The pandemic helped make crowds in Downtown Chicago disappear, and that led to the closure of one of the city’s more venerable restaurants, Lawry’s The Prime Rib. Lawry’s spent nearly half a century inside the 136-year-old McCormick Mansion. Now, five years later, boosted by tourism and the return of office workers, Downtown Chicago may be ripe for a renaissance, which sets the stage for the announcement of a new tenant who’s investing $50 million into the historic building off the Mag Mile.
A new magic venue, described as America’s largest, will occupy the 36,000-square-foot space at Ontario and Rush. The Hand & The Eye should open next year at 100 E. Ontario Street. Chicago has a history with magic, as celebrated by the illusionists at Chicago Magic Lounge in Andersonville and other performers across the city. The Hand & The Eye will house a restaurant and a few bars. Bartenders have a history with magic, so look out for some tricks from the folks mixing up drinks behind the stick.
Levy Restaurants, whose holdings include River Roast and Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap, will handle the menu. Levy CEO Andy Lansing told the Tribune that there will be a nostalgic component, comparing the offerings to the Pump Room during its heyday.
Lansing is said to be a magic collector, which speaks to the venue’s place as a passion project. Glen Tullman, a health care entrepreneur who served as CEO at Allscripts and founded Livongo Health, put the project together, feeling this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Tullman told the Tribune there will be a dress code. In LA, the Magic Castle, sports coats are required in the evening. The California venue, which went through a reckoning in 2020, opened in 1963 and can seat about 150 while taking up about 24,000 square feet. The Hand & The Eye will be larger and will offer memberships. The Rockwell Group, which has designed venues like Miru, Nobu, and Tao Chicago, is working on The Hand & The Eye.
There will be seven different performance spaces, giving visitors a mix of experiences and showcasing close-up and medium-range magic. Daytime shows would be more family-friendly. Ownership is hoping the space will become a tourist attraction, drawing visitors from across the country.
The Hand & The Eye, 100 E. Ontario Street, planned for a spring 2026 opening
