I made an account just to discourage others from going to this place. I swear I have never experienced such awful customer service in my life!
I used to be a big fan cause, to be honest, the food can be pretty good. However, the customer service is so terrible that I would rather go eat freaking McDonalds.  On one of my visits, I told the waiter if he could give me more limes, and he made a funny face and told me that I already had limes. I had only 1 lime and I needed more for my Huachinango,but he said that his boss would get angry  if he gave me more limes! I complained and this other man apologized, but that was after my meal. Anyway, I went back yesterday and ordered another huachinango estilo Nayarit, and it was real dry, didnt even taste like estilo Nayarit. So, I asked this waiter (who wasnt my waiter cause my waiter disappeared), if he could bring more of the broth and he looked like at first he was going to say no, but then he said that I would have to place an order of broth. I was like WTF my huachinango is dry! he had an attitude and said that he wasnt even my waiter not to complain to him. so he sends this waitress and she tells me that the chef said that my huachinango was perfectly fine! Man, ive had huachinangos estilo nayarit a million times, that damn huachinango was freaking dry. I just couldnt believe they were making such a big deal over broth, man I know the owner of this freaking restaurant are stinkin rich and they are still going to complain over some freaking limones and broth?
I dont know, the food here is pretty good, just that having bad customer service kills it for me. If you want to eat something good but be treated like crap, then go here. I on the other hand appreciate restaurants with nice, humble people who appreciate their clients. Screw el veneno. A good alternative for you far Southsiders is La Jaibita. Niiiiiiiiiiiice  people, better food than El Veneno. They once gave me 2 huachinangos cause they said the huachinangos were little, but they were the same size as El Veneno's.
...don't get me wrong, I LOVE spicy foods but this place is all sting & no bite!  Everything they served tasted like raw celery once the ultra intense sting of their chili stopped burning & I do mean EVERYTHING!  It was such a disappointment.  I always see it crowded so I had to give it a try.  I went to 2 of their locations twice for each spot (to be fair) & each item I ordered tasted like raw celery & super spicy  & vinegary hot sauce .  If I want spicy celery, I can eat that at home.  Save your money or go to a better seafood joint!  I'm not trying to be a snob but this is NOT worth checking out.
 Worse still was that whenever I asked the staff if they could fix my plate or bring me another since my food was clearly not edible, they just told me that that was how it was SUPPOSED to taste, as that is "Nayarit-style"!  As grossed out as I was, I not only didn't take any of it to go, but I still had to pay over $40 for 2 dishes that I couldn't eat!  I filled up on the side of french fries & went across the street to Huck Finn's for a Tuna Melt to fill my tummy with seafood!
Stopped by here over the weekend and while what we ordered was pretty good they could've done a better job of keeping the place tidy. Â When I got to my table I though someone had spilled water on the floor because it was so wet and before I was about to tell the waiter to have someone mop it up, I realized that it was just from the buckets of ice that are beside nearly every table for those that BYOB. Â The service was okay just a bit lacking. Â I get it, it's the SS so you don't have to take yourself too seriously but a little effort goes a long way. Â Might come back to try the Huachinango and would've had it when I was there but they had already run out.
Review Source:Nice people, service and fresh seafood! Authentic mexican food and style! The only thing I was not to impressed by was our plates were too salty. : ( Bummer! i hope it was only the dishes we picked because this places looks promising. We ordered acoctel and a seafood mix salad. Prices are good and FYI BRING YOUR OWN BEER!!!
Review Source:If your a non-spanishing speaking person, then it can be a little difficult ordering. Â Most of it was in spanish, and there was descriptions in english, but still the menu is unorganized where it was difficult to read and navigate. Â Maybe its just me, but I couldn't for the life of me know what I was looking at. Â
Anyways, they just need to redesign the menu, thats all. Â The food was good, the salsa is really hot, but awesome kick to it. Â The portions are ginormous, but you get what you pay for here. Â More like a three dollar sign I think. Â I could only compare this place to Lapalapa on archer. Â There is definitely more of a variety in flavors here though.
El Veneno, the "venom" in spanish, makes an ultra-hot habanero salsa its culinary venom and freely provides copious amounts for your dining pleasure.
I have never had a bad meal here, at either Pulaski location.
The best things I've eaten (or my favorites anyway) are the langostinos and the tilapia al ajo. The ceviche is also really good (generally, you get a small "taste" portion as a lagniappe).
Live music on the weekends (usually mariachi, but sometimes not). A popular neighborhood place; expect it to be crowded, but wait times for seating are usually short.
Let's just say that I have tried to like this place so much.
I have been to this restaurant about 5 times and I have never had a good dining experience here. For this review, I will write only about the worst time here.
I came here with 2 friends on a Sunday afternoon. It was packed and we had to wait about 40 mins to be seated. Once seated, we ordered water and a drink for each, 2 appetizers, 2 pinas rellenas (stuffed pineapple) and a huachinango al mojo de ajo (fish on garlic sauce).
We asked the waitress that we wanted to receive the main entrees at the same time as we were there to have dinner together. She assured us that we would get them at the same time.
Well, let's say that things did not go quite the way we had wish for.
After about 20 mins that she took our order we got the drinks. The water on disposable plastic cups, mmmm not expected but all well.
So this is where it gets interesting, after 20 more mins. a waiter (not our waitress) brought the huachinango (garlic fish), a few minutes later comes the waitress and apologizes. Well then, a few mins later we get the appetizers, yes we got one main entree before we got the appetizers.
Oh, Oh but wait that's not it. so we waited a little longer for the for the other 2 entrees to arrive. I'm thinking relax, there she comes, there she comes. Everything should be fine now. Just relax and enjoy the meal with your friends.
She gets to the table and places one, yes one, pina rellena on the table. So we asked her about the second stuffed pineapple and she tells us that she placed the order for only one pina rellena and that it would take 20 more mins to get the second one.
We just looked at each other, stood up, and walked out of the restaurant. And if it was kind of rude to do that, there only so much bad service I can take.
BTW, the food is not even good (my humble opinion) the actual seafood is over seasoned, and the side dishes are bland.
This is not the cheapest seafood place in the city. For the money you pay you expect more than what you get.
El Veneno. Bad food, worse service.
I've been to the location on Ashland  and fell in love with nayarit style seafood.
I now live too far south to head over their on my lunch..so instead I made the trek west  to one of their other locations.
Before going to Mariscos and living in Pilsen/Little Village, Â I was ignorant about Mexican cuisine, thinking it was just tacos, burritos and tortilla chips with salsa. No, not at Mariscos. Sure they have tacos(fish tacos!) But instead of the usual tortilla chips with salsa that seems standard at alot of Mexican places, instead you get FREE tuna ceviche with crispy tostadas and this phenomenal salsa. The salsa was burning hot but unlike some sauces that are just hot sans taste, this salsa was flavorful and had this crisp and clean taste to it.
Give me that over tortilla chips anytime!
(I wish this place would bottle up that salsa and sell it. I'd buy a case! The best salsa I have ever had!)
I usually just get a tray of langostinos at the Ashland location but I didn't want to look overly greedy in front of my boyfriend, so I ordered the slightly smaller dinner portion.
My boyfriend who was suffering a stomach ache prior to coming to Mariscos decides to pass on yummy prawns and ordered the fish tacos.
The ceviche and  salsa was just like at the Ashland location. Actually,maybe even slightly better.
My langostino dinner arrived. The langostinos were delicious but didn't seem as tasty as the Ashland location. Â Don't get me wrong, they were excellent, but the ones @ the Ashland location seemed to have more of a kick to them. I'd still come back in a heartbeat though for these prawns! The langostinos also came with french fries, garlic bread and rice with veggies. I was so stuffed I could not eat one fry. The Garlic bread was good. The rice....
Horrible.
Were those canned vegetables mixed in with my rice??? The carrots were shaped like squares just like in the cans. I would rather my rice  been plain.
Still, I did not come for the rice but for the seafood alone. The seafood is more than worth the so/so sides.
My boyfriend with the stomach ache? His tacos were so good that he finished all  4 of them. Not a crumb left on his plate.
This restaurant is definately worth the trek west from Hyde Park.
Okay, so my family owns a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This particular city is right next door to the state of Nayarit, which is FAMOUS for it's style of cooking seafood. Seriously, I literally want to cry everytime I get a craving for seafood from Puerto Vallarta and I'm stuck in Chicago.
Mariscos El Veneno is my answer to these cravings! No other restaurant does ceviche like they do! And I love it because it's literally their bread and butter! You get a tosada of ceviche as soon as you sit down.
They also bring out all their fresh fish so you can pick which one you want BEFORE you eat! You also have to try their "Veneno" salsa, which is means "venom" in spanish. It's lethal, but tasty.
You also can't beat a place that brings your a bucket of ice for your beer, no charge and has free entertainment on the weekends!
The only complaint I have is that the street parking SUCKS. Other than that, El Veneno is one of my favorite places to eat when I'm channeling my inner seafood lover!
I came here with my family for Easter dinner, for being a Holiday occasion we got seated right away.
As an Appetizer they have Ceviche Tostadas the size of Tortillas. As far as the menu I personally believe there isn't much variety but the dishes are fulsome. The only dish I wouldn't recommend is the "Shrimp Cocktail" because its not the traditional Shrimp Cocktail with the tomato sauce, it has more of a "Sea Water" flavor.
The waiter service is excellent we even got greet by the restaurant's Chef (I guess because we were a large group) there is enjoyable music performed by Mariachis and other local musicians around the tables as you dine. Also the great things about this place are that it's B.Y.O.B (with free buckets of ice) and B.Y.O.F (mostly for kids)
I love coming here! I can bring my own beer (they supply customers with a large bucket of ice), enjoy the live music and dishes are plentiful. Is it the best mariscos...no, but I really love the fried shrimp and their rice is delicious. Platters can easily be shared among the group. The wait can be 20-30 minutes inside a crowded doorway, but I think it's worth it. My only complaint.....the parking is terrible. I tried the new location, but still like the 67th & Pulaski spot. I wish they had, instead of building a new location down the street, expanded and built a "real" parking lot.
Review Source:This Food Stablisment is really good, what I like most is the service that you received as the food you enjoy from the free appetizers as tostadas de mariscos, seafood tostadas, spicy salsas, the seafood is full mouth watering, please before you get there take with you up to three beers per person! Â overcrowded on weekends always, the new location which is more bigger that this one, and has more room for all your friends, price is right, remember that I love good food, I am the Examiner One : 0
Please enjoy the mariachi!
If you get sick is because you have the e-coli from other stablisment.
I am a regular customer of this High Quality Seafood Restaurant.
BYOB!,practically dueling mariachi bands, and some awesome seafood, how can one go wrong? Â My old neighbor friends from when I lived in Pilsen, Javier and Fernando, drug me to this place last Friday while I was visiting Chicago. Â First, we stopped off at the El Guerro for an 18 pack of Modelo Especial and then we were on our merry way. Â First, El Veneno gives you a free appetizer - I liken it to ceviche without the juice and on a crispy tortilla - the bomb. Â Next, and this is a big one for me, they have the most unbelievably sear the roof off the top of your mouth "salsa" - I was crying for joy. Finally, Fernando ordered the Red Snapper or as I like to call it "Jonah" because it was that large. Â Javier ordered this squid, octopus, scallop, shrimp thingy which was absolutely delicious, and I got the shrimp diablo. Â We shared everything family style and had plenty and I mean plenty left over. Â Add to the great food an atmosphere that is like being at a boisterous Mexican wedding (which may be too loud for some), and that the food is cheap = must try.
Review Source:Absolutely love this place! Its become a weekend tradition for my friends and family now. The food is great, the service is (usually) great, its BYOB, AND there is mostly always live music, usually mariachis or norteno.
You get a delicious fish ceviche tostada to start and the food comes out pretty fast, not too much waiting. Their Huachinango(red snapper) platter will leave you fully satisfied! Most meals come with a side of white rice (not the chinese restaurant kinds, its more like a chicken flavored vegetable rice) you get seasoned fries, and a fresh salad. Their Veneno salsa is HOT i wouldnt recommend it unless you are a salsa pro. It is made with pure orange habanero peppers. Enough said.
If you BYOB they provide a bucket with ice to keep your beer cold. They even serve cups for Micheladas (think bloddy mary but with beer) that have all the ingredients, you just add the beer!
If you dont drink beer, they have refreshing lemonade and Naranjada's which is a natural squeezed orange juice drink. But they are a bit pricey at almost 4 bucks each.
As far as service, the waitors will treat you real nice, but sometimes the waitresses are snobby. If you go regularly though and  tip well, you get treated like royalty! They will bring out samples of different types of oysters, crab legs, etc. free of charge!
They also just opened up a new, larger location about a block south on Pulaski, so no more long lines on the weekend!
The food is OK. I dont think it's that great... more on the mediocre side. Servings are plentiful. They do have a nice selection of seafood. There isn't much to the decor or furnishings. Most people like this place because it's a B.Y.O.B. place. You're not going to be WOWed since the experience they offer is generally average.
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