What a fun vibe! My girlfriend and I were looking for a restaurant on a Monday night and ended up here after our architecture boat tour. There was live music, lit palm trees, and it had a fun beachy vibe. We ordered the Charolada de Mariscos and Langostinos, both were so good!! The sauce on both had so much flavor. The staff were all really friendly! Would definitely come back the next time I'm in Chicago. read more

La Palapa - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had no idea this place even existed until a friend invited me for dinner. I pull up to La Palapa to find a spacious restaurant with cute, lit palm trees outside, reggaeton music blasting through the speakers and fast and friendly service. My friend was already there munching on ceviche and once I sat down, our friendly waitress came over right away and gave the menu rundown/highlights. I was overwhelmed by the all the amazing offerings and finally decided on a large Jamaica (a refreshing hibiscus tea/kool-aid like drink and the rompecolchon, a delicious grilled seafood and rice dish. My friend ordered the pineapple chicken, which was half a pineapple grilled and stuffed with chicken, seafood and veggies. Our food came out quickly and we proceeded to pig out. The rompecolchon was similar to a paella but with more seafood, more citrus and lots of cilantro. I was in heaven. The portions were so generous, we had enough to take home for lunch the next day (or a midnight snack). I've already been back and can't wait to go again. read more

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We were driving home from an event looking for a place that was still open at 8 pm and drove past this brightly lit up restaurant so we made a U-turn and were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness, service and delicious food! The portions are huge and filled with flavor. We definitely needed to go boxes and the food tasted amazing even the next day. The green salsa is to die for! Sad we didn't order a container to go, but will definitely be back. Seems like the summer time is a great time to visit given all the outdoor space they have. read more

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I made an order for delivery and when it arrived it was incomplete. When I called the restaurant they were less than helpful! I will not use this restaurant again. read more

Great vibes, and they have live music. Eating outside was a whole experience, especially being right by the highway entrance with so many people walking around. What we ordered: Oysters: They were huge! Good, but I might try something else next time. The Mattress Breaker: This dish was massive. I liked the rice packed underneath. It soaked up all the delicious seafood flavors from on top. Ceviche tostada: Even though they give you the ceviche as a complimentary appetizer, we just had to order another one because it was so tasty We had a great first experience here, but we did notice that we were charged for water when the bill came. The waitress said it was a mistake. Even though we were a bit confused, we trust her and are glad we caught it. read more

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We really enjoyed our dinner here! We arrived around 5:45pm on a Friday night with our 1 year old. We were seated right away and everyone was accommodating and nice. We shared the langostinos (small) and the full size rompecolchon aka mattressbreaker. This was a good amount of food for 3 adults, we finished it all. We got both of them 'mildly spicy' and the dishes were great! Seasoned nicely, with well-rounded flavors, and not too salty. The rice in the rompecolchon was cooked well and was deliciously soaked in the flavorful juices from the dish. The service was very friendly and the atmosphere was fun. Before we arrived, I was hesitant because the seating didnt look very comfortable, but they put a lot of effort in the decor and ambience. The holiday lights outside were festive and fun. There was even a live singer during the second half of our meal! Our kiddo had a lot of fun, taking it all in. The only things I didn't love were the margarita & the music volume. I got the mangonada, which was a little too sweet and not very strong. And the music was loud (even the background music before the live singer), we could hardly hear each other talking from across the table. We'll definitely be back. It's going to be hard figuring out what to order next time. Both dishes were so good, I would want to get them again, maybe get small orders of both, so we can also try something new! read more

Friendly service. Fun environment. Great live music on Saturdays. Food is tasty and decently priced. Great for groups. read more

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I told my honey bun I had a taste for Red Snapper and after a quick google search this is where he brought me. The restaurant was extremely spacious and all of the staff was extremely friendly. We were brought salsa and ceviche as an appetizer. Both had a nice flavor. They gave a large drink selection. I ordered horchata. It was more thin in texture than I'd like but again the flavor was great. I ordered the snapper as my meal and was shocked by the serving size. I ordered the diabla sauce on the side and enjoyed the fish and the sauce. Def will be back again. read more

La Palapa - Red Snapper - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tried it for the first time with some friends. Ordered the mariscada for the three of us. It was more than enough food for all three of us and comes with a side of rice. The dish exceeded our expectations, the octopus was so tender and the seasoning was so good, just enough spice to get that warm feeling. If you add the sauce on top of the rice too, bomb. It also went great with the garlic bread. Service was a little slow for the amount of ppl they had working and the amount of ppl in the restaurant, we had to keep flagging the server. The restaurant itself had ample seating and we were seated inside but they have a side with garage like doors that were open and we were right next to so we were able to eat inside but still enjoy the great weather. read more

La Palapa - Mariscada 3 people - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Mexican restaurant in McKinley Park that specializes in seafood dishes. I've gotten it to go and dined in. Dining in is the better experience. It's got a big space, with lots of tables, and on Saturday nights, when I went, there was a mariachi band playing. A fun atmosphere for sure. I got the squid (pulpo) dish, very tasty, and when I got it to go, I'd gotten the prawns dinner, good, but a lot of shell. Regardless though, you get a lot of food. Since it's mainly seafood, as you can imagine the prices aren't cheap, but they're not SUPER high, and you get your money's worth. A few parking spots along the side, but you can just do street parking down the block if those fill up. I'd definitely recommend if you live in Bridgeport, or any nearby area, if you're a fan of seafood and looking for a little nicer Mexican dining experience. read more

La Palapa - Pulpo Zarandeado Tray (Small) - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've always been curious about this place, and gone past it a million times. There's plenty of street parking nearby. The place is incredibly spacious inside, and there wasn't a wait for a table even on a Saturday night, but there were plenty of folks there. We loved the live mariachi band that was playing, though it was quite loud which made conversation hard. The music was fantastic though, so I really can't complain. I wasn't familiar with the names of a lot of things on the menu, and the descriptions weren't always helpful, so we just kind of guessed and picked a couple options based on what sounded exciting. Shortly after sitting down, the waitress brought over chips and a salsa and a ceviche - they were both fantastic and got me so excited for the dinner we were about to have! I also ordered a limón agua fresca which was delicious - and massive! For our dinner, we ordered a prawn dish and an octopus dish. While both had great flavor, the octopus was a bit chewier than I prefer and tasted a little overcooked - my husband really enjoyed it. There was some kind of red chili or pepper with a sort of plasticy texture all over the octopus that both of us couldn't figure out. The prawns were fantastic though a bit messy since the head was still on. I also wished that there was some sort of side or vegetable to balance out the dishes - perhaps we couldn't find it in the menu, but I think it would have been nice to have a bit of brightness to help the seafood really pop. We ended up eating most but not all of the octopus and the waitress kept asking if we didn't like it after we finished. We said that it was nice and we were full, and didn't love that she kept pushing on that. I'm game to try anything once, and I'm glad I came here, but it wasn't my personal favorite. read more

I had not been here in years. I love what they've done to the place. It is definitely way more spacious than before. We came for my dad's birthday & he loved it. They had live music playing since we went on the weekend. We did not have reservations and we were seated quickly. read more

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I don't know what's in the langostinos and ronpecolchon sauce, but it was amazing! And the ceviche and salsa were really fresh. Lots of patio space and great for groups! read more

La Palapa - Langostinos (Small), Rompecolchon - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Bottom barrel of seafood. My forks were dirty, I ordered Aguachiles and the shrimp was disgusting, strips of in hot sauce. they're not properly prepared. $200 nothing I ordered was good or could make me come back. Server was attentive and polite. read more

It's OK. Looks more appealing from the outside than it is on the inside. Pros: Plenty of options to choose from. Lots of seasonings offered. Cons: Food doesn't seem fresh. Fries were too salty. Karaoke speaker volume is not balanced out well, excessive highs. Pro tip: If you want to see the worst Photoshop ever, it's in the bathroom. I've been wanting to eat here for a while now. Every time I go by this place, the large, gimmicky shark is hard to miss and all the guests dining makes me crave seafood. Hostess service was friendly and our server had a welcoming personality. The food arrived in a timely fashion and we were all ready to dig in. The paella had plenty of variety but the quality of the seafood did not seem fresh or worth coming back for. Granted, Chicago is a city that prides itself on encased meats and not fresh seafood. Yet, plenty of better seafood options are to be found across the city. We also ordered a burrito which seemed average in taste and quality and fries that were too salty. This place can probably be a lot of fun with an all-adult party of friends, ceviche, and beers. But if you're looking for a great seafood experience, best to try other venues. Sorry. read more

The waitress was super friendly and took time to answer our questions about the menu. Food was delicious and portions were huge. Very beachy and laid back vibe. read more

I came in with kind of low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised by the food here. I have never been to a seafood mexican restaurant and this place really delivered. We started with the complimentary ceviche and tostadas. They also came with salsa. We got multiple food items including the crab legs and the Langostinos. These were both cooked in a mildly spicy sauce. They were really, really fresh and the flavors were great! It was peppery and garlicky. I got the tilapa in mexicana style which was pretty good. I had never had this dish before. It was kind of like a fresh salsa on top of the fish, with cilantro, peppers, and onions cooked in buttery sauce. The sides were good too, with the rice being a interesting texture and going well with all the other parts of the fish. The seafood rice was good too. I normally do not like seafood rice but this managed to have a lot of flavor without getting too "fishy". I think it is because of the variety of different seafoods in the rice, and the different texture of the rice (different than asian style seafood rice). So how come this gets a 4 and not a 5? Well, the service was a little inattentive. Even though they have paper towels at each table, we quickly ran out of places to put the crab leg shells. I wish they were able to clear the table quicker. They also did not really come to check back with us. I feel like this restaurant could work a lot better as a self-serve. read more

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Went today to celebrate my mom's birthday was amazing drinks were great! Ordered the langostinos a bit spicy but I do love spicy food definetly reccomend their short empanadas were the best read more

Really enjoyed the food and atmosphere Beach vibes in the city. High quality food and service. Drinks were okay.

I'm glad I was able to finally make it to La Palapa the other night. We went around 8 on a Saturday night and were seated right away but the restaurant was pretty busy. We tried their prawns and octopus - the prawns were delicious but the octopus was a little overcooked. We enjoyed our drinks but service was a little slow so we decided to forgo a second drink. I'd love to try it when the patio is opened in the summer read more

Langoustine and go home. That's all you need to know! Alex started this w/ a small Weber Grill in a parking lot. It grew and grew. The American dream. Great summer place to dine alfresco. Langoustine it! Trust me. A spicy seafood delight. read more

La Palapa - Great job Alex!! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was delicious and fresh. We got the Rompecolchon, Camarones on rice. Spicy but not too spicy. Service was good and super fun ambiance! Highly recommend read more

Every dish is tasty! Service is great and ambiance as well very spacious, staff very friendly

Shame on me. Because I figured they would improve. But. Food is still ok. Took forever! Service was sooo slow!! And prices are still pretty high compared to other restaurants. Definitely not again.... read more

Can't go wrong with an order of the langostinas and seafood paella. Both are packed with flavor. The paella has so much seafood, you are sure to get some in every bite. Langostinas sauce is addicting!! Proton: mix both together and it's fire. This once whole in the wall continues to gain popularity - one time we waited for over 2 hours for a spot, but it's worth! Also BYOB! read more

Can I say the best Mariscos near downtown, really fresh service is awesome place came a loooooong way read more

La Palapa - Free samples - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yes - food does take about an hour after you order to be served. I knew that going in so, I am not docking any stars for long wait. All of the servers are very kind and helpful. Now onto the food - which was very delicious and fresh. My party of 5 shared dungeness crab, mussels, fried snapper, large order of langostinos, and calamari. I highly recommend the langostinos, fried snapper (with garlic), and dungeness crab. My issue with the calamari was that the sauce was way too salty and I need plain rice to eat it. All of the seafood is very fresh and well made -- that is, not over cooked. We also ordered lemonade as drinks, but it was way too sweet -- stick with water. Gratuity of 15% is added to the bill for tables with more than 4 people. Bill came out to $40.10/head for a seafood feast. Well worth it and will be back for more! Tip: La Palapa is also BYOB with corkage of $4 per person at the table. read more

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The food is good. But they charge extra fee for paying with a card. If you want to just pay for what you ordered and tip, you need to pay with cash. If you don't have cash with you, you have to pay extra fee. Among all the restaurants that I have been to, it is the only one that charges extra fee if you pay with a card. No one told me that they charge extra fee when I made the payment. I found it on the bill after I got home. I called twice and the waitress said the manager hadn't come to work yet. She said she will tell the manager to call me back after he came. But I never got any call from them. read more

Absolutely the best mariscos in Chicago! Always pristine and very flavorful. Service is prompt and gracious. The outside patio and mariachi bands are great fun when the weather cooperates. read more

That place need to be packed all summer. The lobster was fresh. The charolada Was spicy good. The ceviche was got some heat to it read more

I'll preface this by saying I'm not against paying more for great food and service. Both were, unfortunately, sub-par. We were a party of 3 adults and 3 kids. They charged us for waters and barely checked in on us. The food was average, not amazing and definitely not worth the money. They also automatically charged a tip, which I think is baloney. We tip based on service (and my hubby was being generous here). I wasn't impressed at all. read more

La Palapa - Receipt - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Outside seating, food was hot and excellent. Staff could be more attentive. Good atmosphere and friendly staff. read more

La Palapa - Garlic red snapper - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My family and I spent my grandmothers birthday here and we were well serviced by this man named (I think Sergio) but I just want to say thank you to the staff for making my family's dinner really fun. It was such a nice vibe I loved the ambiance of the restaurant and eating outside was so fun. I felt like I was in Florida! Like vacation Florida! Haha but thank you Gabbie for helping our table the food was really good definitely worth the price and service that was provided for us! Definitely will come back again. And thank you to the staff for giving us a cake and giving us a free shot for my grandmas birthday it was really nice. read more

I've never been to Mexico, (I know right...) But if I ever do go and find myself at a joint along the beach in some little out of the way seaside town I'd expect it would somewhat resemble La Palapa. From the palm leave thatched roof" to the surf board, sombriero's patio seating (which I understand has thatched roof umbrellas and palm trees in season, to the authentic guitar and accordion minstrels and finally the families and local Mexican workers and patrons that fill this place at all hours, La Palapa is an inexpensive visit to our southern neighbor. Family style seafood, shrimp, ceviche is their thing, but they have some beef and chicken options too. Generous portions. I believe it's BYOB as folks were hauling in cases of beer. It was packed with non stop folks coming and waiting at 3:00 pm so I suspect it can get crazy there during meal time. May have to go back soon! read more

Best seafood place in chicago. Now that the location is bigger, its easier to get seated. Love the live music on the weekends recommend the Charolada, with a slight kick of spice but great taste. Also the huachinango is always good. read more

Delicioso - really good amd authentic I would highly Recommend it - i will definitely cone back read more

I'm updating my review, like I had said before, the food was really good I had given it 1 star because it made me sick. Yesterday I cooked Carne asada and made some tacos. Turn out that the onion it made me sick too. Usually I have no problem digesting onion. So, I might give place another chance. read more

La Palapa - Mojarra Al Mojo de Ajo - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This food is delicious. The waitress was great, and her recommendations were perfect. If I have a criticism, it was that this place can be pud. The walls are cinderblock and reflect sound. The music should be turned down. And let's not even talk about when the mariachi band started playing. Whew, was that loud, to the point that we took our granddaughter outside until the band stopped playing. But, the food was great, and that's why we were there... read more

All of the charm is gone. And most of the customers. We had not been since the pandemic but knew La Palapa was renovating and enlarging the property. The outdoor space used to be friendly and fun and indoor space had been jam-packed and homey. All are gone. Indoors, it's one giant cold room and outdoor has lost something, especially customers. BYO is gone; perhaps that is why. Fortunately, the Langoustines are still there and are as spicy and delicious as ever. Go for them and don't get the expensive cocktails. They are not very good. Service is just OK. read more

Fake imitation crab meat . I Don't know anyone that wants to go to a marisco restaurant and have imitation crab meat . This is my second time going there and the did is mediocre. No longer BYOB read more