Cute and aesthetic place. The staff were very accommodating to changing our party size on a Wednesday night. We did a trip of little salsas and the tomatillo salsa was the only one mild enough for me to eat, but it was pretty good. We also did the traditional guac which had a little bit of a kick and was just ok. The short rib Quesabirrias were excellent - favorite app for sure - they were cheesy and the juice was really good. The chorizo queso fundido was also really good with a little bit of kick but nothing too spicy. For mains we did a few tacos and the esquites. The esquites were kind of wet but I still really liked them. The best tacos were definitely the carne. The pastor were just ok - not super flavorful. And I wasn't a big fan of the brisket - it was kind of smoky, but didn't really work for me in a taco. read more

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Was able to snag seats at the bar before the craziness of cinco de mayo kicked in. This place is nice and the food is decent. Drinks are strong. Our server at the bar, Michelle was noticeably more attentive to everyone other than my friend and I, but all in all, it was decent evening read more

Really enjoyed my date at Mercadito. Super cute atmosphere. Definitely a get dressed and add a heel type of vibe. Service was great. Attentive, polite, quick. I order lobster tacos and omg they did not disappoint. So delicious! I would go back again and again just for those. Usually I don't feel like lobster has too much of a taste, but they dressed this taco to perfection. Everything on it was a perfect pair. We also ordered sides of elote and rice. I loveee elote and it was so tasty. Had a couple of drinks. 1st was a pineapple "lemon" drop. Totally didn't know you could change the flavor on that drink. Pineapple was good but I'll go for strawberry next time. Also had a side car. This was ok. A bit watered down. Overall beautiful restaurant right off the Riverwalk and I'll definitely be back. read more

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Excellent service and food, definitely coming back again! Our server Yana was amazing she is the sweetest and makes you feel so special! Thank you for making our experience so amazing! read more

Family friendly! My 6 year old had a lot of fun! Huge variety of mini tacos, brisket, chicken and lobster were our favorites, cocktails were very good too! The wait staff and hostess desk were super nice and engaging! Clean bathrooms and overall very airy vibes with nice decor to boot! One star off for cramped booth with side stools and rushing us off despite the reservation, but hey, that's River North for you. read more

We had reservations for 6 people and even though 50% of the group had arrived; the hostess refused to give us the our table till the entire group was there. The acoustics of the basement is so terrible that it's difficult to have conversations. The only saving grace was food. read more

Mercadito - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great location in River North, perfect place for a group happy hour or dinner. We ordered the guacamole, pollo tacos, esquites, and the flan napolitano. Everything was delicious, I look forward to coming back. read more

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The guac was delicious and I highly recommend the enchiladas! Very filling but light and flavorful. Yana was a fabulous server and brought amazing energy to make sure our table had a great time! read more

Walked in on a Saturday night and had a weird experience with the waitress. Initially when we asked for a table she said NO and laughed again so we thought its a joke. She was helping us find a table and would turn back and make weird expressions. We were made sit in a spot where it was congested so we asked another waiter who was taking our order if we could move to another table and he let us find a table. After a while the same waitress walks in and rudely tells us that "Let her know next time when we move to another table". We told her that the waiter who was serving us found the table since we wanted one. No apologies and extremely rudely she walks off. The other staffs were extremely friendly otherwise. We sat inside and it was extremely nice. Mostly fits for a friends group hangout place. Food was outstanding. Plaintains- Very well made and so tasty Appetizer - beer battered shrimp- extremely delicious Chicken pollo was a huge entree and can be easily shared The quantity is pretty huge and easily shareable Reduced one star for rude service and another for noisy ambiance read more

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We are Streeterville locals and easily the best tacos no matter which one you order! Guaranteed or we will come take them from YOU!! YUM!!!!! read more

ne of my coworkers recommended this place, and I'm so glad she did! We walked in, were greeted right away, and seated quickly. It did take a little while for a server to come over, but that actually gave us time to chat and look over the menu -- so no complaints there. We started with the guacamole and birria as appetizers, and both were excellent! The guac was super flavorful and fresh, and the birria was tender, juicy, and well-seasoned -- definitely a highlight. For our entrees, my husband got the brisket burrito, which he really enjoyed. I had the steak tacos -- the meat itself was great, but I wasn't a big fan of the toppings. Next time, I'd definitely just order the birria as my main dish. Overall, great food and a solid experience. I'd absolutely go back! read more

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First time here, my hometown! Excellent service by Jose he did an amazing job The food was great see pics read more

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Ehhhhhhhhhh. Straight up eh. Good food, but at these prices? In this economy? Nahhhh boy, I am good. Fun vibe and good drinks and great guac if you want to just have it be a pit stop read more

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Great night! Margs were flowing! Our waitress, Emma was a star! Emma! Emma! Emma! Emma!

Unfortunately, we will not be returning. The busser/server would come up from behind and just take things that we still needed without asking anyone. On many occasions we had to stop her or ask the waitress for another because the busser would just take it away from the table. If there is a person away in the restroom, you do not just take her plate or her napkin without asking somebody if she is still working on it? Frustrating as it happened frequently, that we had to guard our things. We never received the Guac when ordered, and the waitress didn't even notice that we were still waiting on it, and we had to ask her where it is- somehow it was missed by the kitchen. Lastly, portions sizes were not great - the salsas were so tiny- and as a larger party we had to continue to ask the waitress to refill our chips, which should've been anticipated that we needed more than two small bowls of 8 chips. Food tasted great, but the service did not make for a great experience. read more

My group went on a Sun for brunch. The host was very nice and our waitress Marie or Maria was very consistent even with it been VERY crowded/busy. I definitely recommend reservations on the weekend. They offer bottomless drinks during brunch. They have music playing but I could barely hear it because it was pretty loud throughout the restaurant. The group ordered al pastor, chicken, and shrimp tacos. There were no complaints about the tacos. I had the breakfast torta and it had great flavor. read more

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Came here for Saturday brunch with some friends and I had an amazing time! I'm already planning my next brunch here. Some people in my party were running late, and unfortunately they don't seat guests until the entire party arrives. This is always a bit annoying, but we were able to sit at the bar and get some drinks while we waited. Most of us ended up doing the bottomless special because it was national margarita day so it was only right. Everything I ate was so good! I got esquites, the guac, and short rib quesabirria. All of my friends enjoyed their meals and we left happy! Can't wait to come back! read more

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Oh yeah. Visit this place. There was a two week period where I think we went three of four times back to back. The lunch/happy hour fish tacos are the best thing on the menu and babe orders the spicy margarita pitcher. read more

Got their birria short rob taco and tres leches french toast. It was pretty tasty. Food came out pretty fast. I went for their $30 restaurant week lunch deal. Good deal for restaurant week but probably wouldn't come back as food didn't stand out to other places i've tried read more

Mercadito - Tres Leches French Toast - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Jesus is truly a gem of a person and a phenomenal manager. He has a kind and warm attitude which is much needed in today's climate. He not only began our experience on such a positive note, but also checked on us multiple times. Ambiance is very cute and comfortable. Beautifully decorated for dia los muertos. In regards to the food, one of the best meals I have had in Chicago! I love their chilaquiles, French toast and guacamole! There are many more things I want to try but can't seem to explore away from the things I love. I would highly recommend dining here. I loved it so much that I brought my husband as well and he also enjoyed it immensely! read more

Mercadito - Short Rib Quesabirria, Chilaquiles, guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my first meal that I ate in Chicago, and wasn't particularly impressed. The actual restaurant is super clean and has a nice ambiance; the service is also really fast and was super efficient. The food was disappointing. I went with the tacos de pastor, which tasted good, but were extremely small. They also were fairly pricey. My friend, who got quesadillas, got a much bigger portion and really liked the food. Not a terrible spot, but don't get tacos if you're hungry because you probably will leave hungry. read more

Mercadito - Tacos de pastor - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went here for Chicago restaurant week and we're loving the food. I also loved they had gluten-free items clearly marked The place was hopping when we were there and I would definitely come back The place was cool inside and the service was great read more

Stopped in before going to a show with friends at the Cadillac and we had a wonderful meal!! We got there at 5pm and ordered tacos from the Happy Hour menu. Tiffany was our server and was awesome! We had the steak, shrimp, and chicken tacos. They were all delicious! My husband loved the chicken and the steak was my favorite. I also ordered the potatoes and they were good. We'll be back for some great tacos!! It was a super hot day and they kept filling our water which was great!! read more

Ambiance and the vibes were good for the most part..., the food was yummy. Minimal actual breakfast/brunch options... The girl servers were bomb and on top of things, but the male servers were not paying attention even after being extremely polite. We got bottomless mimosas for the "90 minutes" time limit, and waited for 30 minutes out of the 90 for a refill.... Choose wisely. lol. read more

Mercadito - Carnitas Hash - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Worst experience I have had in Chicago in the 2+ years I've been here. I used to like this restaurant but last night we came for drinks and some food. Huge mistake. When we asked for a table, they initially told us there weren't any even tho there were plenty of open reservations that we could grab online. Then they miraculously found a table for us. The service was awful. We asked if they had mocktails and were flat out told no. We asked a different server we knew and he said that absolutely they could make virgin margaritas. Our server kept coming back every 2 min for the first 10 min and then told us that we only had 90min at the table and disappeared. When we finally ordered food, he only put in one of the orders even tho it was very clear what we wanted. Then he disappeared. Flagged him down 10min after the first plate arrived and was done, come to find out he never put the order in and gave an excuse saying he was checking with the other people at the table. The person that put the full order in was seated right next to him. Cool ambiance. Decent food but overpriced. Tacos are tiny and 4 won't fill you up. I would avoid this place on service alone. read more

This was what I expected for an elevated take on tacos in River North. The salsa trio was fun to try and compare heat levels. First time also trying pineapple guacamole. Loved the carne and brisket tacos. Filling enough not to need sides. The staff were on their A game when it came to refilling waters and checking in on our table. One thing that was odd - we put our table's order in and we're still eating chips and guac. Maybe 5 minutes later food was starting to come out, but it was staggered timing. So we were waiting for each of our 7 guests to receive their food. It would have been a better experience if our table's food came out at once. Keep in mind, this is probably not the best place to have an intimate conversation, as it's very loud with the music. I could see have a group birthday dinner here, but personally I would only come back if I were eating with one other person. read more

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Being that it was cinco de mayo it was fitting to have Mexican food. Upon entering it's a lovely spot, trendy, upbeat music and relatively comfortable seating. It's a nice place and fun for a night out! We had a reservation and ended up in a booth that faces outward. Up first, chips and salsa! There are a few salsa options, we went with the habanero, which is spicy, but I loved it! We also had the green salsa, I don't remember the name, but the flavor included a pickled taste that I wasn't fond of. The chile arbol salsa is pretty good too. The chips were amazing, fresh, hot, and not from a bag! I love their chips - well done! I ordered a spicy margarita, unfortunately, it missed the mark for me, it had a sweetness that just wasn't working. I really like spicy. The drink was good, just not what I had a taste for. Our waitress Evelyn was kind and accommodating. I had the langosta tacos on corn tortillas. You receive four tacos! Nice!! The tortillas were nice and fresh and soft. These tacos were quite tasty, including the jalapeño emulsion which has a nice, mild, garlic flavor and it is not spicy. I added some habanero salsa... yum, I would order again or maybe try the shrimp tacos next! read more

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The food was amazing. Some of the freshest Ceviche i've had in a long time. I loved the subtle spiciness in the mango guacamole, it went perfect with the citrus Mahi Mahi read more

Mercadito - Esquites - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came for a casual weekday dinner! Service was a bit slow to order food after getting our apps but the food was quick to come after. We got the guacamole and chips, shrimp tacos and elote. All were good but kind of wish the shrimp tacos had some more toppings - flavor was great though! read more

Mercadito - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

the food was super good! our server and a host were rude towards us... he didn't bring our drinks, snatched my friend menu out her hands, and ignored my friend when she was about to order. we told a host we'd wait outside the restaurant for our reservation at 8:45, and got seated until 9:10. we had to go up to the host to remind them we were still here... she was rude "we called for you everywhere" no she did not.. don't work in the food industry if you're not a people's person . read more

We went in for brunch and had a good time. The chicken tacos, street quesadillas, and elotes were our faves! The bottomless margaritas didn't disappoint either. If you're looking for good food and drinks, definitely stop by. read more

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This was my second time here and this is a great place to come with friends or for an intimate dinner. The top floor has amazing music and vibes, a little on the louder side. The bottom is more intimate and a little quieter but still a vibe. The food is so delicious with many options to choose from. Highly recommend getting different tacos to try. The waitstaff was really kind and quick with everything. Definitely will be coming back again! read more

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I've been here a few times in the past, and came here last night for dinner with friends. Luckily, we made reservations because after 6pm it got really busy. Food was great. Had chips and guac for an app. Ordered a sweet margarita that was on fire when it arrived to our table. My entree was chile relleno stuffed with cheese, lobster and shrimp with a side of rice and beans. Both were very filling. The creamy sauce that came with the chile relleno was really good. My only gripe was I think there's a time limit of how long you can stay because of the amount of reservations they get. We got our check and wanted to hang out, but we were told by our waiter that the manager would buy us a drink and let us sit downstairs because they had to turn over our table. It was a little confusing. The manager was supposed to come by and escort us downstairs, but he never came. We wound up leaving and going to Fado's down the street. read more

Really great vibes in this restaurant!!! Felt like a trendy, hip, food spot!!! Our waitress was fabulous and our food was great too! Highly recommend the spicy margs and Brussels sprouts with pork belly! read more

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The food was really good. The buzzkill was the hostess telling guests that there's a 90 minute table limit...so we felt like they just wanted us to hurry up and eat and get out. Wasn't a great first impression. The seating is also very cramped. Like bumping into people's tables when you're trying to get to yours. The restaurant is really pretty but the noise level is too loud. Although the food was good, feeling like they want you in and out, in addition to the cramped seating we will put this on our "do not go" list. read more

Service was great!!! Attentive to our drinks and chips. Wait person provided recommendations and they were all great. Salsa Especial from the trio was my favorite. Spicy but not overbearing. Great mixture of flavor and spice. I was so full from the chips and pineapple guacamole that we barely finished the entrees. Highly recommend this place and there is so much more to try that if I'm back in Chicago I would definitely come back. read more

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Came here for a bday brunch and had such a nice time. Food was great, good ambiance, and great service. Jose was great and helpful. Thank you! read more

The food was DELICIOUS!!! and that is coming from a Californian aka the land of Mexican food. My team and I stumbled upon this restaurant walking around the city and what a delight!. They were able to accommodated a party of 15 which was greatly appreciated. The vibe was very chill and the food was hands down amazing. I personally had he grilled red snapper on a bed of Mexican slaw. In addition, I had the guacamole, ceviche and potatoes which were all mouth watering. This is definitely on of my new favs when visiting Chicago. Give them a try you will not bet disappointed! read more

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Went here for restaurant week dinner with a group of 5 friends and we loved it! The decor itself is very river north esc & feels more contemporary then barrio across the street. It is very loud, but you kind of expect that in this area. Service was great. Very nice, quick & attentive. They will take off the credit card surcharge if you ask. We ordered drinks and we all enjoyed our cocktails. Dex works extremely flavorful, and the espresso martinis are made with tequila which tasted incredible. The food was the star of the show. You get a LOT of food for the price. The quac, ceviche & chips were addictive. The flauntas were crunchy with a slaw on top. The best part of the mail was the tacos. We got the grilled mahi-mahi tacos, the Carne, tacos, and brisket. The brisket and steak tacos were incredible. They both had such unique toppings, and just tasted very elevated. The mahi-mahi taco was good as well, but tasted more like a typical fish taco. We also got corn and rice/beans sides. These were very good as well. Overall, I would definitely come back here and would actually be interested to see how the brunch is. Definitely an upscale Mexican restaurant that actually has good food and feels worth the price with the portion sizes! read more

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Janessa was amazing!! She was so attentive and constantly checking on us. The food was so good. The unlimited drinks Amigas Sandras hit the spot. 10/10 recommend . read more