Okay I love this place. The food is always so yummy, the vibe is amazing, and it's so convenient being so close to my house. Every time I come here it's such a good experience. Also Ruby who works there is seriously the sweetest. Her voice, tone, and positive energy are so refreshing and she always makes people feel welcomed and happy. She honestly deserves a raise for real. Customer service like that is rare these days! We demolished the food before I even took a proper pic haha read more

Cafe El Tapatio - We demolished the food before I could take a pic - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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Our family used to live on the same street a a Cafe El Tapatio in the city, and we loved it, especially for their beans. Instead of being the canned stuff you can tell they put both a lot of care and seasoning into it. We moved out to the burbs and I saw this one on Yelp...but was it related? I mean, they have two different websites, and the one for this location literally has on their website "Serving you at one location!" We weren't sure, but we were willing to give it a shot. We came early on a Saturday, and inside they had a picture of the one in Chicago, and street signs for Ashland and Roscoe, where the Chicago one is located. So it HAS to be related...right? But the menus looked a little different... We got started with the chips and salsa, and the salsa has a real kick. Note that you only get the first chips for free and more chips would cost more. My wife got a torta, and I got tacos with steak and eggs on it, while my kid got the kid's quesadilla meal. And sure enough, there were those beans. Not dry at all and super flavorful. Next time I need to do my wife's play and order double beans instead of beans and rice. My tacos were messy but cooked well, with lots of bits of steak. I was a little confused because I thought my kid's meal would come with a drink, but they charged for his lemonade. I assume it's because it was a special blended drink and not just from a soda fountain. Now that we know this is here, we'll definitely be back, especially seeing that they have a patio for warmer weather. Glad to see we have an option when we're missing our city days. read more

PSA: there's a kids' menu available now! See pics. $9.95 includes rice and beans and a soft drink. The kid quesadilla is quite tiny though. PSA #2: OpenTable reservations available! And you might need it. The restaurant was FULL at 6pm on a Friday, and almost every table had a kid, toddler, or baby at it, so I think 1) families (or parents lol) must like Mexican food, and 2) reservations would definitely be helpful! Complimentary chips and spicy salsa are available. I still petition for tortas to be on the dinner menu! My first petition for a kids' menu worked! Lots of offerings including burritos, bowls, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and other entrees. My burrito was pretty ginormous, but it lacked a little flavor and mostly tasted like cheese and beans. Husband didn't complain about the enchiladas, but I think the serving was a little light for him. Because it was so busy, the waitress told him he could only choose one meat type. Satisfactory mojitos. Energy and atmosphere is very lively! Service was a bit slow, as I think the waitress was bouncing across many tables. read more

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A sister location for the lakeview El Tapatio! My family and I were out in the suburbs and needed a meal quick because we were approaching our toddlers bedtime. The staff working understood and was seriously awesome getting us in and out of there quick! They gave my son some crayons to keep him occupied which worked for a little bit. We ordered the kids burrito for him and taco platter for me. I went with the carne asada, chicken tinga, and shrimp tacos. The carne was my favorite but I enjoyed all of them! My son loved the beans and rice, and my husband enjoyed his burrito. The menu is the same as the lakeview location, as was the food quality. Our server has us in and out in 45 minutes. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

The food and service were excellent. Was easy to get a table at 6pm on a Friday. Would definitely go back.

If you're looking for Mexican cuisine that is above par and more of a sit down restaurant, Cafe El Tapatio is your place. They take aunthentic cuisine and up their game by dressing it much better than their competition while tasting delicious at that. The service is comforting and the staff is really inviting! They give you suggestions on what to order. read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Cubano torta - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

I love this spot. The food is always delicious and the servings are plentiful! It's always good! Plus it's so cozy with the beautiful colors and ambience of Mexico everywhere. Delicious cocktails and churros for dessert! Fantastic!! read more

Excellent food. Great menu. Drinks very good also and servers very pleasant! Has the best churros around next door ! Nice and comfortable a read more

Excellent food and service. Good strong drinks. Highly recommend the Quesabirria tacos. I very much enjoyed the atmosphere. Great for kids. We will come back again. I would advise the restaurant to increase the size of their guacamole appetizer and churro deserts. These were low value compared to everything else. They also should add rice and beans to all taco dishes. Not sure why it was missing. read more

The place was very pretty, the food was good and the staff, Ruby & Manny were very nice. My boyfriend and I split the 3 taco dinner & the 2 churro dessert that came with chocolate & guava dipping sauces. Attached is a churro place called the Churro Parlor where there are more flavors / dipping sauces. Both the restaurant and Churro Parlor are owned by the same person. With our meal, they were accommodating, since I didn't want some stuff on my taco, so they put it on the side. It was a good amount of food, especially, since we wanted the churros for dessert. Thank you! Gracious! read more

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What a mess!!!!!! I got the Burrito Suiza for lunch...it was sitting in a lake of tomato sauce NOT salsa but tomato sauce which leaked out of the container and all over the bag. The tortilla was RAW...I don't even know how that is over looked and because of all the tomato sauce was a gummy, doughy, disgusting mess!!!!! It was completely inedible totally gross. Asked for salsa was told it was in the bag...absolutely nothing was in the double knotted plastic bag...no napkins, no silverware even though requested. Lousy experience!!!!! read more

Great food. A bit expensive. Margaritas are reasonable during happy hour. Good for a casual date.

So good! After going with a friend, I HAD to go back i think a week later with a different one. The food is incredible, and the place is really cute. It can get a little loud but well worth it for the food. read more

This was a solid California burrito. I was surprised to see how large the burrito was when it arrived to the table. The steak was cooked well and it had thick potatoes inside of it. Flavor overall was good but a tad different from the California burritos I've had on the west coast read more

Cafe El Tapatio - L.A. Califa Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Me and my family were exploring the small town and figured to try a new restaurant so we decided on coming here. Finding the place and parking was a breeze, the ambiance of the restaurant was very nice. I loved the decorations, and the seating next to the windows. The service was nice, and attentive. We didn't have any problems with the waiters and waitresses. But the downfall of this place was the food. Let's start with the chips & salsa. The chips were good, the salsa actually had a kick to it! I was pleasantly surprised. Though if you can't handle spice, I'd stay away from it. Now onto the guacamole, it was bland and had no taste to it. The presentation was pretty but that was about it. For one entree, we had the carne asada tacos. Though I'd mostly call them cilantro tacos. There was barely any meat on the tacos, and plus the tacos were very small. The price for the portion size definitely isn't worth it. You get a little bit of rice and some beans. The rice is rice, nothing special. The beans were pretty good, I enjoyed how smooth they were. Moving onto the other entree which was the chicken chimichanga. It was decent, it wasn't bad but if I did ever return I'd try to go for something else. Maybe I was expecting something more. Overall, I'd go somewhere else. Especially for the price range for the level of food and portion controls. read more

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Despite my previous delivery experience being terrible, my dine in experiences have been delightful. When it's warm they have a lovely outdoor patio which I prefer because it gets a bit loud inside when they are busy. All of the food I've had is delicious. I particularly like the costillas de res in tomatillo. And don't forget the churros for dessert. read more

Parking easy-ambience-place is small but well decorated-outdoor patio avail-food authentic- salsa spicy but milder version avail-refried beans were great-rice, tacos and fajitas were average-appropriate portions-would not say large-would prob not plan to come here again- read more

This a very fun Mexican restaurant with excellent quality food and top notch service. If you're a Football Supporter, the staff here are pro America and Real Madrid. The complimentary chips and salsa are very good and they will keep filling your bowl until you've had enough. My buddy and I polished off 4 bowls easily. For appetizers, we had Nachos with carne with guacamole. Excellent! For the main, I tried the Caldo de Pollo. This is a chicken soup with lots of veggies in a very hearty broth. The piece of chicken was a large breast piece and it was awesome! The vibe in here is comfortable, informal and fun and on a hot day is the perfect shaded shelter from outside's roaring heat and humidity. Cannot wait to come here again as it is not too far from the Sun Casino, the best casino in Illinois in my book. read more

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Nothing bad. Nothing outstanding. The server was great and my friends enjoyed the Churro bar. I may have ordered the wrong thing. My friends ordered the fajitas and they looked delicious. read more

First time coming here! The chips and salsa I was told are free- for the first basket. If you ask for more they charge. I ordered the enchiladas verdes. They were pretty good. I loved the look of the restaurant, very nice inside. Going on a Friday they were PACKED. The margaritas were weak and tasted like barely any alcohol in them. read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Food was amazing and the service was so attentive! Made my boyfriends birthday a very special one:) read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Birthday sombrero! - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

My wife and I had dinner at this Glenview restaurant on a chilly night. The restaurant is modest in size, located in a strip mall with ample parking. The decor is plain and unremarkable except for some Spanish murals on one wall. The furnishings are simple, almost spartan: mainly wooden tables and chairs for seating 4, along with several booths. IMHO the ambient temperature could have been a bit higher for comfort's sake. The sound level was somewhat high due to background music and a TV at the bar. But the food and service were excellent. An ample portion of chips and salsa (caliente!) was delivered upon seating. Apparently, the manager was our server, and he did a fine job in advising choices on the menu as well as rendering service. We chose the Caldo de Pollo ($14.95) as a soup-starter, and it was delicious. The portion easily served the two of us; it contained a half-chicken poached in a broth with vegetables. Fried rice and tortillas came with it. For entrees, my wife ordered the Costillas de res en Tomatillo: boneless beef short ribs with roasted potatoes and tomatillos ($24.95). I ordered a Chimichanga filled with ground beef ($16.95) along with a red sangria ($10.00, very good!). Both entrees came with refried beans, brown rice, and tortillas. The food was tasty and appropriately seasoned. Prices seem slightly above what I would consider "reasonable;" a "transaction" fee of 3.5% is added if a credit card is used. read more

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This is the sister restaurant for the one in Lakeview that I used to go to! I was so happy! The food was good. The drinks were great! I can't wait to come back! read more

We had such high expectations.. family raving about Chicago location. It was clearly lost here. Salty salsa, iced tea tasted like it was brewed in the coffee machine. Food was on the table in 5 minutes- clearly no time spent cooking food. I'm guessing microwaved.The lack of flavor makes me sad. Guacamole was the best part of the meal. Wait-staff was very nice and attentive. $90 w/tip for sub-par food.. 3 people read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

My wife and I used to go to this place's original location in the city back in the day. Loved it as an off the beaten path, more authentic Mexican restaurant than some of the junk that was in Lincoln Park. When they opened in Glenview, we were thrilled, and had a few good meals there. That was all pre-Covid... And while I would like to think that we just visited on an off night last night, based on what I'm reading, I fear that might not be the case. Good news: The service is as quick and friendly and the chips and salsa were as good as ever. I hate opening with a criticism of the margaritas, because it's not like big drinkers or anything, but they were dreadful and really weak. Seems like just straight lime juice. Bad start. My enchiladas mole and her enchiladas suiza were both cold in the middle, even though they were served on very hot plates... Microwave? Ugh. We ordered food to go for our son who was eating at home... His criticism of his burrito was too scathing to print here. I genuinely want this restaurant to succeed as we have such fond memories of it, and enjoyed it when it moved to Glenview. Hoping that our experience last night was an exception, and that El Tapatio will return to being something other than the generic Mexican pablum served at other local Mexican restaurants. read more

Hands down one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the burbs! The service is fantastic, and the food is even better. To start, you get complimentary chips and salsa - the salsa is delicious and so flavorful (spicy), but they also have mild salsa if you can't handle the heat. My favorite items are the rajas poblanos quesadilla and spinach enchiladas - both are on their lunch special, which is about $11.95 for a ton of food. The servers are super friendly and constantly check on you to ensure you don't need anything. They always play great music, and it's an excellent place for lunch or dinner. However, they are swamped during dinner time, so I'd recommend making a reservation. I can't wait to be back!! read more

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This is my go to taco spot. Nothing in the area compares. Food is excellent. Service is superb. Drinks are well made! The ambiance is very authentic, colorful, and medium to low noise level, depends on the day and time. Highly recommend the carne asada tacos and trying the jicama salad for something different than the traditional rice and beans! read more

This is a very cute place to sit down and have a meal! I came here with a friend and we both ordered the Burro Bowl, but I added steak to mine. Overall, I really liked the crunch and texture of the shell and eating it with the rice, beans, lettuce, and steak. The ingredients tasted fresh, but they just weren't very flavorful. The whole thing definitely could've used hot salsa and or pica de Gallo. So if you dine in, dump the salsa for the chips into your dish! It'll give it that kick it needs. As for the service, it was great! The waiters were very friendly and accommodating. They made me feel welcome and safe to be dining in. So, would I go back? Yes! I am still craving the Burro Bowl haha. It's nowhere as tasty as authentic Mexican food, but it's pretty addicting. Also, the churro parlor is right next door, so you can stop there for some dessert too! read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Burro Bowl with steak - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

I used to come here almost every week for their $2 taco Tuesdays, told friends about them, bragged about them on Facebook .... I was so embarrassed today after getting a group together of 6 people, As many times that I have come here in the past We have never been charged for chips and salsa... Usually it is just me and one other person, today there was three times number of people eating and we had to share the same one bowl of chips and salsa, had we sat at three separate tables it would have been free. We were charged $3.95 for the second bowl of chips without warning. Without warning we were also charged $2 for the Verde salsa ..., this is something I always ordered in the past and was never charged ever for... We ordered 30 tacos, 2 remained which we considered eating but decided to enjoy later, we were not warned there would be a $5 charge, otherwise we would have just eaten it .... When I complained to the waiter he just shrugged and said I'm sorry it's management. Despite the extremely slow service today, they were understaffed, we were automatically charged a 20% service tip. As much as I used to enjoy this restaurant with friends and family I will not return unless I receive an apology. I will stop recommending this restaurant and will in fact begin to warn others! read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Receipt - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Came for their happy hour on a Saturday and the waiter didn't seem to be aware what was actually part of the happy hour. Attempted to order a mango marg and he said that it was only the house lime that was part of the happy hour, however, a different waitress confirmed fruity margs were also part of the deal. Ceviche was 14 and smaller than your palm. Otherwise, the quesabirrias and fundido were good. read more

Went there to have food and drinks with my spouse. Had the shrimp ceviche, which hardly had any shrimp. My spouse joked that it was "pico with a bit of shrimp". I ordered the skirt steak and the spouse ordered another plate--can't recall what it was but it was apparently good. My skirt steak was somehow cooked perfect on the inside but super charred on the outside which made it hard to really enjoy the flavor (I ended up having to salt it a bit and add lime juice to it to cut through the charring. The ambiance was fine--good music and decorations. Table service was good until we were told immediately after we had our dessert that we needed to leave because there was a reservation and they needed the table. I'm not kidding--we had just given our card to pay the bill and the server, no joke, said "Take your time-no rush at all" when he brought back our copy. I couldn't believe what I had heard, at first, so I looked at her and said "We're finishing an important conversation and will be leaving in 10 minutes." She replied "Ok, but I need this table. I don't want to come off as rude, but you are done eating and now you have to go." My spouse and I looked at each other in disbelief. She literally waited at our table, staring at us both while we sat there. Naturally, we felt we had no other option but to leave. I finished my drink (yes, I was still finishing my margarita) and we left. For this reason, alone, we will never be back. Mind you, we've used them for catering a few times for big parties we've hosted at home and were going to use them again in November for a 60-person party, but we'll go with another local place, instead (we prefer to support local). For the record, the people who took our table had just ordered drinks at the bar. It wasn't like 10 minutes would've made them leave. All of it was unnecessary and in poor taste. read more

Ok, after a third visit (including the unforgettable Yelp event), I would have to say that Cafe El Tapatio is a solid 4 stars. The decor definitely matches a fun place for a get together or a bite to eat. The booths are a bit tight and cozy but just right for kids. The owner and servers really care and they are so attentive with the food, water refills and getting your check quickly. The drinks are tasty and strong, which is how I like it. The bartender does an excellent job with mixing drinks. I love all of the food items here, particularly the carne asada, chicken taquitos and churros (from next door). Make this a go-to place for a great Mexican meal. I'll be back for Happy Hour and breakfast!! Adios for now, Yelpitos!! read more

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I will not be coming back anytime soon and here are the reasons why! 1. We made a reservation on open table. When we got there they only had a bar height table open and said there would be a wait for a regular table so we took it. Minutes later a couple was seated at a regular booth. 2. We ordered 2 horchatas. The waiter came back and asked us if we would like any drinks forgetting we had already ordered them. 3. My friend does not like beans and ordered an entree without them. Her dish came out with beans on the plate. 4. An incorrect plate was served to my friend. The waiter quickly came back to take it away and bring out the right one. This seems unsanitary with Covid since it was already placed on our table. 5. The shrimp tacos I ordered were very hard to pick up and had big chunks of cabbage in them. 6. Our waiter absolutely refused to do separate checks. He said it is only possible to do this if asked before our meal is served. It seemed like it would be fairly easy to split since we each only ordered one drink and one entree. Please be aware of this if you are wanting separate checks. 7. The waiter was overly pushy about ordering churros for dessert. Now the couple redeeming factors - chips and salsa are brought to the table, the food had good flavor, and the service was speedy. read more

Cafe El Tapatio - Decor - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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Food thrown on a plate with little bits of old lettuce. Food burnt and undercooked. Service is terrible. The bathrooms dont work. Toilets cracked and leaking nothing flushes, not even the urinal. No one checked on us until it was time for the check. Tomatillo verde taste like a canned product. Talked to a manager/server which managers shouldnt be taking tips thats wrong pay them a salary. But all he did was point out how everything was perfect. Its ok we just arent going to come back. read more

Cafe El Tapatio - What you get in the restaraunt is nothing like there pictures 9n facebook or there website. - Mexican Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Since I loved the Churro Parlor so much I wanted to check out the restaurant that it's a part of. It was a cold Friday night, dreary and windy. When I walked through the doors of the restaurant it felt like I was being transported to a warm tropical destination! It was a packed house, lively, and the host was very welcoming. Despite the line my friend and I were seated right away at one of the high top tables. Eli (I think that was his name?) was very friendly and cheerful. He joked around with us which helped make the experience enjoyable. First came the chips and salsa - delicious! We ordered the queso fundido with chorizo, with corn tortillas. Oh my gosh. Amazing! I could have walked away just eating this and i would have been happy! The cheese is perfectly gooey and the chorizo is just right, not too salty and compliments the cheese well! I also had the fajitas. It came out with a red sauce which I was surprised by and thought it would be more tomatoy in flavor but it was actually a nice touch. Again the seasoning was perfect and the steak and shrimp cooked perfectly tender. For my adult beverage I had the Paloma which was very refreshing and also provided just enough carbonation to help me digest the epic meal. Everyone was very nice and attentive. I think the owner came by a few times to ask how we were doing. There is so much on the menu that I want to try, so I will be back! read more

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Super delicious and interesting food, very friendly wait staff. Oh and the drinks were really cool and good.

After a long week of holiday food (read: mostly cookies), we decided we needed something more substantial and more exciting for dinner tonight. My husband's de facto suggestion every time we go out is tacos; I was happy to oblige tonight. We've been eyeing Cafe El Tapatio as a dinner option for a few weeks and tonight was the perfect non-occasion. We made a quick reservation on OpenTable, though it didn't appear we would have needed it when we arrived at 5:45pm on a Saturday (but, again, it's a holiday week). We were seated right away, and chips and salsa were promptly delivered to the table. The salsa was good - fresh, flavorful, and some kick to it. I ordered a paloma, which is tequila with citrus soda and lime juice. It's like a lighter, sparklier version of a margarita, and it was a refreshing complement to dinner. My husband went more traditional with a lime margarita on the rocks. It had lots of bright, fresh citrus flavor - I would definitely order that next time or in warmer weather. As my main, I had an al pastor burrito. The burrito was a generous portion and packed with well-seasoned pork. The red sauce is a bit on the sweet side, which I liked, and there was a healthy sprinkling of cheese on top. My only complaint is that my food wasn't hot when it was delivered but if that's the worst thing that happened during our meal, it's a good night. My husband ordered the pechuga bandera, a grilled chicken entree that's served with a generous scoop of goat cheese. Hours later, he's still talking about how good it was. We saved a bit of room for a churro at the end of the meal. Our server gave us a dessert menu and then also told us we could order a churro from the Churro Parlor, which shares space with the restaurant. We went simple with a Jane Churro - traditional cinnamon and sugar - served with a side of dulce de leche dip. Ending the meal with a hot, fresh churro was blissful. The dulce de leche was lovely and creamy; genuinely, the churro was excellent on its own and the dip was unnecessary (but still devoured). Service was great. Even when our server got busy as things picked up, other staff checked on us, got us refills, brought a box for our leftover food, etc. We never felt unattended to throughout the meal. And the prices are incredible - our dinner came to less than $60 before tip for two cocktails, two entrees, and dessert. This may be the long awaited answer to our need for a sit-down Mexican restaurant in our lives. read more

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Simply put: this is the best restaurant in the area. Everything is fresh to order, delicious, and leaves you satisfied and happy with life. I've been going here for years, and will keep coming back. read more

We have been here many times, and we have written other reviews, which is why we keep coming back. The food is wonderful and so is the service and of course the ambience of a Mexican restaurant. read more

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This place is so loud. If you want meaningful conversations, this is not the place for you. Anyway, they screwed up my cousins reservation time. So im not quite sure if the appetizers that came out are free. Lol They gave us chips and salsa dip, corn on a cob, potato with cheese and carnitaz. Sorry i don't know what they are called.. The food is actually great. Its really delicious and flavorful. I personally liked the steak. Cooked perfectly even tho its well done. I ordered the chicken it was so tender but im not into the black sauce. The flan is good. Theres a hint of coconut in it. My cousin loved it. Too sweet for me tho. Overall, its a great place to drink and be merry and eat mexican food of course PS: The bathroom is not that clean read more

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