Sudden Hooters Shutdown in Rockford Sparks Restaurant Nostalgia

In case you missed the news, the Hooters restaurant on Argus Dr. in Rockford has suddenly and permanently closed after 24 years of business.

I haven't eaten at Hooters in a very long time, but it's still sad to see any place that has been in Rockford for a long time close, and I'm not the only one who feels that way.

I think what makes this Hooters closure harder to digest is that the company just said they were "here to stay" despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in April.

The truth is, Rockford has been on a bad streak of restaurant closings in the last couple of months, and because of that we decided to ask area residents one very important question:

"What’s a Rockford area restaurant you haven’t gotten over since it shut down?"

After filtering through hundreds of responses, we quickly discovered there are a LOT of restaurants people living in Northern Illinois really want back.

Restaurants Rockford Residents Miss the Most

Whenever I'm asked what restaurant I miss most in the Rockford area, my automatic answer is Diamond Dave's.

I have so many fond memories of eating at Diamond Dave's with family and friends, so I might miss the vibe more than the actual food, but both were good!

Ready to take a walk down memory lane? Here are some of the restaurants people in the Rockford area miss the most:

• Maria’s
• Maid-Rite
• Der Rathskeller
• Chens
• Tumbleweeds
• Don Pablos
• Dom's Pizza
• Cheddars
• Bishops
• Cafe Grecco

What other former Rockford restaurants do you think need to be added to this massive list? Send us an app message and let us know!

Get our free mobile app