This chill counter-serve spot serves up authentic Puerto Rican fare, boasting generous portions and a warm vibe that keeps diners coming back for more.
"This Puerto Rican restaurant in Logan Square has two other locations in the city—Lincoln Park and Dunning—and all of them have great jibaritos priced around $10. From thin steak with grilled onions, to blood sausage, to juicy roast pork, there are plenty of crispy plantain sandwiches to choose from. Plus, each one gets a fragrant layer of garlic spread on top that not only adds extra flavor, but is also a good way to deter anyone from speaking to us afterward." - john ringor, veda kilaru
"Jibaritos y Mas is a Puerto Rican spot with locations in Logan Square, Lincoln Park, and Dunning. And they specialize in, well, jibaritos and more. And the jibaritos are some of Chicago’s best. They come with all sorts of fillings—three types of steak, octopus, shrimp, and juicy roast pork. But what completes each sandwich is a potent garlic spread that adds flavor, and also ensures that no one will want to ride the elevator with you. For the “more” there are at least 12 types of mofongo, plus entrees like carne guisada and chuleta frita." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"Another pop-up finds a permanent home. Smash Jibarito is now the official kitchen of Desert Hawk in Wicker Park. Expect a menu full of their signature jibarito-inspired burgers, with smash patties sandwiched between tostones." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"It was only a matter a time before someone applied the Puerto Rican ingenuity behind the jibarito — the sandwich that swaps fried plantains for a delicious and gluten-free sub for bread — to burgers. Smash Jibarito is a wandering pop-up where customers can enjoy that lovely smash burger taste combine with plantains (they hold up well, don’t worry about the integrity of the thing — nothing deteriorates!). You can also order a veggie smash burger with meat substitute that might taste better than the beef version." - Naomi Waxman, Ashok Selvam
"The jibarito was introduced to Chicago at the late Borinquen Restaurant in the ’90s by restaurateur Juan Figueroa. Today, the Puerto Rican sandwich can be found on menus all over town. The classic recipe calls for thinly-sliced steak, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and garlic aioli in between two planks of fried plantains, but Jibaritos Y Mas also offers proteins like chicken, roasted pork, octopus, and shrimp. Additional outposts are located in Lincoln Park and Dunning." - Ashok Selvam, Eater Staff
