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Sedgwick (Purple Express, Brown)
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Food. Awesome. Staff. Awesome. Prices. Not so much. As a Mexican American with a grandmother who is a head chef at a local club...I know authentic Mexican food and this is the best I've had so far.
I think some people think Mexican food is supposed to be loaded with cheese and overstuffed as evident of some of the comments made but the food here is good.
With that said I'm not a fan of the prices. For myself and my boyfriend the cost of the bill was $40 which was a little steep for our budget and the meals. Either way...not bad.
GROSS! DISGUSTING! RANCID! Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!
I'm only giving this place one star because I cannot give it NO STARS!
I cannot express enough how this place STUNK!
I was craving some good Mexican food and was told that this was as "authentic" Mexican as you can get. What I wasn't told was "authentic" included the sewage-like smells you might find in the barrios of Mexico.
Upon walking into the restaurant, we were greeted by the overwhelming smell of sewage - my appetite disappeared just as fast. We were then seated in the back of the restaurant near the kitchen and I was hoping that the aroma of the food would cover up the grossness. Not so! I couldn't even smell the food and we were only 10 feet away from the kitchen! To make it worse, I sensed a hint of Clorox mixed in with the stink!
My friend and I decided to leave and as we were walking out, the "hostess" (if you could call her that) stood in front of us asking why we were leaving. Seriously!?!?!
Oh how we love this family run (I think that's what one of the servers told me) Mexican restaurant. The quality of the meat is off the charts and all the food is delicious. Their chips and salsa are amazing. The salsa is super spicy and a thick consistency - odd at first but so addictive by the second bite! I'm not sure if it's authentic but I LOVE this place! It's my go to Mexican restaurant for a casual meal.
1) The staff is friendly
2) Food is delicious
3) Festive atmosphere for a Mexican restaurant (not fancy)
$8.95 lunch special that includes a margarita=good deal. Because my girls and I like to day drink we ordered a half pitcher after we slurped down our freebie and then our server brought us another quarter pitcher of super strong margaritas on the down low, saying "shhh" as he set it on our table. He must have liked our conversation--sex and brazilian waxing--he wanted us to stay a while. Bottom line is that four of us had some decent food and got pretty crooked for about $17.50 a piece. Not bad for a loopy lunch.
used to live around the corner - as the only shitty mexican place on the block, it's tough to pass by, though i've never had an experience where someone in my party didn't get sick from the food.
i'd advise to stay away.
Heaven on a plate. I swear. The food is amazing - try the enchiladas mixtas. It's my new favorite Mexican dish. The food is fresh, the portion sizes are generous, and the margaritas are the best I've had in the city. It's not a super cheap Mexican restaurant, but I think the quality makes it worth it. It's rarely crowded, the service is friendly, and again - best margaritas ever. Dang. Now I'm craving a margarita!
It kills me to write this review, but the last couple visits to Las Pinatas have me sorely missing the Las Pinatas I fell in love with ten years ago. I'm giving it one star for the most recent visit, and the second star is only because I'm holding out hope that they get back on track.
First off, what on earth is up with the grotesque florescent-orangish-pinkish menues? The old light blue ones were fine and didn't hurt my eyes to look at them.
Second of all, what happened to all the animal pinatas? There used to be burros and horses and bulls, but no more - now they're all stars. I like some star pinatas, but since both of the pinatas I've bought there over the years have been animals, I'm not gonna be satisfied with only stars hanging from their ceiling.
Third, who's the new guy who doesn't wear a uniform and spends all his time talking to people? He's just got "schmoozer" written all over him and I don't mean that in a flattering sense. He's obviously not helping service since it took 20 minutes and more than one request just to get the check.
Fourth, pricing has gotten a bit overboard. When I'm walking home and check out the menu at Salpicon! and realize it wouldn't have been all that much more to eat there, something's gone gravely wrong.
Fifth, their skirt steak was overcooked. I've honestly never had this happen there before. Seriously, I've been going there ten years and this is the first time they've overcooked my skirt steak. If that was the only problem with this visit, I'd write it off as a one-time deal, but coupled with the other slips, I feel obligated to seriously downgrade my star rating for this place.
I don't go to Las Pinatas for a schmoozy guy working the front, or for one type of pinata, or for overpriced, overcooked food. I go to Las Pinatas for the long-time staff who are friendly but professional and efficient, consistent food, a variety of pinatas, and reasonable prices. If all of those have been compromised, then this isn't Las Pinatas - it's an imposter and should be treated as one.
I love Las Pinatas.
It's not authentic Mexican, it's decor is aged, the food probably causes heart…
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"You know, I've heard the restaurant smells like a bathroom. Is that ok?"
Yes, I actually said this to my lovely bf without realizing how awful it sounded. Once inside we both reluctantly took a big ol' whiff & smelled....oh God...absolutely nothing besides delicious Mexican food. Ryan looked at me & said "Jenny when you said it smelled like a bathroom I almost threw up. Thank God it doesn't."
We were seated right away in a lovely booth in the corner. A romantic lunch of the two of us, I suppose. We were given chips & SPICY (hurray!) salsa. After my first bite I knew I was in trouble-I was hooked!! We looked over our lunch menus & right as I put the largest , salsa-iest chip into my mouth the waiter came over to take our order. ...thanks. I ordered the burritos (cheese & chicken), while Ryan ordered the carne asada plate. **FYI: The lunch menu comes with rice, beans, entree, and drink. The drink can consist of a 24 ounce of soda or a domestic beer. Come on who's ever heard of getting a beer included in your lunch package?!**
Anyway, our lunches & my side of guac came piping hot to our table. I was a bit disappointed by my "burritos" aka baby flour tortilla filled with just cheese and another with just chicken. No beans, lettuce, sauce, or anything in or on the burrito :( I ate it all, however, and was extremely happy. Ryan's lunch topped mine with the perfectly tender, perfectly pink, and perfectly tasting carne asade. In fact, I kept stealing bites when he wasn't looking ;-)
All this food, fresh guac, and some delicious spicy salsa & chips came to about $30.00. Not bad if you ask me, especially since I was full the rest of the day!
¡Viva Las Pinatas!
We went here before seeing a show at Second City. Its cheesy and Divey and non-sceney. Its not super cheap but the food is pretty solid.
We got a half pitcher of Margs. They were great. We shared Chicken enchiladas. Yumm. They chicken was shredded and good. I am picky about my chicken and though it wasn't all white meat (which wouldn't be authentic)- there were no mystery pieces either. It was good. I wasnt overly impressed with the Gaucamole- I wouldn't order it again. Also, I do have to say that there is only one salad on the menu and it is $12. I feel like you should be able to get a smaller one and if not, even a big one with no meat ---$12 is pretty high. Especially if you have bright blue walls and cheap silverware.
Anyway, I would totally go here again. The food and service were good and its really mellow and casual for those nights you just want chill.
We went to Las Pinatas for lunch one afternoon. I just had tacos which were good, but ya really can't screw up tacos. As mentioned in previous reviews, the place does kind of have a smell to it. I wouldn't describe it as a toilet, but as the automatic air fresheners in public bathrooms. Although I understood exactly what fellow yelpers meant, the smell wasn't offensive to me. The service was slow and the waiter had zero personality. I guess I'm just so used to the perky blond saying "Hello, my name is Cari and I'll be your server today". Not the case here.
Now we go back for dinner on the first nice day of the spring. We were looking to sit outside somewhere but everything was packed. Tim got the Carne Asada and I got the Steak Ranchero. To be honest, I was hesitant ordering steak. I'm a HUGE fan of Uncle Julio's and nothing compares to their steak. Well, we were pleasantly surprised. Both of our steaks were fabulous! Reeeaallll close to the deliciousness of Uncle Julio's. We had the same waiter and his cheeriness didn't improve nor did his timeliness in approaching the table. However, the beer was cold and the steak was good. Considering this place is a short walking distance from my condo, I'd go back for more steak.
I contemplated giving them three stars because of the service but I'm feeling generous today. Plus, I'm a sucker for a good steak.
I really enjoyed my experience here. The service was great and the salsa was delicious! The salsa was a funky concoction of tomato and maybe cheese? They also threw in some green onions and spices adding a good kick. Yummie!! I was pretty full off chips and salsa and guacamole before our meal even came! The veggie fajitas were delicious! We got a mix of corn and flour tortillas. The fajita meal also came with beans and rice, guacamole and sour cream, and tomato salsa. Beware this place does not have horchata or tortas!!!!! What the heck right?! They've gone 28 years without it so dont plan on any of these additions to the menu! Booo!
I have been here twice. The first time I could not enjoy my meal because the restaurant smelled like a backed up toilet, and a backed up sink, LITERALLY! The food may have been good but I could not breathe. A few years later I went here again, skeptical, because a friend wanted to go. IT SMELLED LIKE HELL IN THERE!!
I think the food was good, but how in the hell can anyone enjoy their meal when it stinks? You just cant, so I wont be back.
I like a restaurant that smells clean or just smells like delicious food.
This place smelled dirty.
Went here after the St. Patrick's Day parade in lieu of any number of other over-crowded annoying places. Why suffer and wait trermendously long periods of time for really bad "Irish" food and overpriced beers when you can slip into Las Pinatas and...wait a long time for menus...and drinks...and the complimentary chips and salsa...and then to order overpriced food...ya know?
I'm spoiled. I live in Logan Square, where an abundance of Mexican eateries of all sorts abounds. Las Pinatas' prices were comparatively high. I mean, I realize I'm in Old Town, but give me a break, I saw some fairly run-of-the-mill food for nearly $20 a plate!
Anyway. All that aside, I did enjoy their homemade chips and their salsa. I did not expect it to be as hot (spicy) as it was, and I like heat, but not at the expense of flavor, so that was a happy, delicious surprise. The margarita was bland. Absolutely nothing special about it, and definitely not for the price. I got the enchiladas mole and...that was good! I really enjoyed the shredded chicken - didn't have that weird 'boiled' taste to it, and it was nicely seasoned. The tortillas weren't wimpy - they held up to the spicy/sweet mole sauce just fine. And although my initial taste was mildly chalky and slightly gritty, after a few more bites I really did enjoy the mole.
Se yeah, for all my bitching about the prices being pretty darned high, it's not lost on me that it is most likely due in no small part to Las Pinatas' location, location, location.
My location is usually elsewhere, and we're both probably just fine with that. If I'm in the area again sometime, fine. But there was nothing memorable - aside from the prices - that I could take away from this experience.
Food is exceptional and the fact that most people probably walk past it dozens of times before even realizing it's a restaurant is also a big plus.
The steak tacos are my favorite thing. They also have great guacamole. My only gripe is the service is a bit slow at times but far from a major concern.
Definitely a place I visit consistently.
Twice I've eaten here and twice someone else paid which certainly helps my recessionary budget. The prices are a couple dollars higher than my fave Mexican food restaurant in Logan Square, but Las Pinatas is a great place in a city with too few great Mexican restaurants Downtown/Old Town. It's been five years since the last time I ate here, and nothing's changed interior-wise. Same awful paintings...same nice wait staff...same tasty food. Kudos for the chips and the great thick beany-spicy dip served as the traditional Mexican restaurant intro app.
I had the chimichanga, and for once, it didn't come out as a fat log of burrito mess like so many other places prepare it. Three small chimichangas, each tasty and just enough. The drinks were ordered and served in less time than most restaurants take to bring the water. These guys WORK. Good service, though it was a late Thursday evening (late by Chicago standards).
The only drawback is that I also ordered a Coke and was given a bottle--yes, they have no free refills here.
The BEST Mexican food in Chicago (I've eaten at so many, I'm a qualified critic.) It has it ALL, including most flavorful Margaritas (don't even need the third grandee one to "hit the floor"), helpful and excellent wait staff, and don't even get me started on the Mole sauce. I've searched high and low, near and far to find better Mole and I just can't seem to find another even comparable. You would be doing yourself wrong if you didn't eat at Las Pinatas.
Kind of torn on Las Pinatas. It has a somewhat authentic feel to it - shredded chicken instead of cubed, Mexican cheese instead of cheddar, homemade flour tortilla chips, and a unique house salsa. Definitely a plus. However, its ambiance is not so great. While I can overlook the dingy pinatas (thus the name) hanging from the ceiling and the outdated furniture, there is a kind of old smell to the place. Not necessarily bad, but kind of like eating at your great aunt's house that she has lived in for like 80 years.
The food is good though. The house spicy chips and kicked up salsa are a winner. I had the steak flour tortillas. It came with melted chihuahua cheese on it and, when a little salsa was added to it, they were delicious. The rice and beans were great - not an after thought like so many places. My wife had a really neat salad, with grilled chicken and avocado, served in a two tortilla shells - she really enjoyed it. The service was quick and solid.
Overall, above average, somewhat authentic Mexican food served in a not so great setting. Not a bad choice, depending on the occasion or even for take-out. I will probably be back, but not as a regular - maybe I will get a to-go order when watching football this Fall.
I'm a huge fan of Mexican food, and my good friend swears by Las Pinatas. I love her, but the girl don't know what she's talkin about! We were so excited to try it, and were really let down.
It was super hot in there- I think the A/C was broken or something. No worries, right? We can just drink more margaritas to cool down... Ummm no. They weren't good.
I'm no decor snob, but our arms were sticking to the stiff plastic tablecloth.
Both of our entrees were not tasty, and pretty overpriced. The carne asada was tough, and the salsa was blannnnd.
So lets see... I was sweaty, dizzy from the 8 million pinatas and streamers, parched, and hungry. Really too bad because the waiter was as authentic and friendly as it gets. Two stars it is.
We were seated right away on a Saturday night, but it wasn't dead. I had the combo platter #1 which included a chicken burrito, chili rellenos, and an enchilada. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was really good and took care of my Mexican food craving before a show next door at Zanies. I wouldn't travel to go here, but I will go whenever I'm in the area for a show or whatnot. Service was excellent -- 2 servers took care of us, as well as both hostesses. Lots of attention at just the right times. Decor isn't anything to write home about, but whatever -- it's good food and decent prices...more than you can say about a lot of places these days.
I'll be back!
they used to have fantastic food, and marginal service. those days are long gone. they botched the order twice, ended up with a taco that tasted like soy sauce and mild food poisoning
60 dollars later walked out pretty disappointed.
Food is great. The ROI for this place must be sky-high because I don't think the place has put any money into basic maintenance in the 15 years I have been going there (99% of the time I order takeout), and the food is pricey. When I do eat there, I do so as a novelty - to amaze friends that such a dumpy place can put out such good food. I give it 5-stars on the basis of the food. The people are a lot friendly now than in the past - about a year ago the staff seemed to have been entirely replaced.
I persuaded a friend of mine to go here with me, and she was somewhat reluctant as she thought she had gotten sick from going there in the past.
When we got inside the place was completely empty except for one other table.
We each got tostadas, which were fine, but not really that tasty. The meat really didn't seem like it was much higher quality than Taco Bell.
And this was really what ruined the place for me.. please read no further if you don't want to read something somewhat crude....
We happened to be sitting in front of the restroom which turned out to be an unpleasant location. Throughout the night, it seemed the staff took turns going to the bathroom so that it was always occupied. Really an ambiance killer.
I may have overdosed on Las Pinatas via multiple visits there with my ex-roommate and two ex-boyfriends but the place still holds a special place in my heart. The salsa tastes very fresh, the flautas (crispy) are fab, as are enchiladas, any style. Get your margaritas by the pitcher - there's no other way to go. All the servers are friendly even if they don't always pay close attention. Don't go there if you're in any hurry...this place is ideal for a low-key dinner out. I used to live in Old Town and it was the ideal neighborhood Mexican joint.
If you try to eat there on Cinco de Mayo, prepare to wait in a really long line but you may be entertained enough by the drunks exiting the restaurant to make it all worthwhile.
If this restaurant were in another area of the city it would be nice, however it seems as if the rent for this location really drives the prices up which is unfortunate since the food is good and plentiful but it's not worth the expense. The decor kind of reminds me of a kid's birthday party. There are pinatas everywhere there could be a pinata and primary colors predominated.
The food really was pretty tasty: standard sit-down mexican restaurant fare. I've had better and I've had worse.
The chips and salsa are actually quite good. I like the way they season the chips and the salsa is pleasantly spicy. I don't like that they charge for additional chips though.
Go here if you're in the neighborhood and want some Mexican food but otherwise check out some better places.
Couldn't have asked for better food and service! Walking towards the place I was a little worried since it didn't look that great from far. OOO what a surprise! Really friendly and prompt staff... very accommodating!
Went here with some close friends for dinner on my birthday just to relax and get a few margaritas. The decor just made me feel like partying! That along with the really really really good margaritas ($24 for a pitcher!) really helped the cause. Not enough can be said about the food!!!! Man the enchilada mix was absolutely perfect... got to try all 3 kinds of sauces!
Great service... delicious food... amazing margaritas... with a price that wont break the bank. Def going back!
Like Simon Cowell might say, it was "not that good."
Though the actual restaurant was pleasant, I was turned off right away by the prices. Seriously? I had hopes that the meal I ordered would live up to $12 expectations, and unfortunately it did not. Worse yet, while the first chips and salsa are complimentary, the next order is at $3.50. You really don't get that many to begin with.
But on a good note, the salsa here is great, as far as spicyness.
After paying the $65 bill (for 3), I decided it would be the last time I swiped my credit card at Las Pinatas.
Looks like I'll be sticking with Mi Tierra up by my place.
I was not expecting much when I entered Las Pinatas. The dining room could use a makeover (bright blue walls, overly large paintings, old furniture) but the food is great as it is. My friend and I ordered a 1/2 pitcher of margaritas which was just enough for the 2 of us. I tried Combo 3 (bean taco, guac tostada, and cheese burrito). Everything was absolutely delicious.
Service was good. Our waiter liked us so much, he brought an extra round of drinks for us, including a beer for himself while we chatted about mexican food.
I went here last night with a friend and the margaritas were tasty and strong! The food is pretty good too, I got the chicken enchiladas mole which were very tasty, the mole sauce was a little sweeter then I'm used to but still good. My dining partner had the fajitas which I've had before too and those are excellent.
I only draw back for this place is the price. Its much more expensive then most Mexican restaurants that I have been too. One tip if you are planning on having more then one margarita order a pitcher because its a much better deal.
I tried this place last night for the first time, and I must say, I am very impressed. I used to go up to La Fiesta Mexicana for my Mexican fix, but I've found a new favorite Mexican restaurant!!!!
The atmosphere is great. Lots of fun pinatas hang from the ceiling. The service, though a little bit on the slow side, was great, always keeping us in fresh chips, drinks, and delivered our food very quickly.
The chips they bring you up front are delicious. They're different than any other place I've been before. They're almost like little miniature tortillas. They have a great texture and are thick.
The meal I had was the chicken enchaladas suizas. Mmmm!!! I highly recommend that one. It was even reasonably priced. There were two of us, we both had meals, she had a margarita and I had a beer, and the total was $45 after tip. Not bad at all.
Check it out! it's great!
My friend and I headed in for drinks and snacks in the afternoon as Adobo does not open til 5pm (LAME!). We enjoyed the drinks (they are pretty generous with the alcohol) and the appetizers. It was definitely an enjoyable place for a lunchtime drink.
I don't mind that the place is a dive, in fact I like the contrast between the location in Old Town and the electric blue decor. The food is ok. I can see why people like the chips and salsa, but it's not for me.
The thing that bothers me about this place, that I just can't get past, is the fact that it smells like a dirty bathroom or a basement with a sewer problem.
This is so down and dirty that no one will ever mistake it for a chain, thats for sure. Plastic tablecloths, check. Dusty pinatas, check. Old chairs like a banquet hall, check, funky smell of oil and frioles when you walk in, check. Random sombreros, check.
But enough about the atmosphere, lets get to the important stuff:
Great margaritas and icy cold Mexican cerveza (not just corona!), great authentic Mexican food at reasonable prices, and warm and accomodating service. I've always had a decent meal here and always super friendly service. Food comes up realtively quickly and they don't push the booze on you (damn them!-minus one star for that!) so its great before a movie at Piper's Alley, you can eat and get out so to speak.
Predictably I usually have queso fundido or quesadillas, the carne asada and a boatload of the fresh Guac and salsa with the super salty and crunchy chips and I am always satisfied. Again, looks aren't everything so if you get past the sad and tired room you're in for a decent meal and a fair price with great service.
Bueno!
The perfect margarita. Strong but not to strong.
The staff is friendly, the service was great, and the food was solid. No new culinary ground is being broken here, but this is the type of Mexican joint that you keep coming back to week after week.
What the heck? Did I cross over the border and end up in Tijuana? What is this place doing in Old Town?
We opened the door and were immediately assaulted by the bright blue walls and the large Mexican paintings on the walls. There are also pinatas of every size hanging from the ceiling that build in frequency as you walk toward the back of the restaurant. I get that the name is Las Pinatas but please- a few pinatas go a long way!
We slid into a booth to join our friends and ordered a couple of margaritas. Oddly enough- when they came- one was REALLY strong and the other was weak. Thank heaven I had the strong one as I needed it to sustain me through the time I was in this place.
The food looked okay, the chips and salsa tasty but I have an issue eating at a place that has cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and dirt on a wall air conditioner unit. If the part of the restaurant that the customer sees looks like that- I can only imagine what the "back of the house" looks like!
The restrooms are right in the center of the place which also seems odd. And I hate that there is so much bathroom deodorizer going on that it actually feels like you are wearing "eau de bathroom" when you leave the restroom!
Most Mexican restaurants are cheap- lots of food for a little bit of money. That does not appear to be the case at this place where we ended up paying almost $18 for a couple of margaritas!
As for me- I think I'll stay on the other side of the border when I am in Old Town. Lots of great places to eat- this just isn't one of them.
Let me first ask, What... the... Hell? 4 and 5 star reviews? Even 3 stars is pushing it. I might have considered rating this a 2 star place because the service was decent, but to balance out the ratings so that people are warned, I must drop it down to a one star. I think the food quality itself is enough to take away all the points, but let me begin:
So, we walk by and see this place (no prior yelping) and decide to go because we didn't see any other Mexican places as we were walking by. The exterior looks like hell compared to other restaurants in the neighborhood and maybe this should have been a warning. We walk in, and it there is this weird smell (something like a cross between plastic, a Burger King bathroom, and my gym's locker room) , it is too warm and the place looks really cheap and its not exactly clean. Well, we had already been walking around for a long time, so we decided to stay. We get handed the menu, and it looks like they printed it out on their computer and laminated it. I mention these details because the next fact is inconsistent with the aforementioned details. I quickly skim over the menu and the average price for burritos, tacos and enchilada's is $14, with the dinner plates ranging close to $20. Mind you, this is not the Cheesecake Factory, this is some hole in the wall place with locker room air freshener. So next, we get passed a little basket of chips and salsa. The salsa was very good. It was kind of creamy, pretty thick, very spicy, and had some corn in it. Unfortunately, the chips were half stale and loaded with salt. There was 3 of us and I would have liked to have eaten some more due to the salsa factor, but on the menu it said that they charge an extra $3.50 for additional chips and salsa. Lame. So then the very serious Mexican waiter comes over. He means business. "Okay, what do you want?"
"Actually I have a question"
::: his eyes close slightly and wander from the notepad to me:::
"So, aside from meat and beans, is anything else in the burrito like lettuce or cheese or anything?"
"No."
My friend asks a similar question about another menu item (the Enchiladas, I think).
"No."
"Okay, I will have the tacos"
"What kind of meat do you want?"
"Is the chicken grilled or shredded"
"Shredded"
"Is the beef also shredded?"
"No"
So, I went with the beef tacos. Really, like how enjoyable is it to eat a burrito with just meat and beans inside? One friend went with chicken tacos, and another went with half a chicken (which actually was more like two legs and a thigh). The food comes out and I do not smell anything coming from our plates. Maybe the locker-room scented Glade plug-ins were too powerful? I start eating and wow, it is really amazing - they have actually managed to suck all the flavor out of beef, lettuce, and cheese in the tacos. I mean, how did they do that? This was the biggest let down on a Mexican dish I have ever had. I mean it was actually FLAVORLESS. No seasoning, nothing! Both my friends reported similar tastes. We ordered some hot sauce, at which point the waiter suggested Tabasco (kinda weird) sauce, but anything, maybe even ketchup, would have made this taste better. Oddly enough, there were peas in the Mexican rice. To top it off, it wasn't even that much food. I mean, at least if you are going to serve $14 dog food, at least serve enough so that I can at least get full. All of us felt like we had been ripped off big time.
Let me summarize it like this: if they offered me a free meal here, I would decline the offer. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not one to decline free food.
Food Quality/Taste = 0 Stars!
Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars
Price = 1 Stars
Service = 3 Stars
Experience with Staff = 2 Stars
Decor = 1 Stars
Recommendation: AVOID!!!
I'm picky about lots of things. My Mexican food is one of them. Blame it on the fact that I lived in Southern California for a sickly long time, but I know what I like.
Las Pinatas is one of the few places my other So-Cal transplant friends and I like. So the decor can give you a headache if you've had too many tequila shots - have more tequila. Everything I've had there is pretty good - including my strong margarita. The prices are reasonable, and you don't have to worry about any pretentious "fanciness". All in all, there's nothing to dislike.
I've gone several times, and I love the chimichangas and the sangria, and who can resist the velvet paintings?
But man, why does that place always have to smell like sewage?
Really more like 3.25-3.5
I love this kind of Mexican food and Mexican restaurant. I like the bright blue walls covered with velvet paintings, sombreros, and pinatas.
At some point everyone in Chicago went crazy and decided that Frontera/Adobe Grills should be the model for every non fast food Mexican place.
I despise Adobe and I wish more places would serve the Tex-Mex food that once defined Mexican restaurants in Chicago. Someone needs to point out that Mexico is a poor country and there is no way that people eat the crazy ass food that is served at Adobe/Topolabamba.
Las Pinatas serves bottled beer very cold and fairly cheap.
dude this place has blue walls...nuff said...
No in all seriousness I love this place...great food..great drinks and if you are with good people there is no place better for Mexican food.
The menu is vast and diverse but they will also let you make up your own combo is you like....give it a whirl you will not be sorry...
Memories, misty water colored, Memories.
Ok, mostly because every single time I've gone to this restaurant, I've over indulged in their Margaritas.
Oh they are good.
We call Las Pinatas the Blue Mexican Restaurant and Mi Terra the Pink one.
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