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2
Tue, 19/03
20:00

Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value

Location and contact

West Loop
1.3 km from Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower
About
Leña Brava — ”ferocious firewood” – celebrates classic Mexican dishes cooked over hardwood fire. Join us in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options
Meals
Dinner, Drinks
CUISINES
Mexican, Latin
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
Reviews (188)
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186 results
Traveller rating
102
54
23
3
4
Traveller type
Time of year
LanguageEnglish
Traveller rating
102
54
23
3
4
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All reviews al pastor carnitas guac chilli pork steak lena
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Reviewed 14 August 2023

This was our third time at Lena Brava and it didn't disappoint. The flavors of the dishes our exceptional and this time, I had the best sea bass I've ever had. Good service, great drinks and great atmosphere. Can't wait to go back.

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed 3 October 2022 via mobile

We visited Lena Bravo Saturday, October 1, 2022. Really tried to order a variety of dishes, so we could share. Excellent drinks and Mezcal selection. Skip the basic margarita, Costco makes a better mix. The Highlight of diner were the melted queso fresco and grilled...shrimp. I did not know queso fresco melts, with garlic oil and hot bread, yummy. All down hill from there. Shirt steak was medium rare , under seasoned and seemed to be cut with the grain because I could not chew it. The pork Al pastor must have been cut from a pork shoulder because again, it was not chewable. Baked oysters were nothing great. Basic Mexican was poorly executed. Chips were stale, food was not hot. Final bill $490. I don't understand the great reviews. Maybe the D team was in the kitchen on Saturday night. Would not come back, unless I couldn't make the melted queso fresco myself.More

Date of visit: October 2022
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Reviewed 25 July 2022

Had a wonderful time!! Great food and ambiance! We ordered Guac and chips, Taquitos and carnitas. Everything was so good!!! We will be back again soon.

Date of visit: June 2022
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Reviewed 20 July 2022

The best empanadas and green Chile -chicken enchiladas ever! Really enjoyed the eclectic mix of food and drinks on offer. Food and service were great. Made for a great night.

Date of visit: July 2022
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Reviewed 13 July 2022 via mobile

Terrible The food was too Spicy for me The waiter took forever to come and check to see if we needed anything

Date of visit: July 2022
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Reviewed 28 October 2021

These folks are great. We are from out of town, arrived without a reservation, they were apologetic (!) and seated us at the bar. Lupe and her staff then proceeded to treat us like family: the food was amazing and we had the very best...time. Thank you very much!. We will be back!More

Date of visit: October 2021
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Reviewed 21 October 2021 via mobile

Excellent food and stellar service. We couldn’t have been happier with our dinner on a Tuesday night. We were greeted like friends and treated like regulars, seated at the bar because we hoped to eat dinner earlier than our 8:30 reservation after a long day...of work. The food we ordered—charred queso, carne asada and plantains (oh…those plantains…)—was excellent and presented with care. Our neighbors at the bar ordered sea bass and shared a taste with us…wow. Kudos to Lupe at the front desk and to Charlie and our super-nice barkeep behind the bar. I would go back in a heartbeat.More

Date of visit: October 2021
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Reviewed 3 August 2021 via mobile

Just walking in was amazing, the open kitchen and the wood fire smell I knew I was in for a great experience. As our first trip to Chicago, we couldn’t have had a better experience! Our server was very attentive and made some great suggestions...- even for gluten-free. We ordered the Short Rib, Half Chicken, the Striped Bass, Ceviche and the Cheese. The striped bass butterflied and seasoned two-ways was absolutely AMAZING and stole the show for sure. The most tender and flavorful fish I’ve had in quite some time! Highly recommend eating here and will certainly be back!!More

Date of visit: August 2021
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Reviewed 11 October 2020 via mobile

Excellent meal. Excellent service. Excellent vibe. One of the best meals we have recently had. I cannot recommend enough our experience this evening. A well executed experience that we will certainly be coming back to enjoy again.

Date of visit: October 2020
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Reviewed 21 September 2020 via mobile

I went we my husband for a sunday late lunch and it was awesome!! The portions are kind of small, we shared 3 plates and the three were spectacular. We're both mexican and the food has the real mexican flavor!!! We had the smores for...dessert and were truly surprise.More

Date of visit: September 2020
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 28 July 2020

Great flavors, simple menu, small portions, but good quality food. Our server was professional, but not too friendly. The biggest let down was when I ordered an in house beer, I was served a think glass half full and a lot of head. A fail...for a brewery.More

Date of visit: July 2020
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Reviewed 9 March 2020 via mobile

We enjoyed a fantastic meal at this gem in the West Loop - one of Rick Bayless’s famous restaurants! Rick Bayless is not just a great chef, he is a great teacher and mentor. He has encouraged and trained people in his restaurants so Chicago...now has countless remarkable chefs who started out under his discerning eye and with his astute guidance. We started early, thank goodness, because the restaurant gets quite loud once it’s full. The food was delicious, innovative, and beautifully served. We adored the melt-in-your mouth short ribs and the superbly prepared cod. Our starters were well-balanced and spicy enough to be memorable, but not over the top, for palettes fearful of too much heat. The dessert, which four of us shared, brought everything together with a lovely finish. Our waiter was excellent and provided good descriptions and suggestions. The restaurant is in a very busy area, so consider valet parking rather than seeking a space. (Spot Hero got us a place at 333 Green Street, about 5 blocks away.) Everything was first class. Thank you, Rick Bayless - you are a treasure! Chicagoans and visitors celebrate the quality, vitality and welcome of your restaurants!More

Date of visit: March 2020
Helpful?3  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 29 February 2020

The food, the drinks, the wine, the dessert and the service were all excellent. Be prepared to be sitting close to other tables. This is also not an inexpensive place to go. Be prepared for a large bill. This is definitely a place to go...to again. Rick Bayless does it again.More

Date of visit: February 2020
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Reviewed 16 February 2020 via mobile

My wife and I celebrated Valentines Day weekend with dinner at Lena Brava and it was great. The short ribs were sublime and so was the black cod. Before that I had the taco appetizer which was fabulous. Be advised if you’re a couple you’ll...be seated very close to your fellow diners-the tables are about a foot apart, but that wasn’t an issue for us. You should go.More

Date of visit: February 2020
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Reviewed 12 February 2020 via mobile

What can I say, he really understands the real mexican flavors and gives it a great upscale twist! Great selection of Mexican wines and I had a mezcal drink with pineapple and chile morita that was perfect!

Date of visit: February 2020
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Questions & Answers
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Laker1984
13 September 2019|
AnswerShow all 5 answers
Response from John B | Reviewed this property |
Casual but don't wear bib overalls.
0
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Patrick D
31 October 2018|
Answer
Response from 686maryz |
Not that I saw posted anywhere
0
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Lena Brava, Chicago - West Side - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Leña Brava

Leña Brava is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4