MeMe's Diner

"The restaurant will reopen in early 2023 at 657 Washington Avenue, near Saint Marks Avenue, a space that's been home to popular neighborhood restaurants like MeMe's Diner and, later, KIT." - Luke Fortney

"Libby Willis, the former co-owner of celebrated Prospect Heights restaurant MeMe’s Diner, took over sole ownership of the diner’s lease at 657 Washington Avenue after the spot shut down last November." - Erika Adams

"To me, few restaurants have left as profound of a mark as MeMe’s did on the city’s fabric in the relatively short period of time that it was open between 2017 and 2020. Chefs and owners Libby Willis and Bill Clark met while working together at the Brooklyn bakery Ovenly and then translated that expertise in baked goods to create comfort fare with a touch of whimsy, seen in dishes like Texas-style migas served out of a bag of Fritos or the everything-bagel babka. But the restaurant also cultivated a space at the forefront of an emerging queer dining culture across the U.S. From the get-go, Willis and Clark put an emphasis on inclusive hospitality, instructing staffers to use gender-neutral pronouns and to refrain from second-guessing someone’s gender identity based on the name on their credit card. The restaurant was largely staffed by queer and trans people, and early on, the restaurant hosted a queer industry night to spotlight LGBTQ people in the restaurant industry. That inclusivity had a long-lasting impact on the community. When the restaurant announced its closure in November last year, more than 400 people lined up to get one of the last meals it would ever serve. Now, a small piece of the restaurant lives on through Bill Clark’s recipe newsletter, giving fans of the establishment all over the world a glimpse into the ethos of MeMe’s." - Eater Staff

"As a restaurant, MeMe’s quickly established a reputation not just for its eclectic comfort food dishes, but also for its LGBTQ-focused, inclusive approach to hospitality, and for being a place at the forefront of an emerging queer dining culture nationwide." - Tanay Warerkar

"MeMe’s Diner — the Prospect Heights restaurant known as much for its LGBTQ-focused, inclusive approach to hospitality as for its eclectic take on comfort food — is closing following a three-year run in the neighborhood. Owners Libby Willis and Bill Clark made the announcement on MeMe’s Instagram page, writing, “with heavy hearts, like so many other small businesses, we made the tough decision to close our doors for good.” The restaurant will serve its last meal on November 22. The beloved Prospect Heights restaurant was known as a hot spot for brunch hangs and cozy, nostalgic dinners. Meals started with a free bowl of cheese puffs or mixed sugar cereals — Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch — for the table, depending on the time of day. The menu was stacked with popular diner items, like a cheesy, saucy patty melt served with a pile of crispy potatoes and mac and cheese crusted with potato chips and drizzled with hot sauce. The baked goods were just as in demand, from the duo’s everything-bagel babka to a rotating selection of inventive cakes, such as a recent concoction of devil’s food cake stuffed with orange chocolate ganache. Equally praised was Willis and Clark’s inclusive leadership approach, which they set as the top priority for staff and customers alike. Employees were trained to use gender-neutral language at all times, for example, and not to second-guess names listed on credit cards if they appeared not to line up with assumptions of a person’s gender presentation. Eater critic Ryan Sutton applauded the restaurant’s “freewheeling approach to comfort fare” in an early review, calling it “stunning” on all fronts and naming it home to one of the best brunches in the city." - Tanay Warerkar