Fox & Hound sports taverns open in four Chicago suburbs in March (Photos)

The Fox & Hound bar and grill chain will reveal a million dollar renovation this spring with a brand new look and flavor at the grand openings of four Chicagoland locations: Arlington Heights (Tuesday, March 12); Schaumburg (Tuesday, March 19); and Bloomingdale and Aurora (exact dates TBD) just in time for the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

The new design is eclectic and sleek with brick finished walls, beer bottle lighting, distressed barn board communal tables, couches and a bar with a black quartz top that seats up to 20. The rooms hold up to 300 guests.

Expect more than 30 High Definition TVs, where you can watch sporting events; games such as pool, ping pong, Jenga and even vintage arcade games; 100 kinds of beers, including popular and premium domestics and imports, microbrews, ales, stouts and local favorites; and a new menu for sharing, snacking as well as dining.

New Fox & Hound’s extensive menu includes, in the “Pre-Game” selections, Jacked-Up Cheese Wedges, giant, crunchy Pepper Jack cheese wedges with a kickin’ jalapeno jelly sauce; and in the “Warm-Ups”: F.O.S., French Onion Soup with pretzel stick croutons and provolone cheese; Game Day Chili, spicy turkey chili, served in a cast-iron crock with a side of crispy chips and topped with Cheddar & Monterey Jack cheeses, tomatoes, and green onions; homemade Tomato Soup and Brat “Wurst” Soup; and an Extreme Mac & Cheese with their beer-cheese sauce, bacon and onions topped and baked with Parmesan and crushed potato chips.

Fox & Hound’s Angus steak burgers include the new Ultimate - a stuffed burger made with Angus beef and Chorizo sausage packed with a mix of guacamole, jalapenos and cheese topped with spicy mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickles and onion rings. Also joining the roster is The Italian Grinder, warm ham, capocollo, mortadella and pepperoni topped with Swiss and Provolone cheeses and finished with giardiniera peppers and mayonnaise; and Dan "Pastrami" Reuben, New York style pastrami piled high on rye bread, toasted and served with Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. In the “Main Event” welcome Fish & Chips, three white fish fillets in a Newcastle beer batter cooked to a golden brown and served with French fries and tartar sauce.

The sports tavern’s signature dishes will keep their positions, including Drunken Chicken Tenders, BBQ Chicken Flatbread, Hound Steak Salad and the infamous Cookie Blitz, to name just a few favorites.

The new pilot launch locations are: Fox & Hound in Arlington Heights at 910-918 W Dundee Rd. (847.590.9019); in Schaumburg at 1416 N Roselle Rd. (847.884.6821); in Bloomingdale at 370 W Army Trail Rd #410A (630.295.9626); and in Aurora at Yorkshire Shopping Center, 4320 E. New York Ave. (630.236.9183).

Advertisement

, Chicago Dining Examiner

A lifelong Chicagoan, born in Bucktown and raised on pierogi, pizza and panuchos, Jacky has been a Chicago radio host, syndicated columnist, magazine travel editor and feature writer for Dining Out Magazine, AOL City Guide and the Daily Herald Chicago. Contact her: jacky@jackyrunice.com.

Today's top buzz...