Their food is tasteful and is not loaded with oil/salt like their neighbor AKA Coculas. However, their drinks really need to be improved on. Had a birthday party dinner and my guests hardly complain. But they actually did send their drinks back. Their piña coladas and margaritas really need work. I think this is where they lose money to Coculas. Service is always incredible and you will always be greeted with a genuine smile. If you want original mexican food that momma would make at home, then this is the place. Portions are not huge, but just enough. But I'm sure momma wants you to not feel like a stuffed whale after being at Santiagos. I always leave feeling satisfied and great. Ask to try their spicy salsas with the chips - if you dare! Hehehe
(4)
Tracey W.
Overpriced AND nickel-and-dimed the "extras". While this place has cute decor and ambiance and decent food, the service and price were downright atrocious. I ordered pork quesadillas, which were like 12 bucks. The menu lacks description, so I didn't know if it came with anything. The waitress informed me it did not. Nothing. No lettuce. No sour cream. No tomato. Nada. So I ordered some salsa and sour cream on the side. First of all, the portion size was TINY for a 12 dollar entree. Secondly, what was brought to me was just meat folded into a tortilla, not grilled or anything. While it tasted good, the menu description didn't fit the item, and the side items were different, too. The waitress either didn't know the menu or couldn't be bothered to describe the item to me when I ordered it. It had corn in it, which I liked, but think this should have been listed on the menu. It came with some sort of bastardization of French fries which were so absolutely disgusting both visually and in taste and should never be served to another human being again. The chips that came before the meal were also extremely stale and not fresh. If you're charging 12-20 bucks for entrees, you should probably have fresh chips. The biggest problem came when we got the bill. The waitress charged me SEVEN DOLLARS for a side of salsa for my dish and THREE DOLLARS for a side of sour cream. I was stunned. Perhaps I didn't explain myself well enough when ordering, but that has got to be a standard request. The waitress couldn't give a fuck enough to clarify my request or let me know about the upcharge. She must have brought an appetizer for the salsa or something- I don't know. I wasn't in the position to complain about the charge because I was not paying for the meal- it was an extremely embarrassing situation. 2 TINY "quesadillas"... 20 DOLLARS. Horrendous social situation. I have never felt so overcharged for a meal in my life. Would not even consider returning to this place- there are so many incredible Mexican places within a stone's throw.
This is not where I was headed for dinner the other night but I'm so glad I ended up here. I was meeting a girlfriend and happened to see this place when I parked my car. I immediately text her the address and had her head here instead. We sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly and worked quickly (we were in a time crunch). Between the 2 of us we tried the margarita, strawberry margarita and the Paloma. The drinks were so good! Nice and strong too! I loved the chips and salsa. The salsa has lots of jalapeño but not too spicy. I ordered the steak taco special. It had their pico de gallo with avocado. I devoured it! I'm not saying it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. It was really good though. I wouldn't hesitate eating here when in the area looking for Mexican (or a margarita).
(4)
Dayan G.
If your looking for a traditional Mexican restaurant this is not it. It has the look of it but not the taste. We came 1/2 hr before closing time and our waiter was rushing. Which made our experienced pretty uncomfortable. Price fairly!
(2)
J C.
We like so many things about this place. Service is always great. Margaritas good- guacamole good. Entrees and specials all good- however Not a fan of their salsa!!!
(3)
Ekta S.
Good service, good size portion, good food. Server and hostess were friendly. Spicy means spicy which we enjoyed!
(5)
Cynthia C.
I was quite disappointed with my first experience here. Pros: Nice hostess. She was very nice and accommodating. Cons: We were "put" in a separate room which we quickly found out was the room where you put people with kids in...I orrder Carne a la Tampiquena and it comes with rice and beans as well as a cheese enchilada. There wasn't much flavor to the rice let alone the steak. I also had a peach margarita. Small in size and didn't have much liquor in it. The guacamole we ordered as an appetizer needed more taste and was quite small. (My dad did like his shrimp fajitas though.) The waitress wasn't very pleasant and didn't take my dads jokes very well. Probably won't go back.
(2)
Nancy J.
Delicious! My husband and I stopped in for dinner. First time here everything was great! We will definitely be back.
(5)
Ashley G.
If you're looking for a spot to host a party, rehearsal dinner, or large gathering in the La Grange area, this is your spot. The staff at Santiago's aims to please. They are easy to work with, won't rip you off, and the food and drinks are perfect. If you want a nice evening spot for an outside dinner, but you don't want to sit directly on La Grange Road, you won't be disappointed either.
The service was great. I loved the fresh salsa. I especially likes the fast that it wasn't salty like most salsas. For anyone who likes salt laden food, you'll perhaps need to add a little table salt. I got a chicken fajita salad and it wasn't bad. I gave 3 stars instead of 4 because I was told that my salad comes with guacamole. However, it came with a small slice of avocado. When I told the staff about it, she said that was error. Boooo. I specifically got this salad because I was expecting guacamole.
(3)
Courtney K.
This is our new go-to Mexican restaurant in Lagrange. Very clean, very spacious and very nice servers! The menu has a wide array of choices, and everything we ordered was very fresh. I DO agree with some of my other yelpers regarding the salsa. It was bland. BUT--we asked for some spicy salsas (the hubs and I are MAJOR chili-heads!) and our wish was granted! Pleasant experience all around.
(5)
Mary G.
Santiagos used to have the best food. I am not quite sure when it stared going down hill, but in the last few years it has been bland and not flavorful as mexican should be. The atmosphere is nice and the bar area is large. Basically it is OK mexican food.
(3)
Chad H.
Been coming here for years with the wife. Fast friendly service and excellent food ensure that this we'll continue to do so.
(5)
Jason M.
The locale, decor, and service are all great. The food not so much. It's just super bland. We had chicken tacos, beef tacos, burritos, etc. Everything lacked flavor. Margaritas were just ok. Salsa was blah and when I asked for hot sauce it never came. Go to Casa Margarita instead to sit outside nearby or better yet Hacienda Cocula for something more authentic!
(3)
R J.
Consistently good Mexican food. Fresh margarita is a must try. Reasonable prices and decent portions. Service is typically good. Fajitas and shrimp / portobello platter are favs. Ask for their hot sauce- it's a great addition to most dishes- which tend to be light on salt and seasoning.
(4)
G S.
Asada rellano was very good. Skirt steak stuffed with shrimp and crawfish tails with veggies. Very good.
(4)
Michelle B.
This is my favorite sit down mexican restaurant around. My friends and I come here frequently. They have a room for families with little ones, which as you can guess gets quite loud with the kids but is worth it if you are dining out as a family. The main dining area is spacious and clean and always full, which is a great sign, especially with all of the restaurants in downtown lagrange. I have loved everything i have ordered off of their menu. Their service is good, could be better, but they are ALWAYS full. They are always willing to do anything to make their customers happy and comfortable. There is always a bowl of fresh chips and salsa on the table, never ending. The food comes out of the kitchen HOT and fresh. I recommend the queso fondita to start, always a crown pleaser.
(5)
Jas A.
We went to the Lagrange festival and felt like a margarita , found Santiago's after walking out of Casa Margarita I. My girlfriend and I thought the salsa with the chips was some of the best we've had,and we travel a lot. Service, food and margaritas were very good. We'll be back.
(5)
Bridget E.
I met a large group of friends for appetizers and drinks at Santiago's. I wanted to keep an open mind about this place. I thought, "how bad could margaritas and chips be?" Well, the answer is pretty bad. Bland, bland, bland. This is the Mexican restaurant for people who don't enjoy flavor or spiciness of any kind. I would think this was fare for an old folks' home. Really, it's that bland. The salsa had the flavor of water--not delicious, in-season tomatoes and water, not fresh cilantro and water, just water. I seriously think you would be better off running into a convenience store or gas station to get a chip and salsa fix. At first, I went off the grid and ordered a frozen mango margarita. It tasted like one of those frozen Jamba Juice-like pouches you can buy to whip up in your blender. It had that not-fresh, food-service-for-a-junior-high quality that I don't want in an alcoholic drink. I took a note and got the Santiago's margarita on the rocks. It tasted so boring that I couldn't believe it. No tartness from the lime, no tequila flavor at all. I was in a play or a commercial where I had to LOOK like I was drinking but the drink was actually colored water. I really screwed the pooch by ordering chicken chilaquiles. It was so plain that I think It should have been labeled "no sodium" or something. I expected Ashton Kutcher himself to jump out to tell me was being Punk'd and my friends didn't like this swill or slop either. Instead, I have found myself in the cliched posiition of writing the ol' not-authentic-for-me Mexican restaurant review. Ay, ay, ay! The one good thing about Santiago's is the service. It was top notch! The people there are very friendly. That's how I ended up tipping so much for food that I didn't enjoy.
(2)
Peter S.
Five for dinner on a Sunday night at 5pm. Fairly crowded. But we started out slow. No one at the host/hostess station. We waited several minutes before anyone showed up. And our first round of drinks took a while. Apparently they were very short on staff. But we saw relief workers and the owner arrive after we were there about 15 minutes and everything turned around. Our server Juan had been scrambling and was excellent the rest of the evening. As for the food, a few of the Yelp reviews say the food is bland. It is not bland, it's fresh and flavorful, just not spicey hot. Everything we had was very good, which included chips with a nice salsa, the shrimp ceviche appetizer, Carne Asada ,beef flautas, beef tacos, beef enchiladas,pork casadias and pork barrochos. The regular dinners come with excellent refried beans. One negative: the mexican potatoes that came with the pork casadias were not hot. But the margaritas were excellent and the beer was nice and cold. We had not been here for over a year but we will return.
(4)
Michelle O.
Likely our new go-to for Mexican in la grange. Margarita was great, salsa was obviously freshly made & our food was solid. Pretty standard food- not sure it was what I'd call super authentic, but it tasted good. Just not blown away by it. Restaurant was very clean and the seating was comfortable/well-spaced. Looking forward to going back for dinner and a Paloma.
(4)
Molly M.
I've been here at the new location multiple times for different events, and every time the staff has been very attentive. They always were eager to fill our waters (and margaritas), and the food was fantastic. Great for events! Both buffet style and from a narrowed down menu.
(5)
Jacki A.
I think my last review was when they had just switched locations or something like that. I'm glad we gave it another shot because they have gotten things together! We planned my Mom's birthday dinner here because she loves Mexican food. On our way to the restaurant, while my brother and I trying to stall my family from getting there before us so we could decorate the table, we called and asked if we could start getting a table set up and if they could hold a cake for us...it was absolutely no problem! So we walk in and quickly decorate the table with streamers and the employees were very accommodating. The queso fundido we ordered as an appetizer did not come with tortillas originally but we got them ourselves. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas and they were very delicious! After this experience I would definitely go back!
(4)
Andrew S.
We made an impromptu visit for lunch. The positives: decor was very bright with original artwork on the walls. We were greeted by a very friendly staff member and seated at a place of our choosing. Secondly, the waitress was very attentive and did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and meeting our requests. She was very helpful. The food was not good. To begin with, the salsa that was put on the table was totally tasteless and not even close to a mild spicy. It looked freshly made but lacked taste. Two of us had the taco salad and found that it too was tasteless. Fried chicken was added and although cooked thoroughly, was dumped on a bed of shredded lettuce - oil and all. No rice, beans, or other additions other than avocado slices, sour cream, tomatoes. No pico de gallo or other salsa types were included. Very bland. The taco salad shell was crunchy. There are hundreds of Mexican restaurants in the area, most of which are probably far superior to this place.
(1)
John B.
Excellent service. The NY Prime was perfectly rare and easy to eat. I hate a rubbery steak. The corn and red potatoes perfectly compliment the steak. The desserts are awesome. Tonight is Sopapillas and Mayra will bring chocolate syrup and whip cream for me to load it up,with. Mayra, your the best.
(5)
Aimee M.
Disappointing experience. What saves this from being a one star review is the service and the margaritas. Our server was super sweet and friendly and the margaritas were super tasty. I doubt I'll ever come back, but if I do, it will just be for margaritas at the bar. The food was mediocre. Starting with the chips and salsa, which my husband says is always the test to help decide whether you decide to dine or bolt. The salsa was terrible. Very bland--it was almost like it was watered down. Can you even water down salsa? It looked really good and colorful--fresh tomatoes, bits of cilantro--I just wonder where the taste went. We asked if they had a spicier salsa and what we got was a watery, smoky salsa (?) which if I had to recreate at home, I'd just mix some adobo and chipotle spice with water. The chips? I can get better tortilla chips at my local Caputo's. If you order fajitas, don't expect the sizzling cast iron skillets that you see at most Mexican restaurants to come to the table. The hubs fajita dinner of chicken, steak, pepper and onions arrived on a regular plate (along with the corn tortillas, rice and refried beans). The steak was tough and the chicken was dry. The best were the peppers and onions--that makes me kind of sad just writing that. I opted for the pork quesadillas which was also stuffed with corn and mushrooms. It was one of the specials for the night. It was OK, the pork was kind of dry, the serving was really small for the price and the rice was bland and the beans were overheated (so really dry and pasty) Yeah, perhaps we should have bolted after the first bites of salsa. Oh well, live and learn.
(2)
Jerry L.
It was our first visit, and our last. They have a drink with Malibu rum and horchata. If it was made with a decent horchata, it would be a great drink, skip this. We ordered the cincronizados appetizer. Ham, cheese, grilled onions on flour tortillas. This was very good. We both tried the carne asada. The meat was extremely tender, but without flavor. The rice and beans were good though. If you want a very good Mexican dinner in Lagrange, go to Casa Margarita.
(1)
Stacy S.
The Mexican food is amazing and the service was great! We will defiantly be returning in the future.
(4)
Alex K.
Everything was so-so. Nothing bad, but nothing fantastic. Until I tried the lamb shank. Wow!! Blew my taste buds out of my mouth. I tend to order lamb cos I don't know how to cook lamb at home. I have had my share of garbage lamb, but this was phenomenal. It literally melted in my mouth. And the what-ch-em u call it sauce was awesome!! Can't wait to come back for more lamb shank!!
(5)
JK Y.
The drinks were cold and hit the spot. The food...well...come here for the drinks. Grab a Mexican Banquet meal for a dollar and I guarantee it will be better than the tasteless enchiladas here. The chips were stale and salsa wasn't so good either. Not sure we will be back.
(2)
Dragana M.
LOVE LOVE LOVE their food! Delicious! Been numerous times & it's always constant. :) staff is friendly & it's always clean. Definitely a must in LaGrange area.
(5)
Rick H.
One of Chicago's best ... Always delicious Thank you for many years of your quality foods ..
(5)
Kyle C.
Enchiladas Verdes. Excellent. I got take out so I can't speak to the full experience, but they were great. Go there, order them, and let me know if you agree.
(5)
Halina Y.
Everytime I visit Family in La Grange, I make it a point to stop by Santiago's! I love this place. Their new location is so much better. Great food. The fajitas are always a hit (try the chicken/shrimp), flautas are tasty, just don't overdose on the endless chips & salsa! The Sangria is something you could pass on though. I never understand Sangria that's made to taste more like a juice then a wine beverage. It needs to be fresher tasting or at least crisper with the wine. The margaritas are a no-brainer, but order top-shelf!
(5)
Michelle C.
My parents chose this spot for a late lunch/early dinner choice for their 32nd anniversary. On the way to meet them, I read the mixed reviews on Yelp and once I arrived and had the full experience, I have to agree with everyone on this one. Santiago's is in a great part of downtown La Grange just off the main street. I was able to easily find parking (though it was the middle of the day on a weekday). The restaurant was totally empty, except for a stray patron or two drinking at the bar. The service was prompt and our waitress was super friendly. We all ordered margaritas (which were over $6/ea. - what?!) and I wasn't totally impressed. I got a frozen peach margarita and it definitely wasn't as flavorful as others I've had elsewhere (not to mention they're much smaller than others I've had elsewhere). The food came out quickly. I ordered a bean, cheese and avocado burrito with a side of rice and sour cream. The burrito was fine for what it was, but I could have made a better one at home, quite honestly. I don't remember what my parents ordered, but they seemed to enjoy it just fine. The one huge plus for me here was, I had bought my parents a bottle of champagne for a toast to their anniversary. The manager allowed us to open the bottle and the waitress brought us over glasses. It was really nice, considering most places would never let you bring in your own alcohol to enjoy. However, it was pretty clear we were celebrating, as I'd also brought my parents balloons and a dozen roses. The manager wished my parents a happy anniversary as well, which was nice. The bill came to just over $50, which seemed high for a late lunch/early dinner for 3. But I guess it wasn't so bad considering. And anyway, we had a nice time together enjoying my parents' special day! Not sure that I would return, given that there are better restaurants all up and down La Grange Road, but I really appreciated the good service. THAT is hard to find anywhere in La Grange.
(3)
Michael S.
So we came here on Cinco de Mayo and it wasn't too crowded... About a 15-20 minute wait... I wish I could write with detail for this place, but a lot of it was not too memorable even after only 4 days since eating here. Food was decent, but nothing spectacular. Queso fundido or something tasted like american cheese. Jalapeno poppers were good, but a bit small. Main courses were just okay as well. Service was good, but I just can't see coming back as it wasn't even tasty as some dive taquerias and for the price wasn't worth it.
(3)
G. S.
Food was good, service was a 5 on a 1-10. Busy @ 7:15 on a Wednesday, but poor service doesn't outweigh the good food. Sorry, but asking multiple times is not acceptable Mr. Santiago.
(3)
Chi T.
Our ideal lunch place idea was EmpanadUs next door to this restaurant. After reading reviews, we were a bit hesitant so we tried this place. Upon entering the restaurant, there was only a few people at the bar and no workers to be found. There was a little kid behind the counter so we asked him where to sit and he just stared at us. Someone finally came to tell us to sit anywhere. Well, we sat a bit so I had time to read reviews. They were mixed. Our salsa came out okay with the chips at the start of the meal. Our meal was a whole different story. I got the flautas dinner and he got the chicken mole dinner. Both were pretty terrible. The chicken was stale, chewy, and just tasted like it was older that me. I started to think they were making up for the slow business by overcharging for small plates of food. Normally at Mexican Restaurants (I'm Mexican myself), we receive huge portions. This was not the case here. We ended up paying almost $33 for 2 people which we both thought was a complete rip-off. Not to mention, how bad the food and service was. We asked for the check right away and regretted not trying EmpanadUs next door. We were getting horrible food anyway so we might as well saved the money. My husband and I both ended up feeling sick some hours later. We would not return or recommend this dump.
(1)
P K.
Don't think I'll be back. The chips were stale and the salsa was bland, but I I give it a star for being fresh. My husband and I split the fajita steak and chicken combo dinner. It was pretty good, which makes the second star. We also had margaritas with patron, line juice and patron. The lime juice was not fresh. Won't be back.
(2)
Liz K.
When we go everyone loves their steak! Too bad I can't eat steak. So have ordered the enchiladas (ehhh they were okay). Now I can be a bit picky on Mexican food (since I am Mexican), but it is really hard to mess up Chile Rellenos. In my opinion, it was the worst Chile Relleno I have ever had. I hate saying it, but I don't know what kind of batter they use but it did not taste the way it should be. Then they pour tons of sauce, probably to cover the weird batter they use. The only problem is the sauce is not that good either. I pretty much have my mind set that I will not return, but I like giving places another chance so we'll see.
(2)
William D.
I recently Santiago's with my girlfriend on Saturday 1/7/12. It was a very pleasant dining experience there completely due to the incredible service we received. Not only were all the employees friendly and helpful, but our server, Nora, was especially great! She was very thorough and I can tell she's a very experienced server. We asked about the tequila they had. Nora recommended the one they had on special and we said "what's your favorite" she chose the a tequila that was VERY smooth but it wasn't ridiculously expensive, you tell she wasn't just trying to sell us the most expensive one. She recommended we sip it straight instead of taking it as a shot with a lime and salt. She said that's the best way to appreciate the full flavor. Boy was she right. It was very smooth and had great taste! The food was very good. The nachos are NOT greasy as one review claimed. I had the Pollo Barracho, which apparently means the "Drunk Chicken" it's chicken seared and served in a tequila sauce. Very tasty The main thing that I appreciated most was at a little after 10:30pm, I knew the restaurant closed at that time, but I was having such a great time, I wanted to have one more drink; I asked Nora if it were too late to order another drink and she said absolutely not. Many servers might have grumbled in the hopes of being cut early or at least getting out on time but we totally appreciated that she didn't mind us ordering one more drink so late. We had such a great experience we will definitely be back. The whole place is painted with beautiful murals, it feels as though you're in Mexico. It's a very warm atmosphere!
(5)
Derek S.
My wife and I recently moved to the area and were looking for a good Mexican place. Went here during the week. Wasn't too crowded or too empty. The restaurant decor is nice, the staff we dealt with were fine and The food was OK. The problem was the margarita's were small, did not taste well, overpriced and weak.
(3)
Carrie D.
Picture this, six professional women enter Santiago's albeit loud, we really needed to pay attention. I am sure if we listened hard enough, we would have heard Rod Sterling quietly in the background saying, "You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!" Seriously, an innocuous dinner ending in a name calling yelling match (luckily no hair pulling, we are professional women) with the male manager/bartender all over a terribly made drink that was not consumed but rather returned to the bar that we were told we HAD to pay for. That can only happen in the Twilight Zone! You have to be in the TZ when the manager tells you that as the customer, even though you had already returned a drink that tasted terrible and said that you were not going to drink it, you were suppose to get up from the table, come back to the bar and tell the bartender how they could make the drink better. Also, as the customer you needed to pay for the drink you took one sip out of because you ordered it and just didn't like it. Seriously, as a consumer at a restaurant would you have to pay for a chicken dinner that was made with sugar instead of salt? Or each time something wasn't made to my liking go back to the chef and tell them I'd like more paprika? Isn't the whole point of dining out the fact that you're paying for someone else to cook for you? Plus Moments - (being 12 kinds of generous) 6 people getting in on Friday night at 7 pm (maybe the terrible customer service explains this) Free Parking (it is LaGrange, IL not the city) Centralized Location for our group Frozen Margaritas and Peach Martini (very good) Solid Chips and Salsa Minus Moments - Incredibly loud dining room coupled with Mariachi band playing equally as loud (although I believe that was ONLY for Cinco De Mayo) Overcrowded dining room Specials not explained and ordered for us then to find out the special was extra $11 for shellfish, added to the Carne Asada. Which also wasn't consumed and luckily is not an allergen. Having the manager yell at us like we hadn't just spent almost $200.00 at the restaurant and being told that it doesn't matter what we spent. We are wrong and have to pay for the terrible untouched drink.
(1)
Stacey K.
** WARNING ** THIS REVIEW CONTAINS THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS OF A YELPER FOR WHOM MEXICAN CUISINE DOES NOT FLOAT HER BOAT. YELPER REALIZES THIS MAKES THE REVIEW SOMEWHAT UNFAIR. BUT THEN, HEY. LIFE IS UNFAIR. (Reader agrees to the above disclaimer and may now move on to the review and read without judgment. There's no box to check or button to click. Just say, "I do". Thank you.) Now that legal matters are out of the way - let's get down to business..... 3.5 star average here. Breakdown to follow: Came here last night with 3 girlfriends. The place was kind of empty but it was a Tuesday night, after all. I think they've been in this new space for 2 years or so? SO much better than their previous digs. 5 stars items: The service was platinum. Our server in particular was so very friendly and helpful. She didn't mind all of our questions one bit. Of the 3 friends, 2 are veg-heads. There are about 6 different veggie offerings and you have the option of veg-friendly refried beans or black beans. I feel bad when my girls have to order side dishes for dinner at places that are 100% vegetarian un-friendly. I am scared of spicy food so I find their salsa to be perfect. Fresh. Snappy. Me like-ee. Their rice is yummy and not stuck together in a mysterious clump when it arrives on your plate. I had the shrimp ceviche and it was very good. 3 star items: There are too many items on the menu. Not only is this a little overwhelming but it kinda makes you wonder. The space itself, while VERY CLEAN and prettier than previous spot, is not all that cozy. I like cozy. I'm not that crazy for Mexican food. But that's my own damn problem. Not Santiago's. Gracias. El Fin.
(3)
Juan F.
Best Mexican restaurant! The food is very tasty and the staff is very attentive. My favorite is the carne asada, it is tender and juicy. They place is big and well decorated. You will not regret coming here.
(5)
Jessica G.
Great drinks, friendly staff & traveling Mariachis! Recommend: carne asada
(3)
Rich F.
Do yourself a favor and just go to lalo's... Margaritas were decent... Salsa was terrible... Had the "hungryman" burrito could of eaten two of them. It was tiny.
(2)
Gary C.
We stopped in on an early Friday evening for a family gathering. We were a group of 7 ranging in age from 84 to 6 years old. The greeting from the host was friendly and welcoming, service was prompt and efficient, and the interior was typical Mexican decorations, bright and colorful. The tables are well spaced and the place is very clean including the bathroom. You can see that the owner takes pride in his establishment. They are doing a good job at servicing their market which appears to be youngish suburbanite couples with 2 or 3 young children; they even had a magician roving the dining room entertaining the children. This is not a place to take a date but load up the family including the kids and stop by for reasonable priced meal. Now on to the food, Santiago's is to authentic Mexican food what the Olive Garden is to Italian food. Most of the entrees served at our table came with a heavy layer of melted cheese, all the entrees were a generous size but with little flavor, very bland. I only wish they'd kick it up and offer a more authentic menu.
(2)
Leigh Ann T.
I ordered a burrito and what I got was a microwaved frozen dinner. It was a small plate with a dry burrito with no sauce and a slice of rubbery cheese melted on top. It seemed like a meal I could get in the freezer section that was microwaved to melt the cheese. My friend got the enchiladas and it was the same thing... microwaved slice of cheese on top. The salsa with the chips also seemed like packaged salsa that I could find at a grocery store. I did not get the sense that anything was made in the actual restaurant kitchen. When I go Mexican, I want good sauce and melty cheese.... that is definitely not what I got!
(1)
Betty M.
It was my first time there for me & my cousin. We loved the atmosphere & the service, Carmen was our waitress & was very attentive & helpful, we had an enchilada to die for, the chips & salsa was fresh & tasty even the house Margarita was great. Yummy. We will be back with friends.
(5)
Wesley S.
Santiago's is a reasonably solid restaurant that serves Mexican style food of average quality. It provides average service, good prices and decent ambiance. The menu is available online. It speaks for itself. I have tried about six of the entrees and several appetizers. Overall, the food at Santiago's is average in quality. In terms of style, it is Mexican enough. Don't expect the salsa served with the chips to be anything special. It's not. Nor do any dishes have that 100% Mexican taste. Mexicans do not patronize Santiago's, but plenty of the others, including me and my family over the decades, are regulars. Prices are pretty good for a sit-down restaurant with a full bar. Service is average. As for ambiance, the dining space is attractive and well kept up. On any given night there will be a large variety of locals eating. In particular, Santiago's is a comfortable and well-priced restaurant for younger families, yet also a good place for a casual date or other couples dinner. Santiago's is owner operated. It has been in Lagrange since the late 70's, possibly earlier, so while eating at Santiago's you can almost feel the comfort and familiarity of the local customers. It's as though they all were at the neighborhood place, since Santiago's truly does serve the neighborhood and is well patronized and liked by the neighborhood. Santiago's has a full bar. Some customers come for drinks only. The specialty margaritas are not that good, in my opinion, and the traditional margaritas are average. This assessment depends very much on individual taste, however. I recommend that new patrons go ahead and order drinks without giving too much weight to my single opinion. There is plenty of parking in the village parking garage (free parking) two blocks away. On any given night there might be spots in the Calendar Court lot right by the restaurant, or street parking along Ashland, a bit of a longer walk. In summary, Santiago's is an average Mexican restaurant.
(2)
Karen W.
Terrible food!! from the chips, appetizer, steak... everything and it took forever to get the food.....
(1)
Jeff H.
It was a beautiful evening so our group of 6 went to Santiagos in downtown La Grange to sit outside and enjoy some drinks and dinner. Let me just say, the special margaritas made with Cabo Wabo tequila and Gran Marnier are fantastic...too bad it was a "school" night. Our waiter was extremely attentive and helpful. One of the ladies in our party had a bouquet of flowers and our waiter brought out a pitcher of water to hold them in while we ate...nice touch! He suggested a combo appetizer for our table which included generous portions of shrimp ceviche, fish ceviche, guacamole and pico de gallo. It was excellent! Our dinners arrived quickly after ordering and were all hot and very flavorful. The pork quesadilla special w/ roasted potatoes, mole chicken and the Santiagos burrito (which our waiter recommended adding a little chorizo) were top notch and the rest of our entrees were also very good. Our overall rating came out to a 4.8 (couple of real tough critics). We will all be back.
(5)
Karen Anne B.
Stopped in for dinner with some friends. The entree I ordered was a little boring (boring by design mainly, they maybe could have spiced it up a little), but the other three people I was with all enjoyed their dinners. The margaritas were good and the service was great. Pretty good for a casual Mexican restaurant, I think we'll probably be back.
(4)
Christine R.
So, I LOVE Mexican food. I mean, all kinds...Taco Bell (don't judge) to Rick Bayless' food to my mother-in-law's authentic food. Which means I am not picky at all. If it involves beans or guac, I'll eat it. My husband and I stopped in on a Sunday afternoon because we had a craving and didn't want to brave my in-laws. My stepfather, also a connoiseur, said that, compared to Casa Margarita or Cafe Salsa, this was the best Mexican in the area. We came in and were sat right away, with a dish of salsa, and ordered (what else) margaritas. We are picky about salsa- and this was definitely made fresh, a little spicy and delicious. I got a strawberry margarita, and it was FINE...I mean, they're hard to mess up. We ordered nachos for an appetizer... And then we waited. For our appetizer, for the waiter to come back with more salsa, and waited an extrordinary amout of time to order our entrees. I hate waiting. I'm sorry, I do, I'm just naturally impatient. And for a late-afternoon lunch, I don't want to linger, especially when the toddlers at the table next to us were charging up and down the aisles. The decor is a bit awful and Mexican-kitschy, pinatas and hanging spider plants...just too much. Much, much later, we got our enchilada platters, which were delicious, and finished eating and paid. Prices are really reasonable and the food was all good, and a bit more authentic than some of the other choices in the area. Definitely would go again; the waiting was off-putting, though. And they are moving soon to the pervious site of Cafe 36, so maybe the ambiance will improve.
(3)
Chester R.
Went to lunch here last week, walked in at about 1 PM on a Weds afternoon and the place was empty. Bad sign. We sat down and the waiter brought out complimentary chips and salsa...the salsa was horrible, tasted like really cold canned diced tomatoes, and I think he got the chips from the open bag that's been in my pantry for 3 weeks. Bad sign. So then he brings out our drinks, I get iced tea and I notice they have no pink packets. Bad sign. Now for my 3 taco (chicken) lunch special with refried beans and spanish rice. Meat was cooked ok but bland, corn tortillas were a combination of greasy / soggy and stale. The beans were forgettable but the rice was ok. The mole sauce for the tacos was pretty good, they should serve that with the chips for a better first impression. When we walked out, we looked over and saw Chipotle down the block, so I stopped a stranger and asked them to kick me in the ass.
Great skinny margarita's and nice comfortable atmosphere
(4)
Lauren C.
I'm giving Santiago's 5 stars b/c it is a great family restaurant. My family has been going here once a week for the past 18 years (since they opened). Maybe we get better service that other people b/c we are "regulars," but I always enjoy my time here. The drinks are good and the food is consistent, the owner and his wife are very enjoyable people, and it is always clean.
(5)
Celina B.
Been here a couple times and the only reason I ever really go is for the fried ice cream! I've never had to wait, but my family likes to eat at odd times so I guess that helps. Last time I went I had steak taco's.. and let me tell you: BLAHHHHHH. Literally. There was no taste to their food what-so-ever. My grandfather got a stuffed pepper...It had a very minimal after taste to it, but while chewing- it was nothing less than chewing on some bark. If you wanna go for drinks and desserts I'm all for it, but if you're looking for some flavor to your entree's... don't go.
(2)
Chris M.
My wife, kids and I have been coming here since it opened. We have eaten almost everything on the menu. Food is ALWAYS good. Great margaritas. Incredible selection of Tequila's and Mexican beers. Service is always awesome. Bottomless basket of nacho chips and salsa that you have to be careful of because they will fill you up. Owner is almost always in the restaurant and VERY friendly.
(4)
Brian M.
I love Mexican food. Love it. Santiagos isn't Mexican food. It's awful. I can't even remember what I had it was so off in flavor and texture. If you're looking for something a bit better in the area, hell, Pepes would be a step up. Taco Bell, even.
(1)
Julie A.
Ok I am partial to this place because they have really good chips and tortilla's. I usually get enchiladas or tamales and have never been disappointed. the taco longy style is yummy too. Great atmosphere. Whoever painted this place is shurey talented.
(4)
Bill C.
Their new location is spacious and energetic without too much noise. Their marguerites are the best I've had, flavorful with a kick; tasted fresh not canned. Food portions were just right. Chicken burritos could be topped with any number of sauces that we requseted. Their list of tequilas is more than extensive, served in ornate bottles. The service was engaging and helpful. Our group of six definitely plans to return.
(4)
Booda B.
Man, I used to LOVE coming here, but I may have had my last visit. Not sure if they changed staff when they moved to Calendar Court, but something is definitely amiss because the service, which was always leisurely, has turned downright unpleasant. We came here on a Tuesday night and were really looking forward to it, but the evening quickly turned into a bummer. Upon arrival, the hostess told us there would be a 10 minute wait despite the several empty tables in view. We accepted that and took our buzzer to the bar area where we enjoyed a few margaritas (which are still pretty darn good). Half an hour later, as we watched the hostess continue to seat people who walked in off the street, we went back up to see what was up and the hostess said that she "lost" us. Um, yeah, we're the ones at the top of the list, above the five names you just crossed off. No apology at all. We then got to stand in the front of the restaurant for a few minutes before we were offered the tiniest of tables crammed in a corner behind a larger table. The people at the larger table would have needed to get up to let us in, so we passed and said we'd wait for an actual table. We finally did get seated and were then rushed through the entire meal. My hand was literally in the basket of chips when the waiter grabbed it away as he brought the check. I don't know what gives. Yeah, there were only two of us, but there were plenty of 4-person booths and tables occupied by couples. In fact, most of the clientele were seniors who weren't ordering drinks and appetizers as we were, so it's not like we were being crapped on for having a small check or anything. Basically, our experience sucked and I have no idea why we were treated so poorly. The food is still pretty good, but not great, and it's really overpriced for what you get. $6 for a Taco Bell-sized burrito with no sides is a bit much for something as bare bones as what Santiago's serves. While I might come back to the bar for tequila and queso fundido, I won't be coming back for a meal here because the service blows and the food just isn't worth it.
(2)
Charlie J.
I would expect a near Chicago suburb to have decent Mexican food. Not impressed with this joint whatsoever. Food was sub-par and way way over-priced. Not a bad family spot, but don't waste your time or your money...particularly if you have to wait for a table (which I was very surprised to see was an issue even on a Friday night).
(2)
G H.
The food was really mediocre. The rice that was served with our entrees was very dry. I have had better tasting, more authentic Mexican food for cheaper. Service also was not great. Our drinks weren't refilled until our plates were almost clean. I would not return to this place.
(2)
Lupe T.
We had carne asada and margaritas, excellent!!! Service and quality excellent!!!
(5)
DONE U.
I tried this place over 15 years ago, the best chicken mole I've had...thats all I ever eat there usually. The steak tacos are good but I've had better, I havent been to the new location, might try it this week. My friend loves the chicken flautas. I've also had the enchiladas and they were pretty tasty. I cant comment on the decor of the new place but I liked how the old place looked...oh and they have tons of diff tequilas! great drinks!
(5)
Nikkie H.
I'm slowly starting to embrace Mexican food, much like I'm finally starting to order things other than beef fried rice when I get Chinese and Thai. I tried to go out of my comfort zone at Santiago's and it backfired, unfortunately. I don't recall what it was, but I ordered burrito that just tasted nasty. However, most everyone in my group enjoyed their meal, although the sentiment was that it was a bit overpriced for what you got. I'm sure I'll go back at some point and I'll be sure to order something simple. Like tacos.
(3)
Jon T.
I attended a family Christmas party here. There was a semiprivate room that was perfect for our group. The wait staff was quick and polite, I thought the food was great but my son didn't like the flavor in the beef tacos. His opinion aside, the rest of the group enjoyed the experience and we'd definitely consider going back.
(4)
mike b.
As I stated in my earlier reviews, I did a Thursday evening stroll of all of the Mexican Restaurants in Downtown LaGrange. Only this time it was a liquid visit. I chose Margaraitas and salsa chasers. The final stop on my tour, Santiagos is off the beaten path of the main road of LaGrange rd. and I essentially had the outdoor seating to myself. I was greeted by Susanna, the mgr. and she was very helpful. She recommended the larger drink, although it was nine dollars. I Saw God. It certainly could have been a combination of the earlier drinks at other establishments, but my opinion is that Santiagos gives the more honest pour, and certainly the best home-made salsa. I parked my bike right next to me, and had to use it as a crutch to get up. The food is not necessarily outstanding, but certainly not terrible. Go for it, I say. PS. The bike ride home was downright FUN. I took all the dark side-streets, and once your eyes adjust I felt like a bat flying through the night. Your call on that move, though. Remember, drunk bicycling is just as illegal as drunk car driving. The cops get you, you can get pinched for a form of drunk driving. It's still better than running over a two year old, or someone , in your car. If you do you'll probably just piss 'em off rather than kill 'em. Needless to say, Wear a helmet.
(5)
Kitty K.
I've been going to Santiago's since it opened in 1994. It's a second home, and here is why: It's family owned and operated, so the service is always wonderful and friendly. It's kid-friendly, which, given your station in life, is or is not a good thing. For me, it is. The margaritas are top-notch. You've got a selection from the standard ones, which are good enough for me, to those made with Patron and higher-grade tequilas. The food is consistently well-prepared. The sopapillas for dessert are super.
(5)
Lorena D.
I tried Santiagos for the first time this past Sunday, and I was impressed. The decor itself makes you feel like you're in an Authentic Mexican restaurant. The wall has hand painted hispanic decor and even the ceiling fans have hand painted decor. I thought the service was excellent. Of course, there wasn't many people there at noon when I went. The chips and salsa were fresh but the sauce was more tomato tasting then hot. However, the waiter offered to bring us some other types of spicier salsa without us even asking, and they were better. I tried the mole enchilada and the cheese quesadilla combo with rice and beans. I was most impressed by the mole enchilada. The quesadilla was pretty good, but it was a flour tortilla and the rice and beans were pretty good too. The mole however, was excellent. I also had two Margaritas that were beyond good. I could seriously pound a few of those down if I didn't restrain myself lol! What makes them so delicious is the Grand Marnier that is added. I will defininately go back for more mole enchiladas and more margaritas!
(4)
mary d.
I LOVE Mexican food, and will never return here. The salsa served was out of a jar, the tomatoes obviously not fresh, and had the taste of store bought. The food was very bland. They charge you for additional baskets of chips and salsa, which were not even good. The chile con queso was made from Velveta, not what you would ever expect from a Mexican restaurant, and tasted horrible. We ordered a side of guacamole and chips with our meals, which never came, and neither did anyone to come check on how our meals were going. We felt rushed out the door, while they were not even busy inside with the wait staff clearing the basket of chips while we were still munching on them.
(1)
Andrew M.
This could be the worst Mexican food I ever had, I called and invited my wife to a early dinner yesterday as I was next store getting a tire fixed for my son's bike, fast forward 40 minutes, my wife shows up with our other two kids and we start to order, my wife ordered a blue Margherita because that's what she does and the server brought a 12 oz. dollar store glass filled with sour juice that tasted like a Chipoltle Margherita (yeah I said it) super bad, we told him we ordered it blue, he smiled like "the most interesting man in the world" and said we no haveah blue and walked away, I almost thought we were on candid camera after the food came and it was all wrong as well, asked for spanish rice with my daughters quesadilla, he sent fries, asked for spanish rice with my son's chicken rolls, he sent watered down beans, as much as I like XX this guy pissed me off, then he has the nerve to put everything on the bill he screwed up, total with tip was $70, I could have eaten at Taco Bell for a week and been quite happy, everything was bad from the service, to the dark chips and watery flavorless salsa, guacamole was bland and the decor was a joke, I get the authentic pinyata's but missing tile and paint chips just didn't belong downtown La Grange, They did have a sign stating they were relocating across the street this summer but that's no excuse for lousy food and service.
(2)
Michelle B.
For me, there are a couple other Mexican restaurants in the area that are much better. If I'm going to drive the 5 mins to Santiagos, might as well drive the 10 mins the opposite direction to Lalos which is a million times better (see my review for Lalos, Berwyn, IL). The service is decent, the waiters are always friendly and smiling. But what it has in service, it lacks in the food department. The last visit we had there some of the chips were stale and half salted, half unsalted and the salsa tasted like jarred salsa. They don't offer carrots and soup and peppers like Casa Margarita (across the street) or Lalos even though the prices are similar. The enchiladas and taco dinner were decent, but the Mexican rice was a bit overcooked. We've only gone a couple times when the wait at Casa Margarita was too long and we were in that vicinity already. I suggest, if you want Mexican food, head over to Lalos in Berwyn.
(2)
Mark R.
went once wont go again no flavor at all to the mexican food better off at chipolte
(1)
Dorothy S.
I live here nearby and usually bike to Santiagos which conveniently has a bike rack right our front. I'm a vegetarian and Santiagos is great because they have veg options on the back of their huge menu. I usually get the vegetarian burrito or quesadilla. They also give you the option of having veggie beans with your entree- so they're not made with lard which of course is an animal product. So it's perfect for me. Non-vegetarian friends of mine have gotten these entrees and been very pleased as well. This is my favorite restaurant in La Grange b/c it's reasonably priced, vegetarian friendly, has great service and a fun atmosphere. The frozen peach margarita is great too. But try not to fill up on the free yummy nachos and salsa before your meal.
(5)
Janet B.
Santiago's is an okay place to eat. I've had some good (but not the best) meals there and their Margaritas are good. Salsa that comes with the chips is just flavorful. Unfortunately, the last 2 times I was there, the service was not good at all. Once we sat in the bar and had an unfriendly somewhat rude bartender. Found out he was the owner.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Mariana O.
Their food is tasteful and is not loaded with oil/salt like their neighbor AKA Coculas. However, their drinks really need to be improved on. Had a birthday party dinner and my guests hardly complain. But they actually did send their drinks back. Their piña coladas and margaritas really need work. I think this is where they lose money to Coculas. Service is always incredible and you will always be greeted with a genuine smile. If you want original mexican food that momma would make at home, then this is the place. Portions are not huge, but just enough. But I'm sure momma wants you to not feel like a stuffed whale after being at Santiagos. I always leave feeling satisfied and great. Ask to try their spicy salsas with the chips - if you dare! Hehehe
(4)Tracey W.
Overpriced AND nickel-and-dimed the "extras". While this place has cute decor and ambiance and decent food, the service and price were downright atrocious. I ordered pork quesadillas, which were like 12 bucks. The menu lacks description, so I didn't know if it came with anything. The waitress informed me it did not. Nothing. No lettuce. No sour cream. No tomato. Nada. So I ordered some salsa and sour cream on the side. First of all, the portion size was TINY for a 12 dollar entree. Secondly, what was brought to me was just meat folded into a tortilla, not grilled or anything. While it tasted good, the menu description didn't fit the item, and the side items were different, too. The waitress either didn't know the menu or couldn't be bothered to describe the item to me when I ordered it. It had corn in it, which I liked, but think this should have been listed on the menu. It came with some sort of bastardization of French fries which were so absolutely disgusting both visually and in taste and should never be served to another human being again. The chips that came before the meal were also extremely stale and not fresh. If you're charging 12-20 bucks for entrees, you should probably have fresh chips. The biggest problem came when we got the bill. The waitress charged me SEVEN DOLLARS for a side of salsa for my dish and THREE DOLLARS for a side of sour cream. I was stunned. Perhaps I didn't explain myself well enough when ordering, but that has got to be a standard request. The waitress couldn't give a fuck enough to clarify my request or let me know about the upcharge. She must have brought an appetizer for the salsa or something- I don't know. I wasn't in the position to complain about the charge because I was not paying for the meal- it was an extremely embarrassing situation. 2 TINY "quesadillas"... 20 DOLLARS. Horrendous social situation. I have never felt so overcharged for a meal in my life. Would not even consider returning to this place- there are so many incredible Mexican places within a stone's throw.
(1)Alex C.
We ventured out to La Grange on Friday with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin for a nicer Mexican dinner. I initially wasn't very excited due to the website and other Yelps looking a little.... lacking, maybe? The inside was pretty cute, pretty typical cantina-style décor with colored plates, lots of tables, and all the classic stuff you have come to expect from a suburban Mexican restaurant. I think if Santiago's added a live mariachi band on weekends or something that would be really really awesome! We started with some Cadillac margaritas which were in my opinion above average. No appetizers this time but we did get several refills on chips and salsa. The salsa was mediocre, at best. It lacked much of any spice and was kind of bland, we thought. However, we managed to fix it to our liking by ordering a side of verde sauce and mixing it in! That did the trick! For dinner, most of us had some variety of a heaping plate of carne asada, but my uncle went out on a bit of a whim and ordered the lamb shank special that night. He said it was really unique and very tasty, a pleasant surprise! My aunt also attempted to try the whole red snapper, but was later informed they were out, shucks! I personally had the chicken and steak enchiladas. I liked them a lot and was astonished by the quality of the meat. At a lot of places, they just give you a heaping pile of whatever meat and off you go! This was intriguingly flavorful meat with substance and texture, it was super good! Everyone else reportedly enjoyed their meats too, which were cooked to temperature perfectly, even to my cousin's notoriously rare likings! Most of us got rice and beans with our meals, too. We agreed that the beans were exceptional, but the rice had a bit to be desired; it was kind of dry and meh. The service was another strong point. Blanca is a wonderful server who took care of all our large group's inquiries and often excessive dining necessities. In summary, we all really liked Santiago's and would definitely return. It is nice to know that there are Mexican places out there that do have above average food and a certain element of uniqueness in their often standard menus. Strong 4/5 stars!
(4)Melissa B.
This is not where I was headed for dinner the other night but I'm so glad I ended up here. I was meeting a girlfriend and happened to see this place when I parked my car. I immediately text her the address and had her head here instead. We sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly and worked quickly (we were in a time crunch). Between the 2 of us we tried the margarita, strawberry margarita and the Paloma. The drinks were so good! Nice and strong too! I loved the chips and salsa. The salsa has lots of jalapeño but not too spicy. I ordered the steak taco special. It had their pico de gallo with avocado. I devoured it! I'm not saying it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. It was really good though. I wouldn't hesitate eating here when in the area looking for Mexican (or a margarita).
(4)Dayan G.
If your looking for a traditional Mexican restaurant this is not it. It has the look of it but not the taste. We came 1/2 hr before closing time and our waiter was rushing. Which made our experienced pretty uncomfortable. Price fairly!
(2)J C.
We like so many things about this place. Service is always great. Margaritas good- guacamole good. Entrees and specials all good- however Not a fan of their salsa!!!
(3)Ekta S.
Good service, good size portion, good food. Server and hostess were friendly. Spicy means spicy which we enjoyed!
(5)Cynthia C.
I was quite disappointed with my first experience here. Pros: Nice hostess. She was very nice and accommodating. Cons: We were "put" in a separate room which we quickly found out was the room where you put people with kids in...I orrder Carne a la Tampiquena and it comes with rice and beans as well as a cheese enchilada. There wasn't much flavor to the rice let alone the steak. I also had a peach margarita. Small in size and didn't have much liquor in it. The guacamole we ordered as an appetizer needed more taste and was quite small. (My dad did like his shrimp fajitas though.) The waitress wasn't very pleasant and didn't take my dads jokes very well. Probably won't go back.
(2)Nancy J.
Delicious! My husband and I stopped in for dinner. First time here everything was great! We will definitely be back.
(5)Ashley G.
If you're looking for a spot to host a party, rehearsal dinner, or large gathering in the La Grange area, this is your spot. The staff at Santiago's aims to please. They are easy to work with, won't rip you off, and the food and drinks are perfect. If you want a nice evening spot for an outside dinner, but you don't want to sit directly on La Grange Road, you won't be disappointed either.
(5)Tiara Lynn A.
After trying every Mexican restaurant in the area, we've finally found our go-to Mexican restaurant!! Sunday night dinner at Santiago's was amazing. Other restaurants in the area either mistake heat for flavor or completely forget about both, but Santiago's brings a perfect balance of heat, spice, and flavor. The habañero salsa is delicious for a really spicy kick. We started with the chilaquiles appetizer, which was absolutely perfect and so satisfying. I told my husband that even if my enchiladas sucked, I would leave there happy. There were delicious too. I got the molé enchiladas with chicken and cheese, both super flavorful and delicious. My husband got the Carne Asada, which was unbelievably tender and very flavorful. He got it with a chile relleno that was also delicious. It was a pricey entrée, but worth every penny. That steak was amazing . We finished it off with the sopapillas dessert. We loved everything about this meal. Our server was a little on the flighty side, but one of the other servers was always around picking up where she left off. Could not be more pleased. This is definitely our go-to Mexican place.
(5)Bugbunny_V K.
The service was great. I loved the fresh salsa. I especially likes the fast that it wasn't salty like most salsas. For anyone who likes salt laden food, you'll perhaps need to add a little table salt. I got a chicken fajita salad and it wasn't bad. I gave 3 stars instead of 4 because I was told that my salad comes with guacamole. However, it came with a small slice of avocado. When I told the staff about it, she said that was error. Boooo. I specifically got this salad because I was expecting guacamole.
(3)Courtney K.
This is our new go-to Mexican restaurant in Lagrange. Very clean, very spacious and very nice servers! The menu has a wide array of choices, and everything we ordered was very fresh. I DO agree with some of my other yelpers regarding the salsa. It was bland. BUT--we asked for some spicy salsas (the hubs and I are MAJOR chili-heads!) and our wish was granted! Pleasant experience all around.
(5)Mary G.
Santiagos used to have the best food. I am not quite sure when it stared going down hill, but in the last few years it has been bland and not flavorful as mexican should be. The atmosphere is nice and the bar area is large. Basically it is OK mexican food.
(3)Chad H.
Been coming here for years with the wife. Fast friendly service and excellent food ensure that this we'll continue to do so.
(5)Jason M.
The locale, decor, and service are all great. The food not so much. It's just super bland. We had chicken tacos, beef tacos, burritos, etc. Everything lacked flavor. Margaritas were just ok. Salsa was blah and when I asked for hot sauce it never came. Go to Casa Margarita instead to sit outside nearby or better yet Hacienda Cocula for something more authentic!
(3)R J.
Consistently good Mexican food. Fresh margarita is a must try. Reasonable prices and decent portions. Service is typically good. Fajitas and shrimp / portobello platter are favs. Ask for their hot sauce- it's a great addition to most dishes- which tend to be light on salt and seasoning.
(4)G S.
Asada rellano was very good. Skirt steak stuffed with shrimp and crawfish tails with veggies. Very good.
(4)Michelle B.
This is my favorite sit down mexican restaurant around. My friends and I come here frequently. They have a room for families with little ones, which as you can guess gets quite loud with the kids but is worth it if you are dining out as a family. The main dining area is spacious and clean and always full, which is a great sign, especially with all of the restaurants in downtown lagrange. I have loved everything i have ordered off of their menu. Their service is good, could be better, but they are ALWAYS full. They are always willing to do anything to make their customers happy and comfortable. There is always a bowl of fresh chips and salsa on the table, never ending. The food comes out of the kitchen HOT and fresh. I recommend the queso fondita to start, always a crown pleaser.
(5)Jas A.
We went to the Lagrange festival and felt like a margarita , found Santiago's after walking out of Casa Margarita I. My girlfriend and I thought the salsa with the chips was some of the best we've had,and we travel a lot. Service, food and margaritas were very good. We'll be back.
(5)Bridget E.
I met a large group of friends for appetizers and drinks at Santiago's. I wanted to keep an open mind about this place. I thought, "how bad could margaritas and chips be?" Well, the answer is pretty bad. Bland, bland, bland. This is the Mexican restaurant for people who don't enjoy flavor or spiciness of any kind. I would think this was fare for an old folks' home. Really, it's that bland. The salsa had the flavor of water--not delicious, in-season tomatoes and water, not fresh cilantro and water, just water. I seriously think you would be better off running into a convenience store or gas station to get a chip and salsa fix. At first, I went off the grid and ordered a frozen mango margarita. It tasted like one of those frozen Jamba Juice-like pouches you can buy to whip up in your blender. It had that not-fresh, food-service-for-a-junior-high quality that I don't want in an alcoholic drink. I took a note and got the Santiago's margarita on the rocks. It tasted so boring that I couldn't believe it. No tartness from the lime, no tequila flavor at all. I was in a play or a commercial where I had to LOOK like I was drinking but the drink was actually colored water. I really screwed the pooch by ordering chicken chilaquiles. It was so plain that I think It should have been labeled "no sodium" or something. I expected Ashton Kutcher himself to jump out to tell me was being Punk'd and my friends didn't like this swill or slop either. Instead, I have found myself in the cliched posiition of writing the ol' not-authentic-for-me Mexican restaurant review. Ay, ay, ay! The one good thing about Santiago's is the service. It was top notch! The people there are very friendly. That's how I ended up tipping so much for food that I didn't enjoy.
(2)Peter S.
Five for dinner on a Sunday night at 5pm. Fairly crowded. But we started out slow. No one at the host/hostess station. We waited several minutes before anyone showed up. And our first round of drinks took a while. Apparently they were very short on staff. But we saw relief workers and the owner arrive after we were there about 15 minutes and everything turned around. Our server Juan had been scrambling and was excellent the rest of the evening. As for the food, a few of the Yelp reviews say the food is bland. It is not bland, it's fresh and flavorful, just not spicey hot. Everything we had was very good, which included chips with a nice salsa, the shrimp ceviche appetizer, Carne Asada ,beef flautas, beef tacos, beef enchiladas,pork casadias and pork barrochos. The regular dinners come with excellent refried beans. One negative: the mexican potatoes that came with the pork casadias were not hot. But the margaritas were excellent and the beer was nice and cold. We had not been here for over a year but we will return.
(4)Michelle O.
Likely our new go-to for Mexican in la grange. Margarita was great, salsa was obviously freshly made & our food was solid. Pretty standard food- not sure it was what I'd call super authentic, but it tasted good. Just not blown away by it. Restaurant was very clean and the seating was comfortable/well-spaced. Looking forward to going back for dinner and a Paloma.
(4)Molly M.
I've been here at the new location multiple times for different events, and every time the staff has been very attentive. They always were eager to fill our waters (and margaritas), and the food was fantastic. Great for events! Both buffet style and from a narrowed down menu.
(5)Jacki A.
I think my last review was when they had just switched locations or something like that. I'm glad we gave it another shot because they have gotten things together! We planned my Mom's birthday dinner here because she loves Mexican food. On our way to the restaurant, while my brother and I trying to stall my family from getting there before us so we could decorate the table, we called and asked if we could start getting a table set up and if they could hold a cake for us...it was absolutely no problem! So we walk in and quickly decorate the table with streamers and the employees were very accommodating. The queso fundido we ordered as an appetizer did not come with tortillas originally but we got them ourselves. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas and they were very delicious! After this experience I would definitely go back!
(4)Andrew S.
We made an impromptu visit for lunch. The positives: decor was very bright with original artwork on the walls. We were greeted by a very friendly staff member and seated at a place of our choosing. Secondly, the waitress was very attentive and did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and meeting our requests. She was very helpful. The food was not good. To begin with, the salsa that was put on the table was totally tasteless and not even close to a mild spicy. It looked freshly made but lacked taste. Two of us had the taco salad and found that it too was tasteless. Fried chicken was added and although cooked thoroughly, was dumped on a bed of shredded lettuce - oil and all. No rice, beans, or other additions other than avocado slices, sour cream, tomatoes. No pico de gallo or other salsa types were included. Very bland. The taco salad shell was crunchy. There are hundreds of Mexican restaurants in the area, most of which are probably far superior to this place.
(1)John B.
Excellent service. The NY Prime was perfectly rare and easy to eat. I hate a rubbery steak. The corn and red potatoes perfectly compliment the steak. The desserts are awesome. Tonight is Sopapillas and Mayra will bring chocolate syrup and whip cream for me to load it up,with. Mayra, your the best.
(5)Aimee M.
Disappointing experience. What saves this from being a one star review is the service and the margaritas. Our server was super sweet and friendly and the margaritas were super tasty. I doubt I'll ever come back, but if I do, it will just be for margaritas at the bar. The food was mediocre. Starting with the chips and salsa, which my husband says is always the test to help decide whether you decide to dine or bolt. The salsa was terrible. Very bland--it was almost like it was watered down. Can you even water down salsa? It looked really good and colorful--fresh tomatoes, bits of cilantro--I just wonder where the taste went. We asked if they had a spicier salsa and what we got was a watery, smoky salsa (?) which if I had to recreate at home, I'd just mix some adobo and chipotle spice with water. The chips? I can get better tortilla chips at my local Caputo's. If you order fajitas, don't expect the sizzling cast iron skillets that you see at most Mexican restaurants to come to the table. The hubs fajita dinner of chicken, steak, pepper and onions arrived on a regular plate (along with the corn tortillas, rice and refried beans). The steak was tough and the chicken was dry. The best were the peppers and onions--that makes me kind of sad just writing that. I opted for the pork quesadillas which was also stuffed with corn and mushrooms. It was one of the specials for the night. It was OK, the pork was kind of dry, the serving was really small for the price and the rice was bland and the beans were overheated (so really dry and pasty) Yeah, perhaps we should have bolted after the first bites of salsa. Oh well, live and learn.
(2)Jerry L.
It was our first visit, and our last. They have a drink with Malibu rum and horchata. If it was made with a decent horchata, it would be a great drink, skip this. We ordered the cincronizados appetizer. Ham, cheese, grilled onions on flour tortillas. This was very good. We both tried the carne asada. The meat was extremely tender, but without flavor. The rice and beans were good though. If you want a very good Mexican dinner in Lagrange, go to Casa Margarita.
(1)Stacy S.
The Mexican food is amazing and the service was great! We will defiantly be returning in the future.
(4)Alex K.
Everything was so-so. Nothing bad, but nothing fantastic. Until I tried the lamb shank. Wow!! Blew my taste buds out of my mouth. I tend to order lamb cos I don't know how to cook lamb at home. I have had my share of garbage lamb, but this was phenomenal. It literally melted in my mouth. And the what-ch-em u call it sauce was awesome!! Can't wait to come back for more lamb shank!!
(5)JK Y.
The drinks were cold and hit the spot. The food...well...come here for the drinks. Grab a Mexican Banquet meal for a dollar and I guarantee it will be better than the tasteless enchiladas here. The chips were stale and salsa wasn't so good either. Not sure we will be back.
(2)Dragana M.
LOVE LOVE LOVE their food! Delicious! Been numerous times & it's always constant. :) staff is friendly & it's always clean. Definitely a must in LaGrange area.
(5)Rick H.
One of Chicago's best ... Always delicious Thank you for many years of your quality foods ..
(5)Kyle C.
Enchiladas Verdes. Excellent. I got take out so I can't speak to the full experience, but they were great. Go there, order them, and let me know if you agree.
(5)Halina Y.
Everytime I visit Family in La Grange, I make it a point to stop by Santiago's! I love this place. Their new location is so much better. Great food. The fajitas are always a hit (try the chicken/shrimp), flautas are tasty, just don't overdose on the endless chips & salsa! The Sangria is something you could pass on though. I never understand Sangria that's made to taste more like a juice then a wine beverage. It needs to be fresher tasting or at least crisper with the wine. The margaritas are a no-brainer, but order top-shelf!
(5)Michelle C.
My parents chose this spot for a late lunch/early dinner choice for their 32nd anniversary. On the way to meet them, I read the mixed reviews on Yelp and once I arrived and had the full experience, I have to agree with everyone on this one. Santiago's is in a great part of downtown La Grange just off the main street. I was able to easily find parking (though it was the middle of the day on a weekday). The restaurant was totally empty, except for a stray patron or two drinking at the bar. The service was prompt and our waitress was super friendly. We all ordered margaritas (which were over $6/ea. - what?!) and I wasn't totally impressed. I got a frozen peach margarita and it definitely wasn't as flavorful as others I've had elsewhere (not to mention they're much smaller than others I've had elsewhere). The food came out quickly. I ordered a bean, cheese and avocado burrito with a side of rice and sour cream. The burrito was fine for what it was, but I could have made a better one at home, quite honestly. I don't remember what my parents ordered, but they seemed to enjoy it just fine. The one huge plus for me here was, I had bought my parents a bottle of champagne for a toast to their anniversary. The manager allowed us to open the bottle and the waitress brought us over glasses. It was really nice, considering most places would never let you bring in your own alcohol to enjoy. However, it was pretty clear we were celebrating, as I'd also brought my parents balloons and a dozen roses. The manager wished my parents a happy anniversary as well, which was nice. The bill came to just over $50, which seemed high for a late lunch/early dinner for 3. But I guess it wasn't so bad considering. And anyway, we had a nice time together enjoying my parents' special day! Not sure that I would return, given that there are better restaurants all up and down La Grange Road, but I really appreciated the good service. THAT is hard to find anywhere in La Grange.
(3)Michael S.
So we came here on Cinco de Mayo and it wasn't too crowded... About a 15-20 minute wait... I wish I could write with detail for this place, but a lot of it was not too memorable even after only 4 days since eating here. Food was decent, but nothing spectacular. Queso fundido or something tasted like american cheese. Jalapeno poppers were good, but a bit small. Main courses were just okay as well. Service was good, but I just can't see coming back as it wasn't even tasty as some dive taquerias and for the price wasn't worth it.
(3)G. S.
Food was good, service was a 5 on a 1-10. Busy @ 7:15 on a Wednesday, but poor service doesn't outweigh the good food. Sorry, but asking multiple times is not acceptable Mr. Santiago.
(3)Chi T.
Our ideal lunch place idea was EmpanadUs next door to this restaurant. After reading reviews, we were a bit hesitant so we tried this place. Upon entering the restaurant, there was only a few people at the bar and no workers to be found. There was a little kid behind the counter so we asked him where to sit and he just stared at us. Someone finally came to tell us to sit anywhere. Well, we sat a bit so I had time to read reviews. They were mixed. Our salsa came out okay with the chips at the start of the meal. Our meal was a whole different story. I got the flautas dinner and he got the chicken mole dinner. Both were pretty terrible. The chicken was stale, chewy, and just tasted like it was older that me. I started to think they were making up for the slow business by overcharging for small plates of food. Normally at Mexican Restaurants (I'm Mexican myself), we receive huge portions. This was not the case here. We ended up paying almost $33 for 2 people which we both thought was a complete rip-off. Not to mention, how bad the food and service was. We asked for the check right away and regretted not trying EmpanadUs next door. We were getting horrible food anyway so we might as well saved the money. My husband and I both ended up feeling sick some hours later. We would not return or recommend this dump.
(1)P K.
Don't think I'll be back. The chips were stale and the salsa was bland, but I I give it a star for being fresh. My husband and I split the fajita steak and chicken combo dinner. It was pretty good, which makes the second star. We also had margaritas with patron, line juice and patron. The lime juice was not fresh. Won't be back.
(2)Liz K.
When we go everyone loves their steak! Too bad I can't eat steak. So have ordered the enchiladas (ehhh they were okay). Now I can be a bit picky on Mexican food (since I am Mexican), but it is really hard to mess up Chile Rellenos. In my opinion, it was the worst Chile Relleno I have ever had. I hate saying it, but I don't know what kind of batter they use but it did not taste the way it should be. Then they pour tons of sauce, probably to cover the weird batter they use. The only problem is the sauce is not that good either. I pretty much have my mind set that I will not return, but I like giving places another chance so we'll see.
(2)William D.
I recently Santiago's with my girlfriend on Saturday 1/7/12. It was a very pleasant dining experience there completely due to the incredible service we received. Not only were all the employees friendly and helpful, but our server, Nora, was especially great! She was very thorough and I can tell she's a very experienced server. We asked about the tequila they had. Nora recommended the one they had on special and we said "what's your favorite" she chose the a tequila that was VERY smooth but it wasn't ridiculously expensive, you tell she wasn't just trying to sell us the most expensive one. She recommended we sip it straight instead of taking it as a shot with a lime and salt. She said that's the best way to appreciate the full flavor. Boy was she right. It was very smooth and had great taste! The food was very good. The nachos are NOT greasy as one review claimed. I had the Pollo Barracho, which apparently means the "Drunk Chicken" it's chicken seared and served in a tequila sauce. Very tasty The main thing that I appreciated most was at a little after 10:30pm, I knew the restaurant closed at that time, but I was having such a great time, I wanted to have one more drink; I asked Nora if it were too late to order another drink and she said absolutely not. Many servers might have grumbled in the hopes of being cut early or at least getting out on time but we totally appreciated that she didn't mind us ordering one more drink so late. We had such a great experience we will definitely be back. The whole place is painted with beautiful murals, it feels as though you're in Mexico. It's a very warm atmosphere!
(5)Derek S.
My wife and I recently moved to the area and were looking for a good Mexican place. Went here during the week. Wasn't too crowded or too empty. The restaurant decor is nice, the staff we dealt with were fine and The food was OK. The problem was the margarita's were small, did not taste well, overpriced and weak.
(3)Carrie D.
Picture this, six professional women enter Santiago's albeit loud, we really needed to pay attention. I am sure if we listened hard enough, we would have heard Rod Sterling quietly in the background saying, "You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!" Seriously, an innocuous dinner ending in a name calling yelling match (luckily no hair pulling, we are professional women) with the male manager/bartender all over a terribly made drink that was not consumed but rather returned to the bar that we were told we HAD to pay for. That can only happen in the Twilight Zone! You have to be in the TZ when the manager tells you that as the customer, even though you had already returned a drink that tasted terrible and said that you were not going to drink it, you were suppose to get up from the table, come back to the bar and tell the bartender how they could make the drink better. Also, as the customer you needed to pay for the drink you took one sip out of because you ordered it and just didn't like it. Seriously, as a consumer at a restaurant would you have to pay for a chicken dinner that was made with sugar instead of salt? Or each time something wasn't made to my liking go back to the chef and tell them I'd like more paprika? Isn't the whole point of dining out the fact that you're paying for someone else to cook for you? Plus Moments - (being 12 kinds of generous) 6 people getting in on Friday night at 7 pm (maybe the terrible customer service explains this) Free Parking (it is LaGrange, IL not the city) Centralized Location for our group Frozen Margaritas and Peach Martini (very good) Solid Chips and Salsa Minus Moments - Incredibly loud dining room coupled with Mariachi band playing equally as loud (although I believe that was ONLY for Cinco De Mayo) Overcrowded dining room Specials not explained and ordered for us then to find out the special was extra $11 for shellfish, added to the Carne Asada. Which also wasn't consumed and luckily is not an allergen. Having the manager yell at us like we hadn't just spent almost $200.00 at the restaurant and being told that it doesn't matter what we spent. We are wrong and have to pay for the terrible untouched drink.
(1)Stacey K.
** WARNING ** THIS REVIEW CONTAINS THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS OF A YELPER FOR WHOM MEXICAN CUISINE DOES NOT FLOAT HER BOAT. YELPER REALIZES THIS MAKES THE REVIEW SOMEWHAT UNFAIR. BUT THEN, HEY. LIFE IS UNFAIR. (Reader agrees to the above disclaimer and may now move on to the review and read without judgment. There's no box to check or button to click. Just say, "I do". Thank you.) Now that legal matters are out of the way - let's get down to business..... 3.5 star average here. Breakdown to follow: Came here last night with 3 girlfriends. The place was kind of empty but it was a Tuesday night, after all. I think they've been in this new space for 2 years or so? SO much better than their previous digs. 5 stars items: The service was platinum. Our server in particular was so very friendly and helpful. She didn't mind all of our questions one bit. Of the 3 friends, 2 are veg-heads. There are about 6 different veggie offerings and you have the option of veg-friendly refried beans or black beans. I feel bad when my girls have to order side dishes for dinner at places that are 100% vegetarian un-friendly. I am scared of spicy food so I find their salsa to be perfect. Fresh. Snappy. Me like-ee. Their rice is yummy and not stuck together in a mysterious clump when it arrives on your plate. I had the shrimp ceviche and it was very good. 3 star items: There are too many items on the menu. Not only is this a little overwhelming but it kinda makes you wonder. The space itself, while VERY CLEAN and prettier than previous spot, is not all that cozy. I like cozy. I'm not that crazy for Mexican food. But that's my own damn problem. Not Santiago's. Gracias. El Fin.
(3)Juan F.
Best Mexican restaurant! The food is very tasty and the staff is very attentive. My favorite is the carne asada, it is tender and juicy. They place is big and well decorated. You will not regret coming here.
(5)Jessica G.
Great drinks, friendly staff & traveling Mariachis! Recommend: carne asada
(3)Rich F.
Do yourself a favor and just go to lalo's... Margaritas were decent... Salsa was terrible... Had the "hungryman" burrito could of eaten two of them. It was tiny.
(2)Gary C.
We stopped in on an early Friday evening for a family gathering. We were a group of 7 ranging in age from 84 to 6 years old. The greeting from the host was friendly and welcoming, service was prompt and efficient, and the interior was typical Mexican decorations, bright and colorful. The tables are well spaced and the place is very clean including the bathroom. You can see that the owner takes pride in his establishment. They are doing a good job at servicing their market which appears to be youngish suburbanite couples with 2 or 3 young children; they even had a magician roving the dining room entertaining the children. This is not a place to take a date but load up the family including the kids and stop by for reasonable priced meal. Now on to the food, Santiago's is to authentic Mexican food what the Olive Garden is to Italian food. Most of the entrees served at our table came with a heavy layer of melted cheese, all the entrees were a generous size but with little flavor, very bland. I only wish they'd kick it up and offer a more authentic menu.
(2)Leigh Ann T.
I ordered a burrito and what I got was a microwaved frozen dinner. It was a small plate with a dry burrito with no sauce and a slice of rubbery cheese melted on top. It seemed like a meal I could get in the freezer section that was microwaved to melt the cheese. My friend got the enchiladas and it was the same thing... microwaved slice of cheese on top. The salsa with the chips also seemed like packaged salsa that I could find at a grocery store. I did not get the sense that anything was made in the actual restaurant kitchen. When I go Mexican, I want good sauce and melty cheese.... that is definitely not what I got!
(1)Betty M.
It was my first time there for me & my cousin. We loved the atmosphere & the service, Carmen was our waitress & was very attentive & helpful, we had an enchilada to die for, the chips & salsa was fresh & tasty even the house Margarita was great. Yummy. We will be back with friends.
(5)Wesley S.
Santiago's is a reasonably solid restaurant that serves Mexican style food of average quality. It provides average service, good prices and decent ambiance. The menu is available online. It speaks for itself. I have tried about six of the entrees and several appetizers. Overall, the food at Santiago's is average in quality. In terms of style, it is Mexican enough. Don't expect the salsa served with the chips to be anything special. It's not. Nor do any dishes have that 100% Mexican taste. Mexicans do not patronize Santiago's, but plenty of the others, including me and my family over the decades, are regulars. Prices are pretty good for a sit-down restaurant with a full bar. Service is average. As for ambiance, the dining space is attractive and well kept up. On any given night there will be a large variety of locals eating. In particular, Santiago's is a comfortable and well-priced restaurant for younger families, yet also a good place for a casual date or other couples dinner. Santiago's is owner operated. It has been in Lagrange since the late 70's, possibly earlier, so while eating at Santiago's you can almost feel the comfort and familiarity of the local customers. It's as though they all were at the neighborhood place, since Santiago's truly does serve the neighborhood and is well patronized and liked by the neighborhood. Santiago's has a full bar. Some customers come for drinks only. The specialty margaritas are not that good, in my opinion, and the traditional margaritas are average. This assessment depends very much on individual taste, however. I recommend that new patrons go ahead and order drinks without giving too much weight to my single opinion. There is plenty of parking in the village parking garage (free parking) two blocks away. On any given night there might be spots in the Calendar Court lot right by the restaurant, or street parking along Ashland, a bit of a longer walk. In summary, Santiago's is an average Mexican restaurant.
(2)Karen W.
Terrible food!! from the chips, appetizer, steak... everything and it took forever to get the food.....
(1)Jeff H.
It was a beautiful evening so our group of 6 went to Santiagos in downtown La Grange to sit outside and enjoy some drinks and dinner. Let me just say, the special margaritas made with Cabo Wabo tequila and Gran Marnier are fantastic...too bad it was a "school" night. Our waiter was extremely attentive and helpful. One of the ladies in our party had a bouquet of flowers and our waiter brought out a pitcher of water to hold them in while we ate...nice touch! He suggested a combo appetizer for our table which included generous portions of shrimp ceviche, fish ceviche, guacamole and pico de gallo. It was excellent! Our dinners arrived quickly after ordering and were all hot and very flavorful. The pork quesadilla special w/ roasted potatoes, mole chicken and the Santiagos burrito (which our waiter recommended adding a little chorizo) were top notch and the rest of our entrees were also very good. Our overall rating came out to a 4.8 (couple of real tough critics). We will all be back.
(5)Karen Anne B.
Stopped in for dinner with some friends. The entree I ordered was a little boring (boring by design mainly, they maybe could have spiced it up a little), but the other three people I was with all enjoyed their dinners. The margaritas were good and the service was great. Pretty good for a casual Mexican restaurant, I think we'll probably be back.
(4)Christine R.
So, I LOVE Mexican food. I mean, all kinds...Taco Bell (don't judge) to Rick Bayless' food to my mother-in-law's authentic food. Which means I am not picky at all. If it involves beans or guac, I'll eat it. My husband and I stopped in on a Sunday afternoon because we had a craving and didn't want to brave my in-laws. My stepfather, also a connoiseur, said that, compared to Casa Margarita or Cafe Salsa, this was the best Mexican in the area. We came in and were sat right away, with a dish of salsa, and ordered (what else) margaritas. We are picky about salsa- and this was definitely made fresh, a little spicy and delicious. I got a strawberry margarita, and it was FINE...I mean, they're hard to mess up. We ordered nachos for an appetizer... And then we waited. For our appetizer, for the waiter to come back with more salsa, and waited an extrordinary amout of time to order our entrees. I hate waiting. I'm sorry, I do, I'm just naturally impatient. And for a late-afternoon lunch, I don't want to linger, especially when the toddlers at the table next to us were charging up and down the aisles. The decor is a bit awful and Mexican-kitschy, pinatas and hanging spider plants...just too much. Much, much later, we got our enchilada platters, which were delicious, and finished eating and paid. Prices are really reasonable and the food was all good, and a bit more authentic than some of the other choices in the area. Definitely would go again; the waiting was off-putting, though. And they are moving soon to the pervious site of Cafe 36, so maybe the ambiance will improve.
(3)Chester R.
Went to lunch here last week, walked in at about 1 PM on a Weds afternoon and the place was empty. Bad sign. We sat down and the waiter brought out complimentary chips and salsa...the salsa was horrible, tasted like really cold canned diced tomatoes, and I think he got the chips from the open bag that's been in my pantry for 3 weeks. Bad sign. So then he brings out our drinks, I get iced tea and I notice they have no pink packets. Bad sign. Now for my 3 taco (chicken) lunch special with refried beans and spanish rice. Meat was cooked ok but bland, corn tortillas were a combination of greasy / soggy and stale. The beans were forgettable but the rice was ok. The mole sauce for the tacos was pretty good, they should serve that with the chips for a better first impression. When we walked out, we looked over and saw Chipotle down the block, so I stopped a stranger and asked them to kick me in the ass.
(2)Andy D.
Santigo's is moving locations very soon. Hopefully they will update their décor to be something more the piñatas hanging from the ceiling. The decorating was not appropriate for a great restaurant. With that being said, their food was excellent. The guac was delicious and every meal was delivered to perfection. Ohh...and the margaritas were giving a good tipsy kick before I even reached the bottom of my first. This place was on the pricier side considering the environment of the restaurant. However, the food is where this place shines!!!
(3)Lori L.
Great skinny margarita's and nice comfortable atmosphere
(4)Lauren C.
I'm giving Santiago's 5 stars b/c it is a great family restaurant. My family has been going here once a week for the past 18 years (since they opened). Maybe we get better service that other people b/c we are "regulars," but I always enjoy my time here. The drinks are good and the food is consistent, the owner and his wife are very enjoyable people, and it is always clean.
(5)Celina B.
Been here a couple times and the only reason I ever really go is for the fried ice cream! I've never had to wait, but my family likes to eat at odd times so I guess that helps. Last time I went I had steak taco's.. and let me tell you: BLAHHHHHH. Literally. There was no taste to their food what-so-ever. My grandfather got a stuffed pepper...It had a very minimal after taste to it, but while chewing- it was nothing less than chewing on some bark. If you wanna go for drinks and desserts I'm all for it, but if you're looking for some flavor to your entree's... don't go.
(2)Chris M.
My wife, kids and I have been coming here since it opened. We have eaten almost everything on the menu. Food is ALWAYS good. Great margaritas. Incredible selection of Tequila's and Mexican beers. Service is always awesome. Bottomless basket of nacho chips and salsa that you have to be careful of because they will fill you up. Owner is almost always in the restaurant and VERY friendly.
(4)Brian M.
I love Mexican food. Love it. Santiagos isn't Mexican food. It's awful. I can't even remember what I had it was so off in flavor and texture. If you're looking for something a bit better in the area, hell, Pepes would be a step up. Taco Bell, even.
(1)Julie A.
Ok I am partial to this place because they have really good chips and tortilla's. I usually get enchiladas or tamales and have never been disappointed. the taco longy style is yummy too. Great atmosphere. Whoever painted this place is shurey talented.
(4)Bill C.
Their new location is spacious and energetic without too much noise. Their marguerites are the best I've had, flavorful with a kick; tasted fresh not canned. Food portions were just right. Chicken burritos could be topped with any number of sauces that we requseted. Their list of tequilas is more than extensive, served in ornate bottles. The service was engaging and helpful. Our group of six definitely plans to return.
(4)Booda B.
Man, I used to LOVE coming here, but I may have had my last visit. Not sure if they changed staff when they moved to Calendar Court, but something is definitely amiss because the service, which was always leisurely, has turned downright unpleasant. We came here on a Tuesday night and were really looking forward to it, but the evening quickly turned into a bummer. Upon arrival, the hostess told us there would be a 10 minute wait despite the several empty tables in view. We accepted that and took our buzzer to the bar area where we enjoyed a few margaritas (which are still pretty darn good). Half an hour later, as we watched the hostess continue to seat people who walked in off the street, we went back up to see what was up and the hostess said that she "lost" us. Um, yeah, we're the ones at the top of the list, above the five names you just crossed off. No apology at all. We then got to stand in the front of the restaurant for a few minutes before we were offered the tiniest of tables crammed in a corner behind a larger table. The people at the larger table would have needed to get up to let us in, so we passed and said we'd wait for an actual table. We finally did get seated and were then rushed through the entire meal. My hand was literally in the basket of chips when the waiter grabbed it away as he brought the check. I don't know what gives. Yeah, there were only two of us, but there were plenty of 4-person booths and tables occupied by couples. In fact, most of the clientele were seniors who weren't ordering drinks and appetizers as we were, so it's not like we were being crapped on for having a small check or anything. Basically, our experience sucked and I have no idea why we were treated so poorly. The food is still pretty good, but not great, and it's really overpriced for what you get. $6 for a Taco Bell-sized burrito with no sides is a bit much for something as bare bones as what Santiago's serves. While I might come back to the bar for tequila and queso fundido, I won't be coming back for a meal here because the service blows and the food just isn't worth it.
(2)Charlie J.
I would expect a near Chicago suburb to have decent Mexican food. Not impressed with this joint whatsoever. Food was sub-par and way way over-priced. Not a bad family spot, but don't waste your time or your money...particularly if you have to wait for a table (which I was very surprised to see was an issue even on a Friday night).
(2)G H.
The food was really mediocre. The rice that was served with our entrees was very dry. I have had better tasting, more authentic Mexican food for cheaper. Service also was not great. Our drinks weren't refilled until our plates were almost clean. I would not return to this place.
(2)Lupe T.
We had carne asada and margaritas, excellent!!! Service and quality excellent!!!
(5)DONE U.
I tried this place over 15 years ago, the best chicken mole I've had...thats all I ever eat there usually. The steak tacos are good but I've had better, I havent been to the new location, might try it this week. My friend loves the chicken flautas. I've also had the enchiladas and they were pretty tasty. I cant comment on the decor of the new place but I liked how the old place looked...oh and they have tons of diff tequilas! great drinks!
(5)Nikkie H.
I'm slowly starting to embrace Mexican food, much like I'm finally starting to order things other than beef fried rice when I get Chinese and Thai. I tried to go out of my comfort zone at Santiago's and it backfired, unfortunately. I don't recall what it was, but I ordered burrito that just tasted nasty. However, most everyone in my group enjoyed their meal, although the sentiment was that it was a bit overpriced for what you got. I'm sure I'll go back at some point and I'll be sure to order something simple. Like tacos.
(3)Jon T.
I attended a family Christmas party here. There was a semiprivate room that was perfect for our group. The wait staff was quick and polite, I thought the food was great but my son didn't like the flavor in the beef tacos. His opinion aside, the rest of the group enjoyed the experience and we'd definitely consider going back.
(4)mike b.
As I stated in my earlier reviews, I did a Thursday evening stroll of all of the Mexican Restaurants in Downtown LaGrange. Only this time it was a liquid visit. I chose Margaraitas and salsa chasers. The final stop on my tour, Santiagos is off the beaten path of the main road of LaGrange rd. and I essentially had the outdoor seating to myself. I was greeted by Susanna, the mgr. and she was very helpful. She recommended the larger drink, although it was nine dollars. I Saw God. It certainly could have been a combination of the earlier drinks at other establishments, but my opinion is that Santiagos gives the more honest pour, and certainly the best home-made salsa. I parked my bike right next to me, and had to use it as a crutch to get up. The food is not necessarily outstanding, but certainly not terrible. Go for it, I say. PS. The bike ride home was downright FUN. I took all the dark side-streets, and once your eyes adjust I felt like a bat flying through the night. Your call on that move, though. Remember, drunk bicycling is just as illegal as drunk car driving. The cops get you, you can get pinched for a form of drunk driving. It's still better than running over a two year old, or someone , in your car. If you do you'll probably just piss 'em off rather than kill 'em. Needless to say, Wear a helmet.
(5)Kitty K.
I've been going to Santiago's since it opened in 1994. It's a second home, and here is why: It's family owned and operated, so the service is always wonderful and friendly. It's kid-friendly, which, given your station in life, is or is not a good thing. For me, it is. The margaritas are top-notch. You've got a selection from the standard ones, which are good enough for me, to those made with Patron and higher-grade tequilas. The food is consistently well-prepared. The sopapillas for dessert are super.
(5)Lorena D.
I tried Santiagos for the first time this past Sunday, and I was impressed. The decor itself makes you feel like you're in an Authentic Mexican restaurant. The wall has hand painted hispanic decor and even the ceiling fans have hand painted decor. I thought the service was excellent. Of course, there wasn't many people there at noon when I went. The chips and salsa were fresh but the sauce was more tomato tasting then hot. However, the waiter offered to bring us some other types of spicier salsa without us even asking, and they were better. I tried the mole enchilada and the cheese quesadilla combo with rice and beans. I was most impressed by the mole enchilada. The quesadilla was pretty good, but it was a flour tortilla and the rice and beans were pretty good too. The mole however, was excellent. I also had two Margaritas that were beyond good. I could seriously pound a few of those down if I didn't restrain myself lol! What makes them so delicious is the Grand Marnier that is added. I will defininately go back for more mole enchiladas and more margaritas!
(4)mary d.
I LOVE Mexican food, and will never return here. The salsa served was out of a jar, the tomatoes obviously not fresh, and had the taste of store bought. The food was very bland. They charge you for additional baskets of chips and salsa, which were not even good. The chile con queso was made from Velveta, not what you would ever expect from a Mexican restaurant, and tasted horrible. We ordered a side of guacamole and chips with our meals, which never came, and neither did anyone to come check on how our meals were going. We felt rushed out the door, while they were not even busy inside with the wait staff clearing the basket of chips while we were still munching on them.
(1)Andrew M.
This could be the worst Mexican food I ever had, I called and invited my wife to a early dinner yesterday as I was next store getting a tire fixed for my son's bike, fast forward 40 minutes, my wife shows up with our other two kids and we start to order, my wife ordered a blue Margherita because that's what she does and the server brought a 12 oz. dollar store glass filled with sour juice that tasted like a Chipoltle Margherita (yeah I said it) super bad, we told him we ordered it blue, he smiled like "the most interesting man in the world" and said we no haveah blue and walked away, I almost thought we were on candid camera after the food came and it was all wrong as well, asked for spanish rice with my daughters quesadilla, he sent fries, asked for spanish rice with my son's chicken rolls, he sent watered down beans, as much as I like XX this guy pissed me off, then he has the nerve to put everything on the bill he screwed up, total with tip was $70, I could have eaten at Taco Bell for a week and been quite happy, everything was bad from the service, to the dark chips and watery flavorless salsa, guacamole was bland and the decor was a joke, I get the authentic pinyata's but missing tile and paint chips just didn't belong downtown La Grange, They did have a sign stating they were relocating across the street this summer but that's no excuse for lousy food and service.
(2)Michelle B.
For me, there are a couple other Mexican restaurants in the area that are much better. If I'm going to drive the 5 mins to Santiagos, might as well drive the 10 mins the opposite direction to Lalos which is a million times better (see my review for Lalos, Berwyn, IL). The service is decent, the waiters are always friendly and smiling. But what it has in service, it lacks in the food department. The last visit we had there some of the chips were stale and half salted, half unsalted and the salsa tasted like jarred salsa. They don't offer carrots and soup and peppers like Casa Margarita (across the street) or Lalos even though the prices are similar. The enchiladas and taco dinner were decent, but the Mexican rice was a bit overcooked. We've only gone a couple times when the wait at Casa Margarita was too long and we were in that vicinity already. I suggest, if you want Mexican food, head over to Lalos in Berwyn.
(2)Mark R.
went once wont go again no flavor at all to the mexican food better off at chipolte
(1)Dorothy S.
I live here nearby and usually bike to Santiagos which conveniently has a bike rack right our front. I'm a vegetarian and Santiagos is great because they have veg options on the back of their huge menu. I usually get the vegetarian burrito or quesadilla. They also give you the option of having veggie beans with your entree- so they're not made with lard which of course is an animal product. So it's perfect for me. Non-vegetarian friends of mine have gotten these entrees and been very pleased as well. This is my favorite restaurant in La Grange b/c it's reasonably priced, vegetarian friendly, has great service and a fun atmosphere. The frozen peach margarita is great too. But try not to fill up on the free yummy nachos and salsa before your meal.
(5)Janet B.
Santiago's is an okay place to eat. I've had some good (but not the best) meals there and their Margaritas are good. Salsa that comes with the chips is just flavorful. Unfortunately, the last 2 times I was there, the service was not good at all. Once we sat in the bar and had an unfriendly somewhat rude bartender. Found out he was the owner.
(3)