Acclaimed Fulton Market Restaurant Honey’s Shutters After 18 Months

The flurry of shuttering Chicago restaurants has claimed a high-profile spot in the Fulton Market district. Honey’s, the chic and acclaimed restaurant and cocktail bar on Lake Street, announced its closure today following a chef change in December and scaled-back hours in early January.

Despite the changes, the shutter comes with little warning. The announcement, which was published on social media minutes ago, says “we have made the very difficult decision to close Honey’s. We are proud of what our team has accomplished as a restaurant and are extremely grateful to all that have supported and enjoyed Honey’s.” There’s no word if staff was given notice of the restaurant’s closure in order to find other work.

The project, which was originally reported in March 2016, brought together prolific local hospitality and nightlife vets, a chef with pedigree (former Sepia executive sous chef Charles Welch) and plans for a Michelin star, and Kanye West’s creative director Virgil Abloh. After opening the following June, the restaurant garnered a range of reviews, as multiple critics called it one of the year’s best new restaurants while another thought it more style than substance. Major changes began when Welch and creative director Andrew Miller left in July 2017 to open their own popup restaurant with plans for a full restaurant. Acclaimed longtime local chef Johnny Anderes was announced as its new chef last month. Its former pastry chef — who was announced just last June — won a Jean Banchet Award merely three days ago.

Now, Honey’s is another on a long list of recent shutters in Chicago. Is this more proof of the proverbial bubble bursting?

UPDATE: Honey’s entire staff was laid off on January 9 with no notice — which was the day ownership actually closed the restaurant — the Tribune reports.