Edgewater Mexican Cafe

Customer service here is terrible, the waiter talks with an attitude literally almost rolling his eyes. As for the establishment and the food is great. It’s great that this place offers buffet style breakfast/ lunch from 12-3pm( I visited this place on a Sunday) which is awesome you get to try a little of everything. The restaurant is a pretty decent size with seating both inside or patio. Interior decor is pretty lovely. The restaurant has a parking towards the back for about 90minutes which is great or else you get the option of paying for street parking. I tried the French toast that is my favorite breakfast dish, fruit very fresh not soft or soggy. I will be definitely returning.

Excellent service! The restaurant is ready for Valentine's Day - so many decorations. The guacamole was creamy and not spicy. The chimichamga was tasty, and the enchiladas were good too. There is free parking behind the restaurant.

I’ve been here many, many times with friends or a solo meal outside with my dog. I love the food here, and the service is always fantastic. I recently discovered how amazing their brunch menu is. Don’t sleep ok their mezcal margaritas! I highly recommend their breakfast skillets and fajitas!

I went here for a graduation dinner and I enjoyed everything I had. Presentation left a bit to be desired on my plate, but it tasted delicious and that’s all that matters lol. I had the combination number #7, which came with Al pastor tostada, Chicken Chimichanga, and Chorizo taco. I also had the Edgewater margarita for a drink, and it was well-made and tasted great! Nice little Mexican neighborhood spot that I would recommend checking out if you’re in the area.

this place is adorable. i love the interior decorations and the music they play (I was holding back from dancing the whole time). it reminds me of my hometown San Antonio. we get seated and get free chips and salsa almost immediately. (for me, a sign of a great mexican restaurant.) the salsa was smokey, and has a light spice to it. the chips were fresh and warm. our waiter was so kind and quick with us. I got the enchiladas pacifico and the portion was solid. the garlic sauce was just what I was hoping for, so savory and flavorful. the shrimp was cooked good and the tortillas were soft and held their shape. the rice and beans both were great too (although, i wish there was more beans). overall the place is good but I personally feel it is a bit too expensive for the food they are making. I would recommend for the service and atmosphere alone, and the food is good if you are willing to pay the price.

Had been wanting to try this place. Started out with the beef enchiladas, they did nothing for me, quite flavorless. Tried a beef taco as a second option, not pleasing. Beautiful restaurant with very nice staff, I just didn’t like my dishes, they were bland. Update: 5/8/23: Hungry and decided to give this place another chance. Wow, the food here just isn’t good, server was nice. Had tacos and they lacked flavor, the ground beef taco was just all around bad. I’m sure this is a nice spot for the locals but it doesn’t hit home in the flavor department.

I come here a lot and love the Mexican breakfast they offer. Today I decided to try a more American breakfast. I ordered blueberry pancakes and received plain pancakes with a cup of lukewarm blueberries in the container. I was up-charged for this and the blueberries aren’t even appetizing as they have been warmed up by the sausage and pancakes. Very disappointing, i feel like I wasted my money trying to order one of my favorite breakfasts.

I've always passed in front of this place and the smell coming out of it has always been incredible, so I have it a try. It's good food. The lentils soup was delicious. Same for the tacos. My arrachera steak was fine, but in some spots it was extremely salty. What was not good was the service. They were kind enough to sit us outside, but then they forgot about us. I had to go inside and ask somebody to come take our order. Never provided salt, pepper or hot sauce, so I had to grab some from a table of some people that left before we arrived. Not sure what happened since there were about 4 tables busy in total. I found it a little bit pricey too, but maybe it was because of the service quality which provided a not so good experience.

A Mexican Diner Located in Edgewater. I stopped by around 11:00am on Friday before the locals were making their way in. I loved the setup as it harkens back to old school diners with a Mexican twist. I also want to shout out the staff, Jason was extremely welcoming. I ordered the Edgewater M.C. skillet and it was fantastic. I love that they used shredded hash browns at the bottom to soak of the Chorizo oils. It also had generous amounts of cheese and tomatoes throughout with large jalapeño circles. The scrambled eggs were well cooked, creamy and fluffy. A pleasant experience overall and very affordable. Definitely recommend stopping by.

We were longtime fans of That Little Mexican Cafe in Evanston which closed just before the pandemic and broke many hearts including ours. Now in Edgewater, we realize that this was their second location in Chicago, reborn! On the way back from O'Hare, I was starving and decided to stop off here. It was Monday evening and their specials were $12 enchiladas and $8 house margaritas. I normally have their tamales and have been contemplating their chiles rellenos but decided to try their special, since my partner (now flying to Europe) loves their chicken tinga enchiladas with mole sauce. They were delicious and I can understand her fandom! Because of a Zoom alert (west coast time!) I opted for a second margarita to get through the meeting. :) Later doing math games, I realized that I didn't CHECK THE BILL!!! $32 plus $3.44 in taxes didn't add up ($12 + 8 + 8 = $28, then taxes). I was probably charged full price for my drinks. I realize that $4 plus taxes is not a lot of money, and I am privileged compared to people for which it does make a difference. But if this is a consistent practice then my recommendation is that while the food and drinks are great, do CHECK YOUR BILL!!! Meanwhile there are other Mexican restos in Edgewater with good reviews (Susupuato, Mas Alla Del Sol) and we should be checking them out, too.

The best casual Mexican restaurant on the northside! For me, an early dinner on the patio is the perfect capstone to a day at the beach (just down the street). The chips and salsa (complimentary) have a nice peppery bite to them. I ordered the enchiladas (delicious). The red sauce was SO GOOD. The rice and beans were also flavorful and this is coming from a guy who skips these at most other places. The skinny margarita was very good as well! The staff are friendly, casual, and polite. If you're looking for a lowkey casual meal in Edgewater this is a great option!

I typically get my Mexican food from taquerias so this place is a little bit pricier for the food, but you get more of a lively vibe and there's a bar. Definitely enjoy their week specials, especially the Monday deal--$7 margaritas and $12 enchiladas. Their drinks are strong and tasty! The server was so kind and helpful. He let me try both the salsa verde and mole sauce on my enchiladas. Yum!

I went here for a graduation dinner and I enjoyed everything I had. Presentation left a bit to be desired on my plate, but it tasted delicious and that's all that matters lol. I had the combination number #7, which came with Al pastor tostada, Chicken Chimichanga, and Chorizo taco. I also had the Edgewater margarita for a drink, and it was well-made and tasted great! Nice little Mexican neighborhood spot that I would recommend checking out if you're in the area.

Edgewater Mexican Cafe is top notch. I love that Edgewater Mexican Cafe invests in its holiday decor and take pride in making sure the restaurant always looks nice. The inside is very spacious with a collection of booths and tables that can accommodate various party sizes. Edgewater Mexican Cafe has an outdoor sitting area that is not big but can accommodate a few tables of four. I won't lie, Edgewater Mexican Cafe is on the higher price point for some dishes but the food is unbelievable. I typically visit Edgewater Mexican Cafe whenever I want something more complex than a taco or burrito. During my most recent visit I had the Pollo a la diabla entree. The chicken was so tender that it was falling off the bone. This was my first time having the dish and it quickly became one of my favorite dishes. The the dish was very flavorful and the ingredients tasted fresh. I was easily able to get two solid meals from the dish. The drinks at Edgewater Mexican Cafe are also strong. They offer random drink deals throughout the year. During the Summertime I find myself stopping by on a Friday night to enjoy a margarita. I highly recommend Edgewater Mexican Cafe because it is a cute place for date night, outing with friends, or family dinners.

Great place , the picaditas de tings are delicious. Attentive service and live music on Saturday's . I tried the picosita margarita . Overall great service . Strongly recommend!

Our first visit here was so favorable, we are already planning to return. The only thing that makes delays that return is the location in a very dense residential neighborhood. Finding parking on Bryn Mawr or in the near neighborhood is not for the faint of heart. That is no way reflects on the quality of the restaurant, it's just something potential customers should know about. On a recent Sunday evening, it was a little too cool to enjoy al fresco dining, so Jen and I chose to sit indoors. We were quickly greeted with water, silverware, salsa, and a basket of chips. The salsa is delicious and spicy. In some Mexican restaurants, the salsa is very mild; not here. This has a little kick to it, which we appreciated. Right away, this indicates that the food here has a high flavor profile. On to the margaritas. I had La Cucaracha. It is spicy, too, and oh so good. Just the right amount of alcohol to provide a comfortable, mild buzz, but not enough to distract from the yummy taste. Me gusta mucho. , Jen had the standard house margarita, which she enjoyed very much. Neither of us was super-hungry. We saw the portion sizes of the food being delivered to another table and knew we had to decide -- just enough food to satisfy us then and there, or an entree which would provide leftovers for the next day. We went with the smaller portions. I had a vegetable tamale off the side orders section and onion rings. Yes, onion rings are my guilty pleasure. They were really good, and I did end up taking a few home. They were still good reheated in the toaster oven the next day. The vegetable tamale was beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, and very filling. The sauce was half green sauce and half mole -- an excellent presentation. Oh so good! Jen had a side order of guacamole on her vegetable enchilada. And more chips -- she loved the chips and salsa even more than me. She ate it all and was full and happy. Service throughout was attentive but not overbearing. We felt that the prices were reasonable. All in all, a very favorable experience. I would happily go back and explore more of the menu. And maybe get another one of those La Cucaracha margaritas.

I had been in the mood for a burrito and found myself next door so I decided to pop in for lunch. It was not very busy so our server was really on top of taking care of us (almost too much...). I got the portobello burrito, which was ready quickly. They had chopped the portobello nicely so the pieces didn't get too oily or chewy, but not too small that you don't even know you're eating them. The burrito itself was a bit wet on the bottom (I suspect because of said mushrooms); I ate one half by hand and it dripped down my sleeve. I ate the second half with a fork and knife. I thought the burrito itself was very flavorful and wasn't too spicy. I wish it had black beans in it, but I enjoyed the refried beans and Mexican rice on the side. Went well with the tortilla chips. I'd definitely like to go back to try their other offerings.

Food was average, prices were steep for the quality of the food. Margarita was delicious! I would return for drinks, but not food. Wasn't worth the $125 price tag.

Went for dinner and ordered an appetizer and two entrees for food. The virgin margarita I ordered was really flavorful, and I would buy that again. The food was bland, and the chips were hard and stale. The service was a bit slow for a Wednesday early evening. I'm glad I have tried it, but I am not sure I would order food again.

Probably 4.5 stars. In a par of town that has many taco counters, this is a gem with a nice bar, great people and delicious food. A definite go to for a nice Mexican dinner out.

Big, bright ambience with a full bar and plenty of seating that doesn't feel cramped. Service was absolutely lovely (shout out, Roberto, we'll bring you back some sunshine from Florida!), prompt, and offered some great food and beverage recommendations. We had one entree and a few ala cart items (at 10am which makes my heart sing) and everything was fabulous. Steak burrito was, shall we say, plentiful. I was hungry, in the way that only the 40+ and slightly hungover person on a weekend vacation can be, and still didn't even manage to eat half. It was fabulous and perfectly seasoned... just a lot. My dining companion created her own ala carte egg and enchilada dish and basically licked the dish with the salsa diabla. On to that. For the faint of spice, their regular sauces are pretty mild but for the spicy gals like me... the salsa diabla is AMAZING, but usually only available at dinner (so no grouching if it's not available, we got there before it was busy and the chef was kind enough to hook us up). Let me tell you, this isn't some macho "if you can take the heat" dude bro sauce. This is ancho forward, subtle, slightly sweet and smoky, and definitely will leave your mouth tingling even for the spicy folks. All in all, an incredible experience from beginning to end. Will definitely be back.

Great atmosphere, cheerful, colorful decor with lovely patio seating surrounded by flowers. Staff is sooo friendly!

All the menu items were reasonable, the food was tasty, the service was good, and the setting was lovely. We received complementary nachos upon arrival- that's sweet! So glad to found a good Mexican restaurant

This place deserves 10 stars. The steak fajita was amaaaaaazing. Generous portion. Delicious!!! Try their hot salsa. It's killer.

Went here last night for dinner, and the food was pretty good! I had gotten the enchiladas and they were amazing. My boyfriend got the al pastor tacos and he loved his dish as well. Lots of flavor and cute ambiance in the restaurant. Service was fast as well.

Make no mistake -- Edgewater is now my new favorite neighborhood spot for summer 2021. My partner and I were running an errand and stumbled upon the outdoor patio setup at Edgewater Mexican Cafe, and we couldn't resist stopping by for drinks. The string lights and mesh top tables created a whimsical dining scene. Immediately, we were greeted with a smile when we stepped inside. We then were led to an outdoor table. There was hand sanitizer by the host stand, which I appreciated since I had forgotten mine at home. The menus are on QR codes on the table and the staff all are wearing masks. However, I truly will return for the excellent drinks and food. We were seated with complimentary salsa and chips and the salsa was mild and fresh. My mint mojito was refreshing, and my steak picaditos were unbelievably tasty. The steak was so tender that I completely lost track of the conversation I was having -- it was that good. Moral of the story: Stop by!

We were longtime fans of That Little Mexican Cafe in Evanston which closed just before the pandemic and broke many hearts including ours. With a recent move to Edgewater, we realized that this was their second city location which some employees bought from the retiring owners. We have been here a couple of times and it was like reuniting with old friends! I ordered tamales (hard to find at most Mexican places), one pork with salsa verde and one chicken with molé sauce. My companion ordered her usual favorite enchilada suizas, chicken with molé sauce. Our appetizer was guacamole, made tableside and enough left over to top her enchiladas. Drinks were good, with a house margarita on the rocks for me and a French martini for her. Another time, I had the chile relleno with chorizo filling as well as the usual cheese and it fulfilled memories and expectations. We would recommend eating at their premises if you can, despite that their take-out is competent but a little overdone. A layer of plastic wrap is appreciated to keep the contents safe but TWO is a but much and requires cutting in order to access the food (unless you slip and the container falls on the floor, as happened to one of our guests). They put in plastic utensils without asking, which is the law now in Chicago, so our new collection is starting and hopefully a shelter or church will take them off our hands later.

I had dined here before and this time we went on a Tuesday afternoon the sign said they were open on Tuesdays but they were closed. Had no idea they were closed and would reopen at 3 pm. We were completely confused.

Solid choice for Mexican food in Edgewater. The menu has a good number of options available at fair prices, including a surprisingly high number of breakfast items. Food is overall fairly fresh though it's a little light on flavor and there could be a bit more meat offered. Service is fairly quick and friendly.

I am very disappointed with my experience at Edgewater Mexican Cafe this evening. I have eaten at this restaurant often. On one occasion there was an error with our order, and to compensate, the server gave us a coupon. The coupon had two part's, one free meal and 20% off. When I came back with the coupon, the server tore it in half, used the 20% off and then gave me back the one free meal coupon. Today, I went in to use this. My partner and I each had a meal and ordered drinks. When we presented the coupon, the server took off 10% each entree and acted like they were accommodating us. When we spoke to the owner, he just told us no, he would not honor the free meal. He could not explain why. He had no explanation for the server giving us the coupon back. Very disappointed by this experience and won't be returning.

This was be the worst food and service you will find in the area. You are better off going to Chilis for a frozen meal. I will never ever return and waste big money on this terrible experience again.

You HAVE to try the churros dessert. OMG, fantastic! Each one is filled with a sweet caramel. And with the vanilla ice cream...so yummy.

-Customer: "How's the Pollo Mole?" -Waiter: "I don't know, I don't like Mole, but a lot of white people get it". Really dude? Is that your recommendation? It's a disappointment that the waitstaff was not knowledgeable about the menu and had to bring up race. If you couldn't give a decent recommendation about the item, the least you could have done was to ask another waiter. Is the fact that white people order it good or bad? That is irrelevant. Big disappointment.

I have mixed feelings on the restaurant. In general I would say they check the boxes as a mexican restaurant. They have the staples you would expect. The food could be a little more flavorful it is a bit subdued if your looking for more authentic flavors I would look elsewhere. This place is more like where you would go after work to have a couple drinks or in the summer sit outside and have a meal. I would have rated them higher if they had a dish that really knocked my socks off or there was something outstanding about the service.

I have now been here several times and it's time to review. The predecessor Mexican restaurant in this location failed miserably and I was concerned that the new management reported by the Edgeville Buzz would also fail. I am pleased to report that the new owner has turned his restaurant into our new favorite local restaurant. The service changed from miserable to excellent and the food from mediocre at best to delicious. On to the food and drinks. My favorite drink here is the house margarita with a shot of Mezcal. The wife likes la cucaracha, which involves tamarind and mezcal. I also had a Mexican Manhattan, which I enjoyed. The queso fundido with chorizo is one of the best appetizers here. I ordered it when the parentals came to visit and found it delicious. This appetizer is a pile of spicy meat so I'm not going to order it often, but I will order it again. I ordered at various times the calamari salad, cochinita pibil, shrimp tacos, and crema de Chile poblano. The wife enjoyed the veggie burrito (awesome, highly recommended) cheese tamales (acceptable) and enchiladas with pork (granted, she was still sedated from surgery and hadn't eaten in 48 hours when she announced that the last was the best thing ever, but it was still pretty good). For dessert, we ordered tres Leches cake and flan. I enjoyed both, but the tres Leches cake is ridiculously delicious.

The food is excellent. Best Mexican food in the city. Very tasty and cooked to perfection. Pleasant envieonment. A definite 5-star restaurant and the seevice can t be beat!

Had a great time here! Food was delicious and service was quick. Our server Nayeli was super nice and made us feel comfortable. Would definitely visit again!

The price far exceeds the quality. However, staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Edgewater Mexican Cafe is a friendly neighborhood restaurant with authentic cooking and a patio perfect for distance dining. My friend lives in the hood and has been here several times, and I was a first timer. It was past lunchtime but I had a craving for eggs, so I ordered the huevos rancheros. Perfectly cooked sunny side up eggs on corn tortillas, smothered in a rich, non-traditional sauce. I'm hooked. So-so refried beans and rice were the only disappointment. My friend had the spicy chicken fajitas, her favorite. Served with onions, bell peppers, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, flour tortillas, rice and beans. Huge portion, and she took half home. We shared an order of French press coffee, which was good but could have been hotter. The service was efficient and very friendly. Free off-street parking in the back is a real plus. A basket of fresh corn chips and excellent homemade salsa was complimentary, served as soon as we sat down. Definitely returning soon for dinner on the patio because I saw a dozen things on the dinner menu I want to try.

Food ok, server didn't speak English and wasn't helpful. Manager was an asshole. Waitress brought 2nd round of margaritas and admitted they were all made the same even though we all asked for different tequilas.

Burrito was so soggy it was inedible and fell apart. Fast service, but low quality food. Gentlemen in the front were eyeballing me the whole time I was waiting for my food and talking about me in Spanish not knowing I understand it. Very weird interaction. I will not be coming back.

Tonight was my first time at EWMC. The food was absolutely delicious, the service amazing. I had the opportunity to meet Ruben, the owner, Who is warm, friendly and humble. The live music by Amy Lowe and Dave Katzman was icing on the cake of a fabulous evening. It will definitely be my spot for the best Mexican food. In addition, they offer free parking and WiFi.

We had high hopes for this neighborhood restaurant. We went for dinner on a nice summer evening and sat outside. The menu is predictable and we ordered the tacos and a taco bowl. Our waiter presented well, but kept forgetting to bring items to us. While we understand that many restaurants are understaffed, we also believe that service still means service. We rarely saw our waiter and waited quite a long time for our food to arrive. When it arrived, it looks ok, but there was no real taste to any of the two dishes. We then could not find our waiter to pay for our bill. We will not be recommending or visiting this restaurant again.

Still the best. Taco Tuesday, outdoor patio, delicious margaritas, fantastic staff. The burrito bowls are the BEST. I love this neighborhood place, best patio in Edgewater!!

The price seems high for the quantity and quality of the food. The food wasn't bad, but it didn't feel worth it. The music they played outside was a bit too loud and intrusive.

So so so so GOOD!! Roberto was amazing and the La Diabla sauce sooooooooooooo good! Anytime I'm in Chicago I'm coming here!! Gracias Edgewater Mexican!!

New ownership, they're really cutting corners and costs, so the quality of the ingredients is way lower than it used to be. Was once a really fun spot with excellent quality food and drinks, especially the guac made table side. Now they use guacamole from a bag. I know the industry is tough but it's too bad that the new owners made everything taste so much cheaper.

Bad food, bad service. Steak tacos were inedible. Corn tortillas tasted stale and the steak was very fatty. I left 2.5 out of 3 tacos uneaten. The guacamole was basically cut up avalados without any seasoning that we had to add a ton salt and pepper to eat, and it was still not great. There was a sign on the table that said you get 50% off an appetizer when you join the mailing list with a QR code to sign up. I signed up and ordered an appetizer, but the waiter told us when he brought the check that this was only for when the band is playing. I'm not sure what that has to do with the mailing list. The inside was almost completely empty with a full patio outside, but the service was horrendous. We waited a long time to order, and it took 20-30 min to receive our drinks. After seeing the $90 bill for 2 people, I almost fell out of my chair for the terrible quality of food we receive. We will not be back!

I just left and i had a good time , the Margaritas are great and the food too! The new owner Rubin was there and welcome me back ! And Sandra the server was great , great place for a margarita and Mexican food !

Great food and service!!! Went with a larger group for a birthday and we're accommodated easily as well as received orders in a timely manner.

Omg I picked up there birra tacos with ramen and it is out of this world! Best Birra Tacos dipped into the Ramen soup is amazing! Love this place and the owner also. I would give it 100 stars!

I love the Mexican Cafe. Friendly bartender and spicy salsa with crunchy chips. I had a Paloma and some tacos. Perfect for a quick sip and some delicious food. The locals know everyone. Good neighborly feel.

Above average Mexican food. I think it's under newish ownership. Love the new menu. Combination plates are really good. Decent service.

Nice Maxican restaurant ! Near my condo and delicious food. I will visit this place again.

Went for breakfast, it is DELICIOUS!!!!! Great menu, lots of great things to choose from. Definitely better than nookies.

Very accommodating. Great margauritas. Friendly and they try hard to please. Mole, salsa, spice mixes all homemade. Nice open space.

This is one of my go-to neighborhood Mexican spots. They have really good ceviche and spicy margarita. They have a nice outdoor seating area and an extensive menu. They do delivery and pick up orders as well. One gripe I have is that sometimes when I do a pick up the bartender has a bit of an attitude. Also their delivery margaritas are kind of small. But overall this is a great place with delicious food and lots of options.