WRIGLEYVILLE — Kyle Bagley and Sam Stone had every detail planned for their Wrigleyville restaurant.
The menu of specialty tacos and classic American fare was perfected, and the space at 3441 N. Sheffield Ave. provided a perfect backdrop for their vision, right down to the exposed brick wall.
Then they hit a snag: The name was all wrong.
"We wanted to get away from cheesy, if you will," Bagley said. "And Pepe O'Shea's [mascot] was going to be a sombrero-wearing leprechaun."
Not getting quite the "refined tavern" vibe they wanted, the duo came up with a much more satisfying alternative: Graystone Tavern, named for Bagley's son Grayson combined with Stone's last name.
Coincidentally, its building is also actually made of greystone.
Graystone Tavern opened at 3441 N. Sheffield Ave. in time for the 2015 Twelve Bars of Christmas bar crawl in December. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
Graystone Tavern opened in time for the Twelve Bars of Christmas bar crawl Dec. 12, just two days after getting its state liquor license. The bar crawl was a great chance to put the newcomer on the Wrigleyville map, which is admittedly crowded, Bagley said.
"There's 48 places to choose from in this neighborhood, so how do we differentiate ourselves?" Bagley said. He decided to focus on providing excellent service and an atmosphere that appeals to a broader audience than Pepe O'Shea's likely would have.
"My kids are in elementary school and I still have friends that like to go out, so we wanted to appeal to them," Bagley said. "I don't think Pepe O'Shea's really translated to someone who lives in a million-dollar home."
Stone also helped diversify the menu, suggesting a selection of salads and the option to use lettuce shells for the tacos.
Kyle Bagley (r.) and Sam Stone opened Graystone Tavern at 3441 N. Sheffield Ave. in time for the 2015 Twelve Bars of Christmas bar crawl in December. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
With almost two decades age difference between Bagley, 47, and Stone, 30, the unlikely pair became buddies several years ago. Stone worked for a distributor that delivered to Bagley, and they soon discovered how well they worked together.
"There's really good symmetry. We don't see eye to eye on everything, but we see the same point down the road," said Bagley, whose past ventures include Roadhouse 66.
The team hopes to have better luck that the storefront's last three tenants — The National, Black Sheep Beer Garden and The Yard — which all cycled through the space in the span of three years. Its spot between The Dark Horse and Nisei Lounge is on the south end of the Wrigleyville bar scene at Clark, Newport and Sheffield.
Graystone Tavern offers 10 varieties of specialty tacos in addition to burgers, salads and starters. [Provided/Graystone Tavern]
Together with chef Shy Hunter, the co-owners crafted a menu that features 10 types of tacos, along with burgers, salads and appetizers.
Topping the list of must-try items are the chicken wings ($10) and the hummus ($8), but the tacos ($3.50 each) take center stage. Bagley recommends the pork belly BLT, the Jamaican jerk chicken or the California taco with chicken, bacon, avocado, slaw and basil mayo.
Graystone Tavern offers 16 beers on tap, 45 bottles varieties, signature cocktails, specialty tacos, burgers and salads. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
Burgers are $12 to $13 and salads are $9 to $11. Graystone also offers large plates of southern fried chicken ($12) and macaroni-and-cheese ($10).
Graystone Tavern is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays.
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