lsher wrote:The Philly Special recently opened. Serving authentic cheesesteaks. Bread is flown in from Philadelphia. I didn't see a website for them.
The Philly Special
1408 S. Butterfield Rd.
Mundelein

That was the Lucky Burger location.

Katie wrote:

lsher wrote:The Philly Special recently opened. Serving authentic cheesesteaks. Bread is flown in from Philadelphia. I didn't see a website for them.
The Philly Special
1408 S. Butterfield Rd.
Mundelein

That was the Lucky Burger location.

Apparently not.

No? Google shows Lucky Burger as permanently closed, and when I put the address of The Philly Special into Google Maps, it pointed to the exact same spot. Maybe it's next door. Anyway, I'm headed over to BiBim Town on Butterfield in a few minutes for lunch with the LTH North group, so I'll try to figure out where I went wrong.

Telegram Sam wrote:

Katie wrote:

lsher wrote:The Philly Special recently opened. Serving authentic cheesesteaks. Bread is flown in from Philadelphia. I didn't see a website for them.
The Philly Special
1408 S. Butterfield Rd.
Mundelein

That was the Lucky Burger location.

Apparently not.

Katie wrote:No? Google shows Lucky Burger as permanently closed, and when I put the address of The Philly Special into Google Maps, it pointed to the exact same spot. Maybe it's next door. Anyway, I'm headed over to BiBim Town on Butterfield in a few minutes for lunch with the LTH North group, so I'll try to figure out where I went wrong.

I think the meaning there was 'not that lucky since they've closed.' I lol'd.

=R=

Ah! Whoosh! Went right over my head.

Anyway, yes, it is that location. I'm looking forward to trying a cheesesteak or hoagie from The Philly Special sometime soon.

Coming to downtown Skokie:

Don Julio Cafe
7919 N. Lincoln Ave
Skokie, IL 60077
224-319-6271
https://donjuliocafe.com/

Upscale Italian restaurant Tre Dita, the second of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ two-restaurant project inside the St. Regis Chicago skyscraper, is now slated for a winter opening at 401 E. Wacker Drive.

https://chicago.eater.com/2023/9/22/238 ... ttractions

Nayo African Cuisine, a Nigerian restaurant from kitchen veteran Anayo Nwajiaku, opened in September at 1418 W. Howard Street

https://chicago.eater.com/2023/9/29/238 ... -fall-2023

The Guiness brewery has opened. Decent bar menu.

https://www.guinnessbrewerychicago.com/food

And a tap option featuring Illinois-grown corn.

For the Evanstonians:

Made-to-order sandwiches are coming to Central Street, with the Fat Shallot set to open by the end of the year in the former site of the Old Neighborhood Grill, 2902 Central St.

https://evanstonroundtable.com/2023/10/ ... gg-harbor/

spinynorman99 wrote:The Guiness brewery has opened. Decent bar menu.

https://www.guinnessbrewerychicago.com/food

And a tap option featuring Illinois-grown corn.

Mrs Willie & I grabbed a pint at 10:15am on Saturday morning. Wait at that time was 2 hours for a table, but one could order a drink from the bar and utilize stand up table tops. There was a back room with chairs & another bar that folks just seemed to be using but seeing as we were there for only a pint we didn't feel the need to sit down.

I checked on the way out at 11:30am and wait for a table was 3 hours.

We'll go back after the opening hype has died down to have a meal.

Dakota 94 at 5304 W. Devon is closing, per their Facebook. Opened in 2019, address was formerly home to Mia Figlia. https://www.facebook.com/d94chicago/posts/pfbid02m3mDMjyaAKTtjPdRsCY3JUdiY6Qny1aBeSNLrMNqZjGK7nYdaFTBZxVM2UU1ASNhl

Boka Bids Au Revoir to Le Select After 10 Months in River North

https://chicago.eater.com/2023/10/2/239 ... ing-closed

I did not see these posted but here but Taco's El Tio opened in the former El Carrito spot at Lincoln & Peterson.

Also not a closing but a change in ownership, I was sad to see that Sergios Taqueria & Pizza in North Park has new owners. Their thin crust pizza flew under the radar and I think I was up there with some of the best thin crust in the city. Hope the new owners keep the recipes!

Tacos El Tio
6019 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago Il 60659

Sergios Taqueria & Pizza
3253 W Bryn Marw
Chicago Il 60659

Dave148 wrote:Per a Facebook post, Thomas & Dutch opens today.
703 Church Street
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 492-9700
https://www.thomasanddutch.com

Local restaurant Thomas & Dutch closing after just 6 months

https://evanstonroundtable.com/2023/10/ ... -6-months/

Voodoo Doughnut Is Opening In Fulton Market. The Portland, Oregon-based doughnut chain, known for its pink storefront and extra-indulgent creations, will replace Umami Burger at 945 W. Randolph St.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/05 ... on-market/

One of our longtime neighborhood spots, Graziano's on Touhy, is closing on the 23rd. No details.

https://www.facebook.com/grazianosrestaurant/

spinynorman99 wrote:One of our longtime neighborhood spots, Graziano's on Touhy, is closing on the 23rd. No details.

https://www.facebook.com/grazianosrestaurant/

The part about "make way for a retail development" makes it sound like they were bought out.

bweiny wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:One of our longtime neighborhood spots, Graziano's on Touhy, is closing on the 23rd. No details.

https://www.facebook.com/grazianosrestaurant/

The part about "make way for a retail development" makes it sound like they were bought out.

Could mean any number of things. It's a reason, but one lacking in detail.

spinynorman99 wrote:

bweiny wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:One of our longtime neighborhood spots, Graziano's on Touhy, is closing on the 23rd. No details.

https://www.facebook.com/grazianosrestaurant/

The part about "make way for a retail development" makes it sound like they were bought out.

Could mean any number of things. It's a reason, but one lacking in detail.

I feel bad for those who now have to look for other employment but I can think of many sadder occurrences than this below average pizzaslinger closing its doors. In my experience, the promise of their 'brick oven' never found its way to their pizzas, which are consistently soft and gummy.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:In my experience, the promise of their 'brick oven' never found its way to their pizzas, which are consistently soft and gummy.

=R=

Pizza was neither great nor terrible.

spinynorman99 wrote:

bweiny wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:One of our longtime neighborhood spots, Graziano's on Touhy, is closing on the 23rd. No details.

https://www.facebook.com/grazianosrestaurant/

The part about "make way for a retail development" makes it sound like they were bought out.

Could mean any number of things. It's a reason, but one lacking in detail.

Some online sleuthing shows a Discount Tire location is planned for that location: https://www.vniles.com/DocumentCenter/V ... 960-Touhy-

Land & Lake Restaurant In Ravenswood Closing This Weekend

https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/06 ... s-weekend/

Parson’s Chicken In Ukrainian Village Will Be Replaced By Tavern-Style Pizza Joint Dicey’s.

Land and Sea Dept., the group behind both the new pizza tavern and the popular Parson’s chain, hopes to open Dicey’s early next year.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/06 ... nt-diceys/

According to the Evanston Round Table, Evanston Corner Bistro is opening up on 10/13, taking the place of Thomas and Dutch, which is closing on 10/8.
https://evanstonroundtable.com/2023/10/ ... orrington/

Saw that Backlot Coffee has a "Coming 2024" location at 2424 W. Montrose.

Looks like the Burger King at Clark and Irving Park has closed. The signs were taken down and it no longer shows as a BK location on Google.

Longtime neighborhood staple Mirai Sushi closed in late August after 24 years at 2020 W. Division Street, operators announced on Instagram. They also tease a forthcoming restaurant, promising a “new and exciting concept coming very soon!”

https://chicago.eater.com/2023/9/26/238 ... -fall-2023

Signage is up at Manchamanteles Restaurant indicating that they are now open for dinner.
It's in the former Lazo's space in Bucktown that was briefly Las Fuentes (seems like Las Fuentes is still involved but this is a rebrand for this location). The chef is Geno Bahena of Mis Moles in Avondale.

Manchamanteles Restaurant
2009 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

excelsior wrote:Looks like the Burger King at Clark and Irving Park has closed. The signs were taken down and it no longer shows as a BK location on Google.

This has been in the works, I found something that said a zoning variance was approved for a four story residential development on that lot.