Willis Tower is known for its exciting views and glass-encased 102 floors. We don’t typically go there for the food, but now there’s a new restaurant in town and officials are hoping it turns the former Sears Tower into a destination spot. With the arrival of Kindline Downtown Cookout and Cocktails, a Blackstone New York creation, things might be different.
The full-service restaurant covers two floors and is 17,000 square feet in total. Seating up to 500 guests, the restaurant is from Fifty/50 Restaurant Group– the operators behind Chicago staples like Roots Handmade Pizza and Utopian Tailgate are partners, which means good things are in store.
Focusing on an experimental live fire element that provides a visual appeal, the food comes from Jonathon Sawyer, a popular chef who first worked in Cleveland and earned a James Beard Award before ending up in Chicago.
As for the restaurant, it’s all about live fire and traditional American fare! The food is said to include everything from steak, to seafood, fresh pasta, and various happy hour-priced small bites! The space has 3 distinct zones- a chef’s table near the kitchen, a second floor filled with games, and an outdoor terrace that’s opening in the spring.
The restaurant is a big way to draw crowds to Willis Tower– as the infamous former Sears Tower has recently gone through a pricey transformation to the tune of $500 million, adding on first-floor restaurants in addition to a now delayed food court on the second floor.
Address: 202 S. Franklin St. Chicago, IL 60606