Blackbird
This cherished West Loop restaurant—praised by the Chicago Tribune as “one of Chicago’s greatest restaurants”—was opened 22 years ago by Paul Kahan, who has since become one of the city’s most renowned chef-restaurateurs, with other popular spots like Avec, Publican, and Big Star. Unfortunately, Blackbird’s small, intimate setting made social distancing unfeasible. As a result, the restaurant announced on its website, “we have made the very difficult decision to close our doors.”