Sometimes, you just have to throw caution to the wind. I know this place doesn't get great reviews, but I have to say, I've eaten here twice during business trips, and I don't think I've ever had better Carne Asada anywhere!!
Is it overpriced? Yes. Â Is the wait staff a bit aloof? Yes. But, the Carne Asada rocks and big enough to feed two. Plus, Glenview is a cool area to walk around and you can sit outside and people-watch while you eat.
I haven't ordered anything but the Carne Asada on my two visits, aside from Guacamole which was good, but I'm a believer.
Good luck!
This place epitomizes the word "meh" which only means that when it comes to Mexican food, this place is horrific.
I knew it would be the moment I sat down and read; "first round of chips complimentary ONLY" next to the listing for the taco plate, which was listed at $16.99.
Immediate fail.
This better be a DAMN GOOD Mexican restaurant to charge me $17 for tacos and in addition to chips. Sadly, it wasn't.
The food was flavorless and the service was mediocre. I've been to hundreds, maybe even a thousand different mexican restaurants and I would say that this place is a top 10 disappointment.
We've tried El Jardin several times over the years, and usually become reminded why we hadn't been back for so long. Â The one positive thing I can say is that the atmosphere is pretty nice, so if you want to sit down and have a margarita or two with friends, it can be nice.
When they first opened years ago, I think it was better. Â Recent experiences were highlighted by awful guacamole that tasted like it was made days ago--no exaggeration. Â I'm just not sure how this place is able to stay in business given the better alternatives.
Hi. I went with my kids and was super disappointed. Â Kids ordered from the kids menu. Â They ordered kids taco meal. Â Only to arrive with one sorry taco on an empty plate. Â No garnish,rice, or anything. Â My meal was cold and bland. Â The only decent thing so far was the chips and salsa. Â Dessert menu looked great. Â Ordered fried ice cream only to be told that it is no longer on the menu. Â Bummer. Â Left the place hungry,disappointed, and sure that I will NEVER go back
Review Source:Stood around and waited for our group to be seated for 10 min while being ignored by employees (no hostess). The couple ahead of us left (I wonder how long they had waited!). Service was terrible, the waiter seemed nice enough but looked like he was spread so thin he was gonna faint! The quality of food is reason enough for me not to return. It stunk. I have now had the worst Margarita I've ever tasted as well. Over priced yuck! Such a waste of a great location in Glenview.
Review Source:Last night my husband and I went to El Jardin at the Glen for dinner. What a disappointment. We paid $67 for a mediocre meal. Fajitas should be served on a sizzling plate. Mine was luke warm and I am sure the chicken was pre cooked-and over cooked. My husband had enchiladas and they were also luke warm. And, I am sorry, but $10 for guacamole is a but much. I have to say the margaritas were very good or I would have given this place 1 star!! Â We will not be returning.
Review Source:I'd give this place ZERO stars if I could............
NEVER GO HERE!!!! Â The owner (or is he the manager) Â couldn't be RUDER!!!!! Â I went with friends for my birthday. Â I mean, we could've picked any place to go, but picked this place. Â We got there on the early side because we wanted an outdoor table. Â They said there would be a wait, I kiddingly said to this A$$hole manager, "Hey, it's my birthday today! Can't you see if we could get a table a little quicker?". Â Most professional people would've at least smiled and said, "Happy birthday! Â I'll see what we can do" even if there was nothing they could do. Â This guy says, "uh, whatever...it's a 45 min wait". Â Strike one.
We get to our table, eventually, and our waitress gives us major attitude. Â Not to mention she's barely there to ck on us! Oh, and btw, at first, A$$hole manager wasn't' gonna give my friend and I a 4 top outside - because it was just the 2 of us. Â EVEN THOUGH I made it clear that we'd have more people joining us in a bit. Â Oh, and they ONLY had 4 tops....so I guess he wasn't planning on sitting us outside to begin with.
Anyway...eventually our other friends arrive. Â Again, the bad waitress never came buy. Â So my friends had to GO TO THE BAR to get their drinks! Â Strike two.
Now, the killer....we were STILL DRINKING at our outside table. We were laughing, having a great time...and if you can believe A$$hole manager comes over to us and says, "It's time for you to leave. Â You're done and we need this table". Â Uh, we were NOT done, we were still drinking, and WHERE HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THAT A MANAGER TELLS YOU TO LEAVE BECAUSE YOU HAD STAYED TOO LONG AND THEY NEEDED THE TABLE?!?! Â And that was a lie - there were 2 empty tables next to us and it was 10:30pm!!!!!! Â WE COULDN'T believe it! Â And just so you know, we were NOT being loud and obnoxious - not in the slightest. Strike three - I'm done with that place!
Now, at that point we we SO uncomfortable, we decided to just leave and go across the street to Flight. We had a fabulous waiter there. We told him what had happened to us at El Sucko and he said they'd heard it before about that place! Â AND - the people at Flight not only gave me a FREE birthday martini, they gave me a free dessert because they didn't want my birthday to be ruined! Love FLIGHT!! (And BTW, DO GO TO FLIGHT! :) )
Again, regarding El Sucko, unless they get a new manager, or whatever the hell he is, DON'T go there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And, oh, did I mention the owner/manager guy is a first grade A$$hole ;)
Been to El Jardin previously and it was an ok experience. Bought the Groupon for it which expired prior to me using it though I remember calling one day to make a reservation while it was still valid (as you have to call ahead and let them know you have a Groupon) and was told I couldn't use it that night since their Groupon quota was already reached for one evening. Keep in mind you could only use this Groupon on a Friday or Saturday.
Anyways - we finally made it back out and I felt it was very pricey (typical entrees are no less than $14/$15 and up to $20+). Margaritas are anywhere from $7-$15 I think. Guacamole appetizer is "Market Price" (I didn't realize there was a seasonal/market price for guacamole). I asked how much and was told $9-$10. Again, a bit pricey. That said, they had some specials which were cheaper (Tamales for $2.50 each) so I ordered three and a side of rice and beans which was extra. Honestly was a little better than I expected. My girlfriend had steak quesadillas which were really good actually.
Service once we were seated was pretty good actually. Our waiter was very attentive and helpful. I was a little annoyed that we made a reservation and when we showed up at the exact time of our reservation were told we had to wait for a table to open up. There was actually a 4 seat table reserved which remained open the entire time we waited which they ended up seating us at anyways so not sure why we had to wait.
All in all, I felt it was a better than expected experience but my expectations were not very high to begin with. I would go back again assuming I had some kind of coupon/deal to lower the cost a bit.
I've been here twice; both times it was excellent food. The first time it was the best service a customer could ask for, however, the second time it was awful service.. the server was hardly around and it took forever for him to even greet us and take our drink order. I might give it another try, but I'd probably pass on it if I knew better Mexican was available in the area.
Review Source:Don't bother. Went for a Sunday night date. Granted the day after cinco de mayo, but to me the place seemed dirty and disorganized. Sat at the bar, bar tender was new guy and had to ask about everything. Willing to cut him slack for that, but not fun to endure.
Prices were lacking - as in how much is this, how much is that, and no one seemed sure.
Prices were not the only thing lacking, food was too. Split the fajita dinner burrito and that was nothing to write home about. blah blah blah
Gold margarita special was not special at all, a watery concoction in a pitcher under the bar.
Tried the beer margarita too and that was a bust.
The only thing somewhat decent were the jalepeno poppers, not bad.
Overall, found myself regretting my choice and wished we had parked elsewhere.
Sorry Jardin, won't be back
I was sick after eating here...
Food, vegetables...very greesy. Overpriced for what you get.
I couldn't have the rice/ beans, cheese or sour cream due to dietary restrictions. I asked the waiter if he could sub extra guacamole. He said yes. He brought me a little tiny plastic cup of guacamole. I said there were 3 sides I couldn't get and could I get a little more guacamole? He said no.
The only good food were the chips and salsa.
To many other really good Mexican restaurants. Don't waste your money on this one.
Went here a week ago. Not bad if it's your only option for Mexican (as in your stuck at the Glen). Most things we had were salty (guacamole, fish tacos) except for the steak & shrimp fajitas which was bland and mostly vegetables. The rice was a little strange flavored and had no texture. The margaritas were good (I had 2 different kinds). Our service was good, it wasn't busy & on a Sunday night if I remember correctly.
I wouldn't make it a destination for the food but as a place to hang out, have a drink and a snack it would suffice...
Ick. Â One of those where i wish I could give a half star. Great location and space. I walked in and a dirty person was very rude and immediately gave me attitude so I left. The food may be good but I doubt it judging by the appearance of the greaseball holding up the host station. Pretty weak.
Went to Las Palmas on Waukegan instead. Food was great. Servers were courteous and even pleasantly engaging. Skip El Jardin. Â Sad, really.
The service at this place is great. Â The staff is very helpful and friendly. Â I've eaten here, a lot, as well as a lot of other Mexican places in the area. Â The food is very good, but I wouldn't say it's leaps and bounds better than the food at any other place.
What really stands out about this place for me is their margaritas. Â They are extremely tasty and quite strong. Â One and you're feeling good. Two and you should probably have someone else drive home. Â Just go with "The Classic". Â There's no real reason to get any of the more fancy ones. Â They usually run about $9, but head over on a Tuesday or Sunday, and they are only 5 bucks. Â It's a good deal for a good-sized drink.
I really liked this location. I had only been to the one in Wrigleyville before this visit. I was pleasantly surprised. The decor was open yet comfortable. The lighting was bright, yet appropriate for the decor.
The staff was  very friendly, and accommodating. The food was just alright; not the best I've ever had. I had chicken enchiladas with rice. I was able to substitute extra rice for the beans, which was nice.
The only thing I would like to change is their tequila selection. You are able to upgrade the tequila you have in your margarita, but the best one they have is Jose Quervo. Granted, they do have the Anejo, which is good, but they should offer Patron.
Ya hear that owners...upgrade your tequila! :)
As a HUGE Mexican food fanatic, I can only imagine that the reviews below claiming this to be "the best Mexican Food EVER!!!1!!" have to be planted by people who work here. Â Their food is utterly forgettable, their service is crap, the Margaritas are a resounding "meh". Â The only reason I don't give one star is that the place is clean.
This place also suffers from the intolerable affliction as nearly all other restaurants in the Glenn: unattended, screaming children and indifferent parents.
There are numerous options for Mexican food within a 5 mile radius. Â Don't waste your time here.
After looking at some of the reviews, I'm thinking that maybe I had a unique experience or perhaps they are taking to heart what people are writing and trying to change their service and spice up their food a bit. Â I went here a few days ago with friends after an unpleasant experience at another restaurant down the street. Â We were seated promptly even though the place was pretty full. Â I liked the atmosphere on the inside; very low key but not dive-y, just an all around casual place. Â
Our service was prompt and our drinks were well attended, as were the chips and salsa. Â The guacamole was good but a little on the expensive side. Â I know avocados are going through a bit of a crisis in Mexico right now but the crop is doing fine in the US; market price for avocados? I think that's a little over the top; we aren't talking Copper River Salmon or Lobster here. Â Actually, that pretty much sums up most everything at the restaurant, the food and drinks are good but they are a little on the expensive side. Â Also, the three of us had margaritas and they were fairly week. Â Given how expensive they are I would have expected a little more tequila. Â
All that being said, the fajitas I had were good. Â I received a generous portion of steak, vegetables, guacamole, and sour cream. Â Also, the tortillas were good and they gave me a good amount for the food I had. Â My friends' meals were also enjoyable. Â I would go back again though I would definitely not order a margarita, maybe just a beer next time instead.
Came here for a birthday party and karaoke. Our group was ready to drink and enjoy ourselves only the waiter was too busy enjoying himself laughing and hanging out. Our waiter disappeared for thirty minutes, no drink refills for us. No water refilled either after being there for three hours. I was so upset i went straight to the bar to order drinks for my party.Now keep in mind the place was not busy so the waiter was not so overwhelmed that he couldn't handle his three tables. I ordered mild wings, they came out hot. We were also told they could not take more then one credit card for the bill. Wow, really that's a first. By the way your first basket of chips are free after that they charge,lol.
I decided to call the next day to speak to the owner thinking he would like to know how is restaurant was being run. My family has owned restaurants and i know we would have wanted to know about patrons receiving bad service. The owner Larry didn't seem to care. He asked why we stayed. I guess he could see my point, i mean why would you stay in a restaurant that was so bad. Because we were celebrating a birthday Larry. I have respect enough for the birthday person to not make them get up and leave and cause a scene. That is why I got up and served them drinks on my own while your waiter was who knows where.
The owner  was condescending and kept saying "what is it that you want me to do about it" Well Larry your the owner and if you do not know how to run or manage the place find another job. Honestly, i need to tell you how to manage and train your staff not to be awful at their jobs. I guess you can stand to lose customers since the economy and businesses are doing so well these days.
P.s If your an adult hanging out in the Glen, don't go here the place is a big hangout to junior high and high school kids.
I have never tried the entrees here, and I'm only familiar with a few of their appetizers; as a result, I am not reviewing this place for their food. Â I DO, however, know quite a bit about their margarita selection, which (for me, at least) is the real draw. Â They have a wide variety of tequilas available, and their basic margarita costs about $8, though they do have drink specials. Â On Wednesdays and Fridays they have karaoke, and the DJ and owners make it quite a fun experience.
The restaurant itself is a little small, and if you want to get a table in the bar, close to the action, you may have to wait a little while (especially on Fridays). Â The drinks are worth it, though, and have on numerous occasions lead to me damaging property and waking up the next morning covered in mysterious, unexplainable scratches and bruises. Â THAT, my friends, is the sign of a good bar!
Sorry, but this place had all the elements to a bad experience. Â
1. Bad food
2. Slow service
3. High prices for what you get
4. Guacamole at "market price" ?? didn't even taste good!
I got the steak fajitas and the meat was flavorless and unseasoned. Just not worth going again for another shot.
I liked it.
I took two clients/customers (it's complicated) and we had some pretty darn good Mexican food and lots of tequila. Â Except for the really...PRESENT...karaoke, it was 4 stars.
I'd go back.
P.S. It's in some development that used to be an Air Force or Army air base and they incorporated the tower into the ultimate design. Â Pretty cool.
If you've always wondered what the hell is in the Glen, it's a bunch of fancy living places, a movie theater (5 buck club eligible) and a strip of restaurants, the most prominent of which is El Jardin. Most people won't find themselves driving in the Glen without the advice to check it out. But here is what you need to do, and what to get.
Well of course, first, travel into the Glen. Then walk around for a bit, preferably during the summer, it's a great afternoon activity just for a change of scenery. THEN when you get hungry, hit up El Jardin.
Yes, they have a bar. Yes, their servers tend to be hit or miss (either really helpful and perky or really irritated by your existence). They also have a breakfast menu, but I beg you visit for dinner. That's definably where you'll find your best experience.
What to eat:
COMBOS! Get yourself tacos, tostadas, burritos, or chimichangas (three of four) with whatever filling you're looking for (meat, beans, etc.) about 12 dollars. How the heck can you beat that? Their tacos by the way? WOO, amazing. Also, their beef enchiladas? Yum. If you're looking for a big heavy meal, the Pollo a la Parilla is a broiled chicken breast, and though that seems rather bland, it's actually REALLY good.
Go on now! Explore!!
So my husband and I were really excited to get out of the house, and he's had crazy cravings for mexican food since we moved up to the burbs. When we found out that there was an El Jardin up here, we decided that we had to try it. At the location in the city, the margaritas are absolutley increible. We were expecting the same of the food up here, and we were pretty disappointed.
I ordered the enchiladas. It tasted like they were canned. Seriously. My husband's food was decent, but nothing noteworthy or very interesting. So it was nice to get out of the house and enjoy ourselves, but I do not see us going to El Jardin Norte ever again.
And that's two stars for escaping the madness of the house!
Waiver: I had a sinus infection so opted for a beer instead of a killer Margarita. The one sip I had was very good.
That sip was pretty much the best part of this meal. Maybe it is the booze that accounts for the better reviews because it sure wasn't the food or service. The guacamole tasted like it was from a can. The food arrived loop warm with so little spice and flavor I felt like I was at a diner. The service was horrid despite the place being empty and they were out of chicken fingers. I have kids its a staple.
I probably won't be back unless someone makes me.
I walked into El Jardin in the Glen and was greeted with a smile by the bartender. Â I was exhausted and starving. Â The margarita was good. Â The salsa was really good and the enchilada was even better. Â
I appreciated the service that Edgar the bartender paid to me and I will definitely return.
Nuff said! :-)
This restaurant has a sold 3-star menu. I had a Super Veggie Burrito and wasn't very impressed. It had veggies such as cauliflower and broccholi in side, but no sight of peppers or cheese. It came out almost cold and tasted very (very) bland. Don't get me wrong, i still ate it, mainly because i was starving.
The service was great, fast. The prices are on the high-er end of average. Nothing less could be expected of a restaurant located at the Glen. There are very little options for you, if you're vegetarian. Though, I'm sure every dish could be requested meatless.
I had a great time with fellow yelpers. Honestly, though, I would probably never come back. There are a lot better options in the area if you're craving Mexican food.
I'd give it 4 stars for the beautiful surroundings of The Glen in which it resides, but stripped of those surroundings, I think this place would have a hard time competing with other Mexican restaurants I've come to like over the years.
We selected El Jardin for its outdoor Mexican dining as the main criteria for our latest NW Suburban Unofficial Yelp Dinner. The camaraderie of fellow Yelpers Kathy R, Lisa B (with her son as her "date"), George R, Giselle S & her husband Paul, and Victoria H made the evening worthwhile and we stayed for close to 3 hours. Victoria even brought some Yelp stuff to share with everyone. Five stars for that.
But then the restaurant's own inadequacies emerged. As the organizer of the dinner, I reserved the outdoor seating a month in advance to assure my group of 12-15 expected people that we would have an outdoor spot. The reservation was not a problem till I called the day of the dinner to downgrade the number to 11. At that point, I found out they cannot guarantee outdoor seating for reservations. A callback from the manager later assured me that they would try to get 2 tables together for our group. Turns out it was all we needed, but had we been a bigger group, this could have turned ugly.
Reservations shenanigans aside, let's take a look at the menu. Who has a menu? Well, only some of us. Victoria and Kathy each had one. I didn't. For the 9 of us attending, I think there were only 4 menus on the table. When I glanced at the menu, the $9 margaritas turned me off right away. I won't pay for a drink that costs as much as a main course. I decided to run my steak burrito benchmark test - comparing it to the penultimate steak burrito of the highest order from Taco-Burrito King.
The platter arrived and I got 3 slender burritos rather than a single, bloated football-shaped burrito I had envisioned. Victoria's swollen vegetarian burrito looked more impressive, though she was not that thrilled with hers. The steak was grilled nicely in my skinny burritos but they could have used more "stuff" inside for the $ I paid for my dish, which was one of the more expensive choices.
Giselle shared her ceviche with us. It tasted awesome, even though she repeatedly claimed to have double-dipped. Seeing she appeared healthy and free of any communicable diseases, I tried it for myself and liked its overall fresh taste.
There was an awkward long period without any waiter visits after our main courses were finished. Usually someone comes offering desserts afterwards. I had to bring it up to the waiter. A couple of us tried flan and it was good, but after trying La Tasca's flan, I can't give the edge to El Jardin on this either.
If there was one consistently redeeming quality to the food, it was the endless supply of chips - freshly made, lightly salted and constantly refilled, even when our main dishes arrived. I kept eating chips right up to the end, as they were so addicitingly tasty. The hottest salsa they offered was not too hot but very flavorful. I would recommend that over their milder variety.
In all, I think we enjoyed ourselves but I vow to do better in selecting our next venue for a dinner.
I'm going with the rest of the 3-star reviews here: Â food was OK, but nothing special. Â And that is a bit surprising, considering the pricy-ness of the menu items. Â
Case in point, I ordered the cheese enchiladas, with the (mild) ranchero sauce on top. Â There were three enchiladas, a little bit of rice and refried beans on the side. Â It was $13.99. Â It was underwhelming, sorry to say. Â If truth be told, I've had better tasting cheese enchiladas at Taco Burrito King for a fraction of the price. Â I did leave feeling pretty full, which could be due to the basket of tortilla chips I mindlessly consumed.
It was a nice atmosphere, however.  The Glen Town Center is a pretty, well-maintained retail haven, and we were sitting in El Jardin's outdoor patio on a beautiful summer evening.  I always enjoy the  company of my fellow Yelpers (five stars for you people!). Â
The service was passable, but I agree with Mike O's assessment that  they could have been more proactive in tending to our table (and why did we have to inquire about dessert?).  It was an off-putting start when Mike was told they couldn't guarantee our outdoor reservations for 11.  Had more people actually shown up, it would have been a real problem.
Damn! Â Anywhere that will make me feel good driving home the 3 minute ride while listening to Usher's "I want to make love in this club" Â gets 5 stars from me. Â
3 stars goes to the second Margarita that was not made well, even though it was $ 5.50 on special ( regular $10).
3 stars for the the shrimp ceviche. Â Too limey for my taste. Â I warned ppl before I shared, because I double dipped.
4 stars for the refried beans from the combination that I shared with Paul.
5 stars for the camaraderie with Curious George, Victoria H. , Lisa B. and her son, Kathy, JR, the Howler, and my husband. Â Not to mention the outdoor, al fresco seating. Â Kind of hard with the sun shining, but once it set I could see the half of my party. Â The weather was oh so right!
5 stars to Mike 'the Howler Monkey" for setting up this occasion.
5 stars for Victoria for bringing the yelp swag. Â Love it.
Thank you to all for making me feel like an adult. Talking without being interrupted. Â
Lisa B. I will be PM'ing you with my questions.
A few years ago when I was in the oh-so fun stage of life: Â post-college/pre-real life, my friends and I would frequent El Jardin. Partially because they had just opened and we loved being their only 'regulars.'
Food is pretty good. I always have the enchiladas with ranchero and they are just fine. But its the margs that really send me. Still my favorite margarita anywhere in Chicago (or burbs) Â is The Cadillac with Grand Marnier.
But Bruce said it best - stick with just 2 of these Killer Concoctions. The only night we actually stuck around for a third, my friend went home with one of the servers. Â Ha!
The bartenders at El Jardin know what they're doing when they make a margarita! Â I swear, if I have two of those things, I'm walking home (thank god my parents don't live too far away!). Â Usually when I make it home for a visit, I make a stop at El Jardin and sit at the bar. Â I enjoy the atmosphere and talking to the bartenders. Â Oh, and those margaritas are good.
The food is ok. Â It's not the best I've had, but it's certainly not the worst. Â The red snapper tacos I had most recently were muy fabuloso! Â But I must say that their burritos are a little lackluster. Â The waiter service is just so-so as well. Â But at least I get the sense that they're trying (unlike another mexican joint I recently reviewed). Â
If you go to El Jardin, sit at the bar, grab a margarita, and order those fish tacos! Â I guarantee you'll have as good an experience as I do.
Not as good as the upscale places like Adobo or San Gabriel, but a good place for sit down Mexican. Â They have a very good Sunday brunch. I love their skirt steak. Â Their salsas, both mild and spicy that are put out before the meal are very good. Â
The daily (and Fri-sat after 10) three to six half price appetizers are great bargain, although EJN's app menu is limited. Â Quesadillas, Chilaquiles, Queso Fundido, Guacamole, Nachos, Wings and Jalapeno Poppers are all they have. Â The Queso Fundido and Quesadillas are excellent. Â The QF with mushrooms is original and the quesadillas have an option with spinach. Â An extensive selection of margaritas and tequilas make EJN competitive with any of the other nicer Mexican places. Â Most weekend nights they are very busy. Â This location is not a big restaurant. Â Above average and a good place for a relaxed and nice meal.
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