Glenview trustees have given two new restaurants, a Korean barbecue house in the west end of town and a sushi and Hawaiian poke specialist on the east side, a green light to serve alcohol.
The Village Board voted unanimously on Oct. 1 to grant new liquor licenses to Joy Grill, 1702 Milwaukee Ave., and Maru Sushi and Poke, 1859 Waukegan Road.
Village President Michael Jenny said he is excited to welcome two new restaurants to Glenview.
“We need more restaurants, that’s for sure,” Jenny said.
The ordinance approved by trustees increases the total number of liquor licenses in Glenview from 56 to 58, said Chris Clark, special project manager for the village.
“Each license authorizes the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises where it’s sold,” Clark said. “The business operator must maintain the licensed premises as a bona fide eating establishment.”
Jacky Lin, owner of Maru Sushi and Poke, said Oct.16 that he has not yet decided whether to utilize the license to sell alcohol himself or request changing the license to “Bring Your Own Beer,” or BYOB, status.
“I’m thinking yes, but I have to think about the concept or maybe change to BYOB,” Lin said. “Right now I’m not 100 percent. I want it. That’s why I applied. I’m concerned with how I would check the IDs (to verify a customer is 21 years old).”
Lin said he hopes to decide as soon as possible and needs to consult with his point of sales, or POS, representative to determine how selling alcohol would be administered in the restaurant’s payment system.
“Maybe in a couple of weeks I’ll talk to the POS guy,” he said. “I was waiting for the liquor license to be approved first. It would have to be added to our sales system.”
Maru Sushi and Poke, which opened four months ago, is Lin’s first restaurant, he said. Sales were slow initially, but have been increasing recently, Lin said.
“It’s going OK,” he said. “It’s not really a crowd pleaser so far, but things are getting better.”
Maru Sushi and Poke sells sushi and Hawaiian poke, Lin said. Poke is traditionally made from Ahi tuna or octopus.
“They have the same ingredients,” he said of the restaurant’s two specialties. “Hawaiian is easy to make. With sushi, you have to learn a technique and skill. If people decide to have sushi or a poke bowl, we can do either.”
Lin said the restaurant’s most popular dish is the sunshine roll, which the menu describes as “crab mix, avocado topped with salmon, signature ponzu, and pico de gallo.” It is served with black rice.
Its signature dishes are poke bowls and the Maru Sushi Bowl, he said.
Joy Grill, which has not yet opened, specializes in “affordable Korean BBQ and healthy meal options,” Clark said.
“The menu features a diverse range of dishes for both lunch and dinner,” he said.
Joy Grill did not yet have a website or telephone number as of Monday.
Clark said Maru Sushi and Poke “invites guests to embark on a culinary journey that celebrates the best of Japanese cuisine with a modern twist.”
“Born out of the love for both sushi and Hawaiian poke, the restaurant sets out to create a dining experience that seamlessly blends the rich traditions of Japanese culinary artistry with the fresh, vibrant flavors of Hawaii,” he said.
