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    La Esmeralda

    4.9 (9 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    2 months ago

    Best authentic Mexican food at great prices, well worth the trip on the price savings alone

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    11 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Mmmm Mmmm Great tacos!! A Must place to eat! It's a place ya just gotta go!! That is if you like tacos!!

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    3 years ago

    I cannot put words to how good this restaurant is. La esmeralda puts any mexican restaurant to shame. Very authentic and simple style inside

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food is some of the best I've had. I get this everytime I'm in town, if not multiple times!

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    The Polo Room - Prohibition thin crust pizza freshly cut right in front of you!

    The Polo Room

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $

    Delicious food great atmosphere and friendly staff what more can you ask for!!…read more They have a variety of pizzas from illuminati's to a variety of thin crust pizza that I'm sure to meet anyone's taste! I ordered the prohibition pizza which had sausage pepperoni peppers and onions and it was delicious. They have events sometimes open my karaoke comedy as well as two pool tables and the ambience is on point; it's more than a bar it's the Polo Room and it's special and that's why I recognize it so come on take a visit and enjoy the ambience the food the friendly staff and enjoy yourself!!

    My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner at The Polo Room and were so pleased with how everything…read moreturned out. The food was excellent and plentiful, plus the staff was very attentive, always asking if we needed anything more; they even packed up the leftovers and sent them home with us. Their chicken strips were huge and their hamburgers were homemade, half pound burgers. Make no mistake, the room is certainly nothing fancy but it was decorated nicely. Most importantly, the price was beyond reasonable! I would highly recommend The Polo Room for a good meal or for any event you are planning.

    Photos
    The Polo Room - A special dish sometimes to served every day that they're open and they always have a variety of pizza from illuminati's to thin crust.

    A special dish sometimes to served every day that they're open and they always have a variety of pizza from illuminati's to thin crust.

    The Polo Room - Thin crust prohibition pizza like a supreme very delicious.

    Thin crust prohibition pizza like a supreme very delicious.

    The Polo Room - Video Gaming!  Feeling Lucky?

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    Video Gaming! Feeling Lucky?

    La Familia - Chips and Salsa

    La Familia

    4.5(72 reviews)
    15.4 mi
    $$

    Family Mexican restaurant. The service was excellent but be forewarned (grand)pop is a comedian and…read morelikes to joke around in a warm, friendly, and comedian way. I bet he watches a lot of Billy Crystal movies. Food came with homemade salsa and chips appetizer (in store dining) which paired well with the good food. He even brought us a free cup of soup because we were new. We were dining with someone who is celiac, and glad they were able to discuss menu and accommodate and make gluten-free meal without celiac diner getting sick later (which other restaurants refused outright). Ambience is a family restaurant. We will return for the cozy sit down family experience. Please note they are open Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sunday and Monday.

    When it comes to a place like this, which is clearly a family-run "mom-and-pop" shop, I want to be…read morea little more lenient. I recognize they are operating in a different environment, especially being over two hours away from the competition found in Chicago. In any case, I found myself hungry in Rock Falls, so I stopped in at La Familia. I had the opportunity to try a carnitas taco, an al pastor taco, and a tamale. I also ordered an horchata to drink. The food was a mixed bag, but with some notable high points. The highlight of the meal was the tamale. The exterior was soft and flavorful, and the interior was appropriately meaty with a good, mild flavor. I believe this was my first experience with a tamale, and it was an enjoyable one at that. For the tacos, I appreciated that the proteins, onion, and cilantro were all in balance and that they didn't skimp on the meat. I am a traditionalist and asked for my tacos with just onion and cilantro, rather than their standard of lettuce, tomato, and cheese. While the meat had a mild flavor and wasn't completely bland, it needed something more to stand on its own. To be fair, there is salsa, lime, and two varieties of El Yucateco hot sauce available. However, being the purist I am, it is my belief that food should be able to stand alone without condiments. That said, with these tacos, it felt like something was lacking--perhaps sauce, crema, or pineapple with the al pastor. I'd also like to call out the complimentary chips and salsa offered at the beginning of the meal. I loved that the salsa was served in a little spouted container and that the tortilla chips were clearly homemade. They were a bit unusual, with layers flaking off (not a bad thing, just not often seen in restaurants). I also liked that they had a little bit of salt... far too many places skip that, and how can you skip the salt? My horchata was an absolute delight with great flavor. It was a tad sweet for my taste, but that's more a matter of personal preference than a technical issue. The service was a major highlight. It was very kind, knowledgeable, and attentive. The staff was also quick and efficient. Final Verdict: La Familia is very solid and respectable as a family-run, home-cooking-style restaurant. While to be 100% honest it doesn't hold a candle to some of the things you might find in downtown Chicago, Pilsen, or Cicero, that isn't the expectation. With this in mind, it does its job well. While I'm not going to come all the way back to Rock Falls just to eat here, when I find myself in town, I can't say I would be totally against it.

    Photos
    La Familia - Carnitas taco (front) Al Pastor Taco (back). Requested w onion & cilantro. Tamale

    Carnitas taco (front) Al Pastor Taco (back). Requested w onion & cilantro. Tamale

    La Familia
    La Familia - But large enough for your entire group/family.

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    But large enough for your entire group/family.

    Las Palmas - Burrito Dixon

    Las Palmas

    2.7(53 reviews)
    12.1 mi
    $

    My wife and I have been coming here for Fajitas for 2 years so this is not an off the cuff "I'm…read moremad" review. The food quality has been going down over the last 3-4 months but last night there was no seasoning on any of the meat. My wife's chicken fajitas looked like 3 or 4 servings on the plate but was almost nothing but green peppers. I had the Texas Fajitas and had very few peppers and no onions at all. The shrimp was severely overcooked. The attention to detail was definitely lacking last night. Hopefully they get their "poop in a group" so we don't have to leave town for Fajitas!

    I typically don't write reviews, but this restaurant was unprofessional. This was my first time…read morethere, and I will not be back to this establishment. The food was very poor for the price. Our waiter would not acknowledge my girlfriend unless it was to take her order. The Illinois card fee is supposed to be 3.25%, but that is not what they're doing there. Originally, our bill came out to $41.08 after tax, but there was a card option for $47.34 and a cash option for $45.97. Why are they charging an extra fee for cash? Anyway, 3.25% of $41.08 comes out to $1.35, so my total should have been $42.42. Instead, I was charged $47.34. I chose to leave instead of arguing with the staff member. After leaving, I did the calculations and realized they charged me a 15.25% card fee. I never carry cash, so I used my card. When I asked about the markup, I was denied an answer and kept getting cut off while trying to speak. The employee I spoke with kept saying, "it's just a few bucks," over and over again. This establishment sucks. They're ripping their customers off for horrible food.

    Photos
    Las Palmas - Menu

    Menu

    Las Palmas - Menu

    Menu

    Las Palmas - Fajita

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    Fajita

    La Esmeralda - mexican - Updated July 2026

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