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Community area in Chicago, Illinois
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Only a few minutes from the center of Chicago by train, Pilsen is a working-class predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood. Marked by riches in art and historic architecture and occupied by a community that's fiercely proud of where they live, this neighborhood is at once distinctly Chicagoan and something entirely unique.
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The enormous, foreboding stone edifice of the A.P.O. Building houses some worthwhile art exhibitions and the occasional concert along with community programs (such as the pool downstairs). Exhibits are usually free and open to all, but stern old ladies will keep you from wandering elsewhere.
Art and public transit have had a troubled relationship in Chicago, with awful results almost every time the CTA commissions a mural for a station. This one, however, is a gem. Local youth outreach efforts have borne fruit here, creating a walk from the station house to the platforms is nothing short of awe-inspiring (albeit distracting if you're in a hurry to catch a train).
A lovely, small gallery full of vibrant colors and well-curated installations focused on understanding Mexican as well as Mexican-American history and culture through art. The museum serves as the center of the annual Day of the Dead celebration in the fall — this is a great time to visit to see all the brightly painted, skull-filled, and often humorous Ofrendas.
Fascinating exhibitions of traditional and contemporary Latin American art. It is a must-see when open, though it does close for long stretches between exhibits.
Built in 1914 for the area's Polish community, St. Adalbert's still features murals of rousing crowd favorites like Queen Jadwiga's wedding and the time Our Lady of Częstochowa beat the hell out of some invading Swedes. The church was closed down in 2019 but can be viewed from the outside.
This towering stone church was built in 1883 for Czech Catholics in the area. Today, it's impressively weathered and gloomy from the street, but bright and austere if you manage a peek inside. Masses are held in English, Spanish, and Croatian.
This ornate former theater was built as a replica of an old opera house in Prague, and in its heyday served as the epicenter of Chicago Bohemian culture. Plays and operas were performed here, and much of the constitution of Czechoslovakia was drafted within these walls as well (at the end of World War I). Nearly a century later, after having served mainly as a residence for the local homeless, things seem to be looking up for Thalia Hall, with Dusek’s Board & Beer restaurant and Punch House bar now resident inside.
This information center is located in the midst of things at 18th and Halsted, but it is generally only open to coincide with the 2nd Fridays Art Walk, so a stop to gather event cards at Kristoffer's Cafe (see Cafes) will be more informative on other days.
Biblioteca Popular is an autonomous community operated library and art space. As well as providing access to underground, radical, and self-published literature, it is meant to be a safe space for the young and elderly, families, people of color, womyn, queer and trans folk, undocumented immigrants, and working class peoples.
If you have kids in tow and they have been patient through the National Museum of Mexican Art (or they need to burn off some energy before going in), you might reward them with some monkey time right next door at Harrison Park, which has a big play-lot with swings, slides, jungle gyms and more.
An annual mole cook-off and outdoor festival.
Studios in East Pilsen open their doors for an annual weekend-long festival. Even if the art does not resonate with you, it is worth visiting for the chance to explore the interesting physical spaces, from century-old sunken gardens to gargantuan old warehouses.
West Pilsen's studios open up for all to see. Local cafes and businesses get involved, and there's a free trolley on call for the route, too. A similar arts fest is often held in Little Village the same weekend.
Fiesta del Sol is an annual fundraising event organized by the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council that has been held annually since 1972. Over the years it has evolved from a block party into a nationally publicized event with corporate sponsorship, but the neighborhood's Hispanic community still has a strong presence. The three-day festival includes live entertainment, food, and vendor booths. Fiesta del Sol is alcohol and tobacco-free.
Some of the best carnitas (stewed pork) around. (Kids will love the cartoon pigs on the wall as long as they don't connect them to what they're eating.) The cactus salad comes highly recommended, too, but runs out early in the day. As for the rest of the menu, well, you either want a big sheet of fried pork rinds or you don't, and nothing this guide tells you is going to change your mind one way or the other.
No frills and somewhat inconveniently located, but well worth the effort to get there, with some of the most flavorful carnitas in Chicago.
Tasty bakery run by the Nuevo León family, who run the fine restaurant a block down. They serve Mexican bread, pastries, coffee, and other early morning essentials under the watchful eye of a 1986-87 Chicago Bears team poster.
Great stuffed pizza just across the park from the Museum of Mexican Art.
Perhaps the best taquería in Pilsen, so if you don't intend to have a sit-down multi-course meal, head straight here to grab some dirt cheap, incredible tacos.
A local chain that's almost certainly the quickest draw among Pilsen taquerías, with food made fresh and very fast, and served by a friendly waitstaff.
Puerto Rican joint serving jibaritos, a sandwich which uses slices of plantains instead of bread; a dish which originated with the Puerto Rican community in Chicago and cannot be found in Puerto Rico.
Exactly what it sounds like — the speakers deliver honky tonk music, while the kitchen serves pulled pork sandwiches, beef briskets, rib tips, and cornbread. There's a full bar as well, with live music on Thursdays and weekends.
Highly-rated upscale Vietnamese restaurant, known for its modern interpretation of traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
A warm, old world atmosphere and a busy kitchen.
Opened in 1933, and owned by an immigrant from Siena in Tuscany, who brings that influence to some of the dishes served here.
Thin-crust pizza, veal, and the straight-outta-The Sopranos exterior are the specials here.
Reputation has it that this is Chicago's warmest and most inviting neighborhood coffee shop. It certainly lives up to the name: tiny, and always jumping with people.
A warm, large space with a range of sandwiches, drinks, and baked goods. (They call their seven varieties of tres leches cakes a family specialty.) You will find free Wi-Fi and flyers for every art opening in the area.
Good food (especially the Mexican-influenced Pilsen Burger), but go for the beer: while their mixed drinks cost more than Skylark and aren't nearly as strong, they have an absolutely spectacular collection of beers on tap and in cans/bottles. That, and the decor is done out in this bizarre steampunk-pinball machine theme. They have good DJs spinning on most nights and trivia nights on Tuesdays.
From the outside, it looks like an old-man bar that's been prepped for use as a bunker during World War II, but on the inside there's an excellent selection of cheap beer, pinball, a photobooth, some of the strongest $5 mixed drinks you'll find anywhere in the city, and tater tots — oh, delicious tater tots. If you have poor taste in movies, you might be delighted to hear that Skylark was featured prominently in the 2006 movie, The Breakup.
Exceptional selection of handmade Mexican folk art and crafts, at prices that are nearly impossible to refuse. The friendly proprietors have lived in Pilsen for decades, and are a great source of information about the neighborhood and upcoming events.
Pilsen is a serious bicycle neighborhood, and Irv's is a good place for repairs and accessories.
Wide selection of vintage apparel spanning several decades for reasonable prices.
There's Chicago-centric sports gear, too, but if you have a specific futbol jersey in mind, this is your best bet.
Intriguing jewelry and ceramics a couple blocks south of the East Pilsen galleries, worth a browse even if you're not planning to buy anything.
By bus
The streets of Pilsen don't get the same tender, loving care from snowplows as some other parts of the city, so the wind and the drifts can make walking between East and West Pilsen considerably more…
By car
If you're traveling within the city, the wide expanses of Western Avenue are the fastest way to reach Pilsen.
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