Lombard OKs outside dining for restaurant

Owners of Brauer House restaurant in Lombard won’t waste any time getting an outdoor dining area built and ready for customers after the idea received approval Thursday night from Lombard village board.

In fact, co-owner Anthony Pope said he plans to be on the phone with Lombard’s building department today to discuss details of the seating area.

Owners of the restaurant and music venue at 1000-1013 N. Rohlwing Road plan to construct a 700-square-foot outdoor dining area to seat 32 people at eight tables of four. The seating will be installed under a canopy on the east side of the building and will be lined with a four-foot ornamental fence, according to building plans.

“We’re planning a grand opening soon,” said co-owner Steve Brauer about his restaurant, which opened for business in February.

The restaurant also is gearing up for a summer of weekly car shows on Thursdays, rock ‘n’ roll bingo on Mondays and plenty of shows from local bands and bigger names, including a show by Zeke on Friday, May 27.

Brauer House is not the first Lombard restaurant to request outdoor dining. Several eateries including Brio Tuscan Grille and Tom and Eddie’s near Yorktown Center already have outdoor eating areas.

And Roundhead’s Pizza Pub on Roosevelt Road has village permission to add an outdoor seating area — as long as it’s built by June 3, 2012, under an extension to a conditional use permit approved Thursday night.

Outdoor dining has long been permitted as a conditional use in most commercial zoning districts in Lombard. Since April 7, when trustees expanded the privilege to neighborhood shopping districts, it has been allowable after review in all commercial areas.

Now that their outdoor eating plans got the nod from Lombard trustees, Brauer House owners say they are excited for the day when they can serve their half-pound gourmet burgers and cracker crust pizza to patrons both inside their restaurant and out in the suburban fresh air.