What a sweetheart the guy is who works here taking orders for Gloria in the back. My friend and I were starving by 2PM one day so we dropped in for lunch. The food was simple but quick and delicious. The empanadas and chimi churri were pretty good. Not the best I've had, but perfect when you're starving! The rice was nice and perfectly cooked to go along with the fried plantains, which were of course the best part of lunch. It's great for a quick meal if you're in the area!
Review Source:Gloria's is the epitome of the solid neighborhood spot. The food here is a mixed bag, with some definite highlights and some entrees that are only average. The standout is the jibarito, but beware as it seems to take forever for them to make it. I have tried a few of the entrees but they always seem a little bland to me, luckily they have real hot sauce instead of Tabasco. The service is relaxed and friendly and the prices are cheap for what you get. All in all I wouldn't necessarily go out of your way to hit this spot up, but if you are in the area, its worth it for something different.
Review Source:I went there on my birthday as a last minute choice because the restaurant I was intending to go to didn't open until later on.  So, my boyfriend and I thought  "Well, you can't go wrong, it's Latin food."  See, we both have been to another Colombian restaurant in the past and it's become one of ours gems and we thought this would be the same. Â
We ordered the carne asada which the menu said came with yuca, rice and beans, fried plantains and a small salad.  I was shocked when our food came out within 10 minutes or so....did you really cook the carne asada that fast? Sure enough I was disappointed.  The meat had no flavor and it wasn't grilled, it was done on a flat top grill which obviously gives very very veryyyy different results. The steak tasted as though it was just seasoned with Adobo Goya. I continued through my meal thinking, well at least I have the sweet plantains at the end.  Nope, they had no sweetness to them at all.  We didn't get any lime or dressing with our salad so we had to ask the waitress for limes.  She only brings us half of a lime....not enough for both of our salads.  I also wanted a salsa to go along with my meat.  I'm hispanic so I'm used to always having a salsa when I'm eating meat.  She brought out a horrible salsa that didn't even look appetizing.  It was cilantro and onion swimming in water with a tad of jalapeño. The beans were really good though but I never got the yuca the menu said I would get.
The mango smoothie made with milk was ok. Â At least it got me full because that food left me hangin'.
The place is unbearably quiet too. Â No music playing in the background so it's awkward when you're the only table there and the waitress is just sitting there side glancing at you.
I am never going back there again. Â My birthday outing was ruined. Â If I want to go to a Colombian restaurant I'll go to the one by Montrose and Troy.
My review is based on the carne asada platter and overall experience at the restaurant. Â I haven't tried any other dish, maybe the others are good because of the reviews on here but I do not intend to go back. Â It was such a disappointment which sucked because I really wanted to like this restaurant.
I love this little restaurant and want so much for other people to try them out. It's not a glitzy spot but they're (much more importantly in my opinion) full of good authentic food and the character that makes Chicago dining such a wonderful experience. It feels more like I'm joining Gloria's family for dinner in their home, which is wonderful.
They make my favorite jibaritos in the city... ooh, and their arroz con pollo is amazing! It's good for their business that I'm currently pregnant and almost constantly craving their food! Very highly recommended.
I LOVE GLORIA'S!
Disregard all other reviews that are whiny about service or whatever because I eat here on a monthly basis and have never had any problems. And even if the waitress is a little slow, who the crap cares. The food is out of this world.
Get the chicken with rice and beans and plantains. Someone said that it was bland?! Maybe if you're using bleach for mouthwash. Let me tell you, I worked a restaurant that has received national recognition for it's rotisserie chicken, but Gloria's blows that chicken out of the water every time. Not to mention the prices! Four of us feasted one evening and I think our bill was under 35$.
STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND GO EAT GLORIA'S CHICKEN.
Every time I eat here I always wonder why this place isn't more crowded.
There is usually just one waitress for the entire place (but to be fair, there's maybe only a handful of tables anyways). She is very attentive and offers great suggestions based  on what you like.
I have come here several times before I even became a yelper, and have always been impressed by the timeliness of the food brought to me along with the presentation and taste.
The taste of Colombian food is unique. It's a mix of South American with Caribbean flair. The food here at Gloria's is nothing short of tasteful. If you go before 3 PM you can take advantage of some decently priced lunch specials. I like the carne asada as well as the sobre barriga. Â
Try a Colombian soft drink along with your meal, or BYOB. This place is BYOB and the staff is very accommodating to its guests.
I love this place and am lucky that it's so close to my house! Give this place a shot, it's not just a cafe, it's much more!
The rotisserie chicken was bland- no seasonings. The rice and beans were average flavor. The sweet plantains were barely sweet. The waitstaff not very attentive or professional. By the time I paid for my families meal, I knew I would never visit this place again. I swear I was overcharged somehow, but who wants to argue with someone who'll give you attitude?
(the waitstaff was eating food from another place and that is usually never a good sign...at least eat in the back where customers can't see you)
I've been to Gloria's about 5 times now. I love the food, the licuados, and the service. But be prepared to wait a bit to enjoy their excellent cuisine.
Pro's: Excellent food. Decent and attentive wait staff.
Con's: Slow kitchen. Expect to wait 15 minutes to 1/2 hour for your meal. If theres lots of people it may take longer.
I checked out Gloria's Friday afternoon for lunch. I had the Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice). It was more colorful than flavorful. Â The overfried chicken tasted old. You know that flavor where the grease has really set into something? All over that chicken. The rice and veggies in there were flavorful, but that chicken really ruined it for me. I barely ate half of it, and I'm a clean-plate kinda guy.
My girl got the BBQ salmon, which was a lot better. Â Service was fast and friendly, leaving nothing to be desired there. Prices were alright.
I may go back, just so long as I can get that chicken out of my memory.
I went with a group of friends for dinner on a weeknight and had a great experience overall. Â It is BYOB and no corking charge, so that makes it more economical if you're in the mood for drinks with dinner. Â It is not too far from the Logan Square stop on the Blue Line and there was ample metered street parking available right out front.
We ordered some empanadas - beef, chicken & spinach/potato - to share, which were all really good and only $2.50 per order. Â I had the carne asada, which came with sweet plantains, rice and beans. Â It listed on the menu that fried yuca was also included, but when I asked the waitress about it, she said no so I ordered some on the side instead. Â All of the food was authentic as far as I could tell and was prepared very well. Â
It was a bit more pricey than I originally expected, but was still reasonable for the amount of food. Â I could have easily only eaten half of my meal and been satisfied, but it was so good that I wanted all of it just then!
The restaurant itself is pretty small and was empty when we arrived, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Â Our waitress was very friendly and nice. Â She was just attentive enough without being overbearing. Â It wasn't the type of place that I'd rave about to everyone I know, but I'd definitely go back when I'm in the mood for a good fix of Colombian food.
I love this place! Â I used to live in the area and went there a lot, but I've made a point to return several times since I moved. Â The food is delicious and, judging from my past travels in Colombia, quite authentic. Â Add cheap and byob, and you've got a winner!
The chicken is delicious, but I typically go with the bandeja paisa (although it might have another name on the menu, not sure). Â This is the traditional dish from the Antioquia department of Colombia. Â It is essentially a huge mash-up of rice, beans, Â steak, chicharron, chorizo, some avocado, and a fried egg on top. Â It is AMAZING and I ate it every chance I got while I was in Colombia. Â Pour on some aji (i.e., the sauce they place on the table) mixed with bottled hot sauce for extra kick, and you'll be in heaven. Â As a bonus, it's an obscene amount of food, so you can either share it with your dining companion and have a cheap night out or doggy-bag it for lunch and have double the culinary enjoyment.
I'm quite surprised by some of the more negative reviews here, as I've never had anything less than a great experience. Â Similarly, I've typically been surprised by how quickly the food was ready and I've been there quite a bit. Â Perhaps those who reported long waits were there on an off day or two...
In short, I highly recommend that you check out Gloria's if you haven't been there yet or, if you have, that you drop in and give it another shot. Â I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by this local gem of a restaurant!
This review is more of a 3.5.
Logan Square is full of neat little places to eat and have a decent meal for cheap. Gloria's Cafe is one of those little places that are fun to try when you come across them. The food is Columbian, which is not as exotic as I hoped, but you get a lot of food for very little. It isn't the best meal you'll ever eat, but again for as little as you pay your not getting ripped off. I tend to feel like I get the better end of the bargain here. Â
Basically, for under $20, you can feed 4 people comfortably. I spent about $17 and got a whole roasted chicken, which was not amazing, but not terrible. The meal also included rice, beans, potatoes and plantains. Again, with the exception of the plantains, it was good, but not amazing. I think of it as more of a take-out restaurant with seats. It is BYOB, and that is always a plus. Gloria's however has one major flaw. The service is very slow. The remedy we found is to bring an extra bottle of wine to kill the time. I have done carry-out as well, but be sure to call ahead and order. That way you take the frustration out of waiting.
I think the reviews are a little hard on the restaurant. It is very cheap and that helps when you want to eat out, but are worried about the budget. Also, with BYOB you can get a good buzz without ringing up a huge bill.
I do think people should try this place once if you frequent the area. Most probably won' t like it, and I wouldn't make a special trip. Just set your expectations down a little and don't be in rush. If are able to do that, then I don't think you will be disappointed.
Gloria's is my home cooked food away from home. I am not Colombian or Latino but the food here just related to universal home cooked goodness.
Suffering through three cold and flu cycles this winter, Gloria's chicken rice soup, Soupa de arroz, saved the day.  It is a very light flavorful broth loaded with fresh veggies and skinless pieces of chicken.  Each order comes with a little side of the freshest Chimichurri sauce.  On these days we always ordered to go.  The half chicken meals  are great and always moist.
One morning while doing laundry across the street we stumbled in to have coffee, which was great, and ordered the arepas. I recommend the arepas to everyone. A Colombian breakfast staple of white cheese nestled between two sweet corn cakes, Yum! Â The spinach Empanadas are totally worth a try.
Call ahead for pick up, they are very slow about getting an order out to you if you order in the restaurant. A small place but not a fast food joint. My soup as always made to order!
The food is pretty good, but every time I order take out, it takes FOR - EVA to get my food. Not sure what Gloria is doing back in that kitchen, but you need to plan 45 minutes just for takeout. You might as well just eat in the restaurant at that point. They were nice enough to give me a free soda the first super looong wait I had though.
So the food... the jibaritos and plantains (I love plantains), both tostones and maduros, are yum yum. The rice and beans - average. The prices are pretty cheap for large portions, a HUGE jibarito comes with lots of rice and beans. Enough for two meals really. I live down the street, so I will definitely return. Just wish I didn't have to plan my night around take out...
The tostones (fried green plaintains) were delicious. I also had the yuca, but it wasn't as good. I had a mora (blackberry) liquado, and it was quite tasty. The server hadn't understood when I asked in English if I could make it without milk, so practice your Spanish for best service. I also hadn't seen that they also offered soymilk for the liquados, so check the board on the wall for additional items not listed on the menu.
I was pretty disappointed that the portobello sandwich was not available for some reason; I went with the tomato, basil and avocado sandwich (vegan without the cheese and mayo) instead. It had a good amount of avocado and fresh basil, but the bread was so crunchy that it cut my mouth. Not sure how that happens with a cold sandwich.
Service was slow, considering there were only two other tables. The server would disappear for periods of time and neglect my friends' drinks. Overall, the experience was ok and the food was cheap, but don't have really high expectations.
Price is nice
Wait was audaciously long, and there was only one other table in there. Â We all ordered the same thing so it should never have taken that long. Â
But maybe the fact of how overdone our steak sandwiches where had unfortunately added to the time. Â I like beef jerky and all but i don't remember ordering it.
To get drinks refills and check we needed to go up the counter where they stood around. Â
I was hoping for better, and wishing we had found an out of the way gem. Â But I can't say this place was anything but a dud.
My suggestion to Gloria & Co: Just be a counter service joint.
Seriously, the food was nothing short of fantastic. I had a chicken jibarito, my two dining companions the steak jibarito. Jibarito lovin' all around. They said their steak was a bit tough, but my chicken was perfectly done. All were accompanied with a HUGE side of white rice, and smallish cup of steaming beans. SO good.
The only downfalls of this place; Service. Painfully slow. I think we waited 10 minutes for Cokes, and 25 minutes more for sandwiches. Granted, we were starving...but still, some sort of "it's coming," or "they are just finishing up" would've been appreciated. As it was, I went up to the counter for drink refills, and to pay the check (before it was issued).
The ambience is a little lacking, albeit charming. A good "take out" place, and it certainly filled the 3 of us for $35 including tip. YUM.
At the suggestion of a very friendly and engaging waitress at Frances' deli, we had a birthday celebration at Gloria's early on a Sunday evening. There were eight of us and in spite of the "no reservations" indication on here, they took our information and had a table all set for us. There were few other people there at that time.
It had to have been the best deal in awhile. $110.00 gratuity included, for eight of us. It was BYOB, so we brought a bunch of vino. Took the opportunity to pick up some South American choices from Binny's. We had empanadas for all, which were OK, a round of Arepas which were better. They provided plenty of salsa verde as accompaniment for both. We shared a regular salad with vinaigrette, a Caesar, and a really unique and delicious shrimp and rice salad which came with Saltines. Â Then came the roasted chicken which was plentiful and perfectly juicy. The rice and beans were some of the best I've had.
I would skip the carne asada, as it was dry, thin and shoe leather-ish. I actually don't get the whole Columbian steak thing because I have never had a good steak at a Columbian spot. Argentinian, yes. For example, Tango Sur. But never would I look for a decent steak at a Columbian restaurant.
The service was fine and friendly. They accommodated our oenophile chilling needs and did not even charge a corkage fee. So I would definitely do a group thing here again in a minute. No-one in our group had ever been here, and everyone had a great time.
I have heard mixed reviews of this place all over! Seems like lots of people have eaten here, but I apparently found the best thing on the menu one trip 1. Unfortunantly it was the rice and mango? and shrimp salad with plantain which was sooooooo goood and one of the cheapest dishes on the menu, but that is main reason I got it.... it was priced appropriately and did sound delicious.
So get the rice with stuff salad dish you won't be disappointed, otherwise you most likely will be.
Unbelievably bad, from the extremely rude server to the rotisserie chicken that tasted as if it was cooked last year (dry would have been heavenly compared to this card board!) to the skirt steak advertised as carne asada (they must have a Mexican cook as no self-respecting Colombian would even consider serving this tougher than nails flesh!). Â My Colombian born and raised Wife apologized the entire weekend following our misadventure at this pitiful place.
Having spent quite a bit of time throughout this very beautiful and inviting South American Country, I can emphatically say Colombian food is poorly represented in Chicago.  El Llano is pretty good, Las Tablas has its moments, La Fonda has excellent arepas but, overall, none are "must try" and none have the magic found in even the most basic La Comida Tipica.  All, however, are magnificent when compared to the dregs that is Gloria's Café. Do yourself a HUGE f(L)avor and skip it!
I figured the first-generation Colombian American has to weigh in.
So just to clear a couple things up about cuisine before we start:
Colombian food is a kinda bland. Period. You start getting a little fancier with ingredients as you approach the Caribbean coast, but really be prepared that the only spices employed are salt and pepper. Maybe even just salt. There are plenty of herbs; none of them spicy. The emphasis is always on meat, so vegetarians beware. The side dishes are usually some sort of South American staple, such as plaintains or yucca. Yucca, when prepared well, is delicious, but it has almost 0 nutritional value and starches you down more than an entire sack of potatoes in one sitting.
There is also an emphasis on far too much food. The most commonly observed dish in Colombian restaurants is the Bandeja Paisa, which means "country platter." This mega-dish to eat all other dishes is rice, beans, plantain, egg, avocado, and chicharron/ground beef/some-sort-of-meaty thing on this mega-plate and invariably an arepa and is totally shareable with another person.
Basically think quantity, heartiness and simple flavors.
Now that said, Gloria's is completely authentic and yummy. But you really have to enjoy all the aforementioned things before you can enjoy eating there. I grew up on that stuff, so it's comfort food for me. I often pop in and get a sandwich while I'm doing laundry over at the Scrub-A-Dub.
I have three complaints with Gloria's:
1) The wait is often really long. But as has been mentioned before, that tends to be the status quo among the mom-and-pop-ish eateries around here.
2) The batidos (licuados, "shakes" if you will), have always left with me with a not-happy feeling in my stomach. I have since stopped ordering them.
3) They don't have bocadillos. This is the quintessential Colombian dessert item, and it's totally not there. While to many Spanish speakers "bocadillo" sounds like it means a finger sandwich, to Colombians it means only one thing: A candied guava paste, layered with salty farmer's cheese, wrapped in plantain leaf. This is really heaven on earth, and the most iconic Colombian food item I can think of off-hand (aside buñuelos, which I think they actually might not serve either).
Oh and about arepas - they have almost no flavor and no taste. That's not a Gloria's thing. That's just arepas for you. They're balls of flour. They soak up whatever you dip them in on your plate. That's all.
Go there and try it out. It's really fine and the prices are totally reasonable. There's so much Mexican food in Chicago - there just aren't enough options for interesting Colombian restaurants (unless someone knows of something - and they should message me). I was fortunate enough to grow up in the greater NYC area where they exist a-plenty.
I just popped in for a sandwich and an arepa, to go. It was my first arepa, and it was ok.
I knew it was going to be a long wait just by looking at the place. Even though I was the only one there. I don't know what it is, but the same goes for Rinconcito (the Cuban place next door). Every little mom and pop Latin American place I've been to has the slowest service in the world. I think if I ordered a Coke, it would still take 20 min.
I was prepared for the wait, and they still wore me down.
But I finally got it home, and it was a pretty decent pork loin sandwich. And a good size. Freshly made.
If I'm going to walk up here for lunch or dinner, I might just flip a coin to decide if I go to El Rinconcito or Gloria's. Or call ahead.
I would like to try dinner here sometime if I ever have 5 hours to spend.
Tried out this place for dinner with a friend of mine. I think it's a-ok. Had better colombian food. Â Owner is a nice lady and our waitress was ok too.
I tried both the arepas cheese and corn as an appetizer and thought they were tasty. Not to crazy about the empanadas here. Â I guess bc I expected to have it soft and tasty and not hard and crunchy. For dinner, which by the way are really good size portions, Â I had the Sobre Barriga ala Criolla which is the flank steak in a creole sauce with rice, platains, and potatoes. For me thought it was missin something. Â Can't figure out yet what it is but some kind of flavor. Overall didn't have a bad experience here, might decide to try it again but not sure. o yeah BYOB or try the apple soda it was good =)
Two words. Steak Sandwich. Absolutely fantastic. Chicken and rice and plantains are fantastic as well. My bias towards this cafe is that it was on the corner of the street I lived on, also, it was the first place I ate at in Logan Square, when I was apartment hunting. IN FACT, I chose that apartment because of the steak sandwich. I thought to myself, "Do I want to walk all the way from California and Fullerton to come to Gloria's to eat a steak sandwich? NO" And the rest is history.
I was surprised to see that they expanded the restaurant into the neighboring building; I've never really seen that many people in there. But, what do I know about the restraunteering business? Nothing. Also, I'm not sure that's a word.
So in summary: STEAK SANDWICH. You cannot go wrong with it. Also, bless their hearts; the most confusing thing about the steak sandwich is that every time I got it, it came on a different type of bread from the last time. Also, I was confused how it could take 20 minutes to make one. But again, I don't much about cooking/creating steak sandwiches. I just know that I like eating them. Word of advice: call ahead with them. Don't just pop in if you are hungry.
As much as I lvoe the idea of small family-run South American restaurant in my neighborhood, this place fails on many levels, but the worst (besides the long wait) was the blandness of the food. I swear, I can broil chicken better on my George Foreman grill, and cook better rice in my rice-cooker. Basically the chicken plate I consisted of plain rice, watery beans, tasteless lettuce and a thin, rubbery piece of chicken breast. My friend got the same, only the rubbery chicken replaced with fried onions. Zero flavor. If you must order, stick to the appetizers, which aren't too obnoxious.
Come to this place and try it out yourself before it closes down, hopefully to be replaced with something better.
My wife and I got takeout from this place last night. The tostones were good, but everything else we had was just average, except for the chicken soup -- how do you make chicken soup taste like freakin' MISO?! It was horrible.
Ordering over the phone was a challenge, too -- apparently, they were "out" of the two paninis we were going to order. (WTF? That should never happen at a restaurant that isn't always packed.) Also, when I ordered the chicken platter (as it says on the takeout menu), the lady had no idea what I was talking about.
I'll probably hit this place up again for the tostones, but not for anything else. Pity -- it's real close to my house.
Gloria's is pretty top notch Columbian food. The Bandeja Paisa was an amalgm of many different treats.
We are talking about plantains, bean and rice, sausage, chicharon, and egg. The dish is delicately seasoned and passed on. It felt like I were to go to Gloria's house for a Sunday dinner, this is what we'd be eating.
Great standby simple country food. Done very, very well.
They close so early! 8pm. But if you make it before they close, bring a friend because the food here is so big. Its big and delicious and BYOB- baby!!!
I live across the street from this place and i totally dont go there enough- mainly because they close so early! The service is chill, so i wouldnt eat here if i was in a hurry because they are totally on island time ( and i also dont think you can eat here in a hurry- the food is that big).
I have enjoyed the Jibarito (steak) plenty of times now and It's pretty much always a winner.
The food here is fantastic. Real down home Colombian food as well a decor that reflect the Colombian flag in every way possible.
So it's Colombian, but what does that mean? It means you're going to order things like pork cutlets breaded and fried like super-savory fried-chicken on pannini pressed country bread. I recommend the fried yuca over the fried plaintain, but that's just me. Hell, I'd get a corn cakes with cheese which is essentially sweet polenta or a grit pancake with cheese all up in the middle. Â Another tasty sandwich? The hongo carbon which is regularly sold-out.
Another tip, is if you sit down, ask for the sandwich menu because their regular menu doesn't list them. They have some really great sandwiches which are the super cheap awesome deals.
It's true, the wait service here is slow, but that's why they deliver. Grab one of their little to-go menus and call the delivery number; that's why it's there. I only say that because it seems I'm the first person to review this place and select delivery "yes" as an additional tip.
And the service does improve with regular patronage. Take that as you will.
I really, really, really want to give this place 4 or even 5 stars. Â The food was absolutely off the hook.
For appetizers, we got the arepas (con queso), which were good - about on par with what I've had elsewhere - but by no means bad. Â The salsa verde was great, but something was missing (that will come later). Â We also ordered the ceviche, which came with shrimp, melon, and other fruit. Â The ceviche would have been really awesome if they had given us chips, pita, or something else to dip in it (our arepas came long before the ceviche).
I had the "Country Plate", which is Gloria's version of the Bandeja paisa (the "Paisa dish" of the Paisa region of Columbia). Â It came with steak, chicharrn (pork rind), beans, rice, chorizo, some plantains, a slice of avocado, and an egg. Â Now this was the knockout punch. Â This food was so damn good, it was ridiculous. Â The steak was perfectly done and very flavorful (I believe it was skirt or flank steak). Â And for so much food, the price! Â Que ganga!
The only problem was the service was atrocious. Â We had to seat ourselves. Â The waitress didn't come to get our drink orders first, we had to wedge them in after we ordered our food. Â Our waters were never refilled, and we were never checked on. Â We even had to wait like 15 minutes for her to bring the check over. Â (I assume it was) Gloria and our waitress behind the counter chatting with the guy in the CTA coat (bus driver moonlighting as a waiter/host?) the whole time, and there was only one other party in the restaurant the whole time.
The other thing that bugged the hell out of me is that when asked, the waitress said that they didn't carry sour cream. Â Wha??? Â But more irritating was the lack of attention. Â Maybe they thought because there were only two parties in the restaurant, they could ignore us. Â This was a poor choice and made me leave feeling like I wouldn't be back -- especially since the owner was one of the ones chatting with the delinquent waitress and host. Â
Anyway, I loved, loved the food upon reflection. Â It was so good for the price (2 appetizers and 2 huge dinners and a drink for about $30 - so cheap). Â Regardless, I may come back out of my way just for the food alone to suffer through the non-existent service just because it was so good.
Gloria's Cafe would've easily been rated at 4.5 stars had any form of table service existed.
Its a dark and rainy Monday night, just before 7pm and there is only one other group of diners in the joint. The young waitress sat behind the counter most of the time as we waited. Waited for our order to be taken, waited for water refills (which never happened), waited for to-go boxes and waited for our check. A little too much waiting for my taste.
Speaking of taste, the food was full of it. Delicious flavors from the ceviche to the creole flank steak. It was a great meal and I look forward to trying more menu items.
I'll keep coming back for the food, I just won't expect much attention next time.
This type of place is the reason I love living in Logan Square. Â Gloria's had a laid back South American atmosphere complete with espresso and cafe con leche to sip after your huge meal. Â I felt like a guest in Gloria's home, like I was getting a glimpse of the unique mix of Latin cultures that really defines Chicago.
The beef dish that we shared was comfort food-y like an American pot roast and had delicious (baked?) plantains on the side. Â The cilantro chimichurri that came with the empanadas tasted great on everything. Â But the liquados overshadowed the whole meal as far as I'm concerned. Â I had the avocado (AMAZING!) and Ross had the Colombian tomato (pretty weird but tasty).
I can't wait to go back and try more dishes.
Laura Branigan could walk in to Gloria's Cafe and be scorned. Unless she had a six-pack of Old Style.
At Gloria's Cafe last night, they didn't have our number. They didn't have the alias. But they definitely were living under and they didn't remember what we said.
We excited to try out the fantastic Colombian and friendly down-home atmosphere we had been reading about in "Time Out Chicago" and Yelp. It was encouraging at first -- the brightly painted walls and colourful chalkboard menu were welcoming, the fact that Gloria couldn't speak English meant she knew what she was doing, and not being able to decide on what to order for an entree meant everything sounded good.
We started off with the Colombian-style hummus, which took a really long time to come, but we were so eager to make it a wonderful meal that we made excuses for it -- it was freshly made, and very good. We even forgave the fact that it showed up sans cucumbers and croutons, because the thin slivers of toasted honey wheat bread that came with it were tasty and made us lose our self control. As a result, we asked for more bread -- and that was the beginning of the end.
Disdainfully, the server (other than Gloria) barely acknowledged our request, even as we put in other appetiser orders -- one each of the three empanada flavours and two arepas con queso (corn patties with cheese). Then, we had to ask to order our entrees, which made us feel like we were making her screech her nails down the chalkboard menu. Then, we ordered one Coke, but she brought two, but pulled such a scowl when we said we only needed one that we felt sorry for her making a mistake.
We had two flank steaks with creole sauce and a breaded pork loin -- they were tasty, but not so much that we were willing to immediately become Gloria's Cafe mules. We had to tell them when we were ALL DONE and then rejected the check in order to ask about the day's desserts. The chocolate mousse and tres leches cakes were phenomenal, but that's because they were from the Bleeding Heart Bakery. And after we were ready to settle up -- quite quickly, since dessert was so good and disappeared faster than a Colombian soccer player who scored an own goal -- our server sat down to dinner without checking in and we had to bring our own check in to pay.
I started out with four stars for Gloria's Cafe, but systematically reduced my rating as I remembered each incident of averse antipathy we had to endure in close to three hours there. However, if you brought in a six-pack and wore a tube top like a blonde chick did, then you'll get smiles and jokes and happiness con comida y servicio. And all we thought we had to bring were our appetites.
Price to value, this is one of the better joints in Logan Square. Corkage-free BYOB, quick service, big plates of just-rotisseried chicken, plaintains, Â beans and rice, and scrumptous Colombian-style deep-fried empanadas with a crispy crunchy shell and tender filling all for under $10 per person with tip, make Gloria's a must for value-seekers. Service can be a little slow - hey, they're family. But you'll forgive them because the food is quite tasty.
There aren't a lot of tables, but we were there at 7 pm on Saturday night and there was no issue getting seated. At one point the restaurant was full - but there were still seats at the counter.
They also do takeout, for those wanting to eat at home.
Fantastic.
$10 plates heaping with South American goodness? Check. Â
Imaginative, mouth-watering, authentic food? Check.
The best carne asada I've had anywhere in Chicago? Check.
Charming, non-gentrified atmosphere? Check. Â
BYOB? Check - and no corkage fee, either.
This is basically what Tango Sur hopes to be, except that its surly hosts, ridiculous waits and overpriced food hold it back.
Don't miss it.
I love the fact that there actually is a Gloria and she can only read Spanish. Â Our waiter had to copy everything off of the menu in Spanish so that Gloria could fill our order. Â Now that's authentic!!
The empenadas were yummy. Â The ceviche was good. Â The plantains were out of this world! Â If I could have one wish, it would be for a never ending plate of Gloria's plantains.
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