Ox Bar & Hearth Ignites Lincoln Park with Midwestern Cooking Over Live Fire | Eater Chicago

"Live-fire cooking and Midwestern sensibilities define this new Lincoln Park restaurant, set in a 125-year-old space that once housed the Golden Ox, with a custom wood-burning grill and oven as its literal centerpiece. About half the menu meets the flames, showcasing simply cooked dishes like smoked whitefish dip with radishes and seeded rye crackers, potato pierogi from chef John Asbaty’s grandfather’s recipe, and a pork collar with rutabaga mostarda and black walnut–cider jus. Sourcing anchors it in the region—produce from Illinois-based Frillman Farms and Northern Michigan’s Werp Farms, Great Lakes fish, and local meats—while the drinks list mirrors that ethos with a private barrel bourbon from Wisconsin’s J. Henry & Sons, beers from nearby Off Color Brewing, seasonal cocktails such as an apple-and-sage highball, and a domestically focused wine list spanning Michigan to California. Exposed brick, warm tones, and soft lighting frame an open kitchen in a space that seats roughly 118, with a lounge and bar area offering first come, first served seating, a private room, and a patio for warmer months. Named to honor the building’s heritage (“Ox”), foster community (“Bar”), and celebrate the hearth at its core (“Hearth”), it aims to be a cozy gathering place that changes with the season—“when it’s winter, we want the food to feel like it’s winter”—and opens in mid-November." - Jeffy Mai