Esencia Urban Kitchen
Esencia Urban Kitchen — one of Lakeview's strongest mexican spots. The ingredients do the heavy lifting. Warm, genuine service throughout. Bill: "The chilaquiles were the standout - crispy, flavorful, and full of satisfying texture" [$$, patio]
What 453 diners keep saying
What 453 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“This place deserves a 10/10. The food was amazing, the drinks were delicious and the service was quick and attentive. 📸 chilaquiles with chorizo, poblano eggs & a horchata latte 😍”

“Love Love Love this place. Super cute but it gets very busy. So come early and enjoy! I give it 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jerry gives it 5.5”

“Love this place! Just went for the first time and I got the chilaquiles. Just what the doctor ordered. My boyfriend loved the chorizo hash as well. Everyone was so nice. Great little hidden gem.”

“An awesome breakfast spot serving delicious plates with a delightful Latin American flair. The staff is friendly, and the outdoor seating is lovely.”

“Best breakfast in Lakeview East with both indoor and outdoor seating, with fast, gracious service from Mauricio and his colleagues”

“Visiting the neighborhood restaurants while visiting my oldest and OMGeez this one is so far, hands down my favorite! The service is wonderful staff is very friendly and my orange juice was amazing, so good in fact, I had to get another because it was gone before my food arrived. The pablano eggs were 10/10 entire plate perfect, greens were dressed perfectly, the potatoes were crispy and the flavor was just soooooo good. I cannot say a single bad thing about this place. I was curious about the lunch so I ordered some carnitas to go. They were heavenly. I will definitely return to this place again and again. Maybe even in this same trip! Its that good! Oh and those biscuits and jam! 100/10”

“Nice corner spot with good food and good service. Would recommend.”

“Happened upon this place while passing through Chicago. They had a very solid take on eggs benedict (poblano eggs), the poblano cream sauce was absolutely stunning. The house potatoes had such good crunch and seasoning. Highly recommend.”

“Omg! Fall coffee & pancakes ! Absolutely: recommended!”

“I couldn't decide between anything on the menu but, thus far - everything has been amazing. French toast and one of the delicious homemade Hispanic savory items (sorry - I don't remember which one). But i ate the entire thing and will be back. Great service, friendly staff and outside seating. Tasty coffee and non dairy options - which are not easy to come by. Thanks guys 🌻”

“Esencia Urban is a snug brunch spot with warm service and a Latin-inspired menu. The space is tight and often crowded by lunchtime, but we were able to get a seat right away around 9 am on a Sunday. The chilaquiles were the standout - crispy, flavorful, and full of satisfying texture. A charming neighborhood spot for a cozy and flavorful brunch.”
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See the ranking →In the same lane · Mexican, mid-range
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