Bar Louie returns to Naperville after four years’ absence
Bar Louie is back in Naperville.
The restaurant chain, which had a location in downtown Naperville for almost two decades before closing in 2020, has launched a second incarnation at 2835 Showplace Drive in Naperville Crossings.
It officially opened Monday.
The local relaunch features “a more contemporary restaurant layout and design,” according to a news release. The restaurant’s menu is a mix of old favorites and new additions to match its revamped design, with options from burgers and wings to flatbreads and steak.
Now based in Texas, Bar Louie was founded in Chicago in 1990. Today, the national chain has almost 70 locations across the country.
A few years ago, the chain hit a rough patch, which affected its presence in the Chicago area, Naperville included.
In January 2020, Bar Louie filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Shortly after filing, the chain shuttered its original Naperville spot at 22 E. Chicago Ave., as well as 37 other corporate-owned locations.
By the summer of 2020, though, Bar Louie had been purchased by secure lender Antares Capital LP, according to Franchise Times, an independent trade publication. Bar Louie emerged from bankruptcy in June 2020, Franchise Times reported.
A Bar Louie spokesperson said the chain is “excited to return to the Naperville community under new franchise ownership.” Naperville is a “perfect fit” for the business, they said, especially the chain’s new “upscale-yet-approachable” branding.
Local franchisee Kaushik Patel is looking forward to “bringing Bar Louie’s delicious food, handcrafted drinks and friendly service to Naperville,” he said in last week’s release.
As part of Bar Louie’s grand reopening, daily specials are planned for every day this week, including: “Wine Down Wednesday,” featuring $6 and $7 select wines by the glass and $10 off select bottles; $6 seltzers on Thursday; and $8 burgers, as well as 10% off online orders using code LOUIE10 at www.barlouie.com, through the weekend.
Bar Louie Naperville is open seven days a week, with hours from mid-morning to midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends.
They also are still hiring employees for all positions, according to its website, www.barlouie.com/locations/us/il/naperville/naperville.
