Chilam Balam

This hole-​in-​the-​wall Mexican restaurant may appear a bit sketchy at first glance, but don’t let it fool you. The food here is really authentic & high-​quality. I would recommend coming here with a group of people for dinner & drinks or a double date.
I came on a Wednesday night and the service was great — while waiting for some friends to arrive we were offered seats by the kitchen and a menu to look over.
The prices are pretty high, but I think everything is worth! All of the food here was amazing. They have the best tortillas for when the dish is taco-​style, and the ceviche here is the best I have tried anywhere.
The menu changes monthly I think, but if the tuna is on it when you visit, order it! It is tender and has the sauce was unexpectedly flavorful. I also enjoyed the tostados.
Some tips:
— Make sure your whole party comes together so you can be seated
— Cash only!
— Ask the server for menu clarification; they bring dishes out one by one in more family-​style. I think 6 – 8 dishes is a good size for a group of 4. We ordered 8 dishes and one dessert, and were definitely full afterwards.
— BYOB! They can also make sangria with your own wine for you.

This place is incredible. The food is always creative, fresh, and delicious. Great date spot!

Went here with my 2 girlfriends on a Wednesday night. We made a reservation but it was unneeded as it wasn’t very crowded.
I read mixed reviews on the BYOB rules but we didn’t have a problem. We brought 2 bottles of white wine with us to make into sangria and it was awesome. I think $ 11 was a lot for the mix but still cheaper than a non BYOB spot.
I was with 1 pescatarian and we ordered the mushroom empanadas, rajas tamal, grilled tuna, memelas, and pork loin. It was all delicious and a ton of food. Waiter recommended we order 6 and we only got 5. we would have been ok with 4. The portions are big.
Some other table ordered the ribs and I was super jealous.
Romantic and cozy date spot, definitely bringing my next gentleman friend here.

Had a great meal on a Saturday night with friends. Love the BYOB but the margarita mix they offer you is just okay and overpriced.
The food was good, service was excellent and the vibe/​décor was fun. The waiter was good about explaining the menu and giving suggestions. We ordered too much food but enjoyed most of the options. Wasn’t blown away by anything but overall enjoyed it along with the atmosphere.

Chalam Balam. I had heard great things about this place and finally decided to go this past Saturday. The food is fantastic, but the staff made this place an uncomfortably bizarre experience. Being byob, we brought two bottles of wine for four people, and the staff immediately took it and brought it in the back. This felt more like a babysitter than a professional dining experience. They then instructed us to order minimum of 9 plates in order to receive the wine that we had brought.
The ambiance and food is fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, but only wish that the people operating this place made it feel more fun and accommodating. Their attitudes made it feel like a condescendingly unnatural experience.
I will not be back.

Roasted baby carrots. Chipotle glazed. Spicy balanced with fresh citrus cream.
Fried avocado with lobster sauce papaya pico de gallo. Creamy warm avocado compliments the sweetness of the lobster and papaya.
Grilled tuna with cream and coconut quinoa. Tuna is soft and cooked well. I wish the coconut taste of the cream and quinoa is a bit more pronounced and the fava beans fried for some crunch.
Pheasant breast with hazelnut mole. Mole is rich and creamy. Very delicious. The chopped hazelnut gives texture contrasting the creamy mashed. The hint of the fresh citrus from the slaw counter the richness of the dish. I wish it has more of the slaw.
Alligator sausage. The sausage is very soft and tasty. The flat bread that was paired is very good. The whole dish is seasoned well. You can even taste the cheese on top! It’s a big serving and very filling.
Overall, the place is great especially when you bring your own bottle of tequila (byob). The service is really good and the servers are very efficient. The only downside of the place is its very small. At one point the chair of the tables next to us are touching our table. I think they would need to figure out a better seating arrangement. If you dont mind eating with the next table almost right next to your shoulders then you will be fine. Would still go back for the food.

I experienced Chilam Balam twice and was not overly impressed. While it was different and deserves recognition for a different type of tapas, I cannot say I left Chilam Bilam with an appetite for more.

I’ve been here 4 – 6 times in the past couple of years. I’ve really enjoyed the food here but the service has become unbearable. Some stories below:
My friend and I ordered chips and guac that came out with a small portion of chips. We asked for more chips but literally gave us 5 – 7 more. We asked again and received another 5. At this point we gave up. If I knew they were going to be this stingy on chips I would’ve bought a damn bag for myself.
My girlfriend and I went last night. They changed the rules to have reservations so we had to wait an hour. We went to a bar, Murphys, to have a beer while we waited — this bar is within 5 feet of the restaurant. Girlfriend got a call and proceeded downstairs to claim our table while I paid the tab. The host couldn’t sit her as I wasn’t there and proceeded to sit another couple down despite my girlfriend telling the host that I was paying my tab in the bar that is right next to the restaurant. Also, me paying my tab did not take long.
Although these situations could a one off thing, it seems I’m not alone here in looking at the other reviews.

Been here twice and the food never disappoints. The flavor of each dish is not only good but also leaves me wondering how was that made. This is gourmet Mexican, not drunken street food Mexican.
Cash only in my opinion is inconvenient but if you appreciate gourmet Mexican food, this is the spot. It beats mexique which is another gourmet Mexican joint in west town.

Wow what unwelcoming place. We went for apps and the «owner» basically told us we can not open a second bottle of wine because we were going somewhere else for our entrée. Over all bad.

I remember when I first tried this place 2008/​2009ish and there was a two-​hour wait for a table!
Last weekend, my fiancé and I walked right in. I see why.
* The portions are ridiculous
We ordered 4 plates, as was recommended for 2 people. We ordered the $ 14.50 skirt steak small plate. Said small plate was delivered. On that small plate was a heap of fried onions. Push those aside, search beneath your mole sauce, put on your glasses and you may see two thin, diagonally cut slivers of skirt steak. I’m talking less than 2 oz. Meanwhile, the $ 8 stuffed chorizo pepper is huge.
* They ration your booze
This was a first for me in BYOB Chicago. They tell you how much of your bottle you can consume. Two people dining (most of the people in there are couples) are allowed one bottle of wine or one six pack. But I enjoy wine and my fiancé enjoys beer? No problem! You can drink both, and they’ll ration your servings. That’s right. They took my bottle of wine in the back and served me the two glasses I was «allowed» to drink from my own bottle. Once they felt I’d had enough, they brought back the corked bottle for me to take home. What?
* The owner is rude
Another first for me. When I questioned the small portion of steak, I was met with a shockingly abrasive owner. He basically mocked me as I told him that I LOVED the flavors but was surprised with the steak portion. He walked away while I was still talking. Maybe he’s heard this before?
Is the food delicious? Yes. So are many other restaurants in Chicago. Give your business to people who deserve it.

My all time fave restaurant in the city hands down! A hidden gem in the basement which gives it a really cozy warm feeling. Bring your friends and some vino because the sangria recipe is to die for! They have a seasonal menu and I have never had a bad tapa here yet. They may or may not know me and my husband by name we go that often.
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Food here was pretty good. We came two days before Chrismas, of which they were going to close for 10 days so had the unfortunate issue of not being to able quite a few things off the menu since they had run out of certain items. They regularly swap out items on the menu, which keeps things refreshing and fun for regulars, like my friend who was raving about the place. I really wanted to try the flautas, but since they were out we had the shiitake mushroom empanadas, ceviche and grilled flank steak.
BYOB here– there’s a limit of one bottle to two people. Service here was great and if we weren’t so stuffed I would have gone for the peanut butter empanadas. Kind of wish I had saved room for it.

Don’t listen to any of the complaints about this place, as they’re completely blown out of proportion. This place is great and don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
The restaurant is small, BYOB, cash only and don’t take reservations, so there are certain things that come with that territory but It’s nothing unreasonable. All of the points everyone has made are true but it’s not that big of a deal. Come prepared and you’ll find that it’s an outstanding meal and a great experience, all around.

I’ve heard a lot of negativity about this place and I thought I would check it out for myself.
Pretty mediocre service, food, and very high BYOB prices. Also, I’m not a fan when people take cash only. I understand credit cards cost businesses more money but this is the cost of doing business in Chicago. Get with it.

What a little hidden gem I found!
Everything on the menu was fabulous! They change their menu monthly I believe, which spices this place up!
We brought a bottle of wine and turned it into sangria! It cost $ 11 to do so. Which is a little pricey so that’s why we brought a cheaper bottle of wine.
To start we had the mahi mahi ceviche which was mouthwatering! I highly recommend this dish! My other dishes I recommend is the grilled duck breast with potato bravas. I also enjoyed the octopus but it was a little spicey!
We also had the flank steak which was ok!
It’s a small little place, but very intimate!
A big downfall is that it’s cash only! Wish they took credit cards!

Is it true? Have I never written a review for one of my favorite places in the whole city of Chicago? How can that be?
I’ve been here almost a dozen times. Which means, it’s time.
The place: It was on drives in, diners and dives years ago, but it’s not really a dive. Sure, you have to go down a few stairs to get there. It’s small. Seats maybe 25. Maybe 5 or 6 at the bar. BYOB. A solid sangria that you can add your own wine too. To me, something about it feels familiar, and not only because I’ve been there a dozen times.
The taste: The menu changes monthly, but a few items remain the same. Still, it’s exciting. Even though I haven’t been in maybe a year, a few dishes still stick out in my mind as being awesome. Once, there was this white bean gazpacho with red grapes in it. And this other time there were these fried apple rice ball things… we ordered them again, because with the first order, came 3 balls, and we each needed more than one. Bite after bite has always been delightful. I look forward to going back and trying something new. Hopefully soon.
My face: Cash only, but I come prepared. If you do it right/​well/​when I’ve done it, I’m usually set back about $ 70 for a couple. And service has always been great, so we do our best to let them know in the tip.
If only they took reservations, but I kind of understand why they don’t. And it’s been worth the hour wait when we’ve done it.

I’d go five stars based on the taste of the food alone, but there are two other components that I’m not crazy about: price and quantity. As in big price and small quantity. And I get that it’s a small plate theme. That’s fine. But these portions are straight TINY. I was there with two female buds of mine so it’s not like I brought in the Chicago Bears offensive line. We’re not eating like we’re trying to make weight for the state meet here. It’s just a little small. The quality makes up for the size, though; and you can save money by bringing in beer.
We went with bbq cauliflower tacos, grilled pork ribs, sopes and the guacamole. I first have to comment on the guac, since I think it’s the best I’ve ever had. Absolutely creamy, tangy and delicious. And free tostadas to boot! I did not sample the sopes because my companions destroyed it before I got the chance, but the ribs and tacos were delicious. I’d highly recommend visiting this place, and I will be back.

I wouldn’t recommend this place based solely on the crazy prices they’re charging for the nibbles of food you get. I understand these are «small plates» but if you’re in a group of 4, everybody pretty much gets one nibble and you’re done.
Arrived on a Wednesday evening and had to sit in the back on bar stools until my two friends arrived, even though there were easily 8 tables available. Once sat, we took a quick look over the menu and started with the chunky guacamole which was very good and a bit spicy, but didn’t come with enough tostadas so had to keep asking for more (luckily you’re not charged for more). Tried the shiitake mushroom empanadas which looked/​tasted like something I would get out of the frozen section at the grocery store and popped into the oven. I was pleased with the fried Brussel sprouts salad because it had a great mix of flavors and was probably the largest dish, allowing for 5ish bites (in total, not per person). I believe my friends also tried a steak option which they said was «ok» but nothing stellar.
After the semi– average dishes we tried (and seeing that we were still starving and facing a $ 75 bill, having ordered no alcohol) we didn’t stick around for desserts. Still can’t figure out why this place gets stellar reviews when it’s so cramped, not exactly cleaning looking, and the «small plates» are meant for 2 year olds.

Dined on 4÷26÷2014:
First we found out about this restaurant from Guy’s DDD Food Network show and the DDD android app. We love trying restaurants from any Food Network show.
We went looking for a non-​tourist establishment that it’s unique to Chicago, Chilam Balam did not disappoint. We’ve eaten at a similar small, cash only, BYOB eateries that are highly popular with the locals in Baltimore, only they specialized in Greek food.
When coming here you need to expect to wait, an hour or more and our wait was about 1 hour. When a spot opened at the bar we opted to take those seats. This was probably the best choice we made as it gave us opportunity to converse with the owner’s brother /​our waiter and the very lovely hostess.
We stopped and picked up a bottle of our favorite wine once we realized this was A BYOB. At first we thought maybe I should have gotten beer because this is a Mexican restaurant, but the wine paired beautifully with the food we ordered.
We ordered 5 small plates (Mahi-​Mahi ceviche, Shiitake mushroom empanadas, scallops in a pea purée & mango salsa, venison leg with & corn tortillas, and finally their signature dish Flank steak with potatoes and crispy onions with guajillo chilies. For desert we had the peanut butter empanadas… OMG the chocolate sauce was to die for. Sheri actually let me lick out the little dish.