Yes, there is Mercat a la Planxa (638 S. Michigan), the restaurants/bars at the Hilton Hotel (720 S. Michigan), Brasserie by LM (800 S. Michigan) and OYSY (888 S. Michigan), but beyond that it doesn't have much to offer. It just feels blah to us. Maybe we're just dreamers.
Restaurants and bars seem to be coming back to Michigan Avenue however. Further up North, The Gage (24 S. Michigan) and Henri (18 S. Michigan) are leading the charge.
Anyway, Eater Chicago had a post last week about a new restaurant called Grant Taproom coming to 320 S. Michigan. While it's just North of the Sloop, slowly but surely more places creep South:
 |
| Image from Eater Chicago |
The stretch of South Michigan Avenue near the South Loop can be tough to find a meal or a drink, Roger Greenfield believes, and he's out to remedy it. That's one reason why he's opening Grant Taproom near the corner of Van Buren, across the street from Grant Park and diagonally from the Art Institute, this summer. The former owner of 60 Bar Louie locations is adding it to his restaurant stable in a prime yet largely untapped traffic area.
The 8,000 square-foot space will have a main bar and dining room, mezzanine area, open kitchen, and a patio overlooking Grant Park, seating 280 in the indoor and outdoor areas combined. Although he's still looking for a chef, he's jumping on the farm-to-table concept. The full bar will have a liquor and wine program in addition to a midwest-oriented beer list.
Sounds promising to us!
This place is NOT in the south loop. The Gage and Henri are NOT in the south loop.
ReplyDeletebrassiere LM, which averages about 10 customers per night, and that hole in the wall at the hotel a bit further south, which averages about 5 customers per night, are in the south loop.
Write about those dreadful places (or the still completely vacant Roosevelt Collection or the totally barren stretch of south Michigan from 16th to Cermak) rather than "hip spots" outside of our hood.
New name for people like anon @ 8:47 - The Self-Loathing Slooper.
ReplyDelete@8:47-"Anyway, Eater Chicago had a post last week about a new restaurant called Grant Taproom coming to 320 S. Michigan. While it's just North of the Sloop, slowly but surely more places creep South"
ReplyDelete-Did you just skim past the post so you could rant? Or, is reading comprehension not your strong suit?
Hey anon @ 8:47, blogger offers free blogs. If you don't like the content here, go start your own blog and create your own content there (or do your complaining there).
ReplyDeleteThat'd be much better than the drive-by moaning expressed in your comment.
btw, Roger Greenfield has a mixed record when it comes to higher end restaurants post-Bar Louis. It is my opinion that he also has a poor opinion among lots of brokers; so I don't have great hope for this restaurant, particularly due to its size (too big).
Well I hope Grant Taproom isn't as uppity as The Gage & Henri and yet more classy than the Louie.
ReplyDelete