Chicago’s Latest Restaurant Music Venue, Garcia’s Chicago, Opens In The West Loop To Much Fanfare For The Jam Band Community

Mar 21, 2025 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By James Currie

Chicago’s got a new club and it’s jammed with goodness. Located in the West Loop on the corner of Washington and Morgan (the old Wishbone Restaurant) starting this weekend, we’ve got a bonafide Jam shed. That’s right, Garcia’s Chicago opens officially this weekend and kicks off with a bang as Grahame Lesh and Friends opens the club with the first of many shows already scheduled for the year. It’s the first of it’s kind and there’s a lot planned for fans of jam bands.

I have a personal connection to this story. I grew up in the Bay Area. The Grateful Dead played all the time around the city and Golden Gate Park. It was like our local band. But the connection goes even deeper as my dad, Gary, was born and raised in San Francisco and actually jammed with the Dead and Jerry specifically over at the old Ashbury house in the Haight. I grew up hearing the stories of the jams, going to the shows meeting Jerry and the band and playing those songs with him as I grew as a budding musician. This was a tie I had to be a part of. Sadly, long are those legends gone in my life, but it’s great to see someone honoring Jerry and The Grateful Dead legacy right here in my surrogate home town.

Garcia’s was originally planned for a 2020 opening, COVID and several other things delayed the Jerry Garcia themed club from opening. It was first announced over 5 years ago and many thought this day would never come. But tonight, it’s a reality as club owner Peter Shapiro’s vision comes to fruition. This came to be from a direct collaboration between himself and the Garcia family. What they are calling, “A space where history, music, and community converge.”

Shapiro’s known for this kind of thing as he’s already fully established in the scene as a club owner, concert promoter, filmmaker, magazine publisher, author and entrepreneur from New York City with his ventures seen in many cities across the US including Brooklyn Bowl in Vegas (Et al), Wetlands Preserve in New York City and The Capital Theatre in Port Chester, NY to name but a few. Plus his time making jam band films like Tie-Died and then of course his time working directly with The Dead and Phil Lesh and producing the Fare Thee Well 50 Year Celebration of The Grateful Dead shows. Jam bands are in his blood. It’s not just a passion project for him but his life. As his book alludes, 10,000 shows has taught him a lot about life. I congratulated him on his latest venture and continued my tour of his new restaurant venue.

As described earlier, Garcia’s is located in the old Wishbone restaurant building but you would never know this by looking inside. It’s been completely gutted and transformed into a rustic, hip venue with a mid-century modern vibe, great bar food and drinks, rock n roll decor with shelves full of record albums, books and photographs behind the bars, artwork surrounding the venue walls and a state of the art sound and lighting system. All things that incorporate places, time and moments that defined Garcia’s life. As the venue promotes, “It’s a living, breathing tribute to an artist whose influence transcends generations.”

The night kicks off with food and drinks, mini samplers of the menu items. The kitchen, led by Executive Chef and proud Chicago native Ivy Carthen, is churning out culinary delights loved by Garcia like Mission Street Hot Dogs wrapped in bacon, Clown Alley smashburgers, buttermilk fried chicken and my personal favorite, Jerry’s own, roast beef sandwich loaded with horseradish. You’ll find delectable desserts like Yoo Hoo milkshakes, mango pie and cinnamon churros. A top notch bar with all you’d need to wash all this down and have a good time.

DJ’s took center stage spinning vinyl on the large platform located on the North wall of the building. It’s a low stage with seating and tables butted right up to it. It’s lit with state of the art lights and surrounded by wooden structures I’m sure for more than just esthetics, but sound control. There even appears to be a livestream system in place as I see cameras in place around the stage that are not security cams. Maybe shows will be recorded or streamed from here in the future?

The sound system is crisp and clear with deep bass all delivered by Meyer Sound. “Dead inside” @deadinsde_chicago are the DJ’s working the wax tonight. Brandon Hale and Jeff Molek crate diggin for Jerry Garcia tracks to give the effect of live music with classics like, “Lay Down Sally” live at French’s Camp, “Sugaree” of his first solo record and a cover of Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue” of his final solo album, “Run For The Roses”.

The room fills up quickly as the night progresses. The outer parameter, the standing room only, bar spots are full. The lower level, seated area, lined up with rustic wooden top tables and chairs surrounded by colorful art glass lighting are filling in quick. As I move around all sides, there doesn’t seem to be a bad spot in the place. At least not yet, but tomorrow’s show will give a better picture with a full band and sold out crowd filling the joint as another Grateful Dead family tie will open the club. Phil Lesh’s son, Grahame Lesh and Friends.

On first impressions, this is going to be the Mecca for jam band fans. It’s centrally located in Chicago easy to get to by train and cars can get here from downtown, i90 or the Ike. And from the line up already announced, there’s going to be a need for a new parking garage as there’s very little parking outside and it’s already a pretty hot neighborhood with City Winery just down the street and restaurant row on Randolph. Just plan ahead. good news is they have valet parking out front.

For more on Garcia’s including show dates, menu and more, click here

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• Chicago, Garcia's Chicago, Ivy Carthen, Jerry Garcia, Lowder-Tascarella Hospitality, Michael Berg, New Music Venue, Nightclub, Peter Shapiro, Restaurant, West Loop

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