Cafe El Tapatio
| Address: | 3400 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657, USA |
| Phone: | +1 773-327-5475 |
| Site: | cafeeltapatiochicago.com |
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Working: | 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 9AM–12AM 9AM–12AM 9AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
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A Private User
So my boyfriend and I have been here about 4 times now, and all of our previous experiences have been pretty good. Found the food to be some of the better quality mexican food around, albeit a bit pricy for mexican. However last night we went after we both had really long days at work to get a late dinner and some drinks to unwind. We both ordered jumbo frozen margaritas, but when they came out we tasted them and they just tasted like juice. Weve been here before and Ive ordered the same exact drink before so I know it should have tasted differently. We thought maybe they just werent mixed very well so we kept drinking them and about half way through we asked our waiter if there had been a mistake and we had ordered virgin drinks and he told us no, they were regular. By the end of the drink we were absolutely convinced there had been no alcohol in it (I did not finish mine in case they wanted to taste it themselves). They are pretty large ($13 a piece) and for that size you should be able to tell youve had at least SOME alcohol. We said something to our waiter and he was pretty nice about it, offered us a couple shots which we werent really interested in, but then offered to take both of them off the bill which we appreciated. However, when the manager came out to give us our bill he was completely rude to us. He started by showing us the bill and saying how they took the drinks off, but then turned and started mocking us and said "Funny though, you are the first to ever complain about our drinks, I wonder how that could be?" along with some other like comments. We told him we know this is not normal, in fact we really like the restaurant and have been here before, but from that know what they should take like. He rolled his eyes at us, clearly not believing us which was frusterating, so I offered him some of my drink so he could tell for himself and he just turned his nose up at us and walked off. Overall I am really disappointed because we used to like coming here, and the waiter made an effort to make up for the drinks, but in the end the manager has completely ruined this place for us. Id also like to say I am very non-confrontational and I eat just about anything, so this is the first time Ive ever complained about my food/drink because I usually always give people the benefit of the doubt, but I could not bring myself to pay $26 for two drinks that literally tasted like plain juice. Im sorry to say that I dont think we will be going back, and I hope no one else has to be treated in such a condescending manner if you choose to go here too.
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Curt Beiersdorf
My previous review below is from a few months ago. Since then, I have ordered carry-out from them three times. The first time I ordered the enchiladas verdes and they simply were nothing like what you get when you sit down at the restaurant. They were just not good. The second time I ordered the combo meal and my two friends did the same. Only one of us got the quesadilla that is supposed to be part of the meal. The third time (not sure why I gave them a third chance) I ordered the steak sincronizada. There was no steak to be seen. They replaced it with potatoes. I thought I might have ordered the wrong thing but I looked at my receipt and it said steak sincronizada on it. I will probably never go here again and I certainly will never order carry-out from them again. There is no indication that they wont mess up my order or try to rip me off. ______________________________________________________________________ Great local sit-down Mexican restaurant. Big portions, very attentive and knowledgeable service, and they have a nice outdoor area for warm days/nights. Try the Mexican Long Island. It was one of the best drinks I think Ive had. It comes in a big bowl with fresh fruit and its loaded with booze. It took two of us about an hour to finish and then you have booze soaked fruit to eat. Great time. Definitely going back to El Tapatio soon.
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A Private User
Ive been here half a dozen times and have never had a good experience. Others I have dined with had a better time, which is the reason Ive come back...until now. My boyfriend and I both ordered the El Grandioso Burrito " Suizo" with chicken to go. The food itself was good, with the exception of the CHICKEN BONES we found inside! There were multiple bones in each of our burritos, but mine was the worst- one was 2 1/2 inches long! I called just to let them know about the issue and the man I spoke with was very apologetic. I wasnt expecting anything, but he offered to give us with a complimentary dinner provided we didnt tell anyone about the bones! When we called in tonight to order our food, the man we spoke to said he would give us the food, but we needed to understand its NORMAL for shredded chicken to have BONES! I dont think so! Im sorry to say, but I will never be going back again and I would warn everyone reading this against it too!
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Adrian Marquis
Nobody should go to restaurants between lunch and dinner service but I had to and regretted it at El Tapatio. The Fideos con Gambas, a large bowl of angel hair smothered in supposedly chipotle cream sauce and topped with a dozen or so medium sauteed shrimp, was bland, the pasta overcooked, and the sauce watery. I was the only person in the place and waited thirty minutes. I had a delicious lunch here a little over a month ago and it prompted me to recommend the place to friends (jicama salad and camarones borrachas). The guy who took my order, a very loud guy at the cash register, didnt check on me until I was nearly done with the dish and then put on his coat and left the restaurant leaving the actual server in the restaurant to present the check, on which there were two entrees charged for the pasta. I probably wont be back nor will I recommend this place.
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Brian Pokorny
This is our favorite Mexican restaurant in Chicago! There was a big fire a block away in the spring of 2016 and I had nightmares that El Tapatios red hot menu may have surpassed its capacity for awesomeness and burned the whole thing to the ground, but thankfully that was not the case. While their carne asada is a mainstay--some patrons are known to order that and ONLY THAT any time they go to El Tapatio, my preference is to try something new every time. From fish or chicken dishes to traditional Mexican dishes like Enchiladas, nothing fails to impress. Summer means their amazing patio is open, and between that and their new expansion into the spot next door, the wait is shorter too! Which is only a bad thing if you were counting on having one of their fantastic (but dangerous) margaritas or micheladas while waiting for your table!
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Brandi Bedinger
I wanted to try this place because Ive heard several people say the margaritas here are great. I would have to disagree. Their margaritas are very watered down and they taste like a slushi you would get from 7-11. They are overly priced as well. I ordered the fajitas and they had a good flavor, but the portions were small and super greasy. The service was great and the food came out quickly. The manager was nice and made his rounds at all the tables making sure that everything was okay. They have a nice patio area, but it was too cold to sit outside when I arrived. I will try and give this place another chance maybe once the weather gets warmer and their patio will be open.
