Since 2003, Chicago Grill has been giving the Peoria community a taste of authentic Chicago hot dogs, sandwiches and deep dish pizza.
With only one Peoria location 20 minutes away from campus, operating manager Michael Simon wanted to expand his franchise and bring his Chi-town flavors closer to Bradley students.
“Kids at Bradley, they eat [well]. They like good Chicago-style food and so far, we have very good ratings and we accommodate for [all customers],” Simon said.
Raised in the Chicago suburbs, Simon grew up learning to cook from his grandmother. He moved to Peoria in 2003 to help his father start their restaurant. Simon said he prides himself on his wide variety of menu items.
“It would probably take you months to go through the whole menu to find out about all of the items [and find your favorites],” Simon said.
Lewis Brown, the general manager at the new location, said he loves how many different foods there are to choose from.
“This is the only restaurant I’ve actually worked where I’m not tired of the food,” Brown said. “Every night when I get ready to eat, I don’t know what I want, [because] it’s all good.”
According to both Brown and Simon, the deep dish pizza is the true star of the menu.
“We got people that drive up from North Carolina when they come and visit their family, maybe once or twice a year, and they’ll order three or four of our deep dish pizzas … and freeze them and take them home,” Brown said. “We have people who come down from Sterling, people who come down from North Chicago area, from Springfield … and they always say, ‘Man, you’re better than Giordano’s.’”
Simon said he firmly believes his pizza rivals the iconic Chicago pies.
“When I’m in the city, I’ll get [Lou Malnati’s] and Giordano’s to compare them to mine,” Simon said. “It’s no comparison at all. Try it for yourself; mine is the best.”
Beyond simply providing the Bradley community with a new place to eat, Brown said they want to help give back to the community in any way they can.
“Well, of course, I’m looking forward to all the students coming here and eating, but once we get built up in the community, we like to help out with the community too,” Brown said. “I’m sure there’s different kinds of programs we’ll be looking into that will assist with the Bradley students.”
Additionally, both Simon and Brown said they plan to have a student discount, such as a potential deal with Bradley basketball wins. They said they want to help in any way possible, including with employment opportunities.
“I would encourage students looking for a job to come in here and give us a shot,” Brown said. “We would love to hire some students for part-time work.”
The new location is still under construction on the corner of Callendar and Western avenues. It will be open within two to three weeks, according to Simon. Until it’s open, anyone willing to drive a little farther can still enjoy the food at the Pioneer Parkway location. Both spots are open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
