On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Even large parties, private or semi-private can be done BYOB: http://tinyurl.com/y8v...
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Loading...
Really really good! Inventive Mexican cuisine in an unassuming location. Super cute interior! It's perfect for a date. The drinks are excellent - of course the traditional margaritas are good! They serve a margarita made with mezcal, very smoky; I didn't love it, but the BF who knew to expect the smoky taste, says it was good. The appetizers are interesting - beware the chapulines... essentially a grasshopper taco. Actually they tasted pretty good, not crunchy at all (as I have expected). My BF's mom was completely grossed out by them though! Hehe. If you love seafood and Mexican, you should definitely try Fonda. Everything is fresh. The calamari was fresh and tasty. The scallops were delicious! I will definitely be back!
I stopped by on Saturday night. Was a bit frightened at first that it was only 8:30 or so and the entire restaurant was empty. But, we were seated out on the adorable patio. The other diners were sort of interesting - very white, very suburban, which totally scared me.
But, the house marg was yummy and then I had the salmon stuffed poblano and became an instant fan. My friend ordered the pork shoulder which was very tender and yummy, but I think I got the better dish.
Overall, really good!
Oh dear... I hate to say it but Yelp steered me wrong on this one. I was so excited to try this place! It has been on my "to do" list for quite some time, and I'm sorry to say it, but it was a real disappointment!
We started off with the house margaritas and the ceviche, both were decent but nothing to write home about. The margs were run of the mill, and the ceviche, while it tasted good, looked terrible. The presentation of it... all the fish in it was a slight shade of unappealing grey and it was just tossed with tomatoes and a few sliced olives. In my opinion, really good ceviche should be a burst of flavor and full of vibrant colors, this ceviche had neither.
On to the main entrees, lack luster, yet again. My fiance got the shrimp with rice, black beans and avocado, supposedly there was a sweet garlic sauce on it, but if it was their it was extremely mild in its flavor, aka boring. I could just as easily put this dish together at home. Not to mention that the shrimp had not been shelled very well, and I got a couple of bites of shell when I tasted his entree.
My entree was the true travesty, I got the scallops. Tragically, they were so over cooked, completely rubbery and very sandy! The scallops were more suited for table tennis than eating! The sauce they came with was so-so, had a distinct coffee flavor, a little over powering for the scallops and slightly bitter. Almost as terrible as the poor over-cooked scallops was the "side" that they came with... I don't really remember what it was supposed to be, some kind of plantain cake... It looked like a sickly pale little brownie, I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to eat it, but unfortunately I did take a bite, and I definitely regretted it because the texture was appalling; think silly putty in brownie form.
Fonda's saving grace may be the service, I almost never complain about a dish, but after trying the scallops and weird brownie, we asked the server to take the plate back (I didn't even want to look at it any more). Our drinks and desert were on the house, and of course they took my entree off of our bill. I suppose places have their highs and lows, but I won't be returning to Fonda del Mar any time soon.
On a final note, the restaurant has an adorable outdoor seating area in the back, however they have very strange neighbors! While we were waiting for our entrees the people next door must have been having some kind of pool party/fight club/weird sex ritual or something from all the noises they were making... There might have been a monkey involved... It was kind of entertaining, I guess, but I really just don't want to know what was going on over there, nor do I want to think about it while eating dinner.
I was a little concerned after the latest reviews, but I am glad I still decided to try it out. I thought overall it was pretty good, but most of the food needed to be spicier than it was. Don't be afraid to ask for hot sauce, but remember this the hot sauce will burn you up. I am not sure when I have tasted such a spicy sauce. I just waved it over my tilapia because anymore and I would still be drinking water. The girlfriend had the shrimp in garlic which was good, but also needed to be spicier. The guacamole appetizer was fine. The dessert of pineapple upside down cake was excellent.
The service really stood out. Our waiter was very friendly, and attentive to us and also he threw us a couple of after dinner drinks on the house. The margaritas were nothing special, but I did like the glasses they were served in. We will be going back especially when we can enjoy their huge outside patio.
I went here with my wife for our 2 year anniversary after hearing about it for a long time from my coworkers. I live right up the street and never thought to eat there. I thought the service was great, food very good - don't forget to try the margaritas and flan! Seafood was fresh and presented well. Sauces were great!
This place isn't super expensive and is great for a date. I want to go back when its warm and sit outside.
I had been wanting to try this place for quite a while and am very glad I did. Some friends and I went and ordered five different entrees. Everybody in the group was pleased with their choices. The pork I ordered was wonderful with a really spicy habanero sauce on the side. Margaritas are good. House tortillas are good. Large portions. Very nice staff. Hoping to go back soon. When we were there they were out of pulque which was disappointing but I'll definitely be back.
Crammed between a sea of dollar stores and travel agencies, I must admit that if Fonda Del Mar weren't right across the street from my apartment, I probably never would have patronized this delightful little eatery. The restaurant is clean and nicely decorated, and the service is exceptional. Being heavily seafood-based, they don't have a large variety of vegetarian items, but the three that I tried (the only ones on the menu, I believe), were absolutely amazing (somewhat pricey, but worth it, in my opinion). To top it off...on Mondays they have $5 margaritas with fresh fruit. Awesome!
Give them a chance. You won't regret it.
I wanted to like this place...but it's just not going to happen this time. First, instead of chips and salsa, you get a bowl of little snacky pieces. It certainly is a nice change of pace, but I suspected that they were Indian snacks. So, I felt a little validated when I saw the exact same bag of snacks at the grocery store the next week...in the Indian section. Hmmm.
Next, the crab ceviche. Pretty good. Different. Not mind blowing. Not worth going back for.
As for the entrees: my gf got a shrimp dish, camarones al mojo de ajo. Um, it was fine. Nothing special. The menu describes it as black tiger shrimp sautéed in a sweet garlic-extra virgin olive oil sauce with tomato, avocado, cilantro, black beans and green onions served with mexican rice...and that's exactly what it is. No pizzaz. No nothing.
And my entree? The arroz a la tumbad? It was a bit of a mess...literally. It was just a bunch of extremely mushy rice with bits of seafood. It didn't look like much more than a gray and red blob. Feh.
The highlight, though, was the home made tortillas being cranked out behind the bar. Those were fantastic. I was even a little gauche and started filling them with my rice just so I could keep eating them.
I would maybe give the place another try, but I can't help thinking that I would have enjoyed myself better and for less money somewhere else.
Amazing food! Totally an unexpected haven in Logan Square. Super cute decor too.
I had the garlic shrimp which was delicious and unlike anything I've had a Mexican Restaurant.
My friend had the Salmon -- it had crispy shaved beets on top -- which were so unique and tasty (didn't taste anything like regular beets). Great dish as well.
Would DEFINITELY come back.
I lived across the street from this restaurant for almost 2 years.
When they had a sign outside, before they opened, looking for help, I even considered applying. However, I decided it was enough to live in the hood. I didn't necessarily want to work in it, too. Anyway, for whatever reason, we put off going forever. All I have to say is, if you are thinking about going to Fonda, and you are putting it off for ANY reason, DON'T.
GO to Fonda Del Mar.
GET the coffee (and then puhLEASE ask them what it is and where to get it, because I forgot).
ORDER the Shrimp/Spanish Rice Thingy!
RUB the Scallops all over your face and body before devouring them!
HAVE TWO of the pineapple upside-down cake (at least!)!
STAY AWAY, however, from the weird plantain and black bean cakes -- those, I did not dig.
As has already been established, I am a lame suburbanite who is goaded to try new places after watching "Check, Please." Usually I wait a few weeks or months for the fervor to die down, but since Fonda del Mar was enroute from point A to point B, we stopped in for an early dinner. Even though the episode just aired, the place wasn't packed -- but it was 5:30 on a Monday night, so I wouldn't imagine anyplace would be.
We ordered tamales for an appetizer, and were really impressed with their light and fluffy texture -- like a really good matzoh ball, texture is key. Each of us enjoyed our entrees very much. I got the tilapia, hubby got the pork shoulder, and the boy got the shrimp. The sauce that came with my tillapia was almost too spicy, but then I got the idea to mooch some of the freshly-made corn tortillas that came with hubby's entree, and after wrapping grilled fish and veggies in one with a smattering of sauce, I found the dish irresistible -- and they were very nice about bringing us more tortillas. For dessert we split a coconut flan with fresh fruit, which really helped cool our mouths off.
Atmosphere was spot on -- loved the open kitchen. Service was attentive but not hover-y. We have been searching for a "shmancy" Mexican restaurant ever since our fave spot, Salbute in Hinsdale, closed up shop. This seems to be a worthy successor.
THANK YOU YELPERS!!! Wow, this place is great. We were skeptical when we drove into the neighborhood and saw it but we entered with conviction, knowing that the Yelpers wouldn't lead us astray. We were completely amazed at just how good it was. We got the specialty margaritas (passion fruit and blackberry) and both were incredible. They were a little on the small size, but who cares? They were awesome. We got the crab ceviche and it had a great, unique flavor. We got the Cochinita Pibil, Camarones Iguala (with halibut, not shrimp), and the Poblano Con Salmon for main entrees. Wow, is all I can say about each of them. The camarones iguala had these incredible roasted garlic cloves, the poblano con salmon was spiced to perfection, and the conchinita pibil had this incredible habanero sauce that delightfully set my mouth on fire.
Needless to say, I love this place. I hope that it still kind of remains a hidden little gem, because waiting for a table would make me :-(
Every now and again, one is lucky enough to find a restaurant like this. You walk in, sit down and just from reading the menu, you know you're in for a great evening. It is very difficult to find Mexican food of this quality in the US. We started with two house margaritas and two starters: the calamar con esquites and a crab ceviche. The squid was sauteed and served in a bed of arugula, corn, and roasted red peppers, with a tart ajillo sauce. The crab was equally delicious. Imagine a pico de gallo with a bunch of crab in it....Lovely.
For my entree, I ordered the cochinita pibil, a perfectly braised pork shoulder with black beans and pickled onions. It is served with a very spicy habanera sauce which is not for the faint of heart. If you can handle the spice, though, it has such a fantastic flavor! My friend ordered the carne asada huasteca, which was equally fantastic. They really know how to scar the meat to give it the maximum flavor from the fire.
We ordered two desserts: The natillas and the chocolate maya. I don't think we really had the room to eat them, but we did it anyway! Both were exceptional, but the Natillas really was something special.
I can't wait to go back! It's a restaurant where I hope to eventually have everything on the menu.
Have been to Fonda del Mar three times now including this year for my birthday. As far as upscale Mexican food goes I would never hesitate to send anyone here. The service is always very friendly and helpful. The drinks are fantastic. The food has always been solid. I have always made reservations but I'm not sure they've been necessary. I'm surprised this place isn't packed all the time, could be the location, but it's nice to not be elbow to elbow with other diners while your enjoying this fantastic food.
Try the scallops!
Did I just give this classy little Mexican restaurant 5 stars? Why, yes, I think I did!
I saw this restaurant on Check Please and it did not disappoint- it was a pain in the ass to get to from the suburbs, but so worth it.
It was totally clean, very cute, bright and colorful but not overdone, chic but not trendy and downright homey.
Our waitress was adorable and sooo patient- I was a straight up B* because I had gotten way to hungry and I was super crabby- but she acted like it was absolutely ok for me to be moody and pouty (until my margarita and delicious food came- then I perked right up!!)
We tried the mango and original margarita's- both were top notch and inexpensive -I think aroung $8- downtown they can be $12 usually! She even accomodated my daughter with fresh mango juice!
We LOVED the tamales exquisitos,(a vegetarian option-my favorite thing we had), the ceviche de pescado was tasty and fresh, the queso relleno was a favorite for people there but to much cheese for me, and the camaroes iguala was quite good too.
I shall be back!
Very surprised by the handful of negative reviews, especially for the atmosphere. The back patio area is great - bright and cheery with lights strung about and a speed boat cut lengthwise in half and filled with flowers. There is also some very vibrant art both indoors and out that I would love to know the artist.
The margaritas are spectacular.
Ceviche is out of this world.
Have been several times with a group where everyone enjoyed their meal.
Four stars because I agree that it's a tad overpriced. The quality of food suggests that these should not be $8.99 entrees, but pushing $20 per entree is a little high. $14-$15 per entree would be about right and would probably push my review to five stars. Can't wait for warm weather to go back and hit up the patio.
This place was everything I expected and more. I heard of it offhand from a relative, and decided to give it a try one sunny Friday. A bit skeptical at first, the place was ripe with Mexican kitsch Lotería pictures on the walls. Also, it was kind of a small, and seemingly empty. Not a good sign on a Friday evening. but as I was running through things in my own head, I ignored the hostess.
"Yes we would like to sit outside" my friend proclaimed.
Then it became clear. The outdoor seating was marvelous and there was music. We ordered the ceviche de jaiba as an appetizer and I was transported. After some sangria and excellent margaritas, our food came. I had the scallops which were perfectly cooked and seasoned with the mole sauce. The homemade tortillas were classic. My friend ordered the arroz a la tumbada, literally "tumbled rice" with various shell fish and shrimp, she found it a little salty but to me it was heaven, I would not make it any other way. I will return here just for that. This stuff is to write home about. Literally. I brought my family here for mother's day.
I was just here recently AGAIN and I have to say I still love this place. Hence all the pix I uploaded. I won't lie and say that my friends were crazy bout eating insects, but considering it was one in a life time experience they all tired it but me..lol!
No really the food was amazing!! My duck was cooked to perfection and the pumpkin seed mole sauce had a good kick to it that made it all that more delicious!!
Their Ceviche is still the best as an appetizer (it's the only place I will eat fish at and I don't like fish), aside from the corn tamales! :)
Also all the desserts were awesome and my mojitos made the experience even better! ;)
It's one of my spots in my neighborhood. The food is really good and the brunch is even better!!… Read more »
The best thing about Fonda Del Mar was the customer service! My friend and I were very into just having a nice long dinner and catching up and we were not rushed at all at Fonda! The servers and all staff were very friendly and respectful.
Ok, this is little silly... but we were charged for chips and salsa... I mean it was good... but, odd that we were charged for it. I don't even know how much it was, but that was a little annoying. The food was good although a bit on the pricy side.
Over all, I'm glad I went - but I don't know that I would go again. It's a fun - night out, but I would try something else next time.
Me gusta mucho!
Wow, I approve. I had the camarones and they were cooked perfectly. I liked their beer selection and the service was superb.
Please do not mistake my short post for a lack of excitement about the place, I just do not have much more to say than "Go to Fonda Del Mar!"
Boyfriend and I came here when we couldnt decide on a place to eat. Well this was a great surprise. Although I wasnt too fond of his Chicken dish that came with the pre-fix, My tiger shrimp, with olive oil, tomato, avocado, and black beans was delicious!! They were plump and juicy and I am already craving it. The pre-fix seems like a great deal since its only $20 and a single entree is around $18, and you get a salad and a desert.
The Jimaca salad was strange, but it tasted good, i think i just wasnt used to it. There are a couple crazy things in the menu like worms! and grasshoppers! So most def. for the daring.
On top of the pre-fix we also ordered the calmari salad which was awesome and refreshing, and a total stand out along with my tiger shrimps.
We will totally be back!
Had a great dinner at Fonda del Mar on New Year's Eve. It was my first visit, but it won't be my last. Nice streamlined interior, with an open kitchen. The blackberry margaritas were incredibly good: just the right combination of fruit and tequila. (We also tried the passionfruit and the mango margaritas---also good.) We had crab cakes as an appetizer--very good, but watch the sauce unless you can handle REALLY spicy. I had the carne asada for dinner---cooked just right, with fresh homemade tortillas. I had the coconut flan for dessert, which was just as it should be, creamy and sweet.
Darn, now I'm craving a blackberry margarita....
Our food club had a little too much fun at this place. We might not be allowed back. Especially after I turned to my waiter after he asked "Maam, would you like another margarita" and I reported "No thank you, I am drunk".
But I sure hope they let us return because this place had some damn good margaritas and inventive cuisine. I recommend the talipia, spicy shrimp in a red sauce, margaritas, mahi-mahi served with some damn good mash potatoes, best darn flan ever.
Really good experience overall but there were some misses. Don't get the guacamole or the scallop dish served in a mole sauce.
The one questionable dish was the desert consisting of Papaya and Peaches and Sprinkles and Cheese. Super strange flavor combination which some loved and some hated.
Nevertheless, the desert left us with a cheery chant which we all belted out as we left the restaurant. "PAPAYA AND PEACHES AND SPRINKLES AND CHEESE!" Yes, Fonda Del Mar, we had a little too much fun and I blame your fantastic margaritas!
Came here for dinner on Valentines day. So I anticipated a little wait even with reservations. However, they seated us within 5min. Which is awesome considering any other place I've ever booked a reservation at in Chicago, still required a 15-20min wait on a busy night. So mad props for that! Although I felt sorry for the peops waiting that didn't have one, they were there for a while.
Anyway, it's very intimate in that your neighbors are within a foot of your table. So if your looking for something where you might have a private conversation, forget about it. it's very chaotic inside and seems kind of crazy. But once you get the food, you'll remember why you came there. It makes it all worth it. I had a steak with a delicious potato side, steak was cooked perfectly, the meat was great quality and the flavoring was excellent. I'll probably go back again sometime soon, but maybe on a slower weeknight.
Went last night and was very pleased. The guacamole was good but the tiger shrimp was amazing. I didn't think the fish tacos were great but just average. I will go again and try the mariscos. So great to have another high quality Mexican restaurant.
First off, for those of you who are wondering, Fonda del Mar translates to "small restaurant or inn by the sea". Even after several years of Spanish in high school and college, I had never heard the word "fonda" before so I had to ask our server for the translation. Although the restaurant is nowhere near the sea, it certainly does have that small restaurant feel and has a wonderfully quaint atmosphere.
I stepped out of my comfort zone by visiting this place - Mexican seafood?! Say what!? Not usually my thing, but this place is delicious! We asked the server for something saucy and spicy and he recommended the Mahi-Mahi dish. It did not disappoint. The fish was delicious and the spicy sauce was out of this world good. My biggest complaint with Mexican restaurants is the over abundance of cilantro that goes into some dishes because I HATE CILANTRO. However this dish had just the slightest hint of cilantro so I was able to really enjoy it. Also, the dish was served with mashed potatoes (papas!!) that were creamy and delicious.
Everyone else I was with also enjoyed their food which was a variety of seafood entrees. Come to this place to step out of your Mexican comfort zone by ordering a seafood entree and definitely order one of their delicious house margaritas for only $5 - these are some of the best in the city!
This is a place I regularly visit. Friendly staff. Always a little understaffed, but you wouldn't notice by the way the 1 server and busboy hustle around that place. They're very attentive.
Food...delish. I've tried most of the menu but these are standouts:
apps
-ceviches (love the octopus one)
-jicama salad...very refreshing with apple, jicama, and a little kick to it
-tamales....very yummy with sweet corn and cheesy goodness
-fish tacos...awesome. don't remember if they were fried or not...think they were. served with an awesome little soup on the side. wow.
-Chileatole:(soup) tomatillo-serrano infused broth with sweet corn, poblano peppers and epazote...this is so freakin good. this and an app make a good dinner.
entrees:
Cochinita Pibil: braised pork in achiote, sour orange and spices, served with black beans and spicy habanero sauce
WARNING!!! WHEN THEY SAY SPICY, DON'T THINK THEY DON"T MEAN IT!!! This is the spiciest thing I have ever eaten in my life. A slightly sweet habanero salsa...it is so spicy that they only give you a thimble full.
The carne asada and the lamb with mole are also winners. They're nice about substitutions..for instance if you'd prefer chicken in mole sauce.
Sauces here are out of control good. Lots of depth. You can tell they're made with love.
Don't forget to order from their awesome drinks list which includes some bad ass tequilas. For dessert, ask about their sweet "dessert tequilas". I had no idea they existed...you can try creme de mezcal (sweetened with agave nectar) or another one I can't remember the name of at the moment...but they'll know what you're talking about. It has a flavor of jasmine flowers. MMMM MMM.
Outdoor patio is adorable, but I wouldn't really recommend it due to the large number of flies that like to hover while you eat. Inside is cute with some very cool Mexican artwork of wrestlers and loteria cards. It's an open kitchen so you get to watch the action, too. Yay!
For the adventurous, they sometimes offer classic dishes including ingredients such as fried grasshoppers or worms. Haven't been that adventurous yet....
I enjoy a good meal of Mexican food. With the veritable plethora of options in Chicago it can sometimes be a difficult decision to make on where to go. I was eying up this place for a bit and Lara and Rebekah and myself tried this place out.
To get the great big negative out of the way I will also agree that the vegetable plate was terrible. The flavors did not work well at all with each other making for a rather abysmal offering. The waiter was asked if there were any other vegetarian option available but the way he described the other option sounded very much like the menu item with the ingredients arraigned in a different way. Very Taco Bell-ish if you ask me. They did not charge us for the plate of slop though.
Maybe Monday is a bad day to go here because they seemed to be out of quite a bit of stuff. They did not have the skirt steak for my Carne Asada and they were also out of the fish they made Lara's dish with. They were able to give me a butt steak and some other fish for Lara.
I was the only one pleased with their meal. My steak was very good and had an excellent flavor to it. I was pleased that they served me black beans instead of the typical re-fried crap that most place serve.
The service was beyond slow. There is a fine line that is drawn between leaving us be to enjoy our meal and conversation and ignoring us. They well crossed over this line to the latter as our waiter who was friendly and helpful but invisible for a good portion of our meal.
Although my food was very good and the place is very pleasing to the eye and well kept, I don't think the prices were justified. I would not mind giving this place another shot in the future but they would really have to wow me to earn their business repeatedly.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will fess up to being the friend that took Rebekah K to Fonda del Mar. (I am ashamed, and hope she will forgive me.) Please refer to her review as well, as she eloquently and amusingly covered most of our problems with the place.
However, in my anal-retentive way, I have to analyze this before ripping it. Here goes:
Quality / Taste (40%): 2
Most striking about the experience was the AWFUL vegetarian entree; the three of us sampled it & couldn't believe how terrible it was. Guacamole quality was standard but portion was skimpy for $7. Dave's steak was pretty good. My entree was so unmemorable that I can't even recall what it was, even after reviewing the menu online. I think it had some mashed potatoes with it, which I recall thinking were pretty good.
Atmosphere (20%): 2
This place is way too casual to charge what they are charging. If I'm spending $20 per entree, I dont want plastic chairs on a patio when it's freezing outside. Nor do I want to listen to the neighbor's yapping cur from the porch next door. Not the restaurant's fault, but in general just not a very enjoyable ambiance. At least it was clean.
Service (20%): 2
They were out of several things on the menu, and service was noticeably slow.
Value (20%): 2
Absolutely not worth the price.
Overall: 2
I'm definitely not Fond'a this place.
delicious! from the beginning:
fresh blackberry margarita was good. for $6 i'd order it again. guac was guac. nothing special. went with a few regulars, so they brought us complimentary grilled calamari. omg. a little oily, but so so tender. add the garlic, corn and arugula, perfect.
entrees: had a tiny taste of the mariscos en mole amarillo. good. the best part was the homemade, fresh tortillas. amazing. rivaled only by fresh blue corn tortillas i had in puerta vallarta. my entree was the poblano con salmon. just the right amount of spicy and the creamy chipotle sauce was really good. also tried the trio de enmoladas. the shredded beef, not good. pork. okay. but the black beans and plaintains really brought out the mole sauce - yum.
pineapple upside down cake was good, not great. i'm partial to chocolate, so maybe it was just me.
overall great and will bringing friends back soon
I so wanted to love this place! After trying the delicious pork sandwhiches Fonda serves at the Logan Square farmer's market and with all the great reviews, I chose it for my birthday dinner, and really talked the place up to my friends.
Started out OK, led through the cute interior to an adorable back patio. The margaritas were interesting (guava or blackberry), fresh and delicious, generous on the booze and a bargain at $5! However, our nice, yet uninformative and unattentive waiter made no mention of any food specials, nor the apparent Monday-night margarita price or flavors - we only found out after asking.
Started with the ceviche, which tasted fresh, but honestly was really bland, and the tomato-to-fish ratio too high. I was also wondering if the chips served along were salted or even fried that day.
My dish was completely underwhelming: 4 small-to-average sized, unseasoned, seared scallops (which unfortunately contained some chewy sinew) served in a pool of overly-bitter, one-note flavored sauce which tasted like dried ancho chiles ground with water in a blender; served with a gummy, flavorless black-bean-and-plantain cake and nonsensical diced red pepper garnish. My date said his mahi-mahi was "meh", and our friend said absolutely NOTHING about her tiger-shrimp in sour-orange sauce. We tried to save the meal with dessert; the chocolate maya a pasty choclatish flan whose chili-orange sauce tasted of neither chilis nor oranges; the lime tart was all crust and no filling and went largely uneaten, and the pineapple upside down cake was actually kind of good.
I don't know - maybe they were having an off night? Maybe we all ordered the wrong thing? I love seafood, I love Mexican food, I love eating and it's down the street from me; for those reasons alone I will probably risk trying it again. Although, there is another high-end Mexican place in the neighborhood that blew me away, so I wonder it it would be worth it....
Simply amazing!!
We came on a Saturday night to see the restaurant packed and us with no reservations. To our surprise, the host sat us as soon as we said table for 2.
The fruit of the day margaritas (passion fruit and blackberry) were incredible. The ceviche de pescado was perfect: light, fresh, and crisp. For entrees, we had the cochinita pibil and the camarones al mojo de ajo. The pibil was the best pibil I've ever had and shrimp was perfect. I've never had a mexican shrimp dish like this. It was a huge portion but prepared in a light and clean way. The fresh garlic, avocados, and black bean salsa all worked perfectly.
This is a hidden gem that I will take pride in recommending.
This is the type of place you'd call a "hidden gem". It's really cute, and it's a bit farther west down Fullerton then you'd imagine it would be. The food has really interesting, vibrant flavors. I got the braised pork, which came with a sauce that was so hot, I could barely use it, but it had this surprising orange flavor. My bf got the tiger shrimp and the sauce was so delicious. And the mashed potatoes! They must've been soooo fattening. I've never had potatoes that rich (in a good way). Unfortunately, this place is too expensive for me! I'd probably take my mom here, so she can pay the bill, and realize that I don't live in a "bad area".
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
Food was pretty good, but the fish was a liitle tough. Helped that the margaritas were really good and strong. A bit overpriced, like many Logan Square restaurants that are a grade above a taqueria.
i REALLY wanted to love this place, but instead all i have to say is, "eh." after seeing it on check please my gf and i couldn't wait to go, so we took our friend there for a nice b-day dinner. had fun, but i don't think i'll be going back.
one thing i can't complain about is the service- our waiter was very nice, friendly, and took time to explain the menus and the specials to us. BUT--and this is a big but-- his description of the seafood special (that was not listed anywhere, btw) did not include the phrase "so spicy it'll make your nose run," and it probably should have. Mentioning that it was "a little spicy" was not nearly the warning my friends should have gotten before ordering this dish-- one of them could not even eat it so had to order something else, thus dropping another $20, and the other (the birthday girl) had really wanted fish for dinner and could not even taste the fish, only the spicy sauce. my dish- the mahi mahi special, was interesting, but not spectacular.
the best thing we ate that night was the coconut flan, which our waiter suprised us with, on the house, for the birthday girl. nice touch--and it was some damn good flan-- but i still say we spent way too much money on a so-so dining experience.
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
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.
This is really fresh Mexican food which is nice because I'm tired of the 'ol beans and rice shtick. After all, how many gray beans can one have in a lifetime? The appetizers are the secret order. Get a couple of those and you'll get the best of the menu. The tacos ensenada transcend the regular fish tacos you've had with a slight avocado glaze, crunchy cabbage and tart pico de gallo. The calamari salad has so much flavor! Plus, the margs are fresh-squeezed and not that mix stuff. All I ask is that they give you more than a 1/4 cup of guac for $7. Definitely worth the trip!
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?
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Mexican
So, Yelpers rock. These are places we've tried…
I wonder where...... to get really good fish in…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
My friend recently started a foodies restaurant…
I try, but I just don't get the appeal of these…
I will be pretty damn sad when any of these places…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Best place to live in the city...or it was. Now…
