Copyright Chicago Tribune
Spend any time in Chicago’s South Loop and you can’t help but notice its charms — from world-class museums and historic buildings to its proximity to lakefront beaches and parks. The one thing missing? A variety of great places to eat, drink and hang out. That’s the opinion of former Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije, who has lived in the South Loop — or SoLo, as he likes to call it — since 2014. For the last two years, Idonije, along with his company Pangea Hospitality Group, has been putting his money where his mouth is with three restaurants — Signature Steak, The Staley and Buttercup — to show for it. Six more hospitality-focused South Loop concepts are in the works, including a hotel, ice cream shop, martini bar, Japanese cocktail lounge and cigar bar. “It was always just amazing to me why this area didn’t have more attention from the hospitality industry of Chicago,” says Idonije, who refers to the neighborhood he calls home as “a gem” and “a little suburb of the city.” “Typically, we need to leave the neighborhood and go to River North or the West Loop. Our big vision is to bring more energy, excitement and great concepts to SoLo.” On the surface, professional football and the hospitality industry don’t seem to have a lot in common beyond the food being served in the concession stands. Idonije begs to differ. “So much of my life has been in restaurants,” he says, referencing his 11-year career in the NFL, where going out to eat was a regular occurrence, whether it was before team meetings, post-game dinners or off-season business meetings. While still playing professional football, Idonije invested in some hospitality concepts. “Those failed,” he says. But those failures only fueled his passion to keep going. “I’m learning a ton,” he says. “It’s harder than tackling people.” Take, for instance, Signature Steak. Originally a sports bar named Signature, it opened in January 2024. When it struggled to find an audience, Idonije didn’t waste time, reworking the concept into a steakhouse with Fabio Viviani Hospitality leading the culinary operations. While many of Chicago’s newer steakhouses have leaned uber-upscale, Idonije wanted his version to be a level up from casual but still welcoming to families. “Ultimately, the exercise is creating something that the community wants and the neighborhood needs,” he says. “We’re not trying to be the West Loop or Lincoln Park or Fulton Market or Old Town. The people here are different, and the diversity is unparalleled.” That ability to quickly pivot is just one of the skills he brings from his career in professional sports. “Playing sports positions you to understand assessing a play and a situation,” says Idonije. “When your opposition changes their front, you’ve got to change and adapt. You can’t stay married to something that’s not working — and that applies to everything else in life.” At his second concept, Idonije embraced another important lesson. “We own all the dirt on most of our concepts,” he says, adding that isn’t the case with Signature Steak. Currently, Idonije owns four buildings in the South Loop, including the one housing The Staley, which opened in January. Chef Stephen Gillanders (S.K.Y., Apolonia, Valhalla) oversees the menu. Formerly Kroll’s, a beloved sports bar known for its allegiance to the Green Bay Packers, Idonije transformed it into The Staley, named for A.E. Staley, the founder of the Chicago Bears. That name change came with another alteration. “We converted to what it should be, a Bears bar,” he says. “It’s funny because a lot of Bears fans would go there on Sundays because it’s the closest sports bar to Soldier Field. We’ve been at capacity the last few Sundays.” Idonije’s latest concept is Buttercup, which opened in September. A partnership between Idonije and the team behind nearby Oliver’s, including chef Alex Carnovale, Buttercup is a craft coffee bar by day and an amaro-focused cocktail lounge and café at night. Rather than change the format of its former tenant, 16th Street Bar, Idonije opted to spruce it up and add his own touches. “I could have come in here and done something completely different, but I know SoLo needs a premium coffee shop and more cocktail bars,” he says. “It’s also important to look at the bones and structure of a space and not try to force your ideas onto something.” Idonije knew he was onto something when he would stop by Buttercup as work was in progress and see the handprints and face smears on the windows. “People would pop their heads in and say, ‘Oh, this is what the South Loop needs,’” he said. Like at The Staley, Idonije relied on local designer Nathan Michael to transform the intimate space, which is located on the ground floor of a four-story building with a hair salon on one side and a piano studio on the other. Lace curtains, butter yellow walls, a chrome-topped bar and vintage accessories give Buttercup a classic Italian café vibe. When Idonije first told Michael about his Italian cocktail bar concept, the designer suggested amaro as a spirit to highlight. Idonije’s reply? “What’s amaro?” A nondrinker, he did a deep dive into the Italian spirit that has a cult following. He then looked at the broader Chicago landscape and found that there was only one other local bar that spotlighted amaro. “I like the differentiation,” says Idonije. If the last two years were busy for Idonije, that’s nothing compared with what comes next. One of his biggest projects, and one that’s been in the works the longest, is the makeover of a historic Motor Row building into a hotel with multiple concepts. Idonije bought the building in 2018 and is hoping to deliver the project, which is being developed by Hudson Michigan Avenue, by the end of 2026. The complex includes an expansive gym, all-day café, public workspace, rooftop pool and event spaces. Viviani will lead the hospitality program that also includes an Italian restaurant on the first floor. “It’s gone through a number of different iterations, but we’re really excited about where we are now,” says Idonije. “It’s going to be a hip spot, and we can’t wait for SoLo to get something of this caliber in the community.” Much smaller in size but no less important to Idonije is his ice cream concept, scheduled to open in 2026. “When I grew up, two things I loved to get with my little allowance money was ice cream and a Slurpee,” he says. Then there’s the martini bar not far from Buttercup that will feature live music. Fingers crossed, says Idonije, it will open this year. The first half of 2026 will see the opening of a high-end, Japanese-focused cocktail lounge, followed by a cigar bar concept. Acquiring second-generation concepts already licensed for restaurants has been crucial to his rapid expansion. So has another lesson from his football days. “My old coach, Rod Marinelli, used to call it the toolkit,” says Idonije of knowing one’s strengths and talents and then having a team that complements those skills. “Together, we can win a lot of games and overcome a lot of situations.” While not focused on the South Loop, Egg Bunni is one more food concept Idonije is excited about. Another partnership with Gillanders, the breakfast sandwich spot will open a stall in Sterling Hall in December, with the hope of opening 10 more locations in the near future in Chicago and perhaps Las Vegas. “We’re building what I believe eventually will be a national brand,” says Idonije. An upcoming nonhospitality South Loop project close to his heart will be an art gallery. Idonije already has the location as well as two curators onboard. In addition to featuring local artists, he hopes to have a comic-centric section in the gallery. “I grew up reading comics,” he says. “I didn’t love reading, but I found the imagery of the comics drew me in.” So much in fact that Idonije began drawing them himself. Via his company Athlitacomics, Idonije has created a series of comics, including “The Protectors,” superheroes with amazing athletic skills. “Comics and illustrated books are such a powerful tool, especially for young readers,” he says. The company has also created comic trading cards for the Bears for the last few years. “For me, the No. 1 mission is to learn the playbook on how to be a successful restaurateur and hotelier, and then we can hopefully provide a lot of opportunities for folks who want to be in the hospitality space,” says Idonije. “But honestly, the first big win for me is when one of the big boys brings a concept to SoLo. That’s a moment I’m waiting for.” The Staley, 1736 S. Michigan Ave., 312-248-8711, thestaley.com Signature Steak, 1312 S. Wabash Ave., 773-572-1622, signaturesteak.com Buttercup, 75 E. 16th St., 312-888-3156, sipbuttercup.com Lisa Shames is a freelance writer for the Tribune
