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My colleague kept saying to me about trying arepas. We both made a plan on a day off to drive to BienMeSabe and try out different things. We got seated in a corner table with nice sunlight. My colleague helped me to order items - we ordered a sampler of apps and I got guava juice which was so refreshing. Our server was also very sweet. I ate a lot and I started experiencing food coma a couple of hours later.
We were on our way to the art museum and hadn't decided if we wanted to eat beforehand, in the museum, or try to hold out until after. It was a toss-up. There was a block of food spots in the area: Dunkin, Starbucks, this Arepa place, a pizza spot, a fish spot, and a taco place. We walked past this place the first time, and then I brought up food again to see if we were hungry enough to devour an arepa. We quickly turned around and headed back. I ordered a shredded beef arepa(shredded beef, cheese). My wife ordered something similar but the bowl edition(it had black beans and plantains). We also had an order of plantains. When I tell you that I would eat this every single day if I lived in the area.. this place was delicious! The dough was tasty, and the shredded beef tasted like it was slow-cooked to perfection(not sure how they prep the beef, but it was delicious). The plantains also satisfied. The food came out fast. The staff was incredible. And we took our seat up front next to the window to people watch. We noticed people checking us out as they walked by, so I have an assumption that people don't understand what the place serves or what an arepa is. I'll make it a point to stop in this place every single time I visit Chicago.
I got the PABELLÓN bowl with beef and it was so so yum!!!! The portion was generous. Very nice people working and the food was great!! Would definitely come again. I also loved the decor.
Recommended by a colleague, so we took an adventure to visit this place. It is a cozy restaurant. Seatings are limited, but most people were picking up their order. I had the traditional patacone with chicken (you can pick the protein), and my colleague ordered an arepa. The portion was generous. I only finished half of my patacone. While it's a "sandwich", I would recommend using fork and knife. Definitely will come back to again.
Overall Thoughts: This was a cute space in the Loop close to tourist highlights like the Bean, Art Institute, etc., with stools lined around a long center table and restaurant sides for indoor seating. However, the food felt overpriced for the small-ish size and mediocre taste. The veggie seta bowl I ordered was ~$16 and was just okay. The flavors were a lot milder than I would've hoped; everything tasted kind of watered down. Maybe their meat / cheese options are better since this was an entirely vegan bowl and maybe their non-bowl menu items are better too. However, based on the veggie seta bowl alone, I'd give the spot 3 stars, but will update later if I try anything else I like more from here! -- Price (relative to peers): 3.5/5 Food: 3.4/5 Ambience: 4.5/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall Value: 3.5/5
Tasty food, I tried the cachapa this time but usually get arepas. The meat is juicy and flavorful. It's a little overpriced but I also understand for the Loop. FYI they don't have a restroom.
I've had a few arepas and this one is huge! You walk right up to order and it's quick. You can see them make it, with your own ingredients , kind of like a chipotle right there or you can order off their menu. The ambience was chill, but I did find it weird that they were playing English pop music as opposed to Latin bass music. Everything was super flavorful and I ended up needing a fork to help take some stuff out so that I could actually bite into this massive arepa. It was delicious and so close to Michigan Ave that it's a great stop while shopping.
One of the tastiest porks I've ever had on a bowl. I wanted to try something new for lunch and my coworkers highly suggested this spot. The grilled plantains are amazing. Very high up there with another place I love to go. A group of around 15 people was in the restaurant and I still got my food relatively fast! I was impressed and also happy they weren't too overwhelmed. They also have a lot of dishes inspired by the culture, which I thought was amazing. Quick meal for lunch, and you'll get your order quickly.
Their Arepas slap. One is enough to fill you up because they really really pile on the meat, no complain here. Very flavorful and fresh. The Tequenos are a must as well!! Crispy outside and filled with stretchy cheese; the best. They got a wide variety of combinations you can choose from too. This would be a great quick lunch spot on weekdays.
I am a fairly picky eater. Blending that many flavors and textures did not sit well with me. The place is pretty cool when you walk in and the menu displays over top of people working. The arepa is just not my flavor / texture profile. I am sure those who love arepas will find it wonderful, but for me, I will pass. Food was hot. Service was fast. I tried the after party and the pabellon arepas. The pabellon had flavor, but the plantains threw off the texture and flavor for me. The after party was just a flavor issue with me all around.
I never had an arepa before last week, but when I passed Bienmesabe I was curious. I live in Ravenswood and I've passed the restaurant in the neighborhood, but I don't eat out much so hadn't gotten there. I'm definitely a fan. I got the catira arepa, as well as the lemonade. It was so, so good. The flavor was outstanding. I love cheese and they put a ton of it on this. My coworker and her husband plan to visit here soon, because he grew up on them and wanted to test how good they are. I will definitely recommend Bienmesabe to folks visiting the Loop, and I'm hoping to bring my family here when they visit since I know they've never had one before.
Bienmesabe is a small place in The Loop that serves Venezuelan cuisine. It seriously is cramped inside. So small there's not even enough interior to put in a bathroom, so go before you go if you know what I mean. Has quite a few authentic tasting items including arepas. There's good choices whether you want protein or whether it's something with beans and tofu. I came in recently for lunch and while it wasn't busy there's few seats anyway. It's a very tiny place and not at all good for groups so being by yourself is a very good thing when you dine in. They also have many customers who order takeout. Arepas are the main thing here. These are kind of like burritos but also kind of like pitas. I had a Tropical Vegan arepa. It's about $10 but it's pretty big. This is stuffed with black beans, plantains, and tofu. Good spice and lots of flavor. This is a pretty simple item but it was good for a fast lunch. Arepas are the best thing here and there's lots of these to choose from. In addition they also have bowls filled with rice and protein choices so if you would rather get the fillings without the bread these are an option. They also have arepa specials on Wednesdays.
Wow, this place was delicious! We stopped by here for lunch, and we were greeted by their friendly staff. I ordered their Pabellon Arepa, which seems to be their special, and I also ordered some Tequenos for a side. The Tequenos were so freaking good! They're fried cheese served with a cream dipping sauce, and it was rich and cheesy and delicious. The arepa was also amazing. They were stuffed to the brim, so I had trouble using my hands- but what a good problem to have. The beef was tender and seasoned well, and one arepa was more than enough for me. I would definitely come here again, but one important thing to note is that this location does not have many tables, so be wary with bigger parties.
Went here for brunch. Food was alright - I'm not too big on fried foods so perhaps that's where it wasn't my favorite. We ordered the sampler plate of appetizers and it all felt like variations of fried mozzarella sticks. For vegetarians, there are usually more limited selections, so I went with the cheese / mushroom arepa. The flavors were good and I liked the arepa but they put a giant chunk of straight up mozzarella in my arepa, which wasn't really melted or flavored in any way, so i ended up having to take most of the cheese out just to be able to eat it. What I really liked was the price point - I found them to be pretty reasonable!! read more
5 years ago
Business owner information
Pedro R.
Hello Christina!!!…
7 years ago
I knew I had to go here because every time I would pass by this place, the sweet aroma had me salivating! I took a late lunch on 7/2/19 and decided to visit here. Not many people in the establishment when I was there because the lunchtime crowd had already come and gone. I tried the Pabellon bowl and when I got it, I couldn't believe all the meat they had put in that bowl! Meat lovers UNITE! I enjoyed my meal but it was a little too much meat for my palate which I'm sure I'm in the minority on that one. I had a lot left over but decided at the last minute to try the tres leche cake. Best decision I could have made. Some of the freshest and best tres leche I have ever had. I would highly recommend this place. The only suggestion I would make is for a small improvement in customer service. Every time I ordered something or asked a question where the food was, the two guys would just look at each other so I don't know if they didn't understand me or something else was going on. One out of the two was friendlier than the other and made sure to ask me while dining in if I liked my food and to have a nice day when I was leaving. He probably saw me taking lots of pictures and thought I was somebody important, ha ha! I definitely will be back even if it's just to get the tres leche cake again! Thank you Bienmesabe! read more
3 years ago
My husband and have been craving arepas since we moved to Chicago and after reading the great reviews we stopped by the loop location. The staff was super friendly and answered all our questions about their favorites and most popular arepas. They were huuuge like bigger than I've ever had. The cheese and flavor delicious. My husband swallowed his I couldn't finished mine but will later today. Not pictured the delicious tequeños. We swallowed them as soon as they came out so much cheese. We'll definitely be coming back for more especially on Wednesdays for their $9.99 specials- riquísimo todo! read more
Delicious arepas served with impeccably fresh toppings await you here at Bienmesabe! We have never had Venezuelan food For, so when we were wandering art institute taking it we might be having to either Chicago style hot dogs for lunch, but when we saw this place 200 feet down Adams Street, it was easy to make the call: Venezuelan is is!! (No offense to Chicago style hot dog from an established hot dog kiosk, but we have had several already on this trip and wanted to try something new!) An arepa is a crispy on the outside tender on the inside corn flour pancake stuffed with delicious filings like stewed meat, plantains, cheese, black beans, or guacamole. I had the #3 arepa, filled with roasted pork, guacamole and cheese. It was a delicious combination and now I'm wondering if I can find a recipe for Venezuelan pork to make at home. 5 Venezuelan comfort food stars read more
Business owner information
Pedro R.
Hello Laura!…
3 years ago
Walked in and was happily greeted. I ordered I Papelon (Venezuelan lemonade) tasted like and Arnold Palmer with dark sugar so it looks like tea. I also ordered Bienmesabe cachapa w/shredded beef.... It was amazing sweet Venezuelan cornbread, cheese and meat... This would definitely be a pick if you're nervous to try new foods!!! Yummy New Eats. read more
4 years ago
I don't remember if I ordered a premade arepa or a custom, but I can say that it and the tostones were REALLY REALLY GOOD. The protein is juicy, the bread is a superb base, and the cheese and sauces on top of all of that make my taste buds dance joropo. The staff were great and the vibes are chill. Come here for a delicious and quick bite that will not disappoint. read more
4 years ago
This small Venezuelan spot is like a little slice of heaven in my neighborhood! I had been wanting to try Venezuelan cuisine for some time and decided to go into Bienmesabe and explore. I tried the After Party Arepa (with caribbean cheese instead of gouda) and a Pabellón Cachapa, which I both highly recommend! First off, their meats are to die for! Secondly, please try their guasacaca (a Venezuelan guacamole) with any of the items you get. To share some thoughts: The arepa reminds me of the traditional tortilla made in Central America - a savory, maize-based round flatbread - and I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a soft intro in the cuisine. For anyone who likes tropical cuisine or sweeter corn dough, check out their cachapa. It's a sweeter "flatbread" that reminded me of corn tamales from Mexico or Central America. And last but not least, their team is really kind! They were really helpful in offering recommendations and later dropping off a dessert sample at our table. read more
I was hungry after an appointment and saw gluten free on a sign outside the door and immediately bee lined to the door. I ordered the number two arepa with chicken and it was so freaking good AND I felt like I was eating a pita! If you are a gluten free person make this a staple for fast casual. The chicken was really moist and shredded. The restaurant was small but clean with very welcoming staff. You'll probably see me the duke of this place soon! read more
7 years ago
My little gluten-intolerant heart flutters at the sight of arepas and Bienmesabe consistently delivers. My favorite is the classic Pabellón. Shredded beef, plantains, black beans and Caribbean cheese. As long as you eat beef and dairy, this would definitely be my recommendation for your first arepa here. It's perfect. I've also tried the yucca fries and they were GOOD. If you're dining solo, I might skip the fries unless you want some leftovers. I typically go for them if I'm sharing a meal with someone. The best deal is that they offer select arepas for only $5.99 on Wednesdays (as long as you order in-store). I love to stop by between work and class on Wednesdays to take advantage of this deal! The options are more limited so I always go with the tropical (shredded chicken, black beans and plantains) because the bean-plantain combo is to die for. The delicious garlic-y creamy sauce that it comes with makes up for the fact that the chicken can sometimes be a bit dry (but, I mean, it's chicken so it's sort of to be expected). I've yet to build my own or go for a bowl because the arepas they've got listed on the menu are just so dang tasty! Beyond the tasty food and the great Wednesday deal, the staff is so friendly. I always see the same manager in there at the cash register when I'm in. He's super friendly, quick and helpful. Bienmesabe, I love you (and your sit-down location in Ravenswood too)! read more
3 years ago
Very good! I dont know how authentic it is but it tasted very good. We had the signature pabellon #5. It's pretty big and it's hard to not get messy when you eat, but so tasty! The service was fast, we only waited 2 min before getting our food. read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
Food was AMAZING!! I ordered a 1 and 5 , which was a Pabellón and a Pelua for my brother. My Pabellón was DELICIOUS! Highly recommend! The plantains just make it perfect. Looks like this place is pretty busy. But Believe me it's worth the wait. read more
Business owner information
Pedro R.
Hi Lily…
4 years ago
The service was amazing the staff really nice sharing Venezuelan vibe with Chicago community and the food so good typical and authentic cuisine Hope to come back read more
An excellent welcome back to the Loop. Our company is just getting around to welcoming workers back in the office... which means hunting around for a lunch for a couple weeks, 3 days a week. That's fine, because while a lot of old places have closed (RIP Sopraffina on State), there are lines outside salad places and plenty of places still open. One of them is Bienmesabe, and I was in the mood for... something roughly Hispanic. Extra bonus, I could order online or through their app, which I recommend because there are quite a few people there over lunch. I decided to go for a Pabellon Arepa, which is basically their version of a shredded beef sandwich. Only much, much better than I expected. The beef is the runaway star of this sandwich. It's marinated, deeply flavorful, extra tender, very messy, and worth every damn penny. The black beans and cheese add some creaminess and a bit of tang. Fried plantains bring out a little bit of savory sweetness at the bottom of the sandwich, and the bread does us a favor and mostly stays out of the way, though if you looked for it you could pull out a bit of cornmeal flavor and texture. If I could, I would eat this every day. Just to shake things up a bit, I also poured on some tamarind sauce. This was much more sweet than sour, but still had good tamarind flavor, and I was OK with that. I missed the Loop for its food, and I'm glad to be back. read more
Business owner information
Pedro R.
Hi Robert!…
2 years ago
The food and service was great. Would recommend trying this out if you've never had Venezuelan food before. read more
This is my favorite Bienmesabe location! The atmosphere is relaxed, the space is clean, the food is so delicious and there's always good music playing. I always get the Caribbean arepa. It may look small, but it is very filling, especially with the cheese. It's a delicious vegetarian pick! This restaurant is smaller than the one on Montrose Ave, and there's not many places to sit (although if there are window seats, I recommend getting those), so I recommend ordering for pickup or delivery. It is accessible from the CTA train that leaves you right in front, it is one block west from the Art Institute of Chicago, and it lives on a quieter street right in between two busy streets in Chicago -- State street and Michigan Ave. Service is super friendly too! read more
Business owner information
Pedro R.
Hi Lidia…
3 years ago
Excellent service! I'm genuinely surprised this place isn't busier than it is. The food is delicious, portions are plentiful, and flavor incredible. 10/10 recommend if you're in the area. Perfect stop after the art institute! read more
8 years ago
I'm comparing this Bienmesabe to their Ravenswood location, which is phenomenal. My roommate is still telling me about how much she enjoyed that meal, which at this point, was a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, since that Bienmesabe set such a high bar, this one was just okay. The people were friendly and fast to serve the food, and I like the space, although it's much smaller and seating is pretty limited. I don't love the bar-stool setup, and that's most of what they had, but that's not the biggest issue. I got the Caribbean arepa, and while the cheese was so good and fresh, it took me forever to get to the heart of the arepa. Ultimately, it was good, but not as delicious and blow-me-away incredible as the Ravenswood Bienmesabe. I get the Loop location is catering to a different audience and is meant to be more fast casual, but I think the next time I'm in the mood for arepas and yummy Venezuelan, I'll make the trek to Ravenswood from the South Side. The quality difference is just worth it. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
Woohoo! A delicious authentic meal. Easy to get to (just off the red line) and quick service. Got a pabellón arepa and my buddy got a pabellón bowl. My buddy couldn't tell the difference between this and his grandma's homemade version. Great! read more
4.5 stars. Stopped by because I saw balloons and realized it recently opened. I ordered the Pelua arepa, which was just shredded beef and gouda cheese. The arepa doesn't look huge, but it was very filling. I actually had to leave a bite at the end because I was too full. The meat was extremely well marinated and the cheese melted perfectly once you started eating it. It came with a side of, what I believe was, their twist of sour cream. DELICIOUS. What bothered me a tad was the fact that the cashier actually brought my order out to someone else, after a minute or two realized he gave it to the wrong person, took a back and held onto it for a minute, and then brought it out to me. I literally watched all of this happen. Not that I was super worried, but what if the other customer had already touched my dish? I feel like a new one should have been made. read more
I was in the area and since I love Venezuelan arepas I decided to check it out. This a small place not open on Sundays and no bathroom. They have several spots to sit but it looks more of a take out place. You can either get your toppings inside and arepa or over top of rice. I decided to go with the pabellón arepa. It comes with this delicious creamy garlic sauce. The arepa is huge and you only need one since I was super stuffed. This is a great lunch :) read more
4 years ago
The restaurant is good for smaller groups, kind of cramped. The food here is delicious and all of the waitstaff are super friendly. read more
Love that they have two locations spaced out across Chicago (Ravenswood and The loop). For me, the loop location is more of a grab and go as there isn't much space to sit, I also don't believe they have a bathroom for customers. The one in Ravenswood is very nice, I took my family there on Mother's Day a couple years ago and we all enjoyed everything we had. I get one of their vegan arepas when I go. The tropical vegan sounds good (tofu, black beans and plantains) but I usually customize that by subbing my tofu for avocado. Love that Bienmesabe shares Venezuelan food for us in Chicago! read more
5 years ago
Business owner information
Pedro R.
Hi, Jp…
5 years ago
I am always looking to try new cuisine from other countries but it's not always easy to find Gluten Free so being able to try Venezuelan Arepas was a great opportunity. Bienmesabe is a smaller location that is very much a stop in, order, eat, and head back to work spot. The staff were really helpful in navigating the menu and making recommendations. The After Party Arepa with the roasted pork, Gouda, and guasacaca was hit. The warmth of the corn flour bread with the cool tartness of the sauce and savory pork was amazing. If I lived in Chicago and worked anywhere near Bienmesabe this would be a frequent lunch stop. read more
7 years ago
Awesome arepas bar in the loop area! Many options to choose from, nice appetizer choices, desserts, and drinks! Arepas cooked fresh with fresh ingredients! Ordered the Party Favor and the Pabellon arepas, Empanitas, and the Sweet Plantains. The Empanitas came 3 in an order, chicken, beef, and cheese. The outer coating was slightly sweet and very delicious! Matched perfectly with the savory inside. Fried to perfection as well! Great for sharing. Both of the Arepas were very delicious! The guac in the Party Favor was super yummy, made every bite very refreshing! The chicken was also seasoned and cooked well! The Pabellon has black beans, plantains, pulled beef that was seasoned nicely as well. The arepa did get a bit soggy towards the end, since the meat was so juicy! The Sweet Plantains were simply delicious! Can't go wrong with them! read more
3 years ago
Came here on a Wednesday for the $5.99 arepa special. Had the After Party Arepa, which with the special doesn't have the guasacaca. Haven't had much Venezuelan food before. But loved the textures of the arepa even if the pork was a bit bland. Overall: 3.4/5 Flavor: 3.3/5 Service: 3.3/5 - The food came out quickly even on a relatively busy day. Ambiance: 3.9/5 -Clean and well decorated. The set-up for ordering was a bit confusing. There was a sign on the left side of the counter that said "order here" but we actually ended up ordering with the cashier to the right of the counter. Value: 4.0/5 with the special read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
I visited for lunch while I was staying in the area for work and was so impressed with the quality and flavor of the arepa I got! Though I didn't try them, their drinks (juices, sodas) sounded fresh and yummy as did their sweets and sides. If I lived in the area I'd be a regular. Note- I learned Wednesday PM is arepa night! read more
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29 E Adams St
Chicago, IL 60603
The Loop
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(312) 285-2911
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http://bienmesabechicago.com
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