Welcome to Leña Brava
Leña Brava, a Latinx-owned restaurant in Chicago, offers a unique dining experience with its fire-cooked dishes and creative cocktails. Customers rave about the delicious guacamole, roasted octopus, and flavorful plantains. The intimate ambiance, friendly service, and attention to detail make dining here a memorable experience. From the fresh ceviche to the succulent short ribs, each dish showcases the culinary expertise behind Leña Brava. The outdoor seating area adds to the chic vibes, making it a perfect spot for a night out with friends. Overall, Leña Brava impresses with its innovative Mexican cuisine and inviting atmosphere.
- 900-902 W Randolph St Chicago, IL 60607900-902 W Randolph St Chicago, IL 60607 Hotline: (312) 733-1975
Welcome to Leña Brava, a vibrant culinary gem nestled in the heart of Chicago at 900-902 W Randolph St. This extraordinary restaurant stands out in the crowded landscape of steakhouses, delivering a unique blend of Mexican flavors and grilling techniques that tantalize the palate. With a phone number of (312) 733-1975, you can reserve your spot in this cozy yet bustling space, which draws local food enthusiasts and adventurous diners alike.
From the moment you step inside Leña Brava, the ambiance envelops you—a fusion of modern design with a warm, inviting charm. Diners are treated to an open kitchen, where the mesmerizing art of cooking over fire captivates the eye and adds a rich flavor to each dish. The signature cooking method, focused on fresh ingredients and traditional techniques, truly elevates the dining experience.
As an aficionado of authentic Mexican cuisine, I have to emphasize the standout offerings at Leña Brava. Diners rave about the fire-roasted cauliflower, drizzled with chili oil, that enhances its natural flavors while providing a perfect balance of heat. The guacamole may stray from tradition, yet its freshness and topped chili oil create an exciting twist that has patrons coming back for more. If you're feeling adventurous, try the roasted octopus—grilled to tender perfection, it provides a savory delight unlike any other.
The cocktail menu at Leña Brava is equally impressive, featuring delightful concoctions that complement the bold flavors of the food. Guests have enjoyed uniquely crafted drinks like Night in Oaxaca and Berry Boozie, showcasing innovative ingredients such as beet juice and mezcal that surprise and delight with every sip. For those looking for a refreshing experience, these cocktails strike a perfect balance—refreshing without overwhelming sweetness, making them the ideal accompaniment to your meal.
Beyond the initial bite, every aspect of Leña Brava reflects a commitment to quality and flavor, whether you're sharing their wood-oven empanadas or indulging in lamb neck birria—a dish many guests claim they never knew they needed. The tenderness of the braised short ribs paired with exquisite sauces illustrates the restaurant's attention to detail, ensuring that every meal is both memorable and satisfying.
Leña Brava is more than just a meal; it's an experience that brings friends and family together over a shared love of vibrant, cultural cuisine. With a dynamic atmosphere and a menu designed to impress, it's a destination worth visiting for anyone eager to explore bold and authentic Mexican flavors in Chicago. So why wait? Reserve your table and immerse yourself in the feast that awaits at Leña Brava.

Excellent cocktails, friendly service, and a beautiful interior. The guacamole is also delicious albeit untraditional. Looking forward to trying other dishes in the future!

I recently tried Leña Brava with a friend for dinner and the experience was great! I don't know how I missed this spot from my list and never tried it before, I'll surely be going back to try their amazing Mexican dishes and drinks. We ordered a fire roasted cauliflower, guacamole and chips, and plantains to share. My friend ordered a roasted octopus as well. Overall, the food was very impressive. i liked the fire roasted cauliflower the most. It was drizzled with chilly oil all over it which definitely enhanced the taste. For drinks I ordered a Night in Oaxaca, and my friend ordered Berry Boozie. Both the drinks were soo good. I never imagined a cocktail drink with beet juice and mezcal but I was fairly surprised with this combination. This place is a bit tiny and reserving a spot beforehand is recommended. Definitely try them for good authentic Mexican cuisine!

I went to Leña Brava for dinner and it was fantastic! Everything is cooked over fire and you can see them cooking everything. We tried just about everything and everything was amazing. For starters we had the guacamole, roasted oysters, and the valcanes. The guacamole tasted very fresh and was topped with a chili oil crush which really stepped up the flavor. I had the Grilled Octopus and the Belgium Endive Salad as my entree and the octopus was grilled to perfection and tender. Other people at the table had the Lamb Neck Birria, Stripped Bass, Scallops, and Bone in Ribeye. Everyone loved everything. If you are looking for fresh and flavorful food be sure to check out Leña Brava. I can't wait to go back.

Why 4 stars? Because everything here was enjoyable. --- --- --- I say this a lot in 4-star reviews, but everything I tried was the definition of 4-stars: nothing completely blew me away, but it was pretty much all above average. This was a large work dinner with 30+ people and everything was served family style. I regret not taking a picture of the menu, but here's what I can remember: Chips and Guacamole: One of the better things we had. Ceviche: This was my least favorite. It was just okay. Short ribs: Melt in your mouth tender, but given the choice, I am not really big on roast-style meat. With that being said, it was not bad! Fire roasted plantains: Not bad, not amazing, 4-stars! Chocolate Cookie Mousse: Maybe my 2nd favorite thing. It actually had a very subtle kick to it... maybe this was the cocoa nibs? I wanted to keep eating this but I was stuffed. I also had a couple of Rey Del Mar cocktails, but I then felt like I was hungover until dinner time the next day. I don't recommend it for people like me who have almost no tolerance, despite how delicious it is. There was definitely something else served, but I cannot remember for the life of me what it was. Whatever it was, it was pretty decent! That's a helpful contribution, right?

Had a great time here! Came in for dinner (probably helpful to make reservations as I can see this place is quite popular). As soon as we stepped in, there was a great ambiance/energy! Drinks were so good! Refreshing and not too sweet or tart Appetizer: wood oven empanadas - it seemed like the meat inside was birria-type and so packed with flavor and juice! The wood oven enhanced the crisp on the outside but didn't dry out the inside. It paired well with the yogurt like dip. Entrees: braised short rib & lamb neck birria - I never heard of lamb neck birria and didn't know how much I needed it in my life until this meal! Absolutely delicious and flavorful - if you get a chance to get this, do it! Short ribs were also delicious, very tender, and rich - came with a sauce that elevated it further.

Came on a Friday night with a reservation for 6 and was sat an hour late. They comp'd our first round and a couple apps which we really appreciated. All of the small plates we shared were delicious, our faves included the guac, queso, and volcanes. We got the turf wood fired platter and it was honestly a lot smaller than expected and hard to split between 6, since each of us basically only got one bite of each thing. For a big group I think getting a couple big plates to share instead would be more worth it.

The oysters Where good and music was good Fries were so good and the fish I would recommend this place

We were just a few minutes late for our reservation, but we were still seated right away. We had Ryan as our server and he was helpful with the recommendations. We started out with the seabass ceviche, which was excellent. We split the scallops and the short ribs which were also very flavorful and fantastic. We were too stuffed for dessert. I would come back and highly recommend.

I did not expect Lena Brava to blow me away like it did. It was absolutely outstanding, in terms of food, vibes, service, and everything else in between. My friend was in town and wanted to check out this place in west loop so the 4 of us went on a Wednesday evening and were seated outside, which is by the way, absolutely beautiful seating. It's super chic vibes both inside and outside so you can't go wrong in terms of where you sit. We started off with some happy hour drinks and I got the mojito, which was a beautiful ombré color and so refreshing and yummy! We ordered chips and guacamole to share for the table. The size of the guacamole was smaller than I would've liked, but you guys it was probably the best chips and guac I've ever had. The chips were warm and salty and crispy. And went absolutely perfectly with the INCREDIBLE guacamole, which was flavored perfectly. The guac was light, refreshing, salty, with just the right amount of lime and seasoning. For my entree, I got the Al pastor taco and the chicken tinga taco with a side of the rice and beans. The sides were very flavorful and came in a hefty quantity, which was perfect for my 2 tacos. The chicken tinga taco was delicious with juicy chicken, topped with picked onions, cheese, and cilantro. But the star of the night was the Al pastor taco. I can't even begin to explain the outstanding seasoning of the pork paired with grilled pineapples, salsa, and queso. It was the perfect culmination of flavors. And I still think about that taco every day. I even ordered the Al pastor tacos to go bc I loved it so much!! Hands down, the BEST Al pastor tacos I've EVER had! The menu is small but whatever they have available, it will be the best you will have. I LOVED my experience at Lena Brava and cannot wait to return! If you guys are reading this, please go!! Your taste buds will thank you!