After 18 years of serving downtown Evanston, the Celtic Knot Public House, 626 Church St., is closing after this weekend.
Celtic Knot founder Patrick Breslin, who owns and operates the Irish restaurant and bar with his wife, Liz, said the pub’s last day of business will be Sunday, April 30.
Breslin said several factors went into the couple’s decision to close the restaurant. “Like all restaurants, we’ve been struggling with staff shortages, food inflation, beverage and alcohol inflation,” he said Wednesday night.
“Post-COVID, there’s not really as much business around the downtown area, so we’ve been struggling with getting people in the doors.”
Despite these problems, Breslin said they are searching for a new location for the Celtic Knot with the hope of reopening it.
“I’m from Ireland, and this feels like I’m leaving home again, because we have such a family within this community,” he said.
“We would like to say thank you to everybody who came in here, who was working here, who came in as customers, who came in as musicians and artists. These are the people who make community. We just set up the space for them,” said.
The Celtic Knot will have two more musical performances this weekend before it closes. The Mudflapps, a bluegrass and country band, will play 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday while Irish musician John Williams will lead traditional Irish music 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
So sorry I could not make it in on your final weekend, as I was out of town. Liz and Patrick have always been so welcoming to us whenever we arrived. I sure hope you can reopen soon… maybe in southwest Evanston (where we live) or Skokie where rents are less but customers are regulars!
I loved your restaurant and am so sorry to see you go. I was always treated so kindly when I ate there and enjoyed your authentic food so much. I hope very much you both find a new home soon.
Patrick and Liz,
Thank you for the many years of great Irish music, food and drink. I hope you will continue to stay in Evanston!
Go raibh maith agat!
Oh no! Just found out today. So sorry to hear it!
Thank you so much for years of good food, good music, and a cozy place to be at any time of year
So sorry to hear about your closing. your restaurant was so unique, not only offering great food but presenting wonderful entertainment and a go to place for many gatherings. Please try to find another place close by so we can be with you again.
We will miss the Celtic Knot! Our daughter performed there with the Sheila Tully Academy of Irish Dancers for a decade, which was so much fun, and we dined year round to celebrate family birthdays or to relax and listen to good music. Thank you Patrick and Liz for gifting us with a special and authentic Irish experience.
We truly hope Celtic Knot will stay in Evanston. We love the ambience and great Irish music. There’s nothing else like CK. We need to keep it going with our continuing patronage. Thanks for all the fun, CK, and we look forward to your next chapter here.
Oh dear, I’ll miss Celtic Knot. Best wishes for finding a new smaller place. Thanks for many cozy evenings and good Irish food. I hope you can stay in Evanston.
The Snug was a cozy spot for many, many years of EPL book group meetings. And of course, I’ll miss that restorative draught Guinness at a sidewalk table after the North Shore Century. Here’s hoping that Liz and Patrick succeed in finding a new home for the Celtic Knot in Evanston.
Any chance of moving to the Prarie Joe’s space (and perhaps adjacent building that has empty storefronts)? Central Street would welcome you.
Yes! Come to Central Street!
We will miss The Knot — it was our favorite (and pretty much only) dining spot when our son worked there. He said the owners and staff felt like family to him, and it really is the coziest place in town. All the best in the future, and of course we all hope you open up in a new Evanston location!
Oh, no, not another beautiful, cozy place in downtown Evanston with good food and good music is closing. The City leaders worry about not enough people coming to downtown, and here’s an example of why that’s happening–one less attraction in downtown. Best wishes to the owners of Celtic Knot for a speedy re-opening, in Evanston I hope.
Oh no! Best Irish Pub on the North Shore – ever!
Good luck to the Breslins.
Dear Liz and Patrick,
I planned to be back in Evanston this summer and definitely in your wonderful pub. So sorry to hear you are closing. Thanks for the good times, the excellent burgers and also for bringing me closer to the brown beer from Ireland.
Yours friend Ralf from Germany (wearing my „Knotty by Nature“ shirt in this moment)
Liz and Patrick created a real home away from home. Go raibh mile maith agat to them and all the staff.
May the Celtic Knot find a new home nearby! ☘️❤️
Heart-breaking news, I was just there for St. Patrick’s Day talking with Liz. They were always so kind to us and our theater, will miss them dearly.
Thank you Patrick and Liz for gifting Evanston an authentic Irish experience, welcoming everyone like family and providing a place where the best local musicians and their following could share quality music with out a cover
Downtown Evanston is very walkable!
So sad! This was a dandy place with great food, cozy atmosphere, and wonderful owners and staff who were like “family” to many of us…
Praying that they can re – open close by…
Respectfully,
Gregory Morrow – Evanston 4th Ward resident