This review only covers the bar portion since we already had dinner but wanted to have one more drink. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is very nicely decorated and they have plenty of seating at the bar with TV's for sports.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The bartender was excellent even though she normally worked at the other location in town. The margarita was very good. Definitely want to come back and try the food since the service was so good. read more

Hacienda León has an extensive menu with something for everyone. The variety makes it easy to try something new each visit. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I think the setup is nice and inviting, which is perfect for both casual meals and family dinners.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I saw a table of ~12 when I visited![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall, the service is friendly, but I felt a little neglected towards the end. If you're looking for a place with a big selection and consistently good food, I recommend! -AD read more

Hacienda Leon - Mexican Near Me - Normal, Illinois

Checked out this hip Mexican restaurant in Normal off the campus area. Hacienda Leon isn't authentic but it's not like it's bad. It feels more like a place people come to get drinks than to come to get food though. For sure the drinks are pretty good. The food includes the basics like burritos and tacos slopped with cheese and sauce. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A popular place to go for ISU students with it being so close to campus. It won't be a long way to stumble back to dorms or apartments for them.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This place may not be as good when sober, so take a lesson and have some tequila and whatever. Best thing is the prices aren't that bad. It's about $7 for a tequila sunrise. Have a few and spew. It's about $12 for the Vegetarian Combos, of which there's a few of these. Among these is the one with two bean burritos. These come with burrito sauce and cheese sauce. I got it a little healthier without the cheese sauce and it was still a sloppy mess. That just makes it more fun though. For sure it's not authentic but that's not the appeal. It's a place to have a fun time with good drinks and okay food. They have a pretty good amount of food options for vegetarians. read more

Hacienda Leon - Tequila Sunrise And Bean Burritos - Mexican Near Me - Normal, Illinois

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I love the vibe of this one + the patio seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is really consistent and usually pretty quick. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Thursday half off margs are great but it gets busy![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The chips and salsa are delicious. read more

Hacienda Leon - Margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Normal, Illinois

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We are fans of Hacienda Leon, and this was our first time at their Uptown Normal location (actually 2xs in the same week). [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance of this location has a clean appearance with a rather large open space with loads of tables.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The wall of the bar to the south west end adds a nice touch to the decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The full bar provides great beverages. The menu of this location appears to mirror their Bloomington restaurant so it was awesome to get my favorite Chori Chicken while in town! The flavors of this dish continue to make it one I don't mind coming back to rather than trying something else. The service we received on both visits was great. Very attentive in making sure we had refills and anything else needed. This is a great addition to the Uptown Normal scene. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I really like the general ambience of Hacienda Leon and I've always appreciated their attentive wait staff.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I have eaten there a number of times and generally felt satisfied. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The layout of this attractive looking restaurant has eye appeal, and lots of options for seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] However, I think it is somewhat of a minimum bar for a Mexican restaurant to serve decent tacos. My partner and I stopped here for lunch and she ordered a combination plate with an enchilada and I ordered two (chicken) tacos that came with beans and rice, on flour tortillas. My tacos were very lacking in flavor, or seasoning of any kind. The shredded chicken meat inside the taco tasted like it had been added without any seasoning and little more than minimum warming. The shredded cheese inside each taco looked and tasted like it had not been heated . (No visual sign of having been heated or melted.). The taco shells felt as if they had barely been heated or not heated at all. As if each part of the taco had been put together without any additional preparation from its initial form. And at least one of the ingredients of the taco were watery. read more

In town from California and had a big party. Food came out quickly and service was very nice. Prices were reasonable (maybe I'm just so used to CA prices) but the food was still not great. Nachos were dry and chimichanga was SO SMALL. Food quality/taste/flavor is overall why I gave it 2 stars. read more

Hacienda Leon - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Normal, Illinois

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This is a newer restaurant right in Uptown Normal. I looked online and saw a large, intriguing menu, so I thought we should try it out. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is large, but was pretty empty when we went for lunch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I decided on one of the combos - they have tons of different combinations so definitely check that out! I also got a peach margarita. Everything was yummy; I just wish we also got rice/beans with our meal. Service was good and I have no complaints about that. Also, you get free chips and salsa which is always great! read more

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The people were very friendly and [[HIGHLIGHT]]although it was super loud and packed[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], they made a mean Paloma! My partner enjoyed a giant margarita. Definitely made for a great date night so I will be coming backn read more

Hacienda Leon - My partner and I enjoying the food (Shrimp Fajitas) - Mexican Near Me - Normal, Illinois

The food is crazy good. Our table ordered a variety of entrees and agreed its was terrific. The only complaint is the fried cheesecake was still frozen inside. Still tasty. Taco salad with shrimp was delicious. Fajitas great. Leone special was a hit. read more

Food was delicious and they have real spicy salsa if you ask for it. Chips tasted freshly house-made. Their basic margarita was flavorful. The steak-based dishes were very tasty as well. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a little loud inside, so not a great place if someone depends on hearing aids.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As with most restaurants these days, service was stressed with more tables than staff, but the staff were kind and professional. Overall, a tasty and good experience. I would come back if I'm in the area again. read more

called a week in advance to arrange seating for a large party celebrating two birthdays. On the phone, I was told reservations were accepted. However, when we arrived, they claimed they do not take reservations on Thursdays (this is the second time this has happened). [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was extremely packed, and the manager was rude and dismissive rather than understanding of the situation.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ended up waiting over an hour despite planning ahead. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience, especially for a special occasion. I would take your business elsewhere. read more

Hacienda Leon is a newer addition to the Uptown Normal area adjacent to Illinois State University. The space is large and vibrant, and features a large bar area that basically runs into the contemporarily styled restaurant. We visited early on a Saturday evening, and as we were leaving, it was pretty obvious that the place was filling up. There are some good reasons for that. We were promptly seated and given menus. The menu at Hacienda Leon is extensive, and quite honestly, too extensive. It's was a bit overwhelming. My wife and I are huge Mexican food fans, and living in the 'burbs in Chicago, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by what I would call "authentic" casual Mexican restaurants. We understand, when traveling to smaller towns that you might not get the authenticity at an ethnic restaurant that you would in a more urban setting, however we realize there are exceptions. This being written, Hacienda Leon does a great job of mixing some authentic, traditional dishes while still offering a chimichanga smothered in queso. We were were kind of pressed for time, so rather than going through the extensive menu, we asked our served for a recommendation. Our server asked us a few questions (good sign), and then steered us to the Especial Leon for two. This was a fajita for two that featured the usual steak and chicken, but also added shrimp, chorizo and fried pork ribs. The skillet was served with tortillas, rice, beans, sour cream, guacamole and pico. In reality, the Especial Leon for two was big enough for four - making it a truly great value for $32!! Overall, the taste of the food was good. We received the standard chips and salsa when seated, and the salsa was tangy and no too spicy. The chips were warm and the drinks were cold. My wife got a margarita and I got a Dos Equis Amber. Our fajitas were also good. The pleasant surprise being the deep fried pork ribs, which were really tender, and the shrimp which were larger than expected and cooked to perfection. The only criticism I would offer is that the proteins could've used more seasoning. Either that, or they could've each been seasoned differently?!?! Admittedly, I am splitting hairs here. The food was good, and the service was fantastic. The atmosphere is energized, and the restaurant is clean and appealing. I would definitely recommend Hacienda Leon, and will most likely be returning when visiting my daughter at ISU. read more

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I enjoyed my birthday lunch with my sorority sister... what a delicious and wonderful meal with awesome service. Thank you so much. I will return as a treat for myself soon. Being from Texas, I was pleased with the menu. read more

My friend and I had a reservation on a Friday night. We sat down and decided what to order. Since I had a big lunch, I ordered fried ice cream. The waiter just kind of roll his eyes. I did not read the detail of my dessert but I did not like the coconut in there. There is also some raisins and it was so sweet! My friend ordered not sure what it is but it looks so good! We were there for a couple hours. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is open and very noisy when you try to talk to each other, it is difficult![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Recommended for the food. read more

Hacienda Leon - Fried ice cream - Mexican Near Me - Normal, Illinois

Really lovely experience here for lunch/brunch. The waitstaff were kind and attentive throughout our meal. Our steak and shrimp were incredibly well seasoned and mouthwateringly delicious. The portions were also generous for the food as well as the drinks. Their micheladas are HUGE. Thank you for a great meal! read more

Food is really good. Drinks are mixed a little too strong. But unfortunately the customer service is lacking. Waiters plop your food down. When calling to make a reservation, the guy who answered the phone cut me off before I could say the time and said he couldn't help me before hanging up on me. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Good spot but a few things to work on I guess.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Also please look at their violations, from what I've seen they haven't done a good job keeping things sanitized. Hopefully they turn it around before the building is empty again. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment was great.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The surroundings were visually pleasing[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], and the food was outstanding.! read more

just awful service. do not go here the staff is rude and it's not worth it. we waited for over an hour and never got sat.

Went here for lunch on a Saturday for the first time, after being disappointed numerous times at the original location. The location is great and restaurant was stylish. The margaritas are excellent. Food, however, much like the other location remains bland and flavorless. The salsa is a joke--thin, watery, no flavor or spice whatsoever. I asked for a side of the habanero salsa to mix in and that was the only thing that made the regular table salsa tolerable. I had beef fajita nachos and my husband had a chimichanga--meat on both was under seasoned and flavorless. The margaritas really were fantastic and we would've ordered another for us both except no one ever came back to our table after dropping off the food. Still looking for halfway decent Mexican food here in B/N; unfortunately this place is not it. read more

Got takeout tonight. Was really excited to try it, but was super disappointed when I got home. My fajita burrito wasn't even folded all the way, and I kept having to pick stems out of my mouth. My partner's quesadilla was just okay, but the salsa was super watery, and we got hardly any guac. Really disappointing, and won't be going back. read more

This place is awesome and the menu is amazing. We sat down and had drinks immediately, fast and friendly service. The food was quick, hot and delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Great food, and service. And the owner Martin is a great host. We are excited that the new Normal location is now open and look forward to trying it out! read more