New Hollywood Casino Aurora Adds Two Renowned Chicago Restaurants to its Boulevard Food & Drink Hall that will Debut this Summer

The dynamic dining experience at the new land-based casino and hotel will now also include Urbanbelly and Tabo Sushi in its star-studded lineup
 
CHICAGO (April 21, 2026) -- Hollywood Casino Aurora today announced, in partnership with McClain Camarota Hospitality (MCH), that the Boulevard Food & Drink Hall at its soon-to-open new location will feature two additional restaurants: Urbanbelly and Tabo Sushi. The two restaurants join the previously announced line-up that includes celebrity chef Stephanie Izard’s Lucky Goat, Antique Taco, Pretty Cool Ice Cream, Five50 Pizza and Dailies. The all-new Hollywood Casino Aurora at 2500 N. Farnsworth Ave. is expected to open on June 24, 2026, pending customary regulatory approvals.

To celebrate the news, this Saturday, April 25, Hollywood Aurora and MCH invite the community to get a “Taste of Hollywood” at Chicago Premium Outlets, 1650 Premium Outlet Blvd., from noon – 2 p.m. The event will feature free samples from Urbanbelly and Pretty Cool Ice Cream, photo opportunities and more, while supplies last. The event is free to attend.

The pop-up, located just outside Hollywood Aurora’s career center at Chicago Premium Outlets, also will debut the Hollywood Oasis— a Hollywood Casino branded Airstream that will be featured at area events and in the new Hollywood Aurora’s outdoor entertainment area.

“As we start counting down the days to opening, Hollywood Aurora is thrilled to offer this sneak peek to the community with delicious samples from Urbanbelly and Pretty Cool Ice Cream,” said Greg Moore, VP and General Manager at Hollywood Casino Aurora. “This pop-up event is a great way to officially rollout the Hollywood Oasis experience and help get people excited for our opening this June.”

Urbanbelly, originally opened in Chicago by renowned Chef Bill Kim and his wife Yvonne Cádiz-Kim in 2008, features a creative, yet familiar menu of dumplings, noodles and more Korean-American dishes. That restaurant success led to Chef Bill publishing his “Korean BBQ” cookbook offering 80 recipes for home cooks to master. In addition to opening at Hollywood Aurora, Urbanbelly is expected to open a new Fulton Market location in May that will replace its Wicker Park storefront closing this month. Urbanbelly is part of the Cornerstone Restaurant Group, the Chicago-based hospitality company behind several celebrated dining concepts including Michael Jordan's Steak House, The Table at Crate, and most recent Italian concept Dimmi Dimmi.

Tabo Sushi brings back the popular counter-service restaurant by James Beard Award-winning chef Takashi Yagihashi, formerly located in the Wells Street Market downtown Chicago. In addition to Tabo Sushi, Chef Takashi is the creative force behind acclaimed restaurants, including Michelin-starred Takashi and the more casual Slurping Turtle which operated until 2014 and 2019, respectively.

“When MCH set out to create Boulevard Food & Drink Hall, we were excited to return to our roots in Chicago and reach out to some of our closest friends and greatest chefs we know. Building on the success at Hollywood Casino Joliet, we can’t wait to open our doors in Aurora with the additions of Urbanbelly and Tabo Sushi,” said Shawn McClain, James Beard award-winning chef and founder of MCH.  

Both Hollywood Casino Boulevard locations are designed and operated by MCH. Visit www.HollywoodCasinoAurora.com to learn more about the new entertainment destination and available job opportunities.

About Hollywood Casino Aurora 
The new Hollywood Casino Aurora, expected to open on June 24, 2026, is being developed adjacent to the Chicago Premium Outlets, located near Interstate 88 in Aurora. The best-in-class facility will feature roughly 1,200 gaming positions, a premium hotel with 226 rooms, a retail sportsbook, outdoor entertainment area, full-service spa, high-quality bars and restaurants including Sorella by Giada, an approximately 12,000 square foot event center with meeting areas and approximately 1,700 parking spaces. Hollywood Casino Aurora is currently on the Fox River, located near Interstate 88, in Aurora, Illinois. For more information, visit: www.hollywoodcasinoaurora.com.