New Moretti's opens, neighboring Fridays closes in Hoffman Estates

The recent opening of a new Moretti's and the even more recent closing of TGI Fridays are part of a changing lineup for the restaurant campus at the southeast corner of Barrington and Higgins roads in Hoffman Estates.

Meanwhile, the opening of a proposed Whiskey River restaurant on the site of the campus' long-shuttered Lone Star Steakhouse has been delayed while Schaumburg-based Ala Carte Entertainment completes a rebranding of the new eatery.

Hoffman Estates village officials said the new Ala Carte Entertainment restaurant will still focus on barbecue, but emphasize family friendliness more than called for by the original concept.

Ala Carte Entertainment officials, who also operate the new Moretti's, could not be reached for comment Monday.

The sudden closing this weekend of TGI Fridays, one of the original tenants of the five-lot restaurant campus, came as a surprise to the village. Officials said Monday they had received no information from the owner of the property nor any proposal for a new tenant.

The other restaurants on the campus are Steak 'n Shake and Romano's Macaroni Grill.

Ala Carte Entertainment proposed taking over the campus' two vacant lots last May, building a new location of its popular Moretti's brand in the former Metropolis Bar & Grill and a Whiskey River on the site of Lone Star.

Metropolis Bar & Grill originally opened as Max & Erma's, and spent most of its years of operation under that name.