Chicago\u2019s restaurant scene is rapidly changing, and the city is used to seeing places come and go. It\u2019s a tough real estate market out there, and the rising costs of doing business do not favor restaurant owners. Sometimes the grind gets too much, other times it\u2019s time to pull the curtain on a long run. Of course, customers may not always love the food that\u2019s being served either.<\/p>\n
The Shutter, a regular roundup of Chicago\u2019s restaurant closures, is your resource to find out what\u2019s on its way out. The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another closing? Send all tips to chicago@eater.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n BUCKTOWN\u2014 Mable\u2019s Table has closed<\/a> at 1655 W. Cortland Street. In a world where \u201cneighborhood gem\u201d is clich\u00e9, the phrase is actually applicable in this case. The restaurant opened in 2017, filling the big shoes left after the 22-year run of Jane\u2019s ended in the same space. Saturday, June 21, was Mable\u2019s last day of service.<\/p>\n GARFIELD RIDGE\u2014 After 26 years, Oak Mill Bakery has closed its<\/a> South Harlem Avenue location. While the bakery at 5747 S. Harlem is closed, its four suburban locations, including one in Harwood Heights on North Harlem, remain open.<\/p>\n JEFFERSON PARK\u2014 Gale Street Inn, a neighborhood restaurant that epitomized North Side barbecue thanks to its ribs, is closed. The sudden announcement ended a 62-year run across the street from the CTA\u2019s Jefferson Park Blue Line Stop. Gale Street\u2019s ownership blamed challenges finding workers, and media reports began shifting blame<\/a> at Chicago\u2019s move to ban the tipped minimum wage, which goes into effect on July 1. But as it\u2019s hard to predict the ordinance\u2019s impact other than to see how it impacted Washington, D.C. Perhaps Gale Street\u2019s closure is a referendum on Chicago\u2019s barbecue scene, which is marketably different from six decades ago. Lem\u2019s Bar-B-Q just won a James Beard Award<\/a>. Smoque BBQ is in the headlines over a trademark<\/a> dispute with Weber Grills. Gale Street was also trapped in the past. Who can forget their \u201890s spots on sports radio, bragging about never playing hip hop in their dining room? Regardless, Gale Street was a pillar of the Northwest Side community since 1963 and a place for special occasions, including first dates, birthdays, and graduation parties.<\/p>\n WEST TOWN\u2014 Vegans were dealt a big blow as<\/a> Liberation Kitchen has closed at 2054 W. Grand Avenue. Operated by Vegan food company Upton\u2019s Naturals, Liberation Kitchen has served the public for 12 years with veganized versions of Chicago dogs, doughnuts, and more. Ownership says they\u2019ll continue to host vegan farmers markets and want to focus more on Upton\u2019s. <\/p>\n WICKER PARK\u2014 Milk & Honey, once considered an anchor along Division Street, has been closed since May after the city suspended the cafe\u2019s business license<\/a>. New owners have run the cafe at 1920 W. Division Street since 2022, and they\u2019ve faced some challenges over the years<\/a>. Management describes the closure as a temporary move, but there haven\u2019t been updates in five weeks.<\/p>\n