Full Shilling in Wrigleyville and Eight More Bar and Restaurant Closures

Sweater weather, spooky season — whatever one wants to call it, autumn is here. Changing leaves and perfectly crisp weather make for a charming lead-up to the inevitable winter doldrums, and Chicagoans are soaking up every second of fall fun at the city’s bars and restaurants.

Nevertheless, the hospitality industry remains a challenging and competitive place. Below, Eater is cataloging both temporary and permanent restaurant closures in Chicago. If you know of a restaurant, bar, or another closed food establishment, please email chicago@eater.com. We will continue to update this post.

For summer closures, go here.

September 26

Edison Park: A trio of sister spots — The Curragh Irish Pub, Mexican restaurant Que Onda, and a Giordano’s franchise — are permanently closed at 6701-6709 N. Northwest Highway after the building owner sold the property, according to Block Club Chicago. Owners Paul Leongas and his sisters took over the Irish pub in 1999, launched the Giordano’s in 2013, and opened Que Onda in 2018.

Hyde Park: Nashville-style poultry mini-chain The Budlong Hot Chicken permanently closed an outpost in late July at 1301 E. 53rd Street after four years in business, according to the Hyde Park Herald. Founded in 2019, the location was the brand’s first on the South Side, joining sister restaurants in Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, and inside Revival Food Hall in the Loop. Craveworthy Brands, run by ex-Jimmy John’s CEO Gregg Majewski, purchased The Budlong in 2022.

Lake Shore East: Carlucci Chicago has closed its doors across the street for Millennium Park. Veteran chef Joe Carlucci opened the restaurant in 2021 at 400 E. Randolph Street. The original restaurant closed in 1997 in Lincoln Park and the chef also worked at Charlie’s Ale House. There are signs up at on the restaurant’s windows thanking customers for two years of patronage.

Lincoln Square: Mexican restaurant El Xangarrito will permanently close on Saturday, September 30 after nearly three years at 4811 N. Rockwell Street, co-owners and spouses Rogelio and Erika Benitez announced in early September on Instagram. The couple opened the restaurant in November 2020 and carved out a niche in the neighborhood with their. menu of tacos, moles, and enchiladas. Their hospitality careers, however, will continue. “We know this notice might be shocking to many if not all of you, but we know it’s the right decision for us as a family for now,” they write. “We have a big project for the future, and we hope you can be there to join us.”

Wrigleyville: There will be no mad dash toward the playoffs for the Full Shilling Public House. After two decades in Wrigleyville, the sports bar has served last call at 3724 N. Clark Street. Beyond baseball, the bar was also to Clemson Tiger football and is pushing fans toward its sister bar, Trace, to watch NCAA action. While shutters aren’t anything new with bars closing and opening regularly, the end of a 20-year run just illustrates how much the area has changed since the Hotel Zachary opened.

Oswego: Five-year-old beer maker Oswego Brewing Company closed in late August at 61 Main Street in far suburban Oswego, which is located about an hour outside Chicago, according to the Aurora Beacon-News. Brewery managers announced the closure in a Facebook post that details the challenges the business has faced since the onset of the pandemic. “The reasons for this are many and varied, but the primary cause is this: We are a casualty of COVID,” they write. “The shutdowns severely damaged our income model, our tap room population never returned to pre-COVID numbers, and distribution revenue never rebounded to the numbers we achieved before March 2020.”