Wishbone dates back to July 1990, when Chef Joel Nickson opened the original 23-seat spot on West Grand Avenue with a concept he called "southern reconstruction cooking" — Dixie standards reworked with less added sugar, heavy oil, and deep frying than the tradition usually calls for. A larger location followed on Washington Blvd in 1992, and after 27 years there, Wishbone relocated to its current home on North Jefferson Street in the West Loop in 2018. The restaurant marked 35 years in business in 2025.
The menu runs on dishes like baked bone-in ham, blackened catfish, and Carolina crab cakes, paired with a mix-and-match lineup of sides — sautéed spinach, mashed sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese among them.
Chicken and waffles has become the dish regulars specifically return for, and Wishbone has built a reputation as a West Loop brunch destination, with diners citing attentive service and consistency as reasons they keep coming back.
The restaurant has also drawn coverage from The Infatuation as part of the city's dining conversation.
The menu runs on dishes like baked bone-in ham, blackened catfish, and Carolina crab cakes, paired with a mix-and-match lineup of sides — sautéed spinach, mashed sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese among them.
Chicken and waffles has become the dish regulars specifically return for, and Wishbone has built a reputation as a West Loop brunch destination, with diners citing attentive service and consistency as reasons they keep coming back.
The restaurant has also drawn coverage from The Infatuation as part of the city's dining conversation.