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Category: Latin American [Edit]
Neighborhood: BucktownWestern (Blue O'Hare)
Tue-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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If yelp had 6 stars I would give Rosa De Lima 6. Nothing fancy, but damn damn good.
So like everyone says its a little hard to find considering the sign doesn't say Rosa De Lima, just look for the address and you'll find it. So it was a Saturday night and we had gone to Cemtias Puebla (great place by the way), but they were closed and I had been wanting to try RDL. It was a little after 9 and they weren't too busy. The 3 of us had a table for 8 I think all to ourselves. On a side note, it was funny to have the Latin music videos on one TV combined with some other Latin TV on at the same time. Its like going back in time when you walk inside.
We all wanted margaritas, so we decided that a pitcher would be a good call and was it ever. Quick FYI, most places make the pitcher and then fill your glass with what's in the pitcher, not Rosa De Lima. Our waitress (who didn't actually understand everything we said, but was super super nice and genuine) brings out 3 full glasses plus a huge pitcher that's completely FULL, AWESOME deal. E said they could have been a little more sour and A didn't pull her weight on the drinking front to begin with, so no comments were taken from her. I thought they were pretty good.
Now on to the food. We shared stuff which is the way to go at RDL because the portions are HUGE. We started with the Ceviche Mixto, you know how you usually get a small little cup of Ceviche, again not at RDL, we got this huge plate that was plenty for the 3 of us to share. You have to get the Ceviche Mixto, its that good! A and E got the half chicken and plantains and a bowl of the pumpkin soup which turned out to be the potato soup. Here's the only time the language thing came up, but it was no big deal because the potato soup was delicious, add in a little of the red hot sauce for a little kick. The little waitress took a look at the us and warned us about the red sauce, but its wasn't crazy spicy. Again be warn its not a bowl or cup of soup but enough soup for four people. I got the Chicken and rice with cilantro sauce and it was really good, but I think there are probably other better things on the menu.
FYI, I guess their new menu doesn't have empanadas anymore, we asked, but no dice. And its super inexpensive. The 3 of us had a huge meal, lots of drinks, (well expect A who was slacking on the drinking) and leftovers for around 70 bucks. Did I mention the full pitcher of Margaritas on top of fulling up your glass?
Great Food, Great Service, Quaint Atmosphere, and lots of Margaritas.
Went back to take my wife a couple days later. The chicken is better at lunch than dinner as I think the "roasting" begins just before lunch and the chickens sit for a bit. Good, but not as fantastic as for lunch. I had the chicken in a cream and walnut sauce and it was very good. A bit heavy, but what in cream isn't? The jalepeno sauce makes for great dipping and an accompaniment for all the items that I have had. Even good for bread dipping.
Same good service and a great price. It moved down a bit in my book, but still a great find. Someone get in there and spend some money as the place seems a bit empty for a big space like that.
Ok, the other reviews with high accolades were spot on. The most flavorful and juiciest roast… Read more »
It would be very foolish of you to not go here and enjoy some chicken.
Everything else has been mentioned in previous reviews, but I don't see the hot sauce getting a lot of press. It's excelente. That's Spanish for excellent.
I honestly thought i needed to review this restaurant based solely on the 7 times i have eaten lunch here, in an effort to help and entice some yelp readers to visit and enjoy its above average and quite affordable pricing. To my dismay, there has been 93 reviews, so definitely people have been coming here and yet every time i eat there the place is empty!!!
On my first visit, tried the cheapest thing on the menu just to see their level of quality with its least profitable offering and was blown away!!! The roasted chicken paired with a very nice mix of greens, avocado, carrots drenched in thousand island dressing along with a substantial offering of fried, crisp and simply awesome yucca left me no doubt that when i crave roasted chicken Rosa de Lima is my destination. The next six visits have consisted on half a chicken ($8) and all the rest of the combinations they offer: with white rice and onions in lemon juice, mashed potatoes and salad again, beans and tostones, plaintains and rice and you get the idea......my cousin who was with me the second time wasn't too thrilled about his Lomo salteado choice and kept eyen my perfectly done dish......Server is very atentive and smile at me when I asked her for 2nd or 3rd of that yummy green sauce that accompanies the toasted bread...i can't seem to have enough of it...seem like they take a soft white cheese and mix it with jalapeño peepers a bit of garlic and something to add the texture maybe crackers? and that sauce goes with the fried yucca like mustard on a hot dog! Also amazed that every time the food has been consistently good as it should be and learned that they only have one chef serving the entire restaurant of 80 plus seats...amazing!! The chef/cook is a magician in my opinion to be able to do a very extensive menu with no help at all.......
Enough has been said about the chicken and next time you are around give this nice place a try.....
This place is amazing. I am from Lima, Peru and have a fairly discerning palate when it comes to Peruvian food. I have tried every Peruvian restaurant in the city and none of them comes close to the quality of this place. The Pisco Sours are made perfectly (I cannot bring myself order a margarita, its like ordering pizza at a french bistro). The ceviche is fresh with the right amount of aji. The anticuchos are the best I have had outside of Peru. The chicken lives up to the reviews. They even had Lucuma ice cream.
The service is very friendly and fast.
I am not sure why this place remains undiscovered. This place is a gem. Go there. Order a Maracuya Pisco Sour, an Inka Cola y un cevichito mixto. These portions are meant to be shared family style so take friends. They will thank you.
So we tried the roasted chicken based on reading all the reviews. It's good but not THAT good. The fried plantains were very sweet. do not order any fish dish unless you love the fishy taste of tilapia. I had the steamed version and it was cooked well; I just can't care less for tilapia.
Service is slow and it takes forever to get the check. But the waitress is really friendly. I'd try other places for Peruvian roasted chicken. Price is very reasonable but I'd opt for better taste for more $$.
Decor, not somewhere to impress a date.
Even if the quality of their food were less than it is, Rosa De Lima still stands out for value. Eight bucks will get you half a roasted chicken with two sides...enough to share between two moderate eaters and more than enough for one big eater. Thirteen bucks bring a whole roasted chicken and two sides. The chicken was good simply because it was amply flavored, and that's the way I like it. My favorite side dish, the fried yucca, looked like french fries and tasted amazing. Meals all begin with a seasoned bread basket and chicken soup, regardless of your order.
The dining room is really spacious, and the service pretty good.
One thing...Rosa de Lima's facade is unsparingly unattractive. Just ignore it!
Rosa de LIma is one of those places that's on the fence between three and four stars. I'm just going to get the bad out of the way:
- Service. Now they were very nice, mind you, but thing is, the place was almost empty on a Saturday night and yet we were frequently ignored for long stretches and had to use semaphore flags to get the waitress to come over with our check.
- Dessert. Worst flan I have ever had. Absolutely TERRIBLE. Overcooked, lumpy and tough. Tres Leches cake was edible but bland and too sweet.
Now if you can get past that kinda thng you are in for a totally balls-to-the-wall roasted chicken experience at a very reasonable price. Chicken is incredibly savory, with a thrilling blend of spices. Sides, yum. Fried sweet plantains were a bit dry, but still had a wonderful flavor. Mashed potatoes with nutmeg really hit the "it's getting colder" spot. Also they start you off with a really great free soup and really great garlic bread.
Okay, I have been meditating on this, and I have decided to go with four stars. Because:
- Margarita. Their margarita is HUGE. It's like two margaritas, maybe three. That margarita really turned the evening from awesome into HOLY TOLEDO, ARE WE HAVING A BLAST OR WHAT!?! Tasted very fresh to me. Have you ever gotten limes at the grocery store or farmer's market or wherever and they're larger than usual and you get them home and they are just amazing? Like almost buttery and creamy? I think this place has those top-shelf limes.
So, four stars, don't go if you aren't okay with a sort of lackadaisical approach to service, and I can't recommend the dessert. Or wait, actually, instead of dessert, just get another margarita because SISTER MARY FRANCIS, WHAT IS IN THIS BAD BOY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M FLOATING!!!
I discovered this amazing little restaurant with the help of my fellow yelpers. i took 6 friends from out of town,, to feast at Rosa de Lima, and boy did we feast. first we ordered our drinks, a huge pitcher of margaritas, heavy on the booze. then came the food: we had the papas a la huanciana, arroz con mariscos (seafood paella) , sudado de pescado, whole roasted chicken, and lomo saltado. all were so good. the stand out dishes of course included the roasted chicken - the spices were so great and the meat juicy. and the sudado de pescado -- the fish was delicate and the light tomato sauce was so great. fpr our second time around the only thing i would not reorder would be the lomo (beef) again,,
and before i forget the best part of it all was the free round of chicken noodle soup that came to the table after we ordered our food. it was also accompanied with fresh garlic bread and a cheesy jalapeno sauce. really it was great. all in all we left so full, so drunk, and with leftovers for a week -- all for less than $15 a person (including a huge tip!!).
Cheap, fast, and friendly with a beautiful roasted chicken. A caveat: I ordered takeout so I cannot vouch for the dine-in service. However, the hostess was very hospitable, and the chicken was tender and juicy with crisp, well-seasoned skin. The cavernous restaurant was deserted at 6:00 PM on a Thursday night, so I hope they are getting business during other hours. It looks like a fun place to go with a group of cheerful drunk friends.
Caught a flick at City North last night and needed to fill the belly before the show. A quick look at Yelp Mobile told me this place was nearby and delish. I went for the half roasted chicken (crazy price for the amount of food) with the fried plantains and pureed potatoes on the side. Left totally satiated and not completely broke.
My husband had the rice and shrimp and had the equivalent of about 17 bags of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice on his plate. More rice than I've ever seen in my life. He made a small dent in it but no joke, I'm guessing it was at least 8-10 cups of rice. For the price, there was a good amount of seafood in it (not just shrimp--our waitress asked if he'd like other kinds of seafood as well).
Overall, a solid choice on the cheap.
Jake: Do you have any fried chicken ma'am?
Mrs. Murphy: Best damned chicken in the state.
Jake: Bring me four fried chickens and a Coke.
Mrs. Murphy: You want chicken wings or chicken legs?
Jake: Four fried chickens and a Coke.
While I didn't order 4 chickens, and the chickens are roasted and not fried, that's how I typically feel when I visit Rosa De Lima. The first being the GNO in spring. That visit the lovely Megan G & I split a chicken. Yes a whole chicken. Plus sides. Complimentary chicken soup as a first course. And of course a mega - margarita.
This most recent visit I decided to buck my trend and skip the chicken & order some seafood.
*Palta Rellena de Camarones: Avocado stuffed with shrimp salad & mayonnaise
*Ceviche Mixto: Gish & seafood marinated with lime, onions, & sweet potatoes.
Now both were great, but I was having buyer's remorse for the chicken. Again seafood was good. My dining companion had the mussels was moaning they were so good.
Rosa De Lima is easily one of the most economical eats in Chicago. A whole chicken for $10.00. Including sides.
Massive margaritas. Run, do not walk to Rosa De Lima.
I came here hoping to like this place and I left happy. The staff are extremely friendly. You sit down and they reward your presence with garlic bread and fresh chicken soup! Great start to a meal. Plantains were made perfectly and I recommend trying the purple corn drink (kind of a sweeter version of horchata). Food was good, but nothing was amazing. I give four stars because of the friendliness and the overall good time we had. If you get the ceviche meal I recommend splitting it with someone else as noone can handle that much acidity. I heard the chicken was good too, but I think there's room for improvement. Overall for the price it's a great little place.
Places like this are why I adore Yelp. This place fits my standard for 5 star reviews which takes into consideration the price:taste ratio. They give you so much food and the chicken is moist and wonderful. The seafood rice was fantastic and HUGE. They certainly don't skimp on the seafood. They also give you free soup. Service is friendly.
Ambiance isn't much but I come here for the food. There's a scary, huge lit up bear in the corner. Creepy in a circus clown kind of way.
Found La Rosa on Yelp, headed over. The place was empty on a Thursday night near on the corner of two streets covered with foot traffic. I'm thinking WTH? We're literally the only people here.
A round of Pisco Sours, some beers, and they bring out some cheese toast, some chicken soup, and some jalapeno mayonnaise. Awesome. Spread a little mayo on the toast and dip it in the soup, awesome. I don't know if that's the way they planned it but it's good.
We got the avocado stuffed with shrimp, a roasted chicken, some fried plantains, some fried yucca, and some beef dish called Lomo Saltado. Everything was excellent. - The question begs to be asked again, why is this place empty?
The roasted chicken was superb and only $10.50, plus it came with the plantains and yucca. If I lived nearby, I could see myself getting one of those to-go on a weekly basis.
It's like a Twilight Zone episode. Three wayward travelers wander into a restaurant, hungry to the point of rambunctiousness. They have drinks, eat, pay their bill and leave - only to find that time stood still while they were inside!! Something like that.
Auf.
I think it's funny that this Peruvian place is known for their margaritas, but yes, they were good. Order one or try the Peruvian beer (Quisqueña) or cocktail (the Pisco sour). Who doesn't like margaritas anyway? So the place is a crowd pleaser with that Mexican fav.
When seated, you get a complimentary bowl of soup with quinoa - a little grain people love in Peru. It's a good soup and a nice way RDL integrates Peruvian things into your experience.
The white fish ceviche was delish. Some of our party thought it was too salty, but salty is the Peruvian way, and I think that their dish is delicious and accurate to what you get in Peru.
I had the 'arroz con pollo.' The chicken wasn't great but the rice, prepared with a cilantro sauce was *amazing.* People aren't kidding about portion size, either, folks. The dish was enough for 4 people.
Almost all the other diners ordered the roasted chicken with mashed potatos and 'platano maduro.' I prefer my platano green, but even I had to acknowledge that LDR lays it down on the platano maduro. The roasted chicken is off the chains and the potatos - well, it's as RDL had already proven its Peruvian prowess, I knew the potatoes would be the best part.
I would say that if you don't really like meat, order the 'arroz on pollo' and don't eat the chicken. If you love meat, order the roasted chicken. Either way, order one or two dishes less than total diners or bring your Tupperware - there will be A+ leftovers for this week's lunches.
There we were, newbies to Chicago, on the L train to Bucktown, and in need of food buffer for the eventual beer delicacies of Map Room. The ever-helpful Yelp suggested a 4.5-star place called Rosa de Lima a few blocks away, so it being Thursday, and us being unwilling to wait for a seat, I called the restaurant to make a reservation.
"6 people for 7 pm, is that okay?"
"6 people? Sure, sure. I'll put you down." (hangs up)
"Oh, hey guys, we have a reservation!"
"Excellent!"
Once we got there, we almost didn't walk in, because the place... was... entirely... empty. Suspicions plaguing our minds, we decided to trust in Yelp. The hostess/waitress seated us and as soon as she departed, we quipped:
"I bet they were ecstatic to get a reservation for 6 people. We probably made their day."
Done with the jokes, we proceeded to study the menu, while the waitress brought over little cups of complimentary chicken soup. Which was fantastic. Most of us opted out of appetizers, saving space for the roasted chicken that this place was supposedly known for. I got half a chicken with two sides, maduros (fried plantains) and salsa criolla (julienned onions with Peruvian dressing). The chicken was delectable: crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, and the sides complemented it perfectly. The onions seemed like they were a bit pickled and that combined very well with the dressing.
After the great dinner and conversation, we paid our bill. Mine, plus a generous tip, was, I kid you not, $12. Hooray for cheap and awesome food.
So i went here and got my seafood ON!
I ordered the mussels as an appetizer and the Ceviche as a main course. Both were done to perfection. When i say perfection i mean neither stunk like a fishing wharf when your dad takes you fishing in new England and you see a bunch of unidentifiable sea creatures on the dock with flies in their mouths.
I went on a tangent. Sorry. That above story might have never happened. I would bet that it did.
The complimentary chicken soup was delicious and was sucked down in an instant. I kind of embarrassed myself when i put the bowl up to my mouth. I guess it was kind of a faux pas. I didn't pick my nose at the table though. The bread wasn't as good as Crazy Bread but it did the trick. Maybe they could outsource Little Caesars to make the bread. Like the hot and now. Feature. Hot and now Ceviche! The flies would be complimentary.
Did i just go there? That was sick and wrong. I was kidding, the bread was excellent and so was the dipping sauce. I know it was creamy garlic or something. Screw those vampires, they weren't coming anywhere near my stank ass after this meal.
All in all I would definitely go back for the chicken. The roasted chicken was the most flavorful and well seasoned chicken i have had in a while. It was the perfect temperature and the flesh wasn't too dry or sloppy.
I guess i need a better synonym for sloppy. Succulent? No. How could something be to succulent? I succ at this.
Oh and all kidding aside. Ceviche comes up as Service with the spell checker. For a food related/themed site maybe someone should update that bad boy. I am hereby volunteering to update the spell checker. Although you will have to know that I will be adding Brocabulary to the spell checker and anything that starts with D will automatically change to Destry. Deal with it, I wont charge for my services.
I will be back.
Dude, 6 bucks for a very satisfying meal. I'm a happy camper.
I got the quarter chicken, which truly is a quarter of a chicken...not a cornish hen or a baby chicken but a full on chicken (probably pumped on antibiotics...I chose to forgo my usual meat standards, wehhh wehhhhhh)...and two ample sides. You can choose white meat or dark meat...I got the white and thought it was as juicy as white meat can be and nicely seasoned.
For the two sides I got the fried yucca which was not yucky (yeah cringe at my lame pun) but sweet and starchily good. The tostones (fried green plantains) were sliced thick which makes them a bit dry but definitely unique and filling.
The meal also came with a free tasty cup of chicken/rice/vegegable soup to start. A tad overly salted, but, it was gratis and my meal was six bucks so whaev'.
When I come back I'll probably split a chicken meal with another person (half or whole, depending on how ravenous we are) and get a salad as well, to break up the heaviness of the meat and starch with some greens..
Oh yeah, they also have a juke box. Fun times!
I will reiterate as others have said that Rosa De Lima is actually located inside of a restaurant space called Cancun. You'll see a handwritten sign that says Rosa de Lima in the window...only visible when you're right in front of the place.
As a boy who grew up in Peru, I embarrassingly don't know much about Peruvian food.
It could very well be due to the fact that my family and I moved up to Chicago when I was about eight years old, leaving Peru behind us for good.
It could also be because the Peru I am talking about is actually a tiny town in central Illinois whose only claim at "cuisine" came in the form of a turtle sundae that although was exquisite according to my mother, isn't much to note in terms of world-famous food.
So while my dumb allusion to a blink-and-you-will-miss-it town should have nothing to do with RdL, the truth is, if you aren't knowing exactly what to look for when coming up on the intersection of Western and Armitage- you will probably miss this place.
And missing Rosa de Lima would be a shame because this place makes some really good food. Is it authentic Peruvian? Probably, but I wouldn't know. All I know is that I love roasted chicken, and after reading about this place- I was really excited to try it out. Maybe a bit too excited, because the chicken to me, while very flavorful, was a bit underwhelming.
Basically, the skin was coated, no, pasted with a grouping of herbs and spices that gave the meat a really good flavor. The problem I have with it though is the skin didn't come out crispy. The skin in fact was formfitting and chewy. It was very good chicken, just not great. Thankfully pretty much everything else they did was very good as well.
Starting off with some bread and this atomic-colored green, spicy sauce was a great start. Not sure what that sauce is made of- but it is addicting. I found myself spreading it on everything. The soup that came out was a clear-broth soup- but was packed full of flavor and actually quite rich. Delicious.
I wish I could remember the name of the ap that we had. It was basically this formed mound of a mixture of mashed potatoes, thick shrimp, avocado, hard-boiled egg, olives, onions, tomatoes, and some mayo and sauce. It was beautifully presented and tasted great!
Dessert was good because in my eyes, you can't go wrong with arroz con leche, and theirs was good.
Last thing to mention, especially since so much has been said about finding the place already. Once you are inside, the confusion in my eyes doesn't end. To me, the place looks like it is straight out of a cheesy Mexican joint. Like I said all along- I am no expert on Peru, but the photo mural of a colonial square in my eyes looks too much like Mexico than Peru. I could be wrong, and if that is the case, I look forward to being proven that way- but this idiot would love to see this place bring about more pleasing to look at.
Put that food in a place with better decor- and they could easily charge double then what they do.
Fabulous ladies + fabulous food + fabulous cocktails = one awesome night at Rosa de Lima! I attended the Unofficial March GNO a few nights ago and I was really taken aback by this place. Of course I read up on RDL before I attended the dinner, but I really wasn't expecting to be as pleased with it as everyone else.
First off, it's a bit weird to find. Not difficult, per se, just weird. The addresses for 20 11, 13 and 15 are all written above the very nondescript door of Rosa de Lima. Arturo's and Lazo's are technically a part of the same building, but you can't get inside Arturo's or Lazo's from RDL. Weird. The sign for the restaurant is just sitting on the ground next to the door, so keep your eyes peeled. I parked in the lot for Arturo's/Lazo's and didn't get a ticket, so I think it was OK (are they all owned together?! I have no clue).
The decor of RDL is a bit... festive. Everything was bright (except the perfectly dimmed lights) and I liked the layout. There was a nice table waiting for our big group, so it was easy to take a sit and begin talking. Our server was super nice but I will say she was a bit slow. She waited for our entire party to be seated (thanks!) but then didn't come back to take any drink orders for at least 10 minutes. She even brought us nice samples of some great chicken noodle soup before she took our drink orders. A bit weird, especially since I was watching her interact with the other groups/customers in the restaurant and they were being served much faster. I think it was just because we were a large group that the service for us was a bit slow - no biggie, though!
The margaritas were amazing. I could taste the yummy tequila and the glass was gigantic. I believe they were $7.95 apiece, which totally bummed me out before I saw how enormous they actually were. I had two... mmmmm. They even honored my request of extra salt on the rim - thanks!
The dinner was fabulous! We all got to sample homemade chicken noodle soup and it was divine! It was a bit on the salty side, but I love salt (in a sickening way) so I thought it was excellent. We also received some yummy garlic/cumin bread - love it! They refreshed the bread when they saw that we needed more. I decided to order the half chicken and tostones (fried green plantains) and yuquitas fritas (fried yucca). I was so glad I chose this combo. The chicken was amazing - nice spiced, crisp skin and yummy moist meat. I also liked the Peruvian side dishes that I ordered - I love starch so my choice was a good one.
All in all, very excellent experience. I would love to come back and try some more traditional Peruvian dishes. Our server seemed excited to explain menu items and make recommendations, so I'd love to try again and ask for a recommendation from a server. I highly recommend you go, too!
I was here for the unofficial GNO last night. It was pretty awesome. The Margarita was huge and delish and $6. A-maze-ing! The meal starts with comp chicken soup and this seriously insane-good garlic bread with a garlic sauce that is out of this world. Most of the girls ordered some variety of the chicken, which is cheap and comes in huge portions, with two sides and smells heavenly. I ordered the tamalito, Peruvian tamale. It was good, but it was a little light on the filling, definitely WAY more cornmeal than chicken or beans, good thing I love cornmeal. The service is pleasantly paced (on the slow side) but its because it takes a long time to make quality food and drinks.
I would totally suggest coming here and will be back again myself.
I think I found what is quite possibly one of the best dining deals in the city at Rosa De Lima. Can I get a "hey-yo!" for paying six bucks for a quarter chicken (white meat only, please!) and two sides? AND a cup of chicken soup? AND some tasty garlic bread?
Before I start gushing about the insanely good chicken, I have to do my due diligence and talk about a few things that were maybe not so good, hence the 4 star review.
First, no sign outside with the name "Rosa De Lima." Well, they do have a dry-erase board on the sidewalk that has the name hand written on it, but it's not so easy to spot when you're zooming down Western. Next, the decor is kind of iffy. It's kind of like a cheapie Scarface set including lots of black and white, mirrors, a weird little bar, plants. It's a pretty decent sized restaurant, but our group of 16 Yelpettes were some of the only dining patrons in the joint. How are they staying open?
Now I'm ready to talk about the chicken. Sweet Mother of God, that roasted chicken is amazing. The skin is crispty crunchy magnificence and the white meat was so tender and moist, it should be illegal. And a total steal! While I paid a ridiculously reasonable price of $6 for my quarter chicken with two sides, a whole bird is only $10. TEN DOLLARS! Crazy, I say. As a card carrying carb lover, I ordered fries and white rice as my sides. The fries were way better than expected; Very crisp on the outside and piping hot on the inside.
Thirsty? Order up a house specialty called the Pisco Sour, which is Pisco, lemon juice, egg white and ice. Or a margarita. They are huge and delicious.
Last, but certainly not least, the juke box provided me with a lot of entertainment. Roll the dice and try some of the Latin music, or stick to your English language standbys like the Beatles, Bob Seger, Cher, Foghat and the Almost Famous soundtrack. I had the entire table of Yelpettes singing, "Your So Vain" by Carly Simon as well as a rousing rendition of Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time." I found my money to be VERY well spent in that juke box.
First, I'm wondering if I'll ever get to review a place Brett D HASN'T been too already....
Kidding Brett, your great.....and so it Rosa De Lima....or Cancun.....I know, I know, it has been mentioned several times here and this establishment is housed in a building with 2 other eateries of the same cuisine.
So my date had been having a craving for and Del Lima is known well for this dish.
We arrived a bit late....around 9:30pm on a Friday no less and had to wait just a second for them to confirm the kitchen was still open....the waitress came out of the kitchen doors with her thumb up.....we were going to get our chicken on!!!!!
Décor is tacky, bordering on just bizarre with white table clothes with construction paper on top, but fake wreath like Christmas lights embellishing the columns and a bar that has no chairs?!?!?! I won't even talk about the tile color
This place can hold a very large group and one was finishing up when we arrived. Seated in a booth just near the boom box that was pumping out Mexican/Latin American music which in turn sat beside the jukebox which appeared to not be working or plugged in for that matter. Of course listening to the music brought up something which I have noticed over time is that this music lacks ANY real bass?????? Sorry, back to the food....
The menu is extensive with plenty of selection and this place does service alcohol. If you don't drink here your dinner bill will be very low. We ordered a beer and a pina colada....and yes, I had the beer thank you :^p
We order a full chicken with Pure de Papas (Potato puree with milk, butter and nut nutmeg)......this is a direct cut and paste from the online menu so I'm not sure why they have "nut nutmeg".....seems a bit redundant.....oh well? We also had White Rice as sides.
NOTE: Their web site does have their menu, but it is lacking several pages....you will NOT find chicken dished listed as they didn't including on their website....just beef.
Prior to the meal being delivered we were brought garlic bread with something that looked like mustard, but in fact was an interesting combination of several items that made a tasty addition to the bread. Since I'm not listing them here you can tell I already forgot the ingredients....sheepish grin.....
Dinner came in short order and we divided up the chicken and began to eat. The meal did not disappoint. I'd almost equate this to comfort food.........well, I'll call it foreign comfort food.
There was so much food we had some left to take home. An all and all great experience and some place I'll definitely go back to continue to explore the menu.
Its a small place, somewhat dingy, and not really a date place but good for Peruvian food!
We enjoyed the chicken salad on avocado for starters and the seafood ceviche and lamb stew for our entrees. The portions were big and all items were well made. The staff is friendly and prompt.
LOVE!!
I am stunned at how empty the place was after reading rave reviews on yelp (it's #2 for crying out loud!). My party was the only party there at 7:30 on a Thursday night. Perhaps it's the less than prominent sign (I echo Aurore's Platform 9 3/4 analogy), the fact that it doesn't even say "Rosa De Lima" but something else I can't even remember. But thank god I found this place!
Rosa de Lima has THE BEST roasted chicked I have ever tasted. Spiced just right, tender and soft. As a dark meat fan I was a little hesitant to dig into the breast meat - but wow was I surprised. Juicy insides, crispy skin, happy faces all around. My friend and I shared a whole roasted chicken with two sides (pureed potatoes and fried yucca - YUM) and still couldn't finish all of it! Plus it was only $13 total. Rosa De Lima is not only nice to my stomach, but kind to my wallet as well.
The bread they give you is heaven in a basket, and the sauce that accompany the bread is this jalapeno, garlic, cheese sauce that's spicy and tangy and stirred to perfection. My friend and I slathered it on everything we ordered and the waitress took notice, bringing us a bigger bowl of it. We also asked for more bread and she smiled and quickly toasted some more for us. A++ on service!
Oh and yes! Complimentary chicken rice soup. DELICIOUS.
We opted for dessert, which rarely happens - we were delighted that we did. The flan was perfect (sliced in cake form which is rare) and the warm rice pudding was served in a martini class with cinnamon drizzled on top + a cinnamon stick! Mmmm.
The total bill was just slightly over $20, and we left a 40% tip. Yes, it was THAT good.
**we noticed after we left but there is parking in the rear! FYI.
This place is really good. I was really skeptical on how good the roasted chicken could be but... this place does chicken right! I'm a dark meat person, because the meat is usually juicier, but I was amazed at the fact that even the breast meat was very tender and juicy as well. The chicken was also seasoned just right to go well with the meat.
Before we got our main course we received some chicken soup and garlic bread with jalapeno sauce. That sauce goes well with everything, the waitress noticed that we loved it so she brought one out in a bigger bowl for us. Along with our chicken we got two sides, mashed potatoes and fried yucca. Both were pretty good, you add the jalapeno sauce and you get awesome!
Afterwards we got our bill and it was only around 15 dollars. I was amazed at how much food we got for what we paid. You definitely get your money's worth. Anytime I'm craving roasted chicken I know where to go.
Woohoo!!! This place is as good as it gets!
So, maybe I have been here twice in one week.
After attending the March GNO and making little dent on my wallet while enjoying a delicious chicken and margarita fest, I decided RdL would perfectly round out a cheap date night with my honey. Off we went...
The decor in this place is tacky-tastical: beach scene murals, white table cloths, carnations..and don't forget the Vin Diesel movies (in Spanish) playing on the TV near the bar. Though not a spectacular atmosphere, the roasted chicken is D-lish. The first time around with the Yelpettes, service was slow, and the free chicken soup was too salty. This time though our food came out in 5 minutes, and the soup was chock full o veggies and way less likely to cause hypertension.
We split a whole roasted chicken with rice and yucca (no tostones this time around, yuck), two strong drinks, plenty of the so so good jalapeno/crema sauce, and called it a night for $30. Marvelous!
Now, time to eat a salad...
I wasn't expecting the interior to be so lavishly decorated. Even still, the server didn't bat an eye as I walked in with an A-shirt and bball shorts. The place was empty during lunchtime on a weekday anyway, so I don't think she was about to turn any customers away.
Ordered the Roasted Chicken with Fried Yuca and Pureed Potatoes as my two sides. They were all tasty and pleasantly cheap so I have no complaints on that front. But everything else on the menu is more expensive (though still moderately priced).
If it were a little more casual or they had a take-out section, it could be more of a regular spot for me. But nothing wowed me enough.
delightful carb overload
they now have adequate signage outside so you can find this place easily.... which made coming in and finding the place almost empty on a saturday night really surprising. i guess it's still one of yelp's "best kept secrets"
chkicken is as delicious as everyone says. side dishes are equally wonderful. it took us a while to get our food, and then our bill, but since we weren't in a hurry, it wasn't a big deal in the least. service is friendly and the price is right!
Changed my perception of roast chicken forever.
Very well seasoned, deliciousness.
The flavor is INSIDE the chicken. Not smothered all over. Roast chicken will never be the same again for me.
Best best best best roast chicken I've tasted in my life.
In the rare occasions that I wander into Bucktown, I must eat here.
I've only been there 3 times, the…
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Hmm... well, let's go with the good things first. The chicken was delicious, and the weird, eclectic setting was interesting (it seemed like 5 different restaurants put into one, given the random decor).
Not so good things? Well, there were awful Telemundo shows on in the background, or something of the like. The service was not so great, and though I was in a big party, the server didn't have THAT many other tables, and the other tables were 2 or 4 tops, so they should have focused more energy on the party than they did. The potato puree stuff was kinda good, but too salty. My boyfriend ordered something off the menu that's name did not actually match up with the English description apparently, because he tried ordering the Peruvian shrimp with rice, and ended up with rice with a bunch of seafood that had no shrimp at all.
I would give it another chance, but with a smaller group.
I've been past this place MANY times without noticing it. Ok, that's a lie. I noticed it, but I always thought it was closed (never mind the YES WE'RE OPEN) sign out front. If I'm in the neighborhood, chances are I'm drunk...and at Lazo's. Well, one day my friend is eating some chicken with some spicy sauce and offers me some. It makes my mouth burn, but I'm instantly in love.
My other friend (her boyfriend) says he's been going there for quite some time and it's one of his favorite Peruvian places (and seeing as how he's half Chilean half Peruvian, he's grown up with some authentic cooking). They offer to bring me some chicken (I used to babysit their son) and it was love at second bite. The chicken is DELICIOUS, and tender. The spicy sauce? HOT!! It's one of those hots where you're saying "oh my god why did I just put that much in my mouth will the burn ever stop?!?!???" and then you do it again with the next bite.
The staff has always bee pleasant and when my friend (a vegetarian) struggled to find something to eat, the woman said next time she'd remember him and have them cook up something special. I've eaten both types of plantains, fried yuca and rice and I love all of it. I think a quarter piece of chicken and 2 sides is about $6 ish, and a half order with 2 sides is $8ish? I know the prices went up, but honestly, it's still cheap and still worth it. When I can get parking or I have someone to drive around the block while I run in.....I go here.
Chances are they LOOK closed, but they're probably open.
Not sure how this place keeps on showing up on the front page of Yelp with other places like Alinea (FYI, you could eat dinner here every day for a month and it would be less than ONE meal at Alinea), but it goes to show you that hidden places that nobody heard of can still use word of mouth (sort of) to become something unexpected.
I got taken here as a surprise (Surprise!), which is cool, because the last time I ever got surprised was when my parents bought me a girl's train set for my 12th birthday. But I digress, and lengthily.
I picked up the Lomo Saltado--which for you non Peruvians (I'm not Peruvian, but just saying) is basically strips of steak, marinated onions, tomatoes dumped on top of big steak fries. This was good (but even better, surprisingly, as leftovers). The yucca, which came as a side was unbelievable (best I've ever had),and the chicken salad-avocado was ridiculous.
Don't get scared by the drinks that say "egg yolks"--these are Peruvian's specialities. The Pisco Sour (Peruvian nat'l drink) is REALLY-knock-your-ass-off strong.
The service--funny, friendly but slow and random, as noted by others. Don't come here for a quickie (though I'm sure takeout would be fine).
Great spot. Wouldn't have went here without Yelp, and its front page.
After having tasted their roasted chicken during random carry out night, we decided to go back and examine their menu from more closer range.
Fish stew in simmered tomato sauce, we did not really dig. But, the lamb stew . . . I keep wondering whether the fries mixed with the stew or the hint on soy sauce, made it spectacularly tasty?! Named after first saint of Americas the restaurant is real treat to my craving for comfort food.
I've lived near this place for years and it took the yelp to get me to go in. My vision has always been clouded by Lazo's and Arturo's so nautrally i have overlooked this place. The interweb is a good tool.
You get bread and chicken rice soup complimentary, both are very good. The bread especially (similar to Cafe Laguardia in taste, texture and toastiness). We went through 6 baskets of bread. I wanted to go in the back and bake some more myself. I ordered the Estofado de Res (beef stew with potatoes and rice). It was just ok, but the other dishes i tried were great. The ceviche mixto and the shrimp fried rice were delicious. The ceviche was full of shrimp, squid, and other seafood and vegetables, making it look like a tasty garbage salad. I looked covetously from the other side of the table as they demolished those dishes. Next time boss, i will order those dishes.
So it gets 4 stars from me. I think it would've gotten 5 if i ordered a seafood dish. Also if it wasn't -12 degrees outside i would've more generous. Our server was very warm and kind. Good service goes a long way to a good meal.
Thank you fellow Yelpers!!
Had it not been for all your positive reviews I never would have given this restaurant a chance!
I had the 1/2 roasted chicken with two sides which was only $8! and my friend had the steamed seafood dish and another friend a beef entree.
The bread is excellent! and the complimentary chicken soup that comes with it is delicious.
We were also broght a small dish of what thought was butter at first.
It is actually a very spicy sauce to dip your bread.
It was one of the best dipping sauce I have ever tasted in my life.
But beware it's really spicy.
The roasted chicken is hand down one of the best roasted chicken I have ever eaten in my life. The breast meat is dry which is understandable so next time I'm only going to order dark meat.
anyways, EAT HERE, you won't regret it!
I'm going back next week :D
SOsosofuckingood. Happy birthday to me! Went to lunch here with a friend whose birthday is the same day as mine. I said we should have lunch; he said we should have Peruvian food. I'd never had it before, and daaaaang was I happy we ate here.
First, I'll note what we ordered - the lomo saltado for him, a chicken stew for me... something like efado (not right, sorry) pollo. Both were delicious. Before we went, friend said the french fries in the lomo saltdao were delicious, and I didn't believe him because I didn't imagine soggy fries could be good. Failure of imagination. Fuckin yummy. My stew was amazing. Tomato based with chicken, peas, carrots, onions, olives, some raisins... a random assortment that was so right. Yessssss.
Second: what we didn't order... this delicious juice drink, cranberry-ish and grape-ish, with pineapple and other fruit chunks with great spices. I think the waitress called it Peruvian Water, but I was too busy drinking it to notice. SO good. And the complimentary chicken soup was also a plus...
All in all one of the better food experiences I've had in a while.
I keep trying to get something other than the roasted chicken, but I just can't seem to do it.
Considering I go there once a week what does that tell you about the chicken...or me.
Yum!
The food was good. Nice to try something from a different palette. But, however the actual name, I end up just saying Lamb Stew anyways.
Which was quite excellent. The husband got fried steak, which was fine... although we were expecting something ridiculous like deep fried... but it was pan-fried, (forgot about that one.) The plaintains it came with were awesome of the few that magically ended up in my belly... :)
The decor is decent, but some of the lighting is a bit cafeteria like. And there weren't that many people there on a Friday night, which I guess is good since, who wants to wait anyways? And there was a telemundo soap opera that was very entertaining.
I'd go back. Especially since the price is right, the food is good, and my waittress was definitely a girl I would kiss and like it. Yowsa!
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Bucktown
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Albany Park
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Cuban
Elmwood Park, IL
Category: Delis
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