New Music Venue and Restaurant to Open in West Loop
A new music venue and restaurant that pays tribute to musician Jerry Garcia is set to open in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. The establishment will add to the area's culinary and entertainment scene.
- The venue, named Garcia's Chicago, is located at 1001 W. Washington Boulevard in the Fulton Market area, a space formerly occupied by the long-time restaurant Wishbone. - The project is a collaboration between concert promoter Peter Shapiro and the family of the late Grateful Dead musician Jerry Garcia. Shapiro is known for founding venues like the Brooklyn Bowl and producing the Grateful Dead's 50th-anniversary "Fare Thee Well" shows, which took place at Chicago's Soldier Field in 2015. - Garcia's Chicago, which opened on March 21, 2025, features a 300-350 capacity music venue and a restaurant. The opening was delayed for several years, partly due to the pandemic. - The restaurant's menu, created by Executive Chef Ivy Carthen, is described as having a "Spain-meets-San Francisco" theme, drawing inspiration from Garcia's Spanish heritage and Northern California upbringing. - The venue plans to host a variety of musical acts, including jazz, Americana, and world music, in a setting designed to resemble a traditional jazz club. - The project is managed by Dayglo Presents, Shapiro's entertainment and media company, which also operates The Capitol Theatre and the various Brooklyn Bowl locations. - The Jerry Garcia Foundation, a nonprofit established by his family in 2015, supports environmental, artistic, and humanitarian causes and is not directly involved with the for-profit venue.
