Maxwell Street’s Moxee and Mad Mouse Brewery to Close After Three Years

The owners of Maxwell Street’s nanobrewery, Moxee, announced they’ll close their brewpub and barbecue and Cajun restaurant at the end of the month. June 30’s shutter will end a three-year-run at 724 W. Maxwell St. Moxee’s Mad Mouse Beer will be made available at Moxee’s sister restaurant, Prairie Moon, in suburban Evanston.

“There are so many fantastic people we’ve met in the past three years and we truly thank you for your support and business. We will miss seeing you,” a Facebook post reads. No reason was given for the closure, although the owners did write that “we also have other irons in the fire so you can expect to hear some updates in the coming months.”

Following a delay, Moxee, which was one of Eater Chicago’s most anticipated openings of fall 2013, opened in the former Junior’s Sport Lounge space near UIC in May 2014. The restaurant, which served popular polenta, shrimp and grits, and barbecue, was named for Moxee, Wash. as a tribute to that city’s hops production for beer. Mad Mouse beer was first made at Saugatuck Brewing in Michigan before the operation moved to Moxee. In addition to Prairie Moon, the restaurant’s owners also run Wheatberry Tavern in Buchanan, Mich.

There’s no word what will happen to the University Village property. Stay tuned.