May 06--After 38 years, Mirabell (3454 W. Addison St.) is saying goodbye to Chicago.
Owner Jeff Heil planned one last weekend of food and drink last weekend, but some well-wishers had to be turned away, because more than 1,500 people showed up.
"Probably more than we had all year," Heil said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.
Chicago has not been kind to its German restaurants over the last 30 or so years; one by one, once-storied names such as Zum Deutschen Eck, Heidelberger Fass and Golden Ox have succumbed to business pressures, retiring owners, or both. Mirabell was one of the last old holdouts.
Last week, Heil hosted a farewell weekend with buffet service; this weekend (Thursday through Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m.), only the bar will be open, though Heil said he might arrange for some sandwiches and other snacks.
"Most of my employees had to leave (for other jobs)," he said. "My wife and I will be behind the bar."
As of Sunday, it will be farewell to the venerable restaurant, known for reliable food, a good selection of German beers and a colorful wall mural signed by Gary Larson. (It has never been determined if the artist was the Gary Larson.)
"We tried everything, my employees and I," Heil said about the struggle to keep the business afloat. "We took out loans. We built a new room in 2013, and hired a new chef. We added new items, fresher items. It still wasn't enough."
The good news is that Heil plans to open another restaurant. The bad news is that it will be in Katy, TX, about eight miles outside of Houston. Das Wurst, the restauran't working title, will offer sausages, bratwurst and burgers, but the restaurant name will be about as German as it gets.
"I'm excited about going to Houston," he said. "I don't know about the humidity, but it has a much better small-business environment. I've got a new house I could never afford in Chicago."
Vettel is a Tribune critic.
pvettel@tribpub.com
Twitter @philvettel
