TV Restaurants

What Happened to Table 52 After Best Thing I Ever Ate? (Chicago, IL)

Closed verified

As of September 2026, Table 52 has closed — confirmed via Yelp, August 2026.

Primary source
Yelp ·
Secondary source
checkplease.wttw.com

Last verified

What the source shows: A Yelp listing updated in August 2026 marks Table Fifty-Two as closed, and Chicago public-TV site WTTW's 'Check, Please!' guide separately lists it as closed, with Food Network's current directory showing the same address now operating as Blue Door Kitchen & Garden.

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What happened after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

On 'Hidden Treasures,' Food Network's restaurant listing credits host Ted Allen with featuring chef Art Smith's fried chicken at Table Fifty-Two, brined for three days before being dredged in a blend of spices and fried, and served only on Sundays. The restaurant, opened by Smith, Oprah Winfrey's former personal chef, sat at 52 W. Elm St. in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. A Yelp listing updated in August 2026 marks Table Fifty-Two as closed, and Chicago public-television site WTTW's 'Check, Please!' restaurant guide likewise lists the restaurant as closed. Food Network's current restaurant directory shows the same Elm Street address now operating as Blue Door Kitchen & Garden, described as a relaxed bistro from chef Art Smith serving Southern-leaning fare, which the listing identifies as the space formerly occupied by Table Fifty-Two. No dated source was found describing exactly when Table Fifty-Two closed or reopened under the new name.

Featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate

Season / episode
Season 3, Episode 8
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Hidden Treasures
What was featured
Chef Art Smith's Sunday-only fried chicken
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Table 52

Frequently asked questions

Is Table 52 still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Table 52 has closed — confirmed via Yelp, August 2026.

What happened to Table 52 after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

On 'Hidden Treasures,' Food Network's restaurant listing credits host Ted Allen with featuring chef Art Smith's fried chicken at Table Fifty-Two, brined for three days before being dredged in a blend of spices and fried, and served only on Sundays. As of September 2026, Table 52 has closed — confirmed via Yelp, August 2026.

Is Table 52 permanently closed?

As of September 2026, Table 52 has closed — confirmed via Yelp, August 2026. We publish a closure only with a dated source behind it, and we say plainly when it has not been independently confirmed.

Where is Table 52 located?

52 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate featured Table 52?

Season 3, Episode 8 of Best Thing I Ever Ate. The episode is titled “Hidden Treasures”.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
52 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
None found

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources

  • Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/table-fifty-two-chicago
  • checkplease.wttw.com — https://checkplease.wttw.com/restaurants/table-fifty-two-closed
  • foodnetwork.com — https://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/il/chicago/blue-door-kitchen-restaurant
  • gayot.com — https://www.gayot.com/restaurants/table-fifty-two-chicago-il-60610_5ch071003.html

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