Two new "bar food" places "opening soon" 2 blocks apart on Montrose.

Wolcottʻs at Montrose/Wolcott (cheesy music alert!):

http://www.wolcottschicago.com/

Fountainhead at Montrose/Damen:

http://fountainheadchicago.com/

kateem wrote:Fountainhead at Montrose/Damen:

http://fountainheadchicago.com/

Is it owned & operated by previously-unknown restaurateur Howard Roark?

Khaopaat wrote:

kateem wrote:Fountainhead at Montrose/Damen:

http://fountainheadchicago.com/

Is it owned & operated by previously-unknown restaurateur Howard Roark?

"So, what did you think of your dinner? In any words you wish. No one will hear you."

"But I don't think of my dinner."

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Fountainhead#Part_II

JoeBox Grill - 3918 W Touhy Ave. Lincolnwood - is closed.
To be replaced by some sort of Mediterranean spot in a month or so according to my barber who's also the building landlord.

Dave148 wrote:JoeBox Grill - 3918 W Touhy Ave. Lincolnwood - is closed.
To be replaced by some sort of Mediterranean spot in a month or so according to my barber who's also the building landlord.

Already? Goodness. I still miss that cheapass Chinese place, Tsang's? Oh well. At least there will be a healthy option near work.

At least there will be a healthy option near work.

For me, that would be a Wholly Frijoles salad.

Pie Lady wrote:

Dave148 wrote:JoeBox Grill - 3918 W Touhy Ave. Lincolnwood - is closed.
To be replaced by some sort of Mediterranean spot in a month or so according to my barber who's also the building landlord.

Already? Goodness. I still miss that cheapass Chinese place, Tsang's? Oh well. At least there will be a healthy option near work.

My barber-the-landlord said that the father of the restaurant owner is supposed to be some famous chef from a Mediterranean spot on Lincoln Ave. He didn't know the name.

George Kabob seems to have had a short life from opening in mid-December. My wife and I tried to go in today shortly after noon and were told that it was closed because the operator had moved to Lawrence and Kedzie, whatever that may mean. The outer door was unlocked and a man talking on a cell phone scooted over to deliver this message as we got to the inner door.

Two new places seem to be coming on Lawrence Avenue at the western end of the building complex housing HarvesTime. These spaces are where 24-hour Korean was "coming soon" for a very long time.

Rendezvous Bistro seems pretty ambitious for that stretch given the menu on their web site.

I do not know what to make of Good Times Cafe next door. It looks like a coffee shop in the making yet the awning has a drawing of a hookah.

Neither of these looks ready for imminent opening although people are actively working on the interiors.

Good Times Cafe
2658 W. Lawrence
773-561-2200

Rendezvous Bistro
2656 W. Lawrence
773-561-4400

Meanwhile in the Tri-Village area (Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park)...

Panther in the Den wrote:Maple Tree Restaurant
1034 Lake Street, Oak Park
(708) 848-8267

... is closed for renovations. It was a venerable institution.

Still closed and there are some rumors that it might not reopen. Bye.

Panther in the Den wrote:At the old White Hen Pantry space on Lake St just east of Thatcher Ave.

The windows are covered in brown paper, on the awning and sign in the window announcing the coming...

Frank's Deli
7971 Lake St, River Forest

Brown paper is off the windows, shopping carts in the store.

Closed...

Horan's Snug
7218 Madison Street, Forest Park
(708) 366-5190

Another venerable institution has closed. Called the number and it is disconnected. Some of the menu items were OK. Homestyle cooking on the specials, pretty good bar burger. Bye.

Something else has moved in but I forgot the name for now. I'll report back. Fixed the place up nice with a big tent to the west! Maybe for the St Patty's Day festivities? Hello!

Panther in the Den wrote:Horan's Snug
7218 Madison Street, Forest Park
(708) 366-5190

Another venerable institution has closed. Called the number and it is disconnected. Some of the menu items were OK. Homestyle cooking on the specials, pretty good bar burger. Bye.

Well that is sad. I liked going to homey Horan's, sitting at the bar and having a Guiness, always a Guiness, with fish, chips and peas, which were always, as you say, "OK" and just right.

Club Blujazz
1540 W. North Ave.
Chicago
(773) 360-8046
http://www.clubblujazz.com/
Live jazz and light food fare. Opening March 12th.

[quote="kateem"]Two new "bar food" places "opening soon" 2 blocks apart on Montrose.

Wolcottʻs at Montrose/Wolcott (cheesy music alert!):

http://www.wolcottschicago.com/

This place claims they are getting their Fat Tire from Belgium. Hmmmm....

waiks wrote:This place claims they are getting their Fat Tire from Belgium. Hmmmm....

And that whine list ... I'm so mad about that I don't know what to do !!

I'll stick to the Budwiesser.

Panther in the Den wrote:Meanwhile in the Tri-Village area (Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park)...

Panther in the Den wrote:Maple Tree Restaurant
1034 Lake Street, Oak Park
(708) 848-8267

... is closed for renovations. It was a venerable institution.

Still closed and there are some rumors that it might not reopen. Bye.

Panther in the Den wrote:At the old White Hen Pantry space on Lake St just east of Thatcher Ave.

The windows are covered in brown paper, on the awning and sign in the window announcing the coming...

Frank's Deli
7971 Lake St, River Forest

Brown paper is off the windows, shopping carts in the store.

Closed...

Horan's Snug
7218 Madison Street, Forest Park
(708) 366-5190

Another venerable institution has closed. Called the number and it is disconnected. Some of the menu items were OK. Homestyle cooking on the specials, pretty good bar burger. Bye.

Something else has moved in but I forgot the name for now. I'll report back. Fixed the place up nice with a big tent to the west! Maybe for the St Patty's Day festivities? Hello!

It's now Duck Fat. Article in local paper here: http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=38&ArticleID=4785&TM=48834.71

Also, Antico Forno opened in the old Claudio's Bakery spot just west of Harlem on North Ave. We went on Saturday and it was loud as hell, but the food and service were pretty good, especially since they've been open only 2 weeks. Salads, pastas, wood oven pizzas, the usual range of entrees at this type of place. Had a pizza rustica with potatoes, salami and rosemary, and a rigatoni with sausage that is their signature dish according to the menu.

tem wrote:

waiks wrote:This place claims they are getting their Fat Tire from Belgium. Hmmmm....

And that whine list ... I'm so mad about that I don't know what to do !!

I'll stick to the Budwiesser.

Did you notice the hours of operation? 4am - 1pm Mon-Fri/4am - 2pm Sat-Sun

Daisy11 wrote:

tem wrote:

waiks wrote:This place claims they are getting their Fat Tire from Belgium. Hmmmm....

And that whine list ... I'm so mad about that I don't know what to do !!

I'll stick to the Budwiesser.

Did you notice the hours of operation? 4am - 1pm Mon-Fri/4am - 2pm Sat-Sun

I expect we're going to see an interesting study in contrasts between this place and Fountainhead, a mere couple of blocks west...

While the rare Belgian Fat Tire is tempting, I think I know where I'll be spending my time.

all the best,
-jim

Panther in the Den wrote:Closed...

Horan's Snug
7218 Madison Street, Forest Park
(708) 366-5190

Something else has moved in but I forgot the name for now. I'll report back.

Marmish wrote:It's now Duck Fat. Article in local paper here: http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=38&ArticleID=4785&TM=48834.71

Yup! Duckfat Tavern and Grill

Sadly, the very chill Urban Cafe is closed. It has been replaced by Rockin' Taco.

The menu includes tacos ($1.75), "california burritos"(5.50), flautas (4.25/4), and hot dogs (1.75-2.50). The meat choices are as follows, I know this section isn't for reviews, so I'll let their descriptions speak for themselves on how authentic they are:
Asada (papaya marinated steak)
pollo (chipotle garlic chicken)
al pastor (marinated pork)
to-fu' (al pastor marinated tofu)
humilde (fajita veggies)

Rockin' Taco
1467 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
773-975-TACO (8226)
www.rockintacochicago.com

Masu Izakaya

1969 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60614

Looks to be opening soon in the old Minnie's space. Saw a "coming soon" sign in the window on a recent trip down Halsted.

Looks to be in the traditional "Izakaya" style of Japanese after-work Gastropub/sushi restaurant. Run by the former owner of now-defunct "Tsunami," with an interior designed by a recent winner of Bravo's "Top Design." Steve Dolinsky did a a nice write-up outlining the concept in Mid February:

http://blogs.vocalo.org/dolinsky/2010/0 ... kaya/15272

Haven't heard much buzz, but sounds potentially wonderful. Thoughts?

spinynorman99 wrote:that's just sandwiches. Manny's pretty much offends me. They coast on a reputation and affinity for kitsch but their food is sub-par. If they had any real competition (sadly Eleven City doesn't cut it) they'd be dead in the water.

Try Steve's. Their deli sandwiches are very good, and the entree dishes I've tried (stuffed cabbage, chicken pot pie) are superb.

A new barbecue restaurant in Worth.

Vic’s Barbecue
11306 S. Harlem Ave.
708-448-5000

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Walking by Hashalom Restaurant on Devon, I saw a big sign on the window "Restaurant for Sale." No date of closing. The restaurant was closed but I don't know if it was for good, or if it's just closed on Mondays. I didn't stop to check, sorry to say.

Hashalom
2905 West Devon Avenue

Hellodali wrote:Walking by Hashalom Restaurant on Devon, I saw a big sign on the window "Restaurant for Sale." No date of closing. The restaurant was closed but I don't know if it was for good, or if it's just closed on Mondays. I didn't stop to check, sorry to say.

Hashalom
2905 West Devon Avenue

They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but alas, it's true they are closing. See viewtopic.php?p=304624#p304624

Anyone have the skinny on what's going into the old Cordis Brothers place at Ashland and Irving? I noticed signs in the window today that said "THE PIG IS COMING" and "BOW TO THE PIG" (or something like that -- it was all swine-oriented, for sure).

Also on Irving Park at Sacramento, they're building out the old liquor store on the Northwest corner -- The public notice says, "To Establish a Tavern with Outdoor Patio." With the recent additions of Pitchfork, La Pasadita and Theatre Cafe, it seems the area is building up quickly.

je_suis_ici wrote:Also on Irving Park at Sacramento, they're building out the old liquor store on the Northwest corner -- The public notice says, "To Establish a Tavern with Outdoor Patio." With the recent additions of Pitchfork, La Pasadita and Theatre Cafe, it seems the area is building up quickly.

I don't know much, but that's my corner tap and they've done a heck of a lot of work in a short time, cleaning up what was a truly decrepit space. Looking forward to whatever it becomes.

skess wrote:Sadly, the very chill Urban Cafe is closed. It has been replaced by Rockin' Taco.

The menu includes tacos ($1.75), "california burritos"(5.50), flautas (4.25/4), and hot dogs (1.75-2.50). The meat choices are as follows, I know this section isn't for reviews, so I'll let their descriptions speak for themselves on how authentic they are:
Asada (papaya marinated steak)
pollo (chipotle garlic chicken)
al pastor (marinated pork)
to-fu' (al pastor marinated tofu)
humilde (fajita veggies)

Rockin' Taco
1467 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
773-975-TACO (8226)
http://www.rockintacochicago.com

Actually, Michael Nagrant had great things to say about it recently on twitter (an inauthentic, to some, vehicle for communication).

I am going to assume that you do not like this place already without having been, so way to prejudge. What's with the clamoring for "authentic" and what does that mean? Is some grandmother in the back cooking with every ingredient made from scratch and imported from Mexico? (pronounced Meh-hi-co...for authenticity).

In the meantime, I am looking for the next authentic restaurant to open or close to post legitimately in this thread.

Looks like Gulliver's in Glenview has opened. Greek Feast in Northbrook has opened. Finally, the small pizza place called Prima's in Glenview on Milwaukee is gone. Signs are up saying "Village Inn Pizzaria Coming Soon." Wonder if it is any relation to the one in Skokie?

Pie Lady wrote:

Dave148 wrote:JoeBox Grill - 3918 W Touhy Ave. Lincolnwood - is closed.
To be replaced by some sort of Mediterranean spot in a month or so according to my barber who's also the building landlord.

Already? Goodness. I still miss that cheapass Chinese place, Tsang's? Oh well. At least there will be a healthy option near work.

Hey Pie Lady, I work down the block behind the BP Gas Station off of Touhy.

I'd like to know the places you frequent around here.

I'll buy if it's better to talk over lunch some time.

Joe's Taylor Street Sub Shop, 2325 W Taylor, is "closed until further notice" due to the passing of the owner, Joseph Cancilla, on March 15.

JoelF wrote:Accent Cafe, 700 N River in Mt Prospect, is no more.
...
Odds are it'll get torn down and turned into more condos.

But I was wrong -- they now have a sign saying "Ibiza Cafe Opening April 28"