Ay Chiwowa

I loved the décor here. The velvet wallpaper was amazing haha. The food was pretty good too. It was a little overpriced, but we had a groupon thankfully.
Their avocado sauce was delicious and I wish I knew how to make that exact same sauce so I can make it for the rest of my life. Also, the food portions were really small. Those tacos were basically miniature. But it’s also close to the el and it’s a cute little place, so I guess it all evens out.

I’ve only been here once. The music was okay, not what I expected (they actually played a few rock songs, pretty cool!) However, I kind of didn’t like that the music was super loud, especially with the Chicago Bulls game on. And I certainly did not enjoy the guy who kept either looking for something else to watch or I don’t know. But it was an intense game and it was really annoying.
I had the shrimp tacos and they were really good, but tiny. I also had a couple of micheladas that were quite tasty. However, everything was ridiculously overpriced. I’d definitely choose another place to go to with delicious food/​drinks at a reasonable price.

Just not good.
The quesadillas are not quesadillas at all. It tastes like pulled chicken with a slight bbq flavor, barely any white cheese that has no flavor, and a homemade tortilla that’s wheat or some odd flavor that’s sort of thick and tastes more like a whole wheat wrap than a tortilla. Anyways you get this mess and unlike traditional quesadillas where you get toppings like fresh tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, etc it came with nothing else.
The tacos were decent but not with the price. The fish tacos were underseasoned. The skirt steak tacos were okay but worth $ 4.50 each/​$ 9 for two? Not a chance.

Went for the tacos and half priced margaritas. A good deal but the tacos were a lot smaller than expected so I appreciated receiving half off. My friends and I had a difference of opinion; I enjoyed the chicken, steak, and shrimp tacos while they only had eyes for the steak. Great spot with a nice atmosphere. I would visit again!

Hidden little tequileria!
Here’s my scorecard!
Shrimp tacos: A–
Barbacoa tacos: A–
Salsa: B
The venue is dark and swanky with interesting touches of red candles, tequila bottles, dark wood, and nacho Libre masks– why not?
Tuesdays offers half priced tacos and margs– so you can’t go wrong!
Will be back!

Came here on a Tuesday night with a deal for dinner. Made reservations online, was seated as soon as we got there. Atmosphere is dark, intimate… menu was thorough and unique. The cheese appetizer is worth skipping, way too thick. We ordered steak and fish tacos, both delish. Dessert was churros, also delish.
The drink menu was awesome, all premade in barrels, giving them a unique flavor. I had the Moscow Mule and my sister had the grapefruit one. Server was good.
Ill probably be back.

Ay Chiwowa!
Pros: versatile restaurant/​bar with delicious and reasonably priced food, awesome drinks, warm and welcoming staff, and a convenient location. A go-​to spot for either after-​work drinks with colleagues, a casual and fun date with the significant other, or even a big night out until the early morning.
Cons: my favorite weekly special, 50% off «Ay Margarita» drinks and tacos, is only on Tuesdays.
I have been going to Ay Chiwowa since it opened in early 2013, and I’ve found no place I like better for a strong margarita and fresh chips/​guac. Last night (1/​21, 7pm) was one of my first times visiting since the rebranding and menu revitalization (by Rockit Ranch’s superstar Chef Kevin Hickey, formerly at BottleFork and now at their Duck Inn venue in Bridgeport), and it was outstanding.
My girlfriend’s college friend had just moved to town with her husband, and we were looking for a place to double date. When they suggested Mexican food, I knew there was only one place to go. I had made a reservation on OpenTable for 6:45pm the day prior, but when our friends mentioned they were running late, I was able to push back the reservation easily with a quick call to venue.
I was first to arrive and after a warm greeting from the host, I was offered a seat at the bar or at our table — I chose the table, knowing my party would be close behind. Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. She reminded us about the Tuesday special mentioned above (50% off margaritas and tacos) and we spent the next 2 hours catching up and enjoying a delicious meal.
The food and drinks:
I’m a sucker for a great margarita (no salt) and got my personal tally up to three before the night was through. The mix was consistent and not too sour/​salty, which I appreciated. We each ordered a different pair of tacos and shared them around so all four of us were able sample them, including the Chicken Tinga, Carne Asada, Pulled Pork, and Tortilla-​crusted Cod.
All were delicious and the best summary came from our friend’s husband, «it tastes as good as the kind they make in one of those awesome, hole-​in-​the-​wall Mexican places where no one speaks English!» And he just moved from Texas…
The icing on the cake was our impulsive order of Churros at the end of the night, which mixed my fond memories of the theme park delicacy with a new twist by including a tequila (!) and caramel dipping sauce.
The atmosphere:
The place was lively and energetic, with Tuesday being the venue’s designated Industry Night. Although not a member of the «industry» myself, it’s always fun to visit on a night like that, when everyone seems to know each other and many laughs and high-​fives are exchanged.
The music might get a little loud if you’re looking for a quiet, intimate dinner spot, but that didn’t bother us — especially after our collective 10^th Ay Margarita.
Overall:
Ay Chiwowa is a great place for delicious and reasonably priced Mexican fare, and it is an equally fun destination for the happy-​hour crowd, the double-​date crowd, the double-​overtime sports fan (they have a couple of big-​screen TVs), and even the double-​shot-​of-​tequila crowd. It was so great to see many of the friendly faces among the staff from Rockit Bar & Grill (currently closed for renovations), and I’m looking forward to visiting very often!

Shrug.
Are you looking for needlessly expensive Mexican food in a douchey environment? Ay Chiwowa is for you.
From the outside, it looks like an Italian restaurant. The sign has a virtually unreadable font as you’re driving by.
Once inside, the place is really dark. The building is quite narrow. We had lots of people trying to duck out of the way of other people passing through. If the place is packed, your ability to move around will be severely curtailed. Our table was also very small, especially when you added the sauce basket, the drinks and the plates.
We went with the Groupon deal, which made the dinner more reasonable, but still steep, for what it was.
Here’s what I tasted…
* Ay Margarita ($ 13) — Avion Reposado, Grand Marnier, agave nectar, lime juice, salt rim. The balance of the drink was way off, and it tasted far more sour than any other margarita I’ve had.
* Mexi Mule ($ 12) — Patron Silver, Gosling’s ginger beer topper, orange wedge. This was their version of the Moscow Mule and it failed pretty hard. Just tasted like the ingredients were working against each other. I’ve never enjoyed Patron Silver less.
* Queso Fundido ($ 8) — Hot cheese with peppers/​mushrooms & onions + warm tortillas. (You can also get this with chorizo instead). This was very good.
* Chicken Quesadilla ($ 6) — Masa tortillas & chihuahua cheese with chicken. It’s a fairly small quesadilla that was 90% chicken and 10% cheese. Big disappointment. How do you not have a cheesy quesadilla? Also very bland. I had to hit this with hot sauce to give it any flavor.
* Taco — Guanajata BBQ Pulled Pork ($ 4) — Tamarind & smoked jalapeño BBQ, pickled onions & cilantro, chicharrónes. Pretty good. A mild flavor.
* Taco — Crispy Slab Bacon al Pastor ($ 4.50) — Pickled pineapple-​sage salsa, achiote. I enjoyed this. Not sure it was worth $ 4.50, but it was tasty.
* Churro ($ 8 for two) — The hot caramel dipping sauce was awesome, but the churros were pretty hard and they didn’t have much cinnamon and sugar on the outside. I like them crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
We didn’t get chips and salsa because it seems silly to pay $ 6 or $ 9 for chips and salsa. C’mon, man!
Our server was very nice. I liked her a lot.
Bottom line: Ay Chiwowa charges Rick Bayless prices without Rick Bayless quality. And I’m not all that crazy about Rick Bayless. If you want a higher-​end Mexican experience worth the upcharge, I recommend Cantina Laredo at State & Illinois.
If you’re still considering this place for some reason, the Groupon is the only way to go —

First of all, I just love the name: Ay Chiwowaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!~ Ay ay ay!!~ I was saying it ALL NIGHT! (So sorry to the friends who had to listen to me repeat it every few minutes LOL)
This past weekend was my first time here. Apparently, they’ve re-​vamped the menu recently. The chef from Bottlefork came and helped — thanks! I guess pre-​revamp, all the dishes pretty much tasted the same, with no real variety in flavor or texture. We had a Groupon that covered food for four people: appetizers, tacos or tortas, and churros for dessert. Here’s what we ordered:
APPS–
Chingon Guacamole: peptias, mango, bacon, chicarrones, cilantro, garlic, tomatoes, onions. GREAT for sharing and lots of flavors! The mango and bacon really makes a difference and adds a lot of depth to an already delicious and popular dip.
Sweet Corn Elotes: Loose corn with mayo, crema, cotija cheese and chorizo. I love corn, and I love the way this is prepared! We decided on the «loose» corn since it’s easier to share. It’s topped with lots of cheese, and the chorizo gives it that extra «umph» in flavor.
Queso Fundido: Hot cheese with chorizo sausage or peppers/​mushrooms & onions, served with warm tortillas. This is definitely a FUNdido dish! Ooey, gooey cheesey hot melty goodness in this dish. Food porn, I tell ya.
Quesadillas: shrimp with Chihuahua cheese inside a masa tortilla. I don’t know about the other protein, but try the shrimp! Juicy, succulent little suckers that complement the cheese and tortilla. YUM!
MEALS–
Carne asada taco: grilled skirt steak, onions, cilatro and ranchera sauce. The steak is seasoned and grilled to perfection. Juicy, flavorful steak. This was my favorite out of the tacos and tortas. I would definitely order it again. You just can’t go wrong with carne asada tacos!
Crispy slab bacon al pastor taco: pickled pineapple-​sage salsa, achiote. The bacon is definitely crispy, and the sauce is kinda sweet. If you like sweet over savory, you will like this taco. I think I preferred the carne asada taco over this one, since I like savory flavors haha.
Tinga Chicken «Milanese» torta: cilantro, cebollitas, queso anejo, refried beans, sour cream, avocado, pickled jalapenos. I can’t remember how this tasted.
Guanajato BBQ Pulled Pork torta: refried beans, jicama slaw, lime, sour cream, tortilla strips. I can’t remember how this one tasted either. Oops.
Churros: are served nice and hot and crispy, with Cajeta caramel sauce. What a perfect end to a delicious meal!
They serve kegged cocktails here. I chose the Margarita Pina, which has Cazadores Reposado Tequila, Pineapple Vanilla Dark, Brown Sugar Syrup, Lime Juice, and a Tajin Rim. That stuff that they put on the rim tastes like the Lucas candy — salty and spicy and the perfect complement for this margarita!
The restaurant is really dark, and then after a certain time, they make it even darker. I guess they do it to set the mood. I dunno, for me, it’s just hard for me to see things in low lighting, so most of the time I’m sitting there just wishing there was more light for me to be able to see what I’m reading and eating. But they have several TVs around the restaurant that are playing different games, so it’s good for the guys who want to see different games and keep up with the scores.

I tried. I really did try. See, I like giving places second chances. Sometimes, I will give a place a third chance, especially if the first few times that I went to this place was great. Sadly, Ay Chiwowa is a place that has gone from a place that you must go to all the way down to a place that you should never go to again in your life.
I had two drinks, and both of them were watered down. It takes a lot to water down a Mezcal Old Fashioned, but their bartender successfully accomplished that feat. We had the guacamole, and I have never tasted anything like that. I mean, it had no taste at all. That chicken taco was the worst thing I have ever had in my entire life. Taco Bell has a better chicken taco that Ay Chiwowa does.
Also, they have really messed up the menu. Not only did they take away some of the food items, but they also changed up the tequila flights. The extra anejo portion of the flight used to have ay more selections than they do now (the $ 35 dollar flight only has two selections of the extra anejo). Their tequila flight menu, in general, has really gotten a lot smaller, which is not a good thing because I would use the flights to judge if I liked the tequilas or not. If I liked them, I’d order an extra shot, but I can’t do that, anymore, because of the smaller menu selections.
I see why this place seems to be losing customers (this place was empty on a Saturday night). Sadly, this place used to be my go to spot for a tequila bar, but now, I have to find somewhere else to go to. Hell, even if I was drunk out of my mind, I would STILL not come back and have any of those nasty chicken tacos. What a waste.

eh… this place is just okay. The tacos and torta are unimpressive. The michelada had WAY TOO MUCH flavor going on – not refreshing AT ALL.
The churros were amazing tho. :)
Not a bad chill spot to grab drinks. The music is at a good volume so you can hold a conversation.
p. s. they finally renovated the bathroom — happy to report that it is no longer a disgusting hole.

We came in the other night for my good friends birthday party, there was a group of 7. And they were really good about accommodating us even when we were a little late for our reservation. Much appreciated. The drinks were strong! And the food was decent. Emidio (?) spelling, was amazing! He made sure we all had drinks and that we liked our food. And kept checking on us to Make sure we were okay. I ordered the chicken Tinga, and the elote. Elote was GREAT! The tacos were pretty good. I will be coming back to this place, overall a great dinner!

With a name like Ay Chiwowa, this place seems to come off as a joke. And with a random location like the Chicago brown line stop, I really didn’t know what to expect. But with a groupon, I’ll try anything. And boy was I glad I did. First of all, they made my reservation totally worthwhile, with this amazing red booth in the back. My date and I settled in nicely. Our waitress was «in training,» but she still knew her stuff and was super attentive and nice. We loved her.
Then, the groupon deal was awesome– giving us two keg cocktails, two apps, two entrees, and a churro dessert to share. Our cocktails were awesome– strong, and tasty. I had the Paloma, which I highly recommend if you like grapefruit juice. For our apps, we tried the guacamole and chicken quesadilla. The guac was really good and they gave a lot of it! For the first time ever, our chips ran out before the guac did. The quesadilla was good too, though they didn’t cut it for us. I enjoyed watching my date do it though, so that was alright by me.
We both had the fish tacos as our entrees and they were delicious. Usually a fish taco can be a bit dry for me, but whatever sauce they put on it, really made the taco go from flat to flavorful. Plus, the piece of fish was huge and really filled the tortilla. You get two of these. I would come back for them for sure. The churros were good too, though after all that food, I really didn’t need anymore fried dough in my belly. Plus, we just kept ordering more cocktails.
I don’t know how this place is outside of dinner– they have a sign on the door that the dress code is strictly enforced, which is a red flag for me when it comes to a place to go out, but the crowd that was there seemed nice and normal and not too douchey. Our bill still came out quite high thanks to all the cocktails we had, which were quite pricey, but we enjoyed them and they got the job done!

This is my absolute new favorite bar in River North! Not only do they have good drinks (who doesn’t love a great margarita), but the food is phenomenal. My favorite is the steak torta and, of course, the churros. The kitchen is open late and it is different than normal bar food. This is the late night food you will actually go back for for a regular meal. I also recommend any of the margaritas… I have tried them all and while my favorite is the house margarita, they are all quite delicious. And don’t forget the queso fundido, the elote,… there is too much food food here!
The staff is also phenomenal. The management and wait staff are there to make sure you are having fun. There is no way not to have fun here! This is a great place to go for a group outing. They have big tables that can accommodate groups of people and so its a great place to have your night out! They also have great dance music on the weekends.
I mean what more could you ask for… good drinks, good food, good music, good environment. Plus they are a good value, not out of control expensive like much of River North.
Ay Chiwowa is slowly becoming my go-​to bar. Check it out and you will love it too!

Ay Chiwowa is the place you go to when you just don’t want to go home. This place is open till 5:00am on Saturdays! I’ve been here for dinner once when it first open, but after that I can’t tell you the last time I got here before 2:00am. There is no other place I have been to that stays open that late that is able to provide good food, good music, diverse crowd, and reliable friendly service.
When you get there in the late hours your greeted to a club like atmosphere, but with decent food involved. My friends and I always order the traditional guacamole and you can’t go wrong with any of their cocktails. I’m not sure if this is a regular thing, but all of a sudden a whistle was blown and the bartenders started pouring tequila in people mouth… no joke.lol. Food wise all the tacos are good, but my favorite is the Asada taco’s. I’m not going to lie those taco’s are tiny and expensive, but so worth it when your craving good food at night or early morning (whichever way you look at it). I’m also am a fan of the Churros. Normally I don’t get to have Churros unless I’m at an amusement park and here they brought the fun to me. :)
It’s funny, but my advice would be to save this place for the last stop of your night. The later you go the more lively it is.

two words– «TEQUILA BAR» This is also Margarita Capital! (would love to try them all) I think 12 is my limit so I would have to space it out and park here all day. It’s the ambiance of Mexican Chic Dive bar, damask print covers the dark mysterious walls, candles burning through out, If you are a Renaissance Soul this place honors you.
*90+ tequilas tacos and kegged cocktails till 4AM
*Best Mexican fare Sober or Drizunk
*Swag
Damn I love this part of the Country

Came here after a night of cocktail tasting and nothing revs up your huger for tacos like drinks.
The place looks very similar to how the previous bar looked like which is cool, I guess. We were seated in a high top table and were instructed immediately to not use the silver bar as a footstool. Being one of those people that don’t listen when given instructions the first time, I put my foot and almost fell. Silly me.
Here’s what we had:
Chips and salsa: chips were flavorful but the salsa resembled one from a can. ²⁄₅
queso fundido: mediocre. damn you, big star, for setting the bar so high. ³⁄₅
veggie taco. ²⁄₅. bo-​ring.
friends had al pastor tacos they wen’t fond of either.
ay margarita: strong. probably the highlight of the evening. ⁴⁄₅
tecato & tequila shot (special of the night) was also a plus.
The different sauces at the table made the food edible. There were choices of guacamole, salsa verde amongst others. Without this, i don’t know how anyone can digest this stuff.
The server was really sweet and attentive but the food just seems very pricey and subpar for what you’re getting. I know the cost is more because the place becomes a party spot on weekend nights and it’s trendy but I need good food first!
WIth the 1000s of better taco places in chicago, i highly doubt I will come back,

Courtesy of Unilocal’s «What’s Up Wednesdays» event, a handful of us were pleasured with complimentary drinks and finger food at Ay Chiwowa. The event and environment was on the awesome side of the spectrum. The rest could not live up to the standard.
The three of us were each given two drink tickets. We ordered the Ay margarita, pineapple ginger margarita, acai berry jalapeño margarita, and a few beers. The margaritas were miserably done. They had the same overly sour taste despite its different colors and names. The melted ice in the glasses did not help much.
Chips with salsa and guacamole, veggie tacos, mole verde tostada, and shrimp ceviche were also served. EVERYTHING was heavily salted. It was so excessive that I only tasted the salt and nothing else. I chugged a glass of water at Ay Chiwowa and after I arrived home. My lips and tongue were parched like sand paper. Not attractive at all.

DONDE ESTA EL PERRO?
I looked everywhere and I couldn’t find him. I saw pictures of him on the front door but he seemed to elude me inside. Hey it’s a talking dog. I’ve seen him in commercials, so he’s famous. He probably has a secret VIP doggie door here. Maybe one day I’ll get to drink with him.
We recently attended an event here and had a great time. Our group was hanging in the back room of the bar. Or should I call it the «Room of the Dead». The wall paper in here was so cool. I had to rub it several times because it was so soft. I love the feel of felt. It goes back to my childhood when my Mom use to always buy me felt cards and that’s probably why I love it so much. So this room may have been covered in skulls and skeletons but the room was full of life.
There is a small bar in the back and that is where we meet Danny the bartender. Danny was shaking up margaritas and lots of them. We looked over the menu and decided to go with the ACAI BERRY JALAPEÑO MARGARITA w/​maestro dobel reposado, agave, acai liqueur, jalapeño simple syrup, lime juice & orange squeeze. These were so good, I had to have a second one.
We also started out with some Chips and Guacamole. The chips were piping hot which meant they were made fresh. I also loved how thin the chips were too. Also on Wednesdays they are on special for $ 2, that’s a great deal.
We also tried the Mini Tostada MOLE VERDE which had refried beans, chicken, & mole verde. Personally I’m not a mole fan but wow were these delicious. I can not wait to have these again. I also tried the TAQUITOS with had refried beans, tomato, lettuce, sour cream & queso fresco. I loved how the tortilla was not over cooked. These was easy to eat and I didn’t feel like I was going to break my teeth when I bit in.
Okay enough about the food. I needed to try more margaritas. I was so torn because I was in love with the Acai Berry but decided to go in another direction. I ordered the PINEAPPLE GINGER MARGARITA with cazadores reposado, pineapple ginger syrup, lime juice & ginger liqueur. This wasn’t my favorite because I thought the ginger was a little overwhelming but I did feel like I was drinking something healthy. I’m glad I tried it but I’d probably never order it again. Everyone has different tastes.
I decided to end my night with the «AY MARGARITA» with avion reposado, grand marnier, lime juice & agave nectar! This margarita did not disappoint. I must say that a lot of thought went into making all of the margaritas available here. I love all of the creativity that went into these recipes. I also loved that we didn’t have to ask for it on the rocks. It just came on the rocks. That is they way to have a margarita. Blended margaritas are terrible and full of ice.
Enough about the incredible drinks, we need to get back to some food. I was starting to get the munchies, so we dived into some chips and salsa. I think I have to say the salsa was my favorite of the night, when it came to the limited amount of food we tried. I also think there’s a secret ingredient in there. I am going to guess Worcestershire sauce for 1000 points and the win! I know the chef will probably never tell me but I am going to hold strong on that prediction.
This place also has tons of tequilas. You can buy it by the bottle or by the shot. The most expensive bottle I saw was for $ 4000. It is made in Mexico in 100 bottle batches and only 50 bottles are shipped into the US & the other 50 stay in Mexico. I wonder if any sneak over in tourists luggage. Now I need to borrow $ 4000 or take out a loan with the manager, in order to try it.
There are many more tequilas and food items on the menu. I wish I could have tried more of the menu. I will have to plan another visit.
This is the place to be on the weekends from what I hear. I really can’t go out like that anymore or I am ruined for the whole day. They have a 4am liquor liscence, so when you’re craving one last drink or two, before sunrise then this is the place. There is also a DJ booth but there was no DJ on a Wednesday night. Patrons were able to pick there own music from a very cool looking Jukebox. The mix of music was great.
A final note: We had some time to hang out with Seth who is one of the managers here and he filled us in on all these interesting facts. For example, many of the recipes came from the owner Arturo’s father from Mexico. I loved hearing that. It’s like they fast tracked everything poor Bayless has taken 20 plus years to learn. Now in no way am I comparing the food here to Rick’s. I have not had enough here to eat but I am interested in trying more of these authentic dishes. I really loved that mole verde and I do not remember ever seeing it anywhere in my eating adventures. So I would love to dive deeper into the menu and taste more of these authentic family recipes. Thanks to Arturo’s father for sharing these with the eaters of Chicago.

It was a nice evening for me at Ay Chiwowa.
And the reason I was here was for a Unilocal «Whats up Wednesdays»
get together.
So. we had the back part of the bar for our gathering
and we were treated to Margarita’s and Homemade Chips
and Salsa. Homemade guac too!
I know for sure the guac was homemade for I met the great
General Manager of Ay Chiwowa Alberto Vieyria and he told
me that he personally mixed up the guac himself this morning!
Alberto is an awesome guy, he made the rounds introducing
himself and making us all feel so welcome!
But. I cant/​wont forget to send a really big shout out to Kelly
who was serving up margaritas and Daniel behind the bar
who was mixing up drinks.
Both of them were rocking it out. taking care of everyone!
What a great group of people!
So. it was a really nice evening for me for I got to have a
Classic Margarita and some of the best Chips and Salsa I
have ever had.
I did not try Alberto’s guac for I hate guacamole big time but.
it really did look very good.
But. boy was I lovin the homemade Salsa!
So. to the entire staff at Ay Chiwowa thank you for having us all
tonight.
And to Danny W. Thanks for my 2 drink tickets cause I really
never win anything but I did win those!
P. S. I was rocking to the great music too. For they played Journey
and Journey is my favorite band!
P. S.S Not sure why Ay Chiwowa is categorized as a «Dive Bar» for I do
have a Dive Bar named Carol’s Pub 1 block away from my apartment
and I know it was dark in there tonight but it definitely was a big step up
from Carol’s.
Ay Chiwowa. in my eyes you are no dive bar. you are way better!
I think I’m done now.:)