We stopped in at Pixca on a Friday night for dinner. When we arrived many tables were open but when we asked for a table for two the host paused like he wasn't sure he could fit us in. He did find a table and during the course of our meal there were non-stop arrivals with a few heading straight to the small bar so I'm thinking perhaps it has a strong flow of regular customers. The service was efficient and the dining room has a cozy bistro feel to it. The menu is seasonal. Nothing was calling out to me so I went with the burger and fries. Both were good. Overall we are glad we gave Pixca a try. Before we go again we'll make a reservation and check the menu to see what the current options are. read more

Pixca - Burger - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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We were around the area at the Botanic Gardens and found this spot on Yelp. Located in a cute little area, this is a nice local restaurant. We arrived very early at a random time, probably right after opening. Everyone was so nice and service was great. The table started with the cornbread, moist and warm. Not as sweet as I personally like (I can't help it I'm southern) but delicious nonetheless. The eggplant hummus wasn't that great to me, loved the bread it came with but I think I would prefer typical chickpea hummus instead. Brussels were so good, probably the favorite thing I tried. For my entree I had a kale salad with added salmon. I liked the crunch and the light vinaigrette. My husband had the seafood risotto which was slightly undercooked. All and all a positive experience and I'd definitely go back if I was in the area. read more

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Went to try the new menu! Loved the hummus! And corn bread! Fun to hang around at the bar. The restaurant was busy as always such a town gem. Love how the ingredients are freshly sourced. read more

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Just had amazing brunch at Pixca. The ambience and service was superb, but the food was beyond amazing for a neighborhood restaurant. The Tres Leches French Toast was a gourmet delight, having the custard type texture that is unique amongst restaurant French toast. Other special things on the menu include banana oatmeal pancakes, uniquely served avocado toast, huevos rancheros and any of the entrees served with crispy, sharply seasoned roasted potatoes. Brunch here is a gourmet, fairly priced experience in a lovely setting with friendly and very attentive wait staff. Treat yourself! read more

Pixca - Tres Leches French Toast - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

My husband and I recently went to dinner here on a Friday night. We have been wanting to try Pixca for a while, and we are SO glad we did! You walk in and the restaurant is quaint and decorated so bright and lively! I love the cookbooks on the shelf above the kitchen. The service was awesome! Everyone was so friendly and they were so good at checking in on us, filling up our water, and even changing out our silverware and plates between courses. My husband and I started with the burrata appetizer which was delicious! Then we split the pork schnitzel for our entree and the crispy brussel sprouts and popcorn cauliflower for our sides. The schnitzel was perfectly crispy and the sauce delicious! It was decadent, but perfect for us to split! We both liked the brussel sprouts, but some were a bit charred and a bit bitter. The popcorn cauliflower had awesome flavor! We 100% plan on going back to Pixca to try more off the menu! read more

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Such a great local spot! Food was delish and service was excellent. Outdoor seating will be setup in a week or so. A new go to spot for us!

Came here for drinks -- it's always hit-or-miss and Sunday night was a miss. Service was polite and prompt. TAMARIND MEZCAL-RITA and OAXACAN OLD FASHIONED - nothing to write home about. did they salt the rim like yesterday? nothing was removing that CRISPY BRUSSEL SPROUTS - tangy POPCORN CAULIFLOWER - fine SALT ROASTED HEIRLOOM BEET, Belgian Endive, Pickled Onion, Gorgonzola, Walnut, Walnut Vinaigrette -- tangy. it was fine. 2/5 - VERONICA'S BROWNIE, Vanilla Ice Cream, Salted Caramel, Powdered Sugar -- they always put cold ice cream onto a warm dessert which becomes a mid goop. Brownie was old and dry. read more

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Food and drinks great! Not to mention they share my love of New Wave music! Finally found a great restaurant in the burbs! read more

This is a seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant in Highland Park. "Pixca" means harvest in the Maya language and they work with local farmers to bring fresh foods to the plate. We stopped in, day after Xmas, the small, cozy restaurant was fairly empty. We made a reservation but it turns out we did not need one. The ambience was warm and festive with candles in the table and lights above the bar/kitchen area. Disclaimer: we had drinks and snacks at a friend's house prior to this. We started with cornbread and butter, which came in a skillet and was warm, toasty golden. I ordered the vegetarian cassoulet which was a very flavorful and savory rich stew with roasted seasonal vegetables and halloumi. The broth was very rich and well seasoned and reminded me of the scene from the animated little chef movie when the exacting French food critic tastes the simple rustic dish and is transported to memories of his childhood. Now I'm not French and I didn't grow up eating this dish but the very name Pixca means harvest and that's exactly what this dish was. A bounty of the best harvest at its peak. My companion enjoyed their salad as well. Several dishes caught my eye for a return visit. Hope to come back to enjoy the best of the harvest soon. read more

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After many visits, I've had consistently good experiences here. I like how the menu, though it seems limited, ultimately has solid options for a variety of people. I really like the whitefish! The beurre blanc sauce is delicious, and the horseradish crust adds great texture and flavor. Roasted turnips are a unique addition as well. I've never had someone at my table at Pixca dislike their food, whether it's the vegetarian cassoulet, hummus appetizer (we once had the fall hummus - pumpkin!), or a burger. There's a decent selection of wine too. There are many regulars here, but it doesn't feel stuffy or inhospitable if you're not one. It is refined without being pretentious and the waiters are always friendly and helpful! This is a great option when you want some elevated food in the good old suburbs :) read more

Excellent white fish and crispy Brussels sprouts appetizer. Staff is super friendly and please make reservations as it gets packed on weekends. Great for group dinners and will check out their brunch. Lots of street parking read more

Our favorite restaurant on the North Shore. Menu changes based on what's in season keeping things interesting. Cocktails are creative and delicious with generous pours. Try the Mezcal Old Fashioned. Can't say enough about the food. We love the calamari and mussels. You can't go wrong with any of the entrees but standouts are the whitefish, prime burger and duck. They also have some nice vegetarian options like the popcorn cauliflower. Definitely recommend making a reservation as the place fills up fast on certain days. Ambiance is like a typical bistro; tables are close together but very cozy. All the staff treat you like family once you walk in. There is an open kitchen concept which makes it fun to sit at the bar to see the action. The restaurant is close to Ravinia Festival and Chicago Botanic Gardens. read more

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Everything we've tried here has been delicious. The service is responsive, the prices reasonable given the location and quality. We've been twice and will return. read more

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I'm honestly still not sure what kind of restaurant this is trying to be. It calls itself an "American cuisine" restaurant, but the menu leans heavily Mexican -- plus, the quality of the dishes seem to be like all dishes you'd expect from a solid taquería or food truck. The problem? They don't even come close. The food has minimal flavor, like it's mimicking something authentic without understanding what makes it great. It tastes like a watered-down version of meals you could get for half the price from a quality food truck, made with more care and soul. And yet, the prices are sky-high, almost laughably so considering the plating looks rushed, unbalanced, and straight off someone's amateur food blog. There's zero finesse -- just an attempt to look elevated without actually being elevated. The atmosphere adds to the confusion. Music jumps between country, moody indie, and random Top 40 hits, making it impossible to know whether you're supposed to relax, party, or dine quietly. The seating only adds to the identity crisis -- tiki stools next to white-linen tables, booths next to lounge chairs. It's like they threw a Pinterest board into the room and hoped it would work. Is this a casual drinks spot? A fine dining experience? A brunch café? Not even the staff seem sure -- and that uncertainty bleeds into every part of the experience. The staff are part of the positive yet still struggle to make it a quality place to eat as they rush but still seem to forget you're at a table waiting to order. Additionally cover your little one's ears if they speak Spanish as they consistently argue with each other and not in a joking way but more so very awkward. In short: confusing concept, bland execution, and overpriced food that pretends to be something it's not. You're better off grabbing a bite at a real food truck -- at least there, you'll get flavor and authenticity. $15 for a good cocktail but $30+ for a small and tasteless dish makes it so difficult to feel like this isn't your nieces pretend kitchen. read more

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A great place with great service. I would go here next time in this area. My in-laws really loved it too. Thank you to the team who runs this place !! read more

Great spot with delicious food! Every single thing we ordered was delicious. Can't go wrong with steak frites, the lamb was tasty as was the pasta dish we chose. And don't skip the cauliflower side dish either. My fermented pineapple martini was interesting and the service was very attentive, almost too attentive read more

Pixca - Fermented pineapple martini - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Pre-meal: Reservations needed for prime time. Street parking and public lots nearby. Room: Inside is nice - bar, banquettes and tables. Outdoor sidewalk seating. Picture-taking: Ok. Beverages: Small cocktail and WBTG list. Manhattan made with amaretto was too sweet for my taste. Menu: This place says it's a "Seasonal American Bistro" but the menu isn't very "American." And we were told that this the "summer" menu - not sure what is so summery about it. "Vegetarian cassoulet" - what's the point of that? Cassoulet is essentially a rustic French bean casserole with meat and this vegetarian one doesn't even say there's beans. Food: Just ok. Calamari was freshly fried and crispy but there was too much other stuff - zucchini, squash, lemons - not enough squid. My burger was ok but was a real mess - all the toppings came gushing out like ... sorry can't be too descriptive, after all this is a family friendly review! The pork chop and whitefish entrees were reportedly good. The Mexican street corn was not good - the corn was sweet but the Mexico was missing. The desserts did not sound exciting so we didn't order any. Service: Great. Attentive and friendly. Price: Moderate Value: Average Summary: Friendly place with uneven food in search of an identity. read more

Pixca - Menu - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Good place Good food and accommodation to the food inquiry was perfect Ambiance too load Service outstanding read more

Pixca - White fish - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

I am not an H.P. local - but I stopped in mid July, 2024 for a pre Ravinia concert bite. Really wanted to love this place, but sorry guys, it just didn't work out that way. Asked for a dirty Gin martini - oops! No Gin! And no, I do not drink mezcal, tequilla, etc. Have to deduct points for that. Ordered a beer instead - my drink of last resort. Tried the Risotto di Mare, - ok, never had this, so let's check it out, especially since I know what a pain it is to do risotto just right. Sorry, but I fail to see how a riffed Italian dish, could wind up in a seasonal Mexican-Mayan inspired cafe (?) The lemon gelato-sorbet was spot on, but the espresso was spot off - no crema ,over extracted., got a lemon slice instead of a lemon rind peel 'ya, I know, picky, picky' Good points - As organic and fresh with locally sourced ingredients, as you can get. Attentive wait staff The locals seem to love this place, and are greeted by name upon arrival. But...I do believe there are better places in downtown H.P. i.e. Norton's, Bella Via, et al read more

Pixca - risotto di mare - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Overrated. Expensive with unexceptional food. The waitress was annoying in trying to get us to order more food. We were told that we could only get outdoor reservations in Father's Day but the place was never more than half full. The previous night we were turned away because we didn't have reservations when it was half empty at 7pm. In addition the staff isn't particularly warm. Too many excellent restaurants in highland park that aren't overpriced. Pixca is charging for their snoot factor. read more

Dinner is always great. The menu changes with the season which is a sign of a great and educated chef. The place is cozy with nice atmospheric. Excellent brunch, huevos rancheros out of this world. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. read more

Service was attentive, couteous and professional. Brunch on Sunday was an added dimension to the excellent prpeparations we have had for dinner there. Choices were plentiful and satisfying. read more

The staff was cheerful and pleasant. The food was well prepared, presented, and tasty. The ambience was a bit on the noisy side, but lively

Great atmosphere and good food! Service was a tad slow but that could be due to a variety of variables

This is my favorite restaurant in Highland Park! We've had pretty much everything on the menu and it's all consistently excellent!!

Great food. Very special New years Eve! Delicious whitefish and vegetables. Not too crowded

Wonderful experience! Our server was terrific and our food even better. Kale salad was yummy, Schnitzel great, and the cassoulet was outstanding! Looking forward to going again. read more

It's a small modern restaurant with an inviting atmosphere featuring American and Mexican cuisine We had a martini, margarita, a chicken sandwich, and enchiladas. The espresso martini was well balanced and enjoyable with the exception of several crunchy coffee beans sprinkled on top. The chicken sandwich was very tasty and the enchiladas pleasant comfort food. The service was prompt and attentive. We stopped on a Saturday afternoon featuring a brunch menu. That was unexpected as our visit was a result of viewing Yelp photos of what was their dinner menu. Despite our miscalculation, our visit was a pleasant one read more

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The food, service and ambience..all great! Their corn bread is delicious. My husband had salmon ( he likes it done rare) and he loved it. They do a few vegetarian options for people like me and i have no complaints on the quality of food!! read more

A friend and I went for brunch. It was beyond delicious. I had the breakfast burrito and she had the veggie omelette. We both took half home. Prices definitely reasonable. Highly recommend. read more

Came here on a Thursday night for the first time with two friends to celebrate a birthday. Luckily we make reservations in advance however the indoor dining never got crowded but their outdoor sidewalk seating did. Ample parking all around downtown Highland Park at this time after regular business hours and it is free. We ordered a salad and appetizer two sides three entrées and two desserts for three adults we also had a bottle of rosé a bottle of rioja and two glasses of Sambuca. Considering that this is downtown Highland Park the portions are pretty fair although it is not cheap to eat here. The service was extremely friendly and generous and helpful. Her name was Sandy and she was such a good sport considering that the people I have dinner with can be difficult and have an odd sense of humor. What makes this place great is that everything is made fresh for your order nothing is sitting around prepared ahead of time so when it gets to your table it truly is hot off the stove or hot out of the oven. The menu is eclectic with hints of Latin influence or fusion which I truly appreciate. I would definitely come back here even for lunch but this would be a great place to bring guests or even locals. read more

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I knew this restaurant has been here for a while, and several people told me it's good, but I've been disappointed in the suburban food choices recently. Well, they had space for us last Friday night, and so my sisters and I went for dinner. Omg, the food was so good! First, I was a little disappointed because the name suggested this to be a tapas place, or a place with basque food. It was neither, just regular American fare. However, the dishes, however simple, were perfectly cooked and very flavorful. We had the cauliflower (so crispy, yum), the steak frites (perfect medium rare, shoestring fries) and the lamb (again, perfectly medium rare). Our table by the window was cozy, and the restaurant wasn't too loud, even packed with people. Our servers were attentive. I'll definitely be back! read more

Amazing food all around! We sampled the whitefish, chicken and pasta dishes and every single one was a hit! Very fresh ingredients, flavorful recipes and all cooked to perfection. This wonderful dinner almost didn't happen, though we are so glad it did!!! We hit a snag because I had accidentally booked Sunday instead of Saturday reservation. Host/hostess and manager were all very gracious and despite full restaurant on a lively Saturday night were able to seat us. We will definitely be back soon!!! read more

The last few times that we have been in town, this place has been recommended. We finally got around to trying it last night and wow -- it was delicious! The place looks small when you drive by, but it's cute and homey inside. For the sake of ease, we decided to call it in for takeout. The menu is smaller than we expected. The prices are a little on the pricier end but not outrageous. We ordered the skirt steak, horseradish white fish, and roasted cauliflower. The food was done in 15 minutes! Sometimes food isn't great when it's taken home to eat vs eating in the restaurant, but I can say with confidence that the food was fantastic. It was extremely flavorful. The fish was fresh. The service was great. Overall, this place is definitely worth the try and worth the money. read more

Pixca - Horseradish whitefish and skirt steak with chimmichuri to go - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

My husband and I came in for dinner here with a friend around 6pm on a Friday. We ordered the burrata as an appetizer, which was delicious, and for our mains, I ordered the duck, my husband ordered steak, and my friend ordered the half chicken. The entrees are very protein-heavy, which is nice for those looking for something more. There is only one vegetable side with most of them, and these tend to be more sparse so it's helpful to order a side for the table, which is plentiful (we ordered the carrots, which were very good). My husband enjoyed his steak and frites (the fries are julienned very finely, which he enjoyed because they were crispy and soaked up the sauce well). My duck was fattier and gamier than what I'm used to, but the orange sauce made up for it and I used my vegetable side to sop it up (the veggies that come with the duck are the highlight of this dish). My friend didn't eat much of his chicken but he said it was good - it looked like standard half chicken with a limited bit of veggies on the side. As for the ambiance - we are in our thirties and the crowd tended older, but that might be the nature of the surrounding community. The staff was very friendly and our hostess seemed to anticipate my needs well, even offering a non-alcoholic pineapple mocktail since I chose to avoid drinks that day. Overall, it's a cozy place that I would come back to. read more

A truly fantastic eatery in Highland Park - which is getting rarer every year. To eat we split the Brussels sprouts, roasted chicken, and whitefish. Every dish was insanely delicious and served to us by the owner of the restaurant, Fernando. Fernando told us the story of how he opened just before the pandemic, and how he was able to weather the storm through some innovative delivery options. Very happy they did. This is a new local favorite. read more

I will admit, I had been here once before for dinner and was not impressed. We decided to give it a second shot for brunch and I'm so glad we did! My dad lives in the area, right around the corner from here. After looking at the brunch menu, I decided I wanted to give this place another try. We did make a reservation but we went after the lunch hour and there were open tables (but it was still decently busy). The decor inside is very nice with pictures that transport you to places you'd rather be than Illinois! We will be back, at least for brunch if not for other meals as well. read more

Very delicious food, the burger is absolutely fantastic, and that is a lot coming from a burger fanatic. The French toast however was a bit dry, but with some ice cream it was very good. I wouldn't get the French toast again though. We also got the crispy chicken sandwich which was ok. The chicken was very thin and there were too many pickled jalapenos. Lastly the potato's are very delicious and the atmosphere is very homey. Overall the service is good, food is delicious, and I would highly recommend getting the brunch burger! read more

Pixca - Brunch burger - American Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Sunday brunch! Great atmosphere, food, and service. Highly recommend. We ordered the Chilaquiles, Cobb Salad, Banana oatmeal pancakes, and omelette. Every dish was cooked to perfection. Pancakes were my favorite and I am a pancake girl. Make reservations as it can get pretty busy. Located on the main strip and plenty of people watching and stores for window shopping. read more

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Just finished Mother's Day Brunch within 35 min. Never have I felt so rushed before--and we had the mandatory reservation. Food was excellent, service not. Bill placed on table while 3 of the 4 of us were still eating our entrees--son had not even begun eating his burger. My husband wanted to wait to pay until everyone had finished. As he was putting the credit card on the bill, the server grabbed it out of my husband's hand. read more