The owners of Chicago’s Pizza in Demorest, Carlos and Rudy Hernandez, have looked to expand their business ventures with the upcoming opening of a new restaurant in Clarkesville.
The brothers have set their sights on a 5,500-square-foot building, formerly Hawg Wild BBQ, located off SR 385 in Clarkesville. The new establishment, soon-to-be known as Rustic Cabin Bar and Grill, is poised to become a popular family-friendly restaurant with seating for more than 200 guests indoors and outdoors.
The owners expect the new establishment to create between 25 to 30 new jobs.
The Hernandez brothers aim to create a unique destination in the county, offering a lively atmosphere with a mix of dining and entertainment options. Rustic Cabin Bar and Grill will feature a spacious dining area, a well-appointed bar, occasional live music, and a focus of a family-friendly atmosphere.
“We’ll have nice dining rooms with a really nice bar area with outside seating,” Carlos Hernandez said. “We’ll have some live music once in a while. We want to bring it back to life and offer something a little different from what we have around here … We’re going to keep it family-friendly, too, as much as possible.”
Carlos, who moved to Habersham County from Mexico in 2004, and his brother Rudy, who relocated from Chicago, opened Chicago’s Pizza in Clarkesville in 2005. By 2017, they had expanded to their current location in Demorest.
Now, they’re turning their attention back to Clarkesville, seizing the opportunity to renovate the former Hawg Wild BBQ space, which closed nearly a year ago.
“We saw it as an opportunity to create something for Habersham,” Rudy Hernandez said. “It’s a beautiful building, and we see potential in this place … We’re going to try to make this place a destination – instead of just another restaurant. We want to make it fun for people.”
Rustic Cabin will offer a full bar, with the bar area separate from the general dining space to maintain the family-friendly environment. The menu will feature a variety of options, including bar food, steaks, burgers, wings, sandwiches, pastas, vegetarian choices and specialty hors d’oeuvres.
“We’re trying to bring something unique that is not here locally,” Rudy Hernandez added.
Rudy Ibanez, who relocated to Habersham from Texas five years ago, will manage the new restaurant. With years of experience in the restaurant industry, both in Texas and Georgia, Ibanez is eager to take on this new challenge.
“I’m very, very excited,” Ibanez said. “Nervous but excited. I have really good people next to me that are going to support me with everything I need.”
The Hernandez brothers aim to open Rustic Cabin by the end of the summer. With extensive renovations already underway, Carlos and Rudy believe the restaurant will become a great addition to the local community.
“It’s going to be good,” Rudy Hernandez said. “It’s going to be a destination for people…we look forward to the community’s support. Hopefully, they find this a good place to come and spend time with their families.”
Carlos Hernandez agreed, stating, “I can see a lot of promise here.”
