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    Esta Loca

    3.3 (28 reviews)

    Esta Loca Photos

    ESTA LOCA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed

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    Terrace view overlooking millennium park
    Nakita K.

    Wow! What a great restaurant! I can't believe we've missed this place in the last 6 times we've been to Chicago. We came for a late brunch/early lunch and the front desk immediately recommended terrace seating. With global warming on the front, our 68 degree October day was the perfect setting to enjoy the terrace. I ordered a banana French toast breakfast and a strawberry margarita (yes, weird combination but it was actually fine) and my husband ordered chicken fajitas. Our servers were really nice the entire time. The French toast looked and tasted gourmet, and came with a delicious vanilla gelato! My husband said he thoroughly enjoyed his chicken fajitas and that they were very well seasoned! Last, my margarita was the perfect combination of sweet and sour, and while I could smell the alcohol, I could not taste it! It was so good I finished it fairly quickly! Overall, we loved this spot, the food, and the atmosphere. They were playing Latino and Hispanic music from a variety of countries which only added to the vibe, and the service was very quick and pleasant. When we asked about how long the restaurant had been open, our waitress responded that they had been doing Mexican food for only two months- but that they had been open for a few years. We assume they did a rebranding, and if that's true, they nailed it! We would happily come back!

    Drink menu
    Dawn M.

    We happened upon Esta Loca for brunch on a gorgeous Saturday morning. It's got a great location near the train and other attractions. We were a party of 2 and were seated right away. There is a downstairs and upstairs. The downstairs has the bar and a lively atmosphere. We sat upstairs which was more of a traditional dining room. The restaurant is beautiful and very clean. Our server (Eric I think) was attentive but not intrusive. The food was excellent! We had a three egg breakfast and a chorizo wrap (aka breakfast burrito). Everything was the perfect temperature and delicious. The price was absolutely reasonable as well. I am glad we ended up at Esta Lica and I would definitely recommend it!

    Chips and Salsa
    John R.

    I saw this new place near my office, so I decided to stop by. There was also a welcome offer ($20 discount for spending $50 or more) using the InKind app, so a nice incentive to try it. It was very Mexican and festively decorated with murals and bright colors inside. Perhaps because it recently opened, it was a bit empty during lunch time. The chips and salsa came out first. It was okay, but there was something too watery or missing in the salsa. Can't really put my finger on it. The horchata was a bit too milky for me. It could use a dash more flavor, perhaps spice and chocolate. The grilled octopus was flavorful, but a bit too thick for my liking. The skirt steak was my favorite part of the meal. If I had ordered just the skirt steak, it would have been just right. If you want a more upscale, pricy Mexican food, then this is the place. But I feel like there are plenty of other Mexican restaurants in Chicago that have a high quality of food for a lower price point.

    Micheladas - a corona-based Bloody Mary!
    David C.

    The Micheladas was good - I missed the Corona part and was surprised by the presentation and the first taste (no vodka), but it was good. Straw was encrusted with something - I assume Tajin or Bloody Mary mix. Here with a group - they liked the music and vibe. Appetizers - - shrimp chimichanga was very good - folks rated it 4-5 stars - shrimp cocktail was "very good" - like like a summer salad - chips and guacamole with green salsa - chips were think and crunchy - guacamole was ok, and green salsa was tomatillo based I think Group had various tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and a burrito bowl. I was going to order the smoked brisket burrito - rare in most Mexican restaurants. I asked the waitress though if she'd recommend that or the carne asada burrito. She said she'd recommend the carne asada, so I got that. It looked good, but I thought the meat was relatively bland. Luckily, they had a decent assortment of hot sauces at the table - I sampled 3, and it definitely kicked the taste up a notch. The restaurant is newly opened (we actually booked it expecting the previous Italian restaurant). Service was friendly and attentive. I had a range from 2 to 4 from the others - I thought 3-4 stars myself. I'm giving a 4 given the effort and this was a nice place for a group.

    NaywriChi W.

    Ahh! This used to be Rosebud remember that! Also, this is by Rosebud. I had a Chicken Taco and a Jamaica drink. It was very good.

    Italian Omelette with potatoes

    We happened upon this place since the more popular place next-door was way too busy. This place was amazing! The service was fast. The food was abundant and excellent. There were three of us and we were able to share two entrées and all be satisfied. I highly recommend and will definitely return. My 18 yo son said it was the best French toast that he ever had! This says a lot!

    Flavorless fish tacos, cold rice & beans

    What a colossal blunder replacing Rosebud at the same location with this place. Some of the most mediocre Mexican you'll find in the city. Fish tacos were served fried in hard shells. I don't normally mind a hard shell taco if it's an old school Mom's taco with ground beef. Doesn't work with fried fish. Not really any unique flavors. Try Antique Taco for one of the city's best fish tacos. Rice & beans were served room temperature and also flavorless. Could've come out of a can. Don't expect this restaurant to be around long with all the great Mexican options we have. Go to 5 Rabanitos in Pilsen instead. Also, employees give off strange vibes. Host says "How can I help you?" That's a restaurant greeting?!

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    2 years ago

    Good drinks, wonderful service. Food was corporate Chi Chi's. There is so .much better Mexican food in Chicago. And pretty expensive.

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    I am going to be thinking about the breakfast potatoes forever! They were perfectly crunchy and…read moreflavored impeccably! The vibes were so cool as well. The choice to have a record player as the source of the music was amazing. Services slayed. Period diva.

    I'm upset w myself for having lived in this neighborhood for as long as I have and taking this long…read moreto finally make it to dove's. We walked in around 9 on a Saturday morning and were sat pretty quickly. Love the old skool diner vibes inside. We sat at the counter and met Cortland, this man seems like a legend. He is so helpful, friendly, and real. My husband ordered the dove's deluxe and Cortland recommended the multigrain toast over Texas toast since I already ordered the Texas toast. What an excellent rec, that multigrain is very very good, I'll most likely be getting that every time. He also explained all the sauces in the little sauce basket to us and I'm so glad he did bc every single sauce is inventive and delicious. I got the brisket hash, those crispy potatoes are somethin special. I also had the horchata cold brew, he had regular coffee, they serve awesome coffee. I will most def be back, i understand why this restaurant has been around as long as it has! If you're gonna drive, parking can be a big hairy at this 6 corners, there's random pay to park nearby. They also have reservations for weekdays on opentable if you want to play it safe!

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    3.4(236 reviews)
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    While I am up and down on the food at Texan, I enjoy the space as a post-work happies location for…read moreme and my co-workers. We've been in twice in the last 4-5 months, and I like the indoor-outdoor space on nicer days. The value proposition on this menu is terrible unless you come in for happy hour (4-6 PM), and even then, the appetizers are so tiny that they end up being food for one, not many. The margs aren't bad and the "pizzadillas" are the go-to for the group because that ends up being a decent deal when looking to entertain the group. I don't have any service issues, and Texan's location is perfect for "let's start here then go down the street." And, at 4:30 or 5 PM, we haven't had an issue getting space for 10-12 very last minute, although I'm sure that will change over the summer. Average stuff, elevated by a big space. I would skip this place for date night, but with a crowd, worth a look!

    This place has some potential, but it seems like maintenance and overall management/ownership could…read moreuse more attention. I visited recently on a rainy day and noticed water leaking inside the building and by leaking I mean it was literally raining inside. Unfortunately, I remember seeing the same issue last summer, which is a bit concerning from a safety and upkeep standpoint there's literally wires and heaters the water is pouring out next to. The music was also extremely loud, making it difficult to have a conversation, and the sound quality from the speakers was not very clear felt like listening to nails on a chalkboard. On a positive note, the service was excellent. The drink selection is somewhat mediocre, but the draft margaritas are very good. The food menu is weird, those looking for more traditional tacos may not find them here. I think simple would get them a lot further.

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    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!

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    Interior views

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    Mixteco Mexican Grill - Al Pastor Taco

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    4.1(18 reviews)
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    For me, this was a mixed experience. The service was outstanding - I'll start with that. Our server…read morewas very pleasant and seemed to know when we needed something. As soon as we thought we wanted something else, she was there. That is the signature of a great server. They have a nice menu with a good variety of items. We started with their chips and dip trio - guac, queso, and salsa. The chips were homemade and very good. All of the dips were great. That was the highlight of our meal. We all had different types of tacos, so I can only really talk about mine. I had the taco dinner - three tacos - Asada, Carnitas, and Al Pastor. Everyone seems to rave about the tacos. I thought they were good, although I'm not sure, for the price, it was much better than any other Mexican restaurant. The steak, which had an extra cost, was just okay. The carnitas were good, and the Al Pastor was good, but not outstanding. The rice and beans were really outstanding and also a highlight of the meal. But, if fairness, good is still good. I plan to give this another try. I suspect if I order something different, given how good the service was, I'll be more pleased with the experience.

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    Frontera Grill - Trio Ceviche

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    3.9(2.7k reviews)
    0.6 miNear North Side
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    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.

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    Esta Loca - tex-mex - Updated May 2026

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