Jibarito
Chicago's Puerto Rican original: steak, cheese, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo between two smashed, fried green plantains.
Cafe Central
A long-running Puerto Rican diner with a crisp-edged jibarito, close to downtown.
Borinquen Lounge
The family of the man who invented the jibarito in 1996 still makes it the original way. This is the source.
Jibaritos y Más
The biggest jibarito menu in town and the crowd favorite. The original Fullerton and Kimball location is the one to hit.
Omarcito's Latin Cafe
The Infatuation's #1 jibarito, with salty, perfectly seasoned steak between crisp plantains.
The Jibarito Stop
It started as a food truck and moved downtown after a fire. The most convenient jibarito if you're staying in the Loop.
Smash Jibarito
A newcomer on Paseo Boricua that crosses the jibarito with a smash burger. The fun modern take on a Chicago classic.
Chicago's Puerto Rican original
The jibarito (hee-bah-REE-toe) was invented in Chicago's Humboldt Park in 1996. Instead of bread, it uses two slabs of green plantain, smashed flat and fried until crisp. Classic fillings are thin steak, cheese, lettuce, tomato and plenty of garlic mayo.
How to order: start with the classic steak version. Most spots also offer chicken or pork. Some add a side of arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas).
The jibarito is one of the city's newer classics and still a mostly local secret, so it's a great one to show visitors. It's on our list of 20 foods to eat in your first year in Chicago.