Bayan Ko
Filipino restaurant · Ravenswood
1810 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
Highlights
Filipino-Cuban fusion with creative dishes & BYOB option
Filipino-Cuban fusion with creative dishes & BYOB option
"Bayan Ko is a BYOB SCRPRTCUWAFF that we’d recommend to just about anyone. It’s small (but not cramped), and the staff is always incredibly friendly and helpful. Plus the Filipino and Cuban food is excellent, with dishes like ropa vieja and cubana sliders. Make sure you get the delicious croqueta tots to share—at least one order every time you open a new bottle of wine." - josh barnett, sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor
"Bayan Ko won us over (and many Ravenswoodians) in 2018 with a great Filipino and Cuban a la carte menu and a BYOB policy we fully utilized. It has since evolved, picking up a liquor license and switching to a $95 five-course prix fixe. But like the only good Godfather sequel, Bayan Ko 2.0 is an excellent follow-up. The creative dishes inspired by the owners’ heritage are still delicious. Black rice arroz caldo ditches the Filipino soup’s usual chicken for tangy calamansi-butter-poached lobster that might put the bird out of the job. Crispy lechon comes with zippy Cuban mojo, Creole sauce, and a fluffy tamal. And with wine pairings and caviar-loaded amuse bouches, Bayan Ko successfully channels fancy dinner energy into a small, charming neighborhood spot. There's usually Cuban music playing and the staff might talk to you about how they're currently obsessed with the garnacha you just ordered. photo credit: Joe Munsayac RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE" - John Ringor
"Bayan Ko won us over in 2018 with a great Filipino and Cuban a la carte menu and a BYOB policy. It's since evolved, picking up a liquor license and switching to a $99 five-course prix fixe. But like the only good Godfather sequel, Bayan Ko 2.0 is an excellent follow-up. The creative dishes inspired by the owners’ heritage are still delicious, like black rice arroz caldo that ditches the Filipino soup’s usual chicken for tangy calamansi-butter-poached lobster that might put the bird out of the job. And with wine pairings and caviar-loaded amuse bouches, Bayan Ko successfully channels fancy dinner energy into its small, charming neighborhood spot. There's usually Cuban music playing and the staff might tell you how they're obsessed with the garnacha you just ordered." - john ringor
"While some publications may describe Filipino food as a trend, Bayan Ko — the Filipino and Cuban hybrid in Lincoln Square — proves there’s nothing fleeting about heritage. Lawrence Letrero and Raquel Quadreny have melded island cultures at this tiny spot near the Montrose Brown Line. Chef Letrero’s wings are sticky with a finger-licking-worthy adobo glaze. The chicken is succulent and perfectly cooked. The original restaurant has morphed into an upscale spot with a set menu, but the wings live on down the street at the new Bayan Ko Diner." - Ashok Selvam
"Like its sister restaurant Bayan Ko, this larger spot in Ravenswood serves great Filipino and Cuban food—just with a whole lot more eggs. Their menu has tasty traditional dishes, like longanisa garlic rice plates and flaky empanadas, plus twists on American breakfast classics, like a sisig hash with juicy chunks of pork and potatoes. Bayan Ko Diner’s space is casual, full of paintings of the Philippines and Cuba, and has lots of room for walk-ins. But as expected from a city that loves eggs on Saturdays and Sundays, that’s when this spot is packed. So if you’re planning on getting their Cubano breakfast burrito full of saucy ropa vieja and plantains for a weekend brunch, definitely also plan on making a reservation." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, nick allen, nick allen, nick allen, john ringor, nick allen, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, nick allen, john ringor, v
