Momento Cantina

I recently dined at this Momento Cantina restaurant and had such a great experience! The food was absolutely delicious—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. Every dish tasted authentic, and the portions were just right! Our waiter, Marco, made the visit even better. He was attentive, friendly, and quick with recommendations that turned out to be spot-on. He checked in often without being intrusive and made sure we had everything we needed. Overall, it was a wonderful meal with excellent service. I’ll definitely be coming back when I return to Chicago 🌮✨

I've been here a couple times for lunch. I like how they have a quick service option or you can sit in their dining room for an extended menu. Margaritas are fantastic with a variety of flavors. Adding the cheese to the ribeye tacos is worth it. Love the beans and chips as a starter. Great service!

Loved the decor and features of the restaurant, very inviting and aesthetic. Didn’t take long to get seated but the hostes seemed slightly unprepared and there are two entrances which was confusing. Food came quickly but I was a little annoyed you couldn’t interchange tacos and could only order one set package of 3 of the same tacos. Tacos were high quality and guac was above average to say the least. However, the large bowls were misleading with not much salsa or guac and pretty shallow. Another red flag was the fact that it was noticeable empty inside on taco Tuesday of all days. Overall I was enjoying my visit until I saw the check afterward. $44 for 3 birria tacos and guacamole. Should have seen it coming based on how the place looked but be warned. On the upside they have a very nice takeout system with tablets and a salsa bar, plus alcoholic drink dispensaries throughout the restaurant. At the end of the day I recommend but just have your pockets full and don’t expect to have the perfect taco combo.

Someone needs to hear this; THE FOOD IS AMAZING. I chose the express route for my first time, saving the dine in experience for a hot date. The venue overall is very nice. Open seating area has kiosks scattered around with the full menu. You will be asked to attach your main card to the card assigned to your table. Use the card to place your food and drink orders. Don’t let the little bowl of chips fool you as an appetizer- that valentina sauce was absolutely delicious. Will be returning soon. Like, soon.

Did quick service. Was a little confusing bc you have to get a card to use at table that is tied to your credit card and is one use. Seems like an extra unnecessary step. Would recommend: fish taco and steak taco. Not a fan of ahi tuna tostadas-needed something more for flavor. Sit down dining area was gorgeous and bathrooms were very unique!

These tacos were fye, I got the ribeye tacos and I gobbled them up. the salsas they gave for the chips were also really good, first time seeing a place serve chips with beans and providing 3 main salsas. the owner also came up and gave us a 4th mango habanero salsa which was spicier but hella flavorful. a bit pricey, but definitely worth the price and was a great eat.

Highly recommended. We enjoyed tacos prepared with grilled octupus and with crispy white fish. Tacos were served in soft tostadas made with purple corn. The guacamole was served with seasoned chips. Delightful.

This is the best Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Chicago! My beautiful partner and I went out for a night on the town, and came across this amazing place. We had a reservation, but arrived early. Even though it was busy, they were able to sit us down within a few minutes. Once we sat down, our waiter, Gustavo, took amazing care of us. We never had an empty drink nor empty salsa and chips. Gustavo's sense of humor had us laughing all night. We ordered the QuesaBirria and they were to die for. Definitely will be coming back to enjoy this amazing experience. PS. If you like hot salsa, ask Gustavo for the Habanero Salsa. It has a nice kick.

Zoe with no y was awesome! Food was delicious...thanks for a great meal!!! Happy Halloween!

The Birria Tacos were on point. Our waiter Niko was awesome! He's knowledgeable about the food choices and just a pleasure to have as your waiter.

The newest Mexican restaurant in the Loop! With stunning interior, a nice happy hour, and bold, tasty food! I stopped at Momento Cantina after work in the loop with a friend! We made it in time to indulge in their happy hour which consists of various drinks and bites! Our server was friendly, attentive and gave some GREAT menu recommendations! In addition to happy hour drinks, my friend and I decided to order a bunch of things and split it "family style". Aside from the complimentary chips and salsas (love places are still doing this) we also ordered chips & guacamole which was bold in flavor and also has a sweetness from the pomegranate on it! Per our server's recommendation we tried the Spicy Tuna Tostadas and WOW WOW! A menu highlight for sure! Crunch tostada, very fresh tuna, and texture from the crispy onion and sesame. It was so good my friend went back the next day for another round lol. We also split the Trompo taco trio. This was the best steak quality and flavor I have had in a taco in a while! We ended our night with the Foundant de Maiz (another amazing rec from our server) which was a corn cake (kind of like a sweet corn bread) topped with ice cream and caramel and WOW so good the perfect sweet treat! I recommend stopping by this newest west loop spot! You won't be disappointed

Interesting spot in an interesting space -- a higher end taqueria in the first floor of an old department store -- in this case, Carson Pirie Scott's old flagship location. Like the store, kind of a tragedy of unfulfilled potential. And pretty pricey for the experience. The food was good...when it finally came. We're guessing that they were short servers and slammed by a sporting event (we had a reservation and were seated on time, for the record)...but the timing of the bar and kitchen was kind of a disaster. Way too long for a first visit from our server. Way too long for the first round of margaritas to come. THREE (really) requests for chips and salsa after the server first said he would bring them -- one of our party finally went and asked the hostess desk for help. They came -- AFTER the apps (I won a bet about that...). The chips were served with three salsas in stylish but impractical cups (tall, skinny, didn't hold much...so you couldn't really dip...and the cups didn't even really fit in the holder...see pic...another near miss by the restaurant?). By the time we politely reminded our server that we would like another round of drinks with dinner, he acted annoyed (he WAS slammed and the kitchen WAS totally letting him down...) and never came back (an expediter did bring the drinks...someone else ultimately brought the check). Our group shared two apps: guacamole and totopos (pomegranate seeds) and a whitefish ceviche. The guacamole was overpriced and small but tasty; the ceviche was a real hit with the group. All four of our crew then had tacos, (that arrived -- literally -- 55 minutes after we were seated and ten minutes before we told them we would have to leave...) and agreed that they were quite good -- one went with green mole chicken, two with the fish, and one with the four taco sampler. Some plain white rice (really?!), frijoles, and chips on the side; the sides were as boring as the tacos were interesting. Add to that our table's location was near the Monroe St. entrance to the restaurant, which had a serious draft (two of our group put on their coats) and the obligatory streets-of-Chicago pot smoke wafting in and, well...what could and should have been a really terrific meal turned out to be, as noted, a pricey tragedy of disappointing service and unfulfilled potential. Lots of interesting Mexican food in the city these days. Saddens me to say that this one needn't be on the "must try" list.

A miss and a hit! After trying to eat somewhere else, unsuccessfully, a quick search brought us to the recently opened Memento. We were specifically looking for Mexican (and are regular proponents of SoCal Cali-Mex cuisine). What we encountered was a lovely surprise - head chef from Mexico City (CDMX) and flavors reminiscent of our recent trip there. The margaritas are flavorful, the tacos were delicious, and the presentation was detailed. Colorful interior, with a tasting area for mezcal. Honestly, we were not sure what to expect, especially realizing they had opened recently, but the staff was great - our server, Colin, was attentive and friendly, and made great recommendations. We were happily surprised - located right across from the Palmer House Hotel - great location for drinks!

Stopped in for a quick snack and to cool down from the humid Chicago summer. It's got a nice decor aesthetic. Very Latin and super colorful. I'm a fan! Even the exterior has some art pieces that intrigued me. We got some guac and it wasn't bad. The chips were seasoned and came with watermelon radishes. Guac tasted made to order. We also got horchata and hibiscus. Pretty refreshing and tasted like how it should. It's self serve so I don't have much to say about service. I'd come back to do the sit down part of the restaurant.

I stopped by for a quick lunch. Momento Cantina is in a good location, near trains and lots of shopping. I was offered seating in the casual or main dining area. I chose casual since I was running errands. Ordering was a little tricky and kind of annoying. You had to order and pay from a tablet attached your table. It wasn't obvious when the order went through. Both restaurants were almost empty but it still took forever to come out. The casual dining area was also freezing. We ordered the ribeye taco, cochinita taco and guacamole. The tortillas are handmade and were delicious. The cochinita was juicy and flavorful. The ribeye was a little tough and bland. The guac was tasty but it was really tiny for the price and had hardly any chips. I ordered their version of a margarita which was citrusy and had a little carbonation. It was fine. Overall it was an expensive lunch that was just ok. There are so many great places to eat in Chicago, I was a little disappointed in an average experience.

Tried Momento yesterday for the first time. I ordered the four taco plate and most of it was inedible-- the meat was hard, cold, and old. The tortillas were stale and hard. I will never come back here. The service and drinks were exceptional but will definitely skip the food.

If I could give this place a 3.5 I would, because the service is very friendly. The vibe/decor felt very much geared towards a party setting- particularly with the di booth and ability for guests to join. While this can be fun if you're looking for a party, it can come off obnoxious if you aren't- especially when random guests are taking a turn playing dj. The food was subpar which is primarily driving my review score. We ordered chips and guac which was very low on the guac. The vegetarian birria tacos were really disappointing, instead being mushroom tacos with some beans drenched in sauce, making it soggy and very one dimensional in flavor. The fish tacos were significantly better with more texture and flavor. The tajin mango margarita was also disappointing as it was more like mango juice with a rim of tajin. The best thing I had was some tequila that I sampled, but also ended up being the most expensive thing there I consumed. Overall I left this place unsatisfied as did many people in my party.

Have you ever paused and said to yourself: "Name, you're being an insufferable curmudgeon." Yeah... I did that today. It's almost like I was looking for reasons to dislike Momento, but to be honest, I couldn't find any, not a valid reason, anyway. I will tell you now, everything you think you know about what a Mexican restaurant should be, take it and throw it out the window. Whether you're expecting onion and cilantro, or lettuce tomato and cheese, put all of that in a box with a lock. Let me first talk about the chips and dip that are included with the meal... these were among the best chips I'd had in a Mexican restaurant. They were house-made, light and airy, not greasy, and seasoned not only with salt but also something flavorful (though I couldn't tell you what). This was served with a lovely black bean dip. For us salsa lovers, there were three sauces served with the tacos (which one could easily use with the chips: a mild green, mild roasted tomato, and spicy Chile de Arbol. All were distinct and interesting, with the spicy bringing some proper heat! For the tacos, I tried both the sirloin and octopus. Now, remember how I said to remove yourself from your expectations? Expect three things only: balanced proportions, terrific assembly (don't fall apart), and next-level flavors. Well, the sirloin tacos had only meat and house-made potato sticks. After turning off "curmudgeon mode" I found it doesn't need it. Not that it would have hurt, just wasn't needed. The meat was beyond tender and flavorful - some of the best I've experienced in a taco, ever! The potato sticks added a little crunch while not interrupting the meat's flavors. The octopus tacos were a little different in that they also had a sauce that complemented the protein. Otherwise, the meat (mollusk?) also shined - and wasn't rubbery in the slightest. Potato once again bestowed crunch. For dessert I had the Fondant de Maiz. What made this so delightful is that the sweetness came primarily from the ice cream/gelato, with the cake having little. Thus, flavors other than sugar could come through. Great combination of textures also! With alcohol, I am in awe of their system. The card you're given allows you to try 15ml increments of tequilas and mezcals, from entry-level to fancier pours. IIRC there are 16 bottles, but only four were available as they are still in their opening. For beers, these are per ounce at a self-serve tap. Thus, one can try sip-sized amounts of each one for a nominal cost, and then go ahead with whatever they like, or nothing at all. Finally, I want to give big points for the service. It was kind, friendly, welcoming, attentive, and quick considering the freshness of everything. With all of this, I can't wait to see what's in store for Momento as they iron out any kinks and start working as a well-oiled machine

I think this place is so fun! The service is SO attentive. They have a casual side and another more lounge-y sit down side. Their salsas are quite good (complimentary), and they have non-lard black beans too that come which is very inclusive. I liked their carne asada and birria tacos but omg the pan de elote dessert is to die for, worth the 5 stars alone. They have mezcal and tequila on tap, which I've never seen before. Fun vibes inside, fun decor, the bathrooms have mouthwash (lol). Recommend for sure! Fun girls night or date spot.

I was walking home debating what to eat when I walked past the both momento had outside their wabash location. Wasn't sure about 4 tacos for $20 that had presumably sat outside for a bit, definitely a bit steep of a price, but they were really tasty and still warm. I'd love to come back, the gentleman that sold me on them was a great salesman and super kind. Highly recommend! Giving this a 4 because it is a bit pricey and there were one or two pretty large choingers. It's not the greatest photo I took- really tasty food & loved the tortillas

My favorite Mexican food place, Picaña tacos and octopus macha tacos They are a delight.

Came for lunch on a Thursday. For this being a common corporate lunch area in the loop, momento has a complicated ordering system. We each had to get a card (which the host links to your credit card) before sitting down which you then place on a kiosk to order. It was a little confusing and felt kind of like those breweries that you serve yourself with based on your card. The tacos were pretty good, just a little overpriced for what it was.

Beautiful place and atmosphere! When we walked in, we waited a while with no one to greet us to be seated. Then after that, it took a long time to be waited by a server, and even longer to get our drinks to even begin ordering our food. The tacos were good, but for the price, they really can use a little imagination into the toppings. Also, the waiter said they can add fried mozzarella cheese... which is the wrong cheese lol enjoyed the food though and would probably come back though!

Amazing interior and great host! Able to accommodate large party! Very authentic Mexican food it came with three different types of salsa and if you want us really spicy ones that you have to ask for it!

Great food and cocktail. Zoe, our server, was fantastic! She was very attentive, knowledgeable about the menu and gave us spot on recommendations. Nice vibe and ambiance. A real gem in the Chicago Loop!

Welcome to momento - a new eclectic dining experience with their take on fine Mexican dining. My personal opinion is that this place is for how it makes you feel and what you see during your time and little about the food. I took a risk on this place and decided why not with my mentee. We ordered the chicken Tinga sopes along with two fish tacos for me and two steak tacos for her. If you get the basic tacos, it's 2/$11 or 4/$20. No sides. Each order of tacos comes in two so you're given the option to mix march and share. While I didn't indulge in drinking it was $18/ cocktail. The food was good. The flavor profile and textures were there - no doubt about it. It was too expensive for my taste buds. Then again, this is an elevated dining experience. I wouldn't turn down the opportunity to go again however I wouldn't choose, on my own, to come back.

New tacos spot in the of Chicago. The Picaña Trompo tacos were my favorites--so flavorful. The self-serve tequila and mezcal setup is super unique and fun. Our server, Fiona, was amazing--friendly, knowledgeable, and made sure we were well taken care of.

The host was as about as unfriendly as one can get. Cold greeting. Onto this bizarre experience. So I have to give a credit card to get a card to put in a slot in front of a screen with a menu to order, so then I can be handed a menu by a bartender to then order from the bartender? Got it. Makes perfect sense. Not. After being told chips and salsa "will be right out," we had to ask 3 more times and waited 30 minutes to get chips and salsa...at the bar. It was 20 minutes to get a beer after ordering it. I could have reached for the tap and poured it myself. It was right in front of me. I had a long day of work and was staying across the street. All I wanted was chips and salsa and a beer. And 10 chips? Are you kidding me? The chips weren't even enough for the beans in the bowl, let alone the 3 salsas in the bowls you can't fit a chip into because they're to narrow. And why the hell was our food brought out in a box? I had the fish tacos. Two were cold and one was lukewarm. My work partner got the guisada tacos. She had one bite and said they were barely warm, fatty, and chewy. She didn't eat any more after that. We went back to hotel and ate at the bar. As Marcus Lemonis would say if this was an episode of The Fixer, "Going to a restaurant and ordering shouldn't be this hard. It definitely shouldn't be this hard to eat." Oh...and my napkin was dirty. Very dirty. The photo is blurry, but I assure you it was disgusting.

We went to a concert at Northerly Island but wanted to take a walk in the city for a bite to eat first and happened upon this little gem. Our watress, Fiona, was gracious and knowledgable. Drinks and appetizers were not only deliciouse but served promptly. We ordered the guac (which was amazing) and these little, crispy pork filled pancakes served on a homemade red sauce with cojita cheese sprinkled on top...so yum! We kinda went tapas with our order...fish tacos, barrias, barbacoa, and one other I don't recall (the margs were also going down smooth!) everything was delicioso!

The restaurant was beautifully decorated and provided the romantic atmosphere we were hoping for when celebrating our anniversary . While it was a bit pricey, the food was also very delicious but the tequila flight fell short of expectations which honestly was due to the servers inability to accurately describe what I was in it. The server was asked serval times for clarification on the tequilas and she was clueless on what came in the flight. She checked with the bartender and came back with more confusing responses and said she could even attempt to read the names of the tequilas because she "doesn't speak or know Spanish." I wasn't even concerned with the names of the tequila but rather the types as I know I don't particularly enjoy certain types on their own. Her response was "it's a solid flight." Then when it arrived, I asked which side I should start with and the servers response was "it doesn't really matter." Of course that is not correct and it definitely mattered because when you drink Mezcal the overpowering Smokey flavor will leave you tasting nothing else as you work your way through different types of tequila. Then I asked if the restaurant had prosecco and again, she had no clue, went to check and subsequently forgot all about it. This could've been a 5 star experience with a higher bill but the service had us questioning staying, ordering anything else and so we left. For such a gorgeous place with very good food, the training provided to their wait staff should match that high quality.

Momento, like the name was definitely a spur of the moment type of choice for tacos and margs. Saw this on TikTok and just had to try. Came with a buddy of mine who is from Mexico to see the hype. But you just know from the moment you walk in how new this place is and everyone trying to get used to how their system works, and how to make things smooth with very little time. With two entrances and two different atmospheres they only have 1 person up front with no one at the other hidden entrance. Everything seems so fresh and new with uncertainty of what works for them. The music for example was incredibly inconsistent very stop and go with awkward background silence for the majority of the time. The service was just okay pretty delayed I'd say, the food took too long but it was really delicious we had the quesabirria tacos and the ribeye and the Arroz con Leche for dessert. We also were there for happy hour where we were able to get the $10 margs and I got the horchata and the mango tajin they were strong and tasty. Prices were a bit high for the food for my liking. But I think in the next couple months they will make some improvements it seems very new.

Le cadre est superbe, le personnel sympathique. Mais les plats ne sont pas copieux: - le tartare a pour unique accompagnement 3 ships, - le tacos n'a rien d'un tacos, c'est juste de la viande cuite sur des ships avec du fromage grillé sur le dessus. Sans accompagnement non plus. Les 3 ships qui servent de support à la viande nesont pas mangeables. la carte n'est pas claire, 18$ un verre de bière basique non précisé sur la carte. Je n'y retournerai plus.

Stopped in for a quick bite and a drinks with friends. All the salsas are BOMB. We got the chips and guacamole. It was fresh and delicious. Margaritas were strong. Very good !

So tasty, affordable and convenient! Was given two options: fast self serve and cantina (sit down dining). Chose self-serve; they had easy ice cold water available at thw ready. Ordering was easy, got the Guisado Taqueria and Pescado Baja and the cebollitas Toreadas. That fish taco was absolutely delicious! And the charred onions were so delicious witht he green salsa provided. The prange salsa provided is pretty spicy so beware if you arent acclimated to spicy food. Everything served with limes and was really delicious. Was slow when we got here and it felt like a crime for how good they are. Music was nice and not too loud, great window seating in the "fast" area.

Vegan tacos were great!! Enter on Wabash for takeout orders. I would like to see the restaurant/cantina area menu on the website, however https://www.momentocantina.com/ doesn't get me to the full lunch/dinner menu. I will happily order from here again.

First step inside and I was excited. The decor is really interesting and took you away from being in a big city but not really. If that makes sense. Super cool decor. The staff was amazing and friendly and their recommendations were spot on! It wasn't super busy so we got a lot of attention. The choice of tacos was many! We ended up with fish and ribeye. Both delish! Seeing as it was my birthday dinner, my friend told the server and I was presented with what I thought was flan but it was a corn cake! So so so so so good! We both got a margarita to drink. Yum! Start to finish, walking in to leaving, just a wonderful experience'

The sign outdoor advertises a $15 2 tacos and a beer, great deal right? We are seated and asked for the happy hour 2 tacos and a beer only to learn when the check came we had to read and understand the fine print. Not being from here the fine print named a taco? How were we to know that meant only that taco and you had to eat in the front of the restaurant! Our tacos were 2 and a beer for $20! I felt like it was a bait and switch and felt mislead. Warning to anyone to ask for clarity.

Such a big let down. First impressions were good- drinks were nice, I enjoyed the white fish ceviche. I was excited to try the campechano tacos which were supposed to come with ribeye. I attached a picture of what i received - which appears to look like ground beef. i figure i'd at least give it a chance - maybe this is a house chorizo? of course it just tasted like unseasoned ground beef... not even salt. when i asked the server if my order was correct he gaslit me by saying they ground up the ribeye to blend with the "chorizo." the weird thing is there isn't even a picadillo/ any ground beef taco option on the menu... so not quite sure what happened here. sad because this place has potential. come here if you want unseasoned ground beef tacos!

The food took one hour to get to the table and when it finally got there, it was old, stale and not a good flavor at all, the only good thing are the salsas. Don't come here if you want good food

Celebrated our anniversary. From the moment you walk in, the decor really sets a beautiful tone and atmosphere. Bright colors and fixtures that represent beautiful Mexico. We had the octopus, pichana, fish tacos. I would rate them I. That order. The salsas all have something special to offer. Also had the gorditas and I loved the texture of the masa and the flavor. Wish I could have hours to taste all the cocktails, but you can't wrong with any choice. If you like espresso martinis the Carajillo is a must. Our server Colin was attentive and very kind.

Popped in on Tue evening around 7pm. Place isn't busy at all, however I am not offered a table due to not having a reservation nor allowed to sit at the completely empty bar. Have to go through the curtain to the back where a self-ordered tables are. Kinda ruins the mood but fine. Sit down, get a card and order my own food on a tablet. Margarita comes in a plastic cup. You get your own water, also in a plastic cup from a cooler. Utensils - you guessed it. Complimentary chips are that, potato chips that you would get at the supermarket, not restaurant-made tortilla chips as you would expect at the fusion Mexican establishment. Overall this felt like a mediocre food court experience, not a restaurant one. Food took forever so I just paid for my drink and left. Sorry, not coming back.

We had the good fortune to find Momento Cantina. We loved all of our selections that we shared--tacos and small plates. The staff was appropriately attentive. And the decor is lovely with many references to Mexican food and culture. Highly recommended!

The restaurant had an announcement outside that stated "Happy Hour: Sun-Fri, 4-6pm" Special was for their tacos or guisado with sides and drink. Cool! I walk in, and the restaurant is segregated into 2 sections. They ask if we'll be dining in, which we responded Yes to. We walked past the 1st casual dining area, and walked into a formal dining room with a bar and awesome decor. We ordered from the Happy Hour Menu-since it was indeed Sunday ~430p. The server informed us that It was Not Happy Hour. Confused we made reference to THEIR advertisement by the front door. The server said he wasn't aware and that the sign was likely wrong??? I doubt that. We were tired and hungry and just ordered from the main menu. We ordered Chorizo steak chicharon crumble tacos and Baja fish tacos. Both were tasty, with a preference for the Baja tacos. Service was fine. My issue? I felt duped. There is an A frame advertisement board by their door that explicitly states Happy Hour food/drink specials Sun-Fri, 4-6pm. Why is the restaurant telling me they're unaware? Why does the sign not specifically state that happy hour is Only for "quick order". Unprofessional and Deceitful. Would I return? No. Tacos were good. Ambiance in the formal dining area was attractive but overall, not worth it. Lots of other great food options in Chicago with lower prices, and larger portions.

I love the ambiance of Momento. The place is beautifully decorated. The margarita list is extensive. We had 3 and I loved them all! We had the quatro santos tacos and they were all delicious. I especially liked the fish taco. We also had the aguachile fish and it was perfectly balanced. I would definitely come back to try some of their many tequilas.

Enthusiastically curated with an upscale vibe. We enjoyed sharing the Zarandeado fish as a group of four, which was a red snapper sautéed to pan crispiness and plantains served with tortillas. Margs are good and well priced at happy hour. The self-serve beer is a bit finicky... Maybe ask them to prime the kegs for you before you go get your own pours, but they adjusted the ticket price for me anyways which was very nice!

Had a tasty meal here is the fast dining section. The cochinita pibil bowl was delicious and they bring it out in stacked bowls which was fun. The suero was a refreshing drink to complement the food. They also bring you tajin dusted potato chips as a starter. Service was super attentive. I'll be back to try everything on the menu (yes even possibly the lengua!).

The food was amazing and the experience overall was fantastic. Very friendly server and the self-serve tequila shots were on point. The attention to detail in the decor was fantastic. Great handmade corn tortillas as well. Definitely a must to see!

Decor and atmosphere is cheerful and inviting. Service was youthful and enthusiastic. The guacamole was fresh and had a perfect texture. The $8 price for a 1/2 cup full was a little steep considering that an avocado is worth about $.80, but it was the highpoint of the meal. We ordered "Mole verde con Pollo" and Cochinta Pibil" for entrees. The best that I can say about them is that they were were not the same color. Both had the texture of over-masticated mush and they both tasted the same! You would expect at least a mole to bear some resemblance to actual Mexican flavors, but not here. The black beans had absolutely no texture and was just a pasty puree. The entrees were a disgrace to Mexican cuisine. It is possible that the tacos are better, but we will never go back to find out.

The food, drinks, and service were great. I highly recommend the plantain croquettes. I appreciated the wide range of margaritas on the menu (I think there were 16?) so that there's something for pretty much everybody. I really liked that they had tequilas and mezcals on tap so my date and I could sample multiple. I think one area for improvement would be either changing how the tacos are listed on the menu or not requiring that tacos be ordered in pairs. It says "2 for $11" in a way that makes it sound like you can pick 2 different tacos (e.g., one ribeye and one fish) for $11, but it's actually that each type of taco comes in a set of 2. The 2 people in my party and the 2 people at the table next to us all read it as "select 2 from the list." In a lot of restaurants I don't think this would matter much but for a restaurant with such unique offerings I wish there had been a way to try more of the tacos on the menu by just getting one of whichever tacos we ordered. The menu sounded really good and interesting so it was disappointing that we couldn't sample as many things as we thought we could without paying twice as much and ordering way too much food for 2 people (each taco is big/filling enough that 4 per person would've been way too much food for us after getting an appetizer) then wasting a bunch of food. Short of that, it might be helpful if the menu more clearly said that you get 2 of the same taco, you don't get to mix and match for the price they list. The table next to us seemed to have the same issue but didn't know before ordering, so they were confused to get 2 of each of the first round of tacos brought to their table and I think they ended up canceling 2 of their orders because they didn't realize they had ordered 8 tacos for 2 people (and would be paying $44+ rather than the $22+ they thought they were spending on tacos when they ordered). Also to be clear this is not a complaint about their pricing--2 for $11/$13 is totally reasonable given the quality and quantity of food. I would've gladly paid more per taco if I could've ordered 2 different ones.

The tacos here rival what you can find in San Diego. They are not your typical tacos. The sauces were flavorful and unique. The octopus, ribeye, and chorizo tacos were amazing. My least favorite was the shrimp and didn't really match the description in the menu. Definitely will come back next time I'm in Chicago. This is actually my first yelp review!

Food was not great and service was awful. There were an awful lot of staff standing around and yet it was difficult to even get refills.

My first experience...one of the most authentic Mexican cuisine experiences I've ever had. Every detail, from the greeting at the front door...to the ambience...the service...to the food and drinks was exceptional!!! Coming back for more and bringing friends!!

Wow, saddest excuse for Mexican I've ever had. Monday, 1130, maybe 3 other tables. 'Ribeye' fatty, dry. Fish overcooked drown in sad excuse for salas. Corn 50% fluid. Plain gross.

Nicely decorated, good looking restaurant but the food was just ok in a city where you can find good Mexican all over the place. Birria tacos and the chicken sope were pretty good but when they served plain white rice with beans they lost me. Was good to try somewhere different but they are way better options out there...

Good atmosphere , margaritas and tacos. Had the ribeye tacos and chorizo and beef tacos. Guacamole and nacho flavored chips were good addition. Staff was friendly.

Came out during lunch break and waited more than 30 minutes for one ribeye taco.. Other people who ordered before me were also waiting 40+ minutes. One person had to just leave without getting his food. They are also backed up for Uber scheduled eats. Don't waste your time.

I can't explain how amazing and innovating Momento is. the service was better then u can explain so caring and always thinking ahead I would definitely come here again