Creepies

-Grubbing in Chicago
A Neo-Bistro in the West Loop

Creepies has been one of the more worthy buzzed about spots on Randolph’s “Restaurant Row.” The neo-bistro from chefs David and Anna Posey was recently named the best new restaurant in Chicago by John Kessler at Chicago Magazine. The culinary power couple opened Creepies next door to Elske, their flagship restaurant in August of 2025. I've stopped in twice since they opened their doors.

Recently Opened in West Loop

For those wondering about the interesting name it came about as an inside joke between owners David Posey and his wife Anna who came up with it while scouting locations, many of which came off as creepy. They joked about naming their project Creepies and it just kind of stuck. But it fits the space which is a small and eclectic spot with dark and dim lighting and a slightly offbeat European-inspired aesthetic. As far as the food goes it was described by John Kessler as “Parisian-style neo-bistro showcasing distinctive recipes with a deep sense of place. That place would be the Midwest.” 

Lyonnaise salad

Our first visit came about a month after they first opened. Not too long after they introduced lunch. We recently stopped in to see what was up during the daytime. The lunch menu is small but sturdy with 14 dishes total. For starters we tried the Lyonnaise salad with smoked maitakes substituting for traditional pork lardons. This was a nice touch turning Lyon France’s iconic salad into a completely meat free dish. The egg was cooked to the perfect temperature to where it was runny but warm. I can usually gauge a kitchen by the salads and this was a signal that more good things were coming. The lunch menu features two sandwiches and they both caught my eye. They have a croque monsieur with ham and mornay and a Niçoise sandwich with smoked beets. It was a nice and somewhat humid day on our visit so the Niçoise sandwich was my pick and I think I made the right call though we won’t know for sure until I try the croque monsieur. That said the Niçoise is going to be tough to top as this was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ate in a long time. If I hadn’t known it was completely vegetarian I would’ve assumed there was tuna in the style of the French Riviera’s signature salad. The sandwich consisted of three layers starting with smoked beets on the bottom and chopped Niçoise olives on top with a bunch of fresh crunchy greens in between. They really nailed the fresh and briny flavors but a sandwich can only be as good as the bread and the sturdy sesame seeded bread from Publican was outstanding at holding it all together. This just might be the best veggie sandwich around right now. 

Niçoise Sandwich at Creepies

Next up was a surprise gift from the kitchen in the form of a freekeh crepe with artichoke, spring onion, and fromage blanc. I had to look up what freekeh was and it’s a roasted grain made of young green durum wheat that originated in the ancient cuisines of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The Freekeh crepe at Creepies is a textural masterpiece that crackles when cut into. I loved the mix of ingredients inside as this dish had a very distinct Parisian taste. It was pretty great. They seem to be using the crepe as a way to showcase seasonal flavors so I’ll be keeping my eye on what’s next. 

freekeh crepe with artichoke, spring onion, and fromage blanc

The menu is seasonal so a few of the dishes we ate in September are gone but I hope the tomato dish we had makes a comeback as it was the best use of the late summer tomato bounty I tried in 2025. I forgot to take a pic of the menu so I forget exact details but the pairing of fresh and in-season tomatoes and peaches sitting atop a pile of creamy lebnah was the perfect combo of salty and sweet. Whether it’s here or next door at Elske the vegetable dishes shine. The “Tarte Flambé, Tavern Style” is another example of the kitchens ability to make great food without meat. This seems to be one of their signature dishes as it’s been on the menu since day one. The kitchens spin on the Alsatian flatbread in the style of a tavern thin pizza is topped with fromage blanc, oyster mushrooms, onion and chives. The crisp and cracker like texture works in unison with a creamy set of toppings. 

Tomato, Peaches, Labneh

Tarte Flambé, Tavern Style

On our visit last September they had a seasonal corn crepe that I thought was wonderful at capturing the sweet and milky flavor of the end of the summer treat. We’ll always try the fries so long as they’re not from Sysco meaning they make them on site and as expected the fries here are fantastic. Each and every one was golden on the outside and creamy with a deep potato taste. They do a two step process as far as the frying goes using both clarified butter and rice bran oil. The former adds great flavor while the latter makes them extra crispy. These are easily some of the best fries in the city. 

Summer Corn Crepe with Succotash and Green Tomato

French Fries at Creepies


Parisian Gnocchi with Ham, Gruyere, Egg Yolk

Roast chicken is supposed to be excellent here but I decided to pass on that due to the fact that every time I try a hyped up roast chicken dish it’s a bit of a letdown. I much prefer grilled chicken. So instead I decided to try the Parisian gnocchi made with Swiss, ham, and egg yolk. It comes with a large Parmesan crisp on top making it about as rich of a dish as I’ve had in a long time. The gnocchi was light and delicate while the toppings were extremely creamy with a nice punch of saltiness from the ham. Erica got a fish dish that was a bit of a letdown in that it was just a piece of fish topped with endives. It was lacking in terms of creativity and also in presentation but it was still a perfectly fine dish, just not to the level of others. You can’t skip dessert here (or Elske) because Chef Anna Posey makes some of the best anywhere. I know a guy that goes to Elske once a year and orders every single desert as a full meal. They’re that good. We tried the baguette soft serve with chocolate and brown butter crumbs and it’s one of the better soft serve variations around town right now. Hats off to owners David and Anna Posey as well as Chef de Cuisine Tayler Ploshehanski for gifting us with this wonderful restaurant. It’s refreshing to have a spot of this caliber that doesn’t take itself too seriously. 

actual baguette flavor, topped with chocolate and brown butter crumbs

Creepies
1360 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 579-2727
Website

Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood Pt. 2

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Logan Square Favorites

Another calendar year is winding down and with it I have a collection of delicious dishes from Logan Square to share. Some readers may remember a post from last year where I declared Logan Square the city’s best food neighborhood and that's still the case today. If you want a little bit of it all when it comes to eating options Logan Square is your top spot in Chicago. Today’s post is a collection of five great things I’ve ate in the neighborhood of late - all from places I've previously featured on here.

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Superkhana International

I’ve never been a big brunch person but brunch has never been quite as exciting as it is these days. Omelets, Eggs Benedict, Pancakes and the likes just don’t excite like the Breakfast Dosa Hash at Superkhana does. For the uninitiated Dosa is a thin and savory crepe common in South Indian cuisine. It's made from a fermented batter of ground black gram and rice and is commonly served as a meal with pickles, chutney, and a variety of fillings. Masala Dosa comes with a flavorful spiced potato curry and is one of the most popular ways to enjoy it. At Superkhana they serve it with cabbage, curry leaf, a sunny side up egg, fried potatoes, and chile crisp and it’s been my favorite breakfast dish in town for a few years now even though it’s a vegetarian dish. But so what it has way more depths of flavor than a plate of bacon and eggs can bring. I just love what Chef Yoshi, Chef Zeeshan and their team are doing over at 3059 W. Diversey - one of my favorite restaurants in town.

Breakfast Dosa Hash at Superkhana International
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Best Intentions

Speaking of my favorite places in town, Best Intentions is another Logan Square spot on that list. I love what they did at 3281 West Armitage in turning an old neighborhood dive into a new neighborhood dive. Best Intentions has everything I want in a local bar - the drinks are reasonably priced and can range from a bottle of High Life to a well crafted cocktail - there’s a really nice sized patio and an outdoor bar to boot - and most importantly they have some damn good bar food. The burgers and fries are top notch but of late I’ve been planning my visits around the Filet ‘O’ Friday - their take on the Filet-O-Fish. It’s a pretty classic rendition down to the square shaped filet of breaded cod they use. The fried to order fish is dressed with a miso tartar sauce plus shredded lettuce and chile oil on a toasted potato bun and it’s the best fish sandwich in town right now (Friday's only).

Filet 'O' Friday Sandwich at Best Intentions
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Bar Parisette

Back in February I posted about ‘atta girl at 2829 W. Armitage which was a collabo between the Table, Donkey and Stick team and a chef from the now defunct Cafe Marie-Jeanne which was in Humboldt Park. Well despite my mostly glowing review it didn’t last long due to the head chef being a bit of a head case and it closed in May. But the team behind Table, Donkey and Stick did a bit of a rebrand and opened Bar Parisette this past July. The French bistro inspired neighborhood spot is led by Chef Madalyn Durant who was recently nominated in the Rising Chef category by the Jean Banchet Awards. I visited this past summer and had one of this year’s better burgers there. The ‘Cheeseburger Maison’ starts with a thick patty of high quality beef topped with a smoked onion mayo, shredded lettuce, pickles and cheddar, on a house baked sesame seed bun. The bun is incredible and I hope more spots start to take that part of the burger more seriously. Also of note are the fantastic fresh cut fries that come with it. I really liked the burger at ‘atta girl but the one at Bar Parisette is just as good.

Cheeseburger Maison at Bar Parisette 
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Izakaya Nomonomo

The family behind Ramen Wasabi continues to low key be one of Chicago’s best restaurant groups. They’ve built a bit of a mini empire over at the corner of Milwaukee and Maplewood where they also run Nomonomo Japanese Pub + Grill next door to Ramen Wasabi and Nomonomo Sushi across the street. I’ve been a repeat visitor at both places of late. We enjoy the happy hour deal(s) at Nomonomo Sushi which has $8 spicy tuna rolls and $14 Hamachi Kama (fried tuna collar) on Tues-Sat from 5p-7p. When it’s nice out they open the windows and you can people watch on Milwaukee and the rolls are always fresh. We also like hitting up their izakaya across the street which is kind of the opposite of the sushi spot in that it’s dark inside and instead of fish they focus on Japanese bar food including grilled meat skewers. As the weather starts to shift you’ll want to take note of their ‘Tan Tan Udon’ which is a Japanese version of Chinese Dan Dan Noodles using nikumiso pork, scallions, sesame, bok choy, chili oil plus thick and chewy udon noodles in a spicy bright red broth - good slurping.

Sushi, Fried Fish Collar, Udon at Nomonomo Sushi and Izakaya Nomonomo
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Bungalow by Middle Brow

You may already know this by now but ‘Tavern Tuesday’ is a thing over at Bungalow by Middle Brow in case you didn’t (2840 W. Armitage). Count me among the impressed when it comes to their take on one of the the hottest food trends in the country at the moment. It’s just called thin crust in Chicago but "tavern thin pizza" is a thing throughout the Midwest and now the rest of the country too due to hip spots like this putting their own spin on the preferred style of pizza among Chicagoans. They usually make a really great Neapolitan style pizza with a bit of sourdough starter except for on Tuesdays when tavern style thin takes over the menu. You can choose from a handful of offerings including a traditional version made with sausage or a more novel offering like the Cacio e Pepe. Whichever option you choose it’ll be a contender for the thinnest and crispiest pizza you’ve ever had. We got both of the aforementioned options and each of them was like a pizza mixed with a pasta. The sausage is loose like you might find in Northwest Indiana and the Quad Cities region and while I prefer it in chunks, this was like a hearty Bolognese spread on some crackers and it slapped. The Cacio e Pepe was giving off all the flavors of the Roman classic but in pizza form. It was rich and sharp and it was loaded with fresh pepper. This was the first time I’ve ever had a tavern thin pizza paired up with a seasonal salad. You won’t find any Old Style here but their signature Bungalow lager is a much better partner for your pizza. Only on Tuesdays in Chicago's best food neighborhood - Logan Square.

Tavern Thin Sausage Pizza at Bungalow by Middle Brow
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Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood Pt. 1

See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating BIG in Greenville

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Exploring the hub of South Carolina's Upcountry 

While I realize Greenville South Carolina is a spot most people will never find themselves you never know exactly what the future holds. We stopped there on the drive down to South Florida last January but it wasn't at random. I decided to make it the halfway point (give or take) and spend a couple nights checking out the hub of South Carolina's Upcountry region. I'd been hearing that Greenville was on the come up and decided why not stop there and check it out as it made sense from both a geographical standpoint and also getting to go somewhere I've never been. Plus I've always been intrigued with the local chili dog culture as there's lots of hot dog stands in the area. Also it was just for one full day as we would arrive in the early eve and hit the road early upon leaving. At the very least I figured there would be restaurants to check out and some areas to walk around and see the town. 

Pics from Greenville
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Duke Sandwich Company 

Greenville's biggest culinary claim to fame is being the birthplace of Duke's Mayonnaise. It's a long story that starts in the early 1900's with a local woman named Eugenia Duke who started selling sandwiches with her mother and her homemade spreads during the first World War. The all female operation served soldiers stationed at the nearby Camp Sevier and then when the war was over they began supplying sandwiches to local stores and textile mills. In the mid 1920's Duke sold her sandwich spread recipes and her mayo recipe to two separate men. C.F Sauer went on to open a Duke's Mayonnaise factory in the area while her former bookkeeper went on to establish a wholesale market for the sandwiches along with the opening of a few stores where they were sold. Today there's zero connection between the sandwich shop and the mayo - in fact back in 2019 there was a lawsuit filed by a private equity firm that had recently bought the Duke's Mayonnaise brand. They claimed the sandwich shop was trying to profit off of their name. That's nonsense as the sandwiches and the shops it spawned have been a part of the Greenville area dating back to the first World War. I'm not sure what happened with the lawsuit but Duke Sandwich Company is still slanging old school sandwiches stuffed with spreads like pimento cheese, egg salad, and their famous baked ham with pepper and onion as shown below. They come toasted upon request and cost around $2-$3 each. 

Sandwiches from Duke Sandwich Company 
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Northgate Soda Shop

Our next stop also has alot of history in the area. The Greenville News describes it as a "living museum of Greenville history." It's one of those places that looks kind of dirty from the outside but in a good worn down way. Little has changed at this locals spot I've had on my radar going back to the days of Roadfood. It was featured for it's pimento cheeseburger and the Cincinnati steak - the latter of which is a fried baloney sandwich with chili sauce. As much as I would've liked to try a Cincy steak sandwich (nobody knows why they call them that) I couldn't pass on a classic pimento cheeseburger paired with a cherry smash from the soda fountain. I'm not sure why but they love cooking their burgers to well done in these parts but the creamy made on site pimento cheese really lifted it all up. 

Pimento Cheeseburger at Northgate Soda Shop 
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Holmes Hot Dogs (Arcadia)

Holmes Hot Dogs was the first stop on the 'Upcountry Chili Dog Trot'. It's about 30 minutes from Greenville on the outskirts of Spartanburg. It's been a hot dog stand since 1953 when Walt Holmes purchased a popular lunch counter and added hot dogs to the menu. Ever since then locals have been flocking to Holmes for chili dogs with crinkle cut fries and ice cold bottles of coke. They give you the option to add slaw so I tried one with chili and one with chili and slaw. Overall this was probably my favorite stop of the chili dog trot. I enjoyed both the atmosphere and the hot dogs were pretty good for what they were. I think they were like $2 each and despite being skinless they had a little bit of snap to them. The size of the hot dogs are much smaller down here too which is why they’re often just a couple bucks. The buns are heavily steamed which means they’re kind of like hot dog sliders.

Hot Dogs at Holmes Hot Dogs
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The Hot Dog Cafe (Lyman)

Hot Dog Cafe is about halfway between Greenville and Spartanburg. There's not much online info aside from an entry on the old Roadfood website. They make a thick and meaty chili that reminded me a bit of Flint style coney sauce due to how dry it was, like loose meat. Once again the wieners themselves are nothing special but when you add chili, mustard and onions they kind of become their own thing. The star of the show here though are the fries cut fresh with an antique potato slicer. 

Chili Dog at Hot Dog Cafe
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Red Hill Hot Dogs (Lyman)

You'll find Red Hill Hot Dogs a half mile from our last stop. This place looks like a house if not for the sign hanging above one of the front windows. Inside feels like a prohibition bar except they're pushing cheap hot dogs as opposed to watered down Canadian booze. According to their website they've been around for more than 30 years but it feels much longer than that. The chili at Red Hill Hot Dogs a bit wetter than the previous two stops likely due to some sort of tomato sauce being used. 

Chili Dog at Red Hill Hot Dogs
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Skins Hot Dogs (multiple locations) 

Last stop on the chili dog trot takes to us to a hyper regional fast food chain known as Skins. They got into the game back in 1946 when Skin's Thrashers opened in the small town of Anderson. I really wanted to go to the original location with a pool hall like atmosphere where they also serve beer (limit two) but Anderson was the opposite way of the previous four spots. But with Skin's having more than 10 locations in the region I was able to stop in at one of their Greenville outlets for a chili dog. Skinless beef/pork franks are topped with mustard and onions and slathered in a dry chili. The steamed buns from here have a little more girth to them, almost like a lobster roll bun. If I hadn't just been to the previous three spots I might've tried the hot dog in a cup along with the one in a bun. 

Chili Dog at Skins
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The Jones Oyster Company 

Greenville is about 3 hours from Charleston and the South Carolina coast which isn't exactly close but it's also not too far. My point being I shouldn't have been as surprised with Jones Oyster Company as I was as you can get fresh seafood from the Low Country delivered up here in no time. Same goes for fresh oysters from up and down the coast. Between the fresh seafood and the wonderful job they did rehabbing the old building that housed a furniture store for which the restaurant is named after, Jones Oyster Co. felt like a spot you would come across in Charleston or Savannah. We had cold and briny oysters from a family ran farm in Virginia and also hot and cheesy grilled oysters from the Gulf Coast and a stick to your ribs plate of Low Country Crab Rice with a fried egg and bits of crisp bacon. 

Seafood at Jones Oyster Co. 
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Sum Bar 

Greeenville got a good one when a local chef known for her Chinese dumplings went from pop up to brick and mortar. Sum Bar is the project of Khailing Neoh who made a name for herself and her handmade shumai on the pop-up circuit. This isn't an old school spot with the carts and the menu that you circle what you want. It's new school in that there's a smaller menu with cocktail options and some untraditional dishes like the crab rangoon which are served up as nachos with wonton chips and a warm mix of cream cheese and green onions for dipping. But the shumai with pork and shrimp is very traditional as it's her grandmas recipe and it was as satisfying as any I can remember. An order of the green beans, also grandmas recipe, rounded out a fantastic pre-dinner snack.  

Dim Sum at Sum Bar 
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Scoundrel 

I always like to read those 'Best New Restaurant' lists by local and national food publications. That's how I found Scoundrel which was named in one by Omar Mamoon and his team at Esquire. The kitchen at Scoundrel is led by Greenville native Joe Cash who had cooked at a few of the country's best restaurants before returning home and starting his own. Cash and his team cook French fare with local flair like a deviled blue crab infused with chilis, bay leaf and sweet cream - you'll be reading about it again at years end if you catch what I'm saying. A simply prepared bowl of pasta made with Reginetti, Parmesan and Aleppo pepper showed great restraint by the chef as it didn't need any truffles or bacon as it was delicious as is. A well cooked piece of duck breast has become a favorite of mine lately and with that it was easy to decide what we would try from the entrees. Aged Pekin Duck is mixed with grilled swiss chard, big cherries, and mustard. Having just come from the previous spot we only got a few things from here but they were all delicious with the deviled crab being memorable.

Dinner at Scoundrel (click pics to enhance)
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Clare's Creamery 

I'm a bit of a ice cream snob in that I mostly only eat the small batch stuff. But it helps me stay away from getting it at the grocery store and eating it all in one sitting or just getting some bc I'm paying for gas and there's a cooler of ice cream bars next to the checkout. But I do like to check out the independent spots so I searched around and found Clare's. There's nothing special about it per se in that it has that clean and light aesthetic that most of the new ice cream shops have going for them but it also has some out of the ordinary flavors that switch with the seasons. Good stuff.  

Ice Cream at Clare's Creamery 
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Previous stops to and from South Florida 

(click links)

Roadfood in Chattanooga
Eating BIG in Alabama 

See ya next time @chibbqking