The Parks: Cimino’s Kitchen opens in Machesney Park after renovating former Onyx space
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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MACHESNEY PARK — A new bar and restaurant featuring Cimino’s Italian cuisine and a wide selection of bourbons and cocktails has opened near the corner of North Second Street and West Lane Road.
The Parks: Cimino’s Kitchen, 1001 West Lane Road, is the result of nearly three months of renovations owners Matt Brickson and Brad Steele made after buying the former Onyx Bar and Restaurant. The Parks had its soft opening last week.
“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback so far with the people who have been in with the amount of changes,” Brickson said. “A lot of people are saying they don’t feel like they’re in the same building.”
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The new look creates an industrial chic style with a hardwood backdrop to the bar, where rows of roughly 40 bourbons and whiskeys are set up for selection.
The main bar space also has five TVs, with an 85-inch screen at the center flanked by two TVs on each side to rise from the bar to nearly the ceiling.
The front section of the space is a more traditional bar atmosphere with plush leather high-top seating. Past that is table seating designed as a family friendly setting.
“Our vision came to life and we’d love to have everybody come and enjoy it with us,” Steele said.
There will still be tweaks to the decor in the coming weeks, with a goal to showcase key places and history of Loves Park and Machesney Park.
The menu features a selection of gourmet and classic pizzas, calzones, pastas, poor boy sandwiches and entrees such as 16-ounce ribeye steak, cod Italiano and a honey glazed blackened salmon, to name a few options.
The menu was created by Sam Cimino, owner of Cimino’s Little Italy on Challenge Street in Freeport. That’s also where The Parks staff trained in preparation for opening in Machesney Park.
“The name Cimino has a history and tradition in this area,” Brickson said.
Popular so far has been the chicken George, a dinner of homemade and hand-breaded chicken tenderloins with house-made Mama’s sauce, Sam’s sauce, barbecue or ranch. It comes with one to three sides depending on the size you order.
The owners have also seen their first customers flock to Mimi’s gourmet meatballs, an appetizer of three homemade meatballs with pesto, Alfredo, marinara sauce and mozzarella, and the burrata brushetta made with fresh tomato, basil, burrata and pesto drizzled with honey and balsamic glaze.
There’s also a seasonal drink selection with a rotation of different margaritas and martinis.
The owners, who are making their first foray into the bar and restaurant business, met at Onyx as customers more than a decade ago.
Now they’re eager to welcome their own customers to a space created around their vision for a family-friendly restaurant and bar.
“It’s been a long process: Three months of remodeling. Long nights, long days,” Brickson said. “To start with a vision and actually see it come together with a few tweaks here and there is really rewarding.”
About | The Parks: Cimino’s Kitchen
Where: 1001 West Lane Road, Machesney Park
Hours: 11 a.m to midnight daily; kitchen closes at 10 p.m.
On the web: TheParks4289.com
On Facebook: Go HERE
Phone: 815-316-3999
Email: admin@theparks4289.com
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
