rubbbqco wrote:

knitgirl wrote:One doorway south of Gather (Gather is 4539 N. Lincoln), is a sign for Flock Together. It says Winter 2017. Can't remember what was there before. Given the name, thinking it's from the same group as Gather. Didn't find anything about it online.

used to be Bad Dog Tavern, same owners as one of the old school wrigleyville bars (can't remember which one), then the short-lived Mash (same owners), then sold to the group from Gather... I did some heavy detective work earlier in the year as I'd kill for that patio...

yeah, great patio!

Booth One, the reimagined Pump Room, opens today
http://trib.in/2yMw2pp

Walking past the coming Flock Together site this afternoon has me doubting they will be open anytime soon. Note: they have totally ripped out the patio.

ekreider wrote:Walking past the coming Flock Together site this afternoon has me doubting they will be open anytime soon. Note: they have totally ripped out the patio.

*Full-on Munch mode!*

=R=

Asian Cajun+ opened another branch in Chinatown (actually east of there on State near Reggie's). I believe it just opened 2 November.

Asian Cajun+
2115 S State St
Chicago, Illinois
312-883-6536
https://asiancajunrestaurant.com/

This might have been covered earlier, but a rehab is going on at the old Ruby Tuesday location at Butterfield and Finley in the edge of Downers Grove. There is a sign proclaiming Mission BBQ as the next tenant.

Drover wrote:

Drover wrote:Anyone know what's happening at Dragonlady Lounge at Elston/Belmont/California? I drove by during business hours this evening. The bottom half of the windows are papered over, the lights were out, nobody's answering the phone, etc. The windows and door looked kind of grimy in the way that vacant storefronts get when they haven't been used for a while. Yet nobody has announced on Google or Yelp or anywhere else that I can see that it's closed. You'd think word would get around quickly when a neighborhood institution like this shutters.

Looks like we have our answer. From the DragonLady Lounge thread:

Giovanna wrote:Eater Chicago:https://chicago.eater.com/2017/6/15/15807424/bel-new-avondale-restaurant-midwest-foods-juicy-lucy-reeds-local-dragon-lady-lounge

(sorry not to embed better, on tablet)

Basically, Dragon Lady not coming back.

Giovanna

Dragon Lady Lounge's replacement, B'el, now open.

B'el Bar + Kitchen
3188 N. Elston Ave
(872) 241-9032
FB: https://www.facebook.com/BelBarKitchen/

It was inevitable with Portillo's going in across the street, but Cooker's Red Hots in Deerfield over in that shopping center with the DMV closed up. It's a shame, it was a decent little place. In other news in that stretch, Chick-fil-a is looking at opening up in the space that was the old Office Depot on the east side of Waukegan just south of Lake-Cook.

jacketpotato wrote:Asian Cajun+ opened another branch in Chinatown (actually east of there on State near Reggie's). I believe it just opened 2 November.

Asian Cajun+
2115 S State St
Chicago, Illinois
312-883-6536
https://asiancajunrestaurant.com/

Speaking of that, I noticed an Asian Cajun had opened in Evanston. In the former Addis Abbea (sp?) Ethiopian restaurant space, on Chicago north of Dempster.

It didn't look like anyone had reported this news in this thread, so I'll add it here. Asian Cajun also hasn't gotten around to updating their website to reflect this new Evanston location, yet.

Also I got lucky a week ago when I went by the old Acre(and Ombra) restaurant on Clark north of Berwyn, and the lights for the inside were left on overnight. I peered inside an opening in the boards, and the inside had entirely been gutted for rehabbing it into a Mexican restaurant called Octavio. Think I spelled that right.

dumpstermcnuggets wrote:Speaking of that, I noticed an Asian Cajun had opened in Evanston. In the former Addis Abbea (sp?) Ethiopian restaurant space, on Chicago north of Dempster.

It didn't look like anyone had reported this news in this thread, so I'll add it here. Asian Cajun also hasn't gotten around to updating their website to reflect this new Evanston location, yet.

It's been open a while, and was previously reported in the "Openings, Closings thread" back in September 2016, here.

Kababjees, an Indo-Pakistani fast casual restaurant opened in the former Wings R US restaurant on Dempster street in Morton Grove

Kababjees
6037 Dempster St.
Morton Grove, IL 60053
https://www.yelp.com/biz/kababjees-morton-grove-5

AlexG wrote:It was inevitable with Portillo's going in across the street, but Cooker's Red Hots in Deerfield over in that shopping center with the DMV closed up. It's a shame, it was a decent little place. In other news in that stretch, Chick-fil-a is looking at opening up in the space that was the old Office Depot on the east side of Waukegan just south of Lake-Cook.

Cooker's was openly worried that Portillo's could hurt their business, guess they were right. I stopped going to Cooker's years ago. I didn't care for whatever brand hot dogs they used and I once had a Caesar salad from them that was so bad I ended a low-carb diet that same day!

Glad to see something being done with the old Office Depot spot. I love those chicken biscuits at Chick-Fil-A.

Poke Burrito opened today (11/29) at 4301 N. Lincoln.

knitgirl wrote:Poke Burrito opened today (11/29) at 4301 N. Lincoln.

Jesus

knitgirl wrote:Poke Burrito opened today (11/29) at 4301 N. Lincoln.

Holy fusion, Batman. I'll let someone else take one for the team...

chicagojim wrote:

knitgirl wrote:Poke Burrito opened today (11/29) at 4301 N. Lincoln.

Holy fusion, Batman. I'll let someone else take one for the team...

I actually did. We need good lunch places in the Irving/Lincoln area. Not to make this too long, the only thing burrito about it is that they wrap all the ingredients in either seaweed or rice paper, depending on which you want. I ordered a small bowl for $9.95. It was very good, but small, I would need the larger bowl to be satisfied.

knitgirl wrote:

chicagojim wrote:

knitgirl wrote:Poke Burrito opened today (11/29) at 4301 N. Lincoln.

Holy fusion, Batman. I'll let someone else take one for the team...

I actually did. We need good lunch places in the Irving/Lincoln area. Not to make this too long, the only thing burrito about it is that they wrap all the ingredients in either seaweed or rice paper, depending on which you want. I ordered a small bowl for $9.95. It was very good, but small, I would need the larger bowl to be satisfied.

Whew. I was imagining Poke with guac., black beans, rice, cheese and sour cream. I'm not sure their name was the best idea.

Coming soon(?) to the NW corner of the loop in the old Pockets location (Lake St next to the original Blackwood) is Bozii. Seems to be a Detroit area healthy eating spot (whatever that means now). Yelp shows locations closed and they currently only have 1 in the Renaissance Center.

I wish them luck, that's a hot area with 6 new buildings - but has also seen the recent demise of many upstarts.

http://www.bozii.com/

stoutisgoodfood wrote:Coming soon(?) to the NW corner of the loop in the old Pockets location (Lake St next to the original Blackwood) is Bozii. Seems to be a Detroit area healthy eating spot (whatever that means now). Yelp shows locations closed and they currently only have 1 in the Renaissance Center.

I wish them luck, that's a hot area with 6 new buildings - but has also seen the recent demise of many upstarts.

http://www.bozii.com/

Let me be the first, looks like a "hot Pockets" (which is well below Arby's and White Castle in my book).

There was a place in Georgetown in DC many years back that served hollowed-out baguettes with a number of fillings. Was actually quite good.

Uptown’s Getting an All-Day Restaurant from Jam’s Owners

https://chicago.eater.com/2017/11/30/16 ... jam-uptown

Pegasus Restaurant closing Saturday in Greektown after 27 years.
http://trib.in/2BqYRsm

Dave148 wrote:Pegasus Restaurant closing Saturday in Greektown after 27 years.
http://trib.in/2BqYRsm

I think it's official now. Greektown is dead.

=R=

dagrassroots wrote:

knitgirl wrote:Poke Burrito opened today (11/29) at 4301 N. Lincoln.

Jesus

They're doing Mediterranean too??

Baghdad Restaurant has opened on 12/1 in the former NIU Kabob location in downtown skokie. In the window they had a sign 25% all food orders as grand opening from 12/1 - 12/3.

This restaurant has 2 other locations in Sterling Heights Michigan.


Baghdad Restaurant Chicago
4839 Oakton St,
Skokie, IL 60076, US
(847) 329-4200
https://baghdadrestaurantchicago.com/menu

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Dave148 wrote:Pegasus Restaurant closing Saturday in Greektown after 27 years.
http://trib.in/2BqYRsm

I think it's official now. Greektown is dead.

=R=

It's certainly on the decline....since the mid-2000s, it's lost at least four restaurants (Costas/Courtyards of Plaka, Venus, Parthenon and now Pegasus), a nightclub (Byzantium) with live music, and multiple stores that were Greek-themed (the cigar store with the dog that was always laying around, Greektown Music, and two bakeries come to mind).

For now, there's still four left (Greek Islands, Athena, Santorini and Roditis) as well as a pretty good breakfast/lunch place that's Greek (Meli's Café) and Artopolis Café. I'm not counting the 9 Muses and Spectrum on that list because they're really bars with food rather than destinations for food as such.

Since the story on Eater mentions that Artopolis is owned by a brother from the same family as Pegasus, I hope they're not next on the list. That would really be the death knell of what the neighborhood is about. Imagine Greektown without a place that's open relatively late and not a dive bar, sports bar or fast food...it has a distinctly Euro feel you don't get from the rest of the neighborhood after 10 PM aside from the bars...

From a culinary perspective, the restaurants weren't particularly unique or innovative compared to Astoria, Manhattan, or even that Greek place up in the north suburbs or our go-to Taxim. Remember the old joke about there were many restaurants and one kitchen underground that shuffled dishes between them? However, seeing an ethnic neighborhood sliding into dissolution is depressing.

We live nearby in the West Loop and while not Greeks ourselves, it was always a regular stop since we started dating in the mid-1990's. We bought Greek cookies when we brought our now 19 year old son home from the hospital to celebrate. Seeing that stretch of South Halsted evolve into a combination of apartment/rental housing, sports bars and chain storefronts, ultimately reducing down to Greek Islands, Athena and a museum representing the past as reasons to come to the neighborhood, would be devastating if you value Chicago as a city of neighborhoods. Its sadly no Chinatown...

Who knows, maybe we can get a more regional Greek place ala Taxim on Madison or Randolph in the West Loop proper to make up for this down the road. I'll add it to the list with about five other ethnic cuisines I want within walking distance LOL. Ethiopian, Moroccan, Persian, and less tourist friendly Asian are ahead of it...

EDIT: walking around Greektown, I saw that Elea, the little Greek grocery store at 309 S. Halsted, has also closed due to “unforeseen circumstances”. The slow erosure marches on....

sdrucker wrote:or even that Greek place up in the north suburbs

Avli Estiatorio in Winnetka.

nsxtasy wrote:

sdrucker wrote:or even that Greek place up in the north suburbs

Avli Estiatorio in Winnetka.

And/or Psistaria in Lincolnwood.

Alpine Subs is opening a new outpost tomorrow (Tuesday 12/5) in Westchester.

Alpine Foods West 10712 W 31st St Westchester, IL.

It's taking over a previous (underwhelming) deli in the mini strip of businesses where 'The Farm' camps out in the summer - just east of Marianos.

La Boulangerie is set to open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the former home of Butterfat Studios tattoo shop, 3129 W. Logan Boulevard, serving many of the same offerings the bakery is known for, including freshly made breads, pastries, crepes, sandwiches, and coffee.

https://chicago.eater.com/2017/12/8/167 ... w-location

The Haywood Tavern on Augusta and California closed on November 19.

There is already a new sign up for The Shelby, but the blinds are drawn, so probably work going on.

Glad to see something open back up in the space, in my hood.

The Shelby
2759 W Augusta Blvd
Chicago, IL 60622