When chef Joel Nickson and wife Julie first opened the doors at Wishbone in 1990, they entered into the Chicago restaurant scene with a clear mission: serve up comforting Southern cooking favorites in a remarkably down-to-earth atmosphere.
With menu favorites stretching from cheesy grits and red beans and rice, to chicken and waffles omelets and Cajun shrimp, Wishbone became a local favorite, drawing in seemingly everyone from neighborhood regulars and suburban day trippers to local politicians and celebrities.
Now, after nearly four decades of dishing out their famously savory, down-home dishes, the longtime Oak Park couple is officially winding down operations and closing their West Loop eatery, now located at 161 No. Jefferson St…