Cleo’s - Loop
Natasha Madkins · 305 Google reviewsCleo’s - Loop — american in River North. Order the Catfish. The welcome here is real. Mi Amore Williams: "I shared it with my Aunt the fish was so crispy and well seasoned" [$$]
What 437 diners keep saying
What 437 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“This is definitely my current favorite restaurant in Chicago! Great Wings ✔️ Great Catfish ✔️ Sweet Potatoes ✔️ 24 Karat Cornbread ✔️”
“The food is delicious 🤤 Great attention, definitely a must if you’re in Chicago!”
“This friend chicken is DIFFERENT! Simply the best. Get the wings!!! And the cashier lady was so nice and welcoming ❤️”
“9.5/10!!! BEST CATFISH no debate, and I’m not just talking in Chicago, I mean period! I’m born and raised in North Carolina and I’ve never had catfish this good!!! Not even at the family reunion. I should’ve known this would be my favorite stop in the city this visit when I saw the yams had pineapple in them, and they didn’t disappoint. The yams were YAMMIN, with the perfect texture, sweetness, and syrup ratio. My Lord I should’ve saved some for the flight home. I had the Shanikky which came with a good portion of fish, crab, and chicken, enough to take back to the hotel. The breading of the wings had a great flavor but I don’t feel like the seasonings translated all the way through to the meat in my opinion. I also left with a bottle of the Mississippi Sunshine and it was the perfect pairing with the comfort food. Every trip to Chicago going forward has to include some Cleo yams, mandatory. If you’re looking for some southern comfort inside the The Loop please do yourself a favor and check out Cleo’s.”
“I apologize for these pictures but I was originally planning to get my order to-go, but the food smelled so good I had to sit down and start eating right away! This place is an absolute must-visit. I ordered the Float and Fly combo, and everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The chicken was crispy and flavorful, and the catfish—was fried just the way I like it: nice and crunchy. Absolutely delicious. The pineapple candied sweet potatoes might sound overly sweet, but don’t let that scare you—they were perfectly balanced and incredibly tasty. Now, let’s talk about the 24K Gold Muffin. Wow. Whatever glaze is on top should be bottled and sold! (Perhaps it is, again I was in such a rush to eat this I didn’t get a drink or look around much) Trust me, order more than one!”
“The mural on the wall says “Taste the Hype”. I’m so glad that I did, as it definitely lived up to its reputation. I visited the location in the loop and they first impressed me with their transparency. I called in my order on a Thursday around 3:45pm and they said it would be ready at 4:30pm. I had to make sure that I heard them correctly, but this tells me that the food is fresh and the restaurant is busy. My order was ready right on time. There are 3 tables and some stools at the window if you choose to dine-in (no restroom). I ordered the “Ten” meal. 5 (maybe 6) pieces of catfish, pineapple sweet potatoes and cornbread. I also added my own side of Mac n cheese. CATFISH - Pieces were very generously sized. Fried crispy to perfection. I had to really think about this, but it was the best catfish I have ever tasted. It’s a little spicy, but fortunately I like spice. My wife ate it cold and raved about it. My mother-in-law also said that this was some of the best fish she has ever tasted. Finally, my kids had some the next afternoon and also raved about it. This fish is special. SWEET POTATOES - Also amazing although I didn’t taste the pineapple flavor. It was most likely a glaze that was mixed in with the potatoes. CORNBREAD - I loved it. It’s glazed with Cleo’s 24 karat good sauce. I’m glad that I purchased extra. MAC N CHEESE - I will give an 8 out of 10. It was definitely above average. Cleo’s was great and I will definitely return when in Chicago. Can’t wait to try more selections and get this delicious catfish again.”
“Lawd have mercy boe!!, let me tell y’all somethin’ ‘bout Cleo’s. I sat down with a box of them Cajun Creole fried chicken wings and that golden 24 Karat muffin, and whew baby, it felt like Sunday dinner at My Mama’s house. That chicken got that crunch you can hear ‘fore you even bite it, seasoned up just right with that kick of spice sittin’ on your tongue like a gospel choir. And that muffin? Shiny like gold, soft, sweet, and melt right in your mouth. Cleo’s done put love in this food, and you can taste every bit of it. This here ain’t just a meal—it’s a blessing. Highly Recommend!! I said Highly!!”
“Fish-excellent, chicken wings-seasoned good but fried too hard, yams-canned (a no for me), mac & cheese-ok good, green beans-slap ya momma good and the sweet tea lemonade-perfect! The Loop location has very limited dine in seating and parking is a paid challenge.”
“Was pretty much out of food when I placed a order around 4 in the afternoon. Disappointing but my catfish was delicious”
“The catfish was spicy and salty,I requested fried hard which it wasn't, the chicken was tasteless ,the macaroni and cheese was dry and tasteless, the yams were very good.The cashier appeared to have a attitude, overall it didn't live up to the Keith Lee review, I traveled from another state to try it. I've definitely had better food.”
“We ordered the Float & Fly (catfish and chicken), crab macaroni & cheese and green beans. The catfish was a 6/10 and chicken was a 4/10. The fried catfish and chicken presented as the grease needed to be changed. The crab macaroni and cheese was 3/10. The macaroni noodles were not cheesy, the noodles were sticking to each other and were cool in temperature. The green beans were a 10/10. Also, it would be beneficial for the lady staff to were a cap to help with their appearance presentation. We did enjoy the vibe of the music, but found it very obnoxious for the lady cashier to keep yelling and screaming the lyrics after the song was off.”
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