Oak Parkers will soon get a taste of the bayou with a new restaurant coming to the Pleasant District that offers crab legs, crawfish – even fried alligator.
That’s just a fraction of the dishes that will be offered at Cajun Boil & Bar, 1109 South Boulevard, according to co-owner and operating partner Kurtis Lott. The restaurant takes the place of Connolly’s Public House, which closed last summer after about a year and a half in business.
Lott said Cajun Boil & Bar will be “the first restaurant of its kind in Oak Park” and will offer raw oysters, lobster, Cajun boils made to order and a wide variety of fried fish.
“It’s a great Louisiana-style flare,” Lott said.
The restaurant, which is expected to open in November, is owned by Dao Group, which has operated a number of Thai, sushi and Hibachi restaurants in the Chicago area, Lott said.
“We noticed that a certain food trend coming on is these seafood boil restaurants,” he said, noting that Cajun Boil & Bar will have a relaxed atmosphere where patrons can dig in and enjoy themselves.
It is the second location for the restaurant group, according to Lott, who noted that they’re opening a Cajun Boil & Bar location in Oak Brook Terrace in October.
Asked why the group picked Oak Park for its newest location, Lott said: “Honestly, why not Oak Park? It’s full of foodies and people who enjoy dining out.”
“You have a diverse group of consumers in Oak Park, and you have people who travel from other neighborhoods who come to Oak Park,” he said. “It’s such a mecca for what we’re trying to accomplish with our consumers.”
Lott said the group aims to have blues bands perform at the location. “We haven’t pinpointed a night of the week,” he said.
Sunday brunches will offer chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and catfish and eggs, he said.
“The bottomless mimosas and bloody Marys are going to be great,” he said.
David King, president of Oak Park-based commercial real estate firm David King & Associates, brokered the deal.
CONTACT: tim@oakpark.com
