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Four months after the River North mainstay closed for renovations, Hubbard Inn is almost ready to welcome back customers to Hubbard Street. The bar and restaurant should reopen in late October; it closed in May after an eight-year run due to a lease dispute. That’s now been squared away and ownership is ready to reveal details on the renovations to its three-floor space at 110 W. Hubbard Street.
Hubbard Inn was a scenester magnet better known for its club vibes than food and drink, though a few of the cocktails went above and beyond what to expect from a typical River North bar. Ownership wants to increase the focus on fancy drinks for Hubbard Inn 2.0. Plenty of club vibes remain on the third floor, but ownership, 8 Hospitality (Broken English Taco Pub, Joy District), has redecorated. They haven’t shared a dollar amount, but a spokesperson said they sunk a seven-figure amount into the remodel.
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While ownership opted for a “complete revamp” of the first floor, customers of the original Hubbard Inn should find it familiar. It now has a center island bar flanked by comfy booths. They’ll serve food and drink on the first floor, including weekend brunch. Eric Babula, a chef with experience on the corporate level at Punch Bowl Social locations in Milwaukee and Arlington, Virginia; and at Bottleneck Management (the parent company of Old Town Pour House and City Works) is working on a menu of shared American plates. Expect a sizable raw bar selection for happy hour.
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Owners dub the second floor Blue Violet at Hubbard Inn. The space, according to a news release, is packed with floral touches and aims to inspire customers to post selfies on Instagram. It’ll have swing chairs by the windows away from the dance floor. An elevated DJ booth lives on this floor, and the space is designed to feel like a private club. This floor also features large-format cocktails and desserts.
Finally, go past the velvet curtain on the third floor for bottle service and live performers. Ownership describes the third-floor club as having a throwback feel.
Stay tuned for a look inside of the finished space and the opening date.
