On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Just great. Wonderful friendly service, the prices are reasonable and it feels good going there because I like the fact they took a risk moving into the neighborhood they did. Anyway, I always enjoy it. Great for parties, wonderful and interesting for dates. A good place to support.
I thought this was place was wonderful. My co-worker recommended this place to me last year and I cannot believe it took me this long to dine there. The appetizers were delicious (almost 3 days later and I'm still thinking about those sweet corn tamales) and the black tiger shrimp entree was phenomenal. I'll definitely be back.
My roomie raved and raved about this place for a while, so maybe my expectations were higher than they should have been but I was a little disappointed.
The guac was good, a little heavy on the onions though. I really liked whatever seasoning they use on their chips (lime salt maybe?). I had the garlic whole tilapia. The garnish on top (garlic, tomatoes, avocado, onions, cilantro) was really flavorful. The fish was lacking in that dept though. It was fun eating around the head though. That's probably the second time in my life I have gotten a whole fish.
They make one mean, stiff, minty mojito though. And you know what that means: mojitos, mo' problems!
48/52
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Yay for Fonda Del Mar! Logan Square needs more upscale dining and I am so glad that this restaurant is only blocks from my home. I've had dinner here a few times...if the weather is nice, sit on their patio - it's lovely. Their food is delicious - definitely try the Tacos Ensenada and Camaron y Pulpo. Their Arrachera is moist and yummy. It does get crowded on weekends so be prepared to wait - but it's worth it - you'll love your meal.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I live about 3 blocks from here and had driven by it many times, all the while wondering what the scoop with this place was. It is pretty upscale for the neighborhood, and the first time we went, the place was empty. The people in my 'hood don't know what they're missing! Every single time we go, I order something different (their menu changes seasonally). While they don't have a huge menu, they take their time and craft their food to perfection. Fresh delicious fish and awesome house margaritas (half price on several nights of the week!). The service is always attentive and happy to see us. Try the fish taco appetizer and the fish of the day, which is usually served under some seriously yummy chunky black bean and garlic salsa. Great for dates or a casual summer evening (sit on the patio if you can--it's a bit quieter on weekend nights).
I really like this place especially in warm weather when you could check out the back patio.
I tried most of the foods on the menu and I haven't found one that I dislike. I really like their seasoning. The way they present the food look very nice to which might explain why sometimes it feel like forever before you get your food. (worth the wait though)
The waiter/waitress there were very friendly and the service was excellent.
Definitely a nice place for couple
The Backstory -
The little lady wanted tasty upscale Mexican for her birthday dinner. Dorado was next on the list to try, but not open on Mondays. So farther away and on to Fonda Del Mar we went. A table for four for a low key birthday dinner.
The Place -
Very bright and open. The back patio area almost doubles the size of the restaurant. The back of the building is painted to brightest yellow I have ever seen. Nice, clean and bright, but not a huge amount of character. The music was sort of a Latin jazz that had us swaying in our seats, but wasn't too loud or over the top. Mondays can be tough, sometimes empty just like you were hoping, sometimes packed and understaffed. This Monday was somewhere in the middle.
The Drinks-
I was driving, but I managed a sip of both the house margarita and the Rustica - advertised as smokey and toasty and Boy did it deliver!! The mojito came in a big boy glass (pint) and was loaded with mint. And the beer was possibly the coldest I've had in a long while. My buddy's actually started to freeze when he poured it into the glass.
The Food -
Looks like a seasonal menu (no mole options - guessing it's a winter dish). In the middle of the menu in an unassuming spot are listed 3 dishes with no explanation except they are traditional dishes. These are not for the squeamish. The first one is an appetizer of grasshopper taco's. The second is some kind of grub that lives off the agave plant. The third is carne asada flavored with some kind of ground beetle that eats only avocado leaves. Now seeing as how it was the gf's birthday and I didn't want to gross her out too much I just went with the grasshoppers. Very tasty, reminiscent of an artichoke heart, but very very salty. When I asked about the salt, our waiter said that they are dried and then soaked in salt water to reconstitute.
I had the salmon chili relleno and the gf had the pork. Both were extremely tasty. I loved that whenever the waiter came by he expressly asked how the Flavors were. I felt that they were all well thought out and well executed.
We had the Mexican creme brulee and the pineapple upside-down. Both were as non typical and as well put together as the rest of the meal.
A very pleasant dining experience was had by all.
I like to look at the featured reviews when I write my own. What did the last five people say, what does Yelp already think about this place? I agree with the star designation for sure. I can't call Fonda del Mar simple because the flavors are complex, delicious, sometimes in your face, sometimes subtle (like the hint of sour orange in my pork dish). Nothing is boring here. It is in fact, pretty easy to get to, if you aren't scared of west logan square, which you shouldn't be. Delicious drinks, including a special fruit of the day margarita (two options on my night, blackberry or passionfruit). Traditional is available and perfect, and the tequila menu is more than adequate, for decent prizes. You go to this place when you know you'll be bored by the local taqueria joint, but don't want to pay beaucoup bucks for the closer to the lake upscale places.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
I had a good experience at Fonda Del Mar. The food was delicious with a nice, upscale twist to traditional Mexican fare. The service was excellent. I can't wait to go back to try another dish (the tilapia was wonderful) and chill outside...it got a little noisy inside.
We went on a Sunday night and the place was dead-which worried us at first. But everything was great-the service, the food and the decor. We can't wait to go back when the weather warms up to eat outside.
Fonda Del Mar definitely has some great Mexican seafood.
They start your meal with a hot n spicy mixed fried snack; though it's color is blatantly inauthentic & synthesized, do not fear; it's actually very tasty, and has a wonderful crunchiness.
I had the ceviche trio, which is quite nice, though I found the amount of each to be on the tad on the small size. The 3 ceviches they served were: shrimp, crab, & fish. The sauces were fantastic and light, and the included seafood was fresh and delicious. My associates had the Black tiger shrimp in black beans sauce, and the Whole red snapper. The shrimp were the best thing out of our entrees we had ordered. The whole red snapper was a little dry, but good none the less.
Their prices aren't quite as low as some of the yelp reviews would indicate; so don't go there thinking you arent go to spend much money like I did ;).
The only negative is this place was filled with kids. It was almost a 50/50 ratio of adult to kid, What is this, Chuck E Cheese? I personally am not a big fan about large amounts of kids at a restaurant. Next time I will try to eat a bit later to see if that will rectify the situation. While it wasn't bad enough to make me not want to go back, if this is a recurring situation, I may have to ban this place as a little kid haven. It's hard to enjoy your meal with little kids being loud and crying from every direction.
Regardless, if you want some great Mexican seafood, Fonda Del Mar is a fine choice.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Fonda Del Mar is not the easiest to find or get to (no valet) but it was worth the trek to 3749 W. Fullerton. We were promptly seated in the cozy dining room next to the exposed brick wall. The margaritas were strong and delivered mighty quick. We started out with the "Ceviche De Pescado" the most traditional looking ceviche on the menu. The flavors were fresh with citrus and a hint of serrano pepper that brought about a subtle spice.
I had the seared scallop special which was listed at market price. That always worries me a little bit so I asked just to ensure I wasn't ordering the only only $40 entree on the menu. To which my waiter grinned and answered "$17." HUH??? These were fabulous!! Perfectly seared, served with a pablano cream sauce and pyramid of rice--kinda funny but super yummy. My friend had seared black tiger shrimp with a sauce made with chunks of garlic, avocados, black beans, tomatoes and some other stuff I can't remember. Her dish was really pretty looking but also delicious.
The menu is small but the prices are so affordable, the staff so nice and most importantly the food so fresh and wonderfully prepared I will definitely be back.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
I found the mole negro that I cream my pants over. So damn friggin good.
Their ceviche is delish as well.
And they have a bunch of margs that will just transport you to a special drunk place.
Well worth the trip over to a random part of the city.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
The wife and I haven't been out to a nice restaurant in a while and we decided to try this place based on a recommendation from a family friend. We were not disappointed. I was kind of unfamiliar with the neighborhood (well that part of logan square anyway) and kind of had an idea of where the place was at (google maps streetview, ftw), the outside looks kind of boring and kind of hard to read from the street. Only thing that caught our attention was the orange signs.
We got in and immediately saw a few groups ahead of us. They were waiting for a table. The front of the place was pretty crowded (the whole place was packed and pretty loud) and somewhat disorganized. This was the only reason I took a star off of the review. I asked the group ahead of me if they had already put their name in to the host and they said yes. I looked for a host, found a waiter who asked what my name was and was about to seat me and my wife ahead of these people who were waiting, I was just about to say something to the waiter when one of the people waiting piped up. I don't blame her for saying anything but I think she could have turned down the attitude sauce a bit. No matter, bitchy lady got seated and we continued to wait for about 30 minutes.
Fonda del mar was decorated nicely and the cooks were all cookin' in their open kitchen which I thought was kind of cool and kind of cramped at the same time. I hear they have a patio in the back during the warmer months. On to the food eh?
We started off with the fish tacos, crab ceviche, and the guacamole (oh how I love thee). All three appetizers were really good, fish tacos were fresh and perfectly made. the crab ceviche had great flavor and texture and the guacamole....you can't really screw up guacamole. I had the whole snapper and my wife had the mahi mahi. The snapper was ok. It was cooked perfectly but the chunky sauce of garlic was kind of lacking. I wish I had gotten the braised pork, but hey you're at a seafood place, try the seafood. My wife liked her mahi mahi, I thought the sauce was ok. Yes, I ate dessert too. I had the flan of the day which was a pumpkin flan (I think) and that was possibly the best flan I've ever had.
Dinner came out to about $100 for both of us including tip and I thought this was pretty reasonable for the amount of food I ate and how well it was prepared. Definitely worth a second trip back.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Went there a couple of months ago and just getting around to writing the review. Great food. Very unique and different than your typical Mexican restaurant. Deserts nummy too!
I've been to this restaurant a number of times now, and every time I leave, I always say, "I love this place."
If you love Mexican seafood or lamb mole, you should try Fonda Del Mar. The food is always fresh, good, and flavorful. I haven't tried anything I didn't like. Though the dessert is underwhelming.
Service has always been great. The staff is friendly, the owners work as servers and chefs, and they have been spot on with their reccomemndations.
Though this restaurant is pricier than the typical Mexican fare, it is worth the cost.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The only thing better than the menu at this place is the fact that it is in an assuming neighborhood.
The almost all Mexican seafood menu combined with the hole in the wall feel of this place will have people wondering who the hell you are and how the hell you found this place.
I got an entire Red Snapper and an assortment of ceviches. Everything, including my waiter, who gave me change for my meter, were prime.
-pk, www.pkafka.com
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Fonda Del Mar serves up very well prepared and thoughtful refined Mexican food in a bright, festive setting with great service and even better margaritas. They specialize in seafood, which is probably not a shocker given the name. The surprising thing is that the meat and veg dishes aren't on the menu as an afterthought. The pork and lamb dishes I have had have been stellar--these folks know mole! Generally I get the ceviche appetizer, which is a delightful trio of preparations/seafood, and the fish tacos which are listed as an appetizer but are definitely sized enough for a meal. I also adore the music they play, and appreciate the volume that's loud enough to give your dining experience a punchy soundtrack, but not so loud you have to yell across the table.
During the warmer months the patio is a great place to lounge and eat, and oftentimes it's packed while the dining room is vacant. I am tickled by the halved speedboat that is used as a planter.
It's a great part of the slowly growing restaurant and bar community in Logan Square.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
No longer BYOB, this marisqueria is now serving up fabulous margaritas with their delicious dishes.
i LOVE the tasty snack mix on the tables, the guacamole is a cut above the rest, pass on the ceviche, go for the chef's tasting menu if you have the time and money - they will treat you RIGHT! and if you really want to splurge get the wine pairings - they are on point and delish, one time we had a Portugese vinho verde that set my mouth aglow
the scallops are amazing, anything in their creamy poblano sauce is a guaranteed YUM, i love the mole negro on the lamb chops, but the lighter and sweeter mole on the pork chops is actually my favorite!
check out my blog barredowl.wordpress.com for my full review plus PICS!
I was really excited about this place considering that it got such great reviews, but . . . I have to say, it was just alright. It may have been an off night for them because it was bitterly cold outside and there were only two or three tables occupied, but I was somewhat disappointed. I went with a friend, so we both ordered different things and were able to try it all. We found that with everything good, there was something not so good. The best thing was probably the drinks-- both the passion fruit and blackberry margaritas were excellent. But the food was inconsistent: the shimp and crab ceviche were pretty good, but the consistency of the fish ceviche was mushy and borderline disturbing; the shrimp prepared al mojo de ajo was delicious, but the mahi mahi was unexciting; and the pastel tres leches was subtly sweet and enjoyable, but the consistency of the creme brulee seemed somewhat curdled. And while the waiter was friendly and very nice, he was quite leisurely and we spent a lot of the night waiting for something (whether it was to have our order taken or to have our bill brought over). So, overall, the experience was good but not great.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Go here before the winter of our discontent in Chicago starts, since outdoor seating on the back porch is quiet, colorful and can go other fun or romantic depending on your company. The food makes it well worth returning as the great grey season begins. Consume: margaritas (sans ice) or the Pere Jacques depending on whether you order the Mahi Mahi with achiote sauce and garlic mashed potatoes and brilliantly pink onions in a banana leaf, or the Mole (enough said: lamb if they have it, pork if not). Rumor is that the Mole is the best in Chicago, as well as the flan. Take part of your entree home to avoid being bloated, and you can have an awesome date night as well as seconds in the morning.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
OMG....Mole! I didn't like it 'til I had it here. Come to think of it, I didn't like Flan until I had it here, either. More like custard, less like snot.
The Trio de Ceviches is another fave of mine. I will often order it for my entree, it's so much food.
They seem to change up the menu frequently, leaving (thankfully) my faves as a constant. There are plenty of exotic options for the more adventurous. This is NOT your typical Mexican-American fare.
I would put this place up against Frontera/Topolobompo any day - and it's much less expensive.
Admittedly, I prefer coming here in the summer when I can sit on the lovely patio, away from Fullerton Ave. traffic, enjoying all the twinkly lights, candles and the really cool half-boat planter they have along one fence.
Lastly...NICEST PEOPLE EVER....and surprisingly kid-friendly.
I'm glad they're no longer BYOB - who wants to mix their own margarita?
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (4)
It's a seafood place and I wasn't really impressed by the seafood. Granted, I'm very picky, but I found much of it quite fishy.
The crab ceviche was nasty, I wouldn't eat it. Even my husband (who likes stuff like smoked salmon) thought it was a bit fishy.
For my main course, I had mahi mahi in Escabeche. I loved the sauce... tangy and fabulous, but found the fish less than super-fresh.
I have heard they have some very good non-fish entrees (lamb with mole?) and might try it for that. The patio was lovely.
Great simple mexican seafood! You will not be disappointed.
Really good food and reasonable prices. We just went Friday and the food met and exceeded my expectations. I wasn't able to sit in the patio, but the inside is brightly decorated. Don't be fooled by the neighborhood or easy to miss storefront.
They get credit for offering us a children plate of cheese quesadillas and rice for our daughter. The food was delicious, fish taco appetizers and pork in mole sauce for main course. The sauce was complex and rich without being overpowering. All the dishes seemed really fresh.
The only reason I give it four instead of five stars was because the pork was little over cooked and the main courses took a while to come out even though we were the only ones dining inside.
I will definitely go back and next time I will sit in the patio and have room for dessert. I'm sure the star rating will be 5/5.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Ugh!!! I got food poisoning here on my bday!! It may be great now, but it wasn't in November. Note: after reading my reviews, you may see that I have a *very* sensitive tummy and the slightest bit of bacteria isn't good for me. That said, I wasn't very impressed. The portions were small, the quality so-so and the ambience blah. An A for effort, but I'd rather travel further or pay more to get great Mexican food.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
You come here for the food... the atmosphere is lacking. The ingredients are fresh and the taste is superb. The camarones will exceed all expectations. Rick Bayless would be very envious...
Ceviche trio is a phenomenal starter - the portions are generous and the flavors are powerful.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
Driving past everyday, the place looks empty. And the "fonda" part of the establishment (front of the house) is pretty vacant when you walk in. The rear patio is packed with people on warm nights and really, really nice. Service was very personable and friendly (like they know you and you're old friends). Lovely ceviches and tilapia tacos. The mole sauce is BTB (better-than-Bayless!) and the pork loin is was coupled with was just great. My date claimed the chocolate pecan pie (albeit not mexican) was heavenly.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Fun little place. Kinda out of the way (well, for me anyways). Great place to bring a date (unless he/she/not-sure is allergic to good food).
I started with the $5 margarita... which is the cheapest margarita they have; the other swankier ones are $8. But since the beer is $4, I figured it would get me drunk faster. Always thinking, I am. Anyway, it was really good. I ended up getting two more.
For apps, we got guacamole and ceviche. Both were frickin' great. You have to try at least one of those if you go.
My entree was the carne asada. It was good, but nothing to write home about. It was basically a hunk of meat with some black beans and a pyramid of rice. That said, I got to try everyone else's entrees and they were really good - especially the pork dishes. The mexican piaya was just ok. Stay away from that and the carna asade unless its your fortieth visit and you want to try something new.
Overall, this place is a solid 4 star experience. I'll be back.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
The corn tamales here are soooo good that i get the same thing every time i come. We are here usually once a week and always start off with the guacamole and then corn tamales for an entree. It is listed as an app. but def. enough for an entree. Yummm- that's all i have to say- yummm! They are consistent, friendly, and we just can't get enough!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
first a caveat: I've had bafflingly awful experiences waiting for tables on a Saturday night. Despite that, Fonda is a perfect place for take-out. Yes, takeout. Call ahead and you can eat your dinner in the company of your cat, your homemade margarita, your Leif Garrett poster, and your bean bag chair. If you live within a few minutes walk or drive, while your food won't look as lovely as when it is plated in the restaurant, it will taste nearly as good. Even the fish.
Good tortillas, too.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
SPICEY baby SPICEY...
LOVE it. Went there for a delayed birthday get together and even though the whole group wasn't enthuised with the seafood choices everyone found something very tasty to fulfill their hunger.
Carne Asada was great and about as traditional as the menu gets... pan seared shrimp in chile sauce (watch out)... and much much more...
BYOB - we brought a pitcher of margaritas and they had salt rimmed glasses with limes out in a matter of seconds... Great service - good prices. A definite revisit.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (1)
It's one of my spots in my neighborhood. The food is really good and the brunch is even better!! Great place for dinner and everything is always so fresh!!
You have to try their flans it's AMAZINGLY good and their coffee has a twist LITERALLY.......... they add orange zest to it, so good!!! :-)
UPDATE:5/7/07
Their brunch menu has changed and it's so delicious. Also they just finished upgrading their patio and it looks great, I can't wait to enjoy it with good company and Food!!
Update: 6/15/07
So I finally was able to experience their patio dining and what an amazing time we had. I was with a party of 5 and the service and food was AMAZING. Everything from the appetizers, to the main entrees to the dessert and wine ;-) I added some pix for a better visual, the stuffed Chile relleno tamale was great and the skirt steak was delicious!!
Still my fav spot in my neighborhood and the last several times I've been here it's been packed and I mean literally packed!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Stop the world! I'm in love!!!
Oh my, where do I start? The decor. Definitely the decor. Bright colors, sunny atmosphere, funky artwork. It was cold and rainy the night I went to Fonda Del Mar, but I warmed up the second I stepped inside. The atmosphere was intimate, cozy, and bright. It cheered up my winter doldrums.
The food...oh my heavens...was out of this world! First off, instead of the standard chips and salsa, they served a cup of little crispy spicy things. I think there were some peanuts in there...something that looked like a red hot cheeto...some little green things. I have no idea what I was eating, but it was good.
Now, I luvs me some deep fried goodies so we had the crab empanadas served with a heaping blob of guacamole. My dining partner hates guacamole so I devoured it all. Yum! Then we split the ceviche trio. Three different kinds of ceviche!! I was ready to die happy! Each type of ceviche had it's own unique flavor. Out of the three, I liked the shrimp ceviche the best.
On to the entree! I had Fonda's version of paella. Every type of seafood mixed into some rice and a spicy sauce. DEEEEEELISH!!!! I couldn't stop eating it.
Dessert was the flan of the day. Coconut. It was very good. Just the right texture and not too wiggly. Yum!
Our server was very attentive and knew a lot about the items on the menu. The margarita that I had was interesting. It tasted like pink lemonade. I liked it, but I probably wouldn't order it again.
I'm so glad that I was introduced to Fonda Del Mar. I predict that my future holds many walks up to Fonda for some empanadas.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
Hidden gem of Chicago. This is most definitely some of the best fish I have had in Chicago. The restaurant is bright and warm. the staff has always been friendly. Over the summer it was an absolutel delight to eat outside on their back patio (the 1/2 boat is a riot). I'm really please this restaurant is in Logan Square, even if it's off the beaten path. Definitely a place to check out.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
When I first moved to the west side of Logan Square, I was worried about the dearth of acceptable restaurants. Aside from the more traditional Mexican choices, there's not much around me. But Fonda del Mar opened up within walking distance, and I was hooked immediately. Sadly, they are no longer BYOB. But that just means less to schlep on my walk .
The food is excellent. Although known for their seafood, I am a huge fan of anything pork here. I like to bring different friends and suggest they each order something different so I can hoover tastes from their plates.
The service is usually very good (the owners will jump in and wait tables, which is huge), although sometimes they get slammed. Weekends are crowded unless you get there before 7pm (for cocktails, obviously...who wants to eat before then?). Weeknights are usually peaceful and the staff will spoil you.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Finally a set of fish tacos that can rivals those at Los Nopales. Well seasoned fish topped with cabbage, tomato, and cheese makes for a wonderful meal. The fish soup that comes with is something special as well.
The piece de resistance howeer was the lamb chop with the most tasty mole sauce that I have had in Chicago. It was absolutely exceptional. However, given the price, it probably should be.
The flan was unremarkable, but the fixins' that came with it (Pomegrantate seeds and mango) made for an interesting twist on a classic.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Wicked good...
Here's the secret reason: Platiyo -- the most downhill a restaurant could have sunk -- lost their chef (who also cut his chops at Mia Francesca)...to Fonda Del Mar! And wow, does it show in terms of how good FDM is...
Experienced management (the other owner was at Frontera Grill/Topolobampo), experienced restaurant staff (our waiter was one of the regular waiters at Mia for a long time), and amazing results.
As a BYOB, the check looks nice at the end of the night, and they have a great patio in the back. A slightly shady neighborhood (Logan Square), but once you're inside, it's cozy, friendly, and the food was tremendous.
We had fish dishes, a pork tinga, sopa, and loved everything.
If you're looking for a less crowded alternative to some of the more known Mexican/Latin restaurants, definitely drive over to FDM. The pedigree and amazing cuisine is there -- but the crowds are not!
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Cool (1)
INCREDIBLE!
I first tasted their fish tacos at the Logan Square block party this summer from a trailer and fell in love...
I normally wouldn't order fish from a trailer but they hand battered the fish in front of me then hand made the fresh tortilla and I had the best fish tacos of my life!
I finally made it to the restaurant last weekend and it was amazing food and atmosphere! Everything we had was perfect and can I just say PUMPKIN MOLE!!! WOW!
If you can get over there now take advantage of the pumpkin!
We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table on a Friday but they do take reservations and the wait was fine we went next door to grab alcohol. the liquor store is crazy the shelves have not changed since 1981 (the stuff in the cooler is fresh) it's a fun alcohol museum!
Then we watched the cooks make magic in the open kitchen while we waited, that was a great appetizer!
Amazing food fun place!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
After reading the reviews from other yelpers and building excitement for a decent Mexican restaurant we finally made our way to Fonda del Mar.
We went on Saturday night, seating for two was quick but we did not get a waiter until 7-10 minutes later, our waiter not being around was a trend that would continue for the rest of the night.
The place was lively and the music was great, a mixture or merengues and cumbias. When I saw the menu I was exited because it didn't seem like your standard Mexican restaurant menu, which is refreshing. After 15 minutes our waiter finally came back to take our order, I ordered the Cochinita Piblil which is a braised pork in achiote, sour orange and spices, served with black beans and spicy habanero sauce. My wife ordered the Pescado Tikin Xic anato marinated mahi baked in banana leaf served with room temperature molcajete habanero salsa and served with garlic mashed potatoes.
My dish the Cochinita Pibil was too salty for my taste, a nice touch was the fresh made tortillas. My wife felt that the Pescado Xic was flat tasting althouth the presentation of the plate was creative. But what earned this restaurant the 2 star rating was the poor service from our waiter, whether he had too many tables or he just didn't care it's part of the whole dinning experience and in this case it was poor.
I sadly have to say that I would not visit this place again because of the poor service from our waiter and the food while creative in it's presentation it did not leave any memorable sentiments.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)