Sep 14, 2019
WGN9 | Bianca Cseke | September 13, 2019
CHICAGO — Good Burger, a pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles inspired by the fan favorite ’90s Nickelodeon “All That” sketch, will come to Chicago in 2020.
Good Burger Chicago organizers promised brand new, immersive surprises when it opens, and said the restaurant will be a homecoming for the team behind other viral projects.
“While we can all agree that The Max helped launch the nostalgic pop-up trend here which is now reaching the point of fatigue, our team also takes pride in not only working with the studios themselves on the project, but elevating these concepts both in food and experience like nobody else is doing,” Good Burger spokesman Michael Corrigan said in a news release.
Like the current pop-up in Los Angeles, Chicago’s Good Burger will be run by Eggslut founder Alvin Cailan.
There’s no word yet on the location of the pop-up restaurant. Stay tuned!
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Sep 7, 2019
Eater Chicago | Ashok Selvam | September 4, 2019
Chicago restauranteurs talk about economic pressures at the latest Eater live event at the Ace Hotel
Eater Chicago and the Ace Hotel will continue its ongoing restaurant industry discussion series in September, with a new topic: Will Chicago’s restaurant industry survive the financial pressure cooker?
Three panelists from Chicago’s restaurant industry will join Eater Chicago Senior Editor Ashok Selvam who will moderate a conversation on the various fiscal pressures restaurants face, what the public doesn’t see from the dining room, and how restaurants react to survive.
While new restaurants pop up in Chicago every week, an alarmingly high number also shut their doors. Though larger restaurant groups, like Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and One Off Hospitality Group, are more insulated to fiscal challenges compared to their independent brethren, all operators face hurdles including competition, finding ways to properly compensate their workers, and finding real estate at a cost that won’t sink their business. Other aspects include how to pay for employee insurance and a human resource department. There’s also concerns over negative social media posts from consumers.
Join these panelists:
Kevin Boehm, the co-founder of Boka Restaurant Group, one of the most successful hospitality companies in Chicago (and the reigning James Beard Foundation Awards winner for Outstanding Restaurateur). Boka runs several restaurants including Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and GT Fish & Oyster. Boehm worked to bring a Chicago version of the Welcome Conference, a celebration of the hospitality industry, to town.
Lamar Moore, chef/co-owner Swill Inn, a River West pub with a late-night bar underneath. Moore has worked at Currency Exchange Cafe and the Smoke Daddy. He’s wanted to open his own restaurant for quite a while and considered moving out of state after he struggled finding the right opportunity. He’s also involved with a variety of national brands. He’s also cooked for the Chicago Bears football team.
Zoë Schor, chef/owner of Split-Rail, a West Town restaurant the recently shifted gears to go casual and concentrate on fried chicken. Before Split-Rail, Schor worked at Ada Street near Lincoln Park. She plans to soon open a bar underneath her restaurant.
This Eater Chicago x Ace Hotel discussion takes place on Thursday, September 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20, and include one drink ticket. Seating is limited, and it’s best to make reservations ASAP.
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Aug 24, 2019
Eater Chicago | Daniel Gerzina | August 23, 2019
‘Parks and Recreation’ is the latest pop culture-themed pop-up bar coming to Chicago
Replay Lincoln Park, which has built a following from hosting many pop culture-themed pop-ups, is turning to “Parks and Recreation” for its latest stunt. Opening August 30, the pop-up bar aims to pay homage to characters and scenes, and recreate many locations from the popular NBC show, including the Department of Parks and Recreation, Shoe Shine Stand, and more, according to a news release and multiple reports. Also expect themed food and drink items such as tributes to the Glitter Factory’s breakfast buffet, JJ’s Diner, and Sweetums, while cocktails will include “Give Me All the Bacon” — a bacon infused bourbon and maple syrup old fashioned.
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Aug 17, 2019
Chicago Magazine | Maridsa Choute | August 14, 2019
The Sophy Hotel’s in-house bar and lounge draws Hyde Parkers looking for everything from a date night destination to a stepped-up study break.
Located on the first floor of the Sophy Hotel, Mesler Kitchen (1401 E. 53rd St.) offers a dining experience that can be as upscale or casual as guests like. Its name means “to mix and mingle,” and with five main seating areas, guests can do just that. Some walls feature built-in bookshelves, while others are decorated with art made by students from Hyde Park Academy High School. The bar’s best and coziest secret, however, is out back: the shrubbery-lined outdoor Sanctuary, complete with lounge chairs and firepits.
As a nod to its proximity to the University of Chicago, Mesler offers drink creations named for scientific concepts — like the Greenhouse Effect, which pairs tequila with honey-jalapeño syrup, or the hibiscus-and-blackberry-accented Surface Tension. Others are fresh takes on familiar formulas: The Hemingway Adaptation (pictured) tweaks the daiquiri of the same name by swapping rum for gin and adding a splash of Peychaud’s.
Mesler also serves mocktails for those who want a fancy drink without the buzz. Try the Hyde Park Cooler, made with an in-house strawberry puree and lemon-lime soda, plus a hint of lime to keep it refreshing.
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Aug 10, 2019
Eater Chicago | Naomi Waxman | August 8, 2019
Hamburger Mary’s, Mary’s Attic, and Andersonville Brewing Co. are on the market
A popular Andersonville drag-and-burger destination is for sale, according to an online real estate listing. SVN Chicago Commercial’s listing includes Hamburger Mary’s, along with upstairs performance venue Mary’s Attic and neighboring brewpub Andersonville Brewing Co. at 5400-5402 N. Clark Street. Ownership has not yet responded to requests for more information.
Co-owner Brandon Wright told Block Club that over a year remains on the restaurant’s current lease and he plans to remain for the duration. He hopes to eventually move it to a location with a larger dining area and lower rent.
The listing details business assets included in the sale, such as all “unencumbered” fixtures, equipment, and pro-rated licenses (incidental liquor, retail food, and sidewalk cafe), but excludes brewing equipment and the POS system. The asking price, according to the listing and a comprehensive sales brochure, is $185,000.
Best known for its festive vibe, creative burger combinations, and talented drag performers, Hamburger Mary’s is a franchise brand with outposts in California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. A second Illinois Mary’s is currently operating in Oak Park and will remain open, according to an employee.
The Andersonville location, first opened in 2006, also serves as Hamburger Mary’s International’s “world HQ,” according to the restaurant’s website. Owners added Mary’s Attic upstairs in 2007, and opened the sports bar next door three years later. The restaurant and bar was forced to close temporarily due to health code violations in 2015 after several failed inspections.
Andersonville residents have seen notable restaurant turnover on North Clark Street in the past few years. A location of gourmet wine and cheese market Pastoral and neighboring restaurant Appellation shuttered in October of 2018, and a Furious Spoon shop closed in June after less than a year in the neighborhood. Both storefronts currently remain empty.
Despite closures in prominent spots on the main drag, Andersonville has also welcomed new restaurants into the fold. These include Passerotto, a sparkling Korean-Italian hotspot from Eater’s 2018 Chef of the Year Jennifer Kim, and recent addition Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar in a long-empty space previously occupied by Adriatic Restaurant.
Stay tuned for any updates about the future of Hamburger Mary’s Andersonville.
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Aug 3, 2019
Join several River North restaurants for the 3rd Annual Restaurant Week by River North from August 5th through the 11th, 2019. This event is brought to River North and Chicago by the founders of The Tortoise Supper Club and over a dozen restaurants will participate including:
Barrio – Lunch & Dinner Menus
Beacon Tavern – Bunch Menu – Dinner Menu
Farmhouse Chicago
Gene & Georgetti
The Hampton Social – Dinner Menu
Hutch – Bunch Menu
Katana – Lunch Menu
Mercadito – Lunch & Dinner Menus
Prosecco Ristorante – Menu
Tortoise Supper Club – Dinner Menu
Wildfire – Dinner Menu
ZED 451 – Dinner Menu
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