Tour Southport’s Tuco & Blondie, Opening Today And Armed With ‘Mexifun’

Diners won’t recognize the former Justin’s space

by Ashok Selvam@Shokdiesel Sep 26, 2016, 12:02pm CDT

Photography by Marc Much

Tuco & Blondie opens Monday in Lakeview.

Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

The owners of Crosby’s Kitchen will open Tuco & Blondie, their new Mexican restaurant along Southport inside the former Justin’s space, at 4:30 p.m. today. There’s no sign of a dive bar, opting for a modern cantina look that fits in with the Lakeview community.

A red neon sign reading "Mexifun" on the wall reflects 4 Star Restaurant Group’s philosophy for their new restaurant, while a soft-serve ice cream machine near the front window reiterates it. There's a hodge-podge of Mexican references inside: a luchador, a "Good, The Bad, The Ugly" poster and even a Virgin Mary covering one of the restaurant’s exposed brick walls. The opposite wall features a more vibrant side with a colorful mural.

There are 250 seats and the space spans 6,000-square feet, including the insides and a large outdoor patio. The designers from Grip and SPACE Architects + Planners have gone for more of a pop-art feel that’s welcoming to the families that roll with their strollers down Southport.

Take a virtual tour of inside below.

Tuco & Blondie, 3358 N. Southport Ave, open 11 a.m. to midnight on weekdays; 10 a.m. to midnight on weekends. Weekend brunch service starts immediately and goes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.