Cebu Chicago

Filipino restaurant · Lakeview

Cebu Chicago

Filipino restaurant · Lakeview

3120 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Highlights

Cebu Chicago offers a modern twist on Filipino fare with standout dishes like crispy lechon and ube waffles in a bright, inviting space.

3120 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657 Get directions

cebuchicago.com

@cebuchicago

$20–30

Reserve

@eater

"A diner has always been a good call for kids, and they’re better when the menu strays from Western classics. Cebu, which will eventually launch dinner service, is a bright and open space with tons of fun pastries for light snacks. This Filipino American restaurant also serves fun pancakes, fried chicken, and one of the greatest gifts adults can give kids: lumpia." - Ashok Selvam, Naomi Waxman

The Best Places to Eat With Kids in Chicago

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@infatuation

"One of our favorite Filipino restaurants, Cebu, closed at the end of last year. We knew it was temporary, but we’re still very happy to report they’ve reopened a bigger location in Lakeview. Cebu currently has breakfast and lunch, but besides pandan pancakes, short rib tapsilog, and a variety of pastries, they’ll eventually have dinner too." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen

The Newest Restaurants In Chicago

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@eater

"Cebu taught Chicago to love Filipino food and their new Lakeview restaurant focuses on brunch fare with some Mexican influences including an ube breakfast sandwich with Filipino chorizo, chicken adobo chilaquiles, and pandan-infused pancakes with sweetened coconut. Those in a hurry can just grab a breakfast burrito or corned beef pan de sal along with hot or iced coffee. Make a reservation through OpenTable." - Samantha Nelson, Eater Staff

Where to Eat Brunch in Chicago Right Now

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@eater

"This Filipino restaurant is a reinvention of a Wicker Park restaurant that focuses on brunch and dinner. Now in Lakeview, Cebu is part cafe and diner, with evening service coming soon. Find ube waffles that taste like cake, topped with fried chicken. A breakfast sandwich with a purple bun, hash brown medallion, and a chorizo patty. The drinks are also of note with plenty of different caffeinated options that go beyond the standard coffee shop. Cebu is only in its soft open phase but should be a daytime contender along Lincoln in Lakeview." - Ashok Selvam

The Hottest New Restaurants in Chicago, July 2024

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@eater

"Cebu blazed a path for Filipino cuisine in Chicago when the family-owned restaurant debuted five years ago in Bucktown. Now it has relocated to Lakeview with a new restaurant that opened on Thursday, June 27. The new venue offers a case full of cookies, pan de sal stuffed with corned beef or ube and cheesecake, and to-go options like a breakfast burrito with tocino and garlic rice. The menu features items such as Silog, pandan pancakes, ube waffles with fried chicken, and tres leches French toast. The Tans describe the menu as modern Filipino with various influences, including Mexican, with dishes like adobo chicken chiliquiles. They are considering dinner service and possibly expanding cocktail offerings in the future." - Ashok Selvam

Cebu Filipino restaurant is now open in Lakeview - Eater Chicago

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Jazzie DelToro

Google

We went there and had the whole restaurant to ourselves. It was a nice and peaceful experience. The servers were nice, friendly, and efficient checking on our table often. The food was amazing! We tried some of their pastries and French toasts? We would return. The ambiance is nice too.

Samantha Rusnak

Google

The food was really good, they asked about allergies which was nice. The restaurant was very clean and everyone was friendly. The only thing was that it took a long while for the servers to take our order and then for us to get some boxes. Other than that we had a very great time and the food was delicious!

AG Syjuco

Google

Cebu never fails to impress. The food is consistently amazing, and while we were sad when they moved out of their Wicker Park location (making it harder for us to visit as often), they've proven that distance is no obstacle for excellence. For Christmas this year (2024), we decided to order lechon from Cebu--and it was unreal! We've never had lechon this soft and flavorful, not even in the Philippines or anywhere else. It was a true standout dish and a highlight of our holiday celebrations. Cebu is simply the best at what they do. Visiting their new location was also a pleasant surprise. The space is many times larger than the old one, and while it's a bit of a drive for us now, the quality of their food makes it more than worth the trip. We're already looking forward to coming back in the new year!

Joe Malapitan

Google

As someone very familiar with Filipino cuisine, I found myself both proud and impressed by the unique and creative approach this restaurant has taken. My family and I visited right before the Christmas holiday and we were all quite impressed. We highly recommend the lechon and the bistek. The only complaint I have is the obvious lack of decor that I think should emphasize the cuisine's origins. I believe that would serve the restaurant very well.

Allison N

Google

The best experience ever!! We were immediately greeted warmly and seated. The ambiance is so bright yet cozy with Filipino decor inside. We were quickly served with a smile. The happy hour is excellent. Do not miss out on the pork belly sisig, calamansi vodka, and ube painkiller! The sisig was huge for a happy hour portion and so delicious. We also got the lechon and branzino as our entrees, both delicious. The menu is so creative and inspired, without losing the traditional Filipino taste and roots. The dessert was excellent too- highly recommended the white chocolate ube cheesecake!! We will be back!

Tom Zeien

Google

Dinner was SO delicious. The pork lechon was a highlight. The skin was so crispy and the meat itself was cooked extremely well. The filipino-style chicken BBQ skewers were also incredibly flavorful and expertly cooked. There was some sort of slightly sour flavor I personally didn’t care for in the tuna kinilaw, but others at the table seemed to really enjoy. We ordered all of the desserts and I still can’t decide my favorite. We had the halo-halo, buko pie, and the churron. Our table loved all of them. Leave room for dessert! The interior space echoes quite a lot, so it can get very loud even without many people. Service is quite friendly and helpful.

Morgan Rapplean

Google

My friends and I went in here on Saturday while we were in town and I'm seriously glad we decided to stop here. We got the lumpia and tamarind fries to share, both of which were good. I got the mango banana ube french toast and a Cebu pop (left in the photo) and both were great as well. The portion was much bigger than I expected and the fruit was a nice, fresh addition to balance a normally heavy dish. I would definitely come back and try more dishes next time I happen to be in the city.

Nelson Rodriguez Rivas

Google

We've now been 2x for breakfast and once for dinner, and can say this is such a tasty spot and so happy it opened up just a half block from our apartment. I hope they stick around for the long run! Lovely service, nice staff that is helpful with the food and recommendations. The space is large and we haven't had issues with wait times; though it could use some sound dampening cosmetic additions to make it feel a little more cozy. But nothing crazy here. The food, though, is pretty fantastic. Breakfast is very tasty, and I especially loved the Ube French Toast. But the dinner I found to be even better than breakfast. I'll add some photos here but we tried: Starters: Lumpia with Shrimp Filipino-Style Chicken BBQ Skewers (highlight!) Tuna Kinilaw Main: Cebu Lechon (highlight!) Ribeye Salpicao Branzino wrapped in Banana Leaf (whole fish) (highlight!) Dessert: Halo-Halo (highlight!) Buko Pie (highlight!) Churron (highlight!) Looking forward to returning!