Seasonal Mexican dishes for sharing in a cozy basement setting where patrons bring their own liquor. Based on 466 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.5 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout
Address:
3023 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 296-6901
Website: http://www.chilambalamchicago.com/
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
Closed |
| Tuesday | 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 5–9 PM |
| Thursday | 5–9 PM |
| Friday | 5–10 PM |
| Saturday | 5–10 PM |
Menu
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Photo Gallery
Order and Reservations
Reservations: chilambalamchicago.com
Reviews
Kyle Nikolay
Went with a group of four on Friday night. Make sure to make a reservation as they fill up quick! Once we sat down, it was a full service experience. Instantly had waters on the table, and both our server and the owner of the establishment stopped at our table within the first five minutes. We ordered the tasting menu and margarita mix (it’s BYOB) and truly every dish was an experience. Everything was fresh and delicious, with courses coming out at the perfect time. Chicago has a lot of good food restaurants, but this just entered my top 5! Highly highly recommend!!
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Alex Rudie
Absolutely incredible food, atmosphere, service, everything. This is a place to come with a friend or friends and share tastey plates. Typically order 2 or 3 plates per person to share. BYOB. Call for reservations. All of the food is delicious and incredible. Amazing tostados, bacon emanadas, roasted Brussel sprouts, the chocolate chile mousse is so yummy and different. There is not a bad plate here. The way they layer the flavors is astounding.
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Toni Olivieri-Barton
Unique and amazing dishes. I asked about vegetarian and the waiter stated he could make some vegetarian. The menu changes often but it is on the website. Cash or Venmo only. BOYB but don’t open until you have ordered. And only beer wine and tequila – they will make margarita mix and you can add the tequila. We tried the watermelon salad, the stuffed chilis, and the Brussels sprouts with the chorizo on the side. All three dishes were amazing. Farm to table. I would highly recommend.
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Sadie Soto
I’ve been eyeing this place for a while because of all the good reviews, but honestly the food wasn’t as good as I expected. I ordered the root vegetables, grilled pork ribs, and strawberry shortcake. The vegetables were the only dish I recommend, they were flavorful and filling. However, the grilled pork ribs were almost tasteless; they had weak flavor and I would absolutely not recommend these. The strawberry shortcake was very dry, crumbly, and flavorless. The frosting on top made it a little better, but overall a very forgettable dish. I’m open to trying this place again, and ordering new things as the service was great and other people seem to like it. But this time around I was very disappointed in the dishes i ordered.
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Helen Gerondeau
I love this restaurant, and the family who owns it! We take everyone here when we need to celebrate any big or exciting event, as it is always intimate and the service is so personalized. They are super accommodating, and truly have such a passion for food and for sharing their food with people. It always feels as if I’m in their living room or kitchen because of how comfortable the environment is. Anything on the menu is delicious, but doing the Chef’s Menu is so fun — essentially the kitchen picks the dishes that they think your party would like. It is a great way to try new things on the menu, and you really can’t go wrong with any of the food. If you are lucky, you will get to meet the owners mid-meal — they are so friendly and love to meet everyone! I am looking forward to continuing to celebrate with this restaurant for many years to come.
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Alma Dominguez
It was an amazing experience!! They have traditional Mexican dishes, but with an elegant and creative twist. You can’t go wrong with the food here. The attention and service is very good, Luis, the waiter who attended us, was very attentive to us.
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Deirdra Day
Chilam Balam was recommended to me by a coworker and it might just be my new favorite restaurant in Chicago. My sister and I came here on a Tuesday night for dinner and it had a very cozy yet lively vibe. The dinner itself was incredible – we ordered the roasted brussels sprouts, flautas, and the plato placero. All of the dishes were incredible but the brussels sprouts are a must-order! For dessert, we had the chocolate chile mousse and the sweet empanadas. Both were delicious – the sweet empanadas came with oaxacan chocolate and dolce de leche sauce on the side which added the perfect touch to an already delicious dessert. The place is also BYOB for wine, beer, and tequila which is unbeatable. Overall we will definitely be coming back and I look forward to trying new additions to their rotating menu!
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Janelle Winter
Really enjoyed this place. The entrance is down a flight of stairs and you walk into a cozy little colorful restaurant with great music. There was one guy running the show the entire night and he was super on it; food came out timely and hot, dishes were unique and flavorful. Some I thought could’ve used more salt but the other flavors and ingredients made up for it. Brussels sprouts and cheesecake were my favorite!
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L P
Some of the most delicious food I’ve ever had. Worth the price, best to do a few dishes to share among the table. Since it’s a nicer restaurant I was trying to eat the ribs with a knife and fork which was difficult and a server nearby was watching me and she leaned over and told me to “just use your hands — it’s still a Mexican restaurant” and then winked, which was hilarious because I was indeed struggling. Highly recommend for a nice date night out or a fun little outing with friends.
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Brandi Harris
The food is incredible, the staff are incredible, the setting and ambience are perfection—our first time in was Valentine’s Day 2019 and it was such a cozy, warm, happy place to spend the evening. We continued to get carryout throughout covid and love returning now that it’s back open for dine-in. But it’s also perfect during any season and it’s become our go-to spot to take visitors, celebrate special occasions, or when we want to enjoy amazing food any day of the week. Support this small, local restaurant, you won’t regret it. It’s full of talent, heart, hard work, and is a very special gem in the neighborhood and city.
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