New Eastside Business Spotlight: Drunken Bean

The Drunken Bean is located on the north side of Lakeshore East Park, but it is not your average coffee shop experience.

The coffee shop opened its doors in January 2018. Owner Nick Papageorgiou wanted to combine the experience of a coffee café with a wine bar. His concept was to take a customer from day to night without leaving his space. This is how the name of the establishment became the “Drunken Bean.” However, Mr. Papageorgiou originally considered, “Tipsy Bean,” before arriving on the coffee shop’s current brand. After its opening in 2018, Drunken Bean became a local favorite like Nick Papageorgiou’s other two eating spots, Gordo’s and Eggy’s. Due to its instant popularity, customers would often find themselves in a long line to come and eat.

During its morning rush, Drunken Bean serves Colectivo, a fair-trade organic coffee. For a delicious selection of pastries and sweets, they collaborate with a local bakery called the “Goddess and the Baker.” Other food is made in-house including seasonal drinks and meals.

Jason and Freddy, managers of Drunken Bean, work together to create new, unique seasonal drinks and meals for customers to enjoy. After breakfast, the menu switches to lunch and dinner items. Their popular gelato options are served year-round. Wine and dinner options are correlated with each other and change periodically as new menu items rotate in.

A Local Favorite

This restaurant is the perfect place for locals to work during the day and get together with friends at night. Mom groups, book clubs, and pickleball players are among some of the regular customers that enjoy Drunken Bean on the regular. Every Saturday morning, there is live music from ten o’clock in the morning to one o’clock in the afternoon.

There is occasional live music on Thursday and Friday nights. Locals and visitors can enjoy this local hangout spot’s welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. Enjoy the customized murals and other artwork inside the space created by a local artist, Elloo. During the week, Drunken Bean offers a ten percent discount on food to local customers.

For Their 4-Legged Friends

Drunken Bean adds extensions to its restaurant such as its unique food truck, Fido to Go. Fido to Go specializes in dog treats and toys and is popular with dog owners in the neighborhood. The food truck is open every Saturday from 8-1 p.m. Drunken Bean also serves pup cups every day that you can pick up from their outdoor order window. There is seating for you and your four-legged friends available on the outside patio area during the warmer months.

Along with seasonal items for breakfast and dinner, Drunken Bean offers several specials throughout the week. Monday through Friday from 4:30-6:30 is when they offer half-off wines and flatbreads. This deal includes five-dollar draft beers and select cocktails. For lunch and dinner, they have a daily-changing soup to choose from for your meal.

From morning to night, there is something for everyone to enjoy when visiting here. Visit Drunken Bean located on E. South Water Street amongst other local Chicago favorites. Try out some of their seasonal winter cocktails before they are gone!

New Eastside Winter Virtual Food Drive

New Eastside Winter Virtual Food Drive! Donate today! Your support is needed now more than ever! #neweastside #lakeshoreeast #fooddrive #chicago #noonegoeshungry #giveback #charity #helpothers

New Eastside vs Lakeshore East! Do you know the difference?

The Loop, one of Chicago‘s 77 designated community areas, is the central business district of the city and is the main section of Downtown Chicago.

The New Eastside is a neighborhood that is a part of the Loop community area number 32. It is a mixed-use district bordered by Michigan Avenue to the west, the Chicago River to the north, Randolph Street to the south, and Lake Shore Drive to the east. It encompasses the entire Illinois Center and Lakeshore East. It began with the 1969 Planned Development #70, as well as separate developments like Aon Center, Prudential Plaza, Park Millennium Condominium Building, Hyatt Regency Chicago, the Fairmont Chicago & Lakeshore East.

1937 http://www.neweastside.org/History.html
1985 http://www.neweastside.org/History.html

Other neighborhoods located in the Loop include Printer’s Row, South Loop, Historic Michigan Boulevard District and Loop Historic Retail District.

Lakeshore East is a mixed use development within the New Eastside boundaries. Magellan Development purchased the 28 acre parcel of land in 1997. They spent the next five years working with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to create the master plan. Construction began in 2002 and the first condominium building, The Lancaster, was completed in 2005. The 6 acre central park also opened in 2005 featuring a kids park and a dog friendly area.

Original LakeShore East Master plan
Lakeshore East Park 2022

The condominium buildings in Lakeshore East include Lancaster (2005), Regatta (2006), Chandler (2007) 340 on the Park (2007), Aqua (2009), St. Regis (2020) and the Cirrus (2021). The rental buildings include Shoreham (2006), Tides (2009), Aqua (2009), Coast (2013) and Cascades (2021). In addition there are the Parkhomes on the southeast corner of the park and the Aqua Parkhomes on the west end of the park. The East Village Market opened in 2011 on the South portion of the park and hosts multiple businesses and restaurants.

The condominium buildings located in the New Eastside that existed prior to the Lakeshore East development include Park Millennium, Harbor Point, 400 East Randolph, The Buckingham and the ParkShore. The rental buildings include 175 N Harbor, Millennium Park Plaza and Columbus Plaza.

Considering a move to the New Eastside and want to hear more? Please don’t hesitate to contact Ginger Menne for current real estate trends and her take on why this community is quite possibly the perfect place to live!

ACHIEVE YOUR REAL ESTATE DREAMS IN 2023!

Considering listing your home? We would say get out there in January and February. That is when inventory is lowest but demand is high so there is less competition. Let’s connect and talk about the process and your timing!