The parent of DMK Burger Bar, Ada Street and County BBQ is opening a quick-serve restaurant near Northwestern University's Evanston campus early next year.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... o-evanston

While out walking my dog, Dooley, I noticed a banner in the window at 715 Devon Avenue in Park Ridge that formerly housed Tandoor announcing that a new restaurant called Shwarma (sp?) will be opening "soon." I didn't see any other information.

Chick-Fil-A opened in Vernon Hills today. I had a chicken biscuit and chicken minis. Food was fresh, hot, and tasty. Met the franchise owner Beth, a very nice person. They had all the corporate people there too. Kind of funny to see how much attention they give people at these openings.

Chick-Fil-A
701 N Milwaukee Ave (next to Olive Garden)
Vernon Hills, IL
847-247-8000

On Friday The Bistro replacing the Corner Bakery @ The Field Museum will open. Featuring locally grown or produced products will open. I was there last night for the preview, one nice thing they have is a bar featuring 3 local beers on tap. One Tooth and Claw is brewed by Off Color exclusively for them

http://fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/fi ... -3Page.pdf

2146 north wrote:...Tooth and Claw...

A red ale, I presume?

Pie-love wrote:

2146 north wrote:...Tooth and Claw...

A red ale, I presume?

Actually it was a Czech Lager. But that might have made an interesting choice.

El Tinajón has moved from Roscoe Village and is now open for business at its new Mayfair location, conveniently located a block from the Montrose Blue Line stop. Incidentally the space was formerly occupied by Shiraz (Middle Eastern place), which I suppose should obviously be noted as "closed."

El Tinajón
4425 W Montrose
(773) 525-8455

I suppose people know that J. Wellington's is closed, but today I saw a banner over the sign. Anyone know what's going on there? I was wizzin' by on the Blue Line and couldn't read it.

J Wellington's is becoming another location of 5411 Empanadas (according to their food truck driver, and I think the door says this also).
http://www.5411empanadas.com

Mrs. Green's signs lease for Fox & Obel space in Streetervlle

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 9592.story

Mary's Cafe, one of the last old-school diners in Streeterville, will close tomorrow following a 15-year run in the increasing glitzy neighborhood.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/a ... -to-close#

Just heard via my local Nextdoor site that the Norwood Restaurant has closed, been sold to the folks who used to own Coconuts on Milwaukee, is being remodeled, and will open "with a little Polish flair" in a few weeks.

The Norwood Restaurant
6101 N NW Highway
Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 467-0316

(not sure if it will keep the name or phone number)

mamagotcha wrote:Just heard via my local Nextdoor site that the Norwood Restaurant has closed, been sold to the folks who used to own Coconuts on Milwaukee, is being remodeled, and will open "with a little Polish flair" in a few weeks.

The Norwood Restaurant
6101 N NW Highway
Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 467-0316

(not sure if it will keep the name or phone number)

I thought the Norwood closed years ago. It was still open?

It was. That was "our place" as long as Mr. Pie and I were together. This makes me enormously sad. It had been in business for ages in one form or another, and the owner was so proud of the fact that George Bush ate there shortly after 9/11 that he kept a plaque over the booth.

On the corner of Lake and Wells in the Century Tower building they're putting in a new Japanese Grill and Ramen restaurant. I live in the building so I'm rather excited about this. Even if it's mediocre ramen I still won't have to travel far on the days when I'm sick and need a steaming hot bowl of noodle soup. I think they are behind schedule as they were supposed to open this last weekend. I asked the doorman and he said probably next weekend now. I haven't seen a name or anything. They did put up the plastic food replicas in the window though, which is kinda hilarious.

riddlemay wrote:

the wimperoo wrote:Clearly behind schedule, but yes a Binny's expansion

http://www.binnys.com/blog/were-expanding/

I read the link, and I still can't imagine what they're going to do with that much space! The existing store is huge. I don't doubt the acumen of the Binstein family, who don't seem to make a lot of mistakes, so hats-off to their ability to imagine a need for this when I can't.

More on the Binny's expansion from a newsletter I get at work (I work for Beam, Inc.):

Binny’s Beverage Depot will open its 30th store tomorrow (Wednesday) on the south side of Chicago in Evergreen Park. The 24,000-square-foot unit, formerly the site of a bowling alley called Bleeker’s, will feature a wine cellar, walk-in cigar humidor and 28-door beer cooler. Binny’s owner Michael Binstein has also just signed a deal for new 13,000-square-foot location in the affluent Chicago suburb of Glencoe. The store will open next March.
Elsewhere at Binny’s, the expansion of the company’s Lincoln Park store, which began last July in the former location of Sam’s Wine & Spirits, is scheduled to be completed in late January. The 50,000-square-foot location, described as a shopping mall environment, results from the addition of two neighboring buildings. It will house a high-end wine collection, massive cellar and a craft beer, whiskey and wine tasting room. A 5,000-square-foot store within the store, called the Champagne Depot, will be exclusively dedicated to Champagne and sparkling wine, and will feature an exhibition of photographs and educational material on the history of the Champagne region.
According to Binstein, revenues for all stores in the fiscal year ended August 31, 2013, were just under $330 million.

"On the South Side of Chicago in Evergreen Park?" Was there a recent annexation I totally missed?

Apparently, El Rey del Taco, home of my favorite grease bombs, Los Tacos Pioneros, is being resurrected in the (cursed) space at 7138 N. Clark across from Romanian Kosher. The location was previously Panchito's and before that Barajas Sazon and before that Just Cue and before that Fulton's Chicken and before that... Well, you get the idea. I don't know why so many restaurants have a problem staying in business at that location. It is a well designed, clean space with lots of natural light, outdoor seating and a fair-sized parking lot. Markello's is in the former Taco Novillo space, directly across the street. I have never seen a single soul dining there.

The King of the Taco's family was handing out flyers at Dominick's yesterday. The brochure menu looked like pretty standard Mexican fare, but it did state there would be daily specials. When I asked about Tacos Pioneros and their cousins the 'Gringas', the King's wife told me that they would serve them (I got the impression that she was programmed to answer "si" to all requests). I just hope they make their killer Barbacoa de Chiva again. While there is definitely some stiff competition among Mexican restaurants in the area, the new El Rey has the advantage of being open 24x7. As I stood there speaking to Ms. King of the Taco, several people came up and asked if it was the same place as before, which bodes well for the re-opening.


In reference to the Binny's announcement above: 50,000 sq. ft? holy mole. These mega booze boxes are a direct result of the state liquor law that prohibits retailers from storing product in warehouses, but allows the transfer of stock between stores. So we end up with stores that resemble warehouses. Not exactly what the legislature had in mind when they were doing the bidding of Lord and Master Rocky Wirtz.

Timbrook Kitchens specializing in sweet & savory pies and cheesecakes has opened a storefront location in Munster,In. These are the same people who have been selling their baked goods at the Munster,Valparaiso,and Chesterton,Indiana farmers markets.

Timbrook Kitchens
Handcrafted Food & Desserts
17 Ridge Rd
Munster,In 46321
219-241-9558
http://timbrookkitchens.jimdo.com/

Sunday 8am - 2pm
Monday Closed
Tuesday - Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 4pm

Binny’s owner Michael Binstein has also just signed a deal for new 13,000-square-foot location in the affluent Chicago suburb of Glencoe. The store will open next March.

Interesting - I wonder if it's going to be right downtown? There's something big being built there, on Park, just west of Green Bay Road. This would be a good move, as the Binny's in Hubbard Woods is comically tiny, and shares a small parking lot with about half-a-dozen other businesses.

thepld wrote:On the corner of Lake and Wells in the Century Tower building they're putting in a new Japanese Grill and Ramen restaurant. I live in the building so I'm rather excited about this. Even if it's mediocre ramen I still won't have to travel far on the days when I'm sick and need a steaming hot bowl of noodle soup. I think they are behind schedule as they were supposed to open this last weekend. I asked the doorman and he said probably next weekend now. I haven't seen a name or anything. They did put up the plastic food replicas in the window though, which is kinda hilarious.

I walk by this place on my way to the office every morning and have been wondering what's up. I also enjoy the plastic window food.

sundevilpeg wrote:

Binny’s owner Michael Binstein has also just signed a deal for new 13,000-square-foot location in the affluent Chicago suburb of Glencoe. The store will open next March.

Interesting - I wonder if it's going to be right downtown? There's something big being built there, on Park, just west of Green Bay Road. This would be a good move, as the Binny's in Hubbard Woods is comically tiny, and shares a small parking lot with about half-a-dozen other businesses.

Is it possible it'll be in the former Blockbuster space, in the same strip mall where the Hubbard Woods Binny's is currently located? That's often counted as Glencoe.

The construction on the south side of Park Ave, just west of Greenbay Road is going to be . . . wait for it . . .
.
.
.
.
.
another bank. *sigh*

=R=

Is it possible it'll be in the former Blockbuster space, in the same strip mall where the Hubbard Woods Binny's is currently located? That's often counted as Glencoe.

The construction on the south side of Park Ave, just west of Greenbay Road is going to be . . . wait for it . . .
.
.
.
.
.
another bank. *sigh*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

On the other hand, the north end of strip mall would be a reasonable guess, as it would serve both Glencoe and Winnetka nicely, and I'm sure the Winnetka PTB aren't happy about all of those empty store fronts, not only in the strip mall, but extending south into the northern section of downtown Winnetka. Virtally very other store is vacant at present clear down to Tower Road, which has to be hugely embarrassing for them.

sundevilpeg wrote:

Is it possible it'll be in the former Blockbuster space, in the same strip mall where the Hubbard Woods Binny's is currently located? That's often counted as Glencoe.

The construction on the south side of Park Ave, just west of Greenbay Road is going to be . . . wait for it . . .
.
.
.
.
.
another bank. *sigh*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

On the other hand, the north end of strip mall would be a reasonable guess, as it would serve both Glencoe and Winnetka nicely, and I'm sure the Winnetka PTB aren't happy about all of those empty store fronts, not only in the strip mall, but extending south into the northern section of downtown Winnetka. Virtally very other store is vacant at present clear down to Tower Road, which has to be hugely embarrassing for them.

I do have confirmation from a Binny's employee with whom I spoke earlier today that the new Glencoe store will indeed be in the former Blockbuster space. I'm guessing it could possibly include a couple of other spaces, too because it was originally announced as a 9,000 sf store and is now being referred to as a 13,000 sf store. Glencoe recently 86'd a law that required stores that sell liquor to also sell food. That change, in part, led to this expansion.

=R=

Mindy Segal to open huge Logan Square bakery

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... are-bakery

Dave148 wrote:

Mindy Segal to open huge Logan Square bakery

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... are-bakery

Crain's wrote:Ms. Segal's bakery will share a block with several other recent and upcoming hospitality projects, including new bar Scofflaw, German restaurant the Radler and Chicago Distilling Co.

Not entirely correct. It's a new bar from the team behind Scofflaw.

=R=

Dave148 wrote:

Mindy Segal to open huge Logan Square bakery

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... are-bakery

For some reason the Crain's article doesn't give the address of the new complex, only that it's in Logan Square, it's big, and that it will share a block with the Scofflaw venture and other food and drink establishments. Does anyone know which block?

I think the Segal-Radler-Scofflaw team project is Milwaukee between California and Fullerton. It's a very large old building(s) on the east side of the street that is under renovation construction now.

annak wrote:I think the Segal-Radler-Scofflaw team project is Milwaukee between California and Fullerton. It's a very large old building(s) on the east side of the street that is under renovation construction now.

The projects are all separate and you are correct, the location is on Milwaukee Avenue, just south of Fullerton, on the east side of the street. Radler's address is 2375 N. Milwaukee.

Other than getting the facts wrong and not including the "where," it was a great report by Crain's.

=R=

Just spotted a sign for a new Red Hot Ranch at Ashland and Barry, former home of Dona Totrtas. Appears to be a work in progress.