Ayayay - Mexican Eatery

I recently dined at AyAyAy Mexican Eatery in Chicago and was thoroughly impressed by the quality and creativity of the dishes. I ordered the filet mignon bowl with sushi rice, which was exceptional. The filet mignon was beautifully tender and juicy, cooked with precision, and paired perfectly with the sushi rice. The pico de gallo was vibrant and remarkably fresh, adding a bright, clean finish to an already standout dish. The charcoal chicken tacos were equally impressive. The chicken was tender and flavorful, complemented by fresh toppings and a notably smooth, delicious guacamole that elevated every bite. I also tried the Truffle Plantains, and they were truly to die for—perfectly cooked with a rich, aromatic truffle flavor that made them absolutely unforgettable. To end on a sweet note, the Oreo cheesecake delivered a luxuriously creamy and indulgent finish, the kind of dessert you find yourself thinking about long after the meal is over. Overall, AyAyAy Mexican Eatery offers a refined yet comforting dining experience, showcasing high-quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation. A must-visit for anyone exploring Chicago’s vibrant food scene.

Outstanding food, drinks, and service! It looks like a hole in the wall from the outside…do not let that fool you…the vibe inside is great! This is some of the best Mexican food we’ve ever had! The Paloma and margarita were both excellent. We had street tacos and the yuca cheese balls—GET THE CHEESE BALLS! We will be back the next time we are in Chicago!

I had such a great experience at this restaurant! The waiter who served us was incredibly friendly and full of energy, which made the whole meal even more enjoyable. The atmosphere was bright, lively, and fun—perfect for a relaxed night out. I tried tostones for the first time, and they were amazing. The flavor was unique and pleasantly nutty, becoming sweeter and richer the longer I chewed. The guacamole served with it was extremely fresh and paired perfectly. The tacos were honestly some of the best I’ve ever had—just the right amount of heat with great umami flavor. The burrito was also delicious, especially the thin and slightly toasty tortilla that made it stand out even more. Highly recommended. I’d definitely love to come back again! 🌮🥑✨

I had a great experience at Ayayay Mexican. While there are only a few vegetarian options, the staff was very helpful in guiding me to the best choices. The Portobello Chimichurri Bowl was absolutely amazing—full of flavor and very satisfying. We also ordered the quesadillas and a mushroom taco, both of which were delicious and well-prepared. To finish off, the churros were a perfect sweet ending. Overall, good food, great service, and a place I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for authentic flavors with friendly staff support.

Second time eating here. Truffle plantains were delicious and creative and everything was mouthwatering good! The daily specials are great. We got the two tacos and a margarita special for $18. We'll be back.

The food, service & margaritas were beyond 5-star!! Great take on tacos and appetizers, arguably the best my husband and I ever had. Please take time to try this place, you won’t regret it!

We found this place by accident near our hotel and had the perfect lunch. Good portions at fair prices, and lots of creative twists on traditional flavors. Get the truffle plantains - I'll be thinking about them for a long time. Our server, Paul, was very attentive and friendly!

It looks like hole in the wall from the outside and simple to miss. It doesn't look inviting, bot don't let that prevent you from coming. It's wonderful and larger than you think.. it's an upgrade from the many Mexican taco, torta and burrito places. Both the food and environment are elevated.

Stumbled on this spot after trying to find something close to my hotel. And it did not disappoint. A warm and inviting restaurant that clearly cares about service and quality. While I was initially going in for tacos, I found myself sold on the pork belly glazed torta. It was fantastic. The bread was delicious. Meat was flavor full and the accompanying fillings in the torta made for a flavorful experience. I personally feel like it is easy to overload a torta in sauces and toppings. This was well balanced and delicious. The chips and guac (appetizer) were great too. Fantastic chips. Server was attentive and professional. Great spot. If I lived locally, this would be a frequently visited spot.

My party ordered carne asada tacos, al pastor tacos, and a chicharron torta. From reading the menu, I was surprised that there was an additional charge for a beans & rice side. The server also kept suggesting chips & guac for the table without stating that it would be an extra charge. When we got our tacos and torta, they had forgotten our side of beans and rice. The torta was smaller than expected and had more sweet potato than meat on there. The carne asada tacos had a nice flavor but weren't filling. I was also disappointed that there were no additional salsas on the side to add to our dishes. The beans and rice were served in a small bowl. I thought the beans were too liquidy and the rice had no flavor. We were disappointed with the portions and overall flavor profile, but this can be because we're just used to more authentic Mexican food than what is served here. There seemed to be only one server on the floor, he was nice while taking our order, but never checked on us until we requested our check. Due to this, it did take some significant time for us to finally get our check to leave, I will say. Considering the price point and service, this wouldn't be my first choice to eat at.

My girlfriend really wanted to get tacos on our last day in Chicago so we stumbled upon Ayayay. The menu looked promising and a lot of the reviews looked good but ultimately I was a bit disappointed. For starters we ordered the Guacamole & Chips and the Cheesy Yuca Balls. They came out fairly quickly. The guacamole & chips tasted fine, pretty standard chips and guac. I know avocados can get expensive but for $13 I expected a lot more from them. I actually really liked the Cheesy Yuca Balls. They were super cheesy as advertised and they had good flavor to them. The texture was nice and chewy. The entrees came shortly after. The tacos were decent. I wasn't a fan of the tortillas but the insides were pretty good. There was a lot going on flavor and texture-wise. What really got me was an order of 2 tacos was $12 and they didn't even come with any sides. The pork belly torta was pretty good and I enjoyed it but for $17 it seemed a little light on the pork belly. And in general the sandwich was on the smaller side. If I hadn't had a light meal before coming I probably would've been hungry after eating. The service was good and the place was modern and clean. There were some hits and some misses with the food but if it isn't apparent from this review my main gripe is the price. This definitely wouldn't be my first choice for Mexican.

Chicago is full of great restaurants so I usually try not to visit the same restaurant twice in one month, but I came to Ayayay twice...this WEEK. The first time, I came for dinner on Tuesday with a girlfriend and got the Nikkei shrimp bowl which was honestly so delicious that I debated getting it again today when I went back for dinner. They definitely did not skimp on the tempura shrimp, and I absolutely loved the cabbage slaw, sauce, and sushi rice that it came with. For dinner tonight, I had the truffle plaintains and chicken burrito...both amazing. My BF had the chicken taco bowl which he inhaled quickly. This is definitely a spot that I will be visiting frequently!

I tried Ayayay on a Saturday evening for dinner and was a bit confused when I first walked in. There's no host stand, so we weren't sure if it was a seat-yourself kind of place. There's also a large menu on the wall, which made us think it might be more of a counter-service setup. After a few minutes of waiting and trying to figure it out, someone finally came over and brought us to a table. Once we were seated, it took about 10 minutes before anyone came by to offer water or greet us. We also noticed the table next to us looked visibly upset about the service, which wasn't the best sign. When it came time to order, I got the filet mignon bowl and my friend ordered the nachos. Right after we placed our order, a large group came in. They were very loud, which made it hard to enjoy the vibe. Obviously, that's not the restaurant's fault--but it did seem like all the staff attention shifted to that group for the rest of the night. When our food finally came out, my friend's nachos had the sauce on top even though they asked for it on the side, and the whole dish was cold. My bowl was also cold and didn't quite match what was described on the menu--the combination of ingredients was a little odd, and it tasted pretty bland. I asked for a side of green salsa to add some flavor, but it never came, so I ended up getting up and grabbing it myself after about 10 minutes. It seems like this might be a newer restaurant, so I'm hoping they're still working out the kinks. The concept is fun, and the space has potential, but they've got some things to tighten up when it comes to service and execution.

I can't say enough positive things about the quality and taste of the food. Every item I tried was nothing short of delicious. Our servers were also so wonderfully nice and accommodating to us. The restaurant felt a little small, but it had a nice cozy vibe to it. I might go as far as to say my favorite Mexican restaurant in Chicago. They have a small menu, but you know that means they prepare every item incredibly.

Upscale Mexican eatery - easy to miss as you walk by, but so happy we stumbled on this place. The service was quick and friendly. A little pricy for the portion size but typical for loop pricing and the flavors were on point! We got the pastor tacos and carne asada torta and both were super flavorful. The rice and beans as a side was pretty standard, so would recommend another taco honestly over that. Otherwise, we got the passion fruit and guava margaritas and those packed a punch! Great location for a quick bite to eat

I had a poor delivery experience with this place just last night. Now it's a relatively new place, Some might chalk it up to new place logistics and all. Idk, but I ordered on door dash and first of all the restaurant didn't confirm the order for 20 mins. That seemed to be a concern, but I double checked and got a confirmation email from dd. So then forever it showed the driver at the place waiting for the order. The food was very delayed vs the estimated window. Secondly, they missed including one of my items. I ordered nachos, burrito, and taco. The taco was completely missing. I was like... Door dash refunded that cost, but it doesn't help me with feeding the family. Lastly, coming to what did arrive. So first we had the nachos and they were quite good. Luckily the chips weren't completely soggy... Just partly. Almost nobody does this, but they should put the wet ingredients separately. Anyway, good flavors. Generous amount of toppings. Cheese and sauces were yum. Some kind of beans paste and all. And then I had the vegetarian burrito. I mean... It's stuffed with rice with a touch of the portobellos. It was basically a rice-filled flavorless wrap. I don't get how a place that made vegetarian nachos so flavorfully is also the place that makes something so... Blech. Well, so poor execution on multiple layers. I don't know what else to say about it. At the moment, I'm not even going to publish this, because they have just 10 5-star reviews and this would pull their public score down. I'll hold on to it and see how things go for them. I won't be solely responsible for diminishing a new local business owner.

Outstanding fish tacos. Crispy fish with picante sauce, really wonderful. Portable chimichurri bowl was also very good, satisfying. So far everything we've had here has been great.

Food was good! There salsa is spicy and tasty. I would recommend and the restaurant was clean.

BY FAR, the best authentic Mexican/latin food there is. I'm from San Antonio Tx (close to the border) and when I tell you the flavors did not miss I mean it. The plantains and tortas were the best in the city! Full of flavors and we highly recommend! Everything is cooked perfectly. The service is very friendly and welcoming. As well as the ambiance. I will be telling all my Texas friends about this place as a must visit location here in Chicago.

Great spot with really balanced flavors! I tried the Nikkei Shrimp bowl which was filling yet light. The dish also wasn't overly packed with rice/filler content, but rather had a good amount of shrimp tempura bites, a light slaw that wasn't overly soggy , and was well seasoned with furikake and nori. It tasted bright and fresh. Great find! Its a tad pricey for a lunch item but most things are in this part of chicago.

Great food, atmosphere and service. Just came across this place and loved it. Get the Torta!

It was such a last minute decision to have dinner at this establishment, but let me tell you how I'm so glad we did! Paul was the BEST waiter, with such a great sense of humor, offered the most delicious recommendations, and kept our glasses full without having to ask! Such a delightful experience. Highly recommend!

Ahh! This used to be Billy Goat Tavern, remember that! I had a taco. The staff and service is excellent.

Great food and fun atmosphere. Server was great and the space was not too big. Felt cozy. There was a weird service fee on the bill that seemed ridiculous. Our meal for 2 was $75. Any extra cost was not necessary. Liked the food, didn't love the added charges.

My friend and I went here after the work and I gotta say - I loved the margs 10/10 did you know if you get a whole pitcher it's cheaper than getting multiple individual margs?

New restaurant and it was Amazing! The ambiance was super cool!! It's literally a hole in the wall with a super cool vibe! The food!!! Ahhhhhh I had the steak bowl and I couldn't stop eating it!! The chips and guacamole are a MUST!!! Margaritas!!!! Holy moly!!! Super good!!! Just go ahead and buy a pitcher!!!!

Came here with 5 friends and we all absolutely loveddd everything. My friends from out of town that live in NYC said they were tacos so good they'd dream about them

Food and service were both great! The Al Pastor / Pork Belly Tacos were soooo highly flavored! Guacamole was fresh and also nicely flavored. Highly recommend this!

Amazing food and margaritas. The atmosphere was lively and a led to a wonderful start for our Chicago trip. We recommend the cheesy yucca balls, fish tacos and pork belly al pastor tacos.

Amazing food and service in this small and lowkey restaurant. I also had a guava margarita that was delicious. Will definitely come back.

Tacos and quesadillas are good! We ordered from door dash and it came almost on time. We have never been to the location itself.

Amazing chicken taco bowl!! Great service and a beautiful place to tuck in and eat a delicious meal.

Absolutely delicious! It's tucked away and very discrete from the outside but the interior is beautiful and the food is incredible!! I had the truffle plantains and carne asada tacos. Both 10/10. Come check this place out!!

We stopped in for an early dinner and were blown away by this restaurant. The fried fish taco was absolutely delicious. The asada tacos were great too! Good drinks, good service. All at a good price point.

We loved it and couldn't understand why it wasn't busy. Absoluetly delicious! I don't recall EVER (and i am old) leaving a review in the past, but this was unquestionably. ​ ​I loved the house margarita and chicken tacos, hubby had burito.

Excellent "upscale street food", but expensive for what it is. Some of my favorite mexican food in the area. Unique. Service is good, but could be more attentive while busy. Somewhat overpriced as mains do not include a side, and the sides are priced like appetizers. Still, worth a try.

I've been ordering bowls and burritos to go. I would describe them as 200% Chipotle quality for 130% of the price, which is a pretty good deal if that's your vibe.

Solid choice. Staff is super nice, great vibe inside. Their version of carna adsada is amazing

Do yourself a favor and get the passion fruit margarita and the pork belly torta! You won't be disappointed!!!

Food was delicious. Had a nice meal--the carne asada tacos were phenomenal. Yay for Ayayay.

The pork belly pastor tacos were very tasty and really enjoyed the horchata. The service was very personable and attentive. I look forward to coming back and trying some of the apps.

Great food and great service. Loud music, probably not the best for a meaningful conversation meal but it was great after a long day of walking. Staff was super kind and very helpful.

Excellent customer service, cheese balls and carne asada burritos were delicious. Food was taking a while and our server made us feel completely reassured for our time.

This restaurant was AMAZING! It has such a fun but chill vibe, it was a great find for a Sunday Funday Brunch. We had the guacamole and chips to start, the steak torta, and the pork belly tacos. Truly some of the best food I've had in the city, I've been thinking about it since we left. We also tried a few of the cocktails and they were some of the best margaritas I have ever tasted. The service was even better than the food. Our waiter Paul talked with us about the restaurant, the food, and made great suggestions. If you are looking for good food in the city, a delicious drink, or a casual dinner spot then this is the place to go! Already ready to go back!

Delicious food, excellent service, and cool atmosphere. Highly recommend the Truffle Plantains and the Devil Margarita!

Ordered take out this evening- everything traveled well and was delicious. The cheesy yuca balls were especially amazing! The staff was super friendly even if it was only a take out order.

The food is amazing; the service is ultra friendly; the atmosphere is inviting, reserved, and modern. Start your meal with the truffle plantains, have a Casa Humilde, and enjoy any entree. My new favorite in Chicago for a quick, satisfying meal.