Latest West Loop Restaurant to Feature Tater Tots Topped With Caviar

A giant burger that tears into sliders and tater tots topped with caviar will be part of the menu at Bandit, a new Randolph Street restaurant opening next month in the West Loop. From the company behind Bar Siena, Prime & Provisions, and Barrio, the restaurant and bar takes an irreverent approach in a stretch of the city that features restaurants from famous chefs like Rick Bayless and Stephanie Izard. Bandit’s ownership at DineAmic Hospitality also named former Sable and Bin 36 chef Shane Graybeal as its opening chef.

Bandit, 841 W. Randolph Street, should open in the first or second week of June, according to DineAmic co-founder Lucas Stoioff. The restaurant moves into the Gideon Sweet space that also housed celebrity chef Graham Elliott’s former restaurant. The menu will offer “classic American standards” with upscale ingredients. “The Diplomat” comes to the table in an ornate cake tray. It’s four Parker House rolls seasoned with sea salt. The rolls are split and between the halves lies a giant beef patty gently perforated so diners can tear the giant burger into four sliders.

“We’re melding opulence with approachability,” said DineAmic co-founder David Rekhson.

Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago

They’ll also serve a ribeye cap with crispy potatoes. It uses the same 45-day, dry-aged beef served at Prime & Provisions, DineAmic’s Loop steakhouse. This food is designed to go well with alcoholic drinks, as the space also has a secluded patio. Disco Fries are waffle fries topped with Korean-style braised beef short-rib and kimchi. There’s also Nashville chicken tenders. Instead of serving the tenders with a slice of white bread to soak up the fat, Bandit will serve it with a Japanese pancake. Tater tots are fried Kennebec potatoes topped with sturgeon caviar with French onion dip.

Salads will also be a big part of the repertoire. Stoioff is fond of a chicken shawarma salad with crispy garbanzos, couscous, smoked almonds, red grape, pickled onions, and lemon-tahini yogurt. Overall, there are 23 items on the menu, and three to four desserts to be added including a gooey brownie topped with ice cream.

Stoioff plans to turn up the “entertainment aspect,” presumably that’s the music’s volume, later in the night. The space will be suitable for families in the day, but with more of a bar vibe at night, sharing the DNA with other DineAmic venues. One boozy highlight for the late-night crowd maybe the Bandit punch. The drink is served in a reusable red Solo cup. Parts of Bandit are clearly supposed to bring back Gen X college memories. Stoioff and Rekhson also want to shake up Randolph Street with a little more energy.

Stay tuned for updates and an opening day announcement.