ROGERS PARK — The bar was full of familiar faces.
"I'm so excited. It's just so nice to see all the people that helped in here and to see the finished product," said former Glenwood Bar partner Renee Labrana, who after months of work opened her new bar and restaurant, R Public House, Tuesday night at 1508 W. Jarvis Ave.
The bar, which replaced Gruppo di Amici in Jarvis Square, drew a big crowd after word of its opening made it around the neighborhood.
Labrana was a business partner and the bar manager of the Glenwood Bar for five years before a dispute with co-owner Colm Treacy led to her leaving the business. The abrupt move caused some regulars of the LGBT-friendly establishment to boycott Treacy's other Rogers Park businesses, like MorseL and the Sidecar Bar.
Many of the people found at the Glenwood months ago turned up at R Public House's opening — even the bartenders.
Labrana said all of her bartenders had worked at the Glenwood, and the entire kitchen staff had been Gruppo employees.
The pub serves Roman-style thin-crust pizza, sandwiches, salads, burgers, chicken wings, truffle fries and more.
It will be open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 2 a.m. on Sundays.