Was so excited to try this place. The menu did not match the website. Ordered three different empanadas and it took over 30 mins to receive the order. One empanada was cold in the middle and one empanada was not what we had ordered. The girl behind the counter was cursing profusely the entire time. It was not a good experience and we won't be back. read more

4.5 stars. Dear Empanada overlords, thank you for blessing us with the gift of Cassava off of the Belmont stop. Finally got around to trying out a bunch of these delivered the other day, and they far surpassed my expectations as far as taste and freshness were concerned. Cassava is a small shop off of clark street that specializes in Baked empanadas, all of which will run you around $3.25(except for the steak which is just a bit more), and all of which are made gluten-free and served warm and fluffy. The must have a fairly high turnover of these baked buns of glory because all of them were very fresh and the fillings were not stagnant or dry like some other empanadas I've had in the past. Tried out the Steak, beef and cheddar, chicken, pulled pork, Spinach & mushroom, and roasted veggie empanadas. First off, the dough. Soft and chewy, not unlike a good bagel, with a crisp enough exterior that you can taste the bread but that it doesn't linger as you begin to enjoy the fillings. The meat empanadas...very surprised how consistently good they all were, though my personal favorite was the pulled pork, which had juicy tender pieces of pork shoulder in a sauce that was just slightly sweet. The chicken was similar in that aspect, and benefited from pieces of potato and bell peper which, when combined with some spices, basically allowed each bite to simulate a tiny latin meal. Steak and beef + cheddar were also tasty, as were the vegetarian ones, though in this setting I actually think I preferred the lessy cheesy ones as they allowed the flavor of the individual meat and veggies to really shine through. The empanadas are fresh and they are also on the larger side compared to others I've had. Especially for any baked bun(empanadas, dumplings, baos, what have you), larger portions make a big differenceI though I would still be hungry after getting through a few of these, but after eating 3 I felt satisfied enough to call it a day as far as lunch went. read more

This place is a gem among dirt. There are a lot of places to eat in Wrigley and most are over priced because of their location and the food is plain. There are very few establishments in Wrigley that are worth the coins but this one is worth every single cent! It's actually one of my favorite places to eat when I wanna grab something fast and healthy. The empanadas are gluten free, organic and baked... All the things I don't care about but am happy to know about since they are so good and sometimes I over indulge. Make sure you try all the different sauces they offer for free when you eat there or carry out! The wait staff is really helpful and will also let you know about items that aren't on the menu. I usually get two to eat there and like 6 frozen ones to take home for the week. And they always throw in an extra. I'm telling you... This place is amazing! read more

If you're celiac, gluten intolerant or just wanting to try something different - Cassava is a great place to stop in. If you do, make sure to try their hot chocolate. Cassava has the richest and smoothest hot chocolate that I've ever had. The atmosphere is similar to that of a local cafe. The place is small but there is always space to sit down whether its at the tables or on the couch. Service is friendly and the place is always clean. I highly recommend the Pork empanada and Sun dried tomato rolls. They go great with the jalapeno ketchup as well. This is a very niche place so don't expect a large menu with tons of choices however you can expect a small menu with everything guaranteed to be delicious. Bonus: They sell frozen both in grocery stores as well as at their restaurant location so you can enjoy them at home too. read more

Three weeks in advance I could only get a reservation at 9:30 at night on a Saturday. It was well worth it! If you like mole, you MUST try the duck. Great margaritas, reasonable prices and portions, knowledgable and friendly waitstaff providing prompt and professional service. I will be going back! read more

These empanadas were just OK. A bit on the small side, and they took a while to come out. I'm used to Julia's Empanadas in DC where the empanadas are ready to go and just need to put be in a paper sleeve and then into your mouth and you're done. Also, the scent of roasted garlic was heavy in the air during my visit, so heavy that when I got home I smelled garlic on my coat, in my hair - everywhere. Good vampire repellant. read more

I am in LOVE with Cassava's bread. It is quite possibly one of the best things I have ever eaten. I've tried every flavor and find it really hard to pick a favorite. Usually I order one of each, but if I had to pick a favorite I'd say the jalapeno cheddar or the feta and greek olive. The bread is almost indescribable. Yes, it's tiny and you'll have to order more than one. BUT it's so delicious! I'm not sure why it's so gooey and amazing. Perhaps it's the cassava plant, I don't know. I used to live right down the street, now I live a bit further. I don't mind the 15 minute walk, it's definitely worth it. I keep forgetting to try their supposedly amazing hot chocolate, but I'll get there soon and let you know! read more

Cassava was a quick pit-stop in Wrigleyville while I was visiting The Windy Chicago for an improv festival, and I loved it! The pros: Nice interior, quick & friendly service from the owner, and a delicious/inexpensive snack. If I lived in Chicago I would visit this place again and again on my way between ComedySportz and iO. read more

I stopped by here on a recent trip this summer. I would definitely love coming back when the weather is a little cooler. So I can fully enjoy a warm spicy hot chocolate. I loved the little cassava pillows of goodness. I loved them so much I asked for one of each flavor. Yes, they are that yummy. Next time I'm in town... I'll have try their empanadas. Very cute place. read more

These little rolls are interesting. They are a lot smaller than I thought, but are so cheap! The only ones they had when I stopped by were original and jalapeno cheddar. I really wanted a chocolate one, but they said it would be about 18 minutes if I wanted to wait. I think the most interesting thing about them is the texture. It's such a chewy bread, but in a good way. I definitely need to come by here again. read more

Best empanadas I've ever tasted in my life...........and this is coming from someone who has had a lot of empanadas in her life. I'm not sure what it's actually like at the restaurant, because I tried them at my coworking space, but they were absolutely divine! read more

It is small coffee shop that has a small menu but everything on the menu is delicious! The menu has cassava rolls, empanadas, soup, coffee and smoothies. I had the metropolis coffee and it was roasted well. The green tea is really good here too. They give you a lot of tea/coffee for a very cost-effective price. I go to different coffee shops to study and there is free unlimited wifi and many outlets to plug in your computer. read more

Oh, man. Sooooo good. I would eat here every day if I could. I moved to Illinois from Texas and I have to say they had the best chili I've ever eaten. read more

I love this place! I used to go here all the time when I lived nearby, but I still stop by whenever I'm in their neighborhood. If you're gluten free like me this place is a must. The food is amazing and fresh. You can't go wrong with any of the cheese balls or empanadas, I've tried every one of them. They also sell them frozen so I always get a couple to take home. The staff is super friendly which is always a plus! read more

Since moving to Chicago, this place is slowly becoming my main source of comfort food. The empanadas are delicious, I especially love the addition of the guava cream cheese empanada as guava is one of my favorite fruits! Though they are frozen, the empanadas truly taste fresh and you can tell they were made from great quality ingredients. If you go, definitely try the Brazilian cheese rolls too! Check it out if you're around. read more

Huge disappointment! Way too long of a wait for 2 empanadas. If I knew it was frozen before I walked in, I would have never came in for lunch. Staff was not very friendly and after the 10 minute wait, the food was not good. read more

Stopped in for lunch with a party of four, was the only celiac, but everyone thought the empanadas were delicious. It's a rare dining experience where everyone is eating gluten free and no one is making a taste sacrifice. We were given some complimentary roll/biscuit things, which was very nice - the jalapeño ones were the clear winner. And my cranberry peach ginger smoothie was maybe the best I've ever had. read more

Worse empanada I've had! I can't get over the dough. I'm confused if the dough is supposed to taste "gummy" or if they were undercooked. I've had the Brazilian rolls in Brazil before, and they were amazing. This was nothing in comparison. The spinach & mushroom & garlic was good; I ended up just scooping the contents out of the empanada shell. I'm hoping that the 2 empanadas I purchased were just undercooked and that this "cassava dough" is not a representation of the most delicious Brazilian cheese bread in Brazil. read more

YUM!!! not too heavy, quality ingredients. Will forever come here. Surprisingly filling if you have just 2 empanadas, sometimes i even get 1 to have room their awesome chili. Smoothies are good as well!! I purchase a frozen bag to take home since I don't live nearby. I even give it to friends and family and they love it! read more

We were a bit skeptical about these empanadas being all gluten free and what not (especially because we are a Peruvian Family) but they were surprisingly not bad! Freshly made, and the breading is a bit flaky yet moist. We got the spinach and mushroom and also the chicken empanadas. Great snacks(; read more

I ordered frozen empanadas for delivery. I had been ordering them from a restaurant in a distant suburb so I thought I'd go more local. I appreciated the quick bicycle delivery service and the convenience of ordering online. They cook up well as directed and the fillings are tasty but they are tough and chewy. I had been used to a pastry crust but these are difficult to cut and chew plus the dough is bland in flavor. I'll probably go back to my original location for empanada delivery. read more

Best Pao de Queijo in town! After finding out about this place we went in to try it out, we had a variety of their pao de queijo + hot chocolate. Everything was EXCELLENT. The hot chocolate was DELICiOUS and the pao de queijo was very authentic. We ended up taking 2 dozen frozen pao de queijos home - they were very easy to make and tasted awesome even from frozen. As everyone else mentioned, the owner was extremely nice, the place is very clean, good music and pleasant. I hope this becomes a very successful business and sticks around for a long time. read more

This place is great whether you eat gluten free or not. The empanadas and soups are very good and the best part is you can take some frozen ones home too. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is casual and affordable. read more

Tried the beef & chedder, the fire-grilled chicken and the spinach. All were very good. I would go back for the beef and the spinach. Also, had several chocolate cassava buns which were beyond yummy! read more

Flavor explosion in my mouth. This adorable little store front in Lakeview is my favorite quick gluten free spot yet. My sister and I (both gluten free) tried their chicken, bacon and cheddar and beef and cheddar empanadas as well as each of the flavors of the rolls and all were incredible and different. My sister'a favorite was the beef and cheddar, mine was the fire-roasted chicken and the bacon and sundried tomato basil rolls were amazing. Decent coffee and a great selection of low sugar cold teas. Must try for anyone, not just gluten free folks, in Chicago. read more

The cassava bread is great. Unfortunately, the place is understaffed. The one batista was clearly working very hard, but the service was still too slow. read more

There isn't a ton of variety, and nothing is really fancy, but for what it is, this place is fantastic. The atmosphere is really nice and relaxed - I sat and studied for several hours, and was really comfortable and nobody bothered me. I had the hot chocolate, which was amazing, and 2 empanadas: steak, and bacon/egg/cheese. The bacon, egg, and cheese was fantastic. The steak was fine, but wasn't anything that blew my mind. I might try a different kind next time. If it were just for the factors above, it would be four stars. What puts it over the top is the staff. They were so incredibly nice and helpful to everyone who came in. I got the impression that they were really happy to be working there, and that they really genuinely cared about their customers and their product. One guy talked to a customer for ten minutes about how a lot of the staff was celiac and cared about keeping everything gluten free. He answered a number of questions, described the ingredients and the dough they used, and was happy to help any way he could. They left people alone, but if anyone approached them (as several did over the course of the afternoon), they were happy to talk - not to sell things, just because they were friendly. Overall, this was a great, relatively relaxing place to spend an afternoon. I will definitely be coming back. read more

We make a special stop here whenever we come to Chicago. All the empanadas and cheese rolls are gluten free, and so good. Staff is friendly and the atmosphere is cozy, but you may have to wait for more cheese breads to be baked. I don't mind because it's a good chance to relax. read more

We had a couple of the beef empanadas and they were excellent. The cassava crust was very good and the beef was well-seasoned. Will definitely return. read more

If you don't have an intolerance to grains, there's no need to come here. It's a good spot if you need to be grain-free.

So delish!!! I had ever single one and loved loved loved it. It was my first gluten-free empanada and it was better than regular (dry) baked ones. I also got the dark chocolate infused roll....Heaven in a bun. Everyone, gluten-free or not, should eat here! read more

I have been gluten intolerant for about a year now and finding places to eat has been rather difficult. Cassava was not only one of the best places I have eaten at, but it was also cheap. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, Gluten Intolerant or not. read more

Cassava empanadas are awesome and gluten free. The chilli with Greek yogurt is delicious and the hot chocolate is the best I've ever had anywhere! An extra star just for the hot chocolate alone. read more

Refreshing & different! Really worth a try. Prices are reasonable and everything is really fresh - although you might sometimes have to wait a little. read more

Really enjoyed my first trip to Cassava! Went because my husband is gluten free n although there are lots of cute empanada places in the area, this is the only gf one. Had a spinach-mushroom-feta n my man loved the beef n cheddar. Also had a mango-pineapple smoothie and two cassava rolls. I don't understand exactly how the rolls are made, but they are hot, crispy on the outside, gooey and chewy on the inside...delicious. You can even buy frozen empanadas & cassava rolls to take home and cook at your leisure. We were kicking ourselves as soon as we were home that we didn't grab some. Therefore, we will be back very soon!! read more

Incredible gluten free food...Spicy Hot Cocoa is Awesome

Been looking for gluten-free empanadas in the city and they were amazing! Very friendly and the hot chocolate was so good!

Absolutely delicious empanadas! So fresh --- sauces were made right there when we ordered to go! Such nice staff who are clearly excited about the food they produce! So excited to have moved just down the street -- we will definitely be frequenting this place! read more

Stopped in for an iced coffee. The ice cubes they use are made out of coffee so as they melt, your coffee doesn't get watered down. Class act right there! Good music playing, good vibes, kind workers. read more

I haven't had empanadas since going gluten-free years ago... so I was looking forward to this option however ended up disappointed. I was longing for the flaky like crust of Argentina but because the crust were made from something else I was bummed. The insides of all the ones i ordered was great! My favorite was the apple. Also, when they say they deliver they do, my order got to my hotel room within the hour! read more