Nacional 27

Warm earth tones, sensuous Latin music and low amber lighting make for a sultry South Beach atmosphere. Couples get close in booths and watch weekend salsa dancers strut their stuff. The Nuevo Latino menu rounds up the best of 27 different Latin American cuisines. Tapas like chicken arepas and grilled shrimp adobado make for delicious nibbling. With two tantalizing appetizer platters starring on the menu (one heaped with empanadas and croquetas, the other a seviche tasting complete with bloody mary oyster shooters), it's easy to dine here without touching any entrees. But then you'd miss out…

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Editor's Tips

What to Drink:: Check out the special list of reasonably priced wine, featuring 27 bottles less than $27, from French syrahs to Chilean chardonnay.
When to Go:: Friday-Saturday at 11pm, tables come out and the DJ goes on, spinning Latin tunes until 2am (Saturday till 3am).
Save Money:: Industry Mondays feature bottles of wine at retail cost plus $1; Tuesdays feature live music and a tapas tasting for $8.95 per person; and Wednesdays feature free wine pairings with the $44, five-course tasting menu.
When to Go:: Friday and Saturday at 11pm, tables come out and the DJ goes on, spinning Latin tunes until 2am (Saturday till 3am).
Save Money:: Industry Mondays offer bottles of wine at retail cost plus $1; Tuesdays feature live music and a tapas tasting for $9.95 per person; and Wednesdays offer free wine pairings with the $44, five-course tasting menu.
What to Drink:: Check out the special list of reasonably priced wines, from French syrahs to Chilean chardonnay.

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User Reviews (35)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“love the atmosphere and the food is fantastic.” “Beautiful upscale restaurant serves cuisines of 27 Latin nations in one location (in Chicago even!)” “Tasteful and creative dishes nested within chic decor.” “The food was average, decor was hip, and the vibe was nice.” “This place has nice atmosphere, but the food absolutely ruins it.” “First off, great setup, great ambience, great lighting.” “Great service and valet parking, and a separate palm fronded large bar area occupies the front part of the restaurant.” “The ambience was romantic.” “Lots of fun, good atmosphere.”
dessert	100.0% positive	“The dessert-cinnamon donut with ice cream- was a nice gesture but it was a little too late.” “Desserts include a good cuatro chocolate including four different chocolate presentations, and a pretty-good cinnamon donut one.” “The deserts on the other hand were to die for, some of the best flan that I have ever had.” “I'll start with desserts :-) Excellent Churros and ice cream, Banana Split and my favorite Tres Leches Cake.” “They brought out a dark chocolate creme bru le that was delicious.”
drinks	100.0% positive	“and both times we ordered, we ordered the POMEGRANITE which I now HIGHLY recommend to anyone that's a mojito lover, or a fruity/sweet drink lover in general.” “The pork shoulder entree was particularly good, and the espresso flan was to die for.” “Although this restaurant has received the "Wine Spectator Award of Excellence" for the past four years, I wonder what the folks at Wine Spectator would like to think of them serving $100/bottle wine in glasses that were dripping wet inside and out with wa” “had enjoyed N27 for drinks and music so I decided to give them a try for Valentines Day dinner.” “Let's not forget a complementary "amuse" before your meal and the innovative drinks ranging from Sophia (sparkling wine from a can which is surprisingly good) to the "nuevo-popular" pina colada mojito made the right way by "mulling" the mint, surgar, and ” “The clientel was very friendly and the drink prices were what you would expect in that area.” “The drinks were tasty and strong - try the mojitos.” “Presentation is great, and there's a good variety of unique drinks.” “He was entertaining and made some great suggestions on food and wine.” “Our food came out extremely fast but every time we ordered a drink it took at least 20 minutes.” “Great service and valet parking, and a separate palm fronded large bar area occupies the front part of the restaurant.”
food quality	90.31999588012695% positive	“The food was excellent, though he complained he didn't get enough.” “unique dishes that you would really have to search hard for in Chicago to find something similar.” “This place has nice atmosphere, but the food absolutely ruins it.” “The grilled lamb tacos and smoked chicken empanadas were amazing.” “To start, the food is good - try the calamari.” “The beef tenderloin tapas were wonderful.” “generous wait staff compliments each dish with helpful suggestions.” “The drinks were tasty and strong - try the mojitos.” “The food was good enough to make us come back.” “Good service and recommendations from the friendly staff and the food was excellent!” “Disappointing coconut creme brulee.” “Haven't had good food in a while, until N27” “Finally the prices were WAY MORE than they should have been, especially because the food was not good.” “The food was average, decor was hip, and the vibe was nice.” “They brought out a dark chocolate creme bru le that was delicious.” “ok food, very slow service!” “The meats were excellent.” “Let's not forget a complementary "amuse" before your meal and the innovative drinks ranging from Sophia (sparkling wine from a can which is surprisingly good) to the "nuevo-popular" pina colada mojito made the right way by "mulling" the mint, surgar, and ” “Please don't get me wrong the food was pretty good.” “Bottom line: amazing food prepared in a timely manner.” “Entrees include a delicious skirt steak with in-house steak sauce, guacamole and salsa, and even better whole fish stuffed with shrimp.” “While the food was decent (nothing to write home to mom about) -- The expereience left me and my 9 other guessed greatly stressed.” “love the atmosphere and the food is fantastic.” “The food was beyond incredible.” “had a wonderful time with my friends, the food was amazing as was the service.” “The market fish dish was great also but the filet mignon and Australian lambchops were well cooked and well seasoned.” “The pork shoulder entree was particularly good, and the espresso flan was to die for.” “Our food came out extremely fast but every time we ordered a drink it took at least 20 minutes.” “Tasteful and creative dishes nested within chic decor.” “He was entertaining and made some great suggestions on food and wine.” “The food, as usual, was terrific and nobody does a variety of ceviche like Nacional.”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“We end up looking for nice new restaurants and everyone orders different items on the menu, giving us a better chance to truly taste a variety of items on the menu.” “Presentation is great, and there's a good variety of unique drinks.” “The food, as usual, was terrific and nobody does a variety of ceviche like Nacional.”
overall	100.0% positive	“Very slow with bringing back the check, but great place overall.”
return potential	100.0% positive	“The food was good enough to make us come back.” “liked the place otherwise I would not have come back.”
service	68.42000007629395% positive	“The clientel was very friendly and the drink prices were what you would expect in that area.” “THE FOOD IS WONDERFUL AND GREAT customer service, MY BOYFRIEND AND I BOTH ENJOYED THIS PLACE.” “The service was great and very helpful.” “Our server was pleasant and helpful though.” “The service was also VERY BAD, and all the wait staff and hosts were rude and had a bad attitude.” “Essentially, the service was awful.” “ok food, very slow service!” “The waiters know their stuff backwards and forwards and have great recommendations.” “Good service and recommendations from the friendly staff and the food was excellent!” “Great service and valet parking, and a separate palm fronded large bar area occupies the front part of the restaurant.” “From the rude hostesses, waiter and serving staff.” “The staff were pleasant but poorly attentive for how uncrowded it was.” “For the check, they would not allow us paying with more than 6 credits cards which was really disappointing for a table of 20 people totaling $1200.” “had a wonderful time with my friends, the food was amazing as was the service.” “Our table, just outside the kitchen door, was cramped and being "bumped" by the constant waiter traffic was annoying.” “Our server was great, the music was just right, the liquor was perfect.” “It will be hard to beat but I honestly can see how people could like the ceviche here.” “Ambiance was hip and unique, service was good overall.” “generous wait staff compliments each dish with helpful suggestions.”
value	50.0% positive	“The clientel was very friendly and the drink prices were what you would expect in that area.” “Wine was pricey, if you know what the cost is, but thats to be expected.” “Finally the prices were WAY MORE than they should have been, especially because the food was not good.” “generous wait staff compliments each dish with helpful suggestions.”
wait time	66.66999816894531% positive	“Our food came out extremely fast but every time we ordered a drink it took at least 20 minutes.” “Very slow with bringing back the check, but great place overall.” “ok food, very slow service!”

04/19/10

Best of Chi

by 1035kissfm

Nacional 27 won for best bar service in Chicago. Check out what else won for best of Chi-Town with 1035 Kiss Fm! For more info go to the 1035 Kiss Fm website!

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01/17/10

Not goof for parties.

by juesq2

For the check, they would not allow us paying with more than 6 credits cards which was really disappointing for a table of 20 people totaling $1200. Think twice if you are going to this place with a party.

Pros: Music.
Cons: Paying the check

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10/05/09

Amazing every time!

by pinkett

I have been here many times and have yet to be disappointed. I love the atmosphere and the food is fantastic. Presentation is great, and there's a good variety of unique drinks. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone!

Pros: Great service, atmosphere, and food!

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07/07/08

RIP-OFF... AVOID THIS PLACE !!

by RobertTurner

My friends and I had a BAD experience here and we would NEVER go back. The food was very uneven in quality. Many of the dishes were simply left on their places... we couldn't eat them. I have had tapas many times in good Latin restaurants, but I've never had tapas I simply couldn't eat before. The service was also VERY BAD, and all the wait staff and hosts were rude and had a bad attitude. Finally the prices were WAY MORE than they should have been, especially because the food was not good. And WORST OF ALL, they rushed us out of there so our table could be used by others who were waiting, so we didn't even have a chance to watch the dancing, which we had wanted to do. All in all, this was a VERY BAD restaurant experience for all of us.

Pros: Atmosphere is kind of nice, but that's the only "pro" here
Cons: EVERYTHING... food, service, price, value, etc.

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06/13/08

Haven't had good food in a while, until N27

by badjuju

I always feel I can write better reviews when my parents are in town. We end up looking for nice new restaurants and everyone orders different items on the menu, giving us a better chance to truly taste a variety of items on the menu. First off, great setup, great ambience, great lighting. Had a patio which would be nice in the summer. Wine list impressive. I was surprised at how affordable those bottles were. I regret not trying a bottle, because I was eyeing the mojitos already.

Now the food. This is what wins it for this restaurant, original, themed, saucy food. We started with the mojitos (don't be too original, stick to the N27 mojito, it's good). I read good reviews for the ceviche but I felt they weren't anything to rave about. Good, original, fresh is what they need to be at baseline. But I wasn't overly impressed, maybe because my new standard now is this amazing ceviche I had in Costa Rica. It will be hard to beat but I honestly can see how people could like the ceviche here. It was very well presented, first of all, and it tasted good but it's my fault for having had something too good before. So definitely try it yourself. The meats were excellent. Can I say that again? Excellent! The market fish dish was great also but the filet mignon and Australian lambchops were well cooked and well seasoned. The sauce and sides were perfectly complimentary and very flavorful as well. Portions were all the right size. Made for a very enjoyable dinner.

For dessert, we had the flan > guava cake > creme brulee. Disappointing coconut creme brulee. The next time I come here, it will be for the ambiance, the mojitos, and the meats.

Waitstaff... very nice host. Our waiter did his job but didn't add any extra. Which is good because we had not particular requests and he didn't come ask us every 3 minutes.

Pros: Meats, mojitos, ambience.
Cons: Desserts

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What People Are Saying About Nacional 27

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Editor's Tips

04/19/10

Best of Chi

by 1035kissfm

01/17/10

Not goof for parties.

by juesq2

10/05/09

Amazing every time!

by pinkett

07/07/08

RIP-OFF... AVOID THIS PLACE !!

by RobertTurner

06/13/08

Haven't had good food in a while, until N27

by badjuju

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