Elwood, IL Lifestyle and More

Strand Theater opening pushed to 2027

The Strand Theater, future home of the Glaser Players local acting troupe and other community programming, is now set to open in the first months of 2027. John Dumas, the leader of the Brookfield Theater Corporation that will operate the Strand Theater, said the Strand is now set to open in January or February 2027 in downtown Brookfield. Dumas said in September that the group was planning to host a ribbon cutting on Dec. 4 and hold its first performances in the space that weekend.

Brookfield, IL · 17h

southwestregionalpublishing.com

partner publisher · 2.6M followers

Developer eyes Manhattan for fast food restaurant

The Village of Manhattan could soon get a new fast food restaurant if plans revealed at the most recent board meeting come to fruition. Ampler Development signed a letter of intent to purchase and develop the village-owned property at the corner of Brookstone Drive and Route 52 in Manhattan for a Taco Bell restaurant.

Manhattan, IL · 1d

The Independent

Popular Chicago chain known for its hot dogs set to close locations

The Chicago-based fast-casual chain, known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, has 109 locations nationwide Getty/iStock To be frank, fans of a popular Chicago -style hot dog chain may not relish this news. Portillo’s plans to close a “mid-to-high single-digit number” of underperforming restaurants outside the Chicago area, mostly by the end of the year, CEO Brett Patterson announced Thursday. The Chicago-based fast-casual chain, known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, has 109 locations nationwide. It said it looked at each restaurant’s sales, operating costs and expected future performance before deciding which ones to close. The company has not yet announced the affected locations. “This will improve portfolio quality, strengthen returns on invested capital and reflect our commitment to disciplined growth,” Patterson said. The move comes as Portillo’s looks to get back on track after struggling to find the same success in markets outside Chicago. The move comes as Portillo’s looks to get back on track after struggling to find the same success in markets outside Chicago (Getty/iStock) Portillo’s plans to put more focus on its existing restaurants and take a more careful approach to opening new locations, particularly in unfamiliar markets. Patterson said the chain

familydestinationsguide.com

This Illinois Seafood Restaurant Is Known Far And Wide For Its Incredibly Fresh Fried Fish

Some restaurants earn their reputation quietly, one perfectly fried piece of fish at a time, and The Fish Keg in Chicago has been doing exactly that for longer than most food trends have existed. If you haven’t heard of The Fish Keg yet, that’s about to change. The...

publisher · 127.4K followers

NBC Chicago

Portillo's to close up to 9 ‘underperforming restaurants,' company announces

Iconic Chicago hot dog and Italian beef chain Portillo's will close a "select group of underperforming locations," the company announced during a third-quarter earnings call Thursday. The update came as the company said its results were "ahead" of expectations. “Our strategy is centered on running great restaurants, leveraging integrated marketing...

everafterinthewoods.com

This Old-School Illinois Butcher Shop Still Cuts From Hanging Cattle And Makes Over 80 Sausages

A carved wooden pig head hands out your number at the door. That’s how your visit starts at one of the most beloved butcher counters in Illinois. The kitchen behind the counter turns out more than 80 kinds of sausages and brats. A smokehouse adds more than 10 kinds of homemade bacon to the lineup.

partner publisher · 245.5K followers

American Songwriter

Born 83 Years Ago Today in the Windy City, the Drummer Whose Band Went From the Top 5 to Making Commercials for Coca-Cola and the US Navy

On this day (November 9) in 1943, Lee Graziano was born in Chicago, Illinois. He is best known as the drummer for the 1960s pop band The American Breed. They notched a few top 40 hits in the mid-60s. Their biggest chart success was the 1967 single “Bend Me, Shape Me,” which landed in the top 10 in the United States and Canada. They also recorded jingles for major corporations, including Coca-Cola, Bell Telephone, the United States Navy, and American Airlines.

partner publisher · 2.4M followers

CBS News

Injured bobcat kitten found in DuPage Co. undergoing rehabilitation at wildlife Center

Dupage County, IL · 1d

takingthekids.com

These 10 Warehouse-Style Secondhand Stores In Illinois Are Worth Every Mile Of The Drive

One antique mall in Illinois fills an old school building with three floors of collectibles and serves coffee on-site. Another sits in a historic train station. A third shares space with a diner that scoops ice cream and sells fudge. I love that secondhand shopping here comes with this much...

Chicago, IL · 5d

everafterinthewoods.com

This South Side Chicago Counter Has Been Dunking Breaded Steak Sandwiches In Red Gravy Since 1976, And Illinois Still Lines Up

A four-pound sandwich sits on the menu at one South Side counter, and it comes breaded, fried, and dunked in red gravy. Anthony Bourdain counted that sandwich among the best sandwiches in the world. The star is USDA Choice skirt steak, tenderized and hand-breaded with Italian seasonings. Then it gets...

Chicago, IL · 3d

metv.com

The Rifleman's Chuck Connors gave Chicago a shoutout in 1961

Even an Old West cowboy needed a change of scenery sometimes!. Chuck Connors was best known for his role as Lucas McCain on The Rifleman. As a hardworking rancher with a strong moral compass, McCain was the perfect picture of a classic Western hero. But off-screen, Connors was quite a bit more of a city boy than his TV counterpart.

everafterinthewoods.com

This Family-Run Illinois Italian Market Still Bakes Its Bread Fresh And Piles Subs High For Under $10

A 9-inch Italian beef from this deli can show up looking more like a 12-inch one. That’s the kind of generous surprise that gets an old-school Illinois sandwich counter talked about across the city. The beef comes from a family recipe, and it can arrive fully dipped and dripping....

Chicago, IL · 5d

gotodestinations.com

Why Locals ADORE This Hot Dog Drive-In That’s Older Than McDonald’s in Chicago, Illinois

Open Sun–Thu, 11 AM–1 AM; Fri–Sat, 11 AM–2 AM. In May 1948, two newlyweds opened a summer hot dog drive-in in Chicago to help pay for college. 🌭. At Superdawg Drive-In, Chicago diners still pull into a carport, order through a speaker box and wait for a carhop’s tray on the car window.

partner publisher · 40.4K followers

KICK AM 1530

Someone in Illinois Won $7.4 Million and Nobody Knows Who

The Illinois Lottery looking for the mystery winner of more than $7.4 million dollars who identity remains unknown.

Illinois · 6d

allamericanatlas.com

5 Best Italian Restaurants in Chicago, Illinois that Will Make You Feel Like You’re in Rome

Chicago is a city that sings in many tongues—where the L rumbles above streets lined with brick and glass, where the lake wind tangles with the scent of roasted garlic and sweet basil, and where every neighborhood is a patchwork of stories. Here, the skyline rises bold and blue, but it’s the warmth of the people—Polish, Mexican, Black, Irish, Italian, and every dreamer in between—that gives the city its pulse. This is a place where food is memory, migration, and celebration, and where the table is always set for one more.

publisher · 127.4K followers

NBC Chicago

Home Run Inn unveils brand new pan pizza

Chicago’s iconic Home Run Inn pizza chain is well-known for its signature tavern-style pizza, but now they’re offering up pan pizzas in the freezers of area grocery stores. According to a press release, the pan pizza will be available at all Chicago-area Jewel stores and Tony’s Fresh Market...

Chicago, IL · 6d

Secret Chicago

publisher · 7.1K followers

Chicago’s crown jewel of pan pizza just earned another national nod—thanks to its legendary caramelized crust

Chicago hardly needs another reason to defend its pizza credentials. But we’ll happily take this one. Pequod’s Pizza—the local favorite known for that exquisite ring of caramelized cheese —has been named Illinois’ pick in Food & Wine’s “50 States of Award-Winning Pizza.” And while the national recognition is nice, the real draw is waiting around the edge of the pan. What makes Pequod’s crust so special? At Pequod’s, you don’t leave the crust behind. As Food & Wine explains, t he pizzeria places a ring of mozzarella around the inside edge of the pan. As the pizza bakes, that cheese caramelizes, creating the signature rim that sets these pies apart . A deeply browned cheese surrounds a generously topped Chicago-style pizza. The menu starts with a cheese pizza, with toppings available so you can build your own order. Sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, giardiniera, and more are among the options—but that caramelized edge is something you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve finished the meal. Why Food & Wine picked Pequod’s Food & Wine assembled its state-by-state guide using existing accolades, including international pizza competitions, restaurant rankings, local journalism, and readers’ choice awards. For Pequod’s, the magazine points to two major wins:

ndigo.com

Behind “The Greatest” – The Family That Shaped Muhammad Ali

Chicago has long claimed Muhammad Ali as one of ours, but some people don’t know that he is actually not from the Windy City. Prime Video’s original series The Greatest looks at him as a young Cassius Clay and how he became the larger-than-life figure and icon we celebrate today.

everafterinthewoods.com