We’ve been doing duck wings since the very beginning, way back in 2014. They're still the perfect snack, especially when paired with a cold beer or refreshing cocktail. Thanks for the shout out, Monica.

Read the rest at Axios, here.

The Duck Inn hosted a collaboration with Kim's Uncle Pizza, based in Westmont, run by our friends that owned Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream just a few blocks south of us. If you find yourself in the western suburbs, we think you should stop in for a slice (or 25) of their excellent, Chicago, tavern-style, thin-crust pie. Learn more at Axios.com.

Thrillist once again names our neighborhood gastro tavern one of the best eateries in the city; this time, for our “totally bonkers” Sunday Brunch. View at Thrillist.com.

Read the entire article at Eater Chicago, here.

Thank you Michelin for our 5th Bibb Gourmand in a row in our 5th year! See the full list on the Michelin Guide website here.

Check out the full article at Conde Nast Traveler here.

Check out the full article from Chicago Magazine here.

Check out the full article at Eat Drink and Bloody Mary here.

Check out the full article at Eater Chicago, here.

Check out the full article at Eater Chicago, here.

Check out the full article at Eater Chicago, here.

We could not be more proud of our leader and friend @chefhickey for winning Abt's chili challenge raising $5000 for Greater Chicago Food Depository! #untilnextyear #ChicagoRestaurantWeek2018 #workingclassfinedining

At The Duck Inn, chef Kevin Hickey takes it up a gourmet notch by blending a perfect amount of beef and duck fat in a hog casing to bring hungry diners the Duck Fat Dog, the restaurant’s tribute to a Chicago dog. “We grill it until nicely charred and then top it with all of the classic ingredients made in-house—beer mustard, relish, pickles, pickled hot peppers (which we grow ourselves), onions, tomatoes and celery salt—all on a brioche poppy seed bun,” he says.

Read the full article at Food & Wine.

"Thank you to our team and everyone who dines with us here in Bridgeport. And thank you @michelininspectors @michelinguide for the honors again!" – Kevin Hickey

Read Phil Vettel's full article at the Chicago Tribune, here.

"In October, The Duck Inn will become independent. I will operate the restaurant as my own and I will focus my time and energy on my two families: my wife & son, and The Duck Inn. My partner, and Barman, Brandon Phillips continues to and will always be, an integral part of The Duck Inn.”

Read the full article at the Chicago Tribune, here.

The Duck Inn is featured in Time Out Chicago’s roundup of the best restaurants in our city where guests can enjoy morning fare such as Duck Confit Hash or Fried Cheese Curds served with Bloody Mary ketchup!

Check out the full article for more details on our brunch menu.

Urban Daddy features The Duck Inn’s famous ‘SpaMai Tai’ as the ultimate cocktail to enjoy before summer officially ends! Check out the recipe created by Brandon Phillips, lead barman, here.

The Duck Inn’s famous Duck Fat Dog, served Chicago-style on a brioche poppy seed bun with mustard, relish, hot peppers, zesty housemade pickles, tomatoes, onions and celery salt, is named in Zagat Chicago’s recent roundup of the “10 Hotdogs Every Chicagoan Needs to Try”. Read the full article here.

Eater Chicago names The Duck Inn one of the best spots in Chicago to enjoy a chef-driven brunch! Read the full article here.

Eater Chicago names The Duck Inn one of the best spots in Chicago to enjoy a chef-driven brunch! Read the full article here.

Conde Naste Traveler names Chicago “the best restaurant city in America right now” and lists The Duck Inn as #2 in its list of best restaurants. Read the full story here.

Feel like showing off your Chicago pride? Time Out Chicago named The Duck Inn’s “Autumn Kaleidoscope” a must-try cocktail to sip on while celebrating our city. Read the full article here.

Food and baseball are two of Chicago’s biggest passions, and they come together beautifully on game days. If you’re looking for a spot to grab a bite before you head to a White Sox game, RedEye Chicago suggest you try The Duck Inn! Read the full story here.

Phil Vettel, the Chicago Tribune Restaurant Critic, speaks to Kevin Hickey and Kris Delee about the exciting transition. Read the full article here.

Join us in welcoming Chef Kris Delee on board as the new Executive Chef of The Duck Inn! Check out our first ever ‘Chef Q&A’ to get to know the creative mastermind behind this popular venue’s brand new menu.

1. What is your first notable food memory? How did it influence your career?

My mother’s unbelievable fried chicken has been a constant in my life ever since I was a child. To this day it remains my favorite meal. Even in my years as a confused vegan I would break for this chicken! My mom’s simple dish seemed to comfort everyone who ate it and I like to think that her soothing influence is at the core of my thinking when it comes to creating menus of my own. If you walk away from my table in a better mood than when you came in, I did something right.

The Duck Inn is featured on ChooseChicago.com as one of the best options for pre- or post-convention dining near McCormick Place, the nation’s largest convention center. Read the full story here.

Dallas Morning News featured us as one of the most creative hot dogs in Chicago! Noting our vintage dining space and unique incorporation of duck into the dog, they had this to say about our most popular item:

“Hickey’s Duck Fat Dog ($10) starts with a beef-and-duck-blend sausage. That’s where the unfamiliarity ends: The dog is dressed with Chicago-style elements including a fresh poppyseed bun, pickle and a sauce the staff calls the Chicago Super Condiment, a custom blend of traditional toppings – beer mustard, red onion, pickles, peppers and cherry tomatoes. Retro undertones are found in leather banquettes and chandeliers.”

Read the entire article here.

Duck, Duck, Hot Dog!!

When the sun is shining, and you’re outside it just makes sense to be eating a delicious hot dog, doesn’t it?

During the year we make our way to many food festivals around the country — but we hold a place near and dear to our heart for the windy city and the absolutely delicious weekend that is Chicago Gourmet.

Read the rest of the article here.

Chef Hickey stopped by Fox32Chicago to cook up his famous Rotisserie Duck!

With a little help from Corey McPherrin at Fox, Chef showed how to properly cook a whole duck. Sharing tips on texture and cooking times for each part of the duck, any level chef can feel like they can cook the perfect holiday bird! You can get Chef’s entire duck recipe when you make a donation to the Greater Chicago Food Depository with the link provided below!

Our Rotisserie Duck with all the trimmings is available to be ordered for pickup also! Please call (312) 724-8811 to place your holiday to-go order.

We are proud to announce that The Duck Inn has made the 2016 Michelin Bib Gourmand List!

We are honored to receive this accolade that represents the best restaurants in Chicago to offer high end cuisine at affordable prices. Stop in to try one of our drinks or dishes that helped us receive this award and to congratulate Chef Hickey and his team!

Chef Kevin Hickey was recently selected by the Illinois Office of Tourism to represent Chicago on the Travel Channel UK’s segment “30 Chefs in 30 Days.” Chef Hickey spoke not only about his Bridgeport roots and delicious rotisserie duck, but about the vibrate nightlife options and mesmerizing skyline of Chicago. Born and raised on the Southside, Chef Hickey provides tourists with real insight on what it means to be a Chicagoan.

Thrillist Chicago had this to say about the Bridgeport neighborhood: “The South Side perpetually gets short shrift when it comes to conversations about drinking and dining in Chicago, so it would feel like a misstep to go anywhere else when seeking the most overlooked ‘hood when it comes to filling your face.”

When highlighting The Duck Inn they mentioned our Michelin rated Chef and cuisine: “The Duck Inn brings in diners from all over for serious cocktails and high-end tavern food from Kevin Hickey, who previously impressed at the Four Seasons’ Allium.”

Stop in to sample one of our delicious dishes next time you’re in the neighborhood! Read the entire article here.

CBS Chicago had this to say about The Duck Inn:

“You’ve heard The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, and jazz classics on your smartphone — but what about hearing them on vinyl? When you take part in The Duck Inn’s “Bring Your Own Vinyl” event, you just might hear vintage favorites (and even some new stuff; after all, Adele’s 25 was released on vinyl) in a new way. Held every Sunday starting at noon, the event is a great way to dust off your favorite records to share with the audience or enjoy hearing music in a new way. The Bridgeport neighborhood gastrotavern serves up brunch and dinner, as well as mimosas, cocktails, and craft beer.”

Stop by every Sunday to discover eclectic new music. Read the entire article here.

Eater Chicago had this to say about The Duck Inn:

“Longtime local chef Kevin Hickey’s personal passion project has garnered local and national accolades even the chef/owner didn’t foresee, managing to highlight ramped-up versions of Chicago street food, his fine-dining chops, and his ancestral working-class Bridgeport neighborhood in one swoop. Don’t miss the duck fat hot dog, the rotisserie duck, the cocktails at the bar, the brunch, or the great backyard.”

Come visit us this fall in Bridgeport for a real Southside dining experience. Read the entire article here.

Thrillist named our Chef Tasting courses the best bang for your buck! The Tasting is four courses from our seasonal menu chosen by Chef Kevin Hickey himself!

“Based upon its Bridgeport location on Loomis by the Chicago River, the restaurant toes the line somewhere between neighborhood hangout to being many of Chicagoland’s food-forward residents’ “best kept secret.”

They also commended our cozy atmosphere and filling food. Stop in to try our Chef Tasting Menu this season. Read the entire article here.

Our Executive Chef Kevin Hickey sat down with Chicago radio personality Dane Neal this week! A noted foodie, Neal had Chef Hickey on to talk about the upcoming Chicago Gourmet food festival where he will represent The Duck Inn.

Chef Hickey said that he loves getting to interact with thousands of locals who stop by his booth or come to watch food demonstrations. Hickey mentioned how notable the event has become saying, “It’s like the Academy Awards of food.”

Chicago Gourmet happens September, 23rd-25th 2016 in Millenium Park. Listen to the interview here.

Chicago’s Do312 featured our Duck Fat Dog as one of the Best in Chicago!

It’s done up Chicago Style and features Instant Pickle for a savory, authentic Chicago taste. See the full list here.

Eater Chicago featured two of our classic Duck Inn dishes!

First, our new menu item – Heirloom Burrata with Tomato Gazpacho, Pickled Watermelon Rind and Pleasant House Bread.

Michigan Avenue Magazine included Rockit Ranch Production’s newest restaurant The Duck Inn in their June Food & Drink highlights! Looking for the best char-grilled meat, veggies and drinks in Chicago, they featured The Duck Inn’s Bone-In Short Rib with String Bean Ragù, Charred Onion Soubise and Red Wine Sauce.

Chef Kevin Hickey went on to say what makes the dish so delectable. “We use spring onions, which tend to be on the sweeter side, so the char balances that nicely. And the acidic element balances the fat [of the beef].”

This fan favorite sits among many on our fresh, rotating seasonal menu at The Duck Inn.

Read the article here.

We are thrilled to see The Chicagoist featuring The Duck Inn on their “Best Of” Chicago section this week! Their recommendation on where to enjoy your meal was the focus.

“Be sure to sit on the tree-dotted patio for ultimate enjoyment — it’s exactly the place for updated classics, not to mention cocktails like The Duck Out, duck fat-washed Park VS Cognac with Giffard Crème de Mure, Lustao Manzanilla Sherry and a hint of of Chinese five-spice syrup.”

Read the article.

When “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi visited town earlier this spring for Chicago Ideas Week, the vegetarian talked about emigrating from India as a child. Despite the meat-free diet, Lakshmi and her mother found one glaring weakness in America: The hot dog.

The Duck Inn’s Duck Fat Dog is a the kind of mad scientist genius diners have come to expect from Kevin Hickey. The hybrid beef/duck link is a welcome addition to Chicago’s hot dog landscape.

Check out the full list here.

On Sunday, May 22, 13 The Duck Inn’s Kevin Hickey among other chefs competed in the 19th annual Championship BBQ and Cookout, “at the Galleria Marchetti in Chicago, organized by former Food Arts magazine publisher, Barbara Mathias, and digital media publisher SmartBrief.” The Cookout brought together over 800 professionals across the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industries in support of World Central Kitchen, an international organization founded by world-renowned chef José Andrés to seek smart solutions to end hunger and poverty.”

The Chicago Tribune featured Chef Kevin Hickey because he was chosen as a chef for the taste of Chicago’s annual Celebrity Chef du Jour dinners. Tickets for the Taste of Chicago’s Celebrity Chef du Jour dinners, where chosen chefs prepare a three-course, $45 dinner under an air-conditioned tent on the Taste site (Grant Park), go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

Sarah Freeman from the Eater Chicago broke down the best outdoor restaurant and bar spots to chill during the Windy City’s nicest months for FOX 32 News.

Freeman highlighted the Duck Inn’s great cocktail menu and Chef Kevin Hickey’s events in the backyard that make the Duck Inn one of a kind.

“There’s nothing like summer in Chicago. The Windy City is second-to-none when it comes to outdoor dining and drinking during the summer and there are a slew of patios worth gracing in the warm-weather months.”

Read the article and view the video here.

Springtime in Chicago means its time to finally go outside and enjoy one of the city’s favorite pastimes: Patio Season. The Eater Chicago listed 30 of their favorite patio dining spots in the city and the Duck Inn made the list.

“A stone’s throw from U.S. Cellular Field, The Duck Inn packs in a crowd on warm-weather days and nights. It’s a bi-level backyard with rustic benches and tables over a brick floor.”

Read the full article.

Red Tricycle ranked the best kid-friendly restaurants in Chicago where you can dine on the patio, and featured the Duck Inn on the list.

“Hit up The Duck Inn for cured wild salmon, a salty and rich crumbled duck egg, or a sweet corn funnel cake with blueberries. The casual and family-friendly patio makes this spot a cool community treasure. The Duck Inn offers off-the-hook flavorful food, an intriguing well-designed interior and a passionate crew. Plus it’s B.Y.O.V. (Bring Your Own Vinyl)!”

Join us on our patio with the kids for your next family dining outing.

Read the full article.

Chicago is getting ready to host the 2016 James Beard Chef Awards next week so the Tribune sat down with Mayor Rahm Emanuel who is a foodie in his own right to discuss his favorite culinary destinations in Chicago.

Emanuel said he has been to Bridgeport’s the Duck Inn multiple times and he enjoys exploring new restaurants in different neighborhoods around the city. The challenge is when he and his wife Amy Rule find a restaurant they like, his wife wants to keep going back to the same restaurant while the Mayor wants to explore. On Chicago’s neighborhoods, the mayor said he likes Bridgeport, among other neighborhoods because there is always something going on.

“I like going out to places that make a statement, taste new things or do something special. I like eating out and seeing what our chefs do,” he said.

Read the full article.

Contributor Carly Boers reviewed the Duck Inn for Chicago Magazine and dubbed the Bridgeport hotspot the, “Belle of the Bridgeport Brunch ball.” She gave the Duck Inn a near perfect 9/10 rating.

Looking to explore your favorite restaurant from a new vantage point, or maybe ease your way into a spot you’d like to try? Pull up a bar stool and experience all the atmosphere has to offer with a delicious drink in hand. Whether you’re ordering cocktails, snacks or going all out with a full meal, the bar is a great spot to take a seat and enjoy.

Bringing vintage vibe to its bar with bright light fixtures and art deco-inspired details, The Duck Inn is great for enjoying cocktails, local beers or bar snacks.

Read the full article.

Newcity Resto featured Chef Kevin Hickey in their list of Food & Drink 50 for 2016.

“When The Duck Inn opened in Bridgeport in 2014, it was a homecoming for chef Kevin Hickey, who grew up down the street from this corner bar/restaurant.”

“The Duck Inn now draws crowds from all over Chicago, while still maintaining a neighborhood vibe. Hickey earned a Michelin star and AAA Five Diamond status while at the Four Seasons; he then went on to open Bottlefork Bar & Kitchen before turning his talents to The Duck Inn to showcase seasonal American cuisine. The Duck Inn immediately received three stars from the Chicago Tribune. Hickey stays involved in giving-back projects, including working with the Global Act, Growing Power and Common Threads.”

See the full article.

Fab Food Chicago contributor Soo Park stopped by The Duck Inn Chicago for lunch on a snowy day in April to review the Bridgeport restaurant for Fab Food Chicago. (fabfoodchicago.com)

Park was enjoyed the ambience and eclectic dining room accents like the gold orbs, yellow barstools, and large duck mural on the wall but reserved her applause for the Fried Cheese Curds and Duck Wings in Japanese BBQ sauce.

Fab Food Chicago contributor Soo Park interviewed Chef Kevin Hickey about The Duck Inn, the rotisserie duck, and some of the rewards and challenges he’s faced opening his own restaurant. Park said Hickey was, “one of the most easy-going and personable chefs I’ve had the opportunity to meet.”

Hickey said the most rewarding part of his job is “Instant gratification. With most businesses, you have to wait for feedback about your work. In this industry, you get feedback right away. It is rewarding but nerve-racking at times.”

Check out the full interview, here.

The Eater mapped 12 of the Best Bloody Mary’s in Chicago and the Duck Inn’s unique take on the classic Bloody made the list. If you’re looking for a spicy bloody with zesty lemon and a deep range of flavor, look no further than the Duck Inn.

“Aylesbury Duck vodka sets this Bloody Mary apart from the rest. The spice notes play well with San Marzano tomato puree that is seasoned with a house seasoning mix and dash of lemon. For a cocktail that is hardly considered complicated, it has surprising depth of flavor.”

So make your way down to Bridgeport for Sunday Brunch, our Bloody will not disappoint.

See the full list, here.

Fresh off of winning the Chicago Tribune’s Bartender of the Year Brandon Phillips is up for another award,”The Drink Award for the Advancement of Potent Potables” in The Taste of Groupon Awards.

Groupon notes Phillips as a reason people don’t just duck in and out of the Duck Inn.

“Phillips thrives in using spirits and ingredients not seen on many cocktail lists. There’s the Duck Out, a savory blend of duck fat-washed cognac with sherry and five-spice syrup, and the Anton Chigurh, with splashes of Troussepinette Red, gomme syrup, and saline atop a base of five-year scotch. He’s also a whiz with gin, as one nominator enthusiastically pointed out.”

Join Phillips at the Duck Inn for a drink that you won’t soon forget, and make sure to cast your vote for him to win “The Drink Award for the Advancement of Potent Potables.”

Check out the full article, here.

The Duck Inn’s own Chef Kevin Hickey joined Dane Neal for an interview on WGN Radio. They discussed Hickey’s culinary efforts with the Duck Inn, and the excitement and challenges of, “bringing his brand and vision to a neighborhood with much personal history and a certain amount of business mystery.”

Hickey tells Neal about Bridgeport’s evolving restaurant and bar community and the draw of the Duck Inn. He says he likes to Keep it fun and accessible kind of restaurant where if you live in the neighborhood you could go out for dinner a couple nights a week and not break the bank but also offer a higher end experience where people can feel like they can go out and splurge if they want.

Take a listen to the interview and learn why the Duck Inn is so special. Make your reservation today!

The Duck Inn’s Hamburger Sandwich is a decadent and mouthwatering twist on a hamburger and a sandwich. No wonder it topped the list Thrillist released a list of Chicago’s 40 sandwiches that you need to eat before you die.

“Kevin Hickey’s well-received menu also features a classic patty melt sandwich that consists of a square Tallgrass Beef patty, farm fresh Brun-uusto cheese, onions, and dijonnaise on buttered rye bread — and it all goes on the grill at the same time. Plus, you can get it piping hot at the bar, so even if you can’t get a table, you can still go home with a happy belly.”

Check out the full article, here.

Time’s MONEY rated the Duck Inn as a top destination in the United States for Foodies because of its delectable menu paired with a price that also goes down smooth. Chicago is the birthplace of distinctive all American eats like Cracker Jack’s, Morton Salt, Wrigley’s gum and of course the, “quintessentially affordable, all-American bite: the hotdog.”

The Duck Inn’s hotdog does one better with it’s unique Tallgrass beef and duck fat dog.

“Served in a housemade brioche bun and topped with onions, relish, and celery salt ($10). Pair it with the fried cheese curds with bloody Mary ketchup ($8), and you’ve got yourself the ultimate Midwestern meal.”

The Duck Inn’s Chef Kevin Hickey and Bartender Brandon Phillips won big in The Chicago Tribune’s Annual Dining awards with Hickey named as Chef of the Year and Phillips named as Bartender of the Year. The Chicago Tribune Dining Awards honor culinary industry professionals for outstanding work in the previous year at new restaurants, and the Duck Inn’s talent has proven itself as nothing short of incredible.

CHEF OF THE YEAR
Kevin Hickey, The Duck Inn

His rotisserie duck for two is stop-what-you’re-doing, drag-yourself-to-Bridgeport great.

Last Friday, The Duck Inn was proud to be featured on WTTW’s long-running culinary television show, “Check, Please”.

The Duck Inn is a cozy, retro inspired gastro-tavern located at Loomis Street and the Chicago River. It combines locally sourced dining with creative duck dishes and other American menu items. It has a delicious menu of craft cocktails and local beers.

The Chicagoist rated the most epic entrees with colossal portions in the city. Of course The Duck Inn’s Rotisserie Duck is doing big portions in a big way, because serving up a full rotisserie duck is no small feat. Its not surprising that people are taking notice of this epic entree on the Bridgeport restaurant’s menu.

“Crispy skin and juicy meat are the hallmarks of a masterfully cooked duck, and at Kevin Hickey’s Bridgeport darling, that’s exactly what you can expect. In addition to carved duck, the signature board for two sports potatoes saturated in duck drippings, a seasonal salad, and a sizable vessel filled with the remainder of the drippings.”

Come in and share a rotisserie duck with a friend.

See the article, here.

The Chicago Tribune’s Marissa Conrad reviewed the Duck Inn for restaurant week and gave a raving review of Chef Kevin Hickeys menu.

“Duck Inn has proven to me that on a good Restaurant Week menu, you don’t need choices. The chef knows what to feed you, and you trust him or her that it will be good (like any tasting menu, really). Hickey’s menu was, exceptionally so,” Conrad said.

Conrad highlighted the Duck Inn’s stellar cocktail menu and said, “(Brandon) Phillips couldn’t make a bad drink if you paid him to.”

Read more of the review, here.

The Duck Inn's Duck Fat Hot Dog is featured on FYI's Food Porn.

Make It Better Magazine editor Julie Chernoff rated Bridgeport’s the Duck Inn as a must visit restaurant on Chicago’s South Side.

“Everyone’s talking about Kevin Hickey’s latest hotspot, a gasto-pub with seriously delicious food (and another Bib Gourmand winner this year… I told you the South Side was happening!). Not surprisingly, duck features prominently on the menu: Duck Wings with Japanese BBQ Sauce, Shrimp & Duck Spring Rolls, and the show-stopping Rotisserie Duck meant to share. But don’t leave without an order of the Fried Cheese Curds with Bloody Mary Ketchup or the high-end Gyros Plate.”

The Chicago Reader ranked the Duck Inn as one of their favorite places to stop by during restaurant week. Chicago Reader contributer Andrea Bauer said, “Ritzy comfort food with zero pretension is the name of the game at Duck Inn.”

Bauer noted the braised pork belly and crispy chicken thighs as dinner options and mentioned the duck-egg creme brulee with tangerine for dessert. The Duck Inn’s cocktail program was also highlighted as “impressive.”

Read the full article.

Eater Chicago interviewed the Duck Inn’s head chef/owner Kevin Hickey about the Duck Inn’s inaugural year, the Bridgeport neighborhood, and hopes he has for the future of his restaurant and Bridgeport itself.

When he opened the Duck Inn, “Hickey finally embraced his roots and passion through a series of chance and fateful encounters that resulted in the opening of his first restaurant a year ago mere doors down from his longtime ancestry, Daniel Gerzina, Eater Chicago editor, said.”

This is more than a restaurant. This is an attempt to bring attention to a great neighborhood that has massive potential. The more guys that want to come down here and open bars and restaurants the better, Hickey said.

Mike Sula named The Duck Inn’s Chicago dog, baked Alaska, and Anton Chigurh cocktail, as the third, fourth and fifth of the 181 best things he ate and drank in 2015. Sula said, ” It’s really a return of a chef who is of the place and knows just how a new restaurant should fit in.”

Read Mike Sula's "181 best things I ate and drank in 2015."

Scrolling through our clips and notebooks to recall the year’s most impressive dishes isn’t an easy task — we do a lot of eating each year, and most of it is pretty good — but it’s one of our most pleasant end-of-year chores. Every dish on this list represents excellence in concept, quality and execution.

There are good ducks (several candidates), there are great ducks (Sun Wah, for example) and then there’s a duck for the ages, which is what you get when you order the rotisserie duck at Kevin Hickey’s intimate Bridgeport restaurant. It’s a whole duck, priced for two ($62) and served, cut up, on a large wooden serving board. You could argue that Hickey cheats a bit by roasting the breast meat separately, but there’s no quibbling with the results: perfect medium-rare breast, leg and thigh portions with crispy, almost blackened skin and welcome accompaniments (duck-fat-cooked potatoes, fat-tossed greens, gooseberry vinaigrette). No wonder you have to pre-order this dish (when you make or confirm your reservation) to be sure you’ll get one.

Read the full article, here.

There were a lot of new restaurants that opened this year. Like, a lot, a lot. It feels like half of them opened within the last few weeks, so we’re going to let some settle in before we consider them for best new 2016 accolades. Randolph Street got a slew of new restaurants, which is no surprise, but there were also some hidden gems that popped up in neighborhoods you wouldn’t expect them to.

From casual ramen, to new-age steakhouses, to the sexiest cafe ever in a 54,000 square foot furniture store that we’re still coming to terms with, 2015 was a good year. But like everything in life, some are better than others, and a few in particular deserve the highest praise.

These are the best new Chicago restaurants of 2015. Either you had a good year eating, or you know where to start in 2016.

The Duck Inn put Bridgeport on the map for destination dining. You can come hang in the front bar area with cocktails and elevated bar snacks, but what makes this place great is the more intimate dining room in the back. The space is small, but it’s a lively and cool place to hang that’s all capped off by impressive food. The rotisserie duck is a must.

Read the full article, here.

Every weekend we wake up with one question on our mind: what’s for brunch? For those who worship at the Sunday pancake altar, Chicago’s options are seemingly endless. We picked through the syrupy stack to come up with the short list of hottest brunch options.

The Bridgeport brunch options have vastly improved with the addition of this Sunday spread by chef Kevin Hickey. His menu features sweet corn funnel cake with blueberries, Maryland crab crêpe with Calabrian chile hollandaise and chai bread pudding French toast with English treacle. Since this menu would not be complete without a duck offering, meet the duck confit hash with a duck egg and Wisconsin cheese mornay sauce.

Read more here.

Chicago’s burger craze continued this year, and two very different burgers made our list. But this list is about more than just beef—we loved the smoked tofu sandwich at Smalls Smoke Shack & More, fell for the duck fat dog at the Duck Inn, easily one of the best hot dogs in Chicago, and added a newcomer to our list of the best lobster rolls.These are the best burgers and sandwiches of the year.

The star of Kevin Hickey’s menu is the duck fat dog, a juicy duck and beef sausage, dragged through the garden and topped with house-made pickles. $10.

It’s not easy being the restaurant poster child for one of Chicago’s classic working-class neighborhoods, but creative everyman chef Kevin Hickey and an unlikely partnership with the Rockit Ranch group leaped over the bar by both reigniting south-side Bridgeport and creating one delicious restaurant with The Duck Inn. Inside the century-old 1960s-decorated restaurant lies something for nearly everyone, most notably amped-up twists on Chicago street food (including one of the best hot dogs in years) and one of the city’s top up-and-coming cocktail minds.

Read more here.

Excerpt via Peter Frost of Crain's Dining

For the second year in a row, Michelin trimmed its list of Chicago restaurants honored with Bib Gourmand designations for 2016, reducing the number of restaurants to receive the designation to 58. The sixth annual Bib Gourmands, which are released a week in advance of the guide, are awarded to restaurants that deliver quality food for an affordable price (two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less, excluding tax and tip).

Chicagoans expect the unexpected in Fulton Market, the old meatpacking district. They expect only the familiar in Chinatown, because they rarely venture past their favorite dim-sum places. They don't expect much of anything in the South Side neighborhood of Bridgeport beyond a decent bar after a White Sox game. Three new Chicago restaurants defy expectations.

The Duck Inn

For nearly a century, the Gem-Bar Lounge served a neighborhood of cops and South Side politicos. Chef Kevin Hickey grew up nearby and traveled the world before buying and renaming the tavern. The back patio is where you want to be, with the rotisserie duck For two, heaped on a platter with duck-fat potatoes.

Read the full article here.

Regis tries Chicago- style dogs from Hot Doug’s & The Duck Inn.

This secluded backyard, complete with vegetable and herb gardens, is the perfect place to enjoy a pint of the restaurant’s latest collaboration beer. The sun-soaked space also hosts regular events, such as a salmon bake and pizza party.

Drink This: Begyle You Lika Da Juice? Apple Ale
Eat This: Hamburger sandwich

Read more here.

What you’re getting: Fried cheese curds and rotisserie duck

From upmarket bar snacks like fried cheese curds splashed with Bloody Mary ketchup and hoppy mayo, to date-night approved rotisserie duck for two, Kevin Hickey’s latest gastro-tavern concept offers more than a few reasons to believe that Bridgeport is the next up-and-coming dining scene.

Read more here.

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater have one question: Where should I drink right now? While the Eater 38 is a crucial resource covering standbys and neighborhood essential restaurants across the city and the Eater Heatmap highlights where the restaurant crowds are flocking to at the moment, the Eater Chicago Cocktail Heatmap shows the bars and restaurants where cocktail and beer aficionados are drinking right now. The updated map shows you the hottest drinking spots this spring.

Bridgeport is not only home to Kevin Hickey’s neighborhood restaurant revival, but also an outstanding bar program from barman Brandon Phillips, who also spearheaded the drinks at Rockit Ranch’s Bottlefork.

The Hamburger Sandwich at The Duck Inn, $12.

Duck Inn chef Kevin Hickey is a master of bar food, and it only takes one bite of his hamburger sandwich to know it. With a healthy dose of grilled onions and a squeaky slice of Brun-uusto cheese, this is a soul-satisfying patty melt.—AC

See the rest of Time Out's list here.

Head out the back door of this Bridgeport bar and restaurant to discover a pair of hidden outdoor retreats. The porch, which seats 16 to 18, is an extension of the dining room and will serve a similar menu. Step downward from there into the backyard, where more casual seating for 45 will share space with chef/partner Kevin Hickey’s garden plots growing swiss chard, kale and tomatoes.

Look out for special events throughout the summer, Hickey said, such as a luau night with a pig roast and tiki drinks. Bonus for bike-riders: Look for the custom bike rack out front that Hickey commissioned from a local metal artist, plus the new Divvy station a couple of blocks away at Archer Avenue and Loomis Street.

ETA: Open now, weather permitting
We’re picturing: Making a pitstop to down duck-fat dogs en route to a Sox game

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Kevin Hickey’s Duck Inn has been well-received by critics and lauded for its rotisserie duck but the rest of the menu is just as good. Not to be overshadowed by all of the fowl options available, the hamburger sandwich makes a compelling case for itself. Made with Tallgrass Beef, the patty melt and all of its ingredients (Brun Uusto cheese, dijonnaise) are cooked at the same time on the grill. Best of all it’s available on the bar menu so even if you can’t get a table for dinner, you can go home satisfied.

Just a little further away is Kevin Hickey’s The Duck Inn where you can dine on hamburger sandwiches and sloe gin fizzes up front in the bar, or sit down for a full meal of duck for two in the dining room. This summer, the backyard patio will be the place to cool off after a hot game of baseball.

Three stars (excellent) for the Bridgeport newcomer.

Until recently, the litmus test for neighborhood restaurants was always clear: Would you want it on your corner?

But that’s no longer enough. Now we’ve got polished taverns on every block. Farm-to-table and tail-to-snout places where the chef studied with Heston Blumenthal and has an entire chapter of Larousse Gastronomique tattooed on his forearm. Places with $55 tasting menus, craft cocktails by a mustache-twirling mixologist, and 150 beers no one’s ever heard of. How on earth does a neighborhood restaurant distinguish itself anymore?

The answer may lie on a quiet bungalow-lined stretch of Bridgeport. That’s where Michelin-starred chef Kevin Hickey (Four Seasons hotels) grew up, and he returned there to launch the Duck Inn this past winter. Hickey’s “gastrotavern” takes its name from the joint his great-grandmother owned in McKinley Park in the 1930s, but otherwise it proudly goes its own way.

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For a restaurant that’s been open a little more than three months, The Duck Inn has deep roots.

The Bridgeport restaurant, created in December by chef Kevin Hickey (as part of his partnership with Rockit Ranch Productions), occupies a corner tavern that predates Prohibition. It takes its name from a Depression-era lunch counter, at Ashland Avenue and 35th Street, that was run by Hickey’s great-grandmother. Hickey himself is a sixth-generation Bridgeporter and has been angling to open an upscale restaurant here for several years.

Hickey’s menu, tightly focused because of the building’s tiny kitchen, is itself an homage to the neighborhood and its history. Polish and Lithuanian influences pop up here and there, and a few dishes seem inspired by Wisconsin vacation memories.

And of course, there is duck, and of course, it must be ordered. In fact, it’s a very good idea to order it before you arrive, because the kitchen does run out.

• Where to find her: The Duck Inn
• Specialty: The Bijou (classic mix of gin, vermouth, and chartreuse) or anything with gin
• What she’s doing when she’s not working: Creating terrariums (miniature plants in glass vessels) and imbibing Wild Turkey.
• Favorite thing about Chicago: Its food, drinks, music, art, the beach… basically, everything.

Why It’s Hot: Chef Kevin Hickey returns to his Bridgeport roots with this ’60s-inspired restaurant and bar that honors his family’s history in the neighborhood. It’s named after an establishment once owned by his great-grandmother, and he’s re-created classics that appeared on her menu, such as the hamburger sandwich and Tom Tom tamale, alongside craft cocktails and an impressive beer list.

Must-Drink: Sloe(r) Gin(ier) Fizz (Plymouth sloe gin, Beefeater, Small Hands almond orgeat, lemon juice, powdered sugar, egg white and soda)

Insider Tip: Every Monday, bring your own vinyl, and they will play them on the vintage record player.

Why It’s Hot: Chef Kevin Hickey returns to his Bridgeport roots with this ’60s-inspired restaurant and bar that honors his family’s history in the neighborhood. It’s named after an establishment once owned by his great-grandmother, and he’s re-created classics that appeared on her menu, such as the hamburger sandwich and Tom Tom tamale, alongside craft cocktails and an impressive beer list.

Must-Drink: Sloe(r) Gin(ier) Fizz (Plymouth sloe gin, Beefeater, Small Hands almond orgeat, lemon juice, powdered sugar, egg white and soda)

Insider Tip: Every Monday, bring your own vinyl, and they will play them on the vintage record player.

Last we checked, Bridgeport wasn’t exactly overwhelming eaters with its abundance of destination-worthy restaurants. But The Duck Inn, a new gastro-tavern from Bridgeport native Kevin Hickey (Bottlefork) and Rockit Ranch Productions (Bottlefork, Sunda, Rockit Burger Bar) is out to change that.

The original Duck Inn tavern was owned and operated by Hickey’s great-grandmother; Hickey’s version (located nearby) in many ways pays homage to the first, with two separate, midcentury modern-themed spaces split by French doors. The first is a lively bar area accented with handsome glass light fixtures, the second a 44-seat dining room embellished with a massive mural of a swimming duck painted from an underwater perspective.

I have been watching the career of Chef Kevin Hickey for a while. At first I was surprised when I learned that he was leaving The Four Seasons hotel restaurant, The Allium, to start the low-key, belly-up-to-the bar joint, Bottlefork. Then I visited Bottlefork–packed to the gills on a week night at 9 p.m.–and realized he wasn’t crazy. He was crazy like a fox.

'You want to do something that is accessible, something that can reach as many people as possible, ' Hickey told me.

Kevin Hickey, the Four Seasons Hotel veteran and executive chef behind Bottlefork and Rockit Ranch Productions, likely never imagined as he was playing Atari as a kid at the Gem Tavern in Bridgeport that he’d be re-opening its doors as a chef decades later under the name Duck Inn. And neighborhood residents likely never thought that what was once a casual tavern would house a dining and drinking experience where you could find something that is normally found north of the river.

The Duck Inn, a tavern and restaurant in Bridgeport that opened last week, is the latest place from Rockit Ranch, the restaurant and bar group led by TV personality and symbol-of-the-party-lifestyle Billy Dec. The Duck Inn is also the culmination of some lifelong dreams and ambitions for chef Kevin Hickey: owning a restaurant on the very street where he grew up in Bridgeport, named for a place his great-grandmother owned during the Depression, that’s rooted in his family’s history in one of Chicago’s most insular enclaves, the ancient power base of our Irish rulers.

I met with Hickey, the former Michelin-starred chef who spent almost 20 years with the company that owns the Four Seasons Hotels in places all around the world, to find out more about how his desire to return to his roots was accomplished through what seems like unlikely partners. And tomorrow, he and I will talk about that.

Opening of the week: The Duck Inn

The latest restaurant from Rockit Ranch Productions and chef Kevin Hickey (Bottlefork), The Duck Inn is exactly what the Bridgeport neighborhood has been yearning for. Kitschy elements such as 1960s-era car ads, record players and furniture give the restaurant a retro-chic feel, while the eclectic menu offers fresh takes on American fare: fried cheese curds with Bloody Mary ketchup and hoppy mayo ($8), duck and foie tamales with fennel orange pico de gallo ($14) and Nantucket lemon sole ($22).

The latest from the Rockit Ranch team is not another bumping club like The Underground nor a rowdy sports bar serving deep-fried mac burgers like Rockit Burger Bar. Rather, it’s an upscale tavern on a quiet corner of Bridgeport. RR team member Kevin Hickey, a Bridgeport native who grew up playing video games in the former Gem Bar, purchased the space and renamed it The Duck Inn, after another neighborhood watering hole opened by his great-grandmother in 1935.

A photo hanging on the wall of that bar, depicting various food items, also provided inspiration for Hickey’s bar menu. There’s a hamburger sandwich with Brun Uusto cheese, a tamale filled with duck and foie gras and a hot dog infused with duck fat. Bar manager Brendan Phillips stirs up an inspired cocktail menu, which includes The Duck Out (duck-fat-washed Park VS Cognac, Giffard Crème de Mure, Lustao Manzanilla Sherry and Chinese five-spice syrup) and Drunk a L’Orange (Evan Williams Bourbon and Filbert’s Duck a L’Orange orange cream soda). Yes, there are a lot of duck references, right down to the duck-shaped orange garnishes on the cocktails.

In the dining room, a more substantial menu of modern American fare is served — including rotisserie duck for two and Nantucket lemon sole. The room is comfortable with retro touches, in the form of midcentury furniture and exposed-brick walls — one of which is painted with, yup, a wild duck. The bar has a similar throwback vibe with gold vinyl booths and barstools as well as vintage glassware.

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The inspiration for the Duck Inn, the new 1960s-style tavern serving gourmet food, isn’t necessarily steeped somewhere in the memory of revered chef and neighborhood native Kevin Hickey.

Sure, the name resurrects Hickey’s great grandmother’s short-lived, Depression-era lunch counter at 35th and Ashland. And of course he remembers the Gem Bar, the long-shuttered corner tavern at 2701 S. Eleanor St. that Hickey and his pals at the Rockit Ranch group have renovated.

In fact, it’s just down the street from where he was raised. He was close with the Gembara family who ran the place. Played ball with the kids.

But Hickey, 45, said inspiration for the new “gastrotavern” comes from a recent visit to Roberta’s, an out-of-the-way Brooklyn restaurant making a strong case that humble and high-end can live on the same menu.

Kevin Hickey, despite highfalutin resumé entries as the former chef of the four-star restaurant Seasons at the Four Seasons Hotel and its successor, Allium, as well as the current chef at the Rockit Ranch hothouse Bottlefork, is also Kevin from Bridgeport. And Kevin from Bridgeport will soon open the Duck Inn (2701 S. Eleanor St., 312-724-8811), a neighborhood-friendly spot on an out-of-the-way corner near the South Branch of the Chicago River.

The Food Network invaded the tony suburb of Highland Park this past Saturday to deliver the first ever Food Network in Concert. The event, held at the idyllic venue Ravinia, was a success, packing in more than 10,000 attendees who enjoyed a day of food, drinking, demonstrations, panels, music and camping out on the lawns.

Kevin Hickey of Bottlefork won “Top Dog” honors at the Franks & Beats competition with the “Duck Fat Dog” due to hit the menu of his forthcoming restaurant The Duck Inn. The Don Julio Airstream trailer was a personal favorite, with Hickey declaring that perhaps he and his crew spent a little too much time inside of it.

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