Courtright’s Fact Sheet
Name: Courtright’s Restaurant
Meaning: Named after owners William and Rebecca Courtright. The use of their surname is a gesture honoring the hospitality heritage begun with the 1956 opening of Ken’s, the first Courtright family restaurant on the south side of Chicago.
Location: Nestled alongside a
15-mile stretch of forest preserve on two acres of woodland, Courtright’s
Restaurant is a convenient 25-minute drive west of Chicago’s downtown
Loop.
Courtright’s
8989 South Archer Avenue
Willow Springs, IL 60480
Phone: 708-839-8000
Fax: 708-839-8001
www.courtrights.com
Owners: William and Rebecca Courtright
Opened: March 29, 1995
Concept: A 4-star destination restaurant, Courtright’s offers guests the opportunity to experience true American Fine Dining in a gracious woodland setting. Conveniently located just 25 minutes west of Chicago’s downtown Loop, Courtright’s attracts food and wine enthusiasts from the entire Chicagoland area as well international wine makers, wine aficionados and celebrities–who often make a point of stopping in to enjoy William and Rebecca Courtright’s heartfelt brand of Midwestern hospitality.
Philosophy: The essence of fine dining is the perfect synthesis of fine wine, exquisite food, impeccable service and a gracious setting.
Architecture / Interior: True to the Arts and Crafts style of architecture, Courtright’s interior features rich oak woodwork, a stunning hand-woven recreation of a William Morris rug and a series of murals, carvings and an etched stained-glass window that represents the different generations of the Courtright hospitality legacy. A stained-glass window in the lounge features the Tree of Life, reflecting William and Rebecca’s outstretched arms in the hospitality industry. Also in the lounge, a hand painted tile mural depicts the progressive Courtright generations in the hospitality world, all beginning with Ken and Sally Courtright. Each tree represents one of William’s three siblings and their families. The carvings above the fireplace in the main dining room represent William and Rebecca and each of their four children.
Main Dining Room: The elegant yet inviting main dining room displays expansive views of the four-season outdoor garden, surrounding woodlands and wildlife through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Unique Features:
• 2 acres of woodland
• Four-season garden and gazebo perfect for strolling, private parties
and weddings
• 25,000-bottle custom-built wine cellar
• Two event spaces: private upstairs dining room and private cellar
dining room
• Two fireplaces
• Arts and Crafts style fireplace mantelpieces depicting the Courtright
family legacy in hand-painted tiles
• Hand-carved mantelpiece in the main dining room representing William
and Rebecca’s four children
• William Morris reproduction rug
• In-house arts and crafts workshop for the creation of decorations
for the restaurant and private events
Rooms:
Dining Room 120 Guests
Private Upstairs Dining Room 50 Guests
Private Cellar Dining Room 10-16 Guests
Lounge/Bar 34 Guests
Wine Cellar:
Courtright’s custom-built 25,000-bottle capacity wine cellar is an integral
part of the 4-star dining experience. William Courtright has hand-selected
more than 17,000 bottles of wine over the last 30 years. The cellar is maintained
at a constant 59 degrees, ensuring that each bottle arrives at the table in
perfect condition. Built with the finest redwoods, the walls of the wine
cellar display the signatures of visiting wine makers spanning the globe:
• Santiago Achaval of Achaval-Ferrer, Mendoza, Argentina
• Tim Mondavi of Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, USA
• Jean-Michel Cazes of Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux, France
• Louisa Ponzi of Ponzi Vineyards, Willamette Valley, USA
• David Whitehouse of Trefethen, Napa Valley, USA
Private Cellar Dining Room:
With a full view of Courtright’s award-winning 25,000- bottle wine cellar,
guests feel as though they are dining in the cellar itself – surrounded
by an exclusive collection of coveted wines, rare vintages and large format
bottles.
Elegant surroundings and state-of-the-art audio visual capabilities make this
room perfect for intimate memorable gatherings.
Unique features:
• Wi-fi
• Cable and satellite
• Invisible, remote drop-down LCD
• Custom designed, multi-course degustation menus
with wine pairings
• A stunning 18th Century style, double-pedestal mahogany table with
satin inlay
• Intricately carved Chippendale chairs
• Magnificent oak floors
• Tongue-and-groove redwood walls
• A buttery-soft, burgundy leather sofa
• Luxuriously hued, handknotted Indian Agra rug
• Muted lighting
Outdoor/Garden:
The floor-to-ceiling dining room windows look out onto a four-season garden
that is as picturesque as a movie set. The charming scene is broken into three
distinct terraces that move the eye upwards toward the trees and bordering
forest preserve where deer and wildlife frolic throughout the year. On the
lowest level of the garden, an array of birdbaths and fountains accentuate
the distinctly American style manicured garden, attracting a wide range of
wildlife and rare birds. A stone walkway winds through the grass leading up
a gentle staircase to the semi-formal garden featuring a picture-perfect gazebo.
The path continues up to slow-growth oaks that border the garden and the forest
preserve, and then curves down to an open-air patio and manicured garden.
Chef:
Executive Chef: Jerome Bacle
Wine Philosophy:
The wine program reflects William’s lifelong passion for wine, his inquisitiveness,
his impeccable palate and a dedication to pleasing his guests. In keeping
with the restaurant’s focus on American Fine Dining, the wine cellar
primarily represents American wines from the major growing regions: California,
Oregon and Washington. A strong vertical selection from France, Italy and
Australia rounds out the world class wine list. American vintages comprise
approximately 60 % of the collection, which is heavily weighted towards red
wines. Selections are made to complement the locally grown, seasonal ingredients
found in Chef Jerome Bacle’s Contemporary American Cuisine.
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Private Parties:
• 7 days/week, lunch and/or dinner hours
Holiday Lunch:
• Served during December
• Tuesday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dress Code: Sophisticated Casual
* Coat & tie not required
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Celebrity / VIP Guests:
Valdas Adamkus, President of Lithuania
Mario Andretti, NASCAR
Carlton Fisk, Chicago White Sox
Dale Jarrett, NASCAR
Keanu Reeves, Actor
Jaclyn Smith, Actress
Shelley Winters, Actress