Tequila!

Tequila's Mexican Restaurant & Nightclub
1101 N. LaFox Street (route 31), South Elgin, Illinois
Cuisine Type: Mexican
Price: $-$$

After collectively realizing we were slipping in our recommended daily salsa intake, Theresa and I headed over to Tequila’s Mexican restaurant in South Elgin for dinner. Located in a small strip mall off Rt 31, Tequilas is a short drive down Rt 20 from Pingree – GPS users take note that your destination may be a block or two off, but the sign is easy enough to spot from the street.

ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant is much bigger inside than it looks from the street (it doubles as a nightclub after dinner hours), and holds a casual authenticity not found in other Mexican restaurants thanks to the latino pop soundtrack and lack of “Zorro’s aged Spanish villa” decorations. The entrance is plastered with flyers for upcoming DJs & live acts, tequila bottles adorn the walls, and a large wooden dance floor is located right next to the bar. While on our way out, I noticed there was another whole bar/club in the back of the restaurant already jumping with a live band, and the lit area around our table was already dimming in preparation for the Friday night crowd. It’s obvious the place parties after the kitchen closes, but it makes the restaurant no less comfortable to eat in – no effort was made to rush us out, but the “eating time is over, now we dance” vibe was undeniable. We got a laugh out of it.

DRINKS: Since we were with friends and already started catching up when our drink order was taken, we didn’t spend too much time browsing the selection. Needless to say they had a good selection of margaritas, Mexican beers and tequila (I’m guessing) to choose from. Theresa went with a Dos Equis and I ordered a Modelo served in a chilled salt-rimmed mug, mmm.

FOOD: To start, they gave us a sampling of various salsas and chips; They had your traditional spicy salsa, a black bean salsa, pico de gallo salsa (amazing), and another green chili/sour cream conncoction that they wouldn't give us the secret to. The actual menu can intimidate you, there are lots of appetizers, entrees and specials that all sound great. I eventually chose the ground beef flautas – three small flour tortillas filled with ground beef and fried, served with rice, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, refried beans and guacamole on the side for piling on top. Normally I’m not a fan of fried dishes, but these were fried lightly enough to give the tortillas some crispness without drenching them in oil, and the beef inside was lightly spiced. What surprised me was the lightness of the dish throughout, nothing felt heavy or greasy, and the right amount of sides were given with the dish so you can enjoy the entire thing without having to be rolled out of the place on a wheelbarrow. Theresa ordered the pork tamales with red sauce covered in cheese. She said that it held an amazing flavor and wasn't too heavy on the sauces or cheese. It also came accompanied by enough rice and beans to feed a mariachi band.

SERVICE: Our waitress was very friendly, knowledgeable about the cuisine and was a good sport about us being silly at the table, especially when Steve’s enormous bubbling steamy witch cauldron dish (I believe it was the Parrillada, a huge meat filled dish meant for two) arrived.

OVERALL: Tequila’s is a great place to grab a casual lunch or dinner – the food is delicious and affordable, the atmosphere is friendly, and the witch cauldron dishes guarantee a laugh. Just be out after dinner hours or you’ll be trampled on the dance floor ;)

WOULD WE GO BACK? For sure! It's a great tasting authentic meal for a great price, you can't beat that!

- Review by Jon