New outdoor option at Niko’s Red Mill Tavern

WOODSTOCK – When restaurant owner Niko Kanakaris added his signature “Niko’s” to the front end of Red Mill Tavern in January 2011, signifying his purchase of the long-standing establishment, he had not planned to take on a substantial construction project.

It only took a few weeks to think otherwise.

“I realized that if I don’t close it down and remodel it and give it a new feel, we aren’t going to accomplish what I want to accomplish,” Kanakaris said.

Kanakaris, 36, closed the place down for more than a month to renovate the inside, from the kitchen to the bar, floors to plumbing. When he opened it back up in March 2011, it was a Niko’s Red Mill Tavern more fit to his vision.

His next project was to add an outdoor dining area. He put in a wooden patio and bar, enclosed to the weather from above but open to the air.

The outdoor seating opened earlier this year, and Kanakaris said it’s proved to be a worthy project.

“We needed some more seating capacity and I really like outdoor dining and outdoor bars, so I really wanted to do an enclosed addition,” Kanakaris said. “I think it’s been very accepted by the area and great clientele that we have.”

In all, the outdoor area can seat between 30 and 35 people. About a dozen of those seats are situated around an L-shaped bar, facing a flat-screen TV.

Kanakaris said the warm weather this spring helped draw people outside.

Lindsey Spatafora, general manager of Red Mill, added that the Woodstock community was short on outdoor patio options, a niche she saw Kanakaris identify early.

“He’s got a restaurant gene,” Spatafora said. “He sees potential in places.”

Niko’s Red Mill Tavern is one of five of Kanakaris’ restaurants.

He also owns Thirsty Whale Bar & Grill in Algonquin, Pinecrest Restaurant in Huntley, Niko’s Lodge in Wasco and his most recent opening, Niko’s Lodge in the Algonquin Commons.

Niko’s Grill and Pub in Huntley closed in October due to declining sales.

Right now, Kanakaris said, the smaller restaurants like the tavern in Woodstock are performing the best.

“Smaller is better, especially in a down economy,” Kanakaris said. “At Red Mill, at any given time I could have five, six employees there.”

By contrast, the Lodge in Algonquin, which opened in late January, requires between 35 and 40 employees to run efficiently.

“It’s more of a full menu than Red Mill,” he said. “There’s more steaks, seafood and pasta there. Red Mill’s more of a tavern – good sandwiches, good burgers, good salads.”

Kanakaris said the lodge is doing well, but he’s not able to stay open all day during the week. The restaurant is open for dinner daily, but only serves lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“There’s not enough business – industrial and corporate businesses in the area – to support lunch,” he said. “Maybe some day when the area builds up, it would support it. But right now I think it’d be a bad decision.”

Niko's Red Mill Tavern:
What: A Woodstock restaurant specializing in sandwiches, burgers and salads, and now with outdoor seating.
Where: 1040 Lake Ave., Woodstock
Information: Call 815-338-6455 or visit www.redmilltavern.com