Ixcateco Grill

I went there a few weeks ago and have been craving it ever since! The salmon and mashed potato enchiladas was amazing, and the chicken in mole was the best-​cooked chicken we’ve had. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Oh, and the Mexican coffee was good too!

Had their Carne Asada and it was amazing! It was medium rare and the meat was cooked to perfection! I subbed the black beans with mashed potatoes and it mixed very well with the meat. Also, our waiter was very attentive. The cooks came out to talk to us to see how our food was. The whole entire staff was super friendly. I would definitely come back here again! I came here with a group of 7 for a bday and everyone had different types of meat. Heard no complaints on any of the meals! Highly recommend this place!

C and I thought that trying Iszateco Grill would be as easy as stopping in for dinner, but we were wrong. The place was packed and the wait was over an hour (a Thursday night), so we returned on a Sunday night and had no trouble getting a table. Whew.
Our server was very friendly and sweet, but she had trouble opening our wine, so I helped her.
The food was quite good. The mole in which my chicken was taking a swim was outstanding and equal to moles I’ve had in Mexico. The ambiance can be described as «modern Mex.» SImple and clean design, although they could use a couple of improvements. First, there is the ever problemmatic issue of noise control. The room is too bright, having virtually no sound deadening materials. Second, they need a proper vestibule, or at least a curtain that blocks wind blowing in the the street. Other than that, everything is a-​okay and supported by a Latin music soundtrack.
Food: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars
And let’s not forget: It’s BYOB, which we appreciate.

Great neighborhood spot that I’m looking forward to seeing grow and evolve.
We got a few different items off the menu. There are probably 5 to 6 options in both starters and main courses.
All were presented very nicely, had quality ingredients but some were certainly more enjoyable than others. I really enjoyed my Carne Asada dinner. It was probably the best thing we got. We also got the Pulpo Salad/​Appetizer. That was o.k., however, the spice sort of overpowered the rest of the dish. If you don’t like spicy food do not order that. It was on the briny side too. The Chicken Mole was also good. Next time I’d like to try the Duck. The Gorgita appetizer was just so so. The brought us the chicken one by mistake, which took a second to realize. Once received, I thought the Veggie option tasted better.
One area they need to really focus on and improve is service. The intent is there but the execution is off. There are too many people working there, we were there on a Friday night, for service to be such an issue. Our waiter was awkward, which isn’t a big deal, but he was also not all that efficient. We were clearly done eating and spent upwards of 10 or 15 minutes waiting for him to bring the check. A friend indicated they had a similar issue trying to close out. Staff is friendly. They just need to tighten up.
One thing I will say is I’m not sure they have clearly identified what sort of restaurant they are or want to be. It’s clear the food aspires to be closer to high end than casual dining. The dining room is casual and it seemed clear they want to remain inviting to families. Which is great.
However, while we were there on a Friday night there was another party, who was friendly with the restaurant staff both front and back of house, that was allowing their three children to play mobile video games with the sound on while dining. It wasn’t outrageous but it was clearly audible over the music and white noise of the restaurant.
That is really inappropriate in any dining/​public setting but certainly something that restaurant staff should have addressed on a busy Friday night. It’s hard to justify presenting entrees in the $ 15 to $ 20 range and allow behavior not even appropriate at a greasy spoon.
Will definitely be back and hope to see some of the service kinks worked out.

Came here to check it out after reading about it in the Chicago Reader a one of the places to try this month.
It is a little out of the way for me, but it was worth the drive.
The food is excellent. And it’s also a byob place, so you can bring the beverage of your choice to enjoy this great food.
We tried a variety of plates and all were excellent, nicely cooked.
The cicadas were excellent and reminded me of something my mother wold cook back home. I ordered the asada medium well, it was served with black beans and guacamole on the side covered in an awesome salsa that reminded me of the salsas my mother would make back home.
The pork in green mole was great. The mole was great.
The octopus salad was a little bitter for me… it wasn’t bad, it has a weird bitter after taste.
This is also a new place, so the service is hit or miss… not rude or anything, i think they are still trying to figure it out, but overall a great experience.

We’ve had two terrific dinners at Ixcateco Grill, but today we headed there for brunch with friends from West Loop. It was AMAZING. With BYOB, we brought our own champagne and bloody mary makings. They provided fresh squeezed OJ. The four dishes were all delicious and we made out with a $ 50 tab. One friend commented «I’ll go north of North Avenue for that.» I highly recommend Saturday or Sunday brunch (and dinner too) at Ixcateco Grill.

I went to Ixcateco Grill for my birthday. I had heard good things about the food and mixed things about the service. But being that this place is practically a stone’s throw away, I had to check it out.
We were a party of five (cues Closer to Free) with a 5PM reservation. No, there is no early bird special at Ixcateco. That’s all that was available, ya jerks. Our party started with guacamole, grilled octopus salad and roasted beet salad. All were pretty tasty. The guac had a bit of a kick to it. The beets had great flavor. But the octopus… I am still dreaming of that dish. It was so tender, flavorful and spicy. I wish I had gotten an order just for myself. You are also given complimentary chips and tomatillo salsa which is also good.
Entrees at our table included chicken mole, grilled pork w/​pumpkin mole and veggie enchiladas. I had the chicken mole. This is an usual choice for me but to be honest. I wanted garlic mashed potatoes which is what this dish is served with. It was also pretty chilly out and this dish sounded hearty and warming. I made the right choice. The chicken was cooked perfectly. The mole sauce was divine and the mashed potatoes were just right. My belly was happy.
Of course no birthday dinner is complete with out cake. Tres leches cake, that is. I have to say, I think Ixcateco has the best tres leches cake I’ve ever had. It’s not super heavy. It manages to be light, yet still have that super moist quality of a traditional tres leches cake. Again, I found myself wishing I had ordered a slice just for me.
Now, the service. Honestly the service was not great. It was not horrible, but clearly this place is still trying to find its flow. Two of our appetizers came out pretty fast, by the time we were finished with those our third app came out. But then it took foooooorever to get our entrees. Then we got our cake, but we didn’t get our coffee until after we finished said cake. That was sort of a bummer. It also took a while to get our check. So yea… my head says this should be a 3 star review but the food bumped it up to a star.
I really want this place to succeed. It’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Work it out, Ixcateco because when I come back next time I am not sharing anything.
**don’t forget, BYOB.

Oh my god.
This place is incredible. Part of me doesn’t want to share that with Unilocal because as soon as the word gets out about this place, you’ll never be able to get a table.
As you drive up, it looks like a dump from the outside. You lower your expectations. You walk in and see bright paint up on the walls. Just another Mexican joint? You shrug.
It’s BYOB. You crack open a case of Corona when you’re seated.
Your server arrives. If he’s the same guy we had, he’ll be fantastic — chipper, laid-​back, helpful.
You get chips and salsa. It’s not amazing and you could definitely use way more salsa, but you appreciate that this is complimentary.
You order the carne asada ($ 16.50). Although it takes a while to arrive, you’ve got all those Coronas you brought, so you’re cool. When the steak arrives it is simply one of the BEST THINGS you’ve EVER put in your mouth. You savor each bite. You ordered it medium rare because you are a true meat connoisseur. The outside has a wonderful crispy coating. The inside melts into your mouth with a flavor explosion. You’re tempted to share this with your dining companions, yet you also want to horde it like you’re Gollum and the steak is The One Ring.
You walk out into the night air with a happy stomach and a powerful secret. You know where the city’s best Mexican food is made. It’s only a matter of time before the secret gets out. Better make reservations again ASAP.
(Also, major props to the chef of this place for starting his career as a dishwasher for that overhyped, expensive, ubiquitous, subpar torta-​slinger, Rick Bayless. The student has become the master.)

Deelish! What more can I say.
Also, Luis is a great server. Courteous, helpful and never forgot us at any moment during our brunch.
Had two orders off the new brunch menu. We got two orders of the «Huevos Divorciados» and yum! Loved the citrusy flavors in the «Masa Boat», not to mention the other half of the dish, slathered in delicious «Ranchero» sauce. To top it all the presentation was simply beautiful.
I’ll be back again very soon!

Good variety on the menu. I had the carne asada and my wife has the shrimp. The steak was good and tender, shrimp had good flavor it was just a little too spicy for my wife’s taste. But, I thought it was really good. Garlic mashed potatoes were also really good. Overall the food was definitely worth a try but it’s just lacking in ambiance for a place with a better than average menu. It’s BYOB and no corking fee, which was nice.

It is so hard to come across good service. Everyone working here knows of the cuisine, the chef, & the State of Guerrero it was a learning experience. You can feel how passionate everyone working here is.
The chef took the time to come to our table & wish me a happy birthday .
The food was delicious! The menu is changed monthly, and they also have a brunch menu.

Four stars because I’ve only been here once. Pretty sure the fifth star will come.
This place has gotten a lot of good press — richly deserved — but it’s not impossible to get into. Yet. Which is saying a lot, because it’s tiny. That works for it, because it has the feel of a small family business, with the food of, well, Frontera Grill. Which is not a surprise, since the chef/​owner made his bones working at Frontera and Topolobampo.
The menu is as tiny as the space. Rather than trying to a little bit of everything, Ixcateco has a menu of about a dozen items. The flavors are all bright and fresh. The chef was Bayless’s «Master of Mole,» and the restaurant opened with a lot of mole dishes. When I went, there were only one. My companion ordered the traditional black mole, which had the complexity that comes of a three-​day process. I had the adobo-​marinated carne asada, wood grilled and served with a fresh tomato sauce and black beans. Simple, but delicious.
Service was delightful. Our server was a young man who was NOT related to owner, contrary to my prediction, but who was visibly proud of the food he was serving. There’s an older gentleman, who apparently was a maitre d’ at Topolobampo, who works the front of the house, greeting guests and making sure each table is set «just so.» He’s a delight.
The restaurant is BYOB, and there’s a liquor store across the street who’s waiting for you!

We dined here lats night and really enjoyed all aspects of the meal. The service, atmosphere, and food was really good. It’s so rare to find a combination of good service and good food these days, and it really appears the entire staff is both passionate about what they do and very happy to have us as customers.
We ordered the ceviche, picaditos, lamb special, carne asada, and tres leches cake. All of them were spectacular. The home made mole sauce with the lamb was quite good. The small bits of guacamole and salsa with the carne were also very good and made in-​house. Overall, the narrow menu reflects a dedication to making things in-​house and doing it well.
The service was also top-​notch. It’s pleasing when you feel an energy amongst the staff, a positive vibe that makes you feel welcome. I’m so tired of arrogant staff at middling joints, and this crew was just the opposite — positive and welcoming.
I hope you visit and support this chef and team because they really work hard for it and the proof shows. It’s easy to reach by L or car. It’s BYOB and there’s a crummy liquor store (like the one from the movie Bad Boys, except nobody gets robbed over some skittles).

Welcome the new mole inspired restaurant to the hood. This little place takes mole to a new level. Mole is good, really good, and they serve it and several different ways. Best is the salmon with a red mole that you can lick to the last drop. Next is the dark mole chicken– the mole hear is deep, smokey, sweet, and spicy. Then the pumpkin mole was good too with hints of thanksgiving and smokeless.
In terms of food to call out that’s where it ends. Overall the meat was way undercooked. The chicken for example was just underdone and made the skin especially rubbery. The Pork was especially fatty — in didn’t mind the fact that it was pink but had way too much fat. It was chewy and a bit gross which took away from the mole it was on. Apps were also just ok. Tried the fried corn dough with meat and veggies on top but was a bit dry and didn’t really make sense. Guacamole was good but nothing special.
Also, prices are in the high side for what u get — so be prepared to spend around $ 25 per person.
I have to say that service and atmosphere was really attentive and nice. Bonus that right now it’s a BYOB too.
Would give it another try but would def ask for the meat to be cooked more.

Knew this place opened in August but wanted to give it some time before trying it out. I noticed some of the reviews mentioned that the mole needed a bit more spice but I figured overtime this can be adjusted based on the flavor palette of the clientele. At anyrate, my husband and I live about 5 minutes away and decided to get some dinner there. Very good decision to do so and here is the lowdown:
Walked in and we were greeted with a smile from the hostess, who by the way, was in day of the dead makeup as well as some of the servers. LOVED IT. Such a great halloween kick. We didn’t have a reservation so we waited about 5 minutes and then were seated.
Hubs and I were starving so I knew I should order some appetizers to hold us down before our entrees come out. We also were given some house made chips and salsa to snack on and they were doing the job. The salsa was a roasted green tomatatillo type of salsa. yum. Here is what was ordered.
Appetizers: Ceviche: lime marinated tilapia which was so fresh and delicious, I loved it. (hubs is a meat and potatoes person so I’ll get him in a minute).
Picaditas: Masa canoes filled with poultry carnitas, topped with avocado cream, pickled cactus, and queso fresco. Great flavor combo. From the crunchy masa canoe, the marinated chicken, plus the pickled cactus, there was enough deliciousness going on, that it really was a nice combination of toppings. yum.
Hubs ordered the carne asada which he really enjoyed, cooked medium rare with a side of garlicky mash potatoes (usually come with black beans but they honored his request to substitute the side), and guacamole. He really liked it.
Here is the show stopper: The pollo en mole negro: Roasted chicken in black mole sauce served with garlicy chunky mashed potatoes. Served with homemade tortillas. Magnificent. I say this because I usually don’t rave on Mole as it usually doesn’t blow me away. The only person’s mole that always won me over was an ex boyfriend’s mother’s mole negro from the tradition of San Luis Potosi where she is from in Mexico. This mole was off the chain delicious to me. I love a spicier mole versus a sweeter mole for my palate and this mole did my palate justice. Delicious with the chicken and mopping it up with the homemade tortillas. I was so happy to enjoy it but I WAS FULL and needed to sell this dish to my brother as he also appreciates good moles. Well I asked one of the servers to to please wrap it up as its so delicious I want to share the dish with my sibling and sister in law. He was so kind, he added a bit more mole and some extra tortillas. Paid the bill and hauled bootay with my hubs to my brother’s place and he said it was delicious. WIN!
Its priced appropriately, good quality food, and is BYOB. I wanted to try dessert but those tortillas and mole sauce were my downfall. IT WAS DELICIOUS. Service was good and I am thrilled they are nearby. I would give them 5 stars but I need to experience the restaurant a few more times for consistency, service, etc. HOLY MOLE for certain, este MOLE NEGRO es maravilloso! (this black mole sauce is marvelous!!)
Thank you Ixcateco chef!!!
Texted many about your place.

Went with my friend who is from South Mexico himself. He said the food was very authenic, very hard to find these type of food in Chicago. The picaditas were on point. The refried beans tasted great. The freshly made corn tortillas were excellent. The only «complaint» was the guacamole had too much lime. We got to meet Chef Ramirez and my friend gave him the suggestion regarding the gucamole. Of course, he kindly accepted the suggestion as my friend is from Southern Mexico as well (Oaxaca). My friend only had good remarks about this place. They said there is a new menu coming Oct 6 2015. We will definitely come back when the expand their menu.
Update 10/​30/​2015: Tried the Salmon dinner and it was delicious. Not over cooked. It came with 3 mashed potato enchiladas on the bottom. Definitely recommended.

Went here last Friday night with a couple of my best gal pals. Luckily we had a reservation, because there was dinner rush and there were people waiting.
The hostess was very nice and quickly seated us. Our server was very personable, informative, and accommodating. We shared appetizers and all three of our main dishes were very tasty! I had the carne asada dish, which was juicy, tasty and overall amazing!
It is BYOB and the ambiance is very comfortable. I loved this place and I cannot wait to go back and try a few other items. I am excited to see what the change in menu brings!
I’ll see you soon Ixcateco!

Made reservations to dine here last night two days prior and we were so glad we did! At one point, there literally was a line of bright eyed, hungry people out the door! The hostess was very polite and promptly showed us to our table. The restaurant décor was pleasing to the eye. Very colorful and lots of art on the walls. Our server, Vanessa, was great. She was very kind and knowledgable. She shared her thoughts and feedback on the menu’s dishes which we really appreciated.
I was excited to hear the chef had just decided on serving a duck special not five minutes before she came to our table. We had the picaditas and ensalada as appetizers. The picaditas came in two but she said she’d add an extra one, no charge, since there were three of us. The others ordered the chicken en mole, which has an incredible 25 ingredients. «Best mole. Ever!» And, the carne asada was so so good too! It was very tender and so flavorful. The duck was «delightful!!!» The owner came by our table and was very glad to hear about our awesome experience. Everyone there was so kind and attentive. Especially another one of the servers who verified my seafood allergy not once, not twice, but three times and notified the kitchen of «no cross contamination» regarding my food preparation. The duck was amazing! It came with a small, yummy side of enchiladas! The house made tortillas were very yummy as well. Also, BYOB!!! Cannot wait to go back and check everything else out on the menu (before it changes in October!) Wonderful experience at Ixcateco!

Have you ever get that feeling of finding a gem in an unexpected place… Well Ixcateco Grill is that gem.
Happened on to Ixcateco Grill which is a fairly small restaurant, packing massive amount of flavor in each dish! A staple of a Mexican restaurant IMHO is their complimentary chips and pico de gallo (could very well be a green salsa, I am not sure) which was very good! My party couldn’t get enough of this stuff.
I am definitely a fan of their ceviche (not too overpowering with the lime which is a big plus and very balanced). Also I can’t remember what the app was called but it had pulled chicken on it and sadly only came with two, regardless it was delicious! Entrée were on point with the flavors! Very savory and buttery, and the meats were cooked to PERFECTION!
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR CHECK THIS PLACE OUT!

Ixcateco Grill, I dig you.
Albany Park’s newest restaurant, I put a bet in that they would handle a dinner party of 9 and the bet paid off! Coming in at 8 o’clock it took a little bit of time for them to get the tables together, but the wait was not too bad. It was refreshing to see the place bustling with lots of people enjoying food and drink and it was loud.
Once seated we cracked open our bottles of beers and wine, and got our menus and water. The menu is simple — ten dishes and that’s it! The simplicity of the menu should make for consistent eats and we got our chips and salsa right away. The chips were fresh and had a nice citrus note to them and the green salsa was tasty.
We went with about two over every appetizer and three of the guacamole. Here is a breakdown of the eats:
Guacamole — On point, could spend all day eating this there is a great texture to this guacamole that gives a pleasant mouth feel. Grab some more chips because this guac is awesome.
Ceviche — Tilapia cerviche hit the spot and we probably should have ordered some more. The composition of the dish made it pleasant in your mouth with fresh flavor that leaves you yearning for more. The portion size could be bigger but it makes up with lots of taste.
Ensalada — This dish wholly surprised me because I actually thought it was going to be the worst of the appetizers we ordered. In retrospect, this salad was actually the best of it because of the goat cheese and nuts. The agave ginger dressing just took this salad to the next level and I surprisingly took more than I was planning to!
Picadita — The roasted chicken here really stands out as you take a bite of it. This dish comes in two picaditas so you’ll get your fill. The Masa canoe had a good snap to it when cut, but again the roasted chicken really stands out in this dish.
I was really tempted to get the chicken in black mole but decided to go with the Carne Asada instead. I ordered a side of chunky garlic mashed potato as a side dish and this comfort food was exactly what I needed The steak was tender, moist with the wood grilled flavor that carried the dish.
Overall I would say the food was terrific at a good value. The only thing that could have been improved would be the service but I understand given the size of the group I was with. Some friends wanted more drinks, and some friends could not handle waiting but they weren’t drinking.
Oh yes, BYOB — so make sure you bring some of your favorite wine or beer to pass the time, dinner will be fantastic.