GreenRiver, Danny Meyer and Dead Rabbit’s Michelin-Starred Chicago Restaurant, is Closing

Less than two-and-a-half years in, Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group will shutter its acclaimed foray into the Chicago restaurant scene. GreenRiver, Meyer’s collaboration restaurant and cocktail bar in Streeterville with the folks behind NYC’s Dead Rabbit, will hold its last service on January 24, according to social media posts and its representative. No specific reason was given for its closure, as seen in the full statement below.

We have made the difficult decision to close GreenRiver. Since opening in 2015, we have been tremendously proud of everything the GreenRiver team has accomplished, from developing an ambitious and innovative cocktail program, to earning one Michelin Star and a three star review in the Chicago Tribune. We are grateful to our neighbors in Streeterville and the greater Chicago community for welcoming us so warmly. Our top priority is our team members, and we are now actively involved in discussions about how best to support their career advancement during this transition.

The restaurant and bar burst onto the Chicago scene following considerable — and understandable considering New York’s top restaurateur and most-acclaimed bar were behind it — buzz in September 2015. The hype, arguably more for its highly-acclaimed cocktails than its food, resulted in numerous accolades, including a Michelin star and an Eater Young Gun award for its former head bartender Julia Momose.

Its location may have hindered its actual business, however, as its location inside the Northwestern Memorial Hospital outpatient facility in Streeterville surprised many people who often times had difficulty locating the restaurant. But once people made their way inside, many were wowed by not only its food and drink but also its sparkling views and standout design from the 18th floor. Ownership also opened a second bar in the space, Annex, but shuttered it in October to become private event space in what could be seen now as foreshadowing.

Now Meyer and company will exit the Chicago market on January 24, adding yet another shutter to a scene that is reeling from an abundance of closures in recent times.

UPDATE: The Dead Rabbit’s involvement with GreenRiver ended “months ago,” according to the bar’s representative.