The Lower West Side of Chicago, chiefly Pilsen, is home to music lovers, Mexican eateries, bustling cafes and vintage shop hoards. More than simply a destination neighborhood, Pilsen has a reputation for its gutsy arts district, its Second Friday gallery events and its 50 street murals around 16th Street that celebrate local culture.
If a neighborhood had a taste, Pilsen’s would be piping hot Mexican food from a taco stand after a few beers at The Barrel. We asked three Pilsen residents to show us around their neighborhood and collected a variety of dining, drinking and shopping options.
Meet our guides
Alex Carrillo has lived in Pilsen for two years. As a nail technician and nail blogger on Instagram (@bythepolish), she says it’s easy to find inspiration around the neighborhood.
Nadia Garofalo moved to Pilsen in 2018 because it was close to her work, and she had always liked the neighborhood.
Mars Jones is a DJ and artist who has lived in Pilsen for four years.
A 30-second history
In the 1840s, Irish immigrants originally settled the area around 18th Street and the Chicago River, and they were eventually followed by new arrivals from Germany, Poland and Italy. Soon, Bohemian immigrants fleeing the Austro-Hungarian Empire arrived in droves. Residents called the neighborhood Plzeň, after the fourth largest city in what is today the Czech Republic.
In 1930, Pilsen’s population was 66,200, but it dropped in subsequent decades as blue-collar workers moved to the suburbs. In 1961, Mayor Richard J. Daley announced a proposal for the University of Illinois Chicago campus at Harrison and Halsted streets, a development that displaced families and affordable housing. This sent approximately 5,000 people, mostly Mexican families, south to Pilsen. By 1970, Mexicans were the dominant demographic.
Since 1985, Pilsen has seen increases in property taxes, wealthier white families moving in and local businesses being pushed out.
Yet residents have fought to maintain Pilsen’s character and sustain its unique and ferociously proud culture. “I try to be a good neighbor and pay attention to local politics and happenings as much as I can,” Garofalo says.
Where to eat
When walking down 18th Street, it’s easy to get lost in the smell. As a Latina, Carillo says she loves the “strong sense of Mexican heritage in the community. Pilsen allows people to get a little taste of Mexican culture without traveling too far.”
She says her ideal day starts at Cafe Jumping Bean (1439 W. 18th St.) for an iced matcha latte. She also likes the iced horchata latte at La Malinche Coffee & Tea House (2110 S. Halsted St.), opened in 2021 by husband-and-wife owners who moved from Mexico City.
If you’re seeking a truly unique coffee house, visit Holy Grounds at St. Paul Catholic Church (2127 W. 22nd Pl.), run by students near the Heart of Chicago.
For breakfast, visit Parkview Restaurant Grill (2000 W. 19th St.) a family-owned diner with limited seating but incredible steak and eggs with green peppers.
Garofalo suggests Azul 18 (1236 W. 18th St.) for the breakfast vegetable hash and a morning juice.
If you’re a brunch person, Pochos (1727 W. 18th St.) made the move to Pilsen from McKinley Park in 2022. Good luck choosing between the chorizo benedict, empanadas or a massive challah French toast with chicken.
When it comes to tacos, residents have many opinions.
A neighborhood favorite for lunch is 5 Rabanitos (1758 W. 18th St.). Jones likes the taco dinner (one steak, one chicken and one shrimp) and “whatever margarita I’m feeling at the moment.” Currently, that’s the 5 Rabanitos-style margarita and the Mezcal Serrano.
Jones also recommends Carniceria Maribel (1801 W. Cermak Road), a family-owned taqueria and liquor store, and Los Comales (1544 W. 18th St.), which originally opened in 1973 in Little Village. Carnitas Uruapan (1725 W. 18th St.), open since 1975, serves dishes from Uruapan, Michoacán, and the obvious order is the carnitas. But, like a true local, Jones also knows that some of the best tacos come from the taco man off 21st and Leavitt.
For a good taco dinner, Carillo recommends El Costeño (2007 S. Damen Ave.), which is right off the Damen Pink Line stop.
Outside of Mexican cuisine, Garofalo loves the vegan jibarito and yucca fries from The Jibarito Stop (1646 W. 18th St.) and Bobijoa (1140 W 18th St.) for Korean food. She suggests ordering the gimbap and tteokbokki.
When it comes to bakeries and Day of the Dead–themed desserts, try Bittersweet Pastry Shop (2019 S. Laflin St.) for Dia de los Muertos Macarons and Dia de los Muertos Cake. Visit Panaderia El Acambaro (1720 W. 18th St.) for a must-have pan de muerto, a sweet and soft bread eaten on the holiday with hot chocolate or placed on an altar.
Where to shop
Shopping in Pilsen ranges from vintage stores to record emporiums to flower shops, and it’s one of the reasons why Pilsen’s 18th Street was named one of the world’s coolest streets earlier this year.
Carillo’s ideal day wouldn’t be complete without antique shopping at El Anticuario (1425 W. 18th St.), then ending at Mexican and Puerto Rican–owned Semillas (1848 S. Blue Island Ave.) for a bouquet. Other flower shops include Strewn (1827 S. Halsted St.) and Zin’s Flower Shop (1800 S. Morgan St.), which has a beautiful back patio.
“I love the vibrant colors and art murals that you spot while taking a stroll,” says Carillo.
If you’re looking for a bookstore, Giron Spanish Books (2141 W. 21st St.) opened in 1985 as a massive warehouse serving Spanish-language titles to major bookstore chains around the country. Their storefront opened in 2017. Perk: It serves free coffee.
The Textile Discount Outlet (2121 W. 21st St.) is paradise for any seamstress or tailor. The 75,000-square-foot building houses 13 rooms of endless fabrics and accessories.
Although summer has ended, it doesn’t mean winter biking can’ be your thing. Visit Irv’s Bike Shop (1725 S. Racine Ave.), open since 1972, for gloves and tune-ups.
Prepare for colder months by heading into Verde Holistic Wellness Studio (905 W. 18th St.), which focuses on Mesoamerican ancestral traditions. Winter treatments include hot stone massages and an incredible pomada de árnica for muscle and joint relief.
Similarly, the holistic health clinic Sanctuary Health (1843 S. Racine Ave.) provides microneedling and acupuncture services, plus community yoga.
Corner stores in Pilsen are also plentiful. Jones exclusively shops at Pilsen Tobacco & Convenience Store (1332 W. 18th St.) and Amador Liquors (1167 W. 18th St.). “Those are my people and always have everything I need,” he says. “Also, El Valle Food & Liquors (2024 S. Leavitt St.) and Luciano’s Grocery (1712 W. 18th St.) for my West Pilsen people. I’ve got mad love for them too, and they always show me love in return.”
Where to engage in the arts
Jones says there is always something to do in Pilsen. “Take a walk across 18th Street and you’re bound to stumble upon something,” he says. “The most popping intersections are 18th and Racine and 18th and Blue Island.”
Vault Gallerie (2015 S. Laflin St.) and Mana Contemporary (2233 S. Throop St.) in particular always have arts events and programming.
“I’ve got a nice amount of buddies with studios in Mana, so the art walks are always fire and feel like another day walking through the neighborhood,” says Jones.
Garofalo suggests The National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W. 19th St.), which has free admission and celebrates Day of the Dead (Nov. 1) — a holiday that honors the passing of loved ones — for an entire season. The exhibition “Dia de Muertos, Where the Past is Present” features more than 100 artists and is on view until Dec. 8.
For music and nightlife, Thalia Hall (1227 W. 18th St.) is a prime venue on the concert circuit. The newish restaurant on the main floor, Mariscos San Pedro, was conceived by Oliver Poilevey, a second-generation Chicago chef who wanted to add creative flair to the neighborhood mariscos joint. Jones likes Punch House, the bar in the basement of Thalia Hall. He’s also a regular at The Giant Penny Whistle (1854 S. Blue Island Ave.) or dancing and margaritas at La Vaca (1160 W. 18th St.).
Pilsen’s diversity is inspiring, Jones says: “I’m blessed to witness and experience all of these folks in my neighborhood.”
Celebrating Pilsen for Day of the Dead — or any day of the year — starts with supporting the businesses that have laid their foundations here. From stores dating back to the ‘70s to restaurants offering authentic Mexican cuisines, Pilsen’s streets offer endless explorations of a strong and mighty culture.
S. Nicole Lane is an editor for Healthnews and freelance journalist.