Any self respecting Ecuadorian is a true snob when it comes to plantains. Picking a good one while still green itself is a not so subtle art. The next challenge is getting a proper crisp without being a nauseating mess of oil when you mash the star of a proper Bolon de Verde.. Today Monday November 6th 2023 I had zero expectations walking into Rinconcito besides getting a black coffee and tomate de arbol juice to set the tone for a busy day. I was humored to see a bolon de verde mixto on the menu and gave in.. if you're African, Central American, Carribean or Ecuadorian a simple joy comes in the form of a plantain for breakfast. I'm not making this up. I didn't expect a well prepared bolon but I was curious... This is the closest I've had to fruteria Monserrate in Quito, Ecuador. The hot sauce was sorta similar to my grandma's sauce that was served for a few generations in Quito and likely Esmeraldas and Guayaquil where she had also lived.. I wasn't hungry for breakfast but I could only do this masterpiece justice by eating a quarter of it while remembering how lucky I am. I don't know about the other dishes but if you want to taste my childhood get a bolon de verde mixto extra crispy, un cafe negro y un jugito de tomate en agua. read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Bolon de verde mixto, cafe negro, jugo de tomate en agua y un buen aji - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After my first visit I will say that this place is good. They serve you with complimentary popcorn to start. The staff was very nice and friendly as the food was being prepared. I was shocked to see how big the portions were on my plate. You will never leave this place still feeling hungry. The steak was a little too dry but the sauce helped fix that situation. I would return but get something different read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - a plate of fries and rice - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was there today around 2:30 , the place had probably 4 tables with customers, one waitress, The service was poor, the food was better then ok, I would not recommend this place read more

This is definitely a place where families from Ecuador.come to!!! So wonderful to see how many families were coming in. It was obvious that it is less common to have non Ecuadorians speaking in but it says a lot that they were very busy with families from Ecuador. Our waitress was so kind. Truly loved the potato pancake and yuca fries. We also had the churassco steak was tender. The frittata mote was ok. We got a lot of food though and took some home. read more

La comida es deliciosa, los sabores son riquísimos. Excelente ambiente y servicio. Recomendado read more

Some of the best food I've had really worth the money everything taste as if it was made to order the fried fish is amazing as well as the humitas definitely a must try read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Fried fish with rice and plantanes - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went to eat there with my husband and kids and after 5 minutes of getting my food there was a roach crawling next to my food my husband had to kill it and we told the owner and she didn't care she picked it up and walked away after that we left we didn't eat our food and at the end made me pay for the food we didn't eat so disgusting this place should be shut down for that read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Roach - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food, great service, loved it madde my last meal in Chicago the best!!! Ambiance fine read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - a plate of food and a bottle of beer - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everything I have tried from this place is super tasty. The portions are generous and the price is right. Highly recommended.

This is a case where I wish I a zero-star review were possible, because I only want to give them the minimum-plus-one, and two is a bit too kind. They get a zero/the minimum for the food. Plus one because I ordered something I know I don't like so I have to offer them the benefit of the doubt. The service was good - as I guess it should be in a place with zero other customers. He was watching Maury Povich when I arrived so I don't think that in my case his attentive service can really earn extra stars. What I "ate" was his recommendation - the goat. I said I wanted to try something typical/authentic/uniquely Ecuadorian. He said to get that. It was disgusting. I mean, I had to eat lunch again afterwords to get the taste out of my mouth. I usually don't like goat but he said the sauce was good - the goat was probably the most overpoweringly "goaty" goat I have ever had, and that flavor annihilated any sauce or preparation they did to it. So many tiny bones and gristly bits it was just totally nasty. And salty - that was the one flavor that came out besides goat. It reminded me of this sheep intestines thing I got once in South Africa that made people at the table gag and plead with me to send it away after tasting it. So I don't know - maybe their other food is good but if they are willing to serve something as nasty as what I got, I have to assume you can find a better restaurant someplace else. read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Goat (don't order this please) - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Riquisimo!!!! We got so excited and we order so much food... That I now have left overs for days! The staff is friendly and we where even waited on by the owner himself! Todos eran muy amables! The food was yummy and the portions are big. Prices are reasonable. Remember big portions.The empanadas where the only small items... Nonetheless they were soo so good! The Huminta al horno ...was deli! Delicious! Mi Cuidad also has a variety of Ecuadorian soda... Tropical Fresa is my favorite! My Caldo de Bola was amazingly fantastic and so was the Plato Criollo a little bit of everything equals yummyness. I'm Bolivian and everything reminded me of our food. On my next trip to Chicago I'll definitely be make a another stop!! Enjoy! read more

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The food is expensive. It doesn't even taste that good The music is loud. Parking is limited. There was trash and debris in front of this establishment. Would not recommend. read more

Had seafood soup and chaulafa takeout from here. I was a little surprised that this medium-sized restaurant was so empty... The soup also comes in the form of a seafood rice dish- arroz con mariscos, which I think would have been preferable. I was blown away by how generous the soup portion was. However, the broth was a little bland. I was unimpressed by the chaulafan, which also fell short on seasoning. I really wanted to like this restaurant, but maybe I just ordered the wrong dishes for my preference. read more

Disappointed to say the least. I've had good Ecuadorian food before and I was excited to try this place out. I ordered two humitas and they were mushy and falling apart. They didn't look cooked all the way through and didn't taste good either. I also had a Quaker and it was too watery and had a strange taste, maybe too much anise??Not sure, but neither the food nor the drink were edible. read more

DONT GO TO THIS PLACE!!! The cook, owner and people enter without masks. Nobody cares!!! if you say something to the owner, she even gets more upset. Gave me a whole discussion about how people can die no matter what. Such poor customer service. DEFINITELY NO COVID 19 restrictions. No signs, no warning to customers. THEY STILL HAVE MENUS. No sanitizing whatsoever. I asked for a name and she said she can't give it to me when we all knew she was the owner. I asked how long they closed and she said she can't give me that information. Sad how the city can come, see them and fine $10,000. Even close a business and everyone stays without a job. NOT WORTH RISKING AND KILLING YOUR APPETITE. read more

La comida no está tan buena, fue nuestra primera vez y el piso estaba con basura pedazos de papel,ver villeros straws en el piso , mucho desorden. read more

Chulafan (hope I'm spelling that right) was delicious. Basically like a huge pile of fried rice with all sorts of deliciousness served with platanos. read more

This Ecuadorian Restaurant has great service (our waitress was quick and super sweet)... unfortunately, their entrees aren't half as good as their service. The meal started off pretty promising ... a little bread and an usual creamy salsa (sans tomatoes, heavy on the onions). Then we ordered some empanadas. These were different, in a good way; light, fluffy empanadas filled with cheese (crab for me) ... delicious! My friend ordered Marisocos Con Arroz (the seafood with rice) and I ordered the something Paradillas (basically a meat sampler plate with rice). I was excited to see so much food on my plate, but man ... everything was overcooked and over salted. Even the plain white rice was too salty! The meats were tough and charred at times .... I would visit this restaurant again, but only for appetizers. The prices were okay, but a little high considering the quality of food that was served. Sorry! read more

Just had an amazing Seafood stew. It was delicious and huge!!! The ambience is pretty basic with banquet tables and chairs, plastic menus and paper napkins, however they play lively Ecuadorian music and class it up a bit with real red roses on the tables. My waitress was friendly and helped me pick a good meal. I'm definitely coming back for the food. read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Seafood Stew! Delicious and huge!! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I used to work close to this place, and would come here for lunch regularly. Now that my office is not so close, i still bring friends here! Art and pictures from Quito fill the place. It's warm and welcoming, and often the owner himself is waiting on tables and making you feel at home. Full bar with wine, the only thing i dislike in the decor are the two TVs constantly going! But...at the same time, it helped keep the kids with my party, and with other groups at bay. The hot salsa that comes with the bread and butter is addictive. I love the empanadas, the corncakes with cheese (i'm totally forgetting the name now), and ceviche. All solid appetizers. The steaks are reasonably prices and yummy and the soups great. We once ordered the Ecuadorian fried rice, which was just okay -- that would be the only dish i would not order again. read more

I was excited to come in here because I've never had Ecuadorian food before. With the 80% off gift certificates from http://restaurant.com, how could one resist? A different food experience while saving a good amount of money is always a plus. I loved the bread and salsa that came as we were deciding to order. The salsa was creamy with onions and cilantro...it had a nice kick to it. That was my favorite part. It was so good that I was tempted to dig in and eat it with a spoon. The empanadas were warm, fluffy, and surprisingly good. However, it went downhill with the entrees. Salty and dry is pretty much the best way to explain it. I don't think I'll be coming here again. On the upside, the service was attentive and sweet. read more

El encebollado, no es encebollado. El mote sucio estuvo bueno, pero el original no lleva tanto cilantro como ellos lo sirven.

I'm still head over heels for this place. Went back last night with my husband and had the "guatita" and the Mi Cuidad special. They have really authentic and FRESH food. Everything made to order. I'm not sure why this place is not busy during the week, we're going back tonight. read more

I like the food,good portions, only issue I had here it's when I ask my check the prices are different that in the menu. I dont mind to pay what ever is marked in the menu but when it shows something different in the final check ,I dont like that example apparently lunch is $7.50 in the menu,but they ending charge $10.00 plus tax. Also another dishes same issue. My suggestion to the owner keep the good food and just mark the real price in the menu with no surprises at the final check. So we as customers dont feel like fool.and please gave us the receive in detail itemized,Thank you read more

Hola! Este comida es tan saboroso! I love this Ecuadorian Restaurant ! We had beef and cheese empanadas , salad with house vinaigrette, my friend ordered corvina, and I had Ecuadorian shrimp with plantains and rice, then for dessert we had figs and cheese. Everything we had was fresh, and delicious! read more

I will say my first impression was favorable. The restaurant looks well decorated and pleasant. The staff is polite and very sweet. Unfortunately, the meal did not live up to the setting. The soup that was brought out for us was downright cold when it wasn't meant to be. We ordered rice with seafood, which was pale and unappetizing. The clams were rubbery and didn't taste very fresh. The combination of grilled meats was equally bad. The meat was just tough and I barely picked at it. By that point, I just couldn't eat anymore and I am usually the person who will eat anything... We all regretted eating there pretty quickly, which is sad because I always want to like small places like this. They have a nice setup, but they really need to pay attention to their food and perhaps, freshness? Was our food prepped too long in advanced? I don't know, but the place was empty at peak time of the day on a weekend, so they need to take another look at what they are serving. read more

I went here with my brother and niece and nephew when they were in town a few weeks ago. The person who he was staying with, recommended the place. The owner (the older gentleman that will be waiting on you if you go for lunch) brought over is mothers/grandmothers recipes from Ecuador. I had NEVER had Ecuadorian food before. If not for living in the suburbs, I would go there more often. As a matter of fact, I would pay the $5 for parking at the Kiss and Ride, and $5 for a CTA fair JUST to go there! We had a salad, some meat (kind of tasted like beef steak to me...GOOD though) with rice dish that he recommended, And for dessert I had this corn fritter stuffed inside of a banana leaf thing. ALL of it was delicious. The service was attentive and the owner was an incredibly nice guy. I WILL be going back for sure! read more

The food was well prepare and delicious. So far the best Ecuadorian restaurant we've been to. I recommend this place! My husband approve and he's from the mother land of Ecuador. read more

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano - Inside the restaurant. - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came today (Saturday) for the Mexico vs Ecuador game, it was a bit busy. Service was good and food was good. Definetly will be coming back! Try the cheese empanadas.. Yumm!! read more

Didn't think it was possible to overcook chicken thigh, Unless it's microwaved! Ordered Seco de Gallina, and the chicken is so overcooked but still partially raw on the inside. I couldn't eat it. The only thing that saved this dish is the rice and sauce. I'd be willing to give this place another shot, but they have to improve! read more

Really good, authentic Ecuadorian food. Had steak with rice and beans as an entree and a tortilla de papa as my appetizer. Food came out fast and the server was nice. Only complaint would be that the place didn't serve any beer. Apart from that, I loved the experience! read more

This was my first time at this restaurant and I am anxious to return. The food was really flavorful. I had the goat stew. The service was great. I feel like a discovered a hidden gem. They don't have a liquor license yet so BYO if you want to imbibe. read more

Some times in life you get more than what you paid for and I found dinner at Mi Ciudad was one of those times. I was late (which never happens) so it was a late lunch/early dinner, had the place to our selves. My date was starving, the menu looked great and wanted to order everything on the menu. We ended up having Passion fruit juice smoothie and Guanaban juice smoothie for our drinks and the Parrillada Ecuatoriana (Beef ribs, pork, Ecuadorian sausage, chicken, potato pancakes, fried pork, grilled sausage and shrimp) that was served on a small table top grill. Loved the smoothies, dinner was enough for 3 and was excellent. My favorite the Ecuadorian sausage and meat was perfectly cooked and the Shrimp was just right. Here's the best part, we loved the owner more than anything else. He was so sweet, welcoming and realized it was a date and made sure he was seen but not heard. The complimentary wine of our choice was a sweet touch and was very well received :-) The beautiful room, reminded me of a neighborhood cantina, filled with handicrafts from Ecuador, helped us tune out the busy street and gave the feeling of a far away place. I even loved the bathroom. I know we will both return. read more

I've only been here twice, but after reading Me, Myself and I's review, I felt I needed to defend this quaint and pleasant restaurant. Having lived in Ecuador for five years, this is my favorite of the Ecuadorian restuarants I've tried in the city. It always strikes me as expensive (compared to Ecuadorian prices), but the food takes me back across the equator to the beautiful land of Ecuador. As a vegetarian, I usually order several side items which I'd like to list but I can't remember exactly what items they carry and I can't find a menu online. I also found the owners to be delightful, very friendly people. I hope others will try this gem of an Ecuadorian restuarant. read more

I liked the service. I believe it was the owner who waited on us. The food was tasty and I enjoyed the hot drink canelaso.

I really liked this place. The plantanes were great and everything tasted really fresh. It's always busy when I go there, but I guess you have to like the cuisine to enjoy it. Try it, it's not too pricey and it's tasty. read more

I had lunch here today with a coworker. Their lunch specials are a great deal and they have healthy options. They start you off with chips and their delicious spicy AJI salsa. Before you have a meal they bring you a cup of the soup of the day (today their soup was a barley soup/tasty as well). I ordered the grilled chicken salad; it was fresh and scrumptious. My friend ordered tilapia with white rice and grilled vegetables, which was also a great choice. To drink my friend ordered a shake made with TOMATE DE ARBOL (made with milk); it was also worth trying. What made the meal even better for me was the wonderful customer service! read more

me, myself, and i's review is outdated. i went there on a whim one day because it was the closest and best sounding restaurant close to the antique store we were going to. it was mid afternoon and what seemed to be regular patrons sprinkled the place. an older, very nice gentleman (possibly owner) was our waiter and he was very accommodating. really good food, good prices, good staff. i thoroughly enjoyed this place. read more

It is called "Rinconcito Ecuatoriano" YELP need to update; prices are right and portions are big not like other restaurants where prices are expensive and portions are small. Se los recomiendo mucho, vayan y disfruten de las delicias ecuatorianas, comida siempre fresca y deliciosa. read more

The food was delicious! The service was excellent too! I had a dish that was on the menu with tripe and peanut sauce. I asked the waitress if they could change the tripe to chicken and they did. It was delicious. The waitress came over to check on me and help me with making a selection. She was really helpful and provided great service. Great hot sauce on the side too if you like spicy! Great value too. Good price for a good portion of delicious food. Try it out. You will like it! read more