A Downtown CR Restaurant is Opening an New Venue [PHOTOS]

Almost a year ago, the restaurant Chophouse Downtown opened at 411 1st St SE in Cedar Rapids. Now, the restaurant is expanding! The owners of Chophouse Downtown Ryan and Joseph Avila-Burillo have purchased the space right next door, and are preparing to open a new event venue called Chophouse Reserve.

Chophouse Downtown and Chophouse Reserve are located on the first floor of the historic Hach Building, which was originally built in the 1890s. The building began as a wagon factory, but has been home to many different business over the years. Most recently, it was the headquarters of Office Elements.

When you first walk through the glass doors into Chophouse Reserve, you'll step inside a cocktail/lounge area, complete with a TV, comfortable furniture, and a fireplace. You'll also notice other unique features, like red brick walls and gorgeous exposed wood ceilings. Look to your left, and there's a door to a two story vault, which will be transformed into a wine cellar. The vault contains a huge safe, which has been around since the building was first constructed, and a spiral staircase. The owners plan to have a timeline of the building's long history on the same wall as the vault entrance.

Further into the venue is an open area, where tables and chairs can be arranged to the needs of the guests. There will be mobile bars, as well. The space can be used for a casual event, or something more fancy. One of the best features is the large windows, which let in plenty of natural light. There's also a small glass conference room that can be utilized.

Chophouse Reserve is not an ordinary event venue. Another area of the building will contain a full kitchen and a chef's table, which can be booked for special meals. The chef's table will have seating for 12 to 15 people, and guests will be able to watch their meal being cooked right in front of them by Chef Joseph Avila-Burillo. The owners also plan to use the area for cooking classes and demonstrations. The entire venue will be very "chef-driven," with plenty of in-house catering options.

Combined, Chophouse Downtown and Chophouse Reserve take up over 15,000 square feet, allowing for 580 guests. The new addition is perfect for team building events, meetings, and parties. Chophouse Reserve will open later on this month, coinciding with Chophouse Downtown's one-year anniversary. They hope to have the chef's table up and running by early November. Owners Joe and Ryan are also working on purchasing another piece of commercial real estate in town to expand their concept. You can get the latest updates on the Chophouse Downtown Facebook page HERE.