I think an earlier reviewer is correct and they changed owners and/or management. Went by today to treat friends and was pretty disappointed. The food just was not what we were expecting. We expected Cultura Subs but what we got was a shadow of what we experienced before. The service was very accommodating, but slooow to get their version of jibarito sandwiches served up. They were subpar; even if they had the OG recipes, the execution was mid or below. The serving of yuca fries tasted similar to what we had before, but they served it with ketchup and not the original delicious homemade sauce. I doubt I will go back. Sayonara, OG Cultura Subs ;_; read more

Cultura Subs - El Árabe, with beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

We definitely ordered more than our family could eat from our first Cultura Subs visit, but it was such a welcome treat. Some standouts for me were the steak jibarito, the Philly cheesesteak, and the shawarma bowl. The staff also gave us a freebie which was so thoughtful of them! I think it was an app, but I honestly didn't get to try it since my partner devoured it before I got a chance. No matter, we were stuffed regardless! We ordered takeout, and the food was still hot when we tucked in. I can only imagine the menu is even better in person. If you're in the mood for some cultural crossover cuisine, I highly recommend Cultura Subs if you're in the area! read more

Discovered the rough way that they aren't a legit sub shop. Something else. Instead it's a catch all fusion restaurant that dishes up zabiha halal fast foods & Persian. So. Some leeway is required. Damn Google search. I asked for submarine sandwiches suggestions on my homeward travel and this popped. Ordered their namesake Cultura sub, a chicken shawarma and they also offer a Persian menu, so lamb stew. $12.95 sounded too interesting but I didn't notice you must also buy rice separately ('because how can you eat stew without rice! She said' ) additional $5.95 for dill. Honestly, $17.95, yes, this sounds more like the correct price point for a small lamb leg. The dill rice was real. The lamb leg comes in a tomato based stew with beans. I wasn't impressed with the leg, quite bland but the rice could have acted as a carrier for any other stew side or with a topping of shawarma, just as nice. The sandwich was mid. Bread dense. I might be missing something. I wonder now whether the breads are also Persian. Perhaps barbari or a thicker taftoon. If you enjoy Persian it could slap? Personally not impressed especially given the out of pocket around $50. Lack of details on menu items with additional pricing is somewhat aggravating. One and done. At the time of order, a young woman was having tea service. I am not sure whether that is offered to everyone or a specialty enjoyed by the owner with their staff & friends. read more

See all

Food is 100. Lunch special is a great deal! This place has a mix of different cultures and foods including shawarma bowls and subs, gyros, Philly cheesesteaks and jibaritos. Everything we've had here has been delicious and made to order so I recommend ordering ahead. You can order online, and in the store they have a counter to order and what seems like a new kiosk mounted on the door next to the register. Great food, even better lunch special! There's a small lot for the plaza in front, there's a big "Entrance" sign as it's a one way lot and if you miss it you'll have to go around. read more

I remembered liking this place a few years ago, so I decided to come back recently with a friend. It looks like the ownership has changed and it seems to be combined with the restaurant next door now. The food just isn't the same. We ordered the Jibaritos and Yuca Fries -- they were okay, but they tasted different, possibly because of a new sauce they use. That said, the staff was very nice and welcoming, which we appreciated. read more

Cultura Subs - Jibaritos and Yuca Fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

I wrote a review about this place back on October of 2022. I wasn't impressed then and now I have to say, for your own health DO NOT EAT HERE. The place overall looks unsanitary, the food is disgusting as it'll have hair OR other things in it. Watch out before you bite in. I can go on and on with what's wrong but honestly it's not even worth the calories burned by writing about them. To be candid, I can't believe they have even lasted this long. read more

This is a pretty small place but they've got a decent amount of seating. I like their style, the mural and neon sign are a nice touch. Staff were very friendly and helpful. I had the Cultura Mix sub, which is essentially mixed shawarma on a sub roll. I found it to be very average. I've had better shawarma and I've had worse, but my biggest issue was just a lack of seasoning. It was a bit on the bland side. You can receive some free baklava with a yelp check-in, which is nice, but that too was bland and also somewhat dry. Looking at other reviews, it seems like steak is the way to go here. I'll have to come back for a jibarito and see if that improves the experience. read more

See all

My Husband loves this place. When it first opened that's all he could order. It's a good place in the neighborhood.

This was a bad experience. I found multiple chest hairs in my food (added pictures). When I walked in observed the owner to have his shirt unbuttoned halfway down and I'm guessing that's where the hairs came from. The inside looked like half a restaurant, with a very small seating place. The kitchen took up most of the inside. Price-wise the sandwiches were very expensive, did not taste good, and were very greasy. Argentinian Milanesa - Steak - $14.99 The steak was way too hard to be on a sandwich and was difficult to bite into. You would need a knife to cut into the steak to comfortably bite it. Cultural Mix - $11.99 This sandwich was okay and was very greasy. The sauce was not that good, for my taste. Cheese Fries - $6.00 These were not anywhere close to worth the price. The cheese sauce was like eating melted film and the taste was terrible. The fries were anything special either. They're included with the picture of chest hair. $37 total for a bad experience (without a drink). Would not recommend. read more

Cultura Subs - Chest Hair in the "Cheese Fries" - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

Yummmmmm! Is the first word that comes to mind, I've driven by Cultura Subs a few dozen times but have not had the opportunity to stop by until today. The restaurant is the definition of a hidden gem. Tucked away in a strip mall and connected to its sister restaurant, Cultura Steak. It doesn't look like much outside but when you walk in you're greeted with a friendly smile, some seating and beautiful murals on the wall. I love myself a good jibarito, and locally there just aren't many places that have a decent one. But from the reviews, I knew I had to stop by. And it did not disappoint! The crispy plantain crunch, with deliciously seasoned steak with the works on top, each bite was better than the last, when we were genuinely sad when we finished it and wanted another but had no room for more! Can't wait to come back and try more of the menus soon! :) read more

Cultura Subs - Steak Jibarito - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

Morton Grove's best kept secret! This place is in an unassuming strip mall location just north of the Red Roof Inn. It has 1-2 tiny tables outside for dining al fresco and 2-3 tables inside with a handful of bar seats. Menu prices are at a premium for this Latin American-Mediterranean fusion. Think jibarito, tacos, and shawarma options. I myself tried the $15 steak jibarito, and the fried plantains were perfectly crisp and salty, steak juicy, and rounded out very nicely with the sauce, lettuce, and tomato. I can't wait to eat this again! If you are what you eat, my husband is on his way to evolving into a Philly cheesesteak bc he's eaten this for a meal weekly for what seems like the last couple months. Cultura's version is a hefty $20, but the serving is monstrous and would easily be 2 sittings for many people. My minis both had a cheeseburger ($9), which was juicy and delicious. I almost forgot to add that the yuca fries are strongly recommended! Generous serving for $5, well salted, and plentiful. All the food is prepared within eye shot behind the counter, and you can taste the freshness. #pipinghot With a Yelp check in, you get a $5 valued box of baklava, which is nutty, sweet, crispy, and delicate. I'm not usually a fan of this dessert, but I enjoyed the offering here. See you soon, Cultura! read more

See all

First, I wished they designed the parking lot better, design is absolute garbage. Lanes are cramped together. Now, for the restaurant. There are seats outside and inside. Service is decent. If you check in with Yelp, you get a free baklava but you have to spend at least $25 to get it. The beef shawarma wrap was good, meat was flavorful. Only criticism is that the meat could be a little more tender. I love the garlic sauce. The beef shawarma bowl on the other hand, the meat was a bit dry and too chewy. That's why one star was taken off. Rice was tasty. Prices are okay but you get a generous portion. Overall, I would come back and dine in just to give a second chance. read more

See all

Excellent cuisine! The best chicken wrap, tacos, empanadas, bowls I have ever had!!! The flavor is a party on your palate. Come and try it. I promise you, you will love it!! Staff is very friendly, very clean. Parking in front. Highly Recommended!! read more

Cultura Subs - Outside Store Front. See the padlock on the frobt door handle? Do not let that fool you. The door is open. - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

Heard about this place from a friend. Me and the GF finally decided to try this place out. I ordered the steak jibaroito (which was created here in Chicago) and my GF had the mixed shawarma wrap. I don't know where these people are from...but Jibaritos are pretty basic!? It had no flavor!?? Didn't come with any cheese whatsoever?? NO GARLIC?? This was the worst flavorless jibarito I ever had!! Not to mention the meat was so dry and flavorless!?? The meat was so chewy...when I took my first bite...the whole piece of steak came out of the dry plantain!? ‍ But to be fair, my GF's shawarma wrap didn't taste authentic but was OK at best. I think they should stick with the shawarma, and take the Spanish food off their menu. How do you not know how to make a descent jibarito in Chicago??? ‍ Really?? NO CHEESE? NO GARLIC? C'mon! And Wsup with the onions?? read more

Cultura Subs - They should take off the Ecuadorian & Argentinian flag.... And just stick to the Middle Eastern food! - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

When I walked in, the person at the register was very friendly and welcoming. He wanted to make sure if I had any questions, he was there to answer. Today, I decided to try the Steak Argentinian Milanesa to go. The combination of breaded steak, egg, tomato, and golf sauce was perfect. The steak was tender and everything was made fresh. You can see them preparing everyone's orders from the register. It was pretty quiet when I was in there, but it was a bit of a late lunch for me. They also look like they are going to expand and take over the space next door. There's already a sign saying cultura steaks. I'll definitely be back soon since it's close to the office. read more

Cultura Subs - Steak Argentinian Milanesa - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

Philly cheese steak was delicious and absolutely enormous: easily enough for two meals even for a glutton like me. Another time I tried the chicken shawarma wrap and yuca fries, both thumbs up. I wouldn't mind more vegetables in the wrap; they cram a lotta meat in there and the sandwich needs a better balance. But everything is damn tasty nonetheless. read more

I got hoodwinked by all of these false great reviews. Do not fall for them. I ordered a Chicken Shawarma wrap and fries. The fries were average lightly seasoned but clearly frozen and not worth $4. The wrap was awful. It definitely didn't look like chicken either burnt ends of pork or something else. It was so salty that I couldn't even finish. I mean I've never been more thirsty in my life. The meat was uneatable. I was extremely disappointed and will never be back. I almost went back and asked for a refund. STAY AWAY read more

Cultura Subs - Chicken Shawarma Wrap? Beyond disgusting - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

The place is small, fits about 5 parties but the quality of meats is good. The culture is nice and staff is friendly. My one complaint would be the sauces. There is no unowned in the sauces and they are either too salty or plain and bland. We ordered a gyro taco with cilantro and onion and a jibarito with chicken. The jibarito was splendid; a unique take on a plantain sandwich that has chopped meat that was juicy, fresh veggies and some sauce. The sauce was standard but the other components were great. The gyro taco was good, flavors of the meat were there but the meat was cooked a bit too hard so made it less appealing. Overall, I would say the food is good but the sauces need work and work a shot to try the jibarito. The meat is tender and juicy here, a bit salty for my taste. The sauces don't stand out or are bland so more work to be done in that realm. read more

Cultura Subs - Jibarito - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

Love their food! It's always amazing! The service is friendly and professional! This is one of my favorite spots to go to! The food is always healthy and fresh! read more

See all

Jibaritos are not the same anymore. It seems there was an owner switch.. all employees are different and the "Cultura" taste is not there anymore. Very upset. read more

Ordered the shrimp jibarito and it was goooood. Quite hard to bite into it as all the pieces fall out, but when I managed to get everything into my mouth it was delicious. I think the prices are a bit high for me so I won't be visiting as frequently as I hope. read more

Cultura Subs - Cute dining area - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

I'm so glad that I tried this place! I ordered the chicken shawarma wrap and the yuca fries for takeout. I really enjoyed everything! The wrap was pretty light and was filled well. The chicken was pretty decent too. It came with a white sauce that I don't really know what it was...but it added more flavor and made the overall wrap less dry. The yuca fries were good and crispy, but a little too starchy for me. I wish that they cut the pieces a little thinner so they're easier to eat. But the cultura sauce that came with it was really good! It kind of reminded me of a thousand island sauce. I even dipped my wrap in it too! The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice! It was clean and there was decent seating. The workers there were also friendly! Overall, I would recommend giving this place a try and I will definitely be back to get the steak jibarrito, chicken shawarma wrap, and yuca fries again read more

Cultura Subs - Chicken Shawarma wrap - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

Always down for a jibarito, so when my wife found this place we had to try it out! We ordered online last week and it was ready just a little later than our requested time, but no biggie; staff was friendly when I went in to pick it up. We both got jibaritos with different toppings and a side of yucca fries, and it came with Cultura sauce and Golf sauce (one of them had a little kick to it but I forget which one; I think it was the Cultura sauce). First thing we noticed about the jibarito is that it's smaller than what we're used to from other places, and for the price. But aside from that, the flavor was great and the meat was tender, so we enjoyed it! Yucca fries seemed a little starchy, but I haven't had enough yucca fries to know if that's just how they taste or not. Went well with the sauces though. This place has a pretty solid-looking menu though, so we'll definitely be trying other subs and menu items! read more

See all

I'm beyond disturbed with the food. I came here few years ago and it was good... now I know why there's no reels or advertisements. They used the steakhouse disgusting meat in the jibarito and yes at first I was annoyed because it took me 40 minutes to get my take out food but I said it's fine it's cooking... but what upset is the fattiest disgusting steak that wasn't even for sandwiches that was tough can't even break off the super fat off the steak to even TRY to eat! Then they failed to provide me a cold drink they gave me warm pop. When I called they refused to refund me and played it's the chef fault smh!! They don't even deserve a one star read more

First time here. Food was amazing and delicious. Staff - knowledgeable, polite with big smile! Ambience/atmosphere - chill vibe all the way. FYI.. got a complimentary baklava from the owner (he was there) Honestly really cool place to visit and have some great food. Coming back soon for sure, much more to try there. ZIVELI!!! read more

Cultura Subs - Chicken Shawarma Wrap !!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

The food was excellent - the chicken and beef were tender and well seasoned. The Philly cheesesteak and beef shawarma wrap were particularly good. The service was fast, friendly, and attentive. We ate in the small side which has a great neighborhood place feel. No pics because we devoured the food!! read more

Fantastic Philly Cheese steak! Atypical because the meat is more substantial; cut thicker and the pieces are almost fajita-like. It is meaty, flavorful and slightly chewy in the best possible way. The onions and green peppers were phenomenal. Texture, crunch, taste. Would have liked more cheese. We split a whole sandwich and I couldn't get through my half. The roll could barely contain the sandwich! L Thanks, Yelpers, for another great choice! read more

Fresh as can be and tasty on top of it all. They got plenty of options but the Jibarito is amazing read more

Cultura Subs - Counter is clean and the place is awesome - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

Great food, clean space. Couldn't ask for more. I had the steak Jibarito and yuca fries. They smash a fried plantain in a tortilla press to form the bread of the sandwich, genius. Also the yuca fries are extremely delicious. read more

Cultura Subs - Steak Jibarito - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

My husband ordered the Cultura sandwich which consisted of beef and chicken shawarma and a unique sauce. Unique combination of beef and chicken shawarma which I have never seen before. I ordered the Steak Jibarito where the plantain was the "bread" and then the middle was tender steak that was seasoned well with onions, lettuce and tomatoes. They provided a white garlic sauce which added to the flavor. We shared an order of fries which seasoned well! Just beware that they have limited seating. Service was great and staff were friendly! Will definitely return! read more

Cultura Subs is a hidden gem in the suburbs, with a really diverse and creative menu! The steak jibarito was delicious, and the plantains complemented the flavorful steak. I especially liked the sauce that it came with! The chicken shawarma wrap was also pretty good. Everything is fresh and hot, and I'd love to come back and try more of their menu. There's only a couple tables inside, so carry-out might be a better option. Service is fairly fast, and the staff is friendly and welcoming! read more

Cultura Subs - steak jibarito - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

Pretty neat and efficient grab and go lunch place. I ordered the chicken Shwarma sandwich which was freshly prepared. Place is clean and the sandwich was delicious! Want to try the shrimp next time. read more

Cultura Subs - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

Found this place randomly while running errands up in Des Plaines this afternoon. Doesn't look like much from outside but never judge a book by it's cover! I will definitely be coming back for the Steak Jibarito! I had never heard of it before but the idea of using plantains instead of bread was intriguing and I had to try it! And I must say! My husband and I will definitely be coming back again for it! (Driving from downtown). It was light, fresh, tasty flavor, juicy steak, would have loved a little more sauce on the side. Made to perfection! Would suggest maybe a toothpick to keep it together or have it wrapped on the ends, had to assemble it together before I could devour it :D The shawarma fries were delicious too! The perfect ratio of waffle fries and shawarma and cheeeeeese! Shawarma was very juicy and tasty! Not too salty like other shawarmas. We were recommended the philly cheesesteak but I feel like there was too much meat and not enough onion,pepper and cheese to make it a philly cheesesteak. Some of the onions were over fried and almost burnt. But the steak itself was tasty on it's own. Dear Manager - please inform your staff about the Yelp "1 free baklava at check in" they were not aware of it and it was an awkward/uncomfortable exchange :/ Can't wait to come back again for the Steak Jibarito! read more

See all

Fun halal fusion place! Marinated steak jibarito was excellent, though the steak was cut a little thick for a sandwich. Yuca fries and cultura mix sub were both delicious . Limited seating and loud kitchen activity probably make this more of a carry-out place. Though the mural is stunning and the staff are friendly. Fun menu, we'll have to go back and try more of it! read more

Cultura Subs - Drinks counter. - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

Food was amazing! Had the Cultura Sub and the Chicken Jibarito! Great service, nice relaxing atmosphere! Will definitely come back. read more

Cultura Subs - Yuca Fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Morton Grove, Illinois

See all

well, looks like the owners are no longer there. the shwarma spits didn't look like they were on (meat on them but not spinning and didn't look hot). we should have turned around there but I was in denial. ordered same as what usually get and one of us ordered something different. they took a long time to all come out and some how all the food was barely warm. Fries were hard (not freshly fried-seemed warmed). flavors of meat was different (more cinnamon/turmeric vibe) and sauce was no longer the same. one of our people had to get a second meal elsewhere and nobody took it home. I might have been ok with the different flavors if I wasn't worried about food safety. if i get sick... i'll let you know read more

Small hole in the wall on Waukegan Road. There are a couple seats along the window but this is more of a carry out place. I got the cultura mix sub & fries. Decent size sandwich and the fries were seasoned and delicious. Pretty artwork on the walls. Even gave me free dessert!!! These people just opened please support small businesses in our area! read more

See all

This experience was just okay. I found this place to be extremely expensive! I had tacos. They were okay, nothing to write home about. My parents share a steak sandwich they said was good but not the best. My kids had hot dogs that were okay and fairly overpriced. The guy told us we had to sit in the small section at the front of the store, not the restaurant section on the side, which made little sense because the next group of people got to sit there. I don't plan to come back. read more

Oh ya! Very good. Good food, service, good choices. Amazing flavor to it. Its not Bland. Good portions. Fresh! read more

***3.5 stars*** Hubby and I were excited to see Cultura Subs in the neighborhood. We placed an online order and it was ready within ~30 minutes. We both had a jibarito sandwich which was much smaller than we had anticipated (no bigger than the size of my hand). The flavor was good and the sandwich itself was customizable. However, the meat was on the chewier side. We also ordered a side of yucca fries which didn't seem like they were cooked all the way and only came with ~8 fries for $4. Since this is a new establishment I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. read more