I'm pretty sure that if you serve food/beverages on site you HAVE to allow customers to use the restroom...but I can't find any verification online, so I could be wrong.

There's a Restroom Access Act in Illinois that requires businesses to give access to employee-only bathrooms for people with certain conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=094-0450

geli wrote:I'm pretty sure that if you serve food/beverages on site you HAVE to allow customers to use the restroom...but I can't find any verification online, so I could be wrong. But what a stupid way to lose business!

geli--

That's exactly what I was thinking. I am pretty sure it is a building code that you have to have X number of bathrooms in relation to the customer capacity.

geli wrote:I'm pretty sure that if you serve food/beverages on site you HAVE to allow customers to use the restroom...but I can't find any verification online, so I could be wrong. But what a stupid way to lose business!

A-ha! Finally a post I can respond to. I believe that a food service establishment in Chicago needs to provide a public restroom only if they have seating for 10 customers (maybe it's 8...now I can't remember) or more.

I can't speak to any of the other issues Bagel on Damen may be having. I live a block away and was looking forward to stopping in, but now I'm not as anxious to try it.

jlodoglvr wrote:

geli wrote:I'm pretty sure that if you serve food/beverages on site you HAVE to allow customers to use the restroom...but I can't find any verification online, so I could be wrong. But what a stupid way to lose business!

geli--

That's exactly what I was thinking. I am pretty sure it is a building code that you have to have X number of bathrooms in relation to the customer capacity.

As soon as I got back to work I tried to find a City Ordinance that prevented restaurants from doing this; I'm sure you're right that its related to the number of seats, but I couldn't find anything in the short amount of time I spent researching it. I'm planning on calling the Department of Consumer Affairs this week to see if I can file a complaint of some kind.

Having been to Bagel on Damen twice in the past three weeks, including a high noon visit last Sunday when I could barely move because it was so packed, I believe this bathroom assault is extremely unfair. BoD is a small space with a smaller prep/kitchen area behind the counter. Having an unrestricted public bathroom behind the counter and next to the small prep area would not create a pleasant situation.

Unless you're knowledgeable about city ordinances and/or the building code (which none of the posters above are), I think it is only prudent that you keep your "beliefs" (justjane et al.) to yourself until you can post something that you can back-up ("I can't find any verification" - geli; "I tried to find a City Ordinance" - radiator). With that said, I appreciate that eelton was able to point to the Restaurant Access Act because it is an accurate summary of the law with a citation to that statute. I learned something. Opinions about B&D's bagels, service, hipster staff, and coffee are one thing, but unadulterated speculation regarding code is a different animal and frankly irresponsible.

Back to BoD's food, I think the bagels are average and found the egg salad to be overly runny, but enjoyed the pine nut and truffle cream cheese. The standout, however, is the Minnesota Wild Rice soup. Like BoD's bagels, it appears they are also outsourcing the soup operation to Delano Crawford:

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/food ... 10.article

I will identify this "belief" of my own as such: I think it's ridiculous/gross for a place that serves food that is overwhelmingly eaten with the hands to not have a public bathroom, whether it's legislated or not.

From http://www.ada-il.org (bold text is my emphasis):

"Food service establishments with no more than 10 combined employees and seats (for patrons) at any one time need not provide public restrooms, provided the employee restrooms are accessible and made available to the public."

I also feel that as long as my beliefs and opinions are clearly stated as such rather than as fact, I should be able to express them in this forum. FWIW. YMMV. IMHO.

alexi612 wrote:....Unless you're knowledgeable about city ordinances and/or the building code (which none of the posters above are), I think it is only prudent that you keep your "beliefs" (justjane et al.) to yourself until you can post something that you can back-up ("I can't find any verification" - geli; "I tried to find a City Ordinance" - radiator). With that said, I appreciate that eelton was able to point to the Restaurant Access Act because it is an accurate summary of the law with a citation to that statute. I learned something. Opinions about B&D's bagels, service, hipster staff, and coffee are one thing, but unadulterated speculation regarding code is a different animal and frankly irresponsible.

alexi - I'm sorry if my opinions offended your sense of fairness. I'm going to go sit in the corner now and think about what an unadulterated, irresponsible bastard I've been....But first.... the only thing I could find in the municipal code related to providing restrooms had to do with retail food establishments that sell alcohol:

http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/ ... chicago_il

7-38-065 Alcoholic liquor sales – Health and sanitary requirements.

"Every person licensed under Section 4-60-100 of the Municipal Code of Chicago who shall sell any alcoholic liquor for consumption on the premises of such licensee, shall keep and maintain the licensed premises equipped with hot and cold water and adequate washing and sanitizing facilities for the cleaning of glasses and service utensils and shall provide adequate toilet facilities for each sex and shall comply with the health and sanitary requirements of the Municipal Code of Chicago and regulations of the board of health relating to food-dispensing establishments"

Since they don't sell alcohol this obviously excludes them. In fairness to BoD, I'm sure there are many retail food establishments in the City that don't have public restrooms for one reason or another. I probably wouldn't want to patronize them, but they do exist. I look at it as a courtesy that should be extended to patrons of the establishment; I wouldn't invite someone in my house and deny them access to my bathroom whether they were friend, client or workman. Like I said in my original posting, restaurants without bathrooms are pet peeves of mine. I'm a man with a very small bladder

Rene G wrote:It looks like Stumptown is expanding. According to a large sign painted on the wall, Bagel on Damen is getting their Stumptown coffee from Brooklyn. I tried two brews—an Ethiopian and the Hair Bender blend. I thought both were decent but not worth going out of the way for.

Stumptown's owner moved to Brooklyn a couple years ago: http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/56145/

I don't think BoD's goal is to be stellar or especially noteworthy. If it succeeds it will strictly because it fills a void in that area.

Does it really matter if a bathroom is required or not....if someone asks to use it, why in the world would they refuse. But then again I have seen the talent they hire there and they are clueless....just a question....has anyone ever seen the owner, Mr Dion Antic at BoD?

Not being part of the drama crew with all the history with the owner, I was in the neighborhood today and decided to stop for lunch. I was pleased that I did. Like many, I will make the schlep to Lincolnwood but am glad that during the work week I now have an alternative to that trip up the Kennedy from my South Lakeview office.

Lunch was a Sesame Bagel with the Green Onion Cream Cheese and a Pump with Lox Spread. The Cream Cheese was refreshing and was portioned appropriately. There was enough, but not too much as is often the case in our society that values quantity over quality.

As for the two employees on duty when I was there, as a most decidedly non-hipster 50-something, I found both the order taker/cashier and the cook to be friendly and efficient.

I will be back.

I finally had the opportunity to stop in around noon a few days ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Only a few other people there, so it was relaxed, I could take my time, peruse the wares and enjoy the cool room. As for the food...

I got the Moof sandwich, which is allegedly their spin on a New Orleans muffalata. I loved the salami, the jalapeno cream cheese and the olive relish; basically, the muffalata-esque filling rocked. The sesame bagel itself tasted dryer than I expected, though it still had a pleasant chew. It should be noted, these sandwiches are packed tight, and with every bite, the filling tends to rocket out the sides.

I also got a container of white truffle-pine nut cream cheese to take home. Nothing short of magnificent.

Service was excellent as well. Look forward to returning.

-M@

It appears that Bagel on Damen will have a new location on Irving Park, just a half block or so east of the intersection of Damen/Irving/Lincoln. Saw a sign on the way to work today. I was originally excited....then I read this thread. They'll still get a shot or two based on proximity to home.

Mattkrc wrote:I got the Moof sandwich, which is allegedly their spin on a New Orleans muffalata.

"Moof" is also the sound that Clarus the Dogcow makes.

-Dan

By the way, all Treasure Island locations (as well as the Bagel on Broadway), sell NY Bagel and Bialy bagels. TI gets them fresh every day. The Carnival grocery store on Cleveland and Lincoln, also has them.