La Palma Puerto Rican Restaurant

I honestly hate writing bad reviews, especially for small business’s but I just have to.
My mom was in town and being Puerto Rican, she was obsessed with the idea of going to Humboldt Park. I’m new to Chicago so I looked up reviews, decided on this place and head over to Humboldt Park.
My mom grew up in poor neighborhoods and I have family still residing in poor areas but this area is just ew. Dirty, dingy, eerily empty streets and the restaurants connecting apartment (I’m assuming is part of the restaurant) had wood/​cardboard covering broken windows.
The place is ok. It really is Puerto Rican in the sense that it looks like one of those little dingy shacks where they sell food for cheap in Puerto Rico. The food is decent, not the best. The alcapurrias tasted like they were mixed with flour or something to make them look bigger and the meat in them wasn’t that good. The only good thing here is the Sorrullos. They are Delicious!
The service is horrible. The young cashier girl and the dark skinned older woman in the kitchen were really nice people but the owner is so mean and treats the staff badly. She berated the young girl for getting paper stuck in the register. I felt so uncomfortable, she went IN on her. Poor girl.
All in all, it’s an ok spot but I think theres better places to eat some Puerto Rican food.

Just finished eating at this place the second time around and it’s even more delicious than the first. They have a special jibarito called the el chapo… a traditional jibarito with a Mexican twist. The meat is full of flavor and extra tender. The employee Antonia always greets us with love. The appetizers (papas rellenas) are also very delicious and the prices are very affordable. Hands down the best Puerto Rican food I’ve stumbled upon.

First time entering this Puerto Rican restaurant, and I was in disbelief how clean, neat and welcoming the staff was. They have all there food in display where you can see all the food and how fresh it looks. I tried there vegetarian jibarito in stead if had vegetables and yuca did not need meat at all. I also tried there coconut flan it’s a must try desert!

La Palma is one of my favorite restaurants in all Chicago! Happened on this place when I used to live in the neighborhood, but come back just for a jibarito or the chicken stew with rice and beans as often as I can. If you’re not sure what to get, ask Antonia for a recommendation, she’ll hook you up!

Great place to have lunch. The peppersteak was tender enough to cut with a spoon. The variety is about six different entrees. Whenever I’m in the hood this is a go to spot.

The service was good and the ladies were awesome! They were really friendly and took time to explain what the food items were. It was our first time eating at a Puerto Rican place! The portions are big too. We saw several people thinking it was a pick up order type but were highly encouraged to dine-​in as we were.

Delicious food! I had the pollo guisado, arroz con gandules and habichuelas pintas. All so tasty! Friendly service, and great prices for the portions. I will make this a staple. Can’t wait to try the desserts!

Today November 11,2015. We met the sweetest woman named Antonia Rodriguez. I told her we was visiting from California. I told her we came all this way for her food.
She took great care of us right away. The food is cafeteria style meaning you serve yourself mostly.
I had the Puerto Rican rice with roasted pork. My wife had white rice with beans and beef stew. My wife’s food and mine was absolutely delicious. We also had a two sandwiches that Antonia suggested one steak and the other chicken. Oh my god the meat was so tender and juicy. I’m Puerto Rican so the food is like my mom’s. If we have time we will get some to take home back to California.
We both highly recommend the food and the hospitality of Antonia.
Amazing food, Carlos Guzman

Needs salt!!!
The food looks amazing but it’s so tasteless and bland that once it goes into your mouth its disappointing.
Don’t get me wrong it’s as authentic as Puerto Rican food gets but it’s so bland and disappointing. Myself and my girlfriend found ourselves with our hands attached to the salt shaker.
I love Puerto Rican food and so does my girlfriend but this one lacked the explosion of taste in your mouth that Puerto Rican food has. They are know for their sofrito and delicious condiments but this food was just bland. The rice, lechon and tamales were well made just bland and tasteless.

The jibarito sandwich here is on point. Authentic borinquen food here. I miss the cuchifritos of NYC. This is the closest thing to hometown goodness in the CHI. My favorite spot in the windy city when visiting the fam in Humbolt. Juepa!

First. The food is awesome but they charge you extra and be like oh well.
My mom and I went here, my mom got Bacalao and Malanga, she told the server she wanted the dinner. He put 5 pieces of Malanga n a spoon of bacalao. They lady charged us saying malanga only comes with dinner if it’s 4 pieces! Then said we had too much bacalao… the server gave us food we only told him wat we wanted… smh she was jus like oh well take it up wit The Manager Orlando. I will not go back here because it’s always a problem with them charging us extra for something.

Amazingggg food and hospitable service. Very welcoming. My new favorite spot. The owner greeted us as we came in and introduced us to all the specials.

Ordered food from La palma for my daughter’s party. Ordered the following:
Pernil: delicious, not dry and people loved it.
Arroz con gandules: good
Pastelillos: delicious. Sadly I had one from their grab and go display when I went to pay the balance of my order… and that one was stale. But the ordered ones were fresh, tasty and on point.
Papa rellena: good.
Pollo guisado: a little oily but good flavor .
My family and friends enjoyed the food and I was happy to have ordered from them. Antonia who handled my order was super nice and just great to work with.
I also purchased from the grab and go area an alcapurria and it was by far in my opinion one of the best I’ve tried. Crispy outside, tender inside with a great flavor. I was so pleased.
Also ate their tembleque (coconut custard type of flan) which was off the hook delicious!
Its a little place but they have a decent goal of pleasing their customers with home made Puerto Rican food!
Happy

We have been coming to this restaurant for several years and they have maintained the quality of their meals.
Several authentic dishes to choose from and friendly service!

This is a tiny nondescript place that is part self-​serve and part service but the food is the main attraction!
I’m Puerto Rican, born and raised in NYC and grew up on this food and I have to say… this is the BEST pernil and arroz con gandules I have ever had in my life.
The pastelillo was not so good (hard and dense) but the pernil and arroz con gandules is to die for. Check it out!!!

HELL TO THE MOTHA F N-O…no no no people this isnt what ppl should think is the AUTHENTIC puerto rican food experience. The real experience is food made to order, not food sitting under food lamps, go to mcds for that crap! Ok so when you walk in they greet you like they know you, ok, thats cool but if your making me feel like im home then cook like you at home. Everything is sitting in food warmers and the portions especially for the jibaritos are extremely small! Not worth the money and one more thing i made add, i think they have too much on the menu, i think they should shorten it and focus on making a few things taste great. Too many things on the menu and most of them are so bland… thats all i have to say, theres just so many great places in chicago to get pr food, this isnt one of them.

The food was awful. I paid $ 25 and the only thing edible was a piece of malanga, and yuca. The rice was edible but had little flavor and with the juice from the chicken it became salty. Chicken/​potatoes were so salty, I couldn’t eat them and the pork was overcooked to the point that it was tough and couldn’t eat. I would recommend going a little more north for way better food. I also ordered 2 pasteles, again no flavor. This really is not what real Puerto Rican food taste like!

So I came here a couple of weeks ago with my son and mom, bc they wanted PR food, and my mom LOVES this place. We used to come very often before, and BEFORE the food was DELICIOUS!
I’m rating the place on my most recent experience, here is my review:
The place was packed, but we found a table to sit at. Since it was my cheat day, I decided to go all out. Picked a porkchop and a pincho, and lechon, I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into. Ordered mine and my son’s rice and habichuelas. Rice and habichuelas on point. Porkchop, cold and stiff, pincho, cold and stiff, the meat was like rocks. Couldn’t indulge on the 2 items I picked and had my mouth watering! SMH. Mom’s food was ok, and so was my son’s. The kicker… when I went to pay the bill. Over $ 30 for the entire thing… smh. Despite me mentioning that the food wasn’t great. I won’t be coming back.

My first Puerto Rican restaurant! I have always wanted to try a jibarito and finally decided to come to Humboldt Park to try one. Definitely glad I did. The plantain was fried perfectly and the meat was juicy and seasoned well.

Where do I begin. Let’s start with the big girl behind the counter with no customer service as soon as we walked in that should have been an indication of it’s not gonna be a good experience! She had a fock it look on her face! We seated out self, no problem. Ok/​the place was empty, second red flag…
Then we ordered the man brought the food out to our table to us, he was nice, but the food was blan with not much flavor, worse part the entire meal was cold, the pork the steak sandwiches and rice! All cold! Worst pr food I ever had! Now I check my receipt and see she effin over charged me and shorted me on my change too! Wow!!!
I won’t go back and I’ll make sure I tell my friends and my huge pr family how much this place suck$. Btw thanks Unilocal for the bs reviews that said this place was 4/​stars!