Foodie Review: La Cocina de Mama

I discovered this restaurant while searching Google for “restaurants in Oak Lawn.” Despite how often I’ve been in the area, I somehow never noticed it before. Curious, I asked one of the owners how long they’d been there, and he shared that it’s been about 1 ½ years. After my visit, I can confidently say I’ll be back—the food and service were both excellent.

Camerones La Cocina de Mama - Oak Lawn, Illinois — Camerones La Cocina de Mama

The restaurant features a bar with a daily happy hour from 10:30 AM to 4 PM, which is a nice touch. They also have two all-gender restrooms, making the space welcoming for everyone.

Now, let’s talk about the food! My husband and I went for lunch and loved everything we tried. We started with fresh, hot chips and homemade salsa—simple but so good.

Chips and Salsa - La Cocina de Mama - Oak Lawn, Illinois — Chips and Salsa

I treated myself to a pineapple mojito (not on the happy hour menu, but the drink prices were reasonable). For our appetizer, we shared shrimp stuffed with Chihuahua cheese, wrapped in bacon, and topped with chipotle aioli—an incredible combination. My husband also had a steak gordita, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Steak Gordita - La Cocina de Mama - Oak Lawn, Illinois — Steak Gordita

For the main course, I ordered the steak, chicken, and shrimp fajitas, complete with rice and beans. My husband went with the chicken enchiladas. To top it all off, we indulged in some fried ice cream for dessert.