Panther in the Den wrote:I did a drive by yesterday and while I cannot say anything they might be closed for a short while (fingers crossed).

Yes. It appears that the Depot Diner's closure might be temporary and a completely separate issue from their website being n/a.

Thanks, Panther, for the intel.

=R=

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:The most exciting thing about the experience for me was that they have a PHONE BOOTH in the restaurant. A phone booth! Did you even know those still existed?!

That reminds me of the Phone Box Pub in Santiago, Chile. The entrance is an old red English phone booth. There's a nice photo on this page.

Katie wrote:

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:The most exciting thing about the experience for me was that they have a PHONE BOOTH in the restaurant. A phone booth! Did you even know those still existed?!

That reminds me of the Phone Box Pub in Santiago, Chile. The entrance is an old red English phone booth. There's a nice photo on this page.

Also brings to mind the ultra-gimmicky Safe House in Milwaukee. Sort of cool to an 19-year old in the 70's, probably less so today, if it's even still open.

Asia Supermarket on Milwaukee in Niles appears to be closed. I've driven by a few times now, and while the sign is still there, the lights are out and there are no cars out front. Can anyone confirm whether or not this is gone for good?

spinynorman99 wrote:

Katie wrote:
Also brings to mind the ultra-gimmicky Safe House in Milwaukee. Sort of cool to an 19-year old in the 70's, probably less so today, if it's even still open.

Yep -- still there. http://www.safe-house.com/

Capriccios Restaurant, an Italian place in Northfield in the same shopping area as Tapas Gitana, is no more.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

KajmacJohnson wrote:Again, I am going to repeat what I was trying to say above. Why do new owners of buildings feel they need to fix things by kicking out longtime establishments that are apart of the nieghborhood fabric? It never makes any sense.

OTOH, not many folks invest money to fulfill someone else's (business) vision. It sucks that Ramova is closing -- I happen to really like the place -- but such is life. Couldn't they relocate? It seems like space in the area is abundant and it's still very much a renters'/buyers' market.

=R=

I can't imagine that it is easy to just pick up and relocate to a new location without time and planning first. Perhaps the woners of ramova just decided to hang up their and not even try after being evicted or whatever is the case.

PortPkPaul wrote:Sometimes "evictions" are really that the rent is being raised more than the tenant is willing to accept and it thinks it is cheaper to relocate. I have seen signs that say "lost our lease" but then nothing new comes in for years so it's not like the landlord had a more desirable tenant lined up.

This has been happening a lot in our neighborhood. One national business chain comes in and pays an over-market rate, and suddenly all the landlords think they can get that amount from small, local, one-person businesses. They'll raise the rent, figuring they can also get a national chain, and the space goes empty for months or years.

But what I was trying to say was executed much better by PorkPkPaul and Leek. Oftentimes I think longtime businesses get forced out by new owners who think they can fetch better prices by perhaps a national tenant but their wacky visions are not supported by reality and oftentimes these places remain empty for years to come. It's sad to see Ramova go but if nothing replaces it because the rents are jacked up to unrealistic expectations it will be sadder to see it sit through empty blight.

In the space formerly occupied by Tom's Tender Sandwiches.

Meanwhile... Seen on the windows at Salerno's on Grove...





Tho bottom sign says...

Reopening in two weeks (Remodeling)

Looks like new owners. Blue Penguin?

CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

DMChicago wrote:CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

spinynorman99 wrote:Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

Rumors, and no sign in this case, but hope springs eternal.

spinynorman99 wrote:

DMChicago wrote:CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

I always wondered why they bother saying they're coming back when they know they're not.

Pie Lady wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:

DMChicago wrote:CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

I always wondered why they bother saying they're coming back when they know they're not.

Red Rooster is open during the reno.

Pie Lady wrote:I always wondered why they bother saying they're coming back when they know they're not.

Maybe they're hoping for some miraculous resurrection or infusion of cash to help them reopen?

Or maybe just the emotional pain of admitting defeat - "temporarily closed" always sounds more hopeful.

spinynorman99 wrote:

DMChicago wrote:CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

Several years ago, Ecce in Lakeview "closed for remodeling" and then did, in fact, reopen with a new interior and new name (Kanok) but the same menu and much of the same staff.

Pasteur in Uptown closed for remodeling for several years and just reopened recently.

But, yeah, remodeling is usually the euphemism for "we're out of here!"

A new dog place, right in my hood. I'd be more excited about this if I was particularly a hot dog fan. However, they do offer corn fritters as a side option, so that's exciting.

Zebra's Gourmet Hot Dogs
3551 S Halsted
773-940-1526

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:A new dog place, right in my hood. I'd be more excited about this if I was particularly a hot dog fan. However, they do offer corn fritters as a side option, so that's exciting.

Zebra's Gourmet Hot Dogs
3551 S Halsted
773-940-1526

I totally missed this opening, their menu is pretty interesting, Nathan's hot dogs instead of Vienna Beef and ham carved off the bone. Curious if their chili is homemade or fresh out of a Sysco can, will check it out.

http://images.thrillist.com/files/image ... upopup.jpg

chgoeditor wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:

DMChicago wrote:CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

Several years ago, Ecce in Lakeview "closed for remodeling" and then did, in fact, reopen with a new interior and new name (Kanok) but the same menu and much of the same staff.

Pasteur in Uptown closed for remodeling for several years and just reopened recently.

But, yeah, remodeling is usually the euphemism for "we're out of here!"

Bite did it recently as well.

SSDD

"I always wondered why they bother saying they're coming back when they know they're not."


It's iike when couples call it a trial separation but everyone knows the truth.

spinynorman99 wrote:

DMChicago wrote:CAFE BERNARD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION

Drove by last night and saw the windows covered with paper.

Walked in here for dinner a few weeks ago and walked right back out.

Too dark, too musky, too empty.

Time for a change, indeed!


Cafe Bernard
2100 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Does anyone have an example where a "Closed for Renovations" sign actually meant that the restaurant was renovating and reopening?

Erik's Deli on Oak Park Ave in Oak Park within the last couple of years.

Sabio's Pizza in the strip mall at Harlem and Garfield in Oak Park is gone. Signs up for a new place going in, I'll have to drive by and check it out further.

In Lincoln Park a restaurant called Galbi City has opened in the old Mamacita's space. It's pretty spare looking, but the smells coming out of it are good. They're offering Korean charcoal bbq along with jap-chae, mandu, kimchi, bibimbap and a few sides. The few Yelp reviews seem positive so far with one dissenter. I don't know if I can try it out before I leave town, but if I do I'll report back.

Galbi City
2437 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
773-880-9181

Flirty Cupcakes now has a bricks-and-mortar location, at 1030 W Taylor (the site of the former Original Five BBQ). Open Mon-Sat, 9am-8pm.
http://flirtycupcakes.com/flirty-cupcak ... rt-garage/

JoelF wrote:

Eva Luna wrote:The Keg in Evanston has closed, after having its liquor liense revoked:

The Trib confirms

Looks like they've reopened - http://triblocal.com/evanston/2012/03/2 ... ng-appeal/

Ursiform wrote:

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:A new dog place, right in my hood. I'd be more excited about this if I was particularly a hot dog fan. However, they do offer corn fritters as a side option, so that's exciting.

Zebra's Gourmet Hot Dogs
3551 S Halsted
773-940-1526

I totally missed this opening, their menu is pretty interesting, Nathan's hot dogs instead of Vienna Beef and ham carved off the bone. Curious if their chili is homemade or fresh out of a Sysco can, will check it out.

Only tried the fritters so far and enjoyed them. Normally they come buried under powdered sugar but we ordered ours without.





Kind of disappointing they don't list a mother in law. I'm getting a little worried about Bridgeport these days.

Dave148 wrote:Kind of disappointing they don't list a mother in law, it being Bridgeport and all.

Downright highfalutin, even!

Glad to hear the fritters can be ordered sans powdered sugar, looking forward to visiting soon!

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:We went to the Ramova today and apparently they are being evicted against their will because the building was sold. No additional intel on the Chinese restaurant rumor, though.

The most exciting thing about the experience for me was that they have a PHONE BOOTH in the restaurant. A phone booth! Did you even know those still existed?!

i had lunch at ramova on tuesday; my first 'last' meal. i had a brief chat with bill, the youngest of the 3 men who run the place. i didn't want to be too nosy, and i figured he was tired of being asked for details about the closing but i did learn a few things. that they have 7 days to pack up after closing on the 14th; that he can't convince the 2 older men (1 being his dad, bob) into auctioning off any of their stuff, such as the chalkboard menus behind the counter (i covet the 'fried liver and onions" sign); and that he badly needs (and deserves) a vacation; and he's not ruling out relocating in the future. since they aren't auctioning anything off, maybe it'll all go into storage and reappear at a late date (though i think the working phonebooth is history). i preordered several quarts of chili for this weekend, so as not to leave them with a shortage. i recommend calling ahead, chili lovers, if you're stocking your freezer. and they still have ramova t-shirts for sale.

I would slap-fight someone for that "Hamburger" sign.

I don't know if I missed it, but I'm surprised I haven't seen anything on here about our first poutine shop opening up.

http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2012/03/w ... utine.html

BadHappy Poutine Shop
939 North Orleans
773-490-5671.

Opening soon in the spot formerly known as Bluette:

Wilmette Chophouse
1162 Wilmette Ave.
Wilmette, IL 60091
872-588-CHEF
www.wilmettechophouse.com