CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — It's now known what's next for the Gold Coast building that housed the legendary Tavern on Rush for 25 years — and it won't be a steakhouse.
The Bellevue is expected to open its doors at 1031 N. Rush St. this spring. Ally Marotti, who reports on restaurants and retail for Crain's Chicago Business, joined Rob Hart on the WBBM Noon Business Hour to discuss the soon-to-be eatery. Marotti said the building's landlord is behind the venture.
"[They have] owned the building since 2005," Marotti said. "They had to do a bunch of renovations. They told me that, 'If we're going to invest all this money and rehab and renovate it, let's do it ourselves.'"
Some of the renovations to the two-floor space will include increased bar area on the first floor, an additional bar and open kitchen on the second floor, and a 100-seat sidewalk patio.
"This was similar at Tavern on Rush," Marotti said. "The bottom floor is going to be, kind of, the bar [and] lounge area — menu a little bit more focused on appetizers, the finger foods. If you go upstairs, that's where you'll go to have your sit-down, entree meal."
The area between Bellevue Place, Rush Street, and Division Street, long-known as the "Viagra Triangle," has historically been home to steakhouses and other high-end restaurants. Marotti said the new owners hope to the Bellevue's menu have enough variety to draw locals out a few times a week — while also offering options worthy of getting "dressed up on a Saturday night"
"For these two landlords, you know, one of them does live in the neighborhood — has lived there for a while, raised his daughter there — so he's very interested in targeting the local audience that lives there in the Gold Coast," Marotti said. "But [he] also recognizes that Chicago is a place that brings a lot of convention-goers to town, and tourists, so it's going after all of those folks."
As of Thursday, though, Marotti said The Bellevue is finalizing its menu and chefs.
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