Bar and Grill Proposed For East Side
Easton’s Bar & Grill will open next year at high-traffic location.
2028 E. North Ave. Photo taken July 26, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
More than a year after closing East Side Pub & Grill, co-owner Wanda Smith plans to return to the neighborhood with a new business and location.
Smith’s latest venture, Easton’s Bar & Grill, is proposed for 2028 E. North Ave., currently home to Taichi Bubble Tea. The new restaurant would serve casual meals such as chicken wings, smash burgers and pasta, along with vegetarian options and alcoholic beverages, according to a license application.
Smith also shared plans to renovate the dining room and kitchen in the 1,984-square-foot building, tapping Keith Schultz of SchultzWerk Architecture for the changes.
Taichi, part of a national boba chain, opened in July 2024 with a menu of teas, smoothies and savory foods including ramen and rice bowls. In her application, Smith said Taichi is set to close Dec. 1 and noted that she paid $8,000 for the business.
The storefront, situated between Whole Foods and a former taproom at the edge of Murray Hill, has seen high turnover in recent years, with previous tenants including Nice Times, Snack Boys and The Hotel Foster. A sports bar proposed for the space in early 2023 never came to fruition.
Smith previously partnered with her nephew, Kyrie, to open East Side Pub & Grill at 2178 N. Prospect Ave. The fast food restaurant debuted quietly in mid-2023, offering chicken wings, sandwiches, burgers and more, with daily specials including Friday fish fry and soul food Sunday.
It closed less than a year later, in April 2024. The building has since been demolished and the property is slated for redevelopment.
Easton’s Bar & Grill would add to a wave of change in the neighborhood’s dining scene. The nearby Crossroads Collective closed last spring, making way for Nadi Plates, while Izzy Hops is set to be replaced by Smokin’ Jack’s BBQ. Just west of Taichi, Triple Taproom & Kitchen closed in August and remains vacant. Meanwhile, new restaurants such as Saigon Baguette have recently opened, and staple spots like The Original are working to rebrand.
Pending city approval, Easton’s Bar & Grill aims to open in February 2026. The business’s proposed hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. According to the application, Easton’s would be family-friendly during the day, with a 21-and-over age limit taking effect after 10 p.m.
Neither Smith nor a representative of Taichi responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Updates on the proposed business are posted to Facebook.
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