A 12-Year-Old Mexican Cafe in Ukrainian Village and Two More Closures

Indoor dining has resumed in Chicago, and restaurant are adapting by reminding customers to wear masks while maintaining social distance rules with six feet of separation between tables.

For many Chicago restaurants and bars, however, a limited reopening does little to keep their businesses solvent, with caps on capacity and fears about exposing workers to the public leaving operators in limbo.

Numerous restaurants are still hibernating, electing to remain closed until the virus is quelled. Workers continue to face difficult decisions regarding their careers and potential exposure to COVID-19 from colleagues and patrons, and grapple with a lack of financial support from state and federal governments.

Below, Eater is cataloging both temporary and permanent restaurant closures in Chicago. If you know of a restaurant, bar, or other food establishment that has closed since the start of the pandemic, please email [email protected]. We will continue to update this post.

April 27

Lincoln Park: Casual counter-service spot Ali Baba Doner is permanently closed with a for-lease sign in the window at 545 W. Diversey Parkway. Fans appreciated the restaurant’s chicken kebab, which some (including Reader critic Mike Sula) felt was best enjoyed as a sandwich with crunchy salad and a soft, warm pita. Local food writer Titus Ruscitti named Ali Baba as one of his favorite restaurant newcomers in 2019.

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Ukrainian Village: Neighborhood Mexican restaurant El Metro Cafe will permanently close on May 16 after a dozen years in business, ownership announces in a Facebook post. “With our hearts filled with gratitude and satisfaction, we are ready to announce that after 12 years of memorable experiences, delicious food shared, and the wonderful people we met, El Metro Café is closing its doors to open ourselves to new adventures,” the post reads. El Metro’s owners also previously ran Spanish-Mexican spot Gaudi Cafe, which closed in 2016 after two years.

Evanston: Longtime suburban diner Golden Olympic is permanently closed, according to Evanston Now. The space at 1608 Chicago Avenue is now reportedly empty. The proudly old-school institution served breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the area since the 1960s, ownership writes on the diner’s website.

April 13

Edgewater: Neighborhood coffeeshop and cafe Chicago Grind is closed after seven years on the corner of Berwyn and Broadway, according to area blog Edgeville Buzz. It was owned by Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, a London-based coffee chain that operated shops in Lakeview and West Loop until the company entered liquidation in September 2020.

Streeterville: Breakfast and brunch stalwart West Egg Cafe has permanently after more than 30 years. Fans found it a reliable spot for omelets, skillets, and other eggy options. A for-lease sign in the window at 620 N Fairbanks Court.

Wicker Park: Volumes Bookcafe, an indie bookstore-coffee shop hybrid first opened in 2016, closed its Milwaukee Avenue store in late March with plans to relocate, according to a tweet. “This isn’t goodbye for good,” ownership writes. “Just a so long ‘til we settle on a new place. We are more than these four walls.” There’s no word yet on when or where owners aim to reopen.

March 23

Logan Square: Paladar Cuban Restaurant and Rum Bar, a nine-year-old restaurant, won’t reopen due to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Owner Jose Gonzalez shut down the restaurant at the end of October as the pandemic’s second wave hit Chicago and now lacks the resources to reopen. “We tried to survive but COVID and regulations got the best of us,” he writes in a Facebook post.

Gonzalez’s family has owned restaurants for more than three decades on Western Avenue, according to Block Club Chicago. His parents and brother for more than 20 years operated Cafe Bolero, also a Cuban restaurant, in the same space as Paladar. The closure is the latest in a string of shuttered Cuban restaurants over several years in the area, along with Cafe Laguardia on Armitage Avenue and the beloved Cafeteria Marianao (which has since reopened as Bia’s Cafe Marianao in Dunning). Gonzalez’s Mexican restaurant, El Cid, remains open on Kedzie Avenue.

Rogers Park: Indie coffee shop the Common Cup is closed after 13 years on Morse Avenue, according to a Facebook post. Still, owners still hold out hope for a possible reopening at some point. “We are heartbroken to announce that we will be closed starting March 20 for the foreseeable future,” ownership writes in a note taped to the cafe door. “We hope to return soon!”

Wicker Park: Seattle-based vegan restaurant and bar No Bones Beach Club has permanently closed all its restaurants, including a Chicago outpost, due to the pandemic, according to the company’s website. The brand launched a Chicago location in 2018 near the Milwaukee/North/Damen intersection with a menu of jackfruit flautas with dairy-free cheese and parsnip-and-veggie “crab” cakes, plus a full bar. The company has since transitioned toward retail with a focus on frozen items like vegan cauliflower wings and plans to launch in grocery stores this year.

March 9

Bucktown: Windy Kitty Cat Cafe and Lounge has closed its North Avenue location after four years with plans to relocate elsewhere in the city, ownership writes in a Facebook post. Owner Jennifer Tiner hasn’t yet settled on a new site but writes in the comments that she’s interested in Pilsen and South Loop. Tiner also promises a “proper cafe’ish” when the new space opens. Windy Kitty was the second licensed cat cafe in Chicago when it opened in 2017. The lounge was using coffee from Gallery Cafe, located just down the block.

Edison Park: Don Juan Restaurante, a neighborhood Mexican spot that’s one of the oldest establishments in the area, in early February closed on Northwest Highway after nearly 40 years, according to Block Club Chicago. Co-owner Jacob Concannon tells reporters that the pandemic, high rent costs, and a plethora of city fees proved to be too much for the business. He plans to reopen in suburban Park Ridge by May 5.

Gage Park: Indie coffee shop Hogar Cafe permanently closed its storefront in January after two years, according to a Facebook post. “Hogar Cafe was started by a fellow Gage Parker that wanted to give the community he grew up in a coffee shop they can call their own,” the post reads. “Unfortunately, we all could not have foreseen the year that we would face, but never the less, here we are.” The business has now transitioned to a focus on retail products that include its popular horchata creamer and Chiapas coffee beans.

West Town/South Loop: Opart Thai House closed on February 26 at 1371 W. Chicago Avenue after a dispute between partners that included the landlord increasing rent. Mary Punmit, whose family founded the mini chain (which is best known for its old Lincoln Square location), says she’s opening a new West Town location soon inside the former Manee Thai, 1546 W. Chicago Avenue. Opart’s South Loop location is also temporarily closed due to a landlord issue (there was an eviction notice posted on the window last week), but Punmit is hopeful to resolve that soon so they can reopen; she says they’re hibernating for now. Punmit’s former partner, Jay Lin, is opening his own restaurant at the former Opart space at the corner of Chicago and Noble. He says Noble Thai should open in a few months after construction is complete at 1371 W. Chicago Avenue. Lin also owns Tensuke Market in suburban Elk Grove Village.

March 2

Avalon Park: Nita’s Gumbo, one of the city’s best spots for the zesty Cajun staple, has permanently closed its takeout-only location in Stony Island after seven years, according to a Facebook post. Chicago fans can still track down the will now have to make the trek to Nita’s full-service restaurant in suburban Country Club Hills.

Edgewater: Metropolis Coffee Company has temporarily closed its Granville Avenue cafe, putting the business into hibernation until the pandemic has subsided, according to Block Club Chicago. Ownership tells reporters that the business hasn’t seen a profitable day since the pandemic began last year, so the move is designed to preserve funds for a new menu and interior facelift. They aim to reopen on April 26.

Edgewater: Nine-year-old local breakfast and brunch spot Nookies has permanently closed its location adjacent to the Bryn Mawr El stop and a for-lease sign hangs in the window. The brand’s original Old Town location, open since 1973, remains operating on Wells Street.

The Loop: Max’s Take Out, a popular downtown spot for cheap favorites like hot dogs, Italian beef, and gyros, permanently closed in February after 30 years in business, ownership writes on Facebook. “To our regulars, those who traveled to Chicago for vacation or business and shared a bite with us, to the students, our neighbors, City Hall staffers, nearby workers - thank you,” the post reads. “Thank you for picking up a brown greasy paper bag and coming together with us.”

February 16

Lakeview: Royal Indian Grill has permanently closed after 17 years and a for-lease sign hangs in the restaurant’s window on Clark Street. Known for large portions and a BYOB policy, Royal Indian Grill first opened in 2004 in Lincoln Park before relocating to Lakeview.

Portage Park: Mesa Urbana, the modern Mexican restaurant from co-owner Moe Abu-Taleb and his family is closed at 4024 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Ownership plans to relocate and reopen in mid-March in a space at 1935 N. Lincoln Avenue, according to a Facebook post. The address previously housed Mundano, the Abu-Talebs’ Latin-American restaurant that permanently closed in September in Lincoln Park.

South Loop: Longtime pizza spot Pauly’s Pizzeria is permanently closed after two decades on State Street, according to a sign in the restaurant window first spotted by Sloopin. Popular with neighbors and area college students, Pauly’s featured New York-style pizza by the slice, deep dish and stuffed pizzas, and calzones.

February 9

Around Town: Cold-pressed juice purveyor Harvest Juicery has permanently closed after nearly a decade, ownership writes in a Facebook post. “Given the difficult reality of this pandemic, it is with a heavy heart that after 9 successful years and countless lives touched, the time has come to say goodbye,” writes founder Krissy Sciarra. The brand, known for several varieties of green juice, fruit, and vegetable juices, was previously housed in a Fulton Market cafe that has since been taken over by local dessert maker Black Dog Gelato. The company then transitioned to wholesale distribution, appearing in spots like Beatrix Market and Bian, a private wellness club in River North from Boka Restaurant Group co-founder Kevin Boehm.

Chinatown: Little Lamb Hot Pot has permanently closed its Wentworth Avenue restaurant after seven years. It specialized in Mongolian hot pot and featured lamb in a variety of forms, from skewers to paper-thin slices to cook in broth. A new dry pot restaurant, Chongqing Chicken Pot, has moved into the former Little Lamb space and is serving its popular dry pot, also available at locations in Houston, Texas, and Brooklyn Chinatown.

River North: Pacific Standard Time, the wildly popular California-cool spot that was named Restaurant of the Year in 2018 by Eater Chicago, is permanently closed. Leadership at its ownership group, One Off Hospitality (Publican, Blackbird), have announced plans to use the breezy River North space for a second location of Avec, its influential Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar on Randolph Street.

When it opened, Pacific Standard time was a collaboration between One Off and Underscore Hospitality, a new group from chef Erling Wu-Bower and operating partner Josh Tilden. The menu, which drew on Asian and Mediterranean cuisines for options like duck for the whole table and pitas with ahi tuna and beef tartare, drew streams of visitors and locals eager to try the acclaimed spot. Wu-Bower and Tilden departed the restaurant last summer; owners then brought Avec chef Perry Hendrix in to take over kitchen operations, signaling the space’s transition to Avec River North.

North Center: Chicago Joe’s, a longtime family-owned spot for comfort food like burgers and patty melts, is permanently closed after 33 years, according to Block Club Chicago. Developers plan to raze the large white building on the corner of Oakley Avenue and Irving Park Road to build a 53-foot-tall condo building with 16 parking spaces. Ownership put the building at 2256 W. Irving Park Road up for sale two years ago, telling reporters at the time that they were “ready to move on with their lives.” The restaurant stopped serving food in late October, when officials reinstated a ban on indoor dining.

Plainfield: Longtime suburban fried chicken destination White Fence Farm has closed a carryout location in Plainfield, 39 miles southwest of Chicago. Signs have been removed from the former outpost and it has been erased from restaurant website. A family-owned institution for 65 years, the original restaurant in Romeoville remains open and continues to serve its famous pressure-cooked and flash-fried chicken. The original location is also known for its delightfully kitschy decor and its petting zoo, which features Norwegian mini-goats, llamas, and an alpaca named Lady Gaga. Patrons can find more suburban outposts in Joliet, Downers Grove, and Riverside.

February 2

Bucktown: Stone Flower, chef Jacob Bickelhaupt’s follow-up to Michelin-starred 42 Grams, is permanently closed at 1952 N. Damen Avenue. First opened in May 2019, Stone Flower briefly transitioned to takeout during the pandemic — its last on-premise service held before the state closed restaurants in March 2020. The shutter happened over the summer, as Bickelhaupt has moved to Denver. But news popped up in January that another fine dining restaurant, Claudia, would take over the space. The building housed restaurants from celebrity chefs Stephanie Izard (Scylla) and Takashi Yagihashi (Takashi). In June 2017, Bickelhaupt suddenly closed 42 Grams. A month later he pled guilty to attacking his ex-wife, Alexa Welsh, who managed the restaurant.

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Edgewater: Summer Noodles and Rice, a BYOB Thai and pan-Asian spot on Granville Avenue, is permanently closed, according to a Facebook post. It first opened in 2007. Sister restaurant Indie Cafe, also in Edgewater, remains open.

Lakeview: Neighborhood sports bar Avenue Tavern has permanently closed and a “for lease” sign hangs in the window on Broadway and Oakdale where it operated for more than 18 years. The bar boosted for teams including Michigan State and Detroit Tigers and served burgers and beer for more than 18 years. The bar gained infamy last year after a tweet showed customers on a sidewalk huddled under plastic wrap to escape the rains.

Lincoln Square: Red Lion Lincoln Square, the popular British pub that opened in 2010, has closed. Not to be confused with the “haunted” Lincoln Park location that has been temporarily closed during the pandemic (the owners of both taverns were once collaborations on that pub, but a dispute led to a split, which led to the opening of the Lincoln Square location). The now-shuttered North Side location, 4749 N. Rockwell, had carved its own identity as a cozy neighborhood spot with more of an emphasis on British culture and food rather than the bells and whistles offered at the renovated spot in Lincoln Park. The Rockwell location was victimized last year by a fake GoFundMe campaign. Fans should look out as the Red Lion should return as a pop-up inside the Dank Haus in Lincoln Square.

Ukrainian Village/West Town: Family-owned Italian stalwart Fiore’s Delicatessen will permanently close on February 15 after more than 40 years, ownership confirmed in a neighborhood Facebook group. Husband and wife Michael and Carmela Fiore first opened the business in 1970 on the corner of Oakley and Erie as a candy store and slowly expanded into a full-fledged deli. Now they want to retire.

“This is the last week of business & Mamma Carmela Nuccia Fiore just made some fresh homemade lasagna so stop in & stock up before it’s all gone,” daughter Florinda Fiore writes. The deli fostered a loyal following in the city and developed a reputation for its pepper and egg sandwiches, usually associated with Lent. Fans have about two weeks to say goodbye.

January 15

Around Town: Pop-up ramen bar Mujo Ramen has ceased all operations after its rental kitchen closed, effectively shutting down its food truck, according to a rep. It primarily held events at Chicago area breweries before the pandemic. The business could return in the future but there isn’t currently a reopening timeline.

Lakeshore East: Downtown steakhouse III Forks is permanently closed after nearly a decade on Field Boulevard beside Lake Shore East Park, according to a rep. The 200-seat restaurant first opened in 2011 with a 1960s-era vibe. The company continues to operate locations in its hometown of Dallas, plus Austin, Texas, and Jacksonville and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Lincoln Square: The windows at Thai Room, one of Chicago’s oldest Thai restaurants, are papered over and a sign in the window declares that Sushi & Beyond will soon open in the Western Avenue space, according to LTHForum. First opened in 1979, the restaurant was owned by chef Chanpen “Pen” Ratana, who also operated Thai Room 2 and Thai Borrahn in Chicago and Thai Sookdee in suburban Evanston. The restaurant, which was a pioneer in luring other Thai businesses to Irving Park Road and Western Avenue — traditionally a German enclave — now joins Opart Thai House in leaving the neighborhood. A few remain nearby including Sticky Rice, Spoon Thai, and 44-year-old Rosded.

Mag Mile: As tourists and office workers avoid Downtown Chicago, a venerable hot dog stand near Michigan Avenue has closed after 26 years. The Tribune reports Downtown Dogs will close on January 30. Those staying in downtown hotels have few options for a real Chicago-style hot dog experience other than Al’s Italian Beef or Portillo’s. The same owners also were behind Gold Coast Dogs, which can hopefully survive.

Montclare: Longtime Italian spot Ristorante Agostino has temporarily closed after more than three decades, according to a Facebook post in early January. “We are closing for a winter break while we await the return of indoor dining,” the post reads. “This was an incredibly difficult decision especially after celebrating 35 years in business!” The restaurant first opened in 1985, according to its website.

Pilsen: Family-owed Mexican stalwart Canton Regio is closed and an orange BACP sticker is affixed to its door on 18th Street. “Business closed by order of city of Chicago,” the sticker, dated January 14, reads. In a Facebook post, ownership states in English and Spanish that the restaurant is closed until further notice “due to license and corporation issues,” but that they will update followers on a reopening date. Owners formerly operated generations-old restaurant Nuevo Leon across the street from Canton Regio. It was destroyed in a 2015 fire after 53 years.

January 12

Douglas Park: Lagunitas Brewing probably won’t reopen its Chicago taproom this year due to the pandemic, according to the Tribune. The company plans to wait until 2022 — and for scientific evidence that most Americans have received the COVID-19 vaccine — to welcome drinkers back inside. It is, however, considering setting up an outdoor pop-up taproom over the summer. A destination that’s drawn beer fans across the city and country, the Lagunitas taproom first opened above the brewery in 2014 as a way for the California-based company to increase distribution toward the East Coast.

Gold Coast: European-style spot Cafe Crèmerie is closed, owner Lisa Gasparian writes in an Instagram post. “I won’t forget the people, the sweet kids and all the families that walked through those doors,” the caption reads beside a photograph of the gutted cafe space. Last year she converted her business from a franchise location of Amorino to an independent shop as a response to the pandemic. Gasparian has been critical of elected officials in how she perceives they’ve left downtown vulnerable to violence without providing proper financial aid. Despite the change, Gasparian indicates that she has plans for the future: “Stay tuned... a virus will NOT beat me. #CafeCremerie 2.0 in #2021.”

Ravenswood: Longtime neighborhood breakfast spot Over Easy Cafe is closed indefinitely due to staffing and other issues, ownership announced on Monday via Facebook. “We are doing everything we can to keep Over Easy going, and will update all of you in the OE Fam as soon as we can,” the post reads. The cafe first opened in 2006 and reopened after a fire in early 2007.

River North: Adagio Teas State Street permanently closed in early January, according to a Facebook post. The New Jersey-based company also operates two suburban Chicago locations in Naperville and Old Orchard Mall in Skokie. These shops remain open.

For a list of the 2020 spring/summer/fall closings, click here.