Chicago, illinois
A place to sit.
To learn.
To return.
Where mezcal is shared with care.
Where conversation unfolds naturally.
Where people feel comfortable staying.
Our Vision
To create a place where mezcal is shared with care, and where people come to understand it more deeply over time.
A space shaped by curiosity and connection.
Where people gather, settle in, and return.
Built with equal attention to what is in the glass, and how the experience is held around it.
Rooted in Oaxaca.
Grounded in Chicago.
Casa Herrera is built around a way of hosting.
A way of paying attention to how people arrive,
how they settle in, and how an experience stays with them.
Mezcal sits at the center.
Not as a product, but as a shared ritual.
From that, the experience grows.
the experience
People come together.
Mezcal is shared.
Conversation opens from there.
Guests arrive at different points. Some are new to mezcal. Others come with familiarity. Each visit meets them where they are, and opens something further.
There is a pace to the experience.
Time to taste.
Time to ask questions.
Time to understand what is in the glass and where it comes from.
Over time, people begin to recognize what they like.
They begin to recognize the producers.
They begin to recognize each other.
The experience deepens through repetition.
the product
A focused selection of small-batch mezcals sourced directly from Oaxaca.
Each bottle reflects a place, a process, and the work of a specific producer.
Offerings rotate over time, allowing guests to deepen their understanding and return to discover something new.
retail
Retail begins with the experience.
Guests encounter mezcal in the room, then choose to bring it home.
Alongside bottles, a small collection of objects supports the same rituals.
Glassware, ceramics, textiles, and tools that belong at a table.
Events
Natural colors, wood accents, rounded edges, soft lighting, and woven textures.
Our space was intentionally designed to invoke warmth, making it ideal for both casual and celebratory gatherings.
We invite you to view CASA HERRERA as both an extension of your favorite place and an unprecedented experience. Contact us to begin planning your next event.
Reservations
1821 W Chicago Ave.
Chicago, Illinois
Monday - Sunday
Monday, Thursday through Sunday, 1:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
773.315.3015
Meet the Founders
Carlos Herrera
Hospitality and retail designer with 20+ years shaping branded environments at scale. Most recently Studio Design Leader at Curioso, leading design for hotels and restaurants across the U.S. and Mexico — for clients including Six Senses, Aparium Hotel Group, Toast Hotel Group, and Core Spaces. Earlier, five years inside Starbucks shaping next-generation store concepts that informed global rollout. Raised between Chicago and Oaxaca, his work reflects a deep understanding of material, craft, and atmosphere — and his hospitality experience directly informs how Casa Herrera will function, not just how it looks. Bilingual English / Spanish.
Laura Herrera
Senior marketing and communications leader with two decades of experience across Chicago’s leading cultural institutions, including executive leadership roles at the Museum of Science and Industry, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the Chicago History Museum. Her work has centered on building audience engagement, driving revenue growth, and shaping large-scale public experiences. She brings deep relationships across Chicago’s cultural, civic, and philanthropic communities, along with a proven ability to build and sustain audience-driven organizations.
Together
Together, they bring a rare combination of hospitality design, cultural leadership, and audience development. Casa Herrera is not a first experiment. It is the extension of work they have already been doing, at scale, for years.
