Casa Tulum Serves Modern Mexican Cuisine With a Side of Beach Vibes
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It’s hard to miss Casa Tulum. The South Loop restaurant sits on the first floor of a stout, historic, two-story building flanked by Michigan Avenue mid-rises on both sides to form a “V” — which, for Aldo Gonzalez, clearly marked the spot. When the chef first saw the space, he immediately knew that it was the perfect location for his first restaurant.
Entering Chicago’s dense and well-respected Mexican food scene would seem like a daunting undertaking, but for the Chicago native, who’d already worn many hats while working at his parents’ Mexican seafood restaurant, becoming a restaurateur was a natural next step. He quickly retrofitted the space at 1700 South Michigan Avenue, which was previously a long-running sushi spot, and gave it a tropical chic theme that echoes its coastal Mexican menu (while documenting its progress on TikTok along the way).
But just two months after opening earlier this year, a small fire shuttered the restaurant for two weeks, which only strengthened Gonzalez and his team. “I learned how loyal and how hardworking our team was at that moment because we didn’t ask them to, but they just showed up on their own to come help,” says Gonzalez. Months later and Casa Tulum is a go-to for locals and the waves of visitors en route to nearby Soldier Field.
Here, Gonzalez walks us through all things Casa Tulum, from its vacation vibes to its dramatic desserts and Caribbean-influenced cocktails. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
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Bringing the tropics to a Chicago neighborhood.
In a nod to the Caribbean beach town in the Yucatán peninsula, Casa Tulum embraces its namesake tropical vibes. Oversized bamboo pendants warm the dining room while evoking a sunset walk on the beach. Woven rattan seating and layers of foliage add ambiance without feeling overly thematic. “When you’re in South Loop, you’re surrounded by skyscrapers, people, and cars. But the second you walk in, it’s kind of like you’re stepping away from the city,” says Gonzalez.
Since opening, Casa Tulum has helped fill a gap in the neighborhood and become a go-to for locals— including a cluster of regulars who live in neighboring buildings. “It’s been amazing to see how they’ve welcomed us with open arms,” Gonzalez says of his new neighbors.
A menu inspired by heritage and travel.
Gonzalez says that he’s inspired not only by his Mexican heritage, but also by his travels throughout Mexico. For example, the idea for Tulum’s grilled street corn, which is offered as a side dish, came from one of many visits to Mexico City. “In Guadalajara, or even here in Chicago, the street corn is chopped up, mixed with crema, and tossed in a cup. [In Mexico City,] they had it like grilled corn on the cob and stacked up like in a little mountain,” he says. “It looked more like art rather than street corn. It really broadened my imagination on certain things.”
Tapping into his parents’ restaurant legacy, Gonzalez features a solidly seafood-focused menu — from Spanish octopus to a trio of ceviches. The cubetazo is Casa Tulum’s seafood boil, but not the plastic bag kind. “We put everything in a bucket. It has crab legs, head-on shrimp, crawfish, corn, potatoes, and mejillones [mussels],” he says. The feast, which is a family recipe, is tossed in a garlicky hot sauce that’s a staple condiment in the Western Mexican coastal state of Nayarit.
Comforting classics like drippy beef quesabirrias, enchiladas, and tacos — with nearly a dozen different fillings — are hugged by housemade yellow corn tortillas. “We actually have just one person that’s dedicated to hand pressing fresh tortillas every single day,” Gonzalez says. (Also, Casa Tulum offers a kids’ menu with simple tacos and quesadillas.)
Cocktails and desserts help set the tone.
Gonzalez spent months alongside his dad, who is a co-owner along with his mom, perfecting a labor-intensive dessert: the Flame of Tulum.
Think molten lava cake 2.0. Encased in a milk chocolate skull that’s made in-house, the chocolate cake gets doused with a shot of Don Q rum and flambéed tableside. As it melts, the skull reveals its booty — not just the typical gooey middle, but a churro and fresh fruit, too. A showstopper of a dessert, Gonzalez lights up over 30 Flames a week.
The drink menu, which Gonzalez credits his mom with creating, has one goal. “To make you feel like you’re on vacation,” he says. So, of course, many of its drinks are fruit-forward Caribbean sips like the house favorite Tulum Coconut, which is playfully served in a coconut shell brimming with tequila, creamy fresh mango, coconut, and lime. In the refreshing gin-based Paraíso, kiwi fruit and cucumber take the spotlight. But for the cold weather months ahead, the Carajillo, a traditional Spanish coffee cocktail, offers warming notes of vanilla from the Licor 43, cacao from the coffee, and additional spicy bits based on your choice of the cinnamon-forward churro or masala flavors.
More Tulum to come.
Currently, Casa Tulum is open for lunch and dinner, with a happy hour drink and food menu starting at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Starting in December, Casa Tulum will offer weekend brunch, with dishes like a tres-leches-style brioche French toast made with café de olla and pan de dulce. Check frequently for special events, like a Day of the Dead dinner on November 2.
