New spot hopes to revive sports bar tradition in Highland Park plaza

At first glance, Highland Bar & Kitchen is a modest spot.

But tucked in a corner between neighboring businesses, the Highland Park restaurant’s understated exterior hides a familiar feeling — one that longtime locals may recognize from the days of Player’s Grill, which once occupied the same space years ago.

Highland Bar and Kitchen with its American cuisine opened on Friday, May 8, in the plaza at 1855 Deerfield Road, replacing Ordo Restaurant, a Central Asian concept from the same owner that closed in April.

“Locals wanted to see another sports bar in the area,” said Dee Yu, general manager of Highland Bar and Kitchen. “And we wanted to give them what they want.”

Bella Melus, the founder of Ordo, is now operating Highland. The shopping center, however, has a new who reportedly thought the area needed a sports bar, and Yu and Melus delivered.

Before Ordo, 1855 Deerfield Road Suite F housed Player’s Grill, a similar sports bar to Highland Bar and Kitchen.

“We’ve had a lot of our guests at Ordo that have been regulars at Player’s Grill,” Yu said. “So, I’m sure they will like that it has become Highland Bar and Kitchen.”

The new restaurant opened quickly. The last day of Ordo was April 26 and first day of Highland was May 8.

Yu called the turnaround “nerve-racking,” even if the idea for Highland Park began six months ago.

“We were nervous because we had two weeks to put Highland Bar and Kitchen together,” he said. “Eventually, we managed to do everything by May 8. And, to our surprise, our first two days after opening were fully packed, and we were very happy about it.”

Yu wants to create a casual and comfortable vibe. The Highland will show a variety of live sports, from MLB and NBA to MLS, the UFC and the World Cup.

“We want locals to come here, be entertained and feel comfortable in a great area like Highland Park,” Yu said. “We want to make a space where people can be entertained every day, either on a lunch break, or night out, to hang out with their friends and small-talk with our bartenders.”

He added, “We want our customers to spend their best moments with us, whether it be cheering for their favorite teams or destressing with friends.”

In addition to offering American classics like burgers, sandwiches and wings, Highland will offer pastas, salads and Neapolitan-style pizza.

“The dough that we have is especially made for our Neapolitan-style pizza,” Yu said. “We make it in our wood-fire oven that gives it this flavor ‘over fire’ on a thin crispy crust that is freshly made. That makes us stand out.”

Highland Bar and Kitchen aims to provide the “best” food, and the “best” ingredients with competitive yet affordable prices, so that people can come everyday, Yu said.

In terms of drinks, Highland Bar and Kitchen offers a full bar, including nonalcoholic alternatives.

“One of our bartenders is very experienced, and everything he makes is something special,” Yu said. “So if you come to the bar, and you don’t see a drink you’d like on our menu, feel free to ask for whatever you want, and if we have the liquor, we will do it for you.”

Highland is open every day at noon, with a happy hour every weekday from 2-5 p.m.

So far, client feedback has been positive and has sparked some improvements to the menu, Yu said.

Yu is optimistic about the future. “We hope the business continues to run smoothly,” Yu said. “We are sure people will love us.”

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