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

87 Reviews

$30 and under

Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 24, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 13 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighbourhood gem
Charming
Good for special occasions

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 87 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
4.5Service
4.5Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine delights with "amazing food" and a "wonderful experience." Chef Carlos impresses with his "genius with flavors," bringing authentic Oaxacan cuisine to Chicago. The vibrant ambiance and friendly service make it a neighborhood gem. Brunch and dinner menus both offer "delicious" and "beautifully prepared" dishes. Highly recommended for a memorable dining experience.

87 Reviews

C
Carrie
Chicago
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and drinks! Atmosphere was also pleasant. Not too loud as most other popular restaurants in Chicago. Highly recommend pork and mole.
Is this helpful?
D
Deep
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server was extremely friendly and helpful, the food was phenomenal, and the prices were very reasonable for the quality of food. Highly recommend!!
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D
David
Chicago
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Servers were—no, server—was overwhelmed and very slow.
Is this helpful?
C
Cynthia
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I went in the evening for a dinner date night. The food and drinks are amazing! The tables were a bit too close to the other party, but aside of that the food was the best, great customer service! I will definitely be going back to check out in the morning!
Is this helpful?
C
Christine
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was AMAZING - delicious meal with outstanding service! Very unique!!!!!!!
Is this helpful?
V
Vaness
Phoenix
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and drinks were delicious, staff was extremely welcoming and friendly!
Is this helpful?
A
Anthony
Kansas City
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
The food is great, very unique in Chicago which is hard to do. The service was not as great.
Is this helpful?
S
Sara
Minneapolis
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
Was truly looking forward to Istmo (and reserved it for a special anniversary), but we were quite disappointed by everything we ordered. It is a gorgeous place, but the food was bland overpriced.
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P
Priya
VIP
Chicago
139 reviews
5.0
139 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Brunch was fantastic interesting cocktails and flavorful food (potatoes were particularly perfect). Service was very friendly as well!
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N
Nery
Chicago
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
El restaurante tiene muy buen ambiente y las bebidas están bien. Pero el servicio es pésimo y muy lento, me sentaron en la barra y el bartender nunca me ofreció un bebida mientras esperaba mi mesa, a la comida le hace falta mucho para ser un platillo placentero, platillos muy pequeños para el precio que tienen, el postre es muy pequeño y no tiene nada que ver con el menú. El servicio es lento y no pueden ofrecerte más agua del que deberías tener en tu mesa. El mesero muy amable pero creo que les hace falta ser un poco más rápidos para el servicio al igual que la cocina está muy lento y tuvimos que esperar más de 30 minutos para los platos pequeños. Creo que van por buen camino pero les hace falta mucho trabajo en la comida y el servicio.
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FAQs

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine is rated 4.6 stars by 87 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 24, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 13 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 87 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine restaurant rated?

Is ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information