5/5 First time trying Chalam Balam and absolutely loved the experience. The vibe was one of my favorite parts; intimate enough for a date night, but still great for groups too. Even when it got crowded, you could still comfortably hear your conversations without the place feeling overwhelming. The food was phenomenal from start to finish. The 1000-layer potato was incredibly crispy and rich, the tamales were flavorful and comforting, and the plato placero tied everything together beautifully with so many great textures and flavors. I also liked how the dishes came out one at a time so you could really enjoy each plate. Bonus points for being BYOB. Just note they only take cash or Venmo. Definitely worthy of the Michelin recognition and absolutely a spot I'd come back to. read more

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Chilam Bilam definitely had some hits, but th service and some of the dishes didn't quite make the mark for me. I would best describe this spot as a no thrills spot living in a restaurant body - the inside has a charm and you get served, but don't expect any out of this world hospitality. I actually went for my birthday, and truly I was expecting any sort of gift, but the server didn't even wish me a happy birthday despite that being brought up in part of the small talk. So perhaps don't use this spot for your celebrations lol In terms of the food, I loved half of what we ordered, and would not order the other half again. For what it's worth everyone's taste pallet is different, but for all the hype I had heard about the 1000 Layer Potato, I was kind of disappointed. The Tamal was also not my favorite. The Brussels Sprouts and Flautas on the other hand, were to die for. Those two dishes alone would have me coming back and open to trying some of the menu I hadn't before read more

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To all the people complaining about the "horrible service" and "unfair rules", I have a suggestion for you: maybe consider doing an ounce of research for a restaurant before booking a reservation. It's extremely easy. I looked at the website for two whole minutes before booking, and that was sufficient to understand how the rules worked. Now, the food was fantastic. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was also great, and all the staff were interacted with were wonderful. Our party of four came hungry, and we were more than able to eat 8 small shared plates. The BYOB option was fine, because again, I looked at the WEBSITE before deciding whether I wanted to do the BYOB rules. Soraya and Chef Natalie gave us a fantastic meal and great hospitality. We will definitely be back. read more

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We did a walk-in and was seated at the bar! It's a small place and the ambiance was very cozy with good music and dimmed lighting. We were able to be served pretty quickly and learned, like many of the other reviewers here, about the minimum dishes required to uncork wine (which again is not mentioned on the website). It was a little annoying to have to pay more than we needed especially because we already bought our bottle of wine, but we were excited to try a new restaurant so it wasn't a big deal. Overall, we weren't very impressed by the food. For context, we love Mexican food-- cooking it at home, eating out, and have eaten food in Mexico. Guacamole: our guacamole wasn't chunky like described on the menu, but rather smooth and creamy. Chips are great, tasting like toasted corn, and can tell are freshly made in house. Guac has a subtle spice that creeps on which I liked but wasn't impressed for the price we paid for it. They did add pickled red onions on top which was nice for texture and introducing some additional acidity. Ono Ceviche: our favorite! Very fresh and interesting crumbly texture with the fish. Great level of acidity and great crunch with onions and cucumber. I wish the portion was slightly larger for $21. Roasted Brussel sprouts: The Brussel sprouts felt undercooked and chewy. Chipotle glaze was good but was very sweet at some bites. The white cream at the bottom of the dish was very good. Beef Short Rib: Mole was great-- sweet, smoky, and slightly bitter after taste. Short rib felt dry. Overall, food was okay but it didn't feel like it justified the high price point. read more

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Wanted to love this place based on the recommendations, but my experience fell a bit short. The ceviche was overly acidic for my taste, could have used a better balance of flavors. The meat dishes were disappointing as well; mine came out quite dry, and the ribs had an unusual flavor that didn't quite work for me. The atmosphere was nice and the staff was friendly, but the food just didn't hit the mark this time read more

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Kind of an odd vibe, but food was still pretty good. They're cash only, but actually prefer venmo. Also, BYOB wine, beer, and tequila, but only one bottle of wine per two people and no corkage fee, but you have to order two dishes per person. They have a fairly strict time to dine policy as well as grace period (10 mins) for reservations. Overall, everything seemed a little over priced for what you get, but also everything was at least pretty tasty. We started with the ceviche and the guac. The guac was yummy, but nothing special. The ceviche was one of my favorite dishes. While small, it was tasty and different. Next we had the watermelon salad, empanadas, and 1000 layer potatoes. The 1000 layer potatoes were definitely my favorite - cheesy and saucy. The watermelon salad was really interesting, too, with a mixing of flavors that was unexpected and really good, but wayyy overpriced. The empanadas I didn't think had very much flavor. For mains, the stand out dish was definitely the short rib. It was super tender and flavorful. I also really enjoyed the pork belly which was served as tacos and had some yummy crispy bits. The milanesa was pretty good, too, but I had some trouble getting behind the added sweetness of the strawberries. read more

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IF YOU ARE SCARED OF THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS: the food is incredible. Be prepared to maybe order more food than you would've liked (you have to order a minimum if you order the hibiscus mixer) but ON THE BRIGHT SIDE now you get to try more things and take leftovers!! Yippee!! Bring decent alcohol to go with your more than decent dinner. And just be a nice person and maybe the bartender will give you free shots :) one of the only Lakeview spots worth going to. A cozy BYOB spot that I've only been to once but has been in my mind ever since. We brought a bottle of mezcal and sat at the bar. Ordered the hibiscus mixer and a ton of dishes. I wish I could say more on the food but I blacked out. But I remember loving the Brussels sprouts. Definitely go here but go here with a date, not with a party of more than 2 or 3 max. It's seriously a wonderful experience. I recommend this place to everyone all the time. I'd come back in a heartbeat. read more

Get over the cash only/reservations. Food and service were excellent. Perfect vibe/location.

I have been here many times, and every time I leave full, blown away and impressed by the service. The service is always a standout here - they help guide you through the menu and will make sure you get the good stuff (everything)! It's BYOB so be sure to grab a bottle of tequila across the street to have a marg pitcher! read more

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Food was good. Ambiance was okay. Service was disappointing. We spent $200 and as we were leaving a female staff member made comments to myself and my friend that were completely unnecessary and made us extremely uncomfortable. Will not be returning or recommending to others. First time reviewing on yelp. Not a person to complain I work in the service industry but the way this woman spoke to us was incredibly rude and distasteful. read more

Arrived on a Saturday evening, hungry, during open hours. Closed, no explanation. Please be kind & post a note on your door that you had to close unexpectedly? read more

The food at Chilam Balam is genuinely good -- creative, flavorful, and worth trying. That's what makes the experience here so disappointing to write about. From the moment we arrived to add our name to the waitlist, the owner was condescending and unwelcoming. She repeatedly pressured our group of 5 to commit to ordering a large number of dishes before we'd even been seated, at one point sarcastically saying something along the lines of "if you sit and order 4 dishes, that's not going to work." It felt less like a restaurant policy and more like a shakedown. After waiting about an hour, we went back to check on our wait time and were essentially screamed at and dismissed. We stayed because we'd heard great things about the food -- and we were committed to giving it a fair shot. Once seated, the waiter informed us there was a minimum of 8 dishes and that we had to order everything at once. Fine -- we did. But when we asked for wine glasses (it's BYOB), we were told we'd need to order more dishes first, with desserts apparently not counting toward the minimum. The food delivered on its promise. The hospitality did not. There are plenty of great Mexican restaurants in Chicago where good food comes with basic human dignity. I'd look there first. --- The owners response only highlights the type of the treatment you receive in this place. Contrary to what she is saying, we ordered 240 dollars in food, exceeding the 40 dollar minimum they mention during the reservation, (we were in 5). The "insane" amount of alcohol was really one bottle of wine we would share among the group. This should really not be something that we, as paying costumers in good will, should have to deal with. Very upsetting. read more

Food was great - especially the chile en nogada. But the ceviche was my favorite (so good I ate it all before remembering to take a pic)! I think what sets this restaurant apart was the service, super friendly staff and the owner was so sweet by checking in making sure everything was tasting good and our experience was nice. Felt like an intimate experience and ambiance was cozy. Good for friends or date night. We participated in BYOB and the margs were fantastic read more

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I have walked past this place so many times and not know! It's a cozy little Mexican restaurant tucked in a garden unit. It's very easy to get to, as it's right on N Broadway. Definitely make a reservation if you plan to come here because it's small and popular! Also, Guy Fieri has dined here and it's a Bib Gourmand restaurant! Also important to note: the restaurant is cash or venmo only. They do not serve alcohol but you can BYOB (details on their website about what you can bring). The plates are all tapas style, so they recommend you order a few for the table. They recommended 4 for the 2 of us, but we ordered 3 and I was SO full. The menu is small but they have plenty of vegetarian options which I appreciate. They make you order everything at once, and then they bring you out the dishes as they are made. We ordered the 1000 layer potato, huarache, and the roasted cauliflower. I loved everything! The huarache was smoky and went so well with the goat cheese and carrots. I loved the use of pomegranate seeds in their dishes because they add a little pop of sweetness. The 1000 layer potato was so creamy and yummy. Even though we were very full, we decided to try the flan because flan is one of my favorite desserts. This one was hibiscus flan with mango compote and candied pepita. Unfortunately the flan wasn't my favorite - it was too sweet and had too many different flavors happening with the hibiscus syrup. But it was fun to try something new! I would definitely come back here! read more

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it's a tiny place with a tiny menu with big flavors - when I see a watermelon salad, I definitely do not think of any Mexican flavors. however, the mix of the rich burrata with the light sweet watermelon and the dark almost nutty salsa...truly wonderful and creative - I was also blown away by the beef ribs. it was basically just one giant rib (sadly) with all of the meat stripped off and then on top there was pickled onions, tomatoes, and corn. the meat was just decadent. it was so juicy and just fell off your fork. the star of the dish was the sayce the whole dish was sitting in. it was once again a dark nutty salsa that really captured the Oaxacan theme - the plato placero was really fun, loved making my own little tacos. the beef brisket was rich and flavorful, which was a great contrast with all the light vegetables. I could have done without the cherry tomatos. the Oaxacan queso was the perfect mild cooling taste with the crisp and spicy salsa - our server was super kind and perfectly attentive, but I do think the plates are priced a little high. we ordered 3 plates for two of us (they recommended 4 and one of ours was a no meat salad) and spent over $100, the potato being $22 is wild to me read more

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Loved our experience here. Cozy fun vibes, every dish was delicious. BYOB is fun, and I respect the rules that they let you know ahead of time when you reserve a table. I'm glad I didn't avoid based on the Yelp score, which appears to be based on bad reviews of people upset by the rules. This is a must-visit, I'm sad I'll never get to experience it again for the first time, but excited to come back! read more

Chilam Balam - Ambiance - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The 100 layer potato is so so good!! I also really recommend the flatas. Our waiter was so nice! read more

Chilam Balam - Swordfish - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tried to go today for my boyfriends birthday and they just weren't open despite me even trying to make a reservation for the day and they said walk in only, figured they'd at least be open. Said they were on their hours. read more

Was really looking forward to coming here as it's been on my list for a while now. The food was decent, but definitely not worth the hype when you take into consideration the weird service especially from the owner. They were extremely unprofessional with how they communicated with their guests. I went through other reviews after visiting, and see a lot of people have had a similar experience. While she continues to affirm in her replies to all the negative reviews that rules are clearly explained beforehand, there is nothing mentioned about the minimum food ordering for BYOB in the email instructions (included a screenshot for reference). It is fair to have rules, but it's easy to clearly communicate them beforehand and communicate them professionally. My honest feedback for this establishment would be to spend some time thinking about the type of experience you want to offer your guests. If consistently the people visiting are coming back with the same feedback on the hostility and lack of communication, it might be time for some personal reflection. read more

Chilam Balam - Rules - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

EDIT: I did not offer shots to others at the establishment. I was talking to my friends at our table and the workers were listening to our conversation and took my conversation out of context, speaking to us very rude and disrespectful. The only other people at the restaurant that I spoke to were our friends at another table who we were surprised to see. Was so excited to come to this place but was shockingly disappointed. The management staff was incredibly rude and was making up lies about my group. Food was fine but will not be returning since we were treated so poorly. They also mislead the customers. If you bring your own alcohol you have to order 2 dishes per person which is not stated on the website. Hope others have a better time than we did but also hope you think twice before coming to this establishment. read more

This place was so fun! Small shareable plates, I'd argue they were a decent size, and it's BYOB either wine or tequila and they have margarita mixes for you. This place was reviews by guy fierey, I thought it was a huge mix of flavors! They said they recommended 2 plates per person, we did 7 total (4 of us) and found it to be very filling! The cauliflower was my favorite! read more

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Food is fantastic and the desserts are unique and yummy! Service is great, everyone who worked there is welcoming and seems like they love what they do. However the restaurant is small and I wasn't totally comfortable seating wise (I'm tall). I'll definitely keep going back, we love this spot. Protect it at all cost!! read more

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Super intimate cozy atmosphere, this place is a hidden gem! Small menu that packs a punch, family style tapas meant to share and unique Mexican dishes you might not see at other Mexican restaurants. Chef specials each night! Server Luis was so prompt and did a great job explaining the menu. This place was featured on Food Network with Guy Fieri. We ordered the mahi mahi ceviche which was super flavorful and fresh. The empanadas were perfectly crispy with a hefty filling and the pineapple sauce complimented it perfectly. Def stop in if you're in the Lakeview neighborhood! read more

Chilam Balam - Street view - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Chilam Balam is a quaint restaurant with an almost speakeasy vibe. Pretty pricey, but good food. I would skip the flan (see image below, lol) read more

Chilam Balam - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I enjoyed the food and the service and the atmosphere at this restaurant SO MUCH while I was in Chicago that I went two nights in a row. The negative reviews seem to be mostly related to people being surprised by some of the rules at this restaurant. They do ask you to order all your food at once, they do have a minimum food order, and they do control how much alcohol they allow you to consume. They are also cash only. If you are aware of these rules in advance, everything will go swimmingly, and you will have the most amazing dining experience ! This is a small woman owned business, the owner clearly cares deeply about her customers, and took the time to stop by the table. Highly recommend. read more

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Whoa! The food here blew me away. I honestly cannot stop thinking about the Brussels sprouts. I would've assumed they were like Brussels sprouts at any regular restaurant but my friend heard they were really good so we ordered them, and I'm so glad! Our waiter was so friendly and suggested the huaraches which were roasted carrots on top of a masa cake. We gave it a try and it was one of our favorites. I don't know how they make carrots taste so distinctive and delicious! The mahi mahi ceviche and beef short rib were also amazing but I do think the two veggie dishes we had were the stars of the show, for me at least. Can't believe this was my first time at Chilam Balam. It definitely won't be my last. read more

My favorite restaurant in Chicago. Perfect. Greats small plates experience. I bring every out of town visitor here. Feels like a singular Mexican experience. Love the chill boyob component read more

Chilam Balam - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Years later, this spot popped into my head and really solidified how crazy of an experience we had. Terrible! Literally the worst spot. BEWARE ‍ read more

Great week to unite with friends at Chilam Balam. Great service, excellent food, owner Soraya Rendon, outdone herself with this fabulous lowkey restaurant in the heart of Lakeview. Congrats Soraya for making prime time television. Notable among the rankings of Illinois' Michelin Guide Restuarant. Drop the boring sushi date and sass up the evening at Chilam Bilam!!! This bold place change up half of their menu each month! It won't disappoint, I promise. read more

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This restaurant is one of a kind.. my friends and I brought two bottles of our favorite wine and shared a few of their dishes, all of them equally delicious! The ambiance is warm and extremely fun, the staff is phenomenal and attentive! 10/10 overall I cannot wait to go back!! read more

Amazing food- everything was delicious!! Just make sure to pay attention to their rules... There is a limit on how much alcohol you can bring, and they like you to order everything at one time so they can paste the menu for you. Both perfectly good, but some people were complaining about that. read more

The food was DELICIOUS. The huarache was phenomenal and I'd highly recommend. There wasn't a single item I was indifferent about. Everything had so much to offer. The waitstaff all had great recommendations and were incredibly friendly. No clue what the other reviews are talking about. One of the employees even guessed my girlfriend was from Honduras. She was incredibly happy as no one ever guesses where she's from. Overall 10/10, excited to go again! read more

I cannot believe Chilam Balam only has 3.5 stars. I suppose it is quite hyped up being on Food Network AND the Michelin guide, but I think it's appropriately hyped!! We came here on a Tuesday after making reservations via email. It wasn't very busy and the space was cosy. Right from the start we had fantastic service. Our server (Jose I think) was so inviting and gave great recommendations on the menu. We brought a bottle of wine (yesss BYOB!!) and he recommended we put it in their sangria. Excellent choice. He also recommended a few dishes that ended up being our favorites. Guacamole - very good, it's guac. Roasted Root Vegetables with Date Mole - Holyyyyyy yummmm this was phenomenal. I would come back just to eat three orders of this. Artichoke Empanadas - super cheesy and delicious with a yummy salsa. Flautas with Chicken - my second favorite behind the mole! So flavorful and perfectly executed. Plato Placero with Beef Brisket - yummm. This was like a build your own plate with brisket, tortillas and tortas, lettuce wraps, some veggies, plantains, and giant chunks of Queso Oaxaca. I don't eat beef but I watched it fall of everyone else's forks because it was so tender. I ate the giant cheese chunks dipped in both amazing sauces. Sweet Empanada w Peanut Butter - heavenly!! Fantastic with the chocolate and caramel sauces. Keep in mind they are CASH ONLY or also venmo. And BYOB, conveniently right across the street from Walmart. High end, sharing style plates, and great service. I'll definitely be back. read more

Chilam Balam - Artichoke Empanadas, Ricotta, Epazote, Salsa Verde - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious! Amazing! No notes. Had the best Friday. BYOB and definitely make a reservation in advance. Cozy atmosphere!

Darlings! This was the best meal we have had in 2024. You have to go! The Chile En Nogada is to die for. I literally licked my plate. It is sooooo good! We did the tasting menu, and every dish was stellar! Luis, our host was a delight, and their talented chef put love and her honed in craft on a plate. It shines through. Soraya the owner is a joy, so warm and hospitable. We will be back again and again. Thank you!! read more

Chilam Balam - The Chile En Nogada - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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UPDATE: I'm not sure what the restaurant's response is about, I'm assuming it's made up like the rest of her replies on here. The only commotion was when the waiter told us he was "done being nice" and that we didn't order enough food to continue drinking our BYOB (6 entrees + a $19 mixer were ordered) . We were surprised when this happened as nothing triggered it, but followed his demand. We never got an explanation of what rules we had broken. According to the response, you're not allowed to drink White Claws. That's fine, the waiter could have told us that like human beings instead of raising his voice in a crowded restaurant. It was incredibly uncomfortable to experience. The owner came to take our payment, which we were thankful not be confronted by the waiter again. She doubled down on the waiter's behavior though without explaining what had happened. Just kept repeating "the rules are in the email." She didn't seem to have the full story, and even I don't know what set him off. Just a bizarre experience. Nevertheless, I certainly won't be returning and I strongly recommend avoiding. --------------------------------- Would give 0 stars if it was an option. Food is good. Horrible staff, so rude. Even the owner actually argued with us lol. Wants you to order more food than you can eat to even open your byob (so much food waste). I agree with all the 1 star reviews read more

I walked in to chilam Balam at 8.15PM . We didnt know it was a byob .Eduardo, the only employee directed us next door to the Hot dog place.( Trying to get rid of last table to get home early) Eduardo was also hesitant to give my friend & me a larger table as because that meant cleaning & resetting a larger table. He snapped at me in a threatening voice , that they closed in 45 mins. We ordered two entrees and wanted to order more at 8.30 , but he told me that kitchen was closed at 8.30. I reminded him kitchen closed in 45 . But he told kitchen closed . Seriously they don't want to work from 5 PM to 9.PM ? No wonder lazy people stay poor. However the food was awsome. We ordered the steak with mole & Pork ribs. Both were awesome... EDUARDO IS LAZY. If your the owner , read this. I tipped him 20% anyways as I knoe thats how they pay bills. read more

Chilam Balam - Pork ribs & steak in mole - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I have been going here for years (and are due for a visit soon). We are Mexican and enjoy the fresh new take on some of our traditional dishes. We have never not liked any of the dishes we have gotten. The staff is also very friendly and personable. Definitely recommend! read more

My favorite restaurant in Chicago! I'm always asking for chefs selection which ensures I get the best dish of the night! Everyone is so friendly and the vibes are emaculate, whether you r in a big or small group :) read more

I ignored the reviews and thought there was no way rude staff would impact my experience. I was wrong. I took my dad here while he was visiting and was embarrassed by the time we left. I never write reviews, but honestly the experience was such a buzz kill that I feel people should know before spending time or taking visitors here. Below are the major encounters that affected the experience. 1. BYOB Rules (?) - waiter would not open our bottle of wine until we ordered (so couldn't have a drink while reviewing the menu). Odd, but whatever. Then, we ordered two entrees to share. The waiter said he would not open our bottle unless we ordered 4 entrees. We explained we had apps down the street while waiting for a table and weren't hungry enough for 4. We had to negotiate and ended up ordering 3 entrees (which he got approval from a manager to do so.. a bit dramatic). 2. Rude about my allergy - I'm allergic to shrimp. I read the menu carefully and checked yelp pics to avoid items containing shrimp . One dish, that had no mention of shrimp on the menu, came out with several shrimp on top. I told the waiter I was allergic and asked if we could just simply have the avo top removed. He acted like it was a huge deal and said "it's your responsibility to tell your waiter if you have an allergy". Fine, I should have mentioned it. But having a waiter blame me was new. He also had to get manager approval to remake the dish without shrimp. The manager came out to our table and say to me "so what else are you allergic to in addition to shrimp" as if I was being difficult. He then made me go through the menu with him so he could say what did/did not have shrimp (in case it wasn't mentioned). He continued to make rude remarks as we went through the menu 3. When we got to the restaurant, the waiter made a point to say everything had to be ordered at once so they could "pace out the food" for an experience. After Byob and shrimp-gate, all three (3) items we ordered were delivered to our table at once - there was hardly room for anything. They also delivered the check with our meal. So basically saying they wanted us out ASAP. This was my second time here, and I will say the first time was fine - no issues. However, both times the food has been pretty mid. There's tons of cool spots on broadway, would recommend you spend your money elsewhere. read more