ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine

Name: ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine
Address: 3231 N Clark St ste 4, Chicago, IL, United States, 60657-2172
Telephone: (872) 315-2034
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.6

4.6

40 Reviews

$30 and under

Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 16, 2024

7:00 p.m.

Booked 16 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighbourhood gem
Innovative
Great for brunch

We celebrate the culinary connections between the Oaxacan region in Mexico and a neighboring international cuisine. It highlights the vibrant flavors, traditional techniques, and unique ingredients of Oaxaca, while also incorporating elements and influences from a neighboring culinary tradition.

Meet Carlos Lopez Muñoz, a culinary virtuoso hailing from the vibrant tapestry of Oaxaca, Mexico. His gastronomic odyssey began in the heart of his family's kitchen, weaving a narrative steeped in the rich culinary tradition of "El Istmo."

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Regional Mexican
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Fri–Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Thu–Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(872) 315-2034
Website
https://www.istmochicago.com/
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Carlos Lopez Muñoz
Catering
contact@istmochicago.com
Private party facilities
Join us for an unforgettable experience celebrating the vibrant spirit of Oaxaca! Immerse yourself in an exquisite culinary experience featuring authentic Oaxacan cuisine, known for its rich and diverse flavors. Our skilled chef will delight your palate with traditional dishes, crafted with the freshest local ingredients and time-honored recipes.

Location
3231 N Clark St ste 4, Chicago, IL 60657-2172
Neighbourhood
Lake View
Parking details
None
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch

Experiences

ISTMO NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER
US$95.00 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
Join Istmo for an enchanting New Year's Eve celebration! This experience is $95 per person and includes a 5-course tasting menu and a bubbly toast of Monte Xanic Rose with an option to enhance your experience with a wine pairing or cocktails for $45. We look forward to toasting to 2025 with you as we reflect on the past year. We can't wait to share this special evening with you!

What 40 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago
Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine brings authentic flavors with "extraordinary food" and exceptional service. Guests rave about the "amazing chef" and flavorful dishes like enchiladas and tlayuda. The cozy ambiance and friendly staff make it a neighborhood gem. While some aspects can improve, the anticipation for dinner service is high.

40 Reviews

M
Michael
Chicago
20 reviews
vip
4.0
20 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
The food was excellent, the music a little loud, the service attentive.
Is this helpful?
J
Judy
Chicago
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Great elevated food. Quality ingredients and beautiful presentation Service a little slow and close tables which create a noisy atmosphere
Is this helpful?
B
BLANCA
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very delicious food and mocktails! I was impressed with all the layers of flavor in the dishes we tried. I didn’t much like the dessert but everything else more than made up for that!
Is this helpful?
S
Silvia
Chicago
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
Not worth the hype! Bad service, like in a hurry , food was regular
Is this helpful?
A
Amanda
Los Angeles
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
I mean…it wasn’t even fine. It was just a poor excuse for good food guys. Bummer central.
Is this helpful?
K
Karthik
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was great; chef spoke to us to for 20 mins about his influences. Awesome experience
Is this helpful?
L
Laly
Chicago
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is fantastic and the service amazing as well.
Is this helpful?
M
Matthew
Chicago
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, handsome and comfortable dining room, helpful and attentive staff. We went for breakfast, and will definitely go back for dinner some time soon.
Is this helpful?
P
Priya
Chicago
138 reviews
vip
5.0
138 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Second time visiting. All the dishes we’ve tried have been tasty and service was friendly! The mocktails are really excellent and the tinga is delicious.
Is this helpful?
D
David
Chicago
76 reviews
vip
4.0
76 reviews
Dined on November 25, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
after having great brunch here joined them for their 3rd night of dinner service. the food was amazing. my friend raved about his chicken with mole . still no liquor license but BYOB worked well . def worth a visit will be back
ISTMO Oaxacan CuisineResponded on December 3, 2024
Thank you for joining us for both brunch and one of our dinner services! We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the food, especially the chicken with mole—it's a favorite. We appreciate your understanding regarding the liquor license, and we're glad that BYOB worked well for you. Your support means a lot to us, and we’re excited to welcome you back again soon for another wonderful dining experience.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine is rated 4.6 stars by 40 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 16, 2024

7:00 p.m.

Booked 16 times today

Experiences are available.

3231 N Clark St ste 4, Chicago, IL 60657-2172

Additional information

Neighbourhood
Lake View
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Fri–Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Thu–Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Regional Mexican
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Executive Chef
Carlos Lopez Muñoz
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch

Website
https://www.istmochicago.com/
Phone number
(872) 315-2034
Catering
contact@istmochicago.com
Private party facilities
Join us for an unforgettable experience celebrating the vibrant spirit of Oaxaca! Immerse yourself in an exquisite culinary experience featuring authentic Oaxacan cuisine, known for its rich and diverse flavors. Our skilled chef will delight your palate with traditional dishes, crafted with the freshest local ingredients and time-honored recipes.

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

ISTMO NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

Menu

What 40 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine restaurant rated?

Is ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information