Some years back during a fest on Division a friend introduced me to this place. She sang praises about their mojitos and caipirinhas. Since that time, I have returned during warm seasons to enjoy their coconut mojitos (ask for extra coconut. They add shavings to the drink. Yum!) These drinks and their empanadas are a tasty duo. Beyond that I haven't spent much money trying their foods. I'm aware of Argentinian cuisine which is centric to steaks & grilled meats and empanadas. There are other highlights too, though not served here. On weekends, the place can be kinda sultry (weather dependent). It's the mood around the bar with the music turned up and candle lights flickering atop the counter. Cocktails are pouring and passions igniting. So long as there are ample passers-by curiously wandering in. This is a hard one to rate. I've sampled some food and not been an instant fan. Although what always draws me back is the summer scene and tasty libations. I'd say their mojitos and caipirinhas could be listed in a 'best of Chicago' list. read more

The drinks were amazing and so was the spinach mash potatoes. The steak was a little over cooked even though I had order med-rare but over all the food was good. read more

Wonderful, authentic, European-style dining experience. The food was delicious. We enjoyed the perfectly seasoned 10 oz filet and the subtly buttery spinach mashed potatoes. We also enjoyed the table top grilled vegetables with chicken. The portions were large, and we both took home half or our meals. Some may find the service to be a bit relaxed. However, I appreciated our server, who was not overbearing, and was also knowledgeable about the food and beverages. He was a soft-spoken, friendly man named Oscar. His kind demeanor and his accent contributed to our romantic dinner. The food took about 20 minutes to arrive, and we waited a little for the bill, but this was perfect, as we had hoped for a longer, leisurely meal. The ambiance was romantic. I loved the tapered candles and the low lighting. The music was a little loud, but we adjusted. The mix was interesting, and the tango beats aligned with the Argentinian theme. I really loved the overall experience. If you need to get in and out for a ticketed event, this may not be your best choice. However, if you'd like an authentic, delicious dining experience, and you are not in a rush, this may be a perfect choice. read more

Folklore is absolutely delicious and their drinks are so much fun! I love their Corn Empanadas, Beef Empanadas, El Filet, and Pez! Their spinach mashed potatoes are everything. read more

I loved this restaurant! The food is delicious, they basically have the same menu as Tango Sur. From my understanding they're both owned by the same company which would make sense. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Parillada - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is really a gym in wicker Park. Being heavily buried in a sea of not only many, but of good restaurants.folklore is really really excellent for a canivore lover.we got the two people to share meat which consisted of rib eye, blood sausage, regular pork sausage,chicken. They gave us petty yummy homemade.breadwhichwas addictive the mojito was solid. after just coming back from Cuba it was very authentic and a generous pour read more

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Don't fill up on bread. Get the empanada app (one of each was perfect for our group of six to split. Our waiter mentioned that the El Che and the El Filet were the most popular dishes. My husband and I order one of each. The El Che steak was cooks a bit over cooked as I requested medium. But the vegetables and the El Filet made up for it. read more

Best drinks and empanadas in the city. The brunch isn't bad either. Been going for years and it's def a chicago land favorite

They used to have delicious tropical cocktails. The owners must have become cheap because the cocktail (mango picado) I ordered on Friday 9/13/19 was delicious, but might as well have been a virgin mocktail. And for 13 bucks?! Heck no. It also took about 15 minutes from the time of ordering to get 2 cocktails to the table. Outdoor seating area is cute. Service was fine. Corn empanadas were tasty. But the steak was tough, bland, and not worth the price. They also charge a $8 splitting fee. I'm sorry but that just feels shady. Not a good feeling and doesn't make me want to give this place more business. I had heard good things about the food at this place. Sadly I was very disappointed. Won't be going back for the food nor drinks. Sad because I enjoyed the decor and ambience. read more

I have been waiting since 8:30pm. Its now 9:30pm and my pasta still haven't come out yet. I guess they have to go boiling pasta,cutting tomato,do the meat balls. I can make pasta in 30 mins ... im impatient right now,I hope my food come out in the next 10 mins but man ... 1 hour waiting for food is no joke. I hope i liks the food, guess we about to find out ... not so sure if I want to eat since I drank 2 glass of water ... PS: *Update*: Steak come out super dry, chicken come out super dry, pasta come out bland and unflavored. 100% disappointed based on 4 stars reviews on yelps. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Nothing on the table, have been waiting for over an hour... - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A little bit of a letdown. Despite having a reservation, we were seated at a crummy table in the back by the busboy station. The service was slow-ish. The steaks were mediocre, which is disappointing considering that's the whole point of an Argentine Grill, right? Also, the spinach mashed potatoes were so whipped they looked like baby food. If half stars were an option, this would be a 2.5. read more

I came to this place on my birthday. I just wasn't satisfied with the food. My steak was very chewy and tough. I wish I order something else on the menu. I thought that everything would be good since this place was well no and recommend it. I think you have to stick to certain things on the menu to have food satisfaction. Just wasn't impressed. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wish I could give this place a better review. We went on a Saturday night about 8 and it was packed! Wow! When we walked in it appeared as if the restaurant was a one room tiny place. Had no idea there was an additional room around the corner. The place in itself was very dimly lit, exposed brick, just plain sexy. The front desk was suoer friendly, attentive, and just on their money. After that this is what dropped my rating. We were sat and waited for at least 15 minutes before we asked a busser to please retrieve our server. The restaurant was packed understandably but 15 minutes feels like a really long time. The server was especially attentive thereafter. The food. Ok maybe it was our fault we didnt order a steak at an Argentine restaurant. I mean that's what they are known for. We ordered the eggplant entree. Very heavy like an eggplant parmesan in a vodka cream sauce. We also ordered the beef short ribs. Super tough, not tender what so ever, fatty, and chewy and without flavor. So sad! Overall A+ for ambience, and front of the house service. Food quality just didn't match the esthetics. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We have been here twice and both times had a great meal and exceptional service. The cocktails are different and excellent. Then Pisco Sour is so good! Steak is the best and the potato's are a great side. We thought the empanadas were so-so and the Russian Salad is bland. Everything else is tasty. read more

Just ok. Family Christmas dinner at Folklore, 1st time for everyone, one would think the waitress would explain the 4 page menu- but nope. ... The good; (1) empanadas- ham n cheese, beef (2)melted provolone cheese with roasted peppers 3) salted caramel coconut cake The bad; (1) most of the meat ordered was chewy grizzly and/or tough (2) the plate full of plain lettuce with a slice of tomato and onion passing for a salad The ugly; (1) our server - actually she was cute, but her approach to waitressing, or a lack of, was more disappointing than the cheap beef we paid $40 a steak for. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Melted cheese..so good - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Walking into this place you surely feel like you escaped the Midwest. Folklore is one of the places of the Chi w/ a true authentic feel, dynamic menu, and delicious meal, all in one place. What I ordered : Lamb chops and mashed sweet potatoes Was it worth it? Hell yea. And the cost to delicious ratio is a steal The restaurant has a low lit, dim feel, w popping music and interesting decor Pros: erythang Cons: food coma read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really loved it here. Came with family so we wanted somewhere not as fast paced and intimate enough to have a conversation. This was right in line. Not to mention the food being amazing. The place wasn't full, it was a weekday. We knew taking our time would be fine. They brought out fresh warm soft bread, yummm. The wine selection has some decent stuff for super cheap, and I was impressed with beer selection. Also to note, the mixed drinks (our table got a mojito and caparinha) were in a large glass, not a tiny ice filled sippy cup I see far too often. So in summary you can easily drink a fair amount here. For food we all got diff dishes and shared a bit. My favorites were the filet, and the mixed meat tray. Even the sweetbreads were awesome on the tray. It was meat overload but all worth getting. Tons of flavor and well cooked Close second I'd say my lemon chicken. I liked how it had a bunch of veggies too. The flank steak was fine, might not get again. Sides though.. spinach potatoes were delicious, so were the house made chips. Far exceeded expectations. We also got the fried cheese dish (name I forget), and every type of empanadas. Ham and cheese, and beef empanadas were my favs. The service was baseline. Out waiter was questionable at times, but how great the food and drink experience was.. and the atmosphere.. it was enough to cross the 5-star mark for me. Il be back soon I hope. read more

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I only had a short amount of time before leaving Chicago. So, I stopped by Folklore for a drink. They're Argentinian but I was hoping to get a Pisco sour. The bartender was more than accommodating! My Pisco sour tasted amazing. They have a great cocktail list as well and a lot of seating at the bar. During the nicer weather in Chicago they have outdoor seating. I saw a lot of other people ordering food which all looked delicious. I wish I had more time to get dinner here. The next time I'm in Chicago I will be visiting Folklore! read more

This place is such a hidden gem. I got El Filet and it was delicious, and so reasonably priced for how much food you get. The espresso martini there was the best I've ever had. read more

Amazing food, ambiance, alcohol, guitarists on Thursdays, great staff, quick service. Gosh, I could go on. LOVE this gem.

Wow! Folklore provides an exceptional and authentic Argentinian dining experience. If you're thinking about checking this place out, do it now. I walked in on a Saturday night and was promptly met by a friendly hostess who guided us to our table. The tables are placed close to one another, but it does not feel crowded inside. The layout creates a warm, cozy, and romantic atmosphere with Latin décor accenting the walls. They also light a candle in the middle of each table to amplify the intimate mood. The true star of the night, however, was the food itself. We shared a "para dos": a grilled meat platter that includes salad, fresh baked bread, steak, morcilla (blood sausage), various pork cutlets, chorizo, potatoes, and chicken. The quality of the meats were top-notch- superior to all of the other Latin steakhouses I've visited in the area. And the flan was a decadent finish to the meal. The entire meal was so impressive, that I had to meet the chef and thank him for it. The owner's passion for Argentinian cuisine can be seen at every level of the restaurant's operation. I will certainly return to Folklore in the future, as it is now one of my new favorite restaurants in Chicago. Bravo! read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Para Dos - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Christmas Eve dinner in Chicago with family and friends. My brother and sister both reside in the Windy City, and I learned that my brother is a regular here at Folklore so he made the recommendation - which turned out to be an enjoyable experience. Ambiance is on the darker side but there's plenty of candles. Even though some tables are close together your conversations don't carry and stay within your realm. It can get a bit loud if the place is packed, but nothing too major. We started out w/ a few bottles of Malbec which was very good, then comes the bread. I liked their wheat / brown rolls, so warm and full of flavor, just be careful not to fill up! Many good choices on the menu, the theme is meat and potatoes but there are vegetarian, pasta and salad options as well. I ordered the Medio Pollo Al Jamon (grilled half chicken marinated w/ white wine & lemon sauce & potato wedges). Others got the popular El Filet w/ Spinach Mashed Potatoes and the Filet with large shrimp. My bro and sis got a special dish made just for them: grilled chicken breast w/ steamed broccoli and grated parmesan cheese. All the dishes looked fabulous and the portions were healthy. For appetizers we started w/ the Berenjena (egg plant layered w/ spinach, cheese, parmesan & ricotta w/ a tomato cream sauce). It was really good, the sauce is perfect for roll-dipping. The Provoleta came next (fried cheese w/ peppers), similar to the Greek dish (whopa!). The house salad was simple, lettuce greens and tomatoes, nothing too exciting, and dressing options were oil, red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. You need the fiber so just eat up. My Medio Pollo soon arrives as it was massive and full of flavor. The seasonings were spot on and the potatoes had skins and were well seasoned. Good enough to share for two. Here comes the desserts, my brother ordered: carrot cake, chocolate cake, and Flan w/ a caramel sauce - - which was my favorite. They even added candles and sang Happy Birthday to moi - - for my recent mid November milestone (thanks for the love!). One bite of that Flan and I went back for more - - probably one of the top 5 desserts I've ever had. Customer service was spot-on, very attentive, drinks always filled. At peak times you may have to wait a little longer for your main course, but that's okay because it's worth it. I mean, what's the rush? Just have a cocktail and enjoy the moment at Folklore. I checked out other dishes around the room - - the steaks and grilled meats looked fabulous, some added incentive to make a trip back. read more

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Come here hungry. If you like meat, you'll definitely be happy here. Great spot in Wicker Park. The empanadas are great! There are many options - we tried the ham & cheese and the sweet beef. Very crispy on the outside but meat was tender on the inside. Great flavor for both but my favorite was the beef. The Tortilla de Papa was basically like a mini frittata. It was ok, kind of bland. Still very fluffy. The Berenjena En Escabeche was pretty flavorful. This was basically sliced eggplant in vinegar, garlic and olive oil. Served on a salad, this was a great healthy appetizer. For the entrees we had the Para Uno. FYI this says it's for one person but actually can feed 2. Filled with a grand meat selection of short ribs, chorizo sausage, beef sweetbread, and black sausage, this was very juicy and flavorful. The ribs and chorizo was cooked the best and had great flavor. We also tried the Picanha, which is Brazilian sirloin. Great cut and the meat was very tender. Definitely recommend. The dessert selection is also huge! They bring all the options out to show, which only made my hungrier. We tried three of them. One was similar to a flan, one was the Blackforest Cake and the other was a caramel cookie. Delicious! Especially the Blackforest Cake. The service was on point and the waiter was very helpful in selections. Will be back for sure. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First time here with my boyfriend. Saw their menu seem very appealing. Decided to bring him here for a nice romantic dinner. There a candles on every table and the lights is dim. I really feel the romantic feeling in this restaurant. Music isn't loud and the employee are friendly. I order half chicken and he order the meat plate that serve on a mini grill. We also try their empanadas. Their drink is pretty good too. read more

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We were fortunate enough to book a reservation here since Tango Sur wasn't taking anymore reservations. I do not regret it one but dining here. We started off with with a beef, chicken and ham & cheese empanadas and they were all delicious. Both the chicken and beef were very flavorful especially when eaten with the chimichurri they give you on the side. The ham and cheese was the least favorite of the three and probably wouldn't order it again. And soon after our Parillada Para Dos came and the rest is history. I was in heaven with all the meat that came on this parillada. It came with perfectly grilled short ribs, bottom sirloin flap steak, chorizo sausage, black sausage and beef sweetbread with a side of chimichurri and potatoes. It also came with a small house salad that wasn't really anything special. I enjoyed everything except for the black sausage. It had a weird taste that's really indescribable. But everything is was perfectly grilled and seasoned. You can either dip all that deliciousness into the chimichurri or pour the chimichurri over your meat. You definitely won't regret either one. With out a doubt probably one of the best chimichurri I have ever had. Everyone was very welcoming and despite how busy they were they still all had a smile on there face. Juan was awesome throughout the night. He would apologize whenever he took longer than usual. Hopefully next time I come, and there will definitely be a next time, they don't run out of Quilmes beer and they don't forget to put chimichurri in my leftovers bag! read more

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I've been here twice! Once later in the evening for drinks and once for dinner and drinks. I love this place. The only reason I give it a 4/5 is that it doesn't have AC in the blazing heat. Wish this place was BYOB like Tango Sur also. Drinks are amazing. I've had the sangria and mojito, both are DELICIOUS. I've never enjoyed drinking a sangria or mojito as much as I do here. Food is very good and reasonably priced for the steak dishes. You have to order the steak medium rare for it to be even close to medium though. They don't do medium right. This isn't truly a steakhouse, but still I feel like they could've cooked a medium better. However, it was still good. What really sold me on this place is the ambiance. When I was here last weekend we burned through TWO candle sticks. It was a great, but super hot (no AC) but still stayed here for THREE HOURS because the ambiance was super cute and romantic. Towards the end of the night I noticed they started playing more upbeat Latin music so that was cool. It really got us in the mood to enjoy Saturday night out. Overall, I will be back! read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Costeleta Organica - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What's not to like? Great Argentinian steakhouse. The hot bread is to die for, especially with the hot provolone cheese appetizer that rivals something you'd expect on a grade A thin crust pizza. The el Filet is my favorite entree. Comes with 2 filet mignons and garlic mashed potatoes for $30. Why go anywhere else? read more

Theres was no wait and it was easy to find parking, food was ok and drinks were fine. The drinks weren't strong at all but they were delicious and the meat we ordered was more fat than meat but it was good. read more

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I'm not convinced they didn't slip Ambien into this filet.. but good lord this was an incredible meal. I don't think I could be convinced to order anything else besides the El Filet next time I'm here. Side note: if you're a red wine drinker, then you need to drink a glass of the 2014 Malbec '46 from Mendoza. Follow up: I'm fairly certain the filet got even better. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - El Filet - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Gluten Free Review: the atmosphere in this restaurant is really nice & romantic (perfect for a first date haha). I came here for a light dinner with my family & was disappointed to see that a lot of the dishes besides the meat could not be made gluten free. My waiter did assure me that the berenjena (oven baked egg plant with spinach, cheese & tomato cream sauce) was gluten free so I ended up getting that to split. It was delicious! The best eggplant I have ever had. Overall, I would come back for this dish or if I was looking for a big steak dinner. For something lighter, I would probably go somewhere else. Note: I am not celiac and do not have issues with cross contamination. If you are celiac, please speak with your server before ordering. read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Menu - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have had this place on my list for ages. It was incredible, amazing vibes and great food. However, we had a reservation for 5 people and were not seated until 55 minutes after our reservation. Quite disappointing. read more

Folklore has become one of my favorite places to dine in Chicago. It's such an intimate and interesting restaurant with live music on Thursdays. Whether you're just grabbing a drink or in need of a monstrous meal, Folklore fits the bill. Anytime we come down to Folklore we always order the "Por Dos" which is just a huge griddle of grilled meats filled with beef short ribs, steaks, chorizo sausages, blood sausages, "sweet bread", potatoes, and served with salad. It definitely feeds more than two comfortably and is just about everything you could possibly ever want from an Argentine Grill. Try their empanadas for starters and mojitos for a drink. Their mojitos are just fantastic and loaded with flavor. Their empanadas are crisp, golden, and full of flavor. Try the sweet corn ones!!! Overall Folklore just impresses time and time again. Definitely dont be afraid to give it a try sometime! read more

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My fiance and I randomly came here for dinner when the restaurant we wanted to dine at had too long of a wait. It was a friday evening and we were able to get seated immediately. It didn't seem too busy when we first arrived, but people slowly trickled in throughout our dinner. Like other latin steakhouses, this place is super dark inside and the menu is quite large. We needed help narrowing down what to order and our waiter was very patient. We ended up getting a couple empanadas to start and I had the costeleta organica and subbed my regular mashed potatoes for the spinach mashed potatoes and my fiance had the bife vesuvio. They give you complimentary warm bread rolls and butter to start off your meal. I also had their pisco sour which was really good. By fiance got a mixed cocktail (sorry, forgot the name!) and he said it tasted like bbq sauce.. lol. We got the beef empanada and the spinach & cheese empanada. Our favorite was spinach & cheese. Our steaks came with a large fresh salad, which I always appreciate! My fiance's bife vesuvio was huuuge. The steak was stuffed spinach and cheese and served with roasted potato wedges. The inside of the steak was a little on the rare side, but he didn't mind so much since we were going to take the leftovers home and reheat it anyway. His potatoes were a little salty. My ribeye was really tender and yummy and the spinach mashed potatoes were good and creamy. It was also a huge portion. We had enough leftovers for another steak dinner for two the next day! We chose the la luna for dessert which was a slice of cheesecake with a layer of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and dulce de leche. We were full, but we managed to devour the whole thing. Overall, we had an enjoyable dinner. The prices are right and the steaks are decent. I recommend this place for an affordable steak dinner in the city. read more

Delicious perfectly seasoned meats, cooked expertly to the temperature I ordered. Bread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Also really enjoyed the grilled asparagus. Friendly service, great cocktails. The used plates and silverware were cleared without us having to ask. The exposed brick walls and candles with real flame created such a cool vibe! The parillada para dos is served on this awesome mini grill!! Just an overall fun experience :) read more

Fantastic service - staff literally moved umbrellas in patio to ensure clients were protected from the rain. Fantastic food - recommend the ribeye, spinach mashed potatoes and asparagus - everything was fresh and flavorful. Also, the shrimp was great. For drinks, opt for daily special instead of the lime margarita which is a good size but very bitter. Outdoor seating is plentiful during covid, with pretty plants/flowers - did not need to wait. Great value overall, pricing is very reasonable. Wonderful place - we keep coming back! read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Ribeye steak $33 - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pros: tasty food, awesome service, extensive wine menu, great location, reasonably priced Cons: My steak was overcooked (NOOOOO!! :(:(:(), the place was SO LOUD we could barely hear our waiter, I felt like a sardine because it was so cramped. That being said, we were a party of 8 sitting at a long table. We would've done much better at a round table where we could hear each other. Probably our fault for not asking for that. The melting cheese appetizer was out of control good. I will give this place another chance. read more

I loved folklore! Amazing prices for what you get, which is a very nice restaurant and bar with a great cocktail list. Ambience is nice and romantic, but still fun. The candles were a nice touch, but this was not just a date spot because there were plenty of big groups. I'm so glad I found this place on yelp and loved the surrounding area as well. Food: complementary bread that kept coming warm and crispy but soft on the inside, house salads that come before most entrees- with all this you won't leave hungry for sure! Definitely get steak at this restaurant because the meat is very reasonably priced but still of good quality and flavor. I was very pleased with my sirloin medium rare. Drinks: a nice extensive cocktail list to choose from. Prices are expected of a nice restaurant ($10-12), but you can use the money you saved from the food. Overall a great find thanks to yelp reviews! read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Churrasco mmmm perfectly medium rare - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pichana was so juicy & delicious, Sangria wasn't what I expected but not bad. Don't miss out on the spinach mashed potatoes, it's delicious. The service the gentleman provided for us was amazing, he was so sweet & attentive. No lights, only a candle per table which was a cool experience read more

Folklore Argentine Grill - Argentine Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing fun, good atmosphere, attentive and personable staff. I was looking for something a little different before I left Chicago and my friend took me here, I fell in love. It was EASILY the best food I've had in the many years I've been visiting her. read more

Everything on the chef's special menu is pretty good. Really liked the eggplant and the mussel, as these are the lighter dishes. The para uno from the parilla menu is pretty good! Liked the blood sausage and the breading thing. We ordered medium for all the parilla items, but it seems like it's pretty raw (see my pictures), we should have asked since each restaurant's standard could be different. They have a large selection of dessert. We really liked the thousand layers cake with dulce de leche. The rule here is that everyone needs to order an entrée, otherwise they will charge a $8/person sharing fee. The portion for the parilla (bbq meat) are quite big even for guys, so the best option is to order some of the lighter items on the chef's special to share with the group to even out the portion of those amazing parilla items. read more

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