A brand new Tex-Mex restaurant called Texan Taco Bar is making its way to West Loop, located at 942 W. Randolf St.
It’s been a long time coming for this new restaurant, owned by Parlor Pizza Bar founders Michael Bisbee and Tim Hendricks. The duo initially announced the new concept back in 2017 with a Summer 2018 opening date, but several delays forced them to be patient. Now, they hope to finally open their own Tex-Mex restaurant sometime in Spring 2022, according to Eater Chicago. Texan Taco Bar will sit just a few blocks away from the original Parlor Pizza Bar, which opened in 2014.
Not many details have surfaced regarding the new Tex-Mex restaurant, other than it will boast a country music theme. Guests can expect to find chips and salsa on the table, various meats on the grill, and many longhorns on the wall. Specifics as to specialties or drink menus are still unknown. What is known is that this is an incredible opportunity for Bisbee and Hendricks, as the area near the new restaurant has virtually no Tex-Mex (or Mexican at all other than a Taco Bell Cantina).
The duo hopes this new restaurant will serve as a fresh start for their reputation. All three Parlor Pizza Bars were shut down last fall after a surprise visit from the IRS. Later in the year, a local publication, Block Club Chicago, released a lengthy expose alleging the restaurants of various negative behavior. With all of that in the past, and all three Parlor Pizza Bars reopened, Bisbee and Hendricks hope this new Tex-Mex restaurant will help get them back on track in Chicago.
