Every restaurateur has his or her own inspiration. For Reed Merdinger, founder of Clucker’s Charcoal Chicken, it was a trip to Mexico.

“In Mexico City, I saw this concept that was unbelievable,” said Merdinger, a New...

Like the flavors in the meat it smokes daily, City Barbeque has layers to its business.

The Ohio-based company recently brought those layers — and flavors — to Deerfield as part of a rapid Midwest expansion.

It’s often said that when one door closes, another opens. 

When Wayne Poon heard his friend was going to retire and close Northtown Mandar Inn, he jumped on the opportunity to turn the restaurant into something new....