I've visited Ina Mae a few times and think it's a fun spot for NOLA cuisine. I usually get their catfish, but this time I tried the shrimp with mac & cheese and greens and they didn't disappoint. However, it's a bit overpriced for the portion sizes. The service could use some improvements too. We were celebrating our birthdays and thought it was odd that the waitress brought out beignets before our entree. When she brought our check, she disappeared for 30 minutes and I had to go searching for her. She was gossiping with a coworker at the hostess stand and seemed upset that I interrupted. Overall, Ina Mae is a decent spot if you're in the area and I'd suggest going on a day where they're running a special. read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Beignets - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm from the South, so maybe I'm a tough critic, but this food does match their slogan of "Southern + NOLA-inspired food" - I'd be one to know. The only food I would consider coming back for would be the biscuits or hush puppies. I'd stay away from the fried pickles, fried catfish, fried chicken, and shrimp po-boy. On top of that, we came for a second time for bingo (partially to give the food another try while also enjoying a game). Bingo was carried out terribly. 3 out of 4 people at my table were given the exact same bingo card, and when we won one round, we were told we had to share the prize which was one drink...even though all three of us had one based on the cards they gave. How does that even make sense? Bingo hosts also explained that we'd be playing 10 rounds, but randomly cut the rounds down to 5 in the middle of play leaving everyone confused. Sadly the service, food, and scheduled events fall short of expectations - especially with the pricing. To top it off, our final check reflected prices higher than the menu showed. For example, an Old Styler pitcher on the menu is $26, but we were charged $28 pre-tax. Wouldn't be surprised if this were the case for other items. read more

I heard it was a black own spot in wicker and I had to go. We went for bingo night and it a cute thing to do in the middle of the week. We got the wings and chicken caesar salad wrap and beignets to go. The wings and Caesar salad wrap was v good but the beignets was a little disappointing but it's probs because i took them to go so will have to go ahead and try there. The service was good and everybody in there was just having fun playing bingo! read more

This place was overall okay. I loved the ambiance and the southern charm with the lights and the wood. The service was quite slow, our server was barely around to refill our drinks and we waited a while to order dessert. The crab and artichoke dip was really tasty and the Cajun saltine crackers had the perfect seasoning. I had the gumbo ya-ya and it was extremely salty to my liking. We tried to order the beignets, but somehow they were completely out on a Friday in the middle of a dinner shift. We opted for the bread pudding, but when it was presented it was underwhelming. A nice addition of vanilla ice cream on top would have done the trick. read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had been given a gift card for Ina Mae and decided to try it out. We had been to Frontier a few years back and thought it was cool. They have quite a bit of seating inside. As you would expect the decor was very reminiscent of a bayou hangout. They had several TVs displaying sports games. It was quite loud so we decided to sit outside. There are some covered seating areas along the sidewalk between the street. I wasn't blown away by service. The drinks were strong which I would appreciate. The food was fine. We really enjoyed the red beans and rice. The hush puppies with the hot honey pimento spread actually worked pretty well together. The bread for the po boys is probably the most authentic bread that I've seen from any creole restaurant outside of NOLA. I'm not sure if it's because of the location, but this place was pretty pricey. If I were to come back it would be for the drinks. read more

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Disappointing, honestly. I will preface by saying both my husband and I have lived in the south and I have specifically lived in New Orleans, so we were looking forward to trying the food here but it didn't live up. We started with hush puppies, which were nicely crunchy on the outside but very gummy within. For our entrees, he had biscuits and gravy, which was served in a small bowl and he said the texture was just like mush. I got the shrimp and grits, which tasted good but had an oil slick of grease on the surface. Regarding accessibility, there is some high top seating and some regular tables. To get to the restroom you had to go down a steep set of stairs, and then get past three strobing lights (epileptics beware!) Probably the most ridiculous aspect of the meal was when two staff members set up at the table beside ours to stamp the restaurant logo onto bags. I am sure this is a daily duty for them, but the repeated smashing of the stamp was making our table reverberate, and literally every other table in the place was empty; they couldn't have set up at any one of those instead of right on top of us? As my husband put it, "This is hospitality 101 stuff." Our waiter was nice but no more than perfunctory. It was nice to see they have a "Book It" program going on to encourage kids to read. Overall, would not return. read more

There is indoor and outdoor seating. Its actually bigger than it looks. Lots of tv's! Lots of people around mainly because it's by Milwaukee Avenue. Parking is very hard. My advice is to make a reservation. The wait staff seemed to be stretched thin but were extremely pleasant. We had deviled eggs, oysters as appetizers. So good! It took about 15 minutes for the food to come but when it did, well worth the wait. I got the big bayou breakfast. It is ALOT of food. My friends had po boys. Very good portions. The drinks, yummy. They made sure the tv wasn't real loud so we could actually hear each other. I really enjoyed everything about this restaurant. Decent price point for all you get. Very low key restaurant. read more

Cute Louisiana themed bar. I have only gone for drinks but every time I had a good time. Someone next to me grabbed the deep fried shrimp and it smelled well seasoned. This location is in the heart of wicker park and has both outside and inside seating. One the Friday evening we went, there was a DJ pumping out too 40s. Everyone in here was pretty chill. Would return to see if the bayou themed food is any good. On the last occasion, my frozen cocktail was strong and spicy. It was right up my alley. I only needed one to get the party started. Hoping to come back soon as I wanna try the beignets. read more

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Been wanting to try this place for the longest time! Finally I got my chance this week! It was a super cold night so definitely looking for some comfort food. The staff was super nice and when our waiter had to step away to take care of some other things, he let us know so we wouldn't wonder where he went. Everyone who did step in and checked in, refills, asked us if we need anything else so that was great. We split a four piece fried chicken platter with mac & cheese and Cajun fries as the sides. We all got biscuits and beignets. Those were in bad. The biscuits were giant but soft and tender inside. The beignets were bigger than I expected to and crispy on the outside. Chicken was good. Juicy and nice seasoned crust. Mac and cheese looked like it was breaking a little bit so it wasn't as creamy. I'd try other sides if I came back. read more

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Late Review(s) I used to work down the street and was a regular when I got off in time to come and have a drink and/or get food. The drinks are really good. You will not be disappointed. The red beans & rice and deviled eggs are my fan favorite. However, the entrees have always been a little subpar for me. There was ONE time I did get a really good poboy (pictured) but I'm not sure if it's because it was actually appetizing or I was just hungry as hell off of a long shift, 3 drinks, and a couple of shots deep. I will say it's a bummer that the kitchen closes so early (not sure if that's still the case). The atmosphere is typical. There's a few fun things to look at and might catch your eye when you're low on conversation or just peep something quickly. One thing about the service, it's amazing. They hire great people. Unfortunately, a couple of my favorite servers/bartenders ended up leaving because of the management. I used to work in the industry and this is not an uncommon theme. Overall 6.5-7/10 read more

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Stopped in for lunch and was not disappointed! The tenders were amazing--fried to perfection and drizzled with the most delicious sauce and served alongside a biscuit. Pro tip: order an extra sauce on the side because it's that good. We were seated right away on a Saturday afternoon--which was awesome. Our server was really attentive and checked up on us frequently. Also, the decor was cute with its New Orleans-inspired charm. There was even a band toward the end of our lunch to top it all off!! read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ina Mae tavern is southern inspired New Orleans style menu. Offering po boys, gumbo, and seafood. We got an order of the crab abs artichoke dip and the chicken wings. The food was delicious and had a great neighborhood tavern vibe to the place. We got seated in the back and felt like we were forgotten multiple times by our server. I felt service could have been a little better. Overall it was a good experience. read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Crab & Artichoke Dip - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good drinks , good staff. Nice ambiance. Would definitely try this place again. Try the old fashioned ! read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came in for a cozy brunch on a chilly blizzard day. It was on the emptier side because of the weather I'd imagine, and I was hoping for live music but there wasn't any on a Sunday I guess. The place is definitely decked out in New Orleans/ Mardi Gras theme though which is cool. Great cocktails and specials too during brunch. I enjoyed the $10 Hugo spritz and also got the frozen tequila colada. Both were delicious, and my friends' bottomless mimosas were constantly refilled. As for food, it's all very heavy. The chargrilled oysters were fried with cheese and breadcrumbs, so not really my favorite. The red beans and rice were tasty and a good portion for a side. I shared the fried chicken with my friend - this was a huge portion though on the drier side. I liked the voodoo sauce, and wasn't a huge fan of the hot honey. This sauce went better with the bit biscuit that came with the dish. I also got a side salad though it was weirdly very salty from the breadcrumbs. Our service was very quick and prompt, but our waitress was clearly not enthusiastic about being there. However, we did enjoy the beignets - these were deliciously moist and warm. read more

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As someone from the south, my standards for southern food may be higher. That being said, this is my third time trying this place as I've heard high praises. I have tried the fried pickles, hush puppies, fried chicken, biscuits, po-boy, chicken tenders, and catfish. I would only come back for the biscuits- everything else was subpar. Either soggy or underseasonsed. On top of that, we came for music bingo. Out of the 4 of us, 3 of us had the same exact card. There were 10 rounds and they stopped at 5. We also won bingo once with the same card (because we were given the same card) and were only given one drink because they didn't expect this. There were 2 colors of cards (red and blue) and every color card was the same. I would come for drinks and a biscuit- other than that there are better places in Wicker. read more

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It was Juneteenth in Chicago and we weren't going to make our Soul Vibez Signature reservation (I think I made a 9p.m. reservation while in Miami, but I'm now in Central time. My guest told me they actually close at 9, and no one would answer the phone, in spite of me calling a dozen times.) I Googled best black-owned restaurants and Ina Mae's was going to be open, and I was cool with the Cajun theme. Called, made a reservation and boom . . . This is a dive-inspired spot with some top-notch menu surprises. I thought I'd be able to get a decent locally brewed draft, but was disappointed with their citrus-y inspired line-up. I also got to try their Garage Beer light beer which I wouldn't describe as light. It looked like a light beer, but tasted like water. As usual, I ordered a lot. Hushpuppies 7/10 Nice size, not too heavy Crab Dip 8/10 (We had ours with seasoned crackers that were 10/10!) Crispy Cauliflower 6/10 I liked that they weren't oily. Fried Pickles There was so much food, I didn't get to these. Gumbo Ya-Ya 100/10 The most different & best gumbo I've ever had. Thick, rich and great heat Fried Chicken 8/10 Crispy, but could use more heat Biscuit 5/10 This was a great disappointment, as many commented about these. Collard Greens 7/10 A bit too soft for my taste, could use a bit of heat Mac & Cheese 7/10 I actually like the heavy butter hit, but I wouldn't order again Biegnets 8/10 I really liked these, but my guest thought they were a bit heavy. The server was attentive and helpful. I thought we got great value for what we spent. I would eat here again. read more

I am born and raised southern so this review is legit. The food here is undeniably great. Hush puppies are the star of the show for me and I find myself ordering them every time I stop by. They have corn pieces in them. They are incredible. Tenders are amazing too, and come in hot honey and Nashville hot style (two of my fav flavors). Collard greens, red beans and rice, and the beer are all great. The outside seating is extremely lacking. The chairs are small and uncomfortable, but they're working with sidewalk space and I understand that. An ideal spot to bring visitors or anyone who misses southern cuisine read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Hushpuppies - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was my first time at Nina Mae, and we had an exceptional brunch! I came here with old friends that I had not seen in years, and it was absolutely perfect for the environment, food, and service. We started with the hush puppies and each ordered a variety of items for our main dishes. The hush puppies were definitely a crowd pleaser with the side of pimento cheese that came with them. I ordered the Chicken Caesar Wrap, and it was so big that I brought half of it home. The bulk of us ordered their bottomless mimosas, which for $20 and for 2 hours, you can't beat it if you're planning on having more than just one beverage. We had fun toddler with our group as well, and they do offer high chairs and a kids menu if you're bring along little ones for the afternoon or evening. Alex F was our server, and he was 10/10, always attentive, checking in on us regularly, and super nice. He made our afternoon with his top notch hospitality. I definitely will be back again soon. Thanks for having us! read more

Food was good. Disappointed with the service. One bartender actively ignored us after attempting to make eye contact multiple times until another helped. Got drinks and asking for pepper and hot sauce seemed like a daunting task. Would likely not revisit. read more

Ina Mar is a beloved neighborhood establishment. I've been to the Voodoo Lounge (their Halloween pop up) multiple times, and it's always decked out from head to tow in Halloween lights and decor. Yummy Creole food and a great New Orleans vibe. Service was friendly, and we got our food quickly. Everything was delicious from the wings to the fried chicken sandwich. Portions were GINORMOUS and costs were reasonable. We also tried their bloody beignets which were soft and pillowy with a delicious strawberry glaze sauce. Always a fun time here - would definitely recommend for a festive meal! read more

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Finally made it back to Ina Mae so I could introduce my homie to this delicious menu! The hush puppies and cheese curds were an excellent starter. And then I filled up with the fried gulf shrimp, a fluffy biscuit and some of the best red beans and rice I've ever tried. The waitress was a joy and the decor remains a standout. They've got good margaritas too! This place is staying in the rotation! read more

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What's not to love about this place?. The staff is insanely friendly. The food and service was some of the best I've experienced! Everything I ate was delicious. My girlfriend and I ordered the smash burger and wings. The smash burger was one of the best burgers I have ever had it was seasoned to perfection! The wings were perfect everything you could ask for terrific flavor! If I could give this place ten stars I would definitely recommend if you are in the area! read more

I've been here several times now and it's delicious and a great time every time!! I've been for brunch, dinner, and drinks at the bar. Its such a treat to have Ina Mae in the neighborhood. It emanates a good time even from down the street as you walk toward it, with its layers of bright string lights and its glow from the inside out. When you walk in, it's festive in every way and always up to date with the season. Service is also super friendly and they add to the great vibe! We came here yesterday to catch up with friends for dinner, and they were having their Friendsgiving Friday special for November! I love they have so many festive and unique specials throughout the week. Check out their website to see what's happening! For Friendsgiving Friday they had $8 Margs and $10 martinis all night!! We each got a marg and they were delicious. You can choose from coconut, mango, or make it spicy. And you can choose sugar, salt, or tajin rim. I got the chicken tenders with voodoo sauce drizzle, and it came with 2 sides. We got corn and fries and everything was so tasty. Fried pickles were delicious. We also got biscuits and they were the best biscuits I've ever had! So soft and fluffy inside and crispy outside. And so warm and fresh all around. The beignets were also a hit at our table. Fresh out of the fryer with a generous mountain of powdered sugar on top. We will keep coming back and bringing friends :) read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Chicken tenders, corn, and fries - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool and fun place. We were told there was a live artist playing but we never saw them. I had the spritz jr mocktail. It was very good! Then I tried the crab cakes, red beans and rice and collards. The crab cakes were not the greatest and they were lukewarm when served. The red beans and rice were flavorful and delicious! So were the collards if you like a lot of smoked meat in yours. The service left much to be desired. We had Steph as our sever and she was pretty inattentive and a little condescending at the start of the service. She didn't check on us much in the beginning and then way too much in the end. That could have gone better. Overall, I'd recommend here for dinner. Cute and fun. Oh and the chairs were not comfortable at all. That's another area for improvement. read more

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We just relocated to Chicago from the south and were excited to find this tavern. Whoever is cooking these biscuits, God bless you... they are bangin! My breakfast plate also had really good grits. We sat outside with the dog and had great service. Our only complaint is the true lack of condiments. The wings and pancake come out with syrup already on it, I'd much prefer being given some butter and syrup to control myself. Same with the plate - had to ask for salt and pepper, came with no butter or jam or anything for the biscuit. No ketchup for potatoes. No hot sauce for wings. I just think it would be nice to have on the table instead of having to ask for 10 things. I asked for salt and pepper but didn't want to keep sending the waitress for these requests. Other than that, we left fat and happy! read more

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Full disclosure, I've only ordered takeout because I've been too busy lately to stop in, but I found this spot one night after being quite homesick for Louisiana. I'm also vegetarian and dairy-free, so the cauliflower poboy is a wonderful option! It's well seasoned, dressed perfectly to the brim and slightly messy--just the way it should be. Recently, I ordered delivery through Uber and my cauliflower poboy got mixed up with a blackened catfish poboy. It looked and smelled SOOO good, but unfortunately I couldn't eat it. I gave the restaurant a call and spoke with Kayla about how to request a refund since my order was through Uber. She was lovely and very helpful! I worked in food service for years, so I really wasn't that bothered. After Kayla spoke with a manager she told me to request a refund and that they would send me my correct order, with my poboy came a couple of their homemade biscuits! I wasn't even expecting a corrected order in the first place since I couldn't make it to the restaurant. This was a true southern hospitality kind of interaction, and I'm glad to have a nice bit of home here in Chicago. PS, if you're from Louisiana I have it on good authority that the gumbo is phenomenal! read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A taste of NoLa in Chicago The decor is fantastic, really evokes sitting in the French quarter/ Bayou/ insert your favorite parish name here. The staff were prompt and the food came out timely considering the crowd. Minor annoying thing was the Sazerac not even mixed the namesake liquor. Crispy Cauliflower: little too much salt and not evenly cooked. Some of the bigger pieces were extra crunchy. I know the fried cauliflower trend is old, but some of us love it! Fried chicken with greens and red beans and rice as sides. The chicken was rather disappointing despite being a southern staple. A little dry and the meat didn't have much flavor. The skin was crunchy and the amount is plenty for a person. Greens: I think it had too much meat, but not uncommon if you go to a bbq restaurant. Soft and probably not as healthy as you think :p Red beans and Rice: this side dish made it for me. The flavors were on point from the smokiness of the andouille and the roux with the trinity. I could have a whole bowl and finish my Monday laundry and be happy. Beignets: fried crispy dough with powdered sugar. How can you hate it? read more

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horrible chicken wasn't done and small cup of syrup that you pay for . Never again will I come again and waste 34.00 on this mess . They don't deserve one star but it made me click it read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - chicken wings and pancakes - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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excellent food and great cocktails. love the decor. excellent pregame before a night out in wicker park. definitely will be back. me and my wife had a wonderful time last night here. friendly service too! great sweet tea and fried chicken. read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was okay, but not worth having to put up with the horrible and I mean horrible service. At one point the bathroom was literally spewing sewer water from the drains and I politely stopped a waitress and asked her if she knew about the situation and she said "yeah I know now get the hell out of my way" It was so bad that I googled if this place is supposed to be like Ed Debevic's and I just didn't know about the joke, but nope. Just crappy teenage servers with attitudes. For the owner, this was on Saturday evening around 6 pm and I believe this waitress was working the side patio. I was STUNNED. I have never experienced disrespect like that in my life. Our waiter acted as though every order was an inconvenience, one of the male waiters stopped by at one point and when we asked him to take our menus and clear the table you would've thought we asked for his kidneys the way he sassed us. The only decent server was the hostess who eventually stepped in to help. The food is decent but nothing to write home about, and certainly not worth returning for that kind of service. The place needs a serious staff redo, maybe hire some adults, or it will surely be closed soon. read more

The person seating people was a little rude, he tried to kick a guy off the bar because he wanted to save a seat at the bar for the person he was waiting for. I get it is a policy or something but I was surprised he would treat a guest like that. Not in my party but still. I got a "Santa Hurricane" and when I ordered it the lady was like do you know it's just a hurricane in a Santa boot.. not sure that needed to be said. The food was okay, I got the Nashville hot chicken. It was wet with a sauce sprinkled on it and it was not spicy it was average. It was sauce. And I wish I had gotten hot sauce. I had a biscuit and fries as sides. They were mid. My partner got the blackened catfish and a gumbo. He liked it. He said it tasted traditionally Louisianan. The vibe was cool, lots of decor and fun tchotchkes. read more

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Listen this place "once it gets started" is lively and fun all around! Small, but lots of energy when full. Service was spot on! Loved the spirit of my server. Gave great suggestions. She new the menu and what to offer. She asked the right questions. That said, i oreered the shrimp po-boy, although seasoned well, left a lot to be desired for me. The fries was fire!!! Awesome. The drink was flat. Will i come back???? Hmmmmmm read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Yep - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very nice (probably 3.75 stars. It's still a dive but too nice for "3"). Gumbo is a real rib-warmer on a frigid day. Baked oysters really well done. Oyster po'boy fantastic. Chill atmosphere. Sit at the bar for the best belly-up experience. read more

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We do a weekly staff lunch and ordered catering to try out the po boy platter. We were super excited to try them out as they have really good reviews. Our food was 45 mins late and it was missing a dish. When we opened the container for the beignets we were confused as to what they were because they were burnt and flat. It was hard to bite into them. Truly disappointed because i took a bite of a softer one and it wasn't bad at all but just overly cooked. The food had good flavor especially the fried cauliflower which was a hit. I think everything was just rushed but if time was allotted i feel like it would've been good. But alas here we are. read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went here for brunch on a Sunday. I did make reservations but arrived early. We were seated right away at a high top table. Our server was pleasant and knowledgeable. She answered the questions we had and made good recommendations. I ordered a shrimp poboy which came with large shrimp that filled the sandwich and Cajun fries. The batter was good but could of had a bit more seasoning. We also ordered the collard greens which were flavorful and tender. The red beans and rice was also flavorful and had a good amount of gravy in it. The beans were a filling meal for it to be a side. The chargrilled oysters melted when you ate them and were flavorful as well. We ordered beignets to go and warmed them up slightly. With a cup of coffee they were a good compliment to end the meal. Overall I had a good experience with staff, the food was hot, fresh and favorable and I will revisit them if I am in the area. read more

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LOVED IT. The catfish was great, as was the potato salad, BUT THE MAC & CHEESE WAS THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD. And I told them so. Better than mine. Better than my Kentucky grandmother's . Ouf-of-this-World. A reason to make the trek to Wicker Park. The service was super nice. ambiance is sort of flashy and strings of lights everywhere. I wish Ina Mae would represent in other neighborhoods. This is a real Chicago find. read more

Good place to go to watch a game grab a drink and have some creole food. Would highly recommend the red beans and rice and collard greens as side. The fried chicken was just okay I've had better and wouldn't order it again but the staff was very friendly and overall I would go back. read more

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everytime I'm here (drunk or not) it's a great experience with kind wait staff and incredible service. The food is always good and the portions are decent. I love the New Orleans feel of the place, it's real wavy. I'll definitely be back read more

Totally unexpected, totally delightful Christmas pop up inside this title corner pub that actually is also a full New Orleans style restaurant. No reservations on a Sunday night they had a table for the 4 of us right away while other area spots are 30+ minute wait. Delicious Christmas cocktails! read more

Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods - Christmas cocktail menu - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Take out order Gumbo and hush puppies. Gumbo extremely thick with shreds of meat that I could not figure out. A small scoop of rice and potatoe salad was provided on the side. The thick consistency of the gumbo I didn't care for. Hush puppies were extremely greasy, spongy and tasteless I ate one. read more