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The flavor that exists in this place should be against the law! Me and a friend came by last week for Restaurant week and I am so glad this was our destination. Decent sized place and I love the ambience especially the exposed brick and art work. We had Lourdes as our server and she was amazing...such a lovely person all around! I started with the Sope De Campo which is Braised chicken & rabbit with garlic parmesan and it was delicious! A really great starter...flavor oozing out of this dish. My friend is a plantain addict so we got a side of them and let me tell you, those were the best plantains I've had in my life...was that good!!! The came covered in queso fresco and cilantro...yum! Next I had the spanish octopus which came mixed in with kale, smoked paprika and white beans. My vision of it did not match the actual look of it, but it was pretty good. I decided on the Cuban Oxtail for my main entree and it was packed with crazy flavor as expected. Goat cheese, ravioli and roasted corn made this a fantastic dish. Would definitely come back for it. The dessert came as a chef's choice duo and included pastel de elote and chocolate tres leches. Both were amazing, but the pastel de elote took me by surprise. Its mexican corn cake that comes along with caramelized salted popcorn...woooo! I needs that again lol! Washed it down with the La Consentida which is a tequila cocktail with lime, hibiscus and orange curacao...very good drink. Lourdes gave us another wine like cocktail that was awesome to close our dining experience out. I believe it was mamajuana, a DR sangria. I loved my Amaru experience and plan to come back often! Great place for a date or outing with a friend or 2 and they have a decent bar area
A Palate experience! We decided to celebrate a special occasion and use our Amex credit and it did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in for our reservation we were immediately sat down and quickly attended to by our amazing server Itzel. She walked us through some menu options and we quickly got started. I appreciated how the food all came out hot and in an order that made great sense. Now the food each bite was an experience as the flavor profiles were special. It's hard to even pick a favorite but I would say the lomo steak has to be on your table. I also enjoyed the pulpo as it was cooked to perfection. I will also say I was pleasantly surprised by how good the pastel de elote was.
Amaru in Wicker Park Great Latin Flavors 7/10 Creative Cocktails 8/10 Attentive Service 10/10 Relaxed Vibes 10/10 Perfect spot for a date night or plate sharing with friends.
I came here for restaurant week and it ended up being my favorite of the 6 Restaurant Week meals I attended. The restaurant is dark but still cozy and I really liked the music they were playing. I dined alone and my server was very helpful. I was going to do the 4 courses but she said that it would be a lot of food and suggested I do the 3 course. I was going to a show after and didnt want to have to carry around leftovers. Even the 3 course meal ended up being a lot of food. I had the chicken and rabbit sope and it was my favorite thing I had the whole evening. It was very flavorful and came with a sauce that tasted very similar to a mole. The sauce was complex and delicious. For the mains I had the oxtail pasta. It was cheese stuffed pasta on top of a bed of oxtail meat. The meat was tender and I really liked the cheese in the pasta. Sometimes pasta filled with cheese can taste a bit bland but the pasta was very well seasoned. For dessert I had the chocolate tart which was good but tasted like a pretty standard restaurant dessert. I will definitely come back to this restaurant again.
Came here for a birthday dinner. Got a bunch off the happy hour menu and a branzino. Felt full and satisfied by the end. The Guatemalan ribs were my favorite. Melt in the mouth tender and the sauce had a ton of flavor. The piononos reminded me of bacon wrapped dates but with more meat. A great balance of sweet and savory. The coconut fried rice was also a hit. Lots of crispy refreshing vegetables balancing the fluffy rice, I think it was snap peas. The branzino was actually de-spined and the meat was fully seasoned inside. Even without the sauce it was enough flavor. The fish was also super tender, perfectly cooked. The skin could be crispier but not sure if that's how this dish is usually made. The yuca fries were fluffy inside and crunchy outside. The dip was also plenty. The solterito was surprising. Lots of textures with the crispy quinoa, with soft garbonzo and lentils, with crunchy fresh cucumbers, and then the balance of fresh cheese vs sharp vinaigrette Not a huge fan of the shrimp chicharron. It felt over fried. Everything was cut into tiny cubes. Some inside were softer and tasted like shrimp. But then some pieces kind of seems like really hard yuca chunks but the menu didn't have yuca as an ingredient in the dish so not sure what the very dense cubes were. The coating was also an aioli that only added to the oiliness of the dish rather than cutting the fat and hard texture. I would have probably gone for the ceviche instead. They also offered a corn dessert (pastel de elote) when we told them we were celebrating a birthday. Corn in multiple ways - soft dense corn cake, caramel popcorn, a quenelle and a tart sauce (it tasted like and texture felt like pineapple but the menu says passion fruit emulsion so not sure). Had fun textures and balanced cream vs tart. Services was great. They checked in on us often. Cleared plates between rounds since the table was fairly small. Also wiped off the table often. Also heard the cocktails are great here and the bartender was super friendly. I don't drink so can't comment on that much though.
Yet an another amazing meal and experience at Amaru. First, it seems everyone remembered us. That was very sweet and unexpected. And not just our faces, but our names! That in itself is amazing. It was great to see and talk with Itzel again. She stopped by often, but was not our server. Instead we had the pleasure of sharing the evening with Paola, who was an absolute delight. We tried a bunch of new dishes while repeating a few. The Piononos were outstanding, as expected. The Requeson was fantastic. Both of these dishes are so delicious they are hard to pass up... so we didn't. We tried the Yuca Frita. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The mojo verde sauce was quite tasty. This is a very good appetizer at a great price. We also tried the Crawfish Empanadas, which had a fishy flavor. Though I love seafood, I found this dish difficult to enjoy. This is not a dish we would order again. Mark had the Frita Cubana, which he enjoyed. David had Pernil. He thought the beans, rice and veggies on the plate were outstanding. He mentioned the pork's doneness was inconsistent, with some of it being a bit tough. That said, he shared a piece with me and it melted in my mouth; it was delicious. I had Mole y Leon, which was beautiful and super flavorful. The mole, a Mexican mole, was thick and spicy. Everything else on the plate matched perfectly with the mole. It was great, though I still remember and prefer the Pulpo Gallego. I hope the octopus dish remains on the menu forever. We ordered a ride to the airport and we mentioned Amaru to our driver. He knew about it and he took our discussion as a sign to make reservations soon. And we will come back as soon as we can!
Amaru is a hidden gem in Wicker Park with some of the friendliest service I have experienced! Stopped in on a Wednesday evening before a show at Den Theater with the beau for Happy Hour, and it wasn't busy at all. Amaru has a cozy, stylish vibe with amazing Latin American bites and cocktails. The menu isn't overwhelmingly large which is a good thing - and every dish feels carefully crafted and so well done, which is not surprising with a James Beard Award nominee (Chef Rodolfo Cuadros) at the helm. Highlights for me were the signature small plates that everyone raves about, and I see why: #1 Piononos - chorizo-stuffed plantains with bacon: This is a MUST - rich, smoky, and addictive. #2 Requesón - toasted sourdough with housemade Spanish cheese with tamarind + chili honey: Jammy, silky, and great balancing of not-too-sweet and savory. We also had the Ceviche del Dia (refreshing!) and the popular Oxtail Ravioli (comforting, unique, hearty - honestly probably my actual #2 favorite in the list of our choices). Also: excellent Mojito! Most dishes have a nice, light kick to them - but not too overbearing for someone that can't handle spiciness / heat (like me). Talking Value -- it's a bit pricey: A 20% gratuity is included on all checks, which feels fair given the quality of food and service. For the best deal, go during Happy Hour (Monday-Thursday 5-6 p.m., and Sunday 4-5 p.m.), when the drinks and several of the standout bites - including the Piononos and Requesón - are offered at a more affordable price. Amaru is great for couples, small groups, or anyone looking for a unique dining experience before a night out. Absolutely recommend.
Went here for a pre-show dinner and it did not disappoint! My husband and I shared the following: - Sweet Plantains - these were a fun twist with queso fresco and cilantro - a nice mix of sweet and savory - Andean Carrot Salad - this was fun too! I liked the thin beets on the bottom that were very acidic (in a good way) - the carrots were quite al dente. Very fresh, herbaceous and summery salad. - *Ceviche Del Dia - this was probably my least favorite thing based on the way they sliced the fish. I prefer ceviche cubed into smaller pieces, but these were bigger pieces of fish. The acid/sauce was nice and fresh, just not my favorite ceviche I've had. - Pollo Criollo - this was probably our favorite! The presentation was beautiful, the chicken had a really nice grilled flavor, and the potatoes were cooked really nicely.
Every aspect of Amaru is perfection! This is a spot where you get every last sip of that drink and every morsel of food off the plate. The flavors are beyond incredible and I love the beautiful plating. Beyond plating, the entire space is gorgeous in itself--from impeccable lighting to fun wall decor. I will definitely be back, as the entire team was so welcoming, helpful, and attentive. I wish their happy hour was longer than 1 hour!
Genuinely obsessed with this place ? We did a three course prix fix menu for Bridgette's birthday, but basically we got three apps, three mains and three desserts to try each. It was insane and so so good. For starters we had Yuca fries (best I've had in a while), quinoa bean salad & wrapped plantains (obsessed with these). For mains we had chicken skewers, coconut fried rice (insanely good and almost creamy), some pork dish and oxtail ravioli (the ravioli was insane and it was my first time trying oxtail!!! So flavorful). For dessert, we tried these corn bars (my favorite and served with Carmel corn!!), chocolate tres leches and some guava ish cheesecake. I also had a mojito which was fine. Mainly I was very impressed with the quality of the food, the serving sizes and how flavorful everything was. Would highly recommend if you are looking for nicer Latin food in the city or just a fun winter escape. It feels like summer inside. The service was fine and the atmosphere inside is tropic, but pretty small. Overall, a fun time and honestly worth the $70 price!
Was initially seated in a booth next to a nook that seemed to be a storage area stacked high with chairs which was not a nice view, so we asked to be reseated and ended up at the bar. There, we enjoyed great food, good drinks, good service. The standouts were the sweet plantains, piononos, and shrimp chicharron. This is one of our go-to places as the food is good and the ambience is chic. Unfortunately at the end of the night, I noticed that a 20% gratuity was automatically included but inconspicuously noted right below the subtotal and tax, with a very large conspicuous area right beneath for extra tip. The auto gratuity wasn't noted anywhere on the menu and our bartender failed to point it out to us even when he gave us the check and after we had signed it. It seems like a new thing as it wasn't the case the last time we ate here. I believe in fair wages for restaurant staff and am happy to pay an automatic gratuity to that effect. In fact, even though we realized 20% gratuity was included, we added an additional 20% because of the great service and they had given us a welcome drink and a dessert on the house as it was our anniversary. However, I don't think it's a good look or good business practice to do it the way they did; it felt underhanded and left a bad taste in my mouth. Hence, minus one star.
I could've sworn somewhere in someone's review somewhere, I said that this place beats Girl and the Goat! G&G being one of my all time favorite restaurants meant a visit to Amaru was all but guaranteed, especially when I was in Wicker Park. My experience was somewhat lackluster, and while I haven't been to G&G for a hot minute, there's no comparison. In a sentence: while the food dishes had creativity and fresh ingredients, the execution left something to be desired. I had the opportunity to eat the Piononos and the Ceviche of the Day. The Piononos were almost there. Other than the rustic feeling tomato sauce, I felt that the flavors were all-around muted. The chorizo didn't have punch to it, the gentle sweetness of the plantain only made itself known once, ditto for the and the salty savory fatty flavors of the bacon, Don't get me wrong. It was a fine dish, the flavors were just on vacation somewhere. Then there's the Ceviche of the Day. I felt as though this one kind of struggled with the opposite as it went a bit overboard on the salt. A little salt crunch is all good and fine on a nice thick juicy steak, but if something is as delicate as ceviche, I'm not sure it's as appropriate. I do want to give them some points for the very early flavors, and the refreshing nature of the salad underneath the fish. White barramundi is a unique choice, and it works great! Other than one that was a bit chewy, it was a delightful way to experience something new. The vibe in here is unique: relaxed and free spirited. It's like that ceviche, it's not something you see in an every day restaurant, but it just works. Now let's talk service: while the food came out fast and fresh, the service itself, especially early in the experience was slow to even acknowledge my existence. I don't ask for much, just a welcome and a glass of water. The slowness continued when it came time to take the order... I will give the bar-server a pass for being busy with drinks, but there were two or three other people just standing around talking, laughing, joking amongst themselves. At this point, I take a heavy sigh and I address the elephant in the room, this restaurant has a mandatory 20% service charge added to all checks. I am grateful that they are upfront about it and don't put somewhere in the fine print that "oh by the way we're gonna hit you with a 3.5% surcharge" like so many places in Chicago do. I'm off for a restaurant staff being paid a fair wage, but at that point just raise your dang prices. That's all I'm gonna say about that before I start waxing poetic and devolving into a rant. Thus, while Amaru has some good things going for it, my experience was underwhelming. Muted flavors in one, too much salt in another, and service that was too slow to start. While their menu changes often, and I'm not against returning if I see something really interesting, I don't feel any kind of pull to come back otherwise.
Cozy vibes and tasty food! I had the mole y leon which was really good with the mushrooms and mole sauce. Would come back to try other dishes!
10 days ago
Really phenomenal food, attentive service and casual ambiance. I highly recommend Amaru. My favorite dishes are 1) coconut fried rice and 2) oxtail They charge 20% service charge + tips for your server. A bit ridiculous esp it's not large groups read more
1 month ago
I can't believe it took me this long to try Amaru. I fully regret waiting this long to try it because it was so so good. We were able to snag a Rez day of. The service was great, everyone was so helpful and nice. We started a the piononos, the server told us the coconut fried rice was really good paired with the piononos and she nailed it. They're perfect together. So much flavor. Very tasty. I had a NA piña colada that came in a fun flamingo glass. The papa bravas were so good as well. The Cuban oxtail is a pasta fish w oxtail inside. Very rich and delicious. Husband ordered the bone in rib eye, which took a bit too long to come out so we were stuffed by the time it came out. It was cooked really nicely though and was nice to take home to eat at another time. The inside is small and cozy. We will mos def be back! There's pay to park street parking outside. read more
Dined here with the hubby during Valentine's Day weekend. They had a special Valentine's menu curated for guests to order from. I was so excited for this meal cause Amaru has been on my list for so long! Piononos: They had me at chorizo stuffed plantains. A nice latin twist from the usual bacon wrapped dates. Highly recommend! Pulpo gallego: I don't think I've ever had octopus with beans before but it surprisingly paired very well together. Love me a nice charred octopus and this one was delish. Cuban oxtail: I still dream about this unique pasta dish!!! Great flavor. Wish there were more agnolotti because I had a lot of oxtail meat leftover by the end of the meal. Lomo steak: Such a pretty delicious dish! 5/5 stars all around! Highly recommend to share. Guava cheescake: I LOVE anything guava. The cut and presentation of the dessert gets a 5/5 for me. The slice was as long as the plate! Great way to end the meal. Overall, everything was great - the service, food, vibes, etc. I would love to dine here again :) read more
The flavor that exists in this place should be against the law! Me and a friend came by last week for Restaurant week and I am so glad this was our destination. Decent sized place and I love the ambience especially the exposed brick and art work. We had Lourdes as our server and she was amazing...such a lovely person all around! I started with the Sope De Campo which is Braised chicken & rabbit with garlic parmesan and it was delicious! A really great starter...flavor oozing out of this dish. My friend is a plantain addict so we got a side of them and let me tell you, those were the best plantains I've had in my life...was that good!!! The came covered in queso fresco and cilantro...yum! Next I had the spanish octopus which came mixed in with kale, smoked paprika and white beans. My vision of it did not match the actual look of it, but it was pretty good. I decided on the Cuban Oxtail for my main entree and it was packed with crazy flavor as expected. Goat cheese, ravioli and roasted corn made this a fantastic dish. Would definitely come back for it. The dessert came as a chef's choice duo and included pastel de elote and chocolate tres leches. Both were amazing, but the pastel de elote took me by surprise. Its mexican corn cake that comes along with caramelized salted popcorn...woooo! I needs that again lol! Washed it down with the La Consentida which is a tequila cocktail with lime, hibiscus and orange curacao...very good drink. Lourdes gave us another wine like cocktail that was awesome to close our dining experience out. I believe it was mamajuana, a DR sangria. I loved my Amaru experience and plan to come back often! Great place for a date or outing with a friend or 2 and they have a decent bar area read more
8 months ago
A Palate experience! We decided to celebrate a special occasion and use our Amex credit and it did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in for our reservation we were immediately sat down and quickly attended to by our amazing server Itzel. She walked us through some menu options and we quickly got started. I appreciated how the food all came out hot and in an order that made great sense. Now the food each bite was an experience as the flavor profiles were special. It's hard to even pick a favorite but I would say the lomo steak has to be on your table. I also enjoyed the pulpo as it was cooked to perfection. I will also say I was pleasantly surprised by how good the pastel de elote was. read more
9 months ago
I came here for restaurant week and it ended up being my favorite of the 6 Restaurant Week meals I attended. The restaurant is dark but still cozy and I really liked the music they were playing. I dined alone and my server was very helpful. I was going to do the 4 courses but she said that it would be a lot of food and suggested I do the 3 course. I was going to a show after and didnt want to have to carry around leftovers. Even the 3 course meal ended up being a lot of food. I had the chicken and rabbit sope and it was my favorite thing I had the whole evening. It was very flavorful and came with a sauce that tasted very similar to a mole. The sauce was complex and delicious. For the mains I had the oxtail pasta. It was cheese stuffed pasta on top of a bed of oxtail meat. The meat was tender and I really liked the cheese in the pasta. Sometimes pasta filled with cheese can taste a bit bland but the pasta was very well seasoned. For dessert I had the chocolate tart which was good but tasted like a pretty standard restaurant dessert. I will definitely come back to this restaurant again. read more
Came here for a birthday dinner. Got a bunch off the happy hour menu and a branzino. Felt full and satisfied by the end. The Guatemalan ribs were my favorite. Melt in the mouth tender and the sauce had a ton of flavor. The piononos reminded me of bacon wrapped dates but with more meat. A great balance of sweet and savory. The coconut fried rice was also a hit. Lots of crispy refreshing vegetables balancing the fluffy rice, I think it was snap peas. The branzino was actually de-spined and the meat was fully seasoned inside. Even without the sauce it was enough flavor. The fish was also super tender, perfectly cooked. The skin could be crispier but not sure if that's how this dish is usually made. The yuca fries were fluffy inside and crunchy outside. The dip was also plenty. The solterito was surprising. Lots of textures with the crispy quinoa, with soft garbonzo and lentils, with crunchy fresh cucumbers, and then the balance of fresh cheese vs sharp vinaigrette Not a huge fan of the shrimp chicharron. It felt over fried. Everything was cut into tiny cubes. Some inside were softer and tasted like shrimp. But then some pieces kind of seems like really hard yuca chunks but the menu didn't have yuca as an ingredient in the dish so not sure what the very dense cubes were. The coating was also an aioli that only added to the oiliness of the dish rather than cutting the fat and hard texture. I would have probably gone for the ceviche instead. They also offered a corn dessert (pastel de elote) when we told them we were celebrating a birthday. Corn in multiple ways - soft dense corn cake, caramel popcorn, a quenelle and a tart sauce (it tasted like and texture felt like pineapple but the menu says passion fruit emulsion so not sure). Had fun textures and balanced cream vs tart. Services was great. They checked in on us often. Cleared plates between rounds since the table was fairly small. Also wiped off the table often. Also heard the cocktails are great here and the bartender was super friendly. I don't drink so can't comment on that much though. read more
Yet an another amazing meal and experience at Amaru. First, it seems everyone remembered us. That was very sweet and unexpected. And not just our faces, but our names! That in itself is amazing. It was great to see and talk with Itzel again. She stopped by often, but was not our server. Instead we had the pleasure of sharing the evening with Paola, who was an absolute delight. We tried a bunch of new dishes while repeating a few. The Piononos were outstanding, as expected. The Requeson was fantastic. Both of these dishes are so delicious they are hard to pass up... so we didn't. We tried the Yuca Frita. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The mojo verde sauce was quite tasty. This is a very good appetizer at a great price. We also tried the Crawfish Empanadas, which had a fishy flavor. Though I love seafood, I found this dish difficult to enjoy. This is not a dish we would order again. Mark had the Frita Cubana, which he enjoyed. David had Pernil. He thought the beans, rice and veggies on the plate were outstanding. He mentioned the pork's doneness was inconsistent, with some of it being a bit tough. That said, he shared a piece with me and it melted in my mouth; it was delicious. I had Mole y Leon, which was beautiful and super flavorful. The mole, a Mexican mole, was thick and spicy. Everything else on the plate matched perfectly with the mole. It was great, though I still remember and prefer the Pulpo Gallego. I hope the octopus dish remains on the menu forever. We ordered a ride to the airport and we mentioned Amaru to our driver. He knew about it and he took our discussion as a sign to make reservations soon. And we will come back as soon as we can! read more
2 months ago
Amaru is a hidden gem in Wicker Park with some of the friendliest service I have experienced! Stopped in on a Wednesday evening before a show at Den Theater with the beau for Happy Hour, and it wasn't busy at all. Amaru has a cozy, stylish vibe with amazing Latin American bites and cocktails. The menu isn't overwhelmingly large which is a good thing - and every dish feels carefully crafted and so well done, which is not surprising with a James Beard Award nominee (Chef Rodolfo Cuadros) at the helm. Highlights for me were the signature small plates that everyone raves about, and I see why: #1 Piononos - chorizo-stuffed plantains with bacon: This is a MUST - rich, smoky, and addictive. #2 Requesón - toasted sourdough with housemade Spanish cheese with tamarind + chili honey: Jammy, silky, and great balancing of not-too-sweet and savory. We also had the Ceviche del Dia (refreshing!) and the popular Oxtail Ravioli (comforting, unique, hearty - honestly probably my actual #2 favorite in the list of our choices). Also: excellent Mojito! Most dishes have a nice, light kick to them - but not too overbearing for someone that can't handle spiciness / heat (like me). Talking Value -- it's a bit pricey: A 20% gratuity is included on all checks, which feels fair given the quality of food and service. For the best deal, go during Happy Hour (Monday-Thursday 5-6 p.m., and Sunday 4-5 p.m.), when the drinks and several of the standout bites - including the Piononos and Requesón - are offered at a more affordable price. Amaru is great for couples, small groups, or anyone looking for a unique dining experience before a night out. Absolutely recommend. read more
1 year ago
Went here for a pre-show dinner and it did not disappoint! My husband and I shared the following: - Sweet Plantains - these were a fun twist with queso fresco and cilantro - a nice mix of sweet and savory - Andean Carrot Salad - this was fun too! I liked the thin beets on the bottom that were very acidic (in a good way) - the carrots were quite al dente. Very fresh, herbaceous and summery salad. - *Ceviche Del Dia - this was probably my least favorite thing based on the way they sliced the fish. I prefer ceviche cubed into smaller pieces, but these were bigger pieces of fish. The acid/sauce was nice and fresh, just not my favorite ceviche I've had. - Pollo Criollo - this was probably our favorite! The presentation was beautiful, the chicken had a really nice grilled flavor, and the potatoes were cooked really nicely. read more
8 months ago
Every aspect of Amaru is perfection! This is a spot where you get every last sip of that drink and every morsel of food off the plate. The flavors are beyond incredible and I love the beautiful plating. Beyond plating, the entire space is gorgeous in itself--from impeccable lighting to fun wall decor. I will definitely be back, as the entire team was so welcoming, helpful, and attentive. I wish their happy hour was longer than 1 hour! read more
Genuinely obsessed with this place ? We did a three course prix fix menu for Bridgette's birthday, but basically we got three apps, three mains and three desserts to try each. It was insane and so so good. For starters we had Yuca fries (best I've had in a while), quinoa bean salad & wrapped plantains (obsessed with these). For mains we had chicken skewers, coconut fried rice (insanely good and almost creamy), some pork dish and oxtail ravioli (the ravioli was insane and it was my first time trying oxtail!!! So flavorful). For dessert, we tried these corn bars (my favorite and served with Carmel corn!!), chocolate tres leches and some guava ish cheesecake. I also had a mojito which was fine. Mainly I was very impressed with the quality of the food, the serving sizes and how flavorful everything was. Would highly recommend if you are looking for nicer Latin food in the city or just a fun winter escape. It feels like summer inside. The service was fine and the atmosphere inside is tropic, but pretty small. Overall, a fun time and honestly worth the $70 price! read more
Was initially seated in a booth next to a nook that seemed to be a storage area stacked high with chairs which was not a nice view, so we asked to be reseated and ended up at the bar. There, we enjoyed great food, good drinks, good service. The standouts were the sweet plantains, piononos, and shrimp chicharron. This is one of our go-to places as the food is good and the ambience is chic. Unfortunately at the end of the night, I noticed that a 20% gratuity was automatically included but inconspicuously noted right below the subtotal and tax, with a very large conspicuous area right beneath for extra tip. The auto gratuity wasn't noted anywhere on the menu and our bartender failed to point it out to us even when he gave us the check and after we had signed it. It seems like a new thing as it wasn't the case the last time we ate here. I believe in fair wages for restaurant staff and am happy to pay an automatic gratuity to that effect. In fact, even though we realized 20% gratuity was included, we added an additional 20% because of the great service and they had given us a welcome drink and a dessert on the house as it was our anniversary. However, I don't think it's a good look or good business practice to do it the way they did; it felt underhanded and left a bad taste in my mouth. Hence, minus one star. read more
13 days ago
I could've sworn somewhere in someone's review somewhere, I said that this place beats Girl and the Goat! G&G being one of my all time favorite restaurants meant a visit to Amaru was all but guaranteed, especially when I was in Wicker Park. My experience was somewhat lackluster, and while I haven't been to G&G for a hot minute, there's no comparison. In a sentence: while the food dishes had creativity and fresh ingredients, the execution left something to be desired. I had the opportunity to eat the Piononos and the Ceviche of the Day. The Piononos were almost there. Other than the rustic feeling tomato sauce, I felt that the flavors were all-around muted. The chorizo didn't have punch to it, the gentle sweetness of the plantain only made itself known once, ditto for the and the salty savory fatty flavors of the bacon, Don't get me wrong. It was a fine dish, the flavors were just on vacation somewhere. Then there's the Ceviche of the Day. I felt as though this one kind of struggled with the opposite as it went a bit overboard on the salt. A little salt crunch is all good and fine on a nice thick juicy steak, but if something is as delicate as ceviche, I'm not sure it's as appropriate. I do want to give them some points for the very early flavors, and the refreshing nature of the salad underneath the fish. White barramundi is a unique choice, and it works great! Other than one that was a bit chewy, it was a delightful way to experience something new. The vibe in here is unique: relaxed and free spirited. It's like that ceviche, it's not something you see in an every day restaurant, but it just works. Now let's talk service: while the food came out fast and fresh, the service itself, especially early in the experience was slow to even acknowledge my existence. I don't ask for much, just a welcome and a glass of water. The slowness continued when it came time to take the order... I will give the bar-server a pass for being busy with drinks, but there were two or three other people just standing around talking, laughing, joking amongst themselves. At this point, I take a heavy sigh and I address the elephant in the room, this restaurant has a mandatory 20% service charge added to all checks. I am grateful that they are upfront about it and don't put somewhere in the fine print that "oh by the way we're gonna hit you with a 3.5% surcharge" like so many places in Chicago do. I'm off for a restaurant staff being paid a fair wage, but at that point just raise your dang prices. That's all I'm gonna say about that before I start waxing poetic and devolving into a rant. Thus, while Amaru has some good things going for it, my experience was underwhelming. Muted flavors in one, too much salt in another, and service that was too slow to start. While their menu changes often, and I'm not against returning if I see something really interesting, I don't feel any kind of pull to come back otherwise. read more
11 months ago
Cozy vibes and tasty food! I had the mole y leon which was really good with the mushrooms and mole sauce. Would come back to try other dishes! read more
3 months ago
5 months ago
Went back to Amaru and it was amazing per usual. Itzel was extremely helpful and accommodating. Everything we ate was delicious and worth ordering. They were also able to split the bill per item which I don't see very often in Chicago so that was very nice. read more
9 months ago
I came here with 2 friends on the first night of Chicago's Restaurant Week, and it *did not disappoint!* First, we loved our waitress Paola. She made it feel like we were just at a good friend's home and made some great recommendations. Per Paola, her favorite thing on the menu that night was the Sope de Campo, which had rabbit and chicken in it. We weren't initially going to order it, but her enthusiasm made us curious, so we ordered one and.. we devoured it. The other appetizer we had was the Ceviche Del Dia. It was fresh with great flavor- no complaints! I personally like having a chip or something to put my ceviche on, so I asked for a side of their fresh bread, and it was great on that-- the bread soaked up all of the good juices/sauces as well. My *FAVORITE* thing of the night was the Cuban Oxtail dish. I love to keep track of my favorite "bite" of the year, and this one might be hard to top. It was so full of so many different flavors including fresh crunchy greens, corn, different cheese, and of course.. the oxtail and all of the flavors that come with it. Over the oxtail/veggies was fresh goat cheese stuffed agnolotti. It was delish. We ended our night with a Mexican Chocolate Tart and it was the perfect bite to close the meal with. You could taste all of the different spices in it-- the chocolate crust was flavorful, the texture of the tart was spot on and then it had a homemade whipped cream and some type of berry sauce. My only rec: more of that berry sauce. It was also (to me) huge.. because of how rich it is. I could eat about 1/4 of it, so it was a nice treat to take home and enjoy the rest of the week. read more
1 year ago
The vibe inspires tropics in the city. The food was unexpectedly delicious and affordably priced, the happy hour menu is one of the best in the city (and we've tried quite a few). The drinks menu was varied and had liquor options for all, the shrimp appetizer had a sauce that was spicy and made me want to slurp up every last drop. The real star of the show was the ox tail, wowza--super flavorful and the ravioli-like dumplings in the dish took it over the edge for us. Niimo at the bar took care of us and gave us his recommendations and provided great conversation. We'll certainly make it a point to make another trip back to Amaru when we're in this part of town. read more
3 months ago
Great service and delicious food, all the flavors are so well balanced. Definitely coming back! read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
Every dish bursts with flavor the pulpo was tender and perfectly charred, the ceviche bright and refreshing, and the bacon-wrapped dates absolutely addictive. Beautiful vibe, great cocktails, and a menu that keeps you coming back. read more
8 months ago
1 year ago
Hands down the best dinner spot in Wicker Park. This is my go to restaurant in the neighborhood for date night and when we have family or friends visit. The food is consistently incredible and absolutely delicious. The servers here are super friendly and give the best recommendations. Their cocktails are also amazing. read more
4 months ago
It's been a while since we've been here before new management and bartenders. The food is still solid. All the dishes we ordered were delicious. The Inca salad is still the same and always good. The pollo is similar to Amaru's old jerk chicken. And the ceviche is a new dish for us, and we enjoyed it. Very refreshing and a great summer dish. We still missed the spicy girl drink and the espresso martini with fresh espresso. read more
9 months ago
Amaru is a standout. Every single dish we tried was excellent. The piononos were really good and the bacon was perfectly crispy. The coconut fried rice was super flavorful and easily one of the highlights. For mains, the Cuban oxtail was rich and delicious and definitely a must order. The lomo steak was also very good and well seasoned. We ended with the pastel de elote and chocolate tres leches and both desserts were just as strong as everything else. Honestly, the whole menu feels outstanding. We've tried it both dining in and ordering out and the quality holds up either way. Definitely a place worth going back to. read more
10 months ago
The food was absolutely amazing. I had a delicious salad, a braised beef and a pork dish . Pork cicerones that were absolutely to die for the flavors were out of this world. We ordered cheesecake and flan for dessert were so different and so delicious. I highly recommend! read more
1 year ago
Decided to stop in on our way to a show in the area. Nice server. The drinks were delicious. The food was too. Tried piononos and shrimp chicharrones. both were very yummy. unfortunately it took a long time to receive the piononos but the drinks were so good i barely noticed and the server comped our check anyways. the bathrooms were very clean and the seating was good too. read more
AMAZING FOOD. Cute atmosphere. Service was good as well. Didn't necessarily do anything special for my birthday but was friendly and the food was just amazing and quick. Will definitely be back! Had the oxtail ravioli and the bacon wrapped plantains. Can't wait to come again read more
1 year ago
Came to Amaru with my cousin for early bday celebration and our waiter was so attentive about this detail, bringing out a cake at the end! The Spanish soft cheese with sourdough with delectable, will be coming back just for that. The herbs seasoning on the pollo went perfectly with the potatoes. Ambiance for color with great music! Great addition to Wicker read more
2 years ago
Cute place to grab dinner. Came on a Saturday evening with some girlfriends. Reservation was made in advance for our party of three. Paid parking located on North. Started out with a shot of Mamajuana which is a spiced alcoholic beverage made by infusing a mixture of rum, red wine, and honey with tree bark and herbs. Thanks for the birthday shot!!! Remind me of my trip to Punta Cana. For drinks we ordered three very different cocktails. I had the passion fruit caprihina which was good. The best cocktail was the Pina Colada. It was a very refreshing take on a drink I usually associate with the pool. The good here is served family style tapas and available in small, medium or large. I enjoyed the jerk chicken and the oxtail special. All in all a cute spot. Left slightly hungry which always happens with tapas. read more
2 years ago
Definitely enjoyed my time here. Amaru has a beautiful ambiance and open kitchen. The seating is lovely and great space between other tables. My girls and I chose this place as our monthly meet up. We chose three dishes and some drinks. For food we ordered the mole y Leon, Cuban oxtail special and jerk pollo. I can't say I had a favorite dish but there were pieces from each dish that I appreciated. From the jerk chicken I appreciated the grilled chard dark thigh meat. Nice pieces and flavorable. The oxtail meat was tender and so amazing. The ravioli dumplings were alright but clearly used as fillers. The mushroom dish I felt had more potential that wasn't reached. The mole was alright. Our beverages were delicious but I think they put mezcal in my drink rather than the brugal. I should've spoken up but didn't. I would return to try other meals read more
9 months ago
Loved Amaru! Great location in wicker. Pan Latin cuisine with happy hour deals from 5-6pm Mon-Thurs with some $6 cocktails, $6-7 wines, $4-10 apps. Recommend the yucca frita and requesón for starters!! read more
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More info about Amaru
1904 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Wicker Park, West Town
Directions
(773) 687-9790
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Visit Website
https://amaruchicago.com
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Ask the Community - Amaru
Does Amaru have a happy hour menu?
Yes! They have an awesome Happy Hour Menu!! One of my favorites. It's listed on their website. Try the capirinha!!!
Do they have non-meat options?
Few, but the chef owns a WONDERFUL vegan/vegetarian restaurant just 3 blocks away called Bloom. And it is fantastic!!
Do they have gluten free options for celiacs?
Yes, almost the entire menu is gluten free
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