JIBARITO JAMBOREE These purveyors of a legendary sandwich have received their fair share of accolades. As part of a trip to 'Little San Juan' (as I call it), Nichole C and I came here for lunch following a visit to Botanica Victoria in the Puerto Rican district of Humboldt Park. I'd never had more than a bite of an authentic jibarito so the choice for us was obvious: Papa's Cache Sabroso. Seeing that they had a BYOB policy, we stopped at the nearby Boriken corner liquor store -- where we encountered a resident kitty! -- and picked up some beer. Though the restaurant itself is small inside, they have an enclosed patio area where we wound up sitting. Not long after cracking open a cold Modelo, a server came by to take our order. I naturally had to get the steak jibarito con arroz ($9.50), their signature sandwich with rice. Two fried garlic plantains bounded meat, cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, onions and mayo. It tasted great; I can see why they're renowned for it. NC got the Saturday special, "lechon asado con arroz y maduro" ($11) which translates to roasted pork with rice and sweet plantains. The meat was tender and fell off the bone, while the ripe plantains reminded me of caramelized bananas. It too tasted fantastic. We also got a half order of yuca on the side ($2.75) which came with onions. I wasn't a big fan but NC loved it. Better still, they had cans of Coco Rico, a tough-to-find coconut soda that reminded her of home. Seeing the smile on her face earned y'all big points in my book! Bread = 5 Circuses = 4 I had initially eyed a 4* rating for Papa's, but after pondering how much we enjoyed lunch, I had to reconsider. Coupled with a belief in BYOB and some unique Puerto Rican sodas, that pushes them into 5* territory. You need not be a full-blooded Boricua to enjoy their excellent jibarito.....you just have to appreciate good food. Recommended, si!! read more

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This restaurant loves their city, and cares deeply for their community. That would be fine and good, but their food proves it. Go outside your comfort zone and try this amazing food with Puerto Rican inspiration. The Jibarito is your go-to while you're here. Don't sleep on Papa's. Period. read more

I came here with a friend tonight and really enjoyed the experience. The service was great, and it's in a cooler part of town than I realized. We split the Half chicken dinner, 2 pork chops, sweet plantains, and tostones. For the half chicken and 2 pork chops, we ordered yellow rice as our side, which was terrific. The chicken was better than the pork chops, but the pork chops had a nice flavor. I think I just really liked the chicken. They were both served with a spicy garlic sauce that I really liked as well. Potentially the highlight of the night for me was the tostones. I usually like maduros better, and these maduros were good, but holey moley, the tostones were incredible. You can't leave here without ordering them. All in all, this is a great spot, and I highly recommend it. read more

A hole in the wall, but all the "foodies" know that the best food comes from unassuming restaurants. Papa's Cache has the best jibaritos I've ever had. I prefer the steak one. They fry the plantains to perfection and add just the right mayo on it. The garlic sauce that comes with it...will make your breath stank, but so worth it. The rice that comes with the jibarito is actual perfection. Rice is sometimes just an afterthought, but Papa's Cache gets it just right. It's seasoned to perfection and each grain is individualized--nothing I hate more than mushy rice. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Jibarito con Arroz Sandwich - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My two aunts and I stopped here because the smell from the restaurant was amazing and it looked like a fun place in general - nice lighting, good music, etc. The food was so so good! I got a chicken jibarito and it was amazing. Apparently jibaritos were founded by a Puerto Rican in Chicago (you can't go to Puerto Rico and order them), so getting to try one felt like a very unique food experience. The staff was pleasant too. read more

I was in town and got a recommendation from a cousin of mine. The rotisserie chicken was good. The arroz con gandules was okay though... I ordered a side of arroz blanco and habichuelas to go cus I mean I'm saying that's just the way to go hot and ready. Oh and and it's BYOB. My "chuletongo" over here had the chuletas with arroz con gandules he says ... fire. The "jibarito"was also ordered and it was good as well. read more

Four stars for the best rotisserie chicken I've ever had. Another two stars for the arroz con gandules. Another two stars because the ladies call me Papi when I pick it up. One more star because their garlic sauce is insane and you can get a random pork chop thrown into your order mad cheap to eat on the way home home and not tell your wife about it. That's nine stars right there but this busted ass website will only let me give five. read more

Very good food! We were glad of the recommendation from our chiroprator and will recommend to fam and friends

Hands down the best meal I had during my Chicago trip. The whole chicken was the best rotisserie chicken I've ever had. It's a mom and pop shop type of ambiance with friendly service. On top of that, the prices are so affordable. read more

Papa Cache's is one of my got to spots anytime I'm in Chicago. The food is simple but so flavorful. My favorite is the half chicken meal w the Puerto Rican rice. Fantastic! If you haven't had a jibarito before, they are definitely worth a try. I like the steak one....add extra garlic! Definitely give this place a try. I'm sure you'll love it like we do. read more

I finally got to eat here after researching places that serve jibaritos. I have celiac disease so this review is really for those who have celiac disease and severe issues with gluten. I studied the menu before I went and it didn't look like they had any gluten. When I questioned the lady taking the order, it's like she misunderstood and kept pointing out vegetarian items. I had to re-explain that I do eat meat, and my issue is with gluten and cross-contamination. She assured me that nothing was made with gluten. My husband spoke spanish and told her I cant have anything with flour or fried in flour. There chicken is rotisserie so it's not fried and I was assured again nothing contains gluten. I was excited! Waiting for our order she brought over a basket of bread. Yep, bread, with gluten. Now I'm on alert. I see her filing baskets with bread, touching the plastic utensils, glasses for water without washing her hands to be free of gluten or crumbs. I didn't touch my fork and didn't drink any water after I saw that. I ate with my hands and prayed to God I wouldn't get sick. To be honest the food was absolutely delicious. But to possibly get sick from cross contamination will probably stop me from returning. Such a shame because I loved my meal. I waited 24 hours before posting and do have body aches. read more

Really good food - the tostones, jibarito, and arroz con gandules. There is a really good sauce too, kinda on the spicy side but it's good ‍

The food and service have always been top tier. It's a really small place with no ambience. However that would never stop me from stopping in for THE BEST meal in Humboldt park. When you go there it's like stopping in and sitting at Mami's kitchen table. read more

The good: fried plantains, beans, chicken skin The bad: server didn't check on us enough, didn't bring us water, BYOB, chewy flank steak steak, dry-ish half chicken meat, no salsa The verdict: get some beers and a platter of plantains and a side of sour cream. Sit outside and enjoy the weather and delicious, garlicky appetizer. Order a load of them at once so you don't have to be waited on. Move onto somewhere else for dinner. read more

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This is my fav spot for jibaritos in town. I love the chicken and steak tacos. I could eat here everyday!

A small (with sufficient seating and a cute outdoor covered patio) restaurant that serves up a storm! I know all the reviews point to the jibaritos (sandwich served between fried plantain that you can also substitute for bread) but once I got there, I had to try the rotisserie chicken. The garlicky, spicy chicken smells, tastes and looks incredible. Try it with the arroz Con gandules (spanish rice with beans) and definitely ask for the hot salsa. It is a perfect complement to your chicken and rice dish. I also got the tostones (fried crunchy plantains) which had a garlicky taste. I wished they served it with some creamy spicy sauce to neutralize the salty fried finish. Tip - this place is BYOB! read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - 1/2 Tostones, Arroz con Gandules, 1/2 Pollo - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is one of my go to spots for Puerto Rican food! The Jibaritos are delicious and made like normal. The service is always fast and food is always hot! One recommendation I have it to ask try the roasted chicken plate. The chicken is moist and the flavor is great! No matter what you order you will not be disappointed. read more

My friend and I visited Chicago for the long weekend and I read a couple places that the Jibarito from here is a must try. I made a mental note that we could not leave Chicago without trying this due to the intrigue and rave reviews. Well I am so glad that I did! We had ordered it to be delivered and I was not disappointed. I've never had a sandwich like that before, the plantain adds such a good flavor and crunch to it. The rice on the side were delicious as well. We also split a large order of the Mama's veggies which tasted like you just went over to your Puerto Rican friend's house and his mom cooked them for you. Overall I definitely recommend and am on a mission to find a jibarito back home! read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Jibarito con Arroz Sandwich - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Recently when in for a sit down lunch. Waiter was friendly and attentive. Food came out nice and hot , not to mention delicious. I ordered a steak jibarrito with white rice and beans, extra garlic of course. They do ask that you keep your mask on while ordering and interacting with staff. I respect the request and was easy to follow. Highly recommend. Your tummy will leave warm, content, and full. read more

Nice customer service. Chicken Jibaritos is on point and deliciously seasoned, tender & smells good. After consuming the Chicken Jibarito, I literally was looking for more. Also ordered the Plantano Madro but apparently the back of the house ran out or.....either way, I didn't get it and was not charged. Someone dropped the ball. Communicating between cooks and cashiers goes far. Looking forward to returning & tryin more options Ate my food too fast to take pictures. Thank you read more

Best Puerto Rican food in Humboldt Park! Staff is always extremely friendly and you can't beat the mini jibaritos =)

Get a jibarito. I love plantain chips and the crispy plantains that make up the sandwich is sooo good! Covered in garlic, again crispy, and full of flavor. I ordered the pull chicken version. It gets messy but the leftover mess ends up over the rice and take makes it better. They have a cool looking outside tent area but it was freezing today. Inside is still well decorated with unique wall paintings. Seating available for 1 to maybe 10. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Chicken jibarito - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yummmmm......saborrrrrrrrr *rolling "R" horribly* After going through a stint of earing chicken nuggets and fries from Wendy's for about a month (and 10 pounds later. Preggo problems), I have finally shaken the desire for that crap and am back to desiring hot, home cooked food. While coming from the north side of the city, I was not looking forward to rattling through pots and pans to cook, while my begging dog claws at my ankles at 10 something at night. I sighed as I continued driving down Division Street. The options around in either direction didn't appeal to me at all - Burger King, McDonald's..... BARF!!!! As I passed under the big Puerto Rican flag, I immediately thought about how I stopped at about 3 PR food trucks through Humboldt Park a few days ago (don't judge me) and how good a jibarito would be. I then passed Papas. It was a sign from the plantain gods!!!! I pulled a uturn and stopped. It's a very small place that you would totally miss if you weren't looking for it. There's plenty of street parking though. The inside is pretty small but that does nothing to take away from the PR feel of the place as you smell the aromas of the island and gaze at all of the celebrity pics on the wall. I ordered my chicken jibarito and rice and beans. The place was packed and normally is, but that doesn't take away from their service. The taste - delicious! Plantains were perfectly cut for the sandwich. I hate when thick pieces are cut. It was fried to perfection and the garlic, olive oil, and seasoning blends were mouth watering. I wish I had more rice and beans as well. I devoured my food. They totally made a faithful patron out of me and my belly! VIVA PUERTO RICO! :-) #WhoNeedsLoveWhenYouHaveFood #ChiTownFoodieChic read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - My jibarito!!!!! - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The good: 1. Really friendly owner (or manager) that greets everyone. 2. The Jibarito steak sandwich I had (see picture). First time I've ever had a sandwich served between plantains. 3. BYOB. I know this is ubiquituous in Chicago, but it isn't in DC. Definitely appreciate being able to bring in a bottle of wine, and having the restaurant provide a wine opener and wine glasses for free. I really have no complaints. Good food, friendly service, reasonable prices. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - A great sandwich. - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Serving up great LSPs (Latin standard plates) of chicken, rice, and beans, this hit the spot. The 1/2 chicken dinner is more than enough for 1 person and only $9. You also can't go wrong with their jibaritos . If you go with another person, I'd recommend getting both a jibarito and chicken dinner, and splitting them. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We are from NYC decided to come to Chicago for the architecture and culture - came to the National Museum of Puerto Rican Art and Culture - then came to Papa's Cache Sabroso- got the Jibarito- OMG! M-E-M-O-R-A-B-L-E- when I return to Brooklyn, I will surely be dreaming of the moment when I was savoring this flavorful little "sandwich." If you go to the Skydeck at the Willis building- you'll see they paid homage to the Jibarito!! read more

OMG the Pollo Chon is just amazing! The chicken falls right off the bone and the seasonings on it- right on point. I had half a chicken w/rice & gandules and a side of yuca con mojo, delicious! I of course had left overs because the portions are big I highly recommend 5+ stars read more

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What can I say about this place, I can say I love the food and the customer service is great too. I wish it was everywhere like a McDonald's. First time I came here was like 17 year ago. Ive been coming ever since. I brought so many people here to try out the famous puerto rican steak sandwhich which is the Jibarito. Everyone That came with me lovedd it. Need another resturant on the southside so I can get a sandwhich twice a week. Thats how much I love it. I would really eat it everyday. I went to puerto rico to find the sandwhich and they didnt have it or dodnt know what I was talking about. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm not sure the jibarito here was better than the one I had at Borinquen a couple of years ago, but it was very close. And the chicken? Let's just say your best bet here is to order ANY dish that has the chicken. We got a dark two-piece order with the sides of rice and beans, and a steak jibarito. The steak was fine, and the toppings on the jibarito were also just...fine. But the plantains of that jibarito were perfect, so next time, I'm just going to get it with chicken instead. Bare bones interior. Not much space inside, and the sign is completely obscured with the door housing that covers the front patio. It's not sexy, but nobody cares because the food is so good. And the prices are just about right...we dropped $18 for a lot of food and a little bit of takeout. This place has been around for a bit, so if you haven't hit this by now (like me before this visit), be ashamed, lower your head, eat the food, then add it to your rotation. Great service too! read more

I came here on a Monday evening, around 5:30PM and thankfully I was able to find seats.. It is a low-key family owned restaurant so if you're expecting nice seats (not too many seats available in this small family owned shop) and nice heating (my feet were freezing, but I get cold easily & it was a cold snowy day), maybe this isn't the place for you.. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the owner with a smile...and the smell of fried food smelly just great!.. Customer Service: friendly, no complaints! Food: Steak Jibarito (~$10 --including tip & tax..): includes your choice of rice and the Jibarito..I would definitely say it might not be the healthiest option for food if you are thinking plaintain is healthier than bread.....the plaintain is fried....which makes it soo delicious...I personally liked the plaintain instead of bread meal, but my friend commented that it was too greasy/oily for her...so if you can't handle it... I don't recommend the Jibarito...the entire meal was tasty and filling for sure! Portions: are big :) Good to know: It's BYOB.. :) . Parking - meter parking available and free parking around the corner.. :) I would come here again to try some of their other menu items... read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a delicious spot to try some Puerto Rican food! We ordered pickup from this restaurant and went to eat it in Humboldt Park, about a 15 minute walk away from the restaurant. Fun idea for a picnic! I would recommend ordering ahead of time to avoid the wait. I really enjoyed what I ordered from there. Everything was very flavorful and the prices were very reasonable. We shared tostones, which are crunchy sweet plantains. These make for a great appetizer because of so many unique features -- the crunchy texture and also that they strike a nice balance between being salty and sweet! For my main, I ordered the Jibarito con Arroz which is one of their signature dishes. It is essentially a sandwich with marinated chicken, lettuce, tomato and mayo sandwiched between two plantains (but not as crunchy as the tostones!). It was like having a classic chicken sandwich except the marinated chicken pieces and plantains made it more flavorful and unique. Really tasty and I loved the side of Spanish rice and beans it came with. I wish the chicken had a little bit more spice to it, but it was still very tasty nevertheless! read more

Great casual, hole in the wall, mom & pop type restaurant. It's BYOB, which I always love! The Jibarito, which is a sandwich with fried plantains serving in place of the bread. It can be ordered with steak, chicken or vegetarian. The Steak Jibarito is DELICIOUS! It's filling, crispy and altogether satisfying. My husband got the Papa's Whole Chicken, which was tender & cooked perfectly, but he was definitely eyeing my Jibarito the whole time. Would definitely recommend for a casual, BYOB dining option for affordable & filling food! read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Steak Jibarito - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hey they got it going on. Small but effective. Good people always with a smile. It is a busy place but you get your food quickly. They even have a wall of fame on the east dining area wall. I haven't taken the time to do a close-up of it because I don't want to be standing over people as they eat. Again great place to visit with good food and pleasant people working there. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Papa 's Chicken Salad - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I come here all the time me and my family. Decided to order to go and tell me why the price was as much as I pay to sit down and eat.

Wow!! Delicious meal !! I ordered a whole chicken (papa's pollo chon entero) with yuca and 1/2 order of tostones and it was delicious. Next time all order more tostones (they were crispy and well seasoned) Great portions and well served. I will highly recommend. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Whole chicken (papás pollo entero con yuca) Papa's Pollo Chon Entero Dinner - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is incredible and so delicious! It is totally worth the trip to go out here. The food there is legit Puerto Rican food and everything was very authentic for a pretty decent price. I ordered 2 pieces of chicken with arroz con gandules, sides of yuca and platanos maduros. Even the tostones were very well done. The total with a drink came out to be about $12 for all that food. Originally from Miami so to see a place cook like this way out in Chicago was a nice reminder of authentic Hispanic culture. Since this is located in a small hole in the wall restaurant (those are always the best kinds) keep in mind that it can get crowded pretty quickly. There are only a few tables inside (maybe about 7?). There was barely a long wait for the food to arrive. Just a couple of minutes. Worth checking out and highly recommended. read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Arroz con Gandules, Tostones, y Yuca. Only thing missing was the platanos maduros which were just as incredible. - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Some of the best Rotisserie chicken I've ever had!! Got the half chicken with rice and Tostones. The house made hot sauce was fire.... As in spicy but effen delish! The chicken was juicy and had a great citrus/garlic flavor. The service was amazing as well! Love this place, this is going to be a go to for us in this neighborhood! Highly recommend Papa's Cache!! read more

Years and Years of eating here. People say their claim to fame are their Jibaritos and that's something I don't like. Map to say that there is is not good, I don't like that type of sandwich. The chicken is delicious, the Spanish rice, and the beans are great! I have tried the tacos, shrimp as well as the salads and they all have been good. To me their claim to fame is the chicken, both the roasted chicken and the chicken breast that's grilled that comes with mama's vegetables. On any given day you might catch Papa Pollo in house and he's a fun-loving guy. Anytime I'm back to eat I feel genuinely welcomed. I only have three major complaints: 1 I wish they had more dessert choices, something with caramel, preferably. Something I probably do not need 2 it would be nice if they had 4 four or five pictures of me around the place, saying how great I look and how nice of a guy I am and how great I look, again. They do not, however :-( 3. They haven't named two different dishes after me, one involving chicken and the other involving chicken. Other than that, they're pretty good!! read more

Papa's Cache Sabroso - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were in the city of Chicago due to my brother having surgery at St Mary's hospital, husband and I did our research on near by restaurants after seeing the reviews on PAPAS CACHE we decided to give it a try and it was DELICIOUS!!! So good that we were there two days in a row, Johnny was our waiter and he was great he remembered us from the first day! We live in Michigan, but will be back when we come back to the city!! read more

Excellent food! Tried the roasted lechon (pork) recently and it was so delicious that I wished I had more of it. It was some of the best roasted pork that I had in a long time! But anything you get from here is delicious (rotisserie chicken, jibaritos, dinners) from the food to the desserts read more