Jam Logan Square Looking at June Opening; Will Have Dinner Service, Diner Feel

Jam, which was hoping to be open this spring in Logan Square, will now get pushed back a bit and likely open in June. What's holding up the project is the building and eventual installation of a custom facade. Co-owner Anthony Fiore said they're having a custom glass wall installed that will open onto their sidewalk patio. That takes time and should hopefully be done and ready to go in about six weeks.

And when Jam does open, expect to see essentially the same menu offered by chef Jeffrey Mauro, but that will extend into dinner. Each night, Jam will have a diner-like special in addition to the regular menu. While Mauro is still working out the details, Fiore said it'll have classic diner food, like meat loaf, but a little more modern.

"We tried to open for dinner last summer and take advantage of the patio," Fiore said. "The problem with the three-meal-a-day breakfast ... chef was going crazy. Now we want to be open for three meals a day, but keep the same menu with one special diner-themed entree."

The new space will be more streamlined and have a lot of mirrors like an old school diner. It will be more functional, bigger and still have an open kitchen, and Fiore said they may temporarily close down the Wicker Park spot after the summer to redecorate a bit. Ultimately, the new Jam space will set the tone for possible expansion to other neighborhoods where "there are a lot of students and an artistic, laid back crowd -- people who are conscious of what they're eating," he said.
· Jam to Open in Logan Square Next to New Wave Coffee; Is Pilsen Next? [~EChi~]

[Photo: Jam Ukrainian Village]