Artango Bistro

BYOB– I LOVE the décor, food and service of this establishment. The management is ALWAYS friendly. Ceviche is a must try, the roasted pepper is on point and the steak (for two) was MUCH better than expected! This MAY be the restaurant I have frequented the most on the north side because of value for $$$ spend especially considering that it is BYOB– well at least for a little while longer:/

My husband and I had our wedding here September 2015. I couldn’t have imagined a better space to feature our love for the city and our love for food. All of my guests said this was one of the best wedding they’ve attended because of the unique space and above all the food. The service was profession and polite. The price is by far the best that I found. You will be required to put in a little effort on your part (this saves money) when it comes to decorations and some set up. But if your family is as amazing as mine was, you wouldn’t even need a wedding planner. Thank Artango for being part of one of my happiest days.

We went for restaurant week and had a good experience overall. The service was pretty good and we did not have to wait much for our food. The menu was fixed but had many options. The empanadas were pretty good, the provoleta was ok. For main course the rib eye which was 12oz so pretty decent size and well cooked (medium well)… totally worth it! For dessert we tried the dulce de leche gelato which was delicious… also tried the poached pear not worth the calories. We brought our own wine which definitely saves you some money :) the place is pretty, romantic but loud, and parking was available without cost.

My husband and I had our wedding at Arango Bistro this past October, 2015. We fell in love with Arango the minute we walked in. The venue is gorgeous, full of modern artwork and the atmosphere is latin and very romantic. Our expectations for our wedding at this venue were surpassed and more.
Maria, the owner, is wonderful to work with. She was very attentive, responsive, and accommodating. We also cannot say enough about the food! We offered a few meal choices for our guests from steak to salmon and everything was absolutely delicious. We even served late night empanadas and coffee which the guests loved! We loved everything about our wedding and are grateful to Arango and their amazing staff for making our dream a reality!

This is a hidden gem! The décor is very cute and cozy. Lots of free parking and BYOB with no cork fee! I came in with a large party and our waiter was very attentive and helpful with some questions we had about the menu. I would give this 4 stars but the portions were on the small side for the price. There were a few people who had to send their steak back due to it being over or under cooked. I find this annoying because it is an Argentina restaurant and that’s their thing! But I would go back if I was in the area, but I wouldn’t go out of my way.

Went with a big party and the service was great with plenty of free parking. The décor of the restaurant is very appealing. The food tasted great, though I found the portions to be small compared to the price. Had the portions been larger this restaurant would definitely be in the 4 star range. With many Argentine «style» restaurants in the city I’m glad I checked it out but I doubt I will return.

I planned my birthday dinner here and couldn’t be more impressed with the staff, ambiance and food. Classy is the first word that comes to mind as the waiter places your whites on ice, serves unique dishes with detailed presentation and as look around room with pieces of art (with sure texture!) created by Sebastian (owner) himself. Tango lessons occur during the evening, creating a more authentic feel than most Argentinian restaurants in Chicago.
You can’t miss with the steaks — amazing!

If I could give this place a zero, I would. I’ve been here at least 3 previous times, but on thanksgiving, I had a very disappointing experience.
This review is based on the the service, the food and the server.
Service– terrible. Waiter was extremely slow, especially towards the end… it probably took close to 10 minutes just to ask for the check and another 5 – 7 minutes to get my card back.
Server– after complaining to the server about the above situation, a good server would at least acknowledge and apologize for the wait. He did not do either.
Food– for a $ 50 per person fixed menu, it was not worth it. Appetizers were ok, but I’ve had better empanadas.
I had ordered my steak medium and it was basically covered in what it seemed to be oil, but the steak was still dry. The quality of the steak was not good. The side potatoes were nicely done, but for the main entrée… it was a complete disappointment.
I’ve had amazing steak at Mariano’s cooked in store, that was also organic, for roughly $ 9 a pound. To give them credit, the salad was good, but again, if you’re paying $ 50 for a price fixed menu, with limited choices, you would think all the choices would be fantastic and they simply weren’t.
Not worth it.

Its not bad place to eat. The food is good quality, and it is clear that the chef wants the flavors of tue ingredients to shine through.
However, my butternut squash soup and lamb chops needed some salt to enhance the flavors. The chocolate gelato was amazing, except for the ice crystals in it.
The duck breast/​duck confit were on point.
Parking was easy and the byob made the logistics of our experience a delight.

A BYOB w/​out corkage fee and a really nice space that’s intimate but not so much that it doesn’t welcome a good crowd of friends.
I was really expecting a good meal here but the food was only so-​so and fairly overpriced. We asked for a medium rare NY strip and even after sending it back once still ended up with a medium steak — likely related to the steak’s being unevenly cut — thicker one some sides than others. The chimichurri that came with it was great, but otherwise not much else saved the meal. They have seafood appetizers, but the portions were SOOOO SMALL!!! The pulpo ceviche was so promising — marinated in passion fruit and truffle oil — but really undelivered on the portion size. Dessert was flourless chocolate cake and dulce de leche crepes which were regrettably uninspired. Spent more than I should’ve on this meal that wasn’t very satisfying.
Good thing their were friends.

Here’s what you need to know: well priced Argentine/​Latin fare, which offers very well made food. It is a BYOB Ravenswood restaurant that is very popular across the city; weekend nights are packed.
The food was very enjoyable, and focuses on beef and seafood. We had the octopus, carpaccio, salmon, sausage platter, and ceviche for starters, and they were all very good — the highlight being he empanadas with a phenomenally well seasoned beef filling, the octopus with was just perfectly seasoned and cooked, and the ceviche which was bright and delicious.
For our entrees, we tried the skirt steak, ribeye, lamb chops, and the paella. The lamb chops were excellent, but the steaks and paella were just good (which is the reason I cannot give the restaurant 5 stars).
The ambiance is outstanding — a rustic art gallery feel with gorgeous fixtures and accents.
Some nits: The service was a bit rushed, the coffee (Julius Meinl) was a bit flat, and the lighting was too dim (could not see the color of the food on my plate; everything was brown, which is a shame given that the food was actually very good).
I would go back with friends if I’m in neighborhood (especially given the BYOB option and good pricing) but don’t consider it a destination restaurant.

I want to like the place, but I can’t. There were several incidents that prevented me from visiting ARTango again. First, the servers are extremely slow and unattentive. I waited for good 30 minutes before they noticed me (meanwhile, I tried to call them, catch their attention, etc.). Second, I really did not like how the owner treats guests. It sounds funny if she tells that about others, but it is not funny if she says the same about you. Third, I really hated when the owner went to the center of the restaurant and started asking us to tip well. If the service is good, I will be happy to give 25%, but if the service is as bad as in ARTango, I do not give much, no matter how the owner asks.
To be fair, people like the food (although I did not find anything extraordinary) and the seating area outside is also very nice. The ambience is the best thing in the establishment, one of the best I have ever experienced.

Had a group of five and all of us raved about the food. The lamb chops were exceptional and were ordered by our Argentinean friend who said they were the best he’s ever had.
Several of us got flank steak — also excellent. Loved the arepas and the mango flan as well. The décor is beautiful and we were told one of the owners is an artist and created all the pictures. My only suggestion here is to turn the lights up a tiny bit more as it was pretty dark and hard to read the menu.

I loved this place! I want to start off by saying that I was currently trying the Whole30 when I visited meaning no dairy, bread, or added sugars.
I found quite a few things that I could eat off this menu. Ordered the steak with potatoes and vegetables and it was absolutely delicious. The price was about $ 27 a plate which is reasonable considering the atmosphere and the quality of food here.
The staff were so friendly. We would definitely come here again!

Artango is a hidden gem. It’s located out of sight along lines of industrial warehouse buildings, but the restaurant itself has an ambiance of warmth and spaciousness. I made reservations via opentable, but none was needed, Artango didn’t fill up on the lovely Friday night we were there. The outdoor seating was full while indoor was slim.
It’s BYOB so we brought our own wine and beer to our liking which we paired with trio ceviches and mixed empanadas (2 beef, 2 ham and cheese, 1 veggie). The best ceviche out of the trio was the shrimp, it was packed with flavor and stood our compared to the mahi-​mahi and scallops. Our order of empanadas came out with 2 veggies, 2 ham and cheese, and 1 beef and the server was more then happy to get us an extra beef since there was suppose to be two. I thought these were good, not amazing, but good and surprisingly the veggie (mushrooms) and cheese was probably my favorite.
I went for the cordero patagonico — grilled lamb chops, brussels sprouts, polenta, rosemary lamb jus and it was absolutely delicious, cooked perfectly (medium rare) and bursting with flavors. The devoured lamb chops since they were so tender, yum. The rest of my company enjoyed their perfectly cooked skirt steaks with mash potatoes and seafood paella, which had a lot of flavor to it. Although the skirt steak was a smaller portion compared to other restaurants we’ve had it at.
We skipped desserts, enjoyed our dinner, but were missing the «tango» aspect of Artango, maybe we came on an off night?

Very cool space, good food, and warm hospitality earn Artango 4 stars in my book. I’m definitely a fan.
First off, parking is super easy along Ravenswood if you’re driving. The space is large, with a rustic Chicago warehouse feel, accented with Latin flair.
I’ve had brunch and dinner here, and both were very good. (The former encouraged me to try the latter.)
For food, I’ve enjoyed their arepas and empanadas. The steaks have been great (and cooked as requested; not overcooked). They’ve even made food accommodations for me (I don’t much care for potatoes, so when I asked for the coconut jasmine rice as a substitution, the request was met with a smile).
It’s BYO — so you’ll save some money on the booze here. They also have some tables on the sidewalk which are probably pleasant since the stretch of Ravenswood is rather sleepy. (Train tracks, however, are adjacent.)
This is a great spot if you have a large group (they can accommodate it, it fits most budgets for a nice meal, you can economize with BYO, easy to über/​park, and the food is good).

What a great place!
Went with a bunch of couples on a Thursday night for free tango lessons!
We ate first… I was very pleasantly surprised at how delicious the meal was. Ceviches all were amaze but the shrimp was my favs. I also had the paella… delish & ton o seafood! The steak was some of the best steak I have had. I was surprised because I really didn’t expecting from this BYOB place.
The service was very attentive as well. Much better than a lot of BYOB places with a large group.
The tango lessons were fun…& kitchsy. I loved it. Very basic lesson for free. They do offer some pay lessons and other nights of free lessons as well. The floor was crowded though so we were bumping booties and laughing.

This is a little hidden gem in Ravenswood. Latin food and you can dance the tango?! Yeah, baby!
I was here for a friends birthday. We had over 30 people and they served us all without missing a beat. Appetizers, entrees, BYOB, and dessert. They use iPads to order so that your food is being cooked before they even make it all around the table.
We started the night with beef empanadas. A little greasy but they still had good flavor. I ordered the Entrata– skirt steak with guacamole, mashed potatoes and chimichurri. You could cut the steak with a butter knife! Another friend ordered the paella. Small serving for him in a pan but the spices and seafood were good. He said there wasn’t enough rice but he liked it overall.
Tango dancing began around 10 pm and they moved some tables for the couples to impress the uncoordinated.
Overall a good time was had by all.

ARTango bistro had a great menu set for Chicago Restaurant Week, which gave us a good excuse to visit the Ravenswood neighborhood. I hadn’t been before, and the restaurant itself was a little more off the beaten tracks than I expected. But worth it!
The ambiance, service, and décor were all wonderful. We brought some white wine with us and they graciously offered to open it without charge and also chill it at our table. As far as food — we chose the $ 33 dinner menu with 3 courses and a lot of options! The empanadas, causa de la costa, and chocolate mousse were our favorites. And the portions? We definitely did not leave hungry. They also honored the Unilocal check-​in offer for a free cappuccino! It was a very good deal overall.
I think it would have been more enjoyable to watch the tango dancing if it had been a show. We came on a Tuesday and it was more like a class in the front of the room. Still sort of entertaining to watch, and a very cool concept!

La comida muy rica el lugar precioso, pero el mesero que me atendió poco profesional a todas las personas que llegaron después que yo las atendieron primero y les brindaron pan cortesía del rest. Pero a mi me ignoraron y cuando estaba todavía cenando me dio la cuenta muy mal era como si quisiera me fuera rápido, y después cuando pague no me dio el cambio correcto me dijo que no había cambio, y me dio solo 9 dólares cuando tenía que darme 9.80 centavos y me dijo así de simple que no tenía 0.80 de cambio solo así por asi y eso no es culpa del mía que no tuvieran cambio pero en fin me encanto el lugar y la comida lo que no me gusto fue el servicio

Well this place was a real treat. The space is fabulous, romantic, urban, authentic and charming. Hip commercial timber loft space with high ceilings exposed brick, contemporary artwork, nice up lighting and great wide plank wood floors that are just crying out to be tango-​ed on! Fabulous Argentinean, latin dance and pan South American music keep the vibe fluid and vibrant without being intrusive on conversation. Local crowd, no suburban weekenders or out of towners. They could easily cram twice as many tables into the space if they wanted to but to their credit they didn’t so their is a generous distance between table, enhancing he lofty feel and romantic atmosphere. Nice outdoor seating on a quiet street and excellent street parking.
Oh, IT’S BYOB!!! They also have Tango/​dance lessons on Tuesday I believe.
The staff are wonderful, Sergey (not Sergi) our server was a delight. He had a dramatic flair in the way he described the dishes, combined with his mild Russian accent made his description of the dishes almost poetic.
The food is where I am puzzled and I want to preface this by saying we had 6 appetizers but NOT a main course. It reads great, looks great and is solid, but each dish seemed to be missing one thing (ingredient, technique, whatever) that will truly make the dish exceptional. What is that thing… I have no idea. The chef is talented but hasn’t unlocked the final secret yet, but I know he will.
Until then, I’m still a fan, the place, people and vibe is excellent.