Live Music Haven the Elbo Room Could Close After Three Decades in Lakeview

Lakeview favorite the Elbo Room could close after 30 years: report

One of the North Side’s favorite live music bars could go away soon. The Elbo Room, which has been open since 1989 at 2871 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lakeview, is expected to close sometime this winter, Block Club reports. The publication cites the bar’s regulars, sporadic hours, and a for-sale listing for the building to report that it could close as soon as December. Management hasn’t responded to a request for comment, but a post on its Facebook page on Wednesday announced that it will be under new ownership and management starting December 9.

Fallout continues after racist incident at suburban Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings has more fallout to manage following a racist incident at its suburban Naperville location where a worker reportedly told multiracial and African American diners that a regular customer didn’t want to sit near black people. The families who were victims of the incident held a news conference on Tuesday where they called on the chicken wing and sports bar chain to establish “zero tolerance” hiring practices and an accountability system, start a hotline for employees to report racial bias, and post signage in break rooms to “combat bigotry,” the Naperville Sun reports. The former regular customer at the center of the controversy has also reportedly been banned for life.

Chicago pizza chain Giordano’s joins plant-based meat parade

Two Chicago-based chains are jumping on the plant-based meat bandwagon. Giordano’s, the Chicago pizza stalwart that has since expanded to multiple other markets, started serving pizzas made with Impossible Foods’ plant-based sausage yesterday at all 70 locations nationwide, a news release announces. Also, local health-foods focused chain Protein Bar & Kitchen started offering Beyond Meat meatballs and chili on the same day, Crain’s reports, which are available locally until early 2020.

Christkindlmarket is bringing back its uber-popular boot mugs

Uber-popular holiday market Christkindlmarket will bring back its equally-popular boot mugs this season, Time Out Chicago reports. The keepsake mugs, which attendees fill with drinks, were replaced last year with heart-shaped mugs. This year’s markets open on November 15 at Daley Plaza in the Loop and Milwaukee, and November 22 at Gallagher Way in Wrigleyville.

Bayless cocktail bar Bar Sotano turns one with a five-course dinner party

And finally, the Bayless family’s new-ish subterranean cocktail haven Bar Sotano, one of Chicago’s essential cocktail bars, turns one this month. The bar will celebrate with a five-course cocktail-paired dinner on November 13. The dinner costs $90 per person and reservations are available on its website.

Update: The news item about the Elbo Room has been updated to include the post on its Facebook page announcing new ownership and management.