Herein we report a facile mechanochemical synthesis of 2D aromatic polyamides (2DAPAs) under solvent-free and room temperature conditions for the first time. The solvent-free conditions are found to be key to the successful synthesis of 2DAPAs. These micrometer-size 2DAPAs have ultrathin graphene-like structures and are highly crystalline, solvent dispersible and thermally stable up to 400 °C.