Aikana Chicago

The West Loop Big New Restaurant Power Rankings

"Aikana is a buzzy Latin American restaurant opened in the space formerly occupied by Yugen and Grace. But the only holdover from those previous tenants appears to be a great sound system, which plays a mix of tropical and Euro house. The dark, windowless restaurant is filled with hanging basket lights and tropical plants, and the menu focuses on food from Central and South America. This place delivers more on the vibe than the food, though some dishes are pretty good: like lime-cured wagyu on top of a crispy rice cake, and mote and chorizo mixed with an incredible poblano salsa. It can work for a group, or anytime you want melon balls in your cocktails." - adrian kane