Sportscasters still planning to serve up Reverie

Ryan Baker

Ryan Baker

It won’t be opening in early spring as originally planned, but a River North restaurant backed by three Chicago sportscasters is still very much on track.

Sports anchors Ryan Baker, Lou Canellis and Kip Lewis (of Comcast SportsNet) are partners in Reverie, a two-story restaurant and lounge under construction at 414 North Orleans Street. Despite the prominent placement of large-screen televisions, it’s not being labeled a sports bar.

Chef Rodelio Aglibot is designing a menu that will be “contemporary American with Asian accents,” according to Adam Cisek of Chicago-based Premium Themes Inc., another partner in the venture.

“Although delayed, the overall plan is proceeding and we are very excited about the product we will have the opportunity to share with our city,” Cisek told me this week. “Reverie is certainly one of the most thoughtful and well planned projects any of us have had the pleasure of executing.”

Located at the southeast corner of Hubbard and Orleans, it’s the former site of Klay Oven Indian Restaurant and the short-lived Brewstone Beer Company. It’s also in the shadow of the East Bank Club at 500 North Kingsbury Street and the Sun-Times in the former Apparel Center at 350 North Orleans Street.

No comment from the sportscasters, but Cisek added: “As for timelines, it is always a push to open quickly but at the same time exercise caution to ensure we are delivering what we intended. We still plan for spring open.”