We came here for lunch and were told about the lunch buffet. It was great value for the cost. There was a large selection, including taco's, mini burritos, quesadillas, gauc, rice beans, dessert etc. Unlike many buffets where they are light on the protein, all the options were stuffed with meat and delicious. The service was friendly and fast and everything was filled and replaced regularity. We will definitely be back and highly recommend it.
(5)
Angela S.
The truth is, it was just okay for me on a personal note, but the rest of my family was extremely happy! What saved dinner was the fact that they have a vegetarian menu, after asking our waitress what my vegetarian hubby could order. The regular menu was slim pickens for him. 4-stars for the menu discovery! You have to ask for it. We decided to go for an Ikea run tonight, and everyone seemed to be craving Mexican food. We ended up here by default, because we realized the other smaller independent restaurants we were considering closed at 6pm. Lalo's was a bit out of the way, but a nice place for a family meal. The chips are homemade here, but they were underwhelming for me and the salsa wasn't very exciting. I enjoyed the chicken soup starter to the meal. Served with a lime, it had a nice kick to it. The kids menu is great, and for ages 10 and under. My hearty eating nine year old boys filled up quickly. The menu is divided into two sections--hungry and extra hungry. They ate for $5.50 and each kid got a mini bowl of soup, steak tacos, rice or fries. They loved it! Hubby ordered guac. tacos, and I ended up with chicken and beef flautas with guac., rice and refried beans. In retrospect, I wish I would have ordered off the vegetarian menu. I felt a little wonky after eating...just too much food for me. Would I come here again? Probably not. It's just not super convenient, and I didn't find the meal to be memorable after leaving. Service was absolutely lovely. Our waitress was quick to handle all our needs.
(3)
Azhar S.
I've been here twice and wasn't crazy about it. I usually order a burrito and taco salad and both items were over priced in terms of quality and quantity. Drinks are also not so great either. It had a very good location right in Schaumburg and you can't miss it since it's right on Roselle Road. Overall, not a big fan of this place.
(3)
Samantha R.
Pretty neat little spot. I went a few weeks ago with a group from work and it was really nice! We ordered several appetizer samplers for the table and the guacamole. Everything was very authentic and fresh tasting, I really loved the guacamole and the flautas were awesome. The margaritas were ON POINT and had a lot of alcohol in them, and the flavor combinations were awesome! I had strawberry and a strawberry mango margarita, and both were great. I really loved the atmosphere in this place, it reminded me of the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT. Little bridges to walk over to get to your table, a mariachi band playing, and cobblestone floors. The bar had karaoke going and dancing. It seemed like this place was always a big party! I really enjoyed my visit, as did my co-workers. I hope to come back for a full meal sometime in the future and I feel bad for driving past without a thought so many times!
(4)
Tobin h.
Had a great server in Virgillio and I have to say this is one of the most underated and unappreciated restaurants around. The folks that manage this haven just get it. They do everything right and their professionalism makes it run like clockwork. Not to mention the outstanding food. They take pride in what they do and it shows. A must go to whenever you see the smiling sunshine.
(4)
Adam D.
Lalo's is in a unique position of needing three different reviews, or at least one review that is an aggregate of three components: lunch buffet, dinner, and bar. First, the lunch buffet. I was not a fan. Limited selection of room-temperature food. Pass. Second, dinner. Very good! I've had dinner here several times and the entrees have always been tasty. The apps are a little bland but that's not really a big deal. You don't leave a movie because the previews were boring, right? Third, the bar. Totally different vibe from the dining room. There were a few different things going on in the bar while we were there. Part sports bar, part singles bar for older people, and mix in an occasional large group of women drinking margaritas and getting their swerve on with mariachi bands. Overall, it's good as long as you know when to go and when to skip it.
(3)
Maria S.
My family and I have been coming to Lalo's restaurants for years now!!! They always have GREAT food and great service is awesome! I really would recommend this place to anyone looking for great Mexican food, great margaritas, and great music!
(5)
Jessica P.
The service was very good. the food came out quickly and was good. What I expect from the local Mexican restaurant. The problem came when we asked for our check. We had a Groupon so the server took my phone for the voucher number. Ten minutes later she still hadn't returned. When we saw her we were told that only the manager could process Groupons and they didn't know where the manager was. She brought back my phone but they were still no check as they were still looking for the manager. After 20 minutes we finally received our check. The food was good but I don't think it was worth the 20 minute wait to receive our check.
(2)
Latoya B.
This was my first visit to this Lalo's. I have been to both the Berwyn and Chicago locations. In my opinion in comparison to those two, this one as far as the appearance of it is sub-par. Today is a gloomy type of day and unfortunately it felt that way inside. It was very dim and just wasn't conducive to "bringing out the sunshine in me." Luckily I had a great group of people with me to help that. The food on the other hand was very good. I ordered the Enchiladas Suiza, my favorite and it was definitely a hit. My co-workers order the lunch buffet and stated they enjoyed the variety and the food in itself. Our waiter was pretty great. He was very attentive. He ensured that he did not hover but at the same time met all of our needs. My water glass never got empty despite him not hovering around so for that I give him kudos! I can tell he was keeping a watchful eye over his tables. The area near the rest room seemed a bit cluttered, or it may just be that it was so dark in their that it appeared to be cluttered. Im curious to know if it is any different in the evening, or a brighter day outside as a whole, so for that I will return.
(3)
Jeff A.
I have been here a couple of times. The first time I visited Lalo's, I was disappointed by the food. I am from California and my family are Tejanos, so with having had excellent mexican food in my lifetime do I expect prefect food at a restaurant? No. Do I expect flavors to rival Taco Bell or Del Taco when I am at a sit down restaurant? Yes! Knowing that cooks can have bad days or the crew just isn't clicking that night, I gave Lalo's another try and found the same old boring food with bland flavor and nothing to excite the palate. Sorry, Lalo's, not coming back unless I am strictly having drinks.
(1)
Rosanna L.
I'm surprise by the low rating here! I initially called early in the week to make resevrations for a Friday night, but was told they would only take reservations for a party of 6 or more, understandable. Our party of 4 got there around 7:40pm on a Friday night and it was busy, but no wait, awesome. We were greeted with some chips and salsa and our server to take our drink order. 1/2 price draft specials and $6.50 red or white sangria, hmmMmmm sangria. I went with the red sangria and it was delicious and fruity, so I had 2 glasses. We ordered their Botana Combinada: combination appetizers of nachos, quesadilla, tamales, flautas, and seafood empanada. I always like ordering any combo dish because you get to taste a little bit of everything. My favorite had to be the seafood empanada although i wish it came with more then one. The flautas and tamales were a bit dry, but nothing a little bit of sour cream and guac can't fix. The quesadilla had ham in it and it was delicious. I ordered the carne asada a la tampiquena, medium rare and it was perfect. The skirt steak was cooked to perfection with the warm red in the middle, so tender and juicy, drools. I thought the rice and beans and were just okay, but the steak definitely made the meal. I was really satisfied. (It always made for a good steak and egg english muffin sandwich the next morning.) The rest of the party also enjoyed their meals and the live entertainment. I can't wait to go back for some juicy skirt steak and a ice cold red sangria.
(4)
Isabel K.
Great food and drinks! Have not had anything bad there.
(3)
Laura S.
I've been meaning to try this place for a while and I'm SO glad I did. My boyfriend and I stopped in for a weekday late lunch. I was immediately entranced by the wonderful decor inside the restaurant. The items are a little pricey but the quality is definitely on par with it. Too expensive to go there very often though (boo!). The service was very attentive and very friendly. We ordered way too much and both walked away with noticeable "food babies". I'd like to revisit this review after I try them out during a dinner rush.
(4)
Steff D.
My boyfriend and I went in for dinner about 630 on a Friday night and this place was packed. We waited about 15 minutes for a table and had a drink in the bar. We ordered the appetizer sampler which was really nothing special. The quesadilla had a slice of ham and you wouldn't even know there was cheese on it. Tamales were dry as well as the flautas. The nachos were thrown on the plated and all the cheese got on about three chips. Not much cheese either. The service was slow. I understand that they were busy but I did feel a bit neglected by my server. I ordered the carne Asada. Huge portio of streak! The steak was good. Rice and beans were good. However, my boyfriend had the burrito and he said we could have gotten one from the Mexican place down the street. It was nothing special. I give three stars for my portion of streak and the prices were good. Paid 60 bucks including tip for everything and the dinners included a soup and I had a drink. They have a mariachi band that sings to people for dinner or birthdays. It's s nice touch but it was extremely distracting. I think this place would be great for a birthday celebration but not a date night.
(3)
Nelson M.
Restaurant review AYCE buffet every day! I have been here before and was less than impressed by the buffet but I have been away for many years until this past month. I went on a weekday, the buffet is priced at 9.99 I believe or somewhere around that price. You are greeted with a bonanza of mexican food items including spinach quesadilla, small burritos ( I would stay away from this), taquitos chicken/beef, fresh taco station with chicken, beef (res) this was amazing go with this) in flour or corn tortilla. There was even mole and other traditional mexican dishes. Unlimited guac as well in the salad bar area. To top it off rice pudding or flan. This is a nice change of pace from other lunch venues. I would highly recommend if you like traditional mexican food. Pro: lunch buffet AYCE, friendly staff Cons: none Hidden gem: AYCE lunch buffet, great deal
(4)
Mark S.
Worst Mexican Buffet ever! Had a taste for Mexican food today, so my friend and I decided to give Lalo's buffet a try. Now I remember why i hadn't been to one in like 20 years. It was without a doubt the worst Mexican food I ever had. No idea why/how people actually like this place. Guess the drinks must be good. The buffet was over priced ($11) and tasteless. Come on people.....how about at least using some Adobo? We should have known the meal would be bad when we sampled the salsa provided with the chips. The chips had an odd taste, and the salsa was like a can of crushed tomatoes. No taste at all. We arrived at about 12:30, the restaurant was empty and the buffet was nearly bare. The best part of the meal was the free suckers when you leave. Do yourselves a favor and find someplace else.
(1)
Howard L.
This is a large and colorful place, and looks to be a good venue for large groups. We came by here for dinner before a Schaumburg Boomers game nearby, as it would be better than eating at that ballpark. They have some good seafood items (we tried the seafood combination plate). Their appetizer sampler plate was also decent. Ok place to try if you are up this way.
(4)
Odranre B.
i came here twice for lunch in the last several of months...both times i came for the weekday lunch buffet at roughly 12-12:30 noon...both times, the food was limited to very few items and very little quantity, especially the more expensive items like fish and beef...and both times i came here, they told me that they were not bringing anymore food...it's 12 noon! how can you be advertising a buffet and having only old nachos, re-fried beans, and tortillas...such a disappointment and false advertising to get you in here during weekday lunch...this review is for the lunch buffet, i have not had any issues with dinner
(1)
Genevieve L.
They have a nice outdoor seating area and mariachis on the weekends. Kinda romantic depending on how you look at it. I ordered the steak fajitas and I love how they serve them sizzling on the cast iron platters. Maybe its the weather but the lettuce looked a bit wilted but other than that everything was good
(4)
Chewy C.
Food was great, service was good too, was seated right away. Strongly suggest going outside your regular order of tacos, burritos, or tortas. Everything is tasty & u just might find your new favofite dish. I recommend Bistec con Raja y Queso. There margaritas are worth getting. After a few you will want to go to the bar. Just keep in mind on weekends the bar does turn into a night club. I was there on Saturday and I liked the older crowd with da old skool music. house, hip hop, spanish. nice to be at a place where 21 year olds are not complaining cause they aint playing the latest rihanna.
(5)
Kristy R.
A friend and I split the fajitas and they were just ok. I've had better, they were actually pretty plain tasting. So we get 4 flour tortillas and after we ate the four there was so much left over to make more tacos with so we ordered more tortillas and the waitress Rosa gave us 3 more. Now if you have two people and they're sharing the meal and you're aware they are sharing why would you give them 3 tortillas?? Anyways Rosa was NOT keeping our drinks filled I had to call her over 3 times to get a refill and ask another employee to get me another flour tortilla. The chips tastes like cardboard. Next time for Mexican food I'll go to La Hacienda or La Magdalena's in Addison, their food is much better tasting and very flavorful. Not a fan of Lalo's at all.
(1)
Misty S.
The other reviews were right, the service is slow! It took a while to get a glass of water and another while to get a refill. The food is decent and the prices are reasonable (on the higher end for Mexican food). I came for dinner on a Friday night and the place was packed. The bright and colorful decorations added to the ambiance of the restaurant. Definitely good for large groups since they have tons of space and tables. The chip and salsa were good and help curb the appetite while waiting for the food to come out. I ordered a medium mango margarita, which was delicious and I couldn't even taste the alcohol. For $11, it's almost like a meal. The flautas dinner came with some guac, rice, and beans for $12. I didn't think the flautas were anything special and they were kind of on the dry side (dried shredded chicken). The guacamole was very good, but I think that's rather difficult to mangle. The rice was tasty and fluffy. The lady behind me got a glass of margarita dumped on her when a waitress lost her balance. I've been there before and was glad it wasn't me this time. There's a bowl of lollipops by the entrance that were full of fruit flavored lollipops. Someone recommended mango, but it was strange tasting for a mango. There's also a gum surprise in the middle.
(3)
Desiree L.
We've been here before and liked it a lot, and since its on the way from our new rescue's vet, thought it'd be great to sit on the patio after his appointment and enjoy lunch, but alas, not allowed...so we'll head home and visit Norwood Park and Edison Park establishments where he's more than welcome !
(3)
Tracy J.
Had a delicious lunch here with my daughter today. It's just as good as the Berwyn location. I'm giving it four stars because the don't have any booths (which I find more comfortable than tables) and their frozen raspberry Margarita seemed a little more "tart" than the ones at the Berwyn location. After I stirred it up it was fine, but I think the Margaritas at the Berwyn location are a tad bit better. Overall great lunch. I'll come back next time I'm in Schaumburg!
(4)
Nick S.
Not a bad place. We live not to far from them. I think they do a good job. Very inexpensive, but not really authentic I guess. The bar is good. Beer is inexpensive. Overall it's not a bad place and I would come here again.
(4)
Rachael Z.
Lalo's has an amazing lunch buffet that is worth every penny! I've only been here for lunch, but it's a great deal. Allow for some time, because though the food is already prepared, you'll want to go up several times for appetizers, different tastes of foods, and desserts! I'm sure the menu is incredible, but the buffet is the best deal for the lunch hour. Highly recommended!
(5)
jill w.
After waiting for 25 minutes for our drinks, the server informed us she had not put in our order. We were discouraged from the buffet by the server. We were charged for cheese for the tacos. The ladies room had no toilet paper in 2 of the 3 stalls. Skip this place.
(1)
Mat M.
Wow! This place was great. Great service from the time we walked into the building. Not your typical Mexican restaurant menu. Tons of seafood. The salsa was perfect. Everything had the perfect amount of spice to it. Even my kids gobbled it up. It's a little pricey but the quality is there.
(5)
Eric C.
Wait for a table on a Saturday night was about 45 mins with no reservation,but well worth the wait. Took the family and we enjoyed the food and friendly staff,especially server Christopher. Authentic meals and great drink deals. The Mariachi band topped off a fun experience. Check it out, family friendly with a separate bar area with many TV's to enjoy.
(4)
Cesar R.
Margaritas are the best with awesome service. They're portions are back to being big. Love the ambiance and will definitely come back. Highly recommend this location. The outside gives it no justice. Inside is a gem along with the live music on the weekends.
(5)
Andrew G.
Went to Lalo's on Mother's Day with my wife, mother-in-law and her boyfriend for our first visit and it was a huge disappointment. The place wasn't crazy busy as there were more than a few empty tables around us, yet our server would frequently forget about us and disappear. When he came back to fill our water, more than once, he'd fill the glasses with Sprite before walking off despite us trying to tell him. He was overall fairly inattentive. The food was overpriced for what was served and, more or less, bland and unremarkable. Total, for the four meals, it came out to a jaw-dropping $80, none of which I would call worth it. Would not recommend and definitely would not return.
(2)
Margarita M.
The service is great the food is still very good we went there for lunch with my sister and a friend of mine it was my girlfriends birthday they brought her out a cupcake with a candle and sing happy birthday which I thought was a great gesture. I had not been to Lalos in a very long time I'm glad we picked this place for our lunch
(5)
Pari P.
I was a fan of Lalos' lunch buffet several years ago. It was the place to go with my coworkers when I used to work in Schaumburg. After several months of being closed due to construction, I made a visit to see the improvements. The interior decorating is amazing. You can tell that a lot of money was invested and you see it in the details from the tile to the art work on display. Interior is one thing but what about the food? I found the al pastor and the carne asada to be mediocre. The portions were large which helped justify the pricing but it wasn't memorable. I would relate the food to their lunch buffet where it satisfies your craving even though it's not the best Mexican food that you've had. We had a coupon which helped offset the cost. Lalos is also known for their margaritas. I'll have to come back next time and check out the bar area that was also renovated.
(3)
Bill H.
On a street full of fast food chain restaurants, it was nice to see an authentic Mexican restaurant. The decor made you feel like you were south of the border. Service and food was great. Next time you are thinking of going to Taco Bell, come here instead. They do offer take out.
(4)
Jennifer C.
After hearing great things about this restaurant from friends, I finally decided to try it out. We went later on a Friday evening with another couple for dinner. The bar area was packed and had a dj playing music, but there only were two or three other tables in the dining room. Our server greeted us right away and brought our drinks quickly. When it came time to order our dinner, it was so loud that we had to shout over not only the dj from the bar area, but a mariachi band in the dining room. The reason for only 1 star? My order was incorrect when the server brought it out and she disappeared so quickly that I had to wait at least 5 minutes for her to come back. I informed her that I had asked for NO onions on my tacos and that there was nothing except for onions on my tacos. She brought the dish to the kitchen and returned with another plate before quickly disappearing again. They simply covered the onions that I didn't want with cheese and tomatoes. My husband had to go find her after waiting another 5 minutes. At that point, I asked her to just bring the check and that I no longer wanted dinner. The check was just under $100 for the four of us and I didn't even eat anything. There was no visit from a manager and nothing extended for this extremely poor experience. If this happened when it was so slow, I don't want to know how they function when it is actually busy.
(1)
Jenny G.
Met a friend there for the lunch buffet and i was pretty pleased with it. I don't eat meat so several of the options were not available to me. So they offered to make me some veggie options. So they made me some Veggie enchaliadas so i wouldn't feel left out. They were also making fresh Gauc so they had that going for them..
(4)
Kat L.
I would have to say, it is the best Mexican I've had in the area. Chips and salsa were nothing to write home about. Their own homemade salsa was also pretty unforgettable. But come here for a night to chill out, have so margs and mexican. I'm not big on tequila, but was surprised with how good the mango margarita was that I got. We came on a friday, which included the tableside singing. =) i don't care if it's hokey. I loved it. Fun entertainment for anyone who's not too worried about being "too cool." Will probably be back for more. The pork on the tacos we had were really flavorful and juicy. Surprisingly, I even liked it a lot more than the steak tacos I had. Rice and beans were pretty up to par. A lil pricey, but worth it for the experience.
(4)
Shaun S.
It was alright , nothing that would have me telling people to go hear instead of all the other Mexican restaurants in the area. It was ok, but drinking on the outside patio made life a little better that day.
(3)
Geoff G.
Wonderful and one of the few Mexican Places left in the area. Service is world class. Some items tend to be very spicy. Their newer menu has less selections.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Lunch buffet is the best way to go got this place to get some bang for your buck. The best part with the kids they are at a discount price. Nice for a family dinning out theses days. I like the addition of the guy making the tacos for you.
(4)
Jennifer S.
I'm baaack! After what I think was a four or five month remodel job, Lalo's reopened recently. We heard that they were open again and headed for the usual lunch buffet. Unfortunately, it is no longer there seven days a week. I am not sure on the schedule, but I would suggest calling first. We looked at the lunch menu which had been completely re-vamped and decided on a combo platter. Basically steak, chorizo, chicken, shrimp wrapped in bacon, peppers, etc. served with tortillas. It was a good price for a great portion. The staff all seemed different as I didn't recognize anyone. The atmosphere was pretty nice and the service was good. No problems with refills or getting more tortillas. It was a good visit. I'd like to try the lunch buffet and see how it's changed, so I will keep you posted once I do that.
(4)
Rita B.
I've been here several times throughout the years. I normally have good things to say but this time around I'm pretty disappointed. My mother and I decided on the lunch buffet (even though I NEVER do buffets). The first time we served ourselves there weren't too many options but we say the employees filling the dishes so we figured we'll have better luck a little later. For our second trip to the buffet there were even less options. I then noticed one of the workers filling up the dishes with only a few items at at a time. For example instead of bringing out a full tray of mini burritos he would bring 4 or 5 at a time. Unfortunately he did this for every dish. There were enough customers going to the buffet so there was never enough food. I had to ask him 3 times to fill the buffet. He would just smile smile and nod. Our waiter was even worse than the buffet. We had to ask him several times for extra napkins which he never brought over. My water (which was the only thing I was drinking) never got filled. It was a one and done deal. It was a bad experience this time around and it will probably be a very long time before I go back, IF I ever do go back.
(2)
Juan N.
I had the Enchiladas de Mole Poblano, disappointed only thing I could taste is the spicy hot mole when this mole should be sweet. Beans and rice taste flat. Presentation goog
(2)
Kei A.
I came here with my girlfriend for the first time. She recommended it to me, since I'm always raving about Mexican food, and told me I wouldn't be disappointed. She was right! The waitress was a tad slow, hence -1 star. I ordered the Aztec Lunch, which was surprisingly authentic. My girlfriend had something similar, which was equally good. We had too much food and we didn't finish, which is a good sign. The bill was about 40$ and we were full, plus, we had leftovers!
(4)
Sarah M.
I've been looking for my new go-to Mexican restaurant since moving to Schaumburg from the DC area and I was hoping this would be it, but sadly, it isn't. First, not that I'm an expert on chips and salsa, but the chips were really thick and the salsa wasn't my favorite to say the least.My entree, a steak burrito, was better than I thought it would be. My husband had the chicken fajitas and only ate one because he thought there wasn't any flavor on the meat and that they didn't cook the vegetables long enought. Lalos was fine enough, but we will keep looking for other Mexican restaurants before coming back.
(2)
Broni R.
I've been here once before for dinner during the week with the family and I remember thinking the experience was mediocre. I returned unexpectedly this afternoon and was pleasantly content. Husband and I couldn't decide where we wanted to eat so we drove up and down Roselle rd. We finally decided to give the place another chance although he didn't hate the place. He had the nachos last time and was happy with it. Ok so today's experience... well it wasn't too packed when we got there but it seemed to start filling up right after. They have a lunch buffet for 9.95pp. Not sure how much it is for kids but I assume less. The buffet wasn't too bad. Shredded beef and chicken flautas didn't taste too fresh but the steak fajitas and honestly everything else was good. They had a couple of different salsas with good flavor and guacamole was great. I also had an original margarita on the rocks and it was great. We sat outside since it was a nice day and all in all it was a pleasant experience. Latin music played in the background so it gave the ambiance a very tropic feel. I would definitely return on a Sunday for the buffet and a coctail. Oh and service was great. Very friendly and attentive :)
(4)
Joe F.
We haven't been here in a couple of years and from what we recalled food was decent. We all wanted Mexican food and decided to come back but what a HUGE mistake, Food came out cold and tasteless, I have been to many Mexican restaurants and know good food. We frequent restaurants enough to know the good from the bad. We sent all four plates back so they could give us warm food but that was a waste of time. We all agreed that the re fried beans were on the cusp of being spoiled. Waitress was understanding and sent manager over. She looked about 12 years old so I know she was the real managers sounding board. We had arrachera and it was the worst I have had in decades. I urge everyone to stay away, I still ended up paying for on the steak that my husband ate because he was starving and half decent chile rellenos my mom ate . But no once touched the sides. Wasted money.
(1)
Nick M.
Bland food, kids running all over the restaurant- wow what a bad experience! Good luck!
(2)
Zaneta N.
Great food, yummy drinks, decent pricing & amazing service! I will always ask for Roberto to be our server from now on. They were extremely busy (as most places are on a Friday night) yet Roberto still made sure to check up on us after he took our order and brought our appetizers, drinks and dinner in a timely manner. Best of all? He ALWAYS had a smile on his face! It was refreshing to see someone be so nice and provide such excellent customer service! Whoever wrote that their food can compare to "Taco Bell" clearly came here drunk or something. Taco Bell!? Let's be serious!! We both had burrito plates and they were delicious. The portion was too big for me and I took half of it home. I finally tried their famous margarita and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend it! I tried the Mango flavored one - medium size is HUGE! This was our first visit here during dinner time. I loved the overall vibe of the restaurant as they really comes alive in comparison to lunch time- when it's much quieter. They actually had Mariachis singing.
(5)
Catherine P.
I love Lalo's. It's especially sad because I always have crappy-server-lady-who-never-refills-my-drinks or the drinks of the people I'm with. They have a GREAT lunch buffet 7 days a week and for about $12.00 (including drink) you can have a nice lunch....that is, if you can get your drink. We ALWAYS get there right when they open and when the food is fresh because if you get there later in the afternoon, the food is garbage. All Mexican food dries out easily so it's difficult to keep it moist and fresh tasting. We have done take out a few times. Not good. They box the food in Styrofoam which simply makes the crunchy foods soggy because they put it steaming hot into the container. Perhaps, if they changed how the food was packed, it would improve. For example: put deep friend flautas or tacos in a hard shell in paper packaging. Cold garnishes should be left outside of the box or bag and packed separately because hot food and cold sour cream don't mix when it may be transported for up to 20 minutes. Be sure to use your bathroom at home before you go, you will not want to use theirs. Also, a shame, because we always rush out when we leave because I don't want to use their restrooms. They also offer 1/2 price appetizers Monday through Friday from 4(??) until 7pm in the bar area. They know how to make authentic Mexican food. Their flautas are just like my Grandma's used to be and their enchiladas aren't bad either. I look at it this way. You know it's a good Mexican restaurant when you look around and every patron is Hispanic.
(3)
Nick L.
Maybe I'm just not in love with this genre of food (Westernized Mexican Food), but their food offerings just all seem to be meh. The prices aren't terribly high, but the quality seems more akin to the offerings at Taco Bell, which boasts considerably cheaper prices. The margaritas on the other hand really save Lalo's. They are reasonably priced, taste amazing, and still provide a nice buzz. What more can you ask for? The bar atmosphere is so-so, nothing stands out about it. I will go back because it's next door to my apartment, but to me there are places with better value in the area.
(2)
Lemon L.
Six of us went and had a great time. The chicken tacos were really good, the chips and salsa were addictive. Lime marguerita was tasty. Wait staff was attentive and prices were reasonable. Very cute place, will return.
(4)
Matt M.
Really great lunch buffet! Thats the best time to hit this place up. True, you can not get authentic or really good Mexican food in Chicago (especially Schaumburg), but this place does just fine. Its certainly better than Taco Bell and it hits the spot for the right price point! Good service, clean atmosphere, great location.
(3)
Ken K.
Don't expect a buffet to be 4 star food.....but Lalos REALLY went downhill....was just there today - all the choices were cheapened up.......bready crappy cheap stuff....from now on when I want a lot of Mexican, I'll just get 2 good burritos from one of many good burrito places around rather than drop 16 bucks for cheap breaded stuff and sides at Lalo's
(2)
Susan B.
So, Lalo's was closed the entire summer (what Mexican restaurant does "renovations" in the summer...seems that would be a super busy time for business?). I was itching for some good Mexican food and in my opinion, Lalo's does it best! What renovations were done? The place looks exactly the same. Maybe they did work in the kitchen?? Anyways, the food was great as usual. I always get the taco dinner with chicken. The chicken here is so moist and juicy! Also, their chicken soup is tasty too. This last visit the timing was off because we barely were into our soup when our meals were brought out. Our waitress noticed and came over and apologized. I had my yummy margarita so all was well in the world and I didn't mind one bit. I do love Lalo's but please, don't shut down again for an entire summer (margaritas just taste better in the summer!).
(4)
Daniel L.
I hear the margaritas are very good but I wasn't there to try it. I went there with a friend because he always talked about it. Bi ordered a steak burrito and honestly it was not worth the price. This place is overpriced for the quality of food and service. You pay almost 3 dollars for a lemonade which is perfectly fine but guess what... Refills cost you.. Like I said the food isn't great
(1)
Melissa R.
I LOVE this place ! The BEST margaritas! Order the BIG ones ! You will not be dissapointed. Very strong so you definately get your money's worth. Steak nachos are awesome....salsa very good. Quesadilla appetizer with mushrooms & onions (not on the menu) are so yummy ! Fajitas are good also. Sit in the bar for the best service. OR, ask for Chris the waiter. He is the little Phillipino server & he is hands down there BEST waiter. Good place to go and chill with friends.
(4)
Joshua B.
This was my first time here. I went to lunch with some of my family. When I walked it it looked very authentic to me. The waitress was really nice. She checked on us frequently to see if we needed refills which I love. I had a burger. Yes, I know a burger in a Mexican restaurant doesn't sound good, but it was. It had a different cheese than I have never had but it was very good. The fries were just ok - they didn't seem salted. My other family had the buffet. They both seemed to enjoy it. We had the flan - I would give that 5 stars!
(4)
Matthew F.
Nostalgia prompted me to come here because when I was a kid it was Down The Hatch (pizza I think) Anyway, I love the transformation even if this deep sea diver suit is long gone. Their corn husk wrapped tamales and sauce(s) are good. Rather than the usual fajitas or combo platter, I ordered Tampico chicken which was excellent. The horchata is a good non-alcoholic beverage choice if you like nutmeg, otherwise the margaritas I saw were fishbowl sized. Service was attentive even with a full dinner crowd.
(4)
Stacey K.
Ugh. And now that I've recently experienced "real" mexican food: double ugh. Not even worth exacerbating my carpal tunnel to write too many lines about this place. I was only here because we had a little grade school /junior-high reunion involving me and 8 other ladies. It was strictly a half-way point meeting place. We were all totally unimpressed. Expensive drinks, icky looking refried beans, and tired looking entrees. The restroom was DEE-sgusting and the ATM was broken. Only two positives: the salsa was pretty tasty, and our server was a genuinely nice guy. But then, I'd add some sparkle too if I was serving a table full of giggling, imbibing, chatty chicks. We were there for 4 hours, for the love of God....
(2)
Giuseppe D.
Nice play to go to for margaritas. They don't have a huge variety of margaritas, but the ones they make are good. Strong enough to get the job done I'd say. The food is very mediocre. Nothing great, but nothing terrible either. The price is cheap, nothing over the top. They have karaoke nights, and people dance and what not. There's a bar area and a restaurant area, as well as a patio that's open in the summer. They do make your guacamole by hand and at your table which is pretty cool to watch, and that always turns out really good. I'd recommend Lalo's for guacamole with chips and their margaritas, but aside from that it's nothing to get excited over.
(3)
John H.
The shrimp fajitas and enchiladas rojas were excellent! Very good service. The margaritas were just OK but the food more than made up for it. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Meredith B.
Met my college friends here for dinner on a Wednesday night - the place was pretty empty so it was very easy to snag a table. The chips and salsa were tasty - I remember the chips tasting fresh and the salsa being better than average for a Mexican joint. Margaritas were pretty decent too! We got a pitcher between the three of us and they did not skimp on the tequila, which is always appreciated! The entrees all came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup which seemed strange to me, but whatevs. The soup is thin and brothy, tastes good, but you may as well save most of the room for your entree since there's nothing really special going on in the soup department. I got the chicken fajitas which came out sizzling and were pretty tasty - meat was well-seasoned and pretty juicy. Came with tortillas, refried beans, rice, and guac, so it was easy to build a tasty meal. I took half home for another dinner! Fried ice cream was pretty tasty too, I've never had it before. It's a standard Mexican joint, with the usual Mexican-American fare. No surprises, but it's a solid choice if you're in for some Mexican food and margs.
(3)
Osiris V.
Meh, I don't find anything exciting about Lalo's anymore. They have average food, the service is ok and that's about it. I used to find their margaritas to be one of the best ever but since I didn't have one at this location I can't say. They did have a buffet open when I went there on a Saturday afternoon, but I didn't try it, I should of.
(3)
Vince A.
5-6 years ago, this might have been a 4 star review for Lalo's. It seems that over that time, this place has lost its way. Stopped in for lunch today. They still have the moderatly priced buffet with mediocre food. I chose the lunch from the menu. Went with a pretty standard dish - tampiquena with rice and beans. Rice and beans were fine. Steak was undercooked/underseasoned and a poor cut of meat and the enchilada was fine. I guess for 10 bucks +2 bucks for a coke (WTF) - I was expecting what it used to be - but alas, it's not.
(2)
Review P.
Great Mexican restaurant. Love all their food. Their beans and rice that are on the side are way more flavorful than other Mexican restaurants. Great chimichanga/burritos/tacos!
(4)
Ericka L.
OMG. I just wanted to put our waitress in my pocket and take her home!! She was so nice and adorable. Have you ever heard your waitress say, "anything you need I'm here for you"?! Well that was the moment I decided she was coming with us!!! I had the pick 3 combination plate with a quesadilla, a flauta, and an enchilada. All three were delicious but I liked the quesadilla the best as it had grilled onions on it and it was super cheesy. The rice was moist, the beans were flavorful, and the dollop of guac was tasty. The chips and salsa I can pass on next time because they weren't good at all...strange. Also had a delicious frozen mango margharita that gave the sweetest brain freeze and was absolutely refreshing. No wonder they boast their "famous" margharitas!! Overall pretty good authentic Mexican fare. Our waitress was really sweet and even though we heard her use the same cute line on another table, we always appreciate good service...thanks Patsy.
(4)
Laura G.
Wont be going to this place anytime soon. The location on Harlem in Berwyn, IL is alot better and so different. Very disappointed that this place wasn't up to expectations since this is closer to home. As a Latina who knows Mexican food was just not happy with this place from Service to Food. Period.
(1)
Rich M.
My wife and I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The first impression of the restaurant was great. Very nice decor, and the atmosphere was terrific. We ordered an appetizer and it came out in a very timely manner. However, when we received our main course, we were quite disappointed at the quality of the food. The food tasted very mediocre. Our main course was served w/ chicken noodle soup, which we thought was a very non-Mexican pairing. We've had much better tasting Mexican food elsewhere, and paid fraction of what we paid here. It does look like they have great selections of Margaritas, however, we didn't try their drink menu. This seems like a decent place for a larger gathering.
(3)
Devi R.
We were craving Mexican and were in the area last weekend. We looked up places in the area and I was reminded of Lalo's. I hadn't been there in so many years - at least 10 - but I remembered it being a more sit-down kind of place and that sounded pretty good so we headed that way. There was a pick 3 option and it was excellent - you can pick 3 of whatever you want (enchiladas, sopes, tacos, quesadillas, etc.) and add a 4th for $2. That would probably be good for 2 people but we are unreasonable people and ordered a pick 3 each. They have a spinach enchilada option that's not on the menu. Yum! Plus awesome chips and salsa - better than the usual. Anyway, today (a week later) my husband wakes up and says "we're not getting tacos today." Obviously by 3 pm one of us was like "Wanna get tacos?" and we were like "Lalo's?" and we headed back. Still just as good, still just as filling. We are now in a food coma... actually passed out on the drive home. Yummm!
(4)
Mary B.
Like most people I've seen review this place, it is also one of my family's favorite restaurants to go to. We only live a few blocks from Lalos in Schaumburg and we love it. Why? Two reasons: Margaritas and Guacamole. Most often, we don't even order food there. They have table-side guacamole and the best margaritas in town. The margs are little pricy, but they also have a ton of tequila in them... so it's pretty much worth it. The service is always friendly and the food is decent. I never really order any dinner there, we just order the appetizers. I really don't have too much to complain about except the bar area sometimes. Once in a while, my parents and I will go to the bar area because you can get half off of the appetizers before 6 (I think) and one time we were the only ones in the bar and they were BLASTING the music. I have no idea why, but we had to ask them to turn it down and for some reason they said no. I couldn't really hear them but it was something to do with the sound system for later that night. They should figure out better music to play in there some nights but most of the time it's a lot of fun. Stop by there for a quick margarita or at least some guac and I promise you'll be satisfied. Definitely worth stepping out for on a summer night.
(4)
Megan O.
Came here for their lunch buffet with my sister, nephew and mom. It was pretty good for being a buffet, they had everything from flautas to tamales, and AMAZING FAJITAS. We went a little after prime-time lunch, around 1:30, and you can obviously tell the food was left out a little while. But I'm not going to complain because the food wasn't in a buffet style layout, rather chafing dishes you would use at a banquet party. For three people it came out to like $40 with soft drinks. I saw a sign that says BEST MARGARITAS, so I will be coming back.
(4)
Jennifer Q.
Just wanted to update my review and send a little "shout out" to waiter Roberto who served my mom and I last week during the lunch buffet. Roberto was very professional -he had this Javier Bardem quiet seriousness about him -but he was totally nice and friendly. My mom was undecided between an entree and the buffet and he explained that there were several vegetarian items that she would like on the buffet line. We had a great experience, as usual. This is by far my favorite Lalo's location!
(4)
Irene Z.
Lalo's is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. We've come for lunch and dinner but we especially love the weekend lunch buffet. It had been a little while since our last visit, but we went today for the lunch buffet and it was no exception. Still a favorite of ours. The food is fresh and authentic. I love the chips and salsa here, great homemade taste. At the weekend lunch buffet, I also love the steak fajitas which are a perfect mix of vegetables and tender beef. The eggs and rice are another favorite, again great homemade taste and flavor. There's also a good variety of enchiladas. We come here often with our kids and there's plenty for them to choose from (and they can be picky). Ambiance is nice, colorfully decorated with soft music playing in the background. And the service is always friendly and attentive. Whenever we crave Mexican food, it's the first place we think of. Definitely the place to go when you want good, authentic Mexican food!
(4)
Paul S.
The restaurant has a very nice decor and the staff was very friendly and efficient. Although the place was rather loud. The food was brought out hot and looked good. However, it tasted rather generic especially for the price. Sad, as I had good things about the Lalo's restaurants. Not too impressive. :(
(3)
Angelica C.
This place has really lost it's luster. Service is not good, food is meh, and for what they charge I prefer to take my business elsewhere.
(2)
Nicole L.
What made m experience totally awesome? Our waiter. My friend and I are on a low-carb diet so pretty much anything at a Mexican restaurant is off limits. YES it was pure torture! But our waiter was perfect and funny. I kept telling him my girlfriend won't let me eat that, or that it was to many carbs. So after dinner he asked if I'd like dessert and I said I wish! His response what if it's no carbs? I simply said you'd win my heart. Great food - for what we could have. Though the lighting was terrible! I couldn't see my menu.
When in doubt in Schaumburg on Friday or Saturday night head to Lalos. There is almost never a wait. The food is really good....the drinks are also very good. Never had a bad experience here.
(4)
Wilma F.
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF LEFT IN THE PAST I haven't been to Lalo's in years and was looking forward to an Authentic Mexican dish. Our server was very prompt and accommodating - the atmosphere is festive - the salsa was wonderful - but unfortunately the entree for both of us (which was described on the menu and by our server as Spicy) was generic, bland and disappointing. I guess when there are so many locations, passion on the recipes can go to the wayside.
(2)
Lauren R.
We cater food from them for work about once every 3 months. Not too bad but food sometimes comes cold or luke warm. Food overall is ok. Sometimes certain meats were not edible or chewable. Also I ate their for dinner and service wasn't all that. The female server had a heavy accent so I didn't understand her that well. She messed up my dates food order when he specifically asked for something not to be in the food and it still was. I would skip it since Schaumburg has plenty of other places to choose from to eat.
(3)
Jessica K.
I've been here quite a few times. I am not usually adventurous so I've always ordered the steak fajitas. They're great, but I'm not super picky when it comes to fajitas. Went this past week and ordered the steak, shrimp, chicken skewers. Could not have been more disappointed. Probably one of the most bland and taste-free things I've had at a restaurant. Only upside, good drinks! After this last visit, I really don't need to go there again.
(2)
Len W.
The chain seems to have gone downhill in the past few years. The spot in Oak Park isn't as good as it used to be. The Schaumburg spot seems just ok, too. This was my first time there. When I walked in at about 8 PM on a Saturday they were blasting techno in the bar. I like techno, but there was no one in the bar. I mean NO ONE. Food was decent but for what I paid it should have been a lot better. I don't remember what I had. Not at all. And for $30 (including tip) you'd think it would have been better. Yes, the Margarita is strong. But I wouldn't go back.
(2)
John M.
We went to Lalos on a Saturday afternoon at about 2:00pm. The buffet runs until 3pm. My wife and I both had the extensive buffet ($8.99 I think) along with a $2.25 Coke. $2.25 for a Coke seems high, but at least they kept your glass full. It seemed that every time it got below 1/2 full, someone was there to get me a refill. The buffet had a wide variety of food available - it was probably about 20 feet or more long. Quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, burritos and on and on. Everything was good and we didn't find anything that we really just didn't like. We'll definitely be going back. The service was pretty good. Our waitress was attentive and came back to check on us frequently - almost too frequently though. It seemed that every time we tried to talk, the waitress showed up to see if we needed anything. Other than that, everything was good.
(4)
Catherine C.
Inside was beautiful. Service was pleasant and quick. Food was delicious! They even had a mariachi band! Only issue was the guac. It wasn't prepared at the table and was missing salt. Overall great experience!
(4)
Kelly T.
Great mango margaritas! Decent chips and salsa, but it's a bit too pricey for my liking.
(3)
Frank B.
Nice decor o.k. Food. Good strong drinks. A bit pricey for a Mexican restaurant. But overall a good restaurant.
(3)
Rachel D.
The best homemade margaritas! No mixes used here people! Chips and salsa very good and authentic, and their guacamole is to die for you have to order it. The tacos, quesadillas,and burritos are wonderful I have tried them all. If you are really hungry get the ultimate skillet it is huge and awesome and only 16 bucks, not bad for the amount of food you get! Saturday nights they have a Mariachi band too. I have always had great service and love going here with my family. This is a kid friendly restaurant.
(5)
Mrsotle O.
I went to Lalo's once for a family dinner and each one of us took our first bites and began complaining instantly (usually we're pretty easy to please). It tasted like our food came out of a microwaveable box from Jewel. It was not warm enough, the meat was too chewy, and the veggie enchiladas lacked taste. We all left very disappointed and hungry.
(1)
Pal S.
They have amazing margaritas. They mango, peach and guava are excellent. They pitcher is well priced and is a good order for a table with more people. Food is just average. Have eaten better Mexican food elsewhere.
(3)
Keegan L.
Not sure I see the appeal that others see in this place as the margaritas were nothing special and so were the tacos.
(3)
Barbie S.
I have been here many time, and I really like Lalos!!! Granted they may not have the BEST mexican food I have ever tasted, but it is so fun here! It is definitely a great place to come with a group... the chips and salsa are fabulous, and the margaritas are awesome! (good tequila selection... i have NO IDEA how anyone can stand to drink Jose Cuervo AHHHHHH disgusting!!!) Anyway.... the atmosphere is always up beat the place is always crowded, and the mariacchi's are sooooo fun!!! hahahaa.... as long as they aren't at my table! :)) Plus I like that they serve the pickled peppers & carrots! Yummy!!!! Plus the bar area is decent size if u are waiting for people or table.
(4)
Jim K.
My wife and I headed to the Schaumburg location this past Friday (7/15/11) and there's a "Closed for Remodeling" sign on the front door! Anyone know what's up? Are they really remodeling, or is there something else going on?
(4)
Eric M.
You know it's not a great buffet when the best thing I had at Lalo's was their beans and rice. Most of the items were either out of stock or had been sitting so long they were dried out and required spoonfuls of sauce to make them edible. I came for lunch so I'm not sure how good their margaritas are. As for a lunch that's on the higher end, I don't think I'll be going back.
(2)
Erik S.
Went here last weekend with my wife after walking around Woodfield Mall. We had gone to the Naperville outpost and were very disappointed, but I assured my wife that this was the Lalos I grew up with, the one my parents would take me to. The place has some charm, but definitely needs to be updated. Chips and salsa and water came out immediately when we sat down which is important to me. The chips and salsa were ok, but I've had better (Dare I say Chipotle has better salsa?) I had a steak burrito and my wife had the chicken flautas. The food was OK. Not anything to brag about here. Honestly now that I think about it, for the price that I paid at Lalos I could have bought 2 burritos at any Burrito Loco that would have probably been just as good. The "steak" was little bits of beef which while had a good flavor was the texture of beef jerky. Was it bad? No. Was it great? No. The upside to this experience however was our waiter who was very good and reminded me of Fabio on Top Chef All stars. He always asked us how we were doing and my water and beer was always full. And can't beat 2.00 Modelo draft special. While this used to bring back memories of my parents taking me here years ago, it seems its lost its charm. I don't think I would come back.
(3)
Mike B.
Great place for awesome margaritas!! Friendly atmosphere and staff that are always willing to accommodate. It's right across the street from my house and me and my family have become regulars at this place. The food is good but not out of this world. However they do have great guacamole. They make it fresh right in front of you! I'm defiantly a fan and will be in heaven once their little garden patio is back open!
(4)
Sovanni A.
Please do not go here. I went there with a friend last night and both her and I got alcohol poisoning. We ordered a medium size margarita and something in that drink made us both felt sick when we got home. I usually dont write reviews, but I felt the need to for this place. They said they closed down for remodeling, but if you go inside everything is the same. Theres no remodeling, they closed down for another reasons. The food here taste like crap, and now their trying to poison us with some cheap ass tequila!
(1)
K S.
I love the Lalo's skillet! It has everything, and I could have made a meal out of that awesome chorizo sausage. It came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup that had garbanzo beans and a wedge of lime and it was so good on cold winter evenings. Of course, that was offset by all of the awesome margaritas I've downed there. It was great with a group and even just sitting at the bar.
(5)
Karolina M.
Went there once, food wasn't special, very greasy,generic,quantity over quality... Drinks were ok
(2)
Mindy P.
Being new to the area, I am depending a lot on online reviews for new businesses to try. We visited Lalos on a Saturday night around 6:30 and the parking lot was pretty full, which to me was a good sign. The decor is great, our waiter was very prompt and attentive and the mariachi band was a plus. In a nutshell, the salsa was excellent, the food was okay and my peach margarita was awesome. Will visit again to try the buffet, the guacamole and of course a different margarita flavor!
(3)
Yvonne O.
I have been to just about every Lalo's around - some still in existence, others now gone and I have to say I love this one probably the most. The waitstaff here is wonderful and really seem to enjoy their jobs, even when they introduced the $8.95 buffet on the weekends, which has to cut into their tips somewhat. I chose this place so that my mom could eat the buffet and I could get some lower calorie soup. The caldo de camarones did not disappoint. Spicy like crazy, but the lime squeezed into it cut the heat and the giant chunks of carrot and zucchini in it balanced out the (what had to be) pound of shrimp in the bowl. YUM! It is served with spanish rice and tortillas or bread, but I skipped those (sadly). The buffet is a serious bargain - tons of choices, desserts and appetizers are up there and that price is cheaper than most of the entrees on their own!
(4)
Maria A.
STAY AWAY !!! I almost never write any reviews but I just had to share our experience. We read the reviews but thought its mexican food ...How bad can it be .. We were very disapointed. The staff was friendly enough but the food was HORRIBLE. No taste, and this place is def OVER PRICED for the few menu options. My husband and I are huge fans of mexican food and are usually overwhelmed with options so we were very surprised of the lack of options. Not only was the food super burned but dry and no taste. We def will not go back
(1)
Yvette C.
My second favorite Mexican Restaurant in the area! I absolutely love coming here on the weekends. The service is always friendly, the margaritas are plentiful & the Mariachi band rocks it out...need I say more? When the weather is nice I suggest sitting out on the patio, such a great spot to chill after a long work week.
(5)
Sassy M.
The food was just okay. I've had better mexican food. Its very authentic style mexican. The menu is small compared to most mexican restaurants. It was not all that friendly to kids... too quiet!
(2)
Chris S.
Everyone I've asked about this place (including two of the three previous reviews, I see) have said "go for the margaritas." When I ask "how's the food?" I typically am told "go for the margaritas." After visiting Lalo's a few days ago, I can officially say this: "if you want to get drunk, go for the margaritas." The food is fine, neither terrible nor great, though somewhat overpriced. The margaritas are quite strong and fairly tasty, but you may as well head someplace with better food.
(2)
David B.
i went there last night with my wife and her coworkers, i thought the selection on the menu was tantalizing, and for the most part everything was solid. there was a few star items, like the chorizo, the grilled queso block that came with the chicken (which was horrible). i would go back, but i think the menu is hit or miss with great and just bad. the service was okay, and i could tell the waitress was trying hard, but she didn't understnd somethings and made mistakes, but if you repeated something to her, she was snappy.
(2)
G P.
we went yesterday for dinner and i was not pleased with it.after reopening me and my husband thought that we should give a try to this place one more time,but too noisy and food was not excellent.i don't think we are going back there.
(2)
MK H.
I have to put in a good word for Lalo's after dining there last night with a party of 5. The place is cute and comfy and laid out nicely. The waitstaff was friendly and playful, even while serving large groups. They even made the experience feel a bit more authentic by throwing some Spanish at us here and there, all in good fun. It makes the table feel more relaxed and comfortable right away when the waiter has a playful spirit. The margarita's are over $7 a pop for a "small" but they come in a big 'fish bowl' of a margarita glass and definitely pack a punch. I can't imagine what a large would be. One was plenty for me! A couple of times it seemed like the wait for things was a little longer than reasonable since it wasn't packed, but it was totally forgivable considering everything else we got out of the experience. The guacamole is made tableside by the waiter so it was wonderfully fresh. And they don't chince out on it - it had tomato, cilantro and onion in it. Great stuff. I've had some that was just mushed up avacado and was being called guacamole. My mom didn't want the rice and beans that came with her flauta's and my husband ordered the tamale dinner. The waiter pointed out to him that if he took her rice and beans and ordered the tamale appetizer instead, he'd still get his three tamales with rice and beans for about $5 less! He went out of his way to help us save money! A tip-worthy move for sure. The only thing I was less than thrilled with were my flauta's. They were yummy and I did enjoy them - not too greasy, not too heavy, cooked very well, but the chicken was a little bland. But a perfect texture and crunch. Just a bit more spice on the chicken while it cooked would have gone a long way. Then again, it could easily have been a single incident. The rice was moist and tasty. The beans weren't too greasy and weren't too dry. For a heaping plate of mexican food it wasn't super greasy or heavy, and my tummy had no issues with it later ;) With all the little extra requests and changes we made, they did not forget or mess up a single food item in our whole order. They also had a little bowl of lollipops on the way out, which was nice because after such a big meal you may not have room for a full dessert, so there is a little something available for a sugar fix. That's a nice touch. Overall we had a great experience. Good food, good margarita, good waiter. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Wanda V.
My husband & I dined on a Saturday for an early dinner at 4:30pm. It has been about 2 years since we dined here and I can't imagine we will be back. I was very surprised on how limited the menu is and how expensive they all are. The average price was $14.95 for an entree. I ordered steak tacos that were just tasteless. The service was SO slow. The restaurant was barely busy, but each and every placement on the table (water, chips, entree and so on) took an average of 20 minutes. And what really bothered me was that they were playing 80's rock music! Just awful.
(2)
Jason C.
Nice, comforting Mexican food from a type of place you don't expect much from. I used to come here a lot a up till a few years ago. Recently went back and its better than I remember it. Had the carne asada and it was pretty tasty. Chips were nice and crisp. Refried beans were not dry. Maybe it just reminds me of my childhood, but for me, this is one of the better mexican places out there.
(4)
Mike I.
I don't care for this place at all. The burritos are very bland, almost forgettable. The margaritas are just okay. The only good thing are the chips and salsa.
(1)
Mark R.
terrible ...margaritas tasted like gator ade...menu was filthy with grease and food particles...had to wash my hands after handling it...had a combo platter..steak was tough..chicken dry...shrimp undercooked..wife had a fish dish...was laying in a pool of grease. waiter was in lalo land..hard to understand and dissappeared frequently...really bad experience.
(1)
Katrina G.
Great margaritas, beware they're sneaky little devils! All meals come with chips and salsa and a great cup of mexican chicken soup. I've enjoyed almost everything there, but did not care for the tamales. Great place to sit at the bar, share a pitcher of margaritas and a few appetizers. The tilapia veracruza is very good as well.
(4)
Stella S.
Go here for the margaritas! Their margaritas are simply the strongest around. Their potatoe salad is really good, but you have to ask for it because it's not on the menu. Also, they have pretty decent outdoor seating.
(4)
Spider F.
We came here for lunch and were told about the lunch buffet. It was great value for the cost. There was a large selection, including taco's, mini burritos, quesadillas, gauc, rice beans, dessert etc. Unlike many buffets where they are light on the protein, all the options were stuffed with meat and delicious. The service was friendly and fast and everything was filled and replaced regularity. We will definitely be back and highly recommend it.
(5)
Angela S.
The truth is, it was just okay for me on a personal note, but the rest of my family was extremely happy! What saved dinner was the fact that they have a vegetarian menu, after asking our waitress what my vegetarian hubby could order. The regular menu was slim pickens for him. 4-stars for the menu discovery! You have to ask for it. We decided to go for an Ikea run tonight, and everyone seemed to be craving Mexican food. We ended up here by default, because we realized the other smaller independent restaurants we were considering closed at 6pm. Lalo's was a bit out of the way, but a nice place for a family meal. The chips are homemade here, but they were underwhelming for me and the salsa wasn't very exciting. I enjoyed the chicken soup starter to the meal. Served with a lime, it had a nice kick to it. The kids menu is great, and for ages 10 and under. My hearty eating nine year old boys filled up quickly. The menu is divided into two sections--hungry and extra hungry. They ate for $5.50 and each kid got a mini bowl of soup, steak tacos, rice or fries. They loved it! Hubby ordered guac. tacos, and I ended up with chicken and beef flautas with guac., rice and refried beans. In retrospect, I wish I would have ordered off the vegetarian menu. I felt a little wonky after eating...just too much food for me. Would I come here again? Probably not. It's just not super convenient, and I didn't find the meal to be memorable after leaving. Service was absolutely lovely. Our waitress was quick to handle all our needs.
(3)
Azhar S.
I've been here twice and wasn't crazy about it. I usually order a burrito and taco salad and both items were over priced in terms of quality and quantity. Drinks are also not so great either. It had a very good location right in Schaumburg and you can't miss it since it's right on Roselle Road. Overall, not a big fan of this place.
(3)
Samantha R.
Pretty neat little spot. I went a few weeks ago with a group from work and it was really nice! We ordered several appetizer samplers for the table and the guacamole. Everything was very authentic and fresh tasting, I really loved the guacamole and the flautas were awesome. The margaritas were ON POINT and had a lot of alcohol in them, and the flavor combinations were awesome! I had strawberry and a strawberry mango margarita, and both were great. I really loved the atmosphere in this place, it reminded me of the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT. Little bridges to walk over to get to your table, a mariachi band playing, and cobblestone floors. The bar had karaoke going and dancing. It seemed like this place was always a big party! I really enjoyed my visit, as did my co-workers. I hope to come back for a full meal sometime in the future and I feel bad for driving past without a thought so many times!
(4)
Tobin h.
Had a great server in Virgillio and I have to say this is one of the most underated and unappreciated restaurants around. The folks that manage this haven just get it. They do everything right and their professionalism makes it run like clockwork. Not to mention the outstanding food. They take pride in what they do and it shows. A must go to whenever you see the smiling sunshine.
(4)
Adam D.
Lalo's is in a unique position of needing three different reviews, or at least one review that is an aggregate of three components: lunch buffet, dinner, and bar. First, the lunch buffet. I was not a fan. Limited selection of room-temperature food. Pass. Second, dinner. Very good! I've had dinner here several times and the entrees have always been tasty. The apps are a little bland but that's not really a big deal. You don't leave a movie because the previews were boring, right? Third, the bar. Totally different vibe from the dining room. There were a few different things going on in the bar while we were there. Part sports bar, part singles bar for older people, and mix in an occasional large group of women drinking margaritas and getting their swerve on with mariachi bands. Overall, it's good as long as you know when to go and when to skip it.
(3)
Maria S.
My family and I have been coming to Lalo's restaurants for years now!!! They always have GREAT food and great service is awesome! I really would recommend this place to anyone looking for great Mexican food, great margaritas, and great music!
(5)
Latoya B.
This was my first visit to this Lalo's. I have been to both the Berwyn and Chicago locations. In my opinion in comparison to those two, this one as far as the appearance of it is sub-par. Today is a gloomy type of day and unfortunately it felt that way inside. It was very dim and just wasn't conducive to "bringing out the sunshine in me." Luckily I had a great group of people with me to help that. The food on the other hand was very good. I ordered the Enchiladas Suiza, my favorite and it was definitely a hit. My co-workers order the lunch buffet and stated they enjoyed the variety and the food in itself. Our waiter was pretty great. He was very attentive. He ensured that he did not hover but at the same time met all of our needs. My water glass never got empty despite him not hovering around so for that I give him kudos! I can tell he was keeping a watchful eye over his tables. The area near the rest room seemed a bit cluttered, or it may just be that it was so dark in their that it appeared to be cluttered. Im curious to know if it is any different in the evening, or a brighter day outside as a whole, so for that I will return.
(3)
Jessica P.
The service was very good. the food came out quickly and was good. What I expect from the local Mexican restaurant. The problem came when we asked for our check. We had a Groupon so the server took my phone for the voucher number. Ten minutes later she still hadn't returned. When we saw her we were told that only the manager could process Groupons and they didn't know where the manager was. She brought back my phone but they were still no check as they were still looking for the manager. After 20 minutes we finally received our check. The food was good but I don't think it was worth the 20 minute wait to receive our check.
(2)
Jeff A.
I have been here a couple of times. The first time I visited Lalo's, I was disappointed by the food. I am from California and my family are Tejanos, so with having had excellent mexican food in my lifetime do I expect prefect food at a restaurant? No. Do I expect flavors to rival Taco Bell or Del Taco when I am at a sit down restaurant? Yes! Knowing that cooks can have bad days or the crew just isn't clicking that night, I gave Lalo's another try and found the same old boring food with bland flavor and nothing to excite the palate. Sorry, Lalo's, not coming back unless I am strictly having drinks.
(1)
Rosanna L.
I'm surprise by the low rating here! I initially called early in the week to make resevrations for a Friday night, but was told they would only take reservations for a party of 6 or more, understandable. Our party of 4 got there around 7:40pm on a Friday night and it was busy, but no wait, awesome. We were greeted with some chips and salsa and our server to take our drink order. 1/2 price draft specials and $6.50 red or white sangria, hmmMmmm sangria. I went with the red sangria and it was delicious and fruity, so I had 2 glasses. We ordered their Botana Combinada: combination appetizers of nachos, quesadilla, tamales, flautas, and seafood empanada. I always like ordering any combo dish because you get to taste a little bit of everything. My favorite had to be the seafood empanada although i wish it came with more then one. The flautas and tamales were a bit dry, but nothing a little bit of sour cream and guac can't fix. The quesadilla had ham in it and it was delicious. I ordered the carne asada a la tampiquena, medium rare and it was perfect. The skirt steak was cooked to perfection with the warm red in the middle, so tender and juicy, drools. I thought the rice and beans and were just okay, but the steak definitely made the meal. I was really satisfied. (It always made for a good steak and egg english muffin sandwich the next morning.) The rest of the party also enjoyed their meals and the live entertainment. I can't wait to go back for some juicy skirt steak and a ice cold red sangria.
(4)
Isabel K.
Great food and drinks! Have not had anything bad there.
(3)
Laura S.
I've been meaning to try this place for a while and I'm SO glad I did. My boyfriend and I stopped in for a weekday late lunch. I was immediately entranced by the wonderful decor inside the restaurant. The items are a little pricey but the quality is definitely on par with it. Too expensive to go there very often though (boo!). The service was very attentive and very friendly. We ordered way too much and both walked away with noticeable "food babies". I'd like to revisit this review after I try them out during a dinner rush.
(4)
Odranre B.
i came here twice for lunch in the last several of months...both times i came for the weekday lunch buffet at roughly 12-12:30 noon...both times, the food was limited to very few items and very little quantity, especially the more expensive items like fish and beef...and both times i came here, they told me that they were not bringing anymore food...it's 12 noon! how can you be advertising a buffet and having only old nachos, re-fried beans, and tortillas...such a disappointment and false advertising to get you in here during weekday lunch...this review is for the lunch buffet, i have not had any issues with dinner
(1)
Steff D.
My boyfriend and I went in for dinner about 630 on a Friday night and this place was packed. We waited about 15 minutes for a table and had a drink in the bar. We ordered the appetizer sampler which was really nothing special. The quesadilla had a slice of ham and you wouldn't even know there was cheese on it. Tamales were dry as well as the flautas. The nachos were thrown on the plated and all the cheese got on about three chips. Not much cheese either. The service was slow. I understand that they were busy but I did feel a bit neglected by my server. I ordered the carne Asada. Huge portio of streak! The steak was good. Rice and beans were good. However, my boyfriend had the burrito and he said we could have gotten one from the Mexican place down the street. It was nothing special. I give three stars for my portion of streak and the prices were good. Paid 60 bucks including tip for everything and the dinners included a soup and I had a drink. They have a mariachi band that sings to people for dinner or birthdays. It's s nice touch but it was extremely distracting. I think this place would be great for a birthday celebration but not a date night.
(3)
Nelson M.
Restaurant review AYCE buffet every day! I have been here before and was less than impressed by the buffet but I have been away for many years until this past month. I went on a weekday, the buffet is priced at 9.99 I believe or somewhere around that price. You are greeted with a bonanza of mexican food items including spinach quesadilla, small burritos ( I would stay away from this), taquitos chicken/beef, fresh taco station with chicken, beef (res) this was amazing go with this) in flour or corn tortilla. There was even mole and other traditional mexican dishes. Unlimited guac as well in the salad bar area. To top it off rice pudding or flan. This is a nice change of pace from other lunch venues. I would highly recommend if you like traditional mexican food. Pro: lunch buffet AYCE, friendly staff Cons: none Hidden gem: AYCE lunch buffet, great deal
(4)
Mark S.
Worst Mexican Buffet ever! Had a taste for Mexican food today, so my friend and I decided to give Lalo's buffet a try. Now I remember why i hadn't been to one in like 20 years. It was without a doubt the worst Mexican food I ever had. No idea why/how people actually like this place. Guess the drinks must be good. The buffet was over priced ($11) and tasteless. Come on people.....how about at least using some Adobo? We should have known the meal would be bad when we sampled the salsa provided with the chips. The chips had an odd taste, and the salsa was like a can of crushed tomatoes. No taste at all. We arrived at about 12:30, the restaurant was empty and the buffet was nearly bare. The best part of the meal was the free suckers when you leave. Do yourselves a favor and find someplace else.
(1)
Howard L.
This is a large and colorful place, and looks to be a good venue for large groups. We came by here for dinner before a Schaumburg Boomers game nearby, as it would be better than eating at that ballpark. They have some good seafood items (we tried the seafood combination plate). Their appetizer sampler plate was also decent. Ok place to try if you are up this way.
(4)
Genevieve L.
They have a nice outdoor seating area and mariachis on the weekends. Kinda romantic depending on how you look at it. I ordered the steak fajitas and I love how they serve them sizzling on the cast iron platters. Maybe its the weather but the lettuce looked a bit wilted but other than that everything was good
(4)
Chewy C.
Food was great, service was good too, was seated right away. Strongly suggest going outside your regular order of tacos, burritos, or tortas. Everything is tasty & u just might find your new favofite dish. I recommend Bistec con Raja y Queso. There margaritas are worth getting. After a few you will want to go to the bar. Just keep in mind on weekends the bar does turn into a night club. I was there on Saturday and I liked the older crowd with da old skool music. house, hip hop, spanish. nice to be at a place where 21 year olds are not complaining cause they aint playing the latest rihanna.
(5)
Kristy R.
A friend and I split the fajitas and they were just ok. I've had better, they were actually pretty plain tasting. So we get 4 flour tortillas and after we ate the four there was so much left over to make more tacos with so we ordered more tortillas and the waitress Rosa gave us 3 more. Now if you have two people and they're sharing the meal and you're aware they are sharing why would you give them 3 tortillas?? Anyways Rosa was NOT keeping our drinks filled I had to call her over 3 times to get a refill and ask another employee to get me another flour tortilla. The chips tastes like cardboard. Next time for Mexican food I'll go to La Hacienda or La Magdalena's in Addison, their food is much better tasting and very flavorful. Not a fan of Lalo's at all.
(1)
Misty S.
The other reviews were right, the service is slow! It took a while to get a glass of water and another while to get a refill. The food is decent and the prices are reasonable (on the higher end for Mexican food). I came for dinner on a Friday night and the place was packed. The bright and colorful decorations added to the ambiance of the restaurant. Definitely good for large groups since they have tons of space and tables. The chip and salsa were good and help curb the appetite while waiting for the food to come out. I ordered a medium mango margarita, which was delicious and I couldn't even taste the alcohol. For $11, it's almost like a meal. The flautas dinner came with some guac, rice, and beans for $12. I didn't think the flautas were anything special and they were kind of on the dry side (dried shredded chicken). The guacamole was very good, but I think that's rather difficult to mangle. The rice was tasty and fluffy. The lady behind me got a glass of margarita dumped on her when a waitress lost her balance. I've been there before and was glad it wasn't me this time. There's a bowl of lollipops by the entrance that were full of fruit flavored lollipops. Someone recommended mango, but it was strange tasting for a mango. There's also a gum surprise in the middle.
(3)
Desiree L.
We've been here before and liked it a lot, and since its on the way from our new rescue's vet, thought it'd be great to sit on the patio after his appointment and enjoy lunch, but alas, not allowed...so we'll head home and visit Norwood Park and Edison Park establishments where he's more than welcome !
(3)
Tracy J.
Had a delicious lunch here with my daughter today. It's just as good as the Berwyn location. I'm giving it four stars because the don't have any booths (which I find more comfortable than tables) and their frozen raspberry Margarita seemed a little more "tart" than the ones at the Berwyn location. After I stirred it up it was fine, but I think the Margaritas at the Berwyn location are a tad bit better. Overall great lunch. I'll come back next time I'm in Schaumburg!
(4)
Nick S.
Not a bad place. We live not to far from them. I think they do a good job. Very inexpensive, but not really authentic I guess. The bar is good. Beer is inexpensive. Overall it's not a bad place and I would come here again.
(4)
Rachael Z.
Lalo's has an amazing lunch buffet that is worth every penny! I've only been here for lunch, but it's a great deal. Allow for some time, because though the food is already prepared, you'll want to go up several times for appetizers, different tastes of foods, and desserts! I'm sure the menu is incredible, but the buffet is the best deal for the lunch hour. Highly recommended!
(5)
jill w.
After waiting for 25 minutes for our drinks, the server informed us she had not put in our order. We were discouraged from the buffet by the server. We were charged for cheese for the tacos. The ladies room had no toilet paper in 2 of the 3 stalls. Skip this place.
(1)
Mat M.
Wow! This place was great. Great service from the time we walked into the building. Not your typical Mexican restaurant menu. Tons of seafood. The salsa was perfect. Everything had the perfect amount of spice to it. Even my kids gobbled it up. It's a little pricey but the quality is there.
(5)
Eric C.
Wait for a table on a Saturday night was about 45 mins with no reservation,but well worth the wait. Took the family and we enjoyed the food and friendly staff,especially server Christopher. Authentic meals and great drink deals. The Mariachi band topped off a fun experience. Check it out, family friendly with a separate bar area with many TV's to enjoy.
(4)
Cesar R.
Margaritas are the best with awesome service. They're portions are back to being big. Love the ambiance and will definitely come back. Highly recommend this location. The outside gives it no justice. Inside is a gem along with the live music on the weekends.
(5)
Andrew G.
Went to Lalo's on Mother's Day with my wife, mother-in-law and her boyfriend for our first visit and it was a huge disappointment. The place wasn't crazy busy as there were more than a few empty tables around us, yet our server would frequently forget about us and disappear. When he came back to fill our water, more than once, he'd fill the glasses with Sprite before walking off despite us trying to tell him. He was overall fairly inattentive. The food was overpriced for what was served and, more or less, bland and unremarkable. Total, for the four meals, it came out to a jaw-dropping $80, none of which I would call worth it. Would not recommend and definitely would not return.
(2)
Margarita M.
The service is great the food is still very good we went there for lunch with my sister and a friend of mine it was my girlfriends birthday they brought her out a cupcake with a candle and sing happy birthday which I thought was a great gesture. I had not been to Lalos in a very long time I'm glad we picked this place for our lunch
(5)
Pari P.
I was a fan of Lalos' lunch buffet several years ago. It was the place to go with my coworkers when I used to work in Schaumburg. After several months of being closed due to construction, I made a visit to see the improvements. The interior decorating is amazing. You can tell that a lot of money was invested and you see it in the details from the tile to the art work on display. Interior is one thing but what about the food? I found the al pastor and the carne asada to be mediocre. The portions were large which helped justify the pricing but it wasn't memorable. I would relate the food to their lunch buffet where it satisfies your craving even though it's not the best Mexican food that you've had. We had a coupon which helped offset the cost. Lalos is also known for their margaritas. I'll have to come back next time and check out the bar area that was also renovated.
(3)
Bill H.
On a street full of fast food chain restaurants, it was nice to see an authentic Mexican restaurant. The decor made you feel like you were south of the border. Service and food was great. Next time you are thinking of going to Taco Bell, come here instead. They do offer take out.
(4)
Jennifer C.
After hearing great things about this restaurant from friends, I finally decided to try it out. We went later on a Friday evening with another couple for dinner. The bar area was packed and had a dj playing music, but there only were two or three other tables in the dining room. Our server greeted us right away and brought our drinks quickly. When it came time to order our dinner, it was so loud that we had to shout over not only the dj from the bar area, but a mariachi band in the dining room. The reason for only 1 star? My order was incorrect when the server brought it out and she disappeared so quickly that I had to wait at least 5 minutes for her to come back. I informed her that I had asked for NO onions on my tacos and that there was nothing except for onions on my tacos. She brought the dish to the kitchen and returned with another plate before quickly disappearing again. They simply covered the onions that I didn't want with cheese and tomatoes. My husband had to go find her after waiting another 5 minutes. At that point, I asked her to just bring the check and that I no longer wanted dinner. The check was just under $100 for the four of us and I didn't even eat anything. There was no visit from a manager and nothing extended for this extremely poor experience. If this happened when it was so slow, I don't want to know how they function when it is actually busy.
(1)
Jenny G.
Met a friend there for the lunch buffet and i was pretty pleased with it. I don't eat meat so several of the options were not available to me. So they offered to make me some veggie options. So they made me some Veggie enchaliadas so i wouldn't feel left out. They were also making fresh Gauc so they had that going for them..
(4)
Kat L.
I would have to say, it is the best Mexican I've had in the area. Chips and salsa were nothing to write home about. Their own homemade salsa was also pretty unforgettable. But come here for a night to chill out, have so margs and mexican. I'm not big on tequila, but was surprised with how good the mango margarita was that I got. We came on a friday, which included the tableside singing. =) i don't care if it's hokey. I loved it. Fun entertainment for anyone who's not too worried about being "too cool." Will probably be back for more. The pork on the tacos we had were really flavorful and juicy. Surprisingly, I even liked it a lot more than the steak tacos I had. Rice and beans were pretty up to par. A lil pricey, but worth it for the experience.
(4)
Shaun S.
It was alright , nothing that would have me telling people to go hear instead of all the other Mexican restaurants in the area. It was ok, but drinking on the outside patio made life a little better that day.
(3)
Jennifer S.
I'm baaack! After what I think was a four or five month remodel job, Lalo's reopened recently. We heard that they were open again and headed for the usual lunch buffet. Unfortunately, it is no longer there seven days a week. I am not sure on the schedule, but I would suggest calling first. We looked at the lunch menu which had been completely re-vamped and decided on a combo platter. Basically steak, chorizo, chicken, shrimp wrapped in bacon, peppers, etc. served with tortillas. It was a good price for a great portion. The staff all seemed different as I didn't recognize anyone. The atmosphere was pretty nice and the service was good. No problems with refills or getting more tortillas. It was a good visit. I'd like to try the lunch buffet and see how it's changed, so I will keep you posted once I do that.
(4)
Rita B.
I've been here several times throughout the years. I normally have good things to say but this time around I'm pretty disappointed. My mother and I decided on the lunch buffet (even though I NEVER do buffets). The first time we served ourselves there weren't too many options but we say the employees filling the dishes so we figured we'll have better luck a little later. For our second trip to the buffet there were even less options. I then noticed one of the workers filling up the dishes with only a few items at at a time. For example instead of bringing out a full tray of mini burritos he would bring 4 or 5 at a time. Unfortunately he did this for every dish. There were enough customers going to the buffet so there was never enough food. I had to ask him 3 times to fill the buffet. He would just smile smile and nod. Our waiter was even worse than the buffet. We had to ask him several times for extra napkins which he never brought over. My water (which was the only thing I was drinking) never got filled. It was a one and done deal. It was a bad experience this time around and it will probably be a very long time before I go back, IF I ever do go back.
(2)
Juan N.
I had the Enchiladas de Mole Poblano, disappointed only thing I could taste is the spicy hot mole when this mole should be sweet. Beans and rice taste flat. Presentation goog
(2)
Kei A.
I came here with my girlfriend for the first time. She recommended it to me, since I'm always raving about Mexican food, and told me I wouldn't be disappointed. She was right! The waitress was a tad slow, hence -1 star. I ordered the Aztec Lunch, which was surprisingly authentic. My girlfriend had something similar, which was equally good. We had too much food and we didn't finish, which is a good sign. The bill was about 40$ and we were full, plus, we had leftovers!
(4)
Broni R.
I've been here once before for dinner during the week with the family and I remember thinking the experience was mediocre. I returned unexpectedly this afternoon and was pleasantly content. Husband and I couldn't decide where we wanted to eat so we drove up and down Roselle rd. We finally decided to give the place another chance although he didn't hate the place. He had the nachos last time and was happy with it. Ok so today's experience... well it wasn't too packed when we got there but it seemed to start filling up right after. They have a lunch buffet for 9.95pp. Not sure how much it is for kids but I assume less. The buffet wasn't too bad. Shredded beef and chicken flautas didn't taste too fresh but the steak fajitas and honestly everything else was good. They had a couple of different salsas with good flavor and guacamole was great. I also had an original margarita on the rocks and it was great. We sat outside since it was a nice day and all in all it was a pleasant experience. Latin music played in the background so it gave the ambiance a very tropic feel. I would definitely return on a Sunday for the buffet and a coctail. Oh and service was great. Very friendly and attentive :)
(4)
Joe F.
We haven't been here in a couple of years and from what we recalled food was decent. We all wanted Mexican food and decided to come back but what a HUGE mistake, Food came out cold and tasteless, I have been to many Mexican restaurants and know good food. We frequent restaurants enough to know the good from the bad. We sent all four plates back so they could give us warm food but that was a waste of time. We all agreed that the re fried beans were on the cusp of being spoiled. Waitress was understanding and sent manager over. She looked about 12 years old so I know she was the real managers sounding board. We had arrachera and it was the worst I have had in decades. I urge everyone to stay away, I still ended up paying for on the steak that my husband ate because he was starving and half decent chile rellenos my mom ate . But no once touched the sides. Wasted money.
(1)
Nick M.
Bland food, kids running all over the restaurant- wow what a bad experience! Good luck!
(2)
Matt M.
Really great lunch buffet! Thats the best time to hit this place up. True, you can not get authentic or really good Mexican food in Chicago (especially Schaumburg), but this place does just fine. Its certainly better than Taco Bell and it hits the spot for the right price point! Good service, clean atmosphere, great location.
(3)
Zaneta N.
Great food, yummy drinks, decent pricing & amazing service! I will always ask for Roberto to be our server from now on. They were extremely busy (as most places are on a Friday night) yet Roberto still made sure to check up on us after he took our order and brought our appetizers, drinks and dinner in a timely manner. Best of all? He ALWAYS had a smile on his face! It was refreshing to see someone be so nice and provide such excellent customer service! Whoever wrote that their food can compare to "Taco Bell" clearly came here drunk or something. Taco Bell!? Let's be serious!! We both had burrito plates and they were delicious. The portion was too big for me and I took half of it home. I finally tried their famous margarita and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend it! I tried the Mango flavored one - medium size is HUGE! This was our first visit here during dinner time. I loved the overall vibe of the restaurant as they really comes alive in comparison to lunch time- when it's much quieter. They actually had Mariachis singing.
(5)
Catherine P.
I love Lalo's. It's especially sad because I always have crappy-server-lady-who-never-refills-my-drinks or the drinks of the people I'm with. They have a GREAT lunch buffet 7 days a week and for about $12.00 (including drink) you can have a nice lunch....that is, if you can get your drink. We ALWAYS get there right when they open and when the food is fresh because if you get there later in the afternoon, the food is garbage. All Mexican food dries out easily so it's difficult to keep it moist and fresh tasting. We have done take out a few times. Not good. They box the food in Styrofoam which simply makes the crunchy foods soggy because they put it steaming hot into the container. Perhaps, if they changed how the food was packed, it would improve. For example: put deep friend flautas or tacos in a hard shell in paper packaging. Cold garnishes should be left outside of the box or bag and packed separately because hot food and cold sour cream don't mix when it may be transported for up to 20 minutes. Be sure to use your bathroom at home before you go, you will not want to use theirs. Also, a shame, because we always rush out when we leave because I don't want to use their restrooms. They also offer 1/2 price appetizers Monday through Friday from 4(??) until 7pm in the bar area. They know how to make authentic Mexican food. Their flautas are just like my Grandma's used to be and their enchiladas aren't bad either. I look at it this way. You know it's a good Mexican restaurant when you look around and every patron is Hispanic.
(3)
Nick L.
Maybe I'm just not in love with this genre of food (Westernized Mexican Food), but their food offerings just all seem to be meh. The prices aren't terribly high, but the quality seems more akin to the offerings at Taco Bell, which boasts considerably cheaper prices. The margaritas on the other hand really save Lalo's. They are reasonably priced, taste amazing, and still provide a nice buzz. What more can you ask for? The bar atmosphere is so-so, nothing stands out about it. I will go back because it's next door to my apartment, but to me there are places with better value in the area.
(2)
Lemon L.
Six of us went and had a great time. The chicken tacos were really good, the chips and salsa were addictive. Lime marguerita was tasty. Wait staff was attentive and prices were reasonable. Very cute place, will return.
(4)
Ken K.
Don't expect a buffet to be 4 star food.....but Lalos REALLY went downhill....was just there today - all the choices were cheapened up.......bready crappy cheap stuff....from now on when I want a lot of Mexican, I'll just get 2 good burritos from one of many good burrito places around rather than drop 16 bucks for cheap breaded stuff and sides at Lalo's
(2)
Susan B.
So, Lalo's was closed the entire summer (what Mexican restaurant does "renovations" in the summer...seems that would be a super busy time for business?). I was itching for some good Mexican food and in my opinion, Lalo's does it best! What renovations were done? The place looks exactly the same. Maybe they did work in the kitchen?? Anyways, the food was great as usual. I always get the taco dinner with chicken. The chicken here is so moist and juicy! Also, their chicken soup is tasty too. This last visit the timing was off because we barely were into our soup when our meals were brought out. Our waitress noticed and came over and apologized. I had my yummy margarita so all was well in the world and I didn't mind one bit. I do love Lalo's but please, don't shut down again for an entire summer (margaritas just taste better in the summer!).
(4)
Daniel L.
I hear the margaritas are very good but I wasn't there to try it. I went there with a friend because he always talked about it. Bi ordered a steak burrito and honestly it was not worth the price. This place is overpriced for the quality of food and service. You pay almost 3 dollars for a lemonade which is perfectly fine but guess what... Refills cost you.. Like I said the food isn't great
(1)
Melissa R.
I LOVE this place ! The BEST margaritas! Order the BIG ones ! You will not be dissapointed. Very strong so you definately get your money's worth. Steak nachos are awesome....salsa very good. Quesadilla appetizer with mushrooms & onions (not on the menu) are so yummy ! Fajitas are good also. Sit in the bar for the best service. OR, ask for Chris the waiter. He is the little Phillipino server & he is hands down there BEST waiter. Good place to go and chill with friends.
(4)
Joshua B.
This was my first time here. I went to lunch with some of my family. When I walked it it looked very authentic to me. The waitress was really nice. She checked on us frequently to see if we needed refills which I love. I had a burger. Yes, I know a burger in a Mexican restaurant doesn't sound good, but it was. It had a different cheese than I have never had but it was very good. The fries were just ok - they didn't seem salted. My other family had the buffet. They both seemed to enjoy it. We had the flan - I would give that 5 stars!
(4)
Osiris V.
Meh, I don't find anything exciting about Lalo's anymore. They have average food, the service is ok and that's about it. I used to find their margaritas to be one of the best ever but since I didn't have one at this location I can't say. They did have a buffet open when I went there on a Saturday afternoon, but I didn't try it, I should of.
(3)
Stacey K.
Ugh. And now that I've recently experienced "real" mexican food: double ugh. Not even worth exacerbating my carpal tunnel to write too many lines about this place. I was only here because we had a little grade school /junior-high reunion involving me and 8 other ladies. It was strictly a half-way point meeting place. We were all totally unimpressed. Expensive drinks, icky looking refried beans, and tired looking entrees. The restroom was DEE-sgusting and the ATM was broken. Only two positives: the salsa was pretty tasty, and our server was a genuinely nice guy. But then, I'd add some sparkle too if I was serving a table full of giggling, imbibing, chatty chicks. We were there for 4 hours, for the love of God....
(2)
Matthew F.
Nostalgia prompted me to come here because when I was a kid it was Down The Hatch (pizza I think) Anyway, I love the transformation even if this deep sea diver suit is long gone. Their corn husk wrapped tamales and sauce(s) are good. Rather than the usual fajitas or combo platter, I ordered Tampico chicken which was excellent. The horchata is a good non-alcoholic beverage choice if you like nutmeg, otherwise the margaritas I saw were fishbowl sized. Service was attentive even with a full dinner crowd.
(4)
Giuseppe D.
Nice play to go to for margaritas. They don't have a huge variety of margaritas, but the ones they make are good. Strong enough to get the job done I'd say. The food is very mediocre. Nothing great, but nothing terrible either. The price is cheap, nothing over the top. They have karaoke nights, and people dance and what not. There's a bar area and a restaurant area, as well as a patio that's open in the summer. They do make your guacamole by hand and at your table which is pretty cool to watch, and that always turns out really good. I'd recommend Lalo's for guacamole with chips and their margaritas, but aside from that it's nothing to get excited over.
(3)
Meredith B.
Met my college friends here for dinner on a Wednesday night - the place was pretty empty so it was very easy to snag a table. The chips and salsa were tasty - I remember the chips tasting fresh and the salsa being better than average for a Mexican joint. Margaritas were pretty decent too! We got a pitcher between the three of us and they did not skimp on the tequila, which is always appreciated! The entrees all came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup which seemed strange to me, but whatevs. The soup is thin and brothy, tastes good, but you may as well save most of the room for your entree since there's nothing really special going on in the soup department. I got the chicken fajitas which came out sizzling and were pretty tasty - meat was well-seasoned and pretty juicy. Came with tortillas, refried beans, rice, and guac, so it was easy to build a tasty meal. I took half home for another dinner! Fried ice cream was pretty tasty too, I've never had it before. It's a standard Mexican joint, with the usual Mexican-American fare. No surprises, but it's a solid choice if you're in for some Mexican food and margs.
(3)
John H.
The shrimp fajitas and enchiladas rojas were excellent! Very good service. The margaritas were just OK but the food more than made up for it. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Sarah M.
I've been looking for my new go-to Mexican restaurant since moving to Schaumburg from the DC area and I was hoping this would be it, but sadly, it isn't. First, not that I'm an expert on chips and salsa, but the chips were really thick and the salsa wasn't my favorite to say the least.My entree, a steak burrito, was better than I thought it would be. My husband had the chicken fajitas and only ate one because he thought there wasn't any flavor on the meat and that they didn't cook the vegetables long enought. Lalos was fine enough, but we will keep looking for other Mexican restaurants before coming back.
(2)
Geoff G.
Wonderful and one of the few Mexican Places left in the area. Service is world class. Some items tend to be very spicy. Their newer menu has less selections.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Lunch buffet is the best way to go got this place to get some bang for your buck. The best part with the kids they are at a discount price. Nice for a family dinning out theses days. I like the addition of the guy making the tacos for you.
(4)
Vince A.
5-6 years ago, this might have been a 4 star review for Lalo's. It seems that over that time, this place has lost its way. Stopped in for lunch today. They still have the moderatly priced buffet with mediocre food. I chose the lunch from the menu. Went with a pretty standard dish - tampiquena with rice and beans. Rice and beans were fine. Steak was undercooked/underseasoned and a poor cut of meat and the enchilada was fine. I guess for 10 bucks +2 bucks for a coke (WTF) - I was expecting what it used to be - but alas, it's not.
(2)
Review P.
Great Mexican restaurant. Love all their food. Their beans and rice that are on the side are way more flavorful than other Mexican restaurants. Great chimichanga/burritos/tacos!
(4)
Ericka L.
OMG. I just wanted to put our waitress in my pocket and take her home!! She was so nice and adorable. Have you ever heard your waitress say, "anything you need I'm here for you"?! Well that was the moment I decided she was coming with us!!! I had the pick 3 combination plate with a quesadilla, a flauta, and an enchilada. All three were delicious but I liked the quesadilla the best as it had grilled onions on it and it was super cheesy. The rice was moist, the beans were flavorful, and the dollop of guac was tasty. The chips and salsa I can pass on next time because they weren't good at all...strange. Also had a delicious frozen mango margharita that gave the sweetest brain freeze and was absolutely refreshing. No wonder they boast their "famous" margharitas!! Overall pretty good authentic Mexican fare. Our waitress was really sweet and even though we heard her use the same cute line on another table, we always appreciate good service...thanks Patsy.
(4)
Laura G.
Wont be going to this place anytime soon. The location on Harlem in Berwyn, IL is alot better and so different. Very disappointed that this place wasn't up to expectations since this is closer to home. As a Latina who knows Mexican food was just not happy with this place from Service to Food. Period.
(1)
Rich M.
My wife and I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The first impression of the restaurant was great. Very nice decor, and the atmosphere was terrific. We ordered an appetizer and it came out in a very timely manner. However, when we received our main course, we were quite disappointed at the quality of the food. The food tasted very mediocre. Our main course was served w/ chicken noodle soup, which we thought was a very non-Mexican pairing. We've had much better tasting Mexican food elsewhere, and paid fraction of what we paid here. It does look like they have great selections of Margaritas, however, we didn't try their drink menu. This seems like a decent place for a larger gathering.
(3)
Devi R.
We were craving Mexican and were in the area last weekend. We looked up places in the area and I was reminded of Lalo's. I hadn't been there in so many years - at least 10 - but I remembered it being a more sit-down kind of place and that sounded pretty good so we headed that way. There was a pick 3 option and it was excellent - you can pick 3 of whatever you want (enchiladas, sopes, tacos, quesadillas, etc.) and add a 4th for $2. That would probably be good for 2 people but we are unreasonable people and ordered a pick 3 each. They have a spinach enchilada option that's not on the menu. Yum! Plus awesome chips and salsa - better than the usual. Anyway, today (a week later) my husband wakes up and says "we're not getting tacos today." Obviously by 3 pm one of us was like "Wanna get tacos?" and we were like "Lalo's?" and we headed back. Still just as good, still just as filling. We are now in a food coma... actually passed out on the drive home. Yummm!
(4)
Mary B.
Like most people I've seen review this place, it is also one of my family's favorite restaurants to go to. We only live a few blocks from Lalos in Schaumburg and we love it. Why? Two reasons: Margaritas and Guacamole. Most often, we don't even order food there. They have table-side guacamole and the best margaritas in town. The margs are little pricy, but they also have a ton of tequila in them... so it's pretty much worth it. The service is always friendly and the food is decent. I never really order any dinner there, we just order the appetizers. I really don't have too much to complain about except the bar area sometimes. Once in a while, my parents and I will go to the bar area because you can get half off of the appetizers before 6 (I think) and one time we were the only ones in the bar and they were BLASTING the music. I have no idea why, but we had to ask them to turn it down and for some reason they said no. I couldn't really hear them but it was something to do with the sound system for later that night. They should figure out better music to play in there some nights but most of the time it's a lot of fun. Stop by there for a quick margarita or at least some guac and I promise you'll be satisfied. Definitely worth stepping out for on a summer night.
(4)
Megan O.
Came here for their lunch buffet with my sister, nephew and mom. It was pretty good for being a buffet, they had everything from flautas to tamales, and AMAZING FAJITAS. We went a little after prime-time lunch, around 1:30, and you can obviously tell the food was left out a little while. But I'm not going to complain because the food wasn't in a buffet style layout, rather chafing dishes you would use at a banquet party. For three people it came out to like $40 with soft drinks. I saw a sign that says BEST MARGARITAS, so I will be coming back.
(4)
Jennifer Q.
Just wanted to update my review and send a little "shout out" to waiter Roberto who served my mom and I last week during the lunch buffet. Roberto was very professional -he had this Javier Bardem quiet seriousness about him -but he was totally nice and friendly. My mom was undecided between an entree and the buffet and he explained that there were several vegetarian items that she would like on the buffet line. We had a great experience, as usual. This is by far my favorite Lalo's location!
(4)
Irene Z.
Lalo's is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. We've come for lunch and dinner but we especially love the weekend lunch buffet. It had been a little while since our last visit, but we went today for the lunch buffet and it was no exception. Still a favorite of ours. The food is fresh and authentic. I love the chips and salsa here, great homemade taste. At the weekend lunch buffet, I also love the steak fajitas which are a perfect mix of vegetables and tender beef. The eggs and rice are another favorite, again great homemade taste and flavor. There's also a good variety of enchiladas. We come here often with our kids and there's plenty for them to choose from (and they can be picky). Ambiance is nice, colorfully decorated with soft music playing in the background. And the service is always friendly and attentive. Whenever we crave Mexican food, it's the first place we think of. Definitely the place to go when you want good, authentic Mexican food!
(4)
Paul S.
The restaurant has a very nice decor and the staff was very friendly and efficient. Although the place was rather loud. The food was brought out hot and looked good. However, it tasted rather generic especially for the price. Sad, as I had good things about the Lalo's restaurants. Not too impressive. :(
(3)
Angelica C.
This place has really lost it's luster. Service is not good, food is meh, and for what they charge I prefer to take my business elsewhere.
(2)
Nicole L.
What made m experience totally awesome? Our waiter. My friend and I are on a low-carb diet so pretty much anything at a Mexican restaurant is off limits. YES it was pure torture! But our waiter was perfect and funny. I kept telling him my girlfriend won't let me eat that, or that it was to many carbs. So after dinner he asked if I'd like dessert and I said I wish! His response what if it's no carbs? I simply said you'd win my heart. Great food - for what we could have. Though the lighting was terrible! I couldn't see my menu.
When in doubt in Schaumburg on Friday or Saturday night head to Lalos. There is almost never a wait. The food is really good....the drinks are also very good. Never had a bad experience here.
(4)
Wilma F.
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF LEFT IN THE PAST I haven't been to Lalo's in years and was looking forward to an Authentic Mexican dish. Our server was very prompt and accommodating - the atmosphere is festive - the salsa was wonderful - but unfortunately the entree for both of us (which was described on the menu and by our server as Spicy) was generic, bland and disappointing. I guess when there are so many locations, passion on the recipes can go to the wayside.
(2)
Lauren R.
We cater food from them for work about once every 3 months. Not too bad but food sometimes comes cold or luke warm. Food overall is ok. Sometimes certain meats were not edible or chewable. Also I ate their for dinner and service wasn't all that. The female server had a heavy accent so I didn't understand her that well. She messed up my dates food order when he specifically asked for something not to be in the food and it still was. I would skip it since Schaumburg has plenty of other places to choose from to eat.
(3)
Jessica K.
I've been here quite a few times. I am not usually adventurous so I've always ordered the steak fajitas. They're great, but I'm not super picky when it comes to fajitas. Went this past week and ordered the steak, shrimp, chicken skewers. Could not have been more disappointed. Probably one of the most bland and taste-free things I've had at a restaurant. Only upside, good drinks! After this last visit, I really don't need to go there again.
(2)
Len W.
The chain seems to have gone downhill in the past few years. The spot in Oak Park isn't as good as it used to be. The Schaumburg spot seems just ok, too. This was my first time there. When I walked in at about 8 PM on a Saturday they were blasting techno in the bar. I like techno, but there was no one in the bar. I mean NO ONE. Food was decent but for what I paid it should have been a lot better. I don't remember what I had. Not at all. And for $30 (including tip) you'd think it would have been better. Yes, the Margarita is strong. But I wouldn't go back.
(2)
John M.
We went to Lalos on a Saturday afternoon at about 2:00pm. The buffet runs until 3pm. My wife and I both had the extensive buffet ($8.99 I think) along with a $2.25 Coke. $2.25 for a Coke seems high, but at least they kept your glass full. It seemed that every time it got below 1/2 full, someone was there to get me a refill. The buffet had a wide variety of food available - it was probably about 20 feet or more long. Quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, burritos and on and on. Everything was good and we didn't find anything that we really just didn't like. We'll definitely be going back. The service was pretty good. Our waitress was attentive and came back to check on us frequently - almost too frequently though. It seemed that every time we tried to talk, the waitress showed up to see if we needed anything. Other than that, everything was good.
(4)
Catherine C.
Inside was beautiful. Service was pleasant and quick. Food was delicious! They even had a mariachi band! Only issue was the guac. It wasn't prepared at the table and was missing salt. Overall great experience!
(4)
Kelly T.
Great mango margaritas! Decent chips and salsa, but it's a bit too pricey for my liking.
(3)
Frank B.
Nice decor o.k. Food. Good strong drinks. A bit pricey for a Mexican restaurant. But overall a good restaurant.
(3)
Rachel D.
The best homemade margaritas! No mixes used here people! Chips and salsa very good and authentic, and their guacamole is to die for you have to order it. The tacos, quesadillas,and burritos are wonderful I have tried them all. If you are really hungry get the ultimate skillet it is huge and awesome and only 16 bucks, not bad for the amount of food you get! Saturday nights they have a Mariachi band too. I have always had great service and love going here with my family. This is a kid friendly restaurant.
(5)
Mrsotle O.
I went to Lalo's once for a family dinner and each one of us took our first bites and began complaining instantly (usually we're pretty easy to please). It tasted like our food came out of a microwaveable box from Jewel. It was not warm enough, the meat was too chewy, and the veggie enchiladas lacked taste. We all left very disappointed and hungry.
(1)
Pal S.
They have amazing margaritas. They mango, peach and guava are excellent. They pitcher is well priced and is a good order for a table with more people. Food is just average. Have eaten better Mexican food elsewhere.
(3)
Keegan L.
Not sure I see the appeal that others see in this place as the margaritas were nothing special and so were the tacos.
(3)
Barbie S.
I have been here many time, and I really like Lalos!!! Granted they may not have the BEST mexican food I have ever tasted, but it is so fun here! It is definitely a great place to come with a group... the chips and salsa are fabulous, and the margaritas are awesome! (good tequila selection... i have NO IDEA how anyone can stand to drink Jose Cuervo AHHHHHH disgusting!!!) Anyway.... the atmosphere is always up beat the place is always crowded, and the mariacchi's are sooooo fun!!! hahahaa.... as long as they aren't at my table! :)) Plus I like that they serve the pickled peppers & carrots! Yummy!!!! Plus the bar area is decent size if u are waiting for people or table.
(4)
Jim K.
My wife and I headed to the Schaumburg location this past Friday (7/15/11) and there's a "Closed for Remodeling" sign on the front door! Anyone know what's up? Are they really remodeling, or is there something else going on?
(4)
Erik S.
Went here last weekend with my wife after walking around Woodfield Mall. We had gone to the Naperville outpost and were very disappointed, but I assured my wife that this was the Lalos I grew up with, the one my parents would take me to. The place has some charm, but definitely needs to be updated. Chips and salsa and water came out immediately when we sat down which is important to me. The chips and salsa were ok, but I've had better (Dare I say Chipotle has better salsa?) I had a steak burrito and my wife had the chicken flautas. The food was OK. Not anything to brag about here. Honestly now that I think about it, for the price that I paid at Lalos I could have bought 2 burritos at any Burrito Loco that would have probably been just as good. The "steak" was little bits of beef which while had a good flavor was the texture of beef jerky. Was it bad? No. Was it great? No. The upside to this experience however was our waiter who was very good and reminded me of Fabio on Top Chef All stars. He always asked us how we were doing and my water and beer was always full. And can't beat 2.00 Modelo draft special. While this used to bring back memories of my parents taking me here years ago, it seems its lost its charm. I don't think I would come back.
(3)
Mike B.
Great place for awesome margaritas!! Friendly atmosphere and staff that are always willing to accommodate. It's right across the street from my house and me and my family have become regulars at this place. The food is good but not out of this world. However they do have great guacamole. They make it fresh right in front of you! I'm defiantly a fan and will be in heaven once their little garden patio is back open!
(4)
Sovanni A.
Please do not go here. I went there with a friend last night and both her and I got alcohol poisoning. We ordered a medium size margarita and something in that drink made us both felt sick when we got home. I usually dont write reviews, but I felt the need to for this place. They said they closed down for remodeling, but if you go inside everything is the same. Theres no remodeling, they closed down for another reasons. The food here taste like crap, and now their trying to poison us with some cheap ass tequila!
(1)
K S.
I love the Lalo's skillet! It has everything, and I could have made a meal out of that awesome chorizo sausage. It came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup that had garbanzo beans and a wedge of lime and it was so good on cold winter evenings. Of course, that was offset by all of the awesome margaritas I've downed there. It was great with a group and even just sitting at the bar.
(5)
Karolina M.
Went there once, food wasn't special, very greasy,generic,quantity over quality... Drinks were ok
(2)
Mindy P.
Being new to the area, I am depending a lot on online reviews for new businesses to try. We visited Lalos on a Saturday night around 6:30 and the parking lot was pretty full, which to me was a good sign. The decor is great, our waiter was very prompt and attentive and the mariachi band was a plus. In a nutshell, the salsa was excellent, the food was okay and my peach margarita was awesome. Will visit again to try the buffet, the guacamole and of course a different margarita flavor!
(3)
Eric M.
You know it's not a great buffet when the best thing I had at Lalo's was their beans and rice. Most of the items were either out of stock or had been sitting so long they were dried out and required spoonfuls of sauce to make them edible. I came for lunch so I'm not sure how good their margaritas are. As for a lunch that's on the higher end, I don't think I'll be going back.
(2)
Yvonne O.
I have been to just about every Lalo's around - some still in existence, others now gone and I have to say I love this one probably the most. The waitstaff here is wonderful and really seem to enjoy their jobs, even when they introduced the $8.95 buffet on the weekends, which has to cut into their tips somewhat. I chose this place so that my mom could eat the buffet and I could get some lower calorie soup. The caldo de camarones did not disappoint. Spicy like crazy, but the lime squeezed into it cut the heat and the giant chunks of carrot and zucchini in it balanced out the (what had to be) pound of shrimp in the bowl. YUM! It is served with spanish rice and tortillas or bread, but I skipped those (sadly). The buffet is a serious bargain - tons of choices, desserts and appetizers are up there and that price is cheaper than most of the entrees on their own!
(4)
Maria A.
STAY AWAY !!! I almost never write any reviews but I just had to share our experience. We read the reviews but thought its mexican food ...How bad can it be .. We were very disapointed. The staff was friendly enough but the food was HORRIBLE. No taste, and this place is def OVER PRICED for the few menu options. My husband and I are huge fans of mexican food and are usually overwhelmed with options so we were very surprised of the lack of options. Not only was the food super burned but dry and no taste. We def will not go back
(1)
Yvette C.
My second favorite Mexican Restaurant in the area! I absolutely love coming here on the weekends. The service is always friendly, the margaritas are plentiful & the Mariachi band rocks it out...need I say more? When the weather is nice I suggest sitting out on the patio, such a great spot to chill after a long work week.
(5)
Sassy M.
The food was just okay. I've had better mexican food. Its very authentic style mexican. The menu is small compared to most mexican restaurants. It was not all that friendly to kids... too quiet!
(2)
Chris S.
Everyone I've asked about this place (including two of the three previous reviews, I see) have said "go for the margaritas." When I ask "how's the food?" I typically am told "go for the margaritas." After visiting Lalo's a few days ago, I can officially say this: "if you want to get drunk, go for the margaritas." The food is fine, neither terrible nor great, though somewhat overpriced. The margaritas are quite strong and fairly tasty, but you may as well head someplace with better food.
(2)
MK H.
I have to put in a good word for Lalo's after dining there last night with a party of 5. The place is cute and comfy and laid out nicely. The waitstaff was friendly and playful, even while serving large groups. They even made the experience feel a bit more authentic by throwing some Spanish at us here and there, all in good fun. It makes the table feel more relaxed and comfortable right away when the waiter has a playful spirit. The margarita's are over $7 a pop for a "small" but they come in a big 'fish bowl' of a margarita glass and definitely pack a punch. I can't imagine what a large would be. One was plenty for me! A couple of times it seemed like the wait for things was a little longer than reasonable since it wasn't packed, but it was totally forgivable considering everything else we got out of the experience. The guacamole is made tableside by the waiter so it was wonderfully fresh. And they don't chince out on it - it had tomato, cilantro and onion in it. Great stuff. I've had some that was just mushed up avacado and was being called guacamole. My mom didn't want the rice and beans that came with her flauta's and my husband ordered the tamale dinner. The waiter pointed out to him that if he took her rice and beans and ordered the tamale appetizer instead, he'd still get his three tamales with rice and beans for about $5 less! He went out of his way to help us save money! A tip-worthy move for sure. The only thing I was less than thrilled with were my flauta's. They were yummy and I did enjoy them - not too greasy, not too heavy, cooked very well, but the chicken was a little bland. But a perfect texture and crunch. Just a bit more spice on the chicken while it cooked would have gone a long way. Then again, it could easily have been a single incident. The rice was moist and tasty. The beans weren't too greasy and weren't too dry. For a heaping plate of mexican food it wasn't super greasy or heavy, and my tummy had no issues with it later ;) With all the little extra requests and changes we made, they did not forget or mess up a single food item in our whole order. They also had a little bowl of lollipops on the way out, which was nice because after such a big meal you may not have room for a full dessert, so there is a little something available for a sugar fix. That's a nice touch. Overall we had a great experience. Good food, good margarita, good waiter. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Wanda V.
My husband & I dined on a Saturday for an early dinner at 4:30pm. It has been about 2 years since we dined here and I can't imagine we will be back. I was very surprised on how limited the menu is and how expensive they all are. The average price was $14.95 for an entree. I ordered steak tacos that were just tasteless. The service was SO slow. The restaurant was barely busy, but each and every placement on the table (water, chips, entree and so on) took an average of 20 minutes. And what really bothered me was that they were playing 80's rock music! Just awful.
(2)
Jason C.
Nice, comforting Mexican food from a type of place you don't expect much from. I used to come here a lot a up till a few years ago. Recently went back and its better than I remember it. Had the carne asada and it was pretty tasty. Chips were nice and crisp. Refried beans were not dry. Maybe it just reminds me of my childhood, but for me, this is one of the better mexican places out there.
(4)
David B.
i went there last night with my wife and her coworkers, i thought the selection on the menu was tantalizing, and for the most part everything was solid. there was a few star items, like the chorizo, the grilled queso block that came with the chicken (which was horrible). i would go back, but i think the menu is hit or miss with great and just bad. the service was okay, and i could tell the waitress was trying hard, but she didn't understnd somethings and made mistakes, but if you repeated something to her, she was snappy.
(2)
G P.
we went yesterday for dinner and i was not pleased with it.after reopening me and my husband thought that we should give a try to this place one more time,but too noisy and food was not excellent.i don't think we are going back there.
(2)
Mike I.
I don't care for this place at all. The burritos are very bland, almost forgettable. The margaritas are just okay. The only good thing are the chips and salsa.
(1)
Mark R.
terrible ...margaritas tasted like gator ade...menu was filthy with grease and food particles...had to wash my hands after handling it...had a combo platter..steak was tough..chicken dry...shrimp undercooked..wife had a fish dish...was laying in a pool of grease. waiter was in lalo land..hard to understand and dissappeared frequently...really bad experience.
(1)
Katrina G.
Great margaritas, beware they're sneaky little devils! All meals come with chips and salsa and a great cup of mexican chicken soup. I've enjoyed almost everything there, but did not care for the tamales. Great place to sit at the bar, share a pitcher of margaritas and a few appetizers. The tilapia veracruza is very good as well.
(4)
Stella S.
Go here for the margaritas! Their margaritas are simply the strongest around. Their potatoe salad is really good, but you have to ask for it because it's not on the menu. Also, they have pretty decent outdoor seating.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Spider F.
We came here for lunch and were told about the lunch buffet. It was great value for the cost. There was a large selection, including taco's, mini burritos, quesadillas, gauc, rice beans, dessert etc. Unlike many buffets where they are light on the protein, all the options were stuffed with meat and delicious. The service was friendly and fast and everything was filled and replaced regularity. We will definitely be back and highly recommend it.
(5)Angela S.
The truth is, it was just okay for me on a personal note, but the rest of my family was extremely happy! What saved dinner was the fact that they have a vegetarian menu, after asking our waitress what my vegetarian hubby could order. The regular menu was slim pickens for him. 4-stars for the menu discovery! You have to ask for it. We decided to go for an Ikea run tonight, and everyone seemed to be craving Mexican food. We ended up here by default, because we realized the other smaller independent restaurants we were considering closed at 6pm. Lalo's was a bit out of the way, but a nice place for a family meal. The chips are homemade here, but they were underwhelming for me and the salsa wasn't very exciting. I enjoyed the chicken soup starter to the meal. Served with a lime, it had a nice kick to it. The kids menu is great, and for ages 10 and under. My hearty eating nine year old boys filled up quickly. The menu is divided into two sections--hungry and extra hungry. They ate for $5.50 and each kid got a mini bowl of soup, steak tacos, rice or fries. They loved it! Hubby ordered guac. tacos, and I ended up with chicken and beef flautas with guac., rice and refried beans. In retrospect, I wish I would have ordered off the vegetarian menu. I felt a little wonky after eating...just too much food for me. Would I come here again? Probably not. It's just not super convenient, and I didn't find the meal to be memorable after leaving. Service was absolutely lovely. Our waitress was quick to handle all our needs.
(3)Azhar S.
I've been here twice and wasn't crazy about it. I usually order a burrito and taco salad and both items were over priced in terms of quality and quantity. Drinks are also not so great either. It had a very good location right in Schaumburg and you can't miss it since it's right on Roselle Road. Overall, not a big fan of this place.
(3)Samantha R.
Pretty neat little spot. I went a few weeks ago with a group from work and it was really nice! We ordered several appetizer samplers for the table and the guacamole. Everything was very authentic and fresh tasting, I really loved the guacamole and the flautas were awesome. The margaritas were ON POINT and had a lot of alcohol in them, and the flavor combinations were awesome! I had strawberry and a strawberry mango margarita, and both were great. I really loved the atmosphere in this place, it reminded me of the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT. Little bridges to walk over to get to your table, a mariachi band playing, and cobblestone floors. The bar had karaoke going and dancing. It seemed like this place was always a big party! I really enjoyed my visit, as did my co-workers. I hope to come back for a full meal sometime in the future and I feel bad for driving past without a thought so many times!
(4)Tobin h.
Had a great server in Virgillio and I have to say this is one of the most underated and unappreciated restaurants around. The folks that manage this haven just get it. They do everything right and their professionalism makes it run like clockwork. Not to mention the outstanding food. They take pride in what they do and it shows. A must go to whenever you see the smiling sunshine.
(4)Adam D.
Lalo's is in a unique position of needing three different reviews, or at least one review that is an aggregate of three components: lunch buffet, dinner, and bar. First, the lunch buffet. I was not a fan. Limited selection of room-temperature food. Pass. Second, dinner. Very good! I've had dinner here several times and the entrees have always been tasty. The apps are a little bland but that's not really a big deal. You don't leave a movie because the previews were boring, right? Third, the bar. Totally different vibe from the dining room. There were a few different things going on in the bar while we were there. Part sports bar, part singles bar for older people, and mix in an occasional large group of women drinking margaritas and getting their swerve on with mariachi bands. Overall, it's good as long as you know when to go and when to skip it.
(3)Maria S.
My family and I have been coming to Lalo's restaurants for years now!!! They always have GREAT food and great service is awesome! I really would recommend this place to anyone looking for great Mexican food, great margaritas, and great music!
(5)Jessica P.
The service was very good. the food came out quickly and was good. What I expect from the local Mexican restaurant. The problem came when we asked for our check. We had a Groupon so the server took my phone for the voucher number. Ten minutes later she still hadn't returned. When we saw her we were told that only the manager could process Groupons and they didn't know where the manager was. She brought back my phone but they were still no check as they were still looking for the manager. After 20 minutes we finally received our check. The food was good but I don't think it was worth the 20 minute wait to receive our check.
(2)Latoya B.
This was my first visit to this Lalo's. I have been to both the Berwyn and Chicago locations. In my opinion in comparison to those two, this one as far as the appearance of it is sub-par. Today is a gloomy type of day and unfortunately it felt that way inside. It was very dim and just wasn't conducive to "bringing out the sunshine in me." Luckily I had a great group of people with me to help that. The food on the other hand was very good. I ordered the Enchiladas Suiza, my favorite and it was definitely a hit. My co-workers order the lunch buffet and stated they enjoyed the variety and the food in itself. Our waiter was pretty great. He was very attentive. He ensured that he did not hover but at the same time met all of our needs. My water glass never got empty despite him not hovering around so for that I give him kudos! I can tell he was keeping a watchful eye over his tables. The area near the rest room seemed a bit cluttered, or it may just be that it was so dark in their that it appeared to be cluttered. Im curious to know if it is any different in the evening, or a brighter day outside as a whole, so for that I will return.
(3)Jeff A.
I have been here a couple of times. The first time I visited Lalo's, I was disappointed by the food. I am from California and my family are Tejanos, so with having had excellent mexican food in my lifetime do I expect prefect food at a restaurant? No. Do I expect flavors to rival Taco Bell or Del Taco when I am at a sit down restaurant? Yes! Knowing that cooks can have bad days or the crew just isn't clicking that night, I gave Lalo's another try and found the same old boring food with bland flavor and nothing to excite the palate. Sorry, Lalo's, not coming back unless I am strictly having drinks.
(1)Rosanna L.
I'm surprise by the low rating here! I initially called early in the week to make resevrations for a Friday night, but was told they would only take reservations for a party of 6 or more, understandable. Our party of 4 got there around 7:40pm on a Friday night and it was busy, but no wait, awesome. We were greeted with some chips and salsa and our server to take our drink order. 1/2 price draft specials and $6.50 red or white sangria, hmmMmmm sangria. I went with the red sangria and it was delicious and fruity, so I had 2 glasses. We ordered their Botana Combinada: combination appetizers of nachos, quesadilla, tamales, flautas, and seafood empanada. I always like ordering any combo dish because you get to taste a little bit of everything. My favorite had to be the seafood empanada although i wish it came with more then one. The flautas and tamales were a bit dry, but nothing a little bit of sour cream and guac can't fix. The quesadilla had ham in it and it was delicious. I ordered the carne asada a la tampiquena, medium rare and it was perfect. The skirt steak was cooked to perfection with the warm red in the middle, so tender and juicy, drools. I thought the rice and beans and were just okay, but the steak definitely made the meal. I was really satisfied. (It always made for a good steak and egg english muffin sandwich the next morning.) The rest of the party also enjoyed their meals and the live entertainment. I can't wait to go back for some juicy skirt steak and a ice cold red sangria.
(4)Isabel K.
Great food and drinks! Have not had anything bad there.
(3)Laura S.
I've been meaning to try this place for a while and I'm SO glad I did. My boyfriend and I stopped in for a weekday late lunch. I was immediately entranced by the wonderful decor inside the restaurant. The items are a little pricey but the quality is definitely on par with it. Too expensive to go there very often though (boo!). The service was very attentive and very friendly. We ordered way too much and both walked away with noticeable "food babies". I'd like to revisit this review after I try them out during a dinner rush.
(4)Steff D.
My boyfriend and I went in for dinner about 630 on a Friday night and this place was packed. We waited about 15 minutes for a table and had a drink in the bar. We ordered the appetizer sampler which was really nothing special. The quesadilla had a slice of ham and you wouldn't even know there was cheese on it. Tamales were dry as well as the flautas. The nachos were thrown on the plated and all the cheese got on about three chips. Not much cheese either. The service was slow. I understand that they were busy but I did feel a bit neglected by my server. I ordered the carne Asada. Huge portio of streak! The steak was good. Rice and beans were good. However, my boyfriend had the burrito and he said we could have gotten one from the Mexican place down the street. It was nothing special. I give three stars for my portion of streak and the prices were good. Paid 60 bucks including tip for everything and the dinners included a soup and I had a drink. They have a mariachi band that sings to people for dinner or birthdays. It's s nice touch but it was extremely distracting. I think this place would be great for a birthday celebration but not a date night.
(3)Nelson M.
Restaurant review AYCE buffet every day! I have been here before and was less than impressed by the buffet but I have been away for many years until this past month. I went on a weekday, the buffet is priced at 9.99 I believe or somewhere around that price. You are greeted with a bonanza of mexican food items including spinach quesadilla, small burritos ( I would stay away from this), taquitos chicken/beef, fresh taco station with chicken, beef (res) this was amazing go with this) in flour or corn tortilla. There was even mole and other traditional mexican dishes. Unlimited guac as well in the salad bar area. To top it off rice pudding or flan. This is a nice change of pace from other lunch venues. I would highly recommend if you like traditional mexican food. Pro: lunch buffet AYCE, friendly staff Cons: none Hidden gem: AYCE lunch buffet, great deal
(4)Mark S.
Worst Mexican Buffet ever! Had a taste for Mexican food today, so my friend and I decided to give Lalo's buffet a try. Now I remember why i hadn't been to one in like 20 years. It was without a doubt the worst Mexican food I ever had. No idea why/how people actually like this place. Guess the drinks must be good. The buffet was over priced ($11) and tasteless. Come on people.....how about at least using some Adobo? We should have known the meal would be bad when we sampled the salsa provided with the chips. The chips had an odd taste, and the salsa was like a can of crushed tomatoes. No taste at all. We arrived at about 12:30, the restaurant was empty and the buffet was nearly bare. The best part of the meal was the free suckers when you leave. Do yourselves a favor and find someplace else.
(1)Howard L.
This is a large and colorful place, and looks to be a good venue for large groups. We came by here for dinner before a Schaumburg Boomers game nearby, as it would be better than eating at that ballpark. They have some good seafood items (we tried the seafood combination plate). Their appetizer sampler plate was also decent. Ok place to try if you are up this way.
(4)Odranre B.
i came here twice for lunch in the last several of months...both times i came for the weekday lunch buffet at roughly 12-12:30 noon...both times, the food was limited to very few items and very little quantity, especially the more expensive items like fish and beef...and both times i came here, they told me that they were not bringing anymore food...it's 12 noon! how can you be advertising a buffet and having only old nachos, re-fried beans, and tortillas...such a disappointment and false advertising to get you in here during weekday lunch...this review is for the lunch buffet, i have not had any issues with dinner
(1)Genevieve L.
They have a nice outdoor seating area and mariachis on the weekends. Kinda romantic depending on how you look at it. I ordered the steak fajitas and I love how they serve them sizzling on the cast iron platters. Maybe its the weather but the lettuce looked a bit wilted but other than that everything was good
(4)Chewy C.
Food was great, service was good too, was seated right away. Strongly suggest going outside your regular order of tacos, burritos, or tortas. Everything is tasty & u just might find your new favofite dish. I recommend Bistec con Raja y Queso. There margaritas are worth getting. After a few you will want to go to the bar. Just keep in mind on weekends the bar does turn into a night club. I was there on Saturday and I liked the older crowd with da old skool music. house, hip hop, spanish. nice to be at a place where 21 year olds are not complaining cause they aint playing the latest rihanna.
(5)Kristy R.
A friend and I split the fajitas and they were just ok. I've had better, they were actually pretty plain tasting. So we get 4 flour tortillas and after we ate the four there was so much left over to make more tacos with so we ordered more tortillas and the waitress Rosa gave us 3 more. Now if you have two people and they're sharing the meal and you're aware they are sharing why would you give them 3 tortillas?? Anyways Rosa was NOT keeping our drinks filled I had to call her over 3 times to get a refill and ask another employee to get me another flour tortilla. The chips tastes like cardboard. Next time for Mexican food I'll go to La Hacienda or La Magdalena's in Addison, their food is much better tasting and very flavorful. Not a fan of Lalo's at all.
(1)Misty S.
The other reviews were right, the service is slow! It took a while to get a glass of water and another while to get a refill. The food is decent and the prices are reasonable (on the higher end for Mexican food). I came for dinner on a Friday night and the place was packed. The bright and colorful decorations added to the ambiance of the restaurant. Definitely good for large groups since they have tons of space and tables. The chip and salsa were good and help curb the appetite while waiting for the food to come out. I ordered a medium mango margarita, which was delicious and I couldn't even taste the alcohol. For $11, it's almost like a meal. The flautas dinner came with some guac, rice, and beans for $12. I didn't think the flautas were anything special and they were kind of on the dry side (dried shredded chicken). The guacamole was very good, but I think that's rather difficult to mangle. The rice was tasty and fluffy. The lady behind me got a glass of margarita dumped on her when a waitress lost her balance. I've been there before and was glad it wasn't me this time. There's a bowl of lollipops by the entrance that were full of fruit flavored lollipops. Someone recommended mango, but it was strange tasting for a mango. There's also a gum surprise in the middle.
(3)Desiree L.
We've been here before and liked it a lot, and since its on the way from our new rescue's vet, thought it'd be great to sit on the patio after his appointment and enjoy lunch, but alas, not allowed...so we'll head home and visit Norwood Park and Edison Park establishments where he's more than welcome !
(3)Tracy J.
Had a delicious lunch here with my daughter today. It's just as good as the Berwyn location. I'm giving it four stars because the don't have any booths (which I find more comfortable than tables) and their frozen raspberry Margarita seemed a little more "tart" than the ones at the Berwyn location. After I stirred it up it was fine, but I think the Margaritas at the Berwyn location are a tad bit better. Overall great lunch. I'll come back next time I'm in Schaumburg!
(4)Nick S.
Not a bad place. We live not to far from them. I think they do a good job. Very inexpensive, but not really authentic I guess. The bar is good. Beer is inexpensive. Overall it's not a bad place and I would come here again.
(4)Rachael Z.
Lalo's has an amazing lunch buffet that is worth every penny! I've only been here for lunch, but it's a great deal. Allow for some time, because though the food is already prepared, you'll want to go up several times for appetizers, different tastes of foods, and desserts! I'm sure the menu is incredible, but the buffet is the best deal for the lunch hour. Highly recommended!
(5)jill w.
After waiting for 25 minutes for our drinks, the server informed us she had not put in our order. We were discouraged from the buffet by the server. We were charged for cheese for the tacos. The ladies room had no toilet paper in 2 of the 3 stalls. Skip this place.
(1)Mat M.
Wow! This place was great. Great service from the time we walked into the building. Not your typical Mexican restaurant menu. Tons of seafood. The salsa was perfect. Everything had the perfect amount of spice to it. Even my kids gobbled it up. It's a little pricey but the quality is there.
(5)Eric C.
Wait for a table on a Saturday night was about 45 mins with no reservation,but well worth the wait. Took the family and we enjoyed the food and friendly staff,especially server Christopher. Authentic meals and great drink deals. The Mariachi band topped off a fun experience. Check it out, family friendly with a separate bar area with many TV's to enjoy.
(4)Cesar R.
Margaritas are the best with awesome service. They're portions are back to being big. Love the ambiance and will definitely come back. Highly recommend this location. The outside gives it no justice. Inside is a gem along with the live music on the weekends.
(5)Andrew G.
Went to Lalo's on Mother's Day with my wife, mother-in-law and her boyfriend for our first visit and it was a huge disappointment. The place wasn't crazy busy as there were more than a few empty tables around us, yet our server would frequently forget about us and disappear. When he came back to fill our water, more than once, he'd fill the glasses with Sprite before walking off despite us trying to tell him. He was overall fairly inattentive. The food was overpriced for what was served and, more or less, bland and unremarkable. Total, for the four meals, it came out to a jaw-dropping $80, none of which I would call worth it. Would not recommend and definitely would not return.
(2)Margarita M.
The service is great the food is still very good we went there for lunch with my sister and a friend of mine it was my girlfriends birthday they brought her out a cupcake with a candle and sing happy birthday which I thought was a great gesture. I had not been to Lalos in a very long time I'm glad we picked this place for our lunch
(5)Pari P.
I was a fan of Lalos' lunch buffet several years ago. It was the place to go with my coworkers when I used to work in Schaumburg. After several months of being closed due to construction, I made a visit to see the improvements. The interior decorating is amazing. You can tell that a lot of money was invested and you see it in the details from the tile to the art work on display. Interior is one thing but what about the food? I found the al pastor and the carne asada to be mediocre. The portions were large which helped justify the pricing but it wasn't memorable. I would relate the food to their lunch buffet where it satisfies your craving even though it's not the best Mexican food that you've had. We had a coupon which helped offset the cost. Lalos is also known for their margaritas. I'll have to come back next time and check out the bar area that was also renovated.
(3)Bill H.
On a street full of fast food chain restaurants, it was nice to see an authentic Mexican restaurant. The decor made you feel like you were south of the border. Service and food was great. Next time you are thinking of going to Taco Bell, come here instead. They do offer take out.
(4)Jennifer C.
After hearing great things about this restaurant from friends, I finally decided to try it out. We went later on a Friday evening with another couple for dinner. The bar area was packed and had a dj playing music, but there only were two or three other tables in the dining room. Our server greeted us right away and brought our drinks quickly. When it came time to order our dinner, it was so loud that we had to shout over not only the dj from the bar area, but a mariachi band in the dining room. The reason for only 1 star? My order was incorrect when the server brought it out and she disappeared so quickly that I had to wait at least 5 minutes for her to come back. I informed her that I had asked for NO onions on my tacos and that there was nothing except for onions on my tacos. She brought the dish to the kitchen and returned with another plate before quickly disappearing again. They simply covered the onions that I didn't want with cheese and tomatoes. My husband had to go find her after waiting another 5 minutes. At that point, I asked her to just bring the check and that I no longer wanted dinner. The check was just under $100 for the four of us and I didn't even eat anything. There was no visit from a manager and nothing extended for this extremely poor experience. If this happened when it was so slow, I don't want to know how they function when it is actually busy.
(1)Jenny G.
Met a friend there for the lunch buffet and i was pretty pleased with it. I don't eat meat so several of the options were not available to me. So they offered to make me some veggie options. So they made me some Veggie enchaliadas so i wouldn't feel left out. They were also making fresh Gauc so they had that going for them..
(4)Kat L.
I would have to say, it is the best Mexican I've had in the area. Chips and salsa were nothing to write home about. Their own homemade salsa was also pretty unforgettable. But come here for a night to chill out, have so margs and mexican. I'm not big on tequila, but was surprised with how good the mango margarita was that I got. We came on a friday, which included the tableside singing. =) i don't care if it's hokey. I loved it. Fun entertainment for anyone who's not too worried about being "too cool." Will probably be back for more. The pork on the tacos we had were really flavorful and juicy. Surprisingly, I even liked it a lot more than the steak tacos I had. Rice and beans were pretty up to par. A lil pricey, but worth it for the experience.
(4)Shaun S.
It was alright , nothing that would have me telling people to go hear instead of all the other Mexican restaurants in the area. It was ok, but drinking on the outside patio made life a little better that day.
(3)Geoff G.
Wonderful and one of the few Mexican Places left in the area. Service is world class. Some items tend to be very spicy. Their newer menu has less selections.
(4)Jennifer H.
Lunch buffet is the best way to go got this place to get some bang for your buck. The best part with the kids they are at a discount price. Nice for a family dinning out theses days. I like the addition of the guy making the tacos for you.
(4)Jennifer S.
I'm baaack! After what I think was a four or five month remodel job, Lalo's reopened recently. We heard that they were open again and headed for the usual lunch buffet. Unfortunately, it is no longer there seven days a week. I am not sure on the schedule, but I would suggest calling first. We looked at the lunch menu which had been completely re-vamped and decided on a combo platter. Basically steak, chorizo, chicken, shrimp wrapped in bacon, peppers, etc. served with tortillas. It was a good price for a great portion. The staff all seemed different as I didn't recognize anyone. The atmosphere was pretty nice and the service was good. No problems with refills or getting more tortillas. It was a good visit. I'd like to try the lunch buffet and see how it's changed, so I will keep you posted once I do that.
(4)Rita B.
I've been here several times throughout the years. I normally have good things to say but this time around I'm pretty disappointed. My mother and I decided on the lunch buffet (even though I NEVER do buffets). The first time we served ourselves there weren't too many options but we say the employees filling the dishes so we figured we'll have better luck a little later. For our second trip to the buffet there were even less options. I then noticed one of the workers filling up the dishes with only a few items at at a time. For example instead of bringing out a full tray of mini burritos he would bring 4 or 5 at a time. Unfortunately he did this for every dish. There were enough customers going to the buffet so there was never enough food. I had to ask him 3 times to fill the buffet. He would just smile smile and nod. Our waiter was even worse than the buffet. We had to ask him several times for extra napkins which he never brought over. My water (which was the only thing I was drinking) never got filled. It was a one and done deal. It was a bad experience this time around and it will probably be a very long time before I go back, IF I ever do go back.
(2)Juan N.
I had the Enchiladas de Mole Poblano, disappointed only thing I could taste is the spicy hot mole when this mole should be sweet. Beans and rice taste flat. Presentation goog
(2)Kei A.
I came here with my girlfriend for the first time. She recommended it to me, since I'm always raving about Mexican food, and told me I wouldn't be disappointed. She was right! The waitress was a tad slow, hence -1 star. I ordered the Aztec Lunch, which was surprisingly authentic. My girlfriend had something similar, which was equally good. We had too much food and we didn't finish, which is a good sign. The bill was about 40$ and we were full, plus, we had leftovers!
(4)Sarah M.
I've been looking for my new go-to Mexican restaurant since moving to Schaumburg from the DC area and I was hoping this would be it, but sadly, it isn't. First, not that I'm an expert on chips and salsa, but the chips were really thick and the salsa wasn't my favorite to say the least.My entree, a steak burrito, was better than I thought it would be. My husband had the chicken fajitas and only ate one because he thought there wasn't any flavor on the meat and that they didn't cook the vegetables long enought. Lalos was fine enough, but we will keep looking for other Mexican restaurants before coming back.
(2)Broni R.
I've been here once before for dinner during the week with the family and I remember thinking the experience was mediocre. I returned unexpectedly this afternoon and was pleasantly content. Husband and I couldn't decide where we wanted to eat so we drove up and down Roselle rd. We finally decided to give the place another chance although he didn't hate the place. He had the nachos last time and was happy with it. Ok so today's experience... well it wasn't too packed when we got there but it seemed to start filling up right after. They have a lunch buffet for 9.95pp. Not sure how much it is for kids but I assume less. The buffet wasn't too bad. Shredded beef and chicken flautas didn't taste too fresh but the steak fajitas and honestly everything else was good. They had a couple of different salsas with good flavor and guacamole was great. I also had an original margarita on the rocks and it was great. We sat outside since it was a nice day and all in all it was a pleasant experience. Latin music played in the background so it gave the ambiance a very tropic feel. I would definitely return on a Sunday for the buffet and a coctail. Oh and service was great. Very friendly and attentive :)
(4)Joe F.
We haven't been here in a couple of years and from what we recalled food was decent. We all wanted Mexican food and decided to come back but what a HUGE mistake, Food came out cold and tasteless, I have been to many Mexican restaurants and know good food. We frequent restaurants enough to know the good from the bad. We sent all four plates back so they could give us warm food but that was a waste of time. We all agreed that the re fried beans were on the cusp of being spoiled. Waitress was understanding and sent manager over. She looked about 12 years old so I know she was the real managers sounding board. We had arrachera and it was the worst I have had in decades. I urge everyone to stay away, I still ended up paying for on the steak that my husband ate because he was starving and half decent chile rellenos my mom ate . But no once touched the sides. Wasted money.
(1)Nick M.
Bland food, kids running all over the restaurant- wow what a bad experience! Good luck!
(2)Zaneta N.
Great food, yummy drinks, decent pricing & amazing service! I will always ask for Roberto to be our server from now on. They were extremely busy (as most places are on a Friday night) yet Roberto still made sure to check up on us after he took our order and brought our appetizers, drinks and dinner in a timely manner. Best of all? He ALWAYS had a smile on his face! It was refreshing to see someone be so nice and provide such excellent customer service! Whoever wrote that their food can compare to "Taco Bell" clearly came here drunk or something. Taco Bell!? Let's be serious!! We both had burrito plates and they were delicious. The portion was too big for me and I took half of it home. I finally tried their famous margarita and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend it! I tried the Mango flavored one - medium size is HUGE! This was our first visit here during dinner time. I loved the overall vibe of the restaurant as they really comes alive in comparison to lunch time- when it's much quieter. They actually had Mariachis singing.
(5)Catherine P.
I love Lalo's. It's especially sad because I always have crappy-server-lady-who-never-refills-my-drinks or the drinks of the people I'm with. They have a GREAT lunch buffet 7 days a week and for about $12.00 (including drink) you can have a nice lunch....that is, if you can get your drink. We ALWAYS get there right when they open and when the food is fresh because if you get there later in the afternoon, the food is garbage. All Mexican food dries out easily so it's difficult to keep it moist and fresh tasting. We have done take out a few times. Not good. They box the food in Styrofoam which simply makes the crunchy foods soggy because they put it steaming hot into the container. Perhaps, if they changed how the food was packed, it would improve. For example: put deep friend flautas or tacos in a hard shell in paper packaging. Cold garnishes should be left outside of the box or bag and packed separately because hot food and cold sour cream don't mix when it may be transported for up to 20 minutes. Be sure to use your bathroom at home before you go, you will not want to use theirs. Also, a shame, because we always rush out when we leave because I don't want to use their restrooms. They also offer 1/2 price appetizers Monday through Friday from 4(??) until 7pm in the bar area. They know how to make authentic Mexican food. Their flautas are just like my Grandma's used to be and their enchiladas aren't bad either. I look at it this way. You know it's a good Mexican restaurant when you look around and every patron is Hispanic.
(3)Nick L.
Maybe I'm just not in love with this genre of food (Westernized Mexican Food), but their food offerings just all seem to be meh. The prices aren't terribly high, but the quality seems more akin to the offerings at Taco Bell, which boasts considerably cheaper prices. The margaritas on the other hand really save Lalo's. They are reasonably priced, taste amazing, and still provide a nice buzz. What more can you ask for? The bar atmosphere is so-so, nothing stands out about it. I will go back because it's next door to my apartment, but to me there are places with better value in the area.
(2)Lemon L.
Six of us went and had a great time. The chicken tacos were really good, the chips and salsa were addictive. Lime marguerita was tasty. Wait staff was attentive and prices were reasonable. Very cute place, will return.
(4)Matt M.
Really great lunch buffet! Thats the best time to hit this place up. True, you can not get authentic or really good Mexican food in Chicago (especially Schaumburg), but this place does just fine. Its certainly better than Taco Bell and it hits the spot for the right price point! Good service, clean atmosphere, great location.
(3)Ken K.
Don't expect a buffet to be 4 star food.....but Lalos REALLY went downhill....was just there today - all the choices were cheapened up.......bready crappy cheap stuff....from now on when I want a lot of Mexican, I'll just get 2 good burritos from one of many good burrito places around rather than drop 16 bucks for cheap breaded stuff and sides at Lalo's
(2)Susan B.
So, Lalo's was closed the entire summer (what Mexican restaurant does "renovations" in the summer...seems that would be a super busy time for business?). I was itching for some good Mexican food and in my opinion, Lalo's does it best! What renovations were done? The place looks exactly the same. Maybe they did work in the kitchen?? Anyways, the food was great as usual. I always get the taco dinner with chicken. The chicken here is so moist and juicy! Also, their chicken soup is tasty too. This last visit the timing was off because we barely were into our soup when our meals were brought out. Our waitress noticed and came over and apologized. I had my yummy margarita so all was well in the world and I didn't mind one bit. I do love Lalo's but please, don't shut down again for an entire summer (margaritas just taste better in the summer!).
(4)Daniel L.
I hear the margaritas are very good but I wasn't there to try it. I went there with a friend because he always talked about it. Bi ordered a steak burrito and honestly it was not worth the price. This place is overpriced for the quality of food and service. You pay almost 3 dollars for a lemonade which is perfectly fine but guess what... Refills cost you.. Like I said the food isn't great
(1)Melissa R.
I LOVE this place ! The BEST margaritas! Order the BIG ones ! You will not be dissapointed. Very strong so you definately get your money's worth. Steak nachos are awesome....salsa very good. Quesadilla appetizer with mushrooms & onions (not on the menu) are so yummy ! Fajitas are good also. Sit in the bar for the best service. OR, ask for Chris the waiter. He is the little Phillipino server & he is hands down there BEST waiter. Good place to go and chill with friends.
(4)Joshua B.
This was my first time here. I went to lunch with some of my family. When I walked it it looked very authentic to me. The waitress was really nice. She checked on us frequently to see if we needed refills which I love. I had a burger. Yes, I know a burger in a Mexican restaurant doesn't sound good, but it was. It had a different cheese than I have never had but it was very good. The fries were just ok - they didn't seem salted. My other family had the buffet. They both seemed to enjoy it. We had the flan - I would give that 5 stars!
(4)Matthew F.
Nostalgia prompted me to come here because when I was a kid it was Down The Hatch (pizza I think) Anyway, I love the transformation even if this deep sea diver suit is long gone. Their corn husk wrapped tamales and sauce(s) are good. Rather than the usual fajitas or combo platter, I ordered Tampico chicken which was excellent. The horchata is a good non-alcoholic beverage choice if you like nutmeg, otherwise the margaritas I saw were fishbowl sized. Service was attentive even with a full dinner crowd.
(4)Stacey K.
Ugh. And now that I've recently experienced "real" mexican food: double ugh. Not even worth exacerbating my carpal tunnel to write too many lines about this place. I was only here because we had a little grade school /junior-high reunion involving me and 8 other ladies. It was strictly a half-way point meeting place. We were all totally unimpressed. Expensive drinks, icky looking refried beans, and tired looking entrees. The restroom was DEE-sgusting and the ATM was broken. Only two positives: the salsa was pretty tasty, and our server was a genuinely nice guy. But then, I'd add some sparkle too if I was serving a table full of giggling, imbibing, chatty chicks. We were there for 4 hours, for the love of God....
(2)Giuseppe D.
Nice play to go to for margaritas. They don't have a huge variety of margaritas, but the ones they make are good. Strong enough to get the job done I'd say. The food is very mediocre. Nothing great, but nothing terrible either. The price is cheap, nothing over the top. They have karaoke nights, and people dance and what not. There's a bar area and a restaurant area, as well as a patio that's open in the summer. They do make your guacamole by hand and at your table which is pretty cool to watch, and that always turns out really good. I'd recommend Lalo's for guacamole with chips and their margaritas, but aside from that it's nothing to get excited over.
(3)John H.
The shrimp fajitas and enchiladas rojas were excellent! Very good service. The margaritas were just OK but the food more than made up for it. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Meredith B.
Met my college friends here for dinner on a Wednesday night - the place was pretty empty so it was very easy to snag a table. The chips and salsa were tasty - I remember the chips tasting fresh and the salsa being better than average for a Mexican joint. Margaritas were pretty decent too! We got a pitcher between the three of us and they did not skimp on the tequila, which is always appreciated! The entrees all came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup which seemed strange to me, but whatevs. The soup is thin and brothy, tastes good, but you may as well save most of the room for your entree since there's nothing really special going on in the soup department. I got the chicken fajitas which came out sizzling and were pretty tasty - meat was well-seasoned and pretty juicy. Came with tortillas, refried beans, rice, and guac, so it was easy to build a tasty meal. I took half home for another dinner! Fried ice cream was pretty tasty too, I've never had it before. It's a standard Mexican joint, with the usual Mexican-American fare. No surprises, but it's a solid choice if you're in for some Mexican food and margs.
(3)Osiris V.
Meh, I don't find anything exciting about Lalo's anymore. They have average food, the service is ok and that's about it. I used to find their margaritas to be one of the best ever but since I didn't have one at this location I can't say. They did have a buffet open when I went there on a Saturday afternoon, but I didn't try it, I should of.
(3)Vince A.
5-6 years ago, this might have been a 4 star review for Lalo's. It seems that over that time, this place has lost its way. Stopped in for lunch today. They still have the moderatly priced buffet with mediocre food. I chose the lunch from the menu. Went with a pretty standard dish - tampiquena with rice and beans. Rice and beans were fine. Steak was undercooked/underseasoned and a poor cut of meat and the enchilada was fine. I guess for 10 bucks +2 bucks for a coke (WTF) - I was expecting what it used to be - but alas, it's not.
(2)Review P.
Great Mexican restaurant. Love all their food. Their beans and rice that are on the side are way more flavorful than other Mexican restaurants. Great chimichanga/burritos/tacos!
(4)Ericka L.
OMG. I just wanted to put our waitress in my pocket and take her home!! She was so nice and adorable. Have you ever heard your waitress say, "anything you need I'm here for you"?! Well that was the moment I decided she was coming with us!!! I had the pick 3 combination plate with a quesadilla, a flauta, and an enchilada. All three were delicious but I liked the quesadilla the best as it had grilled onions on it and it was super cheesy. The rice was moist, the beans were flavorful, and the dollop of guac was tasty. The chips and salsa I can pass on next time because they weren't good at all...strange. Also had a delicious frozen mango margharita that gave the sweetest brain freeze and was absolutely refreshing. No wonder they boast their "famous" margharitas!! Overall pretty good authentic Mexican fare. Our waitress was really sweet and even though we heard her use the same cute line on another table, we always appreciate good service...thanks Patsy.
(4)Laura G.
Wont be going to this place anytime soon. The location on Harlem in Berwyn, IL is alot better and so different. Very disappointed that this place wasn't up to expectations since this is closer to home. As a Latina who knows Mexican food was just not happy with this place from Service to Food. Period.
(1)Rich M.
My wife and I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The first impression of the restaurant was great. Very nice decor, and the atmosphere was terrific. We ordered an appetizer and it came out in a very timely manner. However, when we received our main course, we were quite disappointed at the quality of the food. The food tasted very mediocre. Our main course was served w/ chicken noodle soup, which we thought was a very non-Mexican pairing. We've had much better tasting Mexican food elsewhere, and paid fraction of what we paid here. It does look like they have great selections of Margaritas, however, we didn't try their drink menu. This seems like a decent place for a larger gathering.
(3)Devi R.
We were craving Mexican and were in the area last weekend. We looked up places in the area and I was reminded of Lalo's. I hadn't been there in so many years - at least 10 - but I remembered it being a more sit-down kind of place and that sounded pretty good so we headed that way. There was a pick 3 option and it was excellent - you can pick 3 of whatever you want (enchiladas, sopes, tacos, quesadillas, etc.) and add a 4th for $2. That would probably be good for 2 people but we are unreasonable people and ordered a pick 3 each. They have a spinach enchilada option that's not on the menu. Yum! Plus awesome chips and salsa - better than the usual. Anyway, today (a week later) my husband wakes up and says "we're not getting tacos today." Obviously by 3 pm one of us was like "Wanna get tacos?" and we were like "Lalo's?" and we headed back. Still just as good, still just as filling. We are now in a food coma... actually passed out on the drive home. Yummm!
(4)Mary B.
Like most people I've seen review this place, it is also one of my family's favorite restaurants to go to. We only live a few blocks from Lalos in Schaumburg and we love it. Why? Two reasons: Margaritas and Guacamole. Most often, we don't even order food there. They have table-side guacamole and the best margaritas in town. The margs are little pricy, but they also have a ton of tequila in them... so it's pretty much worth it. The service is always friendly and the food is decent. I never really order any dinner there, we just order the appetizers. I really don't have too much to complain about except the bar area sometimes. Once in a while, my parents and I will go to the bar area because you can get half off of the appetizers before 6 (I think) and one time we were the only ones in the bar and they were BLASTING the music. I have no idea why, but we had to ask them to turn it down and for some reason they said no. I couldn't really hear them but it was something to do with the sound system for later that night. They should figure out better music to play in there some nights but most of the time it's a lot of fun. Stop by there for a quick margarita or at least some guac and I promise you'll be satisfied. Definitely worth stepping out for on a summer night.
(4)Megan O.
Came here for their lunch buffet with my sister, nephew and mom. It was pretty good for being a buffet, they had everything from flautas to tamales, and AMAZING FAJITAS. We went a little after prime-time lunch, around 1:30, and you can obviously tell the food was left out a little while. But I'm not going to complain because the food wasn't in a buffet style layout, rather chafing dishes you would use at a banquet party. For three people it came out to like $40 with soft drinks. I saw a sign that says BEST MARGARITAS, so I will be coming back.
(4)Jennifer Q.
Just wanted to update my review and send a little "shout out" to waiter Roberto who served my mom and I last week during the lunch buffet. Roberto was very professional -he had this Javier Bardem quiet seriousness about him -but he was totally nice and friendly. My mom was undecided between an entree and the buffet and he explained that there were several vegetarian items that she would like on the buffet line. We had a great experience, as usual. This is by far my favorite Lalo's location!
(4)Irene Z.
Lalo's is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. We've come for lunch and dinner but we especially love the weekend lunch buffet. It had been a little while since our last visit, but we went today for the lunch buffet and it was no exception. Still a favorite of ours. The food is fresh and authentic. I love the chips and salsa here, great homemade taste. At the weekend lunch buffet, I also love the steak fajitas which are a perfect mix of vegetables and tender beef. The eggs and rice are another favorite, again great homemade taste and flavor. There's also a good variety of enchiladas. We come here often with our kids and there's plenty for them to choose from (and they can be picky). Ambiance is nice, colorfully decorated with soft music playing in the background. And the service is always friendly and attentive. Whenever we crave Mexican food, it's the first place we think of. Definitely the place to go when you want good, authentic Mexican food!
(4)Paul S.
The restaurant has a very nice decor and the staff was very friendly and efficient. Although the place was rather loud. The food was brought out hot and looked good. However, it tasted rather generic especially for the price. Sad, as I had good things about the Lalo's restaurants. Not too impressive. :(
(3)Angelica C.
This place has really lost it's luster. Service is not good, food is meh, and for what they charge I prefer to take my business elsewhere.
(2)Nicole L.
What made m experience totally awesome? Our waiter. My friend and I are on a low-carb diet so pretty much anything at a Mexican restaurant is off limits. YES it was pure torture! But our waiter was perfect and funny. I kept telling him my girlfriend won't let me eat that, or that it was to many carbs. So after dinner he asked if I'd like dessert and I said I wish! His response what if it's no carbs? I simply said you'd win my heart. Great food - for what we could have. Though the lighting was terrible! I couldn't see my menu.
(4)Andy D.
I love Lalo's!!! Great place for a date, friends and even the family. They have a relaxed bar area that's great for small groups. It sports low ceilings and traditionally themed décor. Also, excellent specials and great drinks. The food is excellent here. I've never had a bad dish here. Fajitas, tacos, guac, chimis, enchiladas...and the list goes on. Great prices and with plenty of trimmings. Also, I have finally hit their lunch time buffet finally. It's every day and has a huge variety cooked to perfection. Only $9 or so. It's a great value and worth trying.
(5)Kate C.
When in doubt in Schaumburg on Friday or Saturday night head to Lalos. There is almost never a wait. The food is really good....the drinks are also very good. Never had a bad experience here.
(4)Wilma F.
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF LEFT IN THE PAST I haven't been to Lalo's in years and was looking forward to an Authentic Mexican dish. Our server was very prompt and accommodating - the atmosphere is festive - the salsa was wonderful - but unfortunately the entree for both of us (which was described on the menu and by our server as Spicy) was generic, bland and disappointing. I guess when there are so many locations, passion on the recipes can go to the wayside.
(2)Lauren R.
We cater food from them for work about once every 3 months. Not too bad but food sometimes comes cold or luke warm. Food overall is ok. Sometimes certain meats were not edible or chewable. Also I ate their for dinner and service wasn't all that. The female server had a heavy accent so I didn't understand her that well. She messed up my dates food order when he specifically asked for something not to be in the food and it still was. I would skip it since Schaumburg has plenty of other places to choose from to eat.
(3)Jessica K.
I've been here quite a few times. I am not usually adventurous so I've always ordered the steak fajitas. They're great, but I'm not super picky when it comes to fajitas. Went this past week and ordered the steak, shrimp, chicken skewers. Could not have been more disappointed. Probably one of the most bland and taste-free things I've had at a restaurant. Only upside, good drinks! After this last visit, I really don't need to go there again.
(2)Len W.
The chain seems to have gone downhill in the past few years. The spot in Oak Park isn't as good as it used to be. The Schaumburg spot seems just ok, too. This was my first time there. When I walked in at about 8 PM on a Saturday they were blasting techno in the bar. I like techno, but there was no one in the bar. I mean NO ONE. Food was decent but for what I paid it should have been a lot better. I don't remember what I had. Not at all. And for $30 (including tip) you'd think it would have been better. Yes, the Margarita is strong. But I wouldn't go back.
(2)John M.
We went to Lalos on a Saturday afternoon at about 2:00pm. The buffet runs until 3pm. My wife and I both had the extensive buffet ($8.99 I think) along with a $2.25 Coke. $2.25 for a Coke seems high, but at least they kept your glass full. It seemed that every time it got below 1/2 full, someone was there to get me a refill. The buffet had a wide variety of food available - it was probably about 20 feet or more long. Quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, burritos and on and on. Everything was good and we didn't find anything that we really just didn't like. We'll definitely be going back. The service was pretty good. Our waitress was attentive and came back to check on us frequently - almost too frequently though. It seemed that every time we tried to talk, the waitress showed up to see if we needed anything. Other than that, everything was good.
(4)Catherine C.
Inside was beautiful. Service was pleasant and quick. Food was delicious! They even had a mariachi band! Only issue was the guac. It wasn't prepared at the table and was missing salt. Overall great experience!
(4)Kelly T.
Great mango margaritas! Decent chips and salsa, but it's a bit too pricey for my liking.
(3)Frank B.
Nice decor o.k. Food. Good strong drinks. A bit pricey for a Mexican restaurant. But overall a good restaurant.
(3)Rachel D.
The best homemade margaritas! No mixes used here people! Chips and salsa very good and authentic, and their guacamole is to die for you have to order it. The tacos, quesadillas,and burritos are wonderful I have tried them all. If you are really hungry get the ultimate skillet it is huge and awesome and only 16 bucks, not bad for the amount of food you get! Saturday nights they have a Mariachi band too. I have always had great service and love going here with my family. This is a kid friendly restaurant.
(5)Mrsotle O.
I went to Lalo's once for a family dinner and each one of us took our first bites and began complaining instantly (usually we're pretty easy to please). It tasted like our food came out of a microwaveable box from Jewel. It was not warm enough, the meat was too chewy, and the veggie enchiladas lacked taste. We all left very disappointed and hungry.
(1)Pal S.
They have amazing margaritas. They mango, peach and guava are excellent. They pitcher is well priced and is a good order for a table with more people. Food is just average. Have eaten better Mexican food elsewhere.
(3)Keegan L.
Not sure I see the appeal that others see in this place as the margaritas were nothing special and so were the tacos.
(3)Barbie S.
I have been here many time, and I really like Lalos!!! Granted they may not have the BEST mexican food I have ever tasted, but it is so fun here! It is definitely a great place to come with a group... the chips and salsa are fabulous, and the margaritas are awesome! (good tequila selection... i have NO IDEA how anyone can stand to drink Jose Cuervo AHHHHHH disgusting!!!) Anyway.... the atmosphere is always up beat the place is always crowded, and the mariacchi's are sooooo fun!!! hahahaa.... as long as they aren't at my table! :)) Plus I like that they serve the pickled peppers & carrots! Yummy!!!! Plus the bar area is decent size if u are waiting for people or table.
(4)Jim K.
My wife and I headed to the Schaumburg location this past Friday (7/15/11) and there's a "Closed for Remodeling" sign on the front door! Anyone know what's up? Are they really remodeling, or is there something else going on?
(4)Eric M.
You know it's not a great buffet when the best thing I had at Lalo's was their beans and rice. Most of the items were either out of stock or had been sitting so long they were dried out and required spoonfuls of sauce to make them edible. I came for lunch so I'm not sure how good their margaritas are. As for a lunch that's on the higher end, I don't think I'll be going back.
(2)Erik S.
Went here last weekend with my wife after walking around Woodfield Mall. We had gone to the Naperville outpost and were very disappointed, but I assured my wife that this was the Lalos I grew up with, the one my parents would take me to. The place has some charm, but definitely needs to be updated. Chips and salsa and water came out immediately when we sat down which is important to me. The chips and salsa were ok, but I've had better (Dare I say Chipotle has better salsa?) I had a steak burrito and my wife had the chicken flautas. The food was OK. Not anything to brag about here. Honestly now that I think about it, for the price that I paid at Lalos I could have bought 2 burritos at any Burrito Loco that would have probably been just as good. The "steak" was little bits of beef which while had a good flavor was the texture of beef jerky. Was it bad? No. Was it great? No. The upside to this experience however was our waiter who was very good and reminded me of Fabio on Top Chef All stars. He always asked us how we were doing and my water and beer was always full. And can't beat 2.00 Modelo draft special. While this used to bring back memories of my parents taking me here years ago, it seems its lost its charm. I don't think I would come back.
(3)Mike B.
Great place for awesome margaritas!! Friendly atmosphere and staff that are always willing to accommodate. It's right across the street from my house and me and my family have become regulars at this place. The food is good but not out of this world. However they do have great guacamole. They make it fresh right in front of you! I'm defiantly a fan and will be in heaven once their little garden patio is back open!
(4)Sovanni A.
Please do not go here. I went there with a friend last night and both her and I got alcohol poisoning. We ordered a medium size margarita and something in that drink made us both felt sick when we got home. I usually dont write reviews, but I felt the need to for this place. They said they closed down for remodeling, but if you go inside everything is the same. Theres no remodeling, they closed down for another reasons. The food here taste like crap, and now their trying to poison us with some cheap ass tequila!
(1)K S.
I love the Lalo's skillet! It has everything, and I could have made a meal out of that awesome chorizo sausage. It came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup that had garbanzo beans and a wedge of lime and it was so good on cold winter evenings. Of course, that was offset by all of the awesome margaritas I've downed there. It was great with a group and even just sitting at the bar.
(5)Karolina M.
Went there once, food wasn't special, very greasy,generic,quantity over quality... Drinks were ok
(2)Mindy P.
Being new to the area, I am depending a lot on online reviews for new businesses to try. We visited Lalos on a Saturday night around 6:30 and the parking lot was pretty full, which to me was a good sign. The decor is great, our waiter was very prompt and attentive and the mariachi band was a plus. In a nutshell, the salsa was excellent, the food was okay and my peach margarita was awesome. Will visit again to try the buffet, the guacamole and of course a different margarita flavor!
(3)Yvonne O.
I have been to just about every Lalo's around - some still in existence, others now gone and I have to say I love this one probably the most. The waitstaff here is wonderful and really seem to enjoy their jobs, even when they introduced the $8.95 buffet on the weekends, which has to cut into their tips somewhat. I chose this place so that my mom could eat the buffet and I could get some lower calorie soup. The caldo de camarones did not disappoint. Spicy like crazy, but the lime squeezed into it cut the heat and the giant chunks of carrot and zucchini in it balanced out the (what had to be) pound of shrimp in the bowl. YUM! It is served with spanish rice and tortillas or bread, but I skipped those (sadly). The buffet is a serious bargain - tons of choices, desserts and appetizers are up there and that price is cheaper than most of the entrees on their own!
(4)Maria A.
STAY AWAY !!! I almost never write any reviews but I just had to share our experience. We read the reviews but thought its mexican food ...How bad can it be .. We were very disapointed. The staff was friendly enough but the food was HORRIBLE. No taste, and this place is def OVER PRICED for the few menu options. My husband and I are huge fans of mexican food and are usually overwhelmed with options so we were very surprised of the lack of options. Not only was the food super burned but dry and no taste. We def will not go back
(1)Yvette C.
My second favorite Mexican Restaurant in the area! I absolutely love coming here on the weekends. The service is always friendly, the margaritas are plentiful & the Mariachi band rocks it out...need I say more? When the weather is nice I suggest sitting out on the patio, such a great spot to chill after a long work week.
(5)Sassy M.
The food was just okay. I've had better mexican food. Its very authentic style mexican. The menu is small compared to most mexican restaurants. It was not all that friendly to kids... too quiet!
(2)Chris S.
Everyone I've asked about this place (including two of the three previous reviews, I see) have said "go for the margaritas." When I ask "how's the food?" I typically am told "go for the margaritas." After visiting Lalo's a few days ago, I can officially say this: "if you want to get drunk, go for the margaritas." The food is fine, neither terrible nor great, though somewhat overpriced. The margaritas are quite strong and fairly tasty, but you may as well head someplace with better food.
(2)David B.
i went there last night with my wife and her coworkers, i thought the selection on the menu was tantalizing, and for the most part everything was solid. there was a few star items, like the chorizo, the grilled queso block that came with the chicken (which was horrible). i would go back, but i think the menu is hit or miss with great and just bad. the service was okay, and i could tell the waitress was trying hard, but she didn't understnd somethings and made mistakes, but if you repeated something to her, she was snappy.
(2)G P.
we went yesterday for dinner and i was not pleased with it.after reopening me and my husband thought that we should give a try to this place one more time,but too noisy and food was not excellent.i don't think we are going back there.
(2)MK H.
I have to put in a good word for Lalo's after dining there last night with a party of 5. The place is cute and comfy and laid out nicely. The waitstaff was friendly and playful, even while serving large groups. They even made the experience feel a bit more authentic by throwing some Spanish at us here and there, all in good fun. It makes the table feel more relaxed and comfortable right away when the waiter has a playful spirit. The margarita's are over $7 a pop for a "small" but they come in a big 'fish bowl' of a margarita glass and definitely pack a punch. I can't imagine what a large would be. One was plenty for me! A couple of times it seemed like the wait for things was a little longer than reasonable since it wasn't packed, but it was totally forgivable considering everything else we got out of the experience. The guacamole is made tableside by the waiter so it was wonderfully fresh. And they don't chince out on it - it had tomato, cilantro and onion in it. Great stuff. I've had some that was just mushed up avacado and was being called guacamole. My mom didn't want the rice and beans that came with her flauta's and my husband ordered the tamale dinner. The waiter pointed out to him that if he took her rice and beans and ordered the tamale appetizer instead, he'd still get his three tamales with rice and beans for about $5 less! He went out of his way to help us save money! A tip-worthy move for sure. The only thing I was less than thrilled with were my flauta's. They were yummy and I did enjoy them - not too greasy, not too heavy, cooked very well, but the chicken was a little bland. But a perfect texture and crunch. Just a bit more spice on the chicken while it cooked would have gone a long way. Then again, it could easily have been a single incident. The rice was moist and tasty. The beans weren't too greasy and weren't too dry. For a heaping plate of mexican food it wasn't super greasy or heavy, and my tummy had no issues with it later ;) With all the little extra requests and changes we made, they did not forget or mess up a single food item in our whole order. They also had a little bowl of lollipops on the way out, which was nice because after such a big meal you may not have room for a full dessert, so there is a little something available for a sugar fix. That's a nice touch. Overall we had a great experience. Good food, good margarita, good waiter. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Wanda V.
My husband & I dined on a Saturday for an early dinner at 4:30pm. It has been about 2 years since we dined here and I can't imagine we will be back. I was very surprised on how limited the menu is and how expensive they all are. The average price was $14.95 for an entree. I ordered steak tacos that were just tasteless. The service was SO slow. The restaurant was barely busy, but each and every placement on the table (water, chips, entree and so on) took an average of 20 minutes. And what really bothered me was that they were playing 80's rock music! Just awful.
(2)Jason C.
Nice, comforting Mexican food from a type of place you don't expect much from. I used to come here a lot a up till a few years ago. Recently went back and its better than I remember it. Had the carne asada and it was pretty tasty. Chips were nice and crisp. Refried beans were not dry. Maybe it just reminds me of my childhood, but for me, this is one of the better mexican places out there.
(4)Mike I.
I don't care for this place at all. The burritos are very bland, almost forgettable. The margaritas are just okay. The only good thing are the chips and salsa.
(1)Mark R.
terrible ...margaritas tasted like gator ade...menu was filthy with grease and food particles...had to wash my hands after handling it...had a combo platter..steak was tough..chicken dry...shrimp undercooked..wife had a fish dish...was laying in a pool of grease. waiter was in lalo land..hard to understand and dissappeared frequently...really bad experience.
(1)Katrina G.
Great margaritas, beware they're sneaky little devils! All meals come with chips and salsa and a great cup of mexican chicken soup. I've enjoyed almost everything there, but did not care for the tamales. Great place to sit at the bar, share a pitcher of margaritas and a few appetizers. The tilapia veracruza is very good as well.
(4)Stella S.
Go here for the margaritas! Their margaritas are simply the strongest around. Their potatoe salad is really good, but you have to ask for it because it's not on the menu. Also, they have pretty decent outdoor seating.
(4)Spider F.
We came here for lunch and were told about the lunch buffet. It was great value for the cost. There was a large selection, including taco's, mini burritos, quesadillas, gauc, rice beans, dessert etc. Unlike many buffets where they are light on the protein, all the options were stuffed with meat and delicious. The service was friendly and fast and everything was filled and replaced regularity. We will definitely be back and highly recommend it.
(5)Angela S.
The truth is, it was just okay for me on a personal note, but the rest of my family was extremely happy! What saved dinner was the fact that they have a vegetarian menu, after asking our waitress what my vegetarian hubby could order. The regular menu was slim pickens for him. 4-stars for the menu discovery! You have to ask for it. We decided to go for an Ikea run tonight, and everyone seemed to be craving Mexican food. We ended up here by default, because we realized the other smaller independent restaurants we were considering closed at 6pm. Lalo's was a bit out of the way, but a nice place for a family meal. The chips are homemade here, but they were underwhelming for me and the salsa wasn't very exciting. I enjoyed the chicken soup starter to the meal. Served with a lime, it had a nice kick to it. The kids menu is great, and for ages 10 and under. My hearty eating nine year old boys filled up quickly. The menu is divided into two sections--hungry and extra hungry. They ate for $5.50 and each kid got a mini bowl of soup, steak tacos, rice or fries. They loved it! Hubby ordered guac. tacos, and I ended up with chicken and beef flautas with guac., rice and refried beans. In retrospect, I wish I would have ordered off the vegetarian menu. I felt a little wonky after eating...just too much food for me. Would I come here again? Probably not. It's just not super convenient, and I didn't find the meal to be memorable after leaving. Service was absolutely lovely. Our waitress was quick to handle all our needs.
(3)Azhar S.
I've been here twice and wasn't crazy about it. I usually order a burrito and taco salad and both items were over priced in terms of quality and quantity. Drinks are also not so great either. It had a very good location right in Schaumburg and you can't miss it since it's right on Roselle Road. Overall, not a big fan of this place.
(3)Samantha R.
Pretty neat little spot. I went a few weeks ago with a group from work and it was really nice! We ordered several appetizer samplers for the table and the guacamole. Everything was very authentic and fresh tasting, I really loved the guacamole and the flautas were awesome. The margaritas were ON POINT and had a lot of alcohol in them, and the flavor combinations were awesome! I had strawberry and a strawberry mango margarita, and both were great. I really loved the atmosphere in this place, it reminded me of the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT. Little bridges to walk over to get to your table, a mariachi band playing, and cobblestone floors. The bar had karaoke going and dancing. It seemed like this place was always a big party! I really enjoyed my visit, as did my co-workers. I hope to come back for a full meal sometime in the future and I feel bad for driving past without a thought so many times!
(4)Tobin h.
Had a great server in Virgillio and I have to say this is one of the most underated and unappreciated restaurants around. The folks that manage this haven just get it. They do everything right and their professionalism makes it run like clockwork. Not to mention the outstanding food. They take pride in what they do and it shows. A must go to whenever you see the smiling sunshine.
(4)Adam D.
Lalo's is in a unique position of needing three different reviews, or at least one review that is an aggregate of three components: lunch buffet, dinner, and bar. First, the lunch buffet. I was not a fan. Limited selection of room-temperature food. Pass. Second, dinner. Very good! I've had dinner here several times and the entrees have always been tasty. The apps are a little bland but that's not really a big deal. You don't leave a movie because the previews were boring, right? Third, the bar. Totally different vibe from the dining room. There were a few different things going on in the bar while we were there. Part sports bar, part singles bar for older people, and mix in an occasional large group of women drinking margaritas and getting their swerve on with mariachi bands. Overall, it's good as long as you know when to go and when to skip it.
(3)Maria S.
My family and I have been coming to Lalo's restaurants for years now!!! They always have GREAT food and great service is awesome! I really would recommend this place to anyone looking for great Mexican food, great margaritas, and great music!
(5)Latoya B.
This was my first visit to this Lalo's. I have been to both the Berwyn and Chicago locations. In my opinion in comparison to those two, this one as far as the appearance of it is sub-par. Today is a gloomy type of day and unfortunately it felt that way inside. It was very dim and just wasn't conducive to "bringing out the sunshine in me." Luckily I had a great group of people with me to help that. The food on the other hand was very good. I ordered the Enchiladas Suiza, my favorite and it was definitely a hit. My co-workers order the lunch buffet and stated they enjoyed the variety and the food in itself. Our waiter was pretty great. He was very attentive. He ensured that he did not hover but at the same time met all of our needs. My water glass never got empty despite him not hovering around so for that I give him kudos! I can tell he was keeping a watchful eye over his tables. The area near the rest room seemed a bit cluttered, or it may just be that it was so dark in their that it appeared to be cluttered. Im curious to know if it is any different in the evening, or a brighter day outside as a whole, so for that I will return.
(3)Jessica P.
The service was very good. the food came out quickly and was good. What I expect from the local Mexican restaurant. The problem came when we asked for our check. We had a Groupon so the server took my phone for the voucher number. Ten minutes later she still hadn't returned. When we saw her we were told that only the manager could process Groupons and they didn't know where the manager was. She brought back my phone but they were still no check as they were still looking for the manager. After 20 minutes we finally received our check. The food was good but I don't think it was worth the 20 minute wait to receive our check.
(2)Jeff A.
I have been here a couple of times. The first time I visited Lalo's, I was disappointed by the food. I am from California and my family are Tejanos, so with having had excellent mexican food in my lifetime do I expect prefect food at a restaurant? No. Do I expect flavors to rival Taco Bell or Del Taco when I am at a sit down restaurant? Yes! Knowing that cooks can have bad days or the crew just isn't clicking that night, I gave Lalo's another try and found the same old boring food with bland flavor and nothing to excite the palate. Sorry, Lalo's, not coming back unless I am strictly having drinks.
(1)Rosanna L.
I'm surprise by the low rating here! I initially called early in the week to make resevrations for a Friday night, but was told they would only take reservations for a party of 6 or more, understandable. Our party of 4 got there around 7:40pm on a Friday night and it was busy, but no wait, awesome. We were greeted with some chips and salsa and our server to take our drink order. 1/2 price draft specials and $6.50 red or white sangria, hmmMmmm sangria. I went with the red sangria and it was delicious and fruity, so I had 2 glasses. We ordered their Botana Combinada: combination appetizers of nachos, quesadilla, tamales, flautas, and seafood empanada. I always like ordering any combo dish because you get to taste a little bit of everything. My favorite had to be the seafood empanada although i wish it came with more then one. The flautas and tamales were a bit dry, but nothing a little bit of sour cream and guac can't fix. The quesadilla had ham in it and it was delicious. I ordered the carne asada a la tampiquena, medium rare and it was perfect. The skirt steak was cooked to perfection with the warm red in the middle, so tender and juicy, drools. I thought the rice and beans and were just okay, but the steak definitely made the meal. I was really satisfied. (It always made for a good steak and egg english muffin sandwich the next morning.) The rest of the party also enjoyed their meals and the live entertainment. I can't wait to go back for some juicy skirt steak and a ice cold red sangria.
(4)Isabel K.
Great food and drinks! Have not had anything bad there.
(3)Laura S.
I've been meaning to try this place for a while and I'm SO glad I did. My boyfriend and I stopped in for a weekday late lunch. I was immediately entranced by the wonderful decor inside the restaurant. The items are a little pricey but the quality is definitely on par with it. Too expensive to go there very often though (boo!). The service was very attentive and very friendly. We ordered way too much and both walked away with noticeable "food babies". I'd like to revisit this review after I try them out during a dinner rush.
(4)Odranre B.
i came here twice for lunch in the last several of months...both times i came for the weekday lunch buffet at roughly 12-12:30 noon...both times, the food was limited to very few items and very little quantity, especially the more expensive items like fish and beef...and both times i came here, they told me that they were not bringing anymore food...it's 12 noon! how can you be advertising a buffet and having only old nachos, re-fried beans, and tortillas...such a disappointment and false advertising to get you in here during weekday lunch...this review is for the lunch buffet, i have not had any issues with dinner
(1)Steff D.
My boyfriend and I went in for dinner about 630 on a Friday night and this place was packed. We waited about 15 minutes for a table and had a drink in the bar. We ordered the appetizer sampler which was really nothing special. The quesadilla had a slice of ham and you wouldn't even know there was cheese on it. Tamales were dry as well as the flautas. The nachos were thrown on the plated and all the cheese got on about three chips. Not much cheese either. The service was slow. I understand that they were busy but I did feel a bit neglected by my server. I ordered the carne Asada. Huge portio of streak! The steak was good. Rice and beans were good. However, my boyfriend had the burrito and he said we could have gotten one from the Mexican place down the street. It was nothing special. I give three stars for my portion of streak and the prices were good. Paid 60 bucks including tip for everything and the dinners included a soup and I had a drink. They have a mariachi band that sings to people for dinner or birthdays. It's s nice touch but it was extremely distracting. I think this place would be great for a birthday celebration but not a date night.
(3)Nelson M.
Restaurant review AYCE buffet every day! I have been here before and was less than impressed by the buffet but I have been away for many years until this past month. I went on a weekday, the buffet is priced at 9.99 I believe or somewhere around that price. You are greeted with a bonanza of mexican food items including spinach quesadilla, small burritos ( I would stay away from this), taquitos chicken/beef, fresh taco station with chicken, beef (res) this was amazing go with this) in flour or corn tortilla. There was even mole and other traditional mexican dishes. Unlimited guac as well in the salad bar area. To top it off rice pudding or flan. This is a nice change of pace from other lunch venues. I would highly recommend if you like traditional mexican food. Pro: lunch buffet AYCE, friendly staff Cons: none Hidden gem: AYCE lunch buffet, great deal
(4)Mark S.
Worst Mexican Buffet ever! Had a taste for Mexican food today, so my friend and I decided to give Lalo's buffet a try. Now I remember why i hadn't been to one in like 20 years. It was without a doubt the worst Mexican food I ever had. No idea why/how people actually like this place. Guess the drinks must be good. The buffet was over priced ($11) and tasteless. Come on people.....how about at least using some Adobo? We should have known the meal would be bad when we sampled the salsa provided with the chips. The chips had an odd taste, and the salsa was like a can of crushed tomatoes. No taste at all. We arrived at about 12:30, the restaurant was empty and the buffet was nearly bare. The best part of the meal was the free suckers when you leave. Do yourselves a favor and find someplace else.
(1)Howard L.
This is a large and colorful place, and looks to be a good venue for large groups. We came by here for dinner before a Schaumburg Boomers game nearby, as it would be better than eating at that ballpark. They have some good seafood items (we tried the seafood combination plate). Their appetizer sampler plate was also decent. Ok place to try if you are up this way.
(4)Genevieve L.
They have a nice outdoor seating area and mariachis on the weekends. Kinda romantic depending on how you look at it. I ordered the steak fajitas and I love how they serve them sizzling on the cast iron platters. Maybe its the weather but the lettuce looked a bit wilted but other than that everything was good
(4)Chewy C.
Food was great, service was good too, was seated right away. Strongly suggest going outside your regular order of tacos, burritos, or tortas. Everything is tasty & u just might find your new favofite dish. I recommend Bistec con Raja y Queso. There margaritas are worth getting. After a few you will want to go to the bar. Just keep in mind on weekends the bar does turn into a night club. I was there on Saturday and I liked the older crowd with da old skool music. house, hip hop, spanish. nice to be at a place where 21 year olds are not complaining cause they aint playing the latest rihanna.
(5)Kristy R.
A friend and I split the fajitas and they were just ok. I've had better, they were actually pretty plain tasting. So we get 4 flour tortillas and after we ate the four there was so much left over to make more tacos with so we ordered more tortillas and the waitress Rosa gave us 3 more. Now if you have two people and they're sharing the meal and you're aware they are sharing why would you give them 3 tortillas?? Anyways Rosa was NOT keeping our drinks filled I had to call her over 3 times to get a refill and ask another employee to get me another flour tortilla. The chips tastes like cardboard. Next time for Mexican food I'll go to La Hacienda or La Magdalena's in Addison, their food is much better tasting and very flavorful. Not a fan of Lalo's at all.
(1)Misty S.
The other reviews were right, the service is slow! It took a while to get a glass of water and another while to get a refill. The food is decent and the prices are reasonable (on the higher end for Mexican food). I came for dinner on a Friday night and the place was packed. The bright and colorful decorations added to the ambiance of the restaurant. Definitely good for large groups since they have tons of space and tables. The chip and salsa were good and help curb the appetite while waiting for the food to come out. I ordered a medium mango margarita, which was delicious and I couldn't even taste the alcohol. For $11, it's almost like a meal. The flautas dinner came with some guac, rice, and beans for $12. I didn't think the flautas were anything special and they were kind of on the dry side (dried shredded chicken). The guacamole was very good, but I think that's rather difficult to mangle. The rice was tasty and fluffy. The lady behind me got a glass of margarita dumped on her when a waitress lost her balance. I've been there before and was glad it wasn't me this time. There's a bowl of lollipops by the entrance that were full of fruit flavored lollipops. Someone recommended mango, but it was strange tasting for a mango. There's also a gum surprise in the middle.
(3)Desiree L.
We've been here before and liked it a lot, and since its on the way from our new rescue's vet, thought it'd be great to sit on the patio after his appointment and enjoy lunch, but alas, not allowed...so we'll head home and visit Norwood Park and Edison Park establishments where he's more than welcome !
(3)Tracy J.
Had a delicious lunch here with my daughter today. It's just as good as the Berwyn location. I'm giving it four stars because the don't have any booths (which I find more comfortable than tables) and their frozen raspberry Margarita seemed a little more "tart" than the ones at the Berwyn location. After I stirred it up it was fine, but I think the Margaritas at the Berwyn location are a tad bit better. Overall great lunch. I'll come back next time I'm in Schaumburg!
(4)Nick S.
Not a bad place. We live not to far from them. I think they do a good job. Very inexpensive, but not really authentic I guess. The bar is good. Beer is inexpensive. Overall it's not a bad place and I would come here again.
(4)Rachael Z.
Lalo's has an amazing lunch buffet that is worth every penny! I've only been here for lunch, but it's a great deal. Allow for some time, because though the food is already prepared, you'll want to go up several times for appetizers, different tastes of foods, and desserts! I'm sure the menu is incredible, but the buffet is the best deal for the lunch hour. Highly recommended!
(5)jill w.
After waiting for 25 minutes for our drinks, the server informed us she had not put in our order. We were discouraged from the buffet by the server. We were charged for cheese for the tacos. The ladies room had no toilet paper in 2 of the 3 stalls. Skip this place.
(1)Mat M.
Wow! This place was great. Great service from the time we walked into the building. Not your typical Mexican restaurant menu. Tons of seafood. The salsa was perfect. Everything had the perfect amount of spice to it. Even my kids gobbled it up. It's a little pricey but the quality is there.
(5)Eric C.
Wait for a table on a Saturday night was about 45 mins with no reservation,but well worth the wait. Took the family and we enjoyed the food and friendly staff,especially server Christopher. Authentic meals and great drink deals. The Mariachi band topped off a fun experience. Check it out, family friendly with a separate bar area with many TV's to enjoy.
(4)Cesar R.
Margaritas are the best with awesome service. They're portions are back to being big. Love the ambiance and will definitely come back. Highly recommend this location. The outside gives it no justice. Inside is a gem along with the live music on the weekends.
(5)Andrew G.
Went to Lalo's on Mother's Day with my wife, mother-in-law and her boyfriend for our first visit and it was a huge disappointment. The place wasn't crazy busy as there were more than a few empty tables around us, yet our server would frequently forget about us and disappear. When he came back to fill our water, more than once, he'd fill the glasses with Sprite before walking off despite us trying to tell him. He was overall fairly inattentive. The food was overpriced for what was served and, more or less, bland and unremarkable. Total, for the four meals, it came out to a jaw-dropping $80, none of which I would call worth it. Would not recommend and definitely would not return.
(2)Margarita M.
The service is great the food is still very good we went there for lunch with my sister and a friend of mine it was my girlfriends birthday they brought her out a cupcake with a candle and sing happy birthday which I thought was a great gesture. I had not been to Lalos in a very long time I'm glad we picked this place for our lunch
(5)Pari P.
I was a fan of Lalos' lunch buffet several years ago. It was the place to go with my coworkers when I used to work in Schaumburg. After several months of being closed due to construction, I made a visit to see the improvements. The interior decorating is amazing. You can tell that a lot of money was invested and you see it in the details from the tile to the art work on display. Interior is one thing but what about the food? I found the al pastor and the carne asada to be mediocre. The portions were large which helped justify the pricing but it wasn't memorable. I would relate the food to their lunch buffet where it satisfies your craving even though it's not the best Mexican food that you've had. We had a coupon which helped offset the cost. Lalos is also known for their margaritas. I'll have to come back next time and check out the bar area that was also renovated.
(3)Bill H.
On a street full of fast food chain restaurants, it was nice to see an authentic Mexican restaurant. The decor made you feel like you were south of the border. Service and food was great. Next time you are thinking of going to Taco Bell, come here instead. They do offer take out.
(4)Jennifer C.
After hearing great things about this restaurant from friends, I finally decided to try it out. We went later on a Friday evening with another couple for dinner. The bar area was packed and had a dj playing music, but there only were two or three other tables in the dining room. Our server greeted us right away and brought our drinks quickly. When it came time to order our dinner, it was so loud that we had to shout over not only the dj from the bar area, but a mariachi band in the dining room. The reason for only 1 star? My order was incorrect when the server brought it out and she disappeared so quickly that I had to wait at least 5 minutes for her to come back. I informed her that I had asked for NO onions on my tacos and that there was nothing except for onions on my tacos. She brought the dish to the kitchen and returned with another plate before quickly disappearing again. They simply covered the onions that I didn't want with cheese and tomatoes. My husband had to go find her after waiting another 5 minutes. At that point, I asked her to just bring the check and that I no longer wanted dinner. The check was just under $100 for the four of us and I didn't even eat anything. There was no visit from a manager and nothing extended for this extremely poor experience. If this happened when it was so slow, I don't want to know how they function when it is actually busy.
(1)Jenny G.
Met a friend there for the lunch buffet and i was pretty pleased with it. I don't eat meat so several of the options were not available to me. So they offered to make me some veggie options. So they made me some Veggie enchaliadas so i wouldn't feel left out. They were also making fresh Gauc so they had that going for them..
(4)Kat L.
I would have to say, it is the best Mexican I've had in the area. Chips and salsa were nothing to write home about. Their own homemade salsa was also pretty unforgettable. But come here for a night to chill out, have so margs and mexican. I'm not big on tequila, but was surprised with how good the mango margarita was that I got. We came on a friday, which included the tableside singing. =) i don't care if it's hokey. I loved it. Fun entertainment for anyone who's not too worried about being "too cool." Will probably be back for more. The pork on the tacos we had were really flavorful and juicy. Surprisingly, I even liked it a lot more than the steak tacos I had. Rice and beans were pretty up to par. A lil pricey, but worth it for the experience.
(4)Shaun S.
It was alright , nothing that would have me telling people to go hear instead of all the other Mexican restaurants in the area. It was ok, but drinking on the outside patio made life a little better that day.
(3)Jennifer S.
I'm baaack! After what I think was a four or five month remodel job, Lalo's reopened recently. We heard that they were open again and headed for the usual lunch buffet. Unfortunately, it is no longer there seven days a week. I am not sure on the schedule, but I would suggest calling first. We looked at the lunch menu which had been completely re-vamped and decided on a combo platter. Basically steak, chorizo, chicken, shrimp wrapped in bacon, peppers, etc. served with tortillas. It was a good price for a great portion. The staff all seemed different as I didn't recognize anyone. The atmosphere was pretty nice and the service was good. No problems with refills or getting more tortillas. It was a good visit. I'd like to try the lunch buffet and see how it's changed, so I will keep you posted once I do that.
(4)Rita B.
I've been here several times throughout the years. I normally have good things to say but this time around I'm pretty disappointed. My mother and I decided on the lunch buffet (even though I NEVER do buffets). The first time we served ourselves there weren't too many options but we say the employees filling the dishes so we figured we'll have better luck a little later. For our second trip to the buffet there were even less options. I then noticed one of the workers filling up the dishes with only a few items at at a time. For example instead of bringing out a full tray of mini burritos he would bring 4 or 5 at a time. Unfortunately he did this for every dish. There were enough customers going to the buffet so there was never enough food. I had to ask him 3 times to fill the buffet. He would just smile smile and nod. Our waiter was even worse than the buffet. We had to ask him several times for extra napkins which he never brought over. My water (which was the only thing I was drinking) never got filled. It was a one and done deal. It was a bad experience this time around and it will probably be a very long time before I go back, IF I ever do go back.
(2)Juan N.
I had the Enchiladas de Mole Poblano, disappointed only thing I could taste is the spicy hot mole when this mole should be sweet. Beans and rice taste flat. Presentation goog
(2)Kei A.
I came here with my girlfriend for the first time. She recommended it to me, since I'm always raving about Mexican food, and told me I wouldn't be disappointed. She was right! The waitress was a tad slow, hence -1 star. I ordered the Aztec Lunch, which was surprisingly authentic. My girlfriend had something similar, which was equally good. We had too much food and we didn't finish, which is a good sign. The bill was about 40$ and we were full, plus, we had leftovers!
(4)Broni R.
I've been here once before for dinner during the week with the family and I remember thinking the experience was mediocre. I returned unexpectedly this afternoon and was pleasantly content. Husband and I couldn't decide where we wanted to eat so we drove up and down Roselle rd. We finally decided to give the place another chance although he didn't hate the place. He had the nachos last time and was happy with it. Ok so today's experience... well it wasn't too packed when we got there but it seemed to start filling up right after. They have a lunch buffet for 9.95pp. Not sure how much it is for kids but I assume less. The buffet wasn't too bad. Shredded beef and chicken flautas didn't taste too fresh but the steak fajitas and honestly everything else was good. They had a couple of different salsas with good flavor and guacamole was great. I also had an original margarita on the rocks and it was great. We sat outside since it was a nice day and all in all it was a pleasant experience. Latin music played in the background so it gave the ambiance a very tropic feel. I would definitely return on a Sunday for the buffet and a coctail. Oh and service was great. Very friendly and attentive :)
(4)Joe F.
We haven't been here in a couple of years and from what we recalled food was decent. We all wanted Mexican food and decided to come back but what a HUGE mistake, Food came out cold and tasteless, I have been to many Mexican restaurants and know good food. We frequent restaurants enough to know the good from the bad. We sent all four plates back so they could give us warm food but that was a waste of time. We all agreed that the re fried beans were on the cusp of being spoiled. Waitress was understanding and sent manager over. She looked about 12 years old so I know she was the real managers sounding board. We had arrachera and it was the worst I have had in decades. I urge everyone to stay away, I still ended up paying for on the steak that my husband ate because he was starving and half decent chile rellenos my mom ate . But no once touched the sides. Wasted money.
(1)Nick M.
Bland food, kids running all over the restaurant- wow what a bad experience! Good luck!
(2)Matt M.
Really great lunch buffet! Thats the best time to hit this place up. True, you can not get authentic or really good Mexican food in Chicago (especially Schaumburg), but this place does just fine. Its certainly better than Taco Bell and it hits the spot for the right price point! Good service, clean atmosphere, great location.
(3)Zaneta N.
Great food, yummy drinks, decent pricing & amazing service! I will always ask for Roberto to be our server from now on. They were extremely busy (as most places are on a Friday night) yet Roberto still made sure to check up on us after he took our order and brought our appetizers, drinks and dinner in a timely manner. Best of all? He ALWAYS had a smile on his face! It was refreshing to see someone be so nice and provide such excellent customer service! Whoever wrote that their food can compare to "Taco Bell" clearly came here drunk or something. Taco Bell!? Let's be serious!! We both had burrito plates and they were delicious. The portion was too big for me and I took half of it home. I finally tried their famous margarita and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend it! I tried the Mango flavored one - medium size is HUGE! This was our first visit here during dinner time. I loved the overall vibe of the restaurant as they really comes alive in comparison to lunch time- when it's much quieter. They actually had Mariachis singing.
(5)Catherine P.
I love Lalo's. It's especially sad because I always have crappy-server-lady-who-never-refills-my-drinks or the drinks of the people I'm with. They have a GREAT lunch buffet 7 days a week and for about $12.00 (including drink) you can have a nice lunch....that is, if you can get your drink. We ALWAYS get there right when they open and when the food is fresh because if you get there later in the afternoon, the food is garbage. All Mexican food dries out easily so it's difficult to keep it moist and fresh tasting. We have done take out a few times. Not good. They box the food in Styrofoam which simply makes the crunchy foods soggy because they put it steaming hot into the container. Perhaps, if they changed how the food was packed, it would improve. For example: put deep friend flautas or tacos in a hard shell in paper packaging. Cold garnishes should be left outside of the box or bag and packed separately because hot food and cold sour cream don't mix when it may be transported for up to 20 minutes. Be sure to use your bathroom at home before you go, you will not want to use theirs. Also, a shame, because we always rush out when we leave because I don't want to use their restrooms. They also offer 1/2 price appetizers Monday through Friday from 4(??) until 7pm in the bar area. They know how to make authentic Mexican food. Their flautas are just like my Grandma's used to be and their enchiladas aren't bad either. I look at it this way. You know it's a good Mexican restaurant when you look around and every patron is Hispanic.
(3)Nick L.
Maybe I'm just not in love with this genre of food (Westernized Mexican Food), but their food offerings just all seem to be meh. The prices aren't terribly high, but the quality seems more akin to the offerings at Taco Bell, which boasts considerably cheaper prices. The margaritas on the other hand really save Lalo's. They are reasonably priced, taste amazing, and still provide a nice buzz. What more can you ask for? The bar atmosphere is so-so, nothing stands out about it. I will go back because it's next door to my apartment, but to me there are places with better value in the area.
(2)Lemon L.
Six of us went and had a great time. The chicken tacos were really good, the chips and salsa were addictive. Lime marguerita was tasty. Wait staff was attentive and prices were reasonable. Very cute place, will return.
(4)Ken K.
Don't expect a buffet to be 4 star food.....but Lalos REALLY went downhill....was just there today - all the choices were cheapened up.......bready crappy cheap stuff....from now on when I want a lot of Mexican, I'll just get 2 good burritos from one of many good burrito places around rather than drop 16 bucks for cheap breaded stuff and sides at Lalo's
(2)Susan B.
So, Lalo's was closed the entire summer (what Mexican restaurant does "renovations" in the summer...seems that would be a super busy time for business?). I was itching for some good Mexican food and in my opinion, Lalo's does it best! What renovations were done? The place looks exactly the same. Maybe they did work in the kitchen?? Anyways, the food was great as usual. I always get the taco dinner with chicken. The chicken here is so moist and juicy! Also, their chicken soup is tasty too. This last visit the timing was off because we barely were into our soup when our meals were brought out. Our waitress noticed and came over and apologized. I had my yummy margarita so all was well in the world and I didn't mind one bit. I do love Lalo's but please, don't shut down again for an entire summer (margaritas just taste better in the summer!).
(4)Daniel L.
I hear the margaritas are very good but I wasn't there to try it. I went there with a friend because he always talked about it. Bi ordered a steak burrito and honestly it was not worth the price. This place is overpriced for the quality of food and service. You pay almost 3 dollars for a lemonade which is perfectly fine but guess what... Refills cost you.. Like I said the food isn't great
(1)Melissa R.
I LOVE this place ! The BEST margaritas! Order the BIG ones ! You will not be dissapointed. Very strong so you definately get your money's worth. Steak nachos are awesome....salsa very good. Quesadilla appetizer with mushrooms & onions (not on the menu) are so yummy ! Fajitas are good also. Sit in the bar for the best service. OR, ask for Chris the waiter. He is the little Phillipino server & he is hands down there BEST waiter. Good place to go and chill with friends.
(4)Joshua B.
This was my first time here. I went to lunch with some of my family. When I walked it it looked very authentic to me. The waitress was really nice. She checked on us frequently to see if we needed refills which I love. I had a burger. Yes, I know a burger in a Mexican restaurant doesn't sound good, but it was. It had a different cheese than I have never had but it was very good. The fries were just ok - they didn't seem salted. My other family had the buffet. They both seemed to enjoy it. We had the flan - I would give that 5 stars!
(4)Osiris V.
Meh, I don't find anything exciting about Lalo's anymore. They have average food, the service is ok and that's about it. I used to find their margaritas to be one of the best ever but since I didn't have one at this location I can't say. They did have a buffet open when I went there on a Saturday afternoon, but I didn't try it, I should of.
(3)Stacey K.
Ugh. And now that I've recently experienced "real" mexican food: double ugh. Not even worth exacerbating my carpal tunnel to write too many lines about this place. I was only here because we had a little grade school /junior-high reunion involving me and 8 other ladies. It was strictly a half-way point meeting place. We were all totally unimpressed. Expensive drinks, icky looking refried beans, and tired looking entrees. The restroom was DEE-sgusting and the ATM was broken. Only two positives: the salsa was pretty tasty, and our server was a genuinely nice guy. But then, I'd add some sparkle too if I was serving a table full of giggling, imbibing, chatty chicks. We were there for 4 hours, for the love of God....
(2)Matthew F.
Nostalgia prompted me to come here because when I was a kid it was Down The Hatch (pizza I think) Anyway, I love the transformation even if this deep sea diver suit is long gone. Their corn husk wrapped tamales and sauce(s) are good. Rather than the usual fajitas or combo platter, I ordered Tampico chicken which was excellent. The horchata is a good non-alcoholic beverage choice if you like nutmeg, otherwise the margaritas I saw were fishbowl sized. Service was attentive even with a full dinner crowd.
(4)Giuseppe D.
Nice play to go to for margaritas. They don't have a huge variety of margaritas, but the ones they make are good. Strong enough to get the job done I'd say. The food is very mediocre. Nothing great, but nothing terrible either. The price is cheap, nothing over the top. They have karaoke nights, and people dance and what not. There's a bar area and a restaurant area, as well as a patio that's open in the summer. They do make your guacamole by hand and at your table which is pretty cool to watch, and that always turns out really good. I'd recommend Lalo's for guacamole with chips and their margaritas, but aside from that it's nothing to get excited over.
(3)Meredith B.
Met my college friends here for dinner on a Wednesday night - the place was pretty empty so it was very easy to snag a table. The chips and salsa were tasty - I remember the chips tasting fresh and the salsa being better than average for a Mexican joint. Margaritas were pretty decent too! We got a pitcher between the three of us and they did not skimp on the tequila, which is always appreciated! The entrees all came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup which seemed strange to me, but whatevs. The soup is thin and brothy, tastes good, but you may as well save most of the room for your entree since there's nothing really special going on in the soup department. I got the chicken fajitas which came out sizzling and were pretty tasty - meat was well-seasoned and pretty juicy. Came with tortillas, refried beans, rice, and guac, so it was easy to build a tasty meal. I took half home for another dinner! Fried ice cream was pretty tasty too, I've never had it before. It's a standard Mexican joint, with the usual Mexican-American fare. No surprises, but it's a solid choice if you're in for some Mexican food and margs.
(3)John H.
The shrimp fajitas and enchiladas rojas were excellent! Very good service. The margaritas were just OK but the food more than made up for it. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Sarah M.
I've been looking for my new go-to Mexican restaurant since moving to Schaumburg from the DC area and I was hoping this would be it, but sadly, it isn't. First, not that I'm an expert on chips and salsa, but the chips were really thick and the salsa wasn't my favorite to say the least.My entree, a steak burrito, was better than I thought it would be. My husband had the chicken fajitas and only ate one because he thought there wasn't any flavor on the meat and that they didn't cook the vegetables long enought. Lalos was fine enough, but we will keep looking for other Mexican restaurants before coming back.
(2)Geoff G.
Wonderful and one of the few Mexican Places left in the area. Service is world class. Some items tend to be very spicy. Their newer menu has less selections.
(4)Jennifer H.
Lunch buffet is the best way to go got this place to get some bang for your buck. The best part with the kids they are at a discount price. Nice for a family dinning out theses days. I like the addition of the guy making the tacos for you.
(4)Vince A.
5-6 years ago, this might have been a 4 star review for Lalo's. It seems that over that time, this place has lost its way. Stopped in for lunch today. They still have the moderatly priced buffet with mediocre food. I chose the lunch from the menu. Went with a pretty standard dish - tampiquena with rice and beans. Rice and beans were fine. Steak was undercooked/underseasoned and a poor cut of meat and the enchilada was fine. I guess for 10 bucks +2 bucks for a coke (WTF) - I was expecting what it used to be - but alas, it's not.
(2)Review P.
Great Mexican restaurant. Love all their food. Their beans and rice that are on the side are way more flavorful than other Mexican restaurants. Great chimichanga/burritos/tacos!
(4)Ericka L.
OMG. I just wanted to put our waitress in my pocket and take her home!! She was so nice and adorable. Have you ever heard your waitress say, "anything you need I'm here for you"?! Well that was the moment I decided she was coming with us!!! I had the pick 3 combination plate with a quesadilla, a flauta, and an enchilada. All three were delicious but I liked the quesadilla the best as it had grilled onions on it and it was super cheesy. The rice was moist, the beans were flavorful, and the dollop of guac was tasty. The chips and salsa I can pass on next time because they weren't good at all...strange. Also had a delicious frozen mango margharita that gave the sweetest brain freeze and was absolutely refreshing. No wonder they boast their "famous" margharitas!! Overall pretty good authentic Mexican fare. Our waitress was really sweet and even though we heard her use the same cute line on another table, we always appreciate good service...thanks Patsy.
(4)Laura G.
Wont be going to this place anytime soon. The location on Harlem in Berwyn, IL is alot better and so different. Very disappointed that this place wasn't up to expectations since this is closer to home. As a Latina who knows Mexican food was just not happy with this place from Service to Food. Period.
(1)Rich M.
My wife and I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The first impression of the restaurant was great. Very nice decor, and the atmosphere was terrific. We ordered an appetizer and it came out in a very timely manner. However, when we received our main course, we were quite disappointed at the quality of the food. The food tasted very mediocre. Our main course was served w/ chicken noodle soup, which we thought was a very non-Mexican pairing. We've had much better tasting Mexican food elsewhere, and paid fraction of what we paid here. It does look like they have great selections of Margaritas, however, we didn't try their drink menu. This seems like a decent place for a larger gathering.
(3)Devi R.
We were craving Mexican and were in the area last weekend. We looked up places in the area and I was reminded of Lalo's. I hadn't been there in so many years - at least 10 - but I remembered it being a more sit-down kind of place and that sounded pretty good so we headed that way. There was a pick 3 option and it was excellent - you can pick 3 of whatever you want (enchiladas, sopes, tacos, quesadillas, etc.) and add a 4th for $2. That would probably be good for 2 people but we are unreasonable people and ordered a pick 3 each. They have a spinach enchilada option that's not on the menu. Yum! Plus awesome chips and salsa - better than the usual. Anyway, today (a week later) my husband wakes up and says "we're not getting tacos today." Obviously by 3 pm one of us was like "Wanna get tacos?" and we were like "Lalo's?" and we headed back. Still just as good, still just as filling. We are now in a food coma... actually passed out on the drive home. Yummm!
(4)Mary B.
Like most people I've seen review this place, it is also one of my family's favorite restaurants to go to. We only live a few blocks from Lalos in Schaumburg and we love it. Why? Two reasons: Margaritas and Guacamole. Most often, we don't even order food there. They have table-side guacamole and the best margaritas in town. The margs are little pricy, but they also have a ton of tequila in them... so it's pretty much worth it. The service is always friendly and the food is decent. I never really order any dinner there, we just order the appetizers. I really don't have too much to complain about except the bar area sometimes. Once in a while, my parents and I will go to the bar area because you can get half off of the appetizers before 6 (I think) and one time we were the only ones in the bar and they were BLASTING the music. I have no idea why, but we had to ask them to turn it down and for some reason they said no. I couldn't really hear them but it was something to do with the sound system for later that night. They should figure out better music to play in there some nights but most of the time it's a lot of fun. Stop by there for a quick margarita or at least some guac and I promise you'll be satisfied. Definitely worth stepping out for on a summer night.
(4)Megan O.
Came here for their lunch buffet with my sister, nephew and mom. It was pretty good for being a buffet, they had everything from flautas to tamales, and AMAZING FAJITAS. We went a little after prime-time lunch, around 1:30, and you can obviously tell the food was left out a little while. But I'm not going to complain because the food wasn't in a buffet style layout, rather chafing dishes you would use at a banquet party. For three people it came out to like $40 with soft drinks. I saw a sign that says BEST MARGARITAS, so I will be coming back.
(4)Jennifer Q.
Just wanted to update my review and send a little "shout out" to waiter Roberto who served my mom and I last week during the lunch buffet. Roberto was very professional -he had this Javier Bardem quiet seriousness about him -but he was totally nice and friendly. My mom was undecided between an entree and the buffet and he explained that there were several vegetarian items that she would like on the buffet line. We had a great experience, as usual. This is by far my favorite Lalo's location!
(4)Irene Z.
Lalo's is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. We've come for lunch and dinner but we especially love the weekend lunch buffet. It had been a little while since our last visit, but we went today for the lunch buffet and it was no exception. Still a favorite of ours. The food is fresh and authentic. I love the chips and salsa here, great homemade taste. At the weekend lunch buffet, I also love the steak fajitas which are a perfect mix of vegetables and tender beef. The eggs and rice are another favorite, again great homemade taste and flavor. There's also a good variety of enchiladas. We come here often with our kids and there's plenty for them to choose from (and they can be picky). Ambiance is nice, colorfully decorated with soft music playing in the background. And the service is always friendly and attentive. Whenever we crave Mexican food, it's the first place we think of. Definitely the place to go when you want good, authentic Mexican food!
(4)Paul S.
The restaurant has a very nice decor and the staff was very friendly and efficient. Although the place was rather loud. The food was brought out hot and looked good. However, it tasted rather generic especially for the price. Sad, as I had good things about the Lalo's restaurants. Not too impressive. :(
(3)Angelica C.
This place has really lost it's luster. Service is not good, food is meh, and for what they charge I prefer to take my business elsewhere.
(2)Nicole L.
What made m experience totally awesome? Our waiter. My friend and I are on a low-carb diet so pretty much anything at a Mexican restaurant is off limits. YES it was pure torture! But our waiter was perfect and funny. I kept telling him my girlfriend won't let me eat that, or that it was to many carbs. So after dinner he asked if I'd like dessert and I said I wish! His response what if it's no carbs? I simply said you'd win my heart. Great food - for what we could have. Though the lighting was terrible! I couldn't see my menu.
(4)Andy D.
I love Lalo's!!! Great place for a date, friends and even the family. They have a relaxed bar area that's great for small groups. It sports low ceilings and traditionally themed décor. Also, excellent specials and great drinks. The food is excellent here. I've never had a bad dish here. Fajitas, tacos, guac, chimis, enchiladas...and the list goes on. Great prices and with plenty of trimmings. Also, I have finally hit their lunch time buffet finally. It's every day and has a huge variety cooked to perfection. Only $9 or so. It's a great value and worth trying.
(5)Kate C.
When in doubt in Schaumburg on Friday or Saturday night head to Lalos. There is almost never a wait. The food is really good....the drinks are also very good. Never had a bad experience here.
(4)Wilma F.
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF LEFT IN THE PAST I haven't been to Lalo's in years and was looking forward to an Authentic Mexican dish. Our server was very prompt and accommodating - the atmosphere is festive - the salsa was wonderful - but unfortunately the entree for both of us (which was described on the menu and by our server as Spicy) was generic, bland and disappointing. I guess when there are so many locations, passion on the recipes can go to the wayside.
(2)Lauren R.
We cater food from them for work about once every 3 months. Not too bad but food sometimes comes cold or luke warm. Food overall is ok. Sometimes certain meats were not edible or chewable. Also I ate their for dinner and service wasn't all that. The female server had a heavy accent so I didn't understand her that well. She messed up my dates food order when he specifically asked for something not to be in the food and it still was. I would skip it since Schaumburg has plenty of other places to choose from to eat.
(3)Jessica K.
I've been here quite a few times. I am not usually adventurous so I've always ordered the steak fajitas. They're great, but I'm not super picky when it comes to fajitas. Went this past week and ordered the steak, shrimp, chicken skewers. Could not have been more disappointed. Probably one of the most bland and taste-free things I've had at a restaurant. Only upside, good drinks! After this last visit, I really don't need to go there again.
(2)Len W.
The chain seems to have gone downhill in the past few years. The spot in Oak Park isn't as good as it used to be. The Schaumburg spot seems just ok, too. This was my first time there. When I walked in at about 8 PM on a Saturday they were blasting techno in the bar. I like techno, but there was no one in the bar. I mean NO ONE. Food was decent but for what I paid it should have been a lot better. I don't remember what I had. Not at all. And for $30 (including tip) you'd think it would have been better. Yes, the Margarita is strong. But I wouldn't go back.
(2)John M.
We went to Lalos on a Saturday afternoon at about 2:00pm. The buffet runs until 3pm. My wife and I both had the extensive buffet ($8.99 I think) along with a $2.25 Coke. $2.25 for a Coke seems high, but at least they kept your glass full. It seemed that every time it got below 1/2 full, someone was there to get me a refill. The buffet had a wide variety of food available - it was probably about 20 feet or more long. Quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, burritos and on and on. Everything was good and we didn't find anything that we really just didn't like. We'll definitely be going back. The service was pretty good. Our waitress was attentive and came back to check on us frequently - almost too frequently though. It seemed that every time we tried to talk, the waitress showed up to see if we needed anything. Other than that, everything was good.
(4)Catherine C.
Inside was beautiful. Service was pleasant and quick. Food was delicious! They even had a mariachi band! Only issue was the guac. It wasn't prepared at the table and was missing salt. Overall great experience!
(4)Kelly T.
Great mango margaritas! Decent chips and salsa, but it's a bit too pricey for my liking.
(3)Frank B.
Nice decor o.k. Food. Good strong drinks. A bit pricey for a Mexican restaurant. But overall a good restaurant.
(3)Rachel D.
The best homemade margaritas! No mixes used here people! Chips and salsa very good and authentic, and their guacamole is to die for you have to order it. The tacos, quesadillas,and burritos are wonderful I have tried them all. If you are really hungry get the ultimate skillet it is huge and awesome and only 16 bucks, not bad for the amount of food you get! Saturday nights they have a Mariachi band too. I have always had great service and love going here with my family. This is a kid friendly restaurant.
(5)Mrsotle O.
I went to Lalo's once for a family dinner and each one of us took our first bites and began complaining instantly (usually we're pretty easy to please). It tasted like our food came out of a microwaveable box from Jewel. It was not warm enough, the meat was too chewy, and the veggie enchiladas lacked taste. We all left very disappointed and hungry.
(1)Pal S.
They have amazing margaritas. They mango, peach and guava are excellent. They pitcher is well priced and is a good order for a table with more people. Food is just average. Have eaten better Mexican food elsewhere.
(3)Keegan L.
Not sure I see the appeal that others see in this place as the margaritas were nothing special and so were the tacos.
(3)Barbie S.
I have been here many time, and I really like Lalos!!! Granted they may not have the BEST mexican food I have ever tasted, but it is so fun here! It is definitely a great place to come with a group... the chips and salsa are fabulous, and the margaritas are awesome! (good tequila selection... i have NO IDEA how anyone can stand to drink Jose Cuervo AHHHHHH disgusting!!!) Anyway.... the atmosphere is always up beat the place is always crowded, and the mariacchi's are sooooo fun!!! hahahaa.... as long as they aren't at my table! :)) Plus I like that they serve the pickled peppers & carrots! Yummy!!!! Plus the bar area is decent size if u are waiting for people or table.
(4)Jim K.
My wife and I headed to the Schaumburg location this past Friday (7/15/11) and there's a "Closed for Remodeling" sign on the front door! Anyone know what's up? Are they really remodeling, or is there something else going on?
(4)Erik S.
Went here last weekend with my wife after walking around Woodfield Mall. We had gone to the Naperville outpost and were very disappointed, but I assured my wife that this was the Lalos I grew up with, the one my parents would take me to. The place has some charm, but definitely needs to be updated. Chips and salsa and water came out immediately when we sat down which is important to me. The chips and salsa were ok, but I've had better (Dare I say Chipotle has better salsa?) I had a steak burrito and my wife had the chicken flautas. The food was OK. Not anything to brag about here. Honestly now that I think about it, for the price that I paid at Lalos I could have bought 2 burritos at any Burrito Loco that would have probably been just as good. The "steak" was little bits of beef which while had a good flavor was the texture of beef jerky. Was it bad? No. Was it great? No. The upside to this experience however was our waiter who was very good and reminded me of Fabio on Top Chef All stars. He always asked us how we were doing and my water and beer was always full. And can't beat 2.00 Modelo draft special. While this used to bring back memories of my parents taking me here years ago, it seems its lost its charm. I don't think I would come back.
(3)Mike B.
Great place for awesome margaritas!! Friendly atmosphere and staff that are always willing to accommodate. It's right across the street from my house and me and my family have become regulars at this place. The food is good but not out of this world. However they do have great guacamole. They make it fresh right in front of you! I'm defiantly a fan and will be in heaven once their little garden patio is back open!
(4)Sovanni A.
Please do not go here. I went there with a friend last night and both her and I got alcohol poisoning. We ordered a medium size margarita and something in that drink made us both felt sick when we got home. I usually dont write reviews, but I felt the need to for this place. They said they closed down for remodeling, but if you go inside everything is the same. Theres no remodeling, they closed down for another reasons. The food here taste like crap, and now their trying to poison us with some cheap ass tequila!
(1)K S.
I love the Lalo's skillet! It has everything, and I could have made a meal out of that awesome chorizo sausage. It came with a little cup of chicken noodle soup that had garbanzo beans and a wedge of lime and it was so good on cold winter evenings. Of course, that was offset by all of the awesome margaritas I've downed there. It was great with a group and even just sitting at the bar.
(5)Karolina M.
Went there once, food wasn't special, very greasy,generic,quantity over quality... Drinks were ok
(2)Mindy P.
Being new to the area, I am depending a lot on online reviews for new businesses to try. We visited Lalos on a Saturday night around 6:30 and the parking lot was pretty full, which to me was a good sign. The decor is great, our waiter was very prompt and attentive and the mariachi band was a plus. In a nutshell, the salsa was excellent, the food was okay and my peach margarita was awesome. Will visit again to try the buffet, the guacamole and of course a different margarita flavor!
(3)Eric M.
You know it's not a great buffet when the best thing I had at Lalo's was their beans and rice. Most of the items were either out of stock or had been sitting so long they were dried out and required spoonfuls of sauce to make them edible. I came for lunch so I'm not sure how good their margaritas are. As for a lunch that's on the higher end, I don't think I'll be going back.
(2)Yvonne O.
I have been to just about every Lalo's around - some still in existence, others now gone and I have to say I love this one probably the most. The waitstaff here is wonderful and really seem to enjoy their jobs, even when they introduced the $8.95 buffet on the weekends, which has to cut into their tips somewhat. I chose this place so that my mom could eat the buffet and I could get some lower calorie soup. The caldo de camarones did not disappoint. Spicy like crazy, but the lime squeezed into it cut the heat and the giant chunks of carrot and zucchini in it balanced out the (what had to be) pound of shrimp in the bowl. YUM! It is served with spanish rice and tortillas or bread, but I skipped those (sadly). The buffet is a serious bargain - tons of choices, desserts and appetizers are up there and that price is cheaper than most of the entrees on their own!
(4)Maria A.
STAY AWAY !!! I almost never write any reviews but I just had to share our experience. We read the reviews but thought its mexican food ...How bad can it be .. We were very disapointed. The staff was friendly enough but the food was HORRIBLE. No taste, and this place is def OVER PRICED for the few menu options. My husband and I are huge fans of mexican food and are usually overwhelmed with options so we were very surprised of the lack of options. Not only was the food super burned but dry and no taste. We def will not go back
(1)Yvette C.
My second favorite Mexican Restaurant in the area! I absolutely love coming here on the weekends. The service is always friendly, the margaritas are plentiful & the Mariachi band rocks it out...need I say more? When the weather is nice I suggest sitting out on the patio, such a great spot to chill after a long work week.
(5)Sassy M.
The food was just okay. I've had better mexican food. Its very authentic style mexican. The menu is small compared to most mexican restaurants. It was not all that friendly to kids... too quiet!
(2)Chris S.
Everyone I've asked about this place (including two of the three previous reviews, I see) have said "go for the margaritas." When I ask "how's the food?" I typically am told "go for the margaritas." After visiting Lalo's a few days ago, I can officially say this: "if you want to get drunk, go for the margaritas." The food is fine, neither terrible nor great, though somewhat overpriced. The margaritas are quite strong and fairly tasty, but you may as well head someplace with better food.
(2)MK H.
I have to put in a good word for Lalo's after dining there last night with a party of 5. The place is cute and comfy and laid out nicely. The waitstaff was friendly and playful, even while serving large groups. They even made the experience feel a bit more authentic by throwing some Spanish at us here and there, all in good fun. It makes the table feel more relaxed and comfortable right away when the waiter has a playful spirit. The margarita's are over $7 a pop for a "small" but they come in a big 'fish bowl' of a margarita glass and definitely pack a punch. I can't imagine what a large would be. One was plenty for me! A couple of times it seemed like the wait for things was a little longer than reasonable since it wasn't packed, but it was totally forgivable considering everything else we got out of the experience. The guacamole is made tableside by the waiter so it was wonderfully fresh. And they don't chince out on it - it had tomato, cilantro and onion in it. Great stuff. I've had some that was just mushed up avacado and was being called guacamole. My mom didn't want the rice and beans that came with her flauta's and my husband ordered the tamale dinner. The waiter pointed out to him that if he took her rice and beans and ordered the tamale appetizer instead, he'd still get his three tamales with rice and beans for about $5 less! He went out of his way to help us save money! A tip-worthy move for sure. The only thing I was less than thrilled with were my flauta's. They were yummy and I did enjoy them - not too greasy, not too heavy, cooked very well, but the chicken was a little bland. But a perfect texture and crunch. Just a bit more spice on the chicken while it cooked would have gone a long way. Then again, it could easily have been a single incident. The rice was moist and tasty. The beans weren't too greasy and weren't too dry. For a heaping plate of mexican food it wasn't super greasy or heavy, and my tummy had no issues with it later ;) With all the little extra requests and changes we made, they did not forget or mess up a single food item in our whole order. They also had a little bowl of lollipops on the way out, which was nice because after such a big meal you may not have room for a full dessert, so there is a little something available for a sugar fix. That's a nice touch. Overall we had a great experience. Good food, good margarita, good waiter. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Wanda V.
My husband & I dined on a Saturday for an early dinner at 4:30pm. It has been about 2 years since we dined here and I can't imagine we will be back. I was very surprised on how limited the menu is and how expensive they all are. The average price was $14.95 for an entree. I ordered steak tacos that were just tasteless. The service was SO slow. The restaurant was barely busy, but each and every placement on the table (water, chips, entree and so on) took an average of 20 minutes. And what really bothered me was that they were playing 80's rock music! Just awful.
(2)Jason C.
Nice, comforting Mexican food from a type of place you don't expect much from. I used to come here a lot a up till a few years ago. Recently went back and its better than I remember it. Had the carne asada and it was pretty tasty. Chips were nice and crisp. Refried beans were not dry. Maybe it just reminds me of my childhood, but for me, this is one of the better mexican places out there.
(4)David B.
i went there last night with my wife and her coworkers, i thought the selection on the menu was tantalizing, and for the most part everything was solid. there was a few star items, like the chorizo, the grilled queso block that came with the chicken (which was horrible). i would go back, but i think the menu is hit or miss with great and just bad. the service was okay, and i could tell the waitress was trying hard, but she didn't understnd somethings and made mistakes, but if you repeated something to her, she was snappy.
(2)G P.
we went yesterday for dinner and i was not pleased with it.after reopening me and my husband thought that we should give a try to this place one more time,but too noisy and food was not excellent.i don't think we are going back there.
(2)Mike I.
I don't care for this place at all. The burritos are very bland, almost forgettable. The margaritas are just okay. The only good thing are the chips and salsa.
(1)Mark R.
terrible ...margaritas tasted like gator ade...menu was filthy with grease and food particles...had to wash my hands after handling it...had a combo platter..steak was tough..chicken dry...shrimp undercooked..wife had a fish dish...was laying in a pool of grease. waiter was in lalo land..hard to understand and dissappeared frequently...really bad experience.
(1)Katrina G.
Great margaritas, beware they're sneaky little devils! All meals come with chips and salsa and a great cup of mexican chicken soup. I've enjoyed almost everything there, but did not care for the tamales. Great place to sit at the bar, share a pitcher of margaritas and a few appetizers. The tilapia veracruza is very good as well.
(4)Stella S.
Go here for the margaritas! Their margaritas are simply the strongest around. Their potatoe salad is really good, but you have to ask for it because it's not on the menu. Also, they have pretty decent outdoor seating.
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