Uhhh ohhh... Dominican food and I am here for it…read more I ordered the mangú, which is basically mashed plantains seasoned really well, and it definitely made up for my choice of rice. The bistec encebollado was cooked to perfection with grilled onions and that nice vinegar-based flavor that gives it the right kick. We also ordered arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) and carne guisada, and everything was very well seasoned. You can tell the food is made with care and real Dominican flavor. Now I'll be honest. Is this a fancy spot? Absolutely not. In fact, it reminds me of some of the little mom-and-pop places I've been to in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. There are only about three tables for four people and a couple of small tables. It's not the prettiest restaurant, but honestly that shouldn't matter because the food is the real winner here. The prices are very reasonable and completely worth it for the flavor you're getting. If you're looking for authentic Dominican food and don't mind a simple setting, you'll be very happy. I'm here for it, and I'll definitely be back. You won't be disappointed.

My lovely wife and I have been to Punta Cana twice now. No, not the city in the Dominican Republic,…read morebut the hole-in-the-wall restaurant at the corner of Kimball and Palmer. There is not much seating inside, but we have dined in both times for scrumptious lunches. Recently I tried mangu for the first time. This is a breakfast dish that real Dominicans really crave, and after having a plate of mangu I can see why. It's a hearty pile of mashed plantains served with eggs, fried cheese, onions, and sliced meat that is sort of like Spam. The jibaritos are delicious, whether the fillings are steak or even slices of gyros meat. The jibaritos are served with a side of rice to complete a meal. We have enjoyed a couple of the empanadas too. The service is pleasant and prompt, and the pricing seems reasonable enough. Take your taste buds on a yummy vacation to Punta Cana.

I had such a wonderful experience at this Dominican restaurant! The food was absolutely…read moredelicious--full of rich, authentic flavor that really stood out in every bite. You can tell everything is made with care and attention to detail. What made the visit even more special was the atmosphere. Yari, the owner, was incredibly kind, welcoming, and genuinely made us feel at home from the moment we walked in. The entire staff was just as warm and attentive, creating such a comforting and inviting environment. It honestly felt like being invited over to a family member's house for a home-cooked meal--cozy, friendly, and full of good energy. That kind of experience is hard to find, and it made the meal even more memorable. If you're looking for amazing Dominican food paired with heartfelt hospitality, this is definitely the place to go. I'll absolutely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone wanting a true taste of great food and even better service!

1000/10 I love the red beans here!…read moreSecond time coming here since moving to Chicago and the taste is as close as I'll get to food back home in Miami. So whoever made the habichuelas last night made sure to put their whole heart in it because the sofrito and pumpkin were on point before stewing those beans to perfection. My 15 month old baby tried the beef stew, roast chicken, red beans, rice and pigeon peas, yuca and plantain. This morning he happily ate some more for breakfast and let me tell you this little boy always takes a few bites then wants milk... not this time. The food speaks for itself, the place doesn't need to be hip or aesthetic. They're not trying to blow smoke up anyone's ass branding rotisserie chicken as luxe French comfort food or trying to copy Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa. Just a great product in a styrofoam box packed to the brim at a fair price.

Amazing Puerto Rican food. I cannot wait to go back. I ordered the skirt steak with rice and beans…read moreand chimichurri. It came with plantain. It was so delicious. Very savory and juicy. The beans and rice complimented the skirt steak so well. The chimichurri added this amazing fresh tanginess to every bite. I didn't need to add any extra sauce or anything to my meal. My boyfriend ordered a steak jarbarrito with no cheese. They got the order wrong and had cheese on it, they took it back and pulled the cheese off of it. They did not remake it unfortunately. Making the best out of it he still enjoyed his jarbarito. His only qualm was that the plantain buns were not even on both sides. The ratio of meat to bun is extensive. But It looked and smelled so good! We also ordered passionfruit juice, I don't suggest to order that because it's the blue can juice from the market. It is not natural passionfruit juice. Our waiter was not the best. They do have a lady server in there. We wish we had her because she was very tentative and did end up helping our server out. Ambience was very clean. It does get packed quickly. All in all great experience, we will be back!

Looking for great Puerto Rican food and options for vegetarians? Try this spot! Ordered some…read moreTostones and Mofongo w/pork. I also ordered the Jibarrito Steak sandwich. It comes with puerto rican rice - it was phenomenal! All of the food was fantastic! I could not find an entire menu or website online however, but we ordered through DoorDash and it contained some photos of some of the entrees too. This helped. I thought the Mofongo was a bit dry, but everything else was phenomenal! I would definitely recommend here for great Puerto Rican Food!

This place was amazing!…read more Came in a few weeks ago to grab dinner with friends, and was easily able to get a reservation same day on a Saturday night at 7 PM. From the very beginning, we were taken care of very well. We were quickly seated when we got in, and our server was very attentive. The restaurant was jampacked too, I'm surprised we were able to get in so quickly! The food was delicious; for dinner I had the pollo a la cubana which was so good. Our server had mentioned to me that this was his favorite item on the menu, and I could not agree more. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and very juicy. Great vibes in the restaurant too, very upbeat feeling here. Everyone was very friendly, and the music added a very tropical feeling. Overall great time and would happily come back.

Delicious, a highlight of our stay in Chicago. Chimichangas and roja vieja are both very good…read more Server offered for us to use their private room to change our son's diaper (no changing table), itemized the receipt for us, and refilled our water as needed.

I had heard great things about this place for years, so I was really looking forward to trying it…read morebut unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The first time I visited, there were three of us. My friend and I chose the buffet, while her wife ordered from the menu. After we had already gone up to the buffet twice, her wifes food still hadn't arrived. I eventually spoke with someone who identified himself as the ownerto address her food not bring ready. He apologized and mentioned they were short-staffed, and said her food would be out soon. When the food finally came, it was just okay.While we waited, we noticed a steady stream of takeout orders going out, which seemed to be prioritized over dine-in guests. I don't enjoy leaving negative We decided to give it another try this past weekend with a group of friends, hoping for a better experience. Most of us chose the buffet again. For me, the only items I really enjoyed were the rice and the avana. I don't eat pork, so I was excited to try the chicharrón chicken, but it was a letdown the chicken was over-fried, dry, and difficult to eat. It also took about 20 minutes just to get water for the table, while we watched other guests be seated and served water right away. When I asked the waiter staff ejy it took so long for the eater, I had once agin told they were short-staffed staffed. I don't like leaving bad reviews, but I do hope this feedback is taken constructively. With some improvements in both food quality and service, this place could live up to its reputation.

I wanted to reach out after my very first visit for your Sunday brunch yesterday. Getting started…read morewas a tiny bit confusing we had a reservation and initially headed inside, but then found out brunch was actually next door and upstairs. It was a small detour, but we eventually found our way to the lovely setup. Once we were upstairs it was clear how popular your brunch is. the place was absolutely buzzing. It felt like the team might have been a little overwhelmed with how busy it was which led to a bit of a slowdown in service. Also, I noticed some of the food trays didn't have labels which made navigating the buffet a bit tricky. Trying to uncover each tray while holding the lid and juggling a plate in a busy line was quite a challenge. I do need to mention a couple of things that stood out during the food service. I was a bit surprised to find a long hair on top of a fresh batch of potatoes. The cook at the omelette station was very responsive and removed it and then impressively replaced the whole tray. A little while later I noticed a short, curly hair in the maduros which was a bit off putting. These were definitely unexpected moments that I wanted to bring to your attention as I know cleanliness is so important. On a slightly different note, while the plastic tables and chairs upstairs were functional, I think a little sprucing up of the stairwell and windows could really enhance the overall ambiance and make the whole space feel even more welcoming and clean and perhaps a quick suggestion regarding footwear for the staff interacting with guests and food, closed toe shoes like sneakers might present a more professional and hygienic appearance than crocs. I really hope this doesn't come across as critical. I'm just sharing my observations in a constructive way. Now, for the absolute best part THE FOOD Wow, seriously everything we tasted was incredibly delicious and such great value. The pernil was perfectly fresh and incredibly tasty and I absolutely adored the arroz con gandules. The avena de coco. A definite must try so good. The gentleman at the omelette station was not only a fantastic cook but also a really friendly person. Your potato salad was a revelation. I've never had anything quite like it and the bacon and sausage were spot on. especially that crispy bacon. The coquito latte was heavenly just a touch sweet, but in the best possible way and let's not forget the chicharrón utterly divine. The sweets table was a true highlight, so beautifully decorated and truly on point. Those homemade pastries were incredible, and my absolute favorite was what I think were coconut balls seriously wow. There was also this delightful dessert in a small clear cup with cinnamon on top that was just exquisite. Beyond that the pastelon, carved ham, waffles, and French toast were all equally delicious. Honestly, the culinary experience you're providing is exceptional, and it's clear you put a lot of passion into the food. I truly hope you take this feedback as it's intended as friendly suggestions to make an already fantastic place even better. The potential here is huge and I can't wait to see what you do next.

I went here for with my best friend and my hubby to celebrate my birthday with a great birthday…read moredinner. We were in the Chi already visiting Atlas Stationary as a self-proclaimed station and fountain pen freak so we figured why not?!? I had heard great things about Carnivale prior to so please note that prior reservations were already made but regardless, it was all our first times there and we were stoked to finally try this place out. When we first got there, the outside was very unassuming. Some awesome graffiti on the wall (yes, angel wings included) and lots of color which made me so happy! As we entered, we were greeted by lots of colored flora on the walls and the floor. It led to a beautiful lounge where we checked in. The hostess was quite kind and they escorted us to another room that had multiple floors, two I believe. We were sitting in the main dining area where dining tables were set up and the ceiling lights and decorations were super-duper colorful. It was brightly lit and festive. Seriously, the colors alone could make anyone happy and do a serious dopamine overload which was fine with me. We sat down, was introduced to our server, Oscar and then given menu's. I genuinely thought that this place was pretty small initially because it looked small from the outside but boy was I wrong! This place was MASSIVE. But! I digress, now that we had our menu's-- Let the party begin!! We started with the ceviche tasting which included four types of ceviche; shrimp, Yucatan style hamachi, salmon and tuna. All were really good with their own really distinct flavors but our top favorites were the salmon and the tuna. The salmon had a kick while the tuna had a great balance of heat and sweetness. Great way to start of this dinner! My bestie ordered coconut shrimp and smoked mushroom croquettes for her main meal. My hubs ordered the carne asado while I ordered the lechon asada. I also want to add that we ordered Mexican street corn on the side alongside mashed potatoes and Peruvian Jalea. Ah and before I forget, we also ordered our drinks which consisted of a: sangria, margarita, Cotton Candy Cosmo and Salva Honduran Pilsner. All were spectacular and made the night that more enjoyable as well! When we received our food. We were all really enjoyed it as we all shared our bites amongst one another. The coconut shrimp was well breaded and you tasted the coconut as well. The shrimps were large and juicy. The smoked mushroom croquettes were good with a smokey flavor and good breading, however, the breading may have a been a little thick because you couldn't really taste the mushroom,m unfortunately. The carne asado was the star of the show. Well seasoned steak, cooked medium rare which was juicy and succulent. The lechon asado was good. Although I'm not used to eating lechon asado that is covered in sauce, the sauce was super tasty so I didn't mind the tender, juicy pork that was covered in it. I really enjoyed it. I think the only thing that I wish was different with regards to my lechon asado is that I wish it were hotter because it was luke warm when I received it. Other than that, it was....*chef's kiss*. The Mexican street corn was alright, it honestly just tasted like regular corn with mayonaise in it with some cheese. Didn't add anything significant to the meal. The mashed potatoes were soft but not too soft and buttery. They were really good and then the Purvian Jalea was another favorite, super good! The calamari, fish and shrimp with the Purvian Jalea were absolutely delicious; fresh, tasty and well breaded. It was absolutely yummalicious. To top the night off, they gave me a little birthday treat of cotton candy and carmel popcorn. We also had some tres leches which was so yummy because the fruit was fresh and you could taste the milk in the tender cake and then we had the chocolate cigar. The chocolate cigar was also really good, everything except the label was edible, It was smokey, chocolately and delectable. It's presentation was also so creative. We all loved it. Overall, this restaurant is SUPER PRICY but SUPER WORTH IT. I am so glad that I was able to go there to celebrate a special occasion because it would not be a place that I could go to on a regular basis but as much as I wish I was, ya girl ain't rich like that. The service was superb, the employees were kind, the food was fire and drinks were scrumptious. If you're looking for a fun, Latin cuisine inspired, creative, yummy way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion with a fun Latin twist--look no further, that is it! Check it out and you won't be disappointed. Now, I'm sorry for my novel and you may now go back to your normal programming schedule. If you do end up coming here and loving it -- i told ya so ;)

I'm not sure how long it was when I first visited Cranivale but it was definitely before yelp…read morereviews and it definitely wasn't this big so fast forward to maybe 20 years it's definitely more beautiful. Very nice and what a great entrance it has. The rooms and the different feeling each one gives is pretty awesome. The upstairs is where we were invited to attend the party bc of the invite and it was very lounging and nice. There's a Latin room where we wanted to go but next time we will. Then there a bigger room with lots of dinner tables and another upstairs.

Allergy friendly!! Thank you, 1492 Cuban Fusion!…read more I love that my kid can get a safe gluten-free/nut-free/peanut-free meal here, every time! And via UberEats too! I know this is one restaurant near his home where I can have a couple of meals delivered and I know he will be safe. I went for the first time myself a few weeks ago and really enjoyed the experience! The servers are knowledgeable and friendly, made us feel so welcome. Highly recommend ordering one of each of the flans for dessert, and sharing them! There were 4 of us sharing 4 flans, with enough for 5th person.

We ordered a variety of dishes to try 1492 as a first time customer. Empanadas, steak salad and a…read morecouple of the entrees to try different proteins and dishes. We also got the cuban sandwich. The Cuban sandwich was good but lacked any real flavor. Not sure if it's because it was delivered (so not as hot off the grill). But it was good, just not great. Next time I'd reheat it first. The empanadas were very good. We enjoyed a variety. My favorite was the pork. The steak and chicken entree's (both grilled) were ok and were both closer to 3 stars at best, maybe 2. The meat was tender but was a little bland, and as a to-go dish, the presentation is just unappetizing. I wouldn't order those again. The sandwiches are good to try in the future.

I go to Janik's once or twice a year, always good, usually hungover…read more Down home diner style with flare and tastiness.

This place... hands down, is a gem. Every single thing we ordered was top notch. Service unmatched…read more It shows a 4.2 stars on Yelp. I definitely think it's under rated!!! Such a nice place. Seating is plentiful. No less than 10 customers came in and ordered take out while we were there. Inside service wasn't packed maybe about 5 or 6 tables full. Service was fast. We waited no more than 10 minutes for 4 meals. Kids were given a treat when we walked in. My kids were sold from that point. They both enjoyed their breakfast. Portions were very good for the price. Menu has a great variety. Overall great experience!

Clean. Service was Sweet and Quick…read more Food is DELICIOUS. The small details are such a nice touch. The way they "stamp" the empanadas. #love City Parking.

I ate at the French Market but the empanadas were great! I had a bacon & egg, chorizo & cheese and…read moreNutella & Banana. All were good but the breakfast and dessert ones were my favorites. I also had a side of rice that was good. The dipping sauces were also a great way to have the empanadas.

Colorful, casual neighborhood spot for Cuban food. I stopped in for a late lunch and sat outside on…read moretheir sidewalk patio. There's street parking or a small lot in the back. I didn't get anything to drink but they do have a full bar and coffee beverages. For food, I ordered the Cuban sandwich with papa fritas. The sandwich was good, especially the meat, but the fries were not good - wish I had gotten the maduros as a side instead. Service was ok, and food came out relatively quickly. Overall a good option for Cuban food if you're in the area.

Was delicious, lechon sandwich was amazing, service was amazing, will be back to try out the whole…read moremenu, Amor!!