Holy Mole! Finally found (after 30 years living here) THE best Mexican food in Elgin. Wow!!! Everything we had was superb. The Chips and salsas (including Aguacate!!!) yummy,. Laurie's streak tacos tasted like back in Yucatán decades ago. Perfect steak, plenty of onion and cilantro, simple but delicious on perhaps the finest corn tortillas I've had in the U.S. (inclusive of the homemade ones from friends). My chicken Flautas were out of this world good, perfect crunch and loaded with pickled cabbage, crema, avocado ... on the side was rice and refried beans par excellance! Margarita was great too. We will return!!! read more

El Patio - Elgin - Us . Happy. Full bellies - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

The eating area inside and out is really nice. We sat inside because of the weather. I had a very good margarita. The best thing I can say about this place is the chips and 3 different sauces. They are all excellent. The menu is very limited. I ordered a burrito with no meat. It didn't taste like a Mexican burrito that I've ever had. Not much flavor and no sauce. I had to ask for chipotle sauce on the side which wasn't spicy. Our server was ok. Would I go back? Not likely. They need to expand their menu and I think that would make a huge difference. read more

Amazing food, service, the drinks were excellent the food was outstanding stand and the music was even better.

A great place for mexican food! Portion are really large and so good. The chips and salsa that come when you sit down are some of the best I've had in a long time. The restaurant is a bit small and there may be a wait but it's worth it. Cool atmosphere, good service and good food! read more

Definitely delicious! First time here so I wanted to try a few different taco options. Had a taste of the quesabirria and the meat was very tender, melt in your mouth for sure. The flavor of the consomme was great. I ordered the cachetada (steak) taco, fish taco, and grilled shrimp taco with rice and beans. Everything was very flavorful and tasty. The tortillas were soft and perfect temp. The chimichurri on the steak taco had a good kick and the sauce paired nicely on breaded fish taco with mango pico. The caramelized and pickled onions were also perfectly matched with each of the dishes. It all tasted very fresh, which I love! My BF ordered the enchiladas and he said the Rojas with the chicken was excellent. The interior had a very chill vibe and it wasn't too busy for a Tues around 7pm. Our server was nice and service was prompt. Didn't try any of the drinks but the menu looked like it had several different margarita and specialty cocktail options. We will be back! read more

El Patio - Elgin - Enchiladas rojas - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Recently went for a family members birthday dinner for aguachiles de salsa de arbol it was not de arbol it tasted like they poured a bottled of valentina over the shrimp also ordered flautas and description should have said it came with pickled cabbages rather than just cabbage too overpowering for the flautas made with chicken that tasted like tinga?? Also orders my toddler a taco de asada the amount of fat you could see in the meat was disappointing ended up picking half of the "meat" that was just pure fat. very much giving a place you go to when ur drunk but not even, Micheladas were bomb tho chips and salsa was also good read more

We have had this place on our radar for some time, they had the farmers market in the back along the river and it looked like a fun place. It was a rainy wednesday and my wife wanted to go here for her Birthday. There were only one or 2 other tables full when we got there, the inside is smaller then I expected and they have some cool murals painted on the walls. The table salas are very good, the waitress told us the creamy Verde is very hot...it's really not but I did really love it. It's cool that they served a red, a more traditional verde and I assume a creamy avocado salsa. We also got Margaritas my wife got a classic and I got Coco/Pineapple...it didn't dawn on me at the time that Coco was coconut, with i'm not the biggest fan of, but it was very good, my wife was not as impressed with the classic, it was good but nothing special. On to our entrees my wife got 3 tacos Mushroom, Octopus and Steak and I got enchiladas verdes, they only come in chicken again, not my favourite but no big deal. My wife's tacos came and we waited and waited and finally i had to get up and ask about my food and then she finally brought it. The service was slow and inattentive at best. My enchiladas were flat out COLD....but amazing. I didn't care that they were cold or chicken or had way too much pickled onion, they were amazing. Even the beans and rice were separated by a big mound of pickled onions. I like pickled onions and maybe they were trying to use tham upm or something, but everything had just too much. My wife liked all her tacos until she got to the steak, its was the best taco she ever ate. I had a small taste and the meat had huge flavor, so we will be back for Tacos. Again trying to get the check took too much time and then I just paid on Toast and there was no one to be found, so we just left. The service was not good, but the food was pretty great. read more

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Enjoyed this place very much. Especially appreciated the outdoor dining space by the river. Food was good.

The first time here, we came from Chicago because we saw them on TikTok. Parking nearby and close to the casino and the river. The restaurant is very pretty and seemed to have a pretty big space, but I didn't see the upstairs or patio. We were seated right away. They seemed busy even though it was still pretty early in the day, and what we ordered came out quickly, and everything was pretty good. The only things to mention were that we were seated in a high-top table, near the window, and it wasn't very comfortable because the space was small, wish we could have had a booth with more room for us but seemed like most were full. Also, we were celebrating a birthday, but there was no way to let anyone know since no reservations can be made or any notice given on the website. Also, our server was nice, and he did check both our IDs when we ordered our drinks first but never said anything about my birthday or anything, and I had to keep asking a few times just to get ice water and didn't get it (only 1 for 2 people) until we asked for the check. Might come back, if ever in the area. read more

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Stopped in for margaritas and something to eat. Salsas provided were tasty A little bit of bite but all were good. The margaritas fell a bit flat but the food was excellent. Split fajitas and had plenty of leftovers. Nice patio near the river and helpful service. Will go back. read more

We live this place. The warm Salsa's and chips rock. The meals are very large my wife and I usually split one. We go every other week. read more

I've heard great things about this place, and they are absolutely fantastic!! Super cute atmosphere and the food was AMAZING!! Our waitress was very friendly. All the salsas were so good, I definitely will be back! read more

Drinks are inconsistent, but the Food is delicious. It got chilly whenever someone walked into the restaurant (due to the seating layout) Service is good and can handle parties well. Fun spot for parties (they serve this huge pig shaped grill with all the meats on top). read more

El Patio - Elgin - pig grill with meats on top and quesadillas inside!! - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Amazing food & atmosphere. Gets busy at dinner time in the weekends so expect a wait. We've been here twice and ordered tacos, fajitas and burritos; everything has been so good! Highly recommend! read more

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Beautiful outdoor patio and excellent food and service!! Will definitely be back. Hidden gem in Elgin.

Qusabirria tacos were amazing, I went with my family who was visiting and they were impressed. The green avocado salsa is fire. I saw they had a mariachi today and went back and it was magical. What a gem in Elgin, we are lucky to have. The music from the mariachi was the most amazing and the servers were attentive and kind. read more

El Patio - Elgin - Outside seating - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Excellent service, margaritas from scratch and food extremely good. Give it it shot, I don't think k you will be disappointed. read more

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The restaurant is very nicely decorated. When we sat down the waitress brought us chips and salsa and it was really good. She gave us water glasses and they had lipstick stains on them. We asked for a pitcher of water and it was all sticky... so we just got up and left. So sad we won't be back. read more

El Patio - Elgin - Chips and salsa were good. Only ate one bite though. - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

We went back again today and while the food was still fantastic, our second round of tequila shots was a pineapple color. When we inquired about why our tequila wasn't the same color as the first round we were told that because the tequila had been chilled, it had turned that color. Yes, it's magic tequila that changes colors! We have been avid tequila drinkers for several years and did not feel like pushing further on it because honestly that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. $60 for 2 actual tequila shots and 2 whatever the heck those were. Give me a break. read more

El Patio - Elgin - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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We'd only been on the outside patio until now but last night we finally sat in the recently opened dining room. It's a small restaurant and was plenty busy on a Monday night. Table service was impeccable. We had a few different tacos, all excellent. The cocktails were long poured, not pre-made. We'll definitely be back; great experience. read more

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Love! El Patio is legit!!! Went to the Elgin farmer's market and got introduced to El Patio, so glad we stopped. I ordered the fish taco, got shrimp, it was fine, still delicious! So many great toppings! My friend got the special steak tacos, the shells were cooked with cheese on the outside. She loved them, she actually said they were the best tacos she can remember ever eating. They bring you chips and a salsa trio, gratis!!! We were so excited! That happens less and less these days. The salads were full with of flavor, we loved them, and the chips were nicely cooked. We both got the original margarita, not the best ever, but great! The servers are awesome, everyone was very friendly, and we really enjoyed our experience. I believe El Patio is now open regular hours, and although our outdoor dining experience was awesome, the inside looked cool as well. The bathroom was open inside, and it was clearly remodeled. I took a peak at everything inside, and they did a nice job remodeling this location. Great addition to downtown Elgin! Go support them! read more

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The food there was amazing. The atmosphere was very pleasant out on the patio, which was a plus. There was spacious seating, not crowded or on top of each other like some other restaurant patios are. Our waitress, Jenny, was very informative of the menu and attentive to our needs. The owner also came out to check on us to make sure we were happy and satisfied with everything. The overall experience here was great! We will DEFINITELY be back and would recommend it to anyone. read more

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Wow the atmosphere is amazing in here, it is loud, fyi but FUN. They do extravagant celebrations for bdays and even for this shark shot, it was too cool. Also when they bring out a certain dish. All the food looks so good. And the drinks are yummy. I ordered the taco salad, it was amazing & really good. The steak was cooked to perfection. The green chicken enchiladas have a mole like sauce, very very tasty. They give you 3 salsas with chips, all were really delicious. Drinks were yummy. The artwork is amazing in this place too. Amazing service, can't wait to come back. read more

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The food here was excellent, me and my family recommend the octopus tacos,the waiters here are very nice and this place is very clean.

We are total 6 people there and server put only 4 plates and water glass. We ask her couple of time s and she said will bring ( ask her multiple times) we ask chips and Salas . We got chips but forgot abt Salas ( couple people came ask as we need anything) we told them still missing Salas- never got it. We have share plates and fork with family member since never got it. Food was got wrong too . Never going back . I think they more focusing larger groups then small groups. read more

Consistency is key to cooking. Service was okey but not the greatest I have to wait 20 min for a glass of water then another 15 min to order. Servers are not on top of their game. 2 times I went awful service and food. Quesadilla had a feet sting smell like if it was old cheese. I did told server about it and I didn't eat it cuz of the smell. They still charged me! Even doe I asked if they can do something about it and the server said no sorry. I ended up just paying and leaving. Didn't get good service and servers are poorly trained to solve simple problems . read more

First time here as it's new to Elgin. Came on a Monday night and ordered a few things as we came for a birthday. The art on the walls with the black light is pretty cool and creative. Service was trash, lady never checked in to see if the food was okay or if we needed anything else. Took 5 hours to get the check. Food was hit or miss. Quesbirria tacos had no flavor!!! As it was just cooked in water ! Shrimp taco was good. FYI- rice and beans are additional 5 dollars. read more

It's too bad that they host DRAG SHOWS here. There is nothing family friendly about a drag show. I am really disappointed. Also their Tacos el Pastor have lots of un-chewable fat chunks. Their food is pretty good if you don't mind the two gross things I mentioned above. read more

Yesterday I was excited to share this restaurant with my family. We walked in and put our name down for a wait of 15 minutes. Within 5 minutes the waiter waves over to a table right in front of a guitarist and speaker. I explained that my daughter is sensitive to Loud sound and if maybe we can get a table away from the speaker and we don't mind waiting. The host gave us such an irritated face. He then throws us upstairs. While we are sitting there alone, my daughter starts crying and expresses that she's feeling like she's the reason why he got upset and just threw us in an isolated room. I tried to let this go but it hurts to see your child cry about something that isn't their fault. We order our food, they bring it upstairs for us and we had to ask for utensils. There was 4 of us and they only gave us 3 utensils. So between the 4 of us we shared 3 forks and only the 3 napkins the forks were wrapped in. The food, as before was really delicious, but I feel like we were being punished. There was outdoor seating. I saw other tables open. I even expressed a willingness to wait. I would like to go back since the food was really good. I may go again but not as readily as before. I know we can all get stressed and busy. But when 2 adults and 2 children can feel the animosity... that isn't great service. The only reason I have them 3 stars is my first experience was good and the food was delicious read more

came here for lunch yesterday with a customer. Great atmosphere, welcoming environment with a very cool vibe. after looking over the drink menu, we realized at $12 a margarita we should just get a pitcher as it's usually cheaper than buying them individually. However, there was no pitcher on the menu. I asked the server "do you guys do a pitcher?" "Yes,no problem" I was informed. "Great, let's do that just regular margarita rocks". A few minutes later the server came to the table with the digital ordering device and showed it to me stating "is this OK?" Showing me an $85 charge. "Is this for the pitcher?!" I asked, shocked. She said yes. I said "absolutely not this is a work expense. That will not get approved" I was then informed it was already being made. Whatever, I will cut my losses and sort it out with my boss later. Here's where I get very upset. I then glance over to the bar where moments later, the pitcher starts to be made.I understand I ordered a non-menu item at the end of the day, but the way this was handled was very deceiving. read more

El Patio - Elgin - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

What a great place... the food is incredible... flavorrrr Parking easy Great bar Music not too loud read more

I've been there twice great food, service and ambience. The steak was delicious. Guac had a little heat to it so was great. Rice and beans were great and so not just plate filler like at most places... The rice and beans were finished. The roasted pepper and nopal were delicious. Margaritas and mezcal shots were great. read more

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I had a chicken taco, a steak taco and the chicken empanadas for lunch. They were great! This place is the modern Mexican restaurant Elgin needed. Service was nice, both servers checked on me often and noticed right away when I was finished or needed something. Music is a great volume, the artwork is unique and fun. They are open for lunch and dinner everyday, highly recommend checking this place out! read more

such an amazing place! went there for my birthday dinner and it was great! I got steak tacos and they were AMAZING. Also gave me free churros:) the waitress was very nice!! And the inside was just such a cute place. Will definitely be visiting again!! lovely place!:) And the drinks were good also! read more

Great food, drinks and service. Love the patio vibe and sitting close to the river. Careful, the margaritas are strong!

Awesome place ! Had a fabulous server named Oliver who definitely made our date night exceptional. He recommended a taco called tajillo and the shrimp ceviche which was delicious. Great atmosphere after a long day of work :) read more

El Patio - Elgin - Bob Marley :) - Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Great authentic Mexican food. Cold beers and specialty cocktails. Very friendly and quick service. Great chips and salsa. Tacos were fantastic read more

Not sure where to start. Went for dinner, ordered drinks, appetizer and meals, two couples, separate checks. Drinks arrived, only one couples food ( dinner only no appetizer). Waiter apologized 3 times, but after one couples ate their meal, and we had been there for 1.5 hours, I asked to cancel our order and be comped for my wife's glass of wine. We were told by our waiter that he would need to talk to the manager. Returned stating that the wine would be at no charge and later mysteriously a new glass of wine arrived. Before leaving I clarified that my bill was 0. Was told I owed for a glass of wine, I stated that this was previously discussed and I was not paying for the 2nd glass I did not order. Bad experience in every way. My biggest complaint is why the manager did not get involved, apologize to us and address the situation. In my opinion, both our bill (not delivered) and our friends should have been no charge due to this colossal failure and a manager who appears to be non responsive to issues! read more

I will say this was a great find. As lovers of Mexican food this checked alot of boxes. Our server Liz was very versed with the menu. She directed us to everything we were looking for. The chef had free rein as far as our tacos and not one disappointed. Refried beans, gaucamole, 3 salsas all outstanding. KAREN the bartender made us a smokey Mezcalita that was off the charts. This is a very cool atmosphere with a outdoor garden soon and a event room upstairs. This is a Top place on our list and please check it out. We had alot of food for $80. Drinks outstanding. The food was outstanding and we will be back very soon. read more

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Very nice place with an awesome look. The server was good, attentive & quick. The food was OK. I had a "rice burrito" with five or six little pieces of Carne Asada & more rice in the side. Not my definition of a satisfying meal. I know meat is expensive, but damn there was barely any in the burrito. Maybe I'll try something else that doesn't have so much unnecessary filler next time. read more