The best oxtails I've ever had in Chicago. Tender and flavorful…read more Service was fast and friendly. Dine-in was not crowded at all. Very people were there. It was peaceful and I enjoyed the music and art which reflected the culture. The stew oxtail is worth every penny.

A recent evening while wanderlusting in Chicago, I suggested Garifuna Flava because I'd heard…read moreamazing things about it. My fellow traveling house heads trusted my foodie instincts, but there was a little skepticism until our rideshare driver gave it his enthusiastic vote of confidence! Garifuna Flava is a Black-owned restaurant celebrating the rich flavors and traditions of Belizean, Caribbean, Latin, and Indigenous Garifuna cuisine. The restaurant isn't fancy, yet it is warm, welcoming, and one of the owners even took time to share the history of the Garifuna people with one of my friends. And making the experience even more authentic was the soundtrack of Caribbean and reggae music, which had us swaying, singing along, and feeling right at home like a spot in the Caribbean or Brooklyn. As for the food, it was DELISH! I enjoyed tender oxtails with yams, fried sweet plantains, rice, and stew beans. It was comfort food that tasted like a home-cooked meal. A nice cold Ting was the perfect pairing. I couldn't resist sampling a dining partner's shrimp dish, which was also flavorful. Garifuna Flava is located in Chicago Lawn, often referred to locally as Marquette Park on Chicago's Southwest Side. The neighborhood is home to the beautiful 323-acre Marquette Park, designed by the Olmsted Brothers (sons of the designer of Central Park), and holds an important place in the city's civil rights history. Thank you, Garifuna Flava, for a delicious meal and a cultural experience I'll remember. I'll definitely be back. But don't just take my word for it, go experience the yummyliciousness for yourself! Mmmm... #BonAppetit! Cheers!

I was craving plantains so we ordered delivery, and OMG this is probably one of the best chicken…read moreand candied yams I've ever had! The chicken was grilled to perfection! The meat was juicy, the seasoning was delicious and the sauce that came with it was tangy, sweet and wasn't too spicy. But those candied yams OMG! They weren't overly sweet that it hurts your throat but just the right amount to satisfy your sweet tooth! They must have added some fruit like pineapple because it added a little tangy kick that balances so well with the sweetness and added another dimension! We will have to try this place in person next time!

Jerky Jerk is THE SPOT!…read more We wanted something better than stadium food before the Bulls game. And the three of us love Jamaican food, specifically, jerk chicken and curry goat. So as soon as Jerky Jerk showed up on my Yelp search, I knew my search had ended, and that we found our pre-game dinner spot. Jerky Jerk blew my expectations out of the water. I'm a Chicago native, but I live in LA, where I'm lucky to be surrounded by many delicious Jamaican food spots. But Jerky Jerk has the best jerk chicken I've ever had. When I say that the smoky, slightly sweet, tender, fall-of-the-bone experience hit the spot, I mean that it HIT THE SPOT! Even the rice & peas and cabbage were cooked and spiced to perfection. All three of us devoured our plates in about ten minutes. I also love the colorful and lively Chicago sports murals that fill each wall, as well as the hospitable and vibrant service from the owners. They absolutely rock. They throw a party inside, and they make you feel welcomed and right at home. Jerky Jerk is now a non-negotiable stop when visiting Chicago. This place slaps.

I will give it a zero star but l wasn't able to , it was the worse dinner l had . I'm a true Puerto…read moreRican and l know how food should look and taste and this was the worse l ever had the rice was soggy and l had a bacalito and it look like thin Pancake and it even had no taste so it's a place l will never come back to .and the service was horrible so this place l wouldn't recommend..

Overall giving this place a 4/5! It's hard to find good Puerto Rican food so was really happy to…read moresee one and the menu looked good!! The pork was really flavorful and the rice was wonderful too. Really large portions which I can't be mad about lol. Loveeeee the tostones, some of the best I ever had and the creama dip was the icing on the cake. I had to take off 1 star because unfortunately my Habichuelas were missing....like there was rarely any beans in the bowl :( which makes me sad because I loveeeee them so much. Note - i ordered from Uber eats and did not visit the restaurant in person.

PLEASE stop seasoning with MSG PLEASE stop charring, it's a…read morehealth risk My food was not good, $30+

MAAAAN LOOK! Them people in there were so nice, they gave me a complimentary freaky drink for the…read morelong wait (like 35 min). The food... went CRAZY!! I had to give 5 stars because that catfish was cooked to perfection AND not fishy (not fresh). The restaurant had a real welcoming ambiance, made you wanna stay a lil while. They got a whole bomb! I'm goin back very soon! s/o to Kim I believe her name was.

The food service and ambience were all winners. I'm not sure how I missed that. This establishment…read morewas a thing. Every single thing that I ordered exceeded my expectations and I cannot wait to return. Reservations are recommended.

Loved the decor butt the service was lacking. The restaurant wasn't full when I went in, but…read moreservice was slow and I took them a bit to give me my check. The two dishes I ordered came out quickly. The food was all right. The jerk chicken taco was not five dollars. It could have been bigger with more filling. The coconut shrimp had great flavor. The pineapple ginger soda was really really good. I haven't had that kind in a while.

I'm back to update my previous review. I finally got the chance to come back to The Wild Hare for…read morethe full dine-in and live music experience. I'm really glad I did. Our server was quick and pleasant. He was refilling and offering new drinks before we even knew we needed them. I'm not even sure I really considered the menu because I really came to retry the oxtail and rice & peas. I was not disappointed, and there was nothing but tailbones left on my plate. Ambiance is fun at The Wild Hare. The live music in the back room int he evenings are definitely where it's at. I would recommend checking out the event calendar on their website to help pick which day you may want to come. My only complaint is that I really wish the DJ played more reggae in the restaurant. I expected to have a full reggae night, but all the way up until the live band, it was mostly hip hop and R&B with the occasional reggae throwback. Give us more; we came for the reggae vibes!

Came here on a Sunday after. They had drink specials available. We were able to find parking right…read moreout front. On this occasion there were drink specials. Grabbed $7 margarita (special) which was tasty. For food my husband and I shared the full lb of rib tips and fries. We thought they were tasty. We met up with some friends celebrating a March birth (Aries). The bar crowd was friendly...everyone just enjoying the music and each other. Bathrooms were big and never had an issue getting a stall. Security present and overall just a fun experience. Would love to come back when they have a live band playing.

I went there yesterday and ordered the oxtail dinner with a side of mac and cheese. I was so…read moredisappointed in the entire meal. All I tasted was Lime, as if they poured lime juice all over the food. So I called them today to complain about the food and the man did apologize and asked who gave me the food but of course I didn't know his name I just know that he was the only one there. He then hit me with the what you wanna do about it. I kindly said nothing because i didn't want anymore food for them, I just will never return nor will I recommend them to anyone. Have a great day.

Oxtail was soo tough and chewy, plantains were inedible, they must've been sitting for too long. I…read moreordered ahead (about 1pm) and still got the food from the warmers.

Upon entering the restaurant we were seated at a table that hadn't been wiped down as evident by a…read morecup of water and basket for silverware on the table. Clearly there are cultural differences present right away. No biggie. We were seated right away. We ordered red snapper... Cooked to perfection and fresh and yummy. Lamb dibi the lamb was a bit charred and not super tender but still good. Portions were good for us. I believe that a hungry person or a grown man could easily clean a plate. The juice drinks were good kinda sweet but I don't do sugar at all so I had to water it down. I observed a little kid come in with bread being carried in his bare hands that I hope wasn't for a patron. There is an African shop next door that has nice items...I really liked the mudcloth coats and hoodies. Free street parking. Customer service 4.5 Food 4.25 Bathroom Cleanliness 3.75 Restaurant cleanliness 4.0 Price $$

There was plenty of seating for our big group. Unfortunately they seemed to be understaffed while…read morewe were there so the waiter didn't take our order for about 30 mins. It was a nice atmosphere and the staff were really kind. The Yassa chicken and shrimp had great flavor, a bit spicy, juicy, and had flavorful rice. The vegetarian maffe was a peanut flavored sauce with potatoes and carrots with a bit of spice as well. If you're looking for more spice, they'll bring a small cup of Senegalese pepper sauce.

I can't believe it took me this long to try Amaru. I fully regret waiting this long to try it…read morebecause 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.

Dined here with the hubby during Valentine's Day weekend. They had a special Valentine's menu…read morecurated 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 :)

I know they are soon moving locations and expanding, which is well deserved. Whether or not this…read morereview travels to that new location, I guess time will tell, but what I can tell you right now is that the move is well-deserved. A beautiful little place, tucked away in a cozy corner of a small shopping center, you'd never expect such flavors and such an escape. With a larger place, walk ins would probably be handled fine. When I went, we felt lucky showing up when we did, as it soon filled up inside, such that a couple had to be turned away at the door. Plantain soup. It was a special, and special it was. The drinks were equally phenomenal. And the service was delightful. Itching to go back before they make their move.

Marina's Bistro & Rum Bar in Chicago was such a fun night out. The Puerto Rican menu is very…read moreauthentic and made with care, and the rum cocktails were delicious. The vibe is lively and colorful without being over the top, service was warm and attentive, and were happy they had Medalla beer. I do have some feedback on the lighting- it's a tad too bright for a dinner setting. Removing one of the chandeliers or switching the bulbs to warmer, dimmable bulbs might elevate the vibe.