This place is awesome. But I also knew what I was getting into. Yes, this place is expensive. Yes, this place is loud. Yes, this place is meant for instagram. THAT'S THE POINT! This is meant to be your crazy expensive birthday bash or celebration, not an every day place. We are lucky to have a gem like this in Schaumburg with very busy servers who try their absolute best to give you a flashy service with delicious food. Are you seriously expecting this to be $50 meal for four? No way. There are many places you can get the same thing. Every time I've gone here, I've spent good money that I worked hard for, and have had great memories in the process. If you're expecting a simple Mexican restaurant, this is not your place. This is high end and very busy. Make a reservation, call in advance to make sure it's set. OpenTable is used by many restaurants, so you can't blame this restaurant for OpenTable's mistakes. The Los Tres Huastecos was PHENOMENAL. The Camarones Calavera was really fun to watch, experience, and eat. I don't drink, but my family loved their flashy drinks (the Deseo was their favorite). They made sure my father felt special on his birthday with a sash, a custom menu (which we requested for in advance with our reservation), and most servers took a moment to say happy birthday even when they weren't serving our table!! Chris was a fantastic server who despite being very busy, did a wonderful job with his service. I won't defend a place for no reason; I truly had a wonderful time that deserves its praise. I research everywhere I go, so obviously when my paycheck hasn't cleared, I'm not going here. But you also wouldn't go to Fogo De Chao or Hell's Kitchen and expect it to be as cheap as my burger at a Chili's (which I love as well). (Also for the comments about the guac, I do agree, but I've also seen the same size portion at other chains for the same price. *cough* south of the boarder *cough*) read more

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If you're looking for a spot to celebrate a birthday or any special occasion, this place absolutely delivers. The whole experience feels like a party from start to finish. They offer these fun drink packages with sparklers and a whole crew coming out to hype you up--it's honestly such a cool touch and makes the night feel extra special. Just a heads up, it does get pretty loud--but in a good way. The music, energy, and overall vibe really bring the place to life, so if you're into that lively atmosphere, you'll love it. We went all in and ordered one of the giant shareable drinks for our group of six. It was definitely worth it for the experience, though a bit light on alcohol given the size. Pro tip: order a round of shots too--they serve them in this awesome airplane presentation, which just adds to the fun. Food-wise, everything was really solid. The octopus was a standout--perfectly cooked and super flavorful. The only letdown was the salmon; the portion felt a bit small for an entrée. Overall, great vibes, fun presentation, and a perfect place to celebrate with a group. Would definitely go back for another occasion. read more

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I recently visited Hacienda Calavera in Schaumburg and had an overall average experience. The food was okay, but it wasn't very flavorful and didn't really stand out. For the price, I expected a bit more in terms of taste and quality. The drinks were actually pretty good and probably the highlight of the visit. However, the restaurant itself was fairly expensive overall. The atmosphere was lively, but the music was very loud, which made it a little hard to have a conversation at the table. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, but it didn't quite live up to the price point. If you enjoy a louder, energetic atmosphere and good drinks, it might still be worth checking out. read more

Hacienda Calavera - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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Don't go here to eat unless you like overpriced below average food! Ordered the skirt steak board chips and guacamole not very good or flavorful! For the price I could have had a fantastic steak dinner anywhere in Schaumburg! Not sure how they got over 4k high reviews on google Unless they bought them. This is probably a good bar but definitely not a good restaurant. read more

Very cool experience here! The decor is really beautiful and unique, and the atmosphere is super fun and upbeat! It has a bit of a club vibe- the neon lights, the music, and the variety of alcoholic drinks! We saw so many unique looking drinks at other tables and there were a lot of birthdays being celebrated. The food was delicious!!! It's not your typical Mexican food menu. I ordered the camarones al ajillo (shrimp with garlic) and I will absolutely be ordering it again. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and smothered in a tasty garlic sauce served with white rice in the middle, along with a side salad and sliced avocado. I've attached a photo. My friend ordered the chicken with mole. The mole was great quality and it definitely had a kick to it! The drinks! We didn't order any of the cool or fancy drinks but we did get the margaritas- passionfruit and guava. They were amazing and we said to each other that we would come back to hangout at the bar and get drinks in the future. The service was impressive! Our waiter was very attentive and brought us anything we requested rather quickly. We had other staff members asking about our experience and if we needed anything. They were all really friendly. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because of the small portions of chips and guacamole and chips and salsa. Unlike most Mexican restaurants, chips and salsa aren't automatically served at your table when you arrive. You have to order them. The chips and guacamole were 15.99 and the bowl of both guac and chips were very small. The taste was delicious but for what you pay for, I think the portions should be bigger. Overall, I would absolutely return! Awesome experience! read more

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Hacienda Calavera has a fun atmosphere that really stands out. The food was okay overall - the blue corn tortillas were a definite highlight and the drinks were well crafted. The music and energy were quite loud, which made things difficult for one of our elderly guests and there were children running around that occasionally got in the way of wait staff. The bar area looked very inviting and much quieter. We would consider sitting in there next time. The pricing felt a bit high for the food quality, but given the location and ambiance I can understand it. For celebrations it is definitely a strong choice, we made sure to call ahead to ensure the experience was seamless. Overall not a bad experience and would give it another try. read more

Hacienda Calavera - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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Food and service were amazing! Itzela was our server and she went through the whole menu with us. She's very knowledgeable about the menu. It's our first time here and celebrating 3 birthdays. I love the extra touch with the personalized birthday menus. Ambiance is amazing! I love the vibe. read more

Amazing drinks, delicious empanadas and terrific steak fajitas! All in such a fun environment with good music and great vibes. Will definitely be back soon! read more

Hacienda Calavera - Passion fruit margarita - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Folks: this may be a place to come to during lunch when you're celebrating something larger. Unless you love clubbing and eating steak, then by all means come at any hour. But the club music was playing at 1PM, which I thought was kinda wild, but it wasn't too overpowering. Since we were some of the only people in the restaurants, our servers went above and beyond. Yeime was an absolute delight who seemed to enjoy hosting, and every other server seemed thrilled to sing happy birthday and check in on folks. I think we may have caught them all before the night time rush when it may get hectic. The presentation and decor is superb, and you'll at least feel really fancy with a drink in your hand. The prices are rather steep though, with tacos being $22. The rice and beans are nothing to write home about, but the tortillas were fresh and nice. This definitely seems more of a place to grab drinks to celebrate with a night of dancing, so if that's your style, I think you'd love it. However, if you're looking for a quieter afternoon or evening out, I would probably skip it. read more

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This is a very fun restaurant! The food was also different. You're not going to get your typical tacos and burritos here. The environment was lively on a Friday night and the staff was friendly. I went with a group of 7 on a Friday evening. It's a very trendy looking spot and the food looked amazing. There are a lot of seafood options and the plates look beautiful. While the food was delicious, it was quite pricey. I didn't think I would be paying as much as I did for these plates. They had raw oysters and wonderful appetizers (again pricey). I ordered the Los 3 Garcias, which is shrimp, steak, and octopus. It was in this dark sauce and was delicious. The portion was generous and very much so full of flavor. I would say the food here offers a twist in flavors and is elevated. You're not getting street food here. The service does make up for the cost, the staff was very entertaining and lively. We ended up celebrating a birthday and the dessert was large enough to share with all of us. It was a chocolate skull with fruit and ice cream inside. On Friday (the day we went) there was a DJ and he was playing music. The other con was that we were seated in the bar area, so we were the only table in the room that was dining, while the dining area was full of people. We felt a bit like outcasts, but we are generally a fun group, so we made it lively and the staff did engage with us. I think the restaurant turns into a club in the evening. The food was very delicious and the portions were quite large. The atmosphere is beautiful inside. If you're not into the loud music, I wouldn't go on a weekend in the evening. While this is a pricey restaurant, it's a great date night spot or special occasion spot. The food is also worth the try because it's not the street food everyone is used to. read more

Hacienda Calavera - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

I visited Calavera over the weekend and the food was okay but for the price I would have expected it to be better. We ordered drinks and the 1st round were good but the 2nd round not at all, drinks were sweet and barely any alcohol. The music is good but very loud, like a club kind of scene, not a place to really have dinner conversation. Overall, overpriced and not good enough for me personally to go back. read more

shrimp + steak empanadas w/ the BEST dipping sauce = must order & mixed fajita! spicy guac + endless chips = always a yes strawberry/guava margaritas = dangerously good Christmas décor + neon flower wall = cutest vibes 5/5 Loved the atmosphere! It literally felt like every table was celebrating a birthday super lively, festive, and perfect for a girls night, family hangouts, or celebration. drinks were flavorful, food was tasty & filling, and the whole place just felt fun. they even come to your table and take professional pics of your group and you get one to take home (or buy more) which was such a cute touch Check out the full review on Instagram: @ratedbyaleena read more

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Wow. I just looked at their rating and am genuinely shocked. I loved this place. Me and my bestie went here for lunch yesterday and its clearly ridiculously underrated. The interior decorations and ambiance are so calming yet celebratory, it gave that evening date vibe. The server was one of the best servers I ever had, she was super personable and sweet. Once we were seated I told my bestie that Im pregnant and we started hugging and jumping and the server came over and said I want a hug lol she was too cute and her hug was appreciated. She surprised me at the end with my own personal menu which I will be saving as a lifelong memory. Honestly I was so evolved in the service and the ambiance and vibe of the moment I almost didnt care how the food was when it came out..but when it did, oh wow...those empanadas were hot & fresh, super cheesy and gooey and umami, the Chipotle mayo/aoili gave it that sharp edge for a nice contrast in flavors. I ordered the creamy shrimp pasta w guajillo cream and my bestie had the skirt steak..both were amazing. That was the best restaurant shrimp ive had and the pasta was well seasoned, al dente and super creamy. Id definitely recommend this place and i will have to come back myself read more

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We visited Hacienda Calavera during their soft opening and wow, we were blown away. From the start, the natural wood door and decor informs you this will be a unique and decadent experience. The chips and guacamole to start, were a small portion, but fresh and tasty, with just the right amount of jalapeño, complimentary by pickled onion and radish. Our server talked us into the Christian Purse tequila drink for two, which really could be served for four, IMO. The salmon dish my husband ordered was cooked perfectly, while the Tres Garcia dish I ordered with shrimp, octopus and steak was a "showstopper" of a dish! The house sauce was a blend of butter and chile seasonings with a light kick, and unlike anything I have ever tasted before. I will be back for this dish for sure! For dessert, churros surrounding an edible chocolate bowl filled with strawberry ice cream and fresh fruit garnish. As we dined, we felt like we were on vacation at an exotic resort. We didn't even notice it was pouring rain outside. While the menu is pricier than other restaurants in the area, it is definitely worth a try, if even if for a special occasion or date night out. I can't wait to sit outside on the patio and sip tequila here. There is also upbeat music playing in the dining room. The host and servers here are very pleasant and working hard. Be sure to check out the beautiful decor inside the restaurant. read more

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The food was average tasting for being so pricey. I ordered shrimp tacos that came with rice and beans served in what looked like condiment cups (about 4 bites). You need to buy dessert if you want the staff to sing "Happy Birthday". At least they gave the celebrant a birthday sash. They try to sell you pictures and frames. If you pay with a credit card they charge you an additional fee. They do not separate the bill for large parties. The waitress was not friendly. This place is not recommendable. read more

Way too expensive for what you get. The music is too loud for early dinner. eEven if you are a walk in, they require you to give your phone number for data collection purposes, and they then make a reservation for you on OpenTable. They have intrusive photographers roaming around to take your photo which they then offer to sell you when you get your check. Poor experience over all. Not recommended. read more

Great atmosphere and food very delicious. I would recommend the ceviche it's probably one of the best things on the menu. And the servers are very friendly and good service all around. read more

Ok- now I gotta try to show some love to this place. After our old fave Lalo's left this location a year ago, we were feeling down as we liked them- a lot. So when we heard Hacienda Calavera from Cicero was taking over the spot? Huzzah! So let's get right down to it - man, the people they got working there are dressed up with somewhere to go! And talk about friendly and attentive service? Damn! Ok - the ambience. Firstly, the sound. Oh lord, the sound. Way too loud. Turn down the volume please! Alrighty then - I ordered the Deseo - a drink made with rum, blue Curacao, and a bit of dry ice- wow! The theatrics of getting this drink done up table side can NOT be overstated - wonderfully delicious and beautifully crafted in front of you - you gotta experience this for yourself! The app? Guacamole of course! Chips? Nicely done up! The guac had a few radish slices and a bit of cilantro as garnish and came in a small mortar and pestle bowl combo. Small. Remember that. Wasn't much "there" there. Flavor? Tasted like avocado and not much else. Definitely needed something more. We didn't order spicy but we didn't get much flavor- a bit of work here would pay off. Now hubby had the 3 skirt steak tacos. Loved the blue corn tortillas and the meat was tender enough- like the guac, just needed a bit more seasoning. I ordered the chicken fajitas sans onions- came beautifully prepared and everything was cooked almost to perfection. Almost, you say? Broken record time - it needed something more- flavoring I mean. Ok- firstly, the 'bones' of this restaurant are really good! Friendly team, great service.... But it's not enough to offset the overly loud music and wanly seasoned food- and I know a couple little tweaks will push 'em over the top. We can't wait to return in the near future to see if they've improved (hopefully!). But we will be back! read more

Hacienda Calavera - Guacamole! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Ambiance 5 stars ( instagram friendly) Music 2 stars ( kind of weird) Service 2 stars ( not even offering water?) Food 2 stars ( edible) but nothing special Cocktails , just ok If you don't have reservation , receptionist will put you in a waiting room/ bar to wait for your table with ability to order cocktails and appetizers Sunday afternoon right after 3 , staff informed that there will be 20 min of waiting ... took about 40 min to get a table ( restaurant half empty) Cocktails - 30 min of waiting Appetizer came fast ( Steak empanadas ) Main course shrimp taco dinner & steak taco dinner took forever , servers apologized for the delay couple times Almost 3 hrs from entering front door to leave Second thing pretty fast was getting a check Discount if you pay cash ( 2$-3$ less ) I don't think we will be back anytime soon ( been in other location Cicero ,way different experience ) read more

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Oh my goodness Marlene was a great server! We got the guac and ceviche for appetizers. Delicious ! We were celebrating our anniversary and they went above and beyond. I ordered the salmon (cooked to perfection) my husband order the tampiqueño and again cooked perfectly. The presentation was great! My daughter ordered the chicken mole, a little heat but a little sweet-Smokey flavoring. Great! I got the clase azul drink, delightful!!! Our server guided us through it all. Loved the ambiance and staff. There was not a mess at our table through any of our courses. Then, the anniversary celebration?!?!? Are you kidding me- talk about a time to remember. Delicious chocolate skull with fresh fruit and churros, who could go wrong?!?! Loved this place and we will be back!!! We spent a pretty penny- worth it!! read more

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I did not dine here, this review is NOT about the food. This review is about why I won't dine here. 1. Music is too youthful for my taste. I'm in my 60s and like a mix of genres or traditional old fashioned music that makes me want to drink a margarita. During my 10 minutes inside it sounded like I was in a dance club at 1:00am in Chicago. 2. Non traditional Mexican fare priced at least 33% higher than what I would normally pay at a fine dining Mexican restaurant 3. All I wanted to do is see a menu at the bar. There were 3 of us seated at the bar. The guy totally ignored me though I was looking at him the entire time. He instead carried on his conversation about Mexican timeshare properties with the other two patrons. After 5 minutes a woman bartender walked in and showed me a food menu. 4. Funky smelling men's cologne read more

I am very surprised to see the low rating, this place is a vibe. Great for any kind of celebration, good atmosphere, beautiful ambiance and tasty cocktails read more

We were so excited to try this new place. They weren't on OpenTable, so we walked in on Sat. 10.25.25 at 5:30. We were told there were no tables available since we didn't have a reservation, but that we could have drinks & apps in the bar. We were the first ones in the bar at a side table by 5:45. No one waited on us. I asked a bartender if we had to order from the bar ourselves, and she said "someone would be right with us". By 6:15 pm all the tables in the bar were full. Everyone was looking around for servers....no one approached anyone. At 6:20, a gal came out and began taking orders....not ours! There were 20 other people at tables, and after waiting a total of 45 minutes, we were starving so we left. Told the hostess who SHRUGGED HER SHOULDERS. We won't be back!!! read more

I should have read Yelp reviews (2.4) for this place, not the Google reviews (4.8). Pounding techno music greets you and never stops. We could talk to each other, barely. It's nicely decorated and filled with neon signs for your social media use. There are two swings near the front so you can snap a pic of yourself swinging like a young child and post it to the insta universe. At least 12 times on a recent Saturday night, all the wait staff ganged up, screamed their brains out and delivered shots (oddly put inside some kind of toy airplane) or a giant birthday dessert. The leader of the delivery squad --one poor schmuck who was forced to wear a Dia de los Muertos skeleton mask -- danced around like a lunatic. How he/she got out of the kitchen without tripping was a miracle. All the wait staff wear earpieces so they can gang up really fast. Many videos were taken of this delivery process. The tiny guacamole at $17 was the size of one small avocado. Served in a mortar (with the pestle for some reason), just in case you wanted to pound the daylights out of it again. Rice and beans were bland, ordinary. Shrimp tacos were decent, but the blue corn tortillas were dry. The empanadas were good. Steak fajitas were decent too. We tried to order a martini and were told no. Undeterred, we asked for a bottle of white wine and our server had to check if we could order a bottle, and were rewarded with some really tart chardonnay--I am too embarrassed to say what we paid. A double margarita was very good, but at $24, it should have come with a guarantee of eternal life. It was very crowded at about 8 pm in both the bar and restaurant and it skews very young (20s-30s). They must have a lot of disposable income, because dinner for 4 was over $350. It was all kind of weird, loud and expensive. read more

Sadly, I wish Lalo's was still there. 6 of us decided to try out Hacienda Calavera and boy what a disappointment. Both the food and service was awful and the prices they charge are ridiculous for what you get. While the interior is beautiful, the food leaves much to be desired. I would not recommend going and I know I will not be going back. read more

Great food and service with a unique experience. Los 3 Garcia was amazing. Slightly expensive but worth in nonetheless. Supposed about some of the other lower reviews. Itzel was a great server read more

I assume it's better if you get a good server! Ours didn't even tell us about the special drinks, and we were there for a birthday. If I hadn't asked about the ones I saw on tik tok, we wouldn't have even known which ones to order. She also could not explain the difference between them and how they were presented. It was super disappointing. Other tables had the guy server and seemed to have much more fanfare and fun. We spent a big chunk of change there and loved the food but really wanted the fanfare and "show" which is why we picked this restaurant. Sad and lacking for sure. Also I tried contacting them repeatedly after the dinner on all platforms including email and I was never responded to in any way. A phone call to the restaurant itself wasn't successful as they said the manager would call me back. Well they didn't. read more

Been there 4 times in 6 weeks, love the decor and friendly atmosphere. Staff is friendly and food was amazing!!!! read more

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Service and atmostphere are really good. We went for girls night. We left right before they have a DJ come and play. Food was pretty good. My only complaint is that I ordered the Los 3 Garcias (hope I spelled that right) and it's a dish with butter sauce. When it came, the sauce was dark and spicy. There was no indication on the menu it was spicy. I specifically chose it because the others had jalapeños and other spices. Please put that on the menu. read more

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Great service from Romeo. We had excellent drinks, empanadas, fajitas Camerones, and nievecon churrros for desert. Ambiance is energetic and eclectic. Music is poppin...food is fresh, flavorful and fun. A greatnight out. read more

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Great food & atmosphere! Maybe BAD BUNNY would enjoy this new restaurant in the Chicago suburbs!! read more

Wanted the fun atmosphere to also be reflected in food and service but it was not. Margarita was like drinking corn syrup, there were 0 vegetarian/vegan options, our food was horrible, even rice and beans, water never refilled. Ordered quac and chips for appetizer. Guac was ok but chips served in a cereal sized bowl for 4 people. Not to mention the chaotic and stressful atmosphere of flights (yes on a toy airplane) of shots and fireworks constantly going off. Crazy. Will. not. be. back! read more

With friends visiting from out of town , taking a look at a new trendy Mexican restaurant seemed like a no-brainer but instead of authentic cuisine elevated, this was little more than a spot for instagram influencer wanna-bes and women who want to feel like they are in Miami, all in the heart of Schaumburg. Everything was all show and no substance. Gorgeous decor and birthday sparkler parade spectacles that included an oversized skull masked server couldn't make up for what should have been the main attractions - the food and service - which were mediocre at best. Guac served in a mortar is fine, but when you do so with the pestle in it so you can skimp on the guac and serve a child's ration of chips (at a steep $15.99) , that's not. Furthermore, the staff doesn't even know their own menu or the accompaniments and attempted to charge us extra for tortillas that should have been included with the ordered meal. When a member of our party gently pointed out that fact, out the server became not only disinterested, but actively antagonistic. Lastly, while they won't point it out anywhere conspicuous, they do include a gratuity for parties of four or more. normally this wouldn't be an issue because much like Steve Martin in 'My Blue Heaven', I don't believe in tipping - I believe in over tipping... especially for good service. but the service was shoddy and the server barely earned my baseline 22% let alone a dime more. In summation, while it pains me to say it because if nothing else, this location appears to be cursed and continues to have a revolving door of restaurants, I believe Hacienda Calavera should be avoided. For a better Mexican meal without the insane price tag that will leave your belly and wallet empty, try La Hacienda on Irving and Roselle or Sayulita on Algonquin and Golf. read more

The first time I went with friends shortly after opening and it was great! Decided to come here for a milestone birthday on a Saturday last week and I was shocked it wasn't packed like the first time I was there! We were not acknowledged at our table for at least 15 minutes. Twice we asked for water. The music was exceptionally loud making it difficult to converse. They knew it was my big birthday because I received a card-but staff never paraded to the table and sang! Do they only do that for the shot flights and crazy sized drinks? We don't drink shots- or a ton of alcohol! A few ordered margaritas. It's unfortunate because I went to a different restaurant earlier that week and we didn't inform or ask staff to acknowledge birthday- yet they noticed a birthday gift bag and brought out a beautiful dessert on the house! This was my 2nd experience at this restaurant and it was not as good as the great first impression visit- disappointing because I raved about the first time (reason I wanted my birthday dinner here)!!! My family was underwhelmed! Not sure I will come again. read more

This place was modern and fun! Decor was nice, but I feel the food was just OK. Service was good but the place was really loud. I think it would be better if the dining area was less loud and keep the bar area louder. read more

Missed the mark! The decor is very trendy & fun! Loved the music as well. Why don't they have pricing on the website you ask? Because it's very pricey! Menu is odd, lots of Mexican dishes served with mash potatoes. And Chicken fettuccine? If it said it was with mexi flare ok but didn't . I wanted tacos, asked if they had an option instead of blue corn tortillas- NO. No flour and No lettuce wraps. So I ordered the $35 carna asada. It was good and beautiful presentation Another thing that stuck me as odd is all the servers and staff are dressed in suits, similar to what you see on the mariachi- but then they give you silver wear with rolled paper napkins instead of cloth. Just missed the mark for me read more

Premium prices for mediocre food and specially drinks !! You also for premium tequila and since you dont see the bar they poor cheap Tequila for a $25 dls Drink that advertised contains Casa Azul Tequila !!! That's a bad way to make extra money on already overpriced drink! Beware reviews on Google are totally bought not.the real thing. read more

Everything was amazing, our server Itzel made amazing recommendations and was outstanding the whole time. He he skirt steak was cooked perfect and mole was so good. I'll be coming back for that. read more

Hacienda Calavera - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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Strange vibes. Had reservation never seated. Was placed at bar. Ordered drinks guacamole good. Asked for chips and salsa NO Ordered fajitas cold and undercooked. read more

Love the food! So good!! So bomb! Staff are nice and friendly. It's worth coming back here.