Banyan Ko, owned by a Cuban wife and Filipino husband duo, this family establishment’s hospitality is unmatched. During our visit we were treated with such immense kindness. All staff from front of house, server and even the chef provided quality service. They were detailed enough to make a birthday just a tad sweeter with a small surprise candle on our dessert. The adobo pork belly was unctuous, crispy, and bursting with umami. The lumpia was crispy, flaky and perfectly paired with their sweet chili sauce. The croquettes were fantastic with their crunchy exterior and gooey melty interior. The Kare Kare dish was fall off the bone oxtail in a peanut curry sauce with shrimp paste to taste. To end our superb dinner, we ordered the Ube sundae which came with red beans, young coconut strips, corn and paired with a delectably smooth flan. Banyan Ko is a must visit! You won’t regret it!

WOWWW!!!!!!!!!!! Delicious. This spot is a delicious fusion of Cuban & Filipino - their simple menu is done with skill and an eye toward flavor! The plates are meant to be shared so we ordered a hodgepodge of things - since I don’t eat mammals, I opted for the adobo chicken wings and the gulay veggie dish. The wings were unbelievable - crispy yet not dried out, flavorful and mouthwatering. Highly highly recommend. The gulay was tasty, too! It came with rice and had zuchinni and chopped Japanese sweet potato in a creamy curry sauce. Oh my. Oh my. It was good. The rest of the table had croquetas, sliders, ropa vieja, and lumpia. Everyone raved about the flavors, temperature, textures, and perfect portions. It is BYOB so we brought a bottle of white, a bottle of brut, and premixed cocktails to mix and match with the flavors of food. The vibe was welcoming and energizing. Super cute spot with great service. Five stars. Hands down.

Not very familiar with Filipino food but I enjoyed this place a lot as a fusion spot. We came in near closing but the waitress was so kind and prompt even though she was the only one in the front. The “nigiri” was seriously flavorful, but the highlight was the white chocolate flan. Never had basil on flan but it was a genius move. The restaurant interior is cute too.

My sister's favorite place to eat in Chicago. Finally lined up that we could eat there yesterday. Exquisite Filipino/Cuban food lovingly made and very creative. Loved the late kare and squid ink scallop palabok. I highly recommend you visit, you don't be disappointed.

Bayan Ko recently transitioned to a tasting menu format (with a new Bayan Ko diner set to open next door in Spring 2024). We tried out the tasting menu on our recent visit, and it was such a wonderful experience filled with highlights and delightful flavors. Of the tasting menu, two of my favorite items were the Arroz Caldo, which included fresh poached lobster over forbidden rice for a rich umami experience, and the Vaca Frita, with tender Wagyu tri-tip bursting with flavor and complemented by black bean and plantain purée. We opted for non-alcoholic beverage pairings, all of which were refreshing and tasty. Overall, I was impressed by the quality and am excited to return for more as the menu evolves. I also wanted to note that the tasting menu offers a vegan option. We really enjoyed the intimate dining space, and the service was very friendly.

We had the best time at Bayan Ko tonight. Our server was truly wonderful. He definitely made my mom's birthday special. Thank you Bayan Ko for making great food and great memories!

I went to Bayan Ko for restaurant week and I was fairly disappointed. I was very excited for the food. I’m a big fan of Filipino cuisines and I have to admit this does not hit the spot. I would not say this is authentic Filipino food. It’s a fun fusion though. The food was alright. I still enjoyed my meal. My criticism is that I wish there was more flavor and balance with the dishes. My pork belly dish came with only a little bit of veggies. I wish it came it with more. It was very crispy though, which was nice. My friend also said she wished the chicken wings had more flavor. My boyfriend ordered the pinoy burger and it was mediocre. However, the ube sundae was delightful. I did hear that Bayan Ko gets their ube ice cream from Milky Milky, a local Filipina-owned business.

Wonderful Filipino and Cuban food with a modern and unique twist. As a Filipino American and native Chicagoan, it’s been very hard to find good Filipino restaurants. Simply put, as other Pinoys may know, it’s hard to compete with home cooking ;) But coming to Bayan Ko elevates Filipino food to another level. It’s not just another “turo-turo” joint slinging old Pinoy classics, but really taking Filipino and Cuban food, finding the cross over, and taking it to another place. First, the egg rolls. Wonderful. Then, the Pancit LugLug was wonderful elevation of an old Filipino classic. The Cubano (and I’ve had many) was both classic and new. And the crispy pata with the an XO glaze takes a favorite of mine and then moves it in a new direction. Not to mention, the dessert was outstanding (if we could fit!) Great staff that truly brings that Filipino and Cuban home hospitality forward. Great location too right off the Montrose brown line- don’t mind the train noise- you’re in Chicago after all ;) 10/10!

Wonderful experience here at Bayan ko. Reservations are recommended as there are limited seats. Service was super attentive and friendly. Ended up ordering 4 dishes to share and a dessert. 4 was the perfect amount for 2 people. Ceviche was fresh and refreshing to start the meal. Also the short rib bistec was superb. Everything on the menu was prepared to perfection and I highly recommend checking this place out.

Came to Bayan Ko for my friend's 30th bday dinner..the food was AMAZING! The service was great, very attentive and friendly. We loved the paella, cuban sandwiches and mussels especially but everything we had was great. Make sure you end with some of their ice cream

Every dish hit the spot! A must try!! A Sisig Nigiri - pork jowl & ear, black vinegar, quail egg Ginataang Gulay - Japanese Sweet potato, zucchini, long bean, spinach, coconut, mint and shrimp Bayan Ko Paella - soft shell crab, longganisa sausage, quail egg, saffron, black garlic aioli Ube Sundae - flan, red bean, young coconut, coconut gel, corn, ube ice cream

A very cute Cuban Filipino restaurant with great owners and service. The location is very tight and there was a lot of people going in and out. Hopefully this place turns out to be a neighborhood gem!

Excellent service, delicious food. My favorite thing was the ginataang gulay. Make sure to book a reservation ahead of time! We got lucky walking in due to a last minute cancellation.

We loved our dinner here. Excellent gluten-free options. We ordered half portions of everything, and it was all delicious! The crispy pork belly was my favorite. Our service was top-notch. Our server was warm, welcoming, and super knowledgeable. I only counted eight tables, and the atmosphere was cozy and intimate. We will definitely be back to try the lobster fried rice.

The food is amazing and the service is warm, attentive, yet non-intrusive. Arturo (I hope I got the name correct) has a calm & sophisticated style of service that makes you feel like you're being serviced by John Wick on a good day. Not only is your order safe, but so is your dog! I had left my calendar book there upon my second visit. I didn't realize until Lawrence (one of the owners) took time to personally find & message me on Facebook! The happy hour veggie empanadas are SOOOO good & the beer selection is great. I can't wait to go back!

I had lumpia, adobo wings, bistek (short ribs), and lobster fried rice! I love all of them! Great food but unfortunately when I was there the place was so smoky because of an issue with the ventilation. Overall good food!

Food, drinks, service, everything was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the crab croquetas and mussels with chorizo.

I️ recently ordered from their holiday catering menu for my holiday party, and I️ was not disappointed! The food was amazing and so flavourful.  We did the guava glazed ham, a mix of skewers, the ajillo shrimp, bistek and some sides. The portions were generous and delicious. We got so many compliments from our guests all night long.  Lawrence and Raquel were incredibly helpful throughout the process and responded to all of my emails quickly. They helped me put together the perfect menu for my party. Everything was delivered on time, and was still warm.I️ can't wait to visit them in person and try their tasting menu! They're also opening a new location next year closer to my house, which is very exciting.

They were very accommodating and were able to squeeze us in without a reservation on a Friday night. It is small, intimate dining room. Unsure if it is BYOB anymore since they sell alcoholic drinks. Food was delicious, recommend the tuna and lumpia!

I wish I could give this restaurant a 10 star rating! The service was great, the food was INCREDIBLE (see photos) and the atmosphere was very relaxed and inviting. We can’t wait to come back next time we are in Chicago!

My first time here. Wonderful experience! First, the staff went above and beyond to help with this old man understand the menu and gave great advice on choices. Second, the portions were very generous. Thirdly, the food was a pleasurful experience with blends I probably would have never tried. Strongly recommend Bayan ko!

Food is terrific and service attentive at this neighborhood BYO. We ate outdoors (under the Montrose L stop) and had a wonderful evening trying many new dishes.

My boyfriend and I had our anniversary here this past weekend and we're so glad we chose this place. Such a cozy vibe, food was absolutely amazing (especially those empanadas... are you kidding me?! Ugh, the flavors were phenomenal!), and the staff was such a pleasure. Will definitely come back to try dessert next time!

We stumbled across this place and it was amazing. Every dish we had was perfect and it was a nice combination of cuisines. They each stood alone but paired well together! Cannot wait to go back and try more.

This restaurant is a mom and pop operated by an aspiring chef of Filipino-Cuban cuisine. The menu may not be extensive but they do everything authentically right. We were greeted by the Chef and was very accomodating when we expanded our guest list from 3 to 7 people. The place is very modest, but offers a vibrant atmosphere.

Food was wonderful. Flavorful, well presented. Staff was very friendly. BYOB. My friends and I were the last people in the place and the staff didn't rush us out the door. Friendly to the very end. So many amazing dishes to choose from. We had 3 small bits, the mussels, 2 main dishes and a dessert. Loved everything. Highly recommend.

The food was decent, I felt like a lot of the dishes were extremely salty. Not sure if it was on off day for the kitchen because the food was prepared excellently but just too salty for my liking and I’m normally a big fan of a good amount of salt! They also had no drink menu on their list which was hard to know what they had available outside of water. The waiter that we had was really cute though so that’s a plus.

Good food and good service especially when they were short staffed. Enjoyed the food thoroughly

Delicious food, a great mix of Cuban and Filipino food. Well worth the price ❤❤ also byob for a little fee

Truly unique & delicious flavors in every dish. You really cannot go wrong here. At this point, we've tried just about everything on the menu and that won't keep us away for long. Go with a big group so you can enjoy as many different items as possible. BYO!

Absolutely wonderful establishment. Everything from the amazing food, cooked and presented with perfection. To Hannah with ease single handedly running the front of a packed restaurant. I just wish I could give an even higher rating to the gem of a restaurant that I have found. Thanks guys for making my night.

Had a great dinner here during restaurant week. It was amazing. We had a pot of hot green tea that may have been the best tea I've ever had in my life. I just the Sisig Nigiri as an appetizer, Lechon as an entree, and flan for dessert. My girlfriend had croqueta tots and an Ube Sundae as well. Everything was great!

Loved the lumpia shanghai and the ube sundae. Lumpia was different than the traditional Filipino dish I'm used to (it was a bit more like a crispy egg roll), but the pairing garlic dip was delicious.