BryAnna's Restaurant & Bar Guatemalan - Salvadoran Cuisine — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

This place is a hidden gem and easy to miss if you're not paying attention when driving on Lincoln just east of California. We were searching for it since I found it on Groupon. They have Guatemalan and Salvadorian food. I had a combination platter (4 oz Grill ribeye steak, chile relleno with chicken, taquito (beef), fried sweet plantains, and rice and beans. My plate was HUGE. The steak was so flavorful. The lady who served my wife and I, Norma, was very nice and friendly. She gave us a chicken noodle soup on the house, let us taste a few sauces before ordering, explained a lot of the dishes to us (since neither of us ever eaten at a Guatemalan restaurant before) and she checked on us regularly. We'll definitely be returning. Chips and 2 dipping sauces were given to us as well. The sauces were a little running, but the green sauce (can't remember what it was had a nice kick to it).

I was so taken aback by how large my platter was, I forgot to get pictures. I did snap a few pix of the place on the way out, just to show that it had a nice and relaxing atmosphere. It was cutely decorated for Christmas and the entire place, including the bathroom was spotless. This place cares about making you feel welcome.

They also have free wifi, which was pretty fast. I may come here some days when working remotely. I couldn't get the password to work at first (I misread one of the characters) and just decided to put away my device, when Norma came over and insisted on making sure I could connect. It was appreciated and indicative of how hospital she was to us....

As someone who truly loves and appreciates well-prepared oxtails, I was excited to find Bryanna’s Restaurant while in Chicago. I'm always on the hunt for tender, flavorful oxtails—meat that falls off the bone with rich, seasoned gravy. Briana’s had solid reviews and boasted Guatemalan and Salvadoran traditional cuisine, so I was hopeful and eager to try it.

I ordered the oxtails, which were served with steamed cabbage, rice, and sweet potato yams, along with a vegetarian pupusa filled with zucchini and cheese. Let me start by saying—the pupusa was the highlight of the meal. It was warm, cheesy, and had a nice balance of flavor and texture.

Now, the oxtails... as a self-proclaimed oxtail connoisseur, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. What I received was far from acceptable for the price I paid: just three small bones with a few shreds of meat, mostly gristle, and minimal substance. The flavor wasn’t memorable, and it certainly didn’t deliver on the rich, spiced experience I was hoping for based on the restaurant’s theme and reviews.

The sides were just okay—nothing special or particularly worth mentioning. For a place that shows promise with cultural authenticity, the portion size and quality of the oxtail dish fell well below standard. I’ll be disputing this charge through my credit card company due to how unsatisfactory it was.

In all fairness, the pupusa saved this from being a one-star review, but overall, I can only give Bryanna’s two stars. Disappointed, and unfortunately, I won’t...

I loved their pupusas and even though this place has had Unprofessional and horrible service for some while I still supported the business. But I've had enough. I ordered for pick up and once I arrived home I realized my order was completely wrong. So, I called and informed the lady, and she went ahead and blamed ME for taking the wrong order. I informed her I was on my way for my correct order. And she proceeded by saying "bring the incorrect order back into the restaurant". I stated "why would you want said order back if I opened it and it's been touched, due to covid I believe this is wrong" She claimed it's regulations and she needed that food back. Of course I didn't bring it in cause my fear was that they will reuse said order. As soon as I arrived she had attitude, I'm assuming she was upset at the fact that I didn't bring the food in and because she was told it wasn't sanitary through the phone. She placed my order on their bar and instantly turned around giving me her back, she didn't apologize, she didn't even say "here's your order" she just left it on top of their DIRTY bar full of dirty plates and glasses. And got upset when I asked for additional sauce. The dirty bar is another topic! I am so upset that they are treating people who are still supporting them through these rough times. I will be contacting the better business bureau and asking about such "regulation" of bringing incorrect orders back to the restaurant because that sounds ridiculous...