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ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine, Chicago, IL

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine

4.6
4.6
80 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 31 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
  • Innovative
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.

Experiences

  • ISTMO NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

    USD 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!
    ISTMO NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 80 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.

80 Reviews

  1. Sara

    Minneapolis

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    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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  2. Priya

    VIP

    Chicago

    139 reviews

    5.0

    139 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    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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  3. Nery

    Chicago

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    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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  4. Danna

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Been here a few times, the food is always wonderful and the service very good. Staff is very nice and checks in frequently for refills and to see how we’re doing. Will definitely come back for dinner service.

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  5. Brian

    Cancun

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went for dinner with a Hinge date. I've been for brunch and loved it so was curious what dinner was like. Ordered the Hamachi, Pineapple aguachile, and another plate. Everything was fantastic 👌. Cucumber margarita and the Strawberry Fields were my favorites. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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  6. Mike

    Chicago

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is authentic, creative and delicious. We had the hamachi, the hummus, the chicken and the flank steak. All were amazing. The Mexican Penicillin cocktail was the best, and our server Eddie was very attentive and helpful. I highly recommend it!

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  7. Val

    Atlanta

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on 7 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The service and drinks were amazing. The food not so much. I had the fish and it was severed with beans instead of the sweet plantains, and the fish was extremely tough and overcooked. The bread served on the side did not taste great and was like sandpaper.

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  8. Adrian

    Chicago

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 2 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Overall good experience our waiter on 2/2 around 1pm was not present at all…we were sat on time without menus by the host and waited 20 minutes for anyone to come over and greet us…shout to the amazing food runner that lady was great and should should be a server…she made our day by frequently checking in on us and sold us on dessert even though we were so full Food was great overall 

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  9. DONALD

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Spectacular, flavor incredible. Speechless . Looking forward to repeat once I visit the city again .

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  10. David

    VIP

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great meal and service at one of our new favorite restaurants!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine is rated 4.6 stars by 80 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 31 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for ISTMO Oaxacan Cuisine

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

Additional information

  • Area
    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.
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