Bodega Bar River North

It was Taco Tuesday and we had 3 people. The food was pretty good, no complaints. However I didn't get a paper receipt they just brought a machine to swipe my card so I couldn't see an itemized bill. I tipped and left. But I went back in because it just seemed really expensive. He pulled up bill and there were two extra charges plus he added tip for me to pull the double tip trick. Not cool. For a table of 3, there's no reason to add a tip for us. We had to get our own menus, get our own napkins, find a drink menu and wait a really long time to pay the bill. So be aware to request a paper bill and check it before you pay.

Went for happy hour bar service was slow even though bar was empty - waters went with no refill and we had to flag them down for our second drink. Drinks were good but be warned they did not let us know there was an upcharge for added flavor to the hh margaritas and they automatically applied a 20% tip for a party of two. Would go back but with these things in mind.

Discovered the quesabirria & omg!!! The best thing I’ve ever had! Paired with the yucca fries & their $3 frozen margaritas, it was such a fun afternoon. Very chill neighborhood spot vibes & the food was incredible.

I picked up my order and they gave me the wrong order ! I ordered a shrimp quesadilla and they gave me an order with steak ! I’ve been a pescatarian for 11 years . No one answered the phone or messages . If you see this please refund my order . Terrible customer service.

This place is awesome! The weather and a flight delay left us looking for something close to our hotel and this place was a jackpot. We wanted take out! The food was delicious and so well priced. Our service was fantastic! They went out of their way to make sure we had all we needed to enjoy the night. The atmosphere was really fun inside the restaurant too. My man's heading back to the fries tomorrow now.

Pretty solid Taqueria, very good tacos, both the carne asada and carnitas were super tender and flavorful. The most amazing thing was the jalapeno wings, during happy hour it is $1 each. Those were definitely one of the biggest wings I have seen served anywhere. They were deep fried to perfection, not too dry, and the sauce had a bit of tang, not spicy, but not too sweet, perfect balance. I will definitely come back here for more of the same, especially during happy hour.

The food is really good. My burrito was really heavy (still delicious) but the queso was AMAZING. The drinks are great. The music was great too and it sounded like there was a DJ somewhere (there wasn't). The service could have been better. It took a while for us to get our check. And then when we moved to the bar it was difficult to order second and third drinks because the bartender was flirting with one of the other customers. Lol. They might've been short staffed though.

food here is 10/10! i always order birria tacos josh is always excellent at taking care of us he always makes our drinks and they come out tasting delicious. I will be coming back to this location.

I ordered Doordash delivery for lunch. I was in the mood for easy tacos. So I got the taco box and the esquitas. I added the chili crema to the tacos, and it is very spicy! Delicious. I also appreciate how they give you the option to NOT include certain ingredients, like cilantro. This taco is very yummy - I will definitely order again! Chips are good & salty. Esquitas are also good. Downtown can use good, no frills tacos! This fits the bill!!

Came here for haply hour. Kinda wish I hadn't. After some confusion over the pricing of drinks due to haply hour prices, we finally had some margaritas. These had to have been the most watered down margaritas ever. All I will say on that. For food, I got a steak taco and a pastor taco. I was brought a steak taco and a chicken taco instead. Since it had already been forever and the service was not the best, I decided to just eat what I was given. The tacos were traditional Mexican tacos so corn tortilla with meat onions and cilantro. Definition of mid. Far from the worst thing I've had, but I never want to have it again. I'm sure there are plenty of better spots in the area for Mexican food; I'd recommend them over this.

A great Taco place. The options were amazing for both food and drinks. Would definitely love to try the happy hour. The food was delicious and the service was great too. The ambiance was quite chill, a great place to come hang out with friends. I would recommend booking a table in advance if you plan to visit on the weekend, as it's quite crowded.

Quick lunch service during work hours. Wish we came on a day they had a special cause otherwise price per taco was pricey. We did enjoy the vibes though.

Come here for the frozen margs after dinner and you will never be disappointed! Great vibes!

I just placed an order to go with my friend a few minutes ago and for some reason got charged the 20% service fee? That alone kinda annoyed me. If we were gonna be sitting down to eat then yeah I get it but I put a To-go order so why am I being charged a service fee? That's that my friend also tipped more not knowing there was 20% already added. She didn't realize until after we got a receipt. That's a bit ridiculous to me Edit: The food was also just mid. It's wasn't awful but it wasn't good either. Plus they burned the outside of my burrito :)

Dylan is an AWESOME bartender and the service is amazing I tool them I like it spicy and I got so much goood habanero and quesadillas

Great food, drinks, and vibes! I love the location as it's next to so many other great food spots and bars! The service was great as well! Super cool spot we actually ended up going back later that same night! There was even a vintage clothing sale happening nearby which was super cool! AMAZING HAPPY HOUR!!

We came here because it was a taqueria. We expected chill because taquerias tend to be small, mom and pop kind of places. This is not that so temper your expectations. This is definitely a bar. It's dimly lit, they have an extensive alcohol selection and they play fun Latin club beats. We came on a Wednesday so did not indulge in spirits but we did get a selection of tacos. Service was pretty slow considering the amount of patrons in the restaurant. The chicken taco was lacking a salsa and was not filled to the brim. The dorado (crispy) tacos were better with the seasoning, but they also needed a salsa. They have hot sauce on the table, but any real Mexican spot would have had enough salsa with your tacos. The birria lacked the depth from stewing the meats. Bummer that restaurant has a fun vibe, but lackluster food.

A little confusion on the happy hour prices but jason the manager was able to help resolve the issue. Monty was excellent at service and very attentive without being overwhelming. Tacos are delicious and great deal for taco Tuesday !

Well Bodega was good until today. Now I may not go back. Here's why.... To be fair, my last few visits have been great with friendly attentive service, flavorful food and all around casual neighborhood vibe. Today was another story: the bartender chick was so RUDE!! When I asked for a paper menu, she snickered saying I really need to use the QR code and acted all righteous and inconvenienced by a customer wanting a real menu - please just get over yourself!! I accidentally left my phone back at the office and I don't have telepathy. She didn't budge or try to find me a menu. Instead she walks away. I almost left because of it but thankfully the fella sitting beside me at the bar offered up his phone so I could see the online menu. Seriously all these restaurants without printed menus are a disaster! They change items and prices on the fly. Last week the wings were $1 each, today they were $1.50 each or 6 for $12. Last time I went, they had empanadas but today they just ran out plus now it's two per order minimum instead of just one a la carte. No mix and match of flavors either. Weird how they think nobody will catch on to such things. Suggestion: if you don't want to offer paper menus, you should at minimum have a few iPads or tablets to share with customers. Not everyone wants to use QR codes or forced to be on their phones while eating out. PLUS today for the very first time, they wanted to charge a 20% automatic gratuity for a party of one (me) plus another 3.5% surcharge just for eating there versus take out. Then the point of sale system prompts for another tip when settling the tab. Nahhhh! Keep doing this to customers and I promise you will drive them away. Earn the tip - don't force it upon customers when service comes with a spicy side of bad attitude. Sure the food is still tasty but I'm not happy to give Bodega my repeat business if the service is abysmal. On top of the bartender having a bad attitude, she was busy flirting with the guy at the other end of the bar and slacking off on her mobile phone instead of coming to see if I or others nearby me needed anything. I'm more disappointed than anything else.

The fact that it is 2025 and the fact that you, a chain who used to proudly serve delicious plant-based meat alternatives, no longer carry any of those, is deeply disappointing. I didn't used to feel like a second-class citizen at Bodega--now I do. Please at least bring back a single Impossible product.

Really good happy hour deals and good quality food! I would definitely come back again

Continuing our visit through Downtown Chicago, we decided to come here for Taco Tuesday . We caught the last hour of Happy Hour, so I was able to catch the 3 for $11 taco special (2 carne asada, 1 carnitas). My kid got the Classico burrito w/carne asada. Side of rice and beans, and a side of quac. The food was just ok. I felt that both of my tacos lacked seasoning, and the R/B were bland as well. Customer service was nice, but slow. Maybe understaffed that day. Everything was just cool. I'd definitely would like to try the other places before coming back here though.

Place is complete shit. Someone should close down this rat hole. They charge you for food they didn't give you and screw up when it comes to serious allergies. Speaking of which, if you have a gluten allergy, DO NOT EAT HERE. Hot garbage.

Love the nachos here. Wonderful happy hour deals and they're usually playing great music. Very affordable for River North, and the service has always been kind and helpful

If you're looking for delicious tacos in River North, then this is your place to go! My friends and I stopped in on a Thursday afternoon and were able to get a table right away even though the restaurant does not have the biggest seating area. I tried the crispy fish, barbacoa, and al pastor taco. I enjoyed all of them but the fish taco was definitely my favorite! If you like corn, you need to get the esquites because they are delicious!! Would love to come back next time I'm in Chicago!

Did somebody say happy hour!!!! It's that time. Bodega has a great happy hour! They have an outside patio with plenty of seasons and just enough seating inside. They also have a bar area which has plenty of seating. When I tell you the service is impeccable....its impeccable. There was never a moment where I wasn't not asked if I needed anything else or where my food or drinks stayed on the table and I was finished with it. Service was fast and I didn't have to wait long either. The food was pretty good. I had nachos for $3 in the happy hour menu and some wings. Typical bar food but it actually was tasty and decently priced. I've gone twice in two week so I guess it's safe to say I do enjoy Bodegas happy hour lol.

Bodega always hits the spot after a long night out. The guacamole and tacos are delicious. Definitely try the churros. Great late night spot!

Stumbled into this location on their first day open because we were too hungry to wait for our original dinner reservations. We were very happy with this find. Not only were we welcomed in right away, but we all also received a free shot of tequila from the general manager! She's great . That's not my drink of choice but my friend (who loves tequila) loved it! The ambiance makes me think of south Florida.... makes sense because they are a south Florida based company. I have also been to the location down in Fort Lauderdale, and like this spot more! Music is fun and the light is dim but adds to the vibe. Chips were fresh, queso had a nice kick and the guac was good as well. Tacos were very scrumptious, but small. Although that could just be because I was super hungry. The birria quesadilla was by far the best dish - very flavorful. I did notice they use a lot of onion in every item I tried, but I didn't mind it. Overall 4/5, would revisit.

INCREDIBLE service, tasty tacos, and good margs, I look forward to coming back! They set up a special Happy Hour for a large group I was with and still managed to take our orders and get the food and drinks out super quickly and kindly. I went with the Pollo and Aguacate tacos and then the Blood Orange Margarita. It didn't taste particularly like a Blood Orange, but if that's my biggest gripe then you know it was good.

Christmas Eve..Charming Urban aesthetics brought us into giving Bodega Taqueria downtown, Chicago. Was greeted by one Bartender, and then switch to another, Cassie. Ordered a Wake the dead espresso martini with tequila and a Paloma. Tasty. Buck stopped there. Carnita tacos and Carne Asada for their happy hour, 3 for $12, were bland, boring,. Had chips and guac to start. Didn't know if the chips were corn or flour. Ordered Mexican beans, which were black, and rice... Each were seasoned exactly the same. The salsa that came on top was delicious. But I had to keep digging in my white pint container, looking for a more traditional Mexican rice. When I complained to Cassie, she ignored me. I said something when she came with the bill, asking her to remove it. 'Awww honey, you ate it' 'I'd have to call over a manager' which she didn't. I didn't eat much of it. We paid. Had to ask for a printed copy of the receipt. Didn't get to talk to a manager...or got the item removed. As a former restaurant manager, this left a bad taste in my mouth. Over all ambiance at the bar was nice...with the other bartender. Food ok. Service....bah humbug!!!! The Grinch won.

Great tacos and quesadillas. Staff was great and very attentive. They had a DJ playing music that was a great addition to the atmosphere.

it was ok. the vibe inside was dark and a little moody. i didn't love my tacos. the tortilla wasn't really toasted or warm. however the crispy fish itself was fine. the guacamole was also fine. however i would probably not come here while craving tacos again

All around 5 stars! The food is delicious, drinks are strong, and happy hour prices cannot be beat! All of the employees were very personable and attentive! One other thing I liked was all the graffiti on the walls in the bathroom. Idk if I should take my own marker or if they provide them, but thought it was a fun to read some of the cheeky comments Food: AL PASTOR Taco: Roasted Pork, Charred Pineapple, Red Onion, Cilantro, Salsa Rosada - ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The pineapple made this taco, but also the amount of meat is way more than expected for a $4 happy hour taco! BIRRIA QUESADILLA: Short Rib, Oaxaca Cheese, Red Onion, Cilantro, Avocado Salsa, Birria Sauce - JUST GET IT! You will thank me later. Overflowing with meat and tasty!

Good food, but the taco flavors all seemed to blend. After trying 1-2, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the flavor profiles; the meat was not very distinct despite obviously being from a different source. The ambiance is a little loud and overly dark, which makes it tough to dine indoors. The service is great, though there was only one server between the bar and restaurant. I imagine that must be stressful for staff.

Birria quesadilla is delicious. The tacos not so much. The corn tortilla was so overcooked it was hard. Meat was bland and just really not good. Frozen margarita was also not good or worth it.

Came later in the night at around 10:30pm and ordered a quesadilla and two tacos. Wasn't too much people and the lady was nice when taking our order but it was confusing and we were standing around for a while. We ordered To Go to take it back home and the food took a very long time to come out as we were sitting there for 40 minutes. It was definitely a surprise considering what we ordered but the kitchen was backed up. We were not told this until the staff looked over of how physically exhausted we were of waiting. They also brought out an order to a table when we ordered before them. This was not okay.. I would have appreciated it if the staff let us know beforehand how long it would have taken as I would have not purchased something knowing it would take this long.

Stopped by for lunch and had the Elote y Rajas dorado and it was amazing. Tacos as a vegetarian can always be hit or miss but these were stellar and the vibes inside were fun. Also for the quality of the food the price is super reasonable, hard to get a meal for $7 anywhere. Looking forward to coming back soon

SCUMMY BUSINESS PRACTICE ALERT Undisclosed 20% service fee Had to ask for the Itemized bill Bad service Mediocre food. Went in on a saturday night, had some very mediocre food and a couple of drinks. When we closed out the tab it was a bit higher than expected and the server did not bring the check, just brought the card machine open to the tip screen. The service wasn't particularly friendly and didn't really do anything to deserve a good tip. After i paid I got to thinking and realized the total was just way too high. Asked for the receipt and found a super neat 20% service charge and a 3.5% "restaurant fee". None of these fees were disclosed before paying and I obviously will not be coming back.

It was not really busy. Our first time here. All you could order was tacos because of the holiday. We had to hunt somebody down to even order. Very few people in the rest of the place we're eating. Mostly drinking. We were there about 7 PM. Each of us/four people ordered two tacos. After 30 minutes and no food coming out to anyone, we went and asked how long it would take and we're told that it normally takes 10 to 15 minutes. We said we had never gotten our food. Within a minute or two our food came out. It was cold, the tortilla shells you could tell had been sitting out for half an hour because they were Dried and hard. It might be the worst taco I've ever had in my life. The staff was nice. I don't know if they were understaffed or what the deal was. This was just our experience on this particular night.

Great service and food!! The ambience and the music were amazing!! I would definitely come back

The food itself was average . Nothing to write home about. Not bad but definitely not great. The taco fillings were tasty but the tortillas were hard and dry, tasted kinda stale. But this review is about the staffing. They literally had one person, the bartender, who was working her tail off to handle everything and I mean everything on a busy night in downtown Chicago. I'm watching this one person tend bar, take orders, bus tables, expedite the food. Maybe next time have her do the cooking while you're at it. That's not right. I don't know what they're thinking. There's no way one person can handle all this and provide halfway decent service. It was terrible and unfair to the employee. I hope they'll do better by their staff. I also agree with the other reviews re. the service surcharge. Every restaurant I've been to that does this will tell you in advance.

Stopped by for happy hour after thinking the place sounded familiar. I had visited the Fort Lauderdale location multiple times so decided to check out their new Chicago location. The place is small, has a lounge which I did not check out during this visit. It is small but intimate and cozy, they played Latin music, although kinda low. It was a Wednesday evening though so that might be why. All the tables were full and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Drinks during happy hour were $8 and delicious, great serving. Definitely try the mango and the watermelon margaritas, both delicious. Staff is attentive

The tacos are delicious and their Margaritas are the best .... Happy Hours are the best swing by and ask for Liz she the best

Went here midday for a drink. Ordered a classics lime margarita which was a 7/10. The frozen strawberry margarita I would skip next time. Guac and snacks were mid. The service was fine. Nothing to rave about. Didn't go at night which is more the vibe.

Our server charged my card for someone else's ticket and told me she would fix it, which never happened. I tried calling the next day, multiple times, once i realized I had still been charged. Each time I called it was a robot that would send me a link to their WhatsApp which doesn't work and when I said I wanted to speak to a manager the robot hung up on me. Really upset about this as I was charged $55 and hope my bank can dispute it. Never going back!

Ambiance was good. Top shelf margarita $16 and was just okay. Heavy on the mixers. Too sweet. Food was cold and soggy. Service very slow. We did sit down an hour before closing and were seated with a smile. Server was nice but not attentive. Gratuity for 2 people was included in the check. That was a surprise and not clearly stated on the menu or otherwise. Would never come back again.

After sitting at a table we had to ask for water and to order our food. We were given the time frame of 15 minutes for tacos which doubled and when they came out they were cold and hard.... DJs music inside was good.

I came back to try this spot and it did not disappoint! The vibes were amazing with music and soccer playing on the TV. Drinks were just as spectacular and the tacos were fire!! My wife got the burrito bowl and had plenty of food leftover. Big shout out to Oscar (the manager) and his staff. Each person who engaged with us made sure we were having a great time and they were very timely with everything (refills, food/drink orders, etc). Best part is their kitchen is open till 1:40 AM! Highly recommended and definitely going back before we head back to our city.

Fun, easy spot on hopping Clark Street. Half bar half restaurant and even though we weren't drinking we were made welcome and served delicious tacos. And of course a Mexican Coke to enjoy alongside. Attentive service and food was prepared quickly. Great stop on our Midwest adventure.

It's a little small inside, we sat at the bar and it was okay for us. Service was quick. Quesadilla was good and big, I'd recommend. Chicken tacos were okay but we did get chicken wings and those were better.

Three of us ate. Food was good, guacamole was nothing to suggest ordering. Service was poor. 2 of us finished eating before the third got his food. They added a surcharge without advising us. Not going back.

Cute spot in great location in River North. Not too big but very charming and high energy for young adults. Great happy hour deals and drinks!

We were just visiting Chicago for the first weekend. It was walking distance from our hotel( Westin) so we decided to give it a try. Happy to say they didn't disappoint. We were served by this amazing women named Elizabeth. She was friendly and patient with us. I wish all servers were as sweet and this woman. All the food was a home run! Also loved the overall vibe at this place. We will be returning next time we visit!

Terrible experience, service was slow. Bartender was distracted behind the bar while we waited 20 minutes between visits. The "manager" just sat on her phone In corner by the bar not helping at all. Looking at past reviews this place needs to be restaffed. Same terrible service, from what seems to be the same staff. Food wasnt even that could the tacos shells were hard by the time we got our food.​​

For starters, service is an absolute zero. We walked in, there's no direction on whether to seat yourself or wait for a host and nobody bothered to help us. We initially sat down at a table, which nobody acknowledged so after 5 minutes we moved to the bar. Both the male and female bartenders saw us, made eye contact, and continued flirting for 5-10 minutes with solo parties of the opposite sex who did not need service. The male bartender finally came over, we ordered drinks, an appetizer, and 2 entrees. Our drinks (a house marg and espresso martini) were 4/10. Very basic, not bad, but very overpriced. My boyfriend's food came before mine by about 10 mins. He ordered a bowl, I ordered the steak quesadilla. Food we would rate a 7/10. Good flavor. Took another 20-25 minutes for the bartender to check on us. I asked for a box and the check. He immediately brought us a box. Then made a drink for himself, chatted with others for 10 mins (not providing service), then finally brought us our check. Tip was automatically added in, which wasn't clear, and it only gave the option to add to the tip. We won't be back, that was the worse service we've received in a very long time.

The drinks for happy hour were premade and water down. There were no liquor whatsoever and when I told the waiter and bartender, they refuse to add additional liquor. It was unprofessional. Every person in the bar agreed at that time for happy hour and left out, and they still refuse to add additional liquor.

Slow, careless service, had to wave down our server several times for basics. With the 23.5 % sur charge you would expect a little bit of tabelside manners from the servers not the case here, it's basically a dive bar that charges 20% autograd.