FONDA cantina

We've been to Fonda twice, for brunch and dinner, and it really is hitting its stride with food, drinks, service, and ambiance. The space is beautiful, with an inviting bar and a comfortable, not-too-crowded dining area. It was lively, but not too loud, on a Tuesday night, and we ordered everything from cocktails to appetizers to mains and dessert. We enjoyed every sip and bite. The cocktails were especially good, showing that the bar program is taken just as seriously as the food and service. The guacamole and chips were a generous portion, the chips made in-house. I enjoy trying new things from restaurants that introduce you to flavors, ingredients, and dishes the come from the chef's background, culture, and vision, so my favorites were the sope de tinga (I'd never had sope before) and the barbacoa and al pastor tacos. The chicken with red mole sauce was as good as any I'd had anywhere. Desserts, too, were special, as we tried the cheesecake and Mexican chocolate ice cream with fried pastry. And a shout out goes to our server, Joey, who made the evening more fun and with his friendly, engaged service, knowledge of the dishes, and good recommendations.

I was unsure of making the trip out of the city for Mexican food, but friends loved it and said the food was excellent. They were right. The decor is lovely and the staff helpful and welcoming. But come for the food and then come back because you won't have an easy decision with so many terrific creative dishes. The Caesar salad was lovely. Dressed lightly and amazingly tasty. If you like your salad drenched order more on the side. This alone was worth returning for. The chips and salsa (complimentary) came with two salsas. I loved the cilantro tinged green one. The other - red salsa - is mole based with a variety of peppers flavoring it. The Pastel de Azteca was delicious and big enough it will be my next lunch as well. I always like to try the dessert options but didn't have any dining companions to go for the guilt free share - so I opted for the ice cream. I wish I had been able to taste the tres leches too.... The server, Joey recommended the flan as his favorite. Sadly, you can't eat the whole menu the first time. So the answer is a return trip.

Fonda is a lovely spot, good food! The carnitas and shrimp tacos were my favorite…small in size, big in flavor. You’ll enjoy every bite. The ambience is really beautiful…two bars and plenty of room to mingle. Perfect for parties and solid date night. The artsy light fixtures and wall piece were a win for me.

Excellent food, upscale Mexican dining experience. We had the special menu, featuring chile en nogada. Chile en nogada is a seasonal delicacy in Mexico, traditionally available in August-September. I was over the moon to find it here. The nopales salad (cactus) was really good. I enjoyed my habanero margarita very much. The al pastor tacos are some of the best I have had in the Chicago area. Definitely recommend

From the moment we stepped into Fonda, it was a delightful experience. Everyone greeted us with smiles & warmth & made us feel very welcomed. I loved the decor & atmosphere, very comfortable & interesting. The service was excellent & the food was the best that we have experienced since we moved to town. The basket of home made chips came with a red & a green salsa. Both incredibly tasty & very unique. We ordered the shrimp ceviche, which was delicious! Made with mango & avocados & a wonderful marinade. I ate every last drop! The guacamole was some of the best that I've ever had. My husband ordered the barbacoa de res & enjoyed that, while I ordered the special which was branzino & pozole. It was literally the best dish that I have had in ages. It was so good, I didn't want it to end! & I wish it was on the menu, because I would gladly order it again. Finished the meal with the flan. The caramel sauce was heavenly! Again, I ate every last drop! Chef Miguel certainly has a way with sauces! It truly was a fabulous meal. The best one that I've had since we moved to town last spring. No wait, actually it probably was the best meal that I've had in years! Fonda with its wonderful people & delicious food will most definitely become a part of our new lives here, I can't wait to go back.

Dinner was beyond disappointing. The Caesar salad had no dressing! How did those plates get sent out from the kitchen? Then again, most of the plates were bland. The tacos (ordered several of both) were below average at best. The service was pleasant. If you go, stick to the fish in banana leaf or carne asada. The rest of the menu was extremely bad. The chile relleno was cold (with average tasting filling) and the mole was flavorless. The food was so comically bad that the group was in disbelief. Hope it improves. Won’t be back to find out

You must eat here. So happy to have a great restaurant in this space. Well decorated, open, inviting, festive. Food has been fabulous. Drinks too. We've had chips with salsas and Guacamole. All lovely. So far I've had- the Sopa de Tinga which was quite delicious and worked well as a main course one night with chips and Guacamole. I have had the Pollo con mole Rojo Huandacareo. It was quite tender and delicious and the left overs were amazing with rice the next day. I had the Albondigas al Chipotle. The sauce was excellent and the Meatballs tender and flavorful. The Flautas de Papa were delicious and creatively served although I thought it'd be a great dish shared. My favorite so far is the Pastel Azteca de Mole which I could eat anytime. Dark, rich, smoky mole layers with chicken and Tortilla. Just perfection. Will be going back a lot and maybe try to take more photos before I eat.

Everything is great at Fonda! Is the best Mexican food in town, service is amazing and drinks are fabulous. Price is good as well.

I have no qualms with the food or the cocktails. Both are excellent. The Carne Asada is perfectly prepared and tender and the Chicken mole is richly flavored. I had the mezcal old fashioned and it was carefully concocted and a delicious twist on a classic. I was slightly put off by our hostess (owner?). We had a reservation and requested a certain table, but upon arrival she moved to seat us elsewhere and the bartender noticed and reminded her of this. She challenged me asking "why did you agree to sit here if you requested a different table?" I was a little confused as well as surprised that saying anything at all was necessary. She didn't seem to be very engaged in a positive way with her staff or guests, choosing instead to stand at the hostess station wearing a mask of indifference. I'll return, but not for her...

Fonda is a wonderful restaurant! From Coco's smiling face at the podium to the authentic and tasty food and attentive service, Fonda delivers all the way around. The drinks are generously prepared and pair perfectly with the fresh and best-ever guacamole and chips. Our table had a range of entrees from carne asada to the torta burger and salmon. All were thoughtfully prepared and delicious, with just the right amount of seasoning. Oh, and the space itself is beautifully decorated and very comfortable. I highly recommend Fonda, whether you live in Evanston or want to escape the city for something fresh and delicious. This is a unique experience. Be sure to go soon!

I love the feel of the place. You dont have to be dressed up but it feels intimate and elegant. The service is great and food is amazing. I tried their restaurant week menu. You get 2 choices for each course so its easy to make a decision. I did Sope, Pescada, and Flan. Everything was perfect! Cooked and seasoned perfectly. Their flan is a Must Try! Its seriously sooo good. Creamy with a hint of citrus flavor. Will definitely be coming back. Happy Eating!

I came here for restaurant week with my husband and cousin and it was good. My husband on the other hand would say it was just okay. Started with the pozole and it was absolutely delicious. I think it was the best thing on their restaurant week menu. My husband got the sopa de tinga and let's say he wasn't happy. It was SO SO tiny. The tortilla was really hard to chew. For the entree I got the pescado blanco, the jalapeño dressing was absolutely delicious that came with it. My husband and cousin got the barbacoa de res. Both entrees were overly salty though. Lastly for dessert I got the tres leches which could've been more soaked with the milks. And my husband got the flan which was very very creamy. The place got really busy after 7 but the service was really quick. Loved the start of chips and three types of salsa.

Fonda was on my list of places to try in Evanston and it did not disappoint! I loved the elote, it wasn't too creamy and just perfect. The chips with the guac were a little salty but still very tasty. Birria tacos and floutas were my favs. It was my first time trying chile releno and damn my mouth was on fire! But the flavors balanced really well with the sweet beef and spicy pepper. I was too full by the time the entrees came so had to pack the pastel mole but my partner said it was super delicious. The staff and team at Fonda were really friendly and did a great job at making sure we were served well! I will definitely come back to try other dishes here esp the cheeesecake!

I was a little nervous to try Fonda after reading some of the reviews. But I was already seated by the time I opened Yelp, so thought I'd give it a try. The interior is lovely. Sort of felt like I was on vacation on this rainy Evanston day. I had high expectations when I first walked in. We were immediately greeted by our server and brought water. When reviewing the menu, things definitely were more pricey for Evanston standards. No complementary chips, tacos at $15+/3 with no sides included. More Mexican restaurants downtown (our favorite being Old Pueblo), offer bottomless chips and salsa for free. Would recommend this place does the same, because it's clearly made some customers upset! We ordered the chips and guac to start for $9. The guac was good but the serving was quite small, even for 2. Lots of chips for little guac. My fiancé asked the food runner what he recommended and he said quesabirria but when my fiancé tried to order, they were out? He then proceeded to order another dish but they were out of that as well! Assuming it is simply new restaurant growing pains, but waitstaff should lead with sharing what isn't available, especially if it involves popular dishes. He ended up ordering a beef dish that I cannot remember the name of because the restaurant doesn't have their menu online! He said the beef had good flavor but there was hardly any beef in the bowl for $25. The sauce as a stand-alone wasn't anything to write home about. I ordered the tacos Al Pastor. They were quite large so I felt more comfortable with the steep price. They were more spicy that any Al Pastor I've ever had. Great flavor, but didn't taste like Al Pastor tacos I've had in the past... still would recommend. The side of rice for $6 was good too. Definitely tasted more buttery and fluffy than I've had in the past from Mexican restaurants, with slightly less flavor, but still good. To summarize, I'd give this place a chance if you're on the fence. Go in with an open mind and then share your experience here. I don't think we'll necessarily plan another dinner here in the immediate future, but we would definitely dine here again once the restaurant finds its footing more and reads/responds to these reviews.

Nice relaxing atmosphere with dim lighting. I knew it was going to be good when the salsa for the chips were all incredible. Stared with the Shrimp Ceviche, honestly was expected a little more portion size considering its the most expensive appetizer on the menu but other than size the flavor was there. Ordered the Pastel Azteca con Mole, the chicken was tender and the mole was flavorful. Also the Barbacoa de Res was seasoned well. Finished off with Tres Leches for dessert which was creamy and delicious. Definitely helps as well that the server was helpful and friendly. For sure coming back.

So this gem is definitely not your ordinary location for tacos. So upon arrival it's immediately filled! They not only have tacos they have a bar! But since I was up for the walk I took the extra miles to go a little bit further. It was beautiful on the inside. If you are ever in the area and want something good try this place.

Items I recommend: sope de tinga, AL pastor tacos, barbacoa, summer salmon, and the tres leches cake. Heck, I usually don't like tres leches, but I did enjoy theirs. To me, their chips are only ok. Save your appetite for your meal! Other tips: This restaurant is located on a street with angled parking. For a suburbanite, this is a win!

This is a new spot and the wonderful addition to Evanston food scene. For the table we ordered guacamole and chips for the table and it comes with two additional sauces that are so tasty and you might want to hold onto them for the rest of the meal. We also shared flautas which where wonderfully crunchy and packed with flavor also dip with sauces from guacamole plate. We also ate the Birria tacos, tacos Al pastor, and carne asada these are wonderful staples you need to try no matter where you go. Then flan was so delicious that I forgot to picture it but it was great texture and melts in your mouth. The food came out quickly and with the restaurant being busy we had enough time to enjoy our drinks and have a good meal.

Wow wow wow, innovative, delicious and a great looking space. Perfect for impressive entertaining. We tried a good portion of the menu and I loved the experience and every bite. All fresh and innovative, takes on Mexican cuisine in a gastronomic journey. Service was great, anticipated and addressed all our needs. They had the best crunchies chips, a ceviche that exploded with fresh lime, the best elote ever (well balanced and seasoned), sopes that were a delectable bite. Tacos came alive with the micro cilantro, which had a really big flavor pop, but I prefer the ubiquitous cilantro onion mixture on them. Birria was so good I wanted to follow the chef home. Flautas had good crunch and flavor.

Came to Fonda for an Yelp event. Just want to give a shout out Fonda and Yelp for hosting such a great gathering! Started off with Seńorita Paloma great taste good amount of mezcal just how I like it. Then had chips and guacamole, the chips were freshly made really crispy. Pescado ceviche had good citrus taste. Sope de tinga , the chicken wasn't dry that was a good thing really good flavor. The corn in the Elotes coulda been cooked-little longer but other then that it was good. The tacos we tried Al pastor, Quesa Birria, carne asada, Flautas all the tacos were very delicious. My favorite was the quesa birria. We also tried Barbacoca, pastel asteca de mole, summer salmon. All very good. Then for dessert we had the flan haven't had it in a while but just like how I remembered it. I love the decor they had. For the light fixture they used deer horns ! Love all the wood they used around the restaurant. Will be coming back!

Service was great. Very nice ambiance. Ordered chips and guacamole, it was good. Carne asada came on it's own and it was tough. Drinks were good. Overall very unimpressed with the food. Overpriced and underwhelming. They may need to revemp the menu a bit.

Here's another one that I had super high hopes about because Michael as a chef is amazing! This took over the space where stained glass used to be. The space itself is beautiful. There are three different places to sit but the food, although it looked decent was just very very average and for him owning this, I expected it to be much higher quality.

I'm rather fond of Fonda. I had the Mother's Day 3 course special. I chose an quesadilla stuffed with squash blossoms. Tasty! Had the soft shell crab for my entree and mini churros for dessert. All of these should remain on the menu! Not only were they delicious but the presentation was eye appealing and gourmet. This was upscale Mexican. The other diner had his meal served in a large blue-rimmed martini glass. Talk about presentation! Good margaritas too. Yes yes you can get tacos but think out of the box. The menu has several dishes that are taken from the chef's hometown in Mexico. Looking forward to my next visit. Burp.

[FONDA cantina] Newly-opened Mexican restaurant in Evanston, IL When this first opened, I was excited to try the place. The mission and story behind the restaurant was something special. However, I was disappointed upon my experience here. 1. Quesabirria Tacos 2. Flautas de Papa 3. Sope de Tinga & Chips w Salsa and Queso 4. Flan & Nieve de Chocolate-V Disappointed and unimpressed with my experience here. The restaurant has a wanna-be upscale aesthetic but misses every component of being one. There is no creativity behind their food it's too plain. The food taste and quality were below average. The quesabirria tacos were so hard to bite and their Flautas de Papa seemed like random stuff was just thrown together into a margarita cocktail glass. The service was about average. The food quality and quantity were not worth the price point. The only positive thing was the desserts and the food plating had a nice aesthetic touch. Overall, 3.5/10. https://www.eatatfonda.com 1735 Benson Ave Evanston, IL 60201

Food is delicious with authentic Mexican flavors. The owner is passionate about what he is having served. The servers are polite and helpful with the menu. It's a beautiful atmosphere with space for private parties. The bar has nice and tasty drinks. There are single stall bathrooms. Come and enjoy a beautiful place!

Food was totally amazing!! Service was on time and served hot. The presentation of the food was very, very nice. Ambiance very inviting and cozy. Love it!!

Ridiculously SLOW service!!!! I have never experiences such poor service. The waitress didn't seem to know what she was doing and when questioned about menu, was clueless. We waited 25 minutes and had to wave her down to get drink orders, then waited another 25 minutes to receive the drinks!! Waiting was the game. WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND. Will NOT return.

The environment is really nice and cozy. I've been twice already and both times we had to sit by the bar because the main area was full, but thats okay. The food is pretty pricey but it tastes good. Service was great, the servers are friendly and fast.

From the moment we stepped into Fonda, it was a delightful experience. Everyone greeted us with smiles & warmth & made us feel very welcomed. I loved the decor & atmosphere, very comfortable & interesting. The service was excellent & the food was the best that we have experienced since we moved to town. The basket of home made chips came with a red & a green salsa. Both incredibly tasty & very unique. We ordered the shrimp ceviche, which was delicious! Made with mango & avocados & a wonderful marinade. I ate every last drop! The guacamole was some of the best that I've ever had. My husband ordered the barbacoa de res & enjoyed that, while I ordered the special which was branzino & pozole. It was literally the best dish that I have had in ages. It was so good, I didn't want it to end! & I wish it was on the menu, because I would gladly order it again. Finished the meal with the flan. The caramel sauce was heavenly! Again, I ate every last drop! Chef Miguel certainly has a way with sauces! It truly was a fabulous meal. The best one that I've had since we moved to town last spring. No wait, actually it probably was the best meal that I've had in years! Fonda with its wonderful people & delicious food will most definitely become a part of our new lives here, I can't wait to go back.

The tostada de champinones was soo good. The mushrooms was sautéd in an amazing sauce and they were able to make a mocktail so good i forgot to take the picture. The ambiance was so cool with the exposed brick and beams that didn't seem played out. The service was really good and I loved my server he was so good.

Delicious Carne Asada at reasonable price point. Tacos must be purchased in groups of three, but they were generous & tasty. Homemade chips & salsa were fresh & served with two sauces, again, house made & delicious. The dark had a touch of mole. Cocktails were spot on. Bartender Dave was friendly & attentive. Finally, they have the lighting set at a proper cozy level! Much appreciated reworking of the old Wine Cellar.

My family likes to try new restaurants and we found Fonda tonight:) It's been open for months but we hadn't heard of it. We loved it! We started with chips and salsa. Both great! We tried the Oxacan Old Fashioned (nice!) and the mango martini, I don't recall the menu name. The martini had an overly thick mango puree and a tasty rim of Tajin. The Elote appetizer was sweet, salty, and creamy. Yum! We ordered the chile relleno and the pork chop for dinner. Both were very good and the pork chop was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. Dessert was Tres Leches cake and a flan. I didn't ask how the cake was but it disappeared quickly from the plate! The flan was good but the caramel was overly water. The flavor was still there. We're so happy to have tried it and plan to return.

All the dishes were really good. In particular I enjoyed pescado ceviche, tostada de champinones, carne asada, summer salmon, Chile relleno con pipian de hoja santa, and flan. The service was great very speedy. The ambiance was very nice. The restaurant has really pretty wood features and art work.

Margaritas are fresh and really good. The food was okay. Not amazing not bad. Prices are high. I get food costs are high right now too. But entrees are expensive. They don't come with sides. A small basket of chips and ramekin of salsa are $7. And if you want a refill on the chips you pay for that too. We paid $12 for a side of rice and beans which were flavorless. For entrees we had tacos. The tacos were actually very good. Prices were just way too high compared to other restaurants in the same area.

Fonda is an elegant escape from the standard Mexican cuisine. The food is excellent and service on point. If you're hungry for Mexican food and want an upscale experience at a reasonable price. I recommend you visit Fonda.

The food here is outstanding. Tons of flavor--really amazing flavors and degrees of heat. It's the way Mexican should be in my mind! Everything is good. You really can't go wrong. Also, cocktails are very good. Not sure why more people don't just come to the bar--it's great too!

Update: Nonaction on dispute and was appropriately refunded. Review: Coming from California, there is absolutely nothing of note here, no specialities worth traveling for and overall bizarre choice of plating for several dishes (see flautas). Of the 3 items I ordered, there was only 1 good salsa, their salsa verde with the flautas. But sadly not enough salsa and when I requested more of the salsa for my dish, I was charged $2.50 for ~3 tablespoons of salsa. The flautas were just okay, almost no seasoning except hence the need for more salsa! And the flats were served in an oversized martini/margarita glass so the one end was soggy; I promptly moved them to a side plate to avoid further sogginess. Another minus is that service was slow and no-one seemed to know who should be serving us at the bar. I recognize there are not a lot of options for Mexican food in Evanston, so if you're local maybe it's worth a visit?

i don't mind the terribly disorganized service. Perhaps it's early in the lifespan of this restaurant to be organized and efficient. But the food was exceptionally meh. The Ceasar salad was small and not very enticing. The meatballs were served in a bowl(?) and without any garnish or accompaniment to make them more appealing. Mole was not exceptional and the braised beef reminded me of my high school cafeteria. For God's sake, give folks some more salsa! why is it in a micro-dish? IT'S salsa!! Skipped dessert - didn't think that it would hold any delight based on the meal. Really surprised by the excited reviews...maybe Evanston folks have lower standards.

Yummy yum yummy. Food with a little twist but oh so good and service is so friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend. And live music set the mood for highly enjoyable evening.

Hands down a must try restaurant in Evanston! The space is clean and the staff is so friendly. The guac and chips were just a taste of a flavorful experience. We enjoyed a combination of shrimp + steak tacos, beef brisket, and desserts. Do not leave this place without trying the flan or tres leches- or you will miss out. This is the perfect place for an intimate dinner or a meal with friends & family. Flan

This was our first visit to Fonda and we will be back! The service is really friendly, and their wait staff is well informed. The drinks are amazing, very well, balanced, and not too sweet. The food taste very authentic. like what you would get if you went to Mexico City on vacation. This is a wonderful new addition to the Evanston dining scene!

Really enjoyed our dinner at Fonda. The authentic, Mexican cuisine was delicious. The server was extremely helpful describing and recommending dishes. We loved the sope de tinga & elote appetizers and the barbacoa and pastel Azteca con mole entrees were great! Make sure to save room for dessert because they were delicious too. Highly recommend!

This new restaurant opened to great fanfare, and my wife and I were excited to try it as we love Aboyer and Chef Michael, but after trying some tacos from their limited menu we came away quite disappointed. They only offered six tacos (no Chicken), and they were out of Carnitas, so I settled for the Carne Asada. Unfortunately, what was described as braised flank steak was overcooked, chopped rubbery gristle served on a double-wrapped corn tortilla. There's no cheese or any other vegetables? Two soggy corn tortillas around rubbery, flavorless meat. I'm unsure what type of steak, but certainly not flank steak. Did we miss the part where we had to order sides for our tacos? They seem to be different from the pictures I've seen. We did order a side of rice which was surprisingly bland. My wife also found her tacos to be too spicy and unremarkable. The guacamole and small plate of chips were OK, but the "salsa" was a red and yellow mole and pricey at over$20. The overall vibe was surprisingly quiet except for the soft music playing. The dining space was converted and updated with lovely decor and design touches. Our eager server was friendly and attentive, but that could not compensate for the disappointing food. I understand this restaurant's vision reflected their grandma's cooking but not what anyone would consider delicious and worth the premium price. The acclaimed chefs need to rethink the menu and make some drastic changes. I'm sorry, but this place will not last too long with many other Mexican food places around.

I made a reservation for 5 people. They asked us to leave after 1 hour and 30 minutes. It should at least be a 2 hour period for parties greater than 2 people. Moreover, they served only one of us food in the first 30 minutes. He had to eat while the rest of us had to wait an additional 30 minutes for our mediocre food to come out. That means we had 30 minutes to eat our meal, order/eat dessert, and then pay the bill. I don't understand why it takes over 45 minutes to make a taco with almost nothing in it. Cocktails are okay though.

Really wanted to try this place and had high expectations, server said it's authentic Mexican food , the rice is made with food coloring not authentic Mexican rice, I'm allergic to dairy and asked for a salad with chicken , server said they can't add chicken , and the dressing had egg and dairy product , she brought the salad and I ask her for olive oil and lime as a dressing and said they don't have any , (how can you eat a salad without dressing? )I ended up having just the drinks and still getting charge for the salad I didn't even touch ! My husband had shrimp tacos , they were ok not great . It's a nice place , atmosphere is great !

My husband and I went to Fonda last night for dinner. The restaurant atmosphere, decor, music and service were all good. However, we both agreed that the food was just okay. We ordered the 3 taco dinner (carne asada, tinga (chicken) and al pastor) and Barbacoa de Res. The tacos were okay (the chicken was the best one of the three and the Barbacoa tasted a bit like shredded pot roast. Think we will stick to going to XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant (in Ravenswood) for upscale Mexican food and stick to going to going to Rogers Park or Pilsen (if we want to make the trek all the way down there) for casual Mexican.

My second visit to Fonda 5 stars! Celebrated my daughters birthday and my brother visiting from Ohio at Fonda! Everyone was like" the best Mexican we ever had"! Very authentic! Service was outstanding and atmosphere very cool! Love this place!

The ambiance was lively, the service was attentive and charming, and the food was delicious. Our favorite dishes were the Pastel Azteca, tacos Al pastor, and the carne asada; but honestly everything we tried was delightful. The Mule Mexicano cocktail was phenomenal. I will definitely come back.

We quite enjoyed our first visit to Fonda shortly after they opened. I found the chips and drinks to be fantastic, and the atmosphere was lovely. However, I can't figure out what's going on with this place lately. I tried calling a couple weeks ago and the phone line was disconnected. We recently drove over to have dinner, and despite their website, OpenTable, and Google all stating the restaurant should be open, it was closed. There was no notice and nothing posted to their social media pages. I enjoyed my first experience, but there seems to be an issue with the communication and marketing strategies.

We were a party of four and decided to try Fonda on a Tuesday night. They've transformed the former Stained Glass into a warm, cozy, modern setting. The place was bustling, but not packed, and the service was impeccable. While we enjoyed our drinks, they brought out their homemade chips (still warm) and salsa - wonderful! The menu is varied and includes recipes with many unique flavors inspired by the chefs' grandmothers. We shared a couple of tacos (it was Taco Tuesday after all), Sope de Tinga, Ensalada de Cesar V, Pastel Azreca con Mole, the Summer Salmon, and finished with the Tres Leches. Everything was absolutely delicious. We'll definitely be back.

A New Mexican Restaurant & Cantina most welcome in Evanston ! Great environment and Vibe, Service attentive and friendly. Good Food and drinks with creative presentations and hope to see them expand the menu in the future to feature a few more taco choices. Can't wait to try the cantina. Will be back

The steak tacos were absolutely delicious! I was skeptical at first because I wasn't sure if this restaurant made authentic Mexican tacos. Well let me tell you, they do make authentic Mexican food and tacos! The service was excellent and I had the opportunity to meet the owners, who are very hospitable and welcoming! Two thumbs up!

My barbacoa de res was really good. Especially loved the red and green salsas they start you with

I work, or maybe worked here..... not sure as when I got ill and had to take time for my health they stopped contacting me and scheduling me. I've not had any issues working here before then, I absolutely LOVED this job and was hoping to come back when I felt better. I have actually been very sick ER visits multiple doctors you name it, even sent paper work and continued to communicate as coco asked me to do but the unprofessional lack of communication I've gotten from both coco and her husband Sergio in my time of crisis and ill health has become concerning. I tried to talk about accommodations until I could get better maybe a five minute break here and there (we get no breaks here because it's 5.5 to 6.5 hr shifts) to catch my breath because my problem is either lungs or heart related plus I also had strep throat on top of my lung or heart issue which was making it worse and they instead sent me home told me it's too busy to accommodate me (which is Illinois law to try and accommodate the employee before terminating them) terminated me without telling me ( there were plenty of opportunities to tell me) for being sick & hired a new employee to fill my space. which I don't think is legal in Illinois. I'll talk to a lawyer to see if there is anything I can do about this. As a customer I think you'll love this place and even as an employee I think you'd love this place because god knows I LOVED working here, but if you have a disability, plan on having a child or have an unexpected pregnancy, or a sudden unknown health problem or known health problem that will keep you out for a period of time while you get your health in order, I'd look elsewhere as they will dispose of you when you when your health is not good. It breaks my heart to leave this review about a place that brought me so much JOY, but this experience has been entirely unprofessional, people get sick, people have illnesses, please communicate and be honest with your employees. 5 stars to Fonda and my coworkers you guys were awesome, but 1 star to this predicament management style and to the professionalism of this environment. good luck Fonda I hope this restaurant the best goin forward they are truly amazing besides this one problem.

We had a girls night out and had a great time! Food was great, drinks were excellent and service was the best part!! Can't wait to go back

Tacos al Pastor, were fresh & tasty. Potatoes flautas were delicious with a spicy kick. I liked the jalapeno/ olive oil salad dressing on crispy lettuce. the Tamarind with vodka is excellent .

Awesome decor and ambience! The food is exceptional! If you are looking for great flavors, Fonda is your place! The service is beyond!! Everyone is so nice and friendly! We also ordered to go and the food carry's amazingly! We will be back!

Tried this restaurant as an alternative to Depot Nuevo , which closed, and La Comida, which is chronically booked. The chips were homemade and heavily salted, the menu is very limited, but my margarita was perfect! I ordered Flautas de Papa for my meal and it was so salty it was barely edible. As I write this review, my lips are still burning. Sadly, we will not be back. Food: 2/5 | Service: 2/5 | Atmosphere: 3/5