We arrived at XOCO on a Tuesday night in February around 8:30 and It was pretty packed. The way this place works is that you get in the ordering line, pay for your food and then the hostess will then help you find a seat. The restaurant is pretty small, so not sure if you go there around lunch/dinner time Im sure it would be harder to grab a spot. We had a party of 10, so it was nice that the host was able to find us all seats together. I ordered the Chili Hot Chocolate since that is what real Mexican hot chocolate is and I honestly didn't care for it. It was way to RICH for my tastes. I'm more of a Swiss Miss kinda girl. I also ordered the Churros with the dipping sauce and these were really good. I only ordered dessert, but other people in my party had sandwiches and soup and they all seemed to love their food options. I would definitely go back here to have the Churro's again and try other things on the menu. I know when I eat at any Rick Bayless Resturant his food is always bursting with flavor. So I can't wait to return. read more

I love this place. Great sandwiches, but it is pricey! May not be the best place for groups being that seating is limited and most in bar style. Seating is tough even with two people, but with a decent line you are usually able to get seated before your food is done. read more

great food, a little pricey. great service too. main dish: love the rib sandwich, unbelievably good. guacamole great, and the sauces, amazing. desserts: the mint chocolate thing is not good, the tres leches more than makes up for it. read more

Big fan of Rick Bayless but I didn't get any flavor in the seafood soup, although it had plenty of onions, maybe too much. The fish was over cooked and under seasoned which left me feeling like I wasted $12. Probably won't be returning when I can get more authentic food for cheaper somewhere else. read more

i forgot what i ordered.. some carnitas dish in broth. It was too salty and not memorable at all. I tried my friends dishes as well and nothing stood out. The 4 stars is for the AMAZING churros!!! They are insanely delicious! If you stand out front you can watch them make the churros, it is mesmerizing! I would come back for those alone! I tried it with the chocolate sauce and soft serve. Soft serve was really good and I could do without the chocolate. But really those churros stand alone, must try!!! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. My mom says the Ahogada is the best sandwich she's ever had, and I can see it (I also love it, but I don't know if I'd go that far). read more

about 20-30 minute wait. very crowded. food was good and very filling. recommend if you're in the area

I LOVE the carnitas soup here, I use to live close by and get it all the time but now I occasionally order it online for delivery. It's salty and delicious but fresh with heaps of greens. read more

Omg! The mushroom and goat cheese tortas was to die for! We also ordered the special of the day which was a shrimp torta and that was also very tasteful. The chile de árbol sauce has the perfect blend of spices and smokiness! Totally recommend trying this place read more

Food was AWESOME!! The guacamole was the best. My only complaint is the place is small. They seem to do a great carry out business.

Alright, to round it all out after trying Frontera Grill and Frontera Fresco, I decided maybe the 3rd time would be the charm and tried XOCO. This was not the case. I got the gaucomole, which was fine, but nothing special. I also got the short rib red chile caldo. This was so bad, I couldn't even finish it. Maybe I'm spoiled by all the excellent Mexican food in California, but I just don't understand where all the hype comes from. read more

XOCO is definitely going to be a wait, especially if you come here on Saturday afternoon, but let me tell you, it's totally worth it. In fact, I think I would wait half a hour just for their hot chocolate! I have been wanting to come here for a while now, and so I was pretty excited when I finally got the chance to do so! We got here around 1pm on a Saturday, hoping to beat the lunch rush. Unfortunately it looked like this was where all of Chicago was at the moment! It was a little overwhelming when we walked in, right away we saw two lines and had no idea which one to wait in. However, as soon I walked over to ask someone in line which line I had to wait in, the hostess came and asked me if I was dining it or taking out, and told us where to stand and told us it would be a 30 minute wait. My friend and I were chatting so it felt like that in no time, it was our turn to order. (Everything on the menu sounded delicious so I think you need at least that amount of time to decide!) I ordered the pepito and the hot chocolate listed at the end of the menu (it was the thick one?) My friend ordered the Alhogado sandwich and the Aztec hot chocolate. I LOVED my hot chocolate, it was thick as promised and it tasted the way I thought hot chocolate should taste! Thick, luxorious, and oh so chocolately. Seriously, the wait was worth this hot chocolate. My sandwhich was good, the meat was tender and juicy but without the green sauce it would have been a bit on the dry side. I really like my friend's Alhogada sandwich, it came served with each end sticking down in this tomato broth which is more my style since I love soupy stuff! The sandwiches here are a bit more pricey than the ones that you would find in another sandwich shop, but hey these are gourmet sandwiches and I feel like the price tag is reasonable. I also picked the most expensive sandwich so ;) There was so much on the menu that looked so delicious, I really can't wait to come back here and get a different sandwich and try a new hot chocolate flavor. I also wanted to try their churros and soft serve but that will have to wait for my next visit! read more

Went here for breakfast and the food was great. It was especially nice to find a large assortment of vegetarian food. I would recommend checking this place out. read more

Awesome, just awesome. Just like Rick M. stated, I wasn't going to write a review since there's 1000+ already there, but this place warrants it. I've seen Rick Bayless on TV and heard that he is very passionate about Mexican food, and this place proves it. It's not some fancy, $35 for a burrito place, it just does simple foods really good. Whatever the daily special is, get it. Some buddies and I are traveling in Chicago for work and someone highly suggested this place, great call. We got chips, guac and different but awesome salsas for starters. If you have a spicy lean, ask for the habanero salsa. We all got Tortas, mine was pork belly on crusty bread. It was porky, smoky, spicy, juicy, all at the same time. Then we closed it with very tasty churros, not "been roasting under hot lamps at 7-Eleven" churros, but right out of the kitchen churros, along with great Mexican chocolate drinks. You simply walk up, order, sit down, eat. Will come back again. read more

The al pastore torta was good. Not in your typical bread, it was in a baguette which was good, but i think i would've preferred the typical bread grilled or fancified somehow. The churro was good, just not amazing. I expected more from Rick Bayless. The layout and service is really inefficient. Instead of giving you a number when you order like every other place, the host tells you a seat number. If you change your mind on where to sit after you order, you have to go up to the register and tell them exactly where you are sitting. Had to wait too long for the churros. read more

If you're looking for a cramped hipster scene, maybe this is the place for you. The coconut horchata was terrific, as was the churro, but entrees were a major downfall. Between the lackluster torta and "meal in a bowl" broth, this was the weakest meal we had in Chicago. And when you factor in the unpleasant seating conditions, an hour-long wait standing in a line they don't have the floor space for, and the fall-on-your-face attempt at fresh hot chocolate, I would suggest you avoid XOCO. The hype is strong here; the food not so much. read more

OMG-the food was delicious-Mexican-home style! We went to Frontera Grill, one of Bayless's other restaurants, right next door, and were told it would be a 2 hour wait! That wasn't going to work with our 7 year old child in tow (or without her!). Were we glad we walked over to XOCO-Rick Bayless himself was manning the cooking line! Garlic shrimp torta, chips/guac/salsa, churros and ice cream, mint iced hot chocolate, local beer-it was all good and the service and seating were polite and efficient. Would go back anytime!! read more

love this place! really good mexican food. i forgot the name but the sandwich that comes in a soup is really good. but it really spicy too. almost cried eating it. They have horchata on Saturdays. and remember to finish your meal with the churros :D read more

The Mexico City hot chocolate is thick, rich and delicious! I found the drowned torta to be a bit boring so next time I will try something else. This seems strange to say but the one thing you really want to have here is the vanilla ice cream. It is smooth and has intense vanilla bean flavor. I think Rick should open an ice cream shop! read more

Tasty tortas, churros. Great for a lunch spot, just be prepared for the lines!

was in chicago for a day and stopped here. i think about this place longingly every once in a while. crowded, but great fast casual food.

Holy cow this place is popular!!!! Came here on a Saturday evening for dinner and there was a line out the door. Plus it was quite chilly outside! So I thought to myself, "This place must be good!". Since the line for dining in was long, I decided to just get take out. There was a bit of a wait for that as well (it was a separate line) but not too terrible. Ordered the seafood caldo and a cookie. When I retrieved my order, I was a little surprised to find an actual metal spoon in the bag! This restaurant is eco-friendly and I guess the metal reusable spoon was in line with their sustainable practices. But not a problem! Love places that are eco-friendly. The seafood caldo was great and had a wonderful spicy broth to it. Good mix of shrimp, mussels and potatoes. It also came with a side of arugula to throw into the soup. Oh soooooo good! And perfect for a chilly night. Keep in mind that they are closed on Sundays and Mondays. I can't wait to go back and try more including their breakfast and dessert items! read more

First of all I want to say that I am a big fan of rick bayless. With that being said this restaurant didn't wow me like I thought it would of. I went here early in the morning because I was in the neighborhood so since me and my girlfriend have been dying to go to this place we thought we would take advantage. So here it goes...I really wanted a torta ahogada which is the only reason I came and when i go to order the guy taking my order tells me they dont serve lunch until 11. So disappointed i mean it made me feel like i was in a mcdonalds drive thru. anyways the lady hands me a full menu when i walked in only to realize that you can only order like 4 things. hello keep the menu if thats the case So since I was already there i might as well order something. So i ordered the chorizo and egg torta with churros and hot choco my girlfriend ordered the walnut french toast. Her food was very good we both enjoyed it. The hot choco was pretty good and the churros were decent she loved em however the chocalate dipping sauce wasnt all that. Here is my BIGGEST complaint...Where was the chorizo and eggs in this torta i ordered??? If your gonna charge me $8 for a torta i mean damn fill that thing up. I felt like i got robbed. however with that being said the bread was delicious and the sauces they gave me were absolutely terrifc. i will be going back but for lunch only. read more

I had breakfast here the other day and it was just delicious. I loved it. I like the casual vibe in there, the people are nice, and the food was delicious. I do wish the portions were just a little larger. read more

try the pistachio churro with chocolate dipping sauce. yum!

When it's cold outside, there's something so cozy and homey about having one of their warm sandwiches in a bowl of soup. I love it. i sometimes just crave this place, despite the hassle of trying to get downtown and find parking etc. read more

Service was weird but the food certainly made up for it. Go on Wednesday for the tacos al pastor! Phenomenal and not crazy overpriced!

The service is always impeccable, like stellar. I am always fighting off my weakness for churros and hot chocolate. Y'all make it too hard!

I have tried all restaurants of Chef Bayless' and this one is definitely the most laid-back one! Great for lunch and afternoon quick bites. Although causal, the place still guarantees you energetic staff and delicious options! read more

i'm all about half stars, so 4.5 stars for xoco. shared an ahodaga and a choriqueso with a friend because i trust my fellow yelpers. the ahodaga: it comes sitting up in a spicy tomato sauce. the sauce was spicier than i thought a medium would be and it actually overpowered the meat a little. the bread was a little soggy too. by the end of the sandwich (the part not sitting in the sauce), it was a little dry. a really good sandwich, but would've been great if the sauce was spread evenly throughout. now the choriqueso: amazing. so so good. i'm stuffed, but i want another one. great flavor. good bread to meat ratio. the crispy bread really added to the sandwich and complimented the chorizo and cheese well. very tasty. got an authentic hot chocolate which was also good. very chocolate beany in a good way. would've tasted better with the 2% milk to add a little fat, but i was trying to be healthy. the churro ending with a shot of chocolate was absolutely delicious. a perfect ending. crisp and sugary. based on the choriqueso and churro, 5 stars all the way. minus half cuz the ahodaga. will definitely be going back. read more

Rick Bayless brags this place is eco-friendly because it is LEED-certified. Nice marketing point, but doesn't he realize that MEAT is a major contributor of greenhouse gases? In fact, none of the tortas here is vegetarian. What's up, Rick? read more

I have really been looking forward to dining at a Rick Bayless restaurant since I moved to Chicago... and let me say up front that I am glad that I did! The restaurant is an area of Chicago where there are a ton of hit or miss restaurants that you pay top dollar for, the prices at XOCO were quite moderate...I thought we got a bang for our buck. Anyhow, the boy and I visited this afternoon around three. There was really no wait to get in granted it seemed pretty busy. You basically go up to the counter put your order in and they bring it to your table....deli style. I loved it. I started off with a Half Acre Lager and the boy had a Matilda. We enjoyed the XOCO salad which was phenominal...avocados, lime, braised pork, lettuce, and some sort of caramelized red onion deliciousness. We then moved onward, I had a sandwich with milanese chicken and beans and cheese inside...really good....I think I was oinking the first few minutes of eating it, and my partner in crime had a chorizo sandwich. I am not a huge fan of chorizo...to rich for me- but he said he would go back for it. I will definitely go back here! read more

The sandwitches here are creative and fantastic. What imagination and thougtfulness! Everything we had from the sandwitches to the chips/guac to the choros were excellent. read more

rick bayless is pretty much a culinary genius as he has put a classy, new-age spin on mexican street fare. i'd give it 5 stars if i didn't find it a little overpriced for a restaurant with no waiter service. the churros are phenomenal! my friend and i split the pibil torta and an order of chips and guacamole. the habanero salsa on the pibil is mouth wateringly spicy--i couldn't get enough of it. when i went it was on a thursday night and i waited about 45 for a table, which isn't so bad considering the quality of the food (and the fact that it's a bayless restaurant). you've got to try the aztec hot chocolate. read more

I have been here on two occasions and have enjoyed the food immensely. It's a very nice price point for very creative food and Bayless has created a true Chicago landmark. I have has choriqueso, pork pibil, and have taken bites out of many other creations. You won't be disappointed. The only downside is seating and long waits, which is what keeps me from going back often. I think every owner of every stomach-turning taqueria needs to walk into this place and get a little inspiration. For those who haven't mastered a late-night hangover menu, think about ways in which you could do better. For such a big city with so many options, I can't believe how bad the mexican is in chicago. read more

My husband and I ordered Meal-in-a Bowl. The soup was great Exceeded expectation. However I would enjoy more if some bread had come with the soup. I also had Mexico City Thick style chocolate. Too thick to me! read more

Just got back from a Cinco de Mayo dinner at XOCO and it was fantastic. I agree with the reviews about the system being confusing but it wasn't a big enough deal to subtract from the experience. We had the chips and guac(ok portions for the price), chorizo torta and mushroom torta. Both were excellent. The churros and Aztec hot chocolate were seriously phenomenal!! The service was also friendly and helpful. The host gave us a cookie because our dessert was a little slow coming out. All around fun experience, great food and friendly staff. read more

great fun! this is not your chichis or Americanized Mex - subtle flavors, not vinegar fueled hot sauce (and don't expect spicy - not at all. expect subtle! Rick himself explained the lack of spicy to me first time I was there and in the mood for spicy. He's terrific!) good choices regardless of time of year. Rick is sometimes there, as friendly as can be. People working behind the counter are wonderfully professional and friendly. Just a nice vibe. Go with the gang from work on a Monday to start the week on a high note. Go Wednesdays to break up the weak. Go on Friday to start the weekend off early. You'll have a good experience at all times. downside: long lines. But the professionalism, the energy, and the vibe make it well worth the wait read more

Great spicy beef soup. I love the fact that it's takeout and the quality of the ingredients are top notch. The place is now in the hottest part of chicago what I call the new restaurant row. River north has so much to offer and ever since this opened now it has a quick bite for gourmets read more

The food here was delicious. 5 of us went for dinner - so I tried a bit of everything. Seafood cocktail red and green - both delicious. Super light, flavorful. Guacamole was good, nothing spectacular, but solid, as were the salsas. I had the carnitas bowl, which was great. I also really enjoyed the Woodlands mushroom torta. Desserts - churros and soft serve w/ salted caramel were both amazing. I cannot wait to go back for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. read more