5 stars for El Vado!…read more This is a really nice sit down Mexican restaurant in McHenry with authentic food, they're famous for their Margaritas as well. I got to try the Enchilada Dinner - very tasty, generous portion that comes with 3 enchiladas, rice, beans and salad. And I also got to try the Shrimp Diabla plate - delicious! The sauce was perfect, a mix of spicy, smoky and creamy - it also came with fresh tortillas. The service was good, workers were all attentive and friendly. I highly recommend El Vado if you're looking for authentic Mexican food in McHenry.

El Vado used to be my favorite Mexican Restaurant in McHenry County. The food was good, the service…read morewas friendly, and the prices were fair. Plus, it seemed to be run by women, which gave the place a festive family feel. But then some loud young guy took over the restaurant floor, acting like a slick, fake salesman and messed up the whole vibe. The menu became all glossy pictures of food, as if suburban folk needed to see photos of the Tacos & Enchiladas in order to know what their names meant. After that my girlfriend and I stopped coming here. It only takes ONE bad experience.

Food, drinks and service are consistently top tier. Priced very reasonably for the quality. Only…read morerecommendation is to drop the music to "background level" during peak dining hours. A full restaurant/bar trying to speak over the music diminishes the experience and the great work of your staff.

Date of visit: December 13, 2025…read more I love a good Mexican place, and as much as I enjoy Carlos's, it is good to have other options for when I go to visit my friend in the McHenry/Spring Grove area. The restaurant is very large with a variety of seating options including some interesting swings. I say interesting because it's really more of a novelty than anything; honestly, do you really want to have a seat that moves while you're eating chips with salsa? The menu is interesting, with a heavy focus on birria (think brisket, if you're unfamiliar) including in a dipped/fried taco as well as a grilled cheese sandwich, which is what I went with. While the meat in the sandwich was good, there was very little cheese to speak of, and that should be an important component of a grilled...cheese. However the chips and salsa were excellent, with some of the best chips I've had in quite some time, they really taste like more. In terms of the salsa, they are not lying with the "Diablo" in their name. If you are not a fan of spicy, stay away from the salsas as even the mild is fairly potent after a few chips. Also note that sour cream is available but doesn't tend to come WITH things by default, so be prepared to ask for that if it's a key part of your Mexican meals. Also disappointing, the tacos come with raw onions on top. This isn't mentioned on the menu, and was a very unwelcome addition to the dish. Service was a bit of a mixed bag; Jasmine was nice and attentive but struggled on some aspects, including telling us what the three salsas were when she brought them to the table, and saying that birria was a "biscuit," which thoroughly confused us. She asked if we wanted more chips and we declined, but then she brought more anyways.

This is a very nice Mexican place in Mchenry. The combo platter I had on my first visit was good…read morewith the chicken tamale, taco and enchilada. Salsa is nicely balanced and not too spicy for me. But rest assured, they have other salsas that are hotter. The fried tilapia I had my second visit was just exactly what I was craving. Crispy fish with warm tortillas. Really good. The people there are very warm and welcoming. They provided attentive service. My husband really liked it here too.

Went for dinner with friends. We got there and there was a few big parties so the service was a…read morelittle slow but no big deal. The staff was great and took care of us. And we were not in a rush. The food was much more flavorful this time. I have been a few times and thought I had reviewed in the past. I had fajitas they were on special. Very tasty with a nice flavor. The salsa was ok. The other people had tacos, burrito, and stark fajita I had the chicken. The only issue I had was the window was so cold and the draft coming in made it not comfortable to take my hoodie off.

Tacos El Norte in McHenry. The absolute best tacos anywhere…read more They also have the best chilies rellenos and wonderful shrimp soup on the weekends.

Wasn't bad but not even close to the tacos el Norte in Lindenhurst…read more Service was good and friendly place was clean but food was just ok. Much smaller portions too.

Tasty food, friendly service, and it has become one of our local favorites! The restaurant is clean…read moreand inviting and now there's outdoor dining as well. Highly recommend!

Authentic Mexican food with great service. We had carne asada tacos, sope de asada, and tostada de…read moreceviche de camarones, along with the complimentary chips and salsa. The tacos were flavorful and had warm fresh tortillas. The ceviche was excellent and so fresh. All the salsas we tried were obviously home made and very fresh and flavorful too. We both like spicy and loved the level of spice, so for some they may be a little hot. Highly, highly recommend as a great eat in lunch spot or big orders to go. We were there for about 45 mins for lunch and they had tons of to go orders! We will definitely be back to try more things because everything looked and smelled amazing.

The food here is fantastic. Best tacos around. And they have proper rice and beans. We live a mile…read moreaway and eat there at least once per week.

So I noticed how high my bill was $13 for three tiny tacos that did not even fill me up and I'm a…read morelittle guy, it was almost 5 dollars a taco. I just hade meat, lettuce, and tomato on it. they were way smaller than Taco Bell tacos! I feel I got ripped off so bad. I will never go there again. Three tiny tacos, just lettuce and tomatoes for almost 5 bucks apiece. I rather starve than pay That! I would give them no stars, but they're forcing me to at least push one star so I could post this review. What a freaking joke. could forcing me to make you guys look better because you're not worth any stars.

Great Chicken Enchiladas! Service was great. Authentic…read moreAmbience. Just found it again, it's been 10 years, they moved from Lakemoor and found them in McHenry. Found is still great tasting.

The food is always very right and it's always good. The chips are amazing cause they're fresh. Try…read moretheir margarita raspberry and peach it's yummy.

Carlos's Mexican Grill is located in an easily accessible part of Fox Lake with a parking lot. The…read morerestaurant is comfortable, family-friendly, accessible, and cute. The staff are polite, smiley, and show great teamwork. I had a very nice time during my visit. The food was super yummy and was priced reasonably as well. We ordered the chimichangas and burritos, as well as chips and salsa

Still obsessed. Still the best Mexican restaurant in the area, and dare I say Lake County…read more Everything is just so dang good. My go to is the combo with a steak taco, chicken toasted, and cheese enchilada. My toddler son smashed the chips and salsa as well as a chicken taco!

Food was great! Love when I find authentic Mexican food, had crunchy juicy flautas de pollo, a…read moretorta and the cocktails were excellent! Our server Angie was efficient and friendly with our whole party (11)! Lovely decor and ambiance! Si buscan comida buena pasen a comer: Comida, Bebidas y música que más quieren! Todo rico!

Service was good Salsa good with a kick but you only get one…read morethen you gotta pay They also charged me $0.25 for my soda refill. Rice and beans very good Spicy hot sauces Rolleno was bomb but a little soggy Good red sauce Jake liked his chimi but Jake also likes all food Margarita felt small for the price