Chicago’s First Culver’s to Open Next Week

Chicago’s first Culver’s is set to open on Tuesday in Bronzeville at 3357 S. King Drive. The fast-food chain, which peddles burgers served on buttered buns, already has restaurants in the suburbs and for the last few years has been flirting with Chicago locations in Bronzeville, Wrigleyville, and Portage Park. While the Wrigleyville location is in limbo, the Portage Park location could open by the end of the month at 4939 W. Irving Park Road.

The chain’s co-founder, Craig Culver, will greet the public starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday when Culver’s first opens its doors to the public. The 4,300-square-foot restaurant is located at Lake Meadows Market near King Drive and 33rd Place. In recent months, the Wisconsin-based chain wasn’t clear where Chicago’s first Culver’s would open. Alderman (45rd Ward) John Arena made a Facebook post in December claiming that the Portage Park location would open today, January 17. His office said that date has now been tentatively pushed back to the last week of the month.

Meanwhile, there’s no word on the third location in Wrigleyville at 3500 N. Clark Street. That location has been in the works since 2014, before the new development around Wrigley Field really kicked into gear. RedEye first reported the news.