What Land and Sea Dept. does

Land and Sea Dept. is a privately held project development studio and hospitality group headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, operating a portfolio of restaurant, bar, inn, and entertainment concepts across Chicago, Nashville, and Austin. Founded around 2010 with the opening of Longman & Eagle in Logan Square, the company has grown to encompass more than ten wholly owned venues spanning casual neighborhood restaurants (Parson's Chicken & Fish across four Chicago neighborhoods and Nashville), Mexican-inspired all-day dining (Lonesome Rose), fine dining (Cherry Circle Room inside the Chicago Athletic Association hotel), intimate rare-spirits cocktail bars (Milk Room), tiki bars (Lost Lake), and tavern concepts (Dicey's, SWEETHEARTS). Adjacent businesses include the audialLSD record label, the Letherbee Distillers craft spirits partnership, a private-label beer collaboration with Revolution Brewing (Parson's Beer), branded merchandise including Parson's Hot Sauce and the Lonesome Rose T-Shirt Club, the LSD Friendzone loyalty program, and LSD Trips catering services.

The group runs a direct-to-consumer, transaction-based business model with revenue generated primarily from food and beverage sales across physical locations, supplemented by catering and private event income, merchandise e-commerce, and limited royalty income from the audialLSD label. Pricing is per-transaction for restaurant items, with select unit-priced products (hot sauce at $6 per bottle or $10 for both), one-time limited-run merchandise, and quote-based catering packages. The underlying technology stack consists of commodity hospitality infrastructure: Toast POS integrated with the loyalty program, Tock and Resy for reservations, DoorDash and Chow Now for delivery, and Sprout Social for social media management. No proprietary technology platform is disclosed.

The company's customer base is fragmented across local neighborhood diners, craft cocktail enthusiasts, private event hosts, and travelers, with no enterprise anchor accounts or recurring contractual revenue. Marketing relies on owned digital channels (website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), email newsletters, earned media through press coverage and awards recognition, and community engagement through charity events (Sundae Mondays), artist collaborations, and the LSD Bulletin Board public art program. The company is independent and owner-operated, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity investment, or acquisition activity in the available data.

Name

Land and Sea Dept.

Legal name

Land and Sea Dept.

Website

https://landandseadept.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Land and Sea Dept. is a Chicago-based independent hospitality group operating more than ten restaurant, bar, and entertainment venues under multiple brands, including Parson's Chicken & Fish, Longman & Eagle, Milk Room, Cherry Circle Room, and Lonesome Rose, serving local diners, cocktail enthusiasts, and private event clients across Chicago, Nashville, and Austin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant and Bar Hospitality

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ)

Keywords

• Restaurant hospitality group
• Craft cocktail bars
• Neighborhood dining concepts
• Private event catering
• Hospitality project development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from restaurant and bar operations across multiple locations including Longman & Eagle, Parson's Chicken & Fish, Lonesome Rose, Cherry Circle Room, Milk Room, and other properties
2. Catering and Private Events: LSD Trips catering service offering customizable packages for private dining, corporate events, and in-home experiences with multi-course menus and signature cocktails
3. Merchandise and Consumer Products: Sale of branded merchandise including T-shirt club designs, Parson's hot sauce, and apparel through webstore and locations
4. Record Label Sales: audialLSD record label releasing limited edition vinyl records and singles from artists like Wolf Eyes, Disappears, Pool Holograph, and Courtesy

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Land and Sea Dept. operates a portfolio of independently conceived restaurant, bar, inn, and entertainment concepts primarily in Chicago with additional locations in Nashville and Austin. Concepts include Longman & Eagle, Parson's Chicken & Fish, Lonesome Rose, Milk Room, Cherry Circle Room, Lost Lake, Golden Teardrops, Dicey's, Wax Myrtle's, SWEETHEARTS, Game Room, and Drawing Room. The group also runs a record label (audialLSD), catering service (LSD Trips), and merchandise programs including branded hot sauces and limited-edition apparel.

Product overview

Land and Sea Dept. is a Project Development Studio and Hospitality Group operating a portfolio of distinct restaurant, bar, and entertainment concepts primarily in Chicago, Illinois, with expansion to Nashville and Austin. The core offering consists of seven restaurant/bar brands (Longman & Eagle, Parson's Chicken & Fish, Lonesome Rose, Milk Room, Cherry Circle Room, Lost Lake, and Golden Teardrops) complemented by entertainment concepts (Game Room, Drawing Room), music ventures (audialLSD record label), and creative services. The portfolio also includes product lines (Parson's Hot Sauce, Parson's Beer), merchandise programs (Lonesome Rose T-Shirt Club), loyalty programs (LSD Friendzone), public art exhibitions (LSD Bulletin Board), and catering services (LSD Trips, Sundae Mondays). Recent expansions include Dicey's Pizza & Tavern, SWEETHEARTS tavern, and Wax Myrtle's in Austin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• audialLSD: Record label by Land and Sea Dept., releasing music including Wolf Eyes, Disappears, and Pool Holograph/Courtesy splits.

Products and services

• Longman & Eagle A neighborhood whiskey bar and inn in Logan Square, Chicago offering whiskey flights, seasonal American cuisine, and overnight accommodations. Recognized by Michelin Guide with Bib Gourmand award for over a decade and named in Condé Nast Traveler's 26 Best Chicago Hotels.
• Parson's Chicken & Fish Fried chicken and fish restaurant concept with multiple locations in Chicago (Logan Square, Lincoln Park, West Town, Andersonville), Nashville, and Austin. Known for Negroni slushies, chicken sandwiches, expansive patios, house hot sauce, and private label beer brewed with Revolution Brewing.
• Lonesome Rose All-day Mexican-inspired restaurant and bar celebrating the culinary histories of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks daily with regional cuisine and cocktails curated by executive chef and beverage director.
• Milk Room A tiny rare spirits bar located inside the Chicago Athletic Association, featuring vintage and hard-to-find spirits with intimate cocktail tastings. Ranked #38 on North America's 50 Best Bars list in 2023 and #17 on The Daily Meal's 150 Best Bars in America list in 2018.
• Cherry Circle Room James Beard Award-winning restaurant and bar inside the Chicago Athletic Association featuring refined seasonal American cuisine, craft cocktails, and curated wine list with emphasis on sustainable and organic selections.
• Lost Lake Tropical cocktail bar known for rum-focused drinks, tiki-inspired cocktails, and Pacific Island cuisine. Named semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program at James Beard Foundation Awards and won Best To-Go Cocktails in Chicago Tribune Readers' Choice Awards 2021.
• Golden Teardrops Classic cocktail bar located in the basement of Lonesome Rose, serving cocktails, beers, shots, and specialty drinks including the signature Lonesome Rose margarita.
• Dicey's Pizza & Tavern Neighborhood tavern concept featuring tavern-style pizza, diverse beer selection, cocktails, and natural and organic wines. Locations in Nashville (Wedgewood-Houston) and Chicago (West Town).
• SWEETHEARTS New tavern adjacent to Lonesome Rose in Andersonville, Chicago. The inclusive space features hazy glamor offset by rustic charms, described as a sassy and vibrant destination for late-night neighborhood bar patrons.
• Wax Myrtle's Restaurant concept with location in Austin, Texas, part of the expanding portfolio of Land and Sea Dept. properties.
• Game Room Bar and entertainment space inside the Chicago Athletic Association featuring games, cocktails, and casual dining.
• Drawing Room Event and dining space inside the Chicago Athletic Association, often used for private dinners and special tasting events.
• audialLSD Record Label Record label by Land and Sea Dept., releasing limited edition vinyl singles and flexi discs featuring artists like Wolf Eyes, Disappears, Pool Holograph, and Courtesy.
• LSD Trips Catering Customizable catering service offering private in-home dining, multi-course tasting menus, signature cocktails, whiskey flights, and special culinary experiences with Land and Sea Dept. chefs for private events, corporate functions, and celebrations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition for 10+ years at Longman & Eagle
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Revolution BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership on Parson's Beer, a custom extra crispy golden ale brewed exclusively for Parson's Chicken & Fish locations. Also collaborated on Parson's x Revolution Brewing 'Parson's Beer' product. Relationship includes custom can design by LSD Art Dept.
• El Buho MezcalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimited edition bottling collaboration producing Parson's Mezcal with El Buho. Includes industry events with Octavio and Pepe from El Buho, with $1 per drink donated to Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
• DAAD (Architecture Studio)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNashville-based architecture and interior design studio that designed and built out Parson's Nashville location in the historic May Hosiery Coop building.
• Chicago Athletic AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperating partner inside Chicago Athletic Association hotel, operating Cherry Circle Room, Game Room, Drawing Room, and Milk Room as part of the historic hotel property.
• VansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustom shoe collaboration where Drew Ryan designed custom Vans shoes; net proceeds from sales go to support Land and Sea Dept. employees during COVID-19 crisis.
• Gordon Food ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to provide 200 holiday meal kits for families of four to furloughed and unemployed restaurant workers in Chicago during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Letherbee DistillersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based craft distillery featured in LSD projects. Collaboration on Letherbee 'Autumnal'/'Vernal' Seasonal Gin Series and other spirit collaborations.
• Dark Matter CoffeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Darkman & Eagle' coffee beer partnership with Longman & Eagle.
• The Quiet Life (Clothing)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTwo collaborative collections released with LA-based clothing company led by Andy Mueller. Limited edition hoodies, long sleeve tees, and corduroy flat brim hats sold at Lonesome Rose and The Quiet Life shops.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Constellation Culinary Group: Large contract foodservice and hospitality operator with extensive hotel restaurant and event-catering operations. Comparable in the hotel F&B and private-events segments where LSD operates Cherry Circle Room and LSD Trips.
• Tao Group Hospitality: National multi-concept restaurant, nightlife, and entertainment operator. Comparable business model (multiple branded venues, F&B + entertainment, premium positioning) though at far larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Hogsalt Hospitality: Chicago-based restaurant group behind Au Cheval, Small Cheval, and Bavette's. Direct peer given multi-concept casual/fine-dining strategy, neighborhood tavern focus, and parallel Chicago origin.
• Boka Restaurant Group: Chicago hospitality group founded by Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, operating Boka, Girl & the Goat, GT Prime, and others. Comparable award-driven, chef-led portfolio model with national expansion experience.
• One Off Hospitality Group: Chicago-based independent hospitality group behind Blackbird, Avec, The Publican, Big Star, and others. Highly comparable to LSD in operating a portfolio of chef-driven neighborhood and fine-dining concepts from a Chicago base.
• 50/50 Group: Chicago multi-concept hospitality group (Roots Pizza, The Little Goat, et al.) operating adjacent to LSD's footprint. Comparable portfolio breadth, neighborhood focus, and creative-driven brand positioning.
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Chicago-founded, privately held multi-concept restaurant group operating 100+ venues across multiple brands. The closest direct peer to Land and Sea Dept. in scale, model, and Chicago-rooted multi-concept strategy, including hotel F&B partnerships.

Others

• Independent Restaurant Coalition peer: Revival Food Hall: Chicago food hall operator that curates multiple independent concepts under one roof. Conceptually adjacent to LSD's multi-brand strategy and Chicago-centric positioning, though operating model differs (vendor curation vs. wholly owned).

Emerging players

• Friedman's Hospitality Group: Multi-concept independent restaurant group. Comparable in operating multiple neighborhood concepts from a creative-platform base, though smaller in scale and recognition than LSD.
• Emporium Arcade Bar / High Noon Entertainment: Chicago-based bar/arcade entertainment concept comparable to LSD's Game Room and creative-driven nightlife venues. Comparable target customer and experiential positioning, though narrower in food/beverage scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/landandseadept
• Facebookfacebook.com/landandseadept
• Instagraminstagram.com/landandseadept

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Land and Sea Dept.