Barnes and Riddle made the request in early 2023. Workers carved out a 10-foot opening in the wall that divided the spaces but needed to wait for 40th Ward Ald. A second bar in the new lounge-style space will also help create extra wiggle room for both bartenders and patrons.
The expansion includes 45 additional seats, bringing the bar’s capacity to 110. There’s also beer from Black-owned brewery Funkytown. The food is from fellow Black-LGBTQ-women-owned business Taylor’s Tacos. There’s also a new cocktail menu with nods to Black and LGBTQ icons Eartha Kitt and Nina Simone. so patrons can tour what once the bar’s neighboring space at 1746 W. Now, the welcoming neighborhood tavern, after more than nine months of anticipation, is unveiling an expansion that will nearly double its capacity.Ĭo-owner Renauda Riddle says that she and business partner Angela Barnes will showcase the new space on Wednesday, September 20 with an opening event from 4 p.m. Two years ago, Nobody’s Darling broke the mold of LGBTQ bars in Chicago, and the Andersonville tavern was named a James Beard Award finalist in 2022.