Machine is the new restaurant and florist from the Headquarters team

Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Machine, a new Wicker Park restaurant that serves upscale American dishes and fancy cocktails inside a space that doubles as a flower shop, opens Monday night. The sleek restaurant is one of 2019’s most anticipated restaurant openings, taking over the former Taus Authentic space at 1846 W. Division Street. Ownership hopes they can satiate locals during the day with lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends. Nightly, Machine will morph info a sleek spot for dinner and a drink.

Owners Brian Galati and Chireal Jordan also run Headquarters Beercade in River North and Machine shows the pair are branching out with a full-service restaurant. Despite a lack of vintage arcade games, there’s still an interactive aspect at Machine. Four drinks come with hammers. Don’t worry, the tools are quickly whisked away from alcohol-drinking customers before they can think of a more mischievous way to use them. The hammers are used to shatter brûléed-like textures on the drinks’s surfaces before drinkers consumer their cocktails. Other drinks come with eye droppers filled with fluids like rose water for another little layer of customization.

The dinner menu includes a burger with foie gras, an al pastor-style Portabella mushroom sandwich for lunch, and veal osso buco. Shrimp and grits, plus Brussels sprouts and short rib are brunch highlights.

The space has two bars and the front bar area also houses the flower shop. Customers could find a bouquet there. There’s also a roving cart that will assemble table centerpieces which can be taken home. The back area is divided with a fixture that gives a bit more intimacy.

Look at the menus and take a tour of the space below. Machine opens tonight in Wicker Park.

Machine, 1846 W. Division Street, reservations via Tock, open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for dinner on weekdays; open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner on weekdays; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. Bar will stay open until 2 a.m. everyday except on Saturday into Sunday when it closes at 3 a.m. Late-night menu from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. nightly and 2:30 am. on Sundays.