Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine
Ash C · 109 Google reviewsIstmo Oaxacan Cuisine — among the best mexican in Lakeview. Polished but not pretentious. The bar is worth the visit on its own. "The flavors in this dish were incredible and the tomatoes were so fresh" — Ash C [$]
What 283 diners keep saying
What 283 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Let me start off by saying this has been hands down the best service experience I've ever had, and that saids a lot. Not one time did I have to flag anyone down and always checked in. Food was absolutely outstanding! The ambiance and art/decor was also a vibe. I had such an amazing time! That braised pork I will be dreaming about!”
“Highly Recommended! Vibe: Great ambiance, perfect for celebrating our anniversary. Service: Outstanding. Felimon was highly attentive despite having a larger table to take care of, and the rest of the team kept our table clean and glasses of water filled. Food: Delicious Queso Fresco, perfectly medium-cooked Tlayuda, and a wonderful cardamom dessert. Drinks: Great Hibiscus Margarita and a very interesting Raizes sour. Verdict: We had a great time and will absolutely return! Ps: I found it very interesting how they present the bill in a little basket. 😁”
“This is the best Mexican cuisine I've had in Chicago. The black mole is outstanding! There is a depth in flavors and mix of textures in every dish. We keep coming back and it's delicious every time. Their jalapeño cilantro margarita and cucumber margarita are so refreshing!”
“An incredible dinner experience. Every dish melted in your mouth, and the drinks were delicious. The desserts are insanely light and zesty. We ended up trying almost every dessert with how tasty they were. Highly recommend this spot, it might be my new top favorite restaurant 💯🔥👀”
“Istmo promotes traditional dishes with a modern twist. Their dish presentation is amazing as well as their cocktails. It is a good place for lunch before a Cubs game. Istmo has a great patio in the back that can be used for private events as well as dining.”
“Absolutely love this place! I’ve come back 3-4 times. Hands down one of the best margaritas in Chicago. I just went for restaurant week and tried the ceviche, scallops with mole rosa, mole chicken, cod, and mole baklava. Fantastic and tasty menu for restaurant week. They get the flavor and spice levels so right, the mole was deep and complex, the chicken very moist and cooked perfectly. Highly recommend this spot and I’ll be back!”
“Everything about this place is amazing! Came to this place the first time with a friend tonight and we booked reservations online for restaurant a week. We notated in the reservation that I myself have a gluten allergy as well as a nightshade allergy. You might be thinking to yourself geez.. it's going to be really hard to find something to eat with the nightshade allergy. The staff were so accommodating and the chef himself was able to find things for me to eat and try! It's rare that you find the details and the passion in service these days! This place has it though! The chef checked in and served us some of our food tonight. We even got to talk to the chef before leaving! Our waitress was also extremely attentive and very kind. 100% would recommend this place to anybody! Such an amazing experience! Thank you for everything that you do!!”
“Brunch at Istmo was fantastic. Started with Horchata Cordito, ended with the blueberry corn tortilla pancake that was definitely worth the wait!”
“Went here for the first time with friends for brunch and we were all really impressed. The flavors a freshness of everything were outstanding! They had mocktail options, which I really appreciated. I started off with the Piña Tatemada, which was lovely and delicious. We shared the Tlayuda (fun fact: it’s gluten free, which our GF friend appreciated). The flavors in this dish were incredible and the tomatoes were so fresh. For my entree, I had Huevos Divorciados, which was also excellent. Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable. Can’t wait to come back!”
“We came here for both a private dining event and a brunch and we were blown away both times. Great flavors and a wonderful staff. The chef made an effort to speak with us on both occasions and really puts a lot of effort and thought into his dishes. A new favorite and would highly recommend to anyone considering coming.”
“Amazing experience from start to finish, the decor, vibe, staff, service, and food were some of the best I've had in Chicago and I will definitely be coming back!”
“ISTMO is a unique Mexican restaurant in Wrigley area offering Oaxacan dishes. Our brunch experience was exceptional, starting with refreshing drinks like the pepino margarita and michelada. The tlayuda was crispy perfection, with options like green chorizo, ribeye, or chicken tinga. But the show stopper was the blue corn pancake. Worth the 25-minute wait, this dish is a must-try. The service was top-notch, and the decor beautifully reflects Oaxacan heritage. We'll be back to try the dinner menu.”
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