A hidden gem with one of the best pizzas I've ever had! I've only been coming to Abel's Cantina for the last 3 1/2 months, but it's quickly become one of my absolute favorite spots in Grayslake. The margaritas are fantastic, the pico de gallo is super fresh, and the homemade tortilla chips are just perfect -- warm, crisp, and addictive. But the real surprise here is their shrimp, garlic, and broccoli pizza. I've spent years traveling throughout Europe, the U.S., and Canada searching for amazing pizza, and this one is definitely in my top five. The crust has that perfect balance of chew and crunch, the flavors are fresh and balanced, and it's unlike anything else around here. Friendly people, great atmosphere, and food that keeps me coming back -- Abel's Cantina is a true local favorite in the making. read more

Abel's Cantina - Bar area with super friendly bar keeps - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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I'm genuinely disappointed writing this because I've always had great experiences here and consider myself a regular (especially for Taco Tuesdays). I came in on Cinco de Mayo, and while I expected it to be busy, the experience went far beyond what felt reasonable. We waited about 40 minutes for a table, which was completely understandable given the holiday. However, after being seated, it took another 35 minutes just to receive our first round of drinks. After that, service was nearly nonexistent--we ended up going to the bar ourselves for a second round because no one checked on us. We were told the restaurant was out of chips and salsa, which wasn't a big deal, but it was confusing to then see multiple nearby tables receiving additional rounds. The biggest issue was the lack of communication and attentiveness. It took an hour just to place our food order because no one came to our table--we eventually had to flag down our server. At that point, we were ready to order immediately. Even then, our food never arrived. After another hour, we still hadn't received anything--not even the guacamole appetizer we ordered right away. Spending nearly three hours at a table without being served food or given any updates was extremely frustrating. To be fair, this felt more like a management issue than a server issue. If the kitchen is that far behind, online orders should be paused so the staff can focus on the guests dining in. A simple update or check-in would have gone a long way. Unfortunately, this experience was disappointing enough that I'd strongly reconsider coming back during busy events or recommending it to others on holidays. read more

Abel's Cantina - Many people who came after us ate and paid before we got our dinner. - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Here is another contender for the best Mexican restaurant in Grayslake. It's not too hard to accomplish because there aren't that many in town. Abel's has a pretty good balance between authentic and Americanized flavors. Featured on the menu are the essentials such as margaritas, as well as burritos and tacos obviously. The prices are pretty good for the portions and quality. After hanging around town the afternoon, we came for dinner in the evening. It's one of the restaurants in town that opens up later. This is kind of like a combination of a sports bar and a Mexican restaurant. For sure it doesn't feel authentic, but that doesn't mean it's bad. We of course had some of the good margaritas. It's about $8 for the classic. These were surprisingly big to be honest. As for the food, it was better than expected. I got the Burrito Plate. It's about $11 for a pretty big portion. Burrito was humongous. The vegetarian one had beans, cheese, which I left off, lettuce, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Also it came with sides of beans and rice. Good value. Also there's pizza if not wanting Mexican food. This can be a strange combination, but it works to be honest. Great place to get both Italian and Mexican food. If wanting a pizza, you can get it with Mexican toppings. There's a lot to choose from, as well as plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Abel's Cantina - a margarita - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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Terrible food, terrible margaritas, and terrible service. We should've taken the hint when the restaurant was completely empty on a Friday night.. read more

First time going to Abel's was for my nephew's birthday party. Service was great, but the food was fantastic. I was very pleasantly surprised and would eat there again. great experience Mary read more

Stopped into Abel's tonight with a few friends. Grace was fantastic and very knowledgeable about the menu! Service was quick, food came out fantastic and they were able to accommodate my dietary restrictions! Will absolutely be returning again for girls night! read more

Love the food!! The service was amazing quick! Love the ambiance of the restaurant! I'll definitely be eating here again!!

Abel's is a great pop in spot. Of ya just need beers or want a full dinner its a place that is always courteous and fun. The staff are personal. The spicy marg and salsa are definitely highlights. Siena was our server the other night and she killed it. Great to see such professionalism and kindness. read more

Decent Mexican food if you are in the downtown Grayslake area. We've passed by many times but decided to try it last night. It was pretty busy, with most tables full and one really large party. The waitress was clearly overwhelmed with how many people were there and was handling the whole room by herself. She kept her cool and apologized for longer waits and just kept things moving. Margaritas were strong and ok, I upgraded to a spicy one with a tajin rim and was happy with it. The tacos and burrito were good, but the steak was more like barbacoa than asada. Beans were good also. Salsa was spicier than I anticipated which was a nice surprise. We would come back again. read more

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I have never ever ever ever ever had a quesadilla taste that amazing! This place is incredible! I'm thinking of the food now and I just ate it an hour ago! So good! read more

I've been coming to Abel's for years. Abel and his family are all hard-working, and love their customers. Service has always been a strong point. Abel runs the bar, his son runs the kitchen, his grandson was bussing tables, and his son-in-law floats around and helps out where ever needed. I've always enjoyed the cantina. It's fun, festive, and they have very good margaritas. We've also been here several times for live music, which is a nice touch. The name is "Abel's Pizza & Mexican Food". I've always wondered: why is a Mexican restaurant serving pizza? Well, yesterday I got the answer. When Abel came to this country he started-out working in pizzerias in Chicago. Turns out he learned a thing or two along the way! Yesterday was a beautiful day and we were out on the patio. Tables were appropriately spaced and the staff all wore masks. It was my first time ordering a pizza here. I ordered a 7" cheese and sausage. It was delicious! Abel makes his own dough and his own sauce. The man knows what he's doing! The waitress said their signature pizza is the shrimp and garlic pizza. I guess I know what I'm ordering next time. By the way, she was an awesome waitress. One word of advice: I was told they go heavy on the cheese, so if you don't want heavy cheese, you might want to request "light on the cheese" which is what I did. If you are looking for an unpretentious, friendly, local restaurant, with good Mexican food and great pizza - give Abel's a try. Abel and his family will make you feel at home. read more

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OBVIOUSLY DESERVES A 5 STAR, such good mexican food,they probably have the best Mexican food out of anything i know. ordered tacos and WOW so good and so yummy!! we always order from here and the service is very fast and the workers are very nice. read more

This place has yummy cocktails and delicious food! I love thier mango margaritas chips and guac and enchiladas. You can't go wrong with anything there read more

Delicious food and homemade chips, service good. Locally owned and relaxing environment

Stopped in here to try out the Mexican food and I was pleased with my experience. The prices are great and the food was good too. There's a room with the bar, and another room with tables and booths for dining. The staff was kind and service was quick. We only tried the Mexican food and drinks but I would like to come back to try out the burgers. Overall, I like this place and would come back! read more

Waiter was rude and snotty. Food literally seemed like it was made by a white trash mom LOL. Who puts cheddar and Swiss on top of Mexican food?? Food just was overall not good and bland. If you want authentic Mexican food, go somewhere else! read more

Abel's Cantina - Red enchiladas with chorizo and a chimichanga. - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Dinner on a Friday night was a great experience. This is not a fancy place but sits right in the middle of beautiful downtown Grayslake. The menu is simple and straightforward, basic Mexican food and pizza. The tacos were delicious and the service was friendly. Nothing incredibly unique but just good. Prices are very reasonable as well along with free chips and salsa at the table that were yummy! read more

Love this place. The food is so good and reasonably priced, good drinks too. The people are friendly, and I love coming here.

Gave this place another chance. Still the same old practice going on. Nobody adheres to food safety. Oh sure they wear gloves, but what good are they when you pick your nose and rub your hair...and then touch food. read more

Where to start... First, staff is awesome! So friendly and uber quick service! Food... the food is amazing. Pizza, tacos, chips & salsa... my favorite is the shrimp quesadillas! Their patio, even though it's 30* out right now is so comfortable and warm! We love Abel's! Honestly not sure where the 1 star reviews are coming from but I would take those with a grain of salt because they are probably people who are never satisfied and complain about everything! read more

Abel's Cantina - a gas heater - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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As most do you know we usually go to Able's cantina on Wednesday to have Margaritas. We actually have a group that goes and have special T shirts with the camel and Margarita on it for hump day. Sadly after going there for almost 30 years we had an incident 2 weeks ago where my son was given raw meat in his tacos. We complained to the waiter waiting at our table he said he was going to let the cook (one of the owners) know about the problem he did not, instead he just stood at the register and did nothing. Thinking that I could solve this problem I wrote one of the owners a note letting her know that in fact we had been given raw meat and the waiter did nothing. However confronted with this information all she did was tell me that I don't think that would ever happen! Seriously I've been going there for 30 years and never complained about anything even though my orders have been mixed up when I pick up food and have to come back, even when we wait For hours on end for our food, and this is the feedback I get back?? So much for being a loyal customer at Abel's in Grays lake. I cannot believe the attitude given to me and my son over this. We will not be frequenting this restaurant going forward after being treated so shabby by people we enriched for so many years and so much for customer service or support. Truth be told I am throughly disgusted!!!! Shame on you Elisabeth!!!! I would highly recommend not going to Ables cantina because if you are served a bad meal they will do nothing and blame you and say you fabricated any problem. read more

Abel's Cantina - Best magritas - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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So my wife and I came to Abel's for dinner. Pretty crowded. Only 1 server seemed to be working. She was running around like a crazy person trying to keep up (she did a great job). I ordered a steak burrito dinner. It was just ok. The steak was more of a pot roast texture which threw me off a bit. Wasn't bad but wasn't great. I was a bit confused with a statue of what I assume to be some sort of God of the Corn. Other than that it's a bit on the smaller side. Not sure if they have outdoor seating. If they do I'd probably opt for that instead of being indoors. It was a nice night. All in all I'd go back and try the pizza. read more

Our all time favorite. Been going for years and years. What a lovely family! Avoid the chains and come to Abel's.

Oh yummy!!! We have eaten here a few times and it is always good! Great service! I love the wide selection of food. We've brought many here too. They do a great job with small and large parties. It's a real noisy spot but that doesn't bother us. We've not tried the pizza. I know I've taken more photos. I'll add them in later. read more

Abel's Cantina - Good salsa - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Blown away at how amazing this place is every time we come!!! You may think it is December and 40 degrees out how could you eat outside on the patio? Well let me tell you they have tons of heaters that get so hot we had to turn them down! If you are looking for the best Mexican restaurant around you found it oh and you found the best pizza place too! Make sure you ask for the green salsa it goes perfectly on everything including their signature garlic shrimp pizza! Super Covid save everyone had masks the whole time. Super confortable and accommodating! Friendly and family owned! What could be better! read more

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Poor service on a Friday night. Loud atmosphere and burritos were huge but overloaded with cheese and need a fork and knife to eat.

We really enjoy Abel's. Always great service, wonderful menu and fast service. I had the quesadillas and poppers. My daughter had chicken enchiladas. My wife had a taco salad. All great. Combine that with a full bar and I am happy. read more

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I had dinner and drinks at Abel's Pizza and Mexican Food and had a decent time and meal. There isn't too much to the place, it has a dining room and a small bar area, but it actually is decent-sized for what it is. We only stayed in the bar area, but that's all we wanted to do. Starting with a few drinks (beer and a marg) and chips + salsa we were on a good track. However, I asked for "HOT" salsa and it was... not that hot. It was certainly tasty, and FRESH!, just not all that spicy. Nevertheless, we moved on to dinner: tacos and enchiladas. Everything came out hot and tasted decently enough. I wouldn't say it was the best Mexican food I've ever had but it certainly was not the worst either. Where this place really shines is with the service. Abel, the man himself, was there behind the bar serving and taking orders and he is a very nice dude. He, of course, knew all the locals and struck up a convo or two while hanging out. He's a wonderful example of a local small business owner who knows how to do it right. Come for the atmosphere, stay for the atmosphere, that's my suggestion. The food is a small accoutrement. read more

We love Abel's. We have been going here almost as long as he has been open. Skirt steak sandwich, fish tacos, steak tacos, tamales, carne Asada with shrimp and for me fajitas with extra tomato. All in a friendly place. Maybe not the most authentic Mexican but overall it's not bad for this gringo. read more

I've been here four or five times. It has been consistently good food, perfect portions at a fair price. The brother/sister team running the place are perfectly lovely people. They are the children of the founder, Abel. They take pride in their place and managed to keep their quality and standards through the difficult time of the passing of their dad and COVID. The bartender has an astonishing memory and always greets with a smile, remembering your drink preferences in an uncanny way! Food is top-notch. I especially enjoy their fish tacos, Mexican style. But their have a creative array of pizzas you should try. Some a little more adventurous then you'd expect from a place like this. A lot of fun, clean, safe place where regulars middle aged to older crowd who are friendly but mind their own business. I highly recommend stopping in and trying it out. read more

Abel's Cantina - Best place for a quiet drink and a bite to eat while watching sports. - Pizza Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Best people land best food in town, the pizza is unbelievable. They also have 6 different to go Margaritas which are so fresh! The pica de Gallo is so fresh. It always nice to see a small business in town that is firing on all cylinders. The big boys in town aren't close to the service. Tell em Scott sent you....then pose I. Get a picture in the cornoa cut out! read more

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Seriously amazing taco salad for 8.50. Warm and efficient service. Manager checked in on me also. Food was ready quickly. Great value and super delicious!! read more

Abel's son and brother run this excellent restaurant while Abel mans the bar. My favorites include the steak chimichanga and tacos plus the Reuben sandwich. My better half loves the enchilada's and fajitas, both chicken and steak. Fast service, good food, inexpensive price and great folks! read more

First time we came here. Looking for a good burrito and we found it. My husband had a burrito and I a chimichanga. The amount of food was plentiful and very tasty. And to my surprise there was a live blues band. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but food was great and the entertainment was awesome! Waitresses were so nice and the service was great! Coming back to try the pizza! read more

I wish this place would call Restaurant Impossible. It's menu is all over the place. It's dirty. I'd love to see this place succeed since it's a local place read more

in sort Food good, booze is good and very well priced. The waiters are fantastic when I am there on a Friday or Saturday, very sociable and on point, the bartender is extremely flexible when it comes to the drinks he serves even going as far as serving completely custom drinks, the food made by the son of the owner! is great, their shrimp is completely on point, most places their shrimp is rubber but this place lands it perfectly, by all means, it's not a Michelin 5 star restaurant and you shouldn't expect as much for the price but it is great at the price and a great place. read more

Been coming to see Abel, enjoying his fabulous margaritas, and samplings of his traditional Mexican fair for many, many years. We come back regularly. You simply won't find a local Mexican restaurant with as much local fair as this place. Sometimes it's packed, sometimes it's not. But the service is always friendly and Abel is always smiling. Our favorites are during the summer weeknights, watching a Cubs game - sipping a refreshment - and enjoying Abel's spectacular chicken enchiladas with mole sauce. It's hard to beat, anywhere. Prices are great too. read more

Local, tenderhearted owner who mixes a mean margarita and offers a fun menu. Our favorite family outing for years! read more

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We have become regulars either having the Mexican or their out of this world pizza. Be sure to try the Shrimp and Garlic pizza or shrimp tacos. Love Junior Andy and Elizabeth. They make you feel like family. read more

Best steak tacos and burritos in the area!! My wife loves the shrimp or pork too. Try them!