including traffic calming elements and a neighborhood greenway on Long Avenue from Belmont Avenue to Irving Park Road. The mile-long project will address observed cut-through traffic and dangerous driving behaviors on this stretch
in addition to improving neighborhood connections and access to Chopin Park and Portage Park for people walking and biking
A strategic one-way conversion of Long Avenue at the intersection of Addison, in conjuction with the installation of speed humps
will promote safer driving speeds and provide marked space for biking along the corridor.
North Long Avenue from West Belmont Avenue to West Irving Park Road
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The Wurst Behavior deploys Polish and German recipes Old World flavor with a modern twist
House-smoked kielbasa has been a hit on the menu at Pierogi Kitchen since Gosia Pieniazek and Artur Wnorowski transformed their Wicker Park spot Firewood BBQ into a Polish restaurant in January. Now the dish is getting a starring role at Wurst Behavior
which the husband-and-wife team opened in late 2024
Wnorowski’s grandfather taught him how to make kielbasa on their family’s farm in Poland
but he’s experimenting with the dish that typically uses fresh sausage simply seasoned with pepper
and salt: “I noticed when I started curing the meat it gave it a little bit of a different texture and feel and it just tasted better,” Wnorowski says
Wnorowski makes a wide variety of cased meats from scratch each day including brats
Wnorowski has spent half his life in Chicago and pays tribute to the city’s varied cuisines with dishes like a Chicago dog
an Italian sausage piled with sweet peppers and giardiniera
and a dog spiced with kimchi and sriracha mayo
After trying many options, Wnorowski decided to eschew traditional sausage buns in favor of a hoagie roll. “It’s crispy on the outside and really soft on the inside,” he says. The restaurant works with Fulton Market Chicago to source Midwestern hormone- and antibiotic-free meat and plans to add a small deli counter in the spring or summer so customers can pick up sausages and spice mixes to grill at home
Wnorowski is also experimenting with making his own vegan brats
The drink menu is very locally focused, with six draft brews from Hopewell Brewing Company, Casa Humilde Cerveceria, and Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
Maplewood’s Son of Juice hazy IPA is also used in the restaurant’s mustard
They also soak their brats in Hacker-Pschorr Weissbier with a tap reserved for the beer
Cocktails are mixed with spirits from Letherbee, CH Distillery
whose pecan bourbon is used to make a sweet Old Fashioned that compliments the pecan-smoked kielbasa and andouille sausage
They eventually plan to smoke olives for garnishes and make fat-washed bourbon
and have already used brine from their pickles soaked in a martini blend with gin
The pickles themselves, a fusion between bread & butter and dill, are served atop cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and 12-hour smoked pulled pork from Wnorowski and Pieniazek’s barbecue spots Ella’s and Earl’s. The menu also draws in dishes from Pierogi Kitchen
with pierogies offered as an appetizer and stuffed in a hot dog along with sour cream and sauerkraut
which will likely feature Andouille breakfast sausage
and loaded bloody marys with dry rub rim and smoked olive and pickle garnish
“It’s a combination of fast casual and full service,” Wnorowski says
“If you feel like grabbing a quick sandwich
If you feel like sitting down and enjoying a meal we’ll serve you.” The pair will play vinyl records and host karaoke on Fridays
keeping it casual by allowing performers to either take the spotlight in the bar area or use a wireless mic to perform right at their table
Capacity will double in the summer with the opening of “The Wurst Patio You’ve Ever Seen,” a beer garden that will feature wooden benches and space for about 50 to 70
The owners hope to eventually build out a second bar that can serve beer and signature cocktails and use the area to host live music
The 50-seat Irving Park space was previously home to Mas Tacos, making it the second restaurant owned by Wnorowski and Pieniazek that the couple has pivoted to serving Polish food
Even as Chicago’s Polish Broadway diminishes
with restaurants like Podhlanka closing at the intersection of Division
While giants like Vienna Beef expand their market share nationally
Chicagoans still love their old-world sausages
Wnorowski says he’s been getting lots of feedback from customers comparing his products to their own German and Polish family recipes
“I get people speaking Polish to me saying ‘You need a little bit more salt in that kielbasa,’” he says
“Every household makes the dishes a little bit differently
Wurst Behavior
Taquizas Valdez in Old Irving Park morphs into a panaderia on the weekends
A glance at the colorful mural along the wall at Taquizas Valdez shows this recently-opened Old Irving Park restaurant is about more than tacos
the piece of art details the journey of Valdez’s parents from a small Mexican town to Mexico City and finally to Chicago where he was born
Visitors can also spot symbols from his time in the military
they’ll see Valdez’s 2-year-old daughter in there
“I want to showcase and voice my story,” says Valdez
“I want to inspire other Latino kids who have dreams.”
a counter-service restaurant with seating for 45 people
Valdez’s story can also be found in dishes like al pastor
made from thinly sliced pork shoulder marinated in guajillo and achiote for 24 hours and cooked on a spit
“It’s labor intensive but you can’t replicate that slow roast,” he says
includes marinated grilled chicken thigh that’s seared on the plancha to order
and Fresno peppers top the lightly charred chicken
Build-your-own tacos are available too with add-ons like pineapple-habanero relish
and the restaurant morphs into a panaderia on weekends with pastries
Valdez took a sabbatical from restaurants to focus on her care
Her death less than a year later made him rethink his hospitality career
“Instead of cooking on Mother’s Day for my mom
I was cooking for others’ moms,” says Valdez
“I was hurt and didn’t think I was going to come back.”
Valdez enrolled in school to earn a certification in electrical maintenance and construction and a bachelor’s in engineering technology
Valdez restarted his weekend-only catering business he began with his mom
It was during those backyard taco parties or taquizas
that Valdez refined his taco-making skills and rediscovered his passion for cooking
After numerous clients told him he needed to open a place coupled with his wife wanting her house back — “There was kitchen equipment everywhere,” he says — Valdez did just that on Wednesday
which range from skirt steak with black beans to the more complex pambazo de hongos (mushroom medley topped with queso fresco
and avocado) are made by head baker Jose De Jesus Cortez
De Jesus Cortez also creates the Mexican pastries — think dulce de leche cream cheese-stuffed conchas and cinnamon-topped bunuelos — that are available on the weekends along with specialty Mexican-style coffee drinks when Taquizas showcases its Mexican pastries
“My mom was a big sweets person,” says Valdez
Valdez wears multiple hats as he continues to work his day job as a laboratory engineer as well as overseeing Taquiza Valdez alongside chef de cuisine Jesus Aguilera
Valdez will keep the menu simple at Taquizas
Weekend specials are in the works including a Sonoran hot dog and multi-course Mexican dinners that highlight his fine-dining background
Valdez also plans on featuring dishes that showcase his mom’s recipes
Taquizas Valdez
A statue of Washington Irving located in Bixby
was vandalized recently when someone removed its head
was arrested and the missing part of the statue has been recovered
Arrest records show that Dinh was booked into David L
Moss on Christmas Eve on charges of destroying public/private property
His bond is set at $5,000 and he has a scheduled court date on Dec
Washington Irving is a prominent figure in American literature
and he is celebrated for his classic works such as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle.” He is considered one of the first American authors to gain international acclaim
Irving visited what is now Oklahoma in the 1830s
and wrote about his experience in his book “A Tour On The Prairies.”
The 32-acre Washington Irving Memorial Park and Arboretum bears his name in honor of his contributions and legacy
It also includes a memorial for the Oklahoma City bombing and a beam from the World Trade Center honoring September 11
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Residents in Greensboro’s New Irving Park community are planning to make a final stand against a rezoning for a new townhome project near their neighborhood
The Greensboro City Council will consider the rezoning for the property at 1201 Pisgah Church Road at their meeting on Tuesday
and will be held at the Melvin Municipal Office Building located at 300 West Washington Street
Tim Souhan and his dog Bailey walk home from the lot on Willoughby Boulevard that was rezoned from single-family to multiple-family in Greensboro
Souhan and other residents of the New Irving Park community opposed the rezoning
The land in question consists of a little less than an acre of property at the intersection of Pisgah Church Road and Willoughby Boulevard
Johnson is asking the city to rezone the property from its current designation
which allows for three single-family units per acre
to a multifamily zoning that will allow 12 units per acre
While speaking before the Greensboro Planning and Zoning Commission in February
Johnson said he had changed his original plans by reducing the number of townhomes at the site from 10 units down to eight
He also said the development would have two access points
Johnson said in an interview that he believes his development will be a benefit to the community
with the landscaping that we plan to implement there — again with some of the feedback from the neighbors — to make the aesthetic as beautiful as possible
keeping in line with the character of New Irving Park and to bring a safe
vibrant community to that corner,” Johnson said
many in the neighborhood do not see things that way
New Irving Park resident Donna Esson is part of a group of neighbors opposed to the rezoning
“We’re already at a very busy intersection so we are concerned about the safety issues,” Esson said
“We feel that it is definitely misuse of land for this little corner.”
New Irving Park resident Donna Esson is among the residents who opposed a rezoning that changed the property at 1201 Pisgah Church Road from single-family to multi-family residential
She said the neighbors have urged the developer to use the land to build one or two single-family homes in accordance with the current zoning but that Johnson had said doing so would not be economically feasible
Esson said neighbors had also asked Johnson to give them time to raise money to buy the land from him in order to donate it to the city for preservation as a nature area
Susan Tysinger and Tim Souhan are among the neighborhood residents who share Esson’s worries about the rezoning
Tysinger said she has heard from council members that they are only able to take the land use into consideration
but she believes that leaves out important factors including safety and increased erosion on the land
eight residences on this small lot just doesn’t make sense to me,” Tysinger said
Souhan said townhomes would not fit in with the current composition of the neighborhood
“The homes that front Willoughby Boulevard are 100% single family homes
so to wedge this 10-unit or eight-unit thing in right here doesn’t make any sense and it doesn’t honor the land use of the neighborhood,” Souhan said
Souhan said he and others in the neighborhood do not oppose all development and noted several developments near the community
he said the neighborhood felt this particular project was inappropriate for the community
we’d be worried about this whole corridor having the same type of housing,” Souhan said
The neighbors have at least one ally on the city council: Councilman Zack Matheny
Matheny echoed the concerns about the incompatibility and the impact on traffic and safety on Willoughby
a major thoroughfare for the community of around 2,000 homes
“To clog up eight townhomes at a major end of an intersection doesn’t make sense,” Matheny said
adding that it would not be appropriate to have a development like the one proposed in other parts of the city
The request for the rezoning comes at a time when the city government is placing a strong emphasis on building new housing quickly
City Manager Trey Davis recently announced a plan to build 10,000 new housing units in the coming years
and Matheny himself has referred to the lack of housing as a crisis
Matheny said there is a right way to achieve the city’s housing goals and the proposed rezoning does not represent the best way to go about development
“You don’t want to get into a case where you are pitting neighborhoods against neighborhoods or destroying a neighborhood to try to get to 10,000,” Matheny said
kevin.griffin@greensboro.com
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Taquizas Valdez - a new Mexican restaurant from owner/executive chef Ivan Valdez - is officially open at 3038 W Irving Park Road in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago
Valdez - a military veteran and former chef de cuisine at multiple The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group venues - returns to the restaurant industry after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus with Taquizas Valdez
Taquizas Valdez is a love letter to his late mother (Rosa Valdez) that celebrates their Mexican heritage and time they spent together catering “taquizas” (Mexican backyard taco buffets) for friends
left restaurants in July 2020 to help care for his ill mother who passed away in March 2021
Valdez went back to school and earned both his certification in Electrical Maintenance & Construction from Coyne College and his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology from DeVry University.Taquizas Valdez serves composed tacos
sides and more for lunch and dinner five days a week via counter-service ordering with dine-in tables with seating for 36 guests
Taquizas Valdez is BYOB for alcoholic beverages.On Saturdays and Sundays between 8am and 11am
Taquizas Valdez will transform into a “panaderia” (bakery) serving Mexican pastries baked in-house
and a variety of breakfast tortas - including one stuffed with red or green chilaquiles
and queso fresco.Other menu options include:
Valdez is joined in the Taquizas Valdez kitchen by chef de cuisine Jesus Aguilera and head baker Jose De Jesus Cortez
Both men have worked in multiple former restaurants with Valdez
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The annual “Northwest Side Holiday Trolley” on Dec
The free trolley rides will be available from 3 to 6 p.m
Portage Park and Jefferson Park business districts. In all
there will be four trolleys operating
The “green” route will operate along Irving Park Road between Eris Brewery
where there will be a “Mistletoe Market” featuring crafts
The green route also will include a “Frozen Holiday Festival” with characters from the movie from 5 to 6:30 p.m
Hot coca and Santa also will be at the park from 5 to 6 p.m
The “white” route will run along Milwaukee Avenue from the Six Corners intersection to the Gale Street Inn
Plans are being made to decorate the pedestrian alley at 4870 N
and there will be a pop-up market with crafts
face painting and “modern” desserts at Sunnyside Plants
The “red” route will run along Lawrence Avenue between the Lawrence-Milwaukee and Lawrence-Austin intersections
Participating businesses include Delightful Pastries
A fourth trolley will encompass all three of the other routes
More information about the free trolley rides and routes is available at www.sixcorners.com
Those interested in taking a trolley ride are encouraged to review the routes ahead of time and to plan accordingly
Trolley sponsors include the Six Corners Association
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A zoning application has been filed for a mixed-use development planned at 2053 W
the property is situated on the south side of the street between N
With a single-family home currently occupying the site
developer Mangan Builders will demolish the existing structure to make way for the new development
the new development will be a four-story mixed-use building
750 square feet of retail space will front W
Irving Park Rd in addition to the residential lobby
Three studio loft units will occupy the floor plate behind the retail
Bike parking for 12 bikes will be included inside and there will be five exterior car parking spaces.
the upper three floors will hold two three-bedroom units per floor
The project’s unit mix will include the three studio lofts expected to rent at $1,900/month and the six three-bed units expected to rent at $4,000/month
The larger units will each have their own private decks and all residents will have access to a shared rooftop deck
To allow for the scope of the redevelopment
the developer needs to rezone the site from B1-1 to B2-3
the zoning application has been filed for the project and now can seek final approvals from the Committee on Zoning and City Council
construction would start in Spring 2026 and wrap up in Spring 2027
Alderman Matt Martin of the 47th Ward has announced his support for a mixed-use development planned at 2053 W
Bike parking for nine bikes will be included inside and there will be four exterior car parking spaces
The larger units will each have their own private decks
and all residents will have access to a shared rooftop deck
the project can now seek final approvals from the Committee on Zoning and City Council
A mixed-use development is being proposed at 4920 W
the owner of the existing Las Tablas Colombian Steakhouse
is planning the redevelopment of the restaurant site and the two lots next door
With Aria Group Architects behind the design
the new four-story building will have a new space for the restaurant in addition to a cultural center
with a unit mix of one-beds and two-beds ranging from 900 to 1,100 square feet. Topping out at approximately 60 feet tall
the building’s design shows a brick and masonry design with balconies for every unit
The project will cost approximately $9.5 million and needs approval from the Committee on Zoning and City Council for a zoning change. According to reports from Block Club Chicago
construction could begin this spring and the restaurant would open by next winter and the rest of the project would be done by 2026
La Dolce Vita Cucina – Chicago is opening inside the former Foundation Tavern & Grille
The new Italian eatery will be run by those with experience operating “high-end restaurants in Downtown Chicago,” said David Roa
Licensing for the restaurant is expected to be secured this month
and an opening in early October is being targeted
“It’s going to be a combination of steaks
wines and gluten-free and vegan (options),” Roa said
“We want to make it something attractive for the Portage Park neighborhood and Chicago.”
Plans also are being made to offer “soft music,” such as jazz or piano
and the addition of an outdoor patio in the rear of the restaurant is being considered
The Foundation Grille closed in early 2023
Nite Cap occupied the building’s first floor
In recent weeks the Six Corners district has had several new businesses open
They include Scrub-A-Dub Grooming at 4853 W
Irving Park Road and Dennis Pasamba Dance Company at 4820 W
Little Sweet Pea’s Vintage is opening at 4948 W
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Wurst Behavior’s Kielbasa is made in-house and served on a toasted bun with caramelized onions
Artur “Art” Wnorowski would visit his family’s farm in Poland
where for three months he would help his grandfather harvest grains
butcher pigs and smoke kielbasa in the basement smoker
The smoker was connected to the clay kitchen on the main floor
filling the entire house with the aroma of kielbasa
“Being there in the summertime for the harvest season and making sausage was a part of everyday living
I didn’t think much about it while we were doing it
Artur Wnorowski is seen at his restaurant Wurst Behavior
That tradition is on display at Wurst Behavior
The couple also owns Pierogi Kitchen in Wicker Park
where the housemade kielbasa was almost as popular as the eponymous homemade dumplings
That got Wnorowski thinking they could start exploring different kinds of sausages
which star in dishes such as the Nashville Hot Chicken (fried chicken sausage
coleslaw and aioli) and Pierogi Dog (potato and cheese pierogi
the foundation for all of the encased meats
The Irving Park restaurant pays homage not just to the partners’ Polish culture but also to the Old World butcher shop traditions for which Chicago was known in the 1950s — photos of different shops adorn the restaurant walls — and offerings like the Chicago Dog are nods to their second home
The keeper of the family recipe is his aunt
who texted it to his mom who texted it to him
he recalled as he showed this reporter a photo of a yellow piece of paper with the recipe written in Polish
pepper and garlic are added to pork shoulder for Wurst Behavior’s kielbasa
Making the kielbasa starts with pork shoulder that’s ground in-house
the fat and meat ground separately before being mixed together for emulsification
pepper and garlic to add to the 16½ pounds of ground pork shoulder
Artur Wnorowski encases the ground pork shoulder at Wurst Behavior
The meat is cured overnight for “extra kick and flavor” before it’s stuffed into natural casings
The kielbasa is smoked for an hour and a half over pecan wood
which Wnorowski prefers because it imparts a sweet and nutty flavor to the sausage
The sausage is grilled and served on a toasted bun with caramelized onions
Pieniazek said the food the restaurant serves is Polish American
not 100% Polish food but inspired by the fare the couple grew up with
incorporating diverse culinary traditions from their love of cooking and dining out
Pieniazek for high school and Wnorowski for college
Wnorowski graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
They met in 2006 at a Polish hip hop festival and got married in 2008
Wurst Behavior is located at 4009 N Elston Ave in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood
That’s when they pivoted to the hospitality industry as the recession upended their careers
Their love of food inspired them to open their first restaurant
Wnorowski and Pieniazek returned to their Polish roots
It’s important for them to preserve their culture because “we might be the last generation that could do it,” Wnorowski said
Wurst Behavior, 4009 N. Elston Ave. The kielbasa — served on a toasted bun with caramelized onions, sport peppers and hazy IPA mustard — costs $12. Go online to www.wurstbehavior.com.
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A mixed-use development is being planned at 2053 W
Approvals will be needed from the Committee on Zoning and City Council
The Greensboro City Council approved a rezoning on Tuesday that would allow up to eight new townhomes at the intersection of Pisgah Church Road and Willoughby Boulevard
The Greensboro City Council voted 6-2 on Tuesday to approve a rezoning request to build eight townhomes at the corner of Pisgah Church Road and Willoughby Boulevard
The request for the rezoning faced strong opposition from members of the adjacent New Irving Park community
who packed the council chambers and voiced their objections during the public hearing
Residents said that while they were fine with developer B.J
Johnson building up to two single-family homes on the 0.86-acre property in line with the previous zoning
The opponents said townhomes did not fit in with the character of the neighborhood since there were no townhomes around Willoughby
“It’s inappropriate to put a bunch of townhouses right next to all of these single-family homes,” nearby resident Gabe Neereimer said
adding that allowing the project would set a bad precedent of bringing similar developments to other parts of the New Irving Park and the city overall
Other major concerns included traffic safety at the intersection and drainage problems in the area
pointed to some changes he made to the plans
including reducing the number of units from 10 down to eight and limiting access to the property to two points on Willoughby
He said neighbors had legitimate concerns and that initial phases would bring challenges
but that ultimately the project would become an asset for the neighborhood
but it can be done responsibly,” Johnson said
and I believe looking 20 years in the future we’ll be really happy with the amount of trees that are planted
how sustainable that lot will be and the beauty that it’s going to create for the neighborhood.”
Speakers in support of the development included Peter Grantham
who said he lived near the site and was in favor of the project because he believed additional housing was needed to address affordability challenges
Crystal Black and Cheryl McIvor of east Greensboro pointed to the council’s previous approval of projects in that part of the city over similar objections from residents and called on the council members to be consistent in their votes
Councilman Zack Matheny opposed the rezoning for a townhome project at the corner of Pisgah Church Road and Willoughby Boulevard on Tuesday
Matheny is a resident of the New Irving Park neighborhood where the development will occur
was the most vocal opponent of the rezoning
saying that the proposal “doesn’t revitalize
He echoed many of the arguments made by the speakers and said the proposed development would be inappropriate in other parts of the city as well
has spoken of the need to increase the city’s housing supply
“There is a road to 10,000 — I do support the manager,” Matheny said
referencing City Manager Trey Davis’ proposal to add at least 10,000 new housing units in the coming years
and I support the folks that care about the neighborhoods.”
He added: “I don’t support this development
not just because I live in the neighborhood
Because it’s not compatible in the land use of what is on this street and in this area
There is no reason to go against a properly planned neighborhood.”
Matheny’s comments drew applause from the crowd while the reception to most other members of council was not nearly as popular
The council voted 6-2 to approve the rezoning
Only Mayor Pro Tem Marikay Abuzuaiter joined Matheny in opposing the rezoning
Councilman Hugh Holston and Councilwomen Nancy Hoffmann
Goldie Wells and Jamilla Pinder backed the rezoning
Both Hoffmann and Wells told the neighbors that they would likely have a more positive outlook on the development as time passes
“I think time helps dissipate opposition,” Hoffmann said
saying: “I’m telling you from experience: life changes and you get along much better if you go with the flow.”
She also said the city’s housing shortage will require the council to make decisions that may be at odds with the desires of various neighborhoods
we are going to have to make decisions that are best for Greensboro
“So we’ve got people fussing at us from the east
all over because we tried to do what is right
“It’s going to mean that we’re all going to have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable
“That means being a little bit closer to others than we were before.”
we noticed guests were specifically coming back for the kielbasa
Chicago is packed with hot dog stands and sausage shops on every corner
but how many of those places are making them by hand
“I was lucky enough to learn the art of true sausage-making from scratch from my grandpa
who taught me back on our family farm in Poland
and now I'm bringing that old-school flavor here to share with everyone.”The menu will be an ode to encased meats of all sorts
with sausages on a bun including the classic Polish Kielbasa with caramelized onions
The lineup will also have a dedicated section for Chef’s Art’s handmade Angus chuck roll hot dogs
made with natural sheep casing for that signature snap and smoked over pecan wood: options include a massive Pierogi Dog with sour cream
kraut and handmade potato-and-cheese pierogis (made at Pierogi Kitchen!)
and a saucy Chili Dog garnished with pickled jalapenos
There’s also an entire section of the menu dedicated to brats
where you'll see the kitchen "at its wurst” with options that include the cheesy “Philly Steak”
Wurst Behavior also offers a selection of Polish dishes like rolled cabbages & pierogis
Wnorowski will be creating many of their condiments and toppings in-house
the team plans to make all of the sausages and select artisan items available for retail sale to-go from a stocked deli cooler in the restaurant.Wurst Behavior’s beverage program will feature local craft beers from featured Chicago breweries and cocktails made with local ingredients & regional spirits by Chicago craft distillers while making use of the smoker and house-made ingredients; look forward to boozy drinks like the briny Pickle Martini and Smoked Old Fashioned
“The Wurst Patio You’ve Ever Seen” will open out back as a beer garden
with an additional 50 seats in the spring.“Whether you’re looking for a place to grab a bite and catch a game
or you’re coming to sing at our Wurst Karaoke on Friday nights
we don’t want people to feel like they need to mind their manners with us,” says Pieniazek.Wurst Behavior will be open for lunch and dinner service Monday – Thursday from 11:00 a.m
with brunch and late-night karaoke coming soon
Follow @wurstbehaviorchicago on social to stay up to date
A mixed-use building with 18 residential units is being proposed for the site of the Las Tablas Colombian Steak House at 4920 W
Irving Park Road and two adjacent vacant lots
A site plan shows that the restaurant building
which many decades ago housed a funeral home
but would reopen as part of a new four-story structure with commercial space on the ground floor and apartments above
A Colombian cultural center also is being considered for part of the first floor
Las Tablas owner Soraya Campos said that the project represents a “big dream” that she has had for the property
She added that during the project’s construction customers could visit the Las Tablas at 2942 N
Alderman James Gardiner (45th) held a community meeting on the proposal Monday evening
Both the Six Corners and Portage Park chambers of commerce have voiced support for the proposal
“My office has been supportive of Soraya and her goals
(and) we would love to see her succeed in her endeavors,” Gardiner said
“We believe it would be a successful investment into our community.”
The apartments would range from about 900 to 1.100 square feet in size
and the front facade would feature a brick veneer and decorative elements
The parcel measures about 13,000 square feet and includes the site of the former Bronko’s bar at 4916 W
Irving Park Road and the former Gonzalez Mexican Restaurant at 4918 W
Both of those buildings were demolished in 2022
Nineteen on-site parking spaces in the rear of the property are planned
The block is located in a “pedestrian” street zone
drive-through facilities and surface parking lots along the main thoroughfare
Any parking has to be behind a building or in a garage above storefronts
The site is located at the northeast corner of Irving Park Road and Laporte Avenue
A metered city parking lot on Laporte is located a short walk from the site.
Under the proposal the property would be rezoned from B3-2 to the less restrictive B3-3
A community development grant from the city of Chicago is being sought for the project
but project officials said that they expect the proposal to move forward with or without the grant
Construction is expected to take about a year
The City Council Zoning Committee at its July 16 meeting approved a proposed restaurant at 8235-37 W
Irving Park Road and an 82-unit development at 6750-60 N
but delayed for the sixth time a hearing on the redevelopment of the former Peoples Gas site at 3955 N
The owners of Sapori Napoletani Ristorante & Pizzeria
in Norwood Park have purchased the site of a former butcher chop and Italian foods store at the southwest corner of Irving Park Road and Pittsburgh Avenue
according to Alderman Nicholas Sposato (38th)
He added that the building has been vacant since be became an alderman in 2011
Plans call for one of the storefronts on the property to be used for a high-end wine shop and the other a restaurant with a rooftop patio
The retail store is expected to open next spring and the restaurant next summer
“It’s really going to be the crown jewel of the neighborhood,” Sposato said
“They’re investing $2 million into this.”
Under the proposal the property would be rezoned from B3-1 Community Shopping District to C1-2 Neighborhood Commercial District.
Sposato said that the main concern expressed at a community meeting about the project centered around the need for more parking in the area — a concern which he said is common for any development proposal in the ward.
The committee also approved a plan to build two four-story buildings
each with 41 apartments and ground-floor retail space
at the northwest corner of Northwest Highway and Oshkosh Avenue
Suerth Funeral Home is slated to be demolished
The development also would include 82 parking spaces
Under the proposal the approximately 42,000-square-foot parcel would be rezoned from B3-1 Community Shopping District to B3-5 Community Shopping District
Alderman Anthony Napolitano (41st) said that many residents have expressed hope the project “would spark more development in (the Edison Park business area) and … help spruce up the whole district.”
“The developer came to us first instead of going downtown (to City Hall)
… They changed everything they needed to make it more (acceptable) to the community,” Napolitano said
has been allowing the Chicago Fire Department to use the former funeral home for training before it is demolished
at the meeting the committee deferred for a sixth time the hearing on the proposed $110 million mixed-use development at the southeast corner of Kilpatrick Avenue and Irving Park Road
including 69 affordable (reduced rent) housing units
Alderman James Gardiner (45th) has voiced overall support for the project but also has encouraged project developer GW Properties to use all union labor and has requested the proposal to be deferred at multiple committee meetings
reportedly seeking to have GW enter into a project labor agreement
which can require all union labor and include other stipulations
have been in place for other large developments in the area
helping to maintain good safety standards at work sites and ensure prevailing wages for workers
Developer Mitch Goltz of GW said that he signed a PLA on July 15 and that a copy was sent to Gardiner
He said that the agreement was revised from an earlier one which he did not sign
adding that it included a space for a name of a contractor but that portion has now been removed.
Goltz said that he would have signed the agreement months ago if the contractor portion was not there
He said that he would not start seeking contractors until after City Council approves the project and has said that he plans to hold an open bidding process
“It’s very disappointing,” Goltz said of the most recent deferral
“We signed a PLA that was issued to us yesterday (by union representatives)
and (Gardiner) had … a copy.”
The proposal was not among the items deferred at the start of the meeting
The committee voted to defer the matter shortly before the meeting was adjourned.
Gardiner said after the meeting that he wants to ensure all safety measures impacting the work site and the surrounding community are fully addressed before the proposal moves forward
a possible date for approval by the committee remains unclear
The Chicago Plan Commission endorsed the GW proposal in March
Goltz has said that any contractors for the project would have to be licensed by the city and would have to adhere to all safety requirements and building code regulations
Representatives of the Six Corners Association and Portage Park Neighborhood Association testified at the meeting
calling for the committee to approve the project without further delay
“GW has done everything the community has asked
We are sick of waiting,” SCA managing director Amie Zander told the committee
The earliest that the proposal could be approved by the council is in September
“We have been working with community stakeholders for 5 years (and) look forward to approval” at that time
Currently the approximately 7-acre site is being used for the storage of dealership vehicles.
Chicago Gourmet’s annual Hamburger Hop featured 14 competitors
Eden
the farm-to-table restaurant off the Chicago River in Avondale
and Irving Park’s JT’s Genuine Sandwich Shop were the big winners over the weekend at Chicago Gourmet’s Hamburger Hop
the annual competition that crowns the best burgers in the city
Eden chef Devon Quinn took home the competition’s Judges Award, given out by an eight-member panel including former Tribune critic Phil Vettel, Chicago dining editor Amy Cavanaugh, and Mott St chef Edward Kim
JT’s Genuine Sandwich Shop earned the People’s Choice Award
determined by votes from the event’s sold-out crowd
Fourteen chefs competed in the event on Friday
the food festival created by the Illinois Restaurant Association
The competitors were bound by ingredients from sponsors
like beef from Sysco and cheese from Kerrygold
But that didn’t mean they couldn’t get adventurous with add-ons
Quinn and Eden chef de cuisine Brian Shim blended two cheeses — Dubliner and Reserve cheddar; and MontAmore
a Parmesan-inspired cheese from Wisconsin — into an American cheese
They also topped their burger with dill pickle-corn slaw (Quinn’s favorite pickle Claussen with grilled corn and onions bound together with black garlic aioli)
It was served on a potato bun from sponsor Turano Baking
but each one comes through really clearly in the burger,” says Quinn
The People’s Choice winner from JT’s used Kerrygold aged cheddar
It was served on a Turano French brioche bun
was just happy to be invited: “It’s a competition
but we’ve already won meeting all these wonderful new faces
Cunningham was planning to take his team out to dinner
“They did an awesome job dealing with the wind and everything back there on the grill
so I can’t wait to celebrate and share this with them.”
with the National Weather Service warning Chicagoans to be ready for winds between 30 to 35 mph as a result of the remnants of Hurricane Helene
“I look for burgers that there’s something special about them,” says Chicago’s Cavanaugh
but they don’t stray too far afield from what a burger is supposed to be.”
Cavanaugh’s technique for judging 14 burgers
I feel like you need a second bite to confirm.” To prepare for the meaty onslaught
she ate a big breakfast and four crackers for lunch
She had some thoughts about her eating habits post-judging too: “I might turn my back on cows entirely for the next few weeks.”
Former Tribune critic Vettel has judged four Hamburger Hops
but he previously covered all the Chicago Gourmets while at the newspaper
“There’s an urban legend going around that I’ve correctly predicted the winner every single year,” he says
winning Hamburger Hop does come with benefits beyond bragging rights
“I’ve seen some restaurants that have won either the People’s Choice or the Judge’s Choice burger in the past
and they still have those burgers on their menus,” says Vettel
Mott St’s Kim planned on keeping an open mind when it came to judging: “I’m trying not to have any preconceived notions.” He prepared by not eating too much the days prior to the event
“I’ve come in with a hungry appetite and whichever burger tastes best is going to win for me.”
For her Seoul burger, chef Kaleena Bliss of Chicago Athletic Association Hotel and Cindy’s leaned into Korean flavors
Housemade ssamjang and a white kimchi aioli added some heat
and calamansi juice brought freshness and acidity to the hefty burger
“Who doesn’t want to be part of Chicago Gourmet?” says Bliss
who moved to Chicago last year and competed on Top Chef: Wisconsin
Another first-timer was chef Jim Torres, who along with co-chef Kyle Schrage is behind Edgewater’s Beard & Belly
they did a version of one they have at their gastropub that includes onion jam
“It’s a real big one just like me,” says Torres
For her first-time entry, chef Tigist Reda delved into the spices and flavors she often uses at Demera Ethiopian Restaurant but ones that are rarely found in a burger
and mitmita (a heat-forward Ethiopian spice blend) along with Angus beef steakburger
While Reda didn’t receive an award at Hamburger Hop
2025 to an auto accident where a 56-year-old female victim was struck by the driver of a black SUV in the block of 5900 West Irving Park Road in Chicago
The woman was hit while the driver of the black SUV was traveling westbound on Irving Park Road between Austin Avenue and Marmora Avenue in Chicago The victim was struck in a crosswalk and the driver of the offending vehicle did not stop after the collision
The victim sustained trauma to the body and was transported […]
Police responded to an auto accident where a 56-year-old female victim was struck by a black SUV which was traveling Westbound on Irving Park Rd
The victim was struck in a crosswalk and the driver of the offending vehicle did not stop after the collision
The crosswalk was likely at Marmora Avenue
The victim sustained trauma to the body and was transported to Level 1 Trauma Center Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where she was listed in critical condition overnight
According to the Chicago Police Department
there is no one in custody and Area Five Detectives are investigating
There is a Photo Enforced camera at Austin Avenue
There is no stop sign for Irving Park Road motorists at Marmora Avenue
where the Speed Limit is 30 MPH for Irving Park Road motorists
The crime scene in CPD 16th District was located in the Portage Park neighborhood
Nearby municipalities just west of the crime scene are Norridge
Spills Salt Through the Center Gap of I-290 WEST/EAST onto Route 83
Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies Deescalate Armed Man in Crisis Situation in Unincorporated Lake Villa
“Someday soon we’ll stop to ponder what on earth’s this spell we’re under.”
so don’t waste it living someone else’s life
Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking
is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.”