Ordered the Fajitas Mixed skillet paloma and jalepeno cucumber mixed margarita. I was not impressed with the food or drinks. I expected a little more than typical tourist food. The tortillas stuck together and had to peel them apart which at that point they came apart. I had high expectations but this place seems like they serve cheap food and watered down drinks to save money. Definitely not recommended and not coming back here. read more

Cafe Salsa - Casamigos Paloma and Casamigos Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

Sometimes I have dreams just about the steak tacos. Seriously in my short life I have never come across a better steak taco. Whatever they do to cook it, is a secrete they should protect for life because it hits the spot. The house margarita will have you feeling some type of way let me tell ya! Strong! Only have 1 if you are driving!!! I love them because I can taste the tequila without dying from it and its not too sweet or too sour! I will probably never find a marg that can beat it. Every time I am home I make sure to have my Dad and I catch up here! Every time we do I literally buy a gallon of salsa to take home-yes it's that good! Made fresh and the perfect amount of onion and cilantro and served with warm chips....can't beat it. It has a cozy and traditional Mexican vibe that I really love. I always make sure to say hi to my favorite server- Santos, such a sweet heart! read more

I've been here several times with my family, and it's a pretty solid place to come for a plate of carnitas. IMHO, not really the best place for tacos... but hey, I just make my own with my plate of carnitas and the problem is solved! The servers here are always very friendly, and it's usually no problem for the restaurant to accommodate me and my family of six on short notice. I usually call ahead to let them know we're coming, and what time works best. The other bonus about this place is that they have solid cocktails (I recommend the Skinny Natural or the Paloma), and they have a kids menu full of Mexican and American-style choices for the little ones at a reasonable price. My only complaint is that their salsa is pretty bland. With a name like Cafe Salsa, you'd think their salsa would knock it out of the park -- but nope. I like real salsa, and I like it spicy. I get that they are catering to the local patrons (aka middle-aged white midwesterners who will COMPLAIN if the salsa is too spicy), but some better salsa choices would REALLY make this place a whole lot better. read more

Oh Cafe Salsa, what happened? This one time, for a long time, establishment was my go-to for good Mexican food. In my last visit, I was sorely disappointed that my floutas were greasy and stale. We were here on a slow Monday night and service was totally lacking. Judging by the reviews in the last 6 months, something has gone terribly wrong. I do hope you can rebound to your previous greatness. UPDATE TO MY UPDATE: minutes after posting the above review, I received a message from "Mark the online Manager" I'm attaching a photo of said message as I'm blown away by the arrogance and hostility they treat their customers with. After 20 years of patronage to this establishment, I will not return until this guy is no longer affiliated with them. Perhaps if Mark spent his time reading and analyzing the complaints his customers have, they could actually put an effort to recover from a newly declining reputation. But instead they want to sling harsh words and forget what CUSTOMER SERVICE is really about. I'm sure I'll soon find this place shuttered up and it's truly a shame. Here's a tip: if you want to keep customers, don't talk down to them. read more

Cafe Salsa - A response received minutes after my 2 star review. Keeping it classy Cafe Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

Cafe Salsa has been an area staple for years! I returned to this area recently and am happy to report that this place continues to deliver on delicious Mexican fare. I recently tried their vegetarian tacos and they were the best I've ever had! They truly care about service and making sure that everyone was comfortable dining in their outdoor patio. I'm going to make sure to utilize takeout over the winter season given the pandemic. I suggest this place to everyone in the area! What a gem. read more

Carne Asada definitely worth it. Chile Relleno delicious. Chips were hot and fresh salsa and queso phenomenal will definitely return.

Since Cafe Salsa came with rave reviews from the local paper, Citysearch and the Chicago Tribune, I was expecting more, so much more than we got on a recent visit. The good news? We had a free entree coupon so at least we didn't pay full price for a mediocre dinner. The restaurant itself is charming. There are booths along the walls, a wall of framed mirrors creating an interesting focal point, a separate bar area and fanciful music playing. Given it's location- there is also free parking in the lot. We were seated and brought the expected salsa and chips. The salsa was fine but lacked any real flavor but when we asked our server- she said there were two more levels of hotness so we went up one more level. She was right. It was hot! The best way to enjoy it was to mix the mild and the hot salsa together. Perfect. We ordered some guac and the special shrimp appetizer to start. The guac didn't have the fresh taste that I like in my guac (needed more cilantro and lime) and the shrimp dish was a little sweet for my taste. As for entrees, we had a combo plate of a taco, enchilada and tostada- each came with a choice of meat (ground, grilled steak, or chicken) and all was smothered in cheese. Also you get your choice of beans and Spanish rice. My dining companion had the carne asada suizo style that came with tortillas. All of the food took a long time to come up- and I think it was a pacing problem with our server as when it finally did come to our table- it was warm, but not hot. In fact- the steak in the enchilada was cool and the cheese had that shiny look to it of cheese that has been melted and left out too long. Speaking of service- we had to flag our server down as she forgot an item of the order. We then had to find her again when we wanted our bill. And then on her trip back to the table- she dropped the credit card on the floor and didn't notice that it was missing until we flagged her down again to try to find it. Dinner for two with a couple of beers and the discount came to about $50. Again- surprised that Cafe Salsa got all the rave reviews I've seen. There are better places to get Mexican food either real Mexican or Americanized Mexican. And coupon or not- that's where I'll be spending my money. read more

I've been coming here for a while, and this place never disappoints me! Cafe Salsa is in Countryside, right next to Cocula Restaurant, which is another Mexican restaurant. I'd say it's an okay location, but it's pretty close to another restaurant that's basically the same thing. The service was great! The waiter I had was very friendly! I never had a bad experience with the service here! I'm impressed by the friendly server I had! The food was great! The tortilla chips are excellent. After each chip, you would want more of it! It's also warm, which is a good thing when it comes to food! I also had the steak tacos. It was just okay. The steak was just okay, and it wasn't the best steak I had. My side of rice and beans was pretty good. I also had the fried ice cream for dessert. The ice cream was great! All in all, it's a good Mexican place to try out. I will come back. read more

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Best of the best. I've been a long time resident of the Brookfield/Countryside area and this is the best of the best. There are some heavy hitters in the area but Cafe Salsa takes the cake. Been here about 30+ times and it has never disappointed. Great salsa. Their chips are crispy. And the service is outstanding. Ask for either Chendo or Juan, they are true kings of their trade. I moved far away and will continue to drive out here and patronize this establishment. read more

So as I've mentioned in previous reviews, I went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for undergrad, and amongst the seventy billion other things I LOVED about that place was the incredible, delicious food options. Want Indian? Got it. Chinese? Would you like authentic or Americanized? Italian? You betcha. Mexican? Oh dear god, do they EVER. A hole in the wall joint with a cult following on Neil Street, called Dos Reales. Oh man... Potent margaritas, incredible portion sizes, healthy amounts of chihuahua cheese on EVERYTHING... You get the idea. The best. THE BEST. But I digress. The point is, I moved back to the suburbs after college and every single mexican restaurant absolutely paled in comparison. Delicious drinks? Then the food was horrible. Delightful food? Stale chips and salsa. Nothing fit "just right!" And while I still haven't found that perfect restaurant north of Kankakee, Cafe Salsa is as close as I've come to it. Their margaritas are delicious (for me? Original flavor / frozen / salted rim) and quite potent, with the ability to sneak right up on ya if you're not careful. Their salsa always tastes fresh and is the perfect spice level, though extraordinarily onion-laden... Sigh. All of the entrees I've tried here have been amazing, and I typically go for their "combos," wherein you can try a nice mix of a few items accompanied by rice and beans, or I just go full hog and order the queso fundido appetizer as my entree - and delight in the fried shell full of melted cheese that surely can't be that bad for me if that's ALL that I'm having RIGHT?! Right?!?! Their prices are quite reasonable, and the staff are top notch in friendliness, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. They take special requests and substitutions, and they always giggle when my husband tries desperately to pronounce his desired menu selection in a Scottish accent. The parking situation is a bit wacky, but I can look past that. Cafe Salsa is one of my favorite places to meet up with friends or family for a super casual dinner with great drinks and tasty food. And while it's no Dos Reales, it's a delicious 2nd place option while I continue my search. read more

It was a warm summer night and my boyfriend and I were in the mood to sit outdoors and have a nice dinner along with some drinks. I remembered going here a while back and the food was good and they had a nice patio. So off we went... We walked in and asked to sit outside, luckily we had just missed the Sunday dinner crowd. We got seated immediately and I was pleased to see that the patio was just as lovely. Plenty of tables, nice lighting, pretty plants and the tables were spread out so you weren't close to other diners. Water and chips were brought out right away. I'm a big salsa fan and this salsa is very delicious. Just enough spice and full of flavor. I love that they have a very extensive menu and there is lots to choose from. To drink we ordered a pitcher of the frozen mango margarita, yum! When I checked in with Yelp I received a coupon for the half order of the guacamole so that was a nice bonus. The guacamole was ok, I like mine a certain way so I'm very picky. This one was ok and free so it was all good! For my entree I ordered the carne asada. That did not disappoint! It was cooked perfectly and it was a nice size. It came with rice and beans and those were good also. My boyfriend had the grilled ribeye and all I heard was how tasty and delicious it was. He ordered it with blue cheese on the side and ordered veggies. He was one happy guy. It was a great dinner and our server was amazing. He was very attentive, friendly and professional. A great Mexican restaurant in the area, check them out! read more

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Soludy consist friendly family friendly atmosphere great food and service been coming fir tears

Not authentic Mexican food, but good Americanized version. Margaritas were a pre-made mix, how disappointing. Had the steak tacos and steak tortas. Meat was good, as well as the refried beans and rice. We ate at the bar and the bartender provided ok service-distracted by her phone. Not sure I'll be back, too many other restaurants that have authentic Mexican food. read more

First visit last night. The food was very good. Party of 5 and everyone had something different and everyone was happy with their choice. The service was another issue. Not sure but it looked like one server was waiting on the entire restaurant. Food took quite some time to come out and when we asked for more chips while we waited it was like pulling teeth. Heck getting a Diet Coke took 10 minutes and two requests. When we asked for chips at one point the server said "Your food is coming out right now." I took that as a no you can't have chips cause he didn't bring them. The food was good enough I would try this place again to give it one more chance. If the service is that bad again then their are lots of choices out this way. read more

Best Mexican food that we've had while visiting our grandkids in LaGrange. Their enchiladas with Mole were fabulous. Don't let the exterior discourage you. Definitely worth your visit. read more

Chendo and his staff are kicking but always terrific service and fantastic food better than ot was before this stupid covid

We ordered catering from Cafe Salsa and the food is outstanding. They provide a lot of food and the beef and chicken is delicious. No complaints from this place. Dine in food is also great. read more

Walking in and being greeted by a friendly and smiling hostess was a great thing! The margarita was GOOD. I ordered the chile relleno stuffed with crab meat. Seriously on my list of top ten best things I've ever eaten. The waiter was great, very chill place. Would love to come back and try more unique dishes read more

We had gone here once and that was enough. I thought the food was very bland, for Mexican style. I did enjoy the black bean soup and I have made it myself and nearly as good. Over the years I have eatten so much mexican food I thought I was turning Mexican. I have had Mexican in so many places and in Mexico that are so much better than this food. read more

Totally blown out of proportion overrated bad food bad service weak drinks, they're not happy to be there. Nobody Smiles. No personality. None-of-the-above. Will not be back to this restaurant whatsoever. Unbelievable can't find a good Mexican restaurant in the area of LaGrange and Countryside. You can look up and down. There's nowhere nowhere to go. read more

My new nearby fav. The steak tacos were generous portion (2 is enough) and the meat very tender grilled skirt steak. Complimentary chips and salsa with House Margarita make for a perfect $13 late lunch plus tip. Will be back many times. read more

Cafe Salsa - cars parked in front of a restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

Discovered this place because somewhere else was closed loved the salsa bar from mild to knock your socks off in heat. Meats were cooked so well. It was so worth the stop. Going back soon read more

This place was highly recommended but it wasn't all we expected. Still a good Mexican food restaurant.

Nice place, good food. But our stop at your bar not so good. We got out of there after a drink...Because nobody..but no buddy (customers) attempt to wear a mask. Stay away from bar or you can get Covid 19. There is a Pandemic going on Cafe Salsa...Do the right thing bartender...remind customers between sips to cover up... read more

We stopped by here on Saturday night with some friends who live down in Western Springs. The service was great, the place was comfortable and the food was as good as you'll find at any Mexican inspired restaurant. We had a great time and my burrito was big enough to take home for lunch the next day. (I wish I could remember our server's name because she did a great job. Unfortunately, her name isn't on the receipt. If the owners want to figure out who she is, she was pretty, Mexican, late twenties / early thirties. Very attentive, even though the place was crazy busy, and she did a great job!) If I have any complaints about this place, and I'm hardpressed to write this because I had a great time there, is when there is someone celebrating a birthday, they turn up the background music and play some 'birthday song'. The first time they did it we thought they made a mistake with the background music's volume until we realized the song was singing happy birthday. By the fourth birthday celebration we were laughing, saying, "Oh, there goes another birthday!" All in all, I'd go back without hesitation. read more

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Overall very good. Simple, straight forward good food. I will return Kudos to the staff for service and politeness. read more

Cafe Salsa - Steak burrito suizos, yum - Mexican Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

This is a long time favorite. Chendo, Connor And the rest of the staff are golden people. Would like to see those GAMBLING SLOT signs moved to a less conspicuous spot, though. Really cheapens the entryway. read more

I stopped going to Cafe Salsa a long time ago. Unfortunately I had to eat their food because I was invited to go with other people and had to be polite. Worst Mexican food ever! No clue how this place is still open. Food is terrible, house margs are gross, place is dirty, owner and manager are horrible people, I could go on and on. There are so many better options for Mexican around, don't waste your money here. read more

Haven't been in a few years. Used to be great, now only so so. In house chips were very heavy & tasted of over used oil. Water was served in a large bottle, Mason style jar/glasses & no ice (we asked for some). Salsa was watery & in great need of salt. I had Carne asada & a chilli reino. At med rare, steak was flavorful but tough (I did cut across the grain). Reino was physically flat & the cheese filling was solid (reheated poorly?). My wife's beef burrito suiza was bland with crema inside(?) no take home boxes needed. Far from traditional Mexican food. read more

Save your time and money. There is nothing special about this place. The food has no flavor and is over priced. They don't use good quality steak for their steak tacos or dinner. The salsa is nothing near authentic. The place also has a funny smell when you walk in. I'm not sure what the hype is about. Food is too expensive. The only thing positive I have to say is regarding service. The hostess and bus boys were friendly and attentive. read more

We had seen this place in the past but finally remember to give it a try. Restaurant was maybe 1/8th full on a Tuesday evening and we were promptly seated. The place had the vibe of breakfast restaurant or Greek family owned restaurant (if you're from Chicago, you'll know what I am talking about) this place definitely did not scream Mexican, even with the decor and art. It happened to be 2 for $22 night so we entertained that specific menu. Chips and salsa showed up and the chips were fresh and warm and delicious! The salsa was just average and could have been a little spicier. Waiter was friendly, came by and took our drink order. I opted just for a beer. They seem to pride themselves in their margaritas made with top-shelf tequila and Cointreau. I will use the good tequila to sip and enjoy - Use the $12 a bottle tequila for my margaritas and use a lot of it! I wasn't in the mood $12 margarita. Wife's go-to dish is mole... She order the chicken mole and I'm not sure why, but I order the steak fajitas, which aren't even a Mexican dish. One thing funny I noticed on their menu was a honey glazed pork chop and chicken piccata or chicken limone, both with mashed potatoes - Those aren't Mexican dishes. Food took about the right amount of time to arrive - We dug in. The only thing that was hot were the tortillas in the tortilla warmer. The waiter told me to be careful when he set my steak fajitas in front of me because, "the plate is very hot". They weren't sizzling from the broiler... there was no steam rising no aromatic blast of citrus in the air. Hell, there wasn't even a piece of lime on my plate to squeeze. I reached out and touched the broiler tray - It wasn't hot. It was slightly warm. I looked across at my wife's chicken mole and she said her food was not hot either. No steam, in fact, her mole was starting the look matte ontop like it had been sitting for a while after being plated. I looked around again and couldn't swallow the fact that they are not even crowded so what is the excuse? Fajitas were a little greasy but the steak was tender and seasoned well. Wife's mole sauce wasn't horrible but it was a little too heavy on the cumin. At that point, we ate our room temperature dinner, checked Cafe Salsa off of our list and agreed that we do not have to return. read more

Feeling the need to be more adventurous within my own neighborhood, I decided to check out Cafe Salsa. Being only 10 minutes from mg house, and having numerous reviews I figured it was worth a shot. After walking in the place seemed to be a little dark, but overall it was very crowded. For whatever reason I thought there would be salsa music playing in the background (probably because of the name) but there was music playing in Spanish nevertheless. The workers were dressed in Hawaiian style shirts which led me to believe the food would be more Tex-Mex. After a few minutes we were seated and eager to look at the menu. Although the menu wasn't too extensive, there were a few items that caught my attention. There was a table next to us that seemed to be a group of regulars. They were already noticeably intoxicated and pretty loud. Having a yelp offer I chose to order the half order of guac and chips with the pulled pork dish as the main appetizer. My mom settled for one of her favorites (chiles rellenos). After the initial glass of water our waiter seemed to either disappear or be with the table next to us talking about random things rather than checking on us. We had to flag other servers in order to get refills, and ask about our order. After a little while, the food came and I could tell that it wasn't going to be how I expected. The color and consistency of the salsa seemed a little "different", and the food was basically warm/cold. Not wanting to wait, I went ahead and ate it anyway. I then noticed the look of disappointment on my mom's face and asked what was wrong. As she was cutting the Chile, there was virtually no cheese inside of it and the pepper was fairly small. She also wasn't a fan of the rice and said how it had a strange taste. As I tried my food, the pork dish that I figured would be like Cuban ropa vieja looked to have the same idea, but nowhere near the same taste. The rice had a red watery salsa on top and virtually did nothing to add flavor to the already flavor less rice. The beans were OK, and you really can't go wrong with salad. As our waiter was again chatting with the folks next to us, we asked another server to bring water, take home containers, and the bill if he could. Overall I don't think I would come back to this place. I can appreciate the fact that they really cater to their regulars, but in my opinion a little more attention should be focused on new clients to make the want to be a regular, or at least consider coming back. The food was underwhelming, and a little pricy for the portions given. read more

Cafe Salsa - Shredded pork dish - Mexican Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

I had been here before, a couple times about 10 years ago . Not sure if its the same owners now.Tonight: The chips were good but their sauces were not with good flavor. I remembered the pollo en mole had been good and thats what i ordered. Well now its not prepared the same anymore. Its not made with chicken breast from the bone..its chkn breast strips. The chkn was not slow simmered with the sauce to infuse it with flavor and the mole sauce was terrible. Our waiter was very nice and i instead ordered a carne asada which was very good. The rice and beans were just ok. The manager was nice and came by to apologize for the Chkn mole. Since i came here specifically for the Mole I would not come back. read more

They used to be good, key words being used to. They no longer have that kick that separates them from other Mexican restaurants. Prices can be high, but I had their lunch special during my last visit and it was quite reasonable. Lunch specials include a beverage for around $7. Their salsa is pretty good, but their guacamole does not shine. I will probably return for lunch only as their dinner prices are too high for what you get. read more

I have mixed feelings about this facility. When I first arrived there was only one other couple in the bar area. We were seated, the waitress took our drink orders (hot tea) and menus handed out. We told the waitress we didn't need menus because were having 2 appetizers, guacamole and refried beans. At that point she sort of disappeared on us. After she delivered our food items we didn't see her again until I called he over to our table to tell her that I had a "free flan" via Yelp (for checking in). Suddenly she as at our table every few minutes asking, "Is everything alright?" and "Do you need more tea?" even though she had not bothered to stop by for the last 30 minutes. "The power of Yelp"? Maybe. But I don't like being ignored because the staff doesn't feel I am a "serious" customer. I am a SERIOUS guacamole connoisseur and theirs is very good; light onion flavor with small tomato pieces and larger guacamole chunks. Also I tip very well, when the service warrants; based on service rather than a % or the bill. read more

The food is ok, nothing to write home about. BUT the kicker is where we were sitting the ceiling was dripping on me!! Really?? read more

Cafe Salsa - Duct tape trying to stop the water from dripping. It's not working! - Mexican Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

Food is great . Susana is our server and she provide us great service today . Love to come back. Fried ice cream is awesome. read more

Our server was amazing. The décor was dated and boring. The food was awful. No taste or anything. Its really hard to screw up Mexican food, but they have succeeded there. There is too much competition out there to allow yourself to eat here. And the owner responded to this review by quoting Straight Outta Compton. And I notice that Mr. Manz has taken to insulting each person out on Yelp who doesn't like his awful restaurant. Fans of his restaurant should see how he talks to people. Utter failure. Loser. He obviously doesn't eat in his own restaurant. Avoid Pepe's across the street because I think he owns that one also. read more

Good and tasty Mexican food. There's a lot to like about this place. Primo margaritas are 16 oz. by the glass (our group always orders pitchers). Erin B. is absolutely correct: they will knock you on your butt! Appetizers and entrees are consistently good. My fave is the Independence Platter: 1/2 order of fajitas, quesadilla and a flauta - for $11.95. They always give you a lot of food, and prices are reasonable. Attentive service and requests are filled quickly (when my order came without sour cream, the server brought me a plate heaped with it, and guacamole). WIthout being asked, they bring extra plates and napkins. Our baskets of freshly made chips and salsa are always refilled promptly. We've always eaten here on weekends, and it's always hoppin'. Make reservations or be prepared for a wait. There is smoking in the bar area, so don't sit there unless you don't mind smoky air. But the main dining room is smoke free. It is kid-friendly. read more

This is fine suburban Mexican. It's fine. The drinks are good and the bar is nice as is the decor BUT: DO NOT FOR ANY REASON GO ON CINCO DE MAYO!!!! I went there at 6:30pm thinking it would be early enough and our wait for a table was really short. We brought our drinks to the table, had some chips and ordered our food. Looking around the restaurant after 20min of not getting our food, unnoticed: there was no food coming out of the kitchen. At all. For anyone. There were many tables with big parties, and no one was eating. Drinks continued to flow, people started leaving their tables.... Having been in the restaurant business back in the day, after 30 min with no food, I inquired and shared my observations with the server....a very lame excuse was offered and of course, more drinks. WE WAITED AN HOUR AND A HALF FOR 2 DINNERS. The people we sat next to in the bar, still did not have food when were leaving. WE WERE NEVER APPROACHED BY A MANAGER, HOSTESS or even offered and apology or a discount on our dinner?! I never saw a manager doing rounds through the restaurant and people were PISSED. To be clear: the food was not worth an hour an a half wait, even a little bit. I brought a date there and was kind of embarrassed(oh well)....I would never go there again because no one apologized or even acknowledge what a garbage experience they gave us. To the business manager asking on yelp why I finally added the review and likening Going to a Mexican restaurant on Cinco to an Irish restaurant on st pattys....so? The reason I finally added my review is because I had a minute while my kids were Playing and drove by today realizing I still hadn't warned others not to waste their time waiting for mediocre food and disappointing service with substandard management. Thank you for your snarky response and proving my point. read more