Trustees ready to tap in choice for Glencoe Golf Club restaurant

A local restaurateur with a trio of eateries in the North Shore is about to make the cut as Glencoe’s next culinary ace.

Glencoe officials during their Feb. 19 Committee of the Whole session teed up conversations on selecting a restaurant and food service vendor for the golf club’s new clubhouse.

And although trustees took no formal action, village representatives made it clear that one group’s swing to run food operations hit the sweet spot.

Village staff is recommending Houspitality Grill House Group, operators of Grill House and Cabo Grill in Northbrook and Backyard Grill in Highland Park, as the preferred vendor for the new clubhouse.

Nick Drivas, a graduate of Glenbrook North High School, is the owner of the group and, if the contract is approved, will lead food service operations, including the restaurant and bar, special events and golf operations.

Stella Nanos, manager of the Glencoe Golf Club, told The Record via email that a service agreement between the village and the restaurant group is currently being finalized. Village staff plan to present to Glencoe trustees at their March 19 meeting for approval.

“We are very excited that this group was interested and that they fit well with us,” Nanos said during the Feb. 19 meeting. “I think that their experience speaks for itself. They’re very successful and well-known. They have the staff to back up what their quality is. This is exciting and this is a really great step for the new clubhouse.”

Glencoe officials in August of last year issued a request for proposal seeking what they described as an “experienced” food-service provider for the clubhouse.

As part of that process, Nanos said the village outlined important minimum qualifications that included at least three years experience successfully operating a full-service restaurant/bar and banquet service, an established business with a long-term success rate, and the ability to demonstrate “culinary expertise, operational efficiency and innovative menu offerings.”

Five groups submitted proposals and the village narrowed the field to three after the first round of interviews. A second round of interviews featured a 10-member advisory panel consisting of Village President Howard Roin, Trustee Joe Halwax, a pair of local restaurateurs, residents and village staff.

That panel narrowed the field to two finalists, and staff ultimately landed on Houspitality Grill House Group after a tasting experience showcased the group’s capacity to “deliver a high-quality upscale dinner and special event program.”

“Their exceptional qualifications and extensive industry experience stood out during the evaluation process,” Nanos said in a village memo. “We are confident that their expertise will be instrumental in successfully launching the new facility and creating a vibrant partnership that elevates the guest experience at Glencoe Golf Club.”

As previously reported by The Record, more than 57% of Glencoe voters in 2023 supported a village request to borrow up to $15 million to rebuild and renovate facilities at the Glencoe Golf Club.

A restaurant was included as part of that referendum, and since the vote, the village has sought a “long-term partner capable of delivering year-round dining and special events.”

The Glencoe Golf Club is a nonprofit, self-funded entity that is governed by the village and the village board. The course is more than 100 years old and covers 126 acres spread across land owned by the Village and Forest Preserve of Cook County.

Officials had previously said the clubhouse surpassed its useful life in 2012.

If Houspitality Grill House Group gains approval in March, the village will be looking for it to “mobilize rather quickly,” Nanos told trustees in February. The typical golf season typically gets underway around April 1, meaning business could start almost immediately in an on-site food trailer.

Operations would then move into the clubhouse once that building and move-in process are completed. Village Manager Phil Kiraly said officials are hoping the clubhouse will be available before the end of summer.

Kiraly also said carrying the course’s legacy of customer service over to its dining operations was another key factor for officials.

“Anyone who knows the Glencoe Golf Club knows the over and above that the staff goes to from the standpoint of the golfer experience,” he said. “And so, what we want to be very mindful of is that we’ve always looked at this public golf course as a public course with a country-club vibe, and so the same is going to have to be true with the restaurant operator.”

Earlier in the meeting, Kiraly also noted that officials know “the stakes are high” when it comes to selecting the right vendor.

“People are anticipating something that is going to be an asset to the community,” he said.

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