I don't live close to Yerba, but I will go out of my way for their incredible food and innovative menu items. They're not just a traditional Mexican restaurant, they also invent some wonderful cuisine! I am the type of person who loves to order "the usual" when I go places, but I find myself encouraged to try different concoctions when I visit. I am never disappointed. The atmosphere is fun, and the upstairs has a nice ambience, as well as a beautiful outside patio facing the street of downtown. THE BEST PART of all of this, is that I eat low carb, and sometimes it can be difficult eating out but Yerbabuena is amazing at accommodating my eating habits! I can go out to dine, eat well, and STILL be on track! I greatly appreciate that. The staff is wonderful, kind, patient, and friendly. I always feel welcome and am happy to walk into their establishment. I highly suggest you come at here to find out for yourself how great this place is. It's wonderful for the most picky eaters, to the most adventurous foodies. read more

Here on Cinco de Mayo and service is great, except when I received my food, I had a hair on my plate, the food runner that delivered the food , I called him over and asked if it was hair or cheese and he said hair, grabbed the hair laughed and walked away!!! Wtf!! Will never be back! read more

First time trying this local restaurant. The place seems upscale. We ordered the scallops appetizer and it was overcooked. The excuse was , "they are really busy today". The carnitas was ok, the steak alambres is not in the bbq stick as it should be. We asked about the different flavors of Margaritas in the bar but the server, Olga, doesn't seem knowledgeable. She just said they are all plain margaritas, when obviously they are not. The service was poor, Olga didn't even asked us how's our food, didn't even check the whole time. Yerbabuena, even if your restaurant looks nice, if the food and service is poor, then it's not good. Will never come back and will not recommend. Please train your servers to have good customer service!!! read more

So despite what the home page says, there is no breakfast or brunch on a Saturday. Disappointing start. The hostess was on the phone so we finally seated ourselves and when asked, she was oblivious to any breakfast or brunch options. Chips and salsa unremarkable, heavy on the cilantro. I had a cup of tortilla soup. Again, unremarkable. Cheap white rice in a salty broth with chunks of avocado, two tortilla chips. Meh. The decor is so cute but we won't be back. read more

Yerbabuena - Tortilla soup - Mexican Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Such a great spot in Lisle with BOMB Mexican food and amazing margaritas!!! Jose is the BEST waiter. We have been coming and requesting his section for years now. He always recommends the smoothest tequila, knows to sub the brown beans with the black beans for my dad, and knows exactly what we want! He's the absolute best. Came in a year later tonight, after not dining in because of the pandemic, and Jose still remembered us. Outstanding customer service as always read more

We have visited Yerbabuena many times in the past. The food is amazing and so are the Margaritas. However, the poor service received today was absolutely unacceptable. Our server Roberto was unprofessional, rude and even called us liars because we consumed 2 margaritas and he claims we had three. We advised the host we will never be back nor recommend to business associates. read more

I love Mexican food, and while there are an abundance of taquerias and sit-down places alike in Chicagoland, we've been searching out a very specific type of Mexican restaurant: close by, sit-down, some atmosphere, great food, decent prices. Doesn't have to be 100% authentic, but should show some creativity. Yerbabuena is pretty close to ideal, I have to say. Downtown Lisle is a cute little stretch just a block off Rt 53 - and Yerbabuena has a hopping patio this time of year, though we opted to sit inside. The decor is great, lots of purpley-blue and cool fixtures, not a screaming cheesy mariachi look at all. It's homey and cool at the same time. Chips and salsa were provided promptly, and in fact we were offered many refills; there seemed to be a dedicated guy walking around with chips. The salsa was fresh and flavorful, though it had no heat whatsoever (which I understand may appeal to some, but a diced chile could go a long way). I ordered carnitas tacos off the specials menu and my husband got flautas, two beef and two chicken. My tacos came dressed with cheese and guacamole and a side of pinto beans and rice. The pinto beans were definitely homemade and delicious; the rice was nothing special (side note: every Latino person I've ever known has made amazing rice ... why is almost all Mexican restaurant rice bland and boring?). The tacos were tasty with very tender chunks of pork. Husband enjoyed his flautas and while our first water refill was a bit slow coming, the waitress picked it up a bit after that. Tiny little nitpicky thing -- and it might even be just me: the carnitas were perfectly cooked and tasty. But a little lime juice and a touch of salt would've put them over the edge. How about a lime wedge or two on the side? And the salsa -- also clearly made well, but the tiniest bit of heat would've made it really good. I like this place, and I think we'll be back, but I wish the food had wowed me instead of simply being "pretty good." A few small tweaks and I'd be raving. read more

Just had the worst customer service experience. Was at local business having a cup of coffee and decided to go to restaurant to pick up shrimp quesadilla appetizer. looked at online menu, it said $9.95. Girl rang me up for $12.07. I said it should be $9.95. She said prices went up. I said I got price from website. She said do you have a menu. I said no, she handed me bag with a menu in it. I Left, then looked at menu, it said $9.95. Went back, she got manager/owner. He said prices went up and showed me a different to go menu and restaurant menu with higher price. I said the $9.95 is the published price online and on the menu she gave me. I would like the difference back. He would not refund the difference. The $2 difference will not break me, but he just lost a customer over terrible customer service L read more

Very disappointed in this restaurant. I went the other day with two friends. From the moment we sat down, the waiter kept coming over asking us for our order. We ordered our food and it came quite fast. The food itself and the plate size has shrunk. As soon as we were finished the waiter started clearing our table, making us feel rushed. After one hour and 15 minutes, the manager came over and asked if we had paid. Since we had, she asked if we could vacate our table because they were getting backed up. It was not a nice evening. I will never come back. I love El Gran Agave on Maple Ave in Lisle and they will be getting all my business read more

Surprisingly above-mediocre mexicano cuisine in the soulless heart of Lisle. We had a nice family dinner at Yerbabuena tonight. Ever since moving out to Lisle I've noticed a lack of quality ethnic joints and while Yerbabuena is pricier than perhaps it should be, it's still very good. I liken the food to a half-step or so down from Uncle Julio's Hacienda but still very, very tasty and not quite as pricey. My wife and I got separate combo plates, mine the Allende Combo and hers the namesake Yerbabuena Combo. The Allenda comes with a cheese chile relleno, chicken enchilada suiza and a crispy beef taco. My wife's had one beef taco, a chicken tostada and a cheese enchilada. For a little more than $10 per, I found them overpriced but very good. We both agree their cheese enchiladas were dynamite, delicious and well cooked. I found the beef taco to be homecooked fare, nothing to Yelp about but the highlight of my plate was the chile relleno. It had the perfect amount of cheese and was fried to perfection. The service was excellent. Our son was being a little crabby but we never got nasty looks from the staff and they were very good about getting us refills on our beverages. The servers were pleasant and accommodating. All in all Yerbabuena is good food as long as you have the extra scratch. read more

Just moved to the area A friend from Tucson said this place was pretty good ----- It was terrible -no ---it was horrible Just looked like Mercian food but tasted American --bland no Mexican seasonings too lazy to even put a spoon of guacamole on the top all I got was a thin slice of avocado (lazy asses) instead of a spoonful of salsa on top I got 1/2 slice of a unripe (greenish) tomato Out of 4 meals not one good one Loud no insulation music in the bathroom was ear blasting Will NEVER GO BACK read more

Nice change from my last visit. New location. Cooler ambiance. My meal was a great! Homemade chorizo, shrimp, butternut squash. Not your typical enchilada or taco joint. Yummy. Friendly service. Good margaritas. Wine list needs work. House wine is Gallo (yuk) so opted up. Comfy booths. Need to get upstairs and to see the outside once it's warm. read more

Yerbabuena - Mexican Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Average food but given the lack of places in the area, we keep coming back! This is a good spot to stop in for lunch.

People rave about how great "authentic" Mexican food is, and Lisle has two of the best authentic Mexican restaurants in all of Chicagoland. But Yerbuena isn't one of them. Yerbuena is a gourmet Mexican restaurant. From the queso fundido, the Patron margaritas all the way through the delectable, creative entrees you will marvel at how good Mexican food can actually be. I don't stray too often from my favorites, but when I do I'm always pleasantly surprised and amazed. My favorites include the steak Chimichangas, the Don Miguel carnitas and both paella recipes on the menu. Original dishes like the carnitas and paellas make this place stand out as one of the best restaurants in the suburbs, of any kind of food. You'd be an idiot to come here and just order tacos, but even then I bet you'd be impressed. This place is nearly always packed, and for good reason. Despite that, the waitstaff is always top notch, despite any reviews to the contrary. read more

Called ahead of time because of COVID, asked if they had outdoor seating, they said yes and when I got there with a party of 3 and spoke to the same woman she said why would they have outdoor seating??and pretty much insinuated we were crazy . The restaurant was too packed so we didn't feel comfortable sitting there. We decided to order out and still total interaction was unfriendly and the food was basic. Not worth a return really , maybe they had a stressful day who knows? but they shouldn't pack the restaurant like that , we are still dealing with a pandemic. read more

Super disappointed! I had read the reviews and suggested this place based on the great reviews. Eek!! My bad. Five stars for our server, he was attentive and suggested some items. I got the carnitas which were super fatty, they came with rice (which tasted like they had been defrosted) and beans (they might have been Bush's beans) ugh! The only thing I truly enjoyed were the chips and the margaritas.The salsa, not so much.I just can't believe they charge as much as they do for the quality of the food. Will not be going back, I've definitely have had better. read more

I really enjoyed YerbaBuena last time I was there. The tamales were terrific; the ambience is casual but nice, and the location is wonderful in downtown Lisle. Most of all, I enjoyed the wait staff and how accommodating they were as we enjoyed a birthday cake we had brought in. Please only straws upon request. read more

Some tasty, basic vittles, but the prices make me wonder what sort of egomaniac is running the place, twiddling his thumbs in some overly-decorated back room amidst a small sea of obscure and irrelevant awards as the whispers of those who tell him, ".... yessss..... charge $15.95 for rice and beans" surround him in a whirlwind of baseless support that lifts him to evoke ever increasing charges and endless creative combinations of four basic ingredients, all for the delight of fat hipsters who don't know any better. Eat here if you aren't hungry and have too much money. read more

This has been a favorite of mine for years, ever since I moved here in 2004, and they were still in there "old space" right next door to their current location. Miguel really knows what he's doing. His new space is beautiful. His staff is very attentive, some of them even remember what I like to order!! I usually get the chicken mango paella, but last night my boyfriend and I split a large guacamole and the chicken shrimp fajitas. So good!! And try the jalapeño margarita, my new favorite, sweet and spicy!! read more

I'm not a big reviewer, and i'm starting to worry about reviews i read. This was the worst experience we have ever had. We go to Mexican restaurants every weekend. My wife ordered the shrimp tacos and they tasted mushy and fishyI ordered beef burrito (No Beans). Order was send back twice because loaded with beans. Poor waiter said "there is nothing more i can do". really! How about get the cooks to make what's requested. Well we're chalking this down as worst the worst experience of the year. read more

Not as good as the last time I went there about 4 months ago. Food portions seemed smaller and the drink I ordered was cheap and lousy. Note to bartender if you order a drink on the rocks make it a decent pour. I hate cheapness in a restaurant and this place is starting to show it. read more

Little challenging to rate this. Service was so poor we had to leave. The waiter didn't come by for 20 minutes after being seated. The waiter could not understand a cocktail order.. The hostess came over to help take order but was rude to us and to the waiter. We did eat some chips and salsa. The chips were low quality, dry and stale. The salsa tasted like Pace. The margaritas are made with sweet and sour unless you specially request juice, an unforgivable sin. Menu looked like a diner. giving it 2 stars because I'm feeling generous and these are hard times. read more

In the middle of white suburbia, my coworker and I happenstanced upon this find. Colorful modern decor with a hint of the homeland throughout can easily draw you into the flavorful meal. The presentation of our entrees really hit that aesthetic appeal button. The chips were light and freshly made which earns Yerbabuena a gold star; however, the salsa was not as fresh - I would have liked something more "fresco" to match the light airiness of those chips which I'm still craving. If this place was not so far, I would definitely be returning to sample their large variety of margaritas/wines/mojitos. read more

Came here for a date night with my boyfriend. He's been here quite a few timeous he grew up in the area. Started off with fresh, warm chips and salsa. The salsa was slightly chunky, the way I like it. You could tell made fresh that day. Chips has just come out of the fryer and the kept coming. To drink we shared a pitcher of the Cadillac margaritas. They were great!! A little orangey from the triple sec and I could almost taste papaya. He ordered the combo with streak, enchilada, and quesadilla. Steak perfect medium. I ordered the enchilada. They let me get three different kinds with different meats. A shrimp with orange mango salsa, chicken with mole, steak with salsa verde. I love the mole. Honestly, best I've had in a long time. The verde was slightly too limey, and I like lime, but was still good. I also loved the orange mango sauce. It would be amazing on chicken wings. I'm not sure what the mixed reviews were about. The service was friendly but laid back. We will be here often for sure! read more

I've been here a few times...it's probably the closest Mexican restaurant to where I live, which is nice. There is outdoor patio and indoor seating. A little bird told me yesterday as I was leaving that they're expanding and bought the lot next door. I'm not sure how reliable someone walking down the street can be so take that info with a grain of salt. Anyway, this place is nice.... Clean, good atmosphere indoors. Decent service too. Last night and probably all of my previous visits I got a glass of sangria and chicken flautas. Both were very good!!! There was a bit of a language barrier with our server but all went well with that ... Totally fine. It's definitely worth a visit. When parking, watch for "15 minutes only" signs ... There are a few down Main Street. read more

Huge menu with a lot of variety. We loved sitting upstairs. Great bar area and a lot of natural lighting. Next time, we'll sit on the patio or upstairs balcony, with cute lights and decor! The strawberry margarita was pretty good but a little weak. Raspberry was even better! I ordered this mango dish, and it exceeded my expectations! The combination of flavors makes me want to try their other similar plates with other meats and fish. Our waiter was very friendly and handled our group of six well. Chips and salsa refilled quickly. Looks like they have a good lunch menu as well with cheaper meals but still big portions and variety! read more

Yerbabuena - Mango/chicken plate - Mexican Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

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The BEST Mexican in the burbs! Starting with the chips and salsa, Yerbabuena is amazing.. It's a small, cozy restaurant in downtown Lisle. I like how it's not a chain like On the Border and restaurants of that sort.. the decor is very cute, colorful, and obviously- Hispanic inspired also have a patio for the warmer months. The menu is extensive with many different and unique items..Definately get the guacamole! (They charge more for the table-side preparation, so if you're not looking for a show- make sure you tell them) .. Marinated steak and mango over rice YUM! Their enchiladas are great as well.. you can choose from three different sauces - Verde, red sauce, or mole sauce.. they basically make your meal the way you want it..They also have an Queso Fundito - heart attach in a bowl- gimme some more! Drinks: good margaritas - I recommend on the rocks vs their frozen margs.. FYI - Yerbabuena caters! I had them cater a party that I had with about 150 guests. Everyone was amazed at the food and kept asking where it was from! They also provided their own heating trays. The manager, Miguel, was very helpful with the party planning.. FYI- Around Dec/Jan, they are closed for a few weeks as they go visit their family in Mexico around the holidays. Call ahead to make sure they're open! read more

I cannot understand how this place has such good reviews. I reached a new milestone with this place, as it is officially the worst Mexican food I have ever had. Took thirty minutes for someone to show up to take my order and I never saw her again until she brought me my beer and then the check. She never returned to ask me about my dinner at all. The complementary watery salsa and stale chips did not start the night off very well. My beer took over thirty minutes to be delivered and I was a party of one. I ordered chicken and steak fajita and while I do expect some amount of grease, I did not expect my rice to be added to the same hot plate as the fajita mix. The rice did help soak up the grease, so I guess that was a plus, all though it was uneatable. You usually see the fajita coming out, smoking hot and everyone warning you not to touch the plate. Mine arrived barely sizzling and downright cold. I would have sent it back, but my waitress was missing in action. The gentlemen in the table next to me, sent his back as soon as he got it as well and it was ice cold, but he managed to flag someone down. I would guess since I was alone, no one was very interested. All the sides came out in two small dishes, so it was a few minutes to move everything around the table, so I actually had a place to eat. The chicken and steak, must have sat for a very long time, and it became a good bit rubbery and was cold to the touch. I would think there are better places in the area and certainly hope so, that way the 4 and 5 start reviewers can actually taste good Mexican food. read more

Somewhere around 3.5 stars is more accurate! Yerbabuena is one of those places that I really want to LOVE, but it just never quite gets there. After going there numerous times (my wife LOVES it), I think the reason, to me, is that it's somewhat bipolar: It is consistently, truly excellent at what it does well, and consistently very dissapointing where it falls short. The good: - The salsa is tremendous. Perfectly done, not too hot, not too thin, no overpowering ingredient, it just works beautifully. I'd also say the sauces in general are top notch for the same reasons. - Quality of ingredients. The fish, steak, and pork cuts never fall short here. Very fresh, always consistent, and they make them a number of different ways. - Menu options. Recipes are very inventive and they manage to offer plenty of options without succumbing to redundancy. - Atmosphere is very nice. Good use of colors and decor in a very tasteful and inviting way. Outdoor patio is small, but pretty. The bad: - The service is quite dissapointing. Everyone is nice and pleasant, but very little attention is paid to you and you have to wait long stretches between food, drinks, and the bill regardless if the place is crowded or not. I know that outside of America this is fairly common, but we ARE in America and it's not up to said expectations. - A good bit of flavor is lacking. While the quality of the food is high, there is often a distinct lack of seasoning, it is often bland. Mexican food is defined by bold flavors, so if anything I'd expect them to be too strong, not the opposite! - The food is more often than not incorrect and/or substitutions and additions are not easily accommodated (they'll do it, it just seems to throw them for more of a loop than it should). This could fall under the service category I suppose, but this seems like an overall communication issue. I really hope they can improve on what they do well because it would definitely be a hidden gem if they do! read more

Great little place. I ordered fajitas which were good, black beans were delicious. date ordered a burrito which he finished and said it was really good. We each had a margarita which were great and refreshing. First time there and on my list to go back. Restaurant bar was clean and made nice for a date as it wasn't to loud. They also offer outdoor seating which would be great on a sunny day. read more

This place is a small gem. The first word that comes to mind when describing the food is "fresh". Everything - even in the midst of a Midwestern winter - had a sunny, garden-like flavor. The chips were tasty, although - for a saltaholic like myself - they might have worked better with a slight dash more salt. The HUGE bowl of salsa hit just the right spice note. Loved that guacamole prepared tableside; seasoned to order. It just doesn't get any fresher than that! I ordered a chicken burrito: it was enormous, and filled with a slightly smokey meat, pinto beans and Mexican cheese - all covered, (not smothered) in a fine Pico de Gallo type sauce. Delightful! The beans on the side were whole and not refried or otherwise molested; but the rice was forgettable. The house margarita was perfect, (on the rocks). No obnoxious mariachi background music, (thank GOD!), so the noise level remained tolerable even with a full house. It's a small space with modest but tasteful decor, and - picking a nit here - would probably benefit from a bit less lighting candlepower. Can't wait to go back. If you need a Mexican food fix, why are you sitting there? Go! read more

Friendly atmosphere, great owner. Careful of the dairy in things like the guacamole, it was delicious but I was sick for 2 days. Good price, great ambiance. read more

Most importantly the chips and salsa were fantastic. Second the margaritas are fabulous. I like the atmosphere of the place. Its more upscale and authentic. They have an outdoor patio for al fresco dining which is a nice plus. Its located in downtown lisle so the outdoor seating is quaint and refreshing. The food is fabulous. I ordered a taco dinner and the ingredients were top notch without a doubt. The service was nice. Its a nice date night mexican food place. I will definitely revisit again. read more

I am a big fan of local and this place is definitely local. I have taken multiple friends here and we have all enjoyed ourselves. The waiters have been nice and willing to help out if possible. I have had a bunch of different types of dishes and all of them have had just the right amount of flavor. I always take something home for another day and I think the chips are really good. The chips could be good for you as they don't seem soaked in oil and they are unsalted. But then again I could just be deluding myself. The margaritas are very tasty and I am pretty sure they assume On the Rocks unless you tell them otherwise and they are sure to ask about salt. For me I guess it is the little touches that make the restaurant for me. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of mexican food. And if you don't like it, I'll pay for lunch. :-) read more

We loved the food, the decor and the complimentary salsa they put on the table. It is a small place, but we went on a Tuesday evening, around 6:30, were seated immediately, food was promptly dropped off. I ordered a Vegetarian Burrito which was AWESOME, my husband ordered a Ranchero Steak Burrito and commented on how good the meat was......... My only complaint was that our waitress seemed to be "in the weeds" pretty quickly and it took forever to get the bill and then have her TAKE the bill/credit card from us. All in all, a very pleasant experience! read more

Above par Mexican food for the suburbs. I went here for lunch today with several coworkers to break out of the Panera rut (although I'll be doing dinner there to wait out traffic). The initial chips and salsa offering was good, which boded well for the meal. I got the burrito verde with chicken, and it was definitely more than I could finish. Two of my coworkers got the carnitas special, which they said was good but fairly spicy. The fourth got the chiles rellenos, his standard Mexican food pick. Everyone agreed the food was good and fairly authentic (one of my coworkers is from Mexico). Prices are moderate, not as cheap as a hole in the wall place, but not as pricey as some places in the city. Note: there is a patio for outdoor dining read more

I LOVE the food, but know to dine here when I'm not in a rush. The service takes awhile! Appetizer & Entrees: You get free salsa and chips table while waiting for your entree. The salsa tastes freshly made and is sooooo good. My favorite entrees are the salmon and the coconut shrimp. Many of the entrees come with guacamole or beans and rice. Dessert: I usually skip dessert and walk over to a tasty gelato place called Triviata nearby. Environment: The environment feels relaxed and casual. A mix of decorations on the walls and festive music on the speakers. There is a small outdoor seating area as well. Parking: Parking spots line both sides of Main street and is shared among the downtown shops. Be careful when backing out! It's hard to see on-coming cars. Service: Waiters are friendly, but service is slow. Seems that the place is consistently understaffed. read more

Excellent service and food quality - no one complaint. We arrived about 5:15 PM, immediately asked if we had any questions and served excellent chips and salsa. After ordering drinks we ordered dinner and was presented within 10 minutes. Everything was first-class and the server was quick and very efficient. We were out the door within an hour and never felt rushed in the least. We shall return very soon. read more

I've tried a lot of Mexican food in my day, and this ranks up there as one of the best experiences. Margaritas are delicious - so long as you have several people, get a pitcher. The price is actually better and the taste is great. The food - order the table side guacamole. Fun presentation and overall, it just tastes better when you see what's going into it :) Everything else we ordered and shared so we could taste more - all great. Nothing was bland, and we wanted to eat up everything. Service was fantastic and prices were fair - I can't wait to come and eat outdoors in the summertime! read more

I can't believe this place is in Lisle. Everything we had was great, save for the Mojito I ordered. That tasted like it was a Mrs. T's mix. Also, my wife's pork tacos were flavorless to the point that she had to order additional guacamole for them. read more