EDGEWATER — Edgar Salado, owner of the new Grill & Garden at 5318 N. Broadway, is happy to be back in the "good community" of Edgewater he once called home.
“I came over and took a look at the place and right away decided, ‘This is the place for us,’” Salado said. “This is a good community. I used to live here back in 1996. It’s building up, new businesses are running, so why not?”
Yet Salado, of Deerfield, and his business partner Michael Kriston aren’t the first to try their hand at boosting business in the storefront.
The two opened for business in October, hoping to make a go of it after a string of failed American-themed eateries in the North Broadway plaza slot failed. That includes Yanni’s Dogs, which closed its doors in June after 18 months in business, and AJ’s Grill, a 24-hour greasy spoon before that.
Salado, a former culinary student and owner of Austin’s now-closed Mr. Philly & More, says this time business will be different.
“We incorporated salad into the menu, and our prices are good for the area — actually, cheap for the area,” Salado said. “People like that, and that’s what’s going to make us different from other restaurants.”
But what might really grab the attention of hungry patrons is a custom black-and-white burger-themed mural that covers the inside walls of the restaurant.
Salado says he and Kriston were driving on the city’s South Side one afternoon when they encountered a group of street artists at work. They pulled over and got the Montreal-based art movement group En Masse to agree to decorate their restaurant, but with one condition: It had to be their own creative vision.
“I said, ‘OK, but just remember this is a restaurant, so nothing creepy,’” Salado said. “People really like it so far.”
He hopes while customers will come for the food, they will stay for the mural, which features with scenes of lunching luchadores, rollerskating hot dogs and mischievous looking milkshakes.
As for the food, Salado and Kriston say Grill & Garden’s novelty items include three specialty sandwiches: skirt steak, chicken vesuvio and chicken parmesan.
“I mean we make the skirt steak sandwich on 9-inch bread and that’s a really huge sandwich for $5.99,” Salado assured.
In addition to staples like hand-cut fries and other deep-fried items, Kriston said healthier options include a custom salad bar.
“It’s great,” said A.J. Brown, 36, of Edgewater. “I’ve never had the grilled chicken sandwich so I’m trying that, the burger is already tried-and-true for us. It’s a good new place, we’re really happy it’s here.”
Grill & Garden’s hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
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