spinynorman99 wrote:

riddlemay wrote:I'm not mourning Mirabell principally because of an experience that happened decades ago. (And which was the occasion of my last visit.) Three of us came in fairly close to closing, but we didn't know it. If they had said, "Sorry, we're about to close," it would have been far better for us. Instead they sat us, and then treated us with a mix of scorn and thinly veiled "you're not from around here, are you" mockery. I've never felt less comfortable in a restaurant.

Hard to judge any restaurant fairly when you're arriving "fairly close to closing."

I disagree with Spiny's statement. If we were talking about a fast food restaurant staffed by underpaid teens, I would understand things falling apart a bit near closing time, because...teens.

In a sit down restaurant that would lay claim to old world hospitality and charm, whether you are the first customer or the last, you should be treated well, and the food should be good quality throughout. If the staff of a restaurant does not feel like it needs to be at its best near the end of posted business hours, either they need to shorten their hours, adjust staffing levels, or find folks that understand the meaning of hospitality.

WhiteDog wrote:This was actually a GNR several years ago when they were in their previous location at Central & Foster and called "My Choice." Same owner, same grandma cooking, same menu. The Thai food there was like no other Thai food I have ever had, and they will be sorely missed.

I don't recall My Choice ever being a GNR.

fishfryguy wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:

riddlemay wrote:I'm not mourning Mirabell principally because of an experience that happened decades ago. (And which was the occasion of my last visit.) Three of us came in fairly close to closing, but we didn't know it. If they had said, "Sorry, we're about to close," it would have been far better for us. Instead they sat us, and then treated us with a mix of scorn and thinly veiled "you're not from around here, are you" mockery. I've never felt less comfortable in a restaurant.

Hard to judge any restaurant fairly when you're arriving "fairly close to closing."

I disagree with Spiny's statement. If we were talking about a fast food restaurant staffed by underpaid teens, I would understand things falling apart a bit near closing time, because...teens.

In a sit down restaurant that would lay claim to old world hospitality and charm, whether you are the first customer or the last, you should be treated well, and the food should be good quality throughout. If the staff of a restaurant does not feel like it needs to be at its best near the end of posted business hours, either they need to shorten their hours, adjust staffing levels, or find folks that understand the meaning of hospitality.

Truly hard to generalize. Busy popular place with visitors near closing - possibly a good shot at getting treated well. Less popular place where the place has nearly emptied out? They're likely calling it a day (due to their own historical experience) well before closing.

Is it good practice? Absolutely not, but it's part of the mosaic of the dining experience, so one likely feeds into the other.

Signs indicate the Order Up Diner at 1791 St. John's in the former City Park Grill space is open in Highland Park.

Not sure when this will be completed, but Pizano's near State & Delaware will be expanding into the adjacent space at 866 N State which is currently a mini mart type of convenience store.

I don't know what it is about the space at the corner of Irving Park and Sacramento. A few years ago it was DeVine, then Pasadita Cantina, then briefly DeVine again for a couple months, then Burgers and Barley Pop, and now some place called MOJO Bar and Grill. All within less than two years.

It looks like MOJO is basically a re-boot of the not-well-received Burgers and Barley Pop since MOJO's Facebook page dates back to mid-2014 and has references to B&BP on it.

2958 W Irving Park Rd
(312) 912-7712
http://mojobar.co
https://www.facebook.com/mojobarandgril ... 7329007313

Lou Malnatti's opens today at Lincoln and Montrose: http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150503 ... resh-decor

The Aldi that was formerly on Waukegan in Niles has now officially moved to 6250 Touhy, across from Target/Costco. Murphy's has been closed forever and the TravelLodge/Darlin's Bar is nearly dust, so this area is pretty dead. Not a good time to be a shitty motel/bar these days.

I had a good bar fight in that lounge about 20 years ago.

Seems like the place to do it. Did you win? Did you go all Mayweather on his (or her) ass?

There is a proposal before the Niles Village Board to build a Holiday Inn Express on that location.

Must be because of the ambience. That's one hell of a Lincoln memorial across the street. 'Look kids, it's like Springfield, only smaller'

Billy Lawless Jr., the restaurateur behind establishments such as the Gage and the Dawson, has found his next project: a McDonald's just off North Michigan Avenue that he aims to turn into a “mini-oasis.”

A Lawless venture leased 4,159 square feet at 405 N. Wabash Ave., space McDonald's will vacate this month, said Leslie Karr, senior managing director at New York-based Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, who represented the landlord in the deal.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realesta ... f-mag-mile

Looks like the flying chicken flew the coop. Pollo Volador on Montrose in Albany Park is papered over and the phone is disconnected.

I wondered how Pollo Volador stayed open as long as it did. I pass that location fairly frequently and almost never saw more than one table occupied. Brasa Roja a few blocks east seemed to have a fair number of customers as does the El Llano on Elston, both with the same owners. D'Candela provides a good Peruvian chicken that competes at least for those of us who are Colombian.

http://www.brasaroja-elllano.com/

So this is under the "Comings and Goings" portion of our thread, but has anyone heard from the folks at Cafe 28? We were talking about Mother's Day and how we would have, for sure, gone to Cafe 28 to celebrate if it was still around. I checked their Facebook and there is no news. So sad. Loved that place.

ekreider wrote:I wondered how Pollo Volador stayed open as long as it did. I pass that location fairly frequently and almost never saw more than one table occupied. Brasa Roja a few blocks east seemed to have a fair number of customers as does the El Llano on Elston, both with the same owners. D'Candela provides a good Peruvian chicken that competes at least for those of us who are Colombian.

http://www.brasaroja-elllano.com/

Best I can tell most of their business was take-out so I'm not surprised they didn't have a lot of occupied tables on any given pass-by. That said, they had reduced their hours to three days a week, and didn't even include Friday as one of those three days. (The days they were open were Saturday, Sunday, and Monday). Their food got really good reviews on Yelp... but I suspect you're right in that in the end they couldn't compete with BR and EL and their name recognition.

Dave148 wrote:

Billy Lawless Jr., the restaurateur behind establishments such as the Gage and the Dawson, has found his next project: a McDonald's just off North Michigan Avenue that he aims to turn into a “mini-oasis.”

A Lawless venture leased 4,159 square feet at 405 N. Wabash Ave., space McDonald's will vacate this month, said Leslie Karr, senior managing director at New York-based Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, who represented the landlord in the deal.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realesta ... f-mag-mile

The 405 Wabash McD's was there since 1979. I was there the day it opened. I was also in Don Roth's River Plaza when it opened too.

cleanplateclub wrote:So this is under the "Comings and Goings" portion of our thread, but has anyone heard from the folks at Cafe 28? We were talking about Mother's Day and how we would have, for sure, gone to Cafe 28 to celebrate if it was still around. I checked their Facebook and there is no news. So sad. Loved that place.

Café 28 closed in February 2013. That location is now occupied by Ravenswood Q. (I ate there a year ago and wasn't impressed.)

kenji wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Billy Lawless Jr., the restaurateur behind establishments such as the Gage and the Dawson, has found his next project: a McDonald's just off North Michigan Avenue that he aims to turn into a “mini-oasis.”

A Lawless venture leased 4,159 square feet at 405 N. Wabash Ave., space McDonald's will vacate this month, said Leslie Karr, senior managing director at New York-based Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, who represented the landlord in the deal.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realesta ... f-mag-mile

The 405 Wabash McD's was there since 1979. I was there the day it opened. I was also in Don Roth's River Plaza when it opened too.

Wasn't that also the McDonald's that had a lunar/moonscape theme in the 80s? Either that or one of the other McDonald's nearby. I used to go down to my dad's office in River North several times a year and we'd alternate between lunches at the "moon" McDonald's and the Rock n' Roll McDonalds (when it was in its crazy heyday, before they "sanitized" it and then tore it down to build the flagship store there now).

Haven't seen this posted here yet:

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2015 ... 150418886/

Punch Bowl Social described as A "a unique dining experience with gaming opportunities such as bowling, table hockey and vintage arcade games" is moving into the former Old Crow space in Schaumburg.

Oddly, the article describes it as the old John Barleycorn space, which was not last restaurant to occupy this building. I wonder if it's the result of no fact-checking or that they only had a photo of the building with the old name on it.

Punch Bowl Social has five location in other cities:
http://punchbowlsocial.com/

Thanks, nsxtasy, I knew they closed. At the time they closed there was some talk they would re-open in another guise but there has been no news since and it's been close to two years. I was hoping someone had heard something.

Graeter's is now open at 1347 Shermer in Northbrook.

Fresh-pulled noodles, dumplings and traditional wok-prepared Chinese food are coming to River North this fall, when Imperial Lamian is expected to open in the space at 6 W. Hubbard St. just vacated by Centro Ristorante.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... entro-spot

Goddess and Grocer 1127 North State opens Monday May 11.


per G&G website + sign in window

PeteF wrote:Wasn't that also the McDonald's that had a lunar/moonscape theme in the 80s?

Yes. That's the one. Just nearby was the Chapman Sisters restaurant too on Michigan. Essentially a salad place. One can't forget The Baked Potato either.

I took care of the swimming pool above that McDonalds for work back then.

Mrs. Green' Natural Market will be opening a new store in Winnetka later this year.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/w ... story.html

Hi- Thank you for the information about Mrs. Green. At one of the couponing sites I visit, I won a gift certificate to Mrs. Green last year, and I have not used it yet because their Lincoln Park location is inconvenient for me. Hubbard Woods will be a whole lot more convenient for me. I can't wait for it to open.

Re: Mrs. Green's Winnetka location:

The Winnetka venue will be at 925 Green Bay Road, at a now vacant site of a former Gap store....Officials said the 12,500 square-foot market in Winnetka will have 40 dedicated parking spots for shoppers.

Anyone familiar with the north Winnetka area knows this location, originally a Packard dealership (!). While I commend Winnetka for attracting another grocer, I am skeptical about the "40 dedicated parking spots for shoppers" part of the article. Where? In the Winnetka village square? Something doesn't add up here at all.

Regarding parking for Mrs. Green's, the building directly to the north of the of the future site of Mrs. Green's, which formerly housed two different businesses (Bedside Manor and Body and Sole) has already been demolished. They are going to use this space for a parking lot.