Carlos and his team offered an outstanding meal and experience. Our mezcal cocktails were delicious, the grilled salad and Oaxaca spread set the course for an amazing dinner. Our mole chicken and pork shank entrees convinced us we will be back. But then the avocado coconut cake and a little more mezcal sealed the deal. Istmo is a great find! read more

Great restaurant with tasty food and great drinks. Staff was attentive, detail oriented, and focused on ensuring a good customer experience. Nice looking space with a deck out back as well. Great vibe. Very gluten free friendly for my wife also. Highly recommended. And omg the cardamom tres leches is fantastic. read more

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine - Cardamom Tres Leche - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here for dinner at 6:30pm on a Friday. We were a party of 4 and I'd really recommend making a reservation as when we went the whole place was packed and there were only so many 4 seating tables. We wanted to share and asked our server for recommendations. She suggested 3 apps and 2 entrees and we ordered 4/5 of the dishes she recommended - the queso fresco, short rib, pollo con mole, braised pork shank + we added on the mole rosa. For dessert we got the mocha tres leches. Service: the food came out fast, but our server was only around sometimes when we were looking for her. I think they needed another server to the number of guests in the restaurant? Our drinks came out at the last appetizer...with the timing taking so long we only ordered 1 round. Would've ordered another if they had come out sooner. Food: Honestly I was underwhelmed. For the price point the servings weren't that big and the food was a lot less flavorful than I expected for Mexican food? The best dishes were the pollo con mole, the braised pork shank, and the dessert but I could've passed on all of the apps. The portions were also pretty small. The biggest standout dish was definitely the mocha tres leches - this is the only thing I'd go out of my way to come back and order. It was delish, a large portion, and not too sweet. DEFINITELY order this!! Ambiance: the atmosphere was cute - very Instagram able although tight space wise. Overall the experience was okay, but with so many other good restaurants around I don't think I'll be back. read more

Charges 3% credit card fee after paying the bill and 3% on the sales tax, which I think is illegal. Mediocre execution, full of sauces and no tortillas until asked. Tortillas nothing special, worst than some store bought. Very not impressed for the price and execution. Charging the CC fee after is sleazy. Won't be back. read more

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I felt like treating myself to a nicer breakfast place and Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine scratched that itch. The interior was classier than what Im used to for a brunch spot. The darker colored wooden interior made for that ambiance, and with the abundance of natural light from the huge windows, it was honestly really pleasant. Most of the menu offerings were vegetarian. Meat add ons ranged from an extra 5-9 dollars, depending on your preference. I got the Enmoladas w/ Skirt Steak, which brought my meal to about $30 (w/tax). A hefty price, but it tasted great. My only complaint is that the portioning was smaller than Id hoped for. I wasn't full by the end of it. As for service, the waiter was chill. It was a slow day and he was soloing the front, so I can't complain about the attentiveness. read more

Cool and unique Mexican brunch place! All the plates are beautifully plated and the restaurant as a whole feels very "elevated". The papas bravas were INCREDIBLE. I like that they bring you tortillas with your meal however I question how sanitary the "tortilla wallets" they serve them in are. It looks very cool but I feel like there's no way to properly sanitize them between customers. Blue corn pancake was a very unique and tasty item but it was misrepresented in the menu (said it was served with strawberry compote when it's served with mixed tropical fruit, still good but might be a disappointment if someone really like strawberries) and it took a very long time to come out. Menu said 20 minutes but it was closer to 35. read more

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I went here for an event and really enjoyed the food and drinks! The Strawberry Fields was my favorite. It comes with an edible waffle-like cookie. We got to try some of their popular dishes like the pollo con mole, ceviche tostadas, a beef dish I forget the name of, and a surprisingly delicious avocado coconut cake. The ambiance is really nice, and the restaurant's story and culture are present throughout the entire space. I'll definitely be back to try the breakfast soon! read more

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Excellent food and drinks, and great to sit on the patio. We had a larger group and service started out slow.

Let me start off by saying this has been hands down the best service experience I've ever had, and that saids a lot. Not one time did I have to flag anyone down and always checked in. Food was absolutely outstanding! The ambiance and art/decor was also a vibe. I had such an amazing time! That braised pork I will be dreaming about! read more

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Treated and eated (ate) like a princess on my birthday!! Came across Istmo on Eater's list of new chicago restaurants to try in May and made a reservation. From start to finish I loved my experience here. Firstly, the ambiance is gorgeous. Modern but breezy. Comfortable seating. The menu- everything sounds good. We asked our server questions about most things on the food and beverage menu and she made it come to life- illuminating what was great and simultaneously making it even more difficult to choose. For 2 people it was suggested to have 2-3 starters and 1 entree. We had the himachi, cabbage, and pollo mole. Delicious. The himachi crudo was atop a passion fruit sauce and served with a tostada. The roasted cabbage was a large portion and balanced well with the yogurt sauce, roasted but not burned. The pollo mole was a half chicken roasted with green rice atop mole sauce and served with 4 tortillas. Cocktails were delicious and mostly tequila based. I had the strawberry fields and would recommend. Garnished with a tasty strawberry candy (might be white chocolate). They gave me a birthday treat with a sparkler, literally a sparkling end to my night. Service was so friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. I can't wait to come back! Thank you for a truly wonderful birthday experience. read more

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine - Roasted cabbage - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went here for the first time with friends for brunch and we were all really impressed. The flavors a freshness of everything were outstanding! They had mocktail options, which I really appreciated. I started off with the Piña Tatemada, which was lovely and delicious. We shared the Tlayuda (fun fact: it's gluten free, which our GF friend appreciated). The flavors in this dish were incredible and the tomatoes were so fresh. For my entree, I had Huevos Divorciados, which was also excellent. Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable. Can't wait to come back! read more

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This place opened up less than a year ago off of Clark Street and I've been wanting to try it out! I went here with my friends and we shared a bunch of dishes between the five of us. The appetizers are definitely the star of the show. We had this lovely bean dip, a cooked cheese and some cheese filled doughnut type things. All of them were lovely. For mains, we tried all of the sides and this shrimp dish. I wasn't crazy about the sides or the shrimp dish, but I would definitely come back here for the appetizers and drinks. The interior is very nicely decorated and the staff was great. It is definitely a very unique cuisine and not at all similar to typical "American type Mexican". A great dining experience and I would come back! I would love to try brunch because I know that they are known for that. read more

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have been here for brunch and dinner and I am so impressed with this menu. Everything is plated beautifully and is delicious. The service is great and the servers are so helpful read more

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My friends and I had a pleasant meal here but honestly it wasn't memorable. Like it was good and enjoyable but I cannot recall a single thing we ate (the dessert I think was a nicuatole, but I've had a better one for probably a little less at a different Oaxacan restaurant in the city). I wish Yelp did half reviews - this could be a solid 3.5 stars, but ultimately my philosophy for eating out is the more expensive it is, the better it should be. And this place was bougie in pricing and ambiance and a nice dinner but just not very memorable or remarkable. read more

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a good mole goes a long way - a sunday walk in dinner and the place was deserted, I hope this was just some Sunday laziness and not a bad sign for such a good restaurant and bar - we started with the braised short ribs and yum. a chunk of boneless soft steaming hot meat in a nutty smoky mole on top of a thick cornmeal paste. the meat was cooked perfectly - the queso was so interesting. a thick square chunk of cooked tofu like consistency. salty but not much flavor UNTIL you got that delicious sweet salsa with pickled vegetables on top. such a perfect array of flavors - the bacalo was the best dish we tried. I wish soooo badly they have you more fish. the perfectly delicate light fish with the sweet and vinegary slaw in their warm home cooked tortillas... heavenly. every bite. ORDER THIS - the pollo con mole was the largest dish on the menu, 3 huge chunks of perfectly soft chicken on a bad of rice and mole. the mole was perfect and added a dark rich taste to the soft light meat. the rice really didn't bring anything to the table on its own read more

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What a neighborhood gem. This place certainly blew me and my boyfriend away. We just got back from Mexico so we had plenty of food Mexican food there, but I think this place was just as good! We ordered the Mole Rosa to start, I got the Bacalao, and my boyfriend got the Pollo con Mole. All dishes were fantastic, but if I had to pick a favorite, I'd probably go with the Mole Rosa. The scallops in the dish are super big and cooked just right. The beet pink mole was awesome too. The cod in the Bacalao was super buttery and cooked to perfection as well, but my dish was slightly on the smaller side, especially in comparison to my boyfriend's chicken mole dish. The chicken mole dish is huge! You could probably split it between two people if you want a smaller meal. While all the food items were splendid, we both thought the dessert was the star. Make sure you save room for the Pastel de Elote! When we asked our server which dessert was her favorite, she said it was this one by far. All the components were excellent--the cake was super moist, the whipped crema divine (tasted like ice cream), and you can really taste the mezcal in the mezcal syrup. Suuuuper yummy! The ambiance is also super cute. There's lots of terracotta accents and green shrubbery. It felt like we were back in Mexico! The only negative: I will say the service was kind of slow. We had to flag down our server a couple of times--to order and to pay. But the service was still decent and everything else was too good to not give this place 5 stars. Might be the best restaurant I've been to in Lakeview! Definitely top 3. read more

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My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025! Restaurant: 15/50 Month tried: March Favorite dish: mole rosa (scallops), pastel de elote (cheesecake) Istmo is a great addition to Lakeview! Good and unique cocktails, and solid food. The standouts were the scallops, patatas bravas, and chicken mole. We also had the pastel de elote cheesecake for dessert. I am not really a cheesecake person, but the sweet corn crust was super unique and delicious. Knocked down a star because the service was really slow - I think we had two drinks each before they even took our food order. And then they forgot something we ordered, so we just canceled the item. Also, they pack you into that space like sardines. Not the place for a private conversation! Everyone has been raving about brunch at Itsmo, so I definitely would come back for that! read more

Itsmo is delicious. The bar is beautiful and each dish is very unique. It's truly a cultural journey. The service is great and my favorite detail is that the plates/bowls are all hand made in Oaxaca! Soooo sooo cool. read more

Came for brunch (so excited there's dinner service now) and loved everything! Coffee was perfect, and so was brunch. Our server was so sweet and patient as my friend and I took forever to choose because we were chatting so much! We shared the garnachas and the steak was so good! We also had the huevos divorciados which was so good and the salsas perfect with homemade fresh tortillas and the blue corn pancake which was so good we ate half before I got a picture! It's such a perfect brunch item because it's not overly sweet which i love. Chef Carlos has done something amazing here and I will be back! read more

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Istmo really impressed me! It's a much needed semi-upscale restaurant in southern Wrigleyville. It seemed like it would be a great option for a fun date night. I came with a group of six which was a great opportunity to try a variety of dishes on their sharing menu. Everything was delicious and they had many cool and delicious cocktails. The service was very friendly and accommodating to requests. Across six people we had three mains, three apps, and three sides. I would encourage other groups to order more food per person than this because it felt just barely enough. Overall a great option in an area with somewhat limited fine dining options. read more

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine - Cocktail. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here for restaurant week - if you have the chance, definitely go! My standouts from the meal were the jalapeño cilantro margarita and the ceviche tostada. The tostada was very fresh and flavorable, probably the best I've had in the city. The restaurant week menu left us feeling full and satisfied! Service was efficient and accommodating. The restaurant ambiance itself was cozy and elevated! Only reason why I'm rating 4 stars is because the place was so cold - my boyfriend and I were frozen, and we weren't the closest table to the door either. read more

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We came here for an early morning Sunday breakfast. We risked coming here without a reservation and there were plenty of tables available. The staff here was excellent. Very friendly, and welcoming. The inside decor was gorgeous and I also really liked the plating. We started off with their Cafe de Olla. It was really good with a hint of sweetness. My wife ordered their Chilaquiles Rojos, and I ordered their Huevos Divorciados. The chilaquiles came with roasted tomato sauce, fried egg, crema, queso fresco all on top of fried tortilla chips. This dish was really good. The sauce was delicious and the tortillas had a perfect crisp to them. My Huevos Divorciads came with the same roasted tomato sauce on one tortilla and their green tomatillo sauce on the other tortilla. The tortillas were handmade and was served with a fried egg, Oaxacan black beans and avocado. This is a perfect dish when you want to try a different sauces in one dish. You rarely see this dish at restaurants so I knew I had to jump on it when I saw it on the menu. It was delicious and would definitely order it again. Overall I was really satisfied it my expertise at Istmo. One thing I noticed while admiring the decor, I always look at the bar to see what kind of bottles they have. And I noticed the lack of Mezcal. Mezcal is huge in Oaxaca so I was surprised that they didn't have many options since this is a Oaxaca restaurant. Chef Carlos Lopez Munoz did also visited our table to chat a little bit. That's always a nice touch. I will definitely be returning. read more

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This place is really really exceptional. The setting is so cool & inviting. My date & i enjoyed perfectly crafted cocktails & the food was sooooooo lovely. We started w papas bravas, queso fresco, & a fluke ceviche tostada. Firstly, the portions were huge & very reasonably priced. The ceviche tostada was outstandingly fresh, sour, & creamy w avocado on top. I wanted another 1 after we finished it. If you go, get 2 of them. Both the papas & queso were so delicious we couldn't stop eating it even after we were full. Definitely more than enough for 2 people. We shared the camarones diablo entree which was delicious, but it was a looooot of cauliflower. The cauliflower was a very luscious & melty texture & i really love cauliflower. But for the dish being called camarones diablo.. idk i feel like it could also be called camarones y coliflor diablo; bc of the front loading of the cauliflower. Speaking of cauliflower i oughta mention there were A TON of options for people who don't eat meat. Very cool menu overall. & while we're on the topic of menu, a note i had was regarding the print on the menu as being very very tiny & i felt like i needed a magnifying glass. Bigger print would make ordering a little easier. (I had lasik a year ago so my vision is pretty damn perfect). Our server/bartender, Isidro, was super attentive & mindful of a time constraint we shared w him right when we sat down. His cocktails were truly exquisite. This place is great. I was relieved it wasn't clubby or overpriced. I will definitely return to try more & enjoy the space. read more

Amazing spot in Lakeview. Amazing cocktails. Great food. Service was a bit slow but it was a busy night and we had a larger (6) party size. I'd definitely go back. The drinks alone made it worth it. read more

Came for brunch. Having been to Oaxaca, this place was a delightful and authentic trip down memory lane. The Tlayuda was delicious and the chorizo verde was stellar with it. The chicken tinga here was even better flavored than many examples we had in Oaxaca. The entomatadas were also spot on! The service was also very friendly without being overbearing. Can't wait to come back for dinner service. read more

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine - Entomatada with chicken tinga - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I found this place on a whim and I am so glad I did! It was the perfect spot for a girls night out. I've been wanting to try Oaxacan cuisine. Our waiter made exceptional recommendations. The bartender even made us cocktails off menu. We ordered two apps ; scallops, papas bravas and three mains: pollo con mole, bass, and mushrooms. Our waiter made excellent recommendations. He sold us on the pollo con mole and that it's a special recipe passed down from the grandmother of the chef. It was outstanding; very succulent and I was blown away. Desserts were ok ; the cornbread cake looked amazing but we all thought it had an aftertaste. The coconut custard was crunchy and yummy. Each dish was presented and plated beautifully. I loved the ambiance of the restaurant and it felt like we had traveled to Mexico for the evening. I can't wait to come back to try other items on the menu. read more

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Everything!! All the flavors go together perfectly, and Chef Carlos does an amazing job of mixing authentic Oaxacan flavors into classic dishes. Highly recommend the pollo de mole and papas bravas. And of course any of the desserts! read more

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Exceptional food, cocktails and service, served in calm beautiful ambience. The menu is a perfect blend of creative dishes, each with uniquely delicious flavors. So pleased to have this in our neighborhood. read more

A true standout in Lakeview cuisine, and Chicago in general! Make sure to try ALL the tostadas. The tostada tatemada itself was such an excellent textural complement to every one of the toppings, the pineapple aguachile in particular blew our minds!! such a flavorful and complex dish; the goat cheese mixed with orange and morita broth was perfectly rich and heated we could have sipped that all night. In addition to all the tostadas, we got the Queso Fresco and Bacalao (cod dish), both of which were fantastic and flowed so well with our meal. Portion sizes are a bit on the smaller end but consistent with more upscale dining - we got 4 apps and an entre which was enough for 2 of us! The cocktails were also incredible: loved the clarified cocktails, the carajillo, and margaritas. Our server gave us great recommendations and was super friendly. Very moody but vibrant ambiance, perfect for a date night or hosting friends from out of town. Will definitely be back here soon to try the rest of their menu and as someone who plans to visit Oaxaca soon, this was such a great prelude for what's to come there! read more

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We first visited about 10 months ago when they had just opened, and we've been dreaming about their blue corn pancakes ever since. Every dish here is made from scratch with authentic, thoughtful flavors and textures--you can truly taste the care and craftsmanship. This isn't your typical cookie-cutter Mexican spot; they're true artisans of Oaxacan cuisine. A hidden gem in Wrigleyville that's absolutely worth seeking out. read more

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After hearing all the rave reviews for Istmo, we decided to try it for brunch. First of all, the space is very cute and chic, which is perfect for modern brunch vibes. For drinks, we had mimosas, the michelada and the margarita. All were quite delicious. The appetizers were interesting (and delicious) as well. We got the memelas, patatas bravas, and the quesadilla with chorizo Verde. The memelas were amazing. The chicken tinga was juicy, tender and flavorful. It inspired some of us to get chicken tinga for our mains. The quesadilla itself wasn't anything special, but was still good. I give kudos to the fact that the tortilla was freshly made. I liked the green chorizo but was expecting it to be inside the quesadilla. It was more like a thick sausage link served on the side. Regardless, we had never had a Verde version of chorizo, and thought it was quite tasty. The patatas bravas are a MUST. I'm not even thr hugest potato fan and these were soooo good. For mains, we got steak chilaquiles, enchiladas with chorizo Verde, and huevos divorciados. The enchiladas were tasty, but again, the chorizo was served on the side vs within. Regardless, I'd still order it. The divorciados were saucy and delicious. The chilaquiles, I am a bit torn. The steak was perfectly cooked, seasoned and tender. The sauce itself on the chips was a bit one note and salty. It was lacking something and I couldn't put my finger on what. Overall, I would definitely come back here for another meal. It's such a cute vibe with good food. Great place for a friend gathering! read more

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Among the best Mexican food I've ever had. I've not really been to Mexico so all of my experiences with Mexican cuisine have been State-side, but every dish we got here was the kind where you take one bite and you can immediately tell it's amazing. The stand-out dishes we had were the ceviche tostada, pineapple aguachile (phenominal!), and the camarones a la diabola. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Checked this spot out for brunch after seeing raving reviews on tik tok. They were recently open so they didn't have any cocktail options which was fine. Service was okay, they came and attended us quickly. Since they were so new, service was a little clunky. We got our food and by looks presentation was on point. However flavor was not. It was all very bland and not as good as expected unfortunately. The best thing was the potatoes. Ambiance was nice, just kinda tiny. Most likely won't be back read more

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We came here for breakfast on a Saturday morning. It wasn't too crowded, but the tables are a bit too close together. I ordered the Blue Corn Pancake ($15), but I ended up switching dishes with my husband who had ordered the Enfrijoladas ($19). I didn't love the flavor of the pancake, but I definitely enjoyed the Enfrijoladas. We also ordered the Nicoatole for dessert, which was nice and light. read more

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Found enfrijoladas here which Aare VERY HARD TO COME BY. Great... and great service here too read more

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a reimagined oaxacan cuisine, really good if youre into experimenting. The pink mole scallops were my fave. The servers were super attentive and its decorated with mexican trinkets. Could be a pretty date spot. read more

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Absolutely incredible food at Istmo. Probably the best meal I've had in years. We tried the Queso Fresco. Delicious! The salad had a slightly smokey and creamy dressing that was so good! But the star of the show was definitely the pork shank which is flamed right at the table and was so tender and amazing! Highly recommended read more

Istmo is authentic, gourmet, and simply incomparable! It's THE BEST Oaxacan AND overall Mexican restaurant! The cocktails are to die for, and Chef Carlos Muñoz is wonderful with guests, too. Michelin needs to add Istmo to their list!!! read more

We had brunch at Istmo and had a wonderful experience, the food was exceptional and the service was equally as great. The blue corn pancake was a treat shared by the table, and I would highly recommend. It was flavorful but not overly sweet. Don't forget to order the cafe de olla. From the hostess to the excellent server, we thoroughly enjoyed our brunch. read more

food is delicious. I especially love the chicken mole, the staff are terrific. The owner Carlos is the chef. He is very talented.