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    D'Candela Restaurant

    3.9 (260 reviews)
    ModeratePeruvian
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    D'CANDELA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - D'Candela Restaurant

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    George D. C.

    The chicken was very juicy and tender. Great sized chicken as well. The yucca fries were super criapy as well. The waiters service was very nice and prompt. Restaurant was clean and comfortable.

    Elgin B.

    D'Candela 3449 W. Irving Park, Chicago, IL (3.5/5) I've been craving this place for a while! Sometimes all it takes is a great review or video to make you want to try a restaurant for yourself. After seeing a TikTok review of D'Candela, I knew I had to check it out. With a free afternoon, I finally made my way over. The restaurant is a nice size, with a warm, family-friendly vibe. D'Candela specializes in Peruvian cuisine, and the interior exudes cozy, homey charm with lots of wood tones and a touch of elegance. It felt like dining at a relative's house, especially with their style of tables. My waitress was kind and had a positive attitude, although a little forgetful at times. Still, she made up for it with her friendliness. I started with a coffee and was pleasantly surprised that they offer honey as a sweetener. For an appetizer, I ordered the chicken and steak empanadas. While I was accidentally served a cheese empanada at first, they quickly corrected the mistake. The empanadas were crispy, flaky, and delicious. For my main course, I went with the half rotisserie chicken, accompanied by plantains and white rice. The plantains were a standout--sweet, perfectly crispy, and absolutely delicious. The rice paired well with the chicken. However, the rotisserie chicken itself was just okay. While it was juicy, I felt it could have used more seasoning to make it exceptional. The sauces on the table helped elevate the flavors; I preferred the mild one over the spicy option. The portions were generous, and I was able to take some food home, which was a plus. Overall, my experience at D'Candela was pleasant. I'd love to return to try other dishes on the menu. However, I do think the rotisserie chicken could benefit from a bit more seasoning or creative sauce pairings to take it to the next level. For my first visit, I'd give D'Candela a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.

    Chaufa Mariscos
    Ernie H.

    I have no issues. Unlike the other reviews we had no service issues. Also they have Pisco Sour the Peruvian national drink, think of it as a light margarita. I don't mean to imply it's light on alcohol as a matter fact this particular one packs a punch. Pisco sour it's not easy to make. I'm glad they have it. In Peru no Ceviche after lunch, tonight we had one and no issues with the fish - it was excellent! Next we had chaufa mariscos, basically seafood fried rice(lots of Chinese migrated to Peru) no complaints. Last was the lomo soltado, beef steak in Peruvian sauce. The one in Peru is better but this is not bad. For something other than the usual Hispanic Food I highly recommend you try this place and definitely get the pisco sour.

    1/4 rotisserie chicken, dark. The sides are the salad and pinto beans.
    Mike D.

    The chicken is very tasty and juicy. The green sauce goes well on it. The other sauce they provide goes great on the salad.

    Sweet Plantains
    Jessica M.

    OOOoooOo weee. Talk about tender chicken. Fall of the bone. We ordered a large Aquadito soup. Heads up it's only served Friday - Sunday. Not going to lie, I was nervous. I'm not a big cilantro fan at all. But this was delicious and very flavorful. The best way I can describe it is herbed chicken and rice. Second we ordered a whole rotisserie chicken. FALL OFF THE BONE TENDER. And very well seasoned. So good. Two sides come with the meal. We selected beans and sweet plantains. Both were great!

    Bernadette D.

    My partner was craving Peruvian food and we found this gem right by our place. We've gone here twice already and I still ended up ordering the same thing. I always get the Tallarin Verde con Bistec which is their steak with spaghetti in pesto sauce. The spaghetti pesto is so creamy and delicious. The bistec is probably my favorite though. It is always cooked to the perfect tenderness and the flavor of it just melts in my mouth. My partner gets the lomo saltado which always comes in a hefty portion, especially with rice and fries. The second time we went we finally tried the chicken that they're known for. The chicken was so flavorful and seasoned to perfection. The portions here for the prices are great and I highly recommend this spot if you've never had Peruvian food yet!

    Empanada de Pollo
    Daniela D.

    Great casual dinner the chicken was so juicy and flavorful! The sauces they give you were also super good! Great speedy service as well definitely on my favorite list

    Arroz Chaufa de Pescado
    Emi M.

    Very authentic, high quality Peruvian cuisine here! I visited with this place with my Peruvian friend. She is very picky when it comes to Peruvian dishes, and I have been to Peru and I know what is real... and we both enjoyed our meal here. We had causa and papa de rellena as starters- and they were both great. Papa de rellena is time consuming to make, so I just like getting them at restaurant-highly recommended if you haven't tried. Causa rellena is a layered appetizer that looks like a desert- and almost too beautiful to eat! My main dish was chaufa with fish, which was a huge dish and it ended up being both my lunch and dinner. It was a Monday and this is one of the very few Peruvian places open that day, and I am thankful we got to try it. Service was friendly and we had such a great time!

    Kevin N.

    Ordered delivery during peak COVID era. Overall, I liked it! ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: N/A/10 SERVICE: 9/10 Service was fast, utensils and napkins were included. Win for me! FOOD: 8/10 Jalea Mixta - 9/10 - Mix of deep fried seafood delights, I found almost everything in here well cooked and seasoned. Picante de Camarones - 8/10 - Rice dish with good flavored sauce and shrimp which I found enjoyable as well. Combinado - 6/10 - Rice pudding desert type dish that was only "okay" to me. VALUE: 6/10 Probably slightly below average value with the Jalea Mixta being on the expensive side, but that was the best dish. PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 8/10 Would definitely think to return here again. TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: Worth a shot. OVERALL: 8/10

    Danielle A.

    The food here is AMAZINGGGGG! So flavorful and huge portions. I got the steak and rice with a side of mixed veggies. The steak was favor seasoned and a huge portion for a decent price. Some of the best Peruvian in the city!

    1/2 chicken with 2 side orders
    Mayo M.

    Rock solid, reasonably priced food. Clean, comfortable, casual atmosphere. Friendly, fast service. Usually order the 1/2 rotisserie chicken... it's $15 and comes with a choice of 2 sides. It's always cooked and seasoned perfectly. This is a great spot for a quick midweek meal...

    Cilantro rice
    Latiful A.

    Came by for dinner. Ambiance was pleasant, service was great and food was above expectations. The green sauce was note worthy. Attention to detail was the theme, the sweet plantain were caramelized to perfection the red onions that came with the cilantro rice were pickled. The chicken was delicious and cooked thoroughly. Definitely a repeat type of establishment, serious bang for the buck.

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    2 months ago

    Does anyone know what's in the green sauceplsss it's so good , I literally put in on everything, great service by the way!

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    11 months ago

    Service was quick. Food was good. Not very busy when we were there so it was quiet and comfortable.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing chicken and the rice is even better. Food service is always good and on time. Great ambiance as well.

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    6 months ago

    5 stars. Best restaurant in the neighborhood. Great service, great food - everything.

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    7 months ago

    For a $17.50 plate I was shocked by small amount of rice. The least expensive part of the meal.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is not what it used to be. Service was good but the food proportions were pretty small and price was high. Food was mediocre.

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    2 years ago

    Great authentic Peruvian food. Ordered online and always ready by time estimated. Online pickup area.

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    Page 1 of 7

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    Do I recommend this business???? YES!!!…read more Living in Portage Park, we have come here a few times and they have never disappointed. I've had the ceviche, the Lomo saltado, seco de carne, papa relleno, and the Papas a la Diabla with the steak. There is not one item that I have gotten from here that I have not enjoyed. Do yourself a favor and try their drinks too. Chicha Morada is a Peruvian maize drink, and really different, good, and refreshing. My favorite though is the Maracuya. You know it's real passion fruit juice when you see the seeds. I'm almost always able to find street parking on Cicero when we have come here. The servers are also very nice each time that I've been here. The restaurant itself says they are open until 9p, but be warned that their kitchen closes at 8p, so don't come in later than that. The dining room is nice for a dinner with friends or a more intimate date night, and the paintings on the wall are beautiful renditions of Peruvian culture. One of my favorite restaurants in Portage Park.

    Came in here last weekend with a girlfriend and was able to get a table right away. The staff was…read morevery friendly and warm. We shared the ceviche (I devoured it before getting a picture) and it was to die for! I'd go back just for that one entree. We also shared the empanadas, lomo saltado, and arroz con pollo. Everything was 10/10 and incredibly flavorful. Will be back soon!

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    Kayao - Guacamole

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    4.4(132 reviews)
    5.3 miOld Town, Near North Side

    I went there for my birthday celebration…read more The staff were incredibly nice and friendly, making the evening feel very special. Both the food and drinks were amazing, and I found the prices to be very reasonable. I also wanted to specifically thank you for being so accommodating to my group's dietary needs. One of my guests is vegan and another does not eat red meat, and you provided them both with wonderful alternative food options that they truly enjoyed. All in all, it was a fantastic experience and I will definitely be coming back.

    We took our mom to Kayao for an afternoon brunch to celebrate her birthday and decided on the…read moreNikkei Brunch Experience (three courses for $35, plus a $25 cocktail pairing). As Peruvians, we were especially excited to try it. I started with the Yucas Trufadas paired with a pisco sour. The yucas were tasty, and the truffle huancaína added a unique twist, while the pisco sour was excellent. It tasted like a good pisco sour, and a great way to start. For the second course, I had the chaufa alongside the sohoul cocktail. I'm a big chaufa lover, and while this wasn't traditional in appearance, it was excellent. The maitake mushrooms added a slightly crunchy texture that I really enjoyed. The Sohoul, however, was my least favorite of the drinks. Lychee just isn't my jam. For dessert, I had the lúcuma ice cream paired with an espresso martini. The ice cream was a 10/10. Rich, flavorful, and not something you can find in stores. The espresso martini was a perfect match for me as a coffee lover. Definitely more coffee-forward than sweet, and a great pick-me-up to end the meal. Service was seamless, with our server bringing each new drink right as we finished the last. Between the cocktails and the thoughtfully portioned courses, we left feeling satisfied and not at all hungry. I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try, just keep in mind it leans more toward a fine dining experience rather than traditional Peruvian street-style food.

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    Recently had the opportunity to try this restaurant located in our hotel. Upon walking in, you are…read moreexposed to a dim, romantic atmosphere with a beautiful skyline view. When it snows, you'll see the magic come down during your dinning experience. Based on what we heard, they at times, have a DJ playing jams and people can dance to the tunes. Sometimes, they even have a live band is what I've heard. Sounds like a really cool spot for major events or holidays, like New Year's Eve. Staff was attentive and great with recommending options to us. We love it when they engage and share their thoughts on current dishes. From a food perspective, everything tasted decent. There are areas of opportunity that could have been better. Octopus was a bit overcooked and you can definitely taste the chewiness of it. Flavor is ok but text for this dish did not come through. Ceviche "Jipijapa" de Manabi was a bit salty also, but not to the extreme. Scaling back the sodium level to achieve balance would made this a good dish. If sodium is needed, salt can be introduced afterwards. Lomo Saltado was paired with an aioli sauce instead of the green Aji verde sauce. It would have been a better pair with the verde sauce to balance out the savory profile. Overall meal was ok. Love the vibe which made it a great place to catch up or go on a date.

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    Rocoto Peruvian Bites - Pollo Saltado

    Rocoto Peruvian Bites

    3.9(14 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    I've been craving Peruvian food for a while. I'm from the DC area, where places like Sardi's serve…read morecharbroiled chicken with those amazing green and yellow sauces. I was hoping to find something similar here in Chicago, but since that doesn't really exist, I searched for authentic Peruvian cuisine instead, and that's how I found this spot. I came on a weeknight to treat myself to dinner. I'll be honest: the place looked a bit sketchy from the outside. I even walked past it at first because there were only two people inside, and the restaurant looked pretty empty and uninviting. But since I had already driven nearly 30 minutes, I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did! I was greeted and seated right away and given time to look over the menu. The ceviche de pescado came out quickly, super fresh, and in a huge portion: honestly one of the largest ceviche dishes I've ever seen at a restaurant. I also ordered lomo saltado, one of the staples. It came with a generous serving of rice and beef. I do wish it had more fries, but that's an easy fix at home. The sauce was exactly what I expected: rich and flavorful. Service was good, especially for a small, family-owned restaurant. My only complaint was the water: When I asked for regular water, it tasted like it came straight from an unfiltered faucet, so I wasn't a fan of that. The good news is that they are BYOB! Overall, despite the first impression from the outside, the food was delicious and worth the trip.

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    Dining area.

    D'Candela Restaurant - peruvian - Updated June 2026

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