The former 1836 Drink Lab & Provision will soon reopen as a family-friendly pizzeria. (Photo by Erika Wurst / for Chronicle Media)

Family, food and fun are expected to collide this summer in downtown Yorkville as the owners of Crusade Burger Bar bring their new restaurant concept to the city.

Pizza Riot, a punk-rocked themed pizzeria featuring arcade games and craft brews, will open its doors this summer at 101 West Van Emmon St.

The move comes following the abrupt closure of the partner’s former restaurant at the same location. 1836 Drink Lab & Provisions was open for just three months before the owners decided to close the upscale restaurant and rebrand. The closure came as a shock to many.

“1836 was just kind of boring for us. It felt contrived,” said Rafael Gomez, partner/owner of Minor Threat Restaurant Group. “I think we were forcing something to happen. Even from the day it opened, I didn’t feel good about it.”

So, Gomez decided to scrap the upscale idea all together and bring something authentically him to the area.

“We just wanted to do something fun and exciting that families can really get into,” he said. Playing off his past as a skateboarding BMX rider, Gomez and his partners created the Pizza Riot concept and have continued to run with it.

“We wanted to do the exact opposite of 1836,” he said. “It felt kind of stuck-up and just for adults. Yorkville is very family driven.”

Gomez said he hopes people who were looking forward to dining at 1836 will forgive him for the sudden closure, but that he hopes they will give Pizza Riot a shot. The restaurant will feature thin and crispy New England-style pizza, with a couple of sandwiches and salads on the menu.

“I know people say there are already too many pizza places in Yorkville, but outside of having great pizza, we hope the atmosphere will bring them in.”

The logo of the new Pizza Riot restaurant in Yorkville reflects its funky, punk-rocked themed décor.

Gomez and his partners plan to fill the restaurant with arcade games and punk-rock decor. A remodel of the restaurant’s interior will close up the space a bit to provide a cozy atmosphere, Gomez said.

And while he plans to open doors this summer, Gomez is hesitant to give an exact date.

“To be honest, it’s like every day we are coming up with a new idea and trying to implement it to make things even cooler,” he said. “1836 was a lesson learned and we want to make sure everything feels perfect when we re-open our doors.”

—  Owners close upscale Yorkville restaurant to reopen punky pizzeria   —-