Green Door Tavern

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With the progressive, contemporary world surrounding it, the Green Door Tavern remains true to River North's history. The classic restaurant is the oldest building (and only wooden structure) on its block and even houses some of its original bar fixtures from the 1920s, including its antique cash register.

In October of 1871, the Great Fire destroyed approximately 4 square miles of central Chicago – nearly one-third the total area. The tragedy sparked a fire code ordinance that prohibited construction of wooden commercial buildings in the central business district. Before this code was put into effect, however, the Green Door Tavern was built.

The wooden frame is only one characteristic that makes the Green Door unique. Shortly after it was built, the building settled awkwardly, giving it a distinctive lean that has remained for more than a century. This lean is most obvious near the familiar green front door.

The Green Door wasn’t always a tavern. When James McCole had the two-story construction built in 1872, he rented it to Lawrence P. Ek, who used it as a grocery store and home. In 1921, the Huron-Orleans Restaurant was opened by Vito Giacomoni. The nickname, the Green Door, came about in the ‘30s and soon became the official title.

George Parenti and family bought the historic restaurant in the early 1980s with the intention of retaining the throwback qualities of the Green Door while respectfully enhancing them. The place is splattered with authentic Americana and Chicago paraphernalia that continues to grow. The most significant recent alteration to the tavern was the addition of the sidewalk café in 1985, which holds the mark as the first of hundreds of sidewalk cafés in Chicago.

The easy atmosphere and moderate prices make “Chicago’s Oldest Downtown Tavern” a welcome “getaway” for many Chicago residents. Amid the construction of contemporary highrises, it has secured a position as a treasured piece of River North’s heritage.


Article by Adam Carter

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