Operations

Smokey Bones' ghost brands come to life in Chicago virtual food hall

Smokey Bones, The Wings Experience and The Burger Experience are among the virtual brands operating at Kitchen United's newly opened Chicago virtual food hall. (Photo provided)

May 19, 2021

The ghosts are going great guns in Chicago this week, where Smokey Bones' Chicago ghost kitchen and its virtual brands, The Wing Experience and The Burger Experience, all move to the Kitchen United MIX multi-ordering facility on West Wacker Drive in the Windy City.

Beginning today, customers can not only continue to order through smokeybones.com, kitchenunited.com and hird-party delivery apps for delivery, but also through the MIX onsite ordering kiosk and dine-in at the virtual food hall, a news release said.

Aside from the casual concept, Smokey Bones' offerings of smoked ribs, pulled pork, grilled fish and salads, customers tapping into the food hall services can choose from 50 wing flavors from The Wing Experience and/or five types of burgers that start at $6 at The Burger Experience.

"The Loop is a great location and gives us an opportunity to engage with customers who dine at the food hall while still serving our great barbecue, wings and burgers to those who prefer the convenience of ordering delivery," Smokey Bones CEO James O'Reilly said in the release. "This move is part of our ongoing commitment to grow all three of our brands."

Smokey Bones opened its first Chicago-area ghost kitchen last June in the Kitchen United River North facilities. Smokey Bones and its virtual brands have 62 locations in 16 states. Earlier this month, virtual kitchen company, Kitchen United opened its MIX concept in the former Wells St. Market in the Loop in Chicago. It features 10,500-square-feet of kitchen space capable of accommodating 10 brands, with a central order and pickup area for delivery and takeout, along with indoor and outdoor seating.

"Chicago has served as a great market for our concept. We opened in River North in April 2019 and we've really loved being in this city. We couldn't turn down the opportunity to open a second location with more great restaurants in a new neighborhood," Atul Sood, Kitchen United chief business officer, said in the release.

Other concepts at the Chicago Mix location aside from those operated by Smokey Bones, include:
● Hawaiian Bros.
● Greenleaf.
● Siri Indian Express.
● Trejo's Tacos.
● Dog Haus.
● Camile Thai.
● Bad Mutha Clucka.
● Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos.
● Plant B.

The first Kitchen United MIX opened in Pasadena, California in 2018 and since then, the company has expanded to the aforementioned two Chicago locations, as well as communities in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as Austin, Texas and San Jose, California.