Grand Lux Cafe to close after 21 years on the Mag Mile

The Grand Lux Cafe, a longtime culinary fixture along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, is closing its doors after 21 years of service. The restaurant, located at 600 N. Michigan Avenue, follows several area restaurants that have ceased operations in recent years.

"After 21 years, our Grand Lux Cafe in Chicago is closing. Our last day of service will be December 24, 2023” the restaurant said in a statement to CBS Chicago. “We are working with our staff to help them transition to other opportunities in one of our nearby concepts. We have enjoyed being a part of the downtown Chicago community and hope that our guests will continue to dine with us at our other restaurants in the area."

The Grand Lux Cafe opened its flagship Las Vegas location in 1999, according to Block Club Chicago, before opening its Chicago location in 2002. The restaurant is beloved for its enormous menu, boasting more than 100 dishes spanning a wide variety of world cuisines.

People familiar with the restaurant were disappointed to hear about the closure. Jesus Solis, who frequently visited the Grand Lux Cafe, expressed his dismay to the Chicago Sun-Times, saying, "It's a really good restaurant, so it's gonna be missed."

Local worker Nancy Dolan, lamenting the loss of the restaurant, noted that one by one, stores along the Magnificent Mile are closing, and the area is steadily losing its ambiance, as reported by ABC7.

Despite the string of closures, some still have faith in the Magnificent Mile’s potential. The vast number of vacancies along the famous shopping street may be discouraging, yet experts remain confident in the Chicago district's ability to bounce back.

With the Grand Lux Cafe set to close after more than two decades of business, only time will tell if the Magnificent Mile can regain its former glory.