Anyone know what happened to Catalpa Kitchen? Don't recall seeing anything mentioned here but could be nistaken. Thanks.

lizziebix wrote:Anyone know what happened to Catalpa Kitchen? Don't recall seeing anything mentioned here but could be nistaken. Thanks.

It's closed, according to their Yelp listing.

Another place that recently closed, which I hadn't seen mentioned here, is Pete Miller's in Wheeling. Their Evanston location is still open.

Drover wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:I thought Green Dolphin Street closed, but when we drove by yesterday the sign was lit and there was clearly staff around. This morning I saw that they reconcepted in 2015 as Rio Chicago, and that's the last article I could find. After scanning the website, it looks like this is back to GDS, but it's basically an empty event space? Anybody know the story?

GDS closed many years ago after a slew of shootings and stabbings, reopened shortly after with new owners as Dolphin, and got shut down by the city last year after another bout of shootings and stabbings that culminated in a double homicide. Then someone else decided to try their luck with that accursed place, which is where we are today.

The location has had a troubled history.

I used to go there in the 1990s when it was a supper club with a jazz venue. The food was pretty good, and they booked good performers. However, in the early 2000s, they started converting the venue into a disco every Friday and Saturday night after the jazz shows finished. I remember going there with my now-wife to see Latin jazz flautist Dave Valentin; as we were leaving, we saw the queue of people entering to go to the disco and everyone had to get scanned and frisked.

I worked on the photos for the opening menu. GDS had a HUGE & very well equipped kitchen.
Never eat there, I took my payment in cash.

Went to grab dinner at Biaggi's in Deerfield the other night,
it was dark and there was a sign on the door.
Closed -thank you for 5 years of patronage.
Deerfield Road construction has claimed another victim!
SO tired of this nonsense....

The Rosebud on Madison -- referred to as the Rosebud Theatre District -- has ceased to be. It has joined the choir invisible. It is an ex-restaurant. Went to meet a friend there today -- it's within walking distance of both of our offices and was often a good place to meet up -- and it was shut up like Edith when Stifled.

According to the hostess at Rosebud Prime where we headed to eat (it being almost kitty corner across the street), there had been some lease issues at that location. She said they had just found out about it a day or two ago.

It was a typical Rosebud -- and it was nice for a more upscale lunch. I'm kinda bummed.

FourteenSixteen, a sister restaurant of Oak Park's Marion Street Market, opens in downtown LaGrange tonight.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... restaurant

earthlydesire wrote:The Rosebud on Madison -- referred to as the Rosebud Theatre District -- has ceased to be. It has joined the choir invisible. It is an ex-restaurant. kinda bummed.

Yeah, but I hear they were always out of cheese.

Crain's Chicago Business reported on August 29 that the owners of One North Kitchen plan to take over the Rosebud space at 70 W. Madison.

The owners of One North Kitchen & Bar plan a second downtown restaurant, in a 57-story Loop office tower.

Chef Laura Piper and business partner Rodd Goldman leased 10,000 square feet of ground-floor space at 70 W. Madison St., said Hearn, the Chicago-based landlord that owns the building.

The yet-to-be-named restaurant will include 6,000 square feet of sit-down dining and 4,000 square feet of fast-casual space serving sandwiches and other grab-and-go items, said Edward McKim, a Hearn vice president. The restaurant is expected to open by the end of the year, he said.

The Parthenon has closed. Seemed likely, but still, I'm sad to see them go. Another long time Chicago institution leaves us.

http://chicago.eater.com/2016/9/7/12835 ... cheese-opa

madopal wrote:The Parthenon has closed. Seemed likely, but still, I'm sad to see them go. Another long time Chicago institution leaves us.

http://chicago.eater.com/2016/9/7/12835 ... cheese-opa

That's truly sad. I first ate there for a birthday party for one of the execs on the second day of my part-time job while in college -- a party that has only been matched by some LTH events.

Tokens & Tankards in Mt Prospect has closed per their facebook page

Benihana will return to Chicago’s downtown area with a ground-floor restaurant in John Hancock Center

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/ch ... 49321.html

Dave148 wrote:

Benihana will return to Chicago’s downtown area with a ground-floor restaurant in John Hancock Center

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/ch ... 49321.html

The linked report & the one in Crain's are being coy for some reason, but Benny's is presumably moving into the former l'Appetito space. (per the l'appetito site, the JH location is now "closed/moving" rather than "temp. closed".)

Too bad.

And pursuant to that, l'Appetito will be opening up a new branch in (or moving an old branch to) the Feinberg Pavilion, 251 E. Huron 2nd floor.

(per the l'app website)

Blaze Pizza is coming soon to downtown Highland Park on the corner of Central and 1st Street (Port Clinton Square). I think they'll do well in that location. I like the pizza there and the similar fast pizza concept MOD Pizza in Deerfield has been popular in this area. They make a good lunch option too which not all pizza places do.

http://www.blazepizza.com/

Piggyback BBQ Tavern in Ogilvie food court appears to be out... cage down, lights off, some equipment gone after about 9 months.

Can't say I'm surprised, as their BBQ was terrible the couple times I tried it, and they had to compete with Lillie's in the French Market and a Blackwood around the corner on Clinton. Also, only portion of menu available unless you dined in w/ waitstaff.

nsxtasy wrote:

lizziebix wrote:Anyone know what happened to Catalpa Kitchen? Don't recall seeing anything mentioned here but could be nistaken. Thanks.

It's closed, according to their Yelp listing.

Guess I should have been more specific in my question. (I read yelp too.) Does anyone know why or when it closed?

lizziebix wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:

lizziebix wrote:Anyone know what happened to Catalpa Kitchen? Don't recall seeing anything mentioned here but could be nistaken. Thanks.

It's closed, according to their Yelp listing.

Guess I should have been more specific in my question. (I read yelp too.) Does anyone know why or when it closed?

I do know it's for sale - pretty sure it's not the real estate but just the business.

=R=

I've heard two separate unconfirmed rumors (from reliable sources) that GNR Boston Fish Market will be taking over the Pete Miller's Steakhouse location on Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling. I assume that this will be a separate "restaurant only" location that will be in addition to the wholesale/restaurant operation in Des Plaines. That location is to remain open as well.

Roger Ramjet wrote:And pursuant to that, l'Appetito will be opening up a new branch in (or moving an old branch to) the Feinberg Pavilion, 251 E. Huron 2nd floor.
(per the l'app website)

There's room for an Italian concept, but was l'Appetito more of a grocery store that had gelato and Italian lunch-type items (or they used to be)? I doubt too many people are going to go to Feinberg to buy pasta or imported tomato sauce, but you never know.

sdrucker wrote:

Roger Ramjet wrote:And pursuant to that, l'Appetito will be opening up a new branch in (or moving an old branch to) the Feinberg Pavilion, 251 E. Huron 2nd floor.
(per the l'app website)

There's room for an Italian concept, but was l'Appetito more of a grocery store that had gelato and Italian lunch-type items (or they used to be)? I doubt too many people are going to go to Feinberg to buy pasta or imported tomato sauce, but you never know.

The one at the base of the Hancock always struck me as doing a lot more business from takeout (or eat-in) than from groceries. I don't know, but that was my strong impression. Kind of made sense, considering the location.

The one in Feinberg will probably lean that way only more so.

Agree with riddlemay. The Hancock branch was primarily a restaurant (takeout oriented, but the tables were always full when I went there).

They also had quite a decent pastry selection (great cookies for Christmas presenting) and a gelato case.

The groceries at JH were just a couple of shelves. Okay stuff, but very much not a destination Italian grocery.

lizziebix wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:

lizziebix wrote:Anyone know what happened to Catalpa Kitchen? Don't recall seeing anything mentioned here but could be nistaken. Thanks.

It's closed, according to their Yelp listing.

Guess I should have been more specific in my question. (I read yelp too.) Does anyone know why or when it closed?

According to Everyblock, it closed in late July

JoelF wrote:Tokens & Tankards in Mt Prospect has closed per their facebook page

I wonder if per this Google survey, Tokens and Tankards is trying to get enough responses to see if they should reopen? Odd they didn't sticky the post about this survey to the top of their page, instead of their closing announcement. Hopefully they do decide to reopen, since it was on my list of places to eventually visit. And I'm sad I didn't get there in time to visit at least once, before it closed.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... rm?c=0&w=1

Tambreet wrote:Fizz bar on Lincoln just North of Belmont has closed, according to DNAInfo. What a sad stretch that bit of Lincoln from Belmont to Roscoe is now with many vacancies. Can't wait for Bareburger to open and add more life back to the street.

Hadn't heard Fizz Bar closed down. My guess like another person said(since Fizz always looked really quiet, if not totally dead), is that business was struggling there. And like another person said, at least Green Lady and Northdown(both great bars nearby) are still open. And I'm also a fan of New England Seafood Company and Dinkel's Bakery, as well! And not on Lincoln Ave. per se(corner of Roscoe and Ashland), but El Tapatio is a great Mexican restaurant that to me always has seemed a tad underrated.

Finally yep, Tambreet is right that it'd be nice if more businesses did exist on that part of Lincoln. It always seems like it's been tough, for mom and pop businesses to be successful on Lincoln near the Lincoln/Belmont/Ashland intersection. For example the short-lived Beckett's Public House and The Dog's Bollox(and weirdest name ever for a bar!) a few years back, and also the recent closure of House of Sushi and Noodles. Don't forget the 3100 north block of Lincoln southeast of that intersection, that seems even worse for vacancies. I hope the #11 Lincoln bus weekday experiment is successful, so that the CTA does decide to reinstate 7 day a week bus service to that part of Lincoln.

dumpstermcnuggets wrote:

JoelF wrote:Tokens & Tankards in Mt Prospect has closed per their facebook page

I wonder if per this Google survey, Tokens and Tankards is trying to get enough responses to see if they should reopen? Odd they didn't sticky the post about this survey to the top of their page, instead of their closing announcement. Hopefully they do decide to reopen, since it was on my list of places to eventually visit. And I'm sad I didn't get there in time to visit at least once, before it closed.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... rm?c=0&w=1

Tambreet wrote:Fizz bar on Lincoln just North of Belmont has closed, according to DNAInfo. What a sad stretch that bit of Lincoln from Belmont to Roscoe is now with many vacancies. Can't wait for Bareburger to open and add more life back to the street.

Hadn't heard Fizz Bar closed down. My guess like another person said(since Fizz always looked really quiet, if not totally dead), is that business was struggling there. And like another person said, at least Green Lady and Northdown(both great bars nearby) are still open. And I'm also a fan of New England Seafood Company and Dinkel's Bakery, as well! And not on Lincoln Ave. per se(corner of Roscoe and Ashland), but El Tapatio is a great Mexican restaurant that to me always has seemed a tad underrated.

Finally yep, Tambreet is right that it'd be nice if more businesses did exist on that part of Lincoln. It always seems like it's been tough, for mom and pop businesses to be successful on Lincoln near the Lincoln/Belmont/Ashland intersection. For example the short-lived Beckett's Public House and The Dog's Bollox(and weirdest name ever for a bar!) a few years back, and also the recent closure of House of Sushi and Noodles. Don't forget the 3100 north block of Lincoln southeast of that intersection, that seems even worse for vacancies. I hope the #11 Lincoln bus weekday experiment is successful, so that the CTA does decide to reinstate 7 day a week bus service to that part of Lincoln.

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.

I've only been to Belmont once, since they started to do their expansion to Diversey Ave and other locations(Schaumburg, Indy). The burger still tasted good, but I worry with all the expansion plans they're doing, that the quality of Kuma's will eventually suffer, even including Belmont?

For the record, I also read that a Kuma's Corner was coming to the Randolph Street area, besides Vernon Hills. It's still really weird for me to think they're considering expanding to Denver, and other cities!

dumpstermcnuggets wrote:I hope the #11 Lincoln bus weekday experiment is successful, so that the CTA does decide to reinstate 7 day a week bus service to that part of Lincoln.

I hope so, too. But every time I see one go by, it's got like one person in it.

Which is a shame, because before the CTA took the #11 away, it always seemed to me to have a fair number of riders. In the years of the #11's absence, the CTA essentially trained people to find another way to get where they're going (Uber?), and now they aren't coming back. If it had never gone away, I bet it'd have decent levels of ridership today.

Per their FB page, Hackney's in Printer's Row is closing after Monday (Sept. 12) for a re-concept.

riddlemay wrote:

dumpstermcnuggets wrote:I hope the #11 Lincoln bus weekday experiment is successful, so that the CTA does decide to reinstate 7 day a week bus service to that part of Lincoln.

I hope so, too. But every time I see one go by, it's got like one person in it.

Which is a shame, because before the CTA took the #11 away, it always seemed to me to have a fair number of riders. In the years of the #11's absence, the CTA essentially trained people to find another way to get where they're going (Uber?), and now they aren't coming back. If it had never gone away, I bet it'd have decent levels of ridership today.

They've also restricted it to hours that make it seem like this "experiment" is designed to fail.