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Grande Jake's Fresh Mexican Grill
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
205 W Dundee Rd(between Huntington Ln & Lake Blvd)
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
(847) 520-8220
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30 am - 10 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
Ilse Albert- l. said: "Oishi Thai is my neighborhood "to go" for Thai. I've been there a half dozen times in the last year. The service has always been excellent. All I need to do is make eye contact with the server they are are right there with a smile.…" read more »
49 reviews for Grande Jake's Fresh Mexican Grill
Review Highlights
"The food was great and I didn't hear one complaint from..."
(in 4 reviews)
"He is addicted to the chicken mole tacos."
(in 8 reviews)
"...still bring you your food and unlimited chips and salsa."
(in 4 reviews)
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49 reviews in English
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Review from Kevin D.
Buffalo Grove, IL
2/7/2012
I am giving this 4 stars because I cannot give it 3 1/2. Tonight must have been "pissed at the late dining customers" night. The food was good as usual, but the service SUCKED!! First of all, we are regular customers. When you have go ask for chips and salsa and then go to another table to get your place settings, not good customer service. To ask for extra chips and salsa is a challenge. We were directed to the salsa bar for more mild salsa.(not served at the salsa bar) The food comes, and first time having the fajitas and I wish there would be constant heat to better melt the cheese and char the onions. BUT I DIGRESS......The food is dropped off at the table, and the server disappears. The only reason we got extra sour cream was because she happened to be by the table cleaning the counter. We asked, and she replies with, "it's extra" not, "Sure, let me get that for you. But it is extra"
We will go back to Grande Jake's again. The food is great as always. Just don't go after 8. -
Review from Mike W.
Chicago, IL
Not bad. Buuuuutt not good! I never knew a Mexican named: Jake. So, I could only suspect this was white peoplez Mexican food. But no worriez, as long as it ain't "Chipotle!" Anyhow, I might someday come back. I MIGHT!!
...Oh, and don't order anything with "steak"....unless you've got the teeth of a Tiger Shark. -
Review from Ali R.
3.5 stars
Service - 4 stars: Attentive Friendly Staff. Complimentary chips and salsa bar.
Food - 3.5 stars: I typically go the taqueria style route and order the carne asade tacos - "Mexican style" (onions and cilantro only). I don't get a lot of taste from any ingredient but I'm giving it 3.5 stars because it's the best in my area.
Decor - 3 stars: Clean, bright and comfortable. You can't tell from the outside, but the inside is nicely decorated for a fast causal restaurant. -
Review from Jay W.
Northeast, IL
2/3/2012
I was torn on this one! First trip there my wife and I were impressed. They seemed to do everything right. Yes it's not true Mexican in the sense, like what you'd get In the "ethnic" neighborhoods (no that's not a slur) down in the city or even in some burbs. But it was a really interesting fusion of MX and what lots of Americans want when they go out to eat. The food wasn't greasy, they have healthier options, an interesting salsa bar... it all seemed to be coming together.
So why the 3 stars?
First of all they get 5 stars for friendliness and hospitality. A+ there.
But the food is just OK. Steak isn't the best. Meat isn't cooked to order, it's sitting there and reheated as they go. Big portions. Place gets crowded. But our last time there my wife and I both had our stomachs turned inside out. Me, worse than her. Oh the burn! Was it the salsa? Could they be using MSG? Was it something else? Who knows. I just know that the MX places we frequent (found after years of painful trial-and-error) never produce such undesired results.
I spent the next AM in the bathroom. Let's leave it at that. Sadly, I don't think we could muster the courage to try yet again. -
Review from Kevin C.
Prospect Heights, IL
2/2/2012
Great Mexican food. For me, all sit and eat mexican food places are compared to the great Los Burritos Tapatios; unfortunately, there aren't any close to me. Grande Jakes actually puts a bit more "love" into their menu, it's greatly expanded, and dine in dishes come with great presentation and generous portions. I'd actually say it's a bit more quality than Tapatios, however there's something about Tapatios that still holds it king in my book. That said, If Tom Brady wasn't available and you had to sign Drew Brees, you're still making out pretty good.
The service is friendly and the salsa bar is amazing. I would rank their salsa as the best in the Chicagoland mexican food market, even among more "fine" restaurants. I've been searching for a good sit and eat mexican food place since i moved to the NW suburbs and this is it. It kills El Famous and the likes. -
Review from Pickiest Eater A.
Schaumburg, IL
1/22/2012
Tacos were great!
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Review from Valerie W.
Arlington Heights, IL
9/14/2011
Grande Jake's is a great alternative for Mexican food if you don't want to spend the $ on a sit down restaurant (i.e. Las Palmas across the street) but don't want the poor quality Taco Bell has to offer.
When you dine-in, you are given complimentary chips and salsa (even when it's just you, at lunchtime, by yourself!) They have a huge salsa bar in the back of the restaurant with several salsas and pickled veggies to choose from, take as many as you'd like! Food is delivered quickly to the table, and always hot and fresh. The "wait-staff" (you order at the counter) is attentive, and will gladly bring you a box for your leftovers or extra napkins. Even during the lunch rush when I had a 4top (only table available) to myself, I didn't feel rushed.
Take-out is a good choice too. They are frequently on groupon now, which makes for an even more inexpensive dinner pick-up on the way home! I've enjoyed their tacos al pastor Mexican style (cilantro and onions). The portions are great for the price. Tacos, burritos, and gorditas were stuffed to the brim. The Texas-style puffy tacos were also great, something different. The only thing I have tried that I didn't care for were the tamales, they were a little dry for my liking.
All in all, a great place for take-out or dine-in on a small budget. -
Review from Sheila B.
Lake Zurich, IL
1/13/2012
Well - now I know why they have to use Groupon all the time !! The food is tasteless. The complimentary chips and salsa bar are a good touch but it doesn't make up for the fact that the dishes all taste the same - bland and unappealing. The people working there are very friendly and very nice however, this doesn't help the fact that the food is not tasty.
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Review from Linda S.
Glenview, IL
5/29/2011
All I've been hearing at my work place for the past month was ... "Grande Jake this.....Jake burritos.... size of my head... veggie blah blah."
I'll admit, I was hesitant on trying out this place because they are pickly picky eaters, and think Taco Bell is a great joint. :T (errrr...no comment)
If I eat a bad burrito, I will TELL yOU!
It's unlikely of me to order food without a true animal protein source, but since I wanted a "semi-light" lunch, I opted for the veggie burrito,
Wow wowww wooowie, this burrito was humongeous!!! My veggie burrito had a ton of flavor, and the red & green bell peppers, & the onions were perfectly seasoned and grilled. It was encased in a thick layer of cheese, black beans in a giant of a tortilla wrap. For a condiment kind of gal, I never once thought about dipping my 'rrrito a side of salsa, tomatillo, or condiment for this meal.
So satisfying. And most of all, light!!! A LIGHT burrito? Mentirosa?? I'm serious,
I tried my friends burrtio filled with deliciousl ayer of chorizo, fried, egg, and rce... and that was light as well!! No worries about falling into a '''rito-induced coma. -
Review from Franklin D.
Arlington Heights, IL
6/5/2011
I had the flautas, carnitas inside and guac outside.... delicious! But soft-shell, not deep fried like a typical taquito. Also got a chile relleno "on the side" just to see what they tasted like. LOT of cheese, but decent overall.
You order up at the counter, and then get a number to take back to your table. They bring you colored tortilla chips (beige, red, and brown) before you get your food. Also there is a salsa bar with white-people style escabeche (mostly carrots, almost no jalapenos) and various bland/mild salsas. -
Review from George M.
Mount Prospect, IL
8/22/2011
If you are looking for great, authentic mexican food at reasonable prices this is the place to try. The staff is extremely friendly and attentive to all your needs whether it's more napkins or more chips in your basket. They have a great salsa bar inside with plenty of flavors and spice levels to try. On a recent Friday night I sat outside with my wife and daughter and noticed the non-stop traffic of people going into the restaurant for food. I will definitely return and explore other items on their extensive menu of delicacies.
Thank you for the great Mexican food and service in the suburbs. -
Review from Esther S.
Wheeling, IL
10/19/2011
This place is awesome! The food is cheap and the service is fast. The only downside is that it's hard to find and the inside looks very cheap. I usually get the tacos pastore, and a tostada. YUM! I love it they also have a salsa bar.
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Review from Raul B.
Wheeling, IL
Updated - 5/26/2011
It's not real mexican food. More like a upscale taco bell. Alcohol And for the prices las palmas
Across the street provides better atmosphere. Mariachi margaritas and music. I guess it's a nice place for non Mexicans to go to without dealing with mexicans but still enjoying somewhat Mexican food1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/26/2010
This place is garbage. Not a very good tasting Tex/mex food. if you want taht type of food your… Read more »
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Review from Lauren K.
Buffalo Grove, IL
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I go to Jake's at least once a week. I am a gluten-free vegetarian, and I am hooked on their bean and cheese tacos on corn tortillas with everything on them. I am counting calories, so they accommodate my request to only get one tortilla per taco to save the extra calories. Jake literally used to be "grande," so he understands my desire to eat healthy.
My husband has no dietary restrictions, and he has had just about everything on the menu. Thumbs up across the board. He is addicted to the chicken mole tacos.
The salsa bar is awesome. I am a wimp with spice, but I have had all of the mild and medium salsas, and they are great.
Everyone is super nice and will do everything they can to make your visit perfect. -
Review from Chuck D.
3/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The boyfriend and I argued about 3 vs 4 stars for nearly the whole meal (this happens a lot). I think maybe I thought 3 because I was angry that my fajitas were $15, while his just as huge burrito was only $7.50! I don't know why he over looked that like 90% of the burrito was lettuce though (albeit very fresh lettuce). Originality points for the chorizo and egg burrito, though! Supposedly there is a add bacon option (aka the way straight to my heart), but they were out.
My fajitas were certainly delish! After adding some hot sauce, the super moist chicken and fresh veggies with the homemade tortilla were perfect! Yummy! To be honest, it's not that my meal was $15, it's that there is a weird pricing scale that doesn't sit right with me. Maybe it's just my own ignorance though.
Love the salsa bar and the service. I would gladly come here again if meeting up with people going here already, but probably wouldn't go back on my own anytime soon. In the area and craving tex Mex? Definitely stop by. Just beware that the 1 $ sign only applies to parts of it's menu. -
Review from Ben M.
Buffalo Grove, IL
10/11/2011
After hearing one good review after another, I finally ordered carry-out from here for my family. We probably had a total of five different entrees, but everyone had the exact same opinion of their dish: bland. It's not authentic Mexican, it's not Taco Bell, it's just... bland.
Beyond that, everything was fine. Service was speedy, prices were good. If you like insipid Mexican food, you'll love it. -
Review from Taylor M.
2/12/2011
I gave this restaurant five stars keeping in mind that it is a FAST FOOD type of Mexican restaurant.
I never wanted to go to Grande Jake's before because I thought it would be like just another Chipotle. However, my mom wanted to go to dinner one night and suggested we meet up here. When I first pulled into the parking lot, I was not expecting much from the food based on the outward appearance of this strip mall joint. The sign doesn't really stand out, so I even drove past the place one time. Also, the map on yelp is not correct which did not help me when trying to find Grande Jake's.
I ordered the steak burrito, which was reasonably priced and HUGE. With my burrito, I tried a variety of salsas from the salsa bar. The salsa bar also provided yummy spicy pickled veggies. Even though you order at a register, there are servers walking around the restaurant who bring your food, clear your plates and bring you unlimited chips. I also had a chance to enjoy the delicious frozen sangria.
The service here is amazing. Everyone is VERY friendly and accommodating. Overall, Grande Jake's was nothing like I expected. I will definitely be returning soon!Listed in: Holy Moley Guacamole!
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Review from Lois K.
1/12/2011
I've been to Grande Jake's once but it was delicious and definitely a place I'd want to go back to.
One thing that I really like in any place is great service and friendly staff and this is exactly what Grande Jake's is composed of. Another PERK is that they have unlimited chips and a salsa bar with many salsas to chose from. -
Review from Jen F.
Chicago, IL
11/5/2011
Great food and service. Can get crowded and tables get taken quickly. Owner is very friendly.
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Review from Ben S.
Chicago, IL
8/9/2010
3.5 stars
I settled for the 3-star rating, as the rice they put in their burritos is not vegetarian, but they do not tell this outright to their customers. I had been coming here for a few months before I finally ordered a veggie burrito and Jake asked me if I still wanted the rice, as it was not vegetarian. Thanks Jake, took you long enough to let me know.
Aside from that, the food is pretty good here. I really enjoy getting the various flavors of cheese enchiladas they offer. The enchiladas verdes are excellent, and it makes a great lunch or dinner. The salsa bar is a great plus with flavors ranging from a spicy yet zesty habanero lime to the traditional mild tomato salsa. All of the salsas taste very fresh.
Grande Jake's is great if you're looking for a nice and quick meal that is a few steps above Taco Bell across the street. I don't think it compares to Las Palmas, however. If they introduced a few more vegetarian options, they would earn back my half star. -
Review from Faith E.
Buffalo Grove, IL
1/5/2011
I like Grande Jake's. I didn't think I would because the name sounds Americanized and therefore thought the food would be bad. But I found the food for the most part to be quite good and flavorful. A few items are just ok but overall it fills my Mexican food craving I have every few days or more.... but that's another story. I really enjoy the salsa bar as the variety is great and they actually offer salsas that are spicy and flavorful (in my opinion- nothing's ever spicy enough for me). Love the habanero salsa!! I also think the employees are some of the friendliest I've encountered at a Mexican joint- I'm usually greeted with a smile, offered a bag for all my salsas, thanked for coming, and it all seems sincere.
Pretty solid overall and worth a try. -
Review from Mark T.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2011
Great Mexican in the area. I actualy prefer it over Las Palmas across the street. Salsa bar & chips are great as well. Plenty of variety.
I've had their fajitas, chicken tacos and fish tacos. All are great. The fajitas are a bit greasy but can easily feed a family of 3! Their flour tortillas are amazing! Overall I prefer their tacos, particularly their grilled fish tacos. -
Review from R. A.
Arlington Heights, IL
11/20/2011
We ordered carry-out and were quite pleased. The beef tacos were yummy and were topped with authentic Mexican cheese. The Combination Tipica (?) platter was also quite good. The salsas and chips are very fresh... though I thinkg they should be complimentary, even for take-out. We are glad we found this place and will definitely be back.
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Review from LJ M.
Rochester, NY
1/14/2011
Had a carnitas fresco burrito, very good! The ingredients were fresh. It was big to, I had half left over and paid under $7!
The salsa buffet was a nice touch. They were also VERY fast. If I am in the area again I will for sure visit Grande Jake's.
One odd thing and it may be the yelp software or maybe its the map of this place on the site... either way my smart phone wouldn't let me check in when I was sitting in the restaurant. I even restarted and tried. Nothing, It kept telling me I was to far away. Just mentioning. -
Review from Rob W.
10/7/2010
Been here a couple of times. The storefront is more appealing than the food, which is just so/so. The salsas are pretty good there though.
It's a little pricier than I expected and one thing that I don't care for is the loud spanish radio station music in the place. I don't mind the station itself - but the volume is a little too high in a place without any acoustical tile.
I'll go back again - but I won't be running to the place. -
Review from Eugene K.
Chicago, IL
10/26/2010
The Good: Mexican cuisine is actually near the bottom of my international food cravings, BUT Grande Jakes has pulled it up a notch. There are four Mexican restaurants I would at again: Allende's, Frontera (and other Bayless enterprises), Some dive in the south side my brother went to that had amazing fajitas, and Grande Jakes.
They have a great salsa bar, unlimited chips, and great service and a friendly staff that make it hard to find much to complain about.
Their tortas are what knock it out of the park for me. I have all my friends hooked on them :) especially the steak milanesa.
The Bad: Their burritos are meh, reminds me of any burrito you would order from a semi authentic Mexican restaurant. Anything you get with chorizo will give you 500cc's of saturated fat directly into your veins. They are oozing with oil rendered out of the meat.
The Ugly: The place is crawling with 5-0. I mean I know the type of people that would be down with unlimited chips and soda. It might ruin the mood when local law enforcement decides to eat at the table next to you. But in all fairness I think the owners extend a generous discount to public servants and that's admirable.
The only decent Mexican outside of the city in my opinion. Make sure you get the torta! -
Review from boz b.
Schaumburg, IL
8/17/2011
Love this place!! The food is great and very reasonable and the salsa bar is the best around!! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!!!!
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Review from Megan T.
Palatine, IL
Updated - 4/28/2010
We placed a HUGE order on Sunday and the staff here was great! They got the entire order right, and were so accommodating. As we were going though the order before we left they gave us a permanent marker put names on everyones order. They also brought out boxes for us to carry the order in and even helped us to the car with our order. While we were waiting for the order to finish they gave us free chips and salsa.
The food was great and I didn't hear one complaint from anyone! I would recommend this place both for the food and for the customer service!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/15/2010
I had heard good reviews for this place and decided to order from here with my whole family. We… Read more »
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Review from Peter T.
Palatine, IL
12/16/2011
Actually I used to really like this place. That was until yesterday. Ordered 2 Original Steak Burritos Grande expecting the usual awesome stuffed burrito. Got them to go. What a mistake. Cut the burritos in 1/2 and went at it. Hmmmm.... Wheres the meat? Oh sure there were a couple of pieces in there amongst the thick layer of refried beans and lettuce. The meat that was in there was horrible. Dry and hard. Like it was sitting in the bottom of the pan for about 4 hours or longer. They did not even put the cheese in the burrito. This is not the first time it was not good. It seems whoever the cook is after lunch, about 2pm does not really care what he puts in your burrito. You get whatever he feels like putting in there. I tried calling to complain but they would not let me talk to the manager. Apprently there is not manager all afternoon. The burrito gave me a bad experience in the bathroom this morning as well. Hate to say it but I do not think I will be going back there. Mexican restaurants are a dime a dozen around here. Sorry Grande Jakes. I do not think I will come back even if you offered me replacements.
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Review from Walter P.
Chicago, IL
7/6/2009
First let me just get this out of the way: This.Is.Not.Authentic.Mexican.Food.Period.
So if you were expecting as such (although I don't see how you would by just looking at their hokey website: http://www.grandejakes...), you'll be sorely disappointed. Having said that, a "not authentic" restaurant doesn't necessarily mean that the food won't taste good. In Grande Jake's case, I'm afraid they fell flat on the taste department.
I want to qualify this review by saying that I'm a vegetarian and that maybe their meat entrees are good?
Onto the review! By the look of the store front, you'd expect a hole in the wall, but the inside looks pretty polished and new. They even have a Plasma (or is it LCD?) screen.
I went alone about midday for lunch and ordered the vegetable fajitas for $8.95. A meal will typically run from $8-13 per person. The setup is that you order your food at the register and they give you a number on a plastic card to put on your stand at your table so they know where to bring you your order. Kinda like Noodles and Company.The chips and salsa were bland and the salsa was tepid, watery and rather lackluster. My fajitas came with this Spanish rice (that was dry and bland), refried beans that were seasoned okay, sour cream, pico salsa, and 3 flour tortillas. The tortillas are advertised as "homemade" and were really greasy. In fact, I think the taste and texture were closer to roti than tortillas. I should also mention they have a salsa bar setup kinda like Baja Fresh.
When my fajitas came out it looked really appetizing at first glance, but then I noticed a few problems. First, the fajitas were waaaay too greasy. I think I could have filled a cup of the grease alone from this meal. Second, the iron skillet that the fajitas came with was so hot that the copious amounts of previously mentioned grease and oil was splattering here and there. So I opted to let it cool down a bit (from a distance). My third complaint with the fajitas was that it was mostly composed of onions. I would say 3/4 of the fajitas were onions. There were some green bell peppers here and there, but mostly onions. One would think that with so much grease that it would taste a little bit good maybe? Nope. It was bland and I actually felt queasy after the meal.
On the upside, the waiting staff was nice and the manager actually came over to ask how everything was and if I needed extra tortillas, which was nice of her. I replied "great" and gave a thumps. Sorry I'm a bold faced coward what can I say.
I give this 1 and a half stars because their waitstaff and the manager were very friendly and attentive.
I had a really bad experience and I won't be going back, but I think a meat eater might have a different experience. I'm not sure. Yes this is cheap eats, but there's definitely better (if not edible) Mexican food in the area. Las Palmas is just across the street and Fuego is a short drive to downtown Arlington Heights. I'm still searching for a local Mexican place that serves decent vegetarian fajitas like they do in Champaign or Chicago. -
Review from Christopher P.
Chicago, IL
2/11/2010
The best suburban mexican food ever! I've been there so many times now that I've lost count, and make a point that if I'm in the burbs I have to eat there if possible. I've never had a bad meal.
Their Texas Style Puffy Tacos, while not authentic like I've seen on the Food Network, are the bomb. The same goes for their Cowabunga Chimichangas and the Tex-Mex Style Burritos. Even the cheeseburgers here are great (AND HUGE!). The best horchata too.
As long as they keep churning out great food, I'll keep coming. Only downside is that when you do take-out they can be kind of slow to prepare the food compared to the time you've been told it will be ready, which is a big deal when you're on a time limit. -
Review from Jess A.
Arlington Heights, IL
5/17/2011
I have been to Grande Jake's at least 10 times since moving to the area about 9 months ago and I have yet to have a bad experience. The food is always great and really fresh, the service is wonderful and the salsa is unlimited! If you are in the mood for authentic Mexican that goes beyond chipotle then run here really fast!
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Review from Michele B.
Long Grove, IL
2/10/2011
Sooo cold out I really needed something spicy to keep me warm, so I headed to the Yelp pages to find a good local Mexican place. Well I just rolled home (because I was so full) and I gotta hand it to you guys--it was good!. I've seen this place for the past year or so and from the outside I thought meh. Tonight changed everything. A salsa bar with all the chips you want, and I had the pastor burrito (which was the size of a football) and the special of the night frozen sangria. The service was great, brought more chips as we needed and asked how everything was. TERRIFIC! My daughter and I really didn't need anything else to eat, but I am a sucker for fish tacos and these were spot on. Not all breaded and fried, but grilled with tomatoes and onions. Very clean, friendly place with great service. Definite do-over.
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Review from Matt R.
6/4/2009
Cool restaurant in a small ass plaza everyone drives by constantly. Waitresses and the owner are ridiculously polite, bar nothing. Place gets 4 stars instead of 5 because it has enough screaming children inside that you'd think ti was a chucky cheese.
The food was inexpensive, I guess this is a chain/franchise that does pretty well. Food was good quality. When I ordered flautas they had so much guacamole on them that I could barely see the flautas underneath. Not that I'm complaining about that much guac, because I'm not. -
Review from Elle J.
Deerfield, IL
1/25/2010
Went here last night with the kid & hubby after a long weekend away and not feeling like cooking. A friend had told me about it so we gave it a shot.
It's easy to find on Dundee Rd. in a strip mall next to Dengeos - next time I will be going there instead. The place is about what you'd expect for a strip mall restaurant, but it's new, up-to-date and colorful. It's your typical "place your order at the counter and the server will bring your food out" joint. The service was great, people friendly, etc.
I ordered the flautas - 1 chicken, 1 steak and it came with a side of re-fried beans and rice. The first thing I noticed was that there was WAAAYYYY too much guac poured all over the flautas - I actually had to dig thru it to find them. Don't get me wrong, I love guac (and theirs was pretty good!) but it was just TOO much. When I finally did find the flautas, they were soggy - not just from the guac, but I don't think were ever fried. I've always had flautas that are cooked crisp - these were anything but and I was very disappointed. The chicken and steak were bland at best...just ick.
Hubby had the chili rellenos, carne asada & cheese enchilada combo. The steak was actually REALLY good - why they couldn't put that on my flauta, I have no idea, but it would have make a huge difference. The enchilada was made with nacho cheese - the kind dispense from a large pump, but the chili rellenos was really good.
My kid had a chicken & cheese quesadilla which was ok. Nothing fancy.
I was a bit disappointed that they actually charged for a refill on milk, and when my husband and I ordered a margarita (when we were placing our order at the register) the guy stopped right in the middle of taking our order and made our margaritas - using some kind of weird mix from a gallon jug (like the syrup used to make lemonade in a bubbler machine) and they were overly sweet.
All of that being said, the total bill was $48 for the 3 of us which included 2 drinks ($12) and an appetizer of guac $6). For $10 the portions were HUGE, just not very tasty. I might go back to give them another shot, but probably not any time soon. -
Review from Joel O.
Buffalo Grove, IL
3/19/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Have been here a few times and still like it. The food here is great, but not like a lot of other mexican places. I suggest a chicken taco. Be ready to make a mess though! The rice and beans are great as well. The staff is friendly and the prices are fair. This is a great place to grab lunch.
**UPDATE**
I go here pretty regularly now, and still have not had any major problems. They messed up an order once but quickly fixed it. Most of the times I have been here the owner has been working. He is very nice and appreciates the business you give. Every time I go here I leave full and happy. Enough said. -
Review from Margaret S.
Geneva, IL
3/18/2011
The place is a great hidden find- We have been trying to find good mexican food all over the area (las palmas, lalos, el famous burrito...) This is our favorite. As soon as you walk in you feel at home (even though you have to order at the register) the service is great- they still bring you your food and unlimited chips and salsa. The food is great- you get alot for your money- big portions and great food!
Overall 4 stars-
Great service/hospitality
Amazing food (best in the area)
can't make a bad menu selection
Comfortable/Clean Atmosphere -
Review from Sarah R.
Rolling Meadows, IL
5/14/2011
I will never get used to lettuce in a burrito, just not how they do it in California! But the food is great sans lettuce. Their salsa is what won me over, it is great on everything. They usually have a good special going and the prices are great for the amount of food you get. The way you order is a little confusing though, especially your first time in.
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Review from Dan L.
Palatine, IL
8/25/2010
I can't put into words how great this place is. Perhaps the best mexican in the county? There is not a bad thing about this place. Everything thing I have ordered thus far has been spot on. Nachos with ground beef minus the black olives is my usual though. Service is always great, even when they are crazy busy. I mostly do take out, and if my food is taking a while, they offer me chips and salsa!! Ohh yea, salsa... I forgot to mention this place has a salsa bar with at least a dozen different kinds. From those who like it hot, to the ones that just want tomato sauce, there is something for everyone :) The owner is a super great guy too. If you haven't been here, go!
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Review from Bobby S.
Arlington Heights, IL
12/22/2010
When I go to Jake's, I always order the same thing, and I'm always satisfied.
The combination el tipico which is: One Chicken Flauta, 1/2 Order Carne Asada, and 1 Cheese Enchilada Mole.
The flauta is like a chicken taco with guacamole. My favorite is topping the carne asade with some mole...trust me its good.
