The food was worth the wait. I came on a Wednesday afternoon, right at opening time. We seated ourselves and were able to order pretty quickly. When the food took "too long" (it didn't feel like it at this point, but the staff acknowledged it anyway), we were offered free pate of our choice The chicken pate was really good. My friend and I each ordered the dinner sized oxtail entree (1lb), which come with 2 sides. We're already making plans to come back. If you dine in, bring a jacket. If you're coming to order takeout, be prepared to wait a while. read more

Lior's Cafe - Chicken Pate (2 Qty) - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Fourth and final visit to Lior's. Waited 1 hour 20 minutes for a small entrée that should take 20 minutes, max. Only seven people in the restaurant. No excuse for that kind of delay. Nobody checked on me the entire time. No water offered. No acknowledgment after 45 minutes of sitting there. The female manager on duty walked past multiple times without even looking at me, let alone addressing the wait. When I mentioned the issue to the cashier up front, all I got was "we're frustrated too." No apology, no accountability, no attempt to make it right. That's not an explanation, that's a shrug. I was hungry enough to stay, otherwise I would've walked out and canceled the order. If this is the normal level of service here, this place won't survive another year. The food is not worth this kind of treatment, and the owner needs to seriously look at who's running the floor. Not coming back. Save yourself the wait. read more

Wow I cant brag enough about this place first off the warm welcome that me and my friend got was AMAZING, it was out first time visiting from California so patties was complimentary, my fish was fried to PERFECTION, they said it was a young brotha back there in the kitchen, but I know its a granny back there somewhere, it was two separate birthday gatherings they allow you to bring your own bottle The two waitresses was AMAZING very attentive and patient even while it was a little busy ,I never felt rushed ...I give it 100/10 .....red snapper for the win read more

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I went to Lior's for dinner. It is a small establishment, so unfortunately they were booked up for the night and I had to order to go. If you have to order there, be prepared as it was a 35 minute wait time. A side item I also wanted to order was not available so that was disappointing, along with them forgetting a food item and we had to return to the restaurant to get it and the Pikliz and Banan that accompany each entree where not given as well. The young lady at the counter was friendly and took our order when we were ready. The ambiance of the restaurant is dimly lit, seating is spaced decently and there is a good size bar. I ordered the oxtail and stewed chicken dinner. Both were flavorful and the sides of cabbage, Djon rice and kale greens were a good compliment. read more

Lior's Cafe - Oxtail, Djon Djon rice and kale greens - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I made reservations on the website for Sunday dinner. From the mural outside & the beautiful decor inside, I felt like I was transported to a different place. I appreciated the tvs having Haitian figures and history to read. The staff was friendly & helpful in describing the menu items. I ordered the shrimp bombs as an appetizer, and oxtail as my main entree. The macaroni was so delicious, cheesy & flavorful. The oxtail was so tender & juicy. The portions were perfect, I opted to take home what I couldn't finish. Plus a slice of the delicious pound cake. This is honestly one of the best meals I've had this year. I'll be back and will bring some friends. read more

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Good: very friendly service, clean restaurant, loved the informational slideshow about the Haitian Revolution (and the ability to read more via QR code). Food wise, large portions and hearty, good sides. Downside: the sauces did NOT compliment the food it was paired with. The sauce that comes with the pate was cold, and the temperature overpowered the flavor of the pate. The spices in the sauce with the poule, along with its thick texture, dulled the flavor of everything else in the dish. Based on the upsides, I would come here again, but I'm trying new items. read more

Lior's Cafe - Pate (2 Qty) - free if you mention that it's your first time visiting - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Visited Lior's again - now making it my fourth visit. Each time the food has remained phenomenal. The service was good and I was checked on often by both management and my server. I, again, ordered the Shrimp Bombs which have become my go-to dish. The taste is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. I tried something new - the Swim Biscuit. I picked the strawberry flavor. I've never had anything like it. I would compare it to a biscuits and gravy dish but make it sweet. It was truly an experience and I did enjoy it. Lior's has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I look forward to each visit. read more

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This was my first time here.. omg!! I wasn't disappointed. The food, ambiance and staff wow!! I'm definitely coming back and recommend others to check them out. They're a gem in the Roseland community. Appetizer: Acora and Haitian Patty wow!! 1 course: Legume 2 course: oxtails- I got my black card back!! First time trying it. read more

Lior's Cafe - Exterior - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Last weekend, I was supposed to meet up with my friend for dinner as much as I want to try the place and of course my friend want to try the place unfortunately we ended up going somewhere else. The location is not the problem. It shows where it's at in regarding the location so it's one of those spots that you have to probably go there as a certain time. What may us not get the place? The chance is the fact that it is the lack of parking in the parking sucks especially not sure if we can park a alongside Halsted. is all a small spot behind the restaurant on the side street and of course we didn't wanna park on the next block that's mostly residential. We didn't want to disrespect the neighbors parking areas as well plus it was a lot of heavy police presence so would that being said unfortunately we end up going somewhere else for dinner. read more

This restaurant hits on EVERY point, food, atmosphere and customer service. We went today after church and man oh man we had a generational party (20's, 40's, 50's, & 60's) and everyone had a good time and LOVED the food. We had Accra (crispy malanga fritters), Shrimp bombs, Haitian wings(served with Haitian sauce), Oxtail, Kreyol cabbage, kale greens, Pate (vegetable), Legume and pound cake. I witnessed the Chef sitting at the table eating his own food. Outstanding read more

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the food was really well made and the customer service was top notch. not only was the food and experience great, but also the environment was nice as well, as they had haitian historical facts on the tv's. the only things that I believe can be improved on is the time and the music. the restaurant closing at 8pm on Saturdays seems kind of like a missed opportunity for getting more service. for the music, although I liked the type of music they played, part of me feels like they could be playing kompa music or even kreyol gospel music to help with the experience. Overall I highly recommend the restaurant and would rate it a 9/10 read more

Lior's Cafe is a beautiful and culturally significant restaurant in Roseland. Chicago needs more Haitian restaurants. The service was good, attentive but not all over you. The food! Out of this world! Their Haitian Mustard sauce is so delicious and needs go the bottles. The Pikliz was a perfect topping for all the food! I definitely recommend the red snapper and Griot (fried pork). But everything was delicious so try it all if you can. read more

Lior's Cafe - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place should be packed!!!!! To see native Haitian and Caribbean people eating here always reminds me that the cuisine is authentic and legit. The manager Brandon was patient, kind, and very communicative. The venue is clean and the aesthetic is modern while honoring the culture specifically through original artwork by a local muralist. I hope next time I go on Saturday afternoon I struggle to get a table. The food was made fresh and I wish I could have licked the plate. I've never had oxtails so rich in flavor and I've only ever experienced kale in smoothies but those kale greens have set a new healthy standard. I look forward to going back and trying everything on the menu. Try this place. Tip well. Thank me later!!! read more

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Lior's Cafe is a beautiful in the inside and outside with glorious paintings as well as a welcoming ambience. First, we started off with the Bomb Shrimp. It was literally THE BOMB. We then had Oxtail..I tried for the first time and OMG so good. With veggies ofc theeeennnn the manager was so kind to give us Mac & Cheese on the house!! Me and hubby are definitely coming back!! read more

Lior's Cafe - Haitian Mac & Cheese - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was amazing and the service was top tier .Ms. V. Took such good care of us. She did an awesome job of explaining each dish and answered any questions we had. I was skeptical given I've never had this type of cuisine . I was pleasantly surprised and I'll definitely be back ! 10/10 read more

Food - perfect and generous portions. And holy is the food so so so good. Service - absolutely perfect timing of dishes coming out. They do not skimp on making sure you have what you need at all times. Ambiance - very rare. Do you need a chill place? This place can do it. Do you need a party vibe? This place can do it. read more

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I went for the first time. Food: The Shrimp Bombs-delicious! I don't know what was in the sauce but they were so good! I had a 2nd course for dinner. The 2nd course entree comes with Pikliz, Banan Peze and two sides. I'm not a fan of spice but I tried The Pikliz to try it and it was good for someone who enjoys spice. I got The Oxtail, Mac&Cheese and Cabbage. The Cabbage was cool. It didn't wow me but it didn't scare me. LOL. The Mac & Cheese was good and cheesy which is a plus for me. The Oxtail was good! That Oxtail Sauce was so good! Drinks: N/A. As of now, there is no alcohol served. Non alcoholic drinks are available. I stuck with water. Service: Good! The server was great! The owner/manager Brandon was nice and very communicative. He spoke to my friend and I and discussed the restaurant and made sure we were good. Atmosphere/Ambiance: It was quiet. My friend and I were the only guests until we were almost finished eating. Final Thoughts/Recommendations: I'd return. Get those Shrimp Bombs! read more

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So I came here for lunch and didn't know what to expect...ummm I just don't know cause as a fellow Haitian we are our own worse critics for some reason. I called in my order and when I got there there was no one but family and workers in the restaurant, now granted it was lunch time and they been opens for about 30-45 minutes I was the only true customer but whatever. Now the dining area is nice, could had been more organized. It was receipts and paperwork at the host's post, paperwork at the bar etc. Lets get to the food, now it reminded me of a cafeteria at school... which idk how I feel about but I feel something!! Lmao!! All the foods were in different pans over heating stations which makes me feel like you can be eating yesterday meals... Now don't get me wrong, Haitian Food is a labor of love!!! If a Haitian gives you food just know they was in the kitchen for like 5 hours! For real tho! Anyway... food: I got the lunch special griot with fried plantain and diri blanc and sos pwa and some other kind other kind of sos that didn't taste right...so that's like fried pork with plantains, if you know you know with white rice and bean sauce and some other sauce...I also got the oxtails with diri djon djon and plantains. Which is oxtails with mushroom rice. Hunny let me tell ya!!! That griot and oxtail was the sh*t!!! It was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection... although the fat part of my griot could have been fried a little harder for my liking but overall delicious... they were seasoned just right. The oxtail with butter beans were perfect and the meat fell right off the bone! Boy I was sucking on them oxtails like... let me be quiet lmao anyway, white rice was excellent but the mushroom rice I had an issue with, it was salty for my liking and did you guys use the Maggie version of djon djon or real djon djon bc idk it tasted like the Maggie version but either way I was excited to eat it but it didn't do it for me.. and the plantains could have been fried harder.. baby when I eat a fried plantain I need that crunch! It's all about the crunch...anyway maybe I need to come back in the evening when everything booming Yall should still try it and tell me what yall think... I will be back read more

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Lior's is a cultural, comfortable place to be. Food is delicious and seasoned to perfection, and waiters are friendly and informative. Get either the stewed chicken or the ox tails, you wont regret it! read more

Lior's Cafe - Stewed Chicken, mac and cheese, and greens - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service, clean and inviting atmosphere and they have the most flavorful food you could ever imagine. read more

Lior's Cafe - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service very friendly very attentive a food took a little bit longer gave me free appetizers. Everything made fresh everything was so so so delicious ambience definitely bring your crew your family through nice clean neat put together well and again the flavor oh my God, all the flavors of the food just dancing in your mouth. read more

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AMAZING DIVINE FOOD Visiting from LA coming back on my next trip!!!! Service was outstanding and ambiance was delightful. Live music Great place for the family read more

I raved about this place to my boyfriend just to be beyond disappointed and flabbergasted with this visit. I made a 7:15 reservation just be ignored for 50 minutes to place an order. The waitress ignored us. The gentleman floating around in a suit didnt acknowledge us. They all continued to run to the back of the restaurant. If you're understaffed and are having difficulties with wait times that should be disclosed as soon as possible. I asked for my reservation deposit back after waiting for way too long and they gave it back immediately, no apology or anything. They had multiple large parties and other people who had already ordered were also complaining about the wait time to receive their food. I wouldn't suggest even trying this place if you don't get here when they first open. I left two stars just because the food really was good my first visit. But their operations are horrible and need a lot of work. My boyfriend said this is the type of restaurant they fix on the TV shows read more

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Let me begin by saying the ambiance was nice. The service was a tad bit slow, upon being seated it took our waitress more than a few minutes to come and bring water. As well as take our order. After a while the manager( Bryan or Brandon) came by to introduce himself and apologize for the delay, stating that they had a large catering order to get out. The food upon arrive to the table was horrible, absolutely No Flavor at all. The best thing about this past Sunday's visit was the patte. The goat was tough and unseasoned. Seemed as though the cooking was rushed. Let me also add that we weren't made aware that they served drinks at the bar,there was no even a menu given for that.maybe the establishment can get one the the bar area. Here's hoping they get better with the flavor. read more

Lior's Cafe - Red snapper, Macaroni - Haitian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Me and my fiancé got engaged here the food was amazing and everyone was so wonderful. I think about the lamb pot pie all the time!! can't wait to go back! read more

I've been to Lior's cafe before; the service and food were previously immaculate, so for our Galentine's Day treat, I recommended this spot. We used Open Table to book our last-minute reservations ( about 4 hours before our selected arrival time), and boy, oh boy, did we all (my party & Lior's cafe) learn a valuable lesson. It took over 2 hours to be able to order food. The food when it arrived was great; I would recommend this establishment and will visit again, but what happened on Valentine's Day 2025 can never happen again. The staff was apologetic and accommodating, but something failed horribly behind the scenes, and I would hate for anyone to experience it, especially on my recommendation. The snapper skin was crispy, and the meat was still juicy and cooked to perfection. The sauce on it with the vegetables puts you in the mind state of Escovitch--great seasoning but very little spice. The cabbage, mushroom rice, mac and cheese, and corn soufflé were excellent complements to the meal. Everything is mouthwatering good, compliments to the chef! Please try this establishment out and try to be patient if you run into some hiccups like I did. You won't regret it. I can't wait to revisit and update this review to 5 stars, which I'm optimistic they would earn, but I couldn't provide five stars after this visit. read more

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Reservation :7pm Arrival: 7:09 8:40-still no food We ordered from the restaurant week menu. However, we never got the food, communication was poor and it took them at least 30 min to find a corkscrew. Never again. read more

Great food, service and venue. I love the fact that this gem is In a neighborhood helping to boost the local economy. The decor was simple and adequate. The overall restaurant temperature was slightly chilly but the place was clean and the host and servers were friendly. The venue is a great size for private parties. I had the mac and cheese, kale greens, cabbage and plantain; it was terrific. Others with me tried the Haitian wings and reported they were good. I'll certainly go back to explore more of the menu. read more

The service was slow and there wasn't even a lot of people in the restaurant. The food was horrible. I would never recommend this place. The oxtails appear to be burnt. I had the shrimp bombs and they were fried too hard and then asked for them wings breaded, and they bought them naked and they were overcooked. I had a terrible experience at this restaurant. I would never recommend them to anyone. The food just was not good. The red beans and rice were dry. They gave me some spinach appetizers and they were over cooked. Also, the staff was great, but the food itself was a disaster. I would not recommend this place to anyone in the charged 15% service charge on top of the money I already gave them. No I could've spent that $72 at a better place and I was still hungry read more

Went looking for Haitian food and this place was recommended and it certainly did not disappoint. Drove over an hour and will be back on the regular for this pace. Service was great and super friendly and gave great recommendations. Place was super clean and vibe felt very welcoming. I would 100% recommend the Beef Pate and the Griot (Fried Pork)! AND THE Djon Djon (Haitian mushroom rice) is perfection! read more

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3.5 =The restaurant has evening hours of availability. Street parking. The ambiance is decent. It wasn't overcrowded and the seating was distanced enough to have proper conversation. The greeter and servers were present. There were plenty of staff during my time here. Appetizer: spinach pate... delicious perfect crust (similar to phyllo crust) reminds me of Greek spanakopita. Soup: chicken and dumpling... I enjoyed it and the dumplings were perfect..full flavor just missing a little more pepper. Entree: we both chose red snapper as they were out goat potpies. One red snapper was slightly fishy but all cooked fresh. I liked my snapper and my partner did not. The fish could possibly be cooked a bit longer for crisp to hold the sauce better. The side dishes rice and beans good, macaroni was dry, kale greens were salty and a pinch too much vinegar. I really wanted to try the oxtails but I was afraid I might get a few so I passed for this visit. Gratuity is already included. No alcohol beverages available available for sale but I don't know of this is a BYOB establishment. They do have pop, lemonade, and coffee. I was excited this place. I may be interested in trying the oxtails and goat but honestly I can cook both so we shall see. I'm glad that this establishment is on the south side and don't have to travel to the north side so when I'm visiting my partner I at least have options. read more

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Place was good came here once they were pretty good. You have to make reservations no walk ins. Takes a little minute to be seated even though you made reservations wish I don't like and they tables are available they just have you standing there and not really communicating. is parking on the street. I don't know if I will be back sadly they seem to close a little early. Dishes are overpriced read more

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We drove 30 minutes from near O'Hare Airport because reviews said this was on of the 2 best Haitian restaurants in the Chicago area. The server was pleasant and seated us immediately. The air conditioning was so cold that I was glad to have a sweater but was still chilly. I ordered oxtails with sautéed cabbage and macaroni and cheese. Despite a nearly empty restaurant it took over 45 minutes to get my meal. The oxtails were lukewarm and swimming in a very dark brown sauce that made it difficult to see the meat. It was mostly fat and the flavor tasted only of the very heavy sauce. The sautéed cabbage was good but the macaroni and cheese was also lukewarm and was just a gooey mess. I am finished with what I could eat of the meal and the Pikliz and fried plantains that were supposed to accompany the meal have yet to arrive. We just asked the server about them and she said they are frying them now. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME. This certainly is not worth $36.00 and an almost hour wait.. read more

Excellent service, great food and the atmosphere was amazing. Had a great experience with my family here for my big bro bday celebration.

Beautiful ambience delicious cultural food I feel like I went to Haiti and the music is just amazingly beautiful read more

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First of all, it's too expensive for the quality of the food. My brother bought me a fried chicken wings dinner and it was not what I expected. There were feathers on the wings, salty and burnt. The only tasty thing was the white rice with the gravy beans. Won't be back! read more

You definitely would miss this place if you weren't looking for it. It looks closed from the street. We had a young waiter whose name I believe is Isaiah; he was phenomenal! He was very patient with us and took a lot of time to explain the menu items since this was our first time. He gave us several things to try. The Mais Corn soufflé was crispy outside with a buttery jalapeño inside...so good! The spinach Haitian patty could be a little bit more crispy; it had a very nice spice level. At one point during the meal, I found myself moving to the beat of the music. We had the white rice with bean sauce and unfortunately, the rice was hard, but the sauce had a good flavor. We thought it was going to be more mashed beans, but there were whole beans in the sauce. We didn't enjoy the kale greens because of the sweet and spicy flavor, we could do without the sweet. I ordered the pot pie, which had a very good crust. It tastes like beef stew and at times the meat was chewy and I spit it out. The poundcake was just OK. The Accra had an interesting tart inside that I didn't care for, although I loved the outside breading and the sauce. The restaurant does not have a liquor license so you are able to take your own bottle. The highlight of this experience was by far the banana pudding ice cream...DELICIOUS!!!!!! I would definitely return. read more

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This was my first time trying this restaurant and my first time trying Haitian food. I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised! We were greeted immediately and taken to our table. Everyone that we encountered was so nice and welcoming. The waiter did a great job of explaining what the most popular dishes were, gave his personal recommendations, and helped us order two appetizers that were very good. We then ordered an entree to share which came with two sides, so we ended up being able to try 6 different items. We also got to try the amazing banana pudding ice cream and pound cake! The the restaurant has a very sleek and modern look. There are boobs and tables and some bar seating. The noise level was moderate enough to have a conversation without having to scream over music and other people. There is parking on the side streets but there is also a large parking lot across the street that is free. I will definitely be back! read more

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We got there around 5pm. The food came so quick. I love the decor and the Styx was so friendly thank you to Ariel and Brandon for the hospitality! Our food was so good my sister is raving about the oxtail gravy and how flavorful it is, my red snapper was all seasoned and delicious read more

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Amazing food all around, but the home made banana ice cream is a must. The mac and cheese was also amazing.