IRS SHUTS DOWN I-57 BARBECUE RESTAURANT

Another IRS Raid Shuts Down a Popular South Side Barbecue Restaurant

I-57 Rib House is in Morgan Park. I-57 Rib HouseFor the second time this week, Internal Revenue Service special agents and Chicago police teamed up to shut down a popular restaurant. The second incident happened around noon on Thursday when a raid forced I-57 Smoke House and I-57 Rib House, two barbecue joints in South Side Morgan Park, to close. Agents provided the same response they did Wednesday when raids shut down all three Parlor Pizza Bars in West Loop, Wicker Park, and River North: the state’s revenue department told Fox 32 Chicago that agents were looking for evidence that would support violations of the tax code. I-57’s owners told Fox that they planned to reopen Friday. I-57 is known for its baby-back ribs and Chicago-style rib tips and has two sibling restaurants that have become destinations for barbecue fans, including celebrity pitmaster Meathead Goldwyn. The state revenue department didn’t say whether the I-57 closures, coupled with the Parlor raids, means that agents are cracking down on Chicago restaurants. A rep emailed Eater Chicago the same statement it sent to other media outlets, reiterating “it cannot comment on the status of ongoing investigations, however, or even acknowledge their existence due to confidentiality provisions in the tax laws.” Parlor’s ownership continues to avoid public comment, but reservations were available online for Friday tables at all three of its locations.