Bar Pilar To Add A Second Floor

Renderings of Bar Pilar's planned second-floor expansion by StudioSmith design firm.

Getting a seat for tasty fried chicken, crispy fried pig ears and the inspired small plates at Bar Pilar will get a little easier come spring.


The 14th Street hangout is expanding to the second floor, doubling its current capacity. The new upstairs dining room will add about 45 to 50 seats, and the look will stay true to the
first floor's eclectic and well-worn aesthetic with antique stained
doors, ornate Cuban tiles and art from local artists.



“The expansion is a result of a couple factors," says John Snellgrove, Bar Pilar's director of operations. "For one, the space above Bar Pilar became available. Also, we have listened to customers and understand from their feedback that there is just not enough seating."

The upstairs dining room will double Bar Pilar's current seating.

Chef Justin Bittner, who currently operates in a tiny four-burner kitchen at the back of the space, will get a little more room for cooking as well. The kitchen will double in size, but Bittner doesn't have any plans to change the menus.


Fans of current upstairs tenant Raven Arts needn't fret. Novel Foods, the group that runs Cafe Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar, is teaming up with the gallery's owner to open a multi-use art gallery space on 14th Street this spring.