First time ever trying a jibarito. Wasn't sure what to expect but it sounded delicious! Walked in and you order on the kiosk. A sandwich made with plantain as the buns! I fell in love! It was soft but had a thick outer layer. Slightly crispy but chewy. The filling itself was great the garlic sauce inside really shined. Put everything together and it was delicious and magnificent! The plate came with rice mixture. The sandwich was really filling. Inside there was a few tables to sit, you grab a number when you order and staff brings it out to you. 100% recommend coming here to try it out. Wish there was more Puerto Rican food around me. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Chicken Jibarito (Full) - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I recently ordered delivery from this place and it definitely delivered. I ordered the pork chops with a side of sweet plantains and rice & beans. The stewed beans in the rice&beans is probably the best I've ever had - and I eat a lot of stewed beans. The pork chops were deliciously seasoned but it was a tad overcooked for me (I like my pork pink) - but this is forgivable knowing that most Americans will faint if served pink pork. I also ordered the bacalao fritter. It's more like a pancake rather than a fritter and you can certainly taste the bacalao. It did not travel well (most crispy fried things don't) but a couple of minutes in my air fryer brought it back to life. I also had the chicken empanada and it was great. This place is highly recommended for lunches or maybe even dinner if you are too lazy to cook. Will order again and try other dishes. read more

I was in Chicago recently and saw that people recommended getting a Jibarito sandwich while in town. I was pretty excited to try one so I stopped by Jibarito Stop right when it opened on a weekday for an early lunch. The place is pretty fast casual status and has a couple of tables inside for seating. I ordered a full order of a chicken jibarito sandwich. It came with a side of rice and was $19.91 total, including tax. It looked pretty good when I got it; the plaintain had pretty good color to it and the chicken looked pretty moist and well seasoned. I asked them to put the mayo on the side though, and they didn't. I started off by trying the rice, which was very flavorful. It was a bit overly salty but that's usually how I feel about arroz con gandules whenever I have it. I bit into the jibarito next and I was unfortunately pretty disappointed. The plaintain was very dry and tasted like cardboard. Felt like having the plaintain as the 'bread' of the sandwich didn't really work as it doesn't hold the contents of the sandwich together. It fell apart as soon as I took my first bite. Also, there was way too much mayo in there, to the point where it felt like a mayo sandwich. Totally destroyed the balance. The chicken was very good though; juicy and had a lot of flavor. So I was disappointed that the jibarito here just didn't do it for me. I will say that getting the full order of the sandwich is a substantial amount of food, which I always appreciate. Overall, I'd rate this experience 2 stars. I think it was pretty expensive at almost $20 without a drink and don't think my meal was very good. But glad that a lot of people seem to enjoy this spot. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Close up - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Their guava pastries and cheese flan are DELICIOUS. As a Puerto Rican, I am so glad they opened close by. Most of everything I have tried has been good. Their fried foods, sandwiches, and desserts are must tries. I do have to remove a star because of two things: 1. They are very very slow. Plan ahead. Not a place to stop by if you are on a time crunch. 2. Their quesitos are not the authentic Puerto Rican quesitos. This was a bit of a let down. BUT all other pastries I tried were good! It is an "order at the counter" type place and not a full service restaurant. The staff are nice and the place seemed very clean. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

AUXìlio!!!! I can't stop eating here. The best chuletas fritas I've ever had in my life. The arroz con gandulas is the most flavorful moist rice in all of Chicago. Fresh potatoe salad. Clean and friendly staff. A must try in Chicago. Don't forget the pique. read more

The best about the jibarito sandwich? Good tostones. I was also told that the alcapurrias were very tasty and recommended. Took one star away because I ordered a steak with onions and it came, as everything else, on a styrofoam plate and flimsy plastic fork and knife - for a steak? Ended using my fingers - rather unbecoming. The other star? I ordered arroz con gandules. So bad I wanted to cry. Please get some abuelas in that kitchen! read more

After sitting on the Riverwalk watching some people eat some interesting looking sandwiches we inquired. So by accident we stumbled into this place. A few days later we went to try our own. The chicken and steak Jibarito we so good, perhaps a little dry. But what they were not was oily. Some great flavors. Oh and almost forgot, the beef and cheese empanada so good. Great crust without being too thick, good helping of beef in the middle and perfect for hand eating while people watching. We also ordered take away and went back to the riverwalk. Service was fast and courteous. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Half Chicken Jibaritos (1/2) - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This review is for their new location on Wabash...it was different going to this location. It was missing a community vibe but I do understand and respect them for moving on. As u know parking is non-existent so I had a friend double park while I go in. They have an order kiosk that accepts credit and debit cards. They only take cash at the cashiers. I placed my order with a helpful rep. They had a crowd there, didn't wait long for food. Left and checked bag for all items ordered and the beans were missing so I had to drive around the block again which is horrible due to construction. Decor is decent, not really feeling a home vibe. Will I be back? Hmmmm maybe if I had a concert/event nearby but the parking will be a deal breaker plus forgetting items u ordered. read more

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Felt like home excellente comida...sp yummy...good music too......................... read more

The Jibarito Stop - Papa Relleno - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have never had Puerto Rican food before and I could kick myself. Came here with coworkers for lunch. The line moved pretty quick for orders being placed. I ordered a plate with steak/onions, white rice, potato salad and beans. Every single bite of every dish was absolutely delicious! So flavorful and just damn good. I can hardly wait to go back. read more

The Jibarito Stop - A Plate (steak/onions, white rice, potato salad and beans) - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place is a bit small and not that well organized, didn't like the ordering approach, the food was okay tbh nothing to brag about. Definitely won't go back. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Best Puerto Rican food in town Great customer service they only need pictures to get more Customer so people can know what they're ordering but other than that, the food is great read more

Found myself unexpectedly without dinner plans and got on Yelp to scroll a little bit. This place had me at "4+ star Puerto Rican food". I got a half order beef jibarito, and while I could have eaten two full orders and fell over afterwards, half was perfect. What a sandwich! Gandules delicious too, and a fresh lemonade completed the picture. I'm ecstatic that this place is within striking distance of my regular Chicago hotel...I will definitely be back! read more

Although the food is very good it is hard to give them a 5 star rating due to the long wait time. I understand meals cooked to order take longer but 40 minutes when the place is less than half full takes away from a dining experience at a place without servers. Most patrons around me walked to the counter to check in their orders. Maybe they can pare down the menu or hire additional staff to speed things up. It's a shame because the food was good and I really wanted to like this place. read more

While I was in Chicago for an event I ate here two times. The food and service were both amazing, but what stood out to me was how the staff went above and beyond. Due to misreading the hours I got there right before the place closed, which I never like to do, but the staff was still super nice. I almost left without silverware and the lady working there stopped me to remind me to take some. Super friendly staff and some great Puerto Rican food. I will be going back again next time I visit Chicago. read more

Let me tell you. THIS WAS THE BEST THING I ATE when I was in Chicago. I knew I had to visit Pilsen while visiting Chicago for the first time. Coming from the West Coast, we mainly have Mexican, Guatemalan, or El Salvadorean food. Muy rico, tried and true. But Puerto Rican is more rare. So when I saw those bright and beautiful PR flags out by the front entrance, and an almost full-house at 2pm in the afternoon, I knew I had to check Jibarito Shop out. I knew I had to get a jibarito because of the namesake. I love that there's a half and a full sandwich option. I was here solo, so I happily ordered the half option...but could've easily given into eating a full order. A jibarito is scrumptious, fried plantains as the "buns" or "bread" with the meat of your choice, and side of flavorful yellow rice and beans. I went with bistec. You're handed a number and wait for your food to be delivered to your table. The first bite blew my friggin' mind. Flavor, fat, and WOW. As someone who loves all fries, having that crunch and oil from the crispy plantains was gluttonous. Rice was so good, I was licking the paper bowl. Atmosphere feels homey and open, and there's lots of table options but they fill up quick because of how popular they are. Good for families but smaller groups. Restrooms are clean and single-stall. Service is so friendly and efficient. Shoutout to the magic hands who blessed us with delicious meals. I am still dreaming of what I ate at Jibarito Shop. Please come to California! read more

The Jibarito Stop - Jibarito de bistec. Holy mind blown! - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is not the original Jibarito stop from 18th Pilsen . This is imitation. I don't know if moving downtown changed the quality and the authentic food but this is not it. I was not satisfied with the empanadas beef or chicken. They have changed the dough. It does not taste good at all the potato ball does not taste good either. They have a funny after taste The potato ball taste like it's soaked in too much water or cooked too long mushy very weird though 18th and Pilson was known for the authentic Puerto Rican food, this location has imitation Puerto Rican food the chicken jibarito sandwich was still tasty. Everything else very disappointed. Please do not portray to be 18th Pilson if you are not them I did not enjoy this food last night. You're making me think you're portraying to be someone you're not I usually don't leave reviews, but I was very dissatisfied with this food. Do not change how you cook if this is the same location if it's not the same location do not portray to be jibarito stop on 18th please if you are them go back to the way things were if it's not broke do not change it! I need to investigate and see if they are same ppl. Bc clearly it's not as of now! I ate there a lot and my first time here so i know it's definitely different read more

The Jibarito Stop - An empanada and potato Ball from jibarito stop on Wabash not the same from 18th not satisfied - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went in on a Thursday afternoon for lunch. The place was packed not a single table available. The dining area is a bit on the smaller side but still a decent size. You go to the counter to place your order. The guy taking my order at the counter seemed like he was rushing me to complete my order but otherwise everyone else was nice and accommodating. The food order was placed and the food was brought out to the table. I got a half Jibarito with steak. The flavors were incredible and the steak was tender and juicy. I also got a beef empanada, which was also packed with meat and flavors were delicious. Lastly I also got a bacalaito just as something extra to try. It was basically a flat crispy fish fritter and was so good I had to eat the whole thing. Overall the food was quite delicious and packed with flavor. Definitely give them a try if you're in the area you won't be disappointed with the food. read more

Ever heard of a jibarito, much less had one? I had never heard of them and was unfamiliar with Puerto Rican food until the Chicago Redditors suggested tourists try it out. Boy, did the hype not disappoint at The Jibarito Stop. LOGISTICS As a tourist staying downtown near Millennium Park, this was easy to get to via the Pink Loop CTA line. The shop is super close to the stop and they have a good amount of seating indoors, though larger groups may struggle with getting seats together. You order at the front, but they will bring your food to the table. Drinking water is available for free. FOOD True to its name... they have Jibaritos here, which are Puerto Rican sandwiches where fried plantain are used instead of bread with a protein choice. The name also seems specific to Chicago as they are not part of typical Puerto Rican cuisine, but nonetheless they are DELICIOUS. All Jibarito options come with the choice of rice (red beans and rice or yellow rice). They also come in a "full" and "half size"... if I'm being honest the "full size" is really just two separate "half size" sandwiches. A half sandwich is plenty with a lot of protein. If you can share with someone else and order a "full" jibarito, it should still come as 2 separate sandwiches and then you have room to try another time in the menu. Steak Jibarito (Full Portion) w/ Yellow Rice: This was my favorite thing I ate during my Chicago visit, it was a good balance of sweet and savory. The steak is thinly sliced, not too chewy, and goes well with the creamy garlic sauce they put on it. The greens also made it refreshing. The plantains are also thin with a little crisp and chew and add a little bit of sweetness. However you need to really grab onto the sandwich with both hands to ensure it doesn't fall apart. Yellow rice was also really good with some beans in it for extra protein. I think it's cooked with a broth since it was flavorful on its own. Fritter Sampler: This was a great mix of fried goodies to taste. First the dough on the empanadas was light and crisp in texture. Fillings were generous on all of them - very flavorful with a variety of spices. My favorite was the shrimp one that had a bit of kick, and I think it was filled with either pumpkin/squash or a potato? Although it came with one of each, every fritter was really big and easily shareable between 2 people. I struggled to finish my half, especially with that large potato ball filled ground beef. Fritters also came with 2 sauces... an orange-ish spicy sauce and cilanto cirtus salsa that was delicious. Be sure to pour them onto the fritters as you eat them! OVERALL Great food for the price and portions! My partner and I were stuffed between the fritter sampler and full size portion of Jibarito. I am really happy I ventured out of the main downtown area to check this place out. As a tourist and first timer when it came to Puerto Rican food... this place was amazing! Jibaritos have become my new food obsession and I will be planning on coming back for more next time I'm in Chicago. Skip the hot dogs and pizzas, do not sleep on Puerto Rican food and The Jibarito Stop delivers on flavor! read more

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Oh wow, The Jibarito Stop is one stop I would make on a weekly basis! The food her on par with any Puerto Rican shop in the city! Quality is definitely what TJS is known for in my book! The service on the other hand was pretty slow but, the quality of the food made up for that. The atmosphere made me think about being in an island space. If you wanna make that stop make it to The Jibarito Stop! read more

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Monfongo was sitting in oil which any time I've order this in other restaurants its not served like that. Small rice size was ridculious for the price they charge ate that in 2 spoonfuls, $38.00 later... read more

Tried to walk in and place an order. The Toast screen wasn't reading either chip or swipe and no option for cash. What the hell? You've lost me as a customer if I have to go through all that crap and can't pay in cash. Wish I could give 0 stars. Terrible. read more

4.5 stars. This space has tons of character that a taco bell does not even contemplate on a wet dream(see pics). Let's start with the great tasting rice infused with the broth it was boiled in - excellent! The guava drink is both sweet and not sour with the guava flavor coming out just right. As for the Jibarito, it's like a premium burger because it's steak vs ground beef but I've had better(thus the 4.5 stars). The plantain(as opposed to bread) means you can eat without feeling guilty. Portions here are large with a real chill staff. Overall a great value proposition. read more

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Very disappointed by this because I was so excited to eat it! My coworkers and I ordered a bunch of food for pickup to eat for lunch as it was recommended. The arroz con gandules were solid, but unfortunately my jibarrito was soggy and missing cheese so pretty tasteless. The meat itself was good, but they didn't drain it so it sat in the container being soaked up by the bottom plantain. Again, they missed my cheese so it just wasn't enjoyable. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This has been one of my FAVORITE Puerto Rican restaurants for YEARS, but recently they added a VEGAN MENU!!!! Yes - VEGAN PUERTO RICAN FOOD and it's SO GOOD!!! Since I don't eat pork or beef, I tend to miss out on some of my Puerto Rican foods that I used to love but what they offer?!? I forgot that I wasn't eating meat! The STK Mofongo was heavenly! Those plantain mash with all the flavors and seasonings, all the garlic - my goodness!!!! The vegan appetizers were super good too!!! The empanada was my favorite- cheese, sweet plantains and "beef." I could eat a whole basket of them! And of course I had to get a chicken jibarito bc it's one of my favorite foods! Their chicken is so well seasoned and moist! If you want AUTHENTIC Puerto Rican food with some CRAZY GOOD VEGAN PUERTO RICAN FOOD options - get here and tell em that Bri from Planes and Plates sent you! read more

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I have passed Jibarito Stop many times, but thanks to Yelp, I was suggested to try it out. It was a nice day so we decided to eat outside and sit in the umbrella-seated area. The waitstaff checked on us frequently and was accommodating. I would say the person taking the order was a bit dry in his attitude and kinda reminded us throughout the entire experience. The food was okay. I got the steak Jibarito with beef and chicken empanadas which were okay. My sister got an empanadas basket with beans, white rice, and a side of plantains. I washed it down with coffee, which was okay. Overall, it was okay. Not the best but also not bad at all. If you're in the area and looking for empanadas, it's not a bad choice. Rating: 3 out of 5 read more

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First time here and won't be my last. Jibarito 5/5 Parcha drink 5/5 Papá relleno 4/5 rice 4/5 Overall 4.5 out of 5 only bc I found a female hair in my food other than that it was delicious . read more

The Jibarito Stop - Steal jibarito rice papa relleno - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Jibarito Stop is AH-MAZING! Get to this place pronto if you want delicious authentic Puerto Rican food! I had their steak jibarito which was PHENOMENAL! Also enjoyed their fritter place with all their empanadas, their relleno was outstanding! This cute little spot is intimate, but has a decent amount of seating if you would like to dine in. The service was great, I was greeted with a smile and my food came out relatively quickly! Definitely would highly recommend! read more

Everything I tried (steak jibarito with arroz con gandules and plantains) was so delicious and flavorful! Cooked to perfection! The tostones were crispy and fresh! Would highly recommend, definitely will be back!! read more

The Jibarito Stop - Steak Jibarito (half) with Arroz con Gandules (sm) * contains ham and Sweet Plantains - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food here seems to always be good. Short line, place order and grab a table number. Super efficient. I'm honest I have limited my options of trying here only because the roast pork was my first love. So I think outside of that I've only tried the empanadas. Good good good. Give 'em a try. read more

The Jibarito Stop - The roast pork platter...yummy - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a solid counter-order spot on Pilsen's 18th St. serving flavorful, garlicky jibaritos, plates, etc. It wasn't too crowded for a Saturday lunch, but most of the tables were full. The inside ambience is chill and relaxed. I ordered the Vegan Steak Mofongo Plate and Full Chicken Jibarito to share with one other person, and it was a hefty amount of food that left us both quite full and satisfied. Both tasted flavorful, but overly salty, as we were both extremely thirsty afterwards. And although I'm normally a huge fan of garlic, I must say that the garlic flavor in both dishes was a bit overpowering. I personally liked the Vegan Steak Mofongo Plate better, as it had a more eclectic mix of textures and flavors, from the delicious beans mixed in rice to the vegan steak and soft, garlicky mash exterior. The jibarito was similarly flavorful but difficult to consume cohesively in one piece. The prices are pretty fair, especially for the portion sizes. Although I didn't love how salty and overly garlicky the food was, it did hit the spot overall and I would love come back to try the other items on the menu. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.5/5 Food: 4/5 Ambience: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 (quick and friendly ordering and service) Overall Value: 4/5 read more

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Hi friends! Happy 2025! I was craving something different and I've been seeing this place pop up. It's super close to me. However, it was snowing and I don't do the cold so DoorDash it was. I see you giving me side eye, don't judge me lol. I really do enjoy Puerto Rican food I just don't eat it very often, so I was very excited for this meal . I ordered a beef empanada, a relleno fritter and the pork chop plate. Oh, with lemonade(fresh squeezed of course) First things first, my food arrived VERY hot and fresh. I could tell that it had just been made. The beef empanada was very flavorful and I really appreciated that the pastry was tasty and didn't taste like the oil that it had been cooked in. It also wasn't greasy AT ALL. I was very impressed . The relleno fritter(it's essentially mashed potato that's fried and stuffed with cheesy beef) also, not super greasy. I'm funny about pork so I was skeptical about the chops. Oh! The plate comes with two chops, and two sides. I chose the rice and the sweet plantains. The pork chops were well cooked and seasoned nicely. A little on the salty side for me BUT if you made a perfect bite with that delicious garlicky rice (my fav thing tbh) and some of that plantain, each flavor complimented the other PERFECTLY! Let's not forget about the lemonade, it was absolutely hand squeezed ! You guys know how I feel about my beverages lol. It was perfectly balanced between tart and sweet without one or the other being overpowering. I found myself wishing for a larger size though . All in all, a delicious meal and I would absolutely order again! This was a lovely first ordered out meal of the year! I will be spinning the block again and trying something else soon! My total was 32.08 without tip and after 44.75. Thank you so much for a beautiful and well made meal! I appreciated it very much! Keep up the great work! read more

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So good I almost forgot to take a pic I can eats these everyday Service just a little bit slow but it's worth the wait read more

The Jibarito Stop - Steak Jibarito (Full) Alcapurria Fritter - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I miss y'all so much I could use a platter of arroz con gandules, a lechon jibarito and a sampler for the Benito Bowl tonight.

Fantastic Puerto Rican place that offers flavors new to my American palate! This was the pork stew. I love the cheese beef bake. I also recommend the chicken rice and of course the jibaritos! read more

The Jibarito Stop - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It doesn't really get much better than this. My mother is Puerto Rican in this food is better than hers... They truly make it homestyle and everything is delicious and prepared quickly. You could have a date here or you can get takeout, which is what I usually do... And then I go home and pretend that I'm getting home cooked food alone because there's no one around to tell me I'm not. read more

Came across this restaurant on accident and I was pleasantly surprised! It's cute on the inside with plenty of room to sit and enjoy your meal! When you walk in you go straight to the cashier and order your food and honestly she could have been a little more friendly because I had to ask her if she was ok. Cause clearly she wasn't but she said she was fine so I did my part.. anyway I ordered Tostones, Jibarito with steak and the Carne Frita to go... honestly the food looked delicious and smelled great but I was not in love with my Jibarito or tostones and I think it's because my plantains were not fried hard enough for my liking and I didn't like the flavor or the sauce that they put on my sandwich. If I would have known then I would have ordered it without it. But the star of the show is the Carne Frita! I could eat that all day! The meat was cooked and seasoned perfectly!! I would have liked it to be fried a lil harder/crispier but if there was ever a reason for me to go back and I will it would be for the Carne Frita!! My mouth is drooling as I type! Definitely worth the try.. read more

Chicago food inventions are numerous, and many are good but some are bad. It can be quite a surprise when learning one of the inventions is the jibarito. The Jibarito Stop is just one of many places to get this. A lot of people think it was created in Puerto Rico, but it was actually here. The sandwich made with fried plantains instead of bread was inspired by Puerto Rican cuisine but it's local. After hearing about this sandwich, I needed to go somewhere to get it. Is there anywhere better than Pilsen? There's crap tons of Mexican and Puerto Rican food there. Bringing along the girl, we made our way here. It's not that hard finding jibaritos in town. What's harder is finding ones that are vegan or vegetarian. Luckily this place has one. There's no alcohol but there's Puerto Rican pop. Kola Champagne is pretty good. The Vegan Jibarito was quite a meal. It's $11 but it's big. This one was made with vegan versions of cheese and mayonnaise. Good flavor. This also had beans, garlic oil, lettuce, rice, and tomatoes. Go here for great jibaritos. It's a lot of food for a meal. This is one of the few places to get versions for vegans and vegetarians. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Kola Champagne And Vegan Jibarito - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My favorite restaurant in the entire city! Excellent food, friendly staff, don't hesitate to try this place!

I got the 1/2 jibarito sandwich with chicken and avocado. The chicken had other spices except salt so it tasted bland. The fried plantain was not salted, and the unseasoned chicken and the water from the tomato made for a rather disappointing meal. read more

The Jibarito Stop - Puerto Rican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois