La Grange restaurant owners eye new eatery in Clarendon Hills

A group operating six restaurants, including two in La Grange, hopes to open a new dining option in downtown Clarendon Hills in January.

The father and son team of Al and Chase Lotfi owns Olive & Feta and Casa Margarita in La Grange, along with additional Casa Margarita restaurants in Orland Park, Chicago, Bolingbrook and Downers Grove. They have been in business more than 30 years.

Now, Chase Lotfi, the younger of the two partners, who was born and raised in Hinsdale and Oak Brook, said he and his father are looking to open Prospect Tavern in the 27 and 29 S. Prospect Ave. storefronts in downtown Clarendon Hills, which they already own.

“I’ve enjoyed seeing Clarendon Hills grow over the years with new businesses and several new and great restaurants,” Chase Lotfi said. “I saw an opportunity to bring a new concept, one that offered traditional American fare in a casual and family friendly environment. Having a vacancy in our building on Prospect Avenue and experience in the hospitality industry, I decided to use the opportunity to fill that void.

While the menu for Prospect Tavern continues to be developed, Lotfi did address his new concept.

“You can expect an assortment of American cuisine, ranging from salads and soups to wings, pizza, handhelds and a variety of entrees like seafood, steak and pasta dishes,” he said.

Lotfi said he still is working with his architect on a floor plan, but he estimated there will be seating for about 120 guests inside and an additional 100 on an outdoor patio.

“The patio will be a big focus for us,” he said, adding that guests should expect “a welcoming staff and fresh and flavorful food and drinks when coming to Prospect Tavern.

“We’ll be a casual eatery that will attract everyone, from the whole family, to a ladies night out, to guys wanting to watch the game on one of our big screens,” Lotfi said. “I’m aiming to be competitively priced and offer value, while not compromising on quality. I prefer volume over high prices.”

He said he believes Prospect Tavern will be a wonderful complement to restaurants already in Clarendon Hills.

“While Clarendon Hills has great restaurants that offer Italian, Greek and Asian cuisine, I feel that an American food concept would be a great addition,” Lotfi said. “I’ve always believed that the more there is to offer in a town, the more people it will draw, and everyone benefits.”

Lotfi and his father have been working with the village on their request for a downtown tax increment financing grant agreement for Prospect Tavern in an amount not to exceed $265,000, with $50K tied to opening the business within six months.

The TIF agreement was discussed at the June 16 Village Board meeting, but that discussion and a board vote on the matter were continued to allow for additional discussion. Village Manager Zach Creer said the agreement is likely to pass at the next board meeting on July 21.

“We are very excited to partner with Chase and Al Lotfi, who have a lot of restaurant experience, on this project,” Creer said. “They have been extremely easy to work with and motivated to get open quickly.”

Creer said he believes Prospect Tavern will be a good fit for the village.

“We don’t have a place downtown where you can get a burger and a beer, so this definitely fills a need,” he said. “It’s Clarendon Hills, so we know it needs to be kid friendly.”

Creer said Prospect Tavern will be the fifth downtown space updated with sprinklers, ADA bathrooms and a modern kitchen since the downtown TIF started in 2019.

“(This) is leading to long-term improvements to the business atmosphere, increasing the value of the building stock and increasing the village’s food and sales taxes,” he said. “Looking backwards, we continue to beat our benchmark of five-year returns on the village’s investments. This will reduce the retail vacancy rate from 6% to less than 2%, which is fantastic. We have lots of interest in the last 2% as well.”

Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.