13 DeKalb County bars, restaurants remain under watch by health officials for violating indoor dining ban

There remain 13 local bars and restaurants in DeKalb County under the watch list of both local and state health departments for not complying with the continued ban on indoor dining, according to the DeKalb County Health Department.

Of that group, 10 also have received letters of noncompliance from the Illinois Department of Public Health for failing to suspend indoor dining service as required by Gov. JB Pritzker's COVID-19 Executive Order No. 52, according to the county health department's online resurgence mitigation tracker.

Added to the list as of Nov. 25 includes Fatty’s Pub & Grille, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb and Hobbnobbers, 2030 Baren Drive in Sycamore.

DeRailed at 48 E. Railroad St. in Sandwich, along with Sidetrack Bar and Grill, 1 South Main St. in Sandwich was added Nov. 13.

The remaining establishments have been on the list since October when mitigations first began in DeKalb County’s Restore Illinois health region known as Region 1, which also includes Winnebago County west to Whiteside County, because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

PJ’s Courthouse Tavern, 202 W. State St. in Sycamore was issued a second letter from the IDPH on Nov. 25, according to the list. They were also sent one Oct. 27. Rise ‘N Shine Family Restaurant, 1640 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore also received an additional noncompliance letter from the IDPH, Nov. 25, as did Rambo’s Bar & Grill, 140 W. Market St. in Somonauk, Country Kitchen at 105 W. Market St. in Somonauk, Sycamore Cafe at 1170 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore, El Jimador at 260 E. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, Route 34 Pub and Grub at 1201 E. Church St. in Sandwich, Sam’s Family Restaurant at 11 W. North Ave. in Cortland and MVPs at 124 S. California St. in Sycamore.

Of the new restaurants added to the list, Hobnobbers is the only one that’s received a noncompliance letter from the IDPH on Nov. 25, according to the county health department. DeRailed, Sidetrack Bar and Grill and Fatty’s have only received educational letters from the county health department.

Some restaurants have been removed from the list since they came back under compliance, according to the local health department’s mitigation compliance protocols.

Barb City Bagels, 118 E. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, Kirkland Family Restaurant, 507 Main St. in Kirkland, Remington’s Gastropub, 102 S. Third St. in Malta, Genoa Cafe, 233 W. Main Street in Genoa and Lucky’s Poker (1812 Sycamore Road in DeKalb, for serving alcohol indoors) were removed from the list after coming under compliance.

The eateries called out by the IDPH also were given a “reasonable opportunity” window of time in which to come under compliance or face further consequences, according to the tracker.

The next step, if they continue to defy the indoor dining prohibition, according to the health department’s enforcement steps, will include a re-inspection from local health department officials to determine whether the establishment is complying. If they’re found to still be allowing patrons to dine inside, the establishment could be given an order for those dining inside to disperse.

If they’re still not in compliance after that fourth step, they could risk losing their food permit or being referred to the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office for an injunction.

No local bar or restaurant has made it past the IDPH letter step for compliance to date.

The county health department on Oct. 23 began publishing a list of restaurants found to be defying the indoor dining ban.

In an interview with the Daily Chronicle, local health officials said the reason for publishing the list wasn't punitive, but rather to address the large amount of public interest in the topic.

Businesses will be removed from the list if they’ve demonstrated compliance for 30 days, health officials have said.