Adobo Grill

Been here numerous tunes over the years and always would have given it 4 stars. But on a recent trip the margaritas were too sweet (though still better than most) the guacamole too salty and the pork tenderloin not near medium rare — more like done. And their mole can’t hold a candle to mixteco grill. But I’d go back if only got the margaritas and guacamole. If they get it right next time I’ll bump em back up to a 4 star

HUGE tequila selection.

Awesome service and great food! Guacamole is made tableside. Food comes fast as lightening. Drink selection is great! Only suggestion I would have is to have margarita pitchers instead of only sangria pitchers and a few more flavors of margaritas

Was here for a company dinner and had their three course menu before catching a show at Second City.
As for the food itself, they started us off with chips with sides of salsa and guacamole. The salsa was only okay but the guac was very good; it definitely kept me happy until the entrée arrived.
For the entrée I had the Carne Asada (marinated steak) which was pretty good.
For dessert I had the Pastel de Tres Leches and the Tamal de Chocolat. As far as desserts go, both were on the sweeter side, but I personally preferred the Tres Leches.
I liked the place and it’s worth a visit if you’re catching a show at Second City (which is conveniently located right next door).

I was fairly satisfied with my meal. I had the gorditas, and I honestly can’t comment on their authenticity. I enjoyed the food, but I’m not an experienced Mexican foodie (except with tamales.) The chips and salsa were very delicious and had good flavor. The service was fairly good, my water glass never got past the half-​way mark.

Excellent… see my pictures. We got the guacamole and yum. We loved their margaritas. Enchiladas de Pollo and Arrachera Asad (steak) were both really good. Service was great. Bartender was friendly and helped us understand baseball in Chicago.

Awesome handmade guacamole made by the table! Margarita was amazing! Pork tacos were excellent and the seafood platter with veggies was good. Next to Second City, so we headed there after for a great comedy show! We will definitely go back!

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants I’ve been to. The guacamole is made fresh right at your table! Love the fish tacos. Excellent service and the interior is nice and colorful with paintings and figurines.

This is my wife’s favorite Mexican place in Chicago. She tells me that the guacamole is the best that she has ever had and she loves watching them make it at the table. I liked the food, but all appreciated the fine service. Also, to me, this is a very easy place to visit if you are going to Second City Comedy Club, because it is in the same building. For a great dive bar thereafter, walk to The Old Town Ale House.

Adobo Grill offers a Tex-​Mex cuisine for brunch, lunch, and dinner, as well as gluten-​free options and a wide range of tequila drinks. Some friends and I came to check this place out for a late lunch, as I’d heard about their guacamole that is prepared for you at table-​side. Of course, we started off with some guacamole, prepared in a mortar and pestle. The woman asked us which ingredients we wanted in the guacamole, and she made it right then and there — the guacamole is set in the mortar at the table with tortilla chips. I thought it was really delicious, as it was very fresh and creamy, with the fresh onions, the well-​ripened avocado, and the bit of salt and lemon/​lime juice. The slightly-​salted tortilla chips were a great complement. I tried their Chicken Enchiladas for my entrée, and these were basted in mole coloradito, topped with sour cream, cheese, onions, and served with a side of refried black beans. This dish was a little underwhelming, as the enchiladas had more of a scrambled eggs-​like texture; overall, it was very bland. I did like the refried beans, though! For dessert, we had the crepes, which were stuffed with roasted plantains, cajeta, and vanilla ice cream. It was pretty good, since the caramel was made from goats milk, so it had a nice strong kick to it. Service was pretty friendly and efficient.
+table-​side fresh gaucamole & chips!

Overall fun place with good Mexican food, yummy table-​side guac, and celebratory vibes!
TOURIST TIP: We came here before our show at Second City (it’s right next door). It’s a cute place with a festive atmosphere and enthusiastic servers. To top it all off, I spotted David Pasquesi getting a drink at the bar! You can’t beat a good celebrity sighting, and I’m sure many comedians gather here before and after shows.

Great table side guac but I’d mirror the rest of the so so reviews on here. Though the place is very authentic I think they still cater to American palettes with the spice factor. If you tell me something is spicy I expect a certain amount of heat ! I’ve also dined a good bit in authentic Mexican spots and I feel as though they could amp up the spices.
The meat was cooked great though – I had the lamb shank Barbacoa. I wasn’t too crazy about the sides it came with. I think it was nopales (cactus) & they felt slimy.
I’d recommend coming here for apps and drinks only. They have an extensive tequila list :)

Came here tonight with a party of 13. Even with a big group the margaritas were served up again and again with no wait. One person in the party thought they were a bit sweet, but the general consensus was that they were pretty good, Service in general was excellent. The table-​side guacamole was chunky and flavorful. It always makes me happy when a restaurant can accommodate my crazy vegan ways. The vegetable tacos and enchiladas are made to order and can be made without dairy. The enchiladas and black beans were delicious. I see a lot of mixed reviews on this place. My conclusion is they serve tasty food and margaritas, and they serve them efficiently and with a friendly attitude. This is a great place to grab a bite if you’re heading to Second City.

Very underwhelming to say the least. I had a steak dish that was subpar with some guacamole on the side. The guac wasn’t bad but the steak was tough and the spinach side was bland and watery. The bar tender was very nice and helpful and that earned them the second star.
There are far too many great Mexican restaurants in the area to settle for something this average.

I am a Chicago local and I’ve been to this place at least once a year for the past 8 or so years. Never once have I left disappointed.
To the complainers about cost. Let’s get a few things straight. How much is guac at whole foods in a cold plastic tub — yeah that’s right about $ 5– easy. They make it table side here with fresh ingredients and it runs a few dollars more. Don’t act surprised, when you go out to eat it costs a little bit more! Chips and salsa are free. You just have to ask. Life lessons here peeps.
…Next the appetizers are quite filling — almost a small meal size for lighter eaters! Margaritas do not cost $ 13 whoever said that. Let’s learn how to read a menu? Tequila lovers, there is a huge list of 100% agave tequilas starting from around $ 7 and you can customize your own drink or take it neat! Finally on cost, this is downtown Chicago. end of story.
To the complainers about service. That’s really too bad and I’m sorry to hear about it. The thing is that I just can’t relate (I relate to the 4 and 5 star Unilocalers). My water glass was constantly refilled. Food was timely but not rushed. I got my leftovers wrapped up. no problems.
This restaurant was packed — unlike many struggling restaurants.
We know quality ingredients and the effort it takes to make a perfectly cooked pork tenderloin (which mine was) and juicy chicken breast (my husband’s was). The Mexican food here is authentic and delicious!

Ironically enough, Adobo needed way more adobo in their food! Everything was so bland and tasteless.
Carne asada literally had no seasoning at all. The meat was laid on a sauce that was also bland. There was also a bed of greasy spinach with a potato/​chorizo timbale-didn’t add anything to the dish. Not much chorizo, mostly greasy potatoes.
We ordered two desserts to share because we had heard that they were very good. We tried the chocolate tamal and the flan. The chocolate tamal was extremely tiny first off for $ 6 with the smallest scoop of ice cream I’ve ever seen. It was basically like a gooey uncooked brownie. The flan was very bland, tasted like something out of a box.
Overall, this is definitely not authentic Mexican food. Absolutely horrible experience and our check was way too high. Go to Ay Chiwowa instead! Their food is fresh, authentic, flavorful and definitely not greasy.
Stay away!!! What a waste of money. I wanted to cry when I saw the check, might as well have eaten dog food.

This place is just meh. I wouldn’t go here unless my friends are going. And they only go because it is close to where they live.
Everything is overpriced due to the location– people will pay so they charge why they can. While the food is fresh, the flavor is kind of bland. Yes, they spice it up, but there is not a lot of flavor.
Wine is a minimum of $ 8.75, guacamole is $ 9.00, and a small margarita is $ 13.
I would not recommend Adobo Grill. There are plenty of other Mexican places in the area to choose from.

This was an impromptu Sunday excursion. We were walking by and M was riding a high from buying new running shoes. After standing around Fleet Feet for what felt like FOREVAR M thought I deserved a reward (and I didn’t even complain — I swear!). My reward was margaritas and guacamole at Adobo Grill.
It was casual and chill. Our guacamole was on point and we couldn’t complain about the free chips and salsa. M enjoyed her margarita and I got some sort of mimosa concoction.
The space was sunny and clean. Only a couple of tables were occupied and we enjoyed watching the Olympics on the televisions above the bar.
Service was good and not distracting. It was perfect for what we wanted in that moment. I don’t think that it was compelling enough to hook us into a quick boomerang second visit, but we’ll probably consider Adobo Grill if we have a hankering for Mexican food in the future.

3 stars for the guac, margarita, and the service.
We ordered the barbacoa empanadas and the ceviche sampler as well. Both very mediocre items (despite how impressive the picture may look.)
With prices steeped higher than for what it’s worth, I probably won’t be coming back anytime soon.

Slightly overpriced by $ 2 – 5 per dish. Sauce driven. Unbalanced flavor.
Filete Oaxaqueno ($ 25) — the unworthy most expensive dish on menu. Beef filet was dry that lacks flavor and seasoning. Overpowering chili on sauce. I appreciate the fingerling potatoes and efforts in fine dining — grilled sliced peppers, mushrooms and a sprinkle of cheese.
Homemade Tortillas — 4 petito comes with entrée.
Churros ($ 5.99) — dark chocolate sauce. Caramel with a goats milk after taste. Churros itself is slightly doughy. Crust is slightly overcooked.
Café de Olla ($ 3.75) — the first I had with sugar already incorporated. Slightly overly sweetened, but somehow the taste is balanced.
Pastel de Piña ($ 7.50) — Ouch! The mega price is painful.