The Angry Crab folk have opened a poke shop in Uptown at Wilson & Magnolia called Pokiology. No web site that I can find.

Pokiology
4600 N. Magnolia (entrance on Wilson)
(773) 961-7624
11am-8pm

Seen just now on facebook:

Angkor Restaurant

Hello, everyone! We're here with some rather sad, abrupt news— due to unforeseen circumstances and complications, our restaurant will be CLOSING its doors after August 14th, 2016. The last days to stop by are Friday, August 12th through Sunday, August 14th.

We've had a great run since January 10th, and we are truly, truly, truly grateful for everything that has come our way. We've met super supportive, loving people; and received awesome reviews, comments, and advice. Most importantly, we've had the joy and pleasure of introducing Khmer cuisine to the Chicagoland area.

Thank you all so much for everything. Stay awesome. Stay beautiful.

Many thanks and love,
Angkor Restaurant

Dave148 wrote:

The offerings at Revival Food Hall, the 24,000-square-foot food court coming this summer to the Loop building The National (125 S. Clark St.), are starting to take shape.
After signing Antique Taco as one of its vendors, ownership group 16" On Center (Longman & Eagle, The Promontory, Dusek's, Moneygun) announced that Furious Spoon, Shin Thompson's ramen-noodle concept, has come on board.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Lunch in the Loop is about to get a bit more interesting with next week's planned opening of Revival Food Hall, the massive ground-floor food emporium in the Daniel Burnham-designed building at Clark and Adams.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... n-the-loop

Dave148 wrote:

The offerings at Revival Food Hall, the 24,000-square-foot food court coming this summer to the Loop building The National (125 S. Clark St.), are starting to take shape.
After signing Antique Taco as one of its vendors, ownership group 16" On Center (Longman & Eagle, The Promontory, Dusek's, Moneygun) announced that Furious Spoon, Shin Thompson's ramen-noodle concept, has come on board.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Things are really coming together with Revival -- perhaps opening as early as next week? Based on the names/proprietors involved, this is shaping up to be pretty epic...is there a such thing as a Great Neighborhood Food Hall?

From Eater: http://chicago.eater.com/2016/8/10/12425052/revival-food-hall-photos-gallery-inside-loop

From DNA Info:

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160811/downtown/revival-food-hall-is-coming-soon-heres-menu

As for me, I'm just hoping they have free bread.

Oops, sorry Dave148, somehow I missed your post above on Revival but looks like I somehow avoided sharing the same URL.

Heavy metal-themed burger joint Kuma's Corner is cranking up the volume on expansion. Up next: a restaurant on the ground floor of the planned Brooklyn Bowl live music and bowling venue in the Fulton Market District. Kuma's Corner, known for ear-splitting music and burgers named after metal bands—including Black Sabbath, Slayer, Iron Maiden and Mastodon—has leased space in the development at 832-856 W. Fulton Market, said owner Ron Cain.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realesta ... ton-market

Dave148 wrote:Heavy metal-themed burger joint Kuma's Corner is cranking up the volume on expansion.

I've been to the Diversey location and been...underwhelmed. I don't care a fig about heavy metal or tattoos, but I do want a great burger, and this one didn't seem to be in the same league as the Belmont original. Could have been a one-off. In any case I hope they can transfer the quality control from Belmont to their new locations.

smokinjoe noted in this thread on February 29:

Per the Apart Pizza website:

Our Lincoln Square location is currently closed for remodeling; we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

We will be providing delivery from our Edgewater location and invite you to visit us there.

There has been no sign of remodeling activity for several months. Today my wife noted a for lease sign in the window as we drove by.

Fast-casual Pisolino bringing Pugliese pizza to Avondale

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/re ... story.html

riddlemay wrote:

Dave148 wrote:Heavy metal-themed burger joint Kuma's Corner is cranking up the volume on expansion.

I've been to the Diversey location and been...underwhelmed. I don't care a fig about heavy metal or tattoos, but I do want a great burger, and this one didn't seem to be in the same league as the Belmont original. Could have been a one-off. In any case I hope they can transfer the quality control from Belmont to their new locations.

Now they are in talks to come to Vernon Hills, plus other cities like Nashville and Denver. The Vernon Hills location is part of a new development on the northeast corner of 60 and 21 called Mellody Farm. Whole Foods has reportedly committed to be the anchor. I went to the Schaumburg location once and the burger I had was identical to Belmont and just as good. The atmosphere was completely different of course. They even dumbed down the metal (playing stuff that isn't metal like Led Zeppelin). I go for the food, not the music anyway. But I do not want to see families with kids in Kuma's, it's just wrong. I suppose the irony is the hipsters would say the same thing about most of us eating at "their" original location!

Dave148 wrote:

The Barn, new restaurant from Amy Morton, aiming for September opening

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

More about this, from Chicago magazine:
Amy Morton and Nicole Pederson Follow Up Found with the Barn

The Vernon Hills location is part of a new development on the northeast corner of 60 and 21 called Mellody Farm. Whole Foods has reportedly committed to be the anchor.

That's very good news. Assuming it's going to be one of the gigantic new stores, like the one in Northbrook, this will be much handier than the Deerfield WF store for we Bluffers. (I closed on the LB house today. )

Ram4 wrote:

riddlemay wrote:

Dave148 wrote:Heavy metal-themed burger joint Kuma's Corner is cranking up the volume on expansion.

I've been to the Diversey location and been...underwhelmed. I don't care a fig about heavy metal or tattoos, but I do want a great burger, and this one didn't seem to be in the same league as the Belmont original. Could have been a one-off. In any case I hope they can transfer the quality control from Belmont to their new locations.

Now they are in talks to come to Vernon Hills, plus other cities like Nashville and Denver. The Vernon Hills location is part of a new development on the northeast corner of 60 and 21 called Mellody Farm. Whole Foods has reportedly committed to be the anchor. I went to the Schaumburg location once and the burger I had was identical to Belmont and just as good. The atmosphere was completely different of course. They even dumbed down the metal (playing stuff that isn't metal like Led Zeppelin). I go for the food, not the music anyway. But I do not want to see families with kids in Kuma's, it's just wrong. I suppose the irony is the hipsters would say the same thing about most of us eating at "their" original location!

I've been to Kuma's Indianapolis location. The food was just OK, the decor was antiseptic and the music was classic rock.

Kuma's quality has good really down over the past few years IMO. I'm pretty sure they bring in their beef patties now too. The meat taste bland and i'm never able to order a truly rare temp. The fries suck. If you want that heavy metal burger experience, I think Lockdown's burger are definitely better (not the best). Too bad.. they seem more focused on growing their brand then true quality of their product these days.

Perhaps a reflection of Logan Square's shifting demographics, Cafe Marianao closes, looks to relocate elsewhere:

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016081 ... 39-million

Cupitol is open in downtown Evanston, next door to Bangers & Lace. It is described in this article as a European-style café, bakery, and bar (and full-service restaurant). They have a breakfast/brunch/lunch menu and a dinner menu. They are open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. weekends, to 10 p.m. I was walking by tonight, and took a breakfast/brunch/lunch menu, which appears below. (I would normally just post the link to their website but right now it doesn't have any menus posted.)

Cupitol
812 Grove Street
Evanston 60201
847-868-8078
cupitol.com

https://www.facebook.com/cantina1910/po ... 3877578236

http://chicago.eater.com/2016/8/22/1258 ... ville-yelp

Cantina 1910 is CLOSED

valgalder wrote:Kuma's quality has good really down over the past few years IMO. I'm pretty sure they bring in their beef patties now too. The meat taste bland and i'm never able to order a truly rare temp. The fries suck. If you want that heavy metal burger experience, I think Lockdown's burger are definitely better (not the best). Too bad.. they seem more focused on growing their brand then true quality of their product these days.

Odd, I get it regularly and it's always good. Different tastes, maybe? Either way, not really the thread for this.

Ram4 wrote:

riddlemay wrote:

Dave148 wrote: I go for the food, not the music anyway. But I do not want to see families with kids in Kuma's, it's just wrong. I suppose the irony is the hipsters would say the same thing about most of us eating at "their" original location!

What if I want my son to grow up appreciating metal?

Salad and health food chain Sweetgreen plans to open its first Chicago restaurant Aug. 23 on State Street in River North. That will be followed in early 2017 by a second location at 1000 West Randolph Street in the West Loop, a lease the company signed this week.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... -west-loop

boudreaulicious wrote:I'm going to tell you right now that Olive Garden gets a bad rap--as chains go, they do a great job for those of us who have to feed picky kids/teens and still want a reasonably decent meal. Olive Garden's soups salads and pasta dishes are consistently fresh, don't have tons of sugar in things that don't need it (salad dressings, pasta sauces) and are always consistent. Do I eat there in the city? No. But when traveling with the kids, I'd rather hit an Olive Garden than pretty much any other chain. So for what it's worth..,

As someone who worked as a server there for 2 years during the 2003-2005 era, I will also defend them. They keep their work areas clean, they have decent food at a reasonable price. I rarely go there anymore but it's a great place for families with kids. During my time there (Peoria, IL) we never had any health dept. issues and for the most part customers were very happy. You know food is being well cared for when the employees gladly eat there as well.

Long John Silver's, 3901 W. Touhy, Lincolnwood closed about a year ago. It's now reopened.

Ya Hala Inn Mediterranean Kitchen has opened in the former Dixie Kitchen location in Evanston. The menu appears to be predominantly Lebanese. (I dislike the term "Mediterranean" to describe a restaurant, since Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and others, each with a distinct cuisine, all border on the Mediterranean.)

Ya Hala Inn
825 Church St
Evanston, IL

menu

Thanks to tarte tatin for the tip that this opened.

nr706 wrote:Ya Hala Inn Mediterranean Kitchen...

Not to be confused with Hala In, a Palestinian restaurant.

Hala In (Mayfair)
4624 W. Lawrence Ave.
Chicago IL 60630
773-930-3612

Hala In (Lakeview)
2852 N Clark St.,
Chicago, IL 60657
773-270-4843

From what I can tell, there doesn't seem to be any direct connection between the Hala Inns and Ya Hala Inn.

nr706 wrote:From what I can tell, there doesn't seem to be any direct connection between the Hala Inns and Ya Hala Inn.

They are not connected to one another; just similar names.

Chitown B wrote:What if I want my son to grow up appreciating metal?

Good question. It sounds like my father wanting me to grow up appreciating Sinatra or Big Band. Just because he loved it didn't mean I would and I didn't. Or my brother with my nephew who could care less about metal even if my brother listens to it and plays it in bands. I still was going to like my own music, just like most kids. But that's your business and you're welcome to try whether he likes it or not (and good luck on that - it's a total crapshoot). Like I said I don't want to see children at Kuma's in the city. That's good for me. In Schaumburg there were kids. But the Schaumburg Kuma's is exactly as we thought it would be - dumbed down metal (more like hard rock) for suburban families. If I want to eat at Kuma's, I'll still go to a new one in Vernon Hills or the original one. I don't go for the music anyway.

Uhm, doesn't Kuma's get to decide whether kids are welcome there? I certainly wouldn't recommend it for kids under, say, 14 or so; but to the best of my knowledge Kuma's itself is completely silent on the issue, and I'm hard-pressed to think of a reason why anyone should care whether someone else wants to see kids there or not.

We're getting off the subject (sorry moderators) of this thread.

Yes, of course Kuma's decides whether kids can eat there - in the end it's a business decision. The original Kuma's is a bar and after 10 no kids are allowed. They do not have a kids menu. But here's a good reason - there are a number people like myself that don't like kids around us if we can help it. We're usually the ones eating dinner at 8 or 9 after the families are gone.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming......

At the location of the spot formerly known as Smoked on Rose:

Mai-Quesi II
3531 N. Rose
Franklin Park, IL 60131
www.mai-quesi.com

It appears to be a Mexican seafood oriented place.

Dave148 wrote:

Salad and health food chain Sweetgreen plans to open its first Chicago restaurant Aug. 23 on State Street in River North. That will be followed in early 2017 by a second location at 1000 West Randolph Street in the West Loop, a lease the company signed this week.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... -west-loop

To open first Chicago restaurant, Sweetgreen had to first find the farms

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