Manchamanteles — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

Was so excited to try this spot that rose from the ashes of Lazo's, and it did not disappoint! Came with a group of 6 and the first thing we noticed was the bright and cheery banquet hall-esq atmosphere. With three massive rooms and a central bar, this would be a great spot for a private event.

We started with a pitcher of mezcal margs that was quickly drained and replaced with a second - delicious, not overly sweet or syrupy and enough for 6 of us to have ~2 margs from one pitcher. We also got the ceviche with olives - I LOVED it, some others are not fans of olives- and the guac to start. But the real stars of the show are the AMAZING mole entrees. Kicking myself for not taking pics, but it was too good to let the phone eat first

Big group was the way to go because we were able to split and try a few different things. -Pollo en Mole - delicious, a little more straightforward than the other dishes, but worked for a member of our party with dairy allergy. Great on a tortilla! Dobladas de Pollo Negras -NOW we're talking, the cheese and cream on top + the drenched tortilla was the BEST combo with the mole, in my humble opinion Cochinita Pibil - we literally ordered a second one -Chile en Nogada- let me just say I am not always a pork gal. I do love pulled pork, but this took it to another level of tender, melt in your mouth delicious + the walnut cream sauce was to DIE for. I will be dreaming about this dish for the ages Merluza en Mole Verde - the seabass was a nice pairing with some of the heavier meat dishes, but Green mole was not my fav.

Besides the amazing food, the staff was just so lovely. At the end of our meal they offered us a round of tequila shots, and we got a chance to meet the chef as well- who said to call the restaurant any time if I'm having trouble trying to replicate the Nogada sauce! A 10/10 experience with absolutely amazing food and such a lovely family vibe, cant wait to go back and try the rest...

Greetings my Foodzies, time for another review. This time we’re at Manchamanteles (the name means the table is stained from the moles that fall on them) at 2009 n Western Ave. in Chicago. This is an authentic Hispanic restaurant. Beautifully decorated in Mexican heritage decor. The restaurant has several different areas, including an outdoor dining area, bar area, banquet area and dining area. Tha restaurant is very clean. Our server Karla was magnificent , she was very knowledgeable about the food and the history of ghe restaurant . Our journey began with a trail mix of different spicy nuts, wasabi peas etc. a nice twist instead of chips and salsa; which don’t get me wrong we also enjoy. For an appetizer we had the ceviche (pacific kampachi, lime, tomato, olives, cilantro, avocado, orange, radish, serrano & closed loop farm greens) we delicious everything was fresh and flavorful. For our entrees we had Pato al Chipotle (smoked boneless duck breast, creamy chipotle salsa, yukon gold mashed potatoes with queso fresco {a slightly salty, tasty crumble cheese}) the mole was smooth, had a little heat and paired well with the perfectly prepared duck breast. The mashed potatoes were good but had a slight chewy texture. Mole Manchamanteles (chicken breast, mole rojo, grilled piña,plantains,chorizo & mashed potatoes(Oaxaca) the chicken was juicy, I would have liked a more char but that’s just my choice; the mixture of the chorizo and mole made for a great flavor burst. Carne Tampiquena (mesquite grilled skirt steak,guajillo cheese enchilada, black beans, queso fresco & guacamole) the steak was seasoned and seared perfectly, the enchilada was a little dry but had decent flavor. This was a very unique dining experience which we enjoyed thoroughly. I give this restaurant 5 stars. Give it a try and let me know how you like it. Ciao, Ciao for now. For a complete video of our experience please follow me on TikTok...

Manchamanteles is a trendy west loop-es que dining experience disguised as an average Tex-Mex joint. This block on Western Ave has 3 Mexican restaurants in a row. Little Lazos, Arturo’s Tacos, and Manchamanteles. Both Lazos and Arturo’s are very casual and outwardly appearing Manchamanteles is too. Going in you are welcomed warmly into one of the largest dining rooms I’ve ever seen in Chicago. The amount of space here could seat at least 3 restaurants. The decor is a mix of Mexican and sports bar. There are tvs on almost every wall and in one strange instance two tvs side by side each playing the same sports program but with one TV’s program 30 seconds behind the other. The menu and opening introduction by the waiter is confusing. He brings out nuts and the 3 “signature moles”.

Its clear that mole is this restaurants main flavor profile and there is a specific section on the menu of the mole dishes. It isn’t clear though which dish uses what mole and as a diner you are not sure how to approach these 3 moles in front of you. Do you eat them with the mixed nuts? Are they just there to try with a spoon? It’s never explained. The menu itself does have some classic Tex Mex dishes on the last page that American diners would be familiar with but the majority of the menu is foreign (and expensive) to the casual diner. The food though is phenomenal. The presentation is excellent and the flavors are strong, unique, and well crafted. I don’t know where else in Chicago you can get food like this. These are dishes one would expect to eat after waiting two weeks for a reservation and dressing up for date night. Not in a sprawling banquet hall under unequally spaced broadcasts of sports center. If I’m rating the food alone it’s 5 stars but the overall dining experience is way too casual and confusing for an overall 5...