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    Buena Vista

    4.2 (420 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Buena Vista Takeout or Delivery

    Buena Vista Photos

    Business Info

    BUENA VISTA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Buena Vista

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    Steve B.

    Is trying to eat at all the Mexican places in Chicago doable? I think it's a hard thing to complete. So let me get into it! The food at Buena Vista Restaurant was surprisingly good! My friend and I got the nachos as I have to say it's was great. The temperature and the freshness of the dish made you want to have another plate of it. I got the three taco dinner and I was happy that I got that since I normally get it at other places. The services was as expected as it is a small finally owned business so we had to be patient which isn't a problem for me at all. The atmosphere was like you were back in time. It's refreshing since not many places are like that. I like retro places and to me it felt like back in the day. Overall, I will say give BVR a try if you want authentic food with a charming wait staff.

    enchiladas mix
    Tina L.

    Pretty solid Mexican spot in Lake View. I got the mixed cheese enchiladas with beans and rice & everything was tasty. My personal favorite was the mole enchilada. The service was quick & the workers were friendly. However, I am knocking off one star because, while the flavor was good, the verde and suiza enchiladas could have used more sauce. I like my enchiladas drenched in sauce!!

    Enchiladas Mix (3)
    Ashley C.

    I got the Enchiladas Mix (suiza, verde, and mole), and it was very good! I got the beef, and I should have gotten the chicken. My order was ready very quickly, and the staff was very friendly!!

    Exterior
    Steve A.

    This little space on Broadway features very good Mexican American food in a low-key environment. They do a bustling to-go business, and also have a handful of tables. The nachos were good, and almost like chili on refried bean-covered chips, served with a corn tortilla cop of sour cream and guacamole. The mole sauce is quite good. Perhaps our favorite item was the tamale, which was definitely the most authentic Mexican preparation of anything we tried. Food prep is very fast, and service is friendly. It's BYOB.

    Burrito De Mole with some delicious refried beans and rice
    Rick R.

    Casual and homey neighborhood spot for some tasty Mexican eats at reasonable prices. I recently moved from Los Angeles to Chicago and was a bit worried that I would struggle to find some good Mexican food in my new neighborhood. I worried for nothing, because Buena Vista is muy bien. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasty. Good portions and good service added to the overall experience and I'll certainly be back soon!

    Chips & Salsa
    Melanie V.

    Been waking past this place for the last three years and finally got a chance to grab some tacos. We had the pleasure of taking advantage of the Broadway street closure and eating in the streets. High fives to the wait staff. Having a surge of people to wait on after being takeout only is a major change. They did a great job circulating to get people served and checked out. We got the Chile's rellenos which were excellent and the steak and chicken tacos. Not in love with the steak taco but the chicken was really good. Knocking a star because the tacos needed some type of sauce or crema. I asked for hot sauce and only the salsas were offered. While my husband liked the salsas, the green is made with cilantro and the red has parts of cilantro mixed in. I have that gene where cilantro tastes like soap sooo it's a no go for me. I love a good refried bean, and theirs were on point. Will definitely be back for those Chile rellenos!

    Al Pastor Burrito
    Rachel L.

    Buena Vista is a low-key, well-priced and authentic Mexican restaurant, and would definitely recommend checking it out! I got the burrito with al pastor (just the burrito, not the full meal which comes with sides), and it was really tasty. For only $9, it was more than enough food for one meal, and had a good amount of meat inside along with cheese, tomato, sour cream, lettuce and beans. The restaurant also provides chips and salsa to start. My friend got the taco salad which looked fantastic - it had a great variety of fillings (including guac) inside a delicious looking crunchy bowl. Buena Vista has a good amount of variety on their menu, and I'll definitely be back to try some of their other options!

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    4 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Great food awesome service. Everyone is so polite and kind. Great little spot to pop in and get a quick bite. Super fair prices too.

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    2 years ago

    Yum. Tex-Mex like we used to take for granted in Texas. Big portions and decent prices.

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    2 years ago

    Really good red pozole! It was a huge size and great price. No avocado though and no green pozole option

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    3 years ago

    Great atmosphere, and they had AIR CONDITIONING! Ahhhh, the little things ;-)

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    3 years ago

    One of my favorite spots in Lakeview! Highly recommend their mole and you can never go wrong with their tacos.

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    Page 1 of 11

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    Barrio - Quesabirria tacos

    Barrio

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    3.5 miNear North Side
    $$

    Cinco de Mayo at Barrio was EVERYTHINGGG…read more We fully committed to the holiday and ordered honestly the entire menu and somehow every single thing that came out was better than the last. Starting with margaritas (because obviously ‍), queso and chips that were dangerously good, and the chicken empanadas that came out perfectly crispy with so much flavor. We kept looking at each other after every bite like "okay wait... THIS is the best thing here" and then another plate would arrive and prove us wrong again The carnitas fried rice??? I genuinely cannot stop thinking about it. So savory, flavorful, comforting, and packed with crispy carnitas on top with the eggs and pickled onions... literally unreal. And then the skirt steak tacos absolutely stole the show. The steak was cooked perfectly, packed with flavor, and paired so perfectly with all the toppings and sauces. Every single bite tasted fresh and homemade in the best way possible. And can we talk about the ambience for a second because WOW. The music, the energy, the vibe inside, everyone celebrating, the drinks flowing -- it felt like the perfect Cinco de Mayo dinner spot. The service was also AMAZING from start to finish and made the entire experience even better. One of those dinners where you leave already talking about when you're coming back If you're looking for the place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, date night, tacos & margaritas, or honestly just an incredible dinner in general... this is IT

    What a fun spot! We had reservations (glad we did) and sat in the bar area at a high-top table…read morealong the window. Perfect seat in my opinion. Views of the city right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago. What I tried: + chips and queso - 8/10 + ribeye with rice and beans (was a special) - 7.5/10 + spicy margarita - 8/10 Great service!

    Photos
    Barrio - Interior views

    Interior views

    Barrio - Chicken fajitas

    Chicken fajitas

    Barrio - Margarita time!

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    Margarita time!

    El Xangarrito - Cheesecake

    El Xangarrito

    4.8(216 reviews)
    3.3 miLincoln Square, Ravenswood

    Thanks to Yelp El Xangarrito has been on my list for sometime, and I was not disappointed. It is a…read morevery small family-owned Mexican restaurant but the seating does not make you feel cramped. We did make reservations/wait list and was seated immediately. We started off with chips and salsa, and the salsa was a bit too spicy for me, but everyone else enjoyed it. We started with the Chicken Poblano - a savory dish with creamy poblano sauce mixed with chicken and sliced poblano peppers topped with corn. We all enjoyed it. Most of the reviews recommended the enchiladas and we ordered a variety of them. The Enchiladas Poblanos stuffed with chicken and cheese. The poblano sauce was rich and smoky. We also had the Enchiladas Morita. They were filled with shrimp and cheese. It was so flavorful and the morita chile added so much flavor. Each dish was served with a side jicama salad. Their special was a shrimp pasta with lobster. It came with full lobster tail. The sauce was creamy and flavorful. It is also BYOB, which is a nice option. Service was excellent, friendly offered recommendations. This is probably one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and highly recommend.

    Xangaritto continues to be a beacon of delicious food and friendly hospitality. They switched…read moreowners about a year ago and the beginning was a little rocky but today was an amazing experience. I love coming here for the tampiquena and the enchiladas. The tamipquena is marinated in something delicious, pretty sure it includes adobo chiles, making the tamipquena flavorful and tender. The enchiladas have some of the best sauces. We especially love then poblano sauce on the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas have some tender chicken and the sauce is slightly spicy and creamy. Everyone is super friendly, the waiting staff and chef take pride in their work and it shows. I continue to strongly recommend this place for a delicious dinner out. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant. It s a cozy elevated escape.

    Photos
    El Xangarrito - Veggie Pastor Tacos

    Veggie Pastor Tacos

    El Xangarrito - Traditional Pastor Tacos

    Traditional Pastor Tacos

    El Xangarrito - Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.

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    Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.

    5 Rabanitos - Chilaquiles verdes

    5 Rabanitos

    4.2(830 reviews)
    5.8 miPilsen
    $$

    a great reminder... that i need to ALWAYS go to pilsen when…read morecraving mexican. my huarache was divine. the "sandal" itself was perfectly flaky - not greasy or impossible to cut. the veggies were perfectly seasoned, cooked but not mushy...my only "complaint" is i didn't expect potatoes to be part of the veg. i don't understand a carb on a carb but that's just me. the guac was very meh. would not recommend. the marg's are ok...but i'm not a great judge bc as a rule, don't really care for marg's. fabulous service and perfect spot for a show at thalia hall.

    We're from LA, and this is our daughter's favorite Mexican restaurant near the loop after her four…read moreyears at SAIC. She was very excited for us to try it out. We arrived around 7:30 on a Friday night and the place was packed. We only had to wait 10-15 minutes, which passed quickly with the live Mariachi music. The food came out pretty quickly considering how busy it was. We got: - Margaritas -- piña mezcal, passion fruit and pepino. They were good but a little small for the price. - Pozole Pipian -- It has a verde base that's very light. Something that makes it unique is chicharrones on top. My daughter prefers pork over the chicken. - Carnitas Huarache -- good flavors but probably my least favorite of the meal. - Asada Torta -- this was my favorite dish of the night. The bread was really light and the meat wasn't tough at all. For dessert we got the churritos and Mexican bread pudding. Both were good but nothing special. All in all a great meal.

    Photos
    5 Rabanitos - Interior

    Interior

    5 Rabanitos - Chips & Guac

    Chips & Guac

    5 Rabanitos - This bright mural on the side of 5 Rabanitos drew us is for refreshing Micheladas!

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    This bright mural on the side of 5 Rabanitos drew us is for refreshing Micheladas!

    Manchamanteles Restaurant - Enchiladas Potosina

    Manchamanteles Restaurant

    4.4(143 reviews)
    2.6 miBucktown
    $$

    Chef Geno Bahena is back in business, and his world famous moles are as complex and satisfying as…read moreever. I had the rack of lamb in mole negro, and it was delicious. Get it medium rare. Kelly had steak fajitas and deemed them amazing. The sopa Azteca is spicy and loaded with complex flavors. Huge portion, too, enough to share or take home. For dessert, the chocolate mole tart and the strawberry ice cream are superb. Palomas and margaritas are good, and the wine list is all very affordable. Get the Rioja or the Cotes du Rhone.

    Came here on Valentine's Day with a reservation, there were three of us, one kid. It was full of…read morefamilies, some couples. The had a tasting menu but we opted out of it. They give you a complimentary spicy trail mix. We started with the guacamole, it was okay. Then I got a traditional margarita, my partner got a pina colada with strawberries, and my kid got a pink lemonade (Marz Brewing made). The margarita was good, not strong but not too watery. For dinner I got the chicken fajitas, the waiter asked if I wanted just chicken which I though was odd because I ordered the chicken fajitas and I wasn't sure what he meant or if he meant no veggies, it came with veggies luckily. It also came with tortilla, corn, and a side of refried black beans with cojita, and rice. It was all okay. My partner got the lamb mole, it was sweet and savory, not spicy. And it came with tortillas. They have a lot of mole options, so if you're into that definitely come here to try! Overall it was just okay.

    Photos
    Manchamanteles Restaurant
    Manchamanteles Restaurant - Dobladas De Mole Negro! Delicious

    Dobladas De Mole Negro! Delicious

    Manchamanteles Restaurant - Queso Fundido!!(keepsmilingphoto.com)

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    Queso Fundido!!(keepsmilingphoto.com)

    Frontera Grill - Trio Ceviche

    Frontera Grill

    3.9(2.8k reviews)
    3.4 miNear North Side
    $$

    Delicious food, friendly waiter, militant hostess…read more We came to dinner before a standup performance downtown (Mateo Lane was hilarious, by the way). I arrived at the restaurant on time (4:30) and checked in with the hostess, who said I could only be seated when the entire group of three arrived. This seemed weird given the restaurant was pretty empty at this time, and ordinarily I'd order a drink while waiting at the table. Regardless, I went to Starbucks instead because I knew the other two were a few minutes behind. When I got back to the restaurant, my friend said the hostess told him we absolutely had to leave within 1.5 hours because we were late... which seemed odd because he may have checked in 15 minutes after our reservation, to an empty restaurant, that already refused to seat me on time. Regardless, the food was delicious. I had the Pollo in ChiChilo-- the mole was delicious, and I loved the chicken and sweet potato. I ordered the mole on the side, which seemed like a nice balance. Since the hostess wouldn't previously seat me, I had a lovely iced matcha latte with oat milk and half a pump of vanilla from Starbucks, which was a nice pairing. The waiter did ask if I wanted a shot of something with it, which seemed odd. Ambiance was cute, probably due for a renovation but seemed appropriate for most dining out occasions- dates, families, a day out in town. Note: the restaurant charges an automatic 20% gratuity which may explain the service. Keep this in mind to avoid tipping more than you intend. Overall, I would definitely come back, and the food and wait staff made up for the abrasive welcome.

    Food - pork tacos - excellent execution of tender pork belly. Every piece was so succulent and…read morefull of crisy pork goodness. Warm, homemade tortillas added to the perfect bite on top of flavor town green tomatillo salsa. The black beans was a good balance the rich pork flavors. Also, if the standard salsa was room tamed for.your liking; they have a good habanero salsa for the asking. Maybe too much foe most. Dessert- ice cream with fudge.. Great tasting of vanilla and chocolate, but wasnt quite over the top. The ice cream was nice and thick, but was a bit gritty for ice cream at an upscale place. Partly why I couldnt give it a perfect score. Service - attentive and intuitive. The waiter seems to know what we like and need without asking too much. Spicy pineapple Cocktail- good, strong, but not great. Couldn't really taste any pineapple. Cleanliness- clean and organized. Cost - affordable for special occasion. Restroom - fancy and clean. Ambiance - warm and relaxing, but a bit cheap with the vinyl or cheap wood veneer tables.

    Photos
    Frontera Grill - Back room, additional eating area at the bar

    Back room, additional eating area at the bar

    Frontera Grill - Duck carnitas

    Duck carnitas

    Frontera Grill - Pork shank

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    Pork shank

    Buena Vista - mexican - Updated May 2026

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