Will his staff still badger residents with his valets
They acted like they could reserve parking.
Aggressive against shoppers

In looking at the Royce menu, his burger run $12 to $15, not the $10 th$12 mentioned in the article. Also you can get a wonderful breakfast from 9 am to 3 pm at La Casa de Isacc and Moishe Rstaruant on 1st St. just north of the MacDonalds Prices range from $6 to $9. It's the best kept secret in HP. I'm taking three of my grandkids there today.
At over 300 seats (including the outdoor seeting), he has a tough road ahead. I wish Chef John and his investors well with the new concept. Only time will tell..

No offense, and I always say, when someone says no offense, they always offend someone. If i happen to get a parking spot in that area, and if I'm hungry for a burger, Im going to Michaels. At least you know what your getting for $12.
Thanks Bob Levi for the great tip. I didn't know I could get breakfast at LaCasa de Isaac and Moshe. I will try it soon. Did I meet you at the Highwoods farmers market this last summer? Moe Tai's?

I look forward to another great restaurant in HP. People need to be more open minded. Fresh food prepared well is what we need.
Good Luck. We will come in and give it a try. John never fails.

Alright foodie, I'll try it too. Thanks for the insight.

Bob, I usually get the steak cassadia. They are awsome in Everts park in Highwood on Wednesday nights for the farmers market.

it will reopen Jan. 10 as Royce, a "chef-driven" casual restaurant, Ok, here is a concept that just does not seem to get through them.....How about a CUSTOMER-DRIVEN casual restaurant. Your last one was chef driven, how did that work out for you?

Thanks for the tip on La Casa, will try the breakfast soon as I am sure it is good.

how many burger restaurants do we need?

OMG. I just got out of Bridie McKenna's stopping in before Kara-moe-ke and had the "buffalo Calamari". Holy CRAP! It's too die for. I'm a wing guy. This is like the tenderloin of wings. Thanks to Scott, and josh, and the rest of the crew.

Hopefully they will serve something that customers will actually want at a price that is competitive. This group seems to be all about what the Chef wants and it seems he is a legend in his own mind who assumes that whatever he dreams up or builds the customer will (maybe) follow. Unfortunately, that does not work so well as while I have no doubt he is a good chef, I do not think he has reached the point of culinary fame that people are flocking to eat "his" food. I ate it a couple of times and nothing special. I caution them to try something not so new by orienting the place to the customers they are trying to attract and not some self vision of what they decide to force on the customers. If that simply cannot work into their thinking, then try the math, 25K monthly rent, overhead, labor costs and since it seems to always be Chef Driven, I have no doubt he is a big nut on a monthly basis. Add that up and decide who you need to please to meet and surpass that number on a consistent basis month after month.

Several places in HP are successful with great food and service which are customer driven rather than Chef driven. RUB, Michaels, Nortons and others that apparently they are going to try to compete with.

Nonetheless, I wish them good luck and may the concept of customer driven come to them in due time.

To John D R. Go after Tap House Grill and you may have a chance. Otherwise you will never make these clowns happy.

I've know many chef/restaurant owners over the years. Most have a gigantic ego and claim to listen to customers, but really don't. Many feel they have extensive knowledge of the restaurant business and no one, I repeat, no one, call suggest anything that don't already know about the business.
I've personally never met John D. R., but based on the comments made here and elsewhere, he falls in the know-it-all class of chef/owners.
One exception to the above statements was Louis Sathmary chef/owner of the Bakery Restaurant in Chicago (BTW - He was probably the first "celebraty chef" and a great lover of fine dining. Plus Louis knew how to promote his restaruant and the dining experience. He also claimed to have a PhD in psycology. He opened the Bakery in 1963 with a fixed price continental menu: pate, celery root salad, entree with sides, dessert and beverage. His early seating was 90 minutes so you couldn't lineer becuase he needed the turnover. Some people didn't like this, so his place was either loved or dispised. The regulars knew to come to the last seating so they could linger. Eventually the market change: people started demanding lighrwe fare and wanted not to be rushed after dinner. So Louis realized this and just shut the restaurant rather than change the concept.
One of Louis' favorite comments about restaurant critics was, "They don't know shitaki from Shinola." (Note to those under 50: ask your folks about Shinola."

Hey John, How about some bigger portions for the high price and then ill give your restaurant a second chance. Inovsi is a joke

Hands down the best restaurant in HP is Bluegrass. If any restaurant owner wants to know how to make it, they should talk to Jim and Joanie.

Will my Moderno gift cards work at Royce or am SOL?

I don't know what is so significant about Moderno/Royce and the owner, but these restaurant article keep everyone so upbeat :)
You can apply for a job with new venture as it appears everyone is gone and/or canned by John D R. I get it now: it was their fault he failed the first time.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/fbh/3501946383.html

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/fbh/3517559097.html

If I was was the boss I would at least concentrate on hiring local youth and train them, so he could attract the right crowd into his new organic venture. Maybe he would get some lost respect back too... which translates into extra pesos.

Like your kids (youth) have a job, or would independently seek employment. Oh! Wait! You're a cheapskate!!!! I get it now. "Pinch a quarter till the eagle squawks pal"

Having dined at Royce tonight, I found the food average to well done. The decor, while warm and inviting at first, haunted me through the night. I couldn't put my finger on it and it hit me just now. It reminds me of POW camps depicted in war movies. Does anyone else get that impression? I am interested to know.

$19 for half a chicken! Should be interesting.

Likely another empty space once the lease commitment is up. Does anyone know if Panera is really coming?

Just love people like Bob Levi, who not only had his facts on the prices off but decided to review a restaurant before it even opened. And for Forest, you seem to have an ax to grind against the owner of Royce. My family and I have been there 3 times, and although it it still new, both the service and the food was terrific.

Dave, I took the prices for the Royce online menu. Perhaps the owner realized his quoted prices were too high and lowered them without changing the online menu. Or else he low-balled the prices in the article just to get new customers.

As a business consultant for many years, I've dealt only with facts. Otherwise, one cannot advise their clients on new, diversified opportunities to persue. So I just call it the way I see it.

I clearly state in my 1/5 post above that I don't know the owner. However, any chef who claims he's going to teach the North Shore residents about good food certainly has an ego issue IMHO.

I was there tonight and it was very disappointing.

When we ordered we asked 3 times that the fish be cooked well done. It was not. It came raw. It may have been frozen. I don't know. And shouldn't they ask you if you want the bone removed?

I will never be back.