I wasn't going to write this review until I saw the 20% gratuity that was automatically added on to our check. Really wanted to like this place but wanted to share my feedback for others to consider. Sisig Nigiri - Creative concept. Traditional sisig is savory and fatty with sour/citrus notes and crispy pieces of meat in a sizzling hot plate. I know because sisig originated from the same city/province my family is from. I grew up eating this dish and is always served in family parties. The sisig at Bayan Ko was way too sweet. It tasted like chopped up pork with teriyaki sauce. Also, the 1 bite felt like we were eating mush. No texture to offset the soft sisig meat. Unfortunately, this dish was poorly executed. Bayan Ko Lechon - disappointing. The fat didn't crisp up so we ended up having to fight through chewy pieces of fat getting stuck to our teeth. It was like eating toffee. Serving size was okay but that's because they slice up the lechon in smaller portions. Not worth $17 in my opinion. Bistek - the meat for the day was hangar steak. Meat was flavorful and tender. Right amount of acid with the mojo sauce. This was probably our favorite dish. Service - it was okay. Understandably, there was only 1 server working both the indoor and outdoor dining spaces. So, yes service was slow. Prior to ordering, we made a point to ask if the main dishes came with a side of rice. We were told yes, besides the noodle dish pancit. Our Pan Con Bistek was not served with rice and we had to ask for another order later on after we finished the rice that the lechon came with - no big deal. The 20% gratuity was certainly not deserved considering the overall experience. Creative dishes but we weren't blown away. Pricey for the portions you are served with. read more

Absolutely fantastic !!!! The food was unbelievable and full of flavours !! The service by Hanna was very pleasant and she was very accommodating!!! We would definitely return !!!! read more

I've been meaning to get to Bayan Ko for a few years and it was more than worth the wait. This family is so full of love for their restaurant, cuisine and patrons and you feel it immediately upon entering. The small plates are divine. Don't miss the wings!! Everything we had was of the highest quality and served exceptionally with grace and candor. You must also leave room for dessert! The ice cream was gorgeous but the flan was eye-rollingly divine. Do not pass by Bayan Ko! You will have Bayans remorse! read more

Incredible 1st visit to Bayan Ko, everything we ordered was sinfully delicious! Adobo wings, Empanadas, Lobster Fried Rice & Cumin Lamb with Yucca were all stellar dishes with layered favors & beautiful presentations. Host Alfredo is extremely conscientious, service was impeccable, very relaxed & pleasant ambiance with great music. I'll definitely be a repeat offender!!! :) read more

I had the pleasure of dinning here on a girls weekend. What a treat the food was amazing. It took my girlfriend and me back to our childhood with a twist! Highly recommend this place read more

We kind of laughed when we arrived at the restaurant--I mean it was tricky to get reservations on a Tuesday night, but slowly, more patrons showed up that the patio and indoor seating slowly filled up. Good for them, that's great! I was intrigued by a restaurant that features Filipino Cuban food. I brought my BFF, whom I introduced to Filipino food so many years ago in college and jumps at the chance to come over to my mom's for good Filipino home cooking. We ordered the lumpia--and all you Filipinos will admit that you order lumpia in restaurants too because it's the easiest to compare to home. We also ordered the luglug noodles and the ropa vieja--which also came with rice. Everything was delicious. It was definitely enough food for both of us, although I was tempted to order more of the noodles to bring home. The lumpia was crispy and came with a tasty garlic dipping sauce. The ropa vieja was tender and flavorful. The black beans and maduros were a nice touch. The noodles though--amazing. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the uni and egg yolk gave the whole dish a wonderful richness. The pork chicharon gave it an added texture as well. Service was super nice and fun. They shared that we were the first to dine on the patio, ever. As it was the first time they opened the patio. The L gets a little loud but we didn't mind it. I can't wait to come back and dine again and try some other things on the menu--but also to get those noodles! read more

Had wanted to go to Glenn's Diner nearby, but they were filled up - so I stopped into Bayan Ko and ended up getting one of the only tables available there. Glad I did - I don't visit many Filipino restaurants so a change of pace was nice. Not a huge menu, but definitely some interesting items. Ended up ordering a Croqueta Tot appetizer and Bayan Lechon for dinner. The tots were interesting as they were crunchy on the outside yet mashed potato soft within. Came with a slightly spicy sauce. The Bayan Lechon doesn't look like much of an order when it comes out, but it is. Had about 15 pieces of decent sized cuts of lechon in a light sauce - also was accompanied by a spicier sauce and a side of rice. Pretty tasty. Glad that I accidently ended up here and had the chance to try this spot. I thoroughly enjoyed the dinner and the service was good as well. Seats around 30 people and not much more space elsewhere - probably best to make reservations if one plans to give it a try. read more

Omg. The donuts were perfect and sweet. Soft and warm. So lovely. My friend and I were happy and we chat over coffee for hours. It was outdoor with the tent but wasn't cold in April Chicago. Great time. read more

Went tonight for patio dining. Very good distancing and covid protocol in place. Had the Cuban sandwich, noodles, pork belly, and flan and it all was delicious. Waiter was very very good at his job! In order to make the reservation, we had to order and pay ahead of time online. I actually really enjoyed this method. It was much easier. Only downfall was how noisy the EL and street traffic were, but that's not their fault. Excited to return when it's safe for indoor dining! read more

Bayan Ko - Yummy coconut salted caramel flan - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's yummy and delicious food The lechon and ribs are good Kare Kare not bad either The pancit is good but I would like to have more Filipino flavor The only part needs to improve is the service read more

Had a great visit here the other day. Great atmosphere and service. The Filipino food is really great. Didn't try any of the Cuban dishes, but I mean to the next time. The server also mentioned a seasonal menu change coming soon, which is exciting. My only "issue" was the bench seating at the community tables. In order for a new person to sit down by the wall, the whole table has to get up first so they can cram their legs in. It's a very small venue, so I recommend reserving a table. read more

We went there on a Friday night and our lives would have definitely been a lot more complicated had we not made reservations. The seating area is tiny and it's very difficult to get a table as a walk-in. We ordered the following Lumpia- we loved it. Good sized portion as well Bayan Lechon- delicious. Both the texture and flavors were really well done. Lug lug noodles- it was just okay. Our noodles came out room temperature, which kind of defeated whole effect of mixing in the egg. Adobo wings - good, but the flavor was mostly surface level and I would have preferred a bit more of it. Ube Sundae - our hands down favorite for the night. Even if you think you don't have room for dessert, I would recommend that you still get it. Atmosphere/service - our server was great. Restaurant decor is very laidback but still well done. The dinning room is a bit chilly though. We were seated right by the doors and we had to keep our jackets on for the entire dinner because it was so cold. Based on the reviews we came in with really high expectations, but I think overall we would rate the experience as slightly better than average. The menu is definitely interesting and creative. It's clear that the there was a lot of thought put into the design. The execution of some of the dishes however needs a bit of work. read more

Highly recommend. A lot of options and great byob place. Go and get the recommened dishes. You won't be disappointed. read more

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My first experiences with Filipino food were as a child, at a family friend's house, and I loved it. I eat a fair amount of Cuban food, and I love it. So I had high hopes for Bayan Ko. It's a smaller restaurant, but you can now make reservations on opentable. We got there early (around 6pm) on Wednesday and there were several tables available. People were standing around waiting by the door by the time we left, and there really isn't a good place to wait. Anyway, we ordered lumpia, pancit, ropa vieja, and what was essentially a bbq chicken skewer (can't recall the name). The chicken was cooked perfectly and tasty, though just a little too salty. The lumpia and ropa vieja were both excellent, and the pancit tasted okay but bordered on under-seasoned. The very simple solution here was to eat the chicken and pancit together; problem solved, lol. Four dishes for two of us was enough food and with tax and tip, it cost about $30. BK is far for me and that's the only reason I won't be back soon, but I will be back. read more

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Came here on a whim, looking up this place, saw 4.5 stars expecting this to be really good. Everything we ordered was sub par, and for the prices, was not worth it. Service was good, waiter was friendly and attended to our needs, but food just wasn't as tasty. We ordered: -lumpia Shanghai, alright -chicken thigh skewers , this was the only good thing that was flavorful -crispy pancit chow mein...this was like the pan fried noodles you get at Chinese restaurants (not the traditional pancit), came with fried chow mein, thick sauce over it, and veggies. Dish was very bland. -pescado frito, this was fried nicely but again no flavor, just fried fish and salted on top, but way too salted. Salty with no flavor. We even squeezed lime on top, it was just alright. I liked the tostones on the side. Maybe we just didn't order the right items. read more

After hearing about the opening of Bayan Ko, a few friends decided to make reservations for a Thursday night. When we arrived there was a wait but we were able to sit right away! The waitress gave us time, guided us through the menu and pointed out the must haves! We ordered about 6-7 different dishes and split everything which was the perfect amount of food. The atmosphere was great, not too noisy for how small the space is. Unfortunately, we did not try the Cuban which as a Cuban I of course am a hard critic but was promised it was worth it. Soo I'll be back Fosho! read more

I originally thought Bayan Ko would serve Cuban-Filipino fusion food, however, they actually serve both Cuban and Filipino dishes as separate entities (no fusion). Good service overall and the ambiance was simple and casual. Our party of 4 ranked our dishes as follows: Good: BBQ Pinchos, Croqueta Tots, Lumpia Shanghai, Ube Sundae OK: Pancit, Oxtail Kare Kare, Ropa Vieja Bad: Luglug Noodles BYOB, $5 corkage fee per table. read more

Our friendly neighborhood Cuban-Filipino fusion restaurant. Doesn't everyone have one? It's menu is short but fun. The waiters are medium-heighten but also fun. The food is meat-centric and delicious (can't speak for the waiters on this one.) A cool night out in Havanilla. read more

Great spot for the Filipino food lovers. Really appreciated the fusion of food layered within authentic Filipino flavors.

Came for 2022 restaurant week. My table collectively ordered the Lumpia Sariwa and BBQ Pinchos (pork shoulder) as apps, the Ginataang Gulay with shrimp and Pan Con Bistrk (beef ribeye sandwich) as entrees, and had the Ube Sundae for dessert with mango tea as well. The pork shoulder was amazing! So tender and the sauce was so tasty. The ribeye sandwich was delicious also. The Lumpia Sariwa was a bit unremarkable (saved by the peanut sauce though). And Ginataang Guly was also good, but not as stand out as the meat dishes. My favorite though might just be the Ube Sundae. The ice cream was so creamy and delicious, and it was such an interesting combo that worked so well. Would highly recommend this place, especially for their meat dishes! The service was also stellar. Our waitress was so nice and attentive even for a super busy afternoon. read more

I finally got a Saturday night reservation at Bayan Ko, and it was worth the wait. Our server was fantastic and helped us with the menu. It's a BYOB restaurant and there are no fees. We started with the BBQ Pinchos. Delicious Pork skewers. We had the Short Rib with rice and black beans, and Lug Lug noodles. The noodles were a salt bomb. We added the Mussels at the end, and really enjoyed them. Dessert was the Sundae, a bit weird tasting, but interesting. Overall I loved the ambience and the service. I definitely want to go back and try more things on the menu. read more

Bayan Ko - Delicious Short Rib. - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a product of Filipino and Cuban fusion myself, I was extremely excited to try this place. My family ordered the Christmas Eve Noche Buena Feast and we were overall fairly disappointed though. This might have been because we had incredibly high expectations going into it, but everything tasted very average. They also forgot the Turron desert and the reheating instructions so we didn't know if we had heated everything up right. The best item was the beef as it was soft and had a good flavor to it. The maduros were also great as they were moist and perfectly sweet. The ham and pork were fairly average. They didn't have too much flavor to them and were slightly dry. The paella was my least favorite item as I didn't like the flavors or the texture of the noodles. The seafood tasted pretty good though and was well made. The flan was disappointing because it was quite hard and not as moist as the flan I usually enjoy. Overall, it was a mixed bag and it felt as if the food was rushed or something was missing. read more

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4 stars for experience, but 2 for the food. I ordered the New Years Eve meal for 2 and picking it up was so easy (and the packaging was super nice!). The reheating instructions were a breeze to follow, and we had so much fun setting up all of our small plates. Standouts included the crab deviled eggs (unreal!), and tempura shrimp. Unfortunately, the rest of the food just wasn't good. The lobster long noodles were inedible, the cake was so dense I had to use a knife to cut it, the rice in the pork belly maki was stale and dry, the prime rib sandwiches were fatty and bland, and the aioli meant for them barely tasted like anything. read more

Bayan Ko has been receiving good press and great reviews so figured we would check it out. We love Cuban restaurants and thought fusing that with Filipino food sounded interesting. The ambiance and layout of the restaurant is okay, but lacking the upbeat environment you typically get in traditional Cuban restaurants. The service and food were both 3/5. The waitress was nice, but didn't offer any sort of overview of the menu or recommendations. We had the croquetas (3/5), ensalada (4/5), grilled prawns (3/5), short rib bistec (4/5) and side of rice and beans. Wish we would have tried the Lug Lug noodles. read more

I wanted to LOVE every part of Bayan Ko based on the fact that it is so close to where I live and had been receiving rave reviews. After having dinner there on Saturday, I really, really liked it, but wasn't totally in love. Let's start with the great stuff: -Service was very good; our server was attentive and was able to answer the questions we asked about how much to order etc... -The mussels were amazing. I wish it came with bread as the broth was some of the best I've ever had and super flavorful -The Ensalada was a different take on a traditional said. It was small, but packed with avocado and quite tasty. The ok/not as good: -They were out of dessert! I wish they had told us this at the beginning of the meal and it is kind of a bummer that they were out of both desserts on a Saturday evening -The Luglug noodles were good, but extremely rich and garlicy. Be prepared for this if you order them -The Ropa Vieja was just 'ok'; I was hoping for more flavor...it reminded me more of what you would get on a pulled pork sandwich than beef brisket Overall, I will definitely come back to Bayan Ko for the mussels and to try some of the other dishes. The space is cute, the service was great, and since it's in my 'hood, I really want the place to do well. read more

Went there expecting to see some kind of fusion menu based on Filipino and Cuban cuisines. Instead, everything was wither Cuban or Filipino. nothing too exciting, nothing exceptional. The lechon was rubbery - I suspect it was left over from the night before. Honestly, had better Filipino food at the market on Elston and better Cuban food at 90 Miles. Also think it's kinda nervy not to have a liquor license and charge a corkage fee! read more

My husband and I came here a couple weeks ago for date night. The place is super small and the service was great. The food overall was tasty but was a bit salty for my liking and I tend to like salty food. It's BYOB and I really hope they don't change that in the future. I'll definitely give it another try in the future. read more

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delicious food, excellent service! - croqueta tots - maybe a little mushier inside than i expected but still good - sisig nigiri - yummy & adorable presentation tahboot! order this & you'll know what i mean - cubana fried rice - holy smokes. i may not be satisfied with fried rice from anywhere else now - country pork rib adobo - just enough traditional flavor for me to recognize it but different & better - bistec - even though the menu indicated korean cut beef short ribs i was surprised...& after i tasted it, i was floored by the taste. onions were extra tasty too - ube sundae - i was craving halo halo & while there was no shaved ice, it was full of all the good stuff & the perfect share portion so i didn't feel overfull from it && birthday serenade to accompany dessert??!! so sweet!! read more

Great food and very creative! Restaurant is small so make sure you make a reservation. We had the luglug noodles, chicken wings, lumpia, lechon, and the flan for dessert! Everything was great. I did notice that towards the end of the meal I felt like I was being bogged down by the food because everything seemed to be fried. I feel like that's with Filipino cooking in general so be wary if you're on a diet! Will definitely come back to try the other dishes. The table next to us got the mussels and they smelled phenomenal. Over heard the server saying she likes to shell the mussels and leave them in the broth that it comes with and mix the rice into the broth with mussels. Sounds like a great idea! Will have to try next time! read more

Bayan Ko - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Filipino + Cuban food. There were four of us and we shared everything, including the lumpia shanghai, pancit noodles, veggie curry, ceviche, chicken wings, side of black beans and rice, and ended the dinner with the ube sundae. Everything tasted great, was unique from one another, and was worth dining out for (i.e. I don't make any of this kind of food at home). It's also BYOB which is great. The service was good and the location can't be beat being right next to an El stop. It was pretty loud in the restaurant with the music and other patrons, but otherwise I had a great experience and would recommend! read more

The food was delicious. Wait staff was very friendly and recommended several menu items. The Beef Steak was outstanding! The mussels were outstanding! BYOB and a very lively atmosphere! Loved the Filipino and Cuban inspired dishes!!! read more

First off, I'm so glad that another Filipino restaurant is thriving in Chicago to the point where you almost always have to make reservations to be seated in the cozy dimly lit place most evenings. The actual quality of the food is, by itself, 4ish stars. But the thing that left me underwhelmed was the actual authenticity of Bayan Ko. It translates roughly to, "my town" or "my land." Ask anyone who grew up in the Philippines how they ate back home... Filipino food can easily be described in about two words: comforting and abundant. They mostly nailed the comforting aspect. The pork belly was nice and crispy, the pinakbet was hearty, and the lumpia was crunchy. However, for such an elevated price point (12ish-16ish an entree), you'd expect the portions to reflect that. Not because it was a small amount of food, by any means, but because it's a restaurant that calls upon its Filipino heritage. The fact that they claim to have Cuban food when it's really 3-4 things on their single sides menu doesn't make sense either. Fake plastic iron skillets, plastic plates, and dim lights won't be able to fool anyone who has REALLY had food from the Philippines. If you're in the mood for how Filipino food can be experienced properly in Chicago, go to Ruby's Fast Food ($), Isla Pilipina ($-$$ but the portions are huge and the menu is more extensive), or Seafood City. Side note: I'm still so happy for this place to be doing so well. But it also speaks volumes to the fact that every time I pass it and look in the window, the place is packed but I don't actually see any Filipinos working OR eating in there... read more

We just returned from a really lovely night at Bayan Ko and we couldn't be more delighted! It is our 38th wedding anniversary and we have eaten at many a Michelin starred restaurant and hole-in-the-wall joint. Bayan Ko is now one our new favorite places because of the food, the ambience, the service and just the general warmth of this excellent new restaurant. Even the clientele joined in the welcoming feeling of this well designed small eatery. We had the lumpia, luglug noodles, lechon and the flan among other dishes- all very authentic and delicious. Add in the enthusiastic service and you have a perfect anniversary dinner! read more

Bayan Ko - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

How I wanted to love this place - I'm a fan of Cuban and Filipino food, and the reviews were great. But the flavors were a little more bland than I'd have wanted. Perhaps I'm spoiled by having recently visited Bad Saint in DC, but I wasn't wowed by the items I tried here - the lumpia shanghai (tasty and crunchy), the ginataang gulay (fresh but a bit bland), the el cubano (couldn't taste the pickles and the cheese overwhelmed it), and the ube sundae (unfortunately bland, though creamy). But on the upside, due to the tasteful decoration and natural light, it's easy to take a beautiful photo here, in case you want to brag on the insta. read more

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I was excited to check this place out and I'm glad I did! The place was small so reservations are a must or else you may need to wait (outside). We did have reservations but sat on one end of a bench that seats about 6 people. Not the most comfortable seats, since I prefer having back support, but doable. Finding a place for our coat and purses was another issue. We ordered the 'Croqueta Tots' first. Anything fried with the taste of smoked ham is delicious to me. Eating them reminded me of hot dogs, but with aioli sauce. We then shared an order of 'Luglug Noodles.' It came with an egg yolk on top. The waitress told us to make sure to spread the egg. I would say the dish was tasty. Love the crunch of the chicharron and the 4 scallops that came with the noodles. You may need to switch out your plates after this meal because it'll get oily. My main dish was the 'Oxtail Kare Kare.' The meat was fall of the bone tender. I would recommend this dish if you love the taste of peanut sauce. The shrimp paste (bagoong) that came on the side is very salty so only eat in small amounts. My friend ordered the 'Short Rib Bistek.' She said she couldn't really taste the calamansi soy so she asked for some extra. Oddly, they couldn't give that to her so they gave her something else, made special, on the side. The prices were fair and the service was great. I'd go back to try other items on the menu. read more

Bayan Ko - Short Rib Bistek - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a super cute spot to grab a bite to eat with a friend. I was not familiar with a lot of the food options then our super kind waitress explained them to us. Food was AMAZING. Such interesting flavors and ideas. I really enjoyed the noodle dish (can't remember what it's called). Then for desert we had the Ube ice cream and though it was beautiful it tasted really bad. The corn that they added for a topping was overwhelming and distracting. Would not recommend that one. Overall the restaurant had great vibes and beautiful art. I will be going again read more

Bayan Ko - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We decided to dine in here on a whim. The broth of the mussels were divine, luglug noodles had huge scrumptious scallops and uni, lumpia was perfectly crisp, and shrimp was incredibly savory. Our waiter was attentive and friendly and provided 5 star service. I also loved how you everything was handled via Tock, including ordering and paying the bill. Definitely will be back to try the rest of the menu. read more

Food was delicious! It was a busy night so the service was a bit slow but we didn't mind as we were having such a great time! If anything, the time really allowed us to savor our time there. It's a very cozy space too. We loved all of the food, from the Bites to the Desserts. My only complaint is the Prix dinner having smaller "Bites" portions but only because they were so yummy! We'll definitely be returning. read more

Everything was really tasty and had great flavors! The setting was cute and intimate with dim lighting. Menu is small but makes it perfect for making decisions quick! Haha. Service was fast as well which is great! If you try coming here with a group, I suggest making reservations. It's a very small spot. Perhaps seating for 25-30 people. I have a 4 star only because the portions were small for me. I can eat A LOT so for the price, I wish I had more food. read more

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I've lived in Ravenswood for over a year and pass by Bayan Ko regularly. Finally got to try it out and the food is OUTSTANDING. I definitely would come back here again. Small spot, but customer service and the food is such great quality. Filipino food is known to be greasy, but the dishes we tried were cooked to perfection. Looking forward to coming back here! read more