On Wednesday, October 29, representatives of Stefani Group presented their concept for a new restaurant, “MAD Social” at 1140 W. Madison to local residents.
The 75-seat establishment would provide “New American” offerings from steak tartar to chicken and waffles. Steven Hartenstein with the Stefani Group emphasized that the restaurant would cater to the dinner crowd initially, later expanding to brunch and possibly lunch.
While the Stefani Group has applied for a liquor license for the space, Mr. Hartenstein stated that they would emphasize cuisine over alcohol. The three flat screen televisions planned for the restaurant would only show local sports events and could be used at other times for neighborhood updates.
Local residents expressed interest in a Stefani property in the neighborhood but voiced concern about the possibility of the restaurant blending in with other nearby bars on United Center event nights. The community is in conversations with Stefani Group about documenting the operational controls (e.g., hours of operation, security) discussed at the meeting. NoWL will continue to monitor this development.
Submitted by:
Matt Letourneau
Neighbors of West Loop Development Committee and 25th Ward Chair