Chicken and fish might sound like an odd combination, but Parson’s in Chicago isn’t suggesting you eat them both at the same time. That would be crazy (although it would offer an alternative explanation of the Windy City nickname). No, it’s a reference to two popular types of restaurant from Chi-Town’s West Side that are popular for the quick but satisfying nosh they fetch up, and the ethos of those restaurants is central to Parson’s Chicken and Fish, both in menu and style.
Cheap and cheerful is the order of the day at Parson’s, which isn’t to say the place looks anything less than top notch in terms of presentation. This being a modern take on the classic neighbourhood venues, the ingredients are all locally sourced and fresh, and that freshness is evident in the atmosphere, helped by two factors. The first is the bench booth seating fashioned from whitewashed planks that have a bit of a beach feel, which marries together well with the otherwise urban industrial vibe.
The second is a big outdoor patio area in which to sit and munch your drumsticks or enjoy a cold one when the weather allows. Add to all that some nice geometric motif work which reaches from the branding and signs through to the bog stall doors, and you have a well thought out traditional neighbourhood eatery with more than a touch of class.
Photography, Clayton Hauck
