Seven Treasures, home of the 554, closing in Chinatown

Seven Treasures, the beloved Chinatown restaurant best known for the 554 and wonton noodles served late into the night, will close permanently Aug. 15.

Owner Ben Au said he’s ready to retire.

A hot pot restaurant will replace Seven Treasures, Au said in Cantonese, in the dining room just before closing time at 2 a.m. Monday. He owns the building but not the new business, which has leased the space. Au declined to name the new restaurant, because he did not have permission, he said. The space will be closed for renovation for about two months, he added.

His father, Chung Leung Au, opened Seven Treasures on Wentworth Avenue in 1986. The 554, a dish that takes its name from a numbered place on a former menu, offers char siu and fried eggs over steamed rice, all drizzled with soy sauce. The restaurant is one of the increasingly few family-owned businesses in Chinatown.

While Chicago’s Chinatown has been cited as booming while others across the country fade, many of the biggest new businesses are global brands, with a number of notable hot pot restaurants among them. Haidilao Hot Pot, Shoo Loong Kan Hotpot and Qiao Lin Hotpot have all opened in just the past few years.

The oldest restaurant in Chicago’s Chinatown is the family-owned Three Happiness on Cermak Road, opened in 1971. By comparison, Nom Wah in New York City was founded in 1920, and Sam Wo in San Francisco was founded in 1908.

Au said he plans to keep Seven Treasures open until 2 a.m. as usual on its last night, but might need to close earlier if they run out of food.

The social media account Chicago Chinatown first posted notice of the closure online, resulting in hundreds of comments.

2312 S. Wentworth Ave., 312-225-2668

lchu@chicagotribune.com

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