La Encantada Restaurant

Wonderfully inviting and quiet atmosphere; great, personalized service; good food all around. We enjoyed mole enchiladas with spinach, and rellenos with zucchini and onions. Prices reasonable - $20 - $32/person. Found this while driving on North Ave on a Sunday night. Highly recommended; we will return!

The place is excellent! Service is friendly, professional, and just superb! Ambiance feels simple yet enticing full of colors indoors and outdoors feels clean and fresh. Food flavors and visuals are five stars. My Quesadilla was excellent, mostly because of that flour tortilla. My Chile En Nogada, the reason for my visit was delicious, flawless. From the sauce to the pomegranate and the filling, everything was tasteful. Loved my experience there.

Good food with nice décor, can eat inside and can also order ahead to pick up, good service and fast. For take out, the Tortilla soup came with the tortillas inside the soup so when I got home they were soggy, other places give you the tortillas on the side for that reason so I didn't eat that. No napkins or utensils given for take out as well. As for eating in, the service was good, the enchiladas were also good either the green, red and the mole. Paid parking in front of the restaurant, they do have a covered patio in the back. In the restaurant they do have nice paintings that decorate it well. they do not accept credit cards, they do accept other forms such as cash.

What a hidden gem! Beautiful decor, amazing food & service. My husband and I had the guacamole and shrimp, steak, and chicken tacos. We have a new neighborhood favorite- highly recommend!!

Fantastic atmosphere. The food is always fresh and very flavorful. The enchiladas are my go to dish. The steaks and fajitas are great. Bartender makes a killer mango margarita.

Amazing dinner I had Chile en Nogada for the first time and you can taste the love that Irma put into this dish. We will be back.

Very intimate place. The chicken enchilada was pretty good. The potatoes enchiladas were not the highlight. The chopped up potatoes were a bit hard. The rice was bit hard. However, the service was amazing the music just went along really well with the scene. I wouldn't go back but its a cute little time.

Ordered enchiladas verdes con platanos fritos (and a horchata). It was all really good - I love plantains, but I was expecting green fried plantains, not ripe fried plantains. I will eat either, but having savory plantains with a savory entree would have melded better in my own opinion. Our waitress was courteous and I will probably go back to try other meals!

The place is excellent! Service is friendly, professional, and just superb! Ambiance feels simple yet enticing full of colors indoors and outdoors feels clean and fresh. Food flavors and visuals are five stars. My Quesadilla was excellent, mostly because of that flour tortilla. My Chile En Nogada, the reason for my visit was delicious, flawless. From the sauce to the pomegranate and the filling, everything was tasteful. Loved my experience there.

Delicious! Had this place saved for awhile and got a chance to try it out. We walked in and the restaurant was empty bc they were anticipating a big group dinner- so we grabbed a seat and got to ordering. It's a one woman show with a young kid helping out but the service was great and all the food was delicious. My partner ordered poblanos nogada she loved it, we thought the sauce was a little too sweet but with the mix on the inside it was delicious. I do not reccomend the Chips and salsa. The chips are baked which makes my healthy conscious happy but WAY too hard and it was difficult to eat. I had one enchilada with poblano sauce with a side of the calabicitas- which were good but the portion size was not worth the 7.95. Both soups were also tasty and would order again! There are other items I definitely would love to try and looking forward to going back!

Had a craving for chile en nogada and searching online, I found out this place makes it year round. We also had enchiladas verdes and steak tacos. All of the food was excellent. The salsa on the enchiladas was delicious, the steak in the tacos was good quality, but the star of the show was the chile en nogada. If you like sweet and savory give this a try and give this restaurant a try. We will definitely be back. FYI, cash only. Didn't take pics, plenty of nice pics here already.

This place is worth the trip. Very unique stuffed pepper dish with nuts fruit and a sweet sauce. Good service and reasonably priced beers. Food is pricey but high quality. Friendly service.

Incredibly friendly staff and great music selection. Very quiet for a Friday night. The food was really good but seemed to be missing that little extra flare that would have added so much (small salad, vegetables, etc). We did order just the basics not venturing to much, so I can say we didn't get to experience everything.

I love La Encantada and their simple ambiance. Their food is really delicious. with a homemade feeling. The burrito was great and the tacos too. Simple made but the ingredients are great! Everything they do is flavor bomb in your mouth. Everything fits together and the balance is totally right! The place is quite tiny and there might be lines, but it all so worth it. The service was friendly and very quick. I definitely love and will go back again for their food. Go for it and give it a try! The experience is worth it! Big thanks to all the staff of La Encantada!

Came here last night for the Quesadillas de Huitlacoche and Chilie en nogada and it was fantastic. Both so perfectly made and delicious. Would highly recommend.

Beautiful atmosphere and AMAZING food!!! This was such a magical place to visit! The food was delicious and the margarita was great as well. I can't wait to visit again thank you!

Best enchiladas in Humboldt Park. I always get the enchiladas verde. So many protein options and a ton of veggie options as well. Service is amazing and it's a very clean, classy restaurant. I cannot recommend this place enough.

We were in the mood for tacos and wanted to try something new. Since we were headed to Menards, we were hoping to find something in the relative vicinity and La Encantada popped in my search. I didn't really do any research, we just went of the high marks the place received. First impression: Holy shit, it's hot AF in here! I'm not sure if their AC was out of order or they simply didn't have any, but on a 90 degree day, it was warm to say the least. I'm guessing that explains why there were only two other couples dining. Second impression: This is not the taqueria I assumed it was, I probably shouldn't be here in gym clothes. Although, on the upside they really wicked all of the perspiration I was feeling off my body. Win. Once we glanced at the menu, we quickly deduced that this place isn't really the place for tacos. They have them, but they also have a lot of other interesting dishes and sides. I opted for the spinach enchiladas verdes and swapped my rice and beans for chipotle mashed sweet potatoes. Manfriend ordered the steak burrito suizo with the rice and beans. My dish was quite tasty with a nice zip in the verde sauce. Personally, I might mix the spinach with something, like cheese, but it is a dish I'd order again. The sweet potatoes weren't a smoky as I had expected from the chipotle. Manfriend's burritos were small, but he said everything was good. Service was a little hands off, but overall we never waited long for anything. Bottom line: I would come back. Next time dressed more appropriately and order a few cocktails. I just might wait until fall when it's not as steamy inside.

This is a story of one type of Mexican food, chile en nogada. It's a seasonal dish, usually served only in September. It's my favorite! I went to Mexico in February for my first vacation, after two years in my house. I spent four days with three friends in Mexico City, one of my favorite cities in the world. I kept telling them about the restaurant that has great chile en nogada all year. I checked to make sure that they were still open, but I never looked at the address. When I called the restaurant, they told me that they had moved to San Angel, which is 30 minutes outside of the city. We had been in San Angel the previous day. There was no way for us to get there before they closed, and we were leaving the next day. I was beyond disappointed! When I returned to Chicago, I Googled chile en nogada all year. I had eaten it at a downtown restaurant years ago, and it was not good. I found La Encantada, in Humboldt Park, less than 10 minutes from my house. I called and spoke to Irma, the owner. She was lovely. I told her my story and said that I would be there the following day when they opened at 5:00 to get one chile en nogada. I was quite pessimistic considering that in all of these years I had only had great chile en nogada in one restaurant and it's in Mexico. When I opened the container, it looked wonderful. When I tasted it, I was ecstatic. It was amazing! The rice and beans that accompanied the chile were great also. I called and told Irma that she's my new best friend. I am having my friends come for dinner in a few days, and they will be able to see what they missed. I look forward to eating in the restaurant so I can try other things, but I know that I will never go there without eating the wonderful chile en nogada!

This place is incredible. The food is wasn't too salty or greasy, and the drinks were pretty tasty too. The entire restaurant is beautifully decorated. But be prepared to pay by either using cash or zelle.

Went here on a whim. It was very slow at dinner time. We were one of 3 tables the entire time we were there. The food was ok, the margaritas were not. The portions weren't all that large either. Very disappointing, especially considering the area. The service was friendly though and it was clean inside.

We love this place! The atmosphere is Just ok, but the service is oh so gracious n the food always amazing. Some ic our favorites are the fresh cactus salad (yes! try it), chili rellleno and queso gondido. Not exactly in our 'hood, but we drive out there anyway for what we consider some of the best Mexican fare in the city. Easy street parking.

Just OUTSTANDING Mexican food. It's so refreshing to spend $100 for a family Mexican dinner and actually get delicious and fresh homemade food cooked with love and pride by the female owner and her staff. I hate spending that kind of money for average or below average food. Not here. My skirt steak fajitas were delicious and not dripping in vegetable oil like so many other places. It actually tasted healthy with fresh onions and peppers. Came with corn tortillas which is always a sign of authentic cooking. The rice and beans were great. My wife's salsa Verde chicken enchiladas were equally as fresh, with wonderful flavors. Beautifully decorated, classy interior. Exposed brick with artwork lending to a very elegant setting without the elegant prices. Perfect place when you want more than a basic taqueria setting but don't want a trendy, overly upscale spot either. 2 adults, 2 kids, $100, including steak fajitas, chicken Verde enchiladas, steak taco dinner, cheese enchiladas, 2 delicious guacamole apps and a half pitcher of homemade margaritas. The homemade chips were also killer.

It's pricey. Food is alright. Not a typical hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. So you should know, I'm Mexican, and a taco should not cost $4 just because they bring it in a nice plate. Bad choice for good quality Mexican food. Good choice if you want to chat it up, have a drink, look at some wall art, and eat mediocre enchiladas while doing it.

I ordered the vegetarian fajitas and it was delicious! I tried cactus for the first time and I liked it. The own is a nice woman. The atmosphere is classy and romantic. There is also a very nice outside area, would be a great spot for a date. Would eat here again!

It was def good, wasn't I was expecting, great music, awesome vibes in Humbolt park!

Just eat here you won't be upset. The food is very good. I ordered two enchaladas one chicken in mole and one ground beef in verde. They were plated nicely. The hospitality is heartfelt and I enjoyed spending my money and time here.

Gourmet Mexican, good service and very nice company made my first visit to La Encantada enjoyable. Living nearby in Humboldt for two years, I'm not sure why Encantada has been completely off my radar until recently. With the restaurant being pretty well empty on a Friday night, some savvy marketing may be needed (and I promise not to complain when they get "Check, Pleased!"). There's a nice selection of margaritas, mojitos and drinks that are pretty affordable. Appetizers looked good but we opted to pass Go and go straight for the entrees: -Carne Asada Oaxaca- skirt steak cooked to a perfect Medium (made to order) smothered in melty Chihuahua cheese and steeped in a spicy Chipotle sauce, this was excellent! And quite spicy! -Chile en Nogada- translation, por favor! From the menu: "A poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef, fruit and nuts. Topped with a creamy nut sauce". That'sWhatSheSaid! All joking aside, this Mexican specialty entree was great! You can choose a side with each entree, and the mashed sweet potatoes with chipotle was good. The mushrooms with epazote looked good too. Service was pretty good most of the night, although we did wait for dessert a long time. But our water glasses were never less than half full! The dessert was a bit of a dissapointment, as the flaming rum on a carmelized banana never lit up, so the alcohol was overpowering. Oh, well. Good for groups or couples on date night, La Encantada is a rising star in Humboldt Park.

I feel bad giving this place less stars than everyone else, but a number of things just didn't work out for us and 4 stars would be rating inflation. And I just can NOT stand for that. :-) So here's the deal. It was a weekday night and just before 9pm. The place was deserted. I had to ask the one employee if they were open. I hate eating in silence. It's just awkward. You need some background noise, some music, something. While we were looking through the menu, one other couple did come in. They sat in the back corner and basically had no presence. So there's just one employee in the front area. He is trying to man the bar as well as the two tables. It seems do-able with just two tables, but if definitely felt understaffed, by the level of service. We ordered a couple of margaritas and he brought us one and not the other. In fact, the other drink never came out until the entrees came out. That's not right... Whew... slow down. I'm getting ahead of myself. I wanted to mention the chips. I had seen peoples' comments against the baked chips. So I mentioned that to the waiter, and he actually offered to make us friend chips. Bonus! In fact, he brought us both fried and baked chips to try. As we were munching, he came over and asked us which chips we preferred. We all liked the normal fried chips (3 of us)... and then he started trying to convince us why the baked ones were better. That he would choose the baked ones if it was his choice. I'm thinking, OK.... it was kind of strange... Maybe he was just trying to have a conversation with us, but I just thought it was weird. I can see how people rate this place well. I mean, the ingredients all seemed really fresh and high quality. With the apparent quality, I'm not gonna ding them on price, because they are slightly more expensive than other places, but again higher quality justifies a higher price. The thing is... ingredients are fine, but somehow I would still say the taste was just somewhat lacking. My taste buds just expect something else... I did have enchiladas with rojas sauce and maybe I should have asked for ranchera, although that wasn't directly on the menu. Rojas sauce tends to be a bit stronger tasting than my preference. Then the bill... this is not a huge deal, but again putting it all together with the total experience... I'm glad I checked it, but they ended up over-charging us. Upon pointing it out, he immediately made the correction. So anyways, overall it was OK. Nice place, but too dead. Fresh/quality ingredients but not up to my taste expectations. The service was good, but was slow and there were mishandled parts. So I don't know what else to say... It's kind of out of the way, and with all the great reviews it was worth the drive the first time. However, I don't envision making a second trip.

OMG 4STAR DINING EXPERIENCE....for a 1.5 star price range...had Steak Enchiladas with creany Poblano Sauce, side choices were great, i had wilted spinach and beans.. Dont forget to ask about the specials, Mojitos were only $3... I dine out a lot, have done so all over the world this food was absolutely delicious, consequently I ate every last bit of it. none left today :( and so will have to go back.... Restaurant not crowded cos of location, straight west - 3437 W. North Ave...parking around no problem. Im very picky, I want a warm restaurant, comfortable seating, not too noisy. It was perfect....Restaurant was warm enough in 20 degree winter, decor fabulous, large pieces of Art all around like a beautiful gallery, staff attentive, polite.Not crowded, quiet enough to have a good conversation, excellent drink selection, it was really a 4Star Restaurant dining and relaxing ambient experience for me. Please go there and have a meal, so it is still there when I go next!

La Encantada was absolutely amazing. I went on a Saturday night and the place was totally empty. I think because of the neighborhood, people don't want to go there. I told Irma, the owner and waitress, that I was vegetarian and she recommended a few different things. I decided on the Banana Mole Enchiladas. The mole is vegan and home made and it was incredible. The prices you pay are for high quality, flavorful food made with love. I wish I lived in Chicago because this place would be a regular stop for me. I highly recommend it.

I was nervous to come in late on Sunday. I was the only customer. I'm very impressed. Even the Mexican music was modern and very nice. A hip modern place. I ordered everything alacarte just to get an "idea". My plate was visually beautiful as if it were a featured dish. My service was perfect. The food was excellent. Quite spicy. I would come again and not be afraid to bring a date.

This place is excellent. I went there the other night and the food was really good, the decor wonderful, service can't be beat. Sadly, we were the only table in the entire restaurant on a Saturday night! Tell your friends and check this place out.

This is a real hidden gem. I am sorry I never heard of it before. By far the best Mexican food I've ever had. Very clean and great ambiance. A must if you visit Chicago! Forget about Bayles' restaurants in downtown. Overpriced and overcrowded. If you want authentic fine Mexican cuisine go to this place.

4.5 stars is about right. It's worth a trip to the neighborhood, although perhaps not a trip across the city. On the drinks side, the margarita and Long Island ice tea were both surprising light (and, upon further reflection, appropriately strong). We ordered the chile en nogada, which tasted too strongly of fruit for me, but the boyfriend LOVED it. I adored my chicken enchiladas poblanas and the spicy side sauce they provided so I could adjust the heat accordingly. The nopalitos were a delicious healthy side dish option. I hope to come back again - no wait on a Friday night, and what many of the other tables were trying smelled awesome!

Really, really good Mexican place in Hombolt Park. Enchiladas to die for, good guac, tequila drinks, and dessert. Try the poblano enchiladas stuffed with corn truffle - if you've never had this, it's delicious and another alternative for those veggie heads. Just get over the black color and you'll see what I mean. Then pair this with a nice refreshing michelada. This is a lime, salt, and clamato drink with your fave Mexican beer. So good. Also shout outs to their green squash with cheese, mole enchiladas, and rice. Everyone is good here - cant go wrong.

Good ENCHILADAS DE MOLE (had the chicken one also) but I've had better which is not to say this place doesn't deserve the 4 stars. Had the QUESO FUNDIDO, which is basically melted cheese with chorizo and eaten with HAND MADE TORTILLAS (these are amazing). Also tried my friend's GRILLED SKIRT STEAK and it was so tender my mouth wanted more. I'll definitely be back for the steak and tortillas...oh and my side of NOPALITOS (catcus), which were greatly firm and not slimmy. Margaritas flowed easily, I like mine a tad stronger but still tasty. Service is with a smile and very friendly and polite. Great local spot that isn't divey, has nice interiors and in an area that provides parking.

Me encanta! You would be surprise with La Encantada! It's a traditional Mexican restaurant, I love the food here is REALLY good specially their 'chile en Nogada' also for dessert do not leave without trying their banana crepe with tequila, is delightful! This place has a interesting decoration as well, you can see the job of different Mexican painters. Moreover, the attention is good, the lady is always very polite and helpful. This is the kind of place that you need to wait for hours to get a table or your food. Definetely , you should try this place!

Super expensive Mexican food. I wanted to love this cute spot on North ave, but $15.99 for enchiladas with beans and rice? Nope. Also... we were the only 2 people in the entire restaurant. We didn't drink, mostly because a normal cocktail was $10-15. The decor was cute-ish, the waitress was great. The food was good. But if your in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, there are plenty of other taquerias in the area well worth your time and money. La Encantada; if you're reading this... maybe lower your prices? I can guarantee that if you lowered your prices, you would for sure get more traffic.

Cute atmosphere. Good solid Mexican food. Good service. No complaints. Fun for a group.

We love this place! They're a little bit hidden and the ambiance is slightly more upscale than surrounding offerings. While they do have nicer more expensive plates for a sit down meal (which I highly recommend experiencing--had a lot of great date nights there!), there's also a convenient a la carte menu that offers cheap, big portions. Our favorites are the spinach burrito, carne asada burrito, and ensalada de nopales. There isn't really any other decent Mexican food in the area and they've been around for years and have always been so kind to us. As the neighborhood changes, I'd hate to see them go and be replaced by anything like the mediocre, rude establishments that've been popping up lately. We make take-out orders frequently, and it's always been a pleasure. I'm also a picky eater when it comes to Mexican food (nothing as good as Mami's house), and this place completely meets my high yet simple standards: fresh, tasty, and free of weird frills.

Food is awesome! The owner is such a sweet lady, I got the Burrito Suizos which was AMAZING! The sauces that come with it complement it so well. I would take a pix but I finished it before I thought abt taking the pix.

I would like to give this place a 3.5, but always round down. Went here Sunday night. Pretty empty which was a bit discouraging. Ordered the ceviche shrimp app. It was pretty good and the salsa that came with was tasty and spicy. The chips were very crumbly and which they were better made. I ordered the steak tacos and added cheese. They meat was very well cooked, tender and juicy. I thought they were excellent. Wife ordered the enchiladas riojas. I wasn't the biggest fan, but tasted how I would expect. Next time we will order the white enchiladas as recommended by most reviews. Skip the mashed sweet potatoes. The chipotle title seems to not mean anything as they aren't specially seasoned or anything. Wife had a margarita and I had a beer to drink. Bill was $100, so a bit pricey for the neighborhood. But understand that the restaurant is very clean and nice with some amazing decor. I will give this place another shot.

A very lovely restaurant this is! The food is excellent, traditional. And the decor is very very tasteful. A cozy little Mexican delight. I highly recommend it, very highly!

Amazing patio, little oasis on North Ave. Delicious food and drinks. Definitely recommend!

This review is based on one visit, but we were impressed. We ordered the enchiladas rojas and chile relleno. Both were delicious. Nice that you can pick from interesting sides rather than just mundane retried beans and rice. We had nopales and spinach -- both well prepared. Friendly service, pleasant decor, good value, and groovy contemporary Latin pop that didn't drown out conversation. Margarita was solid.

Great mole and elote soup. The woman who runs it is kind and charming. Never a long wait for a table. If i could afford to, i would eat here all the time!!

A friend and I decided to check this spot out--it had good reviews and it was down the street. I did not expect to have such a TERRIBLE experience here! 1. The service was horrid. The waitress (and apparently, the owner) barely acknowledged us although we were one of two customers in the restaurant. She was chit-chatting away while we waiting nearly 20 minutes for our check to leave. 2. The food is SO SO SO expensive. I've had way better Mexican food for half the fare. In addition to this, the owner was not able to accommodate us when we were not satisfied with the dish we ordered. Instead, she replied with a snarky comment about how she can't do anything and we must pay full price for the dish--understandable, but never in my life have I experienced such rudeness on behalf of the staff and OWNER of a restaurant. I will not return, and I definitely don't recommend to anyone. If you're looking for good service and awesome Mexican food check out L'Patron instead. Hope this helps!

If this is even one of your choices for dinner, get your culata off your sofa to try it. The name translates to "the enchanted," and the place is enchanting for sure. We made a reservation for six for a Saturday night at 8. With two friends dropping out in the end, it was even more of a pity that the cute little nugget of good food and hospitality had only one other table busy when we arrived, and two new ones taken when we departed. I say it's a pity, because I took a bus to the train to a bus to get here from the South Loop and it was worth it. We started with guacamole, and it came with healthier, non-greasy, baked tortilla chips that were tasty, as was the guacamole. I'm not saying that good, oily, fried chips aren't healthy for the soul; they are. But the baked ones were a nice change of taste. Oops, I lied. We started with the booze, of course. We tried a half-picture of Diablito, which include tequila, lime, soda, and--wait for it--chile powder. Another change of taste. I wouldn't have it more than a couple times a year (tough to pull my grip off my beloved Manhattan's, even as a die-hard Chicagoan), but the just-a-tad-spicy drink was excellent. A little like I like an occasional Mexican hot chocolate in winter, even if I don't want it regularly. The most-interesting thing on the menu to me was the "Crepas Poblanas con Huitlacoche," which they describe on the menu as "Two rolled crepes filled with corn truffle topped with poblano pepper sauce and melted cheese." The server suggested getting it with mole sauce. The crepes were fantastic. If you haven't tried huitlacoche, it's high time that you did! The mole sauce, too, was good on its own; but it overpowered the dish; so next time I'll try it as is. My friend who had the shrimp fajitas raved about those. You get rice and beans with the meal, or you can substitute one of them for a number of different sides. I went for the nopalitos--the sauteed cactus. It was tasty, with its onions, tomatoes and jalapenos. My friends loved their Mexican zucchini and spinach sides. The fried plantains with the honey-cinnamon cream were a new preparation for me that was delicious, and a perfect ending to the evening. Food is supreme in my book, but I have to mention that the server was especially polite, helpful and attentive. I hope the rent here is cheap enough that they can keep going without a full house on a Saturday night.

Their food is delicious. It's always very quiet in there whenever I go which is nice. Great environment, great food! Their skirt steak is amazing! Can't wait to go again!

It's almost criminal that, at 8 pm on a Saturday night, La Encantada is practically empty. Well...actually entirely empty until I walked in. Considering the quality of the food and service here, it's astounding. I ordered the quesadilla with huitlacoche as a starter, which was served with fresh salsa and a dollop of excellent crema. Based on lots of recommendations via Yelp and elsewhere, I also ordered the Chile en Nogada, although I rarely like that kind of sweet and savory combination. After this, I'll have to reconsider my aversion. The poblano pepper was stuffed with an extremely flavorful and complex mixture of spicy ground beef, raisins, cashews, almonds, and bits of apple and pear. The "creamy nut sauce" is sweet but not overwhelmingly so, and is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. This is truly gourmet quality food at an extremely low price. All main courses come with your choice of a side salad, rice, or beans, as well as a side dish. I ordered the nopales, which were a nice complement to the richness of the Chile en Nogada. The other sides looked excellent as well. As for drinks, I couldn't resist trying El Diablito, comprised of tequila, lime juice, a splash of soda water, and chile powder. I certainly intend to try their margaritas, and it's good to see that they serve micheladas, but I'm willing to bet I'll be back specifically for El Diablito whether I'm ordering dinner or not. Finally, if you're a fan of huitlacoche, as I am, this is one of the few restaurants I've seen that make a real effort to feature this ingredient in a variety of styles and preparations. That alone is a major reason to go several times over. This is a warm, friendly, cool place. It really deserves a much, much wider audience. Sure, it's nice to have La Encantada all to oneself, but I'd be happier to wait for a table and see the owners succeed in bringing great Mexican cuisine to Humboldt Park.

NOT AS GOOD AS FRIED? SO FRY THEM! I have to say I'm a bit puzzled by the disclaimer on La Encantada's menu that proudly proclaims that their baked tortilla chips are not as good as fried ones. Indeed they were right, as the chips lack the crunch and flavor of fried chips. So why not fry them or at least give people an option? The restaurant has an urban casita kind of feel with Mexican-inspired art and rich azure tones which complement the exposed brick quite nicely. I loved the art here, but the food?...well I was less than enchanted. The biggest miss for me was the Pollo en Mole. I'm used to Oaxacan moles and their Zacatecan version just didn't do it for me. I wanted more intense flavor while their version is more subdued. Also, I didn't like that they used a grilled chicken breast paillard. It seemed like the chicken wasn't marinated at all and was just pounded, grilled, and covered with mole. I found it under seasoned and a little dry. Dark meat pieces on the bone please! I really wanted to like this place, but the food just didn't do it for me. With some tweaking to the food I'd be happy to give this place another shot.

I love gourmet Mexican dining and was very excited to find La Encantada in my Humboldt Park neighborhood. The concept is right on, the ambiance is mellow and well executed. The service was pleasant and our water glasses were always filled. As for the food I found it to be overpriced for the portions. I ordered the Camrones la diabla which came with a side salad and pick your own side order, which I opted for rice. Now I'm not one to make an ordeal about meal components, I'm perfectly fine ordering things off a menu ala carte without gripe. The side salad that came out was a few measly scraps of iceberg lettuce and some strips of yellow pepper, hardly a meal component. Ok, fine I get my entree, which is spicy and I have a lead coated tongue for when it comes to spice, but I found myself downing my water way to much. The rice was excellent but the meal would be feel a lot more balanced if there was a vegetable portion included on my plate. Go Monday night, get loaded on the $3 Margaritas, share some apps, and hold out on the entree until they can nail the complexity just right.

People need to visit this restaurant immediately! The food is glorious... the guacamole is some of the best I have ever had (not too oniony! not too cilantro-y!) The sangria is fruity, but strong (and delicious). I went here two nights in a row... the decor is lovely, artistic, warm. The staff is kind, attentive and helpful. I want this place to survive, and it's too empty right now! The first night: cheese enchiladas, a side of garlic potatoes, salad with mango dressing. The second night: plantain enchiladas with mole, a side of refried beans, salad with guava dressing. There are TONS of selections for vegetarians and non vegetarians alike.

The chips - Um... Reality check, people. They opened a package of Milagro tortillas and put them in the oven. Tasteless. The margaritas - It's a mix and they are weak. The fajitas - Guess what? They come out of a bag. How do I know? She told me. Out. Of. A. Bag. There are sooooo many places in the city that blow this spot away. Don't waste your time or your money.

Woah, why aren't more people coming here for dinner!? My husband and I recently moved back into the Logan/Humboldt area and we were excited to try out some places near our new place on North Ave. We came to dinner here on a weeknight and the entire place was DESERTED. We were a bit wary at first, but then we remembered the stellar Yelp reviews online, so we continued on our dinner odyssey. The food was de-lish. Drink prices were decent and they had a full bar, so margaritas, sangria or whatever mixed drink you want is made to order. The margs are good but a bit small for my taste (since places like El Cid are serving them up cheap and BIG), but tasty nonetheless. Beer is reasonable and there's domestics and imports, so go crazy. Apps were delish and clearly all made in-house. I appreciate an establishment that isn't warming frozen meals but rather making all of the food on-site. We had some empanadas, small salads and yummy entrees. I chose to err on the side of vegetarian and all of my choices were yummy. If offered the option, get the steamed cactus as your side - you won't regret it! Their menu is fairly large, there's steak, chicken, seafood and veggie options and the plates are a nice size. Prices are reasonable and the food is so good you likely won't have room for dessert (we didn't). Parking is abundant on North Ave. and they're not too busy on weeknights, so stop on in for a quick meal. The atmosphere is nice, a bit romantic if that's what you're looking for and the music is nice. Staff was very friendly and always around when we needed a drink refill.

You can't go wrong with La Encantada. We went on a Saturday night to celebrate a friend's birthday, and while I appreciated that they could accommodate our group of 7 at the last minute (Zocalo was booked), the number of customers (only a few) was just not proportionate to the high quality of food and service. La Encantada deserves more business!!! The decor is sophisticated and artsy, and there's a nice, warm ambience. The margaritas are delicious, and the food is inexpensive. I had the enchiladas poblanas with arroz and compote con chipotle (sweet potatoes with chipotle). DELICIOUS! Go, support local business and Humboldt Park!