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Categories: Mexican, Latin American
Neighborhood: LakeviewMontrose (Brown)
Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I gave Mixteco another chance this last Saturday.....mostly due to my friends calling the shots.....but in the end.....I'm glad I came back for round two.....and am updating my rating to 4 stars!
I got the dish I wish I had gotten last time.....Carne Asada.....it was served with guacamole, refried beans and the yummiest salsa ever!! I was so pleased with this entree....thank god!! I will def get this again...yay!
I also tried some of my bf's Pork Chops in some kind of mole served with mashed potatoes.....I liked it as well....but the mole is too rich (for me).....one bite was enough.....there's no way I could eat a whole entree of it......my bf on the other hand.....no problemo!
We got the sopes as apps.....(steered clear of those gnarly empanadas this time).......they were doing a duet.....one filled with pulled pork.....the other with plantains.....kind of a sweet & savory effect. I liked the pulled pork.....but the plantains were too sweet for me....one bite and I moved on.
Ohhhhh....and we got some of the habanero salsa......really really tasty.....but also really really hot....eat at your own risk!
Service was good....friendly.....fast.....no issues! We also were some of the last people to leave the restaurant that night.....and they didn't rush us out or make us feel like we were over-staying our welcome....def props for that!
Went here last Friday night with some friends.....
Food:
Sopes: I had heard all about the pork filled…
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OK, Mixteco, you slightly redeemed yourself by not making us wait in the rain or giving us serious attitude at the hostess stand.
The food was good, not as good as the first two times. I had a salmon special with grilled zucchini and rice, which was good but salty. My vegetarian friend requested the enchiladas en mole with no chicken, just cheese. They came out with chicken, and by the time she got her correct entree, the rest of us were nearly done eating.
Guac was good, but what is up with putting lettuce and radishes in it? No thanks.
I'll go back because it's close, but I am not as impressed as I was initially.
If I had written this review after the first time we went, it would be a 5 star. The food was… Read more »
Went on a Friday night around 7:30 with no reservations. We were told the wait time was 20 minutes which is to be expected; popular place. They called us in after 15 min and offered us a choice of an table now or a better window table in 5 min. Nice touch.
Started off with chiles rellenos which were great. The sauce was delicious. Our waiter Pablo gave great suggestions. We had braised pork and carne asada and both were amazing. One of the best steaks I've ever had including straight steakhouses. Delicious food overall. Saw some other people complained about the noise but it really didn't seem bad at all.
Really the only negative is that they don't seem to answer their phone if you're calling for reservations. This weekend wasn't the first time we've had this problem. Still, one of my favorite restaurants.
Went there last Thursday at 8pm, pretty crowded, shouldn't have been surprised - Chicago is not only like the biggest foodie city in the country, it's also known for getting the weekend started on Thursday nights. Waited twenty minutes for a table, which wasn't too bad - the hostess was one of those people who actually seems to realize that her job entails a sincerely helpful and caring demeanor. She updated us every few minutes as to the status of the table she planned to give us, something I can't remember having ever before occurred in my restauranting experience, and when another table opened up right when ours did, she gave us the better of the two because we'd been waiting longer.
They definitely pack you in there, though - if we hadn't been seated in the thoroughfare next to the window we'd have been bumping elbows with the folks next to us. I'd say the BYOB option is partly to blame. I've never seen BYOB at a place that makes $16 entrees, but apparently this translates to tables full of upper-middle class housewives sharing a bottle of Chardonnay and a pot of coffee for two hours. And because they pack so many people into such a modest space our food took quite a while - about two full baskets of chips worth, or about twice as long as you have patience for at a restaurant.
I ordered a "faba bean torta," which in case you didn't know is the same thing as a "fava bean torta," but nothing at all like a torta de milanesa at your local taqueria - expecting a fancy mexican sandwich, I instead got a cakey island in a sea of mole sauce that tasted a hell of a lot better than a torta de anything at any kind of a taqueria, even taking into account the elevated levels of drunken satisfaction that usually accompany the consumption of taqueria tortas. A real chef's special kind of a treat that was worth the cost of the plate. I look forward to going again.
Mextico's culinary perfection resulted in my parents, my fiance, and myself all having simultaneous orgasms. It was quite an inappropriate scene; moaning, groaning, eyes rolling back in our heads.
Although surrounded, by many enticing dishes, I wasn't tempted to stray from my dish of choice. This was a difficult feat and I am completely confident that all the other dishes were as equally enticing.
But I was at this moment, entering into a committed love affair with Mixteco mole.
I am convinced, there could be no better dish than chuleta en mole negro!! When I scarfed down all my lamb chops and mash potatoes, I used my side of plantains and tortillas so soak up the rest of the sauce and continue my indulgence.
I would eat this dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I would eat this dish for appetizer, entree, and dessert. Unfortunately, I will have to limit myself since Mixteco is only open for dinner (and brunch on the weekends) and is somewhat tough to get a reservation. But I will absolutely be back to indulge soon.
After an eh meal at Nacional 27 last night, we decided to venture out and have a second try at a… Read more »
Oh man this place is GREAT! I've been twice in one month--once for dinner and once for weekend brunch/lunch. Both times were delish.
Fresh tortillas, fresh guac, delicious green salsa that is flavorful and that I end up putting on all of my food.
BEWARE the innocuous-looking but head bashing white sauce. OMG. I had a DROP and my mouth/throat/soul was en fuego for 5 minutes. And on top of the spice was flavor flavor flavor.
I also really like the decor--are the paintings for sale? I love them! If you haven't been or haven't noticed Mixteco, now is the time to head on over.
Oh, and the price is sooooo right! Love this byob!
Has anybody tried their trio of empanadas?! I would kiss a green line crackhead RIGHT NOW for some of those!
I went here on a date tonight for the first time and was very impressed. The decor is totally my taste, with bright, colorful artwork covering the walls. I especially loved the giant skull painting...so cool. As for the food, the chicken enchiladas in black mole were fantastic. Though the sauce was a bit spicy for a spice wimp like me, it was so good that I ate the entire thing though my mouth was increasingly en fuego. The pumpkin cheesecake dessert was unbelievably good as well. The only disappointment was the guacamole, which IMO wasn't half as good as the one at Los Nopales.
Service-wise, the experience was a little strange. For some reason, the waiter really tried to discourage me from ordering the delicious enchiladas...I can only assume because it was the cheapest entree on the menu? He recommended the lamb and when I told him I don't eat meat other than chicken, he suggested the pork chop instead. Granted, that is the other white meat...but still, no. He also convinced my date to order the carne asada, which he thoroughly enjoyed, but it was coincidentally the most expensive item on the menu. Hm.
Last night's dinner at Mixteco was a mixed bag. No pun intended. The company was great, and we had plenty of booze, so there was enough camaraderie to make it a wonderful evening. But under other circumstances, I might have been a little cranked off.
The good:
The food. A wide range of mole sauces (dark, green, red), each paired with a different kind of meat make for an interesting menu. I had the duck breast with the dark mole, which was on special, and the mole was excellent. Rich and complex, a little sweet without being over the top, a bite of heat at the end. The other entrees looked equally appealing. And the tres leches cake was terrific.
The service was very friendly and accommodating. The server kept our beers on ice, salted our margarita glasses, and the busser kept fresh ice and water coming. Plus the server was sweet as hell.
The less good:
The food. The duck breast came with a side of mashed potatoes and ... that's it. It was kind of a sad looking plate. The dish was a special, so I didn't realize the meat and potatoes was all there was. The food was good, but something was missing. After the dish came out, I asked the server if I could get a side vegetable. She was happy to oblige, but the side never came out.
The annoying:
We were a party of six, but we didn't have a reservation. More on that in a minute. Two of our party came in at the same time as another couple. The hostess seated them without asking us how many were in our party. Of course, she seated the couple at a four top right in the middle of where she would have put a party of six. She then asked how many were in our group, and when she found we didn't have a reservation, she seemed a little surprised and put out. Our host explained that she had called for reservations several times, but never got an answer. the host then said that they had been having problems with their phones. If you know you're having problems with your phones, dontcha think you want to be especially aware of walk-ins? Apparently not. Not a big deal, as they were able to find us a table fairly quickly, but it started the night out on a sour note.
Overall, great food, but you need to be on your toes if you want a good experience. This is not a place where you can relax and expect the staff to take care of you. Which is a disappointment.
Oh so Mixteco puts crack and LSD in its food. I mean they must, since it was so damned good, right? What other explanation is there for me stuffing my face like I hadnt eaten in 4 days. Here I am trying to diet and it is literally freaking impossible...see there's this mole sauce that was shrieking EAT ME! NO...EAT MORE! on the plate and I'm trying to oblige but then the habanero sauce shows up and is laughing at me and daring me to eat it too. And honestly, what choice do I have at this point?
So after I stop the plate from taunting and mocking me I wipe my brow and think "whew, OK I am stuffed - THANKS PLATE" and what happens? This freak of nature crazy ass chocolate mousse something or other dessert shows up and is like "OK You are an idiot if you think you can just have a single taste of me". And I WAS an idiot, because I really did think one bite would suffice. Oh but for shame, for shame I ate most of that too!
See, what did I tell you. It had nothing to do with the deliciousness of the food or my waning willpower - it was the DRUGS I tell you. The drugs made me do it!*
*ok, i really cant confirm if Mixteco drugs their food or not. but I am still pretty sure something is going on...food is never that delicious on its own!
Hot Damn!!!!! This place is awesome. It was a great night, with great friends and a kick ass meal.
Mixteco Grill is a upscale Mexican restaurant on the North side. The interior is beautifully decorated in a Southwestern style. Our server was incredibly nice. Mixteco is a BYOB establishment and our server iced down our beer and gave us glasses for the Margarita's that we brought. She did a fabulous job.
The food was incredible. I ordered the Steak and it was fabulous. It was a $50.00 steak for $20.00. Carolynne r. had the Chicken Mole which was wonderful as well. I'm a total snob when it comes to Mole sauce, and Mixteco hit one out of the park with their Mole.
The Bottom line is that Mixteco was a wonderful experience. It was a great time, spent with wonderful friends. After coming off of two straight weeks of working my ass off, it was exactly what was needed.
Ok...I went there for my second time this week...and I am still very much in love with this place...even for the encore performance.
And to my surprise...we got the same waitresses, who was outstanding on both visits. Attentive, friendly, and always with a smile!
Biggest update from last time...they have put up very colorful pieces of art on the walls...which was one of my concerns in that second room in the restaurant. I am sure that will help with the noise level down, especially when it's crowded.
And this time, I tried new things on the menu. The carne asada (grilled steak) in a pastry like shell underneath with beans...STUPENDOUS!. The scallops...spicy, perfectly cooked, and very succulent. And to top it off, I tried the coffee tres leches and the chocolate cake. SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT...I know it's splurging...but sooooo worth it.
Two thumbs up!
Excellent menu and the food is very good. Gotta try the marlin ceviche and the grilled calamari as… Read more »
Quick and simple, Mixteco Grill has fantastic food, but the ambiance of the dining space can improve.
Eight members of our monthly dinner club went to Mixteco with high hopes of great food. We were not disappointed in that regard. Everything from the Mahi Mahi (my choice) to the Scallop special was absolutely amazing. I would definitely suggest the Scallop special if it's on the menu when you go since they were probably the best cooked scallops I have ever had. But, if it's not available, go with the Mahi Mahi. A great blend of smoky flavors that puts a new spin on this fish dish.
However, I would say that Mixteco has room to improve when it comes to it dining room. Although we had a reservation for eight people, our table was not ready and we needed to split up the group at first. They knew we were coming, but the only empty tables were spread out around the room. Second, it's pretty loud inside so having a conversation without raising your voice was pretty hard. If you are looking for a quiet, intimate dinner then Mixteco is not the place for you. Fortunately, our dinner club is pretty loud so we fit right in!
MOLE SAUCE is why you wait for 40 mins even if you have a reservation. So yeah, we had to wait even with our name on the list, but they gave us two free appetizers for the inconvenience ( and really it wasn't all that bad of a wait......we opened our byob).
The food is worth the wait. You can taste every flavor that is on the plate. I had a dish that I will never be able to pronounce or spell if I tried, but it had MOLE sauce on sliced wood smoked porkchop with mashed sweet potato, and I feel like I now understand what heaven smells and taste like.
If you are looking for atmosphere, not your place. It's very noisy and crowded and lacks the wow factor when you walk in. The BYOB is the bonus and did I mention the Mole sauce?
Oh, mole!!!!
Delicious, delicious, delicious.
I went for a second trip last night and finally got a table at the window away from the cramped middle tables. I had the pleasure of having the same server who is amazing. She is so pleasant and courteous.
The food = yummers! Every single thing I have tried here from the octopus, to the steak in cute corn bowls, to the lamb, to the steak, to the pork, to the dessert = all amazing. The mole sets this place apart. I have tried many o' mole in my days and it usually has a "burnt" or very dark flavor. The mole here is succulent and sweet. The best I have ever had.
As stated above, there are a few too many tables in the tiny space, but the food makes up for it. They have also recently remodeled the room in the back and have added fabric and huge, beautiful paintings to the walls dampening the noise and adding to the vibe. The front room is now the louder of the two.
Highly recommended.
FINALLY checked this place out. I live in the neighborhood, drive by it every single day... but finally we tried it. It was a Wednesday night at 7:45... and when I told the hostess "we're 4" she was surprised we didn't have a reservation and wasn't sure if she could get us in. DAAAAAAANG! On a Wednesday???
Well, she got us at a table. The last free one in the place.
We had the tamales in mole sauce to start with. Probably my favorite dish of the night... I could have had another tray of those things. I also had the dorado which was excellent. The sauce was scrumptious and I could have swam in those mashed potatoes.
A couple complaints that ALMOST dropped this place to only a 3 star for me. The waitstaff was SLAMMED... on a Weds. We sat down and were asked within 2 minutes if we were ready to order... which of course we were not... and then he didn't come back for 20 minutes. On top of it, they REALLY need to do something about the noise level in there. We were dining with a friend of ours that does some decorating and he said that fabric on the walls could cut down on the noise. It was difficult to even hear the people at our four top... I can't even imagine how annoying that would be with a group.
Good food... which is why I'm giving it a 4... but really, the service and the atmosphere were only 3 stars in my book.
But I'll definitely be back!
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!
I had the seafood tamales, but also tried the pork chop and steak. Everything was awesome. They use a lot of mole sauce so i was a little nervous about that, but the mole was the best mole i have ever had.
other things:
1. MAKE A RESERVATION!!! We waited for about 90 minutes on a Saturday night for a group of 4.
2. BYOB
Ate here w/ 2 friends. I had the tilapi. My friends had the pork, the goat cheese salad and the calamari. It is BYOB (liquor store kitty corner to the restaurant on Ashland). Everything was excellent. The service was good. Atmosphere is pretty non-descript and it was crowded and a little noisy. Prices were high for Mexican (approx $20 entrees) but worth it.
I think this place is great. When I want Mexican food, this is pretty much it for me. The food is really good...fresh ingredients, chips made when you walk in (!!!), and reasonably priced. I recommend the huevos rancheros and the enchilcada suizas. The plantains are good, also, but a little on the greasy side.
I also really appreciate the waitstaff. The woman who seems to always be working on the floor (she must be an owner of some sort) is friendly and attentive without being overbearing.
I've never had a problem getting a seat in here, but I think I've pretty much only gone in on weekend afternoons. Regardless, definitely check out Mixteco. You won't be sorry.
Mixteco serves fantastic Mexican favorites in a lively, friendly and casual atmosphere. The menu has an interesting selection of pork, fish, poultry, and meat entrees and starters. We ordered the talapia fish tacos and the skirt steak boats as starters, and moved on to the spicy marinated pulled pork and lamb mole. The mole was so good, my friend almost licked the plate to get every last drop. The BYOB policy is a plus and the reasonable prices make this a great weekend or weekday spot for excellent food.
I was having such a crap day before coming to Mixteco. It was about 8:30pm when I decided I could stay home and continue to have a suck day or I could venture out and find a food heaven that could maybe turn my day around. Mission accomplished!!! It was after 9 when we got there and there was about a 30 minute wait to get in. I really didn't mind. We went across the street and got some fat tire...love BYOB's!! Then we stood in the front entrance way and watched other people getting their food for about 20 minutes. Everything looked amazing. I tried not to stare too much but I was getting very hungry!
We were seated right next to where the food is cooked and they brought out chips and salsa right away....yum. It is pretty rare that I want to order EVERY SINGLE THING on a menu but Mixteco has such a menu. I had to get the pork chop with mango mole and mashed potatoes for my first Mixteco meal. It was totally insane in its goodness I could not stop eating it. My boyfriend got the scallops and these were heaven on a plate. We could not stop smiling and eating and smiling and eating more. Oh yeah... I almost forgot the sopes with pork and guacamole that we started with. The first bite of that was when my horrible day faded to a distant memory and the food bliss rainbow arrived over my head.
After watching flan after flan leave the kitchen there was no freaking way I could leave without having some. I did not think there was any way we could eat it all but we devoured it like nobody's business. Yummy mango and strawberries made it extra perfect.
While staring into Mixteco waiting for our table I'd noticed that no one was leaving with leftovers and I wondered if maybe the portions were smaller than they looked. NO! The food is just that good. That mango mole was sinfully amazing. I can't say enough good things about it. We ate every single bite of everything and I woke up this morning dreaming about that dinner. I've been having trouble deciding where to eat for my upcoming birthday and after a couple bites from here I don't even have to think about it.
Great regional Mexican food! My brother-in-law suggested this place and I wasn't quite sure how good Mexican food is in Chicago. I was seriously impressed - these guys do a fantastic job.
The special was salmon - perfectly, deliciously cooked with an incredible sauce (not mole, spicy, tomato-based as I recall).
Next time I'm in Chicago I'd make a special trip to eat here again.
They don't yet have a license to serve alcohol so you have to bring your own.
Wow. This place is amazing. I'd wanted to try it for some time when a certain lovely Yelper put a dinner group together.
In typical gluttonous fashion I am the only person out of 6 ordering an app. Great.
Appetizer: Two corn masa boats one filled with chicken in red mole another with pork in tomatillo salsa. Two of these plus the chips and salsa would MAYBE be enough for your meal. But not mine.
Entrée: Wood grilled rack of lamb with Oaxaca black mole served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
Okay, here's where it goes from 4 to 5 stars in a few easy steps. 1) Medium. So many restaurants have no bloody idea what medium means for meat. Pink throughout. Lamb was perfect. 2) Mole. I usually don't care for mole but this was scrumptious. I may like mole now. 3) Corn tortillas. I think we can all agree flour tortillas are B & B. Bland and bullshit.
Dessert: Tres Leches. Beautiful presentation and delightful.
Our server was attentive and pleasant. Placed my beer in their cooler, checked on us often. Even put salt on the drinking glasses for my dining companions who brought a handle, yes a handle of margaritas.
And reasonable. This is probably my new favorite Mexican joint.
BYOB. Liquor store across the street.
I'd been hearing raves about this spot for a while, so I was thrilled when my dad invited me to join him and his friend there. Apparently, my friends aren't the only fans of Mixteco, because it was absolutely packed when we arrived at 7:30 on a Wednesday -- to the point that we had to wait 10 minutes for them to seat us for our reservation.
The decor is nondescript. It looks like it used to be a mediocre diner that has been brightened by a few large paintings. Lots of windows for this corner location brightens things a bit more.
Servers were quick to greet us as we sat at our table and waters were kept always more than half full, which was welcome to this thirsty guy. But while busboys are plenty, our waiter was nowhere to be found for quite a long time. We also had trouble flagging someone down to open our second bottle of wine.
When we finally were served our food, it was absolutely amazing! I ordered the rack of lamb in black mole, which the house prefers to serve medium rare. It was cooked to perfection and the mashed potatoes it came with were great mixed in with the flavor-filled sauce. Appetizers for the table included the grilled calamari (a great grilled taste mixed with greens and many steps above your traditional fried calamari appetizer), sopes with pork (maybe the best bite of my meal) and ceviche (made with marlin, not overly citrus-y and probably the freshest and most satisfying I've ever had). I also dug into my dad's Camarones Borrachos (drunken shrimp), which are cooked in a flavorful beer sauce and tasted fantastic served with rice that absorbs the yummy sauce for a perfect flavor and texture. Moist, chewy tortillas were also served for everyone.
As a side note, in the middle of our experience, the owner or manager or something came over to our table, crouched welcomingly down to our eye level and, "pretending" he was just a random guy off the street, checked in to see how our meal was. Funny and cool touch there.
This place seems to be all about the food. Despite the blah decor and a few service issues, the meal was fantastic, and that was more than enough to leave me really satisfied walking back to my car. I highly recommend Mixteco Grill to anyone who likes unique dishes with strong flavors and a little punch of spice.
Other notes: Entrees are mostly between $15-$20. BYOB. Walking distance from the Brown Line's Montrose stop.
Got reservations at this place on a Thursday. You know they're doing something right if this is even an issue. At first I had a bit of sticker shock when seeing the menu (everything is 15-20 bucks), but the end product was spectacular. Think Frontera Grill without all the Rick Bayless/Oprah pretension surrounding it. The food quality is equal to the prices, which is all you can ask for at what seems to be a much trendier place than I expected
Pros:
- BYOB and no service charge on the two bottles we brought
- Waiters were super friendly and are water, nachos, and salsa were all plentiful throughout the night
- As previously noted, the food kicked ass and the presentation was awesome (if that's your sort of thing). Had the salmon special with potatoes and asparugus covered in a spectacular salsa. All three of us had clean plates at the end of the meal and we managed to get a good buzz on, not much more you can ask for on a Thursday.
Cons:
- Lighting was a bit harsh with yellowish orange wallpaper and bright lights. My friends said it made everyone look attractive, but when you are a lightweight half a bottle deep, I'd imagine a lot seems attractive to you
- It was NOISY. This went beyond crowded restaurant noisy, I was leaning in to listen at a four person table. If they're packing this place on a Thursday, they should have some cash to fix that issue
I would absolutely go back, but never go in more than a group of four or else you won't hear each other. And bring your own booze because they aren't serving any.
I love Mexican (as you can tell by all of my Mexican restaurant reviews). I was excited to visit Mixteco because of all the fabulous reviews it receives. I think we made a mistake when we decided to head in on a Friday evening, the place was packed and it was after 9pm! The décor didn't scream Mexican restaurant to me however I figured that might a good thing.
To my surprise we only waited about 10 minutes and were sat by the sweetest hostess. It took a while for our server to come and even longer to receive water. As we reviewed the menu I was a little disappointed in the lack of vegetarian items however they had a chile relleno stuffed with veggies that was calling my name. My boyfriend decided to get the enchiladas with a Oaxacan style mole. My Chile Relleno was average but there was nothing average about their mole!! WOW! It was a dark peppery, smoky, chocolate, plate full of goodness. They could put their mole on an old show and it would be good. Amazing.
Overall, I thought the experience was average but their mole was far above average and for that Mixteca Grill gets four stars.
I would like to see more variety on the menu, maybe more vegetarian options. As a whole, Mixteca Grill is pretty darn tasty.
Love Mixteco. We've been 6-7 times now, since they opened for brunch and for dinner. Reminds me of Fonda del Mar, and I like it as much in it's own way as all the Bayless restaurants. The lamb with black mole, salmon with yellow mole, the smoked squid salad, sopes, (all I can remember, but we've had more) are all tasty as hell. We've really enjoyed everything we've tried. Also, BYO, so no expensive drink costs.
Even after they expanded, it's still always packed and you'll need a reservation (yes, on a Wednesday). The tables are all tight against each other and it's loud, but it's still worth it because of the food.
Desserts are completely skippable though - we've tried several and they're not bad, but not in line with the rest of the menu. Get another appetizer instead. I've been harassing them to add champurrado (mexican hot chocolate) to the menu for dessert every time we go, cause I think it'd be more successful than the existing menu items.
Finally got a chance to try Mixteco!! I'd highly recommend making reservations for weekend nights - and perhaps even weeknights - as this place is hoppin'! And rightfully so - they are putting out beautiful plates of delicious Mexican fare. Our only complaint was the lack of spice - I expected a bit more kick out of you, Mixteco.
We started with the ceviche, which I have to say, was not my favorite ceviche in the city. It wasn't bad, it just didn't have that kick of flavor that I've come to love in other restaurants' ceviches. The chips were dynamite though, as was the salsa - although strangely enough, not spicy enough for me, and usually I'm a big wimp when it comes to spicy.
My porkchop, however, was absolutely divine. I loved the mole sauce - super sweet and rich with great depth of flavor. The accompaniments - sweet potato and plantains - matched perfectly with the mole sauce and added to the delicious flavor of the dish. My dining companions had fish and carne asada and were both really pleased with their meals.
Dessert was tres leches and a pineapple upside down cake - both fantastic and presented beautifully. No disappointment there.
Service was great, atmosphere is fun - a very pleasant experience was had by all. I don't think I'll be rushing back to have any particular thing I tried, but Mixteco will certainly make its way onto my rotation of Mexican-night-out hot spots.
My only other complaint/problem - how do I transport a pitcher of margaritas into this place since it's BYOB and they have no mixers whatsoever? I seriously called one of my dining companions to see if they owned a thermos...
I wasn't blown away with my first trip here. It has good reviews and everyone is raving about it, but I just didn't get it this time around.
We started with guacamole, which should be an easy hit, but it was flavorless. All 3 of us agreed that there was nothing that great about it- no heat, maybe missing some cilantro, and could definitely use more salt. We didn't even really want to finish it even though it was just an ice cream scoop sized portion.
I got the Mahi-Mahi, one friend had the seafood tamale thing, and another friend had chicken enchiladas? Not sure about that third dish, but there was no comment from her regarding the food. I tried the tamales with seafood, but again was underwhelmed. The sauce that came on my mahi mahi was delicious and the mashed potatoes were SO good. Besides that, nothing exceptional.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but I'm willing to go back one more time to give them a fair chance. The carne asada and porkchops sounded delicious and I want to try the soup appetizer as well. Maybe we'll do dessert too since we passed this time. It seemed like a case of "sounds better in the description on the menu" than it actually tasted. A solid 3 stars from me.
A fun and completely reasonable place to enjoy a meal. BYO without corkage - wine glasses aren't very good though if you are an oenophile. Food is good - a creative spin on Mexican classics. The mole here is justifiably famous, the only wow item I tasted. Service is good and timely. I was shocked at how small the bill was. Totally reasonable. Worth a visit for sure although don't expect any magic.
I finally came here, after obsessing for MONTHS. It was worth the wait, oh yes, my friends. Seven Star companion had friends in, where to eat? Here! And it turned out to be in one of our party's childhood neighborhood, double bonus pick on my part. Cut to the chase, the food.
Calamari appetizer - I could have eaten the whole plate, as a salad. A generous amount of greens with unbreaded (Yum.) smoky-tasting calamari. If I'd have been alone, as I remarked to my peeps, I'd have been licking that plate. Guacamole - delicious and fresh tasting, with Jicama chips stuck in it - LOVED that.
Two of us had the slow-roasted pork, and both commented on the pickled onions being delicious. It looks like a small portion, but packs a wallop, quite filling. Scallop entree - yummy sauce, juicy scallops and just the right amount of rice.
The dessert . . . now, I am not a dessert girl, usually opting for another glass of wine. Not here! The Tres leches cake - YUM. While my dinner companions had the conversation I can't participate in - kids, kids, kids - I concentrated on devouring as much as I could of this milky, delicious and NOT overly sweet confection. Wow, I'd come back just for this.
And BYOB makes this another one of my happy places. I'll be back, oh yes, my friends, I'll be back.
DELICIOUS!!!! I'm still dreaming of my meal from there - I went on Saturday night and it's Monday am.
We started with the fish taco and tamale appetizers - I could have eaten an entire plate of both (does that make me sound like a complete piglet or what?). Then moved on to have the grilled tiger shrimp entree and the grilled pork tenderloin in an incredible mole sauce. Again, just fantastic!
I eat out on a fairly regular basis and could not get over how genuine and friendly everyone was! I can't wait to return for my second visit!
If the ONLY thing that mattered to me was the quality of a restaurant's food I probably would have given Mixteco Grill a 4....maybe even a 5 star rating. The scallops I ordered were spectacular, coming in a coconut queso sauce that had a truly unique an delicious flavor.
The problem I had with Mixteco Grill had to do with the space and the temperature. Its a personal pet peeve of mine when restaurant owners are so hungry for more customers that they decide to cram the restaurant full of more tables than it can support. I was so close to the tables to my left and right, that I felt like they were in one party. I could even hear the couple next to me bicker about their in law!
The extremely high temperature in the restaurant was more or less due to the circumstances, but that doesn't make it any easier to enjoy a meal. Dining in an 85 degree environment is nobody's favorite thing to do!
Went here with my friends for our monthly BYOB night - fantastic! Make a reservation because the space is tiny, but you will not be disappointed in the food. We decided to skip the small plates and ordered entrees. I had shrimp with a green mole sauce, and most of my friends ordered chicken with black mole. No one was disappointed. Services was good, no cork fee, and food came quickly. I will definitely be back.
It's not you, it's me.
This place wasn't my cup of tea. I knew that it wouldn't be prior to going.
It's not that the food is bad, I just don't think it's my style because I'm not really a mole/chipotle fan. I'm more of a La Pasadita, Los Nopoles, and Mariscos El Veneno person. I had the chicken w/peanut sauce that came with green rice. The chicken was cooked and carved perfectly. I didn't think the green color added any extra flavor. The bf had the chicken enchiladas. He liked the mole, but would have preferred cheese in or on top of the enchiladas.
If you're big on mole, you'll probably enjoy this place a lot.
So, this place gets pretty good reveiws and I can see why. Upscale Mexican food, good quality, fresh ingredients, and BYOB. How can you go wrong?
I had high expectations going into my first visit to Mixteco...stopped by a bit late on a Saturday night, and we were seated immediately in the back seating area. Unforunately my appetite was immediately vanquished by the smell of the back side of a fully loaded port-a-potty sitting in the hot Texas sun all day. I don't know if they just left the bathroom door wide open, but it smelled FOUL. To top that off there were only about 3-4 other parties seated and it sounded like an elementary school cafeteria full of drunken 4th graders. I guess they were so drunk even their olfactory nerves were impaired. Well either that or someone just dropped a load and forgot to flush.
As far as the food goes...well it was good, but not as great as people say. The grilled shrimp was fresh with great seasoning, and the mexican rice was certainly better than expected. I must say the mole negro they used was delicious and comparable to what I've had at other top Mexican restaurants in Chicago. The guacalmoe con chicharron appetizer was very good - the pork was roasted perfectly. Somehow I was able to get past the foul odor and 120+ decibel level to enjoy my dinner, but it would have been a much better time without.
Bottomline: I'd go back, but only if I can sit in the front area or at the bar and on a Monday night when the drunken 4th graders are on curfew.
They do almost everything right at this corner storefront BYOB. Delicious chips with green salsa and chunky salsa are great
starters. The gazpacho soup special hit the spot on a hot summer night. All of our entrees earned raves: pork, chicken, enchiladas, and crab cakes. Good coffee with hints of cinnamon round out a fine dinner. Bring your best Shiraz, zinfandel, or Malbec
to accompany the excellent Latin flavors. The only problem was the
lack of sufficient air conditioning. As we ate and drank and the room
filled up, we became increasingly uncomfortable. Cool the room!
The spouse and I enjoyed an early weeknight dinner here. Upon entering the friendly greeter allowed… Read more »
I drove by this place FOREVER...and finally was able to partake of what some folks have described as some of the best Mexican around. The lines atest to those statements, but I had to find out for myself.
My dinner mate and I had a couple of bottles of wine, though we thought we'd never finish them both off.......silly us *grin*. We actually had to wait a bit and Mixteco served our wine during our wait! It is BYOB...a big plus in these times.
The food was everything I'd hoped it would be. guacamole appertizer and ceviche was outstanding.
The entree I ordered was grilled prawns.....we call them shrimp where I come from....the mole sauce was just perfect...in fact the best I've every had!!
Food was great as was the service, but reservations are a must.
Mixteco has served me the best upscale Mexican food I've ever had and I can't wait to go back.
To start off they bring out fresh tortilla chips that are neither too salty nor too oily (a rare feat!) with delicious tomatillo salsa that has a bright lime flavor. I love the feeling when I look at a menu and feel like there are way more good options than I could possibly order, and Mixteco brings this in spades. My favorite appetizers to date were the chicken tostadas and the crab ceviche. The tostadas were crispy and the shredded chicken loaded with smokey flavor. The ceviche was very fresh and chunky. Using crab instead of fish was an interesting twist that I think worked really well.
The entrees are typically grilled and served with a sauce. The Mahi-Mahi was served with a peanut mole that was earthy and complex. The carne asada was a beautiful piece of steak topped with a smokey tomatillo salsa (next time I'm ordering the side mole).
I haven't had a bad item at Mixteco and to top it off, it's BYOB. It gets busy on weekends so we always make reservations. I've heard the brunch is great too, so I'll be checking that out at some point. I really think Mixteco stands out as the best amongst the many upscale Mexican restaurants in Chicago.
I fear poor service at restaurants, so when I read other reviews that suggested such, I was a little put off.
That was not our experience at all. The place was packed, late on a Wednesday night. They honored our reservation seating us well before others who had walked in and had been waiting longer.
We thoroughly enjoyed ALL of our dishes. For apps, we loved the Ceviche - it was fresh, and each bite exploded in your mouth. The empanadas didn't sound as delightful as they tasted. The dough was out of this world, and the sauce was divine.
I had a pork dish and the Mrs. enjoyed a seafood entree. Both were first rate.
The service was fine. I have no complaints. The place was packed. The only issue we had was the noise. HOLY NOISY. I mean loud...loud, loud, sometimes had to shout to talk to my wife across the table. For me, that means, I would have to really be in the mood to go back, as conversation is vital to my nights out..
BYOB makes it reasonable, and street parking was plentiful. I think anyone who enjoys Mexican food needs to try Mixteco as it is one of Chicago's best places for Mexican food.
Groupon Alert!
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