I have been frequenting Las Palmas restaurants for more than 20 years. I used to work in Glenview when they had a location right at the corner of Lake and Waukegan. I was really sad when that location closed. I later moved to Westmont where there was a location, and have been to the locations in Evanston and Naperville as well. The first thing I noticed was that the salsa was different from the other locations. More smokey than tomato-ey. I used to buy large cups of the salsa in Westmont, because it was so good. Here, not so much. They also botched our order. My sister ordered a taco, and he came out with a taco plate. I ordered ground beef enchiladas and got chicken, and my husband's enchilada plate was wrong too. We were on a tight schedule so we couldn't send it back. We'll stick with the other locations!
(2)
Mir J.
This place is not bad at all. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. For the suburbs, you have to lower your standard a bit. Try the chille relleno... Quite good. Seems like everything needs a little salt but that's fine.. Add a little salt. If you live near by and are craving Mexican, not a bad stop. Full bar helps too,
(3)
Dave G.
Food: decent to good Atmosphere: average Staff: seemed more interested in watching Telemundo than serving. Price: Average
(3)
Julie A.
The food had no taste at all looked good but wasn't we felt sick after we left not going back there again
(1)
Claire O.
Wow! I visited Las Palmas a few weeks ago and the food and service wasn't a problem at all. Tonight was very different. I called for a reservation for 10 people and had no issues arranging that. When my group arrived, we had to wait close to 30 minutes just for water and silverware. Then, I had to hunt down a server to see if someone could take our order...another 25 minutes until someone took orders. I had to ask several times for more water. They brought a group of 10 a single pitcher (wanna guess how long that'll last?) and no more refills. To compensate for the poor service, they brought us a platter of complimentary nachos which were the saddest nachos I've ever seen. A thin pile of chips, warmed up salsa, and a tiny bit of melted cheese. We joked and called them pizza nachos because it was close to what we got. Then, one of the people in our party ordered a burrito and asked for no avocado due to a food allergy. Half way through a chunk of burrito, we realized there was guacamole in the burrito. They took it off the bill, but still incredibly dumb on their part! We paid and left quickly. I normally leave a proper tip in restaurants but this was just so beyond being worth anything. I won't be back to Las Palmas!
(1)
Mark G.
Awesome Mexican food best that ive had in years and I'm from Texas Great service Have the avacado dip also
(5)
Sophie B.
Super friendly staff, speedy service, and great food!
(5)
Mike M.
With the demise of the Mexican restaurants which cater to the white middle class, non-Mexican food diners, we are left with a few sad choices in the North Shore. This Las Palmas is sad. The other Las Palmas in Highland park - closed. El Jardin at the Glen - closed. Zapatista - closed. The fabulous San Gabriel - closed. All closed because the North Shore palate if finely tuned to Chipotle, and because the white suburban restaurateurs think enchilada sauce and melted cheese makes everything Mexican food. My recommendation for this Las Palmas, consider it closed too, and go to Lalos, or even better, drive to Highland Park an go to Los Mogotes, which is totally authentic, and great.
(2)
Lauren K.
Meh. I am from New Jersey, land of pizza, guidos and shore traffic. We definitely are not known for our Mexican cuisine. So when I can think of at least three places back home that have better Mexican food, in particular, mole sauce, I'm not impressed. I can't even award an a-okay rating because the people at the bar were talking about me in Spanish... #rude The food was rather bland and if I weren't starving I wouldn't have eaten it. I had the enchiladas, if you're wondering. I would avoid. According to the great world of yelp, there are better Mexican restos in the area. Ambiance and price point were okay. If you're looking for Americanized fare this would be your spot, but I can't get over the rudeness.
(2)
Jen H.
The chips were not warm, which is something I usually find at other places. The food wasn't bad... Just nothing stood out as being above average. The service was also lacking. Waited a very long time for some to come around, both to take our order, and get the check.
Realistically, 3.5 stars, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. It's been quite awhile since I have been to a Las Palmas - I used to be a frequent regular at the Buffalo Grove store until they changed the menu to match the Wicker Park location. It was an idea that didn't go over well there, so as I grew tired of paying more for hoity-toity Mexican food that I wasn't interested in eating 3-4 times a week, I opted to go elsewhere, and sadly so did the staff there. Prior to the change, the staff at the BG Las Palmas was outstanding - I've never had as much fun in a restaurant as I used to there. So much for the other place - now for the Glenview visit. I drove by and decided to give it a try since it had been so long. Wasn't real busy for 8PM or so on a Friday - I sat at the bar and ordered a JC frozen margarita and asked for a menu. The margarita was $6.75 and made pretty well - I'd say it was in the top 85 percentile of frozen margaritas I've had in my life. I looked at the menu - same one they've had for years (excluding the WP - Las Palmas and the brief BG hiatus). Their menu is mostly Mexican standbys, with a few additional interesting items. I used to order the Enchiladas Pacificas and was glad to see it's still on the menu - but wasn't in the mood for it. So I opted for Enchiladas in Mole at (about?) $11.50. It was pretty good - could've used a little more mole, but still OK. Their Spanish rice does come across as "canned" but nonetheless, I like the taste. Beans are OK. Bartender service was excellent, and the chips and salsa were good as they always used to be. I saw some reviewers felt they were overpriced. Makes me wonder if they've been to any Mexican restaurants lately. They not priced as low as taquerias, but the prices are as good if not better than comparable places such as Lalo's, Maria's, Fernandez group and the like. One somewhat suspicious activity that I observed was waitstaff going to the end of the bar and lift up a rubber glass mat which revealed numerous coupons for the restaurant. They would look through them and take them - made me wonder if they were attaching them to checks after the guests had paid and pocketing the discount. I hope not (it wouldn't have an adverse impact on the guest, but would be theft from the restaurant). I'll likely return if I'm in the area and in the mood for some Mexican food.
(4)
Suburban G.
It's ok.....but there's a better place across the street ;) I used to LOVE this place (and back in the day when it was on the corner where the Starbucks/bagle place is now it was supurb). If you remember that location, you're old too...but wise to good food. Anyway the food is mediocore. The only thing that stands out on their menu is their bananna dessert. This seems to be the only place that makes it. I also get sassed everytime I bring their mailing coupon that they send out in the local mail.
(2)
Susan K.
Decent Mexican food at fair prices. It's rather typical, but when you feel like Mexican food and you're in Glenview this is a good choice.
(3)
Em P.
Meh, average. Went there on a living social deal (20 gets you 40) and the four of us all ordered different things. I had the steak tacos which were average.. my husband had the carne asada which he enjoyed. The other couple had chicken tostadas and a burrito. The guacamole had NO salt and tasted very bland. The orchata was also nothing to write home about. Overall, very slow service. I was hoping the reviews werent true and that they've picked it up a bit but they havent.
(2)
Jamie S.
Not only does their overpriced food suck, there was an awful Elvis impersonator in there when we went for dinner Saturday. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. The food was soggy, watery, and had no flavor. The refried beans were obviously canned and the salsa was obviously from a jar. The nachos were nothing more than some chips, beans, salsa, monterey jack cheese, and some mushy chicken. The quesadillas had chicken and a tiny amount of cheese. Everything disintegrated when you picked it up, it was that soggy. I've never eaten nachos with a fork before. They were actually dripping liquid! The food came out of the kitchen way too fast to be freshly made. All I could think of was "What would Gordon Ramsay say about this place?" Plus it was way too expensive for what you got. Each entree was an average of $11-$15. Now I don't mind paying money for good food, but this was absolute garbage. Tasted like cafeteria food. The biggest red flag in any ethnic restaurant is when you don't see any people of that ethnicity eating there. There was not a single Mexican person eating here. It was all gringos... mostly older folks or families with young kids. To top it all off, there was an Elvis impersonator. He was the biggest douchebag I've ever seen. He was lip synching and didn't even have the microphone on. Just a complete tool. Plus it was so friggin loud we couldn't even hear ourselves talk at the table. WTF is an Elvis impersonator doing in a Mexican restaurant anyway? Seriously, Taco Bell is WAY BETTER than this place. If you like good authentic Mexican food do NOT go here.
(1)
Michael K.
By far the worst meal and service I have had at a restaurant in many years. The burrito arrived cold. The enchilada suizas were tasteless and the sauce must have come from a can or made by someone with out a clue. I will never be going back.
(1)
Marnie B.
Everything was perfect from stepping through the door!! Highly recommend!
(5)
Lisa M.
My husband and I visited Las Palmas in Glenview on Friday night at 7:30pm. This is the 3rd or 4th time we've visited this restaurant and have had decent experiences in the past. We were seated and there were about 12 other tables in the restaurant at that time. Chips, salsa and water were dropped off at our table after we sat down. 15 minutes went by and we finished our chips, salsa and water and nobody had been by to take a drink or food order. The table that came in 5 minutes after us already had their drinks and ordered dinner. I finally flagged down one of the waiters to place our order. We ordered drinks and queso fundito with corn tortillas (we were given flour) to start. The queso fundito took another 10 minutes to come out. When it arrived, there was a layer of grease all over the top and the cheese was congealed. We tried dipping the chips into it but the cheese was solid. I was able to stick my fork into the cheese and pick it up as one big glob. It was inedible. We set the cheese at the edge of the table for the waiter. He came by and asked if we needed a box to take it home. At that time we told him no, and I stuck my fork in the cheese and demonstrated how it was hard and one big glob and he proceeded to tell us that Queso Fundito is like that all the time. He said that most people use a knife and cut the cheese and put it on tortillas. Right. I'm sure everyone loves putting their greasy, tasteless congealed cheese onto a tortilla!!! Truly disgusting. I ordered the enchiladas verde and my husband had the suiza burritos. The entrees were decent, but we were already turned off by the service and the poor excuse for queso. It came time to pay and I had a groupon for $40. I showed the waiter my groupon voucher on my phone and he took my phone into the back with him for 5 or 10 minutes. I didn't like that at all. Why did he need to take my phone into the kitchen to take my voucvher number? To top it off, I realized the next day that he expired the wrong groupon. He expired a more expensive groupon to another restaurant that I really wanted to try, and I'm left with the Las Palmas Groupon. I've contacted Groupon to help fix the situation because the last place I want to go is to Las Palmas again.
(1)
Conly D.
I love Las Palmas. They have great, authentic Mexican food. My family and I have been dining here for over 20 years and will likely continue to do so. I say likely because as of recently, we have experienced two isolated incidents that have made our experiences unfavorable. The service has been poor and the food quality seemed to be somewhat off. That being said, in the 20 years we have been going here, that has not ever happened. We always rave about the food and atmosphere. I would definitely recommend that you give it a try. The fajitas are great. The meats and veg are fresh and the sides are just as good. Lots of great feedback about the burrito suizos, chimichangas, and enchiladas. Cocktails are also off the chiz-ain!
(4)
David R.
This location of Las Palmas is always nearly empty, even at lunchtime, but don't let that frighten you. Every aspect of the experience is average or above average. It is great for business lunches or sitting down by yourself with a book. Service is swift from sit down to stand up. The free chips and salsa are tasty and sometimes the chips are warm from the oven. The menu options are varied and quite reasonably priced. I've had chicken enchiladas and chicken fajitas, both delicious. I'm never able to finish the fajitas, so they make a good dinner later or lunch the next day. Nothing about this place is spectacular, but I've never had a complaint or even been mildly disappointed.
(4)
Gabriel T.
I had the taco steak dinner and I can tell you it was nothing to brag about. Food has no flavor. They gave you very little for the money. I will not go again.
(1)
Apara W.
Chips didnt taste right. Friendly server. But he would disappear several times. The worst part was the food. I have had much better. I could only taste salt. Not going back, 2 stars for friendly environment, nice ambiance.
(2)
Kelly E.
I've been here several times, and generally things are pretty good. I've tried a variety of things on the menu, and they all taste good. Waitstaff is hit or miss....some of them are bad, some are quite friendly, helpful, and entertaining. They play good music. The bartender knows how to mix drinks. At times, I am a late diner. And if we go there and the time is approaching 15 minutes to Ten on a weeknight, they can be quite assertive about wrapping it up. I totally get it, but I wish they were open just an hour later. I really like the food here. I will be back again and again.
(4)
Terese C.
This is a great find in a strip plaza. The warm chips & salsa are very fresh. The meals are good and ample. The prices are reasonable. The wait staff is fast & efficient. The margaritas are great.
(4)
Netta S.
Retried beans have a burnt flavor. Meats/ chicken barely seasoned. Service is good. Food is mediocre and bland. Not the spot if you are looking for authentic well flavored Mexican food.
(1)
Kay H.
we have been going to las palmas forever. the new manager was just a waiter then. so he knows us well. we have always tipped the staff well, even tho most of them don't deserve it, lack of english speaking waiters causes mix ups on your orders often. anyway we took out of town friends there, and i forgot my money mailer coupon for 20% off, i asked the manager if he could honor it and i would bring it back the next day, it was almost closing time. he said no he couldn't do that, there was a "number" on the coupon that had to be put in the register to take the discount. bs.....i am looking at one now and the one i had then, there is no number on the coupon anywhere. he was much nicer as a waiter and should have stayed one. i agree their service is lacking, refills almost impossible and food is ok, but better than the service.
(2)
Chiiik S.
Good customer service, nice looking place, BUT we didn't like the food. The burritos didn't have any flavor. Pico de Gallo was watery no flavor! They definitely cut corners with the food. If they couldnt get the burritos right then I am not interested in trying something else. Especially at more than $10. I would have rather went to Lalo's down by Lake and Waukegan to give them a try.
(1)
louis S.
They no longer accept restaurant.com coupons. We used a living social one but felt they had no interest in us because of it. You Must turn it in before you sit down, so they know. The drinks were water down and weak. just not welcoming...
(2)
Melissa G.
Mediocre food, bad service. The one thing I really did enjoy was the salsa they placed on the table, but I was never able to get a server to bring more of it for me... =(
(1)
Francesca L.
We gave Las Palmas as a second chance today as we had terrible food and service a couple of months ago and were hoping it would redeem itself. No LUCK!!! So sad as this restaurant used to be the place to go in Glenview for great Mexican food. The service is awful.and even worse..the food looks disgusting and everything is cold. We related our concerns to the manager and he shrugged his shoulders in dismay and defended his foods quality...Department of health really needs to inspect food temperature for safety.. warning should have been noted when no customers were there..empty dining room! Next time we will be trying Lalos down the street..
(1)
Dan P.
Just okay. Basic Mexican food. Same food and quality you'll get just about anywhere else.
(3)
Beatriz D.
Pretty decent food at very reasonable prices. Service is quite fast and the margaritas are good, too. Other drinks may seem expensive, but beer comes in big bottles. I tried the Enchiladas Suizas and was greatly surprised. The sauce is really good. Refried beans tasted fresh.
(4)
Lena O.
We used to dine at Las Palmas in Highland Park rather often. I absolutely loved their great food and wonderful service. They deserve a solid 5 stars in my book.Given that we have a location in our hometown we decided to try Las Palmas in Glenview. I had a Money Mailer Coupon on my phone and asked the hostess if we can use it, although it had not been printed. She replied that we could not, so we had asked for the manager's assistance. Once he has arrived, we had asked the same question. He dismissed us with abrupt "No". We understood that this was not the ideal way of presenting the coupon that we had, so we then asked if we could print it out after our dinner and bring it back to them before the day ends. The manager- Gerardo Curias was very short with us and stated, "This is not possible in my restaurant". Immediately after his harsh words were spoken he had simply turned from us and walked away. It is very rare that I am left without words, but I felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable. I felt cheap after the way he treated us and have lost my appetite for any future visit they would have ever received from me. Next time we are going back to Highland Park.
(1)
E K.
It's gone downhill. I ordered enchiladas suisas with nonexistent chicken. The huachinango used to be great. Not so great any more. Unfortunately I have a couple of groupons so I'll go back. Not what it used to be.
(3)
G R.
Pretty consistent Mexican food menu. All the usual suspects. Tacos, burrito grande, chips and guacamole. The quality is above average, the steak used is not fatty or full of grizzle, even the standard beef tacos aren't greasy. My friend had some seafood dish that she seemed to like and said it was fresh. Their margaritas are very good, and well priced. Service was friendly, we sat in the bar area, small booth as the rest of the place was packed. We weren't rushed out, and we were there for a couple of hours, we actually were the last ones out of the place. Good food and drinks in a relaxing atmosphere. What more can you ask for?
(4)
Patricia K.
This is very much your typical Mexican restaurant. There is nothing particularly amazing or original about the selection, decor, or service but it proves to be consistent. My experience with Las Palmas has been limited to lunch. It is close to work and their service has a fast service. However, I have not yet indulged in an evening of margaritas there... maybe sometime soon ;)
(4)
Y.D. K.
Good place to take out family, maybe a date. Food is generally good, albeit a bit Americanized but is still respectable - you can have tacos & burritos, or even a nice plate with either a steak with a chile sauce, some chicken enchaladas (I think) with mole, and of course a nice artery clogger queso fundido - kind of a quesedilla with a Mexican cheese with chorizo...yummy! Killed a star since its a bit far for me, and may not compete well with places like Lalo's or your decent restaurant in Pilsen in Chicago.
(4)
Marion J.
By far the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE I had this year (well, restaurant wise...Read my other reviews, you will why :)..). We went to Las Palmas because we had a entertainment guide coupon and wanted to try another local restaurant and needed some drinks after a hard day. We ordered half a pitcher of margarita, the fajita and a burrito. The server was nice, suggested a full pitcher but we refused (twice).The drinks came, the food came. Food was decent but nothing great or interesting. Plus they are a little pricey for what the quality you get. When came the bill, we got charged a full pitcher. Not worried I went to the bar and talked to our server... He explained to me that I was lying and that was what we ordered (again, we said no TWICE to his suggestion of full pitcher) He apparently had given us a full pitcher.. I personnally never realized it since I never drink enough to get a pitcher. Plus our full pitcher was still halfway full because it was too much for us... He went to talk to the manager. The manager came to our table, reached over to grab the pitcher without saying a word, came back , put the revised bill on the table and told us that t was ok for this time but not to do this again".... I was floored!!! I did not want to make a fuss so we just left ... It is ok, if Las Palmas wish to, we will not come back and have a server mess up our order again..
(1)
Joseph S.
We have been coming here for over 15 years , we used to love this place the food was great and the drinks better. Unfortunately the last few times we went there the shots of tequila have become minuscule and the quality of the food has gone down as well . The new manager is solely focused on the profit margin vs making and keeping the customers happy. We will never return unless they get a new manager and go back to the old Las Palmas that we loved . Hope the owner sees this and reacts accordingly.
(1)
B E.
We love Las Palmas. It's been in Glenview for as long as we can remember and after going here probably 50 times we've had great food nearly every single time. You can't beat their prices, their warm chips and fresh salsa, and they have pretty big portions for the price. Much better than Lalos or really any other Mexican place around here.
(5)
Mary S.
Restaurant only had 3 or 4 tables with customers at 6:00 at night, waiter pretty much ignored us. Waited over 20 minutes to order a drink, I had hot tea, never brought more hot water. Food was mediocre at best, guacamole was very good, had the beef fajitas. Meat was tough and cut into fat pieces instead of strips, rice was obviously left over from lunch and beans were cold. Waiter would just disappear. I do not drink alcohol, but was told the margarita's were tasty but very weak. I have been going to Las Palmas for over 10 years, but think I will need to find a new place for Mexican Fare.
(1)
Rebecca L.
My friends and I from out of town were in the mood for some good old fashioned Mexican food... And this was one of the first places that came up. I have to be honest - it was genuinely TERRIBLE. We started off with normal fare, blended margaritas that arrived to the table literally in just chopped ice cubes and completely unable to be drank through a straw. The server was annoyed at me asking for them to be reblended, and brought them back yet again in complete ice cubes. Absolutely no alcohol. Table guacamole honestly tasted like raw avocados - absolutely no flavor. I am not even that picky. Then the food - my enchiladas were covered in MOZZARELLA CHEESE with marinara sauce. Are you serious? Terrible. Honestly just bad.
(1)
Jay B.
We moved to Glenview in July, and it took awhile to come into Las Palmas for their lunch special. I am glad we did! The service was great, and the food was good, and a great value. I am a fan. Nice interior + good food + reasonable prices + happy waiter = nice experience! We will come back.
(4)
Diana S.
Poor service. Average food. Tiny water glasses.
(1)
Kathryn I.
I recently went to this restaurant for dinner. Their service is pretty good but their food isn't that great. I have had great authentic Mexican before and this is far from it. Their steak is very dry and had no flavor. My food was cold. I would not recommend and I definitely won't be back anytime soon.
(2)
Margaret S.
04-11-2012 - Once again, after eating here I have been told that everyone in my party doesn't want to go back, EVER! The food was good, BUT the service was horrible. missing drinks, no refills, our waitress didn't come back to our table ever, and we had to hunt her up to get a check. THIS IS THE NORM FOR THIS PLACE. I didn't leave a tip and I always leaved a tip no matter how bad the service was. BUT, this time it was as if we weren't waited on. I will not be going back. Okay four months later I broke down and came back. You know why? They make good food. They use real sour cream and the chili reyanos is yummy. I tend to take out and they get my order right. They are better then LasFuentes ( which is expensive)
(3)
David F.
We went to Las Palmas on Valentine's day for dinner. The place was decorated nice, there were 2 men playing guitar going from table to table singing and playing We had ordered our drinks which came right away. We ordered table side guacamole which was also great. Our server took 30 minutes to return to refill out waters and take our dinner order. We waited for 40 minutes for Fajitas. The food came out incorrect after the crazy long wait. We asked for no green peppers in the Fajita dinner and we no only had green peppers, We had over 40 pieces in the dish! The waiter apologized and said he would come back with water. 30 minutes went by and the flagged down the manager who brought us the water and sent the hostess for our check. Our waiter never returned for over an hour while we were there. He was standing at the end of their bar for well over half of the time. Saul was his name. We had been their many times before and had a good experience, but this one was so bad, we won't be going back at all. Good Food Terrible Service!
(1)
Neema P.
Went here last night for drinks/food. The food is actually not too bad. We got the tostada,enchilada,burrito combination, and enchiladas suizas. The magaritas were decent.. I've had better ones at Lalos down the street. The wait staff was pretty demanding and I know she was checking up on us often, but it became pretty uncomfortable as we didn't even take two bites of our meal and she was asking if we wanted it to go. She only kept doing this because it was the end of her shift and she wanted us to hurry up. I'd probably come here again, only because in the burbs there are not many options.
(3)
Jennifer B.
Been coming here for years. Have always had wonderful service. My boyfriend and I came here tonight for dinner. The waiter we had was awful. We ran out of salsa, we had no utensils or napkins, I had to ask him to refill my drink. When it finally came to getting the check, he was no where to be found. He finally came out from the back only to chat with the hostess and look at her phone. I had to walk up and ask him for our check. I may as well have waited on myself.
(1)
Kathy S.
Fantastic fajitas made of really succulent steak and fresh bell peppers. I also really like their Flan and their refried ice cream for desert. I have to say that the service is a little weird. Sometimes the staff is really friendly and respectful and other tines they're a little snippy. I don't know how else to describe it. But the fajitas are excellent, the place is clean and colorful. Make sure you look for online deals like Groupons.
(4)
Shaun S.
Everytime I bring up Las Palmas, my wife says "NO". So with her out of town, I snuck in for a late lunch. There was a location by my brother's old place in Wheeling, and we'd go frequently, maybe my taste has changed, although the food wasn't bad. The service was just not what you'd expect when there are only two tables seated. I think the worse part of it was the flat soda and the empty water glass. The host calling me "buddy" the whole time was kind of un-nerving too. Guess I was just sad that my wife was right :)
(3)
Rafael M.
Was there this past sunday. Was very dissapointed service was bad. server was more concerned with playing with iphone rather than provide good service. Didnt even let me sit down before i was told we dont do coupons today. hat to sit for long time before being served even though the place was empty. the charged me $1.00 xtra for sourcream even though i never asked for it. use to be a decent place ive benn going there for years. i will know never return. you guys need better management and employees that care. they were all standing around and joking while i just sat.
(1)
Janet D.
Came here with my girlfriend because we had a coupon and wanted to try something different. I ordered the combination plate which came with a burrito, tostada and an enchilada. Not even 5 minutes and our food was ready. Okay I'm all about fast service but this was just too quick and now I know why, the food horrible! My chicken was dry! The enchilada looked like a pile of cheese just stacked there. The waitress didnt come by at all and we were the only ones there! I also ordered a piña colada. This lady really wanted to get me drunk! It was pure alcohol, yes its an alcoholic drink but wow I was basically drinking a cup of shots! My girlfriend seemed to like her flautas, but overall it was a bad experience and it was our first time here. I will not return. Bad food and service! Ugh I should of read the reviews first before coming here... never again!
(1)
Gerry T.
We tried the trio fajitas (chicken, steak and giant shrimp), steak tampiquena and a steak burrito to go. If we could give 3.5 stars we would, however, it's not quite a 4 for us. Of course, it's unfair to compare Las Palmas to Nuevo Leon (clearly a 4 star Mexican restaurant on 18th street in Chicago) in Pilsen. But when you live in Skokie, driving to Glenview (an adjacent suburb) is convenient for a Mexican food fix. The strip mall parking makes it easy and the restaurant is never full so seating is very quick. The food is good but it doesn't make me think about it during my train rides to and from the city so if I'm not day dreaming about their meals, it's probably in the 3 star range. The sizzling fajita plate is nicely presented as the aromas stir your appetite for the perfect tortilla stuffed with your favorite ingredients. It's noteworthy that they have good mild and hot salsas.
(3)
Jennifer R.
This is the second time that this place has messed up my order. First time I ordered online a taco salad with some added ingredients. Instead of calling me to confirm my order and inform me that there would be additional fees for the taco salad they instead decided to change my order to a burrito bowl. That's not what I ordered!!!! When i called, the person who answered argued with me for a bit telling me the ingredients I requested were for a burrito bowl and that's why they changed it. Ok well sir IDGAF what comes on the burrito bowl. I ordered a taco salad they way I like it... So make it that way since I am the one eating it. So now today I order my usual Taco Salad. Their menu indicates the taco salad comes with choice of meat, lettuce, avocado,tomato, onion, green pepper, and carrots. I don't like half of those ingredients so I instead requested mine with beef, lettuce, avocado, cheese, corn and sour cream. Of course that shoots my total up to over $13. Ok fine, I'll pay the extra. Even though I didn't even get 5 of the ingredients listed and only added 3 ingredients that weren't listed but ok fine whatever. Drive over and pick up my order and get back to my office to find a half full taco salad shell that had 3 inches of beans (gross), a thin layer of lettuce (this is a salad right??), cheese, avocado and about a 1/2 cup of sour cream (heart attack city). OH AND NO MEAT OR CORN...WTF!!! So I call and get the usual excuses of it was a mistake. Go back and get a new one (I have now wasted 30 minutes of my lunch) make them give me a refund (obviously) and get back to the office with my new (much heavier) Taco Salad. Well what do you know the salad is now over stuffed. Ingredients are not proportional AT ALL!! Still has 3 inches of beans and sour cream (again - GROSS), barely any lettuce and a shit load (MAYBE 2 CUPS) of meat!!! On top of that the shell bottom is completely soggy from whatever liquid is seeping out the bottom. I am totally disgusted!! Thanks for ruining my taco salad, my appetite and my lunch!
(1)
R P.
Do I have to give this place a star? Go to the other Las Palmas restaurants. The help are rude. Haven't met one nice one and we went a few times. The last time was the last. We waited a long time for our order to be given and to get it. Rarely did anyone come around to ask for refills. When we finally flagged down someone for refills, they said they would CHARGE us for extra chips. I wanted to walk out right then and there. Never did they do this before. We now go to other Mexican restaurants with nice servers! Bye Las Palmas. You won't get any of my money again!
(1)
Alan H.
I was a frequent flier at Las Palmas for many years. The Evanston locations were always great but crowded. When the Glenview site arrived ,my wife and I were very happy. However, about 3 months ago we stopped in for dinner. The food was it's usual high quality but the service was lazy and disinterested in serving us and other customers.So, in the interest of fairness , we returned last night for dinner. Again the food was good. But the service was poor, slow, and apathetic to my family and to the other people as well. The waiters were huddled in the bar area laughing while speaking to each other in Spanish In conclusion, it is clear that the lack of management/supervision in this establishment has taken a once special place for us into the depths of "never to return. As a side note to"The Help", lots of people speak/understand Spanish,perhaps you should think b4 you speak. ADIOS
(2)
Becca T.
UGH! SO disappointing. I absolutely love the Las Palmas in BG on Dundee. It is WAY better. This location has terrible service. There are a ton of employees just walking around, talking with one another, looking at their phones and simply ignoring all of their customers. The food took over 30 minutes to come out and for the price of the fajitas it was very small. $40 for 5 pieces of shrimp, a small chicken breast, and some carrots is a bit high. I have tried this location about three times now and I have officially had enough. Oh, and the place is filthy and I am convinced they spit in your water when they take the glass from your table to refill it....
(1)
Stephen R.
Service is great. lively atmosphere drinks are solidly priced food is good, not great I had the tamales: eh, kind of dried out and burnt chile rellenos: same things, it looked like they scraped it out of the dish tacos; these were very good and tasty. I would recommend as there isnt a whole lot variety in this area but get the tacos.
(3)
Harriet R.
I just came back from Sunday Brunch at Las Palmas. The outdoor garden and the food are wonderful. I don't understand why it is not enjoyed by more people. You can reserve a table and have great food, great service and not smell car fumes while you dine al fresco. I had a Mexican take on Crabmeat Eggs Benedict. The poached eggs were perfect - runny on the inside, firm on the outside. I didn't want potatoes so they offered a lovely fruit plate instead.
(4)
Richard O.
Good Mexican restaurant the food is consistent and the drinks are strong. I like to come here for a group outing however I have seen nicer Las Palmas restaurants that is why I rate it 3 stars. Service is acceptable and they create a feeling in the restaurant with the music and decor you have the sense that you are in a spanish restaurant. Again the food is not remarkable and if I'm in the area I might think about coming here again maybe.
(3)
Susan C.
I haven't been here in over a year because last time we went my husband got sick.....but I willing to give it another go. Since last year, they have a new, pricier menu. I was dying for some guacamole but their menu showed only a large size, but, after talking to the waiter, he said they still had the smaller size (not on menu) which was plenty for two. It tasted like it was from a jar, not fresh, just a pasty taste. We each ordered the giant burrito, me, steak, my husband, chicken and it was LARGE but mostly filled with beans...yet good. Waiter service was poor ~ hard pressed to find a waiter for drink refills even though the restaurant was virtually empty on a Saturday night. No live music (Thank God!). A return visit is yet to be seen!
(3)
Jill L.
The food was average - not bad but nothing spectacular. But the service was TERRIBLE. We had to ask 3 time for our drinks to be refilled (and ended up going most of the dinner without drinks). Everything was slow. And our waitress was at the front laughing and talking with the hostess the majority of the time. Will not go back.
(2)
Damian C.
Good... not great... not bad... I'm indifferent. I came here for a birthday dinner this past Saturday. 6PM on a Saturday... early to me, but apparently in the burbs* it's hot time in the ol' Mexican place! The big appeal to this place for our birhday guest was not the food itself but the excitement of a Cher/Neil Diamond-esque impersonator singing as we ate. Weird thing #2, but whatever, I'll go with it. At some point there was a miscommunication and we were seated on the side with no entertainment which caused an end-of-the-world-style uproar amongst the group, but by the time the birthday girl arrived we got it all squared away with some prime seating. The place was completely packed with families, children, parents chasing their children, and more children, and if I weren't driving back to the city I would have downed a pitcher or margarita by myself just to get through dinner. We put in drink orders and were served margaritas in pretty goblets that were super heavy. Definitely use two hands! For each margarita pitcher you order you get a free quesadilla appetizer - sounds like a deal, but it definitely won't hold you over. Make sure you dig in on the chips and their salsa, which is runny, spicy, and delicious! The menu itself runs the whole gamut - chips, appetizers, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, entrees - they've got it all. I stuck with the crunchy tacos and was pleasantly surprised to see that they did not have any onion or potato in their ground beef and no jalapeno or green pepper in their chicken. Everything was pretty good but no real wow factor (though I guess tacos are pretty ... standard). The music was interesting. Pretty karaoke-y, somewhat lounge-y... she had a way of engaging the patrons but there was NO WAY I was even considering shaking a tambourine or dancing up in front of everyone. Sorry. Not a bad spot but definitely can find better Mexican. If you want a quiet dinner or one without wild children and parents who are just as wild, come during non-peak hours (which I assume in the burbs is after 9PM). *I grew up in the suburbs myself, so I'm not knocking you guys ;)
(3)
Vanessa C.
I would first like to say that Las Palmas has, in my opinion, amazing food. It is one of my favorite restaurants in regards to the taste and quality of food. Also, the amount of food you get is well worth the price. However, the service in this place is terrible. My main complaints are: slow service when the restaurant has but one or two tables, drinks left unfilled much too long, and wait staff texting when they should be working. This place could be so much greater with better management. The food brings me back here, but if that ever goes downhill, I will not be returning to this particular Las Palmas.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : 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 : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
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.
Cheryl S.
I have been frequenting Las Palmas restaurants for more than 20 years. I used to work in Glenview when they had a location right at the corner of Lake and Waukegan. I was really sad when that location closed. I later moved to Westmont where there was a location, and have been to the locations in Evanston and Naperville as well. The first thing I noticed was that the salsa was different from the other locations. More smokey than tomato-ey. I used to buy large cups of the salsa in Westmont, because it was so good. Here, not so much. They also botched our order. My sister ordered a taco, and he came out with a taco plate. I ordered ground beef enchiladas and got chicken, and my husband's enchilada plate was wrong too. We were on a tight schedule so we couldn't send it back. We'll stick with the other locations!
(2)Mir J.
This place is not bad at all. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. For the suburbs, you have to lower your standard a bit. Try the chille relleno... Quite good. Seems like everything needs a little salt but that's fine.. Add a little salt. If you live near by and are craving Mexican, not a bad stop. Full bar helps too,
(3)Dave G.
Food: decent to good Atmosphere: average Staff: seemed more interested in watching Telemundo than serving. Price: Average
(3)Julie A.
The food had no taste at all looked good but wasn't we felt sick after we left not going back there again
(1)Claire O.
Wow! I visited Las Palmas a few weeks ago and the food and service wasn't a problem at all. Tonight was very different. I called for a reservation for 10 people and had no issues arranging that. When my group arrived, we had to wait close to 30 minutes just for water and silverware. Then, I had to hunt down a server to see if someone could take our order...another 25 minutes until someone took orders. I had to ask several times for more water. They brought a group of 10 a single pitcher (wanna guess how long that'll last?) and no more refills. To compensate for the poor service, they brought us a platter of complimentary nachos which were the saddest nachos I've ever seen. A thin pile of chips, warmed up salsa, and a tiny bit of melted cheese. We joked and called them pizza nachos because it was close to what we got. Then, one of the people in our party ordered a burrito and asked for no avocado due to a food allergy. Half way through a chunk of burrito, we realized there was guacamole in the burrito. They took it off the bill, but still incredibly dumb on their part! We paid and left quickly. I normally leave a proper tip in restaurants but this was just so beyond being worth anything. I won't be back to Las Palmas!
(1)Mark G.
Awesome Mexican food best that ive had in years and I'm from Texas Great service Have the avacado dip also
(5)Sophie B.
Super friendly staff, speedy service, and great food!
(5)Mike M.
With the demise of the Mexican restaurants which cater to the white middle class, non-Mexican food diners, we are left with a few sad choices in the North Shore. This Las Palmas is sad. The other Las Palmas in Highland park - closed. El Jardin at the Glen - closed. Zapatista - closed. The fabulous San Gabriel - closed. All closed because the North Shore palate if finely tuned to Chipotle, and because the white suburban restaurateurs think enchilada sauce and melted cheese makes everything Mexican food. My recommendation for this Las Palmas, consider it closed too, and go to Lalos, or even better, drive to Highland Park an go to Los Mogotes, which is totally authentic, and great.
(2)Lauren K.
Meh. I am from New Jersey, land of pizza, guidos and shore traffic. We definitely are not known for our Mexican cuisine. So when I can think of at least three places back home that have better Mexican food, in particular, mole sauce, I'm not impressed. I can't even award an a-okay rating because the people at the bar were talking about me in Spanish... #rude The food was rather bland and if I weren't starving I wouldn't have eaten it. I had the enchiladas, if you're wondering. I would avoid. According to the great world of yelp, there are better Mexican restos in the area. Ambiance and price point were okay. If you're looking for Americanized fare this would be your spot, but I can't get over the rudeness.
(2)Jen H.
The chips were not warm, which is something I usually find at other places. The food wasn't bad... Just nothing stood out as being above average. The service was also lacking. Waited a very long time for some to come around, both to take our order, and get the check.
(3)Richard B.
Jeesh! Looking at the recent review of Las Palmas in Glenview, I could not fathom why it was receiving such mediocre reviews. I have been there from time to time, and found it satisfactory - at least for my tastes. But ya know, they're probably right. Something has gone wrong there. Armed with a two-fer that they emailed me, we arrived there a bit before noon on a Saturday. The joint was pretty much empty: only one table was occupied by a diner. So, they certainly were not busy. We were promptly greeted and taken to a table - actually a booth, but who cares when we're among friends? We are friends, right? Si. Being a few days before Christmas, the restaurant was bedecked with generic snowflakes, and a few decorations; but nothing authentically Mexican. Not a big deal, but I'm just telling you what we experienced. Our waiter took our order. He said they served Coke products - but he was wrong: he served us Pepsi products. As a world-famous connoisseur of fine pops (and the manager of an excellent pop cellar), I instantly recognized the appellation of Chateau Diet Pepsi 2013, a poor year for this varietal. Seriously, the guy should know better! I ordered a vegetarian Fajita, and the wife ordered a combination plate. The waiter disappeared for the next ten minutes, apparently very busy with his phantom customers. (There was just one additional couple there.) About 10 minutes later, he delivered a basket of chips, which seemed to be day-old. A few minutes later, the entrées were delivered. In my opinion, there was nothing remarkable about our food: neither bad nor good. But, since I have been here before, there seemed to be something missing from what I believed to be the quality or freshness of the food. Our waiter was remiss on refilling our glasses with the soda; and once again, we wondered what he was doing or where he was going. I had to shag him once to refill our glasses. (Not the "shag" as used in the UK and Australia.) The place started filling up as we were getting ready to leave. If the waiter could not keep up with two or three tables, what would he do dealing with ten? I regret that I cannot tender a higher score than I did; but their service was not up to par as far as I was concerned. I don't know whether Las Palmas is having some troubles or what has degraded their service. Perhaps other Yelpers can explain what's happening. On the positive side, I am a graduate cum laude of the University of Cheapness, and the two-fer rate was most appreciated!
(3)Rob W.
Realistically, 3.5 stars, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. It's been quite awhile since I have been to a Las Palmas - I used to be a frequent regular at the Buffalo Grove store until they changed the menu to match the Wicker Park location. It was an idea that didn't go over well there, so as I grew tired of paying more for hoity-toity Mexican food that I wasn't interested in eating 3-4 times a week, I opted to go elsewhere, and sadly so did the staff there. Prior to the change, the staff at the BG Las Palmas was outstanding - I've never had as much fun in a restaurant as I used to there. So much for the other place - now for the Glenview visit. I drove by and decided to give it a try since it had been so long. Wasn't real busy for 8PM or so on a Friday - I sat at the bar and ordered a JC frozen margarita and asked for a menu. The margarita was $6.75 and made pretty well - I'd say it was in the top 85 percentile of frozen margaritas I've had in my life. I looked at the menu - same one they've had for years (excluding the WP - Las Palmas and the brief BG hiatus). Their menu is mostly Mexican standbys, with a few additional interesting items. I used to order the Enchiladas Pacificas and was glad to see it's still on the menu - but wasn't in the mood for it. So I opted for Enchiladas in Mole at (about?) $11.50. It was pretty good - could've used a little more mole, but still OK. Their Spanish rice does come across as "canned" but nonetheless, I like the taste. Beans are OK. Bartender service was excellent, and the chips and salsa were good as they always used to be. I saw some reviewers felt they were overpriced. Makes me wonder if they've been to any Mexican restaurants lately. They not priced as low as taquerias, but the prices are as good if not better than comparable places such as Lalo's, Maria's, Fernandez group and the like. One somewhat suspicious activity that I observed was waitstaff going to the end of the bar and lift up a rubber glass mat which revealed numerous coupons for the restaurant. They would look through them and take them - made me wonder if they were attaching them to checks after the guests had paid and pocketing the discount. I hope not (it wouldn't have an adverse impact on the guest, but would be theft from the restaurant). I'll likely return if I'm in the area and in the mood for some Mexican food.
(4)Suburban G.
It's ok.....but there's a better place across the street ;) I used to LOVE this place (and back in the day when it was on the corner where the Starbucks/bagle place is now it was supurb). If you remember that location, you're old too...but wise to good food. Anyway the food is mediocore. The only thing that stands out on their menu is their bananna dessert. This seems to be the only place that makes it. I also get sassed everytime I bring their mailing coupon that they send out in the local mail.
(2)Susan K.
Decent Mexican food at fair prices. It's rather typical, but when you feel like Mexican food and you're in Glenview this is a good choice.
(3)Em P.
Meh, average. Went there on a living social deal (20 gets you 40) and the four of us all ordered different things. I had the steak tacos which were average.. my husband had the carne asada which he enjoyed. The other couple had chicken tostadas and a burrito. The guacamole had NO salt and tasted very bland. The orchata was also nothing to write home about. Overall, very slow service. I was hoping the reviews werent true and that they've picked it up a bit but they havent.
(2)Jamie S.
Not only does their overpriced food suck, there was an awful Elvis impersonator in there when we went for dinner Saturday. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. The food was soggy, watery, and had no flavor. The refried beans were obviously canned and the salsa was obviously from a jar. The nachos were nothing more than some chips, beans, salsa, monterey jack cheese, and some mushy chicken. The quesadillas had chicken and a tiny amount of cheese. Everything disintegrated when you picked it up, it was that soggy. I've never eaten nachos with a fork before. They were actually dripping liquid! The food came out of the kitchen way too fast to be freshly made. All I could think of was "What would Gordon Ramsay say about this place?" Plus it was way too expensive for what you got. Each entree was an average of $11-$15. Now I don't mind paying money for good food, but this was absolute garbage. Tasted like cafeteria food. The biggest red flag in any ethnic restaurant is when you don't see any people of that ethnicity eating there. There was not a single Mexican person eating here. It was all gringos... mostly older folks or families with young kids. To top it all off, there was an Elvis impersonator. He was the biggest douchebag I've ever seen. He was lip synching and didn't even have the microphone on. Just a complete tool. Plus it was so friggin loud we couldn't even hear ourselves talk at the table. WTF is an Elvis impersonator doing in a Mexican restaurant anyway? Seriously, Taco Bell is WAY BETTER than this place. If you like good authentic Mexican food do NOT go here.
(1)Michael K.
By far the worst meal and service I have had at a restaurant in many years. The burrito arrived cold. The enchilada suizas were tasteless and the sauce must have come from a can or made by someone with out a clue. I will never be going back.
(1)Marnie B.
Everything was perfect from stepping through the door!! Highly recommend!
(5)Lisa M.
My husband and I visited Las Palmas in Glenview on Friday night at 7:30pm. This is the 3rd or 4th time we've visited this restaurant and have had decent experiences in the past. We were seated and there were about 12 other tables in the restaurant at that time. Chips, salsa and water were dropped off at our table after we sat down. 15 minutes went by and we finished our chips, salsa and water and nobody had been by to take a drink or food order. The table that came in 5 minutes after us already had their drinks and ordered dinner. I finally flagged down one of the waiters to place our order. We ordered drinks and queso fundito with corn tortillas (we were given flour) to start. The queso fundito took another 10 minutes to come out. When it arrived, there was a layer of grease all over the top and the cheese was congealed. We tried dipping the chips into it but the cheese was solid. I was able to stick my fork into the cheese and pick it up as one big glob. It was inedible. We set the cheese at the edge of the table for the waiter. He came by and asked if we needed a box to take it home. At that time we told him no, and I stuck my fork in the cheese and demonstrated how it was hard and one big glob and he proceeded to tell us that Queso Fundito is like that all the time. He said that most people use a knife and cut the cheese and put it on tortillas. Right. I'm sure everyone loves putting their greasy, tasteless congealed cheese onto a tortilla!!! Truly disgusting. I ordered the enchiladas verde and my husband had the suiza burritos. The entrees were decent, but we were already turned off by the service and the poor excuse for queso. It came time to pay and I had a groupon for $40. I showed the waiter my groupon voucher on my phone and he took my phone into the back with him for 5 or 10 minutes. I didn't like that at all. Why did he need to take my phone into the kitchen to take my voucvher number? To top it off, I realized the next day that he expired the wrong groupon. He expired a more expensive groupon to another restaurant that I really wanted to try, and I'm left with the Las Palmas Groupon. I've contacted Groupon to help fix the situation because the last place I want to go is to Las Palmas again.
(1)Conly D.
I love Las Palmas. They have great, authentic Mexican food. My family and I have been dining here for over 20 years and will likely continue to do so. I say likely because as of recently, we have experienced two isolated incidents that have made our experiences unfavorable. The service has been poor and the food quality seemed to be somewhat off. That being said, in the 20 years we have been going here, that has not ever happened. We always rave about the food and atmosphere. I would definitely recommend that you give it a try. The fajitas are great. The meats and veg are fresh and the sides are just as good. Lots of great feedback about the burrito suizos, chimichangas, and enchiladas. Cocktails are also off the chiz-ain!
(4)David R.
This location of Las Palmas is always nearly empty, even at lunchtime, but don't let that frighten you. Every aspect of the experience is average or above average. It is great for business lunches or sitting down by yourself with a book. Service is swift from sit down to stand up. The free chips and salsa are tasty and sometimes the chips are warm from the oven. The menu options are varied and quite reasonably priced. I've had chicken enchiladas and chicken fajitas, both delicious. I'm never able to finish the fajitas, so they make a good dinner later or lunch the next day. Nothing about this place is spectacular, but I've never had a complaint or even been mildly disappointed.
(4)Gabriel T.
I had the taco steak dinner and I can tell you it was nothing to brag about. Food has no flavor. They gave you very little for the money. I will not go again.
(1)Apara W.
Chips didnt taste right. Friendly server. But he would disappear several times. The worst part was the food. I have had much better. I could only taste salt. Not going back, 2 stars for friendly environment, nice ambiance.
(2)Kelly E.
I've been here several times, and generally things are pretty good. I've tried a variety of things on the menu, and they all taste good. Waitstaff is hit or miss....some of them are bad, some are quite friendly, helpful, and entertaining. They play good music. The bartender knows how to mix drinks. At times, I am a late diner. And if we go there and the time is approaching 15 minutes to Ten on a weeknight, they can be quite assertive about wrapping it up. I totally get it, but I wish they were open just an hour later. I really like the food here. I will be back again and again.
(4)Terese C.
This is a great find in a strip plaza. The warm chips & salsa are very fresh. The meals are good and ample. The prices are reasonable. The wait staff is fast & efficient. The margaritas are great.
(4)Netta S.
Retried beans have a burnt flavor. Meats/ chicken barely seasoned. Service is good. Food is mediocre and bland. Not the spot if you are looking for authentic well flavored Mexican food.
(1)Kay H.
we have been going to las palmas forever. the new manager was just a waiter then. so he knows us well. we have always tipped the staff well, even tho most of them don't deserve it, lack of english speaking waiters causes mix ups on your orders often. anyway we took out of town friends there, and i forgot my money mailer coupon for 20% off, i asked the manager if he could honor it and i would bring it back the next day, it was almost closing time. he said no he couldn't do that, there was a "number" on the coupon that had to be put in the register to take the discount. bs.....i am looking at one now and the one i had then, there is no number on the coupon anywhere. he was much nicer as a waiter and should have stayed one. i agree their service is lacking, refills almost impossible and food is ok, but better than the service.
(2)Chiiik S.
Good customer service, nice looking place, BUT we didn't like the food. The burritos didn't have any flavor. Pico de Gallo was watery no flavor! They definitely cut corners with the food. If they couldnt get the burritos right then I am not interested in trying something else. Especially at more than $10. I would have rather went to Lalo's down by Lake and Waukegan to give them a try.
(1)louis S.
They no longer accept restaurant.com coupons. We used a living social one but felt they had no interest in us because of it. You Must turn it in before you sit down, so they know. The drinks were water down and weak. just not welcoming...
(2)Melissa G.
Mediocre food, bad service. The one thing I really did enjoy was the salsa they placed on the table, but I was never able to get a server to bring more of it for me... =(
(1)Francesca L.
We gave Las Palmas as a second chance today as we had terrible food and service a couple of months ago and were hoping it would redeem itself. No LUCK!!! So sad as this restaurant used to be the place to go in Glenview for great Mexican food. The service is awful.and even worse..the food looks disgusting and everything is cold. We related our concerns to the manager and he shrugged his shoulders in dismay and defended his foods quality...Department of health really needs to inspect food temperature for safety.. warning should have been noted when no customers were there..empty dining room! Next time we will be trying Lalos down the street..
(1)Dan P.
Just okay. Basic Mexican food. Same food and quality you'll get just about anywhere else.
(3)Beatriz D.
Pretty decent food at very reasonable prices. Service is quite fast and the margaritas are good, too. Other drinks may seem expensive, but beer comes in big bottles. I tried the Enchiladas Suizas and was greatly surprised. The sauce is really good. Refried beans tasted fresh.
(4)Lena O.
We used to dine at Las Palmas in Highland Park rather often. I absolutely loved their great food and wonderful service. They deserve a solid 5 stars in my book.Given that we have a location in our hometown we decided to try Las Palmas in Glenview. I had a Money Mailer Coupon on my phone and asked the hostess if we can use it, although it had not been printed. She replied that we could not, so we had asked for the manager's assistance. Once he has arrived, we had asked the same question. He dismissed us with abrupt "No". We understood that this was not the ideal way of presenting the coupon that we had, so we then asked if we could print it out after our dinner and bring it back to them before the day ends. The manager- Gerardo Curias was very short with us and stated, "This is not possible in my restaurant". Immediately after his harsh words were spoken he had simply turned from us and walked away. It is very rare that I am left without words, but I felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable. I felt cheap after the way he treated us and have lost my appetite for any future visit they would have ever received from me. Next time we are going back to Highland Park.
(1)E K.
It's gone downhill. I ordered enchiladas suisas with nonexistent chicken. The huachinango used to be great. Not so great any more. Unfortunately I have a couple of groupons so I'll go back. Not what it used to be.
(3)G R.
Pretty consistent Mexican food menu. All the usual suspects. Tacos, burrito grande, chips and guacamole. The quality is above average, the steak used is not fatty or full of grizzle, even the standard beef tacos aren't greasy. My friend had some seafood dish that she seemed to like and said it was fresh. Their margaritas are very good, and well priced. Service was friendly, we sat in the bar area, small booth as the rest of the place was packed. We weren't rushed out, and we were there for a couple of hours, we actually were the last ones out of the place. Good food and drinks in a relaxing atmosphere. What more can you ask for?
(4)Patricia K.
This is very much your typical Mexican restaurant. There is nothing particularly amazing or original about the selection, decor, or service but it proves to be consistent. My experience with Las Palmas has been limited to lunch. It is close to work and their service has a fast service. However, I have not yet indulged in an evening of margaritas there... maybe sometime soon ;)
(4)Y.D. K.
Good place to take out family, maybe a date. Food is generally good, albeit a bit Americanized but is still respectable - you can have tacos & burritos, or even a nice plate with either a steak with a chile sauce, some chicken enchaladas (I think) with mole, and of course a nice artery clogger queso fundido - kind of a quesedilla with a Mexican cheese with chorizo...yummy! Killed a star since its a bit far for me, and may not compete well with places like Lalo's or your decent restaurant in Pilsen in Chicago.
(4)Marion J.
By far the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE I had this year (well, restaurant wise...Read my other reviews, you will why :)..). We went to Las Palmas because we had a entertainment guide coupon and wanted to try another local restaurant and needed some drinks after a hard day. We ordered half a pitcher of margarita, the fajita and a burrito. The server was nice, suggested a full pitcher but we refused (twice).The drinks came, the food came. Food was decent but nothing great or interesting. Plus they are a little pricey for what the quality you get. When came the bill, we got charged a full pitcher. Not worried I went to the bar and talked to our server... He explained to me that I was lying and that was what we ordered (again, we said no TWICE to his suggestion of full pitcher) He apparently had given us a full pitcher.. I personnally never realized it since I never drink enough to get a pitcher. Plus our full pitcher was still halfway full because it was too much for us... He went to talk to the manager. The manager came to our table, reached over to grab the pitcher without saying a word, came back , put the revised bill on the table and told us that t was ok for this time but not to do this again".... I was floored!!! I did not want to make a fuss so we just left ... It is ok, if Las Palmas wish to, we will not come back and have a server mess up our order again..
(1)Joseph S.
We have been coming here for over 15 years , we used to love this place the food was great and the drinks better. Unfortunately the last few times we went there the shots of tequila have become minuscule and the quality of the food has gone down as well . The new manager is solely focused on the profit margin vs making and keeping the customers happy. We will never return unless they get a new manager and go back to the old Las Palmas that we loved . Hope the owner sees this and reacts accordingly.
(1)B E.
We love Las Palmas. It's been in Glenview for as long as we can remember and after going here probably 50 times we've had great food nearly every single time. You can't beat their prices, their warm chips and fresh salsa, and they have pretty big portions for the price. Much better than Lalos or really any other Mexican place around here.
(5)Mary S.
Restaurant only had 3 or 4 tables with customers at 6:00 at night, waiter pretty much ignored us. Waited over 20 minutes to order a drink, I had hot tea, never brought more hot water. Food was mediocre at best, guacamole was very good, had the beef fajitas. Meat was tough and cut into fat pieces instead of strips, rice was obviously left over from lunch and beans were cold. Waiter would just disappear. I do not drink alcohol, but was told the margarita's were tasty but very weak. I have been going to Las Palmas for over 10 years, but think I will need to find a new place for Mexican Fare.
(1)Rebecca L.
My friends and I from out of town were in the mood for some good old fashioned Mexican food... And this was one of the first places that came up. I have to be honest - it was genuinely TERRIBLE. We started off with normal fare, blended margaritas that arrived to the table literally in just chopped ice cubes and completely unable to be drank through a straw. The server was annoyed at me asking for them to be reblended, and brought them back yet again in complete ice cubes. Absolutely no alcohol. Table guacamole honestly tasted like raw avocados - absolutely no flavor. I am not even that picky. Then the food - my enchiladas were covered in MOZZARELLA CHEESE with marinara sauce. Are you serious? Terrible. Honestly just bad.
(1)Jay B.
We moved to Glenview in July, and it took awhile to come into Las Palmas for their lunch special. I am glad we did! The service was great, and the food was good, and a great value. I am a fan. Nice interior + good food + reasonable prices + happy waiter = nice experience! We will come back.
(4)Diana S.
Poor service. Average food. Tiny water glasses.
(1)Kathryn I.
I recently went to this restaurant for dinner. Their service is pretty good but their food isn't that great. I have had great authentic Mexican before and this is far from it. Their steak is very dry and had no flavor. My food was cold. I would not recommend and I definitely won't be back anytime soon.
(2)Margaret S.
04-11-2012 - Once again, after eating here I have been told that everyone in my party doesn't want to go back, EVER! The food was good, BUT the service was horrible. missing drinks, no refills, our waitress didn't come back to our table ever, and we had to hunt her up to get a check. THIS IS THE NORM FOR THIS PLACE. I didn't leave a tip and I always leaved a tip no matter how bad the service was. BUT, this time it was as if we weren't waited on. I will not be going back. Okay four months later I broke down and came back. You know why? They make good food. They use real sour cream and the chili reyanos is yummy. I tend to take out and they get my order right. They are better then LasFuentes ( which is expensive)
(3)David F.
We went to Las Palmas on Valentine's day for dinner. The place was decorated nice, there were 2 men playing guitar going from table to table singing and playing We had ordered our drinks which came right away. We ordered table side guacamole which was also great. Our server took 30 minutes to return to refill out waters and take our dinner order. We waited for 40 minutes for Fajitas. The food came out incorrect after the crazy long wait. We asked for no green peppers in the Fajita dinner and we no only had green peppers, We had over 40 pieces in the dish! The waiter apologized and said he would come back with water. 30 minutes went by and the flagged down the manager who brought us the water and sent the hostess for our check. Our waiter never returned for over an hour while we were there. He was standing at the end of their bar for well over half of the time. Saul was his name. We had been their many times before and had a good experience, but this one was so bad, we won't be going back at all. Good Food Terrible Service!
(1)Neema P.
Went here last night for drinks/food. The food is actually not too bad. We got the tostada,enchilada,burrito combination, and enchiladas suizas. The magaritas were decent.. I've had better ones at Lalos down the street. The wait staff was pretty demanding and I know she was checking up on us often, but it became pretty uncomfortable as we didn't even take two bites of our meal and she was asking if we wanted it to go. She only kept doing this because it was the end of her shift and she wanted us to hurry up. I'd probably come here again, only because in the burbs there are not many options.
(3)Jennifer B.
Been coming here for years. Have always had wonderful service. My boyfriend and I came here tonight for dinner. The waiter we had was awful. We ran out of salsa, we had no utensils or napkins, I had to ask him to refill my drink. When it finally came to getting the check, he was no where to be found. He finally came out from the back only to chat with the hostess and look at her phone. I had to walk up and ask him for our check. I may as well have waited on myself.
(1)Kathy S.
Fantastic fajitas made of really succulent steak and fresh bell peppers. I also really like their Flan and their refried ice cream for desert. I have to say that the service is a little weird. Sometimes the staff is really friendly and respectful and other tines they're a little snippy. I don't know how else to describe it. But the fajitas are excellent, the place is clean and colorful. Make sure you look for online deals like Groupons.
(4)Shaun S.
Everytime I bring up Las Palmas, my wife says "NO". So with her out of town, I snuck in for a late lunch. There was a location by my brother's old place in Wheeling, and we'd go frequently, maybe my taste has changed, although the food wasn't bad. The service was just not what you'd expect when there are only two tables seated. I think the worse part of it was the flat soda and the empty water glass. The host calling me "buddy" the whole time was kind of un-nerving too. Guess I was just sad that my wife was right :)
(3)Rafael M.
Was there this past sunday. Was very dissapointed service was bad. server was more concerned with playing with iphone rather than provide good service. Didnt even let me sit down before i was told we dont do coupons today. hat to sit for long time before being served even though the place was empty. the charged me $1.00 xtra for sourcream even though i never asked for it. use to be a decent place ive benn going there for years. i will know never return. you guys need better management and employees that care. they were all standing around and joking while i just sat.
(1)Janet D.
Came here with my girlfriend because we had a coupon and wanted to try something different. I ordered the combination plate which came with a burrito, tostada and an enchilada. Not even 5 minutes and our food was ready. Okay I'm all about fast service but this was just too quick and now I know why, the food horrible! My chicken was dry! The enchilada looked like a pile of cheese just stacked there. The waitress didnt come by at all and we were the only ones there! I also ordered a piña colada. This lady really wanted to get me drunk! It was pure alcohol, yes its an alcoholic drink but wow I was basically drinking a cup of shots! My girlfriend seemed to like her flautas, but overall it was a bad experience and it was our first time here. I will not return. Bad food and service! Ugh I should of read the reviews first before coming here... never again!
(1)Gerry T.
We tried the trio fajitas (chicken, steak and giant shrimp), steak tampiquena and a steak burrito to go. If we could give 3.5 stars we would, however, it's not quite a 4 for us. Of course, it's unfair to compare Las Palmas to Nuevo Leon (clearly a 4 star Mexican restaurant on 18th street in Chicago) in Pilsen. But when you live in Skokie, driving to Glenview (an adjacent suburb) is convenient for a Mexican food fix. The strip mall parking makes it easy and the restaurant is never full so seating is very quick. The food is good but it doesn't make me think about it during my train rides to and from the city so if I'm not day dreaming about their meals, it's probably in the 3 star range. The sizzling fajita plate is nicely presented as the aromas stir your appetite for the perfect tortilla stuffed with your favorite ingredients. It's noteworthy that they have good mild and hot salsas.
(3)Jennifer R.
This is the second time that this place has messed up my order. First time I ordered online a taco salad with some added ingredients. Instead of calling me to confirm my order and inform me that there would be additional fees for the taco salad they instead decided to change my order to a burrito bowl. That's not what I ordered!!!! When i called, the person who answered argued with me for a bit telling me the ingredients I requested were for a burrito bowl and that's why they changed it. Ok well sir IDGAF what comes on the burrito bowl. I ordered a taco salad they way I like it... So make it that way since I am the one eating it. So now today I order my usual Taco Salad. Their menu indicates the taco salad comes with choice of meat, lettuce, avocado,tomato, onion, green pepper, and carrots. I don't like half of those ingredients so I instead requested mine with beef, lettuce, avocado, cheese, corn and sour cream. Of course that shoots my total up to over $13. Ok fine, I'll pay the extra. Even though I didn't even get 5 of the ingredients listed and only added 3 ingredients that weren't listed but ok fine whatever. Drive over and pick up my order and get back to my office to find a half full taco salad shell that had 3 inches of beans (gross), a thin layer of lettuce (this is a salad right??), cheese, avocado and about a 1/2 cup of sour cream (heart attack city). OH AND NO MEAT OR CORN...WTF!!! So I call and get the usual excuses of it was a mistake. Go back and get a new one (I have now wasted 30 minutes of my lunch) make them give me a refund (obviously) and get back to the office with my new (much heavier) Taco Salad. Well what do you know the salad is now over stuffed. Ingredients are not proportional AT ALL!! Still has 3 inches of beans and sour cream (again - GROSS), barely any lettuce and a shit load (MAYBE 2 CUPS) of meat!!! On top of that the shell bottom is completely soggy from whatever liquid is seeping out the bottom. I am totally disgusted!! Thanks for ruining my taco salad, my appetite and my lunch!
(1)R P.
Do I have to give this place a star? Go to the other Las Palmas restaurants. The help are rude. Haven't met one nice one and we went a few times. The last time was the last. We waited a long time for our order to be given and to get it. Rarely did anyone come around to ask for refills. When we finally flagged down someone for refills, they said they would CHARGE us for extra chips. I wanted to walk out right then and there. Never did they do this before. We now go to other Mexican restaurants with nice servers! Bye Las Palmas. You won't get any of my money again!
(1)Alan H.
I was a frequent flier at Las Palmas for many years. The Evanston locations were always great but crowded. When the Glenview site arrived ,my wife and I were very happy. However, about 3 months ago we stopped in for dinner. The food was it's usual high quality but the service was lazy and disinterested in serving us and other customers.So, in the interest of fairness , we returned last night for dinner. Again the food was good. But the service was poor, slow, and apathetic to my family and to the other people as well. The waiters were huddled in the bar area laughing while speaking to each other in Spanish In conclusion, it is clear that the lack of management/supervision in this establishment has taken a once special place for us into the depths of "never to return. As a side note to"The Help", lots of people speak/understand Spanish,perhaps you should think b4 you speak. ADIOS
(2)Becca T.
UGH! SO disappointing. I absolutely love the Las Palmas in BG on Dundee. It is WAY better. This location has terrible service. There are a ton of employees just walking around, talking with one another, looking at their phones and simply ignoring all of their customers. The food took over 30 minutes to come out and for the price of the fajitas it was very small. $40 for 5 pieces of shrimp, a small chicken breast, and some carrots is a bit high. I have tried this location about three times now and I have officially had enough. Oh, and the place is filthy and I am convinced they spit in your water when they take the glass from your table to refill it....
(1)Stephen R.
Service is great. lively atmosphere drinks are solidly priced food is good, not great I had the tamales: eh, kind of dried out and burnt chile rellenos: same things, it looked like they scraped it out of the dish tacos; these were very good and tasty. I would recommend as there isnt a whole lot variety in this area but get the tacos.
(3)Harriet R.
I just came back from Sunday Brunch at Las Palmas. The outdoor garden and the food are wonderful. I don't understand why it is not enjoyed by more people. You can reserve a table and have great food, great service and not smell car fumes while you dine al fresco. I had a Mexican take on Crabmeat Eggs Benedict. The poached eggs were perfect - runny on the inside, firm on the outside. I didn't want potatoes so they offered a lovely fruit plate instead.
(4)Richard O.
Good Mexican restaurant the food is consistent and the drinks are strong. I like to come here for a group outing however I have seen nicer Las Palmas restaurants that is why I rate it 3 stars. Service is acceptable and they create a feeling in the restaurant with the music and decor you have the sense that you are in a spanish restaurant. Again the food is not remarkable and if I'm in the area I might think about coming here again maybe.
(3)Susan C.
I haven't been here in over a year because last time we went my husband got sick.....but I willing to give it another go. Since last year, they have a new, pricier menu. I was dying for some guacamole but their menu showed only a large size, but, after talking to the waiter, he said they still had the smaller size (not on menu) which was plenty for two. It tasted like it was from a jar, not fresh, just a pasty taste. We each ordered the giant burrito, me, steak, my husband, chicken and it was LARGE but mostly filled with beans...yet good. Waiter service was poor ~ hard pressed to find a waiter for drink refills even though the restaurant was virtually empty on a Saturday night. No live music (Thank God!). A return visit is yet to be seen!
(3)Jill L.
The food was average - not bad but nothing spectacular. But the service was TERRIBLE. We had to ask 3 time for our drinks to be refilled (and ended up going most of the dinner without drinks). Everything was slow. And our waitress was at the front laughing and talking with the hostess the majority of the time. Will not go back.
(2)Damian C.
Good... not great... not bad... I'm indifferent. I came here for a birthday dinner this past Saturday. 6PM on a Saturday... early to me, but apparently in the burbs* it's hot time in the ol' Mexican place! The big appeal to this place for our birhday guest was not the food itself but the excitement of a Cher/Neil Diamond-esque impersonator singing as we ate. Weird thing #2, but whatever, I'll go with it. At some point there was a miscommunication and we were seated on the side with no entertainment which caused an end-of-the-world-style uproar amongst the group, but by the time the birthday girl arrived we got it all squared away with some prime seating. The place was completely packed with families, children, parents chasing their children, and more children, and if I weren't driving back to the city I would have downed a pitcher or margarita by myself just to get through dinner. We put in drink orders and were served margaritas in pretty goblets that were super heavy. Definitely use two hands! For each margarita pitcher you order you get a free quesadilla appetizer - sounds like a deal, but it definitely won't hold you over. Make sure you dig in on the chips and their salsa, which is runny, spicy, and delicious! The menu itself runs the whole gamut - chips, appetizers, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, entrees - they've got it all. I stuck with the crunchy tacos and was pleasantly surprised to see that they did not have any onion or potato in their ground beef and no jalapeno or green pepper in their chicken. Everything was pretty good but no real wow factor (though I guess tacos are pretty ... standard). The music was interesting. Pretty karaoke-y, somewhat lounge-y... she had a way of engaging the patrons but there was NO WAY I was even considering shaking a tambourine or dancing up in front of everyone. Sorry. Not a bad spot but definitely can find better Mexican. If you want a quiet dinner or one without wild children and parents who are just as wild, come during non-peak hours (which I assume in the burbs is after 9PM). *I grew up in the suburbs myself, so I'm not knocking you guys ;)
(3)Vanessa C.
I would first like to say that Las Palmas has, in my opinion, amazing food. It is one of my favorite restaurants in regards to the taste and quality of food. Also, the amount of food you get is well worth the price. However, the service in this place is terrible. My main complaints are: slow service when the restaurant has but one or two tables, drinks left unfilled much too long, and wait staff texting when they should be working. This place could be so much greater with better management. The food brings me back here, but if that ever goes downhill, I will not be returning to this particular Las Palmas.
(3)