Trail's Edge, Formerly Smokey Barque, Plans Grand Reopening

FRANKFORT, IL — After being closed for months for remodeling, the downtown Frankfort restaurant formerly known as Smokey Barque will officially reopen under its new name, Trail's Edge Brewery, later this month. The grand opening for the renamed establishment at 20 Kansas St., is set for May 18, according to the restaurant.

Renovations that began in January added brewery operations at the location, and at the grand opening, customers will be able to sample some of the craft beers that now will be brewed on the premises. South suburban bands Coopers Grove and Morgan Station Music will perform at the event.

Smokey Barque's transformation into Trail's Edge isn't just about a new name and an added brewery. The eatery's revamped menu will feature a vareity of new items, such as truffle potato wedges and shrimp taquitos, to go with many of its signature barbecue dishes.

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"Trail’s Edge channels antiquated charm through materials salvaged from the region’s agricultural and industrial heritage," the restaurant's rebranded website states. "Hand-hewn beams and wooden walls reclaimed from barns of the Midwest, light fixtures, tables and architectural pieces carefully salvaged from factories from Chicago to Milwaukee, and antiques that harken back to Frankfort’s past as a quaint stop along the Old Plank Trail."

Sitting at the spot of the village's first hotel and livery in 1885, the restaurant opened its doors as Smokey Barque in late 2011 (it's grand opening was in February 2012). Before that, the location had been the longtime home of Jenny's Steak House, which moved to Mokena in 2012.

Go to the website and Facebook page for Trail's Edge for more details about the grand opening and what will be changing at the restaurant.

Trail's Edge, formerly Smokey Barque, in Frankfort (Image via Google Earth)