CHICAGO - Chicago's legendary Ditka's restaurant is permanently closing.
The restaurant named for “Da Coach” has been in the Gold Coast neighborhood for 20 years.
Management said Monday they made the difficult decision to close due to economic impact from the coronavirus and time running out on their lease.
“We have made the extremely difficult decision to close our Chicago restaurant due to the economic impact of COVID-19 and the short term left on our lease,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue future opportunities to open restaurants in Chicago and other locations.”
The memorabilia-filled eatery, which opened in 1997, was frequently visited by former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka and other celebrities.
The company said other locations will remain open, including Ditka’s in suburban Oakbrook Terrance and Grill 89 in suburban Westmont.
Associated Press contributed to this report.