Heavy-Metal Kuma's Too Opens Today (PHOTOS)

Exactly two months after first announcing their second location, owners of Avondale’s insanely popular burger bar Kuma’s Corner are opening Kuma’s Too in Lincoln Park.

Sitting at 666 W. Diversey Parkway in the space formerly occupied by The Counter, Kuma’s Too will start dishing up specialty burgers at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. And if it’s anything like it’s sister nearby eatery at 2900 W. Belmont Ave., lines are likely to be out the door.

According to co-owner Michael Cain, the space will feel exactly like Kuma’s Corner, but with a few improvements. What’s more is Cain says choosing the location was no easy—or short—decision to make.

“I found out the address was 666, and I thought, ‘You know what? That’s a sign,'” Cain said. “… I had a feeling. People thought the spot on Belmont was a horrible location, but I had a feeling, too. We’ve looked everywhere, all over the city for years. I even turned down the Venetian (Hotel) in Las Vegas because they wanted to change my concept.”

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The quick turnaround from The Counter is because the space got a makeover, but the restaurant’s bones remained the same. Kuma’s Director of Operations Luke Tobias, who oversees both restaurants, says they made the place their own, and residents are going to have the same experience they have at Kuma’s Corner.

“The menu’s the same, the hours are the same, the people running it are the same,” Tobias said. “The general manager here was the assistant manager over (at Kuma’s Corner) for five years. We have chefs from over there. It’s Kuma’s. It’s the same sh-t.”

The most noticeable similarity will be the hard-rock music blaring from the Diversey Parkway restaurant, a signature part of Kuma’s atmosphere. That’s combined with no reservations, no asking how long the wait time is over the phone, and the same, juicy burgers.

And Cain’s co-owner and brother Ron Cain says he hopes the new restaurant will also benefit East Lake View and Lincoln Park. Cain attended Monday night’s South East Lake View Neighbors meeting to introduce Kuma’s personally to the neighborhood.

“I’ve talked with a lot of the businesses in the area,” Cain began. “We frequent a lot of them, and we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response. We’re actually a destination restaurant, so hopefully it brings more foot traffic to this part of town.”

Kuma’s Too will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. during the weekdays, open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and closing at midnight on Sundays. 

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