EXPLORE STOPALONG PIZZA’S SECOND LOCATION, NOW OPEN IN LOGAN SQUARE
The StopAlong’s new outpost in Logan Square resolved an open question around the fate of the former home of Boiler Room, a neighborhood standby that abruptly closed in November after a dozen years across from the CTA Blue Line California stop.
A slightly rough-around-the-edges hang with New York-style slices, cheap drinks, and a popular PB&J special — pizza, beer, and a shot of Jameson — Boiler Room wasn’t especially kid-friendly, occasionally playing horror movies (sans sound) on TV screens around the dining room. There’s also StopAlong’s powerhouse double stack, one of the best burgers in town.
StopAlong at Boiler Room is importing a fair bit of its family-friendly vibe from Bucktown, brightening the space with lime-green upholstered bar stools, arcade games, retro toys (think Japanese G.I. Joe figures and a Star Wars AT-AT), and comic book-style wall art featuring characters like Mario and Batman. A slight edge, however, remains: Superman flips the bird in one portrait, as Catwoman picks her teeth in another. A spacious tented patio remains, with its debut nearly perfectly aligned with the onset of al fresco dining season.
Though the aesthetic change is significant, the new spot’s menu is essentially an abbreviated version of the original StopAlong’s lineup. Familiar pizza submissions include Some of the Right Stuff (sausage, pepperoncini, hot honey, spicy tomato sauce) the Elle Woods (spinach, roasted sweet peppers, mushrooms, vegan mozzarella), alongside garlic knots and draft beers.
Walk around the space below.
The StopAlong at Boiler Room, 2210 N. California Avenue, open Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hours to increase as staff allows.
Rainbow Brite, a few C3POs, an AT-AT, and Castle Greyskull say hello.