After roughly two decades in Lincoln Park, Max and Issy's Pizzeria is gearing up for its final service, with co-owner Chris Latchford saying the restaurant will serve its last customers on March 28. The Diversey Parkway spot, long known to neighborhood regulars as the former home of Paddy Long's before reopening as Max and Issy's in 2021, will close so the owners can put their energy into their larger West Loop operation. Latchford has told customers that most of the pizzeria's staff are expected to transfer to Kaiser Tiger once the Lincoln Park location goes dark.
As reported by Block Club Chicago, Latchford said he and partner Patrick Berger received an unsolicited offer for the building at 1028 W. Diversey Parkway and decided to take it. The outlet notes the owners bought the property about 19 years ago, and there are still no firm public plans from the buyers on what might replace the pizzeria.
Owners To Focus On Their West Loop Beer Hall
Latchford and Berger also run Kaiser Tiger in the West Loop, a larger beer-and-sausage hall they opened in 2014. They told neighborhood reporters they plan to concentrate on that business going forward, a shift that effectively pulls their hospitality footprint toward the West Loop. Eater Chicago previously profiled Kaiser Tiger's debut and the owners' connection to Paddy Long's, underscoring why the West Loop venue has become their main stage.
Staff Moves And The Neighborhood
Block Club Chicago reports that most of Max and Issy's employees will be transferred to Kaiser Tiger, a move the owners say will keep jobs intact even as the Lincoln Park kitchen winds down. Regulars told the outlet they were caught off guard by the sale, and Latchford framed the closure as the result of an unexpected offer rather than a long-planned exit.
What’s Next For The Space
There are no public plans yet from the new owners for the corner at 1028 W. Diversey Parkway, and any redevelopment timeline remains unclear. In the meantime, the restaurant is keeping its usual hours, and reservation links live on its official site as it heads into its final weeks of service. Max and Issy's
