CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon's fate as the team's skipper will be decided six or seven floors above where his new business venture is about to open its doors. Located adjacent to Wrigley Field -- and in the same building that houses the Cubs' front office -- the new restaurant, Maddon's Post, will welcome customers beginning next week, but it's what could happen months down the road that stands out. The 65-year-old is in the final year of a five-year deal, and the Cubs say they won't discuss his future until the end of the season. "I don't believe the success of that place is dependent on me having to work for the Cubs," Maddon said recently. "I don't think that highly of myself." Joe Maddon's new restaurant, Maddon's Post, is located in the same building as the Chicago Cubs' front office. Jesse Rogers/ESPN Perhaps that's why Maddon teamed up with local, veteran restaurateurs including executive chef Tony Mantuano from Spiaggia, a Chicago hot spot. Maddon and his business partner, Michael Stewart, expect the restaurant to be a hit with Cubs fans whether Maddon is employed by the team or not. "Of course, having Joe around is better, that is a given," Stewart said. "Joe is extremely smart, has great intuition, he thinks outside the box -- even with some of our entrees that he creates. Of course, having him here is a bonus. "Having said that, I firmly believe Joe will be back. But, at some point, he will not. Whether it's next year or five years, or whenever. We knew that going into this project." Stewart and Maddon say they conceived of the eatery at Wrigley Field even before he won the World Series with the Cubs in 2016. It has taken several years to come to fruition, as they've made sure it doesn't require Maddon's presence to be successful. It's the same attitude they had with Maddon's other restaurant, in Tampa, Florida. Ava opened in November 2014, just weeks after Maddon left the Rays for the Cubs. How many times will Maddon eat at his own restaurant as skipper of the Cubs? He and his partners believe that doesn't matter for the future of Maddon's Post. Jesse Rogers/ESPN "We always intended this to be about the food and experience," Stewart said. "This is not a sports bar. ... Right before we opened Ava, Joe took the Chicago job. Back then, people were asking the [same] question, 'What will we do?' What we did was built a restaurant around the food, the service, our staff, the location -- not around baseball and its ownership." Ava has received favorable reviews, and Maddon's team is hopeful it'll be the same with his new place. As for the manager's other team, the Cubs played their way to the top of the National League Central standings after a 2-7 start. But that hasn't changed anything within the front office. Cubs officials say they're focused on the field, not what goes on behind kitchen doors. When asked just about the restaurant, general manager Jed Hoyer quipped, "I'm looking forward to the friends/family discount." Maddon remains optimistic he'll be back, especially after taking the team to the playoffs four consecutive seasons. He could be 5-for-5 come October. "I do anticipate managing the Cubs," Maddon said. As much as the front office has a say in Maddon's future, so does he. He often has said that 2019 is his free-agent year. Asked if he has thought about the prospect of opening Maddon's Post and then leaving town to work elsewhere in baseball, Maddon responded: "Of course you do. You have to consider that could happen." Like his managerial style this year, Maddon has had a hands-on approach with the menu and decor. It has been described as full of Maddon's childhood "likes and recipes," with a heavy accent on his Italian and Polish heritage. (If you want to order his favorite dish, try Mama K's Pappardelle.) "It's not about me," Maddon said. "If we have a good product -- as we're going to -- plus Wrigley Field, we think people will come no matter what." The menu at Maddon's Post pays homage to the manager's Italian and Polish heritage. Jesse Rogers/ESPN There is precedent in Chicago for a championship-winning coach to open a restaurant and then abruptly leave town. Mike Ditka won the Super Bowl in 1986, was fired by the Bears in 1993 and opened a restaurant in 1997 -- the same year he was hired to coach the New Orleans Saints. "Nobody was really happy about it, on the business side," an employee of Ditka's back then said. "They just started looking for space in New Orleans." Ditka's remains a popular Chicago steakhouse to this day. Maddon's Post is hopeful for a similar run, knowing the popular personality might not be around to eat there for more than a few more months. "Ava was thriving after I left there," Maddon said. "I don't think that's the connection. The ballpark, the Cubs, the iconic nature of who we are, sells anywhere. ... We have sharp, wonderful people running it. Wherever I am -- hopefully it's here -- it will be a great place."<doc-sep>Baseball and food collide today—as they so often do—with the opening of Maddon's Post in Wrigleyville. The Italian-Polish concept is a joint venture between chef-partner Tony Mantuano and Cubs manager Joe Maddon located at 1119 W Waveland Avenue in the heart of Wrigleyville. The all-day menu is rife with playful twists on classic Chicago fare, like a grilled Italian and Polish sausage platter, paczki, pierogi, and something called "Baseball" steak with tarragon, parsley and house butter. Maddon and Mantuano turned to their roots—Polish and Italian, respectively—to guide the culinary lineup and highlight favorites from their childhoods. And because award-winning chef Mantuano is in the kitchen, guests can expect elevated but approachable dishes at every turn. The paczki, for instance, are crafted with chocolate dough and stuffed with fresh strawberry cream or melty peanut butter and banana. On the booze front, there are four beers on tap from nearby breweries (plus a handful of cans and bottles), wines by the glass and bottle as well as cocktails like the Maddon's Mule with vodka, manzanilla sherry, green apple, lime and ginger beer. The focal point of the 7,400-square-foot interior is an open kitchen with a blazing hearth. There's also a family-friendly parlor that's outfitted with plush booths for large groups. Upstairs, guests will find the Flamingo Room, a Deco-era bar with a sprawling patio that's ideal for warm summer days. Located steps away from Wrigley Field, Maddon's Post opens its doors for business today at 4:30pm. Take a look at some of the Polish-Italian dishes on offer at Maddon's Post below. Photograph: Matt Haas Photograph: Matt Haas Photograph: Matt Haas Photograph: Matt Haas Photograph: Matt Haas Want more? 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After helping the Cubs win their first World Series championship in 108 years in 2016, Joe Maddon is already a legend in the Chicago sports scene. Now the Cubs’ manager hopes to become a staple in the Chicago dining scene, beginning today when he opens his first local restaurant Maddon’s Post next to Wrigley Field. Situated on the corner of Clark Street and Waveland Avenue and part of the park development Gallagher Way immediately to the west of Wrigley Field, Maddon’s Post is a large two-floor, 7,400-square-foot space that’s part of the transformation of the area around the Cubs’ historic ballpark. The first floor includes multiple facets — there’s a main dining with a full square bar, an open kitchen with a dual hearth, and a “family parlor” with booths. The second floor features a throwback bar dubbed the Flamingo Room, a large patio space, and a private dining room. Baseball themes in the design features are more subtle than overt. The restaurant does include framed black-and-white photos and a retail space with items that feature Joe Maddon quotes and restaurant taglines and logos. The upstairs bar and dining room has throwback musical items such as a vintage stereo, classic rock albums, and a piece where “we are all originals” is written and surrounded by framed art portraits. For the food, Maddon teamed with legendary Chicago chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia to mastermind menus that focus on Italian and Polish-inspired dishes. Chef Aaron Thebault and kitchen staff will execute items including three flavors of pierogi, paczki made with chocolate dough, wood-fired pizzas, and fresh pastas. Entrees include an Italian and Polish sausage platter, ribs, and whitefish. Brunch includes orange-zested blueberry pierogi filled with mascarpone cheese, polenta topped with tomato-braised brisket and a poached egg, potato pancakes, and biscuits with Polish sausage gravy. Management also points out how family and kid-friendly the restaurant is so look for a dedicated kids’ menu. Drinks focus on wine, although cocktails, including of the bottled variety, and some local beers are also available. The full menus are available below. During its first week through May 22, Maddon’s Post will open at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for dinner and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for brunch. Full hours, which include weekday lunch, begin May 23 and are available below. While Maddon is in the last year of his current Cubs’ contract, he hopes that his restaurant will be a Chicago staple for many years to come, joining other local sports legends with successful eateries including Harry Caray, Mike Ditka, Michael Jordan, and more. Take a first look around Maddon’s Post below. Maddon’s Post, 1119 W. Waveland Avenue, open 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.