Barrel Club Restaurant and Bar Rolls Out In Oak Lawn

OAK LAWN, IL — Southsider John Zawaski has chased a lot of dreams. Now he’s watching his biggest dream take shape. The Barrel Club — an original idea that stands out among a suburban landscape of corporate eateries — will throw open its doors at 4 p.m. this Wednesday, July 10, at 111th and Cicero in Oak Lawn.

Zawaski’s built-from-the-ground-up restaurant is stunning, offering modern, comfy environs in a unique atmosphere where patrons can experience a fine selection of spirits and American fare. Zawaski and investor Diane Little, of Oak Lawn, have been working on their idea for two-and-a-half years.

“Diane is very low-key. All she wants is a great homemade burger, which we have,” he said. “I want Diane and everyone else to know how much I appreciate her.”

The restaurant will delve into whiskey and bourbons, which industry experts claim is the new “craft beer.” Zawaski plans to offer a spirit of the month club and whiskey tastings coupled with an appetizer. The Barrel Club boasts its own private label displayed on a floor-to-ceiling rack stocked with white and spiced rum, wine, Irish rye, bourbon, gin and moonshine. Zawaski says he’ll put the Barrel Club’s gluten-free vodka up against Tito’s any day of the week. The bar will also serve the quintessential name brand spirits.

“When you go to Kentucky, everyone has their own distilleries. Whiskey has almost taken over the craft beer craze,” he said. “People are drinking a 3 oz. whiskey on the rocks for diet reasons rather than drinking six beers. I’m going into whiskeys, scotches and bourbons. We’ll have a lot of private label stuff, too.”

Zawaski's bar manager, Chris Schnepp, trained in Kentucky becoming a certified executive bourbon steward, one of 3,000 in the world. Son John Zawaski Jr. will work side by side with his father as the bar and restaurant's assistant general manager.

The 100-seat dining room in the 6,000-square-foot restaurant spills out onto a patio with a fire pit. The bar is a perfect place to sip a glass of bourbon on the rocks while watching a Notre Dame game on the high-def, flat screen TVs. There is also a more intimate private room for meetings and parties.

A recent taste testing unveiled the Barrel Club’s menu, created by Chef Carlos DeLeon, who’s gigged at Chicago Firehouse, Terra and Vine and Le Cordon Bleu. DeLeon has prepared an appetizer menu featuring potato and cheese pierogies, voodoo shrimp stuffed with Guinness cream and fried polenta, lobster roll and a Scotch egg—a soft-boiled egg, house sausage and bloody Mary ketchup.

Soups and salads, along with roasted chicken for two, salmon, a chef-prepared catch of the day, veal chops, risotto and double cut pork chops round out the menu.

The Barrel Club only serves prime steaks from a rib eye bone-in, filet, New York strip, a 30-day whiskey dry aged rib eye, and barrel burger.

Menu prices range from $7 to $29 for sides, soups, salads appetizers and entrees, and up to $45 for a prime steak. The Barrel Club also has a dessert menu. Zawaski wants the restaurant to be a place where people can come hang out on a Sunday afternoon to watch the Bears or Blackhawks while sipping a bourbon or beer, to the type of place where you can go and celebrate your 20th wedding anniversary. Zawaski is especially proud that his Barrel Club was built by union labor.

“My doors are open to blue collar and white collar,” he said. “I’m a neighborhood businessman. We paid extra to make sure we hired union workers.”

The youngest of ten children, Zawaski grew up in Beverly and resides in Oak Lawn. He’s been involved in other restaurant ventures but The Barrel Club is his first solo effort. Zawaski has also furthered the cause of philanthropy in the community. He’s been an integral force behind Oak Lawn Special Recreation Day, and led fundraising for the village’s 9-11 memorial incorporating beams from the fallen World Trade Center.

“My wife and I go to Oak Brook for a nice dinner. I thought this could happen in Oak Lawn, too,” Zawaski said. “I’m very passionate about bringing fine dining to this area, but not too fine because I’m also a resident here. Everyone will be able to afford something at the Barrel Club. I’ll have Miller Lite on tap as well as $200 bourbon.”

The Barrel Club is located at 4910 W. 111th St., in the Stony Creek Promenade development 111th Street and Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn. Restaurant hours are 4 to 10 p.m. daily. Bar hours are 3 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Wednesday; and 3 p.m to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Contact the restaurant by phone at 708-581-3357; by email at info@barrelclubillinois. com; or follow Barrel Club happening on Facebook.