No wait! Wait staff was very knowledgeable. Food was fantastic!Ordered the Venezuelan Empanadas - one beef, one chicken. These are a gluten-free option made with cornmeal. Imagine the goodness of a corn dog just filled with way better ingredients. Will be back for these many many times.For the main courses we had the Ropa Vieja-Pabellon Platillo a delicious shredded beef with beans on rice and out-of-this world plantains, so good. The Churrasco was the second dish - very good and very filling - grilled steak, chimchurri sauce, salad, and Yuka fries.Deserts are made in-house and unique - worth saving room. We finished with passion fruit tiramisu and pistachio flan on chocolate cake.Will be back, highly recommend you visit!

Food was great! The only thing that i disliked was how long it took for us to get our food. Next time will definitely order a head.

We have been looking forward to visiting and we were not disappointed! The best Cuban sandwich Ive ever had!! A true Joliet gem that you have to try once! Located right across from the Rialto theater with parking right in front. We can not wait to return!!

Amazing restaurant great balanced food. Amazing coffee. 10 out of 10. A place you have to try if you are in the area!!!

Literally ended up here strictly by chance, and fortune sure smiled on me. I love everything about this cafe. The vibe here is great. I went with a Cuban sandwich and rice, and it was very filling. Im not a pro on Cuban sandwiches, but this was pretty good. Not greasy like the last one I had at another location. Went with a iced Cuban coffee afterwards, and that hit the spot. Im not local, but I will definitely make the drive here on days when I want to get out of the city. There is an outdoor seating area, and I believe a public park space is in front of the storefront which adds for more outdoor seating. The server was phenomenal...very attentive, very friendly. To be honest she was the cherry on top and really sold me on the place. Like I said the vibe here is awesome.

Pizza was good. Price was acceptable, but nothing special. The delivery dude was the main reason they only received 3 stars😏

I came across Chévere Latin Café by complete coincidence. We had a business meeting nearby and were looking for a place to eat thereafter. Seeing the reviews and pictures, we were immediately convinced a visit would be worthwhile. And indeed, what a wonderful place! The owners are absolutely great - such friendly and welcoming hosts. The food was delicious and fresh! It truly was a great experience and I would gladly go back at any given opportunity. Highly recommend Chévere Latin Café!

The vegan dish was delicious! Great food and friendly service. Wish I was a local just so i could come back as often as Id like. This is a gem in Joliet!

First time trying it. I ordered a chicken empanada for an appetizer and liked it so much I got 2 more to go. I also ordered a Pernil Plantain Sandwich which was delicious. Would go back again. Don’t hesitate try it out!!

Very good food experience. My wife and I came here on a whim as we just happened to be passing through town. They had food vegetarian options. My wife got their signature food item while I went with a rice bowl. Both were delicious!

Ive been wanting to come here for a while now and Im so glad I finally did. The food was delicious and fresh. The flavors worked so well together. We will be returning.

Eaten here a few times. Food is always quality and staff always pleasant. Only place around town like this. I do recommend

The staff was friendly, however the coffee was not too good. Ordered a cappuccino and hoped that the coffee would come from at least a Latin American country if not from Cuba, however I saw on the Thomas coffee bag they use that the coffee comes from St Louis missouri! I was quite disappointed since I was was just coming from St Louis and was looking for more of a cultured coffee. Also, the price was quite high

Excellent food. Excellent service! MOST HANDSOME WAITER EVER...Excellent beef empenada

I had a great experience at this Latin- Venezuelan restaurant. The service is just amazing, the owner serves you herself and I felt as in home! The best Cachapas in Illinois are in this place! They have plenty vegetarian options 🙌🏻, the food test really good, deserts were very tropical and delicious and I would comeback for sure ! We will try sancocho, Paella and fish next time!

Yesterday we went for the first time to try the food and 💯 recommended. The food is delicious. People really friendly and great service. Definitely going back!

The food is delicious! La comida es deliciosa.Cozy place.

I had the Ropa Vieja sandwich. Tender and tasty meat and plenty of it. The sweet plantain really makes the sandwich. Try it. You will like it. Always nice to try something a little different.

Wonderful cheesecakes you wont even miss Cheesecake Factory Im very fussy when it comes to desserts and cheesecake xspecially

I ordered the Venezuelan empanada and Cuban sandwich and was blown away. Great food. Im from Chicago and if I ever come to Joliet again.... thats my spot!

If you wants the best latino food, dont miss this place, and not only the food, the staff is the best. Totally recomended.

This place is DELICIOUS. The outside dining area is very cute with nice lights. The inside is just as cute with the chalkboard mural & menu. The woman who owns it seems very nice as well.I got the vegan plantain sandwich combo & it was to die for. I literally ate it in 10 minutes. It was so flavorful & yummy. I definitely will ask for it spicier next time--just personal preference. And I will definitely be getting a coffee next time too. My sister got a chicken bowl and she also said hers was amazing.Food that hit the spot. And I will be going back. I hope they get more vegan options because Id be there everyday :)

The food was delicious and the service was great. I was stuffed by the end of my meal. I expect to be back soon! So happy I found this place close to home

Me and my husband were in the parking lot on the third floor on ottawa st. in Will County, and we were discussing what we could find to eat in such a bland looking place, besides we were only in will county because my husband was bonding his son out, and after the whole process we were running off a few sips of coffee. He noticed chévere before I even began to google it, but he couldnt see the name from the parking lot, he could only see food. So I, being eager to see what was delicious to eat for vegans and meat eaters in such a boring county (I rep the Chicago cook county), did a Google search for vegan, and good carnivorous options and I fell upon Chévere Latin Cafe and I loved it the moment I stepped across the threshold. Now, yes it was empty but it was still early (around 11-11:30 am), the decor was so pleasing to me and my husbands eyes (hes Jamaican and lives for the island feel) we decided to check it out. The first thing he noticed was the counters being held up by pipes and he tells me this has got to be a fellow foreignor place I laughed because my Jamaican man clearly missed the Latin Cafe in the name title. I immediately knew this would be a good spot for us both, because he loves all island food and I love to eat in general lol. Hes vegan so we asked about the vegan options on the menu, and we were discussing this with the owner, who was very insightful and helpful of her menu, which shows me passion. Her menu consisted of many authentic Latin flavors, and dishes. she also had a great natural passion fruit drink called Parchita or Maracuyá which we both ordered and it cost  $3.99 for a nice glass full. We ordered the Steak Jibarito (for me the carnivore, which includes fried green plantain sandwiches, steak, greens, chévere sauce, chimichurri and a side of rice and beans i also added roasted red peppers) and the Jibaritofit (for my tasty vegan mate, which consists of roasted red peppers, black beans, chimichurri, mushrooms,onions as well as a side of rice and beans) for $10.00 a piece. I also ordered a slice of the vanilla flan cake to go. The service was good and thats only because the owner speaks English and I think the chef spoke it a little. I had no problem making my order and I even think having some non English speaking servers are amazing to have but when the owner left to make a store run, the chef had to keep coming out whenever we inquired about different things the restaurant had (such as what was the second drink being mixed next to the passion fruit juice which the server could not answer, she could only nod, smile and go make funny motions with her hands to describe the lady with the big hair needing to ask a question) or when the jibaritofit order had the sauce that includes a dairy product that we asked to be removed from the sandwich order. The service of the server is still worth coming back because shes pleasant nonetheless and because the chef did not miss a beat AT ALL. The owner engages in conversation, and she even did it with my Jamaican who has a very thick accent. Also even though the Jibaritofit was messed up the first time, when the chef took it back he came out with another one made perfect in an efficient time frame (i wasnt even halfway done so he made it in time for us to enjoy our meals together) so that alone makes up for the lack of English dialect. I can absolutely say I loved the food, our Jibaritos were fresh, made with fresh ingredients, cooked to perfection, the chimichurri and chévere sauce (inhouse sauce) are to literally cry for, the restaurant was clean, well organized, the drinks were great, and everything was cost efficient as well. I have to also say this, the cake is not for me like literally I dont think I am a flan type of girl, I want to say it was rather disgusting but apart of trying new things is accepting that your tastebuds might not be a good match for them. Hope this helps anyone wondering where is the good food in will county.

Omg.... Im hooked... the food is phenomenal....my new most fav.

The restaurant was not ready to open when we got there at 11. Service needs much improvement.

Back in January, we ordered take out from here and I loved every morsel. Ive been waiting to come here in person.We are now vaccinated and their dining room is open. Our friends are also vaccinated so we all met here for dinner.We had one of each kind of Argentinian empanadas and a cheese Venezuelan empanada. Scrumptious.For my entree, I chose a Ropa Vieja bowl and added avocado. Marvelous!For dessert I had the pistachio/avocado flan cake with a Cafe con leche. Im still smiling remembering the divine flavors.Highly recommend!

Great food, coffee, and desserts! We had a shrimp dish with plantains that was very flavorful. The chocolate mango dessert was great too!

I would love to have tried the food. I placed an order on Doordash, which was accepted by the restaurant. When the driver arrived, well on time, there was nobody at the restaurant. I was able to get a refund, but would like to know what happened.

If youre thinking about trying this place for the first time while youre reading this, stop, go to the website and ORDER ORDER ORDER! The Ropa Viejo plantain sandwich is amazing. Very high quality pan Latin American cuisine from Cuba to Venezuela. Try it once youll be back soon, guaranteed. Excellent and friendly service.

First time there today. Venezuelian food.. Came late near closing time. Place an order for pick-up. Ordered Pollo platillo. Beans taste great, chicken has a good taste but very dry. Rice has a good taste but little dry. Plantain came out good. Maybe its not good to come near closing time, they seem to be very busy when I arrived. Met the owner Armando, very friendly and informative about the food he makes. I will give it another try.

The food are delicious, I love it 💘

My food was amazing and the owner helped me select mybplaintain sandwich with pulled beef.

Failed on Business Ethics 101. Cant say anything about the food-was not given a chance to try.

Bad business attitude. Store hours says: open, we called were told - open. Within 3 min were in front of the store, however door was closed. Person inside showed, he wont open it. However in 15 min, door was open for 2 other people. Guess no reason to support local business when my business is not welcomed.

Teresa has the best Latin food in Joliet and the best Venezuelan flavor in Chicagoland. Her arepas and empanadas are the best.

Had great food. A little bit of a wait but ok as they are across from the realto and they are filming a tv show called. Leap. Fun watching all the going ons

What a find! The food is absolutely delicious! So glad to have stumbled on Chevere and can’t wait to order again.

This place has great food and the owners are some of the nicest people! The atmosphere is inviting and relaxing for anyone looking for a quality experience.

Absolutely incredible !I can’t say enough about the food, service and The Chef💥

They fried had way to lunch salt. Was not really impressed with this place

I have been here multiple times and I have never been disappointed. The staff is so friendly and have the best recommendations. I have taken multiple friends and family and this place never lets me down.P.s. always get the sweet plantains for desert.

I had the Cuban sandwich and a Venezuelan empanada. The empanada was okay but the Cuban was great. There was indoor and outdoor seating available. The person who took my order was very nice. I’ve been to some really good Central/South American restaurants so my standards are high and I liked this place, although it is a bit pricey.

Doordash or this place messed the order up completely cuben sandwich was HORRIBLE. Everything is insanely expensive only to get small and cheap quality.

Im a driver. And i am waiting WAY too long for two sandwiches. Its insane how long i have been here.... Not great service with this wait time

Great for a latin bite that isnt the typical mexican fare, good coffee too. Easy walk from everything else in downtown, nice outdoor pavilion out front in nicer weather.

Sometimes great, but inconsistent. If you’ve had good authentic Caribbean/Cuban food, you’ll notice the plantains are not at all ripe and mostly yellow rather than the dark/almost black color of RIPE plantains. The empanadas are great with their sauce, 10/10 along with the chicken breast and rice. I just wish they would ripen the plantains for such a high price point. I find myself adding tons of salt to be able to eat them because they’re so tasteless.

Very good food in downtown Joliet! Perfect place to stop before a rialto show. Also a good place to grab a coffee.

And indeed, what a wonderful place! The owners are absolutely great - such friendly and welcoming hosts. The food was delicious and fresh! It truly was a great experience and I would gladly go back at any given opportunity.This place is wonderful and spacious, the food was yummy and the prices were very reasonable. quickly, effective service and very personal staff. Highly recommended.

Just tried their Cuban sandwich and its really good! This is my new go to spot! Friendly staff and welcoming environment they also offer outdoor seating. Well worth the price $9.50

Absolutely authentic and delicious. Everything made from scratch. A perfect experience! A must try!

We met with friends at this place for a meeting. my friend recommended this restaurant. Well, we were not disappointed. the staff were so friendly and we felt very good. The meal was delicious. We loved this place a lot and we will visit this place again. Highly recommended.

The food is good, but is a little priced for the portion they serve. And they need better costumer service.

Good food

Food is AMAZING! Everything is made fresh! Owners are there, so they will make sure everything is perfect! Excellent service! This is the kind of restaurant that you can feel and taste that food is best quality. I will definitely come back! I drove all the way from Chicago and it was so worthy!

Met the owner Teresa and you can tell how passionate she is about the food that is served out of this place. Food was fresh and hot. Everything we had was delicious and the flavor was amazing. I like the portion sizes here as it leaves you full but just enough room for dessert lol. The desserts are great too! Definitely make a trip for this place!

This was a great dining spot for the fusion mix of Venuzeulan and Cuban food. I encourage anyone to stop in and experience for themselves.

Went to this restaurant last year. They need lots of improvement when it comes to quality of the food. The price point is too expensive for the quality of the food. Too much fried food, not enough fresh ingredients.

Our first time there this past weekend. Everything was so delicious!! The empanadas and Cuban sandwich was excellent. The owner explained the menu and was super friendly. We will definitely be back.

They are almost directly across from the Rialto theater. Its a quaint little place. The food was delicious and more substantial than I expected. Its definitely not a fast food place but slightly shorter than a typical restaurant. They had an entire section of their menu dedicated to gluten free. I would definitely go again if I was in the area.

¡Everything was chévere!

I ordered the Chicken Chévere to go. I shouldnt have been so surprised by how delicious it would be. I dont love in the burbs anymore and my exposure to diverse dining experiences has become extremely limited in rural Illinois. But this has flavors that I dont know that Ive ever tasted before. Inside was a quaint café with a traditional cafe ambience. The music was upbeat and chef Teresa served me quickly. I hope to find myself in this neighborhood again in the near future because my husband and kids will thoroughly enjoy the food too. I skipped the dessert since it probably wouldnt travel well to where Im going tonight but they looked yummy too. Thank you for the culinary escape on my brief trip here.

Great place to relax and have a night out with friends.So cool place.

Great food and great coffee

Hidden gem in down town Joliet. The food is fresh, organic, and made per order. As for the customer service, our waiter was very friendly and, considering it was our first time there, even educated us on some of the food options. Overall great experience so well definitely be back again.

Where do I even begin? The food quality is top notch. I love their empanadas! They are just delicious. The green dipping sauce is to die for. The frozen Nutella drink is delicious. Just a wonderful place.

This spot sure knows how to satisfy their customers. Constantly with a nice mindset. The food is reasonably priced, always delicious and neat.

This place is wonderful and spacious, the food was yummy and the prices were very reasonable. quickly, effective service and very personal staff. Highly recommended.

Amazing food. Flavors were delicious. Owners and staff were friendly and pleasant. Best food I have eaten in the area!! Great selection of items to choose from. Everything we ordered was fantastic. So much flavor. On par with a Chicago restaurant. Quick service.

The best...owner was their....Loved it...Covid safe

Very good food and nice presentation. Gourmet coffee was delish as well. Wish they had more gluten free dessert dishes

One of my go-to spots to grab some food. great location, always clean, and awesome service. A must try!

After waiting a hour for my to go order I got to the cara d checked my bags to find only received half my order. Then waiting another 30 for the rest of my order. So a lot of cold food. Not worth the wait

Waitress did not speak English so it was hard to communicate. She didnt come back to check on me either, I had to get up to ask for something. Paid $35 for my lunch...a $15 meal that came with rice that tasted like leftovers and bland beans, a $4 soda and $9 slice of cake. Over priced! Food was okay. Their in house sauce is good though.

Pricey but pretty good.

Amazing! Alright so as soon as you walk in the atmosphere is very welcoming, the owner was extremely attentive and informative, the food was very fresh, mouth watering delicious and fairly priced. Will definitely come again highly recommend.

Ate here for lunch recently and the food was outstanding. I have Celiac disease so Im always leery of cross-contamination. I had no reactions to any of the food I ate here. I had the Arepafit sandwich made with white corn, chia and flax seeds. It included black beans, grilled red peppers and onions. The bread was toasted slightly to give the sandwich a great bite. I also ordered the cheese empanadas (which were good, not great) and the passion fruit drink which was amazing. The presentation was lovely and the staff are polite and attentive. The total was 33.00 so it is quick food, but not cheap food. I will certainly be back soon.

Pretty decent place for Latin American food. I had the yuca fries and they were done well. My brother had the arepa burger which was pretty decent. Prices are higher than youd normally see for these items but its tough to get good Colombian/Venezuelan food outside of the city so its worth it.

Food is pretty good, service is good. Prices are too high. Spent $60 for 2 sandwiches, one appetizer and 2 waters.

Very nice place to stop after a show. Great food and friendly service.

Wonderful service and incredible, unique food! The sauce alone on our sandwiches was enough to come back. Im happy to have a new favorite place.

The only reason why I give this place 3 stars is because they take forever to have your order ready, I mean how long can it take to make 2 nutella coffees? Well here takes 45 minutes. Taste is delicious but it has to be all together, the day I went there was some Christmas parade on the street, and it was very cold, which means they must have been ready for all the people that was gonna be there right? Well no, the owner needs to have sense of urgence.

It was delicious, the staff was helpful and the place was clean. I had chicken empanadas that were great and the owner explained to me how and when they were eaten in Venezuela. The reason I did not give 5 stars is the price. This place has limited hours, most of which are during the middle of the day and the prices are high for lunch time.

Stopped in before a concert and it was fantastic. We could t decide on entrees for two of us so we got 3. Churrasco was great but the pork and fried fish were even better. Everything else is homemade.

Awesome service and great people

The workers were very pleasant 5 stars for them. I went with my daughter to try something new. The lunch special was pretty expensive for lunch.The passion fruit juice was good. The cheese sticks were good but still cold in middle. I ordered a sandwich with chicken it was dry and not very flavorful. I probably wont go back for the foodIf i go back it will be for the drinks.

Wonderful customer service and great food! Actually ordered their catering for my baby shower and my guests were all commenting on how delicious the food was. Definitely recommend.

First impression Unprofessional didn’t open at 11am like they said online there was somebody in the restaurant didn’t even answer the phone is Tuesday 19 2021 and is 11:20am doors closed also

First time here. Debated on what to try. Got Cuban Coffee, Arepas, Zero Stress soup and fried green plantain. First - Coffee was amazing!! Perfect strength with perfect amount of cream and sugar. Delicious. Friend Green Plantain was flavorful with a great dipping sauce. My friend and were debating on the Arepas sandwich to get so we each ordered a different one, split and each had a half. We got the steak versions. One had plantain and black beans and one had tomato and spinach. Both were delicious. I preferred the plantain version and my friend preferred the one with tomato. Other customers got their bowls. It looked delicious with lots of variety. Only open for lunch during week and dinner on Friday and Saturday. Bottom line - delicious filling food in a casual atmosphere. Not an everyday lunch spot due to prices but a good place to eat with a friend or two. I will definitely be back to try more on menu.

I wish I could give 6 stars. Everything from the aesthetic to flavor. Ive never experienced restaurant staff that was so friendly and cool. Put down your Google and go there! (Try the ropa vieja and the Cuban coffee)

Excellent service. Friendly owners. Wonderful food. In a great location of downtown Joliet. Youz should def stop by and visit. The coffee is also amazing!

Love this place. Food is great. Little expensive but way worth it .

Great food just wish I could eat it. Excellant coffee. Great people working there and fun music.Good place to go before the show or the casino.

I went to this café on a whim. I am glad that I did because it was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. I am glad to find a good sandwich shop in downtown Joliet.

Fun! Unique menu. Personal service. Good food. Were glad we went there!

Go! Go! Go! This food is amazing, I have enjoyed every different thing I have tried at this place. Support this incredible small business, and if you cant get a seat, do yourself a favor and grab it as take out, or have it delivered. If you dont know...this is not Mexican food, this is Venezuelan-style latin food. If you cant travel, enjoy the tastebud tourismIt is a FOODIE MUST! You are making a mistake if you miss the opportunity to try this food. Highly recommend! 😋❤

Fresh, delicious... Very delicious. I had the tango arepa with a split pea soup. Highly recommend.

Delicious!!! I got the carne asada plantain sandwich. It came with a delicious side salad too. I have been here twice now and they are friendly and the chef has come to say hello. I would highly suggest this cafe for lunch. Prices are slightly higher than a quick lunch but 100% worth it all. Also the passion fruit juice was incredible. Cant wait to come back asap!

The food is great, the owners are warm and welcoming people that engage with each customer that comes in.

The food is breathtaking well I recommend it to other people YES