Ayayay sits at 60 E Lake St in the Chicago Loop, in easy reach of the area's hotels and attractions — a location that brings in a steady stream of travelers finding it via Google Maps rather than long-time locals. Chefs Jose Luis Chavez and Adolfo Gosalvez run the kitchen, framing the food as Mexican street food built with Peruvian craftsmanship, pulling in outside technique rather than sticking to one strict tradition.
The space itself is small and casual, set up for quick, flavor-forward eating rather than a long sit-down meal. Across both regulars and first-timers, the hospitality here gets mentioned almost as often as the food — service that consistently stands out alongside the cooking.
The space itself is small and casual, set up for quick, flavor-forward eating rather than a long sit-down meal. Across both regulars and first-timers, the hospitality here gets mentioned almost as often as the food — service that consistently stands out alongside the cooking.