A Logan Square Son Opens a Latin Speakeasy Right in Palmer Square's Backyard

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Palmer Square · April 19, 2026

Palmer Square neighbors, there's a vibrant new nightspot just steps from the boulevard — and it's already turning heads. Culebra, a Puerto Rican- and Caribbean-themed cocktail bar, officially opened this week in Logan Square's former Golden Teardrops basement, tucked beneath Lonesome Rose on the neighborhood's main strip. The man behind it is Diego Garcia-Gonzalez, a born-and-raised Logan Square native who spent over a decade bartending before finally planting his own flag in the neighborhood he calls home.

Culebra is equal parts celebration and community statement. The bar spins Latin and Chicago house music, pours cocktails, beers, and spirits sourced from Latin America and the Caribbean, and serves a tight food menu of traditional Puerto Rican dishes — including the Culebra sando, a ribeye-and-plantain riff on the beloved jibarito, and arroz con jueyes, a blue crab and pegao rice dish that Garcia-Gonzalez describes as a home-cooking staple "you will almost never find at any Puerto Rican restaurant." The dishes are crafted in partnership with Daniel Maysonet Rivera, chef and co-owner of Jungle Bird, a celebrated bar in San Juan.

For Palmer Square residents looking for something new and culturally rich to explore this spring, Culebra is a short stroll away and already earning buzz across the city's food and drink scene. Follow Culebra on social media for hours and upcoming events — and go show a neighborhood native some love.

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/13/culebra-a-latin-speakeasy-opening-tuesday-in-logan-squares-former-golden-teardrops/