Windy City Bites sets grand opening, dates for first special events
March 8, 2023
The food and beer are flowing at Windy City Bites’ new restaurant.
The food truck expanded last month into a bricks-and-mortar location on Indiana Avenue between Eighth and 10th streets.
Owners DaShawn and Samantha Lewis, who are Chicago natives, opened with a limited schedule as they made the transition from cooking out of their trailer into a full-service restaurant.
Now that they’ve received their beer and wine license, they’ve scheduled a grand opening for Friday.
Business has been “slow and steady. We’re getting into the hang of it,” Samantha Lewis said.
Their initial menu, which they expect to expand over time, features many of the food truck favorites: Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches and Pizza Puffs.
They’ve added their Downtown Burger Battle entry, Son of Zeus, a beef patty topped with gyro meat, American cheese, grilled onions and tzatziki, and the Chicago Burger with American cheese, grilled onions, mustard and sport peppers. Other Chicago specialties are Polish and Italian sausages.
DaShawn Lewis has family from Jamaica, so there are Caribbean influences on the menu like jerk chicken. It comes on tacos and on loaded nachos or fries.
On Fridays during Lent, the restaurant has been featuring catfish nugget and shrimp baskets and other “Fried Friday” offerings. Other daily specials include rib tips and jerk chicken tacos on Tuesdays, $1 wings on Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays.
Next week, they’re starting Mancave Mondays for those 21 and older from 6 to 10 p.m. Entry is $30 and includes meal of choice, two drinks and games like pool, cards, dominos, chess and other board games.
Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
“Until about 8 o’clock most nights we’re kid-friendly,” DaShawn Lewis said.
They’ve added a kid’s menu with a small hot dog or chicken fingers with fries and small drink for $5.
They have eight tap lines for beer, with four local craft brews on tap now: Queen Bee from Remedy Brewing Co., two from Covert Artisan Ales and one from Ben’s Brewing in Yankton. There’s also a selection of bottled beer, hard cider and hard seltzer, and they’re hoping their shipment of wine arrives in time for Friday’s grand opening.
Windy City Bites Bar & Grill has a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily with drink specials and rotating options for food, so people get a chance to try different menu items, DaShawn Lewis said.
The couple has scheduled their first special dinners. Caribbean Night will be March 25 with Jamaican cuisine and reggae music. Soul Food Sunday will be April 23.
Windy City Bites Bar & Grill is at 114 N. Indiana Ave. Follow it on Facebook for updates on food and events.
