Fantastic ceviche tostadas! Extensive kids menus. Very friendly service however the food does not come quickly. Comp salsa and chips. read more

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La música es demasiado fuerte Vengo por un desayuno tranquilo Aquí está este mensaje para que le diga a el dela rocola que le baje read more

This my first stop of my taco hopping. I've been to La Cecina before but not this location. At the other location I ordered their Torta Abogada but this time around I decided to try out their tacos. The inside is very spacious and a bit outdated. The service however was great. Very attentive servers and very kind as well. They start you off with chips and salsa, which is always great while we waited for our tacos to come. I ordered a Cecina taco and a carne Asada taco. The carne Asada wasn't skirt steak, just taco meat. And they don't use cilantro and onions like at other taquerias, they just use tomatoes and lettuce. I've personally never liked salads on top my tacos or in burritos because I feel like it waters down the food and takes away from the flavor, but La Cecina made it work. It was very delicious taco. Their Cecina taco comes with lettuce and tomatoes, but also come with a guacamole as well. The meat was cooked and seasoned perfectly. They also use homemade tortillas which is always a nice touch. It's been about 4 years since I've had La Cecina, and after trying their tacos, I promise it will be a lot sooner than 4 years to return. read more

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The food was very good and the serving is enough for one person, you do not feel hungry after you leave. Service was very good the ladies came and made sure you had everything you needed, and you did not need to hunt them down or make you feel rushed. They make you feel special. The ambiance is as if you are at home it's a nice family restaurant. It also has street parking but they do have free parking across the street. If you want good food and a reasonable price this is it. read more

I came here on my mom's recommendation and I hit the walls on my first bite. After a long day of work we both came here for something to eat. Our sever greeted us very friendly. I will say that it was a bit busy and our server took some time to take our orders but she apologized and I understood she was the only server for about 20 people and it was busy. Anyways, the coffee was amazing. Super fresh and really hot. I hate coffee and I loved it. I ordered the cecina sope and sorry for not snapping a pic but I was hungry and that sope was just waiting for me to dig in. I was full with one! The meat was thinly sliced but it had enough meat for me to savor. Their homemade salsa was spicy enough to give you a kick. I will definitely be coming back and trying more stuff. Please give this place a try you will not be disappointed. read more

La Cecina - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Another go to neighborhood spot with great handmade tortillas. Their tacos (especially the cecina tacos) are much better than all the trendy "chef driven" high end tacos that everyone seems to love these days. All the other dishes I've had have been great. Do yourself a favor and get the real thing here. Also it is BYOB! read more

*Note* They took the awning off so you might miss it like we did. Came here on New Years Day since it was one of the places open. It was bigger than I imagined. Horchata - This was pretty good. Not too sweet. Chicken Soup - Since I was sick, I went with a soup. It had a little kick to it and the meat was tender and not dry. Cecina Special - I've never had cecina before and it was a bit salty and good. Service was prompt. The waitress forgot my horchata and when my guy asked she apologized and went to get it right away. I have to say the prices are a bit higher than most places, but I would come back again. They do have daily specials too. read more

La Cecina - Cecina Special - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I rode my bike to 47th st. to eat at La Cecina. Its located in the Chicago neighborhood, "Back of the Yards," which refers to the old stockyards. The South Side has a lot of industry as reflected in the chemical smells. To start off I had the jugo 7 vidas- beet, celery, apple, orange, carrot, perejil and pineapple. Perejil is parsley. The drink tasted healthy and good but was too viscous to cleanse my throat from the ride down. Served first with warm tortilla chips and salsa de mulcajete. The caldo de pollo flavor was so bright. It helped that it was served with almost half a juicy lime plus lots of chopped onion and cilantro. The squash, zuchini, carrots and potatoes were also cut small. The broth flavor was light and it sang more with the vegetables than the meat. I drank a glass of horchata at this point- the house horchata had flecks of spice, really good. The torta ahogada was something I had to try- its the signature dish at my restaurant. Instead of pork carnitas, the meat we use, I ordered the torta with cecina. The specialty of La Cecina- salted cured thin cut steak. The tomato sauce was wicked spicy- the chile seeds are visible in the photo. The salty steak was cut by the spicy acidic sauce, creamy avocado and cooled off with sour cream. At my restaurant the torta ahogada is not available for take out- it is dine in only. There was some joy in taking my torta cecina ahogada to go for the 8 mile trek home. read more

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I ordered a burrito, and it was so good I just couldn't stop eating it. Their service there was great the restaurant was beautiful and the food was 10 stars (but I guess I can only do five ) and honestly I think it was one of the best burritos I have ever had. The waitress that was serving our table was very nice and professional. Overall me and my family loved this restaurant. read more

La Cecina is this little restaurant nestled in Back of the Yards. It's is a sit down restaurant and it was empty when we got there and we were seated right away. The waitress was very nice and honest about the size of the tacos. There were telenovelas playing on the tv in one corner and a few people in there that seemed familiar with the servers. It looked like it was going to be dope. I ended up getting 3 tacos: the cecina taco, the carne asado taco, and the al pastor. My friend and I had somewhat opposite experiences here - even though we were here together. I was STARVING on arrival so the first couple bites of my tacos were absolute heaven. However, that feeling faded for me to a steady - these tacos fit the bill. My friend, on the other hand, retained her high opinion throughout. Of the three, the Cecina was actually my least favorite - it didn't have as much flavor and I felt that the guac distracted me from the meat. I'm a fair weather friend of guac so maybe those of you that builds shrines for it will think differently. Overall, average but not bad by any means. read more

La Cecina - Tacos from left to right: La Cecina, Carne Asada, Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service we experienced from a waitress named Carol was horrible. I would like to leave a zero star review because her customer service was horrible and disrespectful. Due to the fact that she gave us attitude when I sent food back because she messed up my order in the first place and I repeated it to her 3 times. But, she still messed up my food. I will not be coming back and I will tell all my friends and family not to come eat here ever again. read more

My boyfriend and I ordered here not so long ago. I got a burrito and he got enchiladas de mole. We also got a large Jamaica juice, which we didn't expect it to be extra super large which we appreciated cause the price for it wasn't too bad. Although, the burrito was not hitting the spot. The meat wasn't as good as some other places that I've been too, but my boyfriend loved his enchiladas, so I took some of his food Overall it was good just not the burrito. read more

Nope, it's not pretty. No flower beds, fountains, ponds, bird houses or white picked fences. This, my friends, is not your typical backyard. THIS - is "Back of the Yards". The 'hood. And you'd better be ready for it. Actually this stretch of 47th street is not that bad. There are restaurants everywhere, a few bars, families in the street and last night you could almost smell spring in the air. La Cecina doesn't require a nice neighborhood though. The beauty of its food is enough to make it stand strong and proud, almost at the corner with Damen. Quick word of advice: If you are blue-phobic,or if Smurfs give you nightmare you shouldn't make the trek down. Something happened in there, and it's hard to watch without sunglasses. To put it plainly: it's ugly. For a couple of seconds I hesitated to sit down. Blue awning, blue chairs, blue walls....VERY blue walls. Easter bunnies everywhere. Tired look. We are far from Bayless's fabulousness. But just style-wise. Because I will come back, again and again. I found here some of the best Mexican fare in the city. The specialty is - duh - cecina, or strips of beef that have been pounded thin, marinated then grilled. Served with guacamole, pico de gallo and scrumptious home-made tortillas (the smell of masa was intoxicating and followed me in my dreams), you can have it plain or rolled with chorizo and cheese (rellana) and topped with a cactus sauce (campesina). The carne is just as good, juicy, tender and perfectly cooked. Other winners?!? - quesadilla de huitlacoche (corn fungus) which can be served 'natural' or 'frita' (deep fried). A-mah-zing. - horchata and other aguas naturales - fresh juices - sopes al pastor sprinkled with chihuahua cheese, crisp cabbage and juicy tomatoes Their menu is impressive and I cannot wait to return to try their fish (whole and fillet), the caldos and the parrilladas, a seafood or meat feast for two that comes up to a mere $30. And the queso fundito, the ceviche, the moles, the.... Use your common sense and just come here. You'll see what I am talking about. read more

After pulling up to find that I had to possibly drop some coin for street parking outside of La Cecina, I was luckily pointed out by a nice guy who said something along the lines of "despues de a las seis, no hay problemas." Sweet! Looks like this meal is going to start off right. Because though this strip of 47th is a commercial zone, I found it sad that LAZ had made their way down to Back of the Yards. The good news is it is during normal business hours which we avoided. Entrance into La Cecina was made with some smiles and that oh so casual "please, sit where you would like," which always gives us a tough time. We don't like to choose things, or rather, we take a while to choose things. This was a sign of things to come with our meal and did amount to my usual over-ordering, and therefore: over eating. To sum up- this place is damn good! The flavors are all there, and the menu is extensive. We were surprised to see the variety of ingredients available as well (think oysters on the half shell, frogs legs, bulls testicles, huitlacoche- which is a type of yummy corn fungus, and a few other things that you won't find anywhere). I tried their namesake, the cecina which is a flattened, salted, marinated piece of steak. What I was impressed with was that unlike a lot of cecina I have had in the past, this stuff wasn't dry or tough. Seriously- I have had some cecina that has basically been beef jerky. They served it up to me in Guerrero style (guacamole, pico de gallo, salad, freshly made maza tortillas, and slow cooked beans on the side- not refried) and I loved it. She opted for a thicker cut of steak that I must say was very tender, juicy, and flavorful. Topped with a somewhat spicy sauce that included nopales (cactus)- this was a great dish. We also tried some huaraches al pastor (kind of like over topped, elongated tacos served "open face" that has spit roasted, marinated pork and topped with salad and queso) which were awesome, and a quesadilla con huitlacoche (the aforementioned corn fungus which would be like mixing really mellow mushrooms with squid ink... sound strange, but is really very good). I got to practice a bit of my broken español by reading all the different signs of the food around the place (which was clean and "seasonally festive") and the server was even kind enough not to laugh too hard at some of our poor guesses (I forgot that "hongos" were mushrooms, instead thinking they were oysters). Oh, and for those of you who don't know what "despues de a las seis, no hay problemas" means... Get yourself down to La Cecina and have one of the nice girls translate for you and teach you a bit of Spanish while you munch on some of the best Mexican food you can find in the city. read more

This week, my friend Mike + I found ourselves in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood, hunting for a burrito + a large horchata that could top last Sunday's choice (Little Village's El Chisme, on 26th). For those of you unfamiliar, the Back of the Yards neighborhood is located on Chicago's south side (approx. 8 miles southwest of the Loop) + one of Chicago's founding neighborhoods of the "American Industrial Revolution" (it strongly resembles the backdrop to a Bruce Springsteen album ...Namely Nebraska). It's also the former meat packing capital of the country up until the 1960s (and not in the N. Halsted way). The Union Stock Yards were founded back in 1865 and were the inspiration for Upton Sinclair's bestselling novel "The Jungle". The original stockyard gates still stand + there's a large plot of stacked old rail cars ...On a humid/rainy night you can still smell meat. Isn't that charming? We passed by a handful of Mexican restaurants, in the predominantly Mexican neighborhood. The most promising being La CeCina, located @ 1934 W. 47th St. ...Full of neon, black gates over the windows and signs I couldn't read (aside from "pollo" this/"pollo" that) ...I said "promising," right? Well, it was packed ...Generally good sign. We found parking right away + went inside where we were greeted by Amy Winehouse's Mexican twin who quickly showed us a table amongst the blaringly bright blue walls. Within seconds we had chips and a mortar of red salsa. The chips were warm + the salsa had a nice kick. We were impressed + I chose to overlook the Costco-sized bottle of Heinz ketchup by my side. I ordered the "burrito vegetariano" which promised "rice, tomato, lettuce, beans, avocado, pico de gallo" and per request no queso or crema. I added a horchata + Mike ordered the same but with carrot juice (which he was happy about since the last burrito spot didn't offer it). The menu was surprisingly extensive ...Everything from breakfast options, pastas, soups/salads, fish/whole fish, carnes rojas, aves, cocteles (shrimp, oysters + a combo of both) + the usual standards (quesadillas, tacos, tortas). The house specialty is CeCina Estilo Guerrero: "grilled thin steak served w/ guacamole, pico de gallo, whole pinto beans + homemade tortillas". Quick tip when ordering horchata: Always ask for a LARGE ...Otherwise, you'll get a standard plastic Pepsi cup. Though oddly enough when ordering carrot juice this rule doesn't apply because it automatically arrives in a Big Gulp sized container. That said, always ask for LARGE when ordering horchata at La CeCina because it's honestly the best I've had ...possibly ever. It was what horchata should be: homemade/fresh and with flecks of spice. La CeCina promotes itself as a "family restaurant," and while we waited for our food we couldn't help but notice that every other table was full of just that, families. Kids were dancing in front of the jukebox (Let's just say that someone was a little heavy handed with the ol quarters + their love for Selena). Senorita Winehouse arrived with our food in good time (I had tamed the lions in my stomach with my horchata + warm chips). Ok, do you remember as a child being in any sort of required school recital? For me I was in kindergarten showing of Stone Soup. I played "Villager #2" or "potato girl". Dressed like an extra from "Little House On the Prairie. Afterwards, a horribly shy child way back when, I remember my Mom fawning all over me as my cheeks grew hot + I wanted to cry into my bonnet. "You were great, honey!" my Mother said ...In that somewhat wavering tone. The same tone she would use years later when I got my first pimple ...Smack-dab in the middle of my forehead, like some angry red third eyeball. "I can hardly notice, Mandy!". La CeCina's burrito: "It was great ...". Honestly? It sufficed ...I couldn't find the avocado (though Mike later swore it was there), standard iceberg lettuce (namely the white parts), the tomatoes were fresh and the beans were a pale purple w/ the consistency of toothpaste. The tortilla was the saving grace: homemade, warm and crisp with a nice chew. Bonus: No Grease. Mike "loved," his burrito + commented that he preferred the setting, "It looks like they really put a lot of work into this place to make it their own." We sat for awhile (Mike had a lot of carrot juice to drink) ...Senorita Winehouse cleared the table + asked how everything was ...In unison with phony grins, Mike + I said "It was great!". It was ok and luckily the price was right, our meal totaled under $10, without tip (And yes, we did tip). Before leaving, I ordered a LARGE horchata to go ...Which I happily slurped down amidst fireworks, car horns honking, torrential downpour + the bright lights of Chicago's skyline. I would go back for the LARGE horchata on even the most humid, rainy + meat-reeking day. read more

el servicio muy bien lo único que no puedo creer que por dos personas cobren $40 dls y solo fueron unos simples chilaquiles sin carne ni huevo y unas enchiladas por $40 dls tal vez por eso ya no clientes ai. read more

Ordered take out from here right before they closed one night. I had the shrimp ceviche and the fish ceviche. Both the dishs were very bland and the fish did not taste fresh. Not sure if I came on a bad day or a bad time but with all the other choices in the area I probably won't be back. read more

We go here time and time again. Most of the time the service is great and the food comes to the table in a timely matter. The food is honestly delicious here. The tortillas are handmade, always the best. Cecina tacos are there specialty and will not disappoint. Don't let the location deter you, if you are near by you should give it a try. read more

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Chicago, hands down. My boyfriend and I tend to drive out here randomly when the mood strikes, it's even been known that on days where I've had flailing job interviews or am generally feeling down in the dumps, taking a trip to Cecina makes me feel better. I'm crazy for chile rellenos. I tend to gauge my favorite Mexican places on if they have that or how good it is. La Cecina has my FAVORITE chile rellenos EVER. I don't know what it is, but it's just the most perfect plate of food I have ever laid my eyes on. Better than Nuevo Leon in Pilsen, which is another go-to when going down to the south side can't cut it for the day. The service is fantastic, I speak spotty/sad Spanish and I've always had waitresses who make me feel welcome even if I'm speaking English/said spotty Spanish. They're very professional and generally excellent, the owner of the restaurant should feel lucky to have such commendable staff. It is notable that one time I came in here with my boyfriend and his family and ordered mole enchiladas, which is generally the opposite direction of where I usually go when I eat but hey, why not. When the enchiladas came out to me there was a waft of burnt-smell. The mole sauce was torched, like insanely burnt it wasn't even edible. The wondrous servers I mentioned took it back and replaced them with red enchiladas no problem, but I suppose the chefs might wanna think twice before trying to get away serving burnt food. All in all, I adore this place. Just writing this review makes me hungry... read more

If you want to have a great traditional Mexican food, try this restaurant. The cecina is really good, and their sides are as well! We really enjoyed the food and recommend it to everyone! read more

everything was delicious. the chiles rellenos and cecina are both some of the best i've ever had. the delicious warm salsa is one of my favorite! a southside gem! read more

La Cecina - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great chicken quesadillas (tortillas are handmade), limeade and horchata are also very good. The waiters are happy to serve and overall give a welcoming feeling. Restrooms are not in the best conditions. read more

It has been years since I've gone to a place where the food tastes truly homemade. From the first bite I was transported to my grandmother's kitchen. I enjoyed their chilaquiles con carnés graced with mole sauce. La Cecina, is one of the few places that actually season their rice and beans. I couldn't help savage my meal along with homemade tortillas. Make sure to ask for extra tortillas, you'll need them. As for their salsa, I wish it was a bit spicier but overall it had a good taste. read more

Having eaten at many Mexican restaurants in Little Village over the past twenty years, and finding the quality going downhill, I was happily surprised at discovering "La Cecina" on 47th St in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. This place is without a doubt my new go to place for authentic home style Mexican food. The fresh chips on the table and the moderately spicy salsa is great. The handmade and warm tortillas served with each entree are the best. All home and hand made. All fresh. All the best I've ever had. The menu is extensive. Many beef, chicken, and fish entrees. Many. A lot. Did I say extensive? I've tried most of the beef dishes. Hard to say which is best. All good. Large portions. Hard to finish. That's a good thing. The coffee is nice too. It has that cinnamon tone that is so fresh. The waitresses are very friendly and there's a free parking area across the street so no need to pay for Daley's parking meter joke that was played on every consumer and business that depend on street parking. Don't get me started! The only downside is the decor. It's plain. It's cheap. Just a little bit of love could make it much more inviting, and have it look as good as it tastes. But it's clean, and I can overlook the cafeteria looks for the superior chow. Ay chihuahua, what are you waiting for? Oh and one more thing... They have "bulls testicles" on the menu. And no I haven't had the "balls" to try it, but one day... read more

Just found this place the other day. It has a terrific very expansive mexican menu. Large sit down restaurant area better than average comfortable decor. The food is outstanding and they make their own corn tortillas, as light as a pancake. It is reasonably priced with street parking on 47th and side streets. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! I come here with my mother almost two times a week and that should say something. Their food is amazing, the service is top notch, and their decor feels like home. They have a private event room towards the back of the restaurant! I have thrown multiple parties there and all my guests love the catering! The homemade tortillas are the cherry on top! I would definitely recommend this place read more

If you ever find yourself in the Back of the Yards neighborhood this is a great place for lunch. I love breakfast at all times so I went with the Huevos Rancheros and a fresh beet and carrot juice drink. They give you chips and salsa which are a great way to start your meal especially if you're starving. The juice was okay but the food was delicious. They serve your plate with warm handmade tortillas. YUM! I went around 1 pm and it was pretty busy so service was a bit slow and we had three different waitresses help us during our meal which I thought was weird. I understand it gets busy but one attentive waitress instead of 3 nonattentive waitresses would have been great. read more

I loved coming to the restaurant the food is always fresh and tasty. However, we placed our order and it was wrong. When we advised the waitress, she insisted she was right. She then went on about saying if you want I will change it, but I will have to eat this later on or pay for it. Really? who does that, try to make a costumer feel guilty? It will be awhile before I go back. read more

Horrible service! I tried to call to ask for a delivery and NO ONE answered. I called about 5 times within 10 minutes. I called another restaurant and had a waitress answer within 2 rings. Seems like they care more about their customers than this restaurant. read more

My second time here was a return to triumph. The cecina azteca is tremendous. If you're hungry, go there. My GFF had chicken mole enchiladas and she loved it. I could see why as a mole lover. Fresh, handmade corn tortillas, too. The menu is quite extensive, an open kitchen, I recommend anything. I watched the young chefs preparing different dishes for other customers and I wanted to know what they were for a "note to self" next time, but I don't think I'll be able to pass on another opportunity for the cecina azteca. read more

La Cecina is simply amazing. This place is pretty big on the inside (although it might not seem from the outside). I recommend getting the cecina tacos. They are made with handmade tortillas. The chips and salsa are probably one of the best I've ever had. They have freshly squeezed juices and I always take a choco-milk to go. The prices are a little higher than your average place but you won't be disappointed with the quality. The waitresses are kind but it seems like they don't really check up on you. They take your order and then give you the bill. I recommend this place to anyone around this area. read more

Great service and good food. All the food is very well prepared and good in flavor the tacos are very good and the salsa is very good and not that spicy but some spicy is there so that makes it good and they order youre food fast as possible and great chairs for kids and is big but not that big but nor small so it perfect read more

I used to love coming here, there lemonades are amazing and the tortillas are handmade but the service is so horrible. It shouldn't take an hour for them to make chicken nuggets for my daughter and if you are lucky the waitress might come more than once to your table to ask if you need anything. I came for breakfast with my mother and she asked for coffee with milk, well the milk was spoiled and smelled horrible and when we told the waitress she gave us the nastiest attitude and at the end still expected a tip. Never again will I ever step foot in this restaurant. read more

Terrible service! Walked in and sat down. The waitress saw us walk in and sit and just simply ignored us. I had to get up after 10 minutes and ask for a menu. She finally came back and told us she would be back with the chips and salsa and to take our orders. Lol she never came back. Another 15 minutes. As we watched her giggle and talk to her coworker I looked at my girl and said let's get out of here. Best decision we made. Pretty poor service for such high prices now. And as we prepared to leave another table walked in and she set them up quickly. The staff saw we got up and leave and not even an effort to stop or apologize. We will never go again. And we used to go at least one weekend a month. Btw we even saw a baby roach by the window. Definitely never going back! Bound to become the next nuevo leon! read more

Horrible service. Waitress Suggested the special, then screen we asked other waitress for special she said girl was new that special not today.. Recommended Cecina tacos.. Was burnt tasted like cardboard..had that switched. Was told side of rice and beans was $2..we ordered two orders it was ice cold.. Had them heating microwave still cold.. Got bill still had old order on it she said not that big of difference.. 2tacos .50 cent each.. A whole dollar is big difference to me.. Was charged $3 for rice n beans and refused change because that's price regardless of what was told.so that was $2 more than they stated . And price wasn't on menu. Sopes taste store bought didn't eat. Never again. read more

Great place to enjoy a dinner or lunch for a good price. This place offers everything from tacos to steak and seafood. Good for sort of gatherings and events. Everyone there is very friendly and offers great customer service.... I recommend their of menu cholesterol torta it has a mixture of everything that's so bad for your body yet taste so good. Highly recommended!!!!! read more

This is my go-to place when I know I want a legit Mexican breakfast. Hand-made tortillas, freshly made salsa (spicy and always warm upon arrival:), and the best cafe de olla served by the nicest staff. read more

I came here for a fundraiser dinner a few weeks ago and though I'm not sure which dishes from the menu were served that night at the buffet, I can tell you that it was all delicious! Their horchata is very good. I liked the beans and rice as well. I had the Torta De Milanesa (breaded-steak sandwich) later on a separate occasion and it was also yummy. read more

I've been coming here on and off for years, the food is great,it's the service I dislike. I order the special the waitress had the nerve to argue with me and tell me I didn't order the special I had the orange menu in front of me pointing at it, she said it was my fault I was Iike okay and walk away pay full price, she should of apologized and be more detail i would of accepted that but she didn't. Even though I was pointing at it, not only that but, she never came back to ask if we wanted something else she came at the end when we were done and took our plates my son wanted a taco but, she never noticed us she was too busy flirting with other guys there I understand you doing extra for your tips but, I'm a good tipper too if the service is good she could of easily got 10 dollars in tips from me. The fact that she argued with me made me want to write this review, I'm very disappointed. read more

Bad service! The waitresses there are always having a conversation laughing and not going to go check if we need anything we have to raise our hand to be noticed dont get me wrong the food is good but the service is just bad i will for sure not be going back! read more