Kuma's Catering

Great food. Great service. Zero boring weddings.

Chicago and the Surrounding Suburbs

Travel area: Within 50 miles See details

5.0

Praised by couples for:

Food quality and taste

Drinks

Cake

We cannot say enough amazing things about our wedding catering experience! From start to finish, Lisa and Karen were truly incredible and went so far above and beyond what we ever could have expected. The food was absolutely AMAZING. Everything was delicious, but the mac & cheese deserves a special shoutout because it was seriously one of the best things we had all night! Our guests were raving about the food, and it was such an important part of making our wedding feel special and memorable. But what truly set this catering team apart was the level of care and help they provided beyond simply catering our wedding. Lisa and Karen helped with so many things that most catering companies probably wouldn’t have even considered part of their job. They were incredibly attentive, accommodating, and willing to jump in wherever they were needed. They made us feel so supported throughout the entire process and especially on our wedding day, when there are a million little things happening at once. Lisa and Karen were truly, truly, truly amazing. They were kind, dependable, thoughtful, and genuinely cared about making our wedding day perfect. Their help took so much stress off of us and allowed us to actually enjoy our day knowing we were in such good hands. We are so grateful to Lisa, Karen, and the entire catering team for helping make our wedding everything we dreamed it would be. The food was incredible, the service was exceptional, and the care they showed us went far beyond what we could have asked for. We would recommend them to anyone planning a wedding — they are absolutely wonderful!

Sophia A.

5.0

Where do I even begin? Kuma’s Corner was the perfect addition to our wedding for our late night snack! My husband and I have been going to Kuma’s for 10+ years, so it only made sense. Include them in our special day! Lisa was so easy to work with, and she was really patient with us as it took us a while to officially book! She was so flexible and made the process seamless! We appreciated having an option to purchase disposable sternos/pans or use the ones from our venue! There were so many options for sliders, and we appreciated the ability to customize everything! On our wedding day, delivery was perfect! It was set up and ready to go at our agreed-upon time, and everything was warm and delicious! We appreciate Karen’s efforts in ensuring the delivery was successful! It has been almost a month, and our guests are still raving about Kuma’s! I am not sure what we will need catering for next, but I do know I’ll be reaching out to Kuma’s! 🤍

Rachel A.

5.0

Lisa W

DIRECTOR OF CATERING & PRIVATE EVENTS

Typically responds within 24h

AWARD WINNER (2X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

Kuma’s Catering brings bold food, unforgettable flavor, and a little attitude to weddings throughout Chicagoland. We’re a full-service, off-premise wedding caterer specializing in celebrations that don’t feel cookie-cutter. From our signature burgers and mac & cheese to appetizers, salads, vegan and gluten-free options, we create menus your guests will actually remember. Our experienced team offers buffet and family-style service, professional staffing, bar service, dessert and coffee service, rental coordination, setup and teardown. Whether you’re planning an industrial Chicago wedding, an elegant celebration, or something completely your own, we’ll bring the food, service and Kuma’s personality to your venue. We’re not your typical wedding caterer—and that’s exactly the point. Kuma’s Catering combines the bold, unforgettable food we’re known for with polished, professional wedding service. We believe your wedding menu should reflect your personality, not a standard banquet package. We offer flexible menus, buffet and family-style service, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, plus staffing, bar service, rentals, dessert and coffee service, setup and teardown. Our experienced team handles the details while keeping the experience relaxed, fun and completely yours. Great food. Great service. Zero boring weddings.

Woman-owned Business

7+ years in business

Speaks English, Spanish

Medium team (11-20 members)

Details

Cuisine

American

BBQ

Dietary Options

Dairy Free

Gluten Free

Nut Free

Vegan

Vegetarian

Food & Catering

Buffet

Catering Clean Up

Catering Delivery & Setup

Chef Stations

Family Style

Menu Tastings

Passed Appetizers

Servers

Awards and Affiliations

2-Time 'Best of Weddings'

2025.2024.

Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding

Meet the team

Lisa W

Director of Catering & Private Events

With years of experience in catering, weddings, and private events, Lisa is dedicated to helping couples create a celebration that reflects their unique style. She combines thoughtful planning, exceptional hospitality, and attention to detail to ensure every wedding is seamless from the first conversation to the final toast. Her goal is simple: deliver incredible food, outstanding service, and an experience that couples and their guests will remember for years to come.

5.0

out of 5.0

25 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.

Kuma's Catering received glowing reviews for delicious, nontraditional comfort-food menus (notably mac & cheese and sliders) and excellent bar service. The team was praised as professional, flexible, and stress-relieving, handling setup, dietary needs, and extra tasks. Guests continued to rave and many strongly recommend them.

Search reviews

Dani M

Highlighted review.

7/30/2025

Lisa and her team were absolutely incredible from start to finish! From our initial quote to the two different tastings we had, they kept us informed, reassured, and fully confiden...

t in every detail related to food and drinks for our wedding. On the big day, the team executed everything excellently, even going above and beyond by helping us set out desserts and wedding favors. Working with Kuma's is truly stress-free. There's no ego, just genuine care and professionalism. And the food? Absolutely delicious, our guests raved about it and still do a month later!

Sophia A

9/28/2026

We cannot say enough amazing things about our wedding catering experience! From start to finish, Lisa and Karen were truly incredible and went so far above and beyond what we ever ...

could have expected. The food was absolutely AMAZING. Everything was delicious, but the mac & cheese deserves a special shoutout because it was seriously one of the best things we had all night! Our guests were raving about the food, and it was such an important part of making our wedding feel special and memorable. But what truly set this catering team apart was the level of care and help they provided beyond simply catering our wedding. Lisa and Karen helped with so many things that most catering companies probably wouldn’t have even considered part of their job. They were incredibly attentive, accommodating, and willing to jump in wherever they were needed. They made us feel so supported throughout the entire process and especially on our wedding day, when there are a million little things happening at once. Lisa and Karen were truly, truly, truly amazing. They were kind, dependable, thoughtful, and genuinely cared about making our wedding day perfect. Their help took so much stress off of us and allowed us to actually enjoy our day knowing we were in such good hands. We are so grateful to Lisa, Karen, and the entire catering team for helping make our wedding everything we dreamed it would be. The food was incredible, the service was exceptional, and the care they showed us went far beyond what we could have asked for. We would recommend them to anyone planning a wedding — they are absolutely wonderful!

Any questions?

Rachel A

5/11/2026

Where do I even begin? Kuma’s Corner was the perfect addition to our wedding for our late night snack! My husband and I have been going to Kuma’s for 10+ years, so it only made sen...

se. Include them in our special day! Lisa was so easy to work with, and she was really patient with us as it took us a while to officially book! She was so flexible and made the process seamless! We appreciated having an option to purchase disposable sternos/pans or use the ones from our venue! There were so many options for sliders, and we appreciated the ability to customize everything! On our wedding day, delivery was perfect! It was set up and ready to go at our agreed-upon time, and everything was warm and delicious! We appreciate Karen’s efforts in ensuring the delivery was successful! It has been almost a month, and our guests are still raving about Kuma’s! I am not sure what we will need catering for next, but I do know I’ll be reaching out to Kuma’s! 🤍

Renee S

5/05/2025

Having Kuma's as our caterer was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! From the moment we met with Lisa, we could sense that Kuma's was going to put 150% effort and ca...

re into every detail for our March 2025 event. The communication ahead of the event and consultation on menu, alcohol order, table setup, etc. was timely and anticipated all our needs. On the day of the event, the Kuma's team ensured that dietary restrictions were accounted for, the food was amazing, the collaboration between our coordinator & Kuma's for table setup was beautiful, and the bar service was the best!! We still have guests asking to this day how we found Kuma's (thanks The Knot!). Would highly recommend!

Amanda W

10/09/2024

Are you tired of attending weddings and eating a boring, dry chicken breast? Why subject your wedding guests to that when you can hire a caterer that will leave your guests raving ...

about the food long after your wedding has ended! My wife and I first met with Lisa during our quest for a more unique option for our wedding catering. The second we sat down with her for a tasting, we were sold. Not only was every single thing on the menu that we tasted delicious (so much so that we had a hard time narrowing down our choices), but Lisa's personality and attention to detail were worth even more than the delicious food! Kuma's was ready for every single dietary restriction our guests had, and made sure no one had to miss out on the delicious dinner. Lisa and her AMAZING staff worked quickly and professionally to make sure that our day had no hiccups. We will continue visiting Kuma's for every anniversary from here on out, and wish we could relive this day over and over again!

Tyler H

9/01/2024

Lisa and her team were absolutely incredible! We booked them for catering and bar services for our August 2024 wedding and from the very beginning we knew we made the right choice....

We didn't have a wedding coordinator and really had no idea what we were doing. Upon meeting Lisa for the first time, she eased all of our fears! She was knowledgeable, not only regarding catering but having our wedding run smoothly overall. She was quick to address all of our questions and concerns and helped us set up a perfect menu for our guests. On the day of our wedding, Kuma's showed up on time and set up quickly. Everyone was extremely friendly, kind and proactive on what needed to be done. They helped us with our last minute décor set up and made themselves available to anything we needed. The food was AMAZING! We are still getting compliments on how good everything was and how much they loved the non traditional wedding food! We highly recommend going with the mac and cheese and Iron Maiden chicken sliders! Lisa also recommended a last minute change to the vegetable dish which was definitely the right call! Our guests loved the bar staff and raved about how quick and nice they were. The drinks were perfectly made and they stayed engaged with everyone. They made sure I (bride) was taken care of every time I walked by. We also passed out shots on our dance floor and they made sure we had them all poured and ready to go! They stayed with us until the end of the night and assisted with clean up, getting our center pieces/tablecloths and alcohol organized. It was so helpful to us and made our next day clean up so much smoother. Kuma's Catering went above and beyond, we can't thank Lisa and her team enough! They exceeded our expectations and we are forever grateful that they took so much time and care to make our day as perfect as possible. I highly recommend Kuma's Catering for their professionalism, attention to details and incredible food! They are perfect for any event and you will not be disappointed. We plan on continuing to use them for our future catering needs and will always be recommending them to everyone we know. Thank you so much for everything! Tyler

Kenya S

7/10/2024

Lisa and her staff were absolutely incredible!! From the absolute beginning, Lisa was one of the vendors that put my mind at ease about EVERYTHING!!! She literally was able to do e...

verything we wanted! She went above and beyond, picking up napkins from my wedding coordinator, picking up our wedding cake, helping set up, etc! I cannot thank Lisa and her staff enough for making our day so special!!! Not only that, but the food was AMAZING!!! Hands down the best decision I made for our wedding! Thank you so much Lisa and the Kuma’s team!!!

Morgan P

6/24/2024

Finding the right vendor for food was extremely important to us... We didn't want the "traditional" wedding food and desired something that would leave our guests wanting more. In ...

addition, we were looking for a vendor to accommodate gluten free needs. All that being said, we hit the jackpot when it came to Kuma's Catering!!! Not only is their food absolutely phenomenal, but from start to finish we had the absolute best experience working with Lisa and her team. Lisa was truly the glue that held our wedding day together. She constantly went out of her way to make us feel heard, seen, and help us through the little details. Additionally, when we found out certain allergies of our guests, Lisa helped us navigate and accommodated everyone. It has been a few weeks since our wedding and our guests are still calling us to rave about Kumas. I cannot recommend them enough!

Aaron S

6/09/2024

From the moment we began working with Lisa at Kuma’s corner, nothing was short of amazing! The hospitality was impeccable ! We felt so comfortable at all the tastings and each part...

of the process was very organized which made it easy on our end! Lisa’s communication throughout the process was timely and thorough and we couldn’t be happier with her! The food at tasting and day of was INCREDIBLE! Everyone raved about it the day of and continue to talk about it! Highly recommend!

Diana S

5/09/2024

Lisa and her team are, hands down, the best group of people I have ever met and would hire them 100% again and again. Lisa ensured she understood what our vision was by asking thor...

ough and detailed questions. She went above and beyond contacting our venue and all necessary vendors to make sure everything ran smoothly. If there was ever an issue, she solved it without worrying us. And the day of our wedding, several of our guests informed us how amazing her and her teams’ service, professionalism, and how invested she is… not to mention how delicious all the food was, requiring seconds and thirds!!! There aren’t enough words to explain how phenomenal Lisa and her team are and how if it weren’t for Lisa, we wouldn’t have had the wedding of our dreams come true.

Leah M

5/07/2024

Lisa and her team at Kuma's were AMAZING to work with for our wedding at Greenhouse Loft on March 22, 2024. From start to finish, Lisa went above and beyond to make sure our planni...

ng process was as stress free as possible and that the wedding went smoothly. She gave advice on creating the menu, helped coordinate ordering additional linens/rentals, and simply checked in when she knew I was experiencing peak stress levels. We hired them for both catering and bar services, and everything was wonderful! They made great signature cocktails and kept the bar moving and drinks flowing all night long. And the food was INCREDIBLE! It tasted just as fresh, warm, and delicious as when we went in for our tastings to create our menu. Our guests gave such raving reviews about how much the LOVED they food, that we have family asking to go to Kuma's next time they visit the city. Even though we ordered desserts from a separate vendor, Lisa helped with setting them up and creating a beautiful dessert display after dinner - this was a huge plus and took one more thing off our own shoulders to plan. Ultimately, Lisa was absolutely wonderful to work with, and we 100% recommend using Kuma's Catering for your next event!

Margaret B

1/22/2024

Lisa & Kuma’s were a great choice for our wedding! We wanted casual comfort food for the winter, and before saying anything specific Lisa sent a draft BEO with foods that completel...

y matched our vision- sliders, Mac & cheese, etc. We had such a positive experience with her throughout the process - friendly, responsive, flexible, and enthusiastic! Day-of, everything went so smoothly, and multiple guests came up to us with positive things to say about the food & service.

Sheena R

9/21/2023

Don't hesitate when it comes to choosing Kuma's catering for your big day! Lisa is spectacular to work with, and makes the entire catering process stress free! We waited up until a...

month or so before the wedding to find our caterer, so there was a bit of a time crunch, but we felt so much more at ease when we got in touch with Lisa. Everything from the tasting menu up until the big day, we never felt anything but excitement to have Kuma's catering our event. All of our guests said it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding! We had an intimate backyard wedding with about 50 guests, and it suited the vibe perfectly. There are options for everyone, and it fit within our budget! Book Kuma's catering for your big day!

Chelsey F

9/18/2023

Kuma's catering for our wedding was an absolute game-changer, and I couldn't be more thrilled to share my glowing 5-star review! This experience was beyond amazing, thanks to the i...

ncredible Lisa and the whole Kuma's team. First things first, Lisa is an absolute gem. Seriously, she's the best person in the world! Her knowledge of the catering industry is next level, and it truly shines through in her work. From day one, she was like our wedding fairy godmother, going above and beyond to make our day perfect. Her top priority was ensuring that our day was exactly as we envisioned it. She's not just about business; she's all heart. Lisa's recommendations were spot on, and she guided us every step of the way. And let's talk about the food – it's Kuma's, so of course, it was phenomenal. From the initial taste testing (which was a blast) to the final event, the food was nothing short of epic. If you're looking for top-notch service, incredible food, and a genuinely caring team to cater your special day, Kuma's is the way to go. This was, without a doubt, the best wedding catering experience ever!

Becca H

8/23/2023

How do I even start to review Kumas… everything about this team will exceed your expectations. When we started looking for food, we quickly realized it was going to be a much hard...

er task than we ever could have imagined… wedding food kind of sucks. After probably 10+ bad tastings we were defeated and anxious about how we were going to feed our friends and family, they expect a lot as we’re pretty big foodies. We were recommended to Lisa and it was game over. We had a tasting with Lisa, and she made us feel like we had finally found *the one*… funny how many times you have to find *the one* during this process. The food at the tasting was incredible but what was really impressive was that the quality at the wedding was even better. every single appetizer (still sad pictures trumped the chicken and waffle aps, still dreaming about these), entree and even the desserts she helps coordinate (another woman small Chicago business!) everything was amazing. They even recreated a BOTM that my husband had 5 years ago that he had been telling me about our whole relationship, he seriously was obsessed. So even if you’re on the fence and want something special, just reach out, I have no doubt that Lisa and her team will make it happen. The real stars of the show is her & her team… would I be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, yes- 5 people for a 145 person wedding…. How? I still have no idea, because I swear, it felt like there was 15 of them there. They are a well oiled machine and my guests LOVED them. I got a text message that said “kuma's slayed, they did more than any other staff member lol” and I couldn’t agree more. Lisa and her small but mighty team not only handled the food and my bar, but they jumped to do anything that anyone needed help with… I could cry thinking about how this team went above and beyond for me- Lisa even started calling DJ friends when we thought our DJ wasn’t going to show up… how is she even real?! Lisa and Team- I cannot even form words to express how much we loved and adored your team. Thank you x103847292 from the bottom of our heart. Our guests loved the food, and desserts… probably a little too much- I’ve gotten no less than 2 comments about this a day… WE LOVE YOU GUYS.

Angela C

8/16/2023

This review is long overdue! If you are looking for amazing food and service for your wedding, cocktail party, corporate event, or honestly, ANY event catering and service you need...

, you can’t go wrong with Lisa and her team at Kuma’s. One of the top three important items we wanted to concentrate on for our wedding was the catering (food and service). We have been big fans of Kuma’s for a long time which led me to look at them for our catering needs. We looked at a few places which we thought would work for our vibe, but after meeting with Lisa, we knew we had to have Kuma’s catering. Starting with the tasting, refining the menu before the day, as well as the actual day, Lisa was extremely responsive and communicative and really worked with us and our budget to make sure our day was memorable and special. Their sliders are exceptionally delicious (make sure to get the chicken Iron Maiden), and despite them being known for their burgers, Kuma’s has the capability to accommodate all sorts of dietary restrictions including vegans, vegetarians, those with gluten free and dairy allergies, and even the pickiest of kids! We had nine kids attending our wedding and I was concerned they would not enjoy the sliders as much as the adults. Lisa offered to provide a tray of chicken tenders with sauces for the kiddos to accommodate them to go along with the mac and cheese we had put on the menu. Moreover, everything is prepared fresh and never frozen, which is remarkable in today’s market. The basil vinaigrette used for the house salad was made fresh the day of and if I could, I’d buy a bottle every week. Furthermore, there are special items you can only get with catering, and we highly suggest ordering the buffalo chicken bites, jalapeno popper bites, and especially the artichoke dip. They were out of this world amazing. Everyone left extremely satisfied and we still get compliments on how amazingly delicious the food was, not to mention the exceptional level of service. Lisa was extremely attentive and beyond helpful with set up and clearing and made sure we didn’t have anything to worry about at the end of the night. Nick, our bartender, was super helpful with last-minute tasks before guests arrived, and made sure everyone had a drink and were taken well care of. As I said before, we were big fans of Kuma’s prior to our wedding and this experience just cemented our love for them even more. We will definitely use them for our catering needs in the future. If you are looking for something unique and special that will have everyone remembering your event in the best possible way, we highly recommend you book Kuma’s!

Pam G

7/21/2023

My son & his wife wanted something different for their recent wedding than catering the usual boring wedding food, so they chose Kuma’s, & they did not disappoint!!! We loved their...

food, their set up & the quality of the food was top notch. Everyone loved it!!! Lisa worked really hard giving my son & his wife exactly what they wanted & really helped do more than we expected the day of the wedding. We are so happy Kuma’s catered our son’s wedding!!

Megan S

7/18/2023

I selected a wedding venue with a "preferred" catering list but could also choose outside of that list. I was looking for BBQ food at first due to the venue being at a contemporary...

barn, the preferred list BBQ food tastings were very underwhelming and the staff were unorganized. While trying to figure out a catering service outside of the venue's preferred list I came across Kuma's Corner catering and sent an inquiry for a food tasting. I saw that Kuma's Corner had pulled pork sliders which is something I wanted to include on my menu along with the typical Kuma's Corner food options. Lisa, the catering manager, is fantastic. The moment my now husband and I met her we KNEW we had to have Kuma's Corner at our wedding. The food was amazing and everything included in the catering package worked with our budget. Lisa went above and beyond to make sure our wedding day went smoothly, she even made menu's for our guest tables! Lisa was very responsive to emails/ phone calls and answered all of my questions. The day of my wedding, Lisa and her team did an amazing job! All of my wedding guests have been raving about how great the food was at our wedding and the staff at Kuma's Corner! If you are ever looking for catering.... CHOOSE KUMAS CORNER.

Maggie M

1/03/2023

Kuma’s catered cocktail hour for our wedding. The food (macaroni and cheese and pulled pork sliders) was a hit with the guests! I think we got more compliments on the cocktail hour...

food than the dinner!

David H

11/15/2022

From the second we decided to go with Kuma's, there was not a single second we regretted it. From the initial tasting to the planning meetings to the actual wedding day, everything...

was flawless and the food was delicious! Lisa and her team worked incredibly hard to make sure our day was a success and we are eternally grateful!

Laura C

8/29/2022

So happy we chose Kumas!! The baked Mac & cheese, sliders, and sides were an absolutely hit! My guests went out of their way to compliment the food. Lisa & her team went above and ...

beyond to deliver top quality and a best in class experience for my guests.

Bridget H

8/27/2022

Lisa and her crew were such a pleasure to work with. As the Venue Manager of a wedding venue, I work with many vendors from all over and Lisa was by far one of my favorites. All ...

of the Kuma's staff was professional, hardworking and super friendly. They followed all of our venue policies with no issue and worked well with our staff to ensure a successful event. I would absolutely recommend them to cater any event and I hope to work with them again soon!

Chris R

3/31/2022

Kuma's is the best! Working with Lisa was such a pleasure. She's incredibly resourceful and knows exactly how to get to the heart of everything you need so that you don't have to w...

orry about a thing or break the bank. And the food was just absolutely delicious. We saw nothing but clean plates by the end of our 140-person reception and are still getting so many compliments on it all. We really wanted our wedding to feel fun and welcoming, and Lisa and her team provided exactly that vibe. Hiring Kuma's was one of the best decisions we could've made and we can't thank them or recommend them enough! You won't find such high-quality offerings and value for money anywhere else.

Jana J

9/12/2021

We loved having Kuma's Corner cater our wedding!!! Kuma's caterer Lisa is a keeper, she's hilarious, organized, always keeps in contact (way better than I was doing, I'd be lost wi...

thout her) and the food was amazing. The price was fantastic (under $400!!), we ordered sliders for 25 people, pans of macaroni and cheese (they even set up a mac n cheese bar), pulled pork, chips, and Kuma's provided their house made mayo and ketchup plus mustard and all the serving utensils!!! Best decision ever!!

Molly H

8/17/2021

Lisa was amazing! Working with her made everything a breeze for our small reception. We didn't have to worry about a thing with regard to our food. Leading up to the event, Lisa wa...

s super helpful with recommendations for the menu and quantities we needed. We were able to make sure our veg/vegan/gluten-free guests had tasty options as well! Lisa arrived on time, set up the food quickly, and everything was warm and fresh. She even provided to-go boxes for leftovers. I cannot stress how happy we were with our decision to have Kuma's cater our reception!

Service area & Contact info

Travel area: Within 50 miles

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(773) 604-8769

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Kuma's Catering

Lisa W

Director of Catering & Private Events

Typically responds within 24h

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Kuma's Catering

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