CheSa’s Bistro & Bar
$$ • Restaurant
Reported to be dedicated gluten-free
Most Recent Reviews
Well, it’s a good thing they’re 100% gluten free, because otherwise I’d have serious reservations about eating here. As a fellow diner said, it’s like Restaurant Wars on Top Chef. The food is delicious but the operation is cobbled together with chicken wire and duct tape. I got the chicken and beignets, red beans and rice, fried catfish, and crawfish cornbread. My favorite was the fried catfish. Delicious!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Cocktails, Fried Chicken, Beignets, Chicken & Waffles & more
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Chicken Tenders, Cocktails, Chicken & Waffles, Avocado Toast
Other
- — Lunch
- — Breakfast
- — Brunch
- — Good for wheat-free
We can’t wait to go back!! Gluten free soul food?!?! It was SO good, and the servers were wonderful.
Dedicated GF
Photos
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Delicious!! Great experience.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Chicken Tenders, Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese & more
I had a fall brunch here which was delicious! Entire restaurant is gluten free. I had the Fried Chicken with the Beignet, fresh fruit and Fried green tomatoes as an appetizer.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Fried Chicken, Beignets
Other
- — Good for dairy-free
Guys the food is so good from fried chicken and waffles to sliders. Definitely worth a drive, the owner is so nice.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Cocktails, Fried Chicken, Chicken & Waffles & more
Amazing food and amazing experience! We accidentally arrived when they were closed between brunch and dinner on Saturday and the owner was kind enough to let us dine there! We ordered fried chicken and waffles and a fried catfish skillet. Both were delicious! Best fried chicken I've ever had!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Fried Chicken, Beignets, Chicken & Waffles, Waffles & more
GF chicken & waffles 😋. 100% GF. It is so nice to go to a restaurant & dine with confidence.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Fried Chicken, Chicken & Waffles, Waffles
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Cocktails, Chicken & Waffles, Waffles & more
I had FRIED chicken!! It was unbelievable. The chicken and waffles were amazing. I loved the fried shrimp and crab cakes starter too.
This food is what we celiacs dream of having. My gluten eating husband confirmed this was some of the best food he’s had in a while as well.
Please go support this amazing restaurant. When I told her that I have celiac and wanted to confirm that everything was gf I was told “welcome home” It was truly unbelievable and I recommend the food to anyone.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Fried Chicken, Chicken & Waffles, Waffles, Crab Cakes
Although, this restaurant is GF, it has something for everyone. I had the waffles, sausage and eggs for brunch. The waffles tasted exactly like a funnel cake and were amazing. It is dedicated gluten-free as the owner is GF.
It is also a small women-owned business that we should all support.
I cannot wait to go back, as there are things on the menu I have not have in 25 years!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Chicken Tenders, Cocktails, Beignets & more
I cannot recommend enough. The food is incredible, the whole menu is gluten free, and the service is amazing. The fried chicken and beignet waffles was a religious experience.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Chicken Tenders, Cocktails, Fried Chicken & more
The food here is really good as are the drinks! I’ve had garlic lamb chops, chicken and waffles, and jambalaya. It is more pricey and service can be slow, but the food is definitely worth it. I came here once a couple of years ago for dinner, and they’ve definitely improved in food quality and service since then.
Dedicated GF
Dedicated gluten-free and totally delicious! Great cocktails too. I cannot wait to go back.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Cocktails
Delicious food and 100% GF menu. We started with hush puppies, which were delicious. For dinner, I had chicken and waffles and my husband had fried catfish and jambalaya. Everything was cooked perfectly and delicious.
You forget what it is like to be able to eat anything on the menu!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Cocktails, Fried Chicken, Chicken & Waffles & more
What a treat! Amazing food and great service. The fried catfish was incredible—crispy flavorful breading, perfect fish! The salmon with potatoes was some of the best I’ve had. And I had a Paloma to drink and it was good too. Fine dining that is gluten free and welcoming. I had such a lovely time.
Dedicated GF
AMAZING. Came for brunch, got the chicken and waffles. Best waffles I’ve had including before I was diagnosed. Do not sleep on this place, come here ASAP.
Dedicated GF
Wow, what a wonderful experience!! First parking was super easy, next restaurant itself extremely cute, service amazing (Nick) was the bomb!!! Again Thanks Nick :) FOOD absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Then before leaving I saw CheSa herself ❤🥰 what sweetie so and kind!! CheSa immediately shared with me some helpful advice with me!! Please give it a try soon, you will not be disappointed.
Dedicated GF
Amazing food and my family couldn’t even tell it was gluten free, I had the crab cakes, they had the lox on a bagel and the stewed short ribs with red grits.
Dedicated GF
Loved it! Would give 6 stars if I could. Great food, lots of different choices, and everything is gluten free. Will definitely make this a regular visit.
Dedicated GF
Great food, my kids love the chicken tenders.
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Chicken Tenders
Other
- — Good for dairy-free
Best 100% gluten free restaurant(or regular restaurant for that matter)! Every bite was sooo good. Great service and everything was fresh and piping hot! Will definitely return!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Chicken & Waffles
Highly recommend! The food is delicious and Celiac safe. Had the hushpuppies and chicken and waffles. All was excellent!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Fried Chicken, Beignets, Chicken & Waffles & more
CheSa’s is amazing and the owner is super nice! Got to meet her and she made us some gf fried cinnamon donuts because they ran out of desserts!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Dessert, Donuts
Food was truly delicious and the waitstaff were kind and attentive. Our server was also the owner, and she was so friendly and wanted to ensure we had a great experience. We had fried green tomatoes, cheese biscuits, short ribs and grits, and fried chicken and waffles. Everything we had was amazing. I really loved the fried chicken and waffles, cause the chicken was more than just fried, but seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices that gave it beautiful flavor. The waffle was also a beignet, so it was fluffy, crispy, and full of flavor. Would 100% recommend and will be back soon!
Dedicated GF
GF Menu Items
- — Fried Chicken, Beignets, Chicken & Waffles, Waffles & more
Wow! My taste bud's are singing!!! The flavors of the bourbon peach waffles were decadent! Melts in your mouth. Chesa actually came to our table to talk about the food before we ordered and then again to make sure everything was good. Our server, Alex, was very attentive and friendly, making our experience top notch! This is definitely a new addition to our list. We come to Chicago twice a year for treatments at Northwestern for a rare terminal disease. I also have Celiac Disease. We drive 6 hours and since I'm away from home, I want to make sure I don't get sick.
Dedicated GF
Awesome to find a dedicated gluten free restaurant. Owner has celiac. Went for Easter brunch and had chicken and beignet waffles. Very tasty!
Dedicated GF
Other
- — Good for kids
- — Lunch
- — Takeout
- — Breakfast/Brunch
Went here for the first time last night and I will HAPPILY return!! Food was beyond phenomenal, kitchen is dedicated gluten free because the chef has Celiac Disease. I was able to experience Gumbo for the first time and many other incredible dishes. Service was 10/10 and I can’t wait to go back :)
Dedicated GF
Good but could be great with a bit of effort and fine tuning. I had crab cakes which were terrific but the hash brown concoction they came with lacked flavor and did not taste fresh. My son had chicken and waffles and both were excellent. My wife had avocado toast, the avocado was of poor quality, admittedly, we are used to the whole foods organic avocados which are rich and creamy. Was there for brunch and did not drink but prices for alcohol drinks were shockingly high.
Dedicated GF
Great food, good vibes. The chicken and waffles and grits 🤤
Dedicated GF
100% gluten free and sooooo yummy! A little on the expensive side but definitely worth it for the peace of mind when going out. The waffles and cheddar biscuits are amazing. Can’t wait to go back!
Dedicated GF
Amazing!! 100% gluten free scratch kitchen. Almost all seafood, so check the menu before you go if you don’t love seafood. Met CheSa and she has an incredible story and passion to make good food that happens to be gluten free (she has celiac, too). Great local place, small family owned business. Will definitely be back.
Dedicated GF
Other
- — Good for kids
- — Takeout
- — Breakfast/Brunch
- — Dinner
The food keeps getting better and Chesa just updated the menu. The new items are absolutely delicious. The Fried Chicken and Beignet Waffles, one of her staples, makes me think Chesa is a magician. Absolutely incredible!
The entire restaurant is 100% Gluten Free so you don’t have to worry about anything. If you haven’t gone, it is worth the trip even if you have to travel a bit.
Dedicated GF
First time here, can't wait to go back. Absolutely great food, large portions, friendly place. Best darn grits anywhere. Very highly recommend.
Dedicated GF
The chicken and beignet waffles were absolutely amazing. Love. The shrimp tacos were also a favorite. Service could have been better, but still enjoyed the experience.
Dedicated GF
Other
- — Breakfast/Brunch
- — Dinner
Had dinner here for the first time. Everything was INCREDIBLE. So so delicious and you never would have known anything was GF. Highly recommend and I can wait to try brunch!
Dedicated GF
A 100% gluten free establishment! It takes a while to find these gems. If you love Creole and southern cooking , THIS is the place to be
Dedicated GF
We are staying downtown and made the trip out here via Lyft and it was so worth it. The food is absolutely incredible! The fried chicken was perfectly cooked and the beignet waffles were out of this world.
Dedicated GF
We loved everything we had! Great service and atmosphere. The sliders were amazing!
Dedicated GF
We absolutely loved everything about our dining experience at Chesa’s. Friendly service, great drinks and delicious food.
Two people in our group have Celiac disease, which is why we chose this restaurant. Everything is GF, so it was great to have so many options for them. We decided to eat family style so they could try everything. Loved everything we ordered, including chicken and waffles, hush puppies and short ribs.
Dedicated GF
We were in Chicago visiting and I could not wait to go to Chesas and it did not disappoint. It was so good. The crab cake appetizer and the chicken and beignet waffles were amazing. The service was wonderful. I can't wait to go back.
Dedicated GF
the best! the fried chicken and beignet waffles are insane i cant believe they are gluten free. one of the best gluten free spots i’ve ever been to
Dedicated GF
Absolutely incredible! A newer brick and mortar location, so I would encourage making a reservation. I was visiting from out of town and came across a review for their lobster mac and cheese which made this a “must visit” restaurant for me. Having now tried it for myself, I can’t wait to visit Chicago again!
Dedicated GF
Other
- — Dinner
- — Reservations recommended
This is an entirely gluten free establishment, so no concern there. The food was good and it was so nice to be able to eat so many dishes I usually have to avoid! I had the chicken & waffles (the waffles were soooo good!) and hush puppies.
Just something to be aware of so you can plan accordingly - the service was incredibly slow. We were seated at our table and 45 minutes went by before we were finally able to flag someone down and let them know we hadn't been helped yet. Our food and drinks were also very slow to come out - we finally got the hush puppies we had ordered as a starter just as our check came! It seems like they still have some kinks to work out, and I hope they do because I would love to come back and enjoy the food again.
Dedicated GF
Delicious food and all gluten free
Dedicated GF
Wonderful food, wonderful staff, wonderful owner! She too has celiac and knows how hard it is to find delicious food. She’s a beautiful person inside and out.
Dedicated GF
Dined here for the first time and I was blown away by the food. We had crab cakes to start and my main dish was catfish and jambalaya. Both were amazing and we were able to taste the gumbo, it is divine. The atmosphere is relaxing and comfortable. Thank you to the Chef Chesa and staff for making us feel welcome and almost too full for dessert. I’m already looking forward to my next visit.
Dedicated GF
Wonderful GF Cajun inspired dishes. So good and great service. Entire menu is gluten free. I really enjoyed the crab cakes and Wagyu Beef sliders. We will be back to try the hush puppies.
Dedicated GF
Brand new 100% dedicated gluten free restaurant in Avondale from Chef Chesa. The drinks and food were both amazing. My husband and I had the hush puppies, oysters, fried catfish, and the red snapper. It was all amazing and we will definitely be back. This is an amazing restaurant period, and the fact that I can eat everything there, as a celiac person, is amazing!
Dedicated GF
Other
- — Good for kids
- — Good with other allergies
- — Takeout
- — Good for dairy-free
More Info
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