Wrigleyville's Dark Horse Tap & Grille Goes Out Of Business After 17 Years Due To COVID-19 Pandemic

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Dark Horse Tap & Grille in Wrigleyville is among the latest longstanding establishments to go out of business amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Owner Niko Kostakis Konstantoudakis posted to Facebook Sunday that the bar at 3443 N. Sheffield Ave. would be closing permanently effective Sunday night after 17 years in business.

In addition to thanking the founders and staff, Konstantoudakis wrote: "I would like to thank the federal government for quickly helping us keep the doors open and pay our employees via the Paycheck Protection Program, I would like to thank the 2016 Chicago Cubs for finally winning a World Series (cap nod to Ricketts Family, Theo Epstein, Maddon, Lester, and the rest of the pieces that made that 2016 team happen)."

He also thanked the local neighborhood association and chambers of commerce, but did not have such gracious words for local government.

"I would like to admonish local government for not helping us at all-they imposed draconian rule while operating with a different set of rules for themselves and their cronies. Within the US, Illinois, then Cook County, then the City of Chicago, then Wrigleyville-this is the worst place in the country to own a business while carrying a food and liquor license. Why? You probably already know why. Add to what you know, let me add these obvious and not so obvious reasons: rising taxes annually and over regulation (for example, task force inspections with 6 different city departments visiting unannounced several times a day). I could write a book on this," he wrote. "However, that's all I have to say about that. (Want to hear more, let's discuss over a beer…)"

Dark Horse closed permanently as of 11 p.m. Sunday.

"Covid is the big winner here-but it can never take our memories, our love, our drive or our hope," Konstantoudakis wrote.

Dark Horse joins numerous other bars around the area and beyond that have closed on account of the pandemic.

The Schoolyard Tavern, at 3258 N. Southport Ave. about half a mile from Dark Horse, went out of business in October. It had been in business since 1994.

A short block away, the Southport Lanes bowling alley at the southeast corner of Southport Avenue and Henderson Street, went out of business this the weekend before.

In July, Guthrie's Tavern, at 1300 W. Addison St. a couple of blocks west of Wrigley Field, went out of business after 34 years.

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