Chicago’s crowded steakhouse scene will welcome another contender in December with Dēliz, a neighborhood Italian spot opening in the former Etta space at 1840 W. North Avenue. Restaurateur Steve Gogolab and chef Jake Peterson are aiming to create a restaurant that feels both polished and approachable.
Gogolab, who helped launch STK restaurants across the country, notes that the goal is to balance elegance with comfort. “It’s done through hospitality,” Gogolab says. “We want people to come in here, whether it’s families or celebrities … everyone feels like they’re part of one social dining experience.”
Dēliz, derived from the Italian word for “delicious,” occupies a two-level space designed to offer distinct yet complementary experiences. Downstairs, customers will find a more classic and intimate environment with warm lighting and soft accents that make it ideal for date nights and celebrations. A standout feature is the dramatic staircase, which Gogolab predicts will become “one of the most photographed” in the city. On the second floor, the energy ramps up with TVs showing sports, lively music, and late-night service that stretches into the early hours on weekends. “This will be a place where people can come to start their nights, to end their nights,” Gogolab says.
Peterson is overseeing a menu that combines classic steakhouse fare with Italian influences. The menu is stacked with premium Midwest steaks and full-blooded Australian wagyu, prized for its pure Japanese lineage, all cooked on custom Argentinian-style grills. Pastas will be made in-house, featuring seasonal stuffed creations and gluten-free options. Other highlights will include charred Spanish octopus with ’nduja sugo and smoked potato, and a seafood tower — stacked with oysters, shrimp, lobster, and crab — that arrives theatrically in a swirl of fog from dry ice.
It’s a new but familiar chapter for Peterson. He ran Etta’s kitchen in the same space and now joins Dēliz as a partner. “Steve came in and had the food at Etta and fell in love with it,” Peterson says. “We just got to talking, and he asked me to stay on. I’m really excited to move forward with something great.”
Jessica Scott — named Pastry Chef of the Year by the Nevada Restaurant Association in 2022 — consulted on the dessert menu. Highlights include a Basque cheesecake layered with pistachio mousse and chocolate mirror glaze, along with playfully presented tiramisu — chocolate “pearls” resembling caviar sit atop espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and a salted rum caramel swirl.
The menu will offer luxuries like truffle. Matt Reeves
Basque cheesecake will be a dessert option. Matt Reeves
The beverage program at Dēliz pairs the food with a mix of reimagined cocktails: a cannoli-infused espresso martini, a citrusy cosmopolitan with Italian bergamot and Cedro lemon, and an Old Fashioned with fig-infused black walnut liqueur and caramelized honey syrup. The wine list spotlights Italian and New World producers, including select reserve bottles, all housed in a dedicated cellar.
Etta had its last night of service on Sunday, October 19, clearing the way for Dēliz. This marks the end of the restaurant’s Chicago presence, following the 2024 closure of its River North location and a dramatic multistate bankruptcy filing, though a Scottsdale outpost remains in operation. Etta was founded in 2018 by David Pisor and James Lasky, the duo behind Gold Coast steakhouse Maple & Ash. After a contentious split between the partners in 2022, Pisor launched the Etta Collective, which comprised Etta, Aya Pastry, and Cafe Sophie. All three of the group’s restaurants in Chicago have now shuttered.
Gogolab assisted in the redesign of Etta Scottsdale and quickly became a fan of the restaurant. When he learned the Bucktown location was closing, he seized the opportunity to take over the space. Gogolab relocated from Las Vegas and lives in the same neighborhood as Dēliz. For him, this project is just the start of what he has planned for Chicago.
“Chicago is one of the best restaurant cities in America,” Gogolab says. “I fell in love with the fabric that makes up this city — and I wanted to be part of it.”
Dēliz is located at 1840 W. North Avenue. Opens December.
Dining and Cooking