BienMeSabe: A Venezuelan favorite in Chicago

One of Chicago’s many nicknames is the “city of neighborhoods.” Often times the Windy City is characterized as a melting pot of diverse cultures. Tucked away on the north side neighborhood of Ravenswood, less than 10 minutes away from beautiful Wrigley Field is a piece of Venezuela called BienMeSabe.

BienMeSabe is a Venezuelan restaurant that has the best arepas in town and is a favorite for several players on Chicago’s two baseball teams and numerous others in the majors. Many of them make their way over for their arepas, a Venezuelan delicacy made of ground maize,  when they are in town to play the Cubs or the White Sox.

“We’re very happy with the response we’ve had from the community for our restaurant,” said Pedro Rivas, co-owner of BienMeSabe. “We are very fortunate to be close to Wrigley Field, so we are quite popular with the ballplayers.”

It’s so popular, he says they have had over 50 ballplayers visit their locale. Rivas and his business partner Pedro Ron own and operate BienMeSabe. Rivas was a journalist in his native Venezuela. Like many of his countrymen, he is a beisbolero.

Ron is a chef who specializes in Venezuelan cuisine. He and Rivas opened BienMeSabe in 2015.

“I have many friends who are sports journalists, and they have introduced our restaurant to the players,” he said. “And fortunately for us some of the players have stopped by liked it and come back.”

Besides being a genuine fan, Rivas has another very close connection to baseball. His cousin is Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos.  For this reason, he has an affinity to his adopted hometown Cubbies while remaining loyal to his cousin’s Rangers. When the Rangers were in town for a four-game series in May, BienMeSabe sent Venezuelan cuisine to the Guaranteed Rate Field visitors’ clubhouse.  He is close to his cousin and follows the Rangers from Chicago.

When the Rangers are in Chicago his primo Robinson stops by for a meal when he is not having it in the clubhouse, of course.

It’s the genuine taste and atmosphere that has ballplayers and local Venezuelans alike coming back to BienMeSabe. For many like Beatriz Cruz who came to Chicago from Venezuela it is like a home away from home.

“BienMeSabe is a little bit of Venezuela in Chicago,” Cruz said. “It is the place I like to go when I miss the food from my country, when I want to feel at home. Its flavor is unique and very traditional, I think that is the reason the restaurant has had so much success.”

The Cubs’ Willson Contreras has been known to make the short drive over from Wrigley Field for his post victory meal.  Just last Sunday after the Cubs’ 11-10 victory over the Minnesota Twins, he and his wife made their way to BienMeSabe and enjoyed some arepas among fans who had just enjoyed the victory from the stands.

Contreras isn’t the only Cubs player who stops by. Javy Báez is also a believer. The biggest regulars from the White Sox are Venezuelans Yolmer Sánchez and Avisaíl Garcia.  Because of BienMeSabe’s popularity with the peloteros, the management set up a wall of fame where a majority of the ballplayers who have eaten there have signed their autographs.

You’ll find signatures from Manny Piña of the Brewers, Héctor Rondón of the Astros and even former players such as Henry Blanco and Carlos Zambrano and Latino coaches who have heard about the popular spot.

So, what are the ballplayers favorites? Arepas, which is a staple of the Venezuelan diet, and parrillas, which can be described as Venezuelan barbeque, are the among the most popular dishes.  They’re perfect dishes for a pelotero and their protein-heavy diet.

Ron and Rivas are very pleased with the success they have had with BienMeSabe. They recently opened a second location downtown where the office crowd can get their pedacito during lunch.  While they know their taste is what brings patrons back, they know it helps to have fans of BienMeSabe in the clubhouse as well.

“We’re very proud to be able to promote our culture and expose others to our Venezuelan cuisine in Chicago and we are well aware that if ballplayers continue coming back it is for a very good reason,” said Rivas.

Great taste and a comfortable environment brings people from all walks of life into to BienMeSabe daily. The ownership would like everyone to come taste a piece of their Venezuelan home cooking.

Featured Image: BienMeSabe

Inset Images: BienMeSabe