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    Salsa 17

    3.9 (969 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 8:30 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Salsa 17 Photos

    SALSA 17 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Salsa 17

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    Enchiladas
    Marina B.

    My friend recommended this place after his recent visit and first great impression, so I decided to give it a try. The restaurant looks fantastic--the interior has a unique, authentic vibe. We wanted to sit outside, and although it was crowded, we found a spot in the alley, which turned out just fine. Service was excellent and fast. Our server, Omar, was clearly experienced and did an outstanding job. While waiting for our meals, we were served chips with a spicy salsa. Since my toddler couldn't eat anything spicy, we ordered guacamole instead--and I was pleasantly surprised to see it made fresh right at our table. Honestly, it was the best guacamole I've ever had! As for the food, everything was delicious. I ordered the Margarita La Pasión, which was rich in flavor, along with enchiladas (three in a portion, each filled with a different meat). My son chose tacos from the kids' menu with a side of rice. Everything was freshly prepared and full of taste. The prices are on the higher side, but absolutely worth it. I highly recommend this place--especially considering that I'm usually not a big fan of Mexican cuisine, and yet this restaurant left me truly impressed.

    HORCHATA AGUA
    Vince J.

    Dinner around 7PM ....downtown Arlington Heights is packed as all streets closed for alfresco dining... Seated in 3 minutes outside... Fresh guacamole made fresh tableside was AWESOME! Drinks were delicious Service was very attentive... Recommend steak quesadilla...enchiladas rojas... Will be back

    2026 menu prices
    Bruce B.

    Food very good! Service really good and ambiance.. The place was loud on a Friday yet was able to communicate with are table with no blasting music while we ate

    frozen strawberry margarita
    Will R.

    I believe we went here on a Sunday early evening. Maybe day before MLK day. Place was not full and no wait. It wasn't dead though. We went here with another couple. A few of us ordered frozen magarita's. We ordered table side guac. It was fresh and delicious as one would expect. I ordered fajitas. The other couple shared the chicken/steak fajitas. My wife ordered shrimp tacos. The food came out fairly fast. I think we had just finished our drinks. Nobody complained. Great ambience. What's funny is about a week ago someone mentioned a field near downtown AH, and I said I just went to a mexican place downtown, and he said you must be talking about Salsa 17! He loves that place too!

    Complimentary chips and salsa
    Anne Marie H.

    I had heard good things about Salsa 17 and decided to try it on a Saturday night. I arrived just after 5:30 and the place was already packed. There was a 35 minute wait for a table for three, but a number of high tops for two next to the bar area were empty. Since I was in a party of three, we grabbed three seats at the bar. Within minutes, the bar seats were all taken. This place clearly is a popular joint on a Saturday night! I highly recommend being put on the waitlist before you arrive. The bartender quickly gave us water, napkins and utensils. He also grabbed a basket of chips and salsa. Both were incredibly tasty! We started ordering the guacamole, and our meals, but the bartender said he would quickly put in our order for guacamole so we could get that right away. He then came right back to take the rest of our order. A woman with the tableside guac cart arrived just as we finished ordering our meals. She asked if we wanted mild, medium, or spicy. The guacamole was then made in front of us, was plentiful, and was absolutely delicious! (On a side note, there is a tip jar on her cart.) Once we received the guacamole, the bartender gave us extra baskets of chips and salsa. So generous! I was thrilled that Salsa 17 has an entire vegetarian section on their menu, and decided to try the Enchiladas de Hongos. When I told the bartender my order and mentioned without cheese or sour cream, he said no dairy. So I'm guessing many people come here for vegan options. Our food came out 10 or so minutes later, which was quick considering how busy this place was! As we sat eating our meals, the waiting area of the restaurant soon filled up. My meal was very tasty, and had unique flavors unlike any other Mexican restaurant I have been to. We had incredible service, the prices were reasonable, the portions were excellent, the food was absolutely delicious, and the ambiance was fun and lively. I will definitely return and can't wait to come back soon!

    Fish tacos
    Jazmin R.

    Haven't been here in years and the fish tacos are still delicious! My husband had the arrachera (steak) and it was cooked to a beautiful medium rare and juicy. We were sat right away - like that there's the option of indoor or outdoor seating. Restaurant itself is decorated with lots of colors and they had a great Spanish music playlist going.

    Mole de Pistache
    Angel A.

    I came here with some coworkers after work. Now I've been Hispanic pretty much all my life but haven't really encountered mole. Salsa 17, believe it or not, was one of my first experiences of what can be achieved in the r walk of mole. Ordered the pork with a pistachio mole. Never realized you could make mole with pistachio. I love this concept and will probably continue to order it wherever I go. But here the food was pretty good and the mole tasted great. Also, the ambiance of dining on their patio early evenings during golden hour is fantastic. It's a great spot to grab a bite to eat while hanging out in downtown Arlington heights.

    Ambience
    Khyati D.

    Love love love the food and the overall energy of this place. It's a busy place so remember to do your reservations. Lively ambiance and warm welcoming staff. The live guacamole took my heart away. The freshness and right blend of custom spices per your spice level makes it just perfect. The dips were amazing. I ordered vegetarian Tamale after reading the reviews. Personally not a favorite. I might stick to standard burrito bowl next time. No complaints though.

    Bella D.

    $$$: A bit on the pricier side. The moment we walked in, we got seated in under 5 minutes, and the service is very good. Waitress was kind and had a sense of humor, consistently brought us a restock of chips and salsa while we waited for our dishes to come. The ambiance is amazing, 10/10. Love the authentic architecture and the lighting makes it feel like we're in Mexico. Music is good and it's a pleasant place for an afternoon dinner with family or a loved one. While waiting, we noticed a worker making fresh guacamole for a huge group and all of a sudden a glove falls off the cart they were making the guacamole on. Expecting for her to put it in the trash, she puts it right back in the glove container. DISGUSTING!!! The servings are huge. 8/10 will have leftovers. We definitely did, but the food was amazing and I would highly recommend the Lamb Birria. Best out of all the things we got. I would recommend this place. Just don't get the guacamole...

    Chimichurri stake fajita
    Anna N.

    Very quickly received our food and it was delicious! So well cooked and flavorful. While pricy I have so much leftover, so multiple meals for me. Friendly and attentive staff made the experience great. The place is decorated and lively with the traditional Mexican music playing.

    Chicken Mole Poblano
    Darlene C.

    Hands down the most authentic chicken mole I've ever had. They have several levels of mole to choose from. I went with mole poblano and it did NOT disappoint. Had a great spice/chocolate combination. The presentation on the plate didn't look the best but it did not fail. Cute way of presenting the black beans too. Husband had shrimp tacos which he enjoyed. Rice was excellent had pigeon peas in it. Guacamole made right at the table great addition. Chips and salsa served as well, salsa has a smoky flavor note. Very nice atmosphere and our waitress was the sweetest and gave me extra mole to go. We will be going back absolutely!!!

    Churros and ice cream birthday dessert

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    2 months ago

    I love this place. The staff, the service, everything was amazing. The food never disappoints, and the place is so cute. Highly recommend.

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    8 months ago

    A beautiful night to sit outside, with delicious food and drinks. It was crowded which said a lot. Highly recommended.

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    3 years ago

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    7 months ago

    The food was amazing! Best Mexican food I've had in a long time. Authentic. Service was exceptional.

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    Page 1 of 25

    Salsa 17 Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Salsa 17

    Is this restaurant good with food allergies?

    I can't give you a definite answer to this but what I would encourage you to do is call the restaurant directly to see if they can accompany the food allergy.

    How do I reserve for a future date?

    As far as I know they don't take reservations but instead utilize the wait list. I would call them to verify, especially depending on the size of your party

    Do you charge any extra for using a charge card?

    Yes, but there is a fee-free ATM on site.

    Are dogs allowed at outdoor seating?

    Yes, we are very dog friendly!

    Do they take reservations at Salsa 17?

    No, but they do offer WaitList on Yelp so you can check in when you're on your way.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Kahala Koa

    4.4(33 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    This was a spur-of-the-moment choice but ended up being very fun for drinks and dinner!…read more I LOVE tiki bars and my husband noticed this one in the area near where we happened to be on Google maps, so off we went! We had about a 15 minute wait for a table but it gave us time to peruse the menu in the car. They offer many classic tiki cocktails, a page full of seasonal drinks, a page of "Designated Driver" mocktails (nice to have an option for something other than just a Shirley Temple!), Polynesian appetizers and entrees, and then Lola's Pizza. For drinks, I got the seasonal Gingerbread Painkiller and my husband got a Green Flash mocktail. (Pro tip on the seasonal drinks: check the regular cocktail menu to see how many skull and crossbones are listed under the regular version of your drink, if applicable, to see if it's a super strong one!) Mine was creamy and spicy but quite powerful. Props to our waitress, Makayla, who checked if anyone at the table was epileptic, because normally the "flash" part of my husband's drink is a strobing LED ice cube; I actually am photosensitive, so it came in the drink in non-strobe mode and just glowed an alien green. She said this was the first time it had actually paid off to ask, but I'm glad she did! The food was tasty: I ordered rumaki, an old-school appetizer of bacon-wrapped water chestnuts that you don't see very often these days, and he got loaded fries. We also got a small Lola's Pizza, which was very good, with a crisp but also chewy crust. The atmosphere here is pure tiki, with a fountain, swag lamps, bamboo, and Hawaiian-influenced Christmas music playing for the season. Lots of big groups here; everyone seemed to be having as good a time as we were! What a laid-back gem in Arlington Heights! We'll be back. Mahalo!

    Discovered this place 10 mins from me! The decor is a little too much in my opinion but great…read moredrinks and vibes. Parking is a little tight too but I parked across the street at Mugs pizza and walked over. The service and staff were great! Big menu as well, next time will try the food. The restrooms are a little small too.

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    Arlington Ale House

    Arlington Ale House

    3.3(109 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Love Arlington Ale House! Great Service, different age…read moregroups ..big screen TV to watch The sweet 16! The days they are open is limited so be sure and check their calendar. Great vintage decor!! They also have outdoor patio with TVs for the summer.

    I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience here was unacceptable…read more After waiting over an hour for service, I politely indicated to the bartender, Ally, that I believed I was next in line. She had just served the guests on either side of me and appeared to intentionally skip over me. In response to my comment, she began yelling at me and refused to serve me. When I eventually did receive a drink, she continued to shout obscenities at me while I was attempting to close my tab. In an effort to de-escalate the situation, I initially left a generous tip. She looked at it, laughed in my face, and stated, "You think I care about your tip? I'm rich from bartending here." I requested a manager multiple times. When one finally came out, no effort was made to meaningfully address the behavior. The bartender continued to leave her station to yell at me, and management allowed it to happen. As I was leaving, I asked for the owner's contact information so I could report the incident. Instead, I was given a fake business card, told to "go f*** myself," informed that I was banned, and threatened by the doorman, who said he would "beat the s*** out of me." I have been a regular customer and have brought large groups here in the past. Based on this experience, I will not be returning. The conduct displayed by both staff and management reflects a culture that tolerates hostility toward paying customers. If ownership values accountability, they should review their security footage from that evening. The treatment I received speaks for itself.

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    Arlington Ale House
    Arlington Ale House - Fun and friendly bartenders. Kurt, Devin, Katie, Perla, Aly and Sabrina.

    Fun and friendly bartenders. Kurt, Devin, Katie, Perla, Aly and Sabrina.

    Arlington Ale House - Here is a shot from the English Pub looking into the Mexican bar with pool table.

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    Here is a shot from the English Pub looking into the Mexican bar with pool table.

    Jimmy D's District

    Jimmy D's District

    3.9(99 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Our Burger Club finally made it's way to Jimmy D's back in December of 2025. It was a Monday night,…read moreand kinda cold outside. There were seven of us and we all converged from Buffalo Grove and Vernon Hills. Jimmy D's doesn't come up on your normal burger place lists in and around the area, but we saw a post somewhere and knew we had to check this place out, especially if it ended up being across from the future home of the Chicago Bears. We'd probably end up hanging out there and wanted to make sure it was a good enough place to hang and be a part of the action, whilst not paying for said action. Anyhoo, we all pulled up to find a nice parking lot next to/behind the restaurant. It's a cool place with a couple entrances (one in the lot and the other from the street). It's a nicely adorned building and has the requisite sports decor on the inside with plenty of televisions to watch many games at once. There was plenty of seating for our group as it was quite empty on a Monday night and there wasn't any game of note when we were there. We called ahead letting them know our numbers and they accommodated us with a reserved table. They were attentive and constantly refilled out waters and sodas and brought more beer when needed/requested. The service was friendly and attentive. We were there for the burgers of which there are four options: the House burger, the Fried Egg Burger, the Mac Daddy, and a Black Bean burger. However, stipulations for being in our club is that you can only order a red meat-based burger. We did order the buffalo sauced wings as an appetizer to share. They were sauced nicely, not too hot, and quite good. I would definitely recommend getting them if you visit. I also ordered the cream of chicken soup. It was a perfect option for the cold night and I rank it among one of the better cream of chicken soup options in the suburbs. While not a sommelier of cream of chicken soup, I do rank it quite well: I think it matches Jameson's Char House for quality, thickness, and flavor. Mama clearly knows what she's doing with her soup. I opted for the Mac Daddy burger. It's prepared with: black angus beef, boom boom sauce, house mac n' cheese, bacon, fried onions, sliced jalapeños, toasted brioche. I normally don't opt for the special/signature house sauces as I've been burned before by these so-called "recommended" house sauces (I'm looking at you, Lucky Burger, with your terrible "dijonnaise" sauce - ugh, don't get me started on THAT sauce). However, I was told it's a hot sauce for the burger and figured it wouldn't overpower everything else on the burger. The mac n' cheese was a tad creamy, but so what, the bacon, fried onions, jalapenos, and boom boom sauce cut into the creaminess a bit and it worked. And it didn't overpower the flavor of the burger, which I thought it would, but somehow didn't. I really liked this burger, the bun held up, the bacon stayed crispy, and jalapenos and sauce added a nice kick but not overwhelmingly so. I would get this again. The sandwiches come with housemade fries or tots, but I know that if tots are offered, you can (generally) never go wrong with tots (I'd point out Puck's Pub but they closed and did the world a favor in doing so). Everyone generally liked their burgers and would return again. In our 5 point scale, Jimmy D's District got a 4.25. They have a nice brunch menu and drinks to match and I want to try them out someday. Let me know if you're going and I'll meet ya there if available.

    At the bar, during the 4-6pm hours, they reserve 25% of their bar seats for regulars. They didn't…read morehave anyone show up until 5:15, a cute lady who I believe ordered a water. Nobody else showed up between 4-5:30. I asked what the policy was, the bartender didn't want to engage in this conversation. It's rather insulting that others can't sit in the reserved seats and then they don't show up. Horrible policy! Needs to change.

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    Jimmy D's District - Inside Jimmy D's District. Sport Bar . Cool!  1718 W Nw Hwy, Arlington Heights, IL

    Inside Jimmy D's District. Sport Bar . Cool! 1718 W Nw Hwy, Arlington Heights, IL

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    Eddie's of Arlington - Quesadilla with a side of chips

    Eddie's of Arlington

    3.7(148 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    Hands down my favorite pub in Arlington Heights! The atmosphere is exactly what a local spot should…read morebe. A huge shout-out to Dan and Mikaela behind the bar--they are fast, friendly, and always make you feel welcome the second you walk in. Our waitress Kelsey was also fantastic; she's incredibly attentive and kept the drinks and food coming without a hitch. If you want great service and a chill vibe, this is the place. Even when the place is slammed, Dan and Mikaela never let a glass go empty, and Kelsey is incredible at managing the floor without ever making you feel rushed.

    Our first visit to Eddies (spoilers alert) and we are not ever coming back!…read moreOn to the review Our family heard how wonderful the fish was on Fridays at Eddie's. So we had out of state guests coming in and we all decided on a Friday fish dinner. We call early in the week for reservations for eight plus a child. We called again at 3 pm to confirm our 4pm reservation. They said to get in early about 4 pm because it gets wild at 430. So we arrived at 4 and the bar tender told us of the side room of the bar area. We went into the side room and nothing was set up for a table for eight plus a child. What I presumed an employee came in and set the table up. Several minutes later the bartender came in and said the server was on the way in and should arrive shortly. OK (not) the manager comes in and said you guys don't belong in here and need to leave. She asked who set up the table and the bartender is in tears. I said 1st of we did not set up the table your male employee did. She said we do not have any make employees. Ok I can't do anything about the bartender crying so why are you telling us this. So the eight of us got up only to find not one table for eight was set up in the bar area. Sad ...... So Our out of town guest one a foot surgical foot boot and me carrying my young grandchild walk out is total disbelief. (SHOCKER) We walked a quarter of a mile and had an excellent meal at Mago Grill at 115 Campell Street. The manager at Mago said thanks for coming and I said thank the manager at Eddie's. I highly suggest if you make reservations at Eddie's have a back up plan. The only reason they got a one star rating is because 0 or less was not an option.

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    Gatsby's Pizza & Pub - Cheese Curds

    Gatsby's Pizza & Pub

    3.6(171 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Quite a marvelous discovery in the local AH area. I ended up here for the first time last fall…read morewhilst looking for a place to catch a cubs playoff game with my girlfriend. Gatsby's was a short drive away so it seemed worth checking out. The main parking lot was full by the time we arrived, but I suppose thats a good thing. At first look, the inside definitely checked the boxes of a local establishment. Sports memorabilia, photographs, neon signs, etc. It did take a little bit to be greeted, but honestly I forgot pretty quickly since I was focused on the ball game and because our server was really friendly. I wish I could remember his name, but he defintly made night go smoothly. The food/drinks came out at seemingly reasonable pace for as busy as it was. We didn't really venture too much into the menu since we were there mostly for the game. I got a few apps to try from their big menu. They have quite few things to try from. The french fries were good. Nothing special, but they came hot and just right. I got some mozz sticks that were good also, again nothing else to write home. The marina was a great pairing for sure. The highlight though was for sure the cheese curds. They were succulent and very delicious. Classic Wisconsin curds friend to golden perfection. The cherry on top was the homemade ranch. Oh man, was that perfect! I went a second time about a month (ish) later, this time with a friend to catch a hawks game. Again, we were both pleased with the overall service and felt they had great consistency. This time, I tried a thin crust pizza, while my friend had the Texas BBQ Burger & Saganaki. I quit enjoyed the pie. It was pretty good quality for a bar pizza. Crust and flavor was excellent. My friend seemed to like his burger and appetizer, though he didn't finish it all. Truly an awesome place to hang at. I hope to back soon to try some more things.

    Good pizza and cool area for casual meet ups. The pizza is thin and fulfilling. Friendly staff and…read moreworth a try.

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    Gatsby's Pizza & Pub - Gatsby's  Pizza & Pub . Sport Bar etc.  427 E Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, IL

    Gatsby's Pizza & Pub . Sport Bar etc. 427 E Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, IL

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    Salsa 17 - mexican - Updated June 2026

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