Summer is generally the busiest season for the restaurant industry, but that doesn’t mean it’s easygoing. Rising costs, shortage of workers, and real estate conflicts are all contributing to the shuttering of beloved businesses. These are the latest restaurant closures in Chicago — some have been around for decades while others are still newcomers, but they’re all sad nonetheless.
The Shutter, a regular roundup of Chicago’s restaurant closures, is your resource to find out what’s on its way out. The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another closing? Send all tips to chicago@eater.com.
LINCOLN SQUARE — Michelin-starred restaurant Atelier has closed the book on its original home at 4835 N. Western Avenue. The last night of service was Saturday, July 19, and the restaurant held a garage sale afterwards to sell off kitchenware. Atelier will reemerge in a larger space a couple of blocks away at 4544 N. Western Avenue. An opening date has not been announced. 4835 N. Western Avenue.
PORTAGE PARK — A coffee shop near Six Corners has poured its last cup of brew for now. Smarty Cup Cafe, which had been open for less than a year and a half, announced its closure on an Instagram post. The cafe says it will reopen in another location. 4944 W. Irving Park Road.
RIVER NORTH — Following a mass shooting outside of the establishment on July 2, Artis Restaurant and Lounge has closed permanently. The incident, which killed four people and wounded 14 others, occurred following an album release party for rapper Mello Buckzz at the venue. Artis owners Brandi and Brittany Artis released a statement announcing the closure via a social media post, writing, “Our curated space of love and acceptance was threatened by a senseless act of hate … We refuse to let hate win, and we will not let fear deter us. We will continue to grow through the pain and find ways to heal, together.” The queer- and Black-owned restaurant opened this past April. 311 W. Chicago Avenue.
SOUTH LOOP — Local pizza chain Paisans, which offers thin-crust and deep-dish pies, wings, burgers, pastas, and salads, has exited the South Loop. Chicago content creator Alex Linardos spotted a message, posted on the door of the restaurant, announcing the closure. P The remaining city locations are in West Lawn and Belmont Cragin; there are also outposts in the suburbs. 700 S. Clark Street.
ROSEMONT — Murray Bros. Caddyshack, the restaurant from Chicago-area native and actor Bill Murray, has closed. The 8,600-square-foot establishment was themed after ’80s sports comedy film Caddyshack and opened near O’Hare International Airport in 2018. In a message on its website, the restaurant thanked customers and the local community for its support over the last seven years. A Murray Bros. Caddyshack restaurant had been planned for Wilmette in 2022 but failed to materialize. The original location in Augustine, Florida is the sole Caddyshack remaining. 9546 Balmoral Avenue.