Join me in my food
adventures because
#foodislife
If you like what you see, click on the restaurant name to be directed to their website!
Poké Burrito
build your own poké bowl
This poké spot lets you choose all the elements that go into your choice of poké bowl or poké burrito. You fill out a card and put a chech mark next to all the ingredients that you want! There were five boxed categories to fill out - see below for my bowl creation.
1. Base: brown rice
2. Ingredients: cucumber, carrots, pineapple, mandarin orange, sweet onion, jalapeño, edamame, japanese pickle, avacado,
3. Sauce: volcano sauce & house poké sauce
4. Topping: crunch onion, seaweed salad
5. Protein: marinated tuna & marinated salmon
*sidenote: order your bowl to-go if you're clumsy like me because their dine-in bowls have a slanted opening that makes it slightly difficult to mix the food in
This poké spot lets you choose all the elements that go into your choice of poké bowl or poké burrito. You fill out a card and put a chech mark next to all the ingredients that you want! There were five boxed categories to fill out - see below for my bowl creation.
1. Base: brown rice
2. Ingredients: cucumber, carrots, pineapple, mandarin orange, sweet onion, jalapeño, edamame, japanese pickle, avacado,
3. Sauce: volcano sauce & house poké sauce
4. Topping: crunch onion, seaweed salad
5. Protein: marinated tuna & marinated salmon
*sidenote: order your bowl to-go if you're clumsy like me because their dine-in bowls have a slanted opening that makes it slightly difficult to mix the food in
Bar Takito
chicken al pastor & pork belly tacos, esquites
A Latin American restaurant located in the West Loop. The menu is one page thast consists of different tacos, appetizers, and main dishes to share. My friend and I both ordered tacos that were both quite flavorful, but not the best tacos I've had. The esquites was also okay, but not to die for. Bar Takito actually has a partner restaurant in Wicker Park that's smaller and more casual; in my opinion Takito Kitcken has better options and tastier food!
A Latin American restaurant located in the West Loop. The menu is one page thast consists of different tacos, appetizers, and main dishes to share. My friend and I both ordered tacos that were both quite flavorful, but not the best tacos I've had. The esquites was also okay, but not to die for. Bar Takito actually has a partner restaurant in Wicker Park that's smaller and more casual; in my opinion Takito Kitcken has better options and tastier food!
Quiote
esquites fundido, chicken en mole, mango smash (cocktail), churro, tres leches
This Mexican restaurant located in Logan Square is the perfect spot for drinks and light dishes. Quiote has a small menu of Mexican dishes that really satisfy your taste buds - it's quality over quantity. Each dish is a lot smaller than the usual serving size that we Americans are used to. The menu is not divided into appetizers, entrees, and dessert; it's all one main menu which was a bit confusing, but the waitress did recommend two dishes per person. I went with two friends this night and decided to share the chicken en mole dish with one friend, while my other friend ordered the esquites fundido as her dish. We were told that we were able to have tortillas on the side for the chicken en mole, so we decided to do that since the dishes were fairly smaller (tortillas were extra charge). The chicken en mole was cooked perfectly with the carrots and granola giving it a perfect addition to the taste and texture. Let me just tell you, the flavor of the mole was addicting! My friend even compared it to the kind that her mom makes.
When it came to drinks I ordered the watermelon smash (not pictured) and the mango smash. Both drinks were really spot on and refreshing, but still had enough alcohol in its mixture. I really appreciate a good cocktail and Quiote's drinks are really ones to try out! As for the desserts we ordered the churro with ice cream and the tres leches. I definitely liked the churro more than the tres leches. The components of the churro dessert (peanut butter, nuts, banana, ice cream) really went well together and the texture of the churro was just right. The tres leches on the other hand was a bit dry which is why I would recommend to skip it. My friend even agreed that she's had better tres leches desserts. All in all, this is a good spot if you aren't super hungry and want some good drinks with some tasty Mexican food. The dishes were definitely on the pricey side for the serving size, so don't go here if you're on a tight budget!
This Mexican restaurant located in Logan Square is the perfect spot for drinks and light dishes. Quiote has a small menu of Mexican dishes that really satisfy your taste buds - it's quality over quantity. Each dish is a lot smaller than the usual serving size that we Americans are used to. The menu is not divided into appetizers, entrees, and dessert; it's all one main menu which was a bit confusing, but the waitress did recommend two dishes per person. I went with two friends this night and decided to share the chicken en mole dish with one friend, while my other friend ordered the esquites fundido as her dish. We were told that we were able to have tortillas on the side for the chicken en mole, so we decided to do that since the dishes were fairly smaller (tortillas were extra charge). The chicken en mole was cooked perfectly with the carrots and granola giving it a perfect addition to the taste and texture. Let me just tell you, the flavor of the mole was addicting! My friend even compared it to the kind that her mom makes.
When it came to drinks I ordered the watermelon smash (not pictured) and the mango smash. Both drinks were really spot on and refreshing, but still had enough alcohol in its mixture. I really appreciate a good cocktail and Quiote's drinks are really ones to try out! As for the desserts we ordered the churro with ice cream and the tres leches. I definitely liked the churro more than the tres leches. The components of the churro dessert (peanut butter, nuts, banana, ice cream) really went well together and the texture of the churro was just right. The tres leches on the other hand was a bit dry which is why I would recommend to skip it. My friend even agreed that she's had better tres leches desserts. All in all, this is a good spot if you aren't super hungry and want some good drinks with some tasty Mexican food. The dishes were definitely on the pricey side for the serving size, so don't go here if you're on a tight budget!
La Josie
pescado tacos
This modern Mexican restaurant located in the West Loop of Chicago consists of a lot of different dishes for everyone to love. The cute and casual interior with the open windows and aroma of the food is what drew us in. The tacos that I ordered were beer battered mahi-mahi fish with a tasty chipotle slaw, pickled jalapeños, and pico de gallo that balanced well altogether . When you bite into the fish you can taste the crunch on the batter of the fish, which I loved. Every bite was definitely a satisfying one!
This modern Mexican restaurant located in the West Loop of Chicago consists of a lot of different dishes for everyone to love. The cute and casual interior with the open windows and aroma of the food is what drew us in. The tacos that I ordered were beer battered mahi-mahi fish with a tasty chipotle slaw, pickled jalapeños, and pico de gallo that balanced well altogether . When you bite into the fish you can taste the crunch on the batter of the fish, which I loved. Every bite was definitely a satisfying one!
90 Miles Cuban Cafe
pan con lechon, bistec de palomilla, empanadas (chorizo & goat cheese, chicken, shrimp)
This Cuban cafe is one of my favorite spots to eat at in Chicago. I've only been to the Logan Square location and it never disappoints! This time around I sat outside on the patio which I prefer since it is a little dark inside the restaurant. They play music that fits into the whole vibe of the restaurant and is BYOB so you're bound to have a good time all while eating some delicious food!
I ordered the Pan Con Lechon, which I would definitely order again. The combination of the roasted pork and sweet plantains along with the rest of the ingredients all come together to create a satisfying bite. The empanadas were also yummy, but I personally wasn't a fan of the shrimp ones. I also ordered a guava shake that I had to give to my friend because it was not what I expected. It was very milky and the guava flavor was not prominent. I was hoping for more of the guava and a shake that did not have milk. Besides their shakes, everything was amazing!
This Cuban cafe is one of my favorite spots to eat at in Chicago. I've only been to the Logan Square location and it never disappoints! This time around I sat outside on the patio which I prefer since it is a little dark inside the restaurant. They play music that fits into the whole vibe of the restaurant and is BYOB so you're bound to have a good time all while eating some delicious food!
I ordered the Pan Con Lechon, which I would definitely order again. The combination of the roasted pork and sweet plantains along with the rest of the ingredients all come together to create a satisfying bite. The empanadas were also yummy, but I personally wasn't a fan of the shrimp ones. I also ordered a guava shake that I had to give to my friend because it was not what I expected. It was very milky and the guava flavor was not prominent. I was hoping for more of the guava and a shake that did not have milk. Besides their shakes, everything was amazing!
Crisp
seoul sassy & crisp bbq (10 piece drumsticks), extra spicy seoul sassy (5 piece wings)
The tastiest Korean fried chicken in town! Not only is the chicken here flavorful and crispy, but the size of the chicken wings and drumsticks will definitely fill you up. My friend and I came to Crisp extra hungry, which is why we ordered as much as we did. She ordered the 10 drumsticks while I had the extra spicy seoul sassy chicken wings for myself since I LOVE spicy food! The spiciness of the wings definitely has a kick and lingers, but the flavor was so good that I kept eating. My tip for this chicken joint is to maybe not over order considering the size of their chicken. I also recommend to bring some wet napkins of some sort since I didn't see any and I for sure got messy eating the wings!
The tastiest Korean fried chicken in town! Not only is the chicken here flavorful and crispy, but the size of the chicken wings and drumsticks will definitely fill you up. My friend and I came to Crisp extra hungry, which is why we ordered as much as we did. She ordered the 10 drumsticks while I had the extra spicy seoul sassy chicken wings for myself since I LOVE spicy food! The spiciness of the wings definitely has a kick and lingers, but the flavor was so good that I kept eating. My tip for this chicken joint is to maybe not over order considering the size of their chicken. I also recommend to bring some wet napkins of some sort since I didn't see any and I for sure got messy eating the wings!
Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill
#THUGLIFE2, Monster Spider, Black Sea
An urban sushi restaurant that plays hip-hop music and serves top quality food, tasty sushi and more! This has got to be my favorite overall sushi spot because of how delicious their rolls are and the vibe that their music brings to the restaurant. The presentation of their jumbo rolls are also something to look forward to and are definitely picture worthy. The only thing that I wasn't a fan of was how tightly close the tables were to each other, but that was tolerable considering how good the food was. The bright side to the super close tables is that you can see what other people are ordering, which benefited the people next to us since they asked us which roll we ordered (#THUGLIFE2) - they thought it looked really good!
My favorite roll out of three would have to be #THUGLIFE2 of course! All the ingredients tied into each other perfectly and the flavors definitely satisfied my taste buds like no other. *note - this place is BYOB
An urban sushi restaurant that plays hip-hop music and serves top quality food, tasty sushi and more! This has got to be my favorite overall sushi spot because of how delicious their rolls are and the vibe that their music brings to the restaurant. The presentation of their jumbo rolls are also something to look forward to and are definitely picture worthy. The only thing that I wasn't a fan of was how tightly close the tables were to each other, but that was tolerable considering how good the food was. The bright side to the super close tables is that you can see what other people are ordering, which benefited the people next to us since they asked us which roll we ordered (#THUGLIFE2) - they thought it looked really good!
My favorite roll out of three would have to be #THUGLIFE2 of course! All the ingredients tied into each other perfectly and the flavors definitely satisfied my taste buds like no other. *note - this place is BYOB
Mad Social
chicken & waffles, Mad burger, havarti mac & cheese
A West Loop neighborhood restaurant with the perfect selection of food that everyone will be able to choose from. I went with three other friends for dinner and we all shared the dishes between each other. Everything that was ordered did not disappoint and we wiped the plates clean on all dishes! The chicken and waffles had to be my favorite because of the unique churro style waffle; it was the right flavor to pair with the crispy chicken. The aioli sauce that came with the burger and fries was something that I had to ask more of because of how tasty it was. I would definitely come back to this place and split more dishes to devour! *click on image for full view
A West Loop neighborhood restaurant with the perfect selection of food that everyone will be able to choose from. I went with three other friends for dinner and we all shared the dishes between each other. Everything that was ordered did not disappoint and we wiped the plates clean on all dishes! The chicken and waffles had to be my favorite because of the unique churro style waffle; it was the right flavor to pair with the crispy chicken. The aioli sauce that came with the burger and fries was something that I had to ask more of because of how tasty it was. I would definitely come back to this place and split more dishes to devour! *click on image for full view
Luella's southern kitchen
shrimp & grits (gumbo in the back)
Luella's is a nice, small family friendly southern food spot with the best selection of food and amazing hospitality! The staff here is always welcoming and friendly. This is one of my favorite dishes at my absolute favorite food spot in Chicago! The shrimp and grits are creamy and extremely flavorful. When you take that first bite, it is a complete experience. Aside from the shrimp and grits, the gumbo is the other favorite; these two dishes ALWAYS hit the spot. Don't come to Chicago without stopping by Luella's Southern Kitchen.
Luella's is a nice, small family friendly southern food spot with the best selection of food and amazing hospitality! The staff here is always welcoming and friendly. This is one of my favorite dishes at my absolute favorite food spot in Chicago! The shrimp and grits are creamy and extremely flavorful. When you take that first bite, it is a complete experience. Aside from the shrimp and grits, the gumbo is the other favorite; these two dishes ALWAYS hit the spot. Don't come to Chicago without stopping by Luella's Southern Kitchen.
Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits
cheddar grits & spiced eggnog pie
This cozy restaurant located in Logan Square has the perfect sized menu of comfort food from different style biscuits, pot pie, grits, several side options, and pies of course! The cheddar grits were a good snack to have, I think I would get the fancier grits next time since this was very basic. As for the spiced eggnog pie, it had a tasty holiday flavor and wasn't too sweet. The texture on the whole pie was just perfect!
This cozy restaurant located in Logan Square has the perfect sized menu of comfort food from different style biscuits, pot pie, grits, several side options, and pies of course! The cheddar grits were a good snack to have, I think I would get the fancier grits next time since this was very basic. As for the spiced eggnog pie, it had a tasty holiday flavor and wasn't too sweet. The texture on the whole pie was just perfect!
Koreana
beef bulgogi hot stone bibimbap
A Korean BBQ restaurant located in Schaumburg, IL. This dish had meat that was flavorful, a good amount of veggies, and the egg on top was cooked just right. My food really did stay hot and did not go to room temperature the whole way through while eating it, which made me love this dish even more!
A Korean BBQ restaurant located in Schaumburg, IL. This dish had meat that was flavorful, a good amount of veggies, and the egg on top was cooked just right. My food really did stay hot and did not go to room temperature the whole way through while eating it, which made me love this dish even more!
Lakeview grubbin
Why go to one restaurant when you can go to three?! If you're a big foodie like me and want to try EVERYTHING in one day, make sure to have a strategy! The key is to order less from each spot and share that one portion. This gives you the space to eat all the food your heart desires!
Small Cheval
cheeseburger (house style), golden fries, garlic aioli, & chocolate milkshake
This small burger spot has a nice and rustic interior and also has an outdoor patio that's perfect for the summer season. Small Cheval is the more casual version of the famous Au Cheval restaurant, where the wait to be seated is usually up to two hours. At Small Cheval, you can either do dine-in or take-out. Now for the food...I ordered my cheeseburger "housestyle", which comes with dijonnaise, pickles, and onions. I personally wasn't a fan of the burger buns because of how thick it was; it was too much bread for me. The patty was good, but it wasn't as flavorful as I expected it to be since people do rave about these burgers. The golden fries were yummy it was cooked just right for me. As for the milkshake, the chocolate one was definitely delicious and not too overpoweringly sweet. The star of this whole meal for me was the garlic aioli! They actually have a jug of it that you can pump yourself, which I took advantage of. *TIP - dip your cheeseburger in the garlic aioli it makes it so much more satisfying in my opinion.
This small burger spot has a nice and rustic interior and also has an outdoor patio that's perfect for the summer season. Small Cheval is the more casual version of the famous Au Cheval restaurant, where the wait to be seated is usually up to two hours. At Small Cheval, you can either do dine-in or take-out. Now for the food...I ordered my cheeseburger "housestyle", which comes with dijonnaise, pickles, and onions. I personally wasn't a fan of the burger buns because of how thick it was; it was too much bread for me. The patty was good, but it wasn't as flavorful as I expected it to be since people do rave about these burgers. The golden fries were yummy it was cooked just right for me. As for the milkshake, the chocolate one was definitely delicious and not too overpoweringly sweet. The star of this whole meal for me was the garlic aioli! They actually have a jug of it that you can pump yourself, which I took advantage of. *TIP - dip your cheeseburger in the garlic aioli it makes it so much more satisfying in my opinion.
HASH
pork bubble & squeak hash, flapjacks, coffee
This very small, corner breakfast/brunch spot has the right sized menu that won't overwhelm you. They had the quickest service I have ever experienced when it comes to getting your food cooked and brought to you. Their portions are the perfect size that will fill you up just right. If you order their coffee it is bottomless like most breakfast/brunch spots, but self serve which is just what I needed to completely enjoy my brunch.
This very small, corner breakfast/brunch spot has the right sized menu that won't overwhelm you. They had the quickest service I have ever experienced when it comes to getting your food cooked and brought to you. Their portions are the perfect size that will fill you up just right. If you order their coffee it is bottomless like most breakfast/brunch spots, but self serve which is just what I needed to completely enjoy my brunch.
Wasabi
spicy garlic miso ramen
The broth was good and had flavor, but I wasn't a fan of their noodles. I have yet to find a ramen spot in Chicago that is up to par with the ramen from NYC. The hunt continues!
The broth was good and had flavor, but I wasn't a fan of their noodles. I have yet to find a ramen spot in Chicago that is up to par with the ramen from NYC. The hunt continues!
Urbanbelly
ramen
This asian food spot in Wicker Park is the perfect place to go to if you want something delicious and quick. There are a variety of food selections and they are most know for their different "urban" bowls. There's only one type of ramen on their menu, which is the one I ordered. The broth was tasty and the noodles were nice and firm. I've had better and more authentic tasting ramen, but this is good for something quick and still quite flavorful.
This asian food spot in Wicker Park is the perfect place to go to if you want something delicious and quick. There are a variety of food selections and they are most know for their different "urban" bowls. There's only one type of ramen on their menu, which is the one I ordered. The broth was tasty and the noodles were nice and firm. I've had better and more authentic tasting ramen, but this is good for something quick and still quite flavorful.
Enso Sushi & Bar
roasted pork belly steamed buns & crunch raw maki roll
This sushi bar is located in Wicker Park and has a cute, dim interior. The steamed buns were delicious with the right balance between the pork belly and pickled vegetables; the steamed buns did come out nice and warm. Enso Sushi Bar & Grill has good quality sushi with enough flavors to make me want to come back for more!
This sushi bar is located in Wicker Park and has a cute, dim interior. The steamed buns were delicious with the right balance between the pork belly and pickled vegetables; the steamed buns did come out nice and warm. Enso Sushi Bar & Grill has good quality sushi with enough flavors to make me want to come back for more!
Takito kitchen
coffee braised beef barbacoa tacos, skirt steak tacos, lychee margarita, mango margarita
If you're craving Mexican cuisine and want to go somewhere with a chill vibe, go to Takito Kitchen in Wicker Park. They have a good selection of delicious tacos and some of the best margaritas I've tasted! Aside from the amazing food and ambiance, the people here have great hospitality and service.
If you're craving Mexican cuisine and want to go somewhere with a chill vibe, go to Takito Kitchen in Wicker Park. They have a good selection of delicious tacos and some of the best margaritas I've tasted! Aside from the amazing food and ambiance, the people here have great hospitality and service.
En hakkore 2.0
Korean bbq plate, Korean wings (spicy gochujang & honey garlic butter), kimchi waffle fries, tuna poke nachos
The perfect spread of food from a cute spot in Wicker Park. If you order as much as I did, you'll end up in a food coma (I don't regret it)!
The perfect spread of food from a cute spot in Wicker Park. If you order as much as I did, you'll end up in a food coma (I don't regret it)!
En hakkore
Korean beef bibimbap & spicy pork bibimbap
A small restaurant with bibimbap and Korean tacos located in Bucktown. The bibimbap plates were good, but I personally wish it was served on a hot plate with a fried egg. En Hakkore 2.0 is way better in my opinion.
A small restaurant with bibimbap and Korean tacos located in Bucktown. The bibimbap plates were good, but I personally wish it was served on a hot plate with a fried egg. En Hakkore 2.0 is way better in my opinion.
Big star
variety of tacos
The tacos here were tasty and went perfectly with their margarita. If you plan on ordering the pitcher of margarita, prepare yourself because they're stronger than they seem!
The tacos here were tasty and went perfectly with their margarita. If you plan on ordering the pitcher of margarita, prepare yourself because they're stronger than they seem!
the Hampton social
mushroom pizza & rosé
Good food and better interior. People come here for the ambiance and restaurant decor; mostly known for their lighted "Rosé all day" sign that hangs on their wall. The mushroom pizza was delightful and tasty. If you're trying to be on somewhat of a budget come during happy hour when they offer their daily bottle of rosé for half price.
Good food and better interior. People come here for the ambiance and restaurant decor; mostly known for their lighted "Rosé all day" sign that hangs on their wall. The mushroom pizza was delightful and tasty. If you're trying to be on somewhat of a budget come during happy hour when they offer their daily bottle of rosé for half price.