Everyone,
I have decided to start writing reviews on Yelp because, while I use the site frequently to read others reviews, I have found some times that the reviews are not reflective of my experience. Â
My own imposed rules for any review:
1. Must visit at least three times. Â Two of which must be distinctly different formats; i.e. one weekday night and one weekend night.
2. Must order something unique each visit.
3. If they have any "signature" items on the menu, you must order a "signature" item at least once.
4. Ratings are based on a 10 point scale with 5 being average, which does not mean bad. Â What a score of 5 means is that the category meets expectations for that establishments format.
Thanks.
North of the Border
Location/Layout - 5/10:  Located at the end of strip mall on route 59 in Bartlett the location is very accessible and easily visible.  The interior offers standard quick service comforts with plastic booths and laminated tables but they do put some effort into the décor, offering a Tex/Mex interior that is spot on for the style of the restaurant. Â
Menu - 6/10: North of the Border specializes in your usual Mission style burrito fare. Â Where they attempt to stand out is in their offering of several specialty burritos. Â They also offer a full line of other Tex/Mex options, including nachos, tacos, tortas, and fajitas but they excel with their burrito selection. Â There are daily specials that are very economical and keep patrons coming back.
Service - 6/10: the service is usually friendly and accommodating. Â They are always willing to discuss every minute detail with my spouse. Â They have always accommodated her requests to add and subtract ingredients based on her very basic and unadventurous palette.
Food - 7/10: There is nothing on the menu that has ever been subpar but unfortunately in all my visits there has been nothing that has been life altering. Â This is not necessarily a bad thing, it truly means that they are consistent but at the same time do not venture to far off the path. Â The one suggestion that I would make for improvement is in the proteins. Â As noted in other reviews the proteins quality used to be suspect but they have improved the quality greatly of over the years and should be commended for doing so. Â My mild criticism is that the proteins are very bland for this style of cuisine and create a situation where you are using more of the red and green sauces than is necessary, but fortunately both sauces are tasty so that is why it is not a deal breaker for me. Â My standard go to burrito is the Tres Amigos, while my partner chooses her burrito by customizing the ingredients based on her mood that day. Â I am also a fan of the Tortas and the Inferno Burrito. Â But the best kept secret on the menu are the fries, most especially the Garbage Fries. Â They are loaded and they are a perfect combination of heat and savory along with crispy to offset the beans and meats that are piled on top. Â Prices are reasonable, although some are high (see the price for the Garbage Fries and you will see why we only order them occasionally) but they do offer nightly specials, Monday through Thursday, with steep discounts. Â Â
Drinks - 5/10: Â They offer the standard fountain drinks and Jarritos for those interested.
Overall Experience - 6.5/10: Â This is a very solid quick service Tex/Mex restaurant in the Northwestern Burbs. Â If you are searching for an establishment that offers consistent service with quality food at a reasonable price then you should give North of the Border a shot.
If you check in with FourSquare on your smartphones, you can get yourself a deal for free chips and salsa. If you check in with Yelp, you could get 10% off your entire order. Don't know how long those will go on for though.
The cashier was kind of poor when it came to selling the food at NOTB. After we put in our order, he said to us, "Hey do you want *insert item here*". We asked if it was a specialty or something different. He said something like, "No I have a bet going that I can sell these." Uhh.... yeah. Maybe not the best approach. *awkward turtle*.
Anyway, food was decent. I had the 3 taco plate. I liked that they had the hot sauce -- wasn't my favorite one though (that's just me being picky). The meat wasn't dry in my meal.
Probably wouldn't go out of my way to get some NOTB, but since we had an event a few doors down it wasn't too terrible.
I observed that this place was more for take out as opposed to dine in. There were quite a few people who came in to pick up orders... and they were quite big orders too. Guess other people appreciate the food they have here. Not my favorite Mexican restaurant. I prefer El Burrito Fantastico in Roselle.
Absolutely disgusted with the food and that is very rare. Â I'll eat just about anything but I just couldn't stomach this. Â We had it delivered the guacamole was brown and tacos smelled like cleaning solution. Â In my eyes everyone deserve a shot. Â So try it for yourselves and we can all share the same disgust.
Review Source:Legit the worst Mexican food I've had in a long time. We ordered steak tacos mexican style. SOOO dry and the cilantro looked like my toddler cut it up. how hard is it to dice up some cilantro? We also got "made to order guac"..but when it was delivered it was brown. Guac doesn't turn brown that quick. At least put the pit in it so it stays green if you're going to pretend its freshly made. One star just because really, how hard is it to make a decent taco? And because I don't think it's fair that this place has so many stars when there's so many bad reviews.
Review Source:I went there yesterday around that area to go to Taco Bell because I was craving Mexican Food. Â Then I thought why do I have to go there when there's a Mexican place right across the street? Â So I decided to give the place a try.
The decor is almost like Chipotle with a couple traditional hats on the wall to make it more Mexican, lol. Â The restaurant is small so it probably seats around 50 people at most. Â They have 2 HDTVs to display their combos but I think it's a waste for what it displays and should be more informative. Â Regular wall menu is better than those bright things.
I ordered the mixed Chicken-Steak Fajita and a drink. Â I would give this place an average when it comes to food taste. Â It's not bad, but it's not anything special either. Â You could get better food from On The Border, but it's WAAAY better than Taco Bell ;)
So if you live in the area and crave Taco Bell, make a B-line for this place. Â If you happen to come from some distance, you should go for another, better tasting Mexican restaurant.
BTW, prices range from $ to $$ .
...... had a "steak" burrito today. First off it was more like.chewy ground beef. There is nothing steak about that steak. It was just lacking flavor. Its very simple to prepare a Mexican style shirt steak . Marinate in lemon or just add salt to flavor, cook, chop. I don't know what was done here but it wasnt that. My burrito had more lettuce than anything. I get that its Bartlett and not Chicago or a Mexican neighborhood, but to be called "authentic" Mexican food, is very misleading. Place seem to be run.by decent people. Just some advice NOTB  change ur meat preperation ans style and things could be good  ,stop in a few places in chicago, they may give u some ideas. ..  the hotchata though, was delicious!!Glad they had jarritos there. delicious mexican style soda. If they tell me they.chnaged it up i may return, or if i have a taste for horchata and im in the area.
Review Source:Taco Tuesday... Enough said ... Love the food here it's cheap and fast and has a wonderful taste.  The side sauces also are worth mentioning.. Green for the mild , Red for the hot ( not too hot by any means) and the Orange for a creamy spicy sauce. I've tried the Fish tacos ( for an extra $ ) and they had a nice white fish flavor , worth getting again. The  chip and salsa side is a staple for our table. The salsa is flavorful and fresh. Gaucomole is a little pricey but well worth trying. Overall if you want some authentic tacos you will find them here....
Review Source:A local restaurant to Bartlett, IL, North of the Border is a favorite in our household. My mom and I both bought a Groupon to here when it was available. Monday's are 65 cent Taquitos, so we had a few of both avocado and refried bean fried and stuffed sticks, a couple of chicken tacos for my mom, and this monstrous, made-for-catering Nacho platter. Â My mom ordered the ultimate nachos not expecting to get an entire tin that will last us three days if we eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner stuffed with all the goodies you can imagine. Â Ours was the meatless version, and was it ever mouth-watering. Â On top of the chips, they tossed refried beans and hot, melting white Mexican cheese. Â It's topped with tomatoes, black olives, and onions. Â North of the Border threw a large dollop of both sour cream and guacamole on the very top with some jalapeno slices for an extra bite. Â If you are keen to spice I suggest mixing the two salsa's they provide and sprinkling this on top of everything. Â If spice is not your cup of tea, the green salsa is a mild, tasty addition. Â I highly recommend this little location on 59 for both catering, delivery, and a eat-in meal. Â Everything I've tried ends in a food baby belly and a smile.
Review Source:Good food, fast service, nice location! I love their tacos & flautas + the Jarito drinks are a great addition to the meal. I'm rather picky about salsa & chips but they meet the bill. I also like their sauces, especially the green sauce (not sure of the name). I've only eaten there a few times but even the place is fairly small, it's clean with 3 booths on either side & 3 tables in the middle (tho most people seem to prefer the booths - I'm one of em). They stopped serving their choco-tacos which was their best dessert option in my opinion. Delivery isn't bad either, good portions for reasonable prices. As for waiter service, you place your order & pay at the register & they bring it out to you. Fast too.
Review Source:I just recently tried this place a few weeks ago, and I have to say they are pretty good. Their tacos actually remind me of La Taquiria in Hanover Park. Let's just say, they are better than Taco Bell..
My best friend usually stops here on "Taco Tuesdays" for their special. They have .85 tacos with a purchase of drink. That's pretty good seeing we can't eat more than 2 as it is. Their Guac is pretty good too.
Unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of trying anything else on their menu, but I want to try their burritos, when I do, I will return with my opinion on it! :)
Chow~
This place is real convenient for us, which is a bit part of why we get it. Calling in orders for pick up and dining in are our preferences. The shredded beef and pork burritos are our favorite! Remember to use their sauces on your food, they are all great! Also, the bottle cap appetizer is a wonderfully spicy addition to our meal. Poppers are just okay, not much spice.
Review Source:If I could give less that one star I would
How this place has this many stars is beyond me . It was the fist time I have ever walked out of a restaurant because the food as Horrible! Maybe the partions think Taco Bell is Mexican...I dont know. One of the worst experiences I have had inedible!
There are essentially 3 long strip malls at the corner of Rt 59 and Stearns. Â If you're going north on 59, you'll miss it on our right side since it's the corner store on the SE corner. Â Although the place is small, they have about 6 booths and some tables in the middle. Â All orders are made to order so you'll have to stand out of the way for a carryout order. Â
They have the standard fast food Mexican food items, but I like their specialty burritos including a fan request. Â Living out west, this restaurant is one of the few places to make carne asada fries, which they call garbage fries here. Â Overall, decent value especially when you have a Groupon.
I've catered two backyard parties now for 40-60 peo, and their taco bar (buffet) is top notch! Â Delivery is always on time and personnel pleasant and quick to set-up. Â Whether it's shredded chicken, hamburger or shredded beef, all are excellent! Â It comes with everything needed to make american or mex style taco's, hard n' soft shells, beans AND rice! Â
I would recommend them to anyone! Â Thanks NOTB!
I have been eating at North of the Border for several years. Â I primarily go for Taco Tuesdays. Â This isn't really because I need to get tacos for 89 cents, but more because I like the alliteration. Â (I often observe TV free Tuesdays, which is somewhat connected.)
NOTB is located in a strip mall with plenty of parking in the shared lot. Â Walking into the place you notice it is very small, but they do manage to fit about 8 tables in the place. Â You order at the counter, but they will bring the food out to your table if you are eating in. Â The atmosphere is casual, fast food place. Â Nothing fancy, but exactly what I would expect.
My wife and I almost always order the same thing... shredded beef tacos and chicken tacos. Â At my other favorite taco joint I like to get the marinated pork, but while tasty, it is tough and oddly dry at NOTB. Â Every once in a while I forget this and order. I was reminded on my most recent visit. Â I have never had the steak tacos, but a reminder to all the haters out there... do you really think you are going to get filet mignon for 89 cents? Â As a general rule I stay away from "steak" at low end places.
For the first few years that I came to NOTB, they would provide free chips and salsa if you ate in for dinner. Â I thought this was very generous considering the reasonably priced food. Â Unfortunately, I guess the economics of the situation caught up with them because that stopped about a year ago. Â Now I just purchase it anyway. Â The salsa is tasty with beans and corn in it, but it is not very spicy. Â Not necessarily a bad thing, but I wanted to call it out for you spice lovers.
Once again, being a creature of habit, I always get the Jarritos to drink. Â I don't often drink pop, but because it is from Mexico, it is made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Â Taste the difference!
While eating, I like to choose a few magazines from the rack that is next to the trash cans. Â They have a funny collection like PC Gamer, Us, and some audio/video enthusiast magazines.
My interactions with the staff have always been pleasant. Â They are helpful and efficient.
Overall, this place is good for what it is trying to be. Â I am happy to have a taco joint like this in Bartlett. Â I will definitely be back.
This place is just OK. They dont put enough 'char' on the steak. I like the refried beans. Dont get the ground beef tacos, the meat has hardly any seasoning on it. Chicken enchiladas are ok, but the meat is too chunky, not shredded enough, the way i like it. It's not my favorite, but i still go there sometines.
Review Source:I tried it again yesterday and still, just not good. It was worse to me. There are so many other options out there where you can get steak tacos that have great seasoning and flavor.
The steak had no flavor and looked like it had gone through a grinder. It was not gristle-y this time, but it was just bad.
I want to like you, North of the Border. But the steak tacos just aren't up to par.
Wow, how the heck does this place have almost 4 stars? I had a couple of steak tacos from here and all I can say is I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS PLACE AGAIN! I have eaten here twice and both times have been beyond disappointing. The steak they use is just grizzle, fat and tough as hell.
Just a warning, stay away from here, just gross.
Great fresh food and totally affordable!
Everything I've had here is delicious. Try it once you'll be hooked. My fav is the hard shell chicken (or Barbacoa) tacos with both Mexican and American style. It's awesome! Chips & Guacamole is ahhhhmazing!
Affordable, delicious and close?!?!.... That folks gets my 5 STARS!!!
I live in the area and have wanted to try this place and I figured taco Tuesday was a great time to do that  Can't beat 85 cent tacos! I took my kids with me at lunch time we ordered steak, chicken and ground beef taco's Mexican style. The steak had good flavor, chicken was a little dry and ground beef needs to be drained of all the fat. I like cilantro but not more cilantro than meat.  I know its a casual grab and go kind of place but you really do eat with your eyes first. That being said the place is just dirty which I didnt realize until we sat down to eat. There is dried food stuck to the floor and chairs and several of the hot sauce bottles were empty which tells me they've been there for a while.  My daughter wouldn't eat because there were fly's buzzing around her. I would be interested to know how often the food inspector comes by.  I should have thrown it away and walked out. I'll update you all if we are puking in a few hours.
Review Source:Chicken Enchiladas. Â Chicken Tamales. Â No less, no more. Â This is why I go here. Â The service is fine. Â Definitely nothing fancy, but I really love the chicken enchiladas with the red sauce. Â It can take a while to get your food when they're busy, but if you have the time, stop in and give them a try.
Review Source:Just came back from a catching-up dinner with a friend at this establishment. When I walked in the place, every table was full with people of all ages. The food smelled DELICIOUS. It's been awhile since I ate authentic Mexican food. I ordered the (chicken) taco dinner -- YUM! Taco met my expectations. The rice wasn't really good, though. It was barely warm, not spicy, and lacked taste. It cost me about $7 for my dinner plus a soda, which isn't bad. I'd probably come back here if I lived in the area, but since I don't, I doubt I'll be back.
Review Source:I usually order carry-out because they're fairly fast at completing their orders, even when I just walk in and order on the spot.
You can order tacos American style (lettuce, tomato, cheese) or Mexican style (cilantro, onion, and a side of lime). By default, tacos are made with soft corn tortillas unless you request otherwise. The rice and beans that come with their taco dinner were small portions.
Not much to see if dining inside (just tables, chairs, and a few accent pieces on the wall). It's more of a low-end restaurant (not a lot of frills).
But the reason to go is the guacamole is remarkably fresh and well made! Their chips aren't as good, so just order guacamole and get your chips elsewhere.
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