Eater Inside

Tour Art Smith's Blue Door Kitchen, His Revamped Gold Coast Restaurant

The Table Fifty-Two replacement opens on Friday

by Ashok Selvam@Shokdiesel Jun 29, 2016, 2:35pm CDT

Photography by Marc Much | Via All Blue Door Kitchen & Table Coverage [ECHI]

Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

The nightmare for fans who missed Table Fifty-Two on Elm Street is about to end, as Art Smith's Blue Door Kitchen & Garden opens on Friday morning at the Gold Coast space. Smith closed Table Fifty-Two in January, wanting to tweak the concept to make it more approachable.

The restaurant is in a carriage house that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Here's a photo of the old space, which opened in 2007, for comparison:

[Photo: Barry Brecheisen]

The first thing visitors may notice inside is the new color scheme and blue paint job that covers the light-wood paneling diners saw at the old restaurant. Still, Smith's kept some of the same artwork that hung on the walls of Table Fifty-Two. The hardwood flooring, tables and seats, as well as the wall light fixtures have all been replaced. Blue Door also changed-up the counter seating and has restored the outdoor patio.

Check out the photos of Blue Door below.