Super bummed...I've gone to El Cid for almost 10 years; it's been my go-to since I moved to Chicago and while living in Logan Square for great Mexican food, good margs, lovely service and the best damn pico ever. However, when I went this week, I was VERY disappointed to find that while the service is still good, and the food was fine, some of the little things that have made the experience great have changed. Namely insane price gauging. I'm not sure if they're struggling with business, or under new management but a few things we noticed: $12 for guacamole because of the prices of avocado [understandable, sort of...but it still says $7 on the menu and that seems like a lot already], and when they delivered chips and salsa to our table, it was barely a handful of chips and the tiniest salsa container I've ever seen [think salad dressing container at a chain restaurant]; when we asked for more 3 mins later, we were informed that extra salsa is now 50 cents. Super weird...but ok sure. It's great salsa. So we get more, she delivers it, and when we asked for more chips upon salsa delivery [assuming that would happen naturally], we're told chips are now $2.50 for refills...An entire bag of tortilla chips is $1.49 at the store around the corner, so that's truly insane, especially when we'd already paid extra for another teeny tiny salsa. All this price add-ons on top of the meal we ordered make this once great-value restaurant just mediocre, which is such a bummer for this once-beloved spot. read more

The inside looks like many mexican restaurants with brightly colored booths and tile floor. The server asked us if we wanted to sit outside. I didn't know they had a back patio! We were off to a great start. The patio is large but cozy, just the place for sipping on a few margaritas. I was really in the mood for mexican seafood but wasn't that impressed by the offerings. I ended up ordering the chile rellenos, which is always a good fall-back option. I ordered a strawberry margarita first. I didn't care for it at all. I couldn't taste any tequila. It just tasted like strawberry syrup. Being disappointed with the strawberry, I decided to try a regular flavored marg next. Maybe it was just the fruit.. The regular was better but not great. At least I could tell there was some tequila in that one. We ordered nopales & cheese tamales for an appetizer but the nopales tasted canned. The chile rellenos were average at best. I didn't care for the overwhelming smoked flavor of the refried beans. I actually found it gross. I don't think I'll ever come back even though they have an awesome patio. read more

A friend and I went there one Friday night after work this summer. We ordered drinks. We kept asking to order food. The waitresses absolutely REFUSED to take a food order from us. She then said that she couldn't bring us any more chips because we were eating too many (we had one bowl) and if we get another bowl they would have to charge us. 45 minutes later, OTHER CUSTOMERS who came in AFTER us were actually eating, and when we asked why they still weren't taking our order, the waitress said that they'll get to us "if they have time". We were the only non-white people there and I wonder if this had anything to do with it. So after 45 minutes and watching other people who were there 20 minutes actually EATING their food, we were so hungry that we walked down to Longman and Eagle and ate there. Do not eat at this place, they will treat you like crap and then actually give you an attitude about their stupid chips and then CHARGE YOU for chips that every other restaurant gives for free. If I had just wanted chips I could have just stopped at the convenience store in the Logan Square train station. I work too hard for my money to try to force someone to take it, so if they don't want it, I can easily take it to another business who will appreciate having customers. Longman & Eagle was cool, btw. read more

Wow! 50% price increase overnight?! Used to come here multiple times a week. Now it just bumped out of my price range. Food is good, but does not warrant such a price bump. Sorry guys, thanks for the years of food. read more

we go to el cid way too much for our own good. the margaritas are good, the fish tacos are delicious as well as the potato tacos and cheese quesadillas.. the cheese enchiladas are alright. they are vegan and vegetarian friendly which is a plus. the waitresses are sweet and remember their customers. the patio is super cute though it does smell like dumpster.. the renovation looks great also. read more

Great place for decent Mexican food and good margaritas. I routinely get either skirt steak, fish tacos, or the chiminchunga. Never tried the flavored drinks but the regular (lime) flavor is good. Two kinds of salsa with the chips - a spicy verde or a sweeter tomato. Downstairs is like a nice quick service sit down Mexican restaurant. Upstairs is nicer club atmosphere and better if your planning on spending a little time there. read more

this place is great. i can't wait for the spring so i can sit in the patio and relax with friends. also, the wait staff is wonderful & sweet. read more

My husband and I recently moved to the area and were told that El Cid had some of the best Mexican around. Honestly, it was excellent. The food was great and the margaritas were even better (strong, just like I like them). We will definitely be back in the near future! read more

Terrible service, Javier our waiter, clearly could give two S**** about us being there. He really needs a reality check. Other than that it was alright. Nachos were good. read more

This place has gone down hill a lot! I was here with a few of my friends and we had the worst service. The waitresses here are rude and try very hard to up sell on food that you don't even want. Let's try this, can I please have my glass of water filled first when it is empty? I never knew that you had to request those sorts of things especially when there are two behind the registers talking to each other. The food was greasy, bland and way over priced for the lack of quality that you get. We didn't even dare to order any drinks at that point. To top it off for the bill, I wanted to break a 10 into 2 fives for the bill and a tip. They said it was not something that they do. Just another reason I guess to carry exact change. I really use to love coming here but never again. I had experienced cold food and food that had wood chips from the grill in my eggs. I thought it was just because the place was having a bad day. Guess that's just how it is. The only thing working for them is their location. Never going there again. Girls night can happen somewhere else. This place is not even worth any stars or being on the map for that matter. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! Never have i left el cid and been unhappy. my favorite things from here are quesadillas with fresh mushrooms, enchiladas with mole sauce and you cant forget the margaritas & pina coladas. the fish tacos and sopes are pretty good too. i haven't had anything that i dont like from el cid ever. read more

So- I don't know why dogs are only allowed on the front patio and not the back. There's nothing being prepared in the back patio- I think it's just because they wanted to fill up the front and not have to send servers to the back today. But, ok. I'd like to see why that's a law- which is what I was told. You also don't have to pass through the restaurant to get there- you never go inside in order to get to the back patio. Whatever. Anyways, we waited- once moved to the front- about 10 minutes for a server. Then we ordered our drinks, guac, and extra salsa (the green tastes fishy to me, and the pico/salsa comes in a container that is about 1-2 oz- and I can go through that with about 3 chips). That salsa- the extra- came about a half hour later. We spent nearly 2.5 hours there. When we got there, there were 3 servers on duty as far as we can see, and others who were doing who knows what. There was one table occupied inside. Leaving at about 645pm, there were maybe 3 more tables outside with patrons. My friend had to go inside twice to ask for service- we were really hungry. We were never offered water (in 2.5 hours). The second person that came out- after my friend had to go inside to get someone to serve us after at least 20 minutes of waiting) came out and was- sweet, but also said "you're not my table and I don't know where your server is but I'll get someone out here." Ok- how about you find out who that is, out of the three of you, and send her out. I literally never saw the first server we had again. The second server we had (who, again, our table wasn't "Hers") ended up serving us. She was nice but.... this food- come on. It's quesadillas and tacos. You've already made that chicken, beef, shredded the cheese and cooked the beans. By no means should it take over a half hour for 3 tacos and a quesadilla. It shouldn't take you 10 minutes to get us another thing of chips and salsa (there were probably 15-20 chips in a basket- and again that salsa... hello, less than 2oz? seriously?). Did I mentioned the green salsa tastes fishy? And the guac is a quantity over quality situation. It's watery as all hell, and completely tasteless. It was like- an old onion, some kind of sad avocados with no flavor, and an old tomato- no garlic or lime- no spices. Bland as hell. This would be AMAZING if it was 2am and I was drunk and didn't care. But that wasn't the situation today as I am no longer 24 years old, FFS. If you have more servers than tables, please don't take 10+ minutes to serve us drinks, chips, or salsa- and if I ask you for extra salsa before you bring anything to our table- please bring it with the chips and salsa and not 15 minutes later when I have to ask you for the second time for extra salsa. JFC. It was my second time there- and good laws. Those signs in the back- you know- sassy service signs (if you want high quality, go somewhere else, or whatever the hell it says)- should have been indicator that the owners or mgmt doesn't care. Never again! Also, those margaritas... it's basically the same taste and feel (literally, mouth feel is gross) as those hysterical, horrible margs at the boozy Taco Bell that I had once- because, well you just have to try it for laughs. So basically this is a Taco Bell. With slow as hell service. read more

This place probably has the best vegetarian options at a Mexican restaurant that I've seen since moving from California--that's not to say that it's as good though, but it's decent. For as much as I hear people claim how awesome their margaritas are, I was rather disappointed with how weak and watered down they were...Maybe it was an off-night? read more

The food is okay, the patio is nice in the summer. I just recently visited the new upstairs and my experience was rather disappointing. The waitress had no customer service experience, kept dodging me when I asked for my food. Come, on it was a weeknight and I only ordered a taco dinner. The first time it arrived cold, the second it arrived 20 minutes later and cold. I figured if I want my food warm and on time I should stick to the downstairs where the staff is nice and attentive. read more

After a nice meal in China town my man and I were headed home but not quite done for the night. We decided to stop here for a quick drink. I didn't know what to expect of this place and for some reason I thought it was going to be one of those swanky (read high priced) Mexican places. Inside it's actually very relaxed and the menu looked very reasonable. Since we had already eaten we went upstairs to the bar. I have to say the upstairs does have that swanky feel, lots of polished wood and candle light etc. We sat at the bar and immediately were given water and chips with two types of salsa. They were both quite spicy but so delish! We decided to get margarita's since..well..when in Rome. We both ordered the premium lime margs - what can I say? Freaking awesome! I don't really like Tequila but these didn't have that awful bitter taste. They were smooth and fresh. I believe the bartender stated that they were made with fresh lime juice and agave (sp?). Whatever it was they were really good, so good that we had two (and felt it!). They were not cheap ($14 each) but so worth it. I'm actually really excited about going back here either for food or more drinks!! Plus I'm excited about the outdoor patio. The bartender was really nice too! read more

good food, good prices, fast service. chips and salsa are always good, and the rest of the food i've tried is consistently good. not amazing, but good. location is great; right by the blue line stop and parking shouldn't be too problematic for drivers. read more

back patio is great to hang out and get some margaritas. but if i'm just there for food, i can usually get out of there full of tasty food without spending more than $8. hooray for el cid! read more

lime margaritas and the combination dinner platter. so good. that's all i have to say...

A little more upscale than some mexican joints in the area. Food prices are good, though, and they have carry out or eat in, depending on how much time you have. I enjoyed their tacos and fajhitas. read more

i enjoy the outdoor patio on a nice day/evening. lots of flowers and tiki torches. i'm kind of into the little cabana-looking bar. the porta-potty is a bit weird, never tried it and don't plan to, although i would recommend trying anything doused in the mole. read more

i can't think of anywhere else near my friend's house that offers relationship advice with your delicious cuban sandwich and mojito (for the friend not me..i have to admit while she was venting i kept sneaking a peek at the cute couple across the room..oops). do i really need to say anything else, not really! read more

I really would love to give El Cid four stars....but I had a similar experience as Jewly N. My boyfriend and I have eaten here twice in the past few months. The first time, we had a great experience. Cute place conveniently located two blocks away from our apartment. The restaurant has lots of seating, including a cute patio in the back. The service is pretty good, and tasty margaritas and pretty good food. I like that the Mexican is a bit more upscale than your typical Mexican joint and the food isn't too greasy. HOWEVER, about a month ago, I ordered something pretty common for dinner, veggie tacos (I'm vegetarian). My boyfriend ordered something with beef. The only thing that we both ate the same of was chips and salsa. The next day, we were both very sick for about 12 hours. I meant to go back to El Cid and speak to management, but didn't get around to it. After seeing Jewly N's post explaining a similar experience, I really hesitate to go back. I liked the food and location is great...but can I go back?!? read more

awesome fish tacos and tampiquena. best margaritas in chicago. they have an AMAZING patio in the back. monday & tuesday, bottles of wine are 1/2 price! and the lounge, upstairs, is open late. really much more than just your typical tacqueria. read more

This was my first venture to Logan Square, I was meeting up with some friends and they picked El Cid. First my pro's, I loved the back outdoor area, you really feel cozy in someone's back yard. Cons.. I wasn't impressed. The chips tasted stale, we were given a second basket of chips and those were at least warm. My friends and I ordered a few different things and shared, tacos, tamales, and shrimp fajitas. The fajitas were pretty good, would have been nice to have some cheese for them, and the tamales were also pretty good, overall everything seemed bland. Can't say I will go back. read more

Great backyard patio! Decent margaritas. Good fish tacos. The upstairs is surprisingly swank compared to the downstairs, but never pretentious. Thinking about this place makes me long for summer to get here!! read more

best fish tacos in town! great margaritas! awesome patio! killer pico de gallo! what more could you ask for!

The best fish tacos on the North-side. Great patio out back. And they are the sweetest folks....

My friend has raved about her favorite pit-stop across the Blue Line so after a long night we decided it would be a perfect spot for good Mexican food. We walk in to the first floor and take a seat at the standard booths. Our waiter comes over and insists that we check out the newly renovated second floor and his enthusiasm was cute so we did. Wow! Suddenly we were transformed to a Gold Coast restaurant with a fireplace, bar and a plush communal wall of couches and tables. The ambiance and decor is very nice but from working on Michigan Ave, we wanted a break from the norm so we quietly went back downstairs. Same waiter rushes over with a shocked look on his face saying "What happened?? You didn't like it??" lol. Au contraire, it's gorgeous up there and we are already thinking about renting it for summer outings but we just wanted a no frills evening. As always my first test are the chips and salsa that are typically brought out stale and watered down, respectfully. Not here. Even at that hour the chips were crisp, light and fresh and the salsa had so much flavor and such a bite. I knew the rest of the dinner would go well and they did not disappoint! I wish I could've strapped a continuous iv flow of their agua de horchata. I can't wait to go back, esp when it's warm enough for outdoor seating! read more

No decor, ok service. My friend ordered pork and liked it but my salmon was awful. It was overlooked and the menu description of "0live oil and garlic" did not warn that it would be smothered in chopped garlic that overwhelmed the over cooked fish--despite a clear request for medium rare. read more

Great local Mexican place. The back, enclosed patio is awesome. Food is always tasty. Good service.

The food is mediocre taqueria food, the atmosphere is a clean, laid back taqueria. The only standout food I've had here is the Pico de Gallo (the secret ingredient is ketchup!) I used to go for years when I was a starving college student living a couple blocks away, but with transportation and wisdom I now choose Chicken Run on Milwaukee or Las Asadas on Western/Charleston. read more

i want to give this place more stars but i can't. they are good. not great. not spectacular but good. i'm not fond of places that use premade things like refried beans and tortilla shells. it may take a bit more man hours to make refried beans but the effort is worth it. they have items on the menu that they have not carried for at least a month or two. when i've asked the servers what a dish on the menu is, they tell me what the menu says. i can read, i already know that. i want you to "tell" me about the dish. all that aside, they make a good margarita and i like the carne asada though i wish they had chimichurri for it. my companion loves the chile rellenos (even though i think they are store bought.) read more

Tasty and quick Mexican food, and the service is friendly, even late at night.

Great Mexican food for reasonable prices with a good atmosphere. Everything I've gotten from here has just been great. The first floor doesn't look great, but the upstairs has a really cool, low key feel. It must have been remodeled in the last year or two. read more

The worst guacamole that I have had. The Salsa had little or no flavor. The only reason it has 2 stars are the tacos - the skirt steak and the al pastor were really good. Chicken Taco was bad as well. Not worth the money - $50 for 2 people with food and a drink each. read more

We've been going to ElCid regularly for years. This place has great food, terrific service, and an amazingly comfortable atmosphere. The one thing that really stands out is the consitancy. We've never had a bad experience here. The staff goes out of their way to make you feel welcome, and the food is always great! For a really wonderful dining experience, try out the back patio in nice weather, or head upstairs to the newest addition, the lounge. read more

The drinks were good, as was the queso fundito. April, our server, was sweet and attentive.

I live very close to El Cid 2, so we go fairly often. Their food is always good and I've never had the service issues that other yelpers have mentioned. I especially love their back patio on a summer evening. I just discovered their upstairs "lounge" and find the atmosphere much nicer than downstairs and it's the same menu both places. Good tacos, good margaritas, good atmosphere, what more can you ask for! read more

I LOVE this place. The music on wednesday nights on the patio is always so romantic. Aside from the Weds night perks, the seafood is scrumptious and the waiters (although in the evenings mispronounce the dishes) are very attentive. The drinks are often only slightly spiked with tequila (however, speak to the waitresses on the second floor in spanish and Lookout!) Jokes aside, i love the staff and the manager is always around to accommodate. The drinks are well made, and the food is always delicious. i live about a block away and i visit at least every couple of months read more

Will never go back. They duped us. Margaritas.... Well we paid $54.75 for one pitcher of margarita, without tip. That was not the plan. We went in for one regular $8 margarita, but was told that the house margarita was not good and that we should get the premium. Make sense but of course that costs more, okay we can do that. Oh, the $10 premium is freaking tiny and comes in a flute glass.. really? Living off that one review you got for being one of the top 10 margaritas in the city huh? So you want a decent maragita in normal size.. okay $14. Thats just ridiculous, "oh well we are already here." But wait, a pitcher for $28, thats got to be a better deal since you get more in a pitcher right. So I run and ask the server if its a better deal to get the pitcher, he says yes its 5 or 6 glasses. Great, now I don't feel bad about the high $14 per glass cost. So we drink our pitcher of average margarita then get the bill. $50 for the premium pitcher plus $4.75 for tax. Where do you get off charging someone that much?! Your seats are worn out benches from McDonalds! To top it off, I ask the server about the cost and point out on the menu that their isn't even a price or mention of a pitcher for premium let alone a $50 PRICE! We paid and tipped, but will never give them a dime again. Only reason they didn't get 1 star is because their salsa was pretty good. But they probably just poured a bunch of corn syrup in it. read more