Darden Restaurants—owners of the Caribbean-inspired casual dining chain, Bahama Breeze—has confirmed in a press announcement on February 3, that, following a strategic review, it will be closing all 28 Bahama Breeze restaurant locations.
Darden confirmed that 14 locations will permanently close by April 5, 2026, while the remaining 14 restaurants will be converted into other, higher-performing brands in its portfolio—which include Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Yard House—-over the next 12 to 18 months. The press release states that Darden expects to “continue to operate until any temporary closures are needed for the conversion.”
Bahama Breeze Locations Permanently Closing in 2026
Darden Restaurants says it will permanently shutter 14 Bahama Breeze locations across nine states by April 2026, according to the company’s press release.
The closures include:
Newark, in Delaware
Duluth in Georgia
Miami, Jacksonville, Kissimmee (the restaurant located on West Osceola Parkway), Pembroke Pines, and Sanford in Florida
Livonia, Michigan
Cherry Hill, in New Jersey
Raleigh, in North Carolina
King of Prussia and Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania
Woodbridge, in Virginia
Tukwila, in Washington
Darden said that it plans to help all Bahama Breeze staff members who will be affected by these closures, confirming in its press release that, “going forward, the primary focus will continue to be on supporting team members, including placing as many as possible in roles within the Darden portfolio,” which—alongside Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Yard House—include Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, and Eddie V’s.
Bahama Breeze Locations To Be Converted by 2027
Darden plans to convert 14 Bahama Breeze locations into other Darden brands—though it has not yet disclosed which brands will replace each site—with the conversions expected to be completed within 18 months, extending into 2027.
The locations slated for conversion include:
Altamonte Springs, Brandon, Fort Myers, Kissimmee (the location on Bronson Memorial Highway), Lutz, all four locations in Orlando, and Tampa, in Florida
Kennesaw, in Georgia
Fayetteville, in North Carolina
Charleston, in South Carolina
Virginia Beach, in Virginia
Why Is Darden Closing Bahama Breeze Locations
Darden’s decision to wind down its 28-unit Caribbean-themed casual-dining brand—known for its tropical flavors, cocktails, and island‑themed atmosphere—comes after it previously announced that “the Bahama Breeze brand, and its 28 locations, were no longer a strategic priority and that it would consider strategic alternatives.”
According to reporting from Restaurant Business, Bahama Breeze had seen a 7.7 percent decline in sales in 2024. Darden had shuttered 15 locations in May 2025.
The backup on Interstate 5 in the early-morning hours Saturday Nov. 22, 2025 after a motorist was shot by law enforcement. (Photo courtesy of OnScene.TV)
A police pursuit ended in Oceanside Saturday with a shooting involving law enforcement that shut down Interstate 5 for hours, authorities said.
The shooting left the suspect with “major injuries,” according to the California Highway Patrol, which said a firearm was recovered at the scene.
Officers with the Buena Park Police Department attempted to pull over a gray 2005 Cadillac CTS for a traffic violation at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday, near the intersection of La Palma Avenue and San Marino Drive, authorities said.
The driver took off, leading officers on a pursuit through Orange County, Long Beach and back into Orange County on southbound I-5, Buena Park Sgt. Martin Tomsick said.
Officers turned the pursuit over to the California Highway Patrol at 1:05 a.m., but kept their K-9 Unit involved in the chase at the request of the CHP, according to Tomsick.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office dispatched aerial drones at 2:15 a.m. to assist with finding the suspect, according to SDSO Lt. Sean Gallagher.
Tomsick said the pursuit ended in gunfire on southbound I-5 in the Camp Pendleton area and that a Buena Park K-9 officer and at least one CHP officer fired their weapons at a suspect. It appeared no officers were injured, he said.
In a late evening news release, the CHP added details about the shooting, saying that the Cadillac driver, armed with a handgun, exited the vehicle and fled on foot just prior to the shooting.
For several hours the suspect remained in a “large brush area” in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway north of Harbor Drive, the CHP said. Despite commands from CHP and Buena Park officers, the suspect refused to surrender and remained uncooperative until 7:40 a.m., when they were able to take the person into custody.
The CHP offered no further information on the driver’s condition or identifying characteristics such as gender or age.
During their investigation, officers recovered an unserialized firearm, known as a “ghost gun,” in the area where the suspect was taken into custody, the CHP said. The agency’s Border Division Major Crimes Unit is investigating the cause and sequence of events during the pursuit and shooting.
I-5 was temporarily closed in both directions, and a Sigalert was issued shortly after 2:30 a.m. between Harbor Drive in Oceanside and Christianitos Road in San Clemente, according to the CHP.
CHP Officer Hunter Gerber said northbound I-5 through Camp Pendleton was partially open for lanes 2-4 as of 9:30 a.m., while the No. 1 lane remained closed. Lanes 2-4 reopened shortly before 2 p.m., and all northbound and southbound lanes on were opened by mid-afternoon.
Traffic on southbound I-5 from San Clemente had been being diverted to the right shoulder south of Christianitos, according to Gerber.
Metro has shared information on upcoming rail station closures for planned work from now through September 2026, with work impacting all lines of the rail network.
Metro has shared information on upcoming rail station closures for planned work through September 2026, with work impacting all lines of the transit system.
The closures are part of improvement and maintenance efforts to improve the reliability and safety of the nearly 50 year old system, Metro said in a post on X.
Upcoming closures on the Red Line include Union Station to Rhode Island Avenue on Oct. 18 and 19 and Friendship Heights to North Bethesda from July 2026 to September 2026.
Work at the Bethesda station will include connection to the upcoming Purple Line.
Upcoming closures on the Green and Yellow lines include Hyattsville Crossing to Greenbelt on Dec. 6 and 7; U Street to Georgia Avenue will single track this winter; and Fort Totten to Greenbelt will be closed from Jan. 10 and 11, 2026.
At the Crystal City Metro station, construction work to build a new entrance will take place over 10 weekends.
Further closures are below:
Click to enlarge. Metrorail closures from October 2025 to September 2026. (Courtesy WMATA)
For more information on Metro service and shuttles, visit Metro’s website.
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Starbucks baristas stand on stage, March 20, 2019, during an annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle based coffee giant Starbucks is closing more locations as part of their nationwide reduction. A conference call took place this morning which announced the permanent layoff of 369 workers in Washington beginning on December 5th.
The company announced in September that they planned to close around 1% of their locations.
Four and half months after suddenly closing stores in Chicago, Texas, and Washington, D.C., Foxtrot will attempt a comeback by opening its first store this week. Outfox Hospitality, the company that ran those 33 stores filed for bankruptcy in May, leaving a wake of angry vendors, workers scrambling to find new jobs, and accusations of breaking federal labor law. Since then, a new entity has been formed by the chain’s co-founder who says he’ll return the company to its roots by showcasing cool snacks made by local artisans and avoid the pitfalls that lead to the chain’s failure.
The first store is scheduled to open on Thursday, September 5 at 23 W. Maple Street in Gold Coast, according to a news release. An Old Town location at the corner of North Avenue and Wells Street will follow, though an opening date hasn’t been announced. A few vendors Eater spoke with last week said one of the reasons they joined the comeback effort is Foxtrot isn’t rushing to reopen all the stores they closed. Mike LaVitola, who founded Foxtrot in 2013, and is now chairman of the newly named Foxtrot Cafe & Market. He was part of an effort that bought Foxtrot’s assets in an auction for $2.5 million. LaVitola told Eater he wanted to focus on “getting it right” at individual locations rather than opening multiple stores at once. The initial plan announced was to open about 15 stores scattered in Chicago and Texas, with the majority in Chicago. There are two new details from the company’s latest release: They’re not specifying the number of stores anymore (last week, LaVitola said they were negotiating leases in unannounced locations including Wicker Park and Willis Tower.) The other details might be bitter for those in Austin, Texas, as it appears Foxtrot is focusing on reopening in Dallas, at least in the interim. Austin was home to four locations.
The closures caused a nationwide commotion in April, with a combination of anger (a class-action lawsuit alleging Outfox violated federal law by failing to provide proper notice for a mass layoff is pending; October 1 is the next court date), sadness (customers who lived nearby grew attached, one famously bemoaned moving to their residence to be near a Foxtrot), and resentment (some South Siders who had never been to a Foxtrot wondered why folks were being so dramatic). Foxtrot had found a niche in North Side Chicago neighborhoods as a corner store with trendy snacks, a coffee bar, and a cafe space to get work done or to sip wine or beer. It was a kind of third place for former office workers who had transitioned into a hybrid work-from-home schedule during the pandemic. Foxtrot saw an opportunity to scale, and after merging with local Chicago grocer Dom’s Kitchen & Market — which also had its own ambitious expansion plans — in 2022, Foxtrot announced intentions to open as many as 100 locations by 2024. By that point, LaVitola was no longer chief executive officer. He says he was pushed out to an advisory role. Foxtrot began opening in neighborhoods with pricey real estate like Fulton Market and at Wrigley Field. They were spending in the hope of getting noticed.
That detail is important as vendors have been gunshy about joining Foxtrot 2.0 and worried the chain would repeat mistakes. LaVitola told them he wasn’t involved in a leadership role at Outfox. Some have accepted LaVitola’s reassurances, saying they need Foxtrot’s customer base. Others have picked other retail routes.
But, as LaVitola points out, Foxtrot is about more than gourmet gummies or hot dog-flavored potato chips. The coffee bar was “the biggest revenue driver” — it was so much that nearby coffee shops were losing business to Foxtrot. The previous interaction of Foxtrot made a big deal of partnering with Philadelphia’s La Colombe. That relationship will continue, but the new Foxtrot will also stock items from local roasters Metric and Kyoto Black. They’re also adding new food items to complement its morning breakfast tacos, which will remain. Look for new panini sandwiches, salads, lunch bowls, and cookies.
Expect to see growing pains. As of last week, LaVitola wasn’t sure if customers would need to create new profiles on the store’s app, which was vital to the chain’s business. Before it was a brick-and-mortar, Foxtrot used its app for liquor and beer delivery. Still, LaVitola says he’s committed to “delivering an awesome experience in the stores.” One way is making sure customers better connect with the stories behind the people who make their products. He feels the previous iteration of Foxtrot relied too much on its website to do that.
“There’s just going to be a lot more of that content — for lack of a better word — and storytelling happening in the store versus online,” LaVitola says. “Online is still really important, and it’s still there, but I think that gap is going to be bridged.”
Summer is generally a bustling season in Chicago hospitality, though bars and restaurants close for myriad reasons, even during the balmiest time of year. Below, Eater is cataloging both temporary and permanent restaurant closures in Chicago. If you know of a restaurant, bar, or another closed food establishment, please email chicago@eater.com. We will continue to update this post.
Andersonville: Tiny neighborhood cocktail spot Marty’s Martini Bar will close on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, after two decades at 1511 W. Balmoral Avenue ahead of a relocation to a new space blocks away. Marty’s founder Marty Rogo has sold the bar to 2Bears Tavern Group owners Mike Sullivan and Mark Robertson, also behind LGBTQ-focused 2Bears Tavern in Uptown, Andersonville’s SoFo Tap and Meeting House Tavern, and Jackhammer in Rogers Park, the trio announced on Facebook. They also shared Marty’s new location about 10 minutes from the original at 1477 W. Winnemac Avenue but an opening date is not yet available.
Bucktown: Char-broiled chicken specialist Nick’s Pit Stop is permanently closed after 27 years in business, the owners announced on Facebook. Owner Yolanda Resendiz, who has operated the restaurant for a decade at 2023 N. Damen Avenue, and her landlords couldn’t agree on terms to cover a possible property tax increase, according to Block Club Chicago. “While this may be goodbye for now, we are exploring the possibility of returning in the future,” owners write. “Please stay tuned and support us as we navigate this new chapter.”
Lakeview: Red sauce Italian stalwart La Gondola is closed after 40 years at 2914 N. Ashland Avenue, owners announced on Instagram, much to the dismay of fans who poured sorrows into the comments section. But the restaurant’s story isn’t over, as the team is serving hit dishes (and eventually pizzas) out of Mirella’s Tavern on Division Street in Wicker Park.
July 16
Lakeview: Meaty neighborhood restaurant Select Cut Steakhouses will permanently close on Wednesday, July 31 at 2808 N Halsted Street after nearly three decades in business, owners announced on Instagram. “After almost 30 years Select Cut will be closing by the end of July,” they write in part. “It’s bittersweet to say the least, but we’re excited to see what the next chapter brings!”
Uptown: Adored chicken wing destinationBadaBing Wings is permanently closed following the death of owner Jose Lopez, 42, a hospitality veteran who died on Friday, June 14, according to Block Club Chicago. Remembered by friends and family as a committed business owner and “loving presence” in his community, Lopez opened Badabing Wings (named after Tony Soprano’s nightclub in hit HBO series The Sopranos) in 2022 at 4754 N. Clark Street. He rapidly made a name for himself with wet and dry-rubbed halal chicken wings in a variety of flavors. Before his death, Lopez was working to open a second location in south suburban Blue Island.
South Loop; 3 Little Pigs, the Chinese American restaurant that’s emerged from a pandemic-era virtual restaurant, has closed its South Loop location inside Molly’s Cupcakes. That location, 3LP’s first brick-and-mortar, debuted in October 2023 at 1150 S. Wabash Avenue. Owner Henry Cai tells Eater the fact they couldn’t have outdoor signage hurt the business, and they’re focusing on their new Bridgeport location, next to Kimksi and Maria’s Community Bar. They’re hopeful to open a new ghost kitchen for delivery later this year in River North.
Evanston: Mexican bar and restaurant Fonda Cantina is closed after nearly a year and a half in business at 1735 Benson Avenue in suburban Evanston, owner Michael Lachowicz tells Eater. Lachowicz, chef and owner of lauded French restaurant Aboyer in suburban Winnetka opened Fonda in February 2023 with his longtime business partners chef Miguel Escobar, sous chef Carlos Cahue, and wine director Sergio Angel. It featured a menu of dishes inspired by Escobar and Cahue’s respective grandmothers’ cooking throughout their childhoods in Huandacareo in Michoacan and Huitzuco in Guerrero. Stay tuned for more news from Lachowicz and the team.
Fonda debuted in February 2023.Chris Peters/Eater Chicago
Evanston: Chinese restaurant Lao Sze Chuan is closed after a decade in business at 1633 Orrington Avenue in suburban Evanston, according to Evanston Now. Originally launched in 2014 as part of restaurateur Tony Hu’s Chicago-area culinary empire, the location was purchased by new owners in 2016.
Oak Park: Suburban breakfast staple Cozy Corner Restaurant will permanently close on Sunday, July 28 at 138 N. Marion Street after 65 years in business, according to the Sun-Times. Owners Peter Gerousis and Georgia Dravilas tell reporters that between the financial hit of the pandemic, an increase in rent, and $500,000 in unpaid taxes from a previous owner, the restaurant faced an untenable situation. Though they have no plans to reopen in the immediate future, Gerousis and Dravilas say they are open to the possibility of an eventual return.
June 27
Bucktown: YolkTest Kitchen, a six-year-old outpost of brunch restaurant chain Yolk, permanently closed on Sunday, June 23 at 1767 N. Milwaukee Avenue, according to Block Club Chicago. A roomy, industrial-style space favored by fans for plentiful plates of eggs Benedict and red velvet French toast, the test kitchen also provided the company a place to try out new recipes and get feedback from patrons. Yolk, originally founded in 2006 in Chicago’s South Loop, has grown significantly over subsequent decades. It now operates nearly a dozen locations in the Chicago area and spots in Indiana, Florida, and Texas.
Lakeview: Aquarium-laden cocktail spot Lost Reef will permanently close on Saturday, June 19 after a year and a half, owners announced in early June on social media. Founded by the team behind Cheesie’s Pub and Grub, Lost Reef brought fancy cocktails — not to mention 2,500 gallons of fish and coral inside eight saltwater fish tanks — to the former home of Slice of Cheesies at 964 W. Belmont Avenue. On Instagram, reps encourage fans to “drink the bar dry” ahead of the closure with deals on reserve wines and premium liquor.
Lincoln Park:Argot, an intimate French bistro inside the Chicago outpost of retail mini-chain Verve Wine, is permanently closed after less than a year in business at 2349 N. Lincoln Avenue, reps announced Wednesday, June 19 via Instagram. The wine shop remains open and the team plans to use the former Argot space for public and private events. “We have the utmost gratitude for all of the love and support of our amazing guests over these last nine months,” they write in part. “Unfortunately, the level of business that we have been experiencing simply cannot support continued operations.”
Humboldt Park: Booze-free drink retailer Bendición Bottle Shop closed its permanent location on Saturday, June 15 after two years inside the Succulent City plant shop at 2540 W. Division Street, according to Block Club. Owner Cristina Torres tells reporters that she’s moving the business online with local delivery and pickup after struggling through low sales and foot traffic over recent months.
Evanston: 527 Cafe, a suburban restaurant specializing in bubble tea, Taiwanese food, and Chinese dishes, permanently closed in early June at 527 Davis Street after 15 years in business so its owners can retire, they announce on Facebook.
Evanston: Suburban Thai stalwart Cozy Noodles & Rice will permanently close at the end of June after over two decades at 1018 Davis Street, according to Evanston Round Table. Owners Bee Nanakorn and Yee Muenprasittivej founded the restaurant in 2001 and filled it with an extensive collection of eclectic memorabilia, including vintage lunchboxes, Pez dispensers, and a life-size statue of Elvis. Nanakorn tells reporters that rising rent costs forced the closure, though she and Muenprasittivej are interested in reopening in a new location.
Chicago has reached the point in its annual cycle when locals suddenly recall that a four-season framework simply does not apply to this city — a place where one can identify as many as a dozen seasons in each calendar year. Temperatures are up and down; a sunny, temperate day might be immediately followed by dreary rain. It’s hard for restaurants to lure customers out of their homes when the weather is so unpredictable, exacerbating the already razor-thin margins of many local restaurants.
Below, Eater is cataloging both temporary and permanent restaurant closures in Chicago. If you know of a restaurant, bar, or another closed food establishment, please email chicago@eater.com. We will continue to update this post.
Kenwood: Fast-casual Chinese restaurant De Rice Asian Cuisine permanently closed in January at 918 E. 47th Street after nearly three decades in business, according to the Hyde Park Herald. Owner Francis Lee, a Hong Kong native who immigrated to Chicago in 1989, originally opened the restaurant on the city’s North Side before relocating in 2003 to work closer to his two sons, then students at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Chicago restaurateur Racquel Fields (14 Parish Restaurant & Rhum Bar, Dawn) is slated to take over the space, but her plans are not yet public.
Lakeview: CRMD, an Ohio-based chain of ice cream shops that wraps its sweet treats in bubbly egg waffles, has closed its sole Chicago outpost after more than a year and a half at 2951 N. Broadway. In late March, an eye-eyed Lakeview resident spotted workers moving equipment out of the space in the wee hours of the morning. The brand has two remaining locations, both in Ohio. CRMD had taken over for Bobtail Ice Cream back in 2018.
Lincoln Park: Neighborhood sandwich shop Branko’s, a staple among DePaul University students and faculty, is closed after nearly half a century at 1118 W. Fullerton Avenue, according to Block Club Chicago. Founded in 1976 by late Yugoslavian immigrant spouses Branko Jordanovski and Jelica Jordanovska, Branko’s opted to focus on serving sandwiches that appealed to college students like Italian beef but wove in a strain of Balkan culinary culture with pickled banana peppers, tomatoes, and herbs from the family’s backyard garden. Other favorites included Balkan bean stew, gyros, and pizza puffs. Gordana Jordanovska, one of the founders’ daughters, took over the shop after her parents deaths in the early 2020s. Jordanovska tells reporters that she still hopes to keep the Branko’s name alive and is looking for a business partner to help find a path forward.
Arlington Heights: Suburban Thai restaurant Bangkok Cafe is permanently closed at 17 N. Vail Avenue after 30 years of business, according to the Daily Herald. Owner Kim Cho, who opened the restaurant in 1994 with her six sisters, tells reporters that the closure resulted from both a downturn in dine-in business following the early years of the pandemic and a series of health issues in her family, including the death of one of her sisters, who was Bangkok Cafe’s head chef. Village officials are reportedly reviewing a proposal for a microbrewery that aims to move into the space.
Evanston: Jennifer’s Edibles, an all-day suburban restaurant featuring American and Jamaican dishes, is permanently closed after seven years at 1623 Simpson Street in Evanston, owner Jennifer Eason announced on Facebook. Eason tells Evanston Round Table that the logistical and financial stresses of running the restaurant weighed on her for some time, so she decided not to renew her lease on the space. She’s since moved on to work in the kitchen at nearby barbecue hit Soul & Smoke, which aims to launch dine-in service this summer at its flagship location in Evanston.
Northern Liberties soon will gain a new ice cream shop but lose a bar that has operated on Second Street for nearly a decade.
Milk Jawn revealed Monday that it plans to open its second store this June in the former space of Just Cravings, an ice cream shop that recently closed at 946 N. Second St. Heritage, the bar and restaurant with an open storefront on 914 N. Second St., will permanently close Sunday, March 10.
Milk Jawn opened its first store in East Passyunk in 2021. Founder Amy Wilson started the small-batch business out of her home kitchen more than a decade ago and grew the company with co-owners Ryan Miller and Cathryn Sanderson.
“Philly really embraced us when all we did was take online orders and delivered ice cream, and it embraced us again when we went into farmers’ markets. But now, the response we’ve gotten since opening our first brick and mortar blew away even our wildest expectations,” Wilson said Monday.
Milk Jawn is known for flavors like tahini fudge swirl, pistachio, double fold vanilla and Thriller Night, a dark chocolate and raspberry blend. The company also offers a selection of vegan flavors and has other specialty treats, including ice cream pops and a Choco Taco-style dessert.
Heritage to close after 9 years
In an Instagram post made over the weekend, Heritage thanked its customers for nine years of “countless cherished moments.”
“From lively evenings filled with laughter and music to heartwarming moments shared over drinks, every memory with you has been a treasure,” the post read. “Your support has been the heartbeat of our establishment, and we’re truly thankful.”
Heritage is known for its brunch and whiskey-centric bar, with a live music schedule that often features jazz acts at night. It also hosted weddings and other events. The restaurant is part of the Vintage Syndicate hospitality group, whose other bars include Time, Vintage, Bar, Starbolt and Garage, which is expanding with a third location in Center City at the former Fox & Hound.
The owners of Heritage could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
“Thank you, NoLibs and Philly, for nine incredible years of friendship and shared moments,” the bar said on Instagram. “You’ll always hold a special place in our memories.”
