Ruxbin, One Of Chicago's Most Celebrated Restaurants, Is Closing In September

By Stephen Gossett in Food on Aug 30, 2017 4:10PM

Chef Edward Kim at Ruxbin / Facebook

Ruxbin, one of Chicago's most acclaimed restaurants is closing its doors next month after seven years of service. Chef Edward Kim announced that Ruxbin, in Noble Square, would be shuttering on Sept. 10. He called the closure a "sabbatical," but didn't pin down a timeframe as to when the cherished neighborhood spot might actually reopen.

In an announcement of the surprise closure on Facebook, Kim urged "no long faces" (which might be a tough sell right now) and thanked family, staff and those who've supported Ruxbin. He didn't single out a reason as to why the modern, internationally influenced fave was going away.

Kim wrote:

"In these past seven years I’ve been blessed to own and run Ruxbin as the Executive Chef. Small, intimate, and cooking whatever the hell we want, it’s the cliche of what so many cooks dream of. Thank you for allowing me to live this dream, it’s been a wonderful ride from the day we opened our doors, frightened that no one would come, to long lines that would circle the block, from putting out an a la carte menu that was derided for having over-priced elotes, to pushing ourselves to bring fine dining to Noble Square. I’m so proud of how much we’ve grown and accomplished in these past seven years, and it’s fair to say that there are few during our time that have been more celebrated.

However, all these awards pale in comparison to the relationships that I’ve built, I’ve married my business partner (and had a daughter), I’ve been blessed to work closely with my sister, and I’ve seen dishwashers become cooks, cooks become chefs, and servers become managers and foragers. It's even allowed us to open our sister restaurant Mott St Chicago. None of this would have been possible without your patronage and support, so I want to thank you again for making this possible."

The awards and accolades that Kim mentions were indeed manifold. Ruxbin was named a best new restaurant by both GQ and Bon Appetit; and Kim was semifinalist this year in the James Beard Awards for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region. It also had one of the coolest restrooms in the city.

The restaurant just underwent a sweeping remodel and menu update this past January.

Just this Monday Kim and others hosted a benefit block party meal at his (also celebrated) Mott St. restaurant to benefit immigrant children's rights. Kim asked Ruxbin fans to share memories of their favorites dishes at info@ruxbinchicago.com. We're sure many of you have a few.