Three Restaurants Coming To Downtown Skokie

Skokie is very appetizing to restaurateurs these days; three have plans to open eateries in the downtown area, but at least one could not get the recipe to work, at least for now, and another one has turned off his oven and hung a "closed" sign on the door.

Here's a rundown of where Skokie plans to put the fish fork, er, the new dining establishments.

CLOSED

Eclissi Restaurant has closed its rather narrow space at 8020 N. Lincoln Avenue. Ruben Villanueva, owner of the Italian eatery, is reportedly looking for space elsewhere in Skokie, said Ann Tennes, Skokie's director of communications and marketing.

UNABLE TO COME TO TERMS

Earlier: American Bistro Two North To Open in Skokie

Patch reported in September that downtown Chicago brasserie and bar One North Kitchen and Bar was going to expand by opening Two North Kitchen and Bar in downtown Skokie. However, Leslie Murphy, the village's economic development specialist, said the owners were unable to reach an agreement with the property owner of 4904 Oakton on the terms of a lease. The owner is still interested in opening in Skokie, she said. 

OPENING

• Blue Agave Mexican Cuisine will take over both Eclissi's old space at 8020 Lincoln as well as 8018 Lincoln and create an opening in the wall to make the two properties a unified dining space, Murphy explained. They intend to serve traditional Mexican cuisine. 8018 Lincoln has been vacant for at least four years, Murphy said. 
• Fogos Peri Peri, a Polynesian/Portuguese restaurant which Patch earlier reported is coming to downtown Skokie, is expected to open in the first half of 2014. The owners received a grant of up to $50,000 from the village to do interior renovation on Nov. 4, and is also doing exterior renovation, for which it received a grant of $45,425. "That's really good news," said Murphy. "One of our goals is to get property owners to invest in a building." The grant money comes from the downtown TIF fund, and the village uses it to encourage investment and economic vitality in the downtown area.
• Euro Echo Cafe will open at 7919 N. Lincoln Avenue. The owner received a $38,200 grant for exterior work from the village Dec. 2, and a $43,100 grant from the village for interior work on Dec. 16.