East Side Tied House Chicago

Just when we thought the old girl didn't have any more surprises for us, look what we found underneath a painted over window! CHOPS has a mate! Presenting: DINNERS.

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Almost four years have passed since our landmark designation, but we finally have our plaque! It's a beaut, Clark! It's a beaut! 🥹

Hello East Side Tap fans! You probably noticed that our progress updates have slowed down. You also know how special this building and its history is to us and to all of you. From our first thought years ago of 'wouldn't it be great if...' to where we are now, it's mind-blowing to see how far we've come. We knew full-well the risks, and were thoughtful going into this, but all the while fully driven by that original idea and vision. That said, it has become abundantly clear that we won't be able to see this project get across the finish line in the near future. Over the past year, increases in costs (in some cases, quintupled) and supply chain issues with unheard-of lead times (in some cases, 10 or 11 months) for things critical to our progress have decimated our schedule and emptied our budget. It sounds cliche, but we have given it our all: financially, physically, and mentally. We don't know what the future holds for the East Side Tap, but we are so proud that our beloved building is now a City of Chicago Landmark as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To all of you who supported us and our vision, even with just a kind word or story, we are eternally grateful. We will continue to post pictures of progress when we have something to share. Here is our latest -- one of the remodeled front bathrooms! Mike and our good friend (and friend of the East Side Tap from day one), Dave Sisson, were the "glam team" behind this amazing transformation.

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We recently unboxed the National Register of Historic Places plaque that will hang on the building and thought you might enjoy a sneak peak! We know it's been awhile since we've posted, but in the next few weeks, we'll be sharing an update that will lay out where things stand with the building and our project.

The fabulous Schlitz neon sign you see in the background was an alley find from a dear friend that we've had for years before we bought the tied house. Can't escape Schlitz in Chicago!

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Big news! The tavern is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places! Thanks to for making this happen and for their tireless support of us and our beloved building. National Register of Historic Places - NPS
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A simple project, but it definitely made the old boarding house hallway look less murdery.

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Exterior renovations begin soon!
Reposted from AltusWorks Architecture
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An exciting piece of history is being preserved in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood. The Schlitz Tied House, now known as the East Side Tap Chicago, is being lovingly restored to its former pre-prohibition glory, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it! 🍻

The last couple of years have been a whirlwind for the Queen Anne style structure with historic Tudor Revival-style alterations at 9401 S. Ewing Ave! Plans to restore the tavern back to its original roots began in 2020, when it was purchased by devoted owners Mike Medina and Laura Coffey Medina, who worked tirelessly to secure its local landmark status in the same year. In 2021, they engaged AltusWorks to prepare a comprehensive building assessment to budget for and prioritize the restoration work – and using information from our assessment, the owners applied for and won one of the City of Chicago’s 12 Adopt-A-Landmark grants! But rest assured, during this time the building did not sit fallow, as the bar area was featured in Season 4 of FX Networks’ dark-comedy-crime drama Fargo.

While the owners diligently restore and update the residential, bar, and event spaces, we are preparing restoration documents to restore the building’s historic exterior – which is where the grant money is being used. We highly commend Mike and Laura for their vision to faithfully preserve and restore the building’s stunning original spaces, features, and materials. Our scope of services focuses on:

🔹 Repointing the signature terra cotta globe and other terra cotta elements

🔹 Repairing or replacing the brick and limestone façade materials

🔹 Replacing select windows on the street-facing facades, including a bay window, to match the original (the owner is also hoping to procure and reinstall the original stained-glass window)

🔹 Designing a cost-effective solution to match the metal coping and parapets

🔹 Replacing the aged roof system to meet Illinois’ required energy code

With construction anticipated to proceed this season, we can’t wait to update you on its progress!

An exciting piece of history is being preserved in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood. The Schlitz Tied House, now known as the @eastsidetapchicago, is being lovingly restored to its former pre-prohibition glory, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it! 🍻 The last couple of years have been a whirlwind for the Queen Anne style structure with historic Tudor Revival-style alterations at 9401 S. Ewing Ave! Plans to restore the tavern back to its original roots began in 2020, when it was purchased by devoted owners Mike Medina and Laura Coffey Medina, who worked tirelessly to secure its local landmark status in the same year. In 2021, they engaged AltusWorks to prepare a comprehensive building assessment to budget for and prioritize the restoration work – and using information from our assessment, the owners applied for and won one of the City of Chicago’s 12 Adopt-A-Landmark grants! But rest assured, during this time the building did not sit fallow, as the bar area was featured in Season 4 of @fxnetworks’ dark-comedy-crime drama @fargo. While the owners diligently restore and update the residential, bar, and event spaces, we are preparing restoration documents to restore the building’s historic exterior – which is where the grant money is being used. We highly commend the owners for their vision to faithfully preserve and restore the building’s stunning original spaces, features, and materials. Our scope of services focuses on: 🔹 Repointing the signature terra cotta globe and other terra cotta elements 🔹 Repairing or replacing the brick and limestone façade materials 🔹 Replacing select windows on the street-facing facades, including a bay window, to match the original (the owner is also hoping to procure and reinstall the original stained-glass window) 🔹 Designing a cost-effective solution to match the metal coping and parapets 🔹 Replacing the aged roof system to meet Illinois’ required energy code With construction anticipated to proceed this season, we can’t wait to update you on its progress!

We sent our original sink from the small front bathroom to ARK Porcelain Refinishing Service for refurbishing. How incredible are these before and after shots?

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We received word from a neighbor that Frances Shirk passed away last week. Franny ran the tavern as the Bamboo Lounge for 40+ years and was beloved by her patrons and neighbors. In memory of Franny, we would like to share a few pictures of her behind the bar that were sent to us by her friend Tom Reynolds.

Hellloooo newly tiled floor in the rear hall! 😍 Can you believe we fit 1,200 pounds of tile in a four-door sedan? It scraped the road over every bump!

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