The Layover

11/12/2026

Turbulence

Reposado tequila meets charred pineapple, blood orange, hibiscus, fresh lime, and a wicked little kick of habanero. Smoky, tropical, slightly dangerous, and smoother than your last questionable decision.

thelayovernwi.com

11/11/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Veterans Day. 🇺🇸

Serving this country was one of the greatest honors of my life. It taught me discipline, sacrifice, brotherhood, and what it truly means to be part of something bigger than yourself.

The uniform may come off, but the pride, the memories, and the bonds you build never leave you.

I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside some incredible men and women. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life came from those years, and I carry them with me every single day.

To my brothers and sisters who wore the uniform, those still serving, and especially those who never made it home — thank you.

I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

It was an honor to serve. It will always be an honor to have served. 🇺🇸

11/10/2026

Let’s go!! So excited to share this with you all!!

The Layover is getting closer to opening in St. John, bringing globally inspired small plates, craft cocktails and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza.
Story link in the first comment. 👇

11/08/2026

https://nwitimes.com/news/state-regional/business/article_54febd15-db7b-45e7-95a7-4f9bb63710cc.html -source=home-top-story

Business Ins and Outs | J Bird Tavern, The Layover, Di Andrea Italian Kitchen and Vibe Craft Studios opening

11/05/2026

The Blackbox

Some things are better left undiscovered.

A rebellious collision of bourbon, black cherry, bitter Italian amaro, fresh lemon, and a touch of smoked maple. Dark, bold, dangerously smooth. Served over a king cube with a torched rosemary sprig.

thelayovernwi.com

10/28/2026

🔥 WHO KNEW GETTING A DAMN PIZZA OVEN THROUGH THE DOOR WOULD BE THIS MUCH FUN? 🤘

A massive Forno Bravo oven, some heavy machinery, a few questionable decisions, and enough profanity to make a sailor blush.

But that’s the beauty of building something from scratch.

Every piece has a story. Every detail matters. And this beast is about to crank out some seriously badass wood-fired pizza.

A huge thank you to everyone who’s been getting their hands dirty alongside me.

We’re not building another cookie-cutter restaurant. Never have. Never will.

🔥 THE LAYOVER BY L&W ✈️
📍 St. John, Indiana

A little chaos. A lot of passion. Almost ready for takeoff.

10/24/2026

I’VE BEEN CALLED A LOT OF THINGS IN MY LIFE. THE BLACK SHEEP MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE.

And you know what? I’m perfectly fine with that.

I’ve spent most of my life doing things a little differently. I’ve made mistakes, taken chances, pi**ed a few people off, and learned some lessons the hard way.

But one thing I’ve never been good at is being somebody I’m not.

I’ve never wanted to be the chef who follows every trend, copies somebody else’s menu, or builds something just because it’s what everyone expects.

That’s just not me.

I believe food should have personality. I believe a restaurant should have a soul. And I believe the best places are the ones where you can walk through the door, be exactly who you are, and feel like you belong.

That’s what I want The Layover to be.

A place with a little attitude, a lot of heart, damn good food, strong drinks, and absolutely no interest in being ordinary.

I’m not building this place to impress everybody.

I’m building it because I believe in it.

Because after all these years in the kitchen, I still have something to prove. Not to the critics. Not to the people who doubted me.

TO MYSELF.

And maybe to every other black sheep out there who’s ever been told they’re too different, too loud, too stubborn, or just a little too much.

I’ve learned something over the years…

THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T FIT THE MOLD ARE USUALLY THE ONES WHO END UP BREAKING IT.

So here’s to the misfits.
The risk-takers.
The stubborn ones.
The ones who refuse to settle.

Pull up a chair.

I SAVED YOU A SEAT. 🖤

🔥 THE LAYOVER BY L&W 🔥

BLACK SHEEP DON’T FOLLOW. THEY LEAD.

📍 Coming Soon — St. John, Indiana

10/14/2026

Fuel your bad decisions with a Paris After Dark.

We’re pouring rich, bold cognac and lacing it with a heavy hit of fresh, dark espresso, then smoothing out the edges with a velvety drop of sweet vanilla. It’s dark, dangerous, insanely smooth, and packed with enough caffeine and kick to keep the party burning long after midnight.

10/14/2026

“WHEN ARE YOU GUYS OPENING?!”

Great question. We’d love to know that ourselves. 😂

We’d love to give you an official opening date, but apparently construction timelines are more of a suggestion than an actual commitment.

Between shipping delays, receiving delays, and a few things that have apparently decided to take their own damn vacation, we’re experiencing a little turbulence.

The good news? We’re getting closer. The bad news? Our crystal ball is still on backorder.

Trust us, nobody wants these doors open more than we do.

In the meantime, keep following our page for updates, sneak peeks, and the occasional construction-induced mental breakdown.

THE LAYOVER BY L&W
🥃 Good things take time. Apparently, so does everything else.

WE’RE NOT FOR EVERYONE. AND APPARENTLY, NEITHER ARE DEADLINES. ✈️