The former home of Berutti's Deli in Buffalo Grove is sporting a sign that says, "Coming soon Allegro Deli".

771 S. Buffalo Grove Road

(just north of Dundee Rd.)

A new upscale burger joint opening up in the Yorktown Mall next month...

http://www.tomandeddies.com/index.php

Brought to you by a pair of retired McDonalds execs.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2010/0 ... 278897083/

The Boiler Room opened last week in Logan Square (across the street from the California Blue Line stop). It's owned by the same group that owns Simone's in Pilsen, I'm hoping to go some time in the next week to check it out.

The Boiler Room

2210 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
773-276-5625

http://www.boilerroomlogansquare.com/

Anyone know anything about Mia Figlia? It's the old Piatto space on Devon in Edgebrook.

Panther in the Den wrote:A new upscale burger joint opening up in the Yorktown Mall next month...

http://www.tomandeddies.com/index.php

Brought to you by a pair of retired McDonalds execs.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2010/0 ... 278897083/

A more detailed article about Tom & Eddie's:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?articleId=33657

- - - - - - - - - - -

It also looks like another high-end burger chain, Smashburger, will be arriving here soon.

from the above linked Crain's Chicago Business article:

Messrs. Rensi and Dentice say they considered becoming Smashburger franchisees but decided to start their own restaurant.

Smashburger expects to have 100 restaurants open nationwide by the end of the year, including one or two in the Chicago area: The first is slated for Geneva, with plans for seven to 10 stores here by the end of 2011.

http://www.smashburger.com/

WCIBN wrote:It also looks like another high-end burger chain, Smashburger, will be arriving here soon.

from the above linked Crain's Chicago Business article:

Messrs. Rensi and Dentice say they considered becoming Smashburger franchisees but decided to start their own restaurant.

Smashburger expects to have 100 restaurants open nationwide by the end of the year, including one or two in the Chicago area: The first is slated for Geneva, with plans for seven to 10 stores here by the end of 2011.

http://www.smashburger.com/

I have visited the Smashburger in Ankeny (north of Des Moines) and it is similar to Fatburger. Good burgers with a nice interior.

Still not open yet...

Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles
543 W Madison St, Oak Park

I talked to a friend who was working on the renovation if the building and he mentioned that some of the framing is up and the AC ducts installed but based on his experience on the one on King Dr he doesn't expect it to be open until next year.

sundevilpeg wrote:Aldino's is closing tonight! I'll be able to give a Last Supper report, as Groupon coaxed us into going tonight. . .
Four months and outta here!

We tried going to Aldino's on July 5 with our Groupon and were SOL

daveandrews3 wrote:Hey all,

I've got some client news regarding a closing and a new restaurant and bar opening to share with all you LTHers.

The Aberdeen in Bucktown is throwing a closing party this Wednesday, July 7 starting at 5pm. During the Aberdeen closing party, tastes of the new restaurant and bar concept that will be housed in the Aberdeen space will be provided for free to patrons. All food items from Aberdeen’s existing menu will be 25 percent off during the closing party.

The Aberdeen space was sold to new owners, and one of the owners is a chef who has worked in the kitchen at some of Chicago’s top restaurants. The existing interior of Aberdeen will undergo a gut rehab and redesign. The brand new restaurant and bar concept in the former Aberdeen space is slated to open early August.

The Aberdeen
1856 W North Ave.
773.772.5500
http://www.aberdeenchicago.com/

Lillie's Q -- aiming to bring award-winning competition BBQ into a restaurant setting -- is slated to open in the former Aberdeen space in early August. Obviously, this is a client.

The chef/owner Charlie McKenna (former sous chef at Avenues & Tru) and he's two-time Memphis In May first place winner (pork shoulder and sauce). Mods: I have a full press release with info regarding the menu/smoking techniques/background/beverage program/design etc. I'd love to share it with LTHers (as usual). If you're interested in seeing the release, please let me know if I should post it here, start a new thread in "Eating Out In Chicagoland", start a new thread on the "Professional Forum" or put it someplace else. Thanks.

daveandrews3 wrote:Mods: I have a full press release with info regarding the menu/smoking techniques/background/beverage program/design etc. I'd love to share it with LTHers (as usual). If you're interested in seeing the release, please let me know if I should post it here, start a new thread in "Eating Out In Chicagoland", start a new thread on the "Professional Forum" or put it someplace else. Thanks.

Hi,

Please post it on the Professional board with some comments on your relationship, if any, with the restaurant.

Thanks for asking!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

daveandrews3 wrote:Mods: I have a full press release with info regarding the menu/smoking techniques/background/beverage program/design etc. I'd love to share it with LTHers (as usual). If you're interested in seeing the release, please let me know if I should post it here, start a new thread in "Eating Out In Chicagoland", start a new thread on the "Professional Forum" or put it someplace else. Thanks.

Hi,

Please post it on the Professional board with some comments on your relationship, if any, with the restaurant.

Thanks for asking!

Regards,

Thanks, Cathy. The Lillie's Q link on the Professional Board can be found here

Hiya folks,

Long time lurker, first time poster.

A new coffee & pastry joint named El Cafetal del Tio opened up in what I believe was the Mi Cafetal space.

El Cafetal del Tio
1519 W 18th St
Chicago, IL 60608
312-738-2883

sundevilpeg wrote:
Aldino's is closing tonight! I'll be able to give a Last Supper report, as Groupon coaxed us into going tonight. . .
Four months and outta here!

We tried going to Aldino's on July 5 with our Groupon and were SOL

JSM - that's a damn shame. Our Last Supper was excellent from start to finish, including my house-made fig grappa after-dinner drink. Yow.

On my way to Lake Shore Drive this morning I noted that the Falafel Shack failed to survive its Location of the Damned. It's soon to become Barwaqo (I think?) Kebabs, which is the third or fourth restaurant to occupy the space in the past year.

Who knows, maybe this time will do the trick.

Barwaqo (?) Kebabs
6130 N Ravens Wood
Chicago, IL 60660

The Girl and the Goat is now open. Trying to get reservations is of course already difficult.

DML wrote:The Girl and the Goat is now open. Trying to get reservations is of course already difficult.

There is a 5:00pm opening tonight on OpenTable right now. After that, nothing until the 26th.

SSDD

Sign seen:
Turtle Bar & Grill 33rd & Wells opening July 2010
few blocks from sox park

The Epicurean, Chicagoland's last Hungarian restaurant, apparently closed quietly in May.

I'm hearing rumors that Tutto Pronto (Ohio and McClurg) has served its last meal.
The hours there have been odd the last few months. Nobody knew when it would be open.
Who knows -- Monday it might open again.
A few years ago, when they had a different manager it was a nice neighborhood place, but it really went down hill since he left.

LAZ wrote:The Epicurean, Chicagoland's last Hungarian restaurant, apparently closed quietly in May.

Dang! Most of the food was somewhat dried out but the place had some charm.

DML wrote:I'm hearing rumors that Tutto Pronto (Ohio and McClurg) has served its last meal.
The hours there have been odd the last few months. Nobody knew when it would be open.
Who knows -- Monday it might open again.
A few years ago, when they had a different manager it was a nice neighborhood place, but it really went down hill since he left.

Following up on this -- looks like the rumors are true.
One question -- it looks like they are just removing stuff. No notice in the window saying closed, "Thanks for being part of the neighborhood for the past ten years" signs.
Seems classless to me. I understand people are not happy to be closing up, but if a place is one spot for so long, it seems like some sort of sign would be the way to go. Am I wrong on this? What is conventionally done?

What used to be Kokonuts at 6913 N. Milwaukee recently had a sale on all equipment, fixtures, etc. Now the sign is completely blank with a banner that reads
COMING SOON
?

Shallots Fine Dining going into the former Macaroni Grill space on Carpenter (Central) and Touhy. It's purely speculation, but I'll bet it's a reincarnation of the place that has been bouncing around Skokie for a while.

Hey youse folks,
The Seinfeld thing is not Melvina or Paulina.
It's DOLORAS !

stevez wrote:Shallots Fine Dining going into the former Macaroni Grill space on Carpenter (Central) and Touhy. It's purely speculation, but I'll bet it's a reincarnation of the place that has been bouncing around Skokie for a while.

Yup

http://www.shallotsbistro.com/

"Logan Square Kitchen presents Chicago’s First Pop-Up Restaurants – two themes , for two days only. Featuring Chef Jason Hammel of Lula and Nightwood (in partnership with Intelligentsia) and Chef Bill Kim of Urban Belly and Belly Shack. "

Full posting here:
http://www.logansquarekitchen.com/events/lsk-presents

I drove by Clark and Fullerton today and it appears Emilio's Tapas is no more, a for lease sign in the window and disarray apparent through the windows. A shame, I liked them.

trpt2345 wrote:I drove by Clark and Fullerton today and it appears Emilio's Tapas is no more, a for lease sign in the window and disarray apparent through the windows. A shame, I liked them.

Emilio's establishments in Hillside and Streeterville are still in operation. I wonder what made him decide to give up the Lincoln Park location after 17 years.

My friend and I tried to go to Fonda Del Mar on Monday, only to find that it's been closed. The newer location on Lincoln was never able to take hold, it seems.

Fonda Del Mar
3908 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL

The Kan Pou space is about to become Nano Sushi.

I hear the portions are really small.