Love the atmosphere of this place, especially the long fireplace they have towards the back of the restaurant. Has a nice upscale/trendy feel for a Mexican restaurant, but was NOT impressed by the service.
A friend and I came in here on a Thurs evening and it wasn't super packed so we were able to sit down immediately. After the waiter took our drink orders and served us drinks he didn't come back for like...20 minutes (and we flagged him down). My friend had the house margarita and I had the Pomegrante Mojito and we both thought they were just okay. After our food was served the waiter did NOT come back until we flagged him down the the check...
The real surprise here is how DELICIOUS the salads are! DEFINITELY reccomend the ensalada de mango y pollo, and my friend had the shrimp salad. DELISH - was scraping my plate!
Guac isn't anything special, but the sauces they serve with the tortilla chips are really good.
Overall it was okay - not dying to go back unless I am craving that salad...
We ate here recently.....ordered the fish tacos based on the fact that they get their fish fresh everyday, never frozen. The fish was very over cooked, but still okay.
The guacamole was great, chips and salsa were awesome. Service was very slow. Overall it was good and I would probably try them again. The atmosphere was awesome.
I had passed by this restaurant many times but had never gone in because it looks a lot more swanky than I usually feel. Â Finally decided on a whim, to go in last week because they had a board outside touting half price appetizers at the upstairs bar, (and I needed to get out of the rain)! Â Atmosphere was very nice, fairly upscale but I was comfortable in leggings, boots and a sweater, and carrying my groceries in a sack. Â Great fireplace blazing on the south Wall, lots of cozy looking booths and tables surrounding the bar, but I opted to sit at the bar and enjoy a Margarita and an order of their little crab cake appetizers. Â Â The margarita was pricey ($12.95) but DELICIOUS, they offer warm crispy tortilla chips and two varieties of salsa with your order, and the crab cakes, (for a place that does Mexican) were really very good, and looked even better, with a drizzle of something green (it was good!) over them. Â The bartender Luigi took good care of me since they were not busy yet at 4:30 in the afternoon, and the waitress Hailey was very friendly as well. Â When your food is half price and you get the free chips and salsa as well, you don't mind shelling out $25 for a couple of really good drinks and good conversation. Â Will definitely be back.
Review Source:I've been here a couple of times, during their 5-7pm happy hour and for dinner. I'm only giving it 4 stars because of the happy hour/bar menu. Otherwise it deserves 2.5. Ask to be seated where the happy hour menu is served because I think it only applies for upstairs.
Regular Menu
Top Shelf Guacamole ($9) - every table at the restaurant seems to get this. They make it tableside and it looks pretty cool. I'm not much of a guac fan, but it's definitely worth getting if you've never tried it before.
Ceviche ($9) - shrimp, scallops, fish in lime juice. It's pretty fresh but I thought the lime taste was too strong.
Ensalade de Mango Y Pollo ($12) - chicken and mango salad with jicama, grapes, pumpkin seeds, mind, and honey vinaigrette. Very large portions and one of my favorite things from the menu.
Quesadillas al Carbon ($13) - chicken quesadillas, totally average.
Mexican Brownie ($7) - by far the most amazing thing I've tried from their menu, and quite possibly the best brownie I've ever had in my life. It's this super rich pecan and walnut brownie that's served on a hot skillet and the server pours cinnamon ice cream and brandy butter over it at the table. IT IS AMAZING! Must get item.
Margaritas - the frozen margaritas are AWESOME and super strong - I can definitely feel it after one drink and I'm a champ when it comes to alcohol. They do give me a headache though...but I think that's just what happens when I drink tequila.
Mojitos - they all taste really good, but you can barely taste the alcohol. If you're looking to get tipsy, definitely opt for the margaritas.
All in all, I would go for drinks and the brownie. There's much better and cheaper Mexican food elsewhere. But the dining environment and atmosphere beats any Mexican restaurant I've been to.
This is the second time my husband and here eaten here. The first time was for lunch ,this time it was for dinner.We both received an email about fish Friday so we decided to go. Go down there and the sign said half price upstairs between 4-7pm which wasn't mention in the email. So when we get there it's packed but we decide to go up stairs which is really nice we sat by close to the fire place and had drinks which are good but had to drink fast because if not the ice would have melted. So I went to the ladies room and this is why I only had four stars it was three stalls so as I go into the stall it was dark no lights in the stall. And over by the sink one light was out as you enter into the bathroom so in the whole bathroom it was only two lights. But our waitress was nice and fast nice food is good .
Review Source:This place is shady! Â
I had brunch there and accidentally left my cell phone on the table and then walked directly to where I live. Â When I arrived home, 25 minutes later, I realized my mistake and immediately called the restaurant. Â I know exactly where the phone was when I left Cantina Laredo (sitting out on the table).
Nevertheless, the restaurant claimed no one had seen it. Â I kept asking to speak to a manager but the hostess had a hard time finding one -- referring to Mark, Tina and then Paul. Â I spoke to Tina at the restaurant, who simply took down my name and number. Â
Upon leaving the restaurant for the second time, I called my own cell number again only to discover that someone had turned my cell phone off, causing calls to go "direct to voicemail." Â When I got home for the second time, I called Cantina Laredo again and was connected to another manager, Paul. Â Paul was cordial on the phone, even promising to frisk his bus boys if necessary to find my phone. Â Still, my phone was never found.
I will NEVER go back to this place.
This was my first time going to this restaurant, and I went with a group of people. This was a good experience because we got to try eat others food. The restaurant made our guacamole directly in front of us! I had the enchiladas with avocado and it was amazing! The margaritas were good as well! I would definitely go back.
Review Source:It's expensive, but I think you're paying for the atmosphere & food. It's swanky and delicious.
I came here with a large group on a Friday night, we were sat at a booth and although I couldn't hear the conversation at the other end of the table, I did not mind focusing my attention instead on their flavorful Ensalada de Camaron Con Miel. Waiter was helpful, efficient.
Irrelevant: Did not hate choices made by their interior designer.
Went here for dinner on Friday evening with my boyfriend and his mother. Although the restaurant is casual, most patrons were pretty dressed up. We arrived first and ordered a couple of margaritas, which were the highlight of the night.
The food was okay: nothing was bad, but nothing stood out as a highlight. The service was pretty hands-off. As soon as we declined the 'tableside guacamole', which consisted of one avocado, half a lime, a tablespoon of onions, and some cilantro, for the bargain price of $10, she ignored us. She never offered to refill our water glasses during the meal, nor did any of the busboys who came to the table to clear our plates. Eventually, I asked her for a refill, and she complied. She brought our check rather abruptly, and we lingered for about 20 minutes to chat (the restaurant wasn't crowded). After she picked up the check, she never returned to the table. I'd return for drinks, but I'd rather eat at one of the many other restaurants in the area.
I have been to this restaurant three times and each time the food was amazing. Â Very flavorful, authentic yet innovative. Â i highly recommend the dish (can't recall the name) but it is seasoned, grilled steak wrapped around a cheese and shrimp stuffed poblano. Â The restaurant is beautiful with great ambiance: contemporary but classy. Â
The service was outstanding two out of three of our visits. Â On the third visit, our server must have been having a bad night. Â We complained and the follow up by management was appropriate.
Unfortunately I was lazy and am writing this review a few months later. Overall, I liked the size of this place, it's massive, I can't imagine what their rent cost is. Simplistic decor is fine, but they need noise barriers/absorbers. Some seats look uncomfortable, luckily the ones we got were not. All was decent and good, no complaints. I really liked my Enchiladas De Camarones (shrimp). Large delicious pieces of shrimp and tasty sauce. Â The vegetarian in our group was a little disappointed as he was used to more veg options from Mexican places and this place had just a few, and you couldn't customize too much. Price-y for Mexican food so wouldn't come back unless it was a special occasion, but good experience overall.
Review Source:Great place for a Happy Hour-style group gathering. My co-workers seemed to enjoy their margaritas and we ordered a bunch of good, but not remarkable appetizers for the table. The real bummer was the so-called "Top Shelf Guacamole," made fresh at our table - it tasted like soap! I love guacamole, in fact, I have even been an apologist for bad guacamole, but this was the worst quacamole I've ever tasted. Bland and just kind of bad. The bizarre part is that the guacamole served as a side with our apps was absolutely delicious.
Review Source:Since the day they opened, this place has been my go-to. In fact, I made the mistake of walking in for lunch the day before they opened, mistaking the activity inside as a sign they were open. On that day the manager greeted me, invited me to come back, etc.,, and over time I came to know him and the staff very well -- I worked across the street and used to go frequently for lunches, drinks after work, dinners, etc. Â
I still head there for happy hour wine or margaritas, and never miss a chance to have their quacamole. I lived in NM for many years, so I know my way around an order of qucamole -- Cantina Laredo's is the best I have ever tasted. As for food, whether you get avacado enchiladas (amazing), fish tacos (amazing), chicken quesadillas (amazing), or a mole (equally amazing), you're going to love the food, and be amazed the price is so affordable given the location. This place could easily charge a lot more for entrees.
This year I met friends their for my birthday dinner and that same manager I met the very first day, whose been seeing me come in and out for years, stunned me by giving us a bottle of wine on the house as a bday gift and thanking me for always being such a good customer. Amazing.
I'll keep going to Cantina as long as I live in Chicago. Amazing food, great service, great location, great atmosphere/vibe.
This is a beautiful Mexican restaurant with a good menu that could be so much better than it is. Â The restaurant is beautifully designed and the lighting is fantastic. Â The food is good, but it could be great. Â The service is OK. Â
There is something missing here. Â It's almost like a chain restaurant. Â In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there are more Cantina Laredo restaurants. Â I suppose that part of the problem is that the place is so perfect, in an area of Chicago that has so many cool, loft-like restaurants with a ton of character. Â Whatever it is, there is something missing. Â I may try it again, but it's not high on my list.
We went with a large group for a birthday on a Saturday night, and the place is beautiful. Drinks were also good, and all had a good time. Service was prompt, and efficient, but one of the orders at our table was forgotten, and then had to be re-done after it was brought out wrong. Not a major ding, but not great , either.
It's mainly because of the food that they get two stars. I got the carne asada tacos, and for $18, they were just OK. Meat was properly cooked, but there was no sear, the tomatoes were average (tasteless, dry, white, Chicago-winter variety), the slices of avocado were good, and three warm tortillas were fine. $18 for 'just fine' is too much.
If you're just looking for drinks after work in a nice setting, this place will be fine. If you're looking for good Mexican food, go someplace else.
One of the best mexican restaurants in Chicago (upscale). I've been here several times and never seem to be disappointed! Amazing guac and the different salsas, really good nachos and tacos, and AMAZING mango tres leches! It's a good place to go to if you want to eat dinner and hang out after wards with a couple of friends, because they have a nice seating/lounge type area upstairs. I will definitely continue to go here for my mexican cravings!
Review Source:I like this place, but my conundrum is that I WANTED to love it!
For the quick notes: great on drinks, both in execution and ambiance;, mediocre on appetizers; but food in general was way below expectations and not worth the price.
I'll disclose a true, real bias: I have a very big problem paying a lot for Mexican food. Â You can get awesome Mexican food from Mexicans in Mexican neighborhoods for very cheap. Â You get to bust out some Spanish, have a tequila with the owner, and filly your belly while taking it easy on the wallet. I'm not a cheapskate in general, but at the risk of being redundant, you should not spend a lot of money for Mexican food.
The drinks are topnotch, they use good liquor in making them, and they cost a little bit because of the "We're in River North so we Must be Cool" attitude. Â Grade A tequilas are available, though, which are always nice. Â Also, they make mean Margaritas if you like a variety of flavor combinations. Â They're served correctly in terms of glassware and temperature.
Service tends to run slowly, but not terribly. The upstairs bar runs slightly faster when more of the tables are seated, so 9:00 P.M. at the earliest for a seating.
As to the food, here comes the bad news and the bias. Â I've eaten there three times because of birthdays following the first time. Â The food hasn't gotten any better. Â For control purposes, I always tried the salsa to see if any one meal/night was simply an outlier. Â Each time, that awful, soapy taste was part of the tortilla soup and the salsa Verde or yellowish salsa, and the red salsa is just pure onions. Â
For entrees, the first time I had a "house specialty" of Carnitas. Â The meat was dry and flavorless. Â The second time I tried the Fajitas, thinking they were safe. Â The chicken had no tasted--not even "chicken taste". Â The last time I had the carne asada, and I have to say that for nearly $20, I could get 2 full meals of awesome carne asada somewhere on Ashland with fresher ingredients.
Lastly, I've made better flan by failing to correctly make flan.
To stay honest, at one time they had a nacho-like appetizer which was awesome. Â If I go back for drinks, then hopefully that will be on the menu again.
They tout themselves as "Modern Mexican"; if that's how modern Mexicans eat, then there won't be too many of them left, as people would rather starve than eat this stuff.
For me, it's a "Drinks Only" place henceforth.
I guess it's good, i'm just used to stopping at the Cantina Laredo inside of the airports, so i don't think of it as this "special" dining place. Â Good margaritas though and the food is not bad, I only had a couple of appetizers, and mainly drank. Â For a Cantina Laredo it is quite "classy" looking inside.
Review Source:In one word, swanky. The most upscale Mexican restaurant I've been to. Nothing wrong with that, just not quite my cup of tea (or shot of tequila in this case, perhaps?).
We came on a dead Thursday night, so there was room at the bar before we were seated for dinner. I arrived later than my friends and so stood behind two of them to talk - wasn't even acknowledged by the bartender for at least 10 minutes. We didn't stay at the bar for a long time though, and ended up at a nice round table for 6 people (those are my favorites!).
Once we were seated, Casa Rita margaritas in hand, we ordered guacamole and the lady with the supposedly magical cart rolled on over to us. We asked for it to be medium. I didn't get any spice at all in any of my bites, but poor Emma K had a bite that was too hot to handle when she accidentally scooped up a whole chunk of jalapeno. Overall it wasn't my favorite guacamole because it was heavy on the cilantro, light on the lemon and avocado itself, and light on the spice (for the rest of the dish). But of course I ate it, it's guacamole!
I ordered the Enchiladas Veracruz, which I thought were an inventive spin on enchiladas (chicken plus spinach - so simple, yet so foreign for me in a Mexican dish). I wasn't a huge fan of the zucchini that came on the side because they tasted buttery and did not mix well with the rice or my enchilada itself. I would have preferred a stronger flavor with a little more kick, or maybe just plain with salt - not buttered. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals and I did see more enchilada-type dishes that looked appetizing on the menu. Otherwise, I think I'd steer clear of the middle section of the menu - looks way too pricey for my cheapo expectations of Mexican food.
If you'd prefer the down-home, authentic style of the hole-in-the-wall Mexican place, I'd skip this one for now. But, for the Mexican-food lover looking for an upscale atmosphere and presentation of your favorite foods, try Cantina Laredo.
Highlight of the Meal: The Casa Rita. Â A yummy strong Margarita that was just right.
Pros:
- The atmosphere / decor is very nice and inviting. Â It is clean and modern while still being comfortable. Â My group of 6 sat at a round table that made it easy to see and converse with each other.
- The food was delish. Â The fresh made guacamole and chips were a good way to start the meal. Â I had a really hard time deciding what to get and was debating between the Enchiladas Veracruz and the Tacos de Camarones .... then when the waitress was taking our order I had a sudden change of heart and got the Enchiladas de Avocado. Â I wasn't disappointed - the portion was large and it came with a great mango and jicama salad.
- We were able to split the check fairly easily for our group which always seems to be a big hassle when we have girls dinner.
Cons:
- The waitress was around our table frequently at first as we were ordering drinks and taking a long time to decide what to order, but once our food came (really quickly btw!) she disappeared. Â I was definitely ready to order another Casa Rita, but never got the chance to do so since the next time I saw her was when she was boxing our food and giving us our bill.
- I really enjoyed the guacamole, but did bit into one huge HOT chunk of jalapeno. Â I'm the biggest hot spicy wimp in the world, so this did not go over well.
I definitely look forward to coming back and trying more of the menu. Â Maybe I'll come with the BF next time though so he can pay for the $9 ritas :)
Came here with two friends for NYE dinner. Â We made a reservation ahead of time and were told that 5:30 was the only time available. Â When we got there, the restaurant was mysteriously empty... huh?
Pros:
- the atmosphere! The lighting is low, the decor is modern and sleek and the high bar table made me feel like I was on Sex and the City, at dinner with Carrie and Miranda.
- food. Everything was good. Not great, but I do think I would eat here again. Â I had the enchiladas veracruz, and my friends tried the fajitas de camerones and the camaron pablano asada. Â I liked everything. Â Decent flavor, and big portions! We also tried the $10 guacamole that Cantina Laredo boasts about-- it's good, but not really worth money in my opinion. Â
-drinks. Margaritas are good, so are the mojitos. My friend tried the mango mojito, which lacks a little in the alcohol department, but is perfect for the girly-drink lover that I am.
Cons:
- I found a fly in my margarita. Â The waiter replaced it immediately but I'm pretty sure I saw them ladle my second glass from a huge, uncovered bucket of pre-made margaritas behind the bar... I am suspicious that there may have been worse things than flies in there!
-service. Perhaps our waiter was having a bad night. He was pretty surly and barely spoke at all. Â He never smiled and came by to check on us rarely. Â Ya win some, you lose some, right?
Overall, go! A great place for drinks with the girls!
Stopped here for a quick dinner with some friends before seeing a play a few months ago and everyone truly enjoyed the experience. The ambiance was great and EVERYONE enjoyed their meal. We also really enjoyed our server, he was fun and made great recommendations about the dinner options. I had the enchiladas which were AMAZING.
Would love to head back here to try out their bar!
Went there for a friend's birthday and we had a party of 6. (It was supposed to be a surprise dinner for her, but when he checked in, the hostess said, Oh ___ party of 6 right?? Blew the surprise for her... oh well!! )
The drinks are expensive and not enough alcohol. Our server wasn't that attentive considering it wasn't that busy. I understand (being a server) that most places put an automatic tip on a large party. Considering our party was 6 people and we are an easy group to serve, the server was rarely seen. We had the server assistant bringing us new chips, salsa, and refilling our waters more than the server. I don't think he deserved the 20% tip. I think that some servers use that automatic tip to slack off a bit on the big party and focus their attention to other tables to get a larger tip. (Trust me, servers I work with do the same thing). He did that with us.
The food was pretty good and had big portion sizes. The shrimp fajitas were amazing. However the beef tacos left something to be desired.
The main reason for a low review was the guacamole lady. We ordered one order of freshly made guacamole which was made fresh at our table. She has a cart of ingredients whole avocados, fresh lime, and chopped up ingredients in bowls in front of her. She asked how we liked our guacamole- we all decided on spicy. She put the avocado in and smashed it a bit and then added the ingredients- lime, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, etc... however each time that she added a scoop of whatever ingredient into the avocado mixture she used her fingers!!! FINGERS- not just one, but her thumb and her first two fingers on the rounded lump of ingredient on the spoon to make sure it would not fall off the spoon!
I don't know where her fingers have been! She has been pushing around the cart all night. I could see her touching her face and hair when she didn't have any tables to make guacamole for. I think she should have not been lazy and used two scoops of the ingredients instead of trying to put it all on to one huge rounded scoop full with her fingers holding in ingredients in place!
She never really made conversation or eye contact- this should have been a time for her to shine, letting us know what she is putting into the guacamole and telling us how she is making it. But she just used her fingers to violate the guacamole and just put down the bowl on our table. Plus with an appetizer like that, a spoon to scoop onto our plates would have been nice as well!
Made a reservation for 9 online, only 7 showed up due to last minute cancellations and nobody blew a gasket. We were seated in a semi-private  room that faced the main dining area with one wall full of wine yet the doors were open and there was a TV on an adjoining wall. Our little room was lit more brightly and we were greeted within a few minutes. Our server Ricardo was nice, but always seemed to be walking through the room and then he was gone and would reappear.
To start the guacamole lady came around and made it fresh by the table. What they don't tell you is that they charge you for each bowl of guac made, because our server asked us if we wanted to try it, and that was that. No big deal because it was really good though. I ordered the mango mojito which was good, but really not strong at all. I ordered the shrimp tacos, SO GOOD. And for dessert we all ordered a few like the mango tres leches cake, churro, and mexican apple pie with cinnamon icecream. You wouldn't think cinnamon ice cream could be so good but I was wrong! I definitely want to come back again. It's a great atmosphere for a group of friends. Definitely want to come when it's warm out to eat on the outside dining.
Went to a holiday lunch at Catina Laredo and I was not disappointed. Â I'm normally not a chain restaurant fan, but the food and drinks at Cantina Laredo made me re-think my opposition to chains.....
I had a mango mojito that was delicious and the milagro blackberry smash that was also good. Â Loads of chips and guacamole to start....a few rounds of guacamole were prefect but then I had one bite that was so spicy I started violently coughing at the table. Â Now I'm a person who likes to sweat while she eats so I don't typically have that kind of a reaction to spicy food...needless to say, I stopped gorging on the guacamole after that happened.
For lunch I had the fish tacos. Â Mahi Mahi with marinated veggies, queso fresco and chipotle aioli. Â They were very good. Â Flavorful without being greasy -- I could have had another plate.
For dessert we ordered one of everything for the table. Â The churros with the chocolate and Grand Marnier dipping sauce were delicious, as was the Mexican brownie. Â Others at the table liked the tres leches cake quite a bit, but I didn't have any.
We sat in a glassed in private room which was nice, but felt a bit like a fishbowl. Â Decor is spare and modern -- very zen spa-like, which was a bonus. Â Service was excellent. Â I agree with previous reviewers though -- there are lots of options in Chicago for Mexican and if you have a Cantina Laredo in your backyard, better to check out one of our local spots. Â All in all though, this was a nice place for lunch.
Mojitos and guac- bueno
Beef tacos- no bueno
That about sums up my fiesta at Cantina last weekend along with the extent of my spanish speaking. My sisters and I were met with complete 'tude by the hostesses, way to make it super awkward chicks by ignoring me for a good minute or so.... anyway.. Â
The restaurant is big and open inside, where the 20-30 somethings come to see and be seen. Being my sisters and I fit in this age group, we gussied up and tip toed over in our high heels for a fun night out. Â
I started with a mojito and boy was it saweet and soo yummy. Although I can't say I tasted any alcohol in it so it must have been the tequila shots that gave me my buzz.. teehee.. Order for minty freshness! Â
The guac lady made a stop at our table and was so glad she did. The guac was FANTASTICO. Plus, unlimited chips... Â
As for the tacos, big nononono. Nothing special.
Vamonos for the drinks and guac, pass on the food (at least the beef tacos).
I was incredibly underwhelmed by Cantina Laredo. This place is all flash, no substance. The food was so, so. I had the tamales, which were bland.
Also, the service was terrible. We tried to go to happy hour, but the bar upstairs was completely full and the staff made no effort whatsoever to find us any place to sit. When we asked if we could take advantage of the happy hour specials in another area of the restaurant because the upstairs bar was full we were told no and that we should have showed up earlier.
The only good things about this place were the space and the blackberry margarita. The building is really pretty. Large windows, open design. The margarita was amazing!!! Just the right amount of sweetness. I'd go back just for the margaritas!
This place caught my eye a while ago and I finally got to try it last night. I love Mexican and I think this city does it very well. There are really cheap places that are delicious and expensive places that are well worth the price tag. So while I was a bit nervous about Cantina because it is a chain the food was good.
First of all they try to shove the guacamole down your throat, not literally but they talk so much about how awesome it is and how you should try it so we did. First of all it was made at the table which is great but I am pretty sure they use a packaged guacamole seasoning mix which is very funny and unnecessary. Look if you are going to make it table side go for the gold and make it all from scratch. On top of all that the guacamole was ok. There were certain bites that had tons of flavor and others that were just bland. Next we go the shrimp tacos and the enchiladas de mole. The shrimp tacos were good  but the enchiladas de mole were much better. Overall the enchiladas were flavorful and the chicken was tender and well seasoned. The mole sauce had the right kick as well. If I am to go back I would definitely get the enchiladas again but maybe try different tacos.
Overall this place is good. Is it a game-changer? No probably not but its good and worth a try.
It's nice to eat at a restaurant that actually trains their employees. Yes many of the servers' approach to the table is a bit clinical and the up-selling is a little aggressive, but I would rather have over eager service than under. For a chain restaurant it actually has a great atmosphere. Obviously the margaritas are the way to go here, I tend to stay away from the fruity ones and just go for the top shelf. I will say all of the drinks run a bit on the sweet side, which would be a plus for some but I actually like the flavor of tequila.
I always get the guacamole table side, and 9/10 times is phenomenal but once in a while it just lacks flavor. I don't know if it's a produce problem or different employees just have different techniques but for the price it should be a little more consistent. The two salsas served are great too and the staff is usually very quick about refilling both the chips and the salsa without being asked to.
The food is solid, it lacks the little bit extra that makes for a truly memorable meal. I wasn't the least bit disappointed with anything but I wasn't wowed either. This is the perfect place for catching up with friends or taking a first date.
I hear the lounge upstairs is great too but I can never seem to get up there because I feel like the brightly lit stairway is going to give me a seizure.
While the atmosphere was spectacular an the service nice.... The food was just not good :( which was sad bc the style of the spot made me feel hopeful but unfortunately the decor far outshines the flavor of the food. Overall overpriced... and for some reason the dishes we ordered all somehow tasted like soap ? Sounds strange I know.... Not sure how this place survives in the heart of DT with so much empty square footage .... Perhaps they can work on the food side of things ... and
Make a come Back?
I visited Cantina Laredo with my co-workers for a late afternoon team outing. Â
First off, the atmosphere is great. Â I really loved the modern, yet comfortable decor. Â As for the food...very good. Â The table side guacamole was delicious, and the complimentary chips and sales were wonderful. Â For my meal, I went with the Mahi Mahi tacos. Â The flavors were spot on!
Overall, a great experience!
Hello Yelpers. If you are in the Windy City and crave authentic Mexican food look no futher then Cantina Laredo on State Street!
 While in the loop I was looking for some authentic Mexican food, but the number of resturants matching my request were pretty slim. Thankfully Cantina Laredo showed up!
 This is not your typical Mexican resturant.  The atmosphere is extremly clean, very modern and quite trendy. The stone walls, large fireplace, open stairs and open concept was very pleasing to the eye. It was a fun place.
 No doubt about it, the food was the main highlight. A Mexican Cantina with an atmosphere like this you would probably think medeocer food. But that was not the case! We had ordered the Beff Quesadillas for and app. It was absolutely amazing. Everything had such great flavour and the complimentary tortilla chips and inhouse salsa ( terrific by the way) also improved the apps. For the main course I chose the pulled pork tacos with redwine sauce. What a suculent dish. This is not Taco Bell! The shell was very soft and had nice cheese and grilled peppers. Black beans complimented the tacos nicely.
To end the meal the apple pie was dellicious.
Cantina Laredo has great service and friendly staff. Fresh guacamole is made right in front of you by one of the servers!
 For all you Mexican enthuisiates Cantina Laredo on State is one place you have to check out!
Great place for an after work happy hour/dinner. I was amazed at how large this place is and they have a second floor which offers a tapas menu (so I was told). My friends and I dined near the fireplace which was great because it was slightly breezy and they had the windows open. The Pomegranate margarita went down a bit too smoothly so I helped myself to a house margarita as well, good, but a bit strong for an "I still have to work tomorrow" drink.
The table side guacamole was good and I appreciate being able to see exactly what's being put in and not only hoping that it's not being pulled from a huge tub in the back. For my meal, I had the tacos de pescado made with mahi mahi, messy but really good with nice flavor. Â The sides were forgetful, however. I also want to mention the service, our server was the nicest guy ever, even though he was busy he was attentive, helpful with suggestions and just kind overall. I plan to make a return trip and try the tapas!
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