“Comfort, warmth, and vibe in a safe space in the heart of Pilsen.”
We’ve been lucky enough to have a variety of fantastic Chicago outdoor dining options at our disposal for a few months now, but it looks as though for both quality and quantity the only way is up. The new patio at Pilsen Yards is proof that sometimes you have to wait a little bit longer for the very best.
An announcement posted on the Pilsen Yards website and social media channels recently revealed that a huge upgrade to their space on 18th Street has finally been completed. The covered, heated, outdoor patio now boasts “a radiant-heated cement floor, radiant overhead heaters, a clear roof, and exposed wooden beams” as well as a fire pit, and it is set to open this Friday, January 15.
The upgrade comes almost one year on from the day the owners, Anan Abu-Taleb and son Paul Abu-Taleb, closed their original 18th Street venture, Monnie Burke’s. According to the owners they decided to “shuffle the deck and put together something with our team that we think will hit all the right notes.” The cards that followed lead to the creation of Pilsen Yards – “a bar-centric and music-driven hangout in the heart of Pilsen with an open-air vibe and plenty of room to spread out safely and comfortably.”
An amalgamation of inspired Latin street food courtesy of Armando Gonzalez, a sensational bar program by renowned mixologist Lance Bowman, and regular live music sets were already reasons enough to head down to Pilsen Yards, but the new heated patio is the cherry on the cake, surpassing the patio standard set by its predecessor. Through thermal air dynamic, warm air permanently heats the patio, and the colder it is outside, the warmer it is inside. But worry not, used air is mechanically exhausted and replaced with fresh air so that the patio is both safe and comfortable.
With the heated floor, fire pit, and polycarbonate panels supported by roof trusses, you can be sure the spacious landscaped patio will be toasty warm throughout winter. There hasn’t been a day the patio was below 60 says Abu-Taleb. While the suspension to indoor dining has prevented Pilsen Yards from utilizing the interior, Abu-Taleb revealed that their revamped space-within-a-space known as the Alderman will open up its moody 18-seat cocktail-dedicated lounge as soon as they receive the all-clear.
Pilsen Yards are currently taking reservations for opening night and onwards. Parties of over 6 are, given the statewide rules, currently not permitted and all reservations are made for 90 minutes but can be extended if space remains available at the end of the booking.
Pilsen Yards can be found at 1163 West 18th St, Chicago.