Pilsen Yards - Chicago
Pilsen Yards is a “bar-centric and music-driven hangout in the heart of Pilsen,” with a Latin-inspired street food menu and a drinks list showcasing excellent tequila, mezcal and whiskey.
At Pilsen Yards, Executive Chef Armando Gonzalez and Beverage Director Lance Bowman serve up high-quality food and cocktails at very affordable prices in an atmosphere with an open air vibe and lots of room for diners to spread out safely and comfortably.
Pilsen Yards prides itself on bar service (and it should; the drinks list is large) and music: a DJ spins tunes in the wide open spaces of the restaurant, providing a relaxed vibe and bringing diners together in a socially distanced environment.
If you’re just stopping into Pilsen Yards for a drink, you might want to order a few of the $5 and under tacos, including fish (tempura batter, cabbage slaw, aioli), pork (beer braised shoulder, ancho, guajillo, mango, pineapple), shrimp (chorizo, potatoes, chipotle aioli, little bulb onions) taco arabe (chicken thighs, hummus, queso fresco, fattoush) and Sweet Potato (cauliflower, sweet potato, pepitas, chile de arbol, queso fresco).
Standouts among the hot and cold small plates include carrots al pastor (charred carrots, pineapple, cilantro pesto, lime crema), shishito peppers (manchego, mascarpone, tempura), sweet corn tamales and nachos of mango-braised beef. There’s also a delicious option of chipotle hummus, and even vegan pozole (tofu, mushrooms, corn, guajillo broth).
If you’ve come to Pilsen Yards for dinner, you’ll be incredibly happy with dishes such as the skirt steak and shoestring yucca frites, the burger with fried onions and house pickles as well as grilled salmon and cochinita pibil. For those who prefer more veg-forward offerings, check out the Coloflor, which is cauliflower with farro, roasted carrots, almonds and manchego cheese.
There are many outstanding drinks offered by Pilsen Yards. Several inventive cocktails feature Mexican spirits like tequila and mezcal, and there are many classic cocktails with unique twists. The Barman’s Old Fashioned, for instance, is Old Forester 100, bitters, orange peel and (here’s the surprise) smoked tea syrup; the Mule is vodka (predictable), lime, house, ginger beer, and cider liqueur (didn’t see that coming).
Pilsen Yards is a fun new restaurant, offering casual, accessible food with a lot of creativity and value. It’s delicious fun.
