Fernando's is the best neighborhood Mexican restaurant! Manny is great. We consistently have the best food and service and will keep coming back. read more

Ordered empanadas that were advertised and received a red dye colored empanada. Very disappointing and when I mentioned this is not what is advertised, the lady just turned her back. Wouldn't recommend this restaurant at all. read more

I tried their octopus tacos at lake view taco fest and was throughly disgusted. I didn't see their prices and would normally not order without knowing but since not all taquerias offer octopus tacos as a choice I ordered two. I know octopus is a more costly ingredient but 12 dollars for this was ridiculous. I couldn't even recognize it as octopus . I've enjoyed octopus tostadas at other Mexican restaurants and know what it should look like. They either used something else or it's was minced so finely that you could recognize it. Tacos normally come with a green or red salsa but they served some watery brown sauce which has no taste or appearance of a salsa. Not even cilantro or onions as most tacos contain. No flavor and the watery sauce ripped the tortilla . That is why a lot of restaurants use two small tortillas. The almost non existent so called octopus slipped off from the watery tortilla when you grabbed it. I've never had this bad a product even at fast food read more

Came with a large group on a Saturday night and quickly got a table. The service was excellent and the manager even brought us a complimentary treat! The margaritas were so good we had to order another! I didn't get a picture of the street corn guacamole, but it is a must order! read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - Margaritas (amazing!!) - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here on a Sunday night and the place was virtually empty. Pretty casual Mexican restaurant with standard dishes. I had the enchiladas rojas which was decent. Portions are pretty big as well, but nothing really that makes this restaurant stand out. read more

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Manny is the best! Drinks and food are super tasty. Love the vibe. Quick and efficient service

Manny was an amazing bartender! we love this place and the service is amazing. super friendly people and great vibe in there

Food was so so, same on drinks. What really irked me is that we were charged for tortillas, even though we ordered two larger dinner plates. Clearly they should have included tortillas. At least the first order for each plate. Too bad, we won't be back. read more

The space is large and atmospheric, but the menu is quite small. The food quality has not recovered to what it was in pre-Covid times. If you are coming for the Mexican stew in a stone bowl (Molcajete), it is amazing. But if you're coming with kids, they have no more mini tacos and no real kids menu. The service was good, but they are definitely focusing on the bar half of their restaurant. read more

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Margaritas are really good! Food is pretty good too; i usually frankenstein together a meal due to dietary preferences but they accommodate and it's good. read more

I would maybe come back here for a happy hour type situation where I was drinking and maybe grab something small to snack on but even I'm sure about that. Prices were good and there were some apps that looked good but the food we got wasn't very good. Not a real option for just a regular type burrito. Fajita burrito it was. Peppers weren't really cooked through. It came smothered but there really wasn't anything on top and it looked like it was under a lamp. The Al pastor taco was burnt and very bitter. Carnitas also had a not great taste. We were close to the only people there too but it took quite some time for our food to come out. And then when we finished it felt like we were maybe forgotten about but again no one else there. read more

Always great! Friendly servers, great drinks, lively setting. Get the 3G margarita! And the birria tacos! read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - bar - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ambiance seems to be better with the outside decor but inside is pretty classic. Service was not bad but not the best there was some waiting time. Food was pretty decent ! Guacamole needed some salt and pepper. Quesadilla birria was pretty good. Is called. Margaritas were not good. Would I come back? I don't think so! I expected way more! When I checked in it says 10% off!! But they refused; they said they no longer work with Yelp... Anyway! You could try it! read more

You need to know what to order. We tried this molcajete with chicken for the first time which is excellent!! Perfect amount of spiciness. The service is great and restaurant looks very lovely. read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - Molcajete with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So good! Food and service was amazing. We had the quesadilla and fajitas - both were great. We'll definitely be coming back especially when it's warmer out ¨ read more

Happening bar with quick service and great food! Steak fajita burrito was huge and the steak was great.

Still a five star review! Adding more pictures with beans only this time. Sure love aiming to this place with the kind staff, safe precautions and delicious food. read more

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Food was amazing love love love the birria tacos and our waiter was the bartender amazing service. The waitress with curly hair had a staring problem. But besides that everything was great read more

Place was super nostalgic..love the old look...BUT..very disappointed with my BOWL...soggy greens... My partners grilled veggies with his burrito were nice read more

This place is awesome! They have an extensive selection of tequila. The bartender, Fernando is excellent! I ordered the burrito bowl with carnitas and every bite was more delicious than the last. Don't sleep on this neighborhood gem! read more

Great fajitas. Strong drinks. Good service. Easy parking. Never a problem getting a table or sitting at the bar

Love sitting at bar and having Fernando wait on us the margaritas are awesome and love the molcajetes are the bomb!

This place was absolutely the best Mexican food I've had in Chicago. The margaritas are amazing and the service is phenomenal. They would highly recommend this place to get some great Mexican food and drinks. I was feeling up to having some Mexican for dinner with my wife and we decided to go here years ago and this place rocks!!!! read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - Outside - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great, I don't understand these ratings because the food and service have always been wonderful. Top notch quality and a fun atmosphere. We have tried the birria quesadilla, the steak molcajete, and the steak fajitas, and truly all were 10/10. Repeat customer for life! read more

This pains me to write but I think after more than 20 years my relationship with Fernando's has come to an end. It would take a real miracle to get me back in there. I agree with some of the more recent reviews that the prices went up and the portions (not to mention quality) have gone down. Even the margs seem to lack the luster they once had. And 5.50 for chips and salsa and the chips aren't even homemade? Nope. The problems aren't just with the food, the place is run down. They spent the money on adding these large garage doors that have replaced all of the front windows but on a really hot day when they are closed, the AC can't keep up. There was a leak above the bar for the longest time (honestly not sure if it's still there) that you hopefully realized was happening before it was too late and your meal or snacks were a victim to the drip. And the bathrooms...oof. I was grateful when they swapped the ladies room with the mens because one stall was just not cutting it. But the current state of the ladies room ( I cannot speak to the state of the mens) is atrocious. There is what looks like black mold above one of the stalls that has deteriorated the ceiling tiles so much that a vent is hanging by one screw. The other stall hasn't had a toilet roll holder in years, and I kid you not when I say that I almost shipped them a freestanding one. The wall where the sinks are attached was rotting from the hand dryer being there, so they just tiled over it and it's starting to peel back in spots. Like I said, I've been coming for more than 20 years and I'm sure that there are others that have been patrons even longer but it is more than evident that they don't really care anymore, for the regulars and the staff. They seem to be fairly focused on their Blue Agave location that I'm sure brings in more revenue based on it's location but I really do hope they recognize that they once had a goldmine at Fernando's too and it was wonderful. read more

I always pass by Last nite i try The avocado margarita Was pretty goid and refreshing I also order the molcajete ehit jumbo shimp and steak $19 I never saw the jumbo shrimp just about 4 curly shrimps and few pieces of tough steak Lot sauce and piece of cheese on top Come whit 2 sides i chosse rice and piece of corn whit mayo and cheese I got if is food for gringos I also order taco diner 3 tacos rice & beans x my son $12 Service is ok Many servers read more

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I used to love this place years ago and could always count on them for a strong margarita and great atmosphere. Some friends and I went this weekend for the "good old times" and yikes. I realize the pandemic greatly impacted the hospitality industry but charging $5.50 for a single basket of chips and small cup of salsa, as well as $8 to add jalapenos to our margaritas (four of us).... ridiculous. Yep, $8. For. Jalapenos. That aside, the service was extremely slow in a restaurant that was a quarter full, and we also received our entrees at different times. I was nearly done with my entree by the time my friend got hers 15 minutes later (we're OK not waiting for each other!). Our waiter didn't even apologize or address it. Not to mention the portion sizes have obviously slimmed down, while costs have gone up across the menu. Food was average. Really miss the old vibe of this place and I hope they can reset or they'll lose long time business! read more

Everything was really good but the chicken molcajete was AMAZING!!!!! The chicken was flavorful and served bubbling hot with a side of tortillas, Mexican rice and street corn. Yum! We will be back! read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went there last Saturday night and we had a great time! The chips were so thin and crunchy and the salsa tasted so fresh! I ordered the Steak Quesadilla that was simply DELICIOUS, and my husband ordered the Shredded Chicken Tacos that he said was good, but not as good as the steak quesadilla. We sat at the bar area and the bartender and the staff were attentive and friendly. We had a great time! Ps. The entrance is somewhat hidden, just keep in my you get in through the bar!! read more

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Long slow decline. Been coming here for a while but tonight was the last time. Overpriced and not very good. Server could not say how a special was prepared. I ordered it anyway and he brought out the wrong order. I asked him to bring out what I ordered and it was cold. Too many good Mexican restaurants in Chicago to deal with this nonsense, read more

Another great delivery! No plans on a Friday night before Mayfest, so it's a great time to order Mexican. Was great! Fast and friendly delivery driver, excellent steak fajita salad (my new go to there), and their strong and tasty margaritas. The same margaritas I fell in love with many years ago. Hopefully we'll be able to go there in person again soon! read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - Steak fajita salad and margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend chose Fernando's as a "midway" point for dinner one evening. I was skeptical upon seeing the Yelp reviews, but didn't fight because I was in the mood for margaritas. When we got here, we found out they do not sell pitchers of margaritas. This was extremely upsetting. I don't want to pay for three $7 margaritas! I want to buy one pitcher of margaritas for $20 and stick my straw in it. But we made do with a $7 margarita and stopped there. (Which, as a company, you would make more money if you sold pitchers.) But the margaritas were good and strong so that's a plus! For dinner, I ordered steak tacos with refried beans and Mexican street corn. The steak was not good....like I ate the tacos but I didn't like them that much. And the corn was weird. Would not recommend. I wish I had tried their green rice, or literally anything else. And the beans were beans. So that's fine. But I would probably just eat beans and chips next time I go. That's all I really need. The service was pretty good and the environment was nice. But I just wasn't a fan of the food or the lack of margarita pitchers. There are plenty of mexican restaurants in Chicago, and this just isn't the one for me. read more

Fernando's Tequila Bar & Restaurant - Steak tacos with beans and Mexican street corn. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Attentive and pleasant staff. The food was delicious and abundant. Great decor and great if you just want to have a drink by the bar and watch the game. read more

I ordered a pickup order on Grubhub at 4:43pm and received and email stating that my order would be ready between 5:00-5:10pm. As I was walking over, I get a text at 5:08pm that my order is ready for pickup. I arrived at the restaurant at 5:10 and asked the man behind the bar for my order. He said they were working on it. I took a seat at the bar and waited for 45 minutes. I asked the hostess to please check on my order. She went to the kitchen and came back. She told me my order was given to a delivery driver and that they were bringing it back. There was no way I was going to accept an order that was being driven around the neighborhood for 45 minutes. They knew my order wasn't there and allowed me to sit and wait with no explanation. Luckily Grubhub refunded my money. read more

This was a case of knowing better ... but thinking just maybe things have gotten better here so let's give it one more try. Suffice it to say - service and food and overall experience was even worse than my last sub-par experience. So much for trying to give a place another chance. read more

A good Mexican place that delivers? Sign me up! Ordering online (it's actually via GrubHub) is easy and simple. And our food was delivered in under an hour. And everything was perfectly packaged and correct. (Which is a pretty significant thing in the world of food delivery.) The burger torta was a nice twist on the American classic. The queso was very yum. The jalapeno caesar salad was also a nice twist on a common classic. Jalapenos in the salad, tortilla strips instead of croutons, and a jalapeno lime caesar dressing. And definitely get some of the black beans. I'm not particularly a fan of beans, but these were seriously tasty. read more

Updating Review - Updating this review because after my first visit I decided to give them a try again and they are great. Fernando's was close to my apartment and whenever I'd go, the waiters would always treat me so kind and they are so attentive and helpful with the menu and drinks. I recommend getting the pitcher of margarita! They're great. Thanks Fernando's! read more

I'll just say this... " I WON'T BE BACK.! The food was really boring. The bartender couldn't even make a Apple Martini!!! Like who don't know....Never mind. read more

Been coming here for 20 years and it has always been consistent! Good food and knock down awesome margaritas!! Use caution. 1 drink is stronger than a martini... no joke. Love potion or hate juice, it's your call. Manny has always treated us right! Thank you for being such a standup realizable date night location! read more

Decent Mexican food. The guacamole was excellent. My chipotle chicken breast was perfectly fine and edible ( nothing special but it was nice to have a healthier option). Teens loved their fajitas. Portions are huge. Despite this place not being a chain, something about it feels like a chain. Service was ok but not great- would have loved to have our water refilled on occasion. Good for a loud group and despite no children's menu- there were items on the menu that could be modified to make it child friendly enough for the youngest kids in our party ( eg plain quesadilla or chicken tacos no garnishes). Overall, it is a nice option for casual Mexican with a group if you are in the area. read more