The food and service are amazing Thanks to cashier holder. Nice service The music too read more

My lovely wife and I decided to have lunch at El Fogon de Elena on a very busy Sunday. This is a snug Colombian restaurant on Lawrence just a tad east of Kedzie. So our server stated that our first-choice food selections were not available (steak jibarito and beef arepa) so instead we then ordered empanadas (one beef, one shrimp) and the chuleta valluna. We noticed that the kitchen was slingin' some massive plates of food, so we decided to split the one entree and the empanadas. Well the server comes along and says they are out of shrimp empanadas. How can a restaurant be out of so many food items when it is barely past 1PM? We decided to do just the single entree and the single empanada. I also ordered a can of Inca Kola (good stuff, though I had to beg for the drink after our food was served), and we did get some ice water. The beef empanada was AOK, not bad. The chuleta valluna features a massive flattened breaded pork chop along with many items (rice, fries, yuca fries, tostones, yellow potato, salad). The menu mentioned this dish would also have sweet plantain, but perhaps the yuca fries were a sub for the sweet plantain. I gotta admit, the food overall is pretty good. The service from the staff was pleasant, but there was always something "off" during our dining experience. When the bill came, we were charged for the shrimp empanada that was not being served, so we had to ask for a corrected bill to deduct the missing empanada. Overall we had extremely mixed feelings about our lunchtime here. Perhaps it was just a super busy day here, but I am feeling overly generous with my three-star review. read more

$5.50 something for BASIC drip the online ordering system says "espresso" implying they have an espresso machine or what youre ordering is espresso-based in preparation ...but nope, what was served was standard drip coffee from a regular coffee maker. For a $5.50 "basic" coffee, accuracy in labeling matters. it's very misleading to have that description.. the service is also quiet slow although the waitresses are polite, they are S-L-O-W and will take people out of order from when they arrived. read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - misleading description - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was genuinely excited to dine at your restaurant, especially because we were celebrating a loved one's birthday. We even brought a birthday cake, and I appreciated that the restaurant had put up birthday balloons and a sign for the occasion. Unfortunately, what should have been a memorable celebration quickly turned into one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. Everything was going well until our meals arrived. Three people in our party ordered salmon, yet all three were served white fish instead. After waiting an exceptionally long time for our food and repeatedly trying to get our server's attention as she continuously walked past our table, we were finally able to explain that the wrong fish had been served. Rather than apologizing or simply correcting the mistake, the situation escalated into something completely unacceptable. The server summoned the cook, who came out to our table and immediately began arguing with us. Instead of listening to the guests, she insisted that she personally prepared the dishes and repeatedly stated that she knew she had cooked salmon. She then brought frozen raw fish from the kitchen--including frozen white fish and frozen salmon--to our table. She held the raw fish inches from my brother's face, who happens to be a professional chef, repeatedly saying, "Do you see this? Do you see that?" This behavior was not only confrontational and humiliating, but also a complete violation of basic sanitation and food-handling standards. Raw food should never be brought into a dining room and used as a prop during an argument with customers. All we wanted was for someone to acknowledge that the incorrect fish had been served. Instead, we were treated as though we were ignorant and dishonest. Rather than resolving the issue professionally, your staff chose to argue, embarrass us publicly, and create an uncomfortable scene for the entire restaurant to witness. The cook eventually stated that all three fish entrées would be removed from our bill and told us to stop eating them. We believed the matter had finally been resolved. Unfortunately, it only got worse. Read pictures for rest of review read more

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Amazing food with a great environment ! Definitely recommend coming! And recommend trying the Cazuela de Camarón. Our server Holger was super helpful! read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Empanada de Carne - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is probably my boyfriend's favorite place in the neighborhood, we've been here so many times in a relatively short amount of time. Their empanadas are sooo delicious - I always get one when I'm here even if that's the only thing I get because I only want a snack. We are also a fan of their arepas, and we usually get the arepa con todo (how do you resist many meats) but we are curious about the breakfast arepa. Last time we got a pork cutlet (or maybe porkchop lol sorry I forgot) that was also so so good. Next time we go I want to try their catfish. read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Porkchop - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We frequent this restaurant! great food and great people. Lovely BYOB spot , easy parking in Albany park.

I have very mixed feelings about this place. My friends and I were craving Colombian food, and as a Colombian myself, I do not want to disappoint others when it comes to the cuisine. My typical Colombian space had already closed earlier so I saw this place pop up on Yelp and figured I could give it a try. With it being a BYOB establishment and having decent reviews, I figured it would be a good choice. First off, our server the entire experience was not friendly AT all. Whenever I go to Colombian businesses, I'm always yearning for the classic Colombian hospitality that we all know so well, but this lady was on one. She showed NO expressions the entire time she served us, she had that "rolling eyes type of energy", and moved very slow. One of my friends at the table is Brazilian and did not speak Spanish, and when he ordered in English, she had the nerve to say "so does no one in this table of 4 speak Spanish?", which is already not a good judgement question, and also a slap in the face because 2 of us had already all spoken to her in Spanish. Her energy was very off-putting and because of it, her tip at the end of the night was much lower than she was probably anticipating. Onto the food - the empanadas to me were just ok. What I really didn't like is that they don't serve traditional Ají to accompany the empanadas. It was like this green almost avocado-type salsa as well as this white crème. It almost reminded me of the salsas/sauces you would see on Baja fish tacos from Baja California, MX. Overall - strange. Even my friend said her bandeja paisa was small for the price (over $25) and the chicarrón was very dry. I don't think I'd really return here other than knowing that it is BYOB and the space inside is nice with the consistent Colombian music. read more

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This place deserves more than 5 stars. I'd give it 10 stars if they let me. I've never had Colombian food before and am THRILLED I found this place. This is a beautiful family-owned restaurant. As soon as you walk in the door, you are greeted and immediately feel at home. The ambiance, the service, and the food are AMAZING! I had the Encocao de Bagre, and my mom had the Sandwich de Pollo Desmechada (I forgot to take a picture of this plate), and both of them were just way too good. I loved the Agua de Panela con Limon and Maduro con Queso y Dulce de Guayaba. I cannot say enough about this restaurant. I love it so much and look forward to my next visit. Thank you for the great conservation and amazing food! read more

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Wow! BUENO! This is a quaint, delicious BYOB place! Atmosphere, nice people, personas con sonrisas y comida buena! We will be back- omg the cornmeal arepa con queso- fantastico! read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Dinner! Comida! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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You have not lived until you eat Bandeja Paisa from this restaurant. It easily became my favorite food after having it. You get a spread of many different flavors- sweetness from the plantain, several types of meats, avocado, buttery rice, and arepa. It is BYOB. The waiter was a delight, and whole restaurant had an upbeat atmosphere. It can be a little loud, so it might be worth checking for ongoing events if that is a concern. read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Bandeja Paisa - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here with family. The food was delicious , cozy spot. Everyone enjoyed their meal. read more

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I absolutely LOVE this restaurant! The food is absolutely AMAZING! As an appetizers we had the platanos with a very delicious sauce (I can't remember the name of it). Then for the main dish I had the Encocao de Bagre. I can't stress enough how good, service an ambience of this restaurant. I highly recommend it! read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here to specifically try the changua, a dish I had read about and discussed with my Colombian friend but is not often found in the states. This is the only place I could find in Chicago with it on the menu but no one had posted a pic! I am aware this was maybe not quite how Colombians usually prepare it (it had potatoes) but it was still delicious and surprisingly filling. I also got a great empanada that had the perfect shell and flavorful filling. Also got tostones which are a usual favorite of mine. The waitress, Sandy, was very attentive and it was a very cozy setting. I wil definitely come back with friends! read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Changua! Only place in Chicago I think you can find it. - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food at El Fogón was DELICIOUS! I had the cheese and shrimp empanadas which were great appetizers. The bandeja was also incredible. The agua de maracuya and limonada were so yummy & refreshing. Lastly the servers were amazing, attentive and kind. The space was also super cute & I really loved the music playing! Would definitely go back! read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Bandeja Paisa - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow. It's hard to express in words how food so straightforward in some ways is so delicious and satisfying. It's in the details of the preparation and the quality of the ingredients. Imported Columbian style chorizo perfectly seasoned with delicate garlic and a hint of cumin and other spices, let the flavor of the pork come through. Perfectly cooked eggs, cheese stuffed Columbian arepas made from coarsely ground corn meal, crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside. Empanadas were made cornmeal and crispy crunchy with a tender filing of shredded seasoned beef to die for. Can't wait to introduce many friends to this place! It's around the corner from my house but I would drive across town to eat here. I recommend you do too! Oh, and our server was warm friendly and provided excellent service! read more

Such an amazing little treasure of a spot! The service makes you feel like you're being welcomed into someone's home for a meal and the food is spectacular. We've had the plancha chicken and the churrasco steak for dinner, arepas and empanadas as starters and every bite was delicious. We love it the most for breakfast because el desayuno trancao with its perfect eggs over grilled sirloin is the best way to start any day. It's fun to spot what other people around you have ordered and think about trying it next time. Elena herself is lovely and welcoming and charming and it's a great place--if they were open every day of the week, it would be hard to say no to! read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - plancha pollo and Churrasco - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This Colombian gem has the best breakfast in the city. Dinner is outstanding, too, but the Desayuno Trancao was mind-blowing: not just the best, most flavorful and tender steak, but easily the best egg preparation i've ever encountered. The owner and staff and friendly and lively. Our only wish is that they were open more often. read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Desayuno Trancao - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great Empanadas, plates of big steak, jalapeño and garlic dipping sauce, tasty beef soup, byob (yes!), Colombian food which heretofore, had not tasted!! What more can one ask for - Como Si dice!! Generous servings, cute restaurant, friendly and attentive and engaged staff, street parking, crunchy chicharon, social distancing (sorta). Come early for lunch, like at 11:00 am - they're a breakfast joint too so they're already poised to make your meal. Two words sum up my review - Muy Bueno!! read more

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We ordered Uber eats. The food arrived warm, delicious and very large portion. I was visiting in the city and was surprised they delivered to logan square. Hope to go to the restaurant soon. We had the Picada which us a fried combination of pork, cassava, sausage and other items. Quality cuts of pork. Very pleasant surprise. read more

Wow, what a hidden gem! Recently dined in for lunch and it was a super cozy place. The decor had a lot of nice personal touches, and it was very clean as well. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and took the time to chat with us. The food was excellent! We had the chicharrón, a veggie empanada (fresh and hot), veggie arepa, and a steak plantain sandwich. These were piled with toppings and so delicious. The plantain had a nice crunch and held together well. Fries on the side were battered and tasted good too. Loved the sauces as well. Overall we will be back for dinner soon, I really want to try the banda paisa dish after drooling over the pictures. Highly recommended hidden gem in Albany Park for authentic Colombian food! read more

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Omg this place is freakin amazing authentic Colombian food for sure! I think I already wrote a review lol but just in case I didn't here is another one! The food has an amazing taste or how we call it "Sazon!" read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Special of the day sancocho - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is amazing. The service was great. The food was amazing and I would highly recommend if you're looking for a hole in the wall that is one of the best hidden gems around. Stephen helped us with everything and was one of the best waiters I've ever seen. Amazing for anytime of the day and especially at night. The Arepas are definitely one of the best things here as well a definite must have. 10/10 read more

La comida estuvo muy buena. Las empanadas fue lo que más me gustó. Tengo que volver ir para probar más de su menú

My Colombian wife & I have been searching for a good Colombian restaurant since moving from Florida and have tried several in Chicago but none compare to El Fogón! Authentic Colombian flavors, el sancocho y bandeja paisa are both delicious + the empanadas! 100% recommend! read more

The food was amazing, authentic cazuela de mariscos from Colombia. Steven the server was excellent he gave us a few recommendations, and all of them were fantastic. We try the bagre encocado, super delicious, the Cazuela de Mariscos beyond my expectations, soup of the day delicious too, the empanadas, the patacones also very delicious. read more

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I ordered the empanadas with my family and they were hard with the inside stuffing being really mushy. They were not flavorful. The meat was dry and really chewy majority of the meat served was tendon. The toston sandwiches were not good at all they were hard and not tasty. The place is not worth it. I must say the Mara cuya smoothies were good read more

Wooo la comida y el ambiente es algo fuera de lo normal en Chicago. Muy amable, buen servicio, atento al cliente, super clean, buena música y la comida fue increíble. Ordene la bandeja paisa, empanadas, y una sopa. 10/10 a must try, gracias! read more

El mejor restaurante de Colombia en Chicago. La arepa de chocolo es deliciosa y hecha a mano! Una de las mejores arepas de chocolo que me he comido en la vida. read more

El Fogón de Elena Restaurant - Arepa de Choclo - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Second time here and will definitely return. Pechuga Carbon was delicious!!! Empanadas so tasty!

Smashed this for dinner tonight. Wife and I wanted to celebrate a little and picked up dinner from this neighborhood joint. (We'll be back to dine in as the pandemic subsides.) Chicharron: melts in the mouth providing a pork-deprived body with much needed pig meat. Arepas: generously stuffed with the goods. We tried the vegetariana (potato and corn patty fried up how you like it and jammed between maize pillows with cheese and avocado) and the asada (tender, shredded beef meat with the cheese and the beans). Platano con pollo: sauce, chicken, onions, and cheese slapped between two plantain slices--why don't we eat like this every day? (Mind you, we were not so heroic as to come close to finishing all this food.) You should eat here. read more

Walked in for breakfast on a Wednesday morning. This place is a hidden gem. Gorgeous and cozy inside with cool artwork on the walls and a killer blues playlist going. The food was wonderful-- South American comfort food at its finest. I had the empañadas-- pollo, carne y queso to start. Crispy, flavorful and good with a spicy green sauce. Then had the Bolon de carne with huevos-- excellent! And the potatoes on the side were a bit different from the usual over salted crap you get elsewhere-- these had sliced peppers and red onion in them and were seasoned well. Will definitely be returning to try dinner! read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at El Fogon de Elena. The food was delicious, the portions generous and the price very reasonable. We will definitely be coming back. read more

The arepas are a great deal. My partner and I had the arepas con todo. Came with cheese, Chicharron, chicken, and beef. Delicious! Came with crispy fries too. It was so so good! I just wish they had someone to help! The only waitress was serving about 6-7 tables by herself. She was a rockstar! read more

Love this little spot. My fiancée and I really enjoyed our meal here. Our credentials are that she is Colombian. Short but sweet review: new favorite Colombian joint in the area. Fair prices for delicious food. If you don't know what to get, can't go wrong with the bandeja paisa. read more

A lot to like about this place. The decor inside is great it's got a great vibe. The food is delicious and I'm not even a big fan of Colombian food but everything we had we had in a big group was delicious. The chef is really nice really warm and friendly great service and the prices are really affordable it's really really nice food for a great price. I really liked the arepa plantains and beans read more

Mmmmm.... Big portions and small prices. Was walking by and decided to try it. Very good.

The restaurant is very clean and great taste in decor. The service is great. Its BYOB. The food is fresh, delicious and tastes home made. The owners are super nice and friendly and asked for our opinion on the food and if there is anything that we think needs improvement. Everything we had was great. The flan dessert is creamy and smooth and delicious. They have guanabana milkshake that was awesome. Definitely will be back. read more

This is one of the best meals I've ever had!! The carne plantaine sandwich is so delicious and flavorful. And the empanadas with the dipping sauce is to die for! I can't recommend this restaurant more! Such an amazing find read more

Place was clean, comfortable and the food was great. Also, Elena is a sweet heart and really deserves your business.