Spent over an hour freezing waiting for trains and buses to try this place. Got here a half hour before closing time to get a brusque "we're closed." and a shrug. read more

The whole experience was simply amazing! The food was delicious! The service was great! Beautiful art everywhere and they have all kinds of good tequila to try out. Definitely a must try place! Best all around Mexican restaurant on the northwest side of Chicago. I could go on forever on how much I liked this place! read more

I've been coming here since 2012. I've been to almost every new and old Mexican restaurant in the city. Sol de Mexico is the best Mexican restaurant in Chicago and it's one of the best value restaurants in the country. I love the ceviche and the borrego en mole negro. It's an excellent establishment that actually deserves a Michelin star. If anyone remembers mexique (same great chef runs tzuco now) then you know sol de Mexico should be Michelin starred... because quite frankly it's been the best Mexican in Chicago for the past decade read more

Food here is great! I loved the food taste wise and i always appreciate it even more presentation wise. The chef is a third generation chef from her family carrying delicious long time recipes and makes basically everything the way its supposed to be made, from scratch.Truly a great spot we found for Mexican food and look forward to coming back. read more

Sol de Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came in on NYE with my wife and baby at about 6:30 pm. We had the appetizer sampler, the queso fundido, and the carne asada. First the queso fundido - I think of myself as a queso fundido aficionado, and let me tell you this one was way above average. They basically didn't mess anything up. Too many times places try to get cute, but this one was just traditional queso fundido perfectly cooked. For the sampler, everything was good. There were 4 things to try for the sampler and almost each one was above average. Except for the ceviche, but the ceviche tasted fresh, it just didn't stand out as above average. Also the carne asada was very good. It was a nice cut of meat, very juicy, and my wife said the plantains were amazing. We ordered some drinks as well and the margaritas were above average, but not super special. I had the guava Rita and I was more than happy with it. I also had a tequila flight and it was cool how they served it up with the lie and tomato juice. Also, the service was above average. We were checked on regularly and we had a couple of special requests and they were very accommodating. I would definitely say this pace is 5 stars! read more

Eater.com featured an article about Chiles en Nogada, the national dish of Mexican independence day. Sol de Mexico was one of the featured Chicago restaurants serving the dish. I just got back from trying to have a lunch there. The restaurant was closed. There was no sign in the window to explain the closure. This was their chance to shine. Closed and no sign was a very bad indication of the establishment. read more

My husband took me here for lunch for Valentine's Day and we were pleasantly surprised and impressed. We don't live far from the restaurant and will definitely dine in again. Our waiter was very personable, welcoming and attentive. I didn't give it 5 stars because we ordered rice and it came late and undercooked. However, their tacos were amazing and are a must try! You could taste how fresh all the ingredients were. Aside from the great service and food this restaurant also has a nice, quiet ambiance and nice decor. We are already talking about stopping by for dinner very soon. read more

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I honestly have nothing nice to say about this place. Overpriced for blah food. I had the vegetable Chile Relleno (which on the menu says it's stuffed with roasted vegetables, mushrooms and cheese) mine was carrots and cheese. The rice on the side had no flavor at all and frozen peas & carrots. Not even close to worth $17. Servers were either rushing us or nonexistent. Pomegranate margarita was horrible. Found a piece of plastic in my tamale to which our waitress. No offer of chips and salsa or upselling of side dishes. A HUGE waste of a lot of money. read more

Great dining experience. .. The attention to detail is amazing at Sol De Mexico. .The decor to the silverware on the table is well thought out... They take you away to Mexico and you will never want to come back.. The music, service, & food will bring you back for another visit.. read more

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If you'd like to experience the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE that has ever existed in the history of dining establishments, please visit Sol de Mexico. For any other dining establishments that are trying to compete for this award, please read on, as I'll periodically provide tips on how to provide below par service to the masses. I was eager to try Sol de Mexico, based on the great Yelp reviews. I made reservations online, but when I didn't receive any kind of confirmation page/email, I decided to call to make sure that the reservation went through. Sure enough, it didn't, but I was able to make my Mother's Day reservation with Maria. Or so I thought. TIP #1: Create a website and make your customers believe that making a reservation is actually possible. There were people waiting outside and inside as I made my way to the hostess. She already had an unwelcoming look on her face as I began to tell her that we had a reservation for 4 at 8pm. 'We're not taking any more people.' 'But I made a reservation.' 'We can't take any more people. We're overbooked.' (I glance around and see an available table for 4 just beyond her and noticed more in the next room.) 'Soo, why would you accept my reservation if you're not able to honor it? You should've told me that I wouldn't be able to get a table over the phone when I made the reservation.' (Getting frustrated) 'We accepted walk-ins, so we're overbooked now. We can't take any more people.' TIP #2: Think of the most qualified, gracious, people-pleasing person that would be perfect for the host/hostess position. Hire the opposite. No apologies, absolutely no sign of any kind of desire to rectify the situation. My mom tells me that we should just go somewhere else. As we leave, we encounter another family who made reservations that weren't able to get seated. I'm not sure what kind of business model Sol de Mexico follows, but turning away patrons who have made a reservation on the most lucrative day of the year for dining establishments is outrageous. TIP #3: When Mother's Day approaches, turn away everyone who made a reservation. Better yet, also hang a huge sign in your window that says, 'We don't like making money.' There are a MILLION amazing Mexican restaurants in Chicago. One would think that you'd be on top of your game with all the choices your customers have. Thankfully, I did my research, and we had a fantastic dinner nearby, but it was still a frustrating experience. If you were able to turn away about a dozen people in the 2 minutes that I was there, I can't imagine how many more families whose Mother's Day you ruined. read more

As the server said: "This is the Best Mexican restaurant in the universe". This is only a slight hyperbole. For appz, definitely try to sopecitos (small "masa boats" topped with ridiculous toppings). For entrees, you come here for the mole, but it isn't just your mama's chicken mole. They have four kinds of sauce and meats ranging from duck, lamb to the normal chicken, or 'pollo' for you spanish speakers out there. (Yes! I know spanish). We got the duck dish and the chicken enchiladas. My duck came with some ridiculous mashed potatos. Both were fantastic. The decor might come in close second to the food. I don't think I've been to such a coolly decorated interior in Chicago. Note: We were the only two diners in the restaurant. Yes it was a crappy rainy day on a Sunday in March. But this place definitely is disadvantaged by its location. You should definitely try to come out here as soon as possible. I think Check Please needs to be bribed to come here, or something. read more

Too hot to cook and totally not in the mood to make anything at home I decided to treat us out to dinner. I had heard of this place froma couple of people but damn................I was not expecting this! This place is great! Fromt he moment you walk in you know your in a serious Mexican place. No tacos and Burritos here folks..... this is the real deal Holyfield. The food was delicious our appetizers the sope platter had 4 different sopes, choriso, plaintain!, gucamole, chicken mole yumm I had the "Mummified shrimp" Fantastic! they are wrapped in jalapeno bacon and served around a small bed of rice and surrrounded by this AMAZING sauce!! Great atmosphere not crowded and not ghetto! cool vibe for sure! Oh and a decent TEQUILA selection. Yeah I can get drunk here specially with the golden age (50's 60's) of mexican music playing in the background. Shake and bake seal of approval! Hipster infestation level: HELL NOOO those tight jean wearing thick rimmed glass posers wont come here. This place is too far west and I didnt see any vegan options (thank god!!!) stay in Logan square man stay in Logan square!..actually come here hipsters hipsters I want my property value to rise :) read more

After seeing this place on Chicago's Best we decided to check it out. It was a last minute decision the day went and really didn't know what we were getting into (besides the delicious looking food we saw on Chicago's Best). We arrived and parking was easy. Place is cute and intimate and the background music was great (Spanish pop/rock !) . We looked at the menu and were a bit taken a back by the prices, wasn't what we expected......keep reading. We started off with the chips and guacamole, which was good, and drinks. I had the Cilantro margarita and my partner and friend had the house margarita. They were well made and very good. I ordered the beautifully plated vegetarian enchiladas. AMAZING! Their mole sauce was delicious and had just the right amount of spiciness. I even ate the mushrooms that were inside! Partner and friend had the Carne asada. It was a huge portion with several sides. It was full of flavor and very filling. Only negative was that they didn't have steak knives! Waitress mentioned they had been requested and hopefully the next time we come they would have them. Overall: Great delicious food. WORTH THE PRICE. Upscale Mexican place (not a taco/burrito stand). Great for dates and groups. Fantastic drinks. Easy parking. Great menu with several different options. Can't wait to go back! read more

Worst customer service ever.. food sucks.. and not authentic... Im all about trying new places but this place is on my ban list.. read more

My wife and I wanted a night out at a good resturant. We were avid fans of this place since the owner is so hands on from all aspects of resturant and we very much like the food. That said, we had good expectations. To start, the owner did come out to greet the clientel and as always is super friendly. We always appreciate that. Let me get to the reason for the review. My wife ordered a pozole dish that has chicken. To our dismay, the chicken was undercooked. That is already bad as it is but my wife had to wait close to 15 minutes to get the attention of a server to say what the problem was. On a side note this was happening all night long (the service). No consisent server or service. She did get another plate minus the chicken. We ordered dessert and were done. The worse thing regarding our service was that the owner did not come out to acknowledge the incident. Last I checked eating an undercooked chicken can get you really sick. At the end of the night a server removed the dessert from the bill which was a whopping $4.00. That left us speechless. We are not asking for full compensation of dinners here but just some ownership to the lack of service and food. This place charges quite a bit for their dishes so you would hope to receive some type of consistency in all aspects. read more

After seeing excellent reviews on yelp, a friend and I decided to try Sol de Mexico yesterday afternoon. We've traveled together south of the border and are always looking to reminisce over a good guac. During my time in Mexico, I have sometimes eaten ceviche every day, and so I'm always on the lookout for a new twist on the old classic. I got the impression from some other reviews that coming to Sol de Mexico was like teleporting to the most authentic of mom and pop restaurants in small town Mexico. Well, I've found truly the most authentic Mexican eats on street corners and the crappiest looking places south of the border, served on plates covered with plastic bags. It's true that the worse the place looks, the most likely the better the food. Just sayin'. Sol de Mexico is decked out with eclectic (and beautiful) pieces, the tables are covered with white linen, the silverware shiny and modern, water is served in goblets-- seems more to me like someplace in Mexico that American expatriots or timeshare owners might frequent. It reminds me of the restaurant at Los Jardines Botanicos de Puerto Vallarta (Botanic Gardens of Puerto Vallarta) in Mexico. A more upscale twist on the traditional Mexican. For that reason, I wasn't immediately impressed with Sol. I feel like places that tout an over the top decor (anything more than tables and chairs and a sarape or two is over the top, in my opinion) are trying to compensate for bad food. But... The service was great-- our server (maybe the owner?) was very welcoming and friendly. And quite charismatic. Confident enough to welcome us to "the best Mexican restaurant in the universe". We went for a late lunch. The menu (located on the restaurant's website above) is pretty limited, including (on the left page of the menu) an assortment of drinks, five apps ($2-8), five Mexican tapas ($7-10) and ten entrees ($16-22) on the right. I was surprised that the menu didn't include more middle-of-the-road items in terms of price or that there was not an entirely separate lunch menu. I read that they change the menu every three months, but I'd still like to see a lunch menu. Although this place was not exactly as I expected in terms of the overall vibe, the food that I tried was delicious. The guacamole was flavorful. I have encountered some very bland guacs in my life and this is NOT one of them. There was a bit of spice in it-- a pleasant surprise. The Tostaditas de Ceviche Guerrerense had olives. Usually I am not a fan of olives, but for some reason this ceviche hit all the right notes for me. A very different twist on ceviche than I am used to, but my taste buds were having a little FIESTA in my mouth! I'd say if you know what you're getting yourself into with this restaurant (limited selection, higher prices than most very authentic Mexican places), you'll enjoy yourself. In conclusion: 5 stars on the food and 4 stars for not having a lunch menu. I'd go again for the guac, ceviche and horchata. I'll reserve the Best Mexican Restaurant in the Universe title for a tiny quesadilla stand on a back road on the outskirts of a well-known Mexican tourist town, but this place might be in the running for it's slightly more sophisticated second-cousin. ;) read more

Service was slow. Food was good but pricey. Walking distance from home so that's a perk. Would return w. hopes we had quicker service. read more

I've had Sole De Mexico bookmarked for quite some time and regret not trying this restaurant earlier. I love authentic Mexican food, and as far as I know this is one of the few places that actually has it in the city. Leave Fronterra Grill behind and go here instead. The food was spectacular. I had the sopa aztecka (or tortilla soup). Much better than any other restaurant, or even my own. It was loaded with avocados, chicken, fried tortilla strips. It was very well spiced. The moles were fantastic- I tried the black mole with the lamb chops and the green mole with duck. They were both fantastic but I preferred the green mole as it was a bit spicier and more tart. The black mole is a little sweet and made with cocoa and 30 some other secret ingredients the chef will not even share with her son according to the website. They will accommodate you if you have allergies as well and made food to order for one of us. There is also an extensive tequila list. The dessert I had was fantastic- a custard cup with mangoes on top and some caramelized sugar on top... sort of like creme brule but 10X better. The service was very attentive and polite without being over bearing. The decor was interesting too- they had several unusual masks. The restaurant is sort of a loft style and long/narrow but they should be expanding once the zoning goes through. read more

Came here with my best friend a couple weeks ago and everything so simply amazing! The service, food, drinks, dessert was absolutely astonishing. It was authentic Mexican food and I'm not talking street tacos, burritos and some elote I mean the Sunday dinner at Yaya's house. The ceviche was BOMB!! The guacamole was super fresh and the best (don't tell my sister) I've ever had. Everything just tasted extremely fresh like picked out of a garden and the second the food hits your taste buds it's like an explosion of goodness! I ordered the Arrachera a la Oaxaqueña it was really good. The meat was a bit tougher than my friends but that didn't stop anything. We also ordered crepes which I could eat a thousand times over and not get tired of them. Overall, an amazing experience! I felt like I was at a family member's home. read more

Sol de Mexico - Arrachera a la Oaxaqueña - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wow- a really fabulous Mexican gourmet BYOB restaurant...On CICERO Ave! Yup, I've driven past this place on a depressed stretch of Cicero a bunch of times since it opened and kept telling myself that I have to stop in. Last night was the night, and I'm glad I did! The decor is fresh and new, and very cute. The menu extensive- a huge variety of options, all of which sounded delicious. This is NOT typical ma and pa Mexican food. Several rich moles were included in the menu, a nice selection of appetizers and small plates, and some top shelf sounding entrees. Small plates went ~$8, entrees ~$14. I went the small plate route to get to try variety, and everything was very good. Chicken Sopecitos w/Mole were a standout- fresh, moist chicken meat atop four little corn cakes, with a heavenly mole- mmmm. Lamb in mole negro, fish in a great green mole with peanuts, I really focused on trying a variety of their moles and you should too- they're really, really good. I hope folks in Logan Square and the NW side discover this place and it does well- saying the location is off the beaten path is an understatement. But the food proved excellent, and the owner we met was a very friendly welcoming guy who was obviously passionate about food and caring for his customers. Perhaps a path will be beaten to this restaurant? I hope so. read more

Sol de Mexico is a contender for the best Mexican food in Chicago. The menu is authentic and changes every 3 months to capture flavors from every region of Mexico. You will not find tacos and burritos here. The menu is for advanced tastes and features borrego en mole negro, a creamy sweet potato soup and their tortillas are "made by hand when you order them, with love and passion." Can't beat that. Sol de Mexico is a hidden gem and will be your favorite Mexican restaurant by the time your homemade desert hits the table. read more

A group of us checked out Sol de Mexico on Friday night and almost everything there was really good. We started with a queso fundido and guacamole. The queso fundido was not like a cheese sauce, it was just melted chihuaha cheese with chorizo mixed in. It was served with tortillas and was really tasty. The guacamole was good, not the best I've had. in retrospect adding a little lime juice would have added a nice acidity to it. For my entree I had rack of lamb in a black mole. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the sauce was spot on: smoky, spicy and well-seasoned. It was served with some really good mased potatoes. I also had an opportunity to try my girlfriend's dish, a strip steak served guacamole and an enchilada in red mole. The steak was cooked right and was quite tasty. I really like the red mole as well, it was definitely pretty spicy. All in all I enjoyed Sol de Mexico much more than either of the Bayless restaurants. Service was friendly and the food was really tasty. The BYO factor is also key. Definitely worth a visit. read more

We showed up at Sol de Mexico with a bottle of wine thinking it was still a BYOB and found out they have a full bar now and the corkage fee is $15. That's what you get when you go a year without indulging in one of the best restaurants in Chicago. The meal was amazing. We had the one of the appetizers which had ceviche, guacamole, taquitos, and these wonderful cheese balls. For the entree I had the venison in a perfect spicy red sauce, with beans and fried beets. Best venison I have ever tasted, perfectly cooked and expertly seasoned. The dessert was a pecan and chocolate bar with homemade vanilla ice cream. This is a special restaurant, one of the best in Chicago. read more

Meeting out of town guest in Sauganash (NW Chicago) area. Didn't want to go to Chili's as suggested (YUCK), wanted something more local, authentic...this was a GREAT find thanks to Yelp. Excellent service--very friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Delicious upscale Mexican food--authentic, rich flavors. The menu avoids the standard fare (no burritos, at least this visit) and puts classy spins on traditional dishes. I had a chicken enchilada with mole sauce accompanied by a delicious marinated steak. Everyone else was equally pleased with the Chicken salad, carne asada, and soup (not sure which one). Menu changes every 3 months, FYI. Good prices for the quality. Beautiful artwork/decor. Plenty of metered street parking. read more

Nothing wrong with slow, patient service in my book, but this place takes the "wait" out of "wait staff." Maybe I just caught them on a bad day. A day when they just wished that those new customers standing next to the "please wait to be seated" sign for fifteen minutes would just go away. A day when customers would understand when you sent them to the untended bar. On a bad day, it's okay to mess up a reservation, and sit a party of two at a table for six while making larger groups wait. Our waiter specialized in apathy. He asked us how our food was and then walked away before waiting for an answer. Later he gave us our check before our dessert. We were polite and didn't complain about a thing. Until now, in my left-handed passive-aggressive way, puhahaha! I can't deny that the food was very good. They specialize in moles and handmade torillas. We got steak and mahi mahi; mine came with a delicious side of black beans, roasted plantains, and queso. The ambience, minus the staff, is a cheerful and well-decorated spot- bright orange walls, with ancient Mexican masks and a huge portrait of Diego Rivera who will stare at you more attentively than anyone who is paid to work here. read more

Hands down the best meal I've had in 8 months! After riding one hour on the bus to get out to the neighborhood, I was not disappointed and will definitely be meeting friends there again. The interior of the restaurant is charming and feels authentically decorated by one group of classy Mexicans. Ungentrified and delightfully warm and and inviting. Delightful. The pricing is wonderfully refreshing and the food is delicious. The sangria is the perfect balance of fruit and wine. So balanced I ordered a second round. The sampler appetizer platter was great- the ceviche was the best I've ever eaten. Perfect combination of green olives and firm white fish. WONDERFUL. Guacamole so good it get's its own separated sentence. Not heavy handed on the cilantro. Unbelievably fresh tasting. Served later with the main course topped with radishes- beautiful contrast of color and perfect amount of light crunch every few bites. Carne Asada that will stop the dinner conversation. Black beans so dark and flavorful I wondered if I was eating them for the first time. Chocolate tamale was delightfully rich and not overly sweet. Presentation of icecream topped with a blueberry and mint leaf. SO DELICIOUS you should save for a special occasion. SO AFFORDABLE you'll want to go every few weeks. read more

Stumbled upon this wonderful place because I was just looking for something around the DMV. It is AMAZING. Food is great and drinks are on point. Our server, Carlos, helped us out with margarita selections and was very friendly. We came mid-day at a time where most restaurants wouldn't be filled with people either way but I do hope it's normally busy because the quality of their cocktails and food is to die for. I had the carne asada and while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, it tasted great and was a large portion. The food and drinks could have been horrible and I would still give this place 5 stars because of the service!! read more

I had dinner as Sol de Mexico and I thought it was some of the most tasting food I have had in a long time! It might be off the beaten path but its worth the trip. We started with the appetizer sampler and everything tasted great. The ceviche was perfect and fresh. The platter also included deep fried quesedias and I thought the cheese was perfect! I had the skirt steak and it was probably the best skirt steak I have had since being in Mexico. Full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The steak came with the perfect tasting guacamole and black beans. My brother's had the chicken mole and I got a taste of the mole and it was right on! The food tasted fresh and had the perfect seasoning and flavor. Dessert was a chocolate cake and ice cream and it was a perfect way to end the dinner. It's a BYOB and the bill for 4 of us was $105. The portions were more then adequate and the food is worth the trip out to 3200 N Cicero. If you love Mexican food then do your self a favor and make the trip out; you will be happy that you did. read more

My fella's band is practicing in a new neighborhood, which means a new neighborhood for exploring eats. Our first go was a good one. A very good one. The queso fundido turned us into murmuring idiots. So did the sopes. And the pineapple margarita. One tip: When they say the jalapeño margarita has "jalapeño syrup," take note that it also has an entire jalapeño, seeds and all, crushed into the drink. Holy fahrenheit, I almost died after a single sip. read more

I wish I could give 2.5 stars on this one. I sent here based on the yelp reviews (don't know what you guys are thinking!). Service: Great Food: Not great I asked the waitress if she thought I should go w/the scallops or chicken. She said, "chicken (pollito, i think)." The chicken ($19) sucked. It was really dry and blah. It came w/a jicama & grapefruit salad that was just okay, but kind of like nothing. Weirdly, when the waitress came by and asked how the food was, I kind of looked up at her (not in a mean way though) and before I could respond, she was like, "Is it dry?" I just said, "yes." If you know the chicken sucks why did you recommend?? Anyway, the ceviche ($8-9) was really good, but not out of this world. My dad's carne asada ($23) was also dry and kid of on the salty side, but he liked it and orders it well done anyway. Bottom line: better than average MExican, but not worth the price or the drive and DEFINITELY way over-hyped by yelp. read more

I was really looking forward to eating here for Valentine's Day, especially since my boyfriend raved about the food. However, choosing it for our dining location was a huge mistake. First off, they tried to bump our reservation off because we were 15 minutes late. As a "fine dining" establishment, you'd think they would let you know ahead of time about a late policy or something. But we still waited to get our table and other couples were filing in late as well behind us, being told the same thing. The young hostess finally relented and seated us all accordingly. The place was packed, so I didn't mind the wait to sit. Then, when seated, we waited at least 15 minutes for our waitress. Again, I saw they were understaffed (1 waitress in our section and maybe 2 others in the front) so I tried to pay no mind. We finally place our drink orders and waited another 20-25 minutes to get our drinks. Once we get our drinks, we place our order (no appetizers; I got the enchiladas and my boyfriend got another entree). We wait. Thirty minutes pass by. We tell a waiter we're still waiting. Forty five. We tell the seating hostess we're still waiting. An hour. Boyfriend gets up to get get the owner. He apologizes hastily as he's making drinks behind the bar and says he'll check. At NO point in time does our waitress ask us how we are or acknowledges us, even. Just a quick glance and walks away once. Finally, 15 minutes after we talk with the owner,they tell us our food will STILL take 45 minutes. Now, with no appetizer and just entrees, I was perplexed to see other customers who arrived after us get served their food. So the best explanation for this (we weren't given an explanation from the staff) was that while understaffed on possibly the busiest time for restaurants, our waitress never placed our order in the system. We walked out at 10pm, 2 hours later, having eaten nothing, as the staff gawked at us and said nothing. Worst dining experience ever. read more

If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, Sol De Mexico is your place. It is off the beaten path and some may call it "destination dining" but it is worth it. I went here with a group of people last week for a birthday. The first thing I noticed was the service. It was wonderful. Our waiter was very attentive. He provided great suggestions on what to eat and drink. He was also very chatty and highly encouraged us to tell people about the business. I know he is very proud of where he works. We started off with the Appetizer platter of crispy chicken taquitos with sour cream, tangy ceviche tostadas, quesadillas capitalinas Stuffed with Chihuahua cheese and guacamole. My favorite was the ceviche, it was wonderful. They are known for moles here, so I wanted to make sure and get an entrée that featured one. I went with the Borrego con mole negro New Zealand rack of lamb in classic Oaxacan black mole (made from chilhuacle chiles and 28 others ingredients) Served with black beans. It was wonderful. The meat was tender and the mole was a little spicy but very flavorful...a great accompaniment to the lamb. I did not have a dessert but they hand make them and they looked wonderful. In talking to the waiter, I also learned that they flip their menu quarterly to be more in touch with the seasons. I will definitely be back to sample some of their other dishes. Sol de Mexico was great, it is probably one of the top 3 Mexican restaurants I have been to. Trust me, it is worth a trip to this little known secret. read more

This was probably some of the best upscale Mexican I've ever had. I was reluctantly dragged out this way when Graham D. said lets eat in some random neighborhood and my friend says this is the best Mexican for miles. I assumed I was going to your typical taco joint, so when I got my menu and saw most items in the $18-30 dollar range I realized this must be something special. And boy oh boy was it. We started with guacamole, sopas and drinks, all were fantastic. For my entree I had lamb shanks in a mole sauce. It was melt in your mouth good, even though the place was a bit nicer, I just couldn't resist sucking on the bone. So classy, but a girl loves her meat! Graham D. ordered dessert but at the time I was on a lent restriction from sweets but he swore it was amazing. If you're looking an unexpected knock your socks off dinner, def try out Sol de Mexico read more

Christ have mercy, Chicago. Your Mexican restaurants are of such a higher caliber than the ones here in NYC that it hurts my soul. Sol de Mexico: I love you. I love you even though it is a pain to get to you from the city. $20 cab ride from the hotel - although you can take public transportation but I think there are two trains involved. And a bus. And then you have to forge a stream. We went here on a Sunday night and it was very quiet. We chatted with the host (owner?) for a while. Friendly guy. He recommended we start with some sort of sampler platter of apps that they do and it was all quite tasty. My favorite by far was the ceviche that was just superb. For our mains we had the lamb with mole and the ostrich with mole. The ostrich was tasty, although I think my wife liked a lot more than I did. The lamb was very good but couldn't really hold a candle to the mole that staggeringly good. We ended the meal with a pineapple tart type of thing. Tasty, fairly light (which is what we wanted). Let's see... what else? Service was top notch and was better than I expected. Decor is cozy (even though the tables are kind of big) and it might be a half-stop too dark. Interesting wine list. The host called us a cab that was timed perfectly with the end of our meal. On the way out they have lollipops, we grabbed one, but he insisted we take some other ones that were goats milk tres leches lollypops. Awesome. read more

Holy Mole! Sol de Mexico is amazing. So amazing that I will split that word into 3 drawn out pieces: A....Maz....Ing. We have eaten theres several times now and have yet to come across anything that was less than superb. Traditional Mexican dishes that have an Earthy, feel-goodness about them. The pork chop, which comes in a red mole sauce and is accompanied by what may be the greatest garlic mashed potatoes since man first put rock to potato, rivals bacon for the best pig product ever. The ostrich is lean, tender and cooked to perfection (it's recommended rare- medium rare). If you are feeling a little gun shy, the chicken enchiladas are the way to go - except don't expect a red sauce. This one comes in a creamy, cheesy, garlicy white sauce. But despite the fact that all of these dishes are sauce-covered, the sauces don't overpower the flavor of the meat. In the case of the enchiladas, the chicken is perfectly seasoned and has a great grilled flavor. Don't forget to start with the guacamole and the masa boats (shit...I can't remember their name) that are filled with chicken mole, black beans and guacamole. I am always tempted just to eat those for my entree... Finally, no dinner is complete without something sweet (Yo! I have mad rhyming skills, ya'll). The pinapple upside down cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce or the chocolate volcano cake with vanilla ice cream are the two clear winners. It's BYOB - something that I love, because nothing runs up the bill like my love of booze. Finally - don't be discouraged by the location. Leave Lincoln Park/Bucktown every ONCE in awhile, people. There are great restaurants to be had in this city. Even on Cicero Ave. read more

Yummmmmmm I love this place, every single inch of it! First off, I love that it is in a random part of town. I love that the crowd is diverse. I love the ambiance and decor. And the food? Amazing! Rich and complex with wonderful flavors. Everything was fresh and authentic and so good! My girlfriend and I split the masa boats, the appetizer sampler, the carne asada and the pork chop and the flan. Everything was wonderful and the service was great. I highly recommend and I will most definitely be back!! read more

I've been visiting this restaurant occasionally from 2012 through 2014 (present). I've always been very satisfied with the various meals that I've had. The rice and beans are fantastic, which is usually overlooked at other restaurants. I've had several different dishes including carne asada, lamb, chicken in mole, and fish. It's been consistent over the years and all has been cooked perfectly. The staff is very friendly and professional. The decor is well done with what looks like original works of art. The wait for food might be a little longer than some people would like, so do not visit when you're in a hurry. According to other reviews substitutions are not accommodated. I haven't had this issue, because I have no dietary restrictions and I don't mess with a chef's work. I recommend this restaurant for those looking for Mexican food beyond tacos and burritos. read more

Great find! Everything we had was delicious and you could tell the food is made from scratch and with quality ingredients. Helpful staff and chef that cares about making you happy. Go here before Sol de Mexico is on Check Please and everyone knows about it! read more

Sol de Mexico has always been one of my favorite restaurants since I was little. I came here with my boyfriend for the first time in years and it did not disappoint. We split the ceviche for an appetizer, served with homemade tortilla chips and was amazing. For my main meal, I had a stuffed pepper. The cheese, mole sauce and rice were all incredible, but by far the best part of the meal was the homemade tortillas. Good for a large group or just a fun night out! read more

The sauces are awesome. I had the tiger shrimp w/ pumpkin mole and it was fantastic. My boyfriend had the halibut which had a spicy creme sauce. We both enjoyed. We also tried the cilantro and the ginger margaritas. Both were refreshing! I couldn't decide which one I liked best. We started w/ guac which was just ok. Nothing special. And we got the marlin ceviche which I liked but Anthony didn't enjoy as much. It was pretty quiet in there but I'm sure it gets packed later in the night. I wanted to try a dessert but we were too full. Its unfortunate that its so far from where we live otherwise I'd become a regular. I'd like to come back to try more things - maybe with the chef's tasting. read more