Evanston residents will no longer hear “welcome to Chili’s” after Dec. 15, when the casual dining establishment will shutter its doors at 1765 Maple Ave., an employee confirmed to The Daily.
The employee, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, said staff learned the news Wednesday. Chili’s will not relocate within Evanston, the employee said.
After Reza’s Restaurant and Bob’s Pizza closed earlier this year, Chili’s departure will leave Northwestern students and Evanston residents with one fewer dining and nightlife spot. Starting Dec. 16, the nearest Chili’s will be in Skokie.
A 27-story tower with residential units and 2,900 square feet of retail space will eventually emerge at 900 Clark St. The building will triple dip into existing businesses: In addition to Chili’s closing, Dogtopia of Downtown Evanston will relocate across the corner, and AMC Evanston 12 will downsize by five screens.
In September, Continuum Development acquired Church Street Plaza, which includes the site of the planned tower. The developer hopes to hold public hearings for the proposal in the first quarter of 2026, but it is currently prioritizing “setting up our existing tenants for long-term success,” according to a statement from Evan Meador, co-founder and managing member of Continuum.
An employee and manager at Chili’s declined to comment on the restaurant’s impending closure. Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s, did not respond to a request for comment.
Sarah Lewis, who owns and operates Dogtopia of Downtown Evanston, confirmed in an email to The Daily that the canine care center will place its paws on 1710 Maple Ave. at a still-undetermined date. Dogtopia will not interrupt service when it moves, Lewis added.
“We’ll keep taking great care of our pet parents and their pups every single day, just like always,” she wrote.
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Bluesky: @edwardsimoncruz.bsky.social
Related Stories:
— Another one bites the crust: Bob’s Pizza closure leaves Evanston nightlife one slice short
— Reza’s Restaurant closed ‘until further notice’
— Chili’s on chopping block amid plan to demolish stores, build tower at Church Street Plaza
