Tap House Grill celebrates new Palatine location

The owners of Tap House Grill will host a grand opening Wednesday night at their new Palatine location, the same building that once housed the Mia Cucina restaurant.

Mark Zych, co-owner of Tap House, said the path that led him and co-owner Steve Ward to convert the Italian restaurant into a modern gastropub began more than two years ago when the pair saw a for sale sign outside the building at 56 W. Wilson St.

Mia Cucina closed in August 2006 after the village purchased the property for $2.2 million, clearing the way for a nearly $50 million condominium and retail development known as Palatine Place. But, because of the economic downturn, the developer never broke ground.

Zych said they were glad the building was not going to be demolished.

"We loved the architecture," Zych said. "We knew if we (bought it) this could very easily be our flagship location."

Ward said another thing they loved about the location was the built-in brick oven that remained from Mia Cucina, albeit in need of cleaning.

"Going forward, any new location that we do we want to add a brick oven to it," Ward said.

The pair began negotiations to buy the building in the summer of 2012 and faced a substantial task of restoring the restaurant, which had been closed for six years at that point.

Zych said it was important for them to pay tribute to Mia Cucina in the renovated restaurant.

"There were vintage wine and olive oil ads painted on the side of the building," Zych said. "We updated them to be vintage beer advertisements."

The new location is the largest of the nine Tap House Grill locations in the suburbs. Ward said though the layout of every Tap House Grill is different, they try to provide a unified experience for guests. The menu at the Palatine location is the biggest of all the locations, and the restaurant also serves home to the chain's management offices.

The grand opening will feature appetizers, an open bar and a raffle. Admission is $30 and all of the proceeds go to JOURNEYS of Palatine, an organization that provides shelter and services to people who are homeless.

Ward said Tap House has raised more than $10,000 for JOURNEYS over the years.