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    Zentli

    4.5 (131 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Zentli Photos

    ZENTLI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Zentli

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    Zentli is so much more than a restaurant. It is a community space that sparks creativity, curiosity and connection through its exceptional food and vibrant art. Many don't have visibility to Zentli's quiet generosity; they consistently show up for neighbors needing support. Follow them on Instagram to be alerted to the diverse offerings they host including live music, art exhibitions, poetry readings, artmaking and more. I feel so blessed to be able to walk to a gathering place that also serves great tacos and margaritas!

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    Irma C.

    I had high hopes for authentic Mexican tacos. We were seated right away with no reservations. It was after we were seated and given time to look at the menu that the hostess let us know they were not serving alcohol because their license expired. I was a little frustrated that we were not told before seating down. We decided to stay anyway. Started with Guac and chips. Unfortunately the guac lacked flavor. We asked for lime and salt to add to it. Then we ordered steak and lengua tacos. Not the best carne asada I've had. Maybe it was a bad day for the kitchen. We finished our night with a flan for dessert. It was ok. Definitely not original flan. Maybe I'll give this place another change the next time I am in town. The staff was nice and polite overall but the food has room for growth. Cute and cozy decor overall.

    Nazia C.

    We made a reservation for a Friday but we probably could've walked in without one. There's street parking and they have a parking lot across the street. The inside is very colorful and has a lot of corn decor and art (Zentli means corn). The waitress told us almost the entire menu is gluten free. For food we had the esquites and mango shrimp ceviche to share. They came out almost immediately after we ordered! Given the heavy appetizer, I only ordered 2 tacos for my meal, an alambre taco and the fish taco off the specials menu. The tacos were good. The food is a bit pricier than I thought it would be, but it's worth the value, and the drinks were strong too.

    Jeremías C.

    Date night with the wife. Food was really good. We got 2 appetizers esquites and mango shrimp ceviche. Both were awesome. I don't drink so I had a tamarindo agua fresca. Also very good. For my main dish I got chicken enchiladas with mole. I enjoyed it but it was not as good as the appetizers. For dessert I had a flan. Flan was creamy and very good. The restaurant it self is clean and the service was on top of things. I would go back.

    Eileen B.

    So delicious, great service, great tacos, amazing enchiladas. I can't wait to come back soon. By the way the desserts were fantastic : tres leches cake and churros sundae were tried by our group. Libertad is amazing so I knew this would be just as good.

    Karyn M.

    We visited a magical place, Zentli, which means "corn" or "maize" in the indigenous Nahuatl language. This Evanston spot is a casual place with bright, colorful murals and decorative touches. Corn is treated with respect, from the motifs on the wall to the abuela's special recipes with the lovely blue corn, to the corn "shrine" in the restaurant. There are also vegan and vegetarian options. Park in the lot across the street (not by Burger King). We made early reservations and the restaurant was fairly empty, but it filled up quickly. We had a nice view of the amazing skull sculpture by the bar, and throughout the restaurant is whimsically and vividly decorated. We started with chips, guac and salsa. I found the salsa a little spicy to my taste, but the guacamole was tasty. I enjoyed a glass of tamarindo agua fresca. I ordered a special mushroom and pastor taco which was nicely flavored and topped with onions, cilantro and guac with blue corn tortillas. The pastor taco with achiote-pineapple marinated pork was also delicious. My companion had the enchiladas plazeras (vegetarian) which were cheese, onion, potatoes, carrots and salsa guajillo and topped with lettuce and crema. We finished with the luscious caramel tres leches cake and some cinnamon-scented coffee. The ingredients and fresh and locally sourced. The art installations are by local residents with materials that are locally sourced and recycled. The owners show a concern for the planet and this is reflected by their responsible practices and respect for the environment. Overall, you will have a visit that is more than Mexican street food, but flavors and an ambience to expand your outlook.

    Mary D.

    I went here for dinner with friends recently, and we all had a wonderful experience! I love all of the art inside, it's such a cool spot. The waitress was so friendly and helpful with suggestions. The menu was reasonably priced and everything we got tasted and looked amazing, I got the potato taquitos and they were so flavorful and filling. The margaritas were also great! I recommend this for a date night or girls night out.

    Zitli!
    bj j.

    Great food great service colorful room. And we love the owners. Small but cozy neighborhood place

    Flautas Palmar with chicken  Yummy especially if you like citrus flavors

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    1 year ago

    Food was excellent and creative. Service was great too. Pretty space and easy to get to and park

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    I don't like it the service is not good and l do not like this place because it's not clean

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    2 years ago

    Yummy food, awesome staff, and lovely space. Get a mezcal margarita with tajin type spices on the rim.

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    2 years ago

    This joint has vegan Mexican food with some fun and creative drinks. It's obvious they put alotta thought and care into their menu. Nice!

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    2 years ago

    Really good food, and not the usual Mexican restaurant offerings (although they do have tacos, which are delicious). Try the tlacoyos!

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    Page 2 of 4

    Ask the Community - Zentli

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    Food excellent - authentic, but not trite. Service attentive…read moreand knowledgeable. Very comfortable feel. Looking forward to return.

    My daughter was playing in a tennis tournament at Northwestern. As an alum I'm always excited to be…read moreback on campus. We were both hungry after (her probably a little hungrier from a long day of matches) and i suggested we find something casual in the area. I'm always blown away by how far Evanston has come since my college days and wish we had 1/4 of the amazing restaurants they have now. My daughter was in the mood for tacos so we stopped in here. I quickly realized this was in the same spot of one of my favorite college spots, Lulu's, which had sadly burned out. I was beyond excited when they said they still offered Lulu's menu. I have fond memories of their ginger chicken salad. I ordered the lulu's bento box, which included my favorite salad. The ginger dressing and crunchy noodles on top were as amazing as i remembered. I immediately texted my college friends about what i was eating and we all agreed it was the best salad ever. It also came with sesame noodles, cucumber salad and dumplings. It was a lot of food and not the healthiest meal, but tasty! My daughter enjoyed her tacos as well...and both of us also liked the complimentary chips. Our waitress was lovely and attentive and indulged me as I told her over and over how excited i was to be eating my favorite college salad 20 years later. Next time I won't wait so long to come back!

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    Zentli - mexican - Updated May 2026

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