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player ready...LOGAN SQUARE – A sports bar in Logan Square? Dave Nalezney and Kitty Izzo’s reason for opening one in the area is simple.
“There isn’t one,” Izzo said with a laugh. She and Nalezney, her husband, are both avid sports fans, and knew the neighborhood was missing a haunt devoted to catching the game. But they also knew a Lakeview-style sports bar wouldn’t fly.
“I don’t think a typical sports bar would do well,” Izzo said. “We thought, ‘We could do something that’s true to Logan Square.'”
That became the game plan for Park & Field, which plans to open in the coming week (pending a final city inspection): The owners wanted to create a sports bar that would fit into a neighborhood where you’re more likely to find a tiny cocktail den or geeked-out coffee shop. After a multi-year search for the right building, they eventually decided on an old auto garage on a former used car lot on Fullerton Avenue — a massive triple-city-lot allowing for a 6,000-square-foot patio.
With a decade-plus of interior design experience, Izzo handled the look of Park & Field. She eventually decided on what she calls a “turn-of-the-century gymnasium” aesthetic, punctuated by vintage sports artifacts and retro furnishings.
“We have a bunch of black-and-white artwork and photos, some wooden weights and old vintage leather balls,” Izzo said. “I wanted to represent sports in a different way than anything I’ve ever seen before.”
Nalezney crafted the menu, which also caters to neighborhood clientele, Izzo said. Salads, both seasonal and staple, will play prominently. Vegetarian and vegan options can also be found throughout the menu.
There will be some traditional sports-bar bites, only more refined, Izzo said, like a smashburger on a brioche bun.
Since Logan Square is already saturated with cocktail bars, Park will focus more on beer and wine, Nalezney said. The bar’s dozen taps will feature mostly Midwestern craft brews, including Chicago’s Goose Island, Off Color and Half Acre, and Nalezney, who calls himself a “big beer drinker,” said he hopes about half of those handles will rotate regularly with rare and specialty beers.
All wines — five reds, five whites and three sparkling options — are $8 per glass and less than $25 for a bottle. Izzo said she strived to put together a collection that people “won’t see at Jewel or the liquor store.”
For all its unique touches, though, maybe the most special part of Park & Field is that massive patio. Thanks to a pair of outdoor fire pits, the space will stay open year-round, although guests hoping to use the bocce-ball court will have to wait for warmer weather.
“We don’t necessarily want people to think of us as just a good place to watch the game. We want people, if you’re looking for a good meal or cocktail, to think of Park & Field,” Izzo said. 3509 W. Fullerton Ave., 765-426-6657, www.parkandfieldchicago.com
ALBANY PARK – Specialty Asian grocery store Seafood City is already a popular spot, and it welcomed another attraction last weekend with the opening of Red Ribbon bake shop. From fast-food chain Jollibee, Ribbon serves hard-to-find Filipino baked goods. 5033 N. Elston Ave., no phone number yet, www.redribbonbakeshop.us
LINCOLN SQUARE – Following a few months of quiet renovations, Chubby Wieners is preparing for its grand re-opening next month. According to its Facebook page, the hot dog stand required some structural and HVAC repairs, and will reopen Jan. 31 with a Chicago dog giveaway for the first 200 customers. 4662 N. Western Ave., 773-769-1394, www.chubbywieners.com
BUCKTOWN – Fans of Gari Sushi & Asian Bistro will have to head a bit further north to grab a roll. The restaurant has moved north, near Western and Fullerton avenues, and its Chicago Avenue location will close permanently, reports Eater. It is also rebranding as S@kura. 2507 W. Fullerton Ave., 773-772-4412, www.satkura.com
PORTAGE PARK – After six months of waiting, Fischman’s Liquors has found its new home. The Jefferson Park spot will reopen as a pub-and-grub situation early next year, DNA Info reports, with a restaurant and liquor store combination opening in the same building as Portage Theater. 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., no phone number yet, www.fischmanliquors.com
LINCOLN PARK – A fast-casual Asian fusion restaurant Afternoon will join the sushi burrito fray, and also offer other modern Asian fare, reports Eater. 2464 N. Clark St., 773-666-5591.
EDGEWATER – Income Tax officially cracked its doors and its first bottles this week, as the wine bar opened for good, barely missing its hope for a November opening. 5959 N Broadway, 773-897-9165, www.incometaxbar.com
SOUTH LOOP – A new Caribbean spot called 14 Parish is aiming for a grand opening Jan. 14, according to Eater. 2333 S. Michigan Ave., 773-553-9190, www.14parish.com
LAKEVIEW – More sushi, anyone? Maki Masters has taken over over the A Cupz storefront, according to Eater, replacing the oddly named Asian restaurant with a sushi option. 604 W. Belmont Ave., 773-857-0117, www.facebook.com/makimasters
WICKER PARK – The team behind Greek Kitchen plans to open another fast-casual Greek spot any day now. DOX Quality Greek will focus on Greek street food, including pita, kabobs, salads, and desserts. 1566 N. Damen Ave., 872-829-3144, www.doxchicago.com
ANDERSONVILLE – Bar Roma, a new casual Italian eatery, opened this week to add to the city’s vast lineup, per Eater. Roma serves traditional Roman cuisine, but its specialty is a selection of meatballs. 5101 N. Clark St., 773-942-7572, www.barromachicago.com
NORWOOD PARK – Be Juice’d opened last week to offer North Side commuters a selection of juices, Dark Matter coffee and pastries from nearby Fannie’s Cafe. DNA Info has a nice interview
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with one of the owners, a local woman who recently survived cancer. 6046 N. Avondale Ave., 773-853-2288.EVANSTON – After spending more than 20 years as a neighborhood favorite, LuLu’s shut down in 2013. Now, the Asian eatery and dim-sum destination has officially re-opened, Eater reports. Right now, the restaurant is only serving lunch, but dinner service is slated to begin Dec. 19. 1029 Davis St., 847-869-4343, www.lulusdimsum.com
SCHAUMBURG – The large building that used to house Grillhouse by David Burke in Schaumburg has found a new tenant. Oak-Park-based restaurant The Clubhouse is currently being vetted for a liquor license and plans to be the sole occupant by Thanksgiving, the Daily Herald reports. 1301 American Ln., no website or phone number yet
ICYMI:
ALBANY PARK – The story of Finch Beer Co. has taken another unusual turn.
HERMOSA – After three years of delays, Pipeworks Brewing is finally opening its bottle shop.
LOOP – Local favorite BenjYehuda will open two new locations.
RAVENSWOOD MANOR – First Slice, the cafe devoted to helping feed the homeless, got an unexpected, and awesome, makeover.
Closings:
BUCKTOWN – Feast, the friendly restaurant that has been on Damen Avenue for more than 15 years, will close at the end of 2016.
THE LOOP – Loop lunchers looking for a buffet option will no longer be able to turn to the Willis Tower, as the French Accent located in the building will have its final buffet Friday. Eater first spotted the closing, and the restaurant confirmed the news to the Tribune via phone.
THE LOOP – Holiday tourists will be disappointed when they hit the Magnificent Mile and find that Hershey’s Chocolate World Chicago has vacated their space. No official closing date has been set yet, but the company told us it wants to focus on bigger stores.
CANARYVILLE – After just a year of business on South Halsted Street, Latin-inspired restaurant Del Sur Bar and Grill has closed shop, apparently unable to keep up with costs, according to DNA Info.
SKOKIE – Breadsmith recently closed after 18 years at its Skokie location, although the franchise still maintains storefronts in Highland Park and Palos Heights. The bakery told Eater it hopes to re-open in the Skokie area at some point.
MORGAN PARK – After an apparent failure to comply with state taxes, Cullinan’s Stadium Club has shuttered, DNA Info reported.
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