Canadian casual restaurant chain Earls Kitchen + Bar has made its way to Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. The Earls in-house design team—in collaboration with Alameda, California-based MBH Architects (which has also completed architecture for other Earls locations, including the recently debuted Tysons Corner, Virginia outpost) created a space that pays homage to the Windy City’s musical roots, with eye-catching, locally produced artwork spanning the 8,800-square-foot eatery.
In addition to custom pieces by Chicago street artist FRESH, Vancouver artist Ricky Alvarez incorporates a trumpet sculpture that visually represents a three-second sound clip from Louis Armstrong’s “Hello, Dolly!” The trumpets are arranged to resemble sound waves rippling across the wall, also calling to mind the Chicago River. Artist and musician Erik den Breejen also contributed a mosaic portrait of legendary jazz musician Muddy Waters, where the painted tiles that make up Waters’ face are detailed with some of his lyrics.
A warm color palette adds a sense of coziness to the interior, which features button-tufted leather booths, a wood-paneled ceiling, and custom chandeliers.
Earls can accommodate close to 340 diners in restaurant and bar as well as the patio, which is equipped with firepits in order to expand seating outdoors for three seasons of the year. A folding door and wall system lets the breeze in during warmer months, allowing guests to catch scenic city views and move seamlessly from the patio into the dining room.
