Hoja Santa, features flavorful authentic Mexican food dishes with a little flair. Located on lively Lake street in Oak Park, (perfect for people watching) street parking can be difficult; however, there is a budget-friendly parking garage within a block of the restaurant. The vibe inside is perfect for an intimate evening or afternoon lunch. Dark wood seating, an ample sized bar with dim lighting makes this a comfortable, chic spot. There is street side outdoor seating; however, there were no table umbrellas during our visit. The staff greeted us immediately and was happy to review the menu with us. We had the mole with roasted broccoli and cauliflower, unicorn pescado tacos and a Plato Fuerte with shrimp, lobster and chicken in a tasty creamy sauce. We loved all of the entrées; however, thought the mole was a lacking the traditional mole flavors we've tried before. The unicorn fish tacos were the standout and were crispy and delicious! We also appreciated the 4 taco serving, which was perfect for two. Prices were on point with other similar style restaurants in Oak Park, slightly elevated but fair for the quality of ingredients. Let's not forget the cocktails...outstanding! read more

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We had a bit of a mixed experience at Hoja Santa. The cocktail was really good and well-balanced. Guac was solid, the meat was cooked perfectly, and the yuca fries were great. On the downside, the bone marrow was undercooked, and we actually found a piece of aluminum foil in the mac and cheese that was prepared without truffle (menu states truffle). They remade it but it was a miss for us. The tres leches was underwhelming and a bit dry. Service was good--our waitress was attentive--but she didn't seem to know the menu very well. For example, we were told the street corn wouldn't be on the cob, but it was. Overall, some hits and some misses. Ambiance is ok - there's nothing that stands out. Drinks and mains were good, but a few things really missed the mark. For the price I don't think I would return. read more

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Every time I come, I enjoy my experience. Have been here multiple times and its a delicious meal, good service, and an enjoyable environment. I recommend the house made margaritas, although you cant go wrong with any of the drinks they have. Last time I was in, I ordered Molcajete Hoja Santa, Birria Pizza (staple when I go to this restaurant), Pulpo, Bruselas. Most of the time I am there, I just order appetizers. The portions are large, delicious and lots of flavor in everything you get. The service can at times be slow, especially on busy nights. So something to think about if you are expecting quick service. The servers themselves are all kind, answer questions and make sure to keep the drinks flowing! This is an environment that is a little loud! read more

The Katrina cocktail with ghost pepper was delicious, the ghost pepper was inside a skull iced cube. All of the food was delicious and flavorful. However, my whole table said we were feeling stomach aches the next day and living on the toilet. I think it was due to the grease and beans. Also, there was definitely MSG used in the food because I always get a headache and extra dehydrated and thirsty. The fried ice cream was good. Basically, the food is delicious, but it comes with a price! The service was nice. It was slightly chilly inside. read more

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So she this IG story that really made me want to go here. Well I was mostly disappointed. The chicken although heart shaped was sour like vinegar. The steak was meh and for 60 dollars definitely not worth it. The kids hated the birria pizza so yep not returning. The place was nice and the staff was nice as well. read more

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Came here on a Friday around 5pm and it was not crowded so I was seated immediately. This is the old Rustico so the space is nice and still has that rustic look and feel. Ordered the Katrina and it was really good and crafted well. It came with a skull ice cube, which I thought was cool. I also ordered the Pescado, the pan seared sea bass. The kale was too salty. The cook needs to cut back on the salt because it really takes away from the dish. There is a 1.5 time limit on weekends. Overall it was a good experience but next time I would not order the sea bass but would for sure try the same drink because it was the star of the show. read more

Hoja Santa - Pervade Pescado - Bars Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Great vibes! Great staff! Great food! David attended to us at the bar; excellent service! I had the "Pescado"; Pan- seared black sea bass, sauteed shrimp, roasted red potato, kale, chili chilaca sauce. I also had a side of Chimichurri sauce; I love Chimichurri! I cleared the plate; every bit of it was delicious. My cousins enjoyed their pizzas and Molcajete Hoja Santa; Frijoles(beans) charros, sliced ribeye, shrimp, cheese, corn, tomato jalapeño relish. Their house made tortillas are perfect! I tried one of my cousin's; I'd like to come back and try their tacos! read more

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The service was good, however I ordered the Mole dish, but unfortunately it was such a disappointment. It had no meat like your traditional Mole. It came with with 2 pieces of Broccoli & 2 pieces of Cauliflower broken in small pieces. I finished it 4 bites definitely not worth 25 dollars. The Mole dish is absolutely a rip off, slacking that's for sure. An experience I wouldn't want anyone to go through. read more

My husband and I went there for a date night. The food was amazing! Love the ambiance and the service was top notch!!

From the moment we walked into Hoja Santa, we knew we were in for something special. The atmosphere is elegant yet welcoming, and the staff immediately made us feel at home. We started with a few appetizers that weren't even on the menu, each one was beautifully crafted and full of vibrant flavors. The standout dishes for us were the jalapeño gnocchi, birria pizza, carne tuétano, and arugula salad. Every dish was presented with care and had its own unique twist that showed real creativity in the kitchen. What made the experience even more memorable was the personalized touch from the staff. They offered us a few custom drinks not listed on the menu, just to see if we'd like them, and they were incredible! You can really tell that everyone there takes pride in what they do, from the chefs to the servers. Overall, Hoja Santa is not just a restaurant, it's an experience. Every flavor, detail, and interaction made our visit unforgettable. We left already planning our next visit. Highly recommend for anyone who loves thoughtful food, great service, and a dining experience that goes above and beyond expectations. read more

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Came here with my partner and ordered the Mojarra and the Mariscada as our main and the brussel sprouts as our appetizer. The appetizer was pretty good and so we had high expectations for the main course. Unfortunately the Mariscada was way too salty for my partner to even finish. We let one of the staff know our complaint, who then told our server. We asked if this item can be taken off of our bill, but when we received our check no adjustments were made. So I bring this up to our server who proceeded to make no effort in resolving our complaint. He tells us "if it comes out the way it's supposed to, then nothing can be done.". He did not bring this up to his manager, or even attempt to work with us. Just "Well sorry you didn't like your dish, tough". Completely ridiculous! Our last time at that establishment. read more

Delicious drinks and bites at Hoja Santa! We got the Calabaza, fajita pizza and queso for dessert and all were delicious. The queso was a unique flavor of burrata and ice cream. We sat at the bar and the bartender was quick, helpful and attentive. Their outdoor seating is closed for season but the inside is cozy too! read more

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My son chose this fantastic restaurant we haven't been to before with elevated Mexican cuisine. The restaurant isn't very large, but it has a cool vibe. Our server Caesar and the rest of the staff were on top of everything. Service was very good. We started out with cocktails and they were amazing from the old-fashioned to the pretty Mezcal drinks. The three of us decided to share everything we ordered. We started out with the Birria pizza, a beef shank and short rib pizza, followed by the grilled octopus, raw steak and jalapeño gnocchi. Every dish was creative and flavorful. So delicious!! The only thing I would say is the octopus could be cut into larger pieces because it got lost within the other ingredients, and the raw steak could have less sauce. Sometimes less is more. We ended the mail with a dessert dessert, the Nieve frita, which was homemade fried churro ice cream. I do want to go back to experience more of the chef's culinary creations because it was a hard to make a decision on what to order. Everything on the menu sounded great. If you're in the Chicagoland area, I highly recommend trying Hoja Santa. read more

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Definitely recommend! Food and drinks were amazing! Service was great! Quick & efficient. The place was asthetically pleasing. read more

Hoja Santa - Molcajete Hoja Santa - Bars Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Excellent cocktails & food. Casually met a group at the bar before a wedding. We all enjoyed our cocktails & shared some small plates. Service was friendly & accommodated staggered arrivals & milling around the bar area. Would most definitely return for the fresh food! I would say the food had fresh, light, flavorful California vibes. Had a hard time deciding what to order, as every dish coming out of the kitchen looked delectable. Tortilla chips were SO great, along with every dish we tried. read more

I came here for Valentines. I ordered a pasta had zero flavor when I asked the waitress to switch my plate. She told me why I didn't like it and what was wrong with it, but there was no flavor in there as I told her right away I thought she was just switch my plate, but she told me I was still have to pay for the play that I didn't like even if I didn't need it when I ordered that that complete chicken I did not like the seasoning either. It was not good at the end, the waitress had already included her tip, but I thought it was kind of rude the way she asked me why I didn't like the food and how they weren't able to just switch, drinks were OK, but don't recommend to have dinner here read more

Our monthly brunch selection. 6 friends we have know each for 30 years! Amazing, attentive service! Love the music and relaxing vibe! Not to mention how the delicious, savory the food is! Our monthly brunch selection! read more

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Not bad but no value for what it was. Limited vegan options and i selected this place based off of a gluten free and vegan need of someone in my party. They were able to get something but it was one of the lets make x off the menu. Their ability to do that did make the dining experince better. Also did not have a good setup for larger than groups of 4. It was busy, and they seemed under staffed. The people that were there were all working hard to make the best dining experience you could have. Tables were crowded and too close together. The food was all good but not much better than many mexican take out places and it was all 3 time the price of that. So charging for an elevated experince but failed to deliver on it. Don't see myself comming back. read more

This is one of experiences in the neighborhood where after seeing the extraordinary presentation and following that up with taste that fits the visual, you immediately realize you must keep this treasure thriving! There are bites that are memorable for being in Oak Park, and then there are those rare bites that would be memorable anywhere. Oak park is blessed to have this spot but I worry that there are too any empty tables to keep it. I had the skirt steak with bone marrow on my first trip and it was superb. But after seeing a post asking about best steak places in Oak Park and trying to vouch for Hoja Santa, I knew that I had to try the ribeye to prove it was a steak destination. I'll say presentation was 3.5 stars but the taste was an easy 5 stars. I shouldn't have eaten the whole thing but I passed that mythical point of leftover and just kept going. This place is on another plane from other options in Oak Park, let's support them! read more

Hoja Santa - Wood fired ribeye! - Bars Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The drinks are amazing! I'm am always looking for a nice ambiance and chill experience. The guacamole was delicious. The margaritas, Old Fashion, and Manhattan were on point. I didn't have all those in one visit lol. read more

Tried this Rustico sibling this weekend to mixed reviews. The menu is fairly varied, but not too large so that it gets overwhelming. Portions are really large, so keep that in mind when ordering that if you get an app or two, you will likely not be able to finish an entree. The fish tacos are huge. As an app it's too much unless you split the portions and make six tacos instead of the giant 3. The guacamole is also like 2 cups! And oddly, it comes with so few chips to eat it! The yuca fries with chimichurri were the stars of the meal. The chicken Milanese was okay and the seafood entree with shrimp and black bass was a miss (overcooked and dry). Service was good - it was odd that when we first got to the table there was a dead fly on it and we weren't moved (kid pointed it out, so they knew) even though the place only had maybe three other tables filled. read more

came here with family for a birthday meal! these pictures were just what we got, others got the ribeye and bone marrow, ceviche, and pasta. we shared guac, the molcajete, calabazas, and birria pizza for the table. I thought the food was good, but nothing that blew me away except for the calabazas which had an interesting nutty sauce and the molcajete. the pork dish I had was a bit dry, and the amount of pork you got felt small. the puree was a nice touch. for the cost, I think I'd try somewhere else next time. but it was an interesting place to go once. service was good and the servers were attentive (waters were filled!), and the restaurant itself was nicely decorated if not a bit loud to have conversations over. read more

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First time here....The food is sooo flavorful! Culturally different people agreed on the good flavor. They have tuétano which you really don't find anywhere. Looking forward to trying something else in the menu. We had a hard time choosing what to try. read more

Amazing dinner. We started our dinner with sangria and a trio of ceviche. All of them were unique and equally delicious. We ordered the pork with mole the chicken and octopus. Every bite was a delight. The servers were very attentive, the location comfortable, and inviting I was visiting Chicago and wished there was another Hoja Santa near me. read more

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I had steak and mac & cheese oh my God it was so good. The steak was cooked so juicy. The mac & cheese was so cheesy. I love it all. Definitely will come back to 10 out of 10. read more

Food is really good - love the menu and need to go back to try again. Our kids weren't big fans but the adults like it. Service was decent. Has a rustic look inside. read more

The worst birthday dinner ever the customer service was very horrible the (manager or general manager whatever he calls himself ) didn't want to give his name and when I ask the waitress she gives one name and then he gives me another I ordered a pasta and didn't like it so I sent it back but the manager said that I have to still pay for it regardless even if I didn't eat it he didn't try to accommodate me with something else or take it off my bill I will never come to this establishment again !!! read more

Oak Park has long lacked a high-end Mexican restaurant. That wait is over. Hoja Santa clicks all the boxes. I have been there twice so far and expect to go back as often as possible. From the first part of the menu, smaller plates (labeled "Bocadillos Y Ensalatas") include the usual guacamole but consider stepping out of your comfort zone for their Calabaza (roasted butternut squash, salsa macha, skinny fries and roasted cashews) or Brusellas (crispy Brussel sprouts with tamarind star anise reduction, almonds, serrano pepper, cilantro, mint and roasted cashews.) Also there is usually a special soup of the day which on my two visits was very good. For main course: I've so far sampled, and enjoyed, the grilled pork tenderloin with mole rojo, butternut squash puree, sauteed arugula, saffron pickled onions, and also the fried chicken breast, black bean, corn and avocado medley, cucumber relish, chilaca pepper aioli, frijoles charros. But the real revelation for me was the Mexican wines they serve. I'm too old a dog to be learning new tricks but I had long ago consigned our south-of-the border neighbor country to the ranks of beer-and-tequila land. No more. A number of whites, roses, and reds from producers in Baja California, Mexico, will please any lover of good wine. I have not yet sampled any of the restaurant's pizzas or desserts. Service is good, and as a bonus certain servers can also be very informative about aspects of Mexican cuisine and viniculture. The ambience is fine. (You don't have to worry about roving mariachi trios playing for tips.) While obviously priced higher than a taco joint, it is no more expensive than any other high-end Oak Park restaurant. Highly recommend. read more

We used to love this place but yesterdays visit was a huge disappointment. The food was mediocre at best (pulpo appetizer you had to search for the pulpo) and the lackluster service was off putting. After ordering appetizers (table of 4) the server never came back and we went somewhere else for our mains. Guy at the bar was constantly yawning, front of the house and servers busy chatting w each other, from 5 white wines on the menu 3 were not available. amazing how you can ruin a restaurant read more

This is a very inviting spot. Had the yuca fries that comes with a garlicky chimichurri sauce. It was outstanding and I will be heading back for this. My entree was the steak with roasted (or grilled?) sweet potatoes, which was also good. Definitely returning to explore more of the menu and drinks. read more

Fun evening with friends. Hoja Santa is part of the Rustico family and is even located in the original Rustico space on Lake St. Our server Cesar was awesome. We all started with fun adult cocktails which were made to perfection. The guacamole appetizer is not to miss. I enjoyed the chicken special entree. My good friend had the brisket which he said was spot on. The ladies split a gluten free pizza which they loved. Expresso martinis were the dessert selections. Great local restaurant with a wonderful Mexican flavor. We'll be back. read more

Meat was decent. Cold tortillas, stay away from the tik toks. Not all that glitters is gold. 50% of our taco orders were wrong.

Incredible food! Everything was flavorful and super pretty to look at. We'll be back for more read more

Hoja Santa - Ceviche - Bars Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Apps I would highly recommend are molcajete Hoja Santa and yuca fries. Incredibly delicious!!

Went here for lunch for my wife's birthday. It was nice to get sandwiches and try out their menu. We had great service and enjoyed the space. Next time I would definitely order the cocktails or come back for dinner to try more of their menu. read more

Fantastic experience! Our son ran in the Chicago Triathlon and we wanted to get brunch.....finding one restaurant crowded and over 30 minute wait we moved down the street. We sat outside since we had our 2 toddler grandchildren with us. David our waiter was very pleasant, helpful, congenial and fulfilled all our wishes quickly. We had guacamole and chips for an appetizer and it was excellent; we each had a mixed drink. My coconut mojito was delicious-the right amount of sweetness, and refreshing. My son enjoyed both his mezcal drinks. I had the pescado (fish) tacos and they were delicious and were enough to share with another person. All the food was delicious with left overs for taking home! David, our server was really exceptional in his service and also being kind to the toddlers and us. He was very sweet and brought us Mimosas on the house to celebrate my son finishing his race. Definitely will return to Hoja Santa when we're in Oak Park again! read more

Nice ambiance, friendly staff, and great presentation, but a tad too slaty and overpriced. The guac and roasted butternut squash are solid. The pescado entree was way too salty that I couldn't even get through half of it. Prices are a bit high, but consistent with what is available on that stretch of Lake Street. read more

Unusual menu. Terrific. Experience. High quality fish. Try the bone marrow for unique dish.

Inexcusably bad service. After messing up our order, which left two of our party of four without dinner, no attempt to rectify the situation was made. In fact we were ignored for the remainder of the evening. Too bad. The food is good. The atmosphere could be improved, especially the noise. It's very loud, even when there are only a few people in the restaurant. read more

PHENOMENAL!!! I ordered the old fashioned with mezcal and pescado. Absolutely fabulous. Service fantastic. Loved it and will definitely be back. read more