Matilda Restaurant

Finally got around to trying Matilda! Went on a Friday night. The space is beautiful. There was a line for the speakeasy inside of the restaurant but we were able to get by easily to go to the host stand. The hosts were friendly. There was one host that was very obviously chewing gum and popping it loudly so that wasn’t super welcoming. Drinks were good. The food tasted fresh but ultimately fell a bit short during this visit. The cheek birria guiso lacked salt/flavor. It had a great tenderness though. Our server (I believe his name is David) was great! He helped make the experience more enjoyable. I would like to give this spot another chance because of all the great reviews. Ojalá la próxima vez sea una mejor experiencia.

This was the best dinner experience that I’ve had in Chicago in a long time. The flavors were so inquire, presentation of food was top tier, and service was impeccable. Get the plantain tacos and the pallela! David took great care of us, he had the best recommendations and was extremely knowledgable on my allergy — he immediately knew what I could eat and what dishes could be adjusted to be gluten free. This is a great place to go on a date, with friends, or family! I will 100% be back!

Matilda is such a cozy spot with beautiful presentation and bold flavors. Recommend -The grilled prawns in creamy sauce were definitely a highlight and perfectly cooked. -The tacos were also amazing, crispy with great texture and well-balanced toppings. -The braised beef was tender and comforting, and the crispy rolls were a perfect way to end the meal. The only is that the tables are a bit too small, and the space feels quite tight. It can be slightly uncomfortable when people are moving in and out because the layout is a bit cramped. Overall, the food is impressive and worth trying (and slightly crowded) dining experience.

Even in a city with a food scene as AMAZING as Chicago, Matilda STILL stands out. One of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. Each and every dish was 9/10 or higher. The service was phenomenal (thanks David!), welcoming and personal while also being efficient. Absolutely LOVED the tuna tartare, pulpo a la brasa and sweet plantain tacos! 10/10 would recommend.

This is now one of my favorite spots in the city! From the moment we walked in, the energy was warm and inviting. Both the restaurant and underground speakeasy were buzzing with lively, effortlessly cool energy. Upstairs is bright, airy, and elegant, while the speakeasy downstairs is dark, sleek, and intimate. Both spaces are stunning and feel like a little escape - a place where people are connecting and genuinely enjoying themselves. The food was unexpected, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious! We had the tuna tartare, sweet plantain & chorizo tacos, lomo saltado, and the elote dessert - each dish blew us away. I wish my photos did them justice. I let our wonderful server, Fernando, know I don’t drink, and he brought me a passion fruit mojito mocktail that was hands down the best mocktail I’ve ever had - light, refreshing, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. The staff worked seamlessly together to make our experience exceptional. The general manager and other team members checked in throughout the night, and we felt genuinely welcomed and cared for at every step. I highly recommend sharing several plates and exploring as much as you can. This is a place for connection, adventurous food, and an incredible atmosphere crafted by a team that clearly loves what they do. Can’t wait to go back!

Came for a restaurant week lunch and these dishes seemed very thoughtful. The tuna tartare came beautifully plated and was definitely meant to be shared, but oh so delicious. The cochinita was served with fresh tortillas and creamy habanero sauce (not pictured). This is definitely refined Mexican and you can tell every aspect of the environment from the decor, wall style, and under table acoustic paneling was thought through to have a great experience. So good, would go back. Also the sombra drink was great (if a little strong lol)

I love Matilda! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my dining experience. The table side guacamole was very tasty, the Lomo Saltado was amazing and the Elote Quemado dessert was perfection. The staff was very friendly and attentive as well. A must try in River North Chicago!

We had an amazing experience tonight! The food was absolutely delicious and everything was full of flavor. Our friend Pablo took great care of us — the service was excellent, very attentive, friendly, and professional throughout the whole evening. He made us feel truly welcome. Highly recommend this place, we’ll definitely be coming back!

Incredible. The food is so delicious, service was wonderful, and the space is beautiful! Highlights: -the elote quemado dessert is easily my top 3 favorite bites I've had in Chicago. It's a sweet (not too sweet) corn cake with a brûléed crust, crowned with an airy cajeta foam, corn ashes. SO yummy. I wish I could have this every day. -the guacamole tatemado. Hear me out, yes it's guacamole, but the presentation was a showstopper. It looks like an avocado but they mash it up tableside. Servicing size may be for just two people so note that if you're with a bigger group They have an extensive drink menu. I got a mocktail and it was quite delicious!

Went here on a weekday night upon recommendation from a friend. The wait situation was frustrating. We were first told an hour, then forty five minutes, but after waiting we never received a text or call. When we checked back in, there was still no table ready, and we were finally seated about ten minutes later. The hosts really need to do a better job estimating wait times and communicating. Once seated though, the place was a total vibe. I loved the concrete concept mixed with plants, and the speakeasy downstairs is a must. It feels like a cave with red lighting and a completely different energy. The food was pretty good overall. The ceviche was fine but not memorable. My favorites were the lomo saltado and the sweet plantain and chorizo tacos. The lomo had amazing flavor with a citrusy kick, and the chorizo and plantain combo was so unique and delicious. The paella had good flavor but the texture was more risotto-like, and I was hoping for that classic crispy paella finish.

When The Doctor, Queen and I were walking down the street to locate Matilda, I had a sense of déjà vu. I had a little bit of trouble locating the door, but we found it. As I walked inside, I was immediately struck again with a sense of déjà vu, but I had never been here before. Once we sat down at the table with the other folks we met, I saw a gentleman come out of a door next to the hostess stand and then it hit me! This was the location of one of my favorite restaurants, Marchesa, with that wonderful Champagne Cave in the basement. Loved that place, but what a shock to see how Matilda had transform that space into something very different, but still lovely. Instead of the open area concept, Matilda transformed the space into a cool cavern above ground. The room was split into several of these cavern section, with the appearance of an arch opening, with seating in under the arch. It reminded me of The Summer Cave a restaurant I had the pleasure of eating at back in 2012 in the hotel Grotta Palasezze in Italy. Not that Matilda was in an underground cave, but the sense of eating in an intimate cave like setting is what the decor reminded me of. Or I could have just had the Champagne Cave of old on my mind. Ok enough of that, let's get to the food. We started with the Guacamole Tatemado (fire-roasted avocado, Ají amarillo, acevichada sauce, pico de gallo, herb ash, warm house chips). It is prepped at the table. The presentation was nice and the gentleman preparing it described the preparation of the avocado prior to be brought out to the table. I am a fan of guacamole and this was a different way of prepping it as I had never had a fire-roasted avocado before...quite interesting. As another starter we each got the tuna tartare. This was a lovey appetizer, fresh in flavor and the addition of the furikake was an interesting flavor, giving a Mexican version of the dish a little bit of Asian flare. Our dinner guests and The Doctor got the carne asada tacos (grilled beef tenderloin, cheese crust, tomatillo salsa verde). These were two to an order and served open-faced instead of folded over. The layer of the cheese crust over the tortilla was an interesting touch. For my entrée I got the Tinga de Pollo Adobada (shredded chicken, chipotle-tomato braise, hints of clove and piloncillo). This was a very good dish, I just wished the portion had been a little bigger. This came with beans and tortillas on the side. As good as the dish was that I got, the pièce de résistance or the pedazo de resistencia (since we are talking about Mexican food) was the Matilda's Paella (Mahi-mahi, scallops, octopus, chorizo and shrimp over risotto style rice, Peruvian-Mexican chile salsa madre and Manchego) that The Queen got. This was truly an impressive looking dish and could definitely be shared between two people. There was plenty of seafood and the way it was prepared, the rice was mist definitely al dente, which was nice. There was plenty to take home for lunch the next day. The combination of seafood, mahi-mahi and the chorizo definitely took the flavor profile from Spain to Mexico and I was here for it. Honestly I was too bushy sampling The Queen's dish to see if had Socarrat, which is the slightly burnt rice at the bottom of the paella pan. There are those that require this in the pan for a true paella. Me , I am not married to that concept and if it is there and tastes good, we are good. If it isn't there, and it is tasty, I am good. I would have to come back and order this dish to very the presence of Socarrat, but this was very yummy. And I have to say the next day I thought it was better, with the flavor profile mellowing out becoming smoother on the palate. For dessert I got the Elote Quemado (sweet corn cake with a brûléed crust, crowned with an airy cajeta foam, corn ashes) and The Queen got the Tejuino Ice Cream and Chocolate - House fermented masa ice cream, piloncillo syrup and Chocolate Abuelita. The Elote Quemado was an interesting concept, being a literal corn dessert. I just didn't know what to make of it, it was good, but it took a bit for my brain to wrap around the idea of a corn dessert. Full transparency, I am not a big dessert person, so this is not a reflection on the preparation. I will say the presentation looked pretty and I enjoyed the foam, which made me chuckle because of the line from the movie "The Menu" when Judith Light says "I don't usually enjoy foam, but this is delicious"...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Service was very good and attentive and I loved that there was a coat check as I am not a fan of sitting on my coat. I definitely need to come back for the paella and to see what is downstairs. I was told that the Champagne Cave is now a speak easy, so I have to check that out. The Cave made me feel like I was in Morocco again or in the tent of the Elder, the "one who sits above the Table" in John Wick 4. So I need to see what this speak easy is all about.

I came here with a group for a birthday celebration. We were seated in the private dining space right next to the kitchen so we had a fun view. We went with the waiter's recommendation for food items. We had fresh guacamole prepared at the table, ceviche, and tomato salad for starters. Then we had the asada and plaintain tacos - both were phenomenal. We also tried the paella and their version of the lomo saltado. There were two fantastic desserts as well but the corn dessert was my favorite. The food is amazing. Definitely worth a try.

Loved my recent experience @ Matilda! Love the look of the place as its such a modern mexican/peruvian joint with some flare to it. Walked in and the door and was greeted by the lovely hostess staff. I was a bit early for my reservation and the bar was pretty full, so they told me I could go downstairs to their speakeasy Clandestine (see review later). The door next to the hostess stand is the entrance to this very chill speakeasy. Had one and came back upstairs at my time. The main parts of the place is well lit, but dining table area near the wall is a little intimately lit, the way I like it. Once seated, we were introduced to the lovely Jenny, who wound up being our server. She was awesome...you are lucky if you get her as she is really good with breaking down the menu and teliing you whats what. We started with the tuna tartare and it was very damn good! For my main dish, I went with the Conchinita Pibil and it was pretty good. Its basically pork shoulder marinated in sour orange and achiote, wrapped in a banana leaf with tortillas on the side...yum! Black beans and salsas come with...one was really spicy. My friend had the Sweet Plantain & Chorizo Tacos and they were really good! 2 tacos is the dish. Washed it all down with a spiced pear old fashioned (delicious) and a mezcal drink by the name of Jalician which was ok. So many things on this menu I would like to come back and try...guess Im gonna have to come back over soon. Love this place

I read up quite a bit on Matilda before dining there on a Wednesday evening, and perhaps my expectations were too high, but I left feeling somewhat deflated by the experience. The food was creatively presented but was overall lacking flavor. The drinks were mediocre; the service was excellent. Sweet plantain and chorizo tacos: Recommended by our server, mostly plantains on a cold, blue corn tortilla with a small crumble of chorizo. The honey truffle adds a little hit of flavor but overall unimpressed for nearly $20 for two tiny street tacos with minimal filling. Guacamole: Creative presentation - I won't spoil the surprise. The blue and yellow corn tortillas are fried and serve as a bland dipping vehicle. The guacamole is served table side and has a vibrant yellow sauce (yellow pepper our waiter told us) which again lacked any depth. Lomo saltado: I did not try this dish, but for over $40 a few pieces of meat, veggies and a small side of white rice, the hot dish did not seem to be worth it. The bar was lively and you can tell that the team wants you to have a great experience. I was just surprised by the lack of flavor in the food for the prices. I think it would be a great spot to come just for cocktails. If you have anyone in your group who is hard of hearing, this would not be the place.

Amazing service. Really great atmosphere. The food that hit was amazing - a few fell flat. They have a speakeasy cocktail bar under the restaurant that you enter through the door next to the hostess. The charred avocado/guacamole was a miss. It's super cool that they char it to make it seem like it has the skin still, but that's it. The flavor was just lacking. The lomo saltado was the standout. I rarely eat beef and this was an occasion I'm glad I dabbled. I could have drank the juice. The serving of rice is tiny though. We had to get an extra rice, which was the same size and we had to pay extra for. The rice was really good tho. The tinga tacos were excellent as well. SWEET PLANTAIN & CHORIZO!!! I'd go back for these. 2 per order. You'll want to eat both yourself. Everyone should get their own order. Ceviche was good, but not the best I've ever had. Middle of the road. Servers were super on point and personable. Offered some recommendations and checked in on us. All of the cocktails were phenomenal.

TLDR: Service was great, but the food didn't blow my mind; Good but not amazing. Also, it's very loud. Our server really pushed the guacamole--and I get it, the avocado comes out charred, and it looks like it's a whole unpeeled avocado. They chop/mix it up table-side, which is all very fun to watch, but it just tasted like a regular guacamole. It lacked any wow flavors. The Cheek Birria was very tender, but the cinnamon was a little too overpowering and off-putting for me. The Cochinita Pibil was very tasty with the sour orange and achiote pepperiness. The Carne Asada taco was tasty but very soggy. Juicy is good, but there was too much juice, which made the cheese crust very soggy. Pork Belly taco was tasty, but could've used a little more salt? I'm usually not a salty person (haha) but my first bite could've used more salt. Overall, it was a good experience but I'm not in a hurry to come back.

Hands down my favorite restaurant this year. The tasting menu was exquisite. All the plates were delicious. I recommend the tasting menu because we wouldn't have ordered half of the things that came and they were absolutely AMAZING. It is kind of intimate and small but beautiful. Service was perfect. Will be back soon!!!

Came in for happy hour -- on a Sunday! I love a weekend happy hour. The staff was super accommodating and even moved chairs around to make room for the three of us at the bar. The restaurant itself is so cool with such a great vibe. We tried the $10 pisco sours and the cocktail of the week, a lychee martini -- both were delicious! Definitely want to come back and try the food next time.

Probably some of the most flavorful dishes I've had in a long time. Unreal atmosphere, so cool and cozy just a little loud but to be expected. The cocktails are incredible, even the best dirty martini I've had in awhile. The guac, seafood dishes, stew, and everything was so good. Great service too! I recommend checking out the speakeasy downstairs as well (no reservations).

Ambiance - modern, cozy, great for dates and small group hangouts Service - exceptional, our server was super nice and made great recommendations Food - Everything was super flavorful, the scallop & lychee aguachile was sooo unique in flavors (light and sweet), conchas marisqueras was on the more acidic side, would 100% come back for just the elote quemado dessert

Went there during restaurant week which happened to be my birthday week. The restaurant is beautiful. From the options I picked the tuna tartare as appetizer and it was very good! For the main dish, I ordered the cochinita pibil and I was very disappointed. It was cold, lacking flavors and it was a very small portion. They didn't give us enough tortillas and charged us for extra tortillas. Although the service was good, I would not go back.

As former Chicagoans, we tried to return to the city a couple times a year. On this occasion, we happen to not bring our kiddos and we're looking for a cute place for a date night. I found that the spot was within walking distance of where we were staying and looked like it was exactly what we were looking for. The restaurant is so cute inside and has the dim lighting and fun music, perfect for a date night. We ended up sitting at the bar and our bartender who I believe is also the manager there was so kind and so helpful. He recommended some dishes for us to try and everything was beyond delicious. We finished with the elote dessert. I can't remember what it was called, but the flavor was so delicious and unique! I absolutely recommend that you try it. We would definitely love to come back!

Came here with a foodie friend and we were WOWED. Highlights: *the service: David was so knowledgeable and shared his favorites with us (which were 3 item, not 78 that makes it impossible to decide). He also sent us a dessert and shot at the end of our meal because we enjoyed everything so much. *the food: we ordered tuna tartare (showstopper), ceviche (yum), sweet plantain tacos (MY FAVORITE), and braised cheek stew. Idk whose idea it was to put funky cheese with sweet plantains in a taco but they know what they're doing - haven't had anything like that before. The tortillas were also incredible - fresh & flavorful. Shoutout to the chef - definitely want to try their other restaurants. *the drinks: I ordered the pineapple pisco sour which was sweet and refreshing, and my friend ordered their take on a Bloody Mary which was savory and super good. Would absolutely come back, especially for the sweet plantain tacos and tuna tartare. Ambience was incredible and manager checked on us throughout the meal.

I thought the starters (ceviche and tartare) were very fresh and used high quality ingredients, but perhaps were a bit too strong in flavors for my personal palate. For example, the tartare was a bit too salty. The cheek birria however was delightful--super tender and flavorful, and paired well with the warm corn tortillas. Service was super friendly and attentive, regularly had our water filled, and our waiter was quick to give us his recommendations. The interior of this restaurant is dark, moody, and intimate, a great date spot or if you're wanting to impress someone out of town.

Add it to the list! I've never been here before but it has immediately become the next spot I'm taking my family when they're in town. Super cute inside and our server was fantastic helping us out with great suggestions. The carne asada tacos were truly amazing and not your typical carne asada, definitely worth getting even if you think it's nothing new. The crisped cheese on it was soo good. The tuna tar tar was perfect and the paella was great dish to share! Great flavors and beautiful presentation. Lastly, we ordered the plantain and chorizo tacos which were also good, but out of the 4 dishes we ordered I did enjoy the other ones more. I'll be back!

Checked out this restaurant while we were in Chicago since this place was one of the few restaurants that had reservations while we were in town for Labor Day. One of my favorite dish was the paella. We tried all the ceviches and I liked all of them except the ceviche cartetillero. I thought it wasn't flavorful enough. Tuna tartare was a hit. My friends enjoyed the pork belly and carne asada tacos. Drinks here were pretty good too. There is a super cute speakeasy downstairs that has great cocktails. I highly recommend checking that out after dinner. I would skip the dessert.

Upscale Peruvian Mexican fusion sign me up! I only had time for a quick app and drink but the experience was great and service was impeccable. Pisco sour was equal in quality and taste from a drink I had In Peru. Presentation was lovely - just be sure not to eat the uncooked beans that comes with your tostadas.

Very cozy vibes perfect for a winter evening. It was early dinner on a weeknight and service was quick and attentive. Every single thing we ordered was a slam dunk. The guacamole was a mind bender made at the table from a roasted avocado that looks like it still has the skin on! The guacamole was my 2 year olds favorite. The corn dessert was also a favorite with an interesting light airy texture over a denser cake and a sweet corn flavor.

Made a reservation in advance. There were still plenty of open tables inside. The outside seating was full when we went around 6PM on a Saturday. The interior is very cozy. Felt like you had good privacy. Service was good. They explain the menu and gave recs and suggested portion sizes for each dish. For a table of 4, we ordered one app, on birria taco (makes 5 tacos), one ceviche, and two mains. The dishes felt a bit small when split but we were full by the end. No plate change between apps and mains though so I had a lot of cerviche juices on my plate while eating my paella. All the dishes have strong distinct flavors from each other which was nice. Each had lots of layers of spices and vegetables (peppers, tomatillos, etc). They also had Peruvian corn in their dishes! The colors were bright and fun. And the hot items came out hot and steamy (paella, rice, tortillas). My fav was the paella. I think it had a cheese which added a cozy, creamy flavor, almost cinnamon/nutmeg like. The tartare had a powder on top that added a nice spicy and tanginess I enjoyed.

Super yummy food! 10/10 service and the ambiance is beautiful. Heard there's a speakeasy there too that I'm eager to try the next time I return!

Unassuming little gem on the outside, but once one walks into the establishment, they feel as they are transported to another world that is bustling with patrons enjoying their food and company. The folks that work here are welcoming and knowledgeable of the menu. The food...delicious! A modern twist on Latin foods with emphasis on Peruvian, a good amount of spice that exudes a diverse array of sensations that dance passionately on the taste buds. I would love to patron this establishment again.

Came into Matilda's for cocktails and appetizers, and everything was absolutely delicious! The drinks were expertly crafted, and the appetizers were a fantastic start to the evening. Beyond the great food and drinks, the service was truly outstanding, attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. The space is so well done and has such an inviting atmosphere. *The only thing I would recommend is getting hooks under the bar for purses. The bar seat backs are short and holding a bag while you eat dinner is not the most ideal.

New spot that was up and down. First off they did a great job with the design and ambiance, it is a really beautiful spot with a basement speakeasy. However, it is LOUD, which makes it tough to have a nice intimate dinner. Food wise, it is pricey, and is certainly more of an out of the box presentation of the classics. The carne asada tacos were some of the best things I've tasted from the flavor, to the texture, to the spice from the salsa. Not a place I'll frequent but good nonetheless

Yes the hype is real, literally everything you could want out of a nice dinner in the city. Great vibes, intimate, noisy in a good way, music, strong and thoughtful cocktails and a very very well balanced menu that's not even remotely overwhelming. Easy 5 stars

This was a super fantastic brunch and I highly recommend it. They are items are well marked for anyone who is gluten-free or celiac like me. I got the breakfast tacos and they were the best breakfast tacos. I think I've ever had. Also, there is a secret door in the place That leads downstairs to a secret bar called clandestine. The people were great, and the Bible was nice too I made a reservation through OpenTable and they made me guarantee the reservation at $20 ahead so for the four of us it would've been $80 had I not showed That is kind of crazy. Just saying. However, right now, as I leave the restaurant, the breakfast tacos were so good and the coffee was too. I would come back here in a heartbeat.

11/10 on food, ambiance and service. Pablo was our server, and was wonderful!! Highly recommend

Had a wonderful dinner here! The service was warm and friendly, and the space is very family-friendly. The menu isn't huge, but every dish feels thoughtful and creative. We shared the Cheek Birria (10 Hours), Carne Asada, Matilda's Paella, and Elote Quemado between two adults and a toddler, and everyone left happy. Highly recommend everything we tried-- especially the Carne Asada tacos and the Elote Quemado dessert!

INCREDIBLE FOOD, SERVICE, AND VIBE!! Could not recommend this place more and will definitely be returning soon. Some of the nicest staff in impeccable service while dining for dinner. Highly recommend the Bronzino, beef cheek and chicken tinga tacos, and tuna tartare. Shoutout to David, our incredible waiter. He deserves a raise.

Came here last month when it first opened and it did not let me down! Ambiance is so cute and the service is excellent, frequently checked in on and didn't feel rushed. The drinks were tasty, loved the riff on a pisco sour and they have one of the best espresso martinis in town! The table side guac is a piece of art and my mind is still blown, it's a must! Honestly everything we got was a 10/10, the tuna, ceviche, birria tacos, rice (a must!!). I don't normally get dessert but was so impressed by the creativity of the elote dessert I had to try and let me tell you I will be coming back for that!! Definitely one of the more expensive Mexican / Peruvian restaurants in Chicago but definitely worth checking out!

My neighbor and I tried the downstairs bar. Happy hour is every day starting at 4pm. My husband and I were here years ago when it was a French champagne spot, so I was so excited to be back! My Pisco sour was so creative and my neighbor loved her wine. They have so many bar and bites options, but this was unplanned so we each had one drink and enjoyed the ambiance. We can't wait to drag our husbands back here!

My wife and I went here for a date night. This place has a lot of amazing dishes. All the starters sounded terrific, and the one we chose tasted delicious. I wish it came with some chips or something, but the flavors were amazing. The Paella we got was super flavorful and came with two sauces, both of which were presented very well. We ended up getting the Elote Quemado, which I highly recommend people try, as it was delicious. The waiter was very accommodating when asking about requests and ingredients. This is a great place to bring a date or for a group of friends to hangout, grab a bunch of drinks and snacks.

The best new restaurant I've been to in a while. The oysters are the best I've had anywhere in the world. The best waitstaff, so knowledgeable about the menu. Nothing tastes as you think. Flavors to die for!

The room was fine, the food service was ok and the food was ok, if unmemorable. The reason for the 1-star rating is down to service charge issues. We were a party of 9 and when the bill was proffered we ask to split into 4. So far, so good. What we had failed to notice was the gratuity automatically added to large groups. When the time came to pay our share we added a further 20%, not knowing this had already been added. This only came to light when notes were compared afterwards. It is sharp practice to effectively scalp a 40%-plus premium without warning. Shame on these guys. Never again.

Came in with a party of 6, Saturday night 6pm reservation. This restaurant has it all. The food was incredible. The decor was classy and the house music playing at the perfect volume gave fun Saturday night vibes. Our server, Pablo, was welcoming and took great care of us. We ended up getting the 5 course Prix Fixe menu. The tuna tartare and the elote dessert were standouts for me, but everything was amazing. I could eat this every day! If I had to critique one thing, I would say that the meal progressed too quickly. We ordered cocktails to start and 5 courses and it was done in 90 min. The cocktails were delivered after our appetizers which was pretty disappointing. To prevent this from happening in the future, I don't think I will order until my cocktails are on the table. One small thing, but it would not stop me from coming , again. We really did love this place!

This place was... odd. The lighting was bright, and there was nothing cozy or inviting about the space itself. We came for Happy Hour, which turned into a really frustrating experience. Nowhere online does it mention that Happy Hour is bar-only, so despite the restaurant being nearly empty, our group was told we had to move from a table to the bar to participate. The bartender wasn't particularly friendly, and the margaritas were disappointing. They were packed with ice, only half full, and made with bottled lime juice instead of fresh. That's especially hard to justify when the regular price is $18 per drink. Between the awkward vibe and underwhelming drinks, we had no desire to stay for food. Overall, a big letdown. I'd avoid.

Split the tuna tartare and ceviche and it was fresh, light, and flavorful. SWEET PLANTAIN & CHORIZO taco was one of the most surprising but delicious tacos I've had in a while. Only downside is that the portions were small considering how expensive it was.

Y'all the food almost cured my seasonal depression, it was that good! We chose to do the tasting menu because it showcased all of their best: conchas marisqueras - loved the salsa negra broth with smoked salt ceviche de pescado - good flavor and texture sweet plantain and chorizo taco - this was what sent me to the moon, it was so delicious and the highlight of our meal. loved the layers of flavor and it felt like a hug. cheek birria - delicious and well portioned, came with tortillas and various toppings dessert was the tejuino ice cream and chocolate, the ice cream was lightly sweet and earthy, loved it. The drinks weren't unique or impressive but not terrible. Service was perfect and our waiter was super attentive. Our biggest complaint was how loud it was in a relatively small space, we were seated in a corner thankfully but it was still hard to hear each other over everyone. The ambiance otherwise was beautiful. Looking forward to trying their other menu items next but for a first visit the tasting menu is a good option.

The ambiance and the vibe were dark and sexy and gosh have we been waiting for this place to open up for awhile now. The service was ok, they were attentive. The food was good, the chicken tinga was delicious and the corn dessert was also superb, I'd say the rest of the stufff we ordered wasn't really all that memorable. We found the food and the drinks to be priced exorbitantly ($500 for 4) and not really worth the hype. I don't think we'll put this on our list of, "must visit again".

We were here on a Tuesday night and the restaurant was relatively busy for a Tuesday. Great interiors and everything we ordered was delicious! The guacamole tatemado was served with a whole avocado which was mashed on the table by the server! Great presentation however, it was an extremely small portion. We were three of us and we barely got a couple of bites to eat. The tuna tartare was packed with flavor! The cocktails were delicious and well balanced in flavor! We loved the paella! It tasted like a risotto, so one may argue that it was not authentic but the flavors were incredible! I did think the portion on this one was small too considering the price but it was still a great dish! My friend ordered the tinga de pollo guisos and he seemed to enjoy it a lot! The service was kind of slow. Our server was nice but we had to flag her down a few times because our drinks took a long time and she was missing a few times when we wanted to order more for the table. All in all a good experience!

Matilda was recommended by a friend and surpassed any expectations. Decor is modern and simple, menu is one page long. But the food.... ?! The food is something out of this world... actually it's out of this country as it takes you on a journey to Peru and continental Mexico with its flavors and textures. It is meant to be savored slowly with a spicy/smoky Mexican-style martini no wonder this place was very busy ona Sunday night as locals found this gem and it became a River North's hot spot. Would definitely return and recommend, although I almost feel jealous about sharing this secret with the rest of the world.

We came here without reservations after having a bad experience at a different bar. It was our friend's birthday so we were hoping for the best. We were planning on going to the speakeasy, but after entering the beautiful space, we thought we'd stay upstairs at Matilda instead. The service was exceptional. Since we didn't have a reservation, we started at the bar. But then they told us they'd be able to seat us. They were so patient with us. The food tasted fresh. The music was good and not too loud so we could continue our conversation. Hope to return soon!

The food was amazing, and the vibe was cool. We did the 5 course family tasting, which came with a starter (conchas marisqueras), ceviche carratillero, sweet plantain and chorizo taco, your choice of guiso: meat served with corn tortillas and black beans (we tried the veggie, pork shoulder, and beef cheek -- which was the best, I think), and a dessert of tejuino ice cream and chocolate. Everything was delicious, a bit unexpected, bright, and fresh. My particular favorite was the taco. The service was warm, helpful, and attentive, but a bit rushed.

Ahh! This used to be Marchesa, remember that! This is part of the Exodo group, which is behind Ayayay, Kayao and Clandestino. I had the Be Mine Tangerine cocktail. The staff and service are matildariffic.

The food and service were great! We started with Guacamole Tatemado which was delicious (only complaint was that there weren't enough tostadas/chips to eat all of it so we ordered more and they charged us $5). We each had a cocktail and pro tip - ask for minimal ice as there was a lot and it would give more room for alcohol considering the drinks are expensive. Our next courses were shared and included the carne asada and sweet plantain & chorizo tacos, ceviche carretillero, cheek birria, and Matilda's paella. We finished with the elote quemado which was very tasty! It was a little noisy but overall it was a good meal with great service (David had amazing recommendations)! We need to go back when the speakeasy is open!

I was very excited to try this place because I've been to Kayao and really enjoyed! My favorite dish was definitely the plantains & chorizo tacos! While I understand that this place is still fairly new, I think it is grossly overpriced even considering the area. I personally think the portions are too small to be charging those prices. For example, 2 tacos is equivalent to $18-$19, the endive salad in my attached picture was $18, or the guacamole was $19 for one avocado. The caveat for the guacamole is that they do prepare it for you table side which is very cool to watch.

Overall Matilda is good food and a cool space , service was great ! My complaint is portion size vs price. The 52$ paella is probably the smallest pallea I have ever seen you get one clam split open , 3 shrimp , couple scraps of octopus and a chicken nugget size piece of mahi mahi (no exaggerating it was one bite) paella is meant to be a large robust dish , this was more of an appetizer. Foods good but you leave here hungry.

Excellent food and experience. They've been open less than a week (truthfully I don't know how I even found it, but glad I did!) The chips for the guacamole don't work (they were hard; not crispy) and they only bring you 3 chips at a time. Otherwise two-thumbs-up for everything else! Highly recommend the dessert with corn - unexpected hit with the table! It's pricy so not sure how often we'll go back, but we really enjoyed it.