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Hattie B's Hot Chicken licenses second Chicago location in Wicker Park

Hattie B's Hot Chicken licenses second Chicago location in Wicker Park

Money Moves Chicago, IL local

Nashville chain opens the Damen Avenue space Urbanbelly left for Fulton Market after passing city inspections

October 23rd, 2026: Chicago issues liquor and food licenses

Overview

Updated Nov 1

Hattie B's opened its second Chicago restaurant in Wicker Park in October 2026, taking the 1542 N. Damen Ave. corner that Urbanbelly occupied for about a decade. The 83-seat location has indoor and patio seating; Urbanbelly moved to Fulton Market in May.

The Wicker Park debut followed the chain's first Chicago restaurant in Wrigleyville, which opened in February 2026. Hattie B's plans a third Chicago address at 58 E. Ontario St. in River North next year.

Why it matters

The opening tests whether a Nashville chain can win Wicker Park after displacing a decade-old local restaurant.

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Key Indicators

16
Hattie B's locations when Wrigleyville opened
Chain's footprint in February 2026; Chicago is its first Midwest market.
2
Chicago locations open
Wrigleyville opened in February 2026; Wicker Park opened in October 2026. River North is planned.
83
Seats at Wicker Park location
65 inside plus 18 on the patio.

Voices

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People Involved

NJ
Nick Bishop Jr.
Co-founder and operator, Hattie B's Hot Chicken
Leading the chain's Midwest expansion with two Chicago restaurants open and River North planned
BK
Bill Kim
Chef and founder, Urbanbelly
Reopened Urbanbelly in Fulton Market in May 2026 after closing the Wicker Park location

Organizations Involved

Hattie B's Hot Chicken
Hattie B's Hot Chicken
Restaurant chain
Two Chicago restaurants open; River North planned

Nashville hot chicken chain known for a heat scale running from mild to scorching with ghost, habanero and cayenne peppers.
Urbanbelly
Urbanbelly
Restaurant
Reopened in Fulton Market in May 2026 after closing its Wicker Park location

Asian street food restaurant that moved from Wicker Park to Fulton Market in 2026.
Paulie Gee's Wicker Park
Paulie Gee's Wicker Park
Restaurant
Ran a limited-time Hattie B's pizza from Oct. 16-31, 2026

Wicker Park pizzeria teaming with Hattie B's on a hot chicken pizza that benefits No Kid Hungry.

Timeline

August 2012 October 2026

10 events Latest: October 23rd, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Chicago issues liquor and food licenses

    Latest Regulatory

    The city issues a liquor-on-premises license and a retail food license for 1542 N Damen Ave.

  2. Inspections pass after re-inspection

    Regulatory

    The license inspection and a re-inspection both pass for the Damen location.

  3. License inspections fail twice

    Regulatory

    City inspections at the Damen location return two failures and one not-ready result.

  4. Wicker Park location opens

    Opening

    Hattie B's opened its second Chicago restaurant at 1542 N. Damen Ave. in October 2026, the company said. The location has indoor and patio seating.

  5. First license inspection: not ready

    Regulatory

    City inspection finds the Damen location not ready to be inspected; the result is not a failure.

  6. Urbanbelly reopens in Fulton Market

    Opening

    The restaurant moved from its Wicker Park corner after the lease ended and reopened in Fulton Market in May 2026.

  7. Wicker Park space confirmed

    Announcement

    Block Club reports Hattie B's will take over Urbanbelly's corner space at 1542 N Damen Ave, targeting early 2027.

  8. First Chicago location opens in Wrigleyville

    Opening

    Hattie B's debuts at Gallagher Way on North Clark Street, its first Midwest outpost.

  9. Pop-up in Wicker Park

    Event

    Hattie B's holds a pop-up at Dove's Luncheonette, its first Chicago appearance according to the company's Wicker Park history.

  10. Hattie B's debuts in Nashville

    Founding

    Father-and-son duo Nick Bishop Sr. and Nick Bishop Jr. open the first Hattie B's just off Broadway.

Scenarios

1

Hattie B's Damen Avenue opens October 28 as scheduled

Likely Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: Block Club Chicago, which reported the Oct. 28 target, and Hattie B's, which confirmed the opening.

The Wicker Park location opened in October 2026, becoming Hattie B's second Chicago address. The 83-seat restaurant has indoor and patio seating.

2

Wicker Park opening slips into 2027

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: Block Club Chicago, which reported an 'early 2027' timeline in March; press coverage has since moved the target to late October.

Did not happen: the Wicker Park location opened in October 2026. The next Chicago opening under discussion is River North, planned for early 2027.

3

River North follows as third Chicago location in early 2027

Possible Resolves by Jul 1, 2027

Discussed by: Block Club Chicago, which confirmed the chain is prepping 58 E Ontario St.

If the Wicker Park launch goes smoothly, the Midwest push continues with a third Chicago spot at 58 E Ontario St. Block Club confirmed that location in March 2026. Its opening would signal Chicago has become a core market for the Nashville brand.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1940s

Prince's Hot Chicken (1940s)

Thornton Prince founded Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in a Nashville neighborhood, creating the city's signature fried chicken style: crisp, fiery, served on white bread with pickles. It stayed a local institution for decades.

Then

Prince's became Nashville's standard-bearer for hot chicken.

Now

A citywide hot chicken obsession grew, and later chains such as Hattie B's took the dish national.

Why this matters now

Hattie B's is the most visible chain to export a dish that stayed local for roughly 70 years, giving its Chicago arrival cultural weight.

2016

Urbanbelly opens in Wicker Park (2016)

Chef Bill Kim opened the Asian street food restaurant at 1542 N Damen Ave in 2016, serving ramen, dumplings and other dishes in a corner space beside the Damen Blue Line station.

Then

It operated for a decade, sharing the space with Discourse Coffee since 2025.

Now

The lease ends and Urbanbelly plans to relocate, per operator Cornerstone Restaurant Group.

Why this matters now

Hattie B's taking this address displaces a decade-old local business, showing how chain expansion reshapes Chicago neighborhood retail.

Sources

(12)
+6
City of Chicago Data Portal Block Club Chicago Chicago Star Media Hattie B's Hot Chicken Stories From the 78 GutCheck Chicago Chicago Food Magazine NBC Chicago Eater Chicago Hattie B's Hot Chicken on LinkedIn City of Chicago Data Portal Block Club Chicago