ST. CHARLES – Joe Mastrangelo was in the process of closing his bar in Elgin when he met Andy Ahmeti, a restauranteur preparing to open a new venture in St. Charles.

The two clicked, and Mastrangelo agreed to manage the sports bar planned for the strip mall along Route 38 just east of Randall Road.

Three weeks ago, they opened Time Out Sports Pub and Grill in the former Sportsters location, 2051 Lincoln Highway.

Ahmeti also owns Flappy’s Pancake House in DeKalb.

Time Out Sports serves such eats as burgers, pizza, chili, soups, chicken sandwiches and wraps – “a little bit of everything,” Mastrangelo said. He noted everything is made fresh and that the fries are the only food Time Out Sports buys frozen.

“Our food is a step up,” he said.

Business has been up and down since the Dec. 5 opening, Mastrangelo said, noting the restaurant neither has the resources of a nationwide chain nor prominent visibility from the roadway.

Live music is a possibility as Time Out Sports becomes more well known, Mastrangelo said.

Thursday afternoon, most customers sat at the bar, which featured TVs tuned to ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” The bartender greeted diners as they walked in, inviting them to sit at the bar or one of the several booths or tables.

Signs in the restaurant’s entryway advertised its weekly events – including karaoke on Thursday nights and Friday’s after work party with a free appetizer buffet – as well as its daily food specials, such as $1 quarter-pound burgers on Monday.

Time Out Sports will celebrate New Year’s Eve with a midnight champagne toast. On New Year’s Day, Mastrangelo said, its TVs will be tuned to the Orange Bowl matchup between Northern Illinois University and Florida State.

Visit www.facebook.com/TimeOutSportsPubandGrill for information.

If you go

Time Out Sports Pub and Grill, 2051 Lincoln Highway

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. SundayThursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday

Phone: 630-444-0732