Casual Mexican on the Northside?

[sunnyday1375]

Really would like Nueva Leon tonight for dinner but don't feel like making the trek to Pilsen. Anyone have some tasty Mexican recommendations for the Northside? Share your secrets with me please!

[jkap910]

Try Dorado on Foster and western. Great food, and BYO. They have traditional mexican fare, and some items that are a bit more creative. The chef Luis Perez is a clasically trained french chef, and applies some of the french cafe to his childhood foods and spices. The food is great, and the dessert is fabulous.

[gargantua]

Had dinner just last night at Don Juan's on Northwest Highway. Very good!

[nsxtasy]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Frontera Grill, Adobo Grill, or Salpicon. All very good, all on the (Near) North Side.

www.rickbayless.com/restaurants
www.adobogrill.com
www.salpicon.com

[lbs]

I guess when I hear "northside" I think Andersonville, Uptown, Rogers Park, Edgewater. But that's because I gew up/live on the "northside" of Chicago and so my mind automatically goes there. Personally, I really liked liked Salpicon and Fontera and they are northside -ish. I also think that they are more... fancier (?) than OP original Neuvo Leon craving.

[sunnyday1375]

We took the recommendation to try Fernando's. It was great. It's so close. I'm sorry I haven't been there before tonight. The service was impeccable. Granted, we were the only diners in the entire restaurant but the servers were very kind. (The snow had everything to do with the lack of patrons.) My margarita was perfectly salty. Burrito was delicious. Prices were cheap. I will definitely eat here again. Thank you for recommendation. I will surely try the other places as well. Thanks everyone!

[louweezy]

Sorry I just saw your reply. Glad you liked it. We've been going there off & on for about as long as they've been open. We may have to go again soon, it's been a while. I can also agree on Rique's, but it's been a while-they catered a party for us & everyone raved about the food. What I like about Fernando's is that we know how it'll all go down. Same waitstaff, mrs behind the desk & mr making margaritas. It's a family feeling thing.
Rique is a sweetheart too, & tweet & Big Chicks are just down the street.

[Chicago Mike]

What do you consider "Northside" ??

There's alot of fun and tasty places but you're covering alot of ground there.

[langburns]

Riques is wonderful but if you feel like a very easy take out meal, try Mr. Salsa on Montrose, just west of Broadway. Amazingly inexpensive and very good. I think they also deliver which, as I look out my window, might be the way to go. El Mariachi on Broadway delivers, also quite good.

[louweezy]

Fernando is usually at the bar, & his wife is the hostess.
good service, good food, reasonably priced.
Fernandos Restaurant
[phone]
3450 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60657

[bryan]

I've always found Fernados to be hit and miss. And weekends are a total nightmare. It's true that the service is good but there are several "takes" on mexican dishes that no one bothers to warn you about. I had some tenderloin served in an overly sweet mustard sauce one night - truly awful. And they have jalepeno poppers - not normally on mexican menus, but perhaps that's just me. Although I will say the margaritas are great.

[lbs]

My two favorites are:

Riques Regional (5004 N Sheridan, Chicago [phone].). Small place. BYOB. I recommend the enchildas with mole sauce, the fijatas and the tinga. Oh, and the veggie dish with the pobolono peppers.

Taqueria Uptown (corner of Bryn Mawr and Broadway): Standard taqueria food but really excellent. I like the steak fijatas and the chicken in mole sauce. Very good!