As its name suggestively hints, Chicago pub fixture Matilda & BABYatlas, serves up a good dose of intrigue and spirit in this popular North Side destination.
Matilda, at 3101 N. Sheffield Ave., offers customers three distinct experiences — the warm and inviting main bar, the dark and celestial BackBar and the vibrant and sultry BABYatlas for dancing.
“We offer superior service in an upscale neighborhood bar and restaurant that does not take itself too seriously,” Owner and Operator Kevin Abercrombie said.
Abercrombie has watched Matilda grow since infancy. The establishment was built in 1994. A few years later, Abercrombie was hired on as a bouncer checking IDs at the door. From there, he worked in every capacity of the restaurant including dishwasher, construction and repair, server, bartender, manager to finally sole owner.
Matilda’s namesake intrigue is based on a close encounter during the bar’s construction. According to Abercrombie, the name was inspired by the 1994 film “The Professional.” After long hours of construction and a few drinks, Abercrombie said the original owner swears (on the Bible) that he saw a ghost bearing the resemblance of a young Natalie Portman (who starred in the movie) hovering over the southwest corner of the main room. When others turned to look, she flew through the windows along Sheffield Ave.
Another notable coo, Matilda offers free party space in the downstairs BABYatlas room and in the BackBar. BABYatlas is available for parties from 20 to 50 people and features its own bar and separate sound system with a song library of more than 12,000 songs. The BackBar is available for parties up to 80 people. Two smaller parties could also share the space.
“We are typically booked up with weekend events one to two months in advance,” Abercrombie said.
Matilda has an attractive main menu, stating its cuisine is made from scratch and with fresh ingredients; a catering menu; and two bar packages for fund-raisers.
For a closer look at Matilda, go to matilda-babyatlas.com or call 773-883-4400.
Matilda uses EventWax!
Kevin Abercrombie — “I have used EventWax annually for our New Year’s Eve party with great success. Of great benefit to me is the ability to contact attendees both prior to and after the event. Each of the last two years I used the customizable promo code as a benefit to repeat customers and their friends. This year, I customized an additional text field for customers to let me know who referred them to our NYE party. Employees were given an incentive of $5 for each person that used their name as a referral. I have also used [EventWax] to host two charity events. For all events, having an alphabetized and pre-paid guest list has made the check-in process simple for both the customer and my staff.”
Event planning tip
Kevin Abercrombie — “Start planning with few and simple rules. Each event has its own intricacies and each customer will only want to change the rules to fit their particular event anyway. By offering only a few, steadfast rules, the customer feels like they are in charge throughout the process and appreciates the flexibility in setting up their event.”
Hey! If you would like your business, event planning service, or event featured in EventWax’s Spotlight, shoot Jen a request at [email protected].
