The former Tavern On La Grange, a nightspot that shut down earlier this year in Countryside, is being reborn as Revel Supper Club.
Renovations are underway throughout the building at 5403 S. La Grange Road, with plans to open the new restaurant and entertainment venue by November.
Jeff Eaton, manager of Revel Supper Club and a representative of Cooperative Solutions Group LLC, discussed the plans the morning after the Countryside City Council unanimously approved a business license for the club.
Many changes are coming to the venue, which previously frustrated neighbors with noise and parking complaints.
“Those days are over,” Eaton said, noting that the Revel Supper Club will have an earlier closing time and aims to be a good neighbor.
Cooperative Solutions Group is a consulting company that works with restaurants, bars, and live entertainment properties to help improve operations and sales.
Eaton is currently involved in other projects, including a golf driving range and live entertainment venue in Maywood with seating for up to 7,000. He is also working on a barbecue restaurant for Windy City Ribs in Matteson.
Despite these ventures, Eaton said his primary focus is currently on Countryside.
“We look at ourselves as an entertainment venue first, offering great food, great beverages, and a great atmosphere,” Eaton, 50, said.
Quality entertainers are expected, with Opal Staples, cousin of the famed Staple Singers, serving as the entertainment coordinator.
“She’s very connected in the industry and is going to bring us some great talent,” Eaton said.
Eaton has planned events such as a karaoke competition, rhythm and bingo—where “when the DJ plays a song, if you know the song, you put a button on the square”—and inviting vocalists to cover songs by famous artists.
“Saturdays will feature a DJ-centered brunch with R&B and hip hop, while Sundays will host a gospel/soul food brunch in the mornings and comedy shows in the evening,” he said.
Sanethia Logan has been hired as the chef. “She runs her own catering and mobile bartending business and also owns a food truck,” Eaton said.
“The only thing that’s changing is we won’t be constantly altering the menu or hiring an excessive number of kitchen staff,” he added. “We’re just a normal business.”
“Revel is all about celebration. We want to attract people who are celebrating something—birthdays, anniversaries, you name it. This may not be the cheapest option for a night out, but it’s a place where people come to celebrate,” he said.
Eaton emphasized the location’s appeal on busy La Grange Road, positioned between the Stevenson Expressway to the south and the Eisenhower Expressway to the north.
The renovations include a lighter-colored floor, new paint, a revamped stage on the south side of the building, and a “green room” for artists. While the large bar remains intact, the garage doors on the north side will no longer be opened on warm nights to reduce noise complaints. A new sound system will strategically place speakers throughout the large room to avoid overwhelming patrons.
“Nobody’s going to be blown away,” Eaton said.
Revel Supper Club will not be open past midnight on weekends, according to Mayor Sean McDermott, who spoke at the city council meeting.
“The mayor was very clear about the challenges this location faced, and we plan to operate the way a good neighbor should,” Eaton said. “We’re not a nightclub. This is dinner and a show. We’ll have community days because we’re part of the community. We’re a neighbor.”
McDermott expressed optimism about the supper club after the meeting, noting its diverse lineup of musical acts. “They’re only going to be open until 11 p.m. on weekdays, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. We had some issues with noise at Tavern On La Grange, but this plan should address that,” McDermott said.
Another benefit for the city is the creation of at least 50 jobs at the new supper club.
Back at Revel, renovations continue, with Rubin Dawson busy painting walls white in a downstairs overflow room that will feature closed-circuit TV screens broadcasting entertainers from the main floor upstairs.
Johnnie Royal is the owner of Revel Supper Club, according to Eaton. “There’s no one in this building with ties to Tavern On La Grange except for myself and Kevin Burns, and we were both independent contractors.”
Burns now serves as the operations manager for Revel Supper Club.
When you mention the term “supper club,” it’s hard not to think of Wisconsin’s famed venues, where the brandy old-fashioned is the drink of choice. However, that’s not the case at Revel Supper Club.
“You’ve got to do things differently,” Eaton said with a smile. “We do things our way.”