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Los Nopales
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
4544 N Western Ave(between Sunnyside Ave & Wilson Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, Ravenswood
(773) 334-3149
- Nearest Transit:
-
Western-Brown (Brown Line)
Rockwell (Brown Line)
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
351 reviews for Los Nopales
Review Highlights
"Holy delicious BYOB Mexican restaurant Batman."
(in 127 reviews)
"tilapia tacos ~ super fresh tasting."
(in 35 reviews)
"I'd definitely recommend the skirt steak."
(in 34 reviews)
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351 reviews in English
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Review from Jack P.
Updated - 1/28/2012
I'm bumpin' this baby up to five stars. I brought a couple newbies here for dinner and they, like many before them, are now big fans. We carted in our craft beer, settled in with chips and creamy salsas, and proceeded to have a lovely repast.
Keeping things simple, we skipped appetizers and ordered the Carne Asada combo with Chile Rellenos, The Chile Rellenos entree, and the Enchiladas Verdes. The plates were fresh, hot and full of regional Mexican flavor. My rapid consumption of the enchiladas prompted a facetious "I guess you didn't like that, ey?" from our server,as he whisked away my clean plate while my pals were still eating. "Haaated it!," I replied.
The service and staff here always treat us more like familiar family or company at their home than restaurant "clients," and I love them for that. And a BYOB dinner for around $15-20 per person is a great value. Eat your hearts out, you two nay-sayers from Check Please! You just keep away from this little neighborhood gem, ya' hear?Listed in: Cheap Eats I Have Known and…, Top Restaurants, Amor Latino, Friday Night Neighborhood…, Cheap Steak for Cheap$kates
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/11/2008
I guess this is not so much the "hidden gem" as I thought, based upon all the reviews. At least… Read more »
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Review from Pascal M.
Naperville, IL
1/31/2012
FLAYYYYYYYYYVA FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE!!!
No, I'm not yelling about the guy with a clock around this neck. I'm screaming about the big flavors that come out of the quaint restaurant called Los Nopales.
A friend and I came in with a couple great bombers of some craft brew and had a blast eating some full throttle Mexican cusine that would make Kip from Night Rider malfunction.
We started with their velvety and spicy guacamole. Very good to say the least. The Carne ala Panela is a must order. The tomatillo sauce is zesty with that fresh flavor I love. There's a lof of good options on their menu. One can go for simple items like a burrito, tacos, or enchiladas. Or you can go extravagent with their awesome selection of carne dishes or seafood options.
Pastel de Tres Leches was a perfect matchup with a Chipolte stout we brought in.
Los Nopales is a fun, small, moderatly priced restaurant that will provide you with bold flavors and good portions. -
Review from Greg B.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
I wish I could rate just the food and not the service. The service here has been horrible 3 out of 6 times.
The food on the other hand was awesome every time. I've eaten at a lot of Mexican restaurants in this town and 90% are horrible. I can't believe how many south of the border stops struggle with making a quality, fresh tacos. They insist on using poor ingredients and cheap cuts of meat that result in chewy, grisly tacos. Try Garcia's down the street and you should know what I am talking about. This place on the other hand has amazing Mexican dishes, all good and done right. Quality not quantity here!
The only problem (besides the poor service) is the price. This place knows they got it down and charge you accordingly. Mexican food is supposed to be cheap. Don't be surprised when you rack up a seventy dollar tab for four with no drinks.
Bottom line: it's worth it if you can deal with bad service and pricey street food. Very few Mexican restaurants deliver the goods, this one does. 5 stars for the food and 2 for the service.
Suggestions: the ceviche, the cactus salad, and the carne asada.
Ariba bitches. -
Review from Ernie B.
Chicago, IL
1/24/2012
Fresh, delicious Mexican cuisine. Great ceviche and the chicken, tortilla soup is amazing. I particularly like the flank steak. This place is a little pricey for Mexican food, but given how many bad restaurants there are in Chicago it is worth the extra few bucks!
They do a good job every time. One note: the service is never that great, but the food makes up for it. -
Review from Mike P.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Small place, HUGE flavor. This little restaurant probably seats less than 50, but large amounts of attention and talent go into the service and food. Be sure to try the queso fundito. The dishes are hand-crafted and seem to be a step above what one would receive at comparable places, such as El Cid. Don't get me wrong, I love El Cid. Los Nopales just seems to take that extra half-step on everything.
Combine that with a great waitstaff and bright atmosphere and you have a winner. Don't be afraid to order anything, It is all well-prepared. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2012
Why the 2? We had 8:00 pm reservations and didn't get seated until 9:00. The "waiting" area/ outside was packed with people that were all seated before us. Did I mention we had reservations? It was a Saturday night and the place was packed, but also very cramped. Not a lot of space, so maybe go on a Tuesday. The The food was good though and so was the service.
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Review from Mary K W.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 2/3/2012
Ok, this place has had many more chances from me. Last weekend, went there with my husband. First, they sat us at the teeny tiny table (measures about 2' square) which they shouldn't have in the first place... it's another way to cram in more tables, I get that, but at least give us the option of waiting for another table, one of which would have opened up 5 minutes later.
Service was unbelievably quick, the better to crank people in and out - they brought us our guac, and had a basket of chips and their 2 salsas on the teeny tiny table within minutes. That and our wine and water glasses barely fit.
Not 5 minutes later, a waiter walks up with our mains, fish tacos and ceviche. He looks at me and asks, 'would you like your entrees now?" I looked at him, looked at the teeny tiny table, and back at him, and asked, "what do you think? Where exactly would it fit?" He mumbled something about bringing it back later - yeah, dude, unless you'd like to rest the plates on our laps.
Look, that wasn't the worst of it - I can handle a small table, and idiotic service, but the thing that got me was this:
We were leaving and wanted to take home the leftover guac, a fish taco and some shrimp ceviche. I specifically asked the waiter to bag the leftover chips in our basket, because they can't possibly reuse them right?? Right?
All we got in our bag was our menu items, no chips. I told the waitress that the busboy didn't bag our leftover chips and could we please get some. She paused and said they don't normally do that. I asked her what the busboy did with our leftover chips, and she stammered 'oh he threw them out" but quickly added 'but I'll get you some', knowing that we now figured out THAT THEY REUSE LEFTOVER CHIPS.
So, there you have it, you might be getting chips that have had Lord-only-knows-whose fingers in them. Yuck.
Also, we've ordered catering from them - steak and chicken fajitas for a committee-organized graduation party (I wouldn't have chosen them, but others at my kid's school next door wanted to). Both were unbelievably bland and greasy, and we had a hard time giving away the leftovers. Oh, and they charged us $600, (for 4 large trays) which had to be PAID IN CASH, and we had to be sure to pick it up at a certain time so as to not interfere with the restaurant operation. Sorry Los Nopales, I'm done.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/16/2010
Honestly, I don't know why people rave about this place. A few years ago when it first opened, it… Read more »
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Review from Brennan C.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2012
Delicious, fresh mexican food. I'm not sure if they make their own mole, but its very good! Highly recommend the enchiladas de mole. Yum.
Simple decor with friendly staff. The great food and the BYOB make this one of the best mexican restaurants around. -
Review from Matt U.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
Went here on a busy Saturday night for a friends birthday. Giving 4 stars is definitely a testament to how good the food was. We had reservations for 8:00pm, however, we didn't get seated for almost another hour. We had a relatively large party(6 people), but there were parties there that had no reservations that did get seated before us. I know that some of the groups there were less that ours, but the reservation didn't seem to mean much being that we were still the last to be seated. Once seated the service was very good. We received our food fast and it was definitely delicious. I would say that I probably would never wait that long to eat there again, but the food was very good and the service was excellent. Being that we were seated so late, we were there past closing time and the staff never seemed pushy to get us out. All things considered, the food and service made up for the wait time.
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Review from Annie M.
Chicago, IL
1/22/2012
Carne ala panela and the steak chimichangas, delish! Neighborhood gem!
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Review from Catwoman R.
Chicago, IL
11/23/2011 2 photos
Category: Won't Break the Bank - 4 Stars
Oh my little cactus, how I heart thee. (Plus: BYOB!)
Have been here quite a few times & is consistently DELICIOUS. Caveat: I will probably get one of the same 2 dishes at every visit. Note: I'm not so convinced that for your typically Mexican fare, burritos, chimies & the like are great here, prob good, but maybe not great.
Food: A
1) Guac: A
2) Queso Fundido (w/ jalepeno is actually better than w/ Chorizo) Can't believe I said that. - A
3) Tilapia en Salsa Verde: A+
4) Tilapia Tacos: A
5) Enchiladas (verde sauce): B
Not awesome, but solid. I'm not gonna lie, I'm comparing it to Mex places all over the US & Mex. But for Chicago, it's pretty darn good.
6) Huachinango ala Veracruzana: B-
Bland. Try El Barco, if you're hankering for this kind of fish
Drinkypoos: A++
BYOB!!!
Atmosphere/Service: B+
Service: A
Not uber picky & can't say I attended Miss Manners school, like some of the other posts. When crowded, it can get a lil slow. But anyone who brings me plates full of limes & a salt thing to rim my tequila glasses w/out me asking, is kind of a gem.
Atmosphere: B
Wish it were a little less like a Chi-chi's. Everything else is charming enough to be a nice low pressure date place..... except the decor
Disclaimer: Los Nopales food is a little more along the lines of Las Palmas in Wicker & a little less Flash taco. I.e. the food is a little more upscale Mexican BUT w/out the marked up price tag.
p.s Who rates a place on its free chips & salsa? I mean really? -
Review from Andy M.
10/26/2011
Finally!! A good Mexican restaurant within walking distance of my house. Los Nopales is a wonderful little eatery in Lincoln Square. It's located in a well hidden store front on Western Ave. I've been in the neihborhood for over a year and didn't even know the place was there.
Los Nopales offers a kick ass, authentic Mexican meal at a reasonable price. The food has some kick to it. It's not the dumbed down, bland food that I've had at the last few Mexican joints I visited. The decor is quite impressive. The dining area is filled with beautiful Mexican art.
Mexican food is all about spice, heat and flavor. The food at Los Topales succeeds in all three categories. My entree was the Steak, Mole Enchiladas. Good Mole sauce is hard to find. I consider it an art form. When done right, it's hearty and delicious. When done wrong it tastes like watery, canned gravy. The Mole sauce at Los Topales is spectacular. Combine that with Steak that was marinated to the nines, and you have a great meal.
Here's the bottom line: When you combine fresh ingredients, well prepared food and excellent service, how can you not have a great experience at a restaurant. Los Topales is a wonderful Mexican eatery that I plan on visiting again very soon. -
Review from Dave K.
Chicago, IL
1/18/2012
Definitely love this place. It's my favorite for chicken enchiladas, tortilla soup and coffee flan. It's consistently good, people are friendly, just know that it's BYOB. If memory serves, there's a store a little further north on Western where you can pick up beer, or whatever, in the event that you get to the restaurant and realize that the tasty Mexican fare would go nicely with a cold one.
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Review from Erick N.
11/11/2011
Usually I like to write my reviews in close proximity to my meal, but am making an exception here. I noticed that Les Nopales had received Bib Gourmand recognition from Michelin and as I am trying to hit as many of the Bib Gourmand recipients as possible, I figured I would write up a review. I enjoyed a good (but unremarkable) meal here with a monthly dinner club this past spring. I agree with Michelin that Les Nopales represents an outstanding value. Few restaurants offer cuisine this solid for such a low price, especially when factoring in that they are no corkage BYOB.
Les Nopales did a nice job handling our large group. We shared a few appetizers and the ceviche stood out as being my favorite; their guacamole is worth ordering as well. For my main course I had opted for the tilapia tacos (as I had seen a few Yelpers speak so highly of them); while I do not frequently order fish dishes, I was glad I did - the tacos were excellent.
Les Nopales' ambiance is forgettable and the quality of the cuisine and creativity of the menu certainly lag below fellow Bib Gourmand recipients Mexique and Mixteco Grill, but if you are looking for well above average Mexican food at surprisingly low prices Les Nopales is an excellent option. -
Review from Gaby A.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2011
The food at Los Nopales was average, but this is based on a single visit. In any case, I doubt I will return due to bad service and the just so so food.
Bad service: At the end of our meal, a different server came over and reached across our table to grab an empty bottle (you don't reach across someone-it's rude, you ask them to pass it to you). Then a minute later, another person came over to take our plates - which is fine, but we literally has just put our forks down. We attempt to continue with our conversation for the 3rd time, only to have the busboy drop a wet rag on our table and wiped it down - guess this means it's time for us to go. This really ended dinner on a bad note.
Staff should be better trained on when and how to approach a table. -
Review from Chris M.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2011
Recently my girlfriend and I decided to check out Los Nopales after walking by it many many times, and we were both very pleased with it! First off, the salsas served with the chips are both phenomenal, although I preferred the spicier (orange) salsa over the green one which had a cooler taste. The salsa was so good that both the girl and I used it on our main courses as well! A chicken burrito for her, and pork tamales for me. The portion sizes were nice, but not overkill like many Mexican restaurants go with it, and that was just fine as the quality of the food silenced any objections about the quantity per $. All in all a very nice experience, reasonably priced and with a good atmosphere. Recommended!
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Review from Simone T.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Outstanding, inexpensive (PLEASE remain a BYOB establishment), fresh ingredients, outstanding food!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/7/2010
I had some initial reservations about trying this restaurant. There have been 1 or 2 restaurants… Read more »
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Review from Ruby D.
Chicago, IL
1/1/2012
This is a must come to restaurant!!! The customer service is extraordinary, plus you get greeted by the owners! This restaurant is a true representation of real Mexican food.
The food is fresh and delicious! You can tell that there is thought put into each order and all the food perfectly seasoned. The restaurant is VERY clean, and the plates and glasses you are served on are spotless. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Chicago, IL
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was really hoping that Los Nopales would be a kick-butt Mexican joint but unfortunately, I thought it was okay. The chips were hard, thick, not salty enough and I wish that they had more flavor. The salsa, like others have mentioned, has a liquid consistency. On the upside, the chips and salsa are free. My entree, the veggie platter, was alright. The grilled vegetables were good but it's nothing that I would crave or go out of my way to get. The search for great Mexican food in Chicago continues...
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Review from Nicole R.
Chicago, IL
1/18/2012
Don't think about another Mexican food place...just go to Los Nopales. If you are like my boyfriend and I, we Yelp everything to see where to go and what to try, and thank God people gave this one good reviews. It's a smaller place that must have a back room because we were 2 of 4 people that we saw but people were coming and going all night. We were immediately greeted and our 6 pack was put on ice, (BYOB:$2 charge for beer or wine or $3 for a bottle of Margaritas). Instead of the typical chips and salsa, you will be brought homemade chips and 2 different dips, green and red, tasty and spicy! YUM! I got the chicken sopes with rice and beans, my boyfreind got the Carne Asada and Chile Relleno combo...GET THAT! Mine was great but his was AMAZING. He got his medium rare and it was so tender and flavorful and the Chile was to die for. When we go there again, I'm getting that. My only reason for 4 stars is I love places that have a full bar, especially for a great margarita with my food. Besides that, it was flawless. GO THERE!
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Review from Laura W.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2011
THE FOOD: So I have been here twice so far. Its good, authentic, clean tasting Mexican food but felt the portions are a bit too small. I do not like that you cannot mix fillings. The guacamole is great. The shrimp and the steak are really tasty but there isn't anything I have tasted that I will crave.
BYOB: I knew this was BYOB when I came here but it really subtracted from my meal the fact that I could not have a freshly made margarita. I know I could have brought all the fixings myself but I guess when all is said and done, BYOBs are for people who have time to prepare before hand and who generally drink wine or beer. Unfortunately right now, Im not one of those people. -
Review from keya m.
Chicago, IL
8/3/2011
Friday night is my favorite night of the week. And unless I spend it at Los Nopales with their green salsa, perfectly constructed nachos, and tender and tasty chicken mole, well then I didn't really do Friday night justice.
Los Nopales, however, lost a star because they serve soft drinks with a can, as opposed to fountain, which I find annoying. Also, they lost a star for me when they lost the Mexican grandpa traveling from table to table and playing guitar. That was really awesome. I think he went to Mixteco . . . or maybe he just doesn't come around on Friday nights :) -
Review from Andrea D.
Chicago, IL
6/3/2011
Review in a nutshell: If it's good enough for the Mayor, it's good enough for me.
Sure enough, on our first venture out for Mexican food in our new neighborhood, we saw our neighbor Rahm-monster (as he is affectionately known in our house) just three tables away from us, enjoying his meal.
Well. That set the meal off to a nice tone.
And the food was pretty good, too.
Loved that they started us off with not one but TWO salsas with our chips (especially because the green salsa kicked the red's ass).
The waiter forgot our guacamole, but I was able to snag a taste off of my fiance's sampler platter later, so I can say that it was very good and that I will definitely make sure we get ours next time. On second thought, perhaps this just added insult to the forgotten-guac injury, because it was actually quite good, and I'm still thinking about how I'm sad that we never got our order.
My enchiladas were good, but not the best I have had. They were allegedly "enchiladas verdes" but there was barely any sauce on the plate to be seen. Kind of odd, but they still tasted pretty good. And while I liked them, I will probably order something else next time (and the menu is so big and delicious-sounding, that shouldn't be a problem!).
Fiance's taco on his combination platter was the best thing on there; chimichanga was just ok.
Next time, will bring a bottle of tequila with us to add to their margarita mixin's, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Los Nopales will become our go-to spot for Mexican in the neighborhood.
100% of current City of Chicago Mayors can't be wrong. -
Review from Kymberly S.
Chicago, IL
8/15/2011
I recently moved near here and saw this place was packed so I knew it would be good. Surprisingly the restaurant is a lot bigger than what I expected with a larger back room. This place has the best Mexican food I have tasted. The only reason why this didn't get five stars from me was the service. It took them about 15 mins to approach out table, and then I believe we only talked to our server once to order and then when she came to collect her tip. Even though the waitress was awful, the kitchen will have me coming back to try this place again very soon.
I ordered the enchiladas verde and was pleasantly surprised. The rice that was served with dinner was by far the best rice I have ever eaten.
Also this is a BYOB which is always a great idea. Menu prices are a little more expensive than what you would normally see at a Mexican restaurant, but the BYOB makes up for it. (Dinners are about $12-$16) -
Review from Fotini G.
Chicago, IL
9/15/2011
My boyfriend and I were in the Lincoln Square area and wanted to grab a bite to eat. After we decided on Mexican, I did a quick search on my phone for a restaurant. We were only a block away from Los Nopales and the reviews were great so we decided to try it.
I have only one word for this place: FANTASTIC!! The red and green salsas served with chips in the beginning were great. They had a little bit of heat to them, but enough to get you hooked. We couldn't stop eating them!
Next came the main entree. It took us a while to decide what to eat because everything on the menu looked amazing. But, based on the waiter's recommendations, I ordered the tilapia en salsa verde and my boyfriend ordered the carne ala tampiquena. The food came out no more than 10 minutes later and both dishes were cooked to perfection. The flavors were perfect, the portions were perfect, the service was perfect!
I also had a glass of horchata which I saved for after my meal as desert.
So I give this place 2 thumbs up and will definitely be back again to try more things from the menu!
Oh, 1 more thing to remember, it's BYOB so they don't serve any alcohol there. -
Review from Elijah A.
Chicago, IL
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I lived in the southwest for about 10 years prior to moving to Chicago. I am partial to Tex-Mex and Los Nopales does not fit that description but what it does do is - make some killer Carne Asada tacos. Their salsas are exceptional, the tortillas are the best corn tortillas I've had in Chicago. This is Mexican comfort food at its best IMO. Prices are right on for what you get and the wait staff I met were extremely nice. This is a great BYOB and welcome addition to the hood!
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Review from Alan M.
Evanston, IL
7/20/2011
We went, Friday night, to Los Nopales.
It's one of those places we'd always intended to go... it had a good rating on Check Please, and for some reason we'd always overlooked it.
So, the place was busy, busy, busy... our waitress was wonderful and attentive. It might have had something to do with the fact that we were seated right next to the waitress station. She couldn't enter in an order without bumping into us. We carried in a bottle of wine, and oddly enough all four of us ordered tacos.
Fish tacos, vegetarian tacos and for me... bistec tacos. Everything was good (not "great", but good)... the chips and salsa were excellent, the service was great... and everyone enjoyed their three open-faced, soft tortilla tacos.
If I have one complaint (and don't I always have at least one?) it's that my bistec tacos... which are made of chopped skirt steak, of course... the steak was chopped soooooo tiny... that it was almost like eating ground beef. I was really hoping for, really expecting closer to fajita chopped meat... something you could recognize as a piece of steak... but these pieces were chopped so small, if you used a fork, you'd have to scoop them up, there were too tiny to stab with a fork tine.
They were delicious, and tasty... but a little disappointing. I'd go back, and liked the food, the taste, the service (I'd like to sit further from the waitress station)... but I'd order something else. -
Review from Martin B.
Chicago, IL
8/5/2011
I just ordered a steak burrito to go. I actually ordered the whole meal, which includes rice and beans for a total of about $10. The burrito was pretty good. The rice and beans were baby portions: 2-3 bites and that's it.
Conclusion: I'm still hungry, and I am glad I did not return the extra dollar that she gave back to me by accident. In your face Los Nopales. -
Review from Kristin R.
Chicago, IL
4/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Following my decision to order the enchilades verdes con queso, regret immediately took hold. The aroma of the grilled shrimp from a nearby table began wafting in my direction, and it was then that I realized I'd naively ordered.
This seems like my umpeenth million review of a Mexican restaurant in Chicago, and I always order the same damn thing: cheese enchiladas. Don't get me wrong, Los Nopales's cheese enchiladas were tasty and uber fulfilling, but I think next time I need to branch out.
It is BYOB, always a plus in my book, so I made sure to drop by my neighborhood liquor store and pick up some pacificos. I was treating my friend to a goodbye dinner, as she has sadly sought new adventures in New York.
Anyway, the two salsas that come with the chips were tasty. I particularly enjoyed the green one.
The service was fast and friendly, and we had no problem getting in on a Tuesday night. Although I did make a reservation, just in case.
The walls are adorned with disturbingly graphic religious art. Too many pictures of JC can be a bit overload, but it did sprinkle in a bit of flair to the ambiance.
Loved the traditional Mexican tunes in the background. It truly reminds me of California, and my little hometown of Modesto.
I'll be back but next time, shrimp all the way. -
Review from Steve G.
Chicago, IL
8/14/2011
I've had only the tilapia tacos, but man, they're good as hell. Great, fresh ingredients, including the tortillas, which were soft and still warm.
Chips and salsas free when you sit down.
Will definitely be back to try other dishes. -
Review from Anatoly D.
Lake Zurich, IL
6/9/2011
Short version: outstanding food, bipolar service.
My wife and I have been coming here for several months, bringing friends and family several times. The food is delicious. The service... depends. Surprisingly, not so much on how busy they are: we've had poor service when the place is empty, and excellent service when the it was hopping.
We've noticed that one particular waitress always does an outstanding job. Another one -- who we think is related to the owners -- clearly hates being there and lets it show. For the life of me I can't understand why they don't just let her go find another job and hire someone else.
Our last time, we came with a group of five. They insisted on seating us at the large circular table by the door, which seats 8. We HATE that table: hard to get attention, and the opening door lets in cold air. We asked if we could move two tables together -- next to a wall, we wouldn't block traffic. It was NOT busy: only two other tables were occupied. The hostess refused: after all, two tables can seat six, and there were only five of us. What if they got busy? (At 2 pm? Uh, sure.) Their attitude was dismissive, as though we were a nuisance. Not what I would expect for being a good customer.
We had our hearts set on the place, so we stayed to eat; the food was perfect as always. The place never got busy, so all their attitude did was lose them a customer. -
Review from Gary C.
Ehhhhh, maybe I need a new prescription, because I'm just not seeing it.
I just did NOT have a good experience at Los Nopales. From the service to the food, everything just did not work. I'll begin with the food...
I looked at the menu and saw some familiar dishes and familiar costs. When the food came out, I just looked at it thinking that the portions would be larger. I ordered the flautas, which came with rice, beans, and a few pieces of lettuce. If the flautas didn't have guac, there would be absolutely no flavor. The rice, however, was interestingly flavorful. But it didn't outweigh the lackluster taste of the flautas. My gf ordered the tilapia tacos dinner, which was a trio of tacos and some rice. I wasn't wowed by it, but my girlfriend really enjoyed em.
So yeah, the food left me hanging...but not as much as the service. It took ten minutes to seat our party of six in the restaurant that had two tables [in the front section] and one family party in the back. The entire back of the restaurant was vacant minus the family party. I'm not sure why it took soooooooo long to seat us. On top of that, we asked our server for [water/drinks, napkins, silverware] multiple times because he neglected/forgot us. It came to the point where I took out a bottle of water because the server never came around.
I wanted to like it, I really did. I swear...
**Double check the prices on the menus...the takeout and dine-in menus are different!!
**BYOB but they charge like $2 per 6 pack/bottle. -
Review from Joel G.
Chicago, IL
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Meh. Not a lot of flavor. A little pricey. steak fajitas with mushrooms for filler. Sour cream cost extra which I thought was a bit strange.
There are better mexican restaurants out there. -
Review from Brendan M.
Chicago, IL
12/29/2011
Los Nopales is very solid. My wife and I have been here a few times now and it is very deserving of it's 4-star rating. They charge a $2 corkage fee for wine, which is fine. They give two types of salsa with the chips, which both are very good. The chicken tortilla soup is extraordinary. And we've enjoyed our dishes as well.
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Review from Keith A.
Wilmette, IL
6/5/2011
I've passed by here countless times and one would think that a michelin write up would be enough to get me to go here, but no my lazy ass works on its own time. It's a beautiful day outside and I finally geared up to grub up here.
I ordered pick up and got a chicken+steak taco dinner and had to get some extra rice and beans on teh side. The rice was great. I haven't had rice this good in a long time and it was home cooked rice by a friend's mom. This reminded me of that and put a real smile on my face. The beans were pretty good as well but the tacos were the real show. I preferred the beef tacos a bit more, but that's just splitting hairs.
This definitely isn't cheap mexican food. But, you do pay for what you get. Its hard to live up to hype, especially when kissed by the michelin bib gourmand list. Los Nopales did live up and was well worth grabbing on a lazy sunday afternoon. I'll want to sit down here next time as it seemed like a nice place to sit and eat -
Review from Sarah L.
Chicago, IL
6/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
UPDATED (They recently changed their menu):
Don't get me wrong, the food here is pretty much as great as it gets, and really is solid competition for Rick Bayless. My only issue is in their menu construction. It kills me that you can't mix fillings or options. They recently changed their menu and fixed my chimichanga issue ( on the old menu you could only get it in a combo and it is lumped with a steak taco and a cheese enchilada. The chimichanga was completely left off the rest of the menu, so if you were craving it, the only choice was to order the combo and deal with a mini chimichanga and other stuff that you don't really want.) Now you can get a chimichanga meal-- which I ordered last night and it was everything I was hoping for.
However, they still don't allow mixed fillings for other dinners, like enchiladas. You get three to an order, but can only get one filling. I don't know about other people, but I love cheese enchiladas but can't handle three. I would love to get two chicken and one cheese. Alas, that isn't possible.
So, while the food is worth more than 5 stars and should be visited by another who appreciates authentic Mexican, the menu construction is (still) frustrating enough for me to only give it 4 stars. -
Review from Julie Z.
4/1/2011
Great mexican and large portions. I came here with a large group and we each really enjoyed our meals.
My bf and I shared the steak fajitas...there was plenty. Others ordered the carne asada and enchiladas...all fantastic.
Get the guacamole...you won't be disappointed.
And BYO...always a positive. -
Review from Carolyn L.
Palatine, IL
I had such an excellent meal here with the GrubWithUs crew last Tuesday. We planned a meal with two mixologists (because Los Nopales is BYOB) and they made us some excellent drinks to go along with the delicious Mexican food.
The waiters at the restaurant were super enthusiastic and told us all about the different dishes they were serving. The ceviche was probably my favorite part of the meal because the seafood was fresh and the pieces were gigantic. We also had skirt steak, delicious guac, tilapia with an amazingly flavorful bell pepper sauce,spinach and mushroom quesadillas, enchiladas suizas, beans, and rice.
The whole meal was such a treat. I can't wait to go back. And if you do check this place out, bring some supplies to make margaritas. The girls we were with mixed us up some margs made with tequila infused with chiles and tarragon. They were absolutely fabulous!!! -
Review from Heather E.
Chicago, IL
5/19/2011 1 photo
I've fiesta-ed here a couple of times, and both have been solid experiences. In my first visit the service was lackluster, but the food was awesome. About the service: I called ahead to make a reservation, but when we got there no system seemed to be in place. We waited with an increasingly agitated crowd while the line grew longer and the hostess hid out in the back. She returned every 10 minutes or so to seat a couple of people. We ended up getting seated 30 minutes after our reservation time. Also, on this same night our waitress forgot to bring us our appetizer of queso fundido.
Despite these initial bumps in the road I have returned because of their excellent and well-priced food, and their friendly service. I have had their Camarones al Mojo de Ajo on one occasion (I loved them) and a pork special on another (also excellent). They keep the chips and salsa a-flowin', and are accommodating to explain any menu questions.
This is also a favorite place to go with groups, as they are generally able to fulfill reservations. -
Review from Vanessa R.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2011
This review is long overdue. I can quite honestly say this is my favorite place to eat in all of Lincoln Square.
I know that there is an abundance of Mexican restaurants in Chicago, yet Los Nopales manages to stand out from the rest with its excellent and friendly service, along with their unique use of ingredients giving old Mexican favorite dishes a fresh, tasty flavor.
Atmosphere: Plenty of seating with traditional Mexican décor. The front of the restaurant features fewer tables and views out onto Western Avenue, however the back room holds a lot more tables; perfect for large groups.
Food: Probably my favorite part of Los Nopales is how they incorporate less commonly used ingredients in mainstream Mexican restaurants such as cactus and verdolagas (a common backyard weed touted as one of the most nutritious plants out there) into their dishes to create unique, savory dishes.
Start things off with some guacamole; it won't disappoint. Also, you get complimentary chips & 2 delicious salsas - a green, tomatillo-based salsa & a smoky salsa that is very spicy. The salsas are creamy, rich, and have a great spice; such a refreshing change from the usual chunky tomato salsa. Yum. Another good pick for a starter are the picaditas, which are 3 mini sopes topped with your choice of meat.
For main dishes, you can really do no wrong. Some of my faves include: the chicken enchiladas in mole, the Bistek a la Mexicana which features lots of juicy, tender skirt steak with jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, and the shrimp dish, Camarones al Chipotle.
Across the board, the meat and sea food is always fresh and so tasty. The portions are also very generous. Aside from the menu items which are diverse - they also have daily specials.
Drinks: Los Nopales is BYOB, which is awesome. So be prepared. If you're not, do not fret. There are several liquor stores within a couple of blocks north on Western. For wine, walk a couple of blocks over to Lincoln Ave to Fine Wine Brokers for an awesome selection. As far as beverages go, my absolute favorite way to end a meal here is over a nice mug of Mexican hot chocolate; SO good.
Los Nopales is hands down a 5-star eatery. However, I will say one thing - dine in if you can and skip the carry out. While we've only tried carry out a couple of times, it was not nearly as good as when we dined in. Probably because most of the dishes are best eaten fresh, and not packaged.
This family-run restaurant is as good as it gets. The people working here are as genuine as their cuisine - LOVE it! And fortunately for us, it's only a few doors down from our place.
