Upscale Peruvian Mexican fusion sign me up! I only had time for a quick app and drink but the experience was great and service was impeccable. Pisco sour was equal in quality and taste from a drink I had In Peru. Presentation was lovely - just be sure not to eat the uncooked beans that comes with your tostadas. read more

See all

Came into Matilda's for cocktails and appetizers, and everything was absolutely delicious! The drinks were expertly crafted, and the appetizers were a fantastic start to the evening. Beyond the great food and drinks, the service was truly outstanding, attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. The space is so well done and has such an inviting atmosphere. *The only thing I would recommend is getting hooks under the bar for purses. The bar seat backs are short and holding a bag while you eat dinner is not the most ideal. read more

See all

Add it to the list! I've never been here before but it has immediately become the next spot I'm taking my family when they're in town. Super cute inside and our server was fantastic helping us out with great suggestions. The carne asada tacos were truly amazing and not your typical carne asada, definitely worth getting even if you think it's nothing new. The crisped cheese on it was soo good. The tuna tar tar was perfect and the paella was great dish to share! Great flavors and beautiful presentation. Lastly, we ordered the plantain and chorizo tacos which were also good, but out of the 4 dishes we ordered I did enjoy the other ones more. I'll be back! read more

See all

Very cozy vibes perfect for a winter evening. It was early dinner on a weeknight and service was quick and attentive. Every single thing we ordered was a slam dunk. The guacamole was a mind bender made at the table from a roasted avocado that looks like it still has the skin on! The guacamole was my 2 year olds favorite. The corn dessert was also a favorite with an interesting light airy texture over a denser cake and a sweet corn flavor. read more

Very cool with great service and yummy food. Every dish we had was great. The food was quick with a coherent menu that paired really well with the drinks list. We'll go back read more

See all

New spot that was up and down. First off they did a great job with the design and ambiance, it is a really beautiful spot with a basement speakeasy. However, it is LOUD, which makes it tough to have a nice intimate dinner. Food wise, it is pricey, and is certainly more of an out of the box presentation of the classics. The carne asada tacos were some of the best things I've tasted from the flavor, to the texture, to the spice from the salsa. Not a place I'll frequent but good nonetheless read more

See all

Yes the hype is real, literally everything you could want out of a nice dinner in the city. Great vibes, intimate, noisy in a good way, music, strong and thoughtful cocktails and a very very well balanced menu that's not even remotely overwhelming. Easy 5 stars read more

Matilda - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Probably some of the most flavorful dishes I've had in a long time. Unreal atmosphere, so cool and cozy just a little loud but to be expected. The cocktails are incredible, even the best dirty martini I've had in awhile. The guac, seafood dishes, stew, and everything was so good. Great service too! I recommend checking out the speakeasy downstairs as well (no reservations). read more

This was a super fantastic brunch and I highly recommend it. They are items are well marked for anyone who is gluten-free or celiac like me. I got the breakfast tacos and they were the best breakfast tacos. I think I've ever had. Also, there is a secret door in the place That leads downstairs to a secret bar called clandestine. The people were great, and the Bible was nice too I made a reservation through OpenTable and they made me guarantee the reservation at $20 ahead so for the four of us it would've been $80 had I not showed That is kind of crazy. Just saying. However, right now, as I leave the restaurant, the breakfast tacos were so good and the coffee was too. I would come back here in a heartbeat. read more

Had a wonderful dinner here! The service was warm and friendly, and the space is very family-friendly. The menu isn't huge, but every dish feels thoughtful and creative. We shared the Cheek Birria (10 Hours), Carne Asada, Matilda's Paella, and Elote Quemado between two adults and a toddler, and everyone left happy. Highly recommend everything we tried-- especially the Carne Asada tacos and the Elote Quemado dessert! read more

See all

INCREDIBLE FOOD, SERVICE, AND VIBE!! Could not recommend this place more and will definitely be returning soon. Some of the nicest staff in impeccable service while dining for dinner. Highly recommend the Bronzino, beef cheek and chicken tinga tacos, and tuna tartare. Shoutout to David, our incredible waiter. He deserves a raise. read more

See all

Came here last month when it first opened and it did not let me down! Ambiance is so cute and the service is excellent, frequently checked in on and didn't feel rushed. The drinks were tasty, loved the riff on a pisco sour and they have one of the best espresso martinis in town! The table side guac is a piece of art and my mind is still blown, it's a must! Honestly everything we got was a 10/10, the tuna, ceviche, birria tacos, rice (a must!!). I don't normally get dessert but was so impressed by the creativity of the elote dessert I had to try and let me tell you I will be coming back for that!! Definitely one of the more expensive Mexican / Peruvian restaurants in Chicago but definitely worth checking out! read more

See all

YUM CITY! Definitely order more food than we did but everything was absolutely amazing!! Can't wait to have another night there! And it is SO CUTE INSIDE!! read more

See all

As former Chicagoans, we tried to return to the city a couple times a year. On this occasion, we happen to not bring our kiddos and we're looking for a cute place for a date night. I found that the spot was within walking distance of where we were staying and looked like it was exactly what we were looking for. The restaurant is so cute inside and has the dim lighting and fun music, perfect for a date night. We ended up sitting at the bar and our bartender who I believe is also the manager there was so kind and so helpful. He recommended some dishes for us to try and everything was beyond delicious. We finished with the elote dessert. I can't remember what it was called, but the flavor was so delicious and unique! I absolutely recommend that you try it. We would definitely love to come back! read more

See all

My neighbor and I tried the downstairs bar. Happy hour is every day starting at 4pm. My husband and I were here years ago when it was a French champagne spot, so I was so excited to be back! My Pisco sour was so creative and my neighbor loved her wine. They have so many bar and bites options, but this was unplanned so we each had one drink and enjoyed the ambiance. We can't wait to drag our husbands back here! read more

My wife and I went here for a date night. This place has a lot of amazing dishes. All the starters sounded terrific, and the one we chose tasted delicious. I wish it came with some chips or something, but the flavors were amazing. The Paella we got was super flavorful and came with two sauces, both of which were presented very well. We ended up getting the Elote Quemado, which I highly recommend people try, as it was delicious. The waiter was very accommodating when asking about requests and ingredients. This is a great place to bring a date or for a group of friends to hangout, grab a bunch of drinks and snacks. read more

Went there during restaurant week which happened to be my birthday week. The restaurant is beautiful. From the options I picked the tuna tartare as appetizer and it was very good! For the main dish, I ordered the cochinita pibil and I was very disappointed. It was cold, lacking flavors and it was a very small portion. They didn't give us enough tortillas and charged us for extra tortillas. Although the service was good, I would not go back. read more

Matilda - Tuna tartare - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The room was fine, the food service was ok and the food was ok, if unmemorable. The reason for the 1-star rating is down to service charge issues. We were a party of 9 and when the bill was proffered we ask to split into 4. So far, so good. What we had failed to notice was the gratuity automatically added to large groups. When the time came to pay our share we added a further 20%, not knowing this had already been added. This only came to light when notes were compared afterwards. It is sharp practice to effectively scalp a 40%-plus premium without warning. Shame on these guys. Never again. read more

Nothing but good things to say about this place. The food and drinks were phenomenal, the scallop aguachile and lychee martini take the win. Our server Pablo was amazing and very attentive. Definitely will be coming back! read more

See all

The ambiance and the vibe were dark and sexy and gosh have we been waiting for this place to open up for awhile now. The service was ok, they were attentive. The food was good, the chicken tinga was delicious and the corn dessert was also superb, I'd say the rest of the stufff we ordered wasn't really all that memorable. We found the food and the drinks to be priced exorbitantly ($500 for 4) and not really worth the hype. I don't think we'll put this on our list of, "must visit again". read more

Split the tuna tartare and ceviche and it was fresh, light, and flavorful. SWEET PLANTAIN & CHORIZO taco was one of the most surprising but delicious tacos I've had in a while. Only downside is that the portions were small considering how expensive it was. read more

See all

Y'all the food almost cured my seasonal depression, it was that good! We chose to do the tasting menu because it showcased all of their best: conchas marisqueras - loved the salsa negra broth with smoked salt ceviche de pescado - good flavor and texture sweet plantain and chorizo taco - this was what sent me to the moon, it was so delicious and the highlight of our meal. loved the layers of flavor and it felt like a hug. cheek birria - delicious and well portioned, came with tortillas and various toppings dessert was the tejuino ice cream and chocolate, the ice cream was lightly sweet and earthy, loved it. The drinks weren't unique or impressive but not terrible. Service was perfect and our waiter was super attentive. Our biggest complaint was how loud it was in a relatively small space, we were seated in a corner thankfully but it was still hard to hear each other over everyone. The ambiance otherwise was beautiful. Looking forward to trying their other menu items next but for a first visit the tasting menu is a good option. read more

See all

We were here on a Tuesday night and the restaurant was relatively busy for a Tuesday. Great interiors and everything we ordered was delicious! The guacamole tatemado was served with a whole avocado which was mashed on the table by the server! Great presentation however, it was an extremely small portion. We were three of us and we barely got a couple of bites to eat. The tuna tartare was packed with flavor! The cocktails were delicious and well balanced in flavor! We loved the paella! It tasted like a risotto, so one may argue that it was not authentic but the flavors were incredible! I did think the portion on this one was small too considering the price but it was still a great dish! My friend ordered the tinga de pollo guisos and he seemed to enjoy it a lot! The service was kind of slow. Our server was nice but we had to flag her down a few times because our drinks took a long time and she was missing a few times when we wanted to order more for the table. All in all a good experience! read more

FABULOUS!!! I came here on Mother's Day with my husband and daughter. Everything was spectacular!!! The cocktails were delicious and the paella was out of this world. This place does not disappoint! read more

Wonderful ambiance indoors, simple but romantic. Great service, very attentive without being pushy. The drinks are fantastic as is the voignier from Mexico. We enjoyed the pork shoulder stew and the paella. Great experience. read more

Ahh! This used to be Marchesa, remember that! This is part of the Exodo group, which is behind Ayayay, Kayao and Clandestino. I had the Be Mine Tangerine cocktail. The staff and service are matildariffic. read more

See all

Matilda was recommended by a friend and surpassed any expectations. Decor is modern and simple, menu is one page long. But the food.... ?! The food is something out of this world... actually it's out of this country as it takes you on a journey to Peru and continental Mexico with its flavors and textures. It is meant to be savored slowly with a spicy/smoky Mexican-style martini no wonder this place was very busy ona Sunday night as locals found this gem and it became a River North's hot spot. Would definitely return and recommend, although I almost feel jealous about sharing this secret with the rest of the world. read more

Matilda - Sip your hand crafted cocktails while waiting for the chef to take you on a wild ride of Latin flavors - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best new restaurant I've been to in a while. The oysters are the best I've had anywhere in the world. The best waitstaff, so knowledgeable about the menu. Nothing tastes as you think. Flavors to die for! read more

Matilda - Oysters - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The food and service were great! We started with Guacamole Tatemado which was delicious (only complaint was that there weren't enough tostadas/chips to eat all of it so we ordered more and they charged us $5). We each had a cocktail and pro tip - ask for minimal ice as there was a lot and it would give more room for alcohol considering the drinks are expensive. Our next courses were shared and included the carne asada and sweet plantain & chorizo tacos, ceviche carretillero, cheek birria, and Matilda's paella. We finished with the elote quemado which was very tasty! It was a little noisy but overall it was a good meal with great service (David had amazing recommendations)! We need to go back when the speakeasy is open! read more

This place was... odd. The lighting was bright, and there was nothing cozy or inviting about the space itself. We came for Happy Hour, which turned into a really frustrating experience. Nowhere online does it mention that Happy Hour is bar-only, so despite the restaurant being nearly empty, our group was told we had to move from a table to the bar to participate. The bartender wasn't particularly friendly, and the margaritas were disappointing. They were packed with ice, only half full, and made with bottled lime juice instead of fresh. That's especially hard to justify when the regular price is $18 per drink. Between the awkward vibe and underwhelming drinks, we had no desire to stay for food. Overall, a big letdown. I'd avoid. read more

Came in with a party of 6, Saturday night 6pm reservation. This restaurant has it all. The food was incredible. The decor was classy and the house music playing at the perfect volume gave fun Saturday night vibes. Our server, Pablo, was welcoming and took great care of us. We ended up getting the 5 course Prix Fixe menu. The tuna tartare and the elote dessert were standouts for me, but everything was amazing. I could eat this every day! If I had to critique one thing, I would say that the meal progressed too quickly. We ordered cocktails to start and 5 courses and it was done in 90 min. The cocktails were delivered after our appetizers which was pretty disappointing. To prevent this from happening in the future, I don't think I will order until my cocktails are on the table. One small thing, but it would not stop me from coming , again. We really did love this place! read more

Incredibly delicious and not your typical Mexican. From roasted and stuffed avocado and a wonderful tomato and seafood ceviche to conchita pibil, everything was delicious. We will be back and I highly recommend! read more

We were excited to try Matilda as the menu looked so interesting. Our experience felt very short, however. The dishes were bland...all of them. We ordered the tomato ceviche, endive salad, beef tacos, branzino, and corn elote dessert. Not a single dish had flavor. On top of this the service was incredibly slow. I understand slow service nights but the food (tapas style) had not extra anything on the plates at all, and was coursed out over 2 hours. The server told us they apologized for this and that the manager would be over to talk to us but no manager ever came over. With only one alcoholic drink and one mocktail the bill came out to almost $200. Will never return to this place. Simply unacceptable. read more

I was very excited to try this place because I've been to Kayao and really enjoyed! My favorite dish was definitely the plantains & chorizo tacos! While I understand that this place is still fairly new, I think it is grossly overpriced even considering the area. I personally think the portions are too small to be charging those prices. For example, 2 tacos is equivalent to $18-$19, the endive salad in my attached picture was $18, or the guacamole was $19 for one avocado. The caveat for the guacamole is that they do prepare it for you table side which is very cool to watch. read more

See all

Fun cocktails but the food was just mid. Priced high but that's what you'll find in this neighborhood. Restaurant was also very loud so not the best place if you're looking to have lots of conversation. read more

11/10 on food, ambiance and service. Pablo was our server, and was wonderful!! Highly recommend

Everything just perfect. 4 of us consumed some delicious cocktails and dinner. The service was attentive and quick to bring you whatever you needed. We appreciated Delilah. I wanted to bring every dish home to eat again the next day! read more

Amazing food. Especially for Chicago being so far from Peru and Latin America. Very friendly service though not attentive. Could use more spice in dishes but then again I'm used to spice. Midwesterners probably love it as is. Hostess was welcoming. read more

Overall Matilda is good food and a cool space , service was great ! My complaint is portion size vs price. The 52$ paella is probably the smallest pallea I have ever seen you get one clam split open , 3 shrimp , couple scraps of octopus and a chicken nugget size piece of mahi mahi (no exaggerating it was one bite) paella is meant to be a large robust dish , this was more of an appetizer. Foods good but you leave here hungry. read more

Matilda - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was amazing, and the vibe was cool. We did the 5 course family tasting, which came with a starter (conchas marisqueras), ceviche carratillero, sweet plantain and chorizo taco, your choice of guiso: meat served with corn tortillas and black beans (we tried the veggie, pork shoulder, and beef cheek -- which was the best, I think), and a dessert of tejuino ice cream and chocolate. Everything was delicious, a bit unexpected, bright, and fresh. My particular favorite was the taco. The service was warm, helpful, and attentive, but a bit rushed. read more

See all