The thing about Lovell’s of Lake Forest is that it was never just a place to grab a steak. It was a museum you could eat in. Honestly, where else could you order a wedge salad while sitting ten feet away from a lunar module replica?
Lake Forest, Illinois, is known for its quiet wealth and old-money mansions, but for fifteen years, this specific spot on Waukegan Road was the center of the universe. Or at least the center of NASA’s history in the Midwest.
The Mission Behind Lovell’s of Lake Forest
Captain James Lovell—yes, the "Houston, we have a problem" Apollo 13 commander—didn't just lend his name to the front door. He was there. Frequently. You’d see him in the dining room, a living legend who just happened to be checking if your sea bass was cooked right.
The restaurant opened in 1999. It wasn't some tiny bistro; it was a massive, 17,000-square-foot brick estate that looked like it belonged to a Gilded Age baron. Inside, the walls were a shrine.
We’re talking authentic space suits. Original flight logs. Rare photos from the Gemini and Apollo missions. It felt like a high-end country club crashed into the Smithsonian. Jay Lovell, Jim’s son and a classically trained chef, ran the kitchen. He brought a level of technical skill that made the food more than just "celebrity restaurant" fare.
Why the doors actually closed
People often ask why a place with that much star power (literally) would ever shut down. It’s a mix of timing and the changing habits of the North Shore.
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By 2014, the fine-dining landscape in the Chicago suburbs was shifting. People wanted "casual-upscale" rather than "white-tablecloth formal." The building itself was also a beast to maintain. Imagine the heating bill for a three-story mansion with vaulted ceilings.
The family officially put the property on the market in 2013 for about $3.5 million. Jay Lovell was pretty blunt about it at the time—he wanted something smaller. He wanted to focus on the food without the overhead of a massive estate.
Lovell’s of Lake Forest served its final meal on April 12, 2015.
It was an emotional night. The community showed up in droves to say goodbye to a landmark that had defined local dining for a generation.
What happened to all that space gear?
This is the question that keeps collectors awake at night. When a restaurant filled with NASA history closes, where does the history go?
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Most of the personal memorabilia went back to the Lovell family or was donated to museums like the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. However, before the building transitioned to its next life, there was a massive public auction.
They sold everything.
The chairs. The kitchen equipment. Even the "Captain’s Table" where Jim used to sit.
It’s kinda weird to think about a piece of a legendary restaurant sitting in someone’s basement in Highland Park, but that’s the reality of a business liquidation.
The transition to Highwood
If you’re still craving that Lovell-style hospitality, you aren’t totally out of luck. After the Lake Forest location closed, Jay and his wife Darice opened Jay Lovell’s in nearby Highwood.
It’s basically the antithesis of the original.
No three-story atrium. No tuxedoed servers.
Instead, it’s a strip-mall gem that serves some of the best fried chicken and burgers in Lake County. It’s intimate. It’s noisy. It’s exactly what the family wanted after years of managing the "mansion."
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Why the legacy still matters in Lake Forest
Even though the building at 915 South Waukegan Road has seen different uses since 2015, locals still refer to it as "the Lovell building." It’s ingrained in the town's geography.
Captain Lovell himself remained a fixture in the community for years. Sadly, James Lovell passed away in August 2025 at the age of 97. His passing marked the end of an era, not just for space exploration, but for the suburban Chicago culture he helped shape.
The restaurant was a bridge. It turned a cold, distant historical event—the Moon race—into something warm and tangible. You could touch the history while sharing a bottle of wine.
Actionable Insights for the North Shore Foodie
If you're looking to capture the spirit of what Lovell’s of Lake Forest represented, here is how you can still engage with that history today:
- Visit Jay Lovell’s in Highwood: For a taste of the culinary lineage, go to their current spot on Sheridan Road. Order the "Chicken and Cream"—it’s a nod to the old school.
- Check the Adler Planetarium: If you missed the memorabilia at the restaurant, the Adler houses a significant collection of Captain Lovell’s artifacts, including his actual Apollo 13 flight suit.
- Explore Lake Forest History: The Lake Forest-Lake Bluff History Center keeps archives on the restaurant's impact on the city's development and its role as a social hub.
The era of the "celebrity mansion restaurant" might be over, but the story of a family that brought the moon down to a Chicago suburb is one for the books.