Look no farther for a place to celebrate cinco de mayo! The tastiest horchata , most delicious…read morechicken tacos , perfectly fried chips with a fresh salsa , extra sauces , and the best guacamole! You get alot of bang for your buck here with prompt and friendly service . Smells so good when you walk in and nice clean and comfy booths .

Date of visit: 4-7-2026 - early evening…read more I've never been there before. I usually go to other Mexican food restaurants in the area. The place was clean and roomy. I took a booth and was given an extensive menu. The server offered chips and salsa. I was brought a small basket with about 10-12 large chips and a small shallow dish of watery commercial grade salsa in the basket with a tablespoon in it. Not having been given any additional plate, I guess I was expected to spoon the salsa onto the chips over the basket, because the dish was too shallow to dip a chip into other than the very tip of each chip. I ordered what I usually order at most Mexican food joints - taco dinner al pastor with onions and cilantro no cheese on anything including the beans. Service was prompt. The beans had cheese on them which I returned, and a dish came back without cheese, except when I took my first fork full, there was a strand of cheese left. The cook had just lifted the cheese off the original dish instead of replating the beans. The rice was formed into a perfect half moon shape on the quite large square plate. That is usually a signal to me that the restaurant is into portion control, as the aesthetics as can be seen from the photo attached make the rice look like a small amount. There was little flavor in the rice but something I did not expect - a slight fish flavor in the rice. Every fork full (only a fork and napkin provided - I guess the spoon from the salsa can be used as double duty) tasted like fish. That was a big minus. Either they use a fish base as part of the rice cooking process, or the cook used the pot for fish and didn't wash the pot prior to cooking rice in it. Or he was using a spoon that he was using for fish as well. Either way, I don't find fish flavored rice appealing. The beans were not puree and also contained whole beans, but were bland. I ordered the tacos with corn tortillas because I like the tortillas a little crispy, but these were somewhat soft. The al pastor meat has plenty of sauce and was minced. The meat sauce was very average in flavor, hardly any spice. Maybe the meat needed salt, but it sure needed something. There were two squirt tubes for sauce on the table, one green and one red. I tried the green sauce, it was too creamy, wasn't spicy and didn't do anything for the tacos. I finally used the remainder of the red salsa from the chips. I was given a few tiny wedges of lime (probably sliced also for the bar drinks) for three tacos, another indication of portion control over focus. I took a photo of this meal, not for reviews, but to show my girlfriend who was out of town what I was eating since she hadn't been here either. So I looked at the photo before leaving, and I then noticed that there were NO onions on the tacos despite asking for onions and cilantro. The kitchen wasn't slammed, so I just chalked it off to further inattentiveness by the cook despite the server's instructions. That may have added to the lack of flavor of the tacos, but it was really the al pastor sauce and seasoning that didn't cut it. All in all, I was disappointed in the meal. I didn't go to my regular place just to give this place a try. It seems the ball was dropped at every turn for this very simple staple meal at a Mexican restaurant. I would give this place a 4 out of 10 for the reasons given above. I wouldn't go again. The food was not terrible, but lacking in flavor, and the cook was obviously not into what he was doing. There are other places close by where the food is superior to theirs.

Highly recommend if you are in the area! The place has a nice charm where they are serving fresh…read morehomely style food. I am usually a burrito guy but today. I was intrigued to try their corn bread stuffed with chicken and cheese called as papusus and and the Mexican sandwich tortas. Two year olds had their cheese quesadilla plate. They even have the vegetarian options which I'll be willing to try soon. Overall. A positive vibe with a quick service and a freshly cooked food made my day. Definitely coming back to eat

Stop by for a quick lunch. Service was great. Food was tasty! Not greasy, not salty. Will…read moredefinitely come again. My son got the quesabirria and there was a generous amount of meat. I got the pozole with two tostados; soup was refreshing and tostados was light and airy.

Barrington people- please, don't let this awesome restaurant go out of business like so many other…read moreBarrington restaurants have. The food is consistently delicious and the owner is a one of a kind sweetheart. We actually don't come here often enough, but I'm so happy that La Mesa is still open!!! Support this local business. Our town has too little of this kind of great food, and we need to get behind these local restaurants!!

La Mesa is a great spot in Barrington, we always order takeout Mexican food from this place. The…read morefood tastes great, is decently priced and is always ready extremely quick! The owner is a great guy always happy to see you and chat. La Mesa is a great establishment that you should consider next time you want Mexican Food!

El Sombrero is my go to spot! Staff is the best! They're always Friendly and welcoming. Food is…read moreexcellent, always tasty. Don't forget the Margs....... Get a pitcher! Enjoy!

This place was very good. When the chips and salsa are awesome it's always a good sign!…read more I had the menudo and enchiladas. All were very tasty and the service was top notch! Muy exelente! I will be coming back when I am in town next.

It has been two years since we first tried A Mi Manera. As I read over my old review, it became…read moreclear that the growing pains I mentioned were just that. They have improved dramatically since we were last there. First, the service was awesome. They have decorated so it has a nice ambiance. Their menu has also grown a lot. They still have about ten tables and appear to do a good takeout business. There were four of us and we ordered a few items. Their guacamole was excellent. I had their taco dinner - three tacos, beans, and rice. The portions were large and the food was delicious. Two in our party has Quesabirrias and one had Quecas. We also shared a horchata. It was all wonderful. I admit, everything was really good. And I'm very happy we gave them a second try. We'll be back soon.

I enjoyed my quesa birria with the handmade tortillas and the loaded nachos had very fresh tortilla…read morechips. Lots of nice toppings. The interior is bright, colorful. However my experience was really hurt by waiting on my child's kids meal to come out way after my meal to where I was sitting there waiting and done with my meal. My toddler's meal came out piping hot. Piece of advice for every business restaurant make sure the kids meal comes out sooner than later even before the parents and make sure it's cooled down. They're not gonna eat piping hot food and burn the interior of their mouth. I ended up having to take it to go.

Absolutely amazing experience here! From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was welcoming and…read morethe staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. The service truly stood out--everyone was patient, helpful, and made sure everything was perfect throughout my visit. The food was beyond delicious. You can tell everything is made fresh and with quality ingredients. Every bite was full of flavor, and the portions were great for the price. What I appreciated most is how inclusive the menu is. As someone who follows a vegan lifestyle, it can sometimes be difficult to find places with good options--but this spot really delivered. They offer a variety of vegan choices that are not just an afterthought, but actually well-prepared and full of flavor. It's rare to find a place that gets both food and service this right. Whether you're vegan or not, there's something here for everyone to enjoy. I'll definitely be coming back and recommending this place to friends and family. If you're thinking about trying it, don't hesitate--you won't be disappointed!

We've had Taco Shop before when it catered a graduation party we attended, and really liked it…read more Today we had carryout - steak and chicken tacos, and a chicken burrito platter. The meat is high quality and nicely cooked. Rice and beans were very good as well. The thing we missed was more flavor and heat!! I'd love to get a little heat from jalapenos or spices, but it was not there. The salsa was not too hot either. We're not heat freaks by any means, but we do love some spice in our Mexican food. The burrito also had rice in it so my side of rice was probably not needed. All in all the food is good and high quality. What I'd love to have is more flavor and heat!!

First time trying this spot in the plaza next to the new lava island that's opening. Easy parking…read morefor pick up. The Tacos are a little pricey but they are filling and made just right. Same with the Torta and Tilapia taco. They all come with different toppings other than your regular cilantro and onion which makes it worth the price. They have different salsas with different heat levels for your liking. Everyone there was friendly and checking up on us often.Didn't have to wait long to be seated and to get drinks. Nice chill fiesta vibe inside. Will be coming back!

Good food just very expensive. What going on with the cost of eating out. Could have bought a…read moreweek's worth of groceries for the price of one meal. Over priced eats.

I stopped in for lunch with an associate after a vigorous morning of local spelunking. At about…read more12:30 the small lot was full and we had to park nearby for our dine-in lunch. Paul's is a very popular place! I had a king size steak burrito California-style, which means lots of grilled pepper and onions. I also ordered it as a 'plate' so I got rice and beans on the side. My associate had the queen size steak burrito. We both greatly enjoyed the food! It was cooked quickly and expertly and delivered to our table. Mine was so substantial I took half home and had it for breakfast! I'd like to try their other menu items. This place does a robust business and the food is testament to their popularity! I'll be back!

The food here is AMAZING! They have really fresh and authentic food. I especially like their King…read moreburrito and cheesecake roll ups. It's very family friendly and small location in a busy area. The service has always been fast and friendly. They even threw in an extra taco!

Place was good enough, I would definitely try it again, but there were pros and cons. Don't let…read morethe location in the outside fool you, it's very big inside. As I was walking up, there was a guy walking out of the tae kwon do studio next-door. I asked if he ever ate there and he emphatically said "yes it's delicious." Salsa was good, but about every fourth chip was stale. El Pastor taco was very flavorful, but the meat was a little overcooked. Got two à la carte enchiladas, one cheese, one beef. The cheese was fine, the beef one had a strange taste, almost like a cleaning agent. I asked the waitress if the tamales were any good, she shrugged her shoulders, and said yes. Normally, I would take that as a no, but I read a bunch of reviews that said the tamales were good. I tried one of each. Chicken comes with green sauce, pork comes with red sauce. Both were fantastic. I would definitely return just to buy tamales. Prices are cheap, I got all this and a beer for 28 bucks.

Tacos El Norte has been a favorite of mine growing up, every time I visit town I go back here. The…read morestaff is very friendly and provide great service. Good for all party sizes and has a more casual vibe. Carne asada is a go to, I also love their quesadillas and coca cola chicken. My friend love the torpedo burrito and tacos. Best guacamole around!!

I ate here a few times decades ago! That's how long Original Tacos has been around. I stopped in…read moretoday for a carryout steak burrito, and it was great! This is a small storefront and I think the picture of this place is in the dictionary for 'hole in the wall'! It's a small restaurant in a small strip mall on Rand. Easy to drive by but if you are hungry for good Mexican, this is the place to stop at. The restaurant is clean and the service was pretty fast. I was relieved they do not put fries in the burrito!! The burrito was very tasty and all the ingredients were fresh tasting. Red and green salsa came with the burrito and they were very nice - the red had some good heat and the green had a very nice herbaceous flavor. I'll gladly eat here again!

n Chicago, raised in Southern CA--I'm so ecstatic to find legit Mexican food…read more They've got great service from calling in for pickup or dining in. The best lengua tacos I've ever had. The 2 salsitas they provide, I could chug after every bite of taco. Their tamales always fresh and hot and soo moist. I could not recommend this place enough!! We come here once a week :) All photos shared are as of May 5th.