El Puerto Mexican Restaurant
200 N Forest Ave, Fox Lake, IL, 60020
El Puerto Mexican Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Fox Lake for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Fox Lake for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Fox Lake for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
200 N Forest Ave
Fox Lake, IL, 60020 - Phone (847) 973-1370
- Website https://www.elpuertorestaurant.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Jake R.
My son took me here on Mother's Day and they brought me a free Pina' Colada and a carnation, how cool is that? And they serve free chips and salsa. We sat in the dining room facing the lake with a beautiful view. The food was good, not great, but good. The prices are reasonable; I had the combo fajitas (13.95) and my husband had the chicken chimichanga's (10.95). I was surprised at the 3 small chimichanga's instead of 1 large one, but they did taste good. I think the location of this place is their asset. I would not go out of my way to eat dinner here again but I'm looking forward to the warm weather to go back to sit on their patio with drinks and appetizers with my family.
(3)Logan S.
Saturday night, six p.m., the place borders on madhouse, with a thirty to forty-five minute wait to be seated (indoors or out, still the same wait time). We were seated in 35 minutes, outdoors where we could watch the boats and the bachelorette party prepping for a night on the water. Then we waited - forever - for everything, including refills on the great salsa, refills on drinks, appetizers (which I've heard are supposed to arrive BEFORE the entrée, not WITH the entrée), coffee... In other words, the place is overwhelmed and their kitchen (supposedly two kitchens, which was the explanation for appetizers arriving just slightly after entrees were delivered), well, their kitchen is bloody, painfully slow. Food was average, not worth the wait, appetizer was sent back since we no longer needed to whet our appetites, fried ice cream wasn't really fried ice cream, just ice cream with a crunchy coating semi-covering it. So, go if you want waterfront ambiance and a laid-back meal, but don't expect fast or efficient food or service. But, if you want your take-home containers dropped (yes, just dropped) in the middle of the table while you're beginning to taste your entrée, you've come to the right place. Yes, I'd go back just to enjoy a drink on the patio, but with seriously lowered expectations as to food quality and service.
(2)Karen A.
One of the best Mexican places in the area. Great outdoor patio Come by boat or by car. Plenty of parking either way. Best salsa around. Never had a bad meal here.
(5)Eric N.
Every time I come here it's great! Order steak tacos.
(5)Dining Bunny G.
Went there for the first time at 5:20 tonight to eat outside. The wait was 45 minutes so we decided to eat inside. The views were great but the noise (inside and outside) was awful. People were yelling just to talk to one another. Service was quick. Margaritas and food was good. Probably would go back on a weekday but never the weekend again.
(2)Mike U.
Great food, great views. The service is decent. I would say you are paying a little bit more for the food than typical of a Mexican restaurant, it's kind of expensive. Maybe you are paying for the view?
(4)Nick R.
Great atmosphere . Right on the lake and you can enjoy the summer view . The price are a bit high for causal Mexican food , but guess you pay for location . $10 for taco dinner .Food was average at best . Rice was dry no taste. Margaritas were a bit weak . Good place to go and have a few beers and enjoy the patio . Would come back only for drinks .
(2)Craig P.
I've come here many times and food is consistently good and the margaritas are excellent. Sitting out on a patio watching the boats go by makes for a great afternoon meal. Speaking of boats this place conveniently located right on the lake and has a huge docking area. I usually come here by boat and have never had trouble finding a slip. However, once some friends were trying to meet up with us here and their small boat sunk while they trying to dock it because of the huge waves. make sure you tie up securely and use plenty of bumpers because the docks are made of steel and concrete and will quickly damage your boat. They also have jet ski parking. If you choose to use it, shut your engine off 10 feet back and push it in. The water is only a foot deep by the parking and I know a few people who have destroyed their impellers here.
(4)Meg H.
This place has become an instant go-to for dinner for me and my husband. The service is great and the food is awesome as well. Pretty cheap pitchers of margaritas and bombers too. On a good night, eat outside and enjoy the beautiful view!
(5)Jean K.
If you're a fan of fajitas and sazon, this is the place for you!! Very good Margarettas, a KILLER Buritto pica pica - although, don't believe them about it being hot! VERY mild at best! But, still tasty!! ~ My son's tacos were delicious and the guac, a little on the mayo side, but pretty tasty! The location is great! Waited a good 20 minutes for outside seating and was well rewarded with one of the best sunsets I've seen in a while! It's cozy, comfy and was nicely surprised by how cute the place was inside! Driving up, it looks like a small hole in the wall!! The only complaint?...EXTREMELY busy, so although you're greeted right away with a friendly waiter who will take your order and bring your drinks right away, return service was pretty slow. Finished off our round of chips and salsa before the guac was brought out - without chips!! Come on guys!! Nobody eats that with a spoon! Think we waited about 15 minutes before we had chips again and we could dig in. Our drinks were running pretty low, but luckily - for him! - our waiter dropped by with two sodas for the guys! The wait was worth it when we were served up the food, as mentioned before, the food was really good!! And they served good sized portions. Has to be one of the best new Mexican restaurants I've eaten at in a while and we'll be docking out boat up next time for some more!!
(4)Brian F.
El Puerto, poised on the peninsula between Nippersink and Fox Lake, is definitely one of the better restaurants to eat at in the Chain of Lakes region of Illinois. Getting here by car is a little tricky without a GPS but a snap if you are on a boat. The docks are well maintained but during peak boating season the waves in this bottleneck area of the lakes can make parking a little adventurous. Wile away a summer evening on the patio with one (or more) of their killer margaritas while watching the boats, birds, an amazing sunset. We've eaten here many times over the last few years and have never been disappointed.
(4)David B.
Hey look! There's the lake. That's about the only thing going for this place.
(2)Patrice M.
I've read bad and good reviews regarding this establishment. Last night I was there with my husband and some great friends of ours. The service and the food was great plus the Bloody Mary's I had! The atmosphere was a bit noisy but then again if you want to get a table next to the water get there early on a Sat. night. It was a great night and I will definitely go back.
(5)Brian S.
Holy Margarita Batman! Their huge pitchers will blow your mind. I like their Quesadilla appetizer....as for The main coarse was pretty average but the deliciousness of the Margarita and the view of the lake is soooooo worth every star. I can't wait to come back here again for more PARTY IN A PITCHER!!!!
(5)Jen U.
If I could have given this place a ZERO I would have! OMG!! Food was so bland you won't believe it. I wonder if dog food tastes better? The Chiles Rellenos was bland and rubbery. We ordered the chicken ones but received cheese. Moving on from there the Chimichangas were not large they were smaller than a frozen burrito. Nothing like the description below: Three large flour tortillas wrapped with your choice of ground beef*, chicken, chorizo or cheese. Deep fried in non-cholesterol canola oil, topped with guacamole and sour cream, and served with Mexican rice and beans. - Rice and beans were bland and had no flavor. The whole dish was just hideous!! No flavor in anything. Now the fajitas they too were bland and not worth it. Flour tortillas were hard and just like what you buy at the store. All the people that gave this place a good rating were you already drunk on the award winning margaritas? Obviously you have never had authentic Mexican food because this place is AWFUL!! If you want good Mexican go to Wauconda and look up Raul's Burrito Express. So much better and you get more for your money. Another one if you are ever in Wisconsin is Tacos El Rey, or go to Mexico These two places are the best in the area. This El Puerto is not and they need to learn to cook. AWFUL!!
(1)Lauren B.
This place sucks. The service was horribly slow, we waited 10 minutes for someone (who barely speaks English) to get us drinks. He never gave us his name, meet asked how the food was, never cleared our plates. And the food was horrible to go along with the service. All frozen and over fried food. I would never come back here, even if it is on the water.
(1)Jay W.
I removed my last glowing review of this place as they are no longer deserving of my commendations. This year, things seem different. The food is still OK, not exceptional, but they've cut down the portions they serve and it's noticable. For $12 for a burrito dinner there should be a bit of a wow factor. We ate here yesterday and were underwhelmed by the experience. Yes, they have high taxes to pay on the lake. But they still need to concentrate on the food. It's what brings people to them. There's plenty of other places to see the lakes. Food first. They lost sight of that. People like to sit and look at the boats. I get that. People like to drink (a lot) on the patio. I get that too. But we're boaters, we come to eat. We see the water all day. Also their docks are about the worst spot of any restaurant on the chain. This winter beat them up too, and they need some repair. I sat there with one eye on our boat as it bobbed in the chop churned up by the wakes of passing boats, hoping th bumpers would keep it from getting banged up. I think we'll eat Mexican food off the water from now on.
(3)Sandy P.
My husband and I moved to Volo a few years ago and have been wanting to try this restaurant for a very long time. This past Saturday evening we went for the first time with another couple and our kids and we are SO GLAD WE DID. This place was AMAZING. My husband and I are very fussy and particular when it comes to our Mexican fare, generally preferring to stay home to make fajitas or beef barbacoa for tacos or other Mexican dishes because so many other place just don't cut it. This is NOT that place. We loved everything we tried. We had a pitcher of margaritas and they were awesome. The beer was served super cold too. The chips and salsa were homemade and plentiful and delicious. The chips were served warm too - YUM! We also each had something different and everything was fantastic. My carne aside was probably the best carne asada I have ever tried. Steak was flavorful, perfectly grilled and tender. DELICIOUS. And, the rice was done perfectly too. My husband got Carne Ranchilados which is basically Carne Asade with Ranchero sauce, served with an enchilada on the side, rice and beans plus he had to try a chile relleno too. Again, delicious. Our daughter got the kid's portion quesadilla with rice and that was very good. Our friends got a giant burrito and Enchiladas Suizas and that was excellent too. We will be back again soon. We look forward to the warm weather returning so we can sit out on the huge deck overlooking Fox Lake. The restaurant is clean and the staff was very attentive too, but not so much so that you felt like they were hanging over you. The server was very helpful in making suggestions since we informed him this was our first time here. Oh....and even though we were stuffed to the max by the time we left, our noses were on high alert as huge platters of the most delicious-smelling fajitas arrived at the table next to us. We were drooling and will be back for some of those next time.
(5)Gary H.
Great food. Unfortunately, that does not make up for the rude customer service... We pulled in the lot at 10:55, the sign said open, and the doors were unlocked. We went inside and were rudely met with "You can't be here, we are closed, come back at 11.". We asked if we could sit out on the patio and wait till 11. Again, rudely " No you have to leave, come back at 11.". Not sure what top secret stuff they do there in the 4 mins before they technically open but.....
(2)Michelle D.
This is absolutely one of my favorite places. The deck is great overlooking the water. I love the food & margaritas!!! The owner is a great guy as well!!! You won't be disappointed!
(5)Amanda J.
Very good Mexican style food. Quite close to authentic. Large portions and decently priced. Very yummy! A tucked away gem.
(4)B A.
Nice view of the lake. The food I got was below average in the taste department. Price for what I got and serving size was too high. Service was slow and not super friendly. Better Mexican food elsewhere.
(3)Rosemary B.
Not authentic at all. The food was cold by the time it made it to our table. The server came our table twice during service. Had to go to the bar to find someone to refill our drinks. The two only good things about the place was the location and the margaritas.
(1)Connie P.
The best thing about this Mexican restaurant is the location. If you sit outside, you have a beautiful view of the lake with the boats going by, but that's really the only good thing about the place. The chips and salsa are bland - basically because there was no flavor. The margaritas, even though we ordered the ones with additional tequila, tasted like the ones from the bottle that you can buy at Jewel and give your stomach that sour feeling. My husband had the chicken fajitas, which were excellent! Very flavorful with large hunks of chicken, onions, and peppers. I had the enchiladas suizas. They were terrible. Again, there was a severe lack of flavor. The rice and beans were bland as well. Overall, we were not impressed. The service was ok, but our waitress seemed rude and annoyed. You are paying for the view because the prices are high for what you are getting.
(2)Beth P.
Best Mexican food for miles around! Carne Asada cooked to perfection! Guacamole so fresh! Great service! Great bar!
(4)Patrice M.
I read so many reviews about this place some good and some negative. Goes to show you how many of us have different tastes. Last night my husband and I joined very good friends here for dinner. The service was friendly and the food was great. Get there early on a Sat. night if you want a table by the water. Otherwise, it was awesome. I will definitely return to this place.
(5)Vanessa L.
Great summertime eat retreat! As good as it gets when it comes to atmosphere, service, and drinks! Get the bomber margarita on the rocks, queso fundido and flan and you will be a happy camper!
(5)Destinee J.
They have great queso fondito appetizer. Their carne asada and chicken mole is excellent. Right on water, nice place to go get some mexican food.
(4)Jonathan S.
We stopped in here while out on the boat, although a great location and nice view, the food had no flavor whatsoever. The 4 of us each ordered something different, and the complaint was all the same. The chicken used in many of the dishes just didn't have any flavor, neither did the rice or beans. I have eaten at many Mexican restaurants, other than its huge advantage of being on the water I don't think this place would stay open very long.
(2)Mark K.
The food is OK, the service is pretty good, and the prices are fair. I go because it's close and OK for a quick dinner. If the weather is good, it's fun to boat there and sit on the deck!
(3)Tim P.
Very good Mexican food, friendly staff and great location. I am not a huge fan of Margaritas but I really love theirs. And the best part about them is that if you boat to the restaurant you can get a pitcher of Margaritas and take whatever you don't finish to go. Perfect location to boat to in the summer, but I like this place enough to drive their when the boat is put away for the winter.
(5)Chiris R.
One of the worst Mexican places I ever eaten. The chips were awful. Store bought. The food was poor. I thought taco bell was bad.
(1)Ariane J.
We went to this place with only the 3 other reviews to go by. Bad idea..............the location must be key to why this place hasn't closed down yet. It is right on the lake and has its own dock for the boaters. The outside patio is huge, we didn't get a good look at the inside except when we walked out and all we really saw was the bar- which there was what appeared to be a 12 year old boy helping out the bartender!! So to the food- we ordered nachos- not what we expected- 8 nacho chips with bland beans, guac, pico do gallo [with no flavor], and a mixture of yellow and white cheese. They were individual chips not a pile, not a bunch, just 8 chips. so bad I had the enchiladas con mole- now if you have ever had mole it is a spicy cocoa sauce. The mole I got with my enchiladas was far from that. As a matter of fact it didn't taste like anything at all. My meal also came with rice that seemed to be in the warmer for 10 hours to long. The re fried beans were not- the were watery canned flavorless beans. My husband ordered the chix and steak fajitas.. boring .... the chix was overcooked and dry. the steak tasted like the only seasoning was garlic and that is saying alot for it. The only veggies that came with the fajitas were green peppers and onions. All in all it wasn't worth the calories.. we should of gone to Taco Hell P.S. the waiter came to our table once- we only had our water refilled once and that was at the end of our meal and I flagged down not one but 2 bus boys. I actually had to ask another server to get our check. I left a $2 tip- and we are usually great tippers
(1)Lea W.
I went last night and was able to get a pitcher of margaritas (gold) for 25 bucks. The regular pitcher was 20. They were pretty good. My chicken fajitas were not that great. They were 13 bucks and tasted like they just had taco seasoning on them. The portion was generous, but the flavor was just not right. My friend's nachos looked great--tons of guacamole on them. The patio was perfect. They had a fire pit, but it was not lit. The place was not very busy (it was a Monday) and the service was just ok. The waiter came and checked on us a couple of times, but we sat there for awhile after the bill came and never once were we checked on. We could have easily ordered another appetizer or more drinks. But, since we weren't checked on, we didn't.
(3)Anne B.
Not good at all. The only thing I liked about this place is the location. It is right on the water and has a great view of the lake and boats on the chain which is a nice way to spend a summer evening.
(2)Its M.
We've been going to Elpuertos since 2010 and love this place. My wife likes their Margaritas. The Chicken Fajitas and Mexican pizza are very good. The service is outstanding except sometimes when they're really crowded. One of the best places to go for Mexican food in the area.
(5)Kelli L.
Great food!!! Well worth the 30 minute drive to eat there. Service was great, food came out hot and fast. View was wonderful, overlooks the water. Couldn't ask for a better place for a nice night out with the hubby.
(5)Nancy P.
We've eaten here a lot, but today it was not good. Service was poor and the food was tasteless and not even warm. The salsa just isn't as good as it use to be. Very disappointing. Guess we'll be looking for a new Mexican restaurant in the are.
(2)Brian B.
I would say this is average to above average Mexican food. Limited drink menu but the margaritas are not short on tequila. The carne asada was actually some of the best I've had and refried beans were soupy and delicious. I'd go again.
(4)Burbalicious X.
I really liked this place! We don't live in the area, but were boating w/some friends and parked our boat right on the restaurant dock. We were told a 45-minute wait for outdoor seating on a Saturday night, but it ended up being more like 20 minutes. Really enjoyed the top shelf margaritas, and the chips and salsa were delish!! I ordered cheese enchiladas in suiza sauce, which were really good (could've done w/o the huge dollop of sour cream on top, though, but that's okay). My boyfriend said his steak fajitas were good, too. The outdoor seating on the lake is totally awesome. I want to go back next time we're in the area! PS: Service was slow, but our friends warned us in advance (apparently it is always slow...). Who cares - order an extra pitcher of margaritas and enjoy the views.
(4)Renato P.
Nice place sitting on the lake with boat parking. Old and ratty tables and chairs , this place relies heavily on the lake view and the outdoor seating for ambiance. The appetizer combo had 2 Quesadillas , 2 loaded nachos (cheese , beans,and Guac) and 2 of their Mexican pizza slices (tortilla with cheese,chorezo , and salsa). The Quesadillas had a lot of cheese so I avoided them , everything else was good . I ordered the Bistek Ranchero , usually it is steak braised in ranchero sauce, but here it was skirt steak grilled , then topped with sauce and cheese.Tasted great , not what I expected, an anglicized version I guess. The rice was good tasting , if not a bit dry. The beans tasted like they burned them , and were a little soupy. The guacamole was pretty bland , the salsa on the other hand I really liked. All in all , not a bad meal , not the best either .
(3)Steve S.
The views of the lake are great here. You can ride your boat right up to the restaurant. Their combination platters are very good. The chips and salsas are good also. Hard to find, so if your not from the area you will have trouble finding it. The service is decent. Coupons are usually mailed to me.
(4)Linda D.
I liked this restaurant, situated on the Fox Lake with plenty of outdoor waterfront seating, better than my food fanatic son. This was my third or fourth visit and I have never been disappointed. The chimichangas are huge and perfectly deep-fried, but not greasy. The Mexican pizza and loaded nachos were part of a great appetizer platter, which also included tasteless, over-cheesed quesadillas. As a steak lover, I wasn't expecting much when I ordered the skirt steak, better known as Carne Asada, but was pleasantly surprised when it came very charred on the outside, and perfectly medium-rare throughout. Very tasty, tender and juicy. I'd order it again in a heartbeat. The rice and beans were okay. Wait staff is thorough and attentive even though the outside section was jam packed and there seemed to be only two servers. The owner was very helpful in suggesting and explaining dishes when I tried to order something to go for my stay-at-home son. All in all, it was a very nice experience, partly because my grandson could get his requisite cheeseburger and fries. It also happens to have my favorite pico de gayo. Three of us went through four bowls.
(4)Sue S.
This restaurant is right on the lake and they have plenty of patio seating for many to enjoy a beautiful view. The only downfall on this restaurant is the parking lot, completely packed on the weekends, at least during the nice months. They do have docks though that you could park your boat at and come to eat there. The food is excellent here. You can tell they make the tortilla chips fresh, which is different from most restuarants and is just awesome! Had nachos for the appetizer and they were good, but due to this tomato salmonella scare, they were unable to put tomato on the nachos. The nachos we ordered are not your typical pile on with all toppings...each individual chip had it's topping, which I actually enjoyed better! For dinner, my husband had the flautas and I had the Arroz con Pollo al limon suizo. Both meals were delicious. Also, the ultimate and regular margaritas were very good. To us, this restaurant is the best mexican restaurant up in this neck of the woods in Lake County!
(5)Kenneth C.
Not a whole lot of flavor in the food. Not enough tequila in the margaritas. Not terrible, i just have had way better Mexican.
(2)Morris N.
Location is easily accessible by water with plenty of slips to park your boat or other watercraft. There is a dining room or outside seating if you want to enjoy the view and weather. The food was prepared quickly. Pricing was reasonable. Steak tacos were good as were the chips and salsa. We did not go inside so I cannot comment on that nor the service.
(4)Aaron S.
Good food, better service and the BEST margaritas!! Upgrade to the ultimate margarita, it's worth it!! Nice patio on summer days.
(4)Kimmy N.
Ugh yuck! I should of checked yelp reviews before heading to this Mexican joint! My cousin wanted to take me here because they have outdoor seating and it's along the river! It's a very nice scenery and you can see everyone boating! My 2 stars is mainly from the scenery. As for the food. We got chimichangas...these were not your typical chimi's from a Mexican restaurant. There's always some type of queso that goes over the chimi's but they were just plain chicken wraps. No cheese or nothing inside. Not even on the side. This is deff. A first for a Mexican joint. We also got steak fajitas! They were flavorful but the steak was very tough. And they were huge chunks. Also, they allow smoking all over outside! Yuck! What happened to the no smoking allowed within 15 ft of the building! I don't think we'll ever come back here again. There are plenty of other restaurant along the river that have better food!
(2)Anna S.
the 2 stars are for the location, exclusively. The couple seated next to me got their food before i managed to order. And no I didn't take too long to think, even tho I did ask for recommendations. Also, I was seated before them. They liked their food, too. My waiter was that slow. Asked about the choices for margaritas, he answered: on ice. Seriously. I repeated: on ice? and I guess this was , how I got my drink ordered. The margaritas are made from some generic mix. He would not speak English! Also, he was more involved in the Espanol convo with fellow waiters/waitresses, than in getting my order. Bad, bad service. My steak fajitas WAS NOT A STEAK. ( God, please, let it be pork. Whatever animal I got to eat there). My bill shows steak. The patio is a part of the restaurant, yet smoking is allowed there. It gets noisy. There are families with kids, so expect all the info about someone going potty while you consume your meal. Even the salsa was worse than usual. Tho, by the time I got my food, I was stuffed with it. And at the end, I wished, I stick to that one margarita and chips with salsa.
(2)Jennifer L.
Eeeek. My son enjoys this place, it's by his Dad's house. And he wanted me to try it, so we came here one night. It was summer, so we sat outside on the patio on the water. Now the ambiance outside is lovely. It's a nice feeling to be outside with the lights, next to the water. But that's where the good experience ends. The service was pretty bad. The food was kinda gross. And the inside of the restaurant itself seemed pretty outdated and dirty. I think this place thrives on the summer boating season, when all the drunk boaters come in to eat and drink. Other than that - keep searching. I wouldn't stop here again.
(2)Thomas N.
My self and a friend came for lunch and tied up to the pier. The food was a little slow but when it came if was very good. The problem I had was that after the bill was paid and I left a cash tip, the waiter added another $12.00 to the bill for himself. You don't see that too often. Watch your money when you are there!
(2)Pat P.
READ THE REVIEWS. HORRIBLE service and not friendly at all. The servers seemed to hate their jobs. We needed 2 tables for 10 people outside. They put 2 round tables together and 1 of them had a big hole in the middle so salsa bowls and chips fell right through. HELLO! 2 ROUND TABLES DONT GO TOGETHER. Ask for more chips and wait 10 minutes. The food was a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10. The flautas and the chimichangas were burnt to the point where you could only eat the center. It took 40 minutes from the time we sat down to get our food so we weren't sending it back. Not one person at our table was impressed and I'm the one who recommended this place. NEVER AGAIN. The oddest part was the place was empty for a lunch crowd on a Thursday. Now i see why. I will make sure I let everyone know how terrible it was so that maybe the owner will wake up and get back to the reason this place was good years ago. Oh and its not cheap. No main courses under 12 bucks.
(1)Kelly B.
Food is just okay, nothing great. An easy stop when boating. Service...Sucked yesterday. Not sure if it could have been any worse. We were seated right away, but that was the only thing that happened in a timely manner with these guys. It took FOREVER to order, after dropping off some glasses of water the waiter disappeared for at least twenty minutes. We ordered some sangria, but felt like it was just some wine & some ice. No fruit was in it like it was desribed on the menu. The guac was bland and had zero taste. When trying to pay, we had to flag down other waiters to get the check because ours was just MIA.
(2)Heather M.
Absolutely love this place! Great food and drinks. I love the location and it's perfect for those warm summer nights/hot summer days.
(4)Kimberly S.
Bland food. Perfect for drinks and relaxing by the water. It's a very popular spot for boaters, but also has a large patio so there usually isn't an issue getting a seat.
(3)Rich A.
We came on a Thursday night. What a disappointment. Started with margaritas and guacamole. The chips and guac were mediocre at best. We ordered enchiladas and flautas. The enchiladas were bland and barely warm. The flautas were below average. The service was good. The only saving grace was the margaritas. They were tasty and potent. We might come back for margaritas in the summer when you can sit outside, but we definitely won't come back for the food.
(2)ken k.
We have been coming to El Puerto for over 10 years but tonight's visit will definitely be our last. We had to wait over 45 minutes for food. My 2yr old son spilled his lemonade and after our "waitress" told us she would get someone I still had to find a towel to clean it up myself. Half the food came out cold, and when I told them my kids food was cold all they did was throw it back in the deep fryer. All that did was make it hard and dry. The waitress never came back to check and couldn't get more than one drink. This place has obviously grown to the point they can't handle a Friday night crowd.
(1)Juliana R.
Huge pitchers of different flavored margaritas for $25 that will get you WASTEEEED! So into that! If you sit outside like we did you have a beautiful view of the lake, so amazing in the summertime! We ordered chicken quesadillas for our app which was delicious and cooked to perfection! For my entree I had my typical Mexican fave; enchiladas suizas whiiiiich ended up not being my fave here, it was kind of soggy and the rice was bland... Buuuut everything else was great including service!
(4)Todd F.
The food is decent. The tap beer glasses are very small. Taking 45 minutes to get your appetizer and over an hour to get your main course is disgraceful. I won't be going back.
(2)Adam L.
If it wasn't for the location. I honestly don't think anybody would go here. The food is terrible. Nothing special at all. Overpriced and mostly rice and beans. That I think is just scrapped back into a tub from people's plates and refrozen for the next day. Yucky. Rather get Taco Bell and eat it there.
(1)Shin M.
Food- Terrible. Service- Even worse. SLOWEST service ever. Competency of server- I would ask her a question (ie where is my guacamole?) and she would just stare at me... and not say anything... so I would have to repeat the question.
(1)Katie L.
1) Horrible service 2) Horrible Food 3) Horrible Drinks 4) Dirty 5) Does no care about customers I would never come here again even if my meal was free. Stay far far far away
(1)Daniel P.
My wife and I were recently in the area and wanted to try something new. We had some friends recommend the place so thought we'd give it a try. We asked to be seated outside on a warm October day. The view was incredible and we enjoyed watching the boats and birds in the bay. There seemed to be only one gentlemen waiting on about 12 tables each with a group of 4-6 people, clearly understaffed. There came a time the bar tender was out delivering meals which was a clear sign they were struggling to keep up. We ran out of chips and weren't given new ones until I asked twice. After the chips were delivered I pointed out that they didn't bring salsa. We didn't get additional salsa until the meal was mostly over. After we ordered it seemed to take a while for our food to arrive. The food in my opinion was great and prices were reasonable. No complaints regarding the food. When it came time for the bill they gave us the wrong bill. After pointing the error to our server he brought us a new bill, this bill was for the table beside us. We followed our server to the computer as he was unable to remember what we ordered. We opened up a menu and had to show him what we ordered for him to get our bill correct. Perhaps this was just a bad day for the restaurant, but judging from the other comments its clear they have staffing and management difficulties.
(2)Melina R.
If your looking for Real Mexican food, this is NOT the place. It was a beautiful summer day and my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try. I was very upset from the very beginning, the chips and salsa were horrible - stale chips and salsa tasted like tomato sauce, not fresh like how it suppose to be. As I waited for my dinner, I stared at the ugly outdated decor and noticed all the dust forming on the ships right next to me. Ewww! This made me not want to come back and I have not yet received my meal. I ordered a burrito and was again disappointed. This was a poor excuse of a burrito and was gritty as I ate it. Beans and rice with the meal was the worst I've ever had at a Mexican restaurant. Honestly, Taco Bell has better food than this place! Needless to say my boyfriend's meal was not that good either. He ordered a margarita as well which wasn't bad, but thinks they used iodized salt instead of the big flaky margarita salt and had no lime. Again, not very authentic! We will not be retuning and will never recommend this place to friends (ha, or to strangers). Don't understand why this place is so popular, maybe it's the lake location or people who have never experienced real Mexican food. Overall, this place is dirty and disgusting. I wish I could give this place NO Stars, but we did have great service. However, she wasn't wearing professional shoes, she had black slip-on Crocs. If Gordon Ramsay came to this place he would of stopped on the chips and gave everyone who works there a kick in the butt! They need help!
(1)Sarah P.
Went there for the first time ever on a Friday with nice weather. It was super busy! Took awhile to be approached, drinks were quick but once they came and we have her our order, it took 45 min to get food! We also never saw her again until I asked a busser to grab her. On the other hand once we got our food it was really good! We did have our two small children with us, so the having to wait and not being able to talk to our server kinda made it difficult. The Kidd really liked everything except waiting....
(4)Julie F.
We went for a late dinner. We sat inside because it was cold, but the view was beautiful. The service was good. The Strawberry Bomber was delicious (and pretty well poured!). The food was just mediocre. It did come out super fast though! My husband ordered a combo, and when it came out, it was the wrong items. The waiter said the food was correct, but he ordered something that the menu said came with Large Nachos, but there were no nachos to be found. So either the menu was wrong, the waiter was wrong, or the kitchen was wrong. My food was correct, but not overly flavorful. Just ok. I would say we like the food at Main Street Station in McHenry better. The margaritas aren't as strong at Main Street, but the food is better, so I suppose it depends on what you are going for.
(3)Jeremiah T.
Great place to enjoy great food in the summer while watching boaters cruise the chain. Service and food are alway great. I prefer going there in the summer to enjoy the outdoor seating, the food quality and service are still great in the winter but its not,for me, the nicest indoor seating. Looking forward to going there again soon.
(4)Heather J.
We've eaten here several times and the food is great. Sit outside in the summer on the water. The decor inside is kind of dark but we come for the food
(4)Bill B.
Getting ready to visit this place for first time tonight - going with friends who recommend this place - hope we get table by water - will post an updated review tomorrow. We had to reschedule with our friends - maybe next week
(3)Naté G.
Salsa has no heat and tastes like tomato sauce. Everyone at the table disliked their meal except for one. Just because you put chihuahua cheese on everything (even the kids cheeseburgers), does not mean you are a Mexican restaurant. It's too bad this place couldn't do better at something other places do so well. It's not like it's the only restaurant on the water we hate though...a lot of them are really poor. It's too bad, because the locations are great and its convenient to stop and take a break while boating. I would never want to stop here again though based on the quality of the food.
(1)Kim H.
We found this listing, read the reviews and decided to give it a try. Getting there felt like we were in a neighborhood but then we found it tucked away right on the water. Can't wait to come back here, especially in the summer. The waitstaff was very pleasant and the food was awesome. We have been looking for good Mexican food in the area and we are so glad we found this place. Chips and salsa were good, dinner portions were good sized and the margaritas were great. It was also nice to see they had a few vegetarian options. We will be coming back here often- loved it!
(5)TheGooch I.
I gave two stars because of the view. Good place for drinks. Food is a bit on the expensive side and not very good. Ive eaten there 3 times and the food is always bland. I think I've finally learned my lesson about this place. Service is really slow. I didn't wait as long as some of these other reviewers horror stories but there was a wait. Everything there I've ever tried is bland. Steak fajita, chimichanga, shrimp fajitas. Salsa is bland. Bland,bland, bland. I haven't tried them all, but theres a few good Mexican joints in the area. Very close actually. Carlos's Mexican grill is about 1 mile away from this place and has excellent Mexican food and great prices. Its has them beat in every category, besides the view, hands down. The staff there are saints. I prefer taco bell to el puertos.
(2)Love2 R.
Hands down, best Mexican food around! The service is also something to brag about. Especially, Hallie. She's the greatest! Sitting outside during the summer, life doesn't get better.
(5)Becky S.
How do you say love in spanish? El Puerto! Does it take some time to be seated? Yes, now and then when they are busy. Does it take some time for drinks to arrive? Yes, sometimes when they are busy. The food is great, the drinks are great, the view is fabulous and the staff has ALWAYS been very courteous to us. We have not had a bad experience and we come here at least a few times every summer to sit out on the patio and watch the sun set. This place is worth the few minor delays you might experience when they are busy.
(5)Ashley M.
Went on a Sunday night, took forever to get served. After about 12 minutes of sitting without a server, a girl comes over and takes our order. Then comes back with the wrong drinks. My food came out about 5 minutes later while boyfriends came out 10 minutes after mine. In the mean time we ordered drinks. After his food came out we never received our drinks and asked for our check. Food was mediocre at best. Chimichangas taste like they had been microwaved and rice was overcooked.
(2)Angela G.
By far my favorite Mexican place in the area, especially in the summer! My friends and i can spend hours on the patio drinking margaritas, eating chips and salsa, and enjoying the scenery. The owner is super friendly, service is quick and accommodating, and the food is fresh and tasty. Come by boat or car but make sure you get some margaritas. They're amazing!
(5)Brad T.
This place has a great location on the water. But that is the only thing that is good about this place. I have eaten here at least 10 times and every time I receive the worst service. I always tell myself, they are just busy or make an excuse for them. But no more. Last year I waited over an hour and a half for our food. They lost the order. Today my wife had a screw in her chicken Quesadilla a SCREW!!!!!! We tell the waiter he gets the manager and in broken English says this happens sometimes... That was it. They took off her meal only!!!! Then said nothing. What kind of place is this. Never giving in to the view/setting again. I would rather eat on the curb of the street then at this place. Don't be fooled by the out door seating. Bad service, followed by bad food.
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