I LOVE this place ! Chilaquiles verdes with Cesina are my favorite breakfast item. Their oyster shooters are delicious, the snapper in diabla sauce is one of my favorite dishes. I also recommend the shrimp Ceviche tostadas. Service has always been great, they greet us immediately with chips and salsa. I've never had a bad experience here. The music is always good, and their drinks are great! read more

very dirty very close to others the bathrooms are nasty, we wait for food over a hour Very Disgusting read more

See all

Mexican cuisine does homage to seafood and La Presa does it right. This Mexican restaurant is not your typical Tex-Mex restaurant. However, if you insist on having it they do have it on the menu. However, if you do order Tex-Mex, know that you are losing out on the best seafood in the Chicago land area. I would even make the argument that the seafood serve here rivals the seafood served at Bob Chins. We came here with a party of ten so we were able to order and sample ten different seafood entres. The grilled fish was nicely flavored but not overly spiced, the crab legs were done just right, the fried whole fish was crunchy-and moist inside. Even the imitation cubed crab meat was to die for. The sides of rice and beans, yucca and grilled cactus are not so bad but they do take a back seat to the glorious seafood. read more

See all

Great authentic Mexican food with decent prices & super casual. My fiance & I shared the half steak/half pork burrito with a basket of chips & salsa. It was filling. Will be returning :) read more

Decent to great food, depending on who is in the kitchen that day. It's a shame they aren't more consistent. Friendly service. It's a shame they sometimes alter credit card slips to inflate their tips. Standard taqueria interior, but many surfaces are grimy. It's a shame they're not cleaner. Go here when you want to live dangerously. read more

I went here with a co-worker & came back for lunch the next two days. I ordered a steak burrito & an iced tea. The iced tea was just a regular iced tea no complaints there & the steak burrito was awesome. They give you chips & three different kinds of salsa. Two red salsas & one green salsa. The red salsas are spicier which I liked a lot & the green salsa was kind of a guacamole salsa. All of the salsas were delicious & the chips were pretty good as well. The servers were pretty good for the most part just not to talkative. I also ordered food to go & it sat at the front counter for 10 minutes before I realized I was supposed to pick it up at the counter & that they weren't going to bring it to my table. Other than that everything was very good. Overall the food was awesome, the service was not bad & the place was clean. I would eat here again. read more

La Presa - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Three salsa sauces: Spicy, Fire and Blow your Mind!!! No fountain drinks, but all sweet drinks are the Mexican ones with real sugar. Caso Fondtio was to say the least AWESOME!!! Steak and Enchiladas was HOLY $H!T CRAZY GOOD. The steak fajitas were really awesome!!! read more

See all

I would give this place four stars if the review were for the food only, but the service and atmosphere of the restaurant brought the rating down to a three. I entered the restaurant with a friend and it looked pretty authentic. However, the restaurant itself was pretty drab and the bathrooms were not very clean. The kitchen is open, so that made me feel a little bit better about the cleanliness of the restaurant. I ordered a carne asada torta which was awesome. I asked if any of the tortas were spicy and the waiter said no. I like spicy and this sandwich was spicy...it had slices of jalapeno in it! It was delicious. I also had the pico de gallo which was really spicy as well. The chips could have used some salt. read more

There are a few things on this menu that I can't get enough of. The combination fajitas is one of those things. Steak, chicken, & shrimp nicely grilled with peppers and onions. There is no heavy sauce or overly strong flavors. It's a very clean & fresh mix, just add any or all of the hot sauces they serve and it's complete. I prefer flour tortillas over corn and again they make them better. How? They throw them on the grill a bit which really brings out the flavor. This is the only place I know that does it. I have to say LaPresa has some of the best hot sauces I've ever had! Not just heat but unique flavors for each one, mild, medium, & hot. If you dine in you will get a sample of all three with chips. The tacos here are great as well. I had 3 steak with everything, that will include onions,cilantro, lettuce, & tomato. Purists may opt to skip the lettuce & tomato. Regardless it was very good. The steak pieces are small bits that are lightly charred. It eats great! This last time I also tried the langostino or crayfish grilled in a spicy garlicky sauce. These are cut in half, grilled and mixed into the sauce. You have to get messy here. Pick one up, split the tail from the body, suck the sauce from the body, eat the tail meat from the shell, & lick your fingers... It's goooood! I thinks it's a good addition to an entree. It's a strong sauce so it's good to have something else to eat along side it. I have to mention the 1.2L bottle of Victoria that is served in its own ice bed! Love it! I've been coming here for a few years along side Mexico Uno in downtown Palatine. Between the two you should be pretty satisfied with the Mexican fix in this area. You just need to try things and pick the best from each spot. read more

See all

This place is kind of hit or miss for us. The prices are pretty typical of traditional Mexican, so I'm not up in arms about that. My husband and I have carried out from here a couple of times, and each time we either love it or wish we went somewhere else. Today it was the latter. I had a chimichanga, which was just okay. Last time I had tacos al pastor, which were rich and very satisfying. So I guess you never know, but I'll definitely keep working my way through the menu! Oh... and beware the box full of raw jalapeños! I mean, the pico de gallo. read more

La Presa - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Came here for the first time after reading Yelp reviews, and boy am I glad I did! The waitresses were super nice offering suggestions on things to try. I got the steak taco dinner and it was delicious. The steak was great and I loved the refried beans. My daughter got chicken tacos, son in-law got tongue tacos and my wife got fish tacos and they were all satisfied with their food. Great fresh made guacamole with a very large portion for the price. I will definitely be going back to tis place. read more

La Presa - Order Counter. They have a lot of beverage choices! - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

For a taco place this is 5/5. I'm comparing this to other taco joints not places like Carnivale, Sunda, and Mortons. My food came out super quick that I love. The chips were still warm and fresh. Tons of steak on my steak tacos. Horchata glass is 20 oz for 2.25-great deal Horchata is delicious Pretty standard prices for the food Really clean and neat dining area I am extremely Americanized but each item on the menu was in Spanish and English. They have avocados if you ask. And they are free if you ask for them in the tacos. It cost extra for a side of them. I thought they opened later but I came closing time so they were putting chairs up and stuff. That's my fault I guess. read more

La Presa - Delicious salsas-automatically comes with free chips if you eat in - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

I tried it for the first (and last) time and i was highly disappointed after being recommended by a close friend of mine. My food looked like it was over cooked. They don't have a dessert selection and my dads dish was done wrong. Only one server for the night, and I could hear all the conversations from the "cooks". Definitely not coming back. read more

if I could give them 0 stars I would. we had 2 steak chimis and they were disgusting! the steak tasted old n close to being rancid. I fear a near future bout of food poisoning is possible. the service was so bad we didn't tip. the server stood n talked to another table while we sat n waited for our bill. I would NEVER recommend this place! YUCK. n $19 for each dinner? wow read more

Came here with the family this past week for lunch. We didn't want fast food and we're in the neighborhood checking out cars. I ordered two kids meals - two fish tacos and quesadilla w/rice and beans. Also ordered a torta de pollo milanesa, fish and shrimp tacos, agua de horchata and bottle of Mexican coke. Everything was pretty good and flavorful. We sat outside as there was ample tables set up. Service was good considering one waitress serving dine-in patrons. I recommend if you're on this side of town and seeking reasonably priced, authentic eats. read more

Delicious! By far, THE best fish ceviche I've had at a suburban Mexican restaurant in a while, served in a giant platter - perfect if you're on the Beachbody or on a low carb diet, (They also offer a shrimp ceviche, but the fish version - tilapia, is what the waitress recommended.) served with saltines or tostadas. I ate it without. Both options were $13.99. Hubby had the tampequeña - perfect salt/pepper flavor, though the giant chile we could have done without. Son had the 3 steak taco dinner, also delicious - $7.99. Huge menu. Over 140 different combination platters and dinners. Chips and 3 types of salsas from medium to hot. The green salsa still had heat, so I won't call it mild. They have a decent beer selection and offer cocktails as well. I rate the food, not the locale, really. This place needs upkeep, but it's clean. Will definitely be back. read more

See all

Pretty decent. Wanted the grilled red snapper that was on the menu but apparently they only offer it fried... But the fried one was also delicious. Huge portion but the price is on the high end for $25.99. Would be nice if the dish included beans and another side besides rice and lettuce salad. The shrimp cocktail flavor wasn't the best but the good part is the shrimp was devined. read more

See all

Let's start with the salsa. I have never been to a taco place that has a salsa almost as good as the one my mom makes. This salsa is actually hot! I'm talking runny nose hot. The tacos are cooked to perfection. The micheladas are bomb. They even have La Rosa De Guadalupe playing on the TV. If you're thinking of going to Salsa Street down the street DON'T! Turn around and come to La Presa. read more

See all

I read the other reviews and after reading their 'concerns', I actually became even more intrigued by this place. I just moved here from Chicago and not only love trying new Mexican places, but also like to try and cook it. Hate to say it, but most WHITE people have no clue as to what real Mexican food is....complaining about it being too spicy, or the atmosphere not to their liking. Yes, they have Telemundo Spanish channel on the TVs in here. Yes, most of the patrons are of Latin descent (a very good sign, actually). And the food is delicious. The al pastor is to die for...probably the best I've had. They also bring out 3 different salsas/hot sauces with chips. Slow service....I haven't experienced this and I've been here 3 times already. If you want something more Americanized (i.e. slathered with cheese, sour cream, and zero flavor), then go hit up Chili's or Chipotle. read more

The Mexican seafood is solid here. I love their tacos as well. I usually get a variation of 4-5 tacos and my fiancée gets some combination seafood plate of shrimp, fish and/or steak. We usually stick to their margaritas for drinks. On weekends, they usually have a singer performing or karaoke. If you want to enjoy a quiet night out, go during the weekday. The only downside to this place is that they close early during the weekdays around 10 pm. Love this place! read more

The place is a hole. Interior, cleanless, attitude of the personal are just few things which can make you loose your appetite. They have few good items on the menu, but they can always find the way to make you feel uncomfortable, like they granted you a favor serving you, and not to enjoy your meal. My "favorite" is turning volume of the music up, to the point that you can't talk to anybody and just have to leave. Will never go back there, even if have to starve to death. read more

The prices are pretty high for a Mexican restaurant. The building is dumpy and I have never seen a worse/more gross toilet seat. My burritto Suizo was Huge (too big) and the red sauce on top I thought was too spicy. The waitress was nice, but I don't think we will be back here. They do have a drive thru. read more

If you lowered your prices you would get more customers. I mean this is not Barrington it's Palatine and mostly blue collar people working minimum wage. Your lot is always empty and in this area you could be booming! Offer some tacos that the people who live around here including myself can afford. Not everyone can afford seafood so until you offer food for everyone I will go down the street. Tried there steak burrito it's nothing special and not that large to be priced in such a way. Seems your trying to make up for slow business by gauging the few customers who come in. read more

Dropped in for lunch, ordered a burrito to go. The hostess was very friendly, she took my order and my food was ready in 10 minutes. I ordered a steak burrito with everything the green salsa that they gave was the best. I love going to Mexican restaurants to try out their food and compare it to others since it is my favorite type of food. I also looked at their menu and the drinks looked amazing plus they a have a variety of seafood. If I am ever in the area I will drop in again. read more

Best Mexican food i have ever had. Period. Nothing is fancy about this place. It's just a no nonsense great tasting inexpensive not so common Mexican food. I cannot believe I've been passing this place for years, and haven't stopped in just because it looked like another "burrito joint". read more

La Presa - Bass - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Went there for lunch, first time. Very clean, nice big tables, bright, jukebox in the back. The restaurant is nicer and more specious than it appears on the outside. Service is fast and prompt, little trouble understanding the waitress. She brought chips and 3 different kinds of VERY hot salsa. I had a lick or too, good. Menu has variety of tasty options, fish is on the menu too. Our food was ready in 10 minutes after ordering, nice big plate nicely decorated, food was up to temp, lettuce was cold and meat was warm like supposed to. I would come back. read more

This place is awesome I had taste for authentic Mexican good on the 4th of July came here and ordered take out great tacos homemade tortillas the salsa was exquisite naturally homemade tripitas chicharron lengua all delicacy loved all of them definitely gonna spread the word I work in palatine I'll be back here again read more

Not too big restaurant very authentic Mexican seafood menu and atmosphere, I ordered the filet al mojo de ajo ( fish filet w garlic sauce) very tasty. My hubby ordered 3 tacos and they were good. Next time, we'll try the seafood dishes. Look promising. read more

La Presa - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Worst customer service evahhh!!!! It took them 30 mins to realized that I needed service. And that's because I said "yoooo can I get a menu?" Their seafood prices are overly charged specially on the langostinos, 12 shrimp for almost 30 $. Are you kidding me, who fished them ? Jesus ? Anyways apart from the bad service. Its not even a restaurant anymore it's a dam hoochie bar. Can't even bring your kids because other customers are drunk and loud and using profane language. And play loud narco music. The waitresses were wearing dirty clothes as if they were the chefs cooking in the kitchen which I don't doubt cause the food was trash. If you order a sea food hot tray they add more sea food mix then anything else with just one crab leg three big jumbo shrimp and two mussels. If you want to get drunk and do cocaine, this is the place to go. But for food it's a big No! You're bette off going to Mc Donald's next door. read more

I've had a craving for authentic tacos for quite a while now, so when I passed by La Presa, I decided it was worth trying. My dad and I each got the taco dinner with a variety of different meats, wanting to try as many as possible. Service up to this point was good, but it went downhill from here. It took quite a while to get our food, and even longer to get our bill. I wasn't in too much of a hurry, but I don't think I'd plan on doing a quick meal here. The chips and salsas/dips were good, but very spicy. I really liked the flavors, but I could only eat a little of each. Not bad, just not my thing. As for the tacos, I guess I made a mistake. When we ordered, we were asked if we wanted everything on the tacos. I should have asked what "everything" meant. I just wanted onion/cilantro, but we ended up getting our tacos with lettuce, cheese, and tomato as well. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was looking for. Out of all the tacos we tried, al pastor was my favorite. Asada was good, but it was a single slice the size of the tortillas, so I thought it could use a little more meat. Lengua was very tender, but didn't have much flavor. Also tried the fish, smoked beef, and ground beef, but none really stood out to me. I'll be honest, the overall experience could have been better, but I'm writing the bad parts off as a learning experience. Some of tacos we tried were very good, and there's still other meats that I want to try. The price was decent, so I'd definitely be willing to come back. read more

Fresh, home-made sopes. Nuff said... I guess you need to say more or you can't post. Just moved from California where I know what place makes good cabeza tacos and where to go for pastor burritos. Been looking for a legit Mexican joint and I have found one. Little taste of home. read more

Great authentic neighborhood restaurant. Food is very flavorful and the selection cant be beat! Salsas were all great and food was delicious! Hidden gem. read more

I only went once today to get ceviche. It was fantastic. Huge portion and the togo pack had 3 salsas crackers fresh limes and crispy tortillas. Yes it is small and dingy but exactly what I wanted. Next time I will do the fish. Can't wait. read more

Didn't try it, but the burrito at $6.75 was the cheapest thing on the menu. Seriously though.... $9.99 for taquitos with rice and beans? Need to rethink those prices. Got chips and salsa before my meal, always a nice feature. The chips were straight outta the bag. The salsas were home made and quite good. I tried the huaraches pastor ... DAMN good, I was really surprised. The pastor was really heavily flavored and the whole thing was smokin hot off the grill with a blop of sour cream and guac on top. Couldn't finish it. Soft drinks are served by the can. I think this place could be great if they got the pricing right. read more

Had an urge for a steak burrito, so I used the drive up window, she took my order. Waiting, waiting, then all of a sudden just like in another country, a girl opens the drive up window, and tosses a small pale of water out the window to the side of the building. All most hit my car. I said thankful for the tire wash. All kidding aside, the meal was good. Had to laugh, great circus with the water trick. read more

Dropped by on a whim on a Monday morning with a friend shortly after the place opened for the day. I would have never noticed this place if I hadn't stopped in the bank building nearby! The place seemed pretty authentic to me, although I wasn't too thrilled with the prices. Since it was rather early in the morning and my wallet was rather empty, I didn't order my usual Mexican food. I just had chips and Pico de Gallo to go. I snacked on this the rest of the day. It was addictive!! The Pico de Gallo had the perfect spiciness and the chips were delicious on their own or dipped. The reason for the three-star rating? The place was good but there was nothing that impressed me enough to make me come back. read more

Great seafood options but the chicken was delicious and I love their tacos. Gotta try the steak ones! I paired the food with a michelada and it perfected everything. I would add a little Worchester sauce to it though. Everything was great. Great service too! read more

See all

Went here for lunch on a Sunday since I had to work that day and it is close. I had the #1 combo - taco, chile relleno and - well crap, I can't remember the other item. Seemed like it came right out of the microwave. Nachos and salsa were ok. There were 2 tomato based salsas (1 hot, the other milder) and a guacamole type substance for the third. The guacamole tasted like the genuine imitation guacamole you can get in the cooler section at the grocery store. Everything on the combo was pretty good. Not the best I've had, but it was ok. The waitress was pretty good other than at the end I had to go to the register to get my check. Not a huge issue for me though. I may go back again but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to eat there. read more

Their food is excellent, I recommend trying their al pastor sopes or their al pastor tacos. The sopes are a little messy if you do not mind picking it up; but you can also use a fork and knife. Their salsas are all good, some are a little spicer than others. Oh and definitely try out their karaoke machine; the music makes you feel like you are at a Hispanic party. Oh and grab a beer if you have some free time. read more

I would give it zero if I could , this place Sucksssss and food is not that great . So small and cramped . Employees even more trash .