Glenview Gets Only True Double-Deck Dining Destination in the North-Shore in late 2026

GLENVIEW, Ill. — A historic downtown building that once hosted the village’s first board meeting is being transformed into a rare two-story outdoor dining destination, as The Foxtail restaurant group adds a massive steel beam deck to the renamed Glen View House.

Glenview will have bragging rights to the largest outdoor cast iron steel double deck back patio in Illinois and possibly all of the Midwest, and the only true double deck, dining experience in the Chicago North suburbs, according to the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA). There are several options in Chicago.

The renovation at 1843 Glenview Road will feature a double-deck steel structure behind the 1890s building, complemented by an expanded front porch deck. A union welder on site said the combined outdoor spaces will seat well over 150 guests.

According to the IRA The Foxtail's location in Des Plaines currently operates the only true double-deck dining venue in the north suburbs. Such two-story outdoor structures remain extremely uncommon in suburban areas due to strict local building codes, with only a few options existing in Chicago—mostly near the lake.

The Foxtail On The Lake in Des Plaines, built inside the historic Lakeview Center on the shores of Lake Opeka, features a distinct lower patio and expansive second-story deck with unobstructed lake views. That building was originally constructed as Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in the 1940s.

A Historic Transformation:

Owners Tim Canning of Chicago/Downers Grove and David Villegas of Des Plaines who also both operate the Des Plaines location said they have spent months working with Glenview Hstory, Center, local historians and the village to preserve the Glen View House's red-brick charm and old school square style. The building is a highly significant landmark where Glenview's first village board meeting was held in 1899.

The Foxtail at Glen View House is scheduled to open in late 2026, offering Mediterranean coastal dishes and craft cocktails.

A Rare Suburban Offering:

While a few upper-level outdoor dining options exist in the suburbs, none match the double-deck concept. Five & Dime in downtown Evanston offers a rooftop experience elevated above the street, but it is not a true double-deck setup. The Glen Club in Glenview features a one-story wrap-around deck overlooking the golf course .

For opening dates and future updates, residents can track the Downtown Glenview Revitalization updates provided by the Village of Glenview.

And Foxtail construction workers have said the double story back deck behind the Glenview house should be ready by September.

A welder said the restaurant could seat 140 diners for outdoor dining (including the double deck back and the expanded front porch) and could seat over 300 customers total.

There was an attempt by the village to redistrict downtown as an entertainment district district. This would include about a 3 mi.² area. The village held a development commission meeting about two months ago, where a large group of angry residence came out against not allowing retail businesses or other types of business to come downtown.

The village has indicated they are finished dishing out permanent fun money to restaurants if they come to downtown Glenview new ones would have to apply and possibly get some kind of assistance, but they would have to do it on their own the program the village embark on in the last few years was to add a spark, too kind of kickstart downtown Glenview after it development had been completely ignored in the light of the development of the town center.