River North
F1 Arcade
Eatertainment in the old Rock Bottom at 1 West Grand Avenue: 61 full-motion simulators, 424 seats, and two Chicago-only cocktails from Kumiko’s Julia Momosé. After 7 p.m. the room is 21+.
Weekly Eats · Monday, August 17, 2026
Taylor Street’s festa and the Humboldt Park sangria fest ended last night. Wicker Park’s market is Sundays. TAAN hoped friends-and-family around today, with official service Thursday. Lizzano’s Evanston grand opening was Saturday. First edition — only what we could source.
River North
Eatertainment in the old Rock Bottom at 1 West Grand Avenue: 61 full-motion simulators, 424 seats, and two Chicago-only cocktails from Kumiko’s Julia Momosé. After 7 p.m. the room is 21+.
Evanston
D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick’s first table-service restaurant, at 1601 Payne Street. Sunday–Thursday 11–10, Friday–Saturday 11–11.
Evanston
Soft-opened August 7 at 1607 Chicago Avenue. Saturday, first 100 guests get a free half panini from 10 a.m. Owner Gabriel Fleury also runs Deep Purpl.
Portage Park
Self-described American izakaya at 3938 North Central Avenue: shaken steak and eggs with kimchi, pork chop with curry. Dinner and weekend brunch. Infatuation had not visited yet.
Little Italy
On Taylor between Ashland and Throop. Neighborhood restaurants, Italian imports, and stages. Choose Chicago lists all three days; admission is free.
River North
Steak, sushi, and cocktails in the Reid, Murdoch & Co. Building at 316 North Clark. An August 7 Times of Chicago piece says August 15; a June WTTW preview had said August 28. We are using the later local report and flagging the conflict.
Humboldt Park
Chanita Chayaluk’s coal-fire Thai room at 2759 West Augusta Boulevard. She told Whatnow she hopes to start official service August 20.
Humboldt Park
Tequila and mezcal bar at 819 North California Avenue. Eater did not publish a specific August door date.
Logan Square
Casual burger stand near the California Blue Line, open until 2 a.m. on weekends. City Cast did not give a street address or a door date.
Bucktown
All-day cafe at 2115 North Damen: Metric coffee, Spanish tomato toast, wine and spritzes at night. No specific August day in the roundup.
The month, at a table
August 2026
September 2026
Eater Chicago’s August openings list is real but light on exact door dates (Drama Club, Cafe Gimme). The Carlyle Club date conflicts between a June WTTW preview (Aug 28) and an August 7 Times of Chicago story (Aug 15) — flagged, not smoothed over. Infatuation Chicago homepage was not fetched; the Fork & Coin review loaded. Christophe’s Fine Foods was only “should open in August” in a June WTTW piece — left off for lack of a day.
Humboldt Park · hoped today
Chanita Chayaluk’s coal-fire Thai room at 2759 West Augusta Boulevard. She told Whatnow she hoped to open around Aug. 17 for friends and family, with official service Aug. 20. Date is the chef’s hope, not a locked public night.
Wicker Park · Sundays
Choose Chicago’s dated Sunday listing: the 26th outdoor season, with more fruit and produce vendors this year plus cheese, baked goods, meats, eggs, flowers, and crafts. Yoga at 9 a.m., pilates at 10.
Little Italy
Food from the block, live music, free to walk in. Choose Chicago listed Sunday noon–10 as the close.
River North
Simulators and Momosé cocktails at 1 West Grand. After 7 p.m. the room is 21+.
Evanston
Free half panini for the first 100 guests went yesterday at 1607 Chicago Avenue. The shop is otherwise open.
Humboldt Park
Choose Chicago: sangria with Latin American food and music in Humboldt Park. WTTW’s August food-events list puts it on both days at the same address.
City market
Weekly Friday market (yesterday’s date). Exclusively vegan vendors, per Choose Chicago.
Avondale · Tune-Up
Listed at 3810 West Belmont Avenue. Do312’s listing is thin on menu detail.
River North
First Midwest location, 1 West Grand Avenue.
Humboldt Park
Agave cocktail bar, 819 North California.
Portage Park
American izakaya, 3938 North Central.
Greater Grand Crossing
Englewood native’s brunch room inside a former church. City Cast did not publish an address or a door date.
Evanston
Focaccia sandwiches at 1607 Chicago Avenue.
River North
Riverfront steak and sushi at 316 North Clark. See date conflict in the text-only section.
Little Italy
Choose Chicago’s official listing.
Humboldt Park
Latin American food and music with sangria, 2701 West Division.
Tune-Up
3810 West Belmont.
Weekly Friday
4–8 p.m. Fridays.
Humboldt Park
Coal-fire Thai at 2759 West Augusta. Date is the chef’s hope, not a locked announcement.
Evanston
First sit-down room, 1601 Payne Street.