not particularly overrun by the stereotypical Viagra Triangle denizens. I suspect the new TV will be something like Roy's but with the tiki irony some desire. Not being on the sidewalk, it won't be set up for preening and leering.

On a larger scale, yeah, TV's makes more sense in the basement of the Palmer House and should be there, where it was since the '50's, a close second behind Beverly Hills as one of the original TV's (I think). By the way, the franchise seems to be going very strong overseas. Last, I agree with other posters that it's off mark to assume the Harry Caray's folks will do a bad job with TV's. It seems instead to make good sense. Like it or not, HC's is in many respects a similar setup -- something that could be just a kitschy tourist trap but instead is quite a solid restaurant that happens to have a kitschy tourist trap theme.

I don't know...I think the location may actually work, simply because it does appear to be underground and hopefully will feature that dark hideaway feel we all loved from Palmer House (as well as Atlanta...and the windowless Beverly Hills location...which I DID NOT know had closed...heartbreak!)

And I must agree....the all-encompassing labels that tend to get placed on people here (Trixies, Chads, Guidos, Banana Republicans, etc, etc.) is beyond annoying and childish.

I know it's close. A friend has attended several pre-opening staff training events in the last couple of weeks. The staff is completely hired, and they're ironing out menu and service final touches.

jkseger wrote:My wife and I were in SF recently and went to the one in Emeryville for afternoon of Ribs, Eggrolls and, of course, drinks. The bartender there said November 21. I'd sure like to be there for the opening.

Let us know if you have any info lth members.

I could have sworn I heard this Monday, 12/15 somewhere, but can't find where. I called and their voicemail makes no mention.

Then I found this post saying it is tomorrow, 12/14. The post is written as if it comes from the Trader Vic's corporate office, so unless someone went to some pains, I guess tomorrow is the day...

According to the TOC blog,

"After an almost 2 year hiatus, the locally-beloved chain Trader Vic’s returns to Chicago, bringing with it mai tais and tiki décor galore. 1030 N State St (www.tradervicschicago.com)."

It re-opened last night.

Bumping this to help a friend of mine and I was wondering if there's anything out there . . . I know Three Dots and a Dash, but is there anywhere else more food focused?

Depending on what you mean by "there", Chef Shangri-La in N. Riverside, or the Tiki Terrace in Des Plaines should work.