Leña Brava

Lena Brava is a restaurant that we have walked by numerous times due to the location being on Randolph Street. We’ve been to the sister restaurant, Cruz Blanca next door and we knew we had to check this spot out. With Lena Brava being on the restaurant week list this was our chance to try. We went for lunch and it was delicious. From the restaurant we menu my girlfriend ordered the meatballs which were delicious. They came with a piece of bread, and then the main course was the steak frites. The only caveat that my girlfriend mentioned was the fact that the steak was a little bit on the greasy side it was sitting in like a small pool of grease, but it was very tasty. Nonetheless, the fries were really good too. The dessert honestly was the star real the real star of the show. The ice cream was made of a stout made by Cruz Blanca and had cookie prices that were so yummy. I got the Salmon Tostadas and it was Baja Fish & Frites. And it was delicious and it was a very small restaurant was smaller than I expected actually. Also, the service a little bit slow the service was a tad bit slow however, the food was good and it was worth the restaurant we price

A great option for lunch in Chicago! The wood-fired oven-baked empanadas are delicious, especially the chipotle sauce. Great sandwich options: the hamburger is very good, and the Pork Carnitas sandwich is excellent. The dessert, tres leches with roasted pineapples, is very tasty. The service and the atmosphere are very good! We loved it. Nice place!

My boyfriend and I enjoyed the fixed valentines menu and we must say… the ny strip was the star of the show!!! We couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I eventually DM’d their Instagram and asked for the recipe. Imagine my surprise when they actually sent it!! Everything was delicious, and the pacing was perfect! We will definitely be returning to Leña Brava!! 🩷

Totally enjoyed dinner at Lena Brava! The host was super friendly, the meal was delicious. We had the empanadas, the chips and guacamole, the bass fish with the tacos and it was all a 100%. Couldn’t eat the oysters but my friends loved it. Service was incredible, drinks were great. 100% recommend

I frequent this restaurant quite often and feel like I have a decent grasp on the food and atmosphere. The food is absolutely incredible but if you’re on a tight budget things can get pricey quickly. The menu changes a healthy amount. For those who want the experience but don’t want to spend a lot of cash I highly suggest skipping the small plates and going straight to the entrees. The short rib was incredible. The shrimp was spicy and packed with flavor. The lamb peeled off like butter. Service is always incredible. All this put together, it matches up toe to toe with the other west loop eateries in the area.

Lobster shrimp taco is A MUST!!! The upstairs seating is nice and intimate. Great views of the west loop neighborhood. Drinks and service were top tier

Went during happy hour this past Monday. I was highly impressed by the presentation, the staff, and the flavors. The flavors were so mouthwatering. The food is so unique and the seafood is fresh. This is not like any place I’ve ever been. We were given the option to dine in or outside. We choose the patio. The sun was out the patio was nicely decorated. Lena brava is on my top for happy hour and just restaurants in general. I was very pleased with our service too. The food was presented well. We felt like royalty. If you want to have delicious food, friendly staff and fresh setting this is the place. Give them a try you won’t regret it. They also accommodate to any allergies or food restrictions.

People working there are awesome. Food and drinks are even better. The tables are a bit small but this is the case nowadays with every outdoor seating. Music is a bit too loud to enjoy nice conversation, but that might be only to my taste. Lamb nick fell off the bone, so tender and delicious.

The food here is delicious! We ordered seviche and guacamole for appetizers and they were both wonderful, but the cauliflower was the star of the show! Definitely order it, you won’t be disappointed!

Make sure you run and don't walk to this amazing restaurant. This was my first time dining here and I actually just picked it at random while walking down the street in Chicago. The atmosphere is very casual and nice and the service is five stars! I started with the guacamole de la casa and it was simply the best guacamole I have ever put in my dirty mouth. The chips that they serve with it are fried tortilla chips and they are amazing! For my main dish I had the carne asada served with queso anejo mashed potatoes. The steak was phenomenal and prepared perfectly. Listen, I love mashed potatoes more than some of my family members and when I tell you these were the best ever, please believe me! They were so good I might actually just order an entire plate of mashed potatoes the next time I go. For my drink I had a few of the Oaxacan old fashioneds, and they were to die for. A big shout out to my bartender Marshall who really knows what he's doing in that space. Also I don't normally add the bar back to my reviews but in this case I have to. I believe his name was Willie. Super great customer service and clearly on top of his game.

Got there and apparently happy hour was going on great apps. Stay around for dinner n cocktails the food was tasty and the drinks were savory. The best about this place was the service Anthony (Antonio) was great he was knowledgeable of the meals and drinks. Definitely will return. We enjoyed the food so much we even did some take out after dinner

This place was great! I highly recommend because the food, atmosphere, and service was great. We were seated in the second floor of the restaurant. We decided to order the meat platter which is worth every penny. It was about $80 but worth getting all different meats, handmade tortillas, salsas, and queso fresco. The waiter recommended the cauliflower mash which we were hesitant to order but it was delicious & would order again. This was plenty of food for 2 people to share. We decided to order the caramelized cinnamon apples and to our surprise got a delicious apple apple basically with ice cream. This definitely too big for the 2 of us but we enjoyed every bite of it.

We enjoyed several different mezcals that were recommended by the bar staff. For appetizers we tried the charred avocado and the charred queso fresco, both were excellent! The giant butterflied striped bass was very good. Really flavorful sauces but watch for the tiny bones. The plantains were lovely. We also tried the lobster roll and the pork shank. The lobster roll was wonderful. The pork shank was good but not as good as the rest of the things we tried. Overall everything was excellent and the service was really good. We arrived early and they let us wait at the bar for an outdoor table. Then they helped us move our drinks to the new table. We would highly recommend this place!

This is probably my favorite of all of Rick Bayless’s restaurants. I love that the kitchen is 100% wood-fired. The menu and layout has evolved over the years but always in an interesting way. Meats are so good here but don’t sleep on the side dishes! Best black beans ever. Plantains are amazeballs. The Al pastor was delightful. Wagyu carne asada tacos were on point. Mezcal margaritas we’re going down easy. Pretty strong too! Overall 100% recommended. Prices by the way are pretty reasonable for the level of restaurant that this is and the very reasonable for the quality and care of the food. Service is always the best. Oh and of course the Cruz Blanca beer menu runs deep given the attachment. Reservations are a good idea. Also Oysters - omg.

I love the food at Lena Brava. This Stipped Bass is amazing. Their guacamole and ceviche are some of my favs 😍 !! The atmosphere and location are perfect for a date night or group of friends.

Every dish we ordered for dinner was fantastic! Loved the mussels and the shrimp al diablo, done so well! Also really liked the mushrooms - they were delicious and not oily either.

I tried the Chicago restaurant week dinner menu and everything was absolutely delicious! The parrilla was especially good, the beef was really tender and the plantains it came with were perfectly cooked. 100% recommend

Great spot for “upscale” Mexican cuisine. Had an early dinner here with the family. Good service, excellent food (coal / wood fired cooking), and I felt the value was spot on. I’ll defiantly be back and looking forward to trying Cruz blanco which is a shares this location and offers more casual environment.

Leña brava’s restaurant week is unmatched! The portions were huge for the price we paid and it was definitely worth it. The drink pairing was a steal for only an additional $25. Our server, Yohhani, was very attentive and made the experience even better. Thanks for making my anniversary very special.

Amazing place, we went for the first time and loved everything! The service was great, very attentive staff and gave us recommendations about drinks & food. I tried the baja sour cocktail and we shared a plate that included steak, pork, chicken and roasted potatoes. It was so flavorful, it was perfect for 3 people. We also had dessert, the tres leches cake! 10/10!! The ambiance was also perfect, especially with the Christmas decor.

Went here last minute on a Friday night. Staff were friendly and very helpful in selecting our gluten-free options. They accommodated specific beverage request without being snooty. Our server Yohhani M went above and beyond in making sure that our questions were answered. One of the most enjoyable dinners we've had recently. On a winter night this is a great vibe with good music and a cozy fire. The ceviche appetizer was amazing and I could've had it as a full meal. The Mediterranean Seabass was also amazing.

Cocktails were good. Guacamole was great with a unique twist and extra flavors. Chips were very good. Enchiladas were tasty, both chicken and mushroom. The sandwich was kind of interesting with the bread, was kind of like a naan/pita type bread. Fries were amazing.

Came here for restaraunt week and the food was amazing! Loved the tostada starters. You can also taste the fire missed meats. Shout out to the best waitress, Yvonne!!

Surprisingly good wood smoked menu items. Was sad to hear that they don't carry creekstone farms items anymore. For folks looking for halal options the lamb is Australian. Server took a while to pull up but once they did the food came out quick. In their defence I didn't see a single table open when I got there. Over all would recommend!

Overall the experience was really good. Any concerns we had were rectified. Service was friendly and timely. The atmosphere is so nice. I do love the decor of the restaurant. The lunch menu is limited, I would revisit for dinner to try the other options. The fire grill is my favorite way to for chefs to prepare my seafood.

Delicious meal all around, but standouts were the grilled watermelon, empanadas, and roasted oysters. Logistics could be improved, as it took +20 minutes past our reservation to be seated. Note, my overall rating is not influenced by service (based on food only).

Want to give a special thanks to Milton he made sure me and my sisters were comfortable and happy w/ service. Happy Holidays!

We were just passing by and the smell of firewood got us in and we ended up having a great night dinner 💕 Very beautiful lighting and atmosphere ✨ feel like I was back home 🇲🇽 Shout out to the amazing BOH for making possible those amazing dishes! (on a very hot day 🥵) The food was amazing we started with chilled oysters which were so fresh tasting, then we had the Crunchy quesadilla 🥰 , I highly recommend this one 🤤 Omg you gotta try that pilloncillo sauce on it😋 and we also had tacos gobernador, which was so amazing when they brought them to our table, they were laying on a bed of hot fired-coal🔥 The food and drinks were amazing but I was a little upset with our server, she took 20 mins to put our order in and it wasn’t busy 😩, we were very patient but felt like our table was forgotten. 🥲 but no biggie. 🫶🏻 I will definitely comeback for more delicious food and try more options at this amazing place.

Wow!!!!! Came early with my mom and the food and service were top notch. The appetizers: guacamole and carnitas were done just right. The braised cabbage in a white sauce was superb as was the shrimp in a bed of rice. Also ordered a side order of beans with bacon bits which was well done. The dessert of tres leches cake was moist and smooth. I had the mezcal chocolate martini paired well with the cake. An amazing dinner. Went home happy.

I have been to Lena Brava probably several times a year for 4-5 years now. It’s one of those places that’s consistent and I can depend on the occasion to go well. Food is always as expected, fresh, and good variety. I love the tomahawk served with bone marrow, and rotate through their appetizers. If you like wood fire items, this place won’t disappoint.

We enjoyed our experience but were suprised by the ridiculous mandatory 20% gratuity automatically added to the bill. We always tip but it is earned, not guaranteed. If you want to guarantee server's pay then give them a livable wage - they deserve it.

Food was very average , simple salmon ceaser salad was a bit dry. The chicken enchiladas had low flavor and needed some salt for taste. The refried beans were soupy and watery. The sea bass ceviche was great and the best dish of the day

Service was a bit slow but there was only one waiter for the floor. The rest were runners. Flavors was good. Some food came out cold. empanadas were the best thing going an they were HOT. I Should've ordered extra. Entrée was the seafood platter. Needs more bread or some rice but that was very good. Guac was good but I can make that at home. Drink was Papi Diablo 🔥🔥 I loved it Overall you're just paying for Rick Bayliss name IMO

The scallops and pork chop were both excellent; perfectly cooked and full of flavor. However, the potato side was underwhelming and didn’t feel worth the price. The spicy mezcal margarita and the fall G&T were both well-balanced and enjoyable. We were seated near the door, which was a bit distracting and took away from the overall experience.

I really wanted to give this place 5 stars but lastnight me and my partner had a reservation at 8:30pm we came in a tad bit early and the hostess , who was fantastic directed us to the bar to just wait for our table to be ready . Upon reaching the bar the bartender ( I don’t remember his name ) was very rude and seemed as if he just didn’t want to take our drink order . Their was two reserved name plates but again we were just waiting for our table so we went to the other end of the bar because he gave us a menu and never came back to check what we wanted . Instead we had to go down to the other end of the bar where their wasn’t any reserved name plates to eventually get serviced ,tried to sit down but he stopped us to ask the people that have already been there did they have anyone coming that wanted to sit their first. Again those seats were not reserved and a bar is first come first serve ( after I already informed him that we were JUST waiting for our table ) . Thank god the hostess came and grabbed us as soon as that happened and Sierra S was by far the best !!!! She turned my experience in the right direction and the food was definitely great as well !

We celebrated a birthday this past Saturday. Our reservation was at 7:30 PM, but we were seated at 8:10 PM. The server came to the table and asked for drinks; some of our guests already had drinks from the bar and others didn’t. Those who didn’t have drinks and ordered had to wait 20 minutes for them to arrive at the table, and then the server disappeared. After another 20 minutes, we had to ask her to take our order, and we decided to order everything at once since we noticed she was not present. She did bring out a cake and ice cream for our birthday girl, which we appreciate. The tip was already included, and I understand that since we were a party of 8. However, it is disappointing to feel that because the tip was guaranteed, the service we received was extremely poor. Paying $150 in gratuity for that level of service is hard to process. I understand that part of the tip goes to the busboys, and that seems fair since they were attentive. However, the service from our server, Ynonne, was unacceptable. The food and drinks were excellent as always, though.

Disappointing experience by all accounts. Short rib was decent but had better versions at girl and the goat and other nearby restaurants. Halibut was overcooked. Didn’t love the flavors either of the mustard greens and parmesan broth. You can get better ones at 5411 Empanadas for half the price. Flan for dessert was decent. Service was also unfortunately poor. Our first server didn’t understand our clarification questions for beverage choice. Second server was very nice but running around busy. We felt pretty ignored through the night. When flagging someone to finally get the check, we got eye rolls and as if we were a burden even though front of house was just lounging around having a good time. I remember Lena Brava being a solid go-to spot for a nice but not exorbitant meal back in the day. Not surprised now to see so many open last minute reservations spots.

Super greasy and unhealthy scallops drenched in oil. They try to trick you into paying extra 3.25% “restaurant surcharge” that you have to explicitly request to remove. Like why??? I’m not coming back.

Probably one of my least favorite experiences dining in this area. The ceviche had very mild flavor, needed more salt or spices from the salsa macha. I got the scallops and honestly the only good thing was the scallops. They put them on a bed of some type of shredded vegetable with a heavy load of garlic. The vegetable is not stated on the menu, and it tasted bitter. Honestly it was so unpleasant I didn’t even finish it. I told my husband that I’m not sure how this got approved to be added to the menu. The server was really nice and inside decor was cute but I definitely will not recommend this place. The brewery more casual place next door is better than this. And more affordable.

Came in for an 8:00pm reservation excited to try this restaurant during restaurant week. I arrive 5 mins early and they tell me my table isn’t ready but I can go to the bar and eat or wait for my table an theyd come get me when it’s ready. I said, “yeah, that’s fine.” Thinking they would come get me when my table is ready, I go to the bar and order a drink. It’s good. They ask me if I’ll be eating there within 5 minutes of me sitting down. I say no, I’m waiting for my reservation. Okay, so I’m sitting there and time passes, I order another drink and halfway through I realize it’s been 45 minutes. I ask the bartender if there’s any way he can check on my reservation, the hostess comes back over and says she thought I was eating at the bar. No communication, no check up on me for my table, nada. Horrible experience. Drink was decent though.