From their website: "After 9 years at the Sears Tower we would like to thank our customers for their support and patronage. Due to the sale of the building coinciding with our lease ending we were unable to stay in this location. Salseria Staff and ownership"
(3)
Mihir P.
Feels like a semi quick-serve Mexican restaurant you'd find in a suburban strip mall but this is in the second tallest building in the USA and it has a bar. The place was packed for Cinco de Mayo yet only one bartender was scheduled so it was hard to get a drink and the bus boy was getting frustrated having to work around the crowd so he raised his voice to us a couple of times. The margaritas are pre-made so they are served quickly. That's all I have I to say about Salseria Grill & Cantina.
(2)
Kelly C.
This place is gross. This has terrible Mexican food - the kind you know the beans came from a can. And I don't under stand how their chips come greasy- do you make them and then drown them in grease? I don't really understand. The margaritas are anything thing - they are clearly made from a mix. And they are served in a regular cup - seriously invest in some margarita glasses you are a Mexican restaurant. Don't go here, there's way better places to eat/spend your money
(1)
Lori S.
The drinks are really great here!
(3)
Tavi J.
3.5 Stars I've been to Salseria on many occasions from work, to lunch, to happy hour. My favorite part about this place are the chips and salsa when you dine in. Some of the best chips I've ever tasted and the salsa here is really good. They also have a salsa bar where you can pick different flavors. The food itself is just okay. I normally go with the chicken quesadillas and I've had the enchiladas here a couple of times. Another plus though are the frozen margaritas!!! So sweet and soooo good Service has been wonderful every time I've come. Not the best Mexican food, but a nice place to go in the area for chips/salsa and drinks.
(3)
John K.
There is no redeeming value for this restaurant. The salsa was poor. the guacamole was not even average, the tortilla chips are shiny with grease, the salsa bar was virtually empty, and I'm leaving three quarters of my chicken lunch on the plate. Well there is one redeeming value; the staff--- the hostess is very cute, and the young bartender had a nice smile on his face.
(1)
Kyle D.
Overall: Great casual mexican restaurant with good food, good atmosphere, and quick turnaround. The good: Lots of seating available, great for easy group lunches. Food is a good size and is pretty tasty. Nothing crazy but it gets the job done. Typical mexican food. Prices are reasonable. Good option for loop restaurants. Outdoor seating too. The bad: Not much, just not a 5-star quality restaurant. They don't take reservations. Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 7.5/10
(4)
Kelly K.
I'm pretty sure the only reason this place is busy is because it's located at Sears Tower. If I could sum Salseria up into one word, it would be "underwhelming". Went here with my co-workers for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. We were seated promptly and chips and salsa were delivered shortly thereafter. The chips tasted like grease, and the salsa was 99% water. Service was slow, but the kitchen was working quickly because we got our food fast. I ordered two beef enchiladas a la carte. Most authentic places would top the enchiladas with a spicy red sauce. It appears as if these were topped with salsa. Such a disappointment. Other diners at our table weren't impressed with their dishes. It took forever to get our check and pay for our overpriced inauthentic chain Mexican food. I don't plan on going back.
(2)
Nish R.
Updating this based on a recent experience. Could be just an off day but I made a reservation for 6 ppl for lunch at noon. When we showed up we still had to wait for about 15 minutes. They keep telling us they're cleaning our table but then we were lead to a table that has been empty since the time we got there. We could see because we were standing right there. Then it took another half hour plus for the orders to arrive and we were hoping for a quick lunch and some my colleagues had meetings at 1 so they had to take their food to go. Our waitress was nice but other than that overall it was really really slow. I wouldn't go there for lunch again during work unless I have about 3 hrs to spare which I don't.
(2)
Jeannie A.
Overpriced, not very good, Mexican food. I work in Willis Tower and this tends to be a place that is frequented when we are forced to have a group lunch. Earlier this week, we had a goodbye lunch for a coworker, and since it was freezing out, we hit up Salsaria. We went at 11:00am because this place does get packed. Service is good. They have an all-you-can-eat chips/salsa bar, which is a nice touch. I had a quesadilla and a diet pop - my share of the bill was $18. The food is just not very good, not authentic, not much flavor. Not a place I would seek out if you are looking for lunch around The Tower.
(2)
Kendrick W.
Yea, so went here after work the other day. Let's just get to the point. There is probably no reason to be attempting to find quality mexican food in the Willis Tower. The margaritas tasted like they used some pre blended mixer that contained splenda. I tried a drink they have labled the mexican mule, which is a moscow mule with tequila instead of vodka. Also not particularly tasty but better than the margaritas. The quesadilla was edible. On the plus side, they bring you plenty of chips and salsa. The chips are good, the salsa...I'm done here.
The 3 Pepper and Pollo Quesadilla is the spiciest MF quesadilla i've ever had. It comes with chipotle, habanero and jalapeno peppers inside the quesadilla. You have been warned.. It was still delicious to me. Service was not very good. We hardly got water refills and our server was often nowhere to be found. A bit more expensive than your usual mexican joint, but it's in the Willis Tower downtown so it's kind of expected.
(3)
Colleen T.
My friend and I have gone here a couple of times for happy hour after work and have been disappointed each time. The first time we went, we were told the frozen drink machine was currently broken and being repaired - ok, no problem machines break. On our next visit (more than a month later) we were told the same story. that was extremely disappointing! The chips & salsa bar are pretty good and worth mentioning. Also, there are free nachos after work - not sure how it works but it's a nice offer.
(2)
Maggie R.
Had my daughters wedding rehearsal dinner here . We had a party of about 40 people which should have been manageable. While the food rating is 4 stars - we were not impressed with the service . My daughter worked for months to organize this dinner and she was very disappointed with our service - she had repeated a menu with the food to be presented in a specific Order and the servers made several errors which she had to correct - she finally involved the manager who was good about making adjustments so he gets 4 stars too- however there is not reason, after all her planning, that the evening could not have gone better!
(3)
Lefai K.
The logo of the signage and the place itself reminded me of Taco Fresco. The place was packed and located in the second floor of the Sears Tower, I mean Willis Tower. This place had a salsa bar, that we didn't try but it looked rather intriguing. The food was pretty good -- to start things off they give you some chips and salsa. the green salsa was mouth-burning hot! For the main dish, I ordered the fajitas. It came with both corn and flour tortillas which was either a mistake, or a big win. The chicken was nice and moist and the veggies that came with it was cooked perfectly. BATHROOM REVIEW -- the bathroom was rather interesting. It was kind of dingy. There was actually a hand-written sign next to the hand dryer says decoration only. It was right -- it didn't work at all. The bathroom sinks were super low and looked and looked like it was in a tub. Sit or squat? Well, you have to squat low to use the sink, so I'll go for "squat"
(4)
Cat C.
Nothing is better than a margarita at lunch during a hard day. This is convenient and the food isn't bad. I'm not a huge fan of the salsa bar..as I feel there could be more variety and flavor, but the menu is good, and there typically isn't a long wait. It's not traditional Mexican food, and it isn't the best you'll ever find, but with a margarita in hand...what more could you want?
(3)
Donna R.
Definitely not the best Mexican place around, but not the worst either. Came here with a group of friends after the Hawks Rally cause we figured most people would be going to bars and there would be terrible wait times. For Salseria, we waited for the hostess for about 5-10 minutes and we were seated right away, actually in a really nice corner so we weren't super close to anybody else. Our water and drinks took FOREVER to get to us. Most of us got the "Honri Margarita" special that day... not terrible, wanted more ice, but it went down easy after yelling all day. Food was good, I got the Little Village special of Pork Tacos, tons of meat and beans and rice were good. Also, really did enjoy the chips and salsa.. and our waitress gave us about three salsas and three baskets of chips. Hot, greasy, and salty--yum!
(3)
Jie S.
It is a quite popular place during the lunch hour. It is on the second floor the Willis Tower close to Franklin side. It is not very easy to find for the first timer. The seats are pretty close to each other in a fairly big area. The chips were pretty tasty and greasy. The salsa bar was pretty cool. I really like the dark green spicy one. My order was the Little village something which comes with four mini fish tacos without rice or beans. The fish were kind of boiled and have no flavor what so ever. I guess it is not a bad thing as it should be healthier this way. So I just poured the dark green salsa all over it. It was fine but not my favorite fish tacos. The services were quick. We had to wave a few times to get someone's attention. I decide to go another one next time which is 50% cheaper than this but not as fancy as this one when I crave fish tacos. This is probably better with a group of people when we want to sit down and be served with the Mexican food.
(3)
Katie O.
Theres not too much better than taking the elevator down for a nice happy hour drink. Especially in the Chi-tundra. I can't beat Salseria's location in Willis. Awesome drink specials, a lively crowd, and some of the best bartenders I've come across in a long time. (Personable, attentive, and free shots?) Cheers! The minus- food. I only ate a few chips, which were oozing in grease basket. Deep fried at least 3 times. Ewww... The plates coming from the kitchen also were coated in fat and other garbage. There is not enough cervezas to get me to eat anything at Salseria! Def will be back for Happy Hour!
(4)
Jane S.
The chips and salsa were over fried and watered down. Bartender had all smiles, but the food was horrible
(1)
Jaimie S.
The chicken is cubed and not shredded. The burrito I had was watery and spicy. The chips were greasy and oily. I will not go here again. Nice location and service, but subpar Food.
(2)
Rod C.
Cant believe how long it took for our food to arrive. The burrito was very basic, the meat seemed to be over seasoned! I've been to a lot of different mexican restaurants in Chicago enjoying some really good burritos! Salseria Grill burrito carne asada was by far the WORST that I have ever had!!!!
(1)
Meredith B.
Not a lot of Mexican in the Loop, so a good place to go if you're really craving it, but otherwise not worth it. Overpriced - go figure, it's in the Sears Tower - and there will be a wait unless you come pretty early or late on your lunch hour. I had the fish taco special for $10, seasoned mahi-mahi with jalapeno slaw, with rice and black beans. I liked the slaw, which tasted cool and crispy. Fish was okay - could've used more of a kick but was cooked nicely. Chips and salsa were okay - salsa not my favorite, but I didn't take advantage of the salsa bar, perhaps I should've. Chips had a really nice crunch. My dish was one of the cheapest things on the menu unless you get something REALLY basic. Most things seemed to be in the $12-16 range. So expensive for lunch! I'm going to check out a bunch of other Loop lunch spots before returning. Fun to eat in the Sears Tower though, I guess?
(3)
s s.
5 desserts listed on the menu, but only one of them available. Very disappointed.
(1)
Angie M.
You really can't do much better location-wise for an after work happy hour with colleagues in this neck of the woods. Especially in the summertime. Why? OUTDOOR PATIO WITH BAGS. The fine folks at Salseria set up a few sets of bags on the patio, giving your group something to do while pounding Modelos. You've been sitting down at your desk all day. Who wants to continue sitting after work? A little friendly competition between cubicle mates is fun. And beverages? Yes, you get your standard Tex-Mex beverage options at Salseria like margs, sangria, Coronas and such. Nothing will shock you except perhaps the strict usage of only plastic glassware. Hey - Gotta keep it plastic when drinking outdoors. I can respect that. If you're a glass snob I suppose you should just sit inside. Service was perfectly fine and they handled our large group well. I would certainly recommend coming back any time for outdoor drinks and bags.
(4)
Michael Y.
I agree with the other reviewers who found this place to be completely underwhelming. I've been twice for lunch, figured maybe they were off the first time. But the second was the same. If you are familiar with good Mexican / Tex-Mex food you'll quickly realize (at the chips and salsa) that this is not it. Watery salsa. Clumpy overly-fried chips. On my most recent visit I had a bland burrito that just made me wish I'd gone to Chipotle. Other reviewers seem to have had a much better food experience here so maybe I ordered badly. The service was fine when we were there. And they do have a very pleasant deck if it's nice outside. Highlight was a nice, cold Negra Modelo. If you go for the location / deck / drinks you probably won't be disappointed. I just wouldn't expect much of the food.
(2)
Brittany H.
My boyfriend and I visited the one in downtown Elmhurst. I have never been able to finish a plate of Mexican food and I did here! The chips are amazing. The salsa bar has wide selection of different salsas. The service was also great! I had tacos and my boyfriend has Carne esada. Both delicious! The ONLY con was that the margarita we had was too sour :(. Otherwise I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Andrew T.
The Salseria has some oddities about it. It's usually got tons of tables available, even on very short notice, but when I've called to make a reservation ahead of time (for a team lunch or the like), they make it sound like they're doing land office business, and they couldn't possibly squeeze us in. But when we showed up...half the place was empty. Whatever. My point is, maybe don't take them at face if they say they're super busy. The food is...fine, I suppose. Nothing awesome, but there's nothing wrong with it. Don't come here expecting comida casera, and you'll be fine. I always get enchiladas and they taste fine. I don't think there's too much Mexican in the loop, maybe one other spot I know of unless you count the ubiquitous burrito places, so this does serve a purpose. It's right across the street from my office. The service tends to be fine, and the price for loop sit down is also in the reasonable range. It isn't on my regular list of loop lunch destinations, but it does tend to be a bit of a last ditch when we need a place to take someone and sit down.
(3)
Hugo M.
I am really thorn writting this review... keep reading to understand why... The food in this place is really fantastic! Chicken tacos are to die for, the carne asada is the best you can find, but more than that the salsa bar is really the best you can find anywhere in the loop. Try the red salsa if you don't like it too hot, I am sure you will be coming back!! The place is also great. The second level of the Sears Tower (yes, Sears tower. I will never call it the Willis whatever tower) is really in the center of the action in the Loop. If the day is nice try the outdoor patio, its really cool. But... if the food is great and the location is fantastic... why give it one star? One simple answer: The Hostest or welcome girl. That woman really ruins everything else. She looks like if she is always mad with the world, good luck getting a smile (weird that someone even thought of making her the first face of the business). Any way, that would be fine, the problem is how rude she is when she "helps" you to find a table. She runs in front of you and gives you and even uglier look if you don't keep the pace and the last two times I was there I dared to ask for a different table... oh boy, was she offended! First, I had to chase her because she just dropped the menu in a table and continued walking -what about asking if I liked the table? forget it, not going to happen- then when I actually said I wanted another table she was clearly mad. Sorry if I dared to actually ask for a table that I like! The first time she did this I asked to talk to the manager and I explained how awful the experience was but today when I went back she was pretty much the same. I guess she is related to someone there, otherwise I cannot understand why they put up with such an unfriednly hostess. To me that was the last time I visit them... too bad, I will miss that salsa bar.
(1)
Nancy C.
Love coming here after work, specially on Wednesdays and Fridays. Susie the bartender is awesome... They are all nice!!! :)
(4)
Carly T.
Food is decent. Service is decent. Salsa is decent and there is a nice variety. Overall, for a place for a work lunch, I would give this place 5 stars... but compared to everything else in the city, gotta go with 3.
(3)
Mari Y.
Salseria gets a solid three stars. I went here for a work lunch and it fulfilled the basics of that - quick service, easy to eat food, quiet table. Because my colleagues have frequented the Salseria often, they know all of the tricks. We had a nice big table by the window that was semi-isolated from the rest of the noisy restaurant. There's even an option to sit on a deck on the second floor which could be a nice happy hour option if you're in the area. Because it's in the Sears Tower, you'll mainly get a work crowd. I ordered the special - killer quesadillas. This was a quesadilla with chicken, japaleno, onion, cheese, etc. Apparently the regular quesadillas are build your own so really "killer" meant "no brainer." Although not as amazing as my favorite Mexican restaurant Nuevo Leon, the quesadilla was solid. You have to try pretty hard to screw up a quesadilla and honestly I haven't had one in years so I was reunited and it felt so good. Would I return? Probably only for work functions.
(3)
Yuna D.
Worst place ever. Please, if you see any restaurant empty during dinner service hours, there's a reason why. I came here with a group of people because it was conveniently located in Willis tower (we went up to the skydeck.) Food - Unlimited tortilla chips that are ridiculously oily. Eh. I had a 5 dollar frozen strawberry margarita special, which was typical. It was just in a plastic cup. no margarita glass, no nothing. cheap. I then had the carne asada and pollo asado combo which comes with refried beans (or black beans,) guacamole and rice. Nasty, nasty, nasty. the entree looked like two microwaved thin slices of meat, and the plate looked really not appetizing. It was very cafeteria-like quality. The guacamole is lacking the amount of avocado there should be, and the refried beans looked and tasted exactly like that mystery vegetable mush that they served in elementary school. Ambience - Not a romantic place, with cliche stereotypical mexican decor and multicolored rickety chairs. I suggest not bringing along large parties because the way they accomodate parties for 6 or more is by combining tiny tables together. Service - Piss poor. I've been to enough restaurants to know what decent service is. We were a party of 8 and asked for separate checks before we ordered and he said okay and took our orders all on one sheet of paper. He later told us he couldn't do separate checks so we split into groups of 2-3 and he screws that up too. There was also a 18% gratuity tip included in the bill which I didn't think he deserved at all. Pricing - I had a margarita and one entree and the bill came up to over 20 dollars + tip. Ridiculous for less than mediocre food. If you're staying at the hostel in E. Congress, just go to Cafecito or the Mexican restaurant near Illinois and State St. instead. Don't ever come here. The food still makes me want to gag, and I rarely say that about food.
(1)
Megan M.
Try to get lunch here at least once a month as I work very close. The food is great but the service can sometimes be unreliable. However, I always go back because of the food and the margaritas.
(4)
Allen B.
Not really your authentic Mexican fare. I guess I'm just biased because I've had some tasteful true authentic Mexican food many times before. Salseria seems to be more Americanized than anything. Been there twice and both were due to work-related functions. I would most likely never go there on my own time.
(1)
Ashley S.
This is one of my favorite places to grab dinner/drinks when all the other places have shut down for the day. Their kitchen closes at 7 and the restaurant closes at 8. They tend to have extended hours in the summer when their outdoor seating is open. The menu has the most of the standard mexican dishes, and they are good, but there is nothing about it of particular note Their chips are very good, but as others have mentioned, they are greasy. Chips come with a red and green salsa and you can usually pick up more flavors at the salsa bar. I appreciate how they have a veggie option if you'd prefer not to have meat. The veggies are hearty, but not overpowering in flavor, so it still tastes like you're eating typical mexican. I love ordering the pitcher of sangria. I prefer sangria to lean citrusy vs. fruity, but it makes up for it with it's strength. The atmosphere of Salsaria is neat. They have the normal mexican restaurant flare, but I like that it's in Sears and on the second floor so that you can look out into the lobby and out over the street. I can imagine that this place would be crowded during lunch and happy hour, but it's calm after 6 with many tables open. Salsaria's biggest selling point is proximity. The draw is wanting to get festive drinks, but also needing to eat.
(3)
Dan E.
I guess we should have looked at the reviews before going here after work Friday. Food was okay, but the beers were not as cold as they could have been. They had very few TVs anywhere in the place, so we say at a high top in the bar area so we could watch the NCAA tournament. At some point the bartender turned the channel and re-directed the TV for some friends of his at the bar. It would have been nice had they asked since we were there eating and drinking prior to their friends showing up. Then last call came at 7:30pm. Did I mention it was Friday evening? No bueno Salseria.
(2)
Dana R.
Just went here for lunch with my sister and Mom. They got us in during the lunch hour with no wait. Seating host/ess was absent so we kind of wandered in. Our waiter was quick and polite. Chips were crunchy and yummy. We liked the different kinds of salsa that they served. I had the beef "Enchilada Sasuita." I think that's how it's spelled anyway. It came with a side of beans and rice. A dollop of sour cream, guac and some shredded lettuce. It was tasty and didn't need additional salt, pepper or hot sauce. My Mom ordered two Chicken tacos and seemed satisfied, and my sister liked her tostadas. It was a pretty good lunch for us all around.
(3)
Leanna S.
I work in the area. I tried to come here for lunch a couple of weeks ago on a Friday and it was packed. It looked like all tourists. There was a 20 minute wait, so my friends and I decided to leave. We came back on Monday during lunch and there were about three other tables of people and that's it. It wasn't nice enough to sit outside, but I'd like to go back for a happy hour one of these days because I heard they have bags on the patio! The food was pretty average. I got the chicken quesadillas. They give you free chips and salsa which is typical of most Mexican places, but we were eating through them quickly and they brought us new chips two or three more times! The service was great! The server was quick to fill the chips and our drinks. It was a pretty average Mexican place, but I think I will go back for the bottomless chips and salsa and for bags!
(3)
Raquel D.
It's def meh. It's more ambience and the liquid offerings that bring me here. The chips and salsa bar concept is cool, I guess. Sometimes, greasy is good. Sometimes, it's not. I was pleased with my carne asada something last time I was here, but it's definitely not authentic. And it's definitey over-priced. The quality is not even close to the price tag. I grew up in old Humboldt (now Bucktown) and live close to Pilsen. I know good Mexican. And it's not here. But, like I said...I don't come here for food. Drinks, a nice day, or a visiting friend (or a combination of the three) usually brings me here for lunch and/or happy hour...and I usually need to eat...But, it's absolutely not a go-to lunch spot.
(2)
Nichole F.
This place is great for a quick and great Mexican meal. This is any ordinary greasy Mexican food place. It is a little classier. Their food is delicious. I have had their tacos, salad and quesodillas. I have always wanted to come here for happy hour because they have outdoor seating but haven't made it yet. The service is usually pretty good and fast. I only have an hour for lunch and I can always get in and out with plenty of time.
(4)
Kimmie R.
This place has my vote! The food is nicely priced, and yummy! Wow, such quick service for nicely prepared food! The drinks are always great! The bartenders are friendly and helpful. This place is a real gem and I'm apart of the regular lunch crowd. :) It's a nice place to go for lunch or cocktails after work! Please enjoy! The only reason I couldn't give them four stars is because the chips that they provide are always super greasy and thick. Most people prefer not to see a chips that look like they have been re-fried a few times. I avoid the chips and salsa, because the food and great mixed drinks are fab! :)
(3)
Eliana C.
I come here for lunch often as it's right next door. I love their Wednesday $4 Sangria Pint special. The food is a bit on the pricey side, and if I eat I usually go with the "Veronica's Spinach Chicken Enchiladas". The first time I had them I was in love! But the last two times I had it I thought the chicken was a little dry. So I mainly stick to the Sangria special and the free chips and salsa. I wish they had a lunch menu! I bypass the line by sitting at the bar, which I usually don't have to wait for since I tend to have a late lunch, around 1:00 PM. I did do their happy hour at 5:00PM on a Friday, they listed that they had free food but it was more like free chips and whatever was left of their chicken quesadillas.
(4)
Kelly O.
A friend and I go to this restaurant at least once a week as we love their food. The service, on the other hand, is terrible. For it being in the Sears Tower (yes, you read that right), you would think they would have top-notch employees. Unfortunately, most of the wait staff they have is rude. If the chips and salsa weren't so damn good, we definitely wouldn't go here as often, if at all.
(2)
Emily D.
I'm always underwhelmed by Salseria, but my coworkers like it so I went for the last time yesterday. I had the spinach chicken enchiladas - supposedly a Salseria favorite. The minimal chicken in the tortillas was so dry that some pieces were nearly impossible to cut through. I hate sending things back, so I ate it anyways. Big mistake. I skipped dinner last night as I was not feeling well. Twenty-four hours later and my stomach still hurts. I will definitely never return and would not recommend it to anyone.
(1)
Ashley C.
We decided that meeting at Sears tower (I refuse to call it Willis) would be the idea location, outdoors seating, and good happy hour specials. This has the potential to be a very good spot, but it was just disappointing. The decor is cute, but th service was just okay. They were a bit slow (even though it wasn't crowded) and just weren't all that friendly. We did the Sangria pitcher and it was cheap but wasn't anything to rave about. I have definitely had better. The chips and salsa bar were average. The salsa was not fresh and the chips were medicore. Did that stop me from enjoying them? No. I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla and it was medicore. There wasn't much flavor to the chicken but was rather greasy. The rice and beans were lukewarm. Being as hungry as I was, I did eat it all. However, it seems that the table was happy with their order (Fajitas and a Burrito dish). It was pretty cheap, but in this sense you pay for what you get. Bottom Line: I would not come for their food nor would I be jumping to suggest it. But if it was the only option or we wanted a lot of space or outdoor seating, I may wander to try another happy hour and try something else and just be sure to pick up some Chipotle on the way home.
(2)
Donny J.
And yes I went back and the same girl served us at the bar, and it seemed my last yelp post made to the right channels, thanks Yelp! It was delighted to sip a beer and have a meal at lunch with a friend and more importantly a waiter or bar tender that cared you were there. I like this place and have been coming here for almost 8 years now...
(3)
Fred G.
The Good: Unlimited tortilla chips, unlimited salsa, salsa bar featuring different types of salsa. The Bad: Slow service, crowded/tight seating in some areas. The first time I dined at Salseria, I had an entree with chicken. The chicken was very dry, as was most of everything else on my plate. Since then I eat only salads, which usually turn out to be good. Overall, not great, but not bad. Worth a try.
(3)
Rob R.
Great place to hit up for lunch in the loop. After 12:30 there seems to be a wait for tables so come early.
(4)
Taryn T.
I had lunch here with a friend today, and it was just okay. I was excited to see fish tacos on the menu, but I ended up disappointed - they were really dry. And I realize it gets busy during lunch hour, but when we gave our waiter a head's up that the people next to us, who had ordered around the same time, were halfway through their meal and we hadn't gotten our appetizers yet, he rolled his eyes and told us there was nothing he could do because he "puts in the order and it comes out when it's ready." Sounds like this place is better for happy hour - I'd give it another try for that. (And re: the location... it's in the Sears Tower. From the Franklin St. entrance, go through the revolving doors, veer right, go up the escalator one floor, and you're there!)
(2)
Shanti N.
Quite possibly the blandest Mexican food I have ever eaten in the US. In all fairness, I came here with colleagues on a Friday, so at least the service was fast. We sat outdoors as it was a fairly nice day and we wanted to give a last salute to summer. The margaritas looked excellent, but our table decided to remain abstemious (with only a few more hours left at work on Friday, and the prospect of happy hour approaching quickly, we could afford to be). Prices were reasonable for the location, probably no more or no less than Chipotle. There are better places to go in the area, but overall a good spot for getting out of the office for a needed break.
(2)
roxanne c.
Hidden on the second floor of the Sears Tower, this place is just a secret gem of a lunch spot. The food isn't magnificent but sitting on the patio with all the buildings surrounding you is such a peaceful feeling. My husband brought up to my attention when we arrived for lunch that this place is owned by the Taco Fresco chain.......NOOOO say it ain't so! But Salseria is much better than Taco Fresco. I normally get a salad as they are always delicious and filling. The margaritas aren't anything to write home about. So if you're having a drink stick to beer. I just love sitting outside, as I feel this is their best feature. If this wasn't an option, then I wouldn't go.
(3)
Bruce B.
I only come here for drinks or the happy hour taco special. The food is decent and the drinks are strong. I only sit at the bar because all my coworkers are friendly with the waitstaff. Clearly, the service has always been great to me. It's a nice spot to go in the summer and have drinks on the patio.
(3)
Nancy H.
AWESOME HAPPY HOUR! My buddies and I have been touring the city via Friday happy hour hot spots and I think we hit it big when we found this place. At first, I was bummed out that they had only one drink special--the HORNI MARGARITA--until I had it and realized it was FANTASTIC. It perfectly complemented the food from the FREE salsa bar. The chips were so crunchy and good, the salsa in abundance, the wings fresh out of the kitchen, and burritos too! An awesome place and definitely my pick for best friday-after-work place in the Loop. Hahaha..additional plus that it's in the Sears Tower so it's very easy to find!
(5)
Rene S.
Went here on someone's recommendation. Lesson learned, never ask that person again. I ordered the Grande Burrito Steak dinner. Darn! I forgot to ask if they could actually serve it hot or even warm to me. The burrito was cold and 1/2 full of sour cream. It didn't even taste like steak! Maybe because of all that sour cream. The rice that came with it was cold and bland. Side of beans were a little warm but nothing great to talk about. The complimentary chips and salsa that they give you sucked just as bad. Cold and greasy chips with salsa that had no taste at all. Service was ok. When I told my waiter about the meal all he could say was that the lettuce and tomato that comes on it made it cold. Really!..and they were so cold that the burrito made the side of rice cold too. Yeah ok! Would not recommend this place to anyone even if the food was free! Food must be pretty bad if someone thinks that you would actually get better tasting food at Taco Bell. I should have listened to all of the negative reviews. I bagged most of it and will give it to a homeless person. Let's see if they don't punch me in the face the next day because they thought I was trying to poison them with that nasty food. Wish yelp would have a negative star option. I can only hope.
(1)
Robert A.
Food is pretty standard mexican. Drinks are good. Prices are normal loop prices. Not cheap, but not surprising either.
(4)
Bob R.
I have just come from the Salseria where a coworker and I had a little lunchtime celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Wow. Thanks Salseria for ruining the one holiday you get to market every year. The food took almost an hour and was miserable (The Cinco special was a place of small "Mexican style" assorted tacos.) They were all miserably dry and bad tasting. Also, considering the name of this place, you would expect some above average salsa. Nope. It's all watered down and when you visit the "salsa bar" you are treated to shot glass sized containers to use that last for the least possible chip dips. This might be a "drinks only" joint as my margarita wasn't bad. However, for nine bucks it was definitely lacking in tequila volume. This place has a nice location and a lovely patio to look out over the loop, but not much else. Next Cinco, I'm heading to Chipotle. Oh and to Trevor D. who says "It is what it is." um, WTF dude? That's not a review. Reviews are there to help restaurants improve and to educate/alert consumers. That particular saying implies there is no improving the food/service of the place and we should all just live with it. Methinks not.
(1)
Dustin G.
I'll be honest, my friend is one of the bartenders. But, I wouldn't post a positive review if I didn't like this place. My favorite thing on the menu is the pollo asada. My boyfriend says, "their burrito is the best burrito I've ever had." It's fun to sit outside on the patio when the weather is nice. It's even nicer when they have a reggae band. Salseria is a great place to grab a delicious lunch while sightseeing downtown. And, the drink specials are great!
(4)
Michelle G.
If Salseria switches out the greasy tortilla chips, then this is a 5-star review. Yes, that is the difference between a good and a stellar Mexican restaurant. I had lunch here about 2 weeks ago and ordered the grilled yellow fin tuna - it was wonderful! It was actually grilled in the fruit jerk sauce (as opposed to an after-the-grill dousing of sauce). Service was quick and friendly (good for a work-day lunch), and while the restaurant was a little crowded, it wasn't packed. I'm told Salseria is known for its varieties of salsa - but I'd need to see an upgrade in the chips before I try these. The chips make the salsa!
(4)
Jeffrey H.
This place is consistent, tasty and convenient. Love the food, enjoy the staff, and the Management truly cares! The Manager, Bill, will do everything possible to make your dining experience top notch. Free Chips & Salsas and daily free happy hour food bar - What more could you want in the loop? The Carne Asada is top notch! Make sure you order 'em with the flour tortillas - so soft and full of flavor!
(5)
Keely B.
Went to meet the husband between work and rehearsal last night, but when I arrived at our intended meeting place (Benjyehuda), it was closed. Plan B: back to the Sear's Tower where the man works and up to the second floor to Salseria. I had read the very mixed reviews on Yelp, so I was a little anxious. We were seated at a table "by the window", which overlooked the patio where they have outdoor seating when it is NOT snowing. We were promptly brought a bowl of delicious chips (freshly deep fried--sooo good, sooooo bad for you) along with salsa roja and salsa verde. Yum! I ordered the quesadilla con pollo y pesto and the young man had the grande burrito with chicken. Both dishes were better than average, and the portions were large. We substituted fat-free black beans for refried, and they had a ton of flavor. I had a Coke. Our total check, including tip, was under $30--not too bad for a decent sit down dinner in the Loop. The downsides: the kitchen closes at 6, so don't waste time. Our server was very attentive, but I think that might be because she wanted to go home. And the decor is very ChiChis, so you probably don't want to go for ambiance.
(3)
Katie D.
Crappy chips and salty, non-spicy salsa. I had the grilled tuna salad, which was WAY over-cooked for my liking. The other 3 people in our party seemed pretty unimpressed with their meals as well. Granted, two of us were from Texas and one from Arizona, so we may have slightly higher standards for Mexican fare than a typical Chicago resident. Needless to say, I won't be back for lunch.
(2)
Apara W.
I enjoy their veggie burrito- this place actually grew on me. I have tried a few veggie options here, but the best is veggie burrito. Good chips and salsa too. Fairly good and attentive customer service. Why 1 star off- coz I have had better Mexican food in Florida. But by Chicago standards, this place is a good change from Moes/Chipotle.
(4)
Bill M.
Salseria is located in the Sears Tower, and is part of the Taco Fresco organization. I dined here with my boss and a work colleague for lunch. The wait for a table was just a handful of minutes, the interiors are bright and cheery, and the service was very snappy. The tortilla chips and salsa were fine, and my dining mates seemed to like their choices, including salad with steak, and fresh guacamole. My choice was enchiladas with chicken and spinach, which were decent but I kept thinking how much better the enchiladas are at the little Mexican restaurant near my house. This was not a drinking lunch, so no beer for me. Oh well, it was all free for me.
(3)
Brittany M.
Options in the loop are limited for lunch, so I have ended up here - unfortunately - twice. First time - had the tuna taco special (i should know better than to order seafood in the loop, but still). Tasted like canned tuna - which would be fine, except it's not canned tuna. Pineapple was actually from a can. Second (and i sincerely hope last) time - afraid of an actual entree, I opted for chicken corn chowder and a side of rice. Chowder was ...okay. Campbell's could do just as well though (and would probably have included more chicken). I know I'm a Texan with high tex-mex standards, but this just isn't any good - watery salsa with all flavors tasting the same, and mediocre actual food.
(2)
Helena B.
Salseria fills a very key void in Loop lunch locales - the hazy middle ground between "quick" (Panera) and "fancy" (Catch 35). Salseria is the perfect place for lunch with a group of coworkers when you want to sit and enjoy being waited on, but aren't trying to celebrate something super-special. In addition, they take reservations and have several large tables to accommodate your work-crowd. The restaurant itself is very festive - vibrant colors, painted tiles, etc. Viva Mexico! Ole! The food isn't going to wow you, but it's decent. The menu is varied enough that just about everyone will find something to eat. I tend to order the enchiladas suizas as I am going through something of an enchiladas suizas- phase at present. Last time we were there, they completely forgot one of our orders. Annoying, yes... we were all squirming with forks perched over food trying to do the polite thing and wait until everyone was served... but they more than made up for it in terms of apologies and comp'ed items (We got one of each thing on the dessert menu! Allow me to recommend the chocolate nachos and the cheesecake!)
(3)
Matthew P.
I went here for a company outing and it was disappointing. Booze selection was way limited and the food was sub-par. Everyone talks about how the chips are to die for, I disagree. The chips are WAY greasetastic and the salsa is boring.... Sorry Salsaria I will not be visiting you anytime soon
(2)
John H.
This isn't a half bad happy hour spot, but I wouldn't recommend it for anything more than that. There really is a dearth of happy hour spots in the Loop. I'm not sure anyone from outside of the Sears/Willis Tower would feel the need to patronize this place. Part of Salseria's appeal, in the warmer months, is its patio. If your coworkers or friends are not interesting enough that day, you can drink in the presence of skyscrapers. I'm not sure how Salseria can continue to cough up what must be the considerable tenant rent for this space and privilege, but they manage somehow. You get free chips and salsa. I think they allocated about 90% of the free chips and salsa fund to the chips and 10% to the salsa. But it's free, so dig in. $5 margaritas on Thursdays are a mild introduction to the world of imbibing, or a good choice for anyone who doesn't really like the taste of alcohol.
(3)
Joshua M.
I have been here a couple of times now. My wife thinks it's great because we used to eat at Fuego something or other in Oak Park, which is essentially the same place. This is pretty much corporate Mexican. It isn't horrible, and if you stack up against some of the AWFUL Mexican I have had since living in Chicago it probably deserves at least another .5 stars. Somehow for the location I think a Bennigans might have been a better choice. Ahhhh Bennigans.... but I digress. First off for a "salseria" (I am no Spanish speaker, but that sounds about as legit as "hospitaliano" does for Olive Garden) the salsa here is nothing to get excited about. It's a cut above a bowl of Pace, but hardly a reason to title the restaurant after it. The chips are really really greasy. And not in a good way either. Greasy to the point of I sort of want to bring a bag of chips in to show them that it doesn't have to be like this. As far as food goes I stick with the pollo asada. A nice piece of grilled chicken, some rice and beans. It's simple but a good portion. They also have Jarritos which is a plus for me.
(3)
Ted S.
Love this place. Perfect for a lunch or a after work drink!
(5)
Aaron S.
Alright, just needed to update this review after a sloshed Thursday night with friends after work. Despite the fact that this place is not called the Margariteria, it does make a rather tasty margarita. And on Thursdays, they are indeed $4 each. You can get any of the many insane fruity margarita concoctions for the $4 price, but they all come in blended form. If you want just a margarita on the rocks, with or without salt, you'll have to settle for the plain lime version. I haven't consumed a large amount of margaritas during my lifetime, but I have to admit that out of the few, these margaritas were some of the tastiest I've ever had. Of course, I'm just not a fan of alcoholic drinks that taste of alcohol - so maybe they know how to "make it taste right" or maybe they skimped on the liquor. Either way, they were tasty and I had a good time. Of course, I also had a good time because of the awesome salsa bar and attentive waitstaff who came an filled our chip bowls when we were too tipsy or lazy to waddle over to the salsa bar and do it ourselves. Oh, and a supreme nachos. So they earn one extra star for the cheap margarita Thursdays. If I ever return here specifically for the Friday free happy-hour appetizer bar, it just might get that fifth star!
(4)
Jacob Y.
Salseria is a Mexican restaurant inside the Lobby of the Willis Tower (aka Sears Tower) on the second floor. A friend of mine who works in that building recommended this place for lunch, and to be honest, although it's not the best Mexican restaurant in the city, it's not bad either. The decor, like many other Mexican restaurants in Chicago, with colorful artworks that resemble a somewhat Mexican atmosphere. But what really stands out are the Mexican movie posters, which I think add more to the ambiance than anything else. The best way I could describe the food is that it reminds me of a lot of americanized ethnic restaurants in the city. The taste is somewhat blander than the authentic cuisines. Salseria does pride itself with providing a variety of salsa for your chips and dishes (which I like). I personally prefer the chips they bring you with the meal than the meal itself. Margarita-wise, I have had a chance to try them for happy hour. Not bad, but I must say at $15 a pop, it better be good. I would rather try the hole in the wall places throughout the city for a much tastier fare!
(3)
Amie C.
Love love LOVE the chips and salsa! I often crave their homemade chips and a nice mixture of their medium and spicy salsa. Good thing i work across the street and can have this often. Rice and beans are also tasty. The chicken burrito is good too! The meal doesn't seem terribly authentic but it's a great place to grab a bite if you're in the area and looking for a fiesta :)
(4)
Kate O.
I usually only think to write a review when I'm really impressed by a place, but i was so UNimpressed with this place I just had to tell someone! I went there for lunch today with a friend. To sum it up: dirty glasses and silverware, terrible service and even worse food. My food came out cold and my friend, who ordered a salad, did not get what he ordered but was nice enough just to eat it and not send it back. Overall, just not a good experience. Maybe good for a few margaritas or tequila shots on a happy hour but I would not recommend this place for a good meal.
(1)
Matt S.
Overpriced Mexican anyone? Ya I said it. Decided to give it a try on Cinco de Mayo and ended up with a dry burrito, watery margaritas... but delicious, crack-laden chips. Oh man, those chips were good.
(2)
Lyndsay G.
I'm a fan on this place for several reasons: 1. cute waitress 2. moderately fast service 3. very very very strong margeritas 4. Bags outside for free 5. Killer outside seating I've never had a bad time here. It is a great place for happy hours, as I have been several times. The food is basic "Mexican" but nice when you are getting drunk. It is located int he Sears Tower, so if you get lost getting there, you're an idiot. Also, there is free buffet on Fridays. One downside is several of the busboys don't know English, but easily one of the better happy hour places I've been to in the Loop
(4)
Rene P.
I work near this place and we love it. Considering it's not a "hole in the wall" I don't think it's that unauthentic. They have a ton of salsa choices and specials every day. Since I mostly go at lunch, I get the steak tacos or a the steak chopped salad and both are great. I eat the one in Elmhurst too and think it's a good sit down Mexican restaurant, again not a "hole in the wall" type of authentic, but nice for dining out and the outdoor section of this location is a nice bonus too.
(4)
Erin J.
Despite some initial irritation when we'd arrived - had a reservation, still waited 10 minutes to be seated - the service and the food made up for it. We went here for our team holiday lunch and I believe everyone there enjoyed the food and beverages. They do make a mean margarita, although they serve it in a plastic cup, which makes it awkward for salted rims. I got the carnitas special with the 3 tacos and rice and beans. The rice was rather dry, which I have just some to accept as de riguer at most Mexican places, and the beans were a little bland. The carnitas, however, were flavorful, and they didn't overdo it on the onions. I did enjoy the thicker chips and the salsas, and while the quesadilla was indeed sorta oily, it was no where near as greasy as the queso fundido. But I mean, c'mon...it's cheese; it's gonna get oily when you heat it up and toss some meat in it. The service was attentive and friendly and relatively fast-paced. It was a great place to go for lunch with my work peeps, and we were out in about an hour. Good stuff!
(4)
Tiara Lynn A.
Went with a group to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Our reserved table for 8 was ready when we arrived and the service was outstanding. Very friendly servers kept our drinks and chip bowls filled. The chips were absolutely delicious and the salsa was outstanding. Everything else though... well... It was alternately bland and over-limey. My spinach & chicken enchiladas were TERRIBLE. Cream sauces are supposed to be mild, but this was so sour it was barely edible. The guacamole was almost flavorless. The chicken reminded me of ceviche -- it was as if the lime marinade partially cooked the chicken. I was not impressed. We were kicked out of our table after paying, which I kind of appreciated because it meant they were keeping existing reservations. We got coupons for free margaritas as a consolation, which was a nice touch. I'll be back for the drinks, but not for the food.
(3)
Diana L.
I think the average of 3 stars is a kindness. Three Native Chicagoians going to a restaurant inside the Tower was a dubious decision, I admit. It was more of a last moment social meetup then a planned dinner. Monday night served up $2.50 drafts of Dos Equois or Negro Modelo which I'll give them as a fine deal but then the meal happened. I ordered a Caesar salad, asked for "no chicken, no meat please", which was repeated back to me by the waiter. When the food arrived the salad was covered in charred chicken pieces. Immediately my fellow diners told the server, "She's a vegetarian, she doesn't eat meat" and asked for another salad. When I received the second salad a minute later, pieces of chicken skin were dotting the plate, leading us to believe they just picked the chicken off then sent it out again. I wonder if they recycled the chicken into the next patrons quesadilla. I will not be returning, even for the nice summer patio or drink specials. This town has too much going for it to have places like this.
(2)
Charlotte O.
My S.O.'s friends decided to have a little belated birthday get together for him here last night. Since him and his friend work in the building, It was an easy place to meet up and have a couple of drinks. (Which is funny considering in his review he said he wouldn't be having their margaritas any time soon!) I ate more tortilla chips than I ever thought possible. They are super crunchy and slightly greasy YUM. What's awesome is that they have a self serve bar with all their different salsas and chips so you can have as much as you like. They had some really tasty salsas to pair with the chips. The one that stood out to me was the super garlicy orange colored one. I have no idea what it was but it was dammed good. We had margaritas as well. I liked how you can get them non blended. That's how I prefer mine. You can also get it without salt. Which is what I did for our second round because the salt really didn't add anything to the drink IMHO. They were super limey and not sickly sweet like some places make them, which was nice, two drinks were enough to give me a nice buzz, so they are pretty strong as well. (My S.O. was also buzzed for the record). We also ordered the super nacho's. Which we really enjoyed. They contained some really yummy refried beans, decent guacamole, and super garlicy picco de gallo. So if you like fresh chips and yummy salsas paired with strong margaritas this place is worth checking out.
(4)
Courtney R.
Salseria is a good lunch staple when you want to go somewhere that actually feels fun and doesn't serve sandwiches or wraps. The decor is so vibrant that even when I go in the middle of the day it makes me want a margarita. The food is OK, not stellar, but what do you expect at a sit-down restaurant at this price point in the Loop? Service is super fast so you can get in and out in a lunch hour. The chips, though greasy, are clearly made in-house which makes them a standout favorite. I also like the new skinny margarita option. Why aren't more Mexican restaurants doing this??? It's so easy and delish! The manager, Bill, is great to work with as I have booked an event here in the past. I would recommend.
(3)
Nicole V.
Salseria is located in the Sears Tower where the old Dos Hermanos used to be. Great for lunch or happy hour in the loop! There is an outdoor deck and a bar. I really liked the fresh margaritas. The menu consists of traditional Mexican fare. I tried a few of the appetizers and all were quite tasty. The ambiance will have you and your coworkers saying "ole" after a few margaritas! Definitely adding this to the list of the places where I can take the edge off after a hard day of work.
(4)
Y.D. K.
I haven't ever had a meal here, but I had the salsas, the steak & chicken fijitas, and the awesome flank steak and they are all wonderful. Drinks are also great - had a decent stock of beers as well as the tasty and potent margaritas (frozen or otherwise). Staff is good, and atmosphere for indoor dining is a bit subdued, but nice and quiet. You can also go out to the outside deck and enjoy a refreshing drink while soaking the air, noise, and sun pollution of Adams & Franklin (I think, is the intersection).
(3)
Juliet H.
gross gross gross!!!! First of all, they had their own bottle of salsa sitting at the table..as I was reading it, I noticed the sign..."keep refrigerated"...I don't even want to know how long it has NOT been refrigerated. Also, their "salsa bar"....was gross. It had also been sitting out there for a long time..they just didn't look right. The food was horrible. I'd rather eat at Taco Bell, afterall, I can eat lean there now, right? Anyway, even though you are in need of your taco fix, don't do it. Go to La Cocina if you are looking for good Mexcian food for lunch.
(1)
Ben B.
I've only been here twice, but the service was good both times and the entrees, while nothing to write home about, got the job done. Fair variety and a decent price for a sit-down meal in the Loop.
(3)
Susie C.
This place is a pretty chill place to go to. I work in the Sears tower so coming here for lunch is very convenient. The food comes out quick, and they have different flavors of margaritas. They're pretty good too! On Friday nights, they have happy hour where they provide free appetizers (selected) for a certain time period. They have different size burritos to suit different people appetites..that's pretty cool! But dont worry, the price is cheaper for the smaller one of course.
(4)
Jeremy W.
Hey, I've had nothing but good times at this place. From the initial chips to my favorite Enchilada Suiza, everything delivers on taste. Critics should consider giving it a 2nd chance because I think this is the best restaurant in the Sears Tower, errr, I mean, Willis Tower.
(4)
Kristie n scott V.
My chile rellanos were not crisp and the filling was not remarkable. The group had shrimp skewers, burritos, and quesadillas. The food was not bad. I thought the chips were greasy, but my friend liked that style. The reasons to come to this restaurant were 1. The location. We visited the Willis Tower and weren't ready to leave this awesome building. This restaurant is on the third floor of the Willis Tower. 2. Outdoor eating was beautiful. 3. The salsa bar had several different options, which was nice.
(3)
Jessica C.
Alright, so I love Mexican? You bet I do. I've been to Salseria for lunch and for happy hour. You can't go wrong with the enchiladas. The salsa(s) they bring out are great. Just 1 el problemo.. I like my liquor in my margaritas.. Don't get my wrong it was great going down, but I found myself having to buy a shot of tequilla because the booze content was not nearly enough to comfort my icky day at the office. Perhaps I'm just a young booze craved office yuppy? You be the judge...
(3)
Kristin M.
Not great, not horrible, but really nothing special. It's hard to find something new and exceptional in the loop, and this place is neither. I'd rather go to Chipolte if craving Mexican. The sangria is really bad, maybe I should have had a margarita...
(2)
Kimberly F.
It's OK. I've been here for lunch and after work drinks since I work in the Sears Tower. Their food is overpriced and average. Their margaritas are not good and their chips are greasy, although sometimes I want grease-soaked tortilla chips. The service is fine and all that, and it's way too convenient for me to stop going here. It just isn't spectacular.
(3)
Kate F.
The jalapeno salsa is incredible! The other 8 or so salsas at the salsa bar were just okay, so no need to waste your time with them. And anything with carne asada is going to be delicious.
(4)
Abby T.
wow, this place is NOT GOOD!!! 1. It's a salsa place that prides itself in having a variety of salsas, yet it doesn't have FRESH salsa? tsk tsk 2. I ordererd the shrimp fundido and stopped eating after 2 bites. It was congealed cheese w/ tiny rubbery shrimp stuck in the cheese like fossils. 3. Got tacos here another time, and they were lukewarm. GROSS. 4. Ordered tostadas here last Friday and besides the scant beef and toppings... they were sloppily plunked atop just 1 tortilla. Come on, it doesn't take a genius to know that one measely crispy tortilla shell cannot physically hold a generously made tostada (Wow, that was a lot of adverbs). This place is HORRIBLE. I make better tacos at home. Will never come here again.
(1)
Bryan H.
The service: We made a reservation for 25 people for a department dinner. They said it was no problem and that they could accommodate us. When we arrived at 530, there was a sign on the door saying that they were closing at 730.... Which we found interesting, as that meant we couldnt stay late and drink at the bar there. (An important team building exercise!!) They neglected to tell us this over the phone ofcourse; so we were stuck eating there. They placed all 25 of us at three regular sized tables, crammed into the corner. They did at least attempt to put the tables together, but certainly did not have any idea of how to seat a large group. People were literally shoulder to shoulder; you could even cross your legs it was so tight. A few latecomers weren't even able to sit at the table. As soon as we were done eating; the manager asked us to leave as they were closed. They even called last call in the middle of our dinner! Luckily we were all drinking pitchers of Sangria and Margarita's; so we were just able to load up with some extras of those. The food: Chips were literally dripping grease. Seriously. Ew. They were mighty tasty, but i can't imagine how bad for you they are. Dripping. We ordered our food, and being a group of 25, we knew it would take quite a while to prepare such a large order. What we didnt know is that we would all be served cold food. Instead of letting it sit under the warming lights, they must have just let it sit out while they finished the rest of the meals. Not a single person in the group got a warm dinner. It also took about an hour for them to serve the food. We weren't in any rush, but a 60 minute ticket time is ridiculous. The Drinks: Drinks were good; standard Mexican fare really; nothing too outstanding. Considering we spent over $1000, we were treated terribly, the food was cold and greasy, and finally kicked out at 8pm. I do not recommend this place at all.
(1)
Steve T.
This is pretty much a mexican food court in the Sears Tower. I had low expectations to begin with, but I told myself it was pretty hard to completely screw up margaritas. Well, they were bad. You could have gotten better Margs by buying the pre-mixed Jose Cuervo mix at Binny's and spiking it with additional tequila. Very greasy food, it felt like I ate a brick and was about to birth a mariachi band. Greasy Chips. Salsa...might have been from a can. Guacamole might have not been real... it was debatable. One quote from a friend was "I think this is green sour cream". I don't think I'll be back here by choice...
(1)
Monica J.
What an interesting concept!!! --- we all know that the best part of mexican dining is the pre-dinner chips and salsa. So, i was very pleased to see that they had a salsa bar with six different varieties. I really enjoyed the spicier ones. Unfortunately, by the time my food came out...I had filled up so much on the chips that I barely put a dent in my entree. I am a SALSA fiend..i can't help it! I ordered the pollo asado with black beans...overall, pretty good. Chicken was tender and seasoned well...beans were kinda bland...but i pretty much expected that. Love that they have the fat-free black beans as a substitute for the fatty refried ones..not many mexi restaurants do that. They usually have one or the other. The place gets pretty crowded for lunch so make sure to have reservation before going ...they have outdoor seating in the summer which makes for some awesome scenery since it's at the Sears Tower! In general, the atmosphere is lively and upbeat...with tv's blaring whatever game is on. Prices are reasonable and portions rather large...good deal. Will certainly be back for more SALSA!
(3)
Alison M.
Since it's located in the Sears Tower, Salsaria could be the perfect place to stop for after work drinks. However, both times I have been here, I have been disappointed. The margaritas taste like gasoline, the entrees are middle of the road, but the thing that gets me is that the chips are awful-- really greasy and sort of thick. Besides the location, there is nothing that would make me want to come back.
(1)
Jon T.
I loved it! Indoor/outdoor seating at Sears, er Willis Tower. Green salsa with the chips is awesome, this was my 2nd time there and only complaint is not being told about the Salsa bar on the first trip. Quick service, attentive waitstaff and authentic Mexican food put this on my short list.
(4)
Samantha G.
I took my Dad here for lunch when he came to visit. He loves his TexMex, as do I, and we were both very happy with our meal. Not a bad burrito, if I do say so myself. The service was a little slow to start, but it got better as the meal went on. Our favorite part was the comp chips and salsa platter. They gave us 5 salsas to munch before our meal, and all of them were excellent. I'll go back just for that.
(4)
Lisa K.
I have monthly group meetings here for new hires and set up the menu ahead of time and all arrangements before hand. Everyone is very friendly and willing to help as much as possible. The space can be a bit cozy for larger groups due to structural constraints of the restaurant. Everytime we come, there is a plate of chips/salsa waiting for us and our appetizers are soon on their way. The drinks come out in no time, the staff works together to get the orders. The appetizers have always been good. The queso fundido is a little hard to serve, espeically at a crowded table full of co-workers. It is more like pure melted cheese as opposed to a dip. It is probably best saved for smaller groups. Our entrees always arrive on time as well. The only problem has been the beans, rice and tortillas at times are late or missing. We always come during the height of the lunch rush so maybe that is the reason. Otherwise, things go well and everyone has a good lunch on the quick.
(4)
Leang E.
I wanted to try this place out since I had already been to Augustino's, and I had been craving guacamole like mad. So, in the typical me fashion I had to try this spot that I'd neverbeen to before. I was surprised to find that my carry-out order was only going to take 5-10 minutes. The staff here was friendly. I'm sure there's a lot of corporate people that ocme here to eat, as would be expected from all the businesses in the building. It's pretty busy during lunch and there's typically a wait. I'd probably try to come before the lunch hour rush if I were going to sit down and eat here and have waiter service. The prices are average for downtown. They have a pretty extensive menu for a small little place in the Sears Tower. I ordered the chicken quesadillas platter with a small guacamole. It was pretty tasty. The green sauce isn't as spicy as other hot sauces. The salsa was a little watery for me and not as thick of a consistency as I like it. It's a good spot to go to if you are craving Mexican in the area. Oh, I think they have $4 margaritas for happy hour, and I think it's on Thursdays.
(3)
M M.
This place is great for a big group to head to lunch. My team always goes here for birthdays or other celebrations. The chips and salsa are amazing, greasy, fattening, but definitely recommend. They bring out unlimited for free. As far as the entrees go, I always get the taco salad with chicken. The chicken is really not good- it tastes fake, is a gray color, but I still eat it anyway bc mixed in with the other things it is just fine :) Prices are very reasonable and I've heard their margs are great!
(4)
John K.
I wanted to try them for lunch one day and ordered the burrito dinner. They charged me over 8 bucks but I didn't care because maybe it would be worth it. I went to pick it up and the dinner was in a Taco Fresco bag and was EXACTLY the same as Taco Fresco only a couple dollars more. I could've gone there and saved some money, it's only a block away. I guess they're owned by the same people and have the same kitchen? It's ok but if your not drinking just go to Taco Fresco.
(1)
Brey R.
Came here on Cinco de Mayo. There was a line, but our party of 5 was seated within 5 minutes. It wasn't exactly the warmest day, but we decided to sit outside since the host was pretty insistent. They originally sat us at a table inside, but made us leave as they said it was reserved. So we went outside. After sitting for about 10 minutes, the server came to take our drink order. I told her we were ready to order. For drinks, we ordered 1 sprite, 1 iced tead, 1 corona and 2 margaritas. After about 5 minutes, the sprite and iced tea came out. For lunch, we ordered 1 steak quesadilla, no sour cream, 1 steak quesadilla with everything (appetizer portions), 1 mini taco sample (appetizer portion) 1 steak and shrimp and 1 steak. 20 minutes after the 2 drinks were brought out, the corona and margaritas came. Corona, was warm and margaritas, watered down. They were probably sitting for quite some time. The place is like a zoo. Waitress is no where to be found. Looking at our watches and all of us are starving. It has been 40 something minutes. Waitress comes back and says she lost the bottom part of the ticket and asks my friend what she orders. My friend says a quesadilla appetizer with sour cream. We all look at each other. Does this mean they haven't started our order? We are 45 minutes into our lunch break. We have an hour lunch. We purposely met up @ 11:40 to avoid some of the lunch rush. Waitress comes back and says she puts ticket in and our food should be coming in 10 minutes...umm ya...lunch will be over in 10 minutes. We tell her no point, just box everything up. She apologizes, says kitchen is slammed and they have too many ticket orders and can't keep up. I tell her, well we have to get back to work, she says to meet her at the front and she should have our lunch up there. We get our check. Go to the front. It's like a zoo. Our food isn't there, it actually sits on the counter another 5 minutes until our server gets there to start boxing it. Elapsed time so far, I would say 1 hour and 15 minutes. The manager apologizes and takes about half off our bill which was nice of him. Server wouldn't take the tip, we had to force her to take it. By the time it was all over, we spent about 1 hour and 40 minutes there. Thank goodness for the chips and salsa, it served as my lunch. I took the quesadilla to my desk, couldn't eat it. I heard the rest of the food was dry and room temp. Prob won't ever go back again. Food is okay, service, eh. I get it's the lunch rush and Cinco de Mayo, but staff your kitchen better. After us, there was a line of patrons also complaining about not getting food and having to go.
(2)
Megan R.
This place is great for a quick lunch. I got the quesadilla and LOVED it - and I am pretty picky about my quesadillas (wierd I know) they have an "all you can eat" salsa bar with chips. The service was quick - great spot for lunch and especially a magarita if it has been a rough day!
(4)
Amanda L.
Don't expect this to be high end but I had a great lunch there. I believe the people of Taco Fresco are behind this and all of the food was really fresh. Also, everything was actually cheap for a sit down restaurant in the Sears. I think the average entree was about $9. I like the outdoor patio too. I'm sure I'll be back plenty of times this summer.
(4)
Tony G.
When I read the reviews and saw the term 'Tex-Mex', I had visions of Texas Star Fajita Bar. Oh, those were the days. We were seated quickly, and I was happy to see that they had my favorite 'TX Star' standby on the menu - Steak Quesadilla with beans and rice. Not only that, our meal started out with free chips and a selection of FIVE excellent salsas. Holy Hot Peppers, Batman, that rocks! Anyway.....with both hopes and expectations high, I didn't even read the rest of the menu before ordering my steak quesadillas. While waiting (maybe 10 minutes) for my meal, we downed the chips that were on the table and half of the fresh basket that we received without even having to ask. The meals came, and all looked well. The first bite was delicious, then second was ok, but by the third bite, I realized that my quesadilla was dripping with grease. Dripping! This is NOT the way that it was done at TX Star, and my search for the perfect steak quesadilla continues... 3.5 stars, rounded up to four because of the excellent salsa and the very good service.
(4)
Bryant C.
I stopped in here for lunch a little while back. The Mexican food was middle of the road, nothing really special. It wasn't bad or anything, but I think you can get better food at the various little places around town at a cheaper price. i.e. Carmela's and Taco Burrito House. The one thing that was cool and boosted up the rating a little was the salsa bar. they give you chips and then you can go up to the salsa bar and pick and choose from a variety of different salsas. I liked that for sure. With all of the other places to go I'm not to sure if I will be back.
(3)
Chris D.
For a restaurant to have a line at 11:35 a.m. on a nice, sunny Tuesday, you know it must be doing something right. It seems they actually were slow in seating, and it took a few minutes to get waited on. But, they served the most amazing variety of five yummy salsas, and the chips were flaky and light - just wonderful. Our food seemed to arrive in five minutes - amazing. I had the special of the spinach and mushroom quesadillas, and they also had whole-wheat tortillas - a first. I loved it, and my friend enjoyed her spinach-chicken enchiladas as well. I returned a few weeks later, and the line wasn't as bad. Had and really enjoyed the grilled vegetable burrito. The food again arrived very quickly after it was ordered.
(5)
Joseph W.
On a recent weekday night, I went to Salseria for a couple of drinks after work. I ordered a glass of house Chardonnay. The glass was on the small side. As I finished the first glass, I asked the bartender if the chips (which he had just served to the couple to my left) were complimentary on or the menu. He said that they were complimentary, so I asked for some (shouldn't the bartender have asked ME if I wanted chips?). The chips were great, and the sauces were not too hot. I ordered a second glass of house Chardonnay (they only had one brand). After finishing the chips and the second wine, I asked for my bill, expecting perhaps $5 - 7 per glass of wine--after all, this place advertises $3.50 beer specials. When the bill came it was $24 plus. THEY CHARGED $11 PER (SMALL) GLASS OF CHARDONNAY. The chips were indeed free. As I paid, I told the bartender to tell his management that I would never come back. I didn't take out my frustration on the bartender, and gave him a 15% tip, but am writing this YELP review to warn others about Salseria's $11 Chardonnay.
(1)
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Address :Sears Tower, 2nd Fl,233 S Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL, 60686
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Thu, Fri Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Lani R.
From their website: "After 9 years at the Sears Tower we would like to thank our customers for their support and patronage. Due to the sale of the building coinciding with our lease ending we were unable to stay in this location. Salseria Staff and ownership"
(3)Mihir P.
Feels like a semi quick-serve Mexican restaurant you'd find in a suburban strip mall but this is in the second tallest building in the USA and it has a bar. The place was packed for Cinco de Mayo yet only one bartender was scheduled so it was hard to get a drink and the bus boy was getting frustrated having to work around the crowd so he raised his voice to us a couple of times. The margaritas are pre-made so they are served quickly. That's all I have I to say about Salseria Grill & Cantina.
(2)Kelly C.
This place is gross. This has terrible Mexican food - the kind you know the beans came from a can. And I don't under stand how their chips come greasy- do you make them and then drown them in grease? I don't really understand. The margaritas are anything thing - they are clearly made from a mix. And they are served in a regular cup - seriously invest in some margarita glasses you are a Mexican restaurant. Don't go here, there's way better places to eat/spend your money
(1)Lori S.
The drinks are really great here!
(3)Tavi J.
3.5 Stars I've been to Salseria on many occasions from work, to lunch, to happy hour. My favorite part about this place are the chips and salsa when you dine in. Some of the best chips I've ever tasted and the salsa here is really good. They also have a salsa bar where you can pick different flavors. The food itself is just okay. I normally go with the chicken quesadillas and I've had the enchiladas here a couple of times. Another plus though are the frozen margaritas!!! So sweet and soooo good Service has been wonderful every time I've come. Not the best Mexican food, but a nice place to go in the area for chips/salsa and drinks.
(3)John K.
There is no redeeming value for this restaurant. The salsa was poor. the guacamole was not even average, the tortilla chips are shiny with grease, the salsa bar was virtually empty, and I'm leaving three quarters of my chicken lunch on the plate. Well there is one redeeming value; the staff--- the hostess is very cute, and the young bartender had a nice smile on his face.
(1)Kyle D.
Overall: Great casual mexican restaurant with good food, good atmosphere, and quick turnaround. The good: Lots of seating available, great for easy group lunches. Food is a good size and is pretty tasty. Nothing crazy but it gets the job done. Typical mexican food. Prices are reasonable. Good option for loop restaurants. Outdoor seating too. The bad: Not much, just not a 5-star quality restaurant. They don't take reservations. Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 7.5/10
(4)Kelly K.
I'm pretty sure the only reason this place is busy is because it's located at Sears Tower. If I could sum Salseria up into one word, it would be "underwhelming". Went here with my co-workers for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. We were seated promptly and chips and salsa were delivered shortly thereafter. The chips tasted like grease, and the salsa was 99% water. Service was slow, but the kitchen was working quickly because we got our food fast. I ordered two beef enchiladas a la carte. Most authentic places would top the enchiladas with a spicy red sauce. It appears as if these were topped with salsa. Such a disappointment. Other diners at our table weren't impressed with their dishes. It took forever to get our check and pay for our overpriced inauthentic chain Mexican food. I don't plan on going back.
(2)Nish R.
Updating this based on a recent experience. Could be just an off day but I made a reservation for 6 ppl for lunch at noon. When we showed up we still had to wait for about 15 minutes. They keep telling us they're cleaning our table but then we were lead to a table that has been empty since the time we got there. We could see because we were standing right there. Then it took another half hour plus for the orders to arrive and we were hoping for a quick lunch and some my colleagues had meetings at 1 so they had to take their food to go. Our waitress was nice but other than that overall it was really really slow. I wouldn't go there for lunch again during work unless I have about 3 hrs to spare which I don't.
(2)Jeannie A.
Overpriced, not very good, Mexican food. I work in Willis Tower and this tends to be a place that is frequented when we are forced to have a group lunch. Earlier this week, we had a goodbye lunch for a coworker, and since it was freezing out, we hit up Salsaria. We went at 11:00am because this place does get packed. Service is good. They have an all-you-can-eat chips/salsa bar, which is a nice touch. I had a quesadilla and a diet pop - my share of the bill was $18. The food is just not very good, not authentic, not much flavor. Not a place I would seek out if you are looking for lunch around The Tower.
(2)Kendrick W.
Yea, so went here after work the other day. Let's just get to the point. There is probably no reason to be attempting to find quality mexican food in the Willis Tower. The margaritas tasted like they used some pre blended mixer that contained splenda. I tried a drink they have labled the mexican mule, which is a moscow mule with tequila instead of vodka. Also not particularly tasty but better than the margaritas. The quesadilla was edible. On the plus side, they bring you plenty of chips and salsa. The chips are good, the salsa...I'm done here.
(1)Matt L.
Not sure if this place just banks on location and seriously do not care about anything else. I have been here a few times only because others recommend coming here but I seriously cringe every time because I know this place is just a little meh and overpriced. I'm sure it is overpriced for the location. Being in the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) must be some major rent. Plus they have an outdoor patio that hangs from the 2nd floor to the east which is not much of a view but it is outside. Did I mention the food was meh? Divey places like Burrito House and El Famous Burrito does tons better than this place and it is a fraction of the cost! The last time I was there (May 2014), they actually ran out of hot sauce so they lent us the line cook's stash (which was amazing but not Salseria's). I have had their tacos, tostadas, and chips and salsa. Apparently they have a chip and salsa bar but not a single server has ever mentioned it. This place gets packed during lunch serving up everyone in the tower and surrounding corporations. Try to get there before 11:00am during the week. Reservations are recommended if you can plan ahead but I am not sure why would you come here. Keep in mind that the kitchen does close at 7pm and the restaurant closes at 8pm. Drinks are decent and they have a few Mexican beers available which I give them credit for. Would I come here for drinks? Maybe. Would I come here for lunch or dinner? Probably not. We are in the city of Chicago and there are plenty of other choices so I would recommend other places before this one. Food - 2 Décor - 3 Service - 2
(2)Khadijah L.
The 3 Pepper and Pollo Quesadilla is the spiciest MF quesadilla i've ever had. It comes with chipotle, habanero and jalapeno peppers inside the quesadilla. You have been warned.. It was still delicious to me. Service was not very good. We hardly got water refills and our server was often nowhere to be found. A bit more expensive than your usual mexican joint, but it's in the Willis Tower downtown so it's kind of expected.
(3)Colleen T.
My friend and I have gone here a couple of times for happy hour after work and have been disappointed each time. The first time we went, we were told the frozen drink machine was currently broken and being repaired - ok, no problem machines break. On our next visit (more than a month later) we were told the same story. that was extremely disappointing! The chips & salsa bar are pretty good and worth mentioning. Also, there are free nachos after work - not sure how it works but it's a nice offer.
(2)Maggie R.
Had my daughters wedding rehearsal dinner here . We had a party of about 40 people which should have been manageable. While the food rating is 4 stars - we were not impressed with the service . My daughter worked for months to organize this dinner and she was very disappointed with our service - she had repeated a menu with the food to be presented in a specific Order and the servers made several errors which she had to correct - she finally involved the manager who was good about making adjustments so he gets 4 stars too- however there is not reason, after all her planning, that the evening could not have gone better!
(3)Lefai K.
The logo of the signage and the place itself reminded me of Taco Fresco. The place was packed and located in the second floor of the Sears Tower, I mean Willis Tower. This place had a salsa bar, that we didn't try but it looked rather intriguing. The food was pretty good -- to start things off they give you some chips and salsa. the green salsa was mouth-burning hot! For the main dish, I ordered the fajitas. It came with both corn and flour tortillas which was either a mistake, or a big win. The chicken was nice and moist and the veggies that came with it was cooked perfectly. BATHROOM REVIEW -- the bathroom was rather interesting. It was kind of dingy. There was actually a hand-written sign next to the hand dryer says decoration only. It was right -- it didn't work at all. The bathroom sinks were super low and looked and looked like it was in a tub. Sit or squat? Well, you have to squat low to use the sink, so I'll go for "squat"
(4)Cat C.
Nothing is better than a margarita at lunch during a hard day. This is convenient and the food isn't bad. I'm not a huge fan of the salsa bar..as I feel there could be more variety and flavor, but the menu is good, and there typically isn't a long wait. It's not traditional Mexican food, and it isn't the best you'll ever find, but with a margarita in hand...what more could you want?
(3)Donna R.
Definitely not the best Mexican place around, but not the worst either. Came here with a group of friends after the Hawks Rally cause we figured most people would be going to bars and there would be terrible wait times. For Salseria, we waited for the hostess for about 5-10 minutes and we were seated right away, actually in a really nice corner so we weren't super close to anybody else. Our water and drinks took FOREVER to get to us. Most of us got the "Honri Margarita" special that day... not terrible, wanted more ice, but it went down easy after yelling all day. Food was good, I got the Little Village special of Pork Tacos, tons of meat and beans and rice were good. Also, really did enjoy the chips and salsa.. and our waitress gave us about three salsas and three baskets of chips. Hot, greasy, and salty--yum!
(3)Jie S.
It is a quite popular place during the lunch hour. It is on the second floor the Willis Tower close to Franklin side. It is not very easy to find for the first timer. The seats are pretty close to each other in a fairly big area. The chips were pretty tasty and greasy. The salsa bar was pretty cool. I really like the dark green spicy one. My order was the Little village something which comes with four mini fish tacos without rice or beans. The fish were kind of boiled and have no flavor what so ever. I guess it is not a bad thing as it should be healthier this way. So I just poured the dark green salsa all over it. It was fine but not my favorite fish tacos. The services were quick. We had to wave a few times to get someone's attention. I decide to go another one next time which is 50% cheaper than this but not as fancy as this one when I crave fish tacos. This is probably better with a group of people when we want to sit down and be served with the Mexican food.
(3)Katie O.
Theres not too much better than taking the elevator down for a nice happy hour drink. Especially in the Chi-tundra. I can't beat Salseria's location in Willis. Awesome drink specials, a lively crowd, and some of the best bartenders I've come across in a long time. (Personable, attentive, and free shots?) Cheers! The minus- food. I only ate a few chips, which were oozing in grease basket. Deep fried at least 3 times. Ewww... The plates coming from the kitchen also were coated in fat and other garbage. There is not enough cervezas to get me to eat anything at Salseria! Def will be back for Happy Hour!
(4)Jane S.
The chips and salsa were over fried and watered down. Bartender had all smiles, but the food was horrible
(1)Jaimie S.
The chicken is cubed and not shredded. The burrito I had was watery and spicy. The chips were greasy and oily. I will not go here again. Nice location and service, but subpar Food.
(2)Rod C.
Cant believe how long it took for our food to arrive. The burrito was very basic, the meat seemed to be over seasoned! I've been to a lot of different mexican restaurants in Chicago enjoying some really good burritos! Salseria Grill burrito carne asada was by far the WORST that I have ever had!!!!
(1)Meredith B.
Not a lot of Mexican in the Loop, so a good place to go if you're really craving it, but otherwise not worth it. Overpriced - go figure, it's in the Sears Tower - and there will be a wait unless you come pretty early or late on your lunch hour. I had the fish taco special for $10, seasoned mahi-mahi with jalapeno slaw, with rice and black beans. I liked the slaw, which tasted cool and crispy. Fish was okay - could've used more of a kick but was cooked nicely. Chips and salsa were okay - salsa not my favorite, but I didn't take advantage of the salsa bar, perhaps I should've. Chips had a really nice crunch. My dish was one of the cheapest things on the menu unless you get something REALLY basic. Most things seemed to be in the $12-16 range. So expensive for lunch! I'm going to check out a bunch of other Loop lunch spots before returning. Fun to eat in the Sears Tower though, I guess?
(3)s s.
5 desserts listed on the menu, but only one of them available. Very disappointed.
(1)Angie M.
You really can't do much better location-wise for an after work happy hour with colleagues in this neck of the woods. Especially in the summertime. Why? OUTDOOR PATIO WITH BAGS. The fine folks at Salseria set up a few sets of bags on the patio, giving your group something to do while pounding Modelos. You've been sitting down at your desk all day. Who wants to continue sitting after work? A little friendly competition between cubicle mates is fun. And beverages? Yes, you get your standard Tex-Mex beverage options at Salseria like margs, sangria, Coronas and such. Nothing will shock you except perhaps the strict usage of only plastic glassware. Hey - Gotta keep it plastic when drinking outdoors. I can respect that. If you're a glass snob I suppose you should just sit inside. Service was perfectly fine and they handled our large group well. I would certainly recommend coming back any time for outdoor drinks and bags.
(4)Michael Y.
I agree with the other reviewers who found this place to be completely underwhelming. I've been twice for lunch, figured maybe they were off the first time. But the second was the same. If you are familiar with good Mexican / Tex-Mex food you'll quickly realize (at the chips and salsa) that this is not it. Watery salsa. Clumpy overly-fried chips. On my most recent visit I had a bland burrito that just made me wish I'd gone to Chipotle. Other reviewers seem to have had a much better food experience here so maybe I ordered badly. The service was fine when we were there. And they do have a very pleasant deck if it's nice outside. Highlight was a nice, cold Negra Modelo. If you go for the location / deck / drinks you probably won't be disappointed. I just wouldn't expect much of the food.
(2)Brittany H.
My boyfriend and I visited the one in downtown Elmhurst. I have never been able to finish a plate of Mexican food and I did here! The chips are amazing. The salsa bar has wide selection of different salsas. The service was also great! I had tacos and my boyfriend has Carne esada. Both delicious! The ONLY con was that the margarita we had was too sour :(. Otherwise I highly recommend this place!
(5)Andrew T.
The Salseria has some oddities about it. It's usually got tons of tables available, even on very short notice, but when I've called to make a reservation ahead of time (for a team lunch or the like), they make it sound like they're doing land office business, and they couldn't possibly squeeze us in. But when we showed up...half the place was empty. Whatever. My point is, maybe don't take them at face if they say they're super busy. The food is...fine, I suppose. Nothing awesome, but there's nothing wrong with it. Don't come here expecting comida casera, and you'll be fine. I always get enchiladas and they taste fine. I don't think there's too much Mexican in the loop, maybe one other spot I know of unless you count the ubiquitous burrito places, so this does serve a purpose. It's right across the street from my office. The service tends to be fine, and the price for loop sit down is also in the reasonable range. It isn't on my regular list of loop lunch destinations, but it does tend to be a bit of a last ditch when we need a place to take someone and sit down.
(3)Hugo M.
I am really thorn writting this review... keep reading to understand why... The food in this place is really fantastic! Chicken tacos are to die for, the carne asada is the best you can find, but more than that the salsa bar is really the best you can find anywhere in the loop. Try the red salsa if you don't like it too hot, I am sure you will be coming back!! The place is also great. The second level of the Sears Tower (yes, Sears tower. I will never call it the Willis whatever tower) is really in the center of the action in the Loop. If the day is nice try the outdoor patio, its really cool. But... if the food is great and the location is fantastic... why give it one star? One simple answer: The Hostest or welcome girl. That woman really ruins everything else. She looks like if she is always mad with the world, good luck getting a smile (weird that someone even thought of making her the first face of the business). Any way, that would be fine, the problem is how rude she is when she "helps" you to find a table. She runs in front of you and gives you and even uglier look if you don't keep the pace and the last two times I was there I dared to ask for a different table... oh boy, was she offended! First, I had to chase her because she just dropped the menu in a table and continued walking -what about asking if I liked the table? forget it, not going to happen- then when I actually said I wanted another table she was clearly mad. Sorry if I dared to actually ask for a table that I like! The first time she did this I asked to talk to the manager and I explained how awful the experience was but today when I went back she was pretty much the same. I guess she is related to someone there, otherwise I cannot understand why they put up with such an unfriednly hostess. To me that was the last time I visit them... too bad, I will miss that salsa bar.
(1)Nancy C.
Love coming here after work, specially on Wednesdays and Fridays. Susie the bartender is awesome... They are all nice!!! :)
(4)Carly T.
Food is decent. Service is decent. Salsa is decent and there is a nice variety. Overall, for a place for a work lunch, I would give this place 5 stars... but compared to everything else in the city, gotta go with 3.
(3)Mari Y.
Salseria gets a solid three stars. I went here for a work lunch and it fulfilled the basics of that - quick service, easy to eat food, quiet table. Because my colleagues have frequented the Salseria often, they know all of the tricks. We had a nice big table by the window that was semi-isolated from the rest of the noisy restaurant. There's even an option to sit on a deck on the second floor which could be a nice happy hour option if you're in the area. Because it's in the Sears Tower, you'll mainly get a work crowd. I ordered the special - killer quesadillas. This was a quesadilla with chicken, japaleno, onion, cheese, etc. Apparently the regular quesadillas are build your own so really "killer" meant "no brainer." Although not as amazing as my favorite Mexican restaurant Nuevo Leon, the quesadilla was solid. You have to try pretty hard to screw up a quesadilla and honestly I haven't had one in years so I was reunited and it felt so good. Would I return? Probably only for work functions.
(3)Yuna D.
Worst place ever. Please, if you see any restaurant empty during dinner service hours, there's a reason why. I came here with a group of people because it was conveniently located in Willis tower (we went up to the skydeck.) Food - Unlimited tortilla chips that are ridiculously oily. Eh. I had a 5 dollar frozen strawberry margarita special, which was typical. It was just in a plastic cup. no margarita glass, no nothing. cheap. I then had the carne asada and pollo asado combo which comes with refried beans (or black beans,) guacamole and rice. Nasty, nasty, nasty. the entree looked like two microwaved thin slices of meat, and the plate looked really not appetizing. It was very cafeteria-like quality. The guacamole is lacking the amount of avocado there should be, and the refried beans looked and tasted exactly like that mystery vegetable mush that they served in elementary school. Ambience - Not a romantic place, with cliche stereotypical mexican decor and multicolored rickety chairs. I suggest not bringing along large parties because the way they accomodate parties for 6 or more is by combining tiny tables together. Service - Piss poor. I've been to enough restaurants to know what decent service is. We were a party of 8 and asked for separate checks before we ordered and he said okay and took our orders all on one sheet of paper. He later told us he couldn't do separate checks so we split into groups of 2-3 and he screws that up too. There was also a 18% gratuity tip included in the bill which I didn't think he deserved at all. Pricing - I had a margarita and one entree and the bill came up to over 20 dollars + tip. Ridiculous for less than mediocre food. If you're staying at the hostel in E. Congress, just go to Cafecito or the Mexican restaurant near Illinois and State St. instead. Don't ever come here. The food still makes me want to gag, and I rarely say that about food.
(1)Megan M.
Try to get lunch here at least once a month as I work very close. The food is great but the service can sometimes be unreliable. However, I always go back because of the food and the margaritas.
(4)Allen B.
Not really your authentic Mexican fare. I guess I'm just biased because I've had some tasteful true authentic Mexican food many times before. Salseria seems to be more Americanized than anything. Been there twice and both were due to work-related functions. I would most likely never go there on my own time.
(1)Ashley S.
This is one of my favorite places to grab dinner/drinks when all the other places have shut down for the day. Their kitchen closes at 7 and the restaurant closes at 8. They tend to have extended hours in the summer when their outdoor seating is open. The menu has the most of the standard mexican dishes, and they are good, but there is nothing about it of particular note Their chips are very good, but as others have mentioned, they are greasy. Chips come with a red and green salsa and you can usually pick up more flavors at the salsa bar. I appreciate how they have a veggie option if you'd prefer not to have meat. The veggies are hearty, but not overpowering in flavor, so it still tastes like you're eating typical mexican. I love ordering the pitcher of sangria. I prefer sangria to lean citrusy vs. fruity, but it makes up for it with it's strength. The atmosphere of Salsaria is neat. They have the normal mexican restaurant flare, but I like that it's in Sears and on the second floor so that you can look out into the lobby and out over the street. I can imagine that this place would be crowded during lunch and happy hour, but it's calm after 6 with many tables open. Salsaria's biggest selling point is proximity. The draw is wanting to get festive drinks, but also needing to eat.
(3)Dan E.
I guess we should have looked at the reviews before going here after work Friday. Food was okay, but the beers were not as cold as they could have been. They had very few TVs anywhere in the place, so we say at a high top in the bar area so we could watch the NCAA tournament. At some point the bartender turned the channel and re-directed the TV for some friends of his at the bar. It would have been nice had they asked since we were there eating and drinking prior to their friends showing up. Then last call came at 7:30pm. Did I mention it was Friday evening? No bueno Salseria.
(2)Dana R.
Just went here for lunch with my sister and Mom. They got us in during the lunch hour with no wait. Seating host/ess was absent so we kind of wandered in. Our waiter was quick and polite. Chips were crunchy and yummy. We liked the different kinds of salsa that they served. I had the beef "Enchilada Sasuita." I think that's how it's spelled anyway. It came with a side of beans and rice. A dollop of sour cream, guac and some shredded lettuce. It was tasty and didn't need additional salt, pepper or hot sauce. My Mom ordered two Chicken tacos and seemed satisfied, and my sister liked her tostadas. It was a pretty good lunch for us all around.
(3)Leanna S.
I work in the area. I tried to come here for lunch a couple of weeks ago on a Friday and it was packed. It looked like all tourists. There was a 20 minute wait, so my friends and I decided to leave. We came back on Monday during lunch and there were about three other tables of people and that's it. It wasn't nice enough to sit outside, but I'd like to go back for a happy hour one of these days because I heard they have bags on the patio! The food was pretty average. I got the chicken quesadillas. They give you free chips and salsa which is typical of most Mexican places, but we were eating through them quickly and they brought us new chips two or three more times! The service was great! The server was quick to fill the chips and our drinks. It was a pretty average Mexican place, but I think I will go back for the bottomless chips and salsa and for bags!
(3)Raquel D.
It's def meh. It's more ambience and the liquid offerings that bring me here. The chips and salsa bar concept is cool, I guess. Sometimes, greasy is good. Sometimes, it's not. I was pleased with my carne asada something last time I was here, but it's definitely not authentic. And it's definitey over-priced. The quality is not even close to the price tag. I grew up in old Humboldt (now Bucktown) and live close to Pilsen. I know good Mexican. And it's not here. But, like I said...I don't come here for food. Drinks, a nice day, or a visiting friend (or a combination of the three) usually brings me here for lunch and/or happy hour...and I usually need to eat...But, it's absolutely not a go-to lunch spot.
(2)Nichole F.
This place is great for a quick and great Mexican meal. This is any ordinary greasy Mexican food place. It is a little classier. Their food is delicious. I have had their tacos, salad and quesodillas. I have always wanted to come here for happy hour because they have outdoor seating but haven't made it yet. The service is usually pretty good and fast. I only have an hour for lunch and I can always get in and out with plenty of time.
(4)Kimmie R.
This place has my vote! The food is nicely priced, and yummy! Wow, such quick service for nicely prepared food! The drinks are always great! The bartenders are friendly and helpful. This place is a real gem and I'm apart of the regular lunch crowd. :) It's a nice place to go for lunch or cocktails after work! Please enjoy! The only reason I couldn't give them four stars is because the chips that they provide are always super greasy and thick. Most people prefer not to see a chips that look like they have been re-fried a few times. I avoid the chips and salsa, because the food and great mixed drinks are fab! :)
(3)Eliana C.
I come here for lunch often as it's right next door. I love their Wednesday $4 Sangria Pint special. The food is a bit on the pricey side, and if I eat I usually go with the "Veronica's Spinach Chicken Enchiladas". The first time I had them I was in love! But the last two times I had it I thought the chicken was a little dry. So I mainly stick to the Sangria special and the free chips and salsa. I wish they had a lunch menu! I bypass the line by sitting at the bar, which I usually don't have to wait for since I tend to have a late lunch, around 1:00 PM. I did do their happy hour at 5:00PM on a Friday, they listed that they had free food but it was more like free chips and whatever was left of their chicken quesadillas.
(4)Kelly O.
A friend and I go to this restaurant at least once a week as we love their food. The service, on the other hand, is terrible. For it being in the Sears Tower (yes, you read that right), you would think they would have top-notch employees. Unfortunately, most of the wait staff they have is rude. If the chips and salsa weren't so damn good, we definitely wouldn't go here as often, if at all.
(2)Emily D.
I'm always underwhelmed by Salseria, but my coworkers like it so I went for the last time yesterday. I had the spinach chicken enchiladas - supposedly a Salseria favorite. The minimal chicken in the tortillas was so dry that some pieces were nearly impossible to cut through. I hate sending things back, so I ate it anyways. Big mistake. I skipped dinner last night as I was not feeling well. Twenty-four hours later and my stomach still hurts. I will definitely never return and would not recommend it to anyone.
(1)Ashley C.
We decided that meeting at Sears tower (I refuse to call it Willis) would be the idea location, outdoors seating, and good happy hour specials. This has the potential to be a very good spot, but it was just disappointing. The decor is cute, but th service was just okay. They were a bit slow (even though it wasn't crowded) and just weren't all that friendly. We did the Sangria pitcher and it was cheap but wasn't anything to rave about. I have definitely had better. The chips and salsa bar were average. The salsa was not fresh and the chips were medicore. Did that stop me from enjoying them? No. I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla and it was medicore. There wasn't much flavor to the chicken but was rather greasy. The rice and beans were lukewarm. Being as hungry as I was, I did eat it all. However, it seems that the table was happy with their order (Fajitas and a Burrito dish). It was pretty cheap, but in this sense you pay for what you get. Bottom Line: I would not come for their food nor would I be jumping to suggest it. But if it was the only option or we wanted a lot of space or outdoor seating, I may wander to try another happy hour and try something else and just be sure to pick up some Chipotle on the way home.
(2)Donny J.
And yes I went back and the same girl served us at the bar, and it seemed my last yelp post made to the right channels, thanks Yelp! It was delighted to sip a beer and have a meal at lunch with a friend and more importantly a waiter or bar tender that cared you were there. I like this place and have been coming here for almost 8 years now...
(3)Fred G.
The Good: Unlimited tortilla chips, unlimited salsa, salsa bar featuring different types of salsa. The Bad: Slow service, crowded/tight seating in some areas. The first time I dined at Salseria, I had an entree with chicken. The chicken was very dry, as was most of everything else on my plate. Since then I eat only salads, which usually turn out to be good. Overall, not great, but not bad. Worth a try.
(3)Rob R.
Great place to hit up for lunch in the loop. After 12:30 there seems to be a wait for tables so come early.
(4)Taryn T.
I had lunch here with a friend today, and it was just okay. I was excited to see fish tacos on the menu, but I ended up disappointed - they were really dry. And I realize it gets busy during lunch hour, but when we gave our waiter a head's up that the people next to us, who had ordered around the same time, were halfway through their meal and we hadn't gotten our appetizers yet, he rolled his eyes and told us there was nothing he could do because he "puts in the order and it comes out when it's ready." Sounds like this place is better for happy hour - I'd give it another try for that. (And re: the location... it's in the Sears Tower. From the Franklin St. entrance, go through the revolving doors, veer right, go up the escalator one floor, and you're there!)
(2)Shanti N.
Quite possibly the blandest Mexican food I have ever eaten in the US. In all fairness, I came here with colleagues on a Friday, so at least the service was fast. We sat outdoors as it was a fairly nice day and we wanted to give a last salute to summer. The margaritas looked excellent, but our table decided to remain abstemious (with only a few more hours left at work on Friday, and the prospect of happy hour approaching quickly, we could afford to be). Prices were reasonable for the location, probably no more or no less than Chipotle. There are better places to go in the area, but overall a good spot for getting out of the office for a needed break.
(2)roxanne c.
Hidden on the second floor of the Sears Tower, this place is just a secret gem of a lunch spot. The food isn't magnificent but sitting on the patio with all the buildings surrounding you is such a peaceful feeling. My husband brought up to my attention when we arrived for lunch that this place is owned by the Taco Fresco chain.......NOOOO say it ain't so! But Salseria is much better than Taco Fresco. I normally get a salad as they are always delicious and filling. The margaritas aren't anything to write home about. So if you're having a drink stick to beer. I just love sitting outside, as I feel this is their best feature. If this wasn't an option, then I wouldn't go.
(3)Bruce B.
I only come here for drinks or the happy hour taco special. The food is decent and the drinks are strong. I only sit at the bar because all my coworkers are friendly with the waitstaff. Clearly, the service has always been great to me. It's a nice spot to go in the summer and have drinks on the patio.
(3)Nancy H.
AWESOME HAPPY HOUR! My buddies and I have been touring the city via Friday happy hour hot spots and I think we hit it big when we found this place. At first, I was bummed out that they had only one drink special--the HORNI MARGARITA--until I had it and realized it was FANTASTIC. It perfectly complemented the food from the FREE salsa bar. The chips were so crunchy and good, the salsa in abundance, the wings fresh out of the kitchen, and burritos too! An awesome place and definitely my pick for best friday-after-work place in the Loop. Hahaha..additional plus that it's in the Sears Tower so it's very easy to find!
(5)Rene S.
Went here on someone's recommendation. Lesson learned, never ask that person again. I ordered the Grande Burrito Steak dinner. Darn! I forgot to ask if they could actually serve it hot or even warm to me. The burrito was cold and 1/2 full of sour cream. It didn't even taste like steak! Maybe because of all that sour cream. The rice that came with it was cold and bland. Side of beans were a little warm but nothing great to talk about. The complimentary chips and salsa that they give you sucked just as bad. Cold and greasy chips with salsa that had no taste at all. Service was ok. When I told my waiter about the meal all he could say was that the lettuce and tomato that comes on it made it cold. Really!..and they were so cold that the burrito made the side of rice cold too. Yeah ok! Would not recommend this place to anyone even if the food was free! Food must be pretty bad if someone thinks that you would actually get better tasting food at Taco Bell. I should have listened to all of the negative reviews. I bagged most of it and will give it to a homeless person. Let's see if they don't punch me in the face the next day because they thought I was trying to poison them with that nasty food. Wish yelp would have a negative star option. I can only hope.
(1)Robert A.
Food is pretty standard mexican. Drinks are good. Prices are normal loop prices. Not cheap, but not surprising either.
(4)Bob R.
I have just come from the Salseria where a coworker and I had a little lunchtime celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Wow. Thanks Salseria for ruining the one holiday you get to market every year. The food took almost an hour and was miserable (The Cinco special was a place of small "Mexican style" assorted tacos.) They were all miserably dry and bad tasting. Also, considering the name of this place, you would expect some above average salsa. Nope. It's all watered down and when you visit the "salsa bar" you are treated to shot glass sized containers to use that last for the least possible chip dips. This might be a "drinks only" joint as my margarita wasn't bad. However, for nine bucks it was definitely lacking in tequila volume. This place has a nice location and a lovely patio to look out over the loop, but not much else. Next Cinco, I'm heading to Chipotle. Oh and to Trevor D. who says "It is what it is." um, WTF dude? That's not a review. Reviews are there to help restaurants improve and to educate/alert consumers. That particular saying implies there is no improving the food/service of the place and we should all just live with it. Methinks not.
(1)Dustin G.
I'll be honest, my friend is one of the bartenders. But, I wouldn't post a positive review if I didn't like this place. My favorite thing on the menu is the pollo asada. My boyfriend says, "their burrito is the best burrito I've ever had." It's fun to sit outside on the patio when the weather is nice. It's even nicer when they have a reggae band. Salseria is a great place to grab a delicious lunch while sightseeing downtown. And, the drink specials are great!
(4)Michelle G.
If Salseria switches out the greasy tortilla chips, then this is a 5-star review. Yes, that is the difference between a good and a stellar Mexican restaurant. I had lunch here about 2 weeks ago and ordered the grilled yellow fin tuna - it was wonderful! It was actually grilled in the fruit jerk sauce (as opposed to an after-the-grill dousing of sauce). Service was quick and friendly (good for a work-day lunch), and while the restaurant was a little crowded, it wasn't packed. I'm told Salseria is known for its varieties of salsa - but I'd need to see an upgrade in the chips before I try these. The chips make the salsa!
(4)Jeffrey H.
This place is consistent, tasty and convenient. Love the food, enjoy the staff, and the Management truly cares! The Manager, Bill, will do everything possible to make your dining experience top notch. Free Chips & Salsas and daily free happy hour food bar - What more could you want in the loop? The Carne Asada is top notch! Make sure you order 'em with the flour tortillas - so soft and full of flavor!
(5)Keely B.
Went to meet the husband between work and rehearsal last night, but when I arrived at our intended meeting place (Benjyehuda), it was closed. Plan B: back to the Sear's Tower where the man works and up to the second floor to Salseria. I had read the very mixed reviews on Yelp, so I was a little anxious. We were seated at a table "by the window", which overlooked the patio where they have outdoor seating when it is NOT snowing. We were promptly brought a bowl of delicious chips (freshly deep fried--sooo good, sooooo bad for you) along with salsa roja and salsa verde. Yum! I ordered the quesadilla con pollo y pesto and the young man had the grande burrito with chicken. Both dishes were better than average, and the portions were large. We substituted fat-free black beans for refried, and they had a ton of flavor. I had a Coke. Our total check, including tip, was under $30--not too bad for a decent sit down dinner in the Loop. The downsides: the kitchen closes at 6, so don't waste time. Our server was very attentive, but I think that might be because she wanted to go home. And the decor is very ChiChis, so you probably don't want to go for ambiance.
(3)Katie D.
Crappy chips and salty, non-spicy salsa. I had the grilled tuna salad, which was WAY over-cooked for my liking. The other 3 people in our party seemed pretty unimpressed with their meals as well. Granted, two of us were from Texas and one from Arizona, so we may have slightly higher standards for Mexican fare than a typical Chicago resident. Needless to say, I won't be back for lunch.
(2)Apara W.
I enjoy their veggie burrito- this place actually grew on me. I have tried a few veggie options here, but the best is veggie burrito. Good chips and salsa too. Fairly good and attentive customer service. Why 1 star off- coz I have had better Mexican food in Florida. But by Chicago standards, this place is a good change from Moes/Chipotle.
(4)Bill M.
Salseria is located in the Sears Tower, and is part of the Taco Fresco organization. I dined here with my boss and a work colleague for lunch. The wait for a table was just a handful of minutes, the interiors are bright and cheery, and the service was very snappy. The tortilla chips and salsa were fine, and my dining mates seemed to like their choices, including salad with steak, and fresh guacamole. My choice was enchiladas with chicken and spinach, which were decent but I kept thinking how much better the enchiladas are at the little Mexican restaurant near my house. This was not a drinking lunch, so no beer for me. Oh well, it was all free for me.
(3)Brittany M.
Options in the loop are limited for lunch, so I have ended up here - unfortunately - twice. First time - had the tuna taco special (i should know better than to order seafood in the loop, but still). Tasted like canned tuna - which would be fine, except it's not canned tuna. Pineapple was actually from a can. Second (and i sincerely hope last) time - afraid of an actual entree, I opted for chicken corn chowder and a side of rice. Chowder was ...okay. Campbell's could do just as well though (and would probably have included more chicken). I know I'm a Texan with high tex-mex standards, but this just isn't any good - watery salsa with all flavors tasting the same, and mediocre actual food.
(2)Helena B.
Salseria fills a very key void in Loop lunch locales - the hazy middle ground between "quick" (Panera) and "fancy" (Catch 35). Salseria is the perfect place for lunch with a group of coworkers when you want to sit and enjoy being waited on, but aren't trying to celebrate something super-special. In addition, they take reservations and have several large tables to accommodate your work-crowd. The restaurant itself is very festive - vibrant colors, painted tiles, etc. Viva Mexico! Ole! The food isn't going to wow you, but it's decent. The menu is varied enough that just about everyone will find something to eat. I tend to order the enchiladas suizas as I am going through something of an enchiladas suizas- phase at present. Last time we were there, they completely forgot one of our orders. Annoying, yes... we were all squirming with forks perched over food trying to do the polite thing and wait until everyone was served... but they more than made up for it in terms of apologies and comp'ed items (We got one of each thing on the dessert menu! Allow me to recommend the chocolate nachos and the cheesecake!)
(3)Matthew P.
I went here for a company outing and it was disappointing. Booze selection was way limited and the food was sub-par. Everyone talks about how the chips are to die for, I disagree. The chips are WAY greasetastic and the salsa is boring.... Sorry Salsaria I will not be visiting you anytime soon
(2)John H.
This isn't a half bad happy hour spot, but I wouldn't recommend it for anything more than that. There really is a dearth of happy hour spots in the Loop. I'm not sure anyone from outside of the Sears/Willis Tower would feel the need to patronize this place. Part of Salseria's appeal, in the warmer months, is its patio. If your coworkers or friends are not interesting enough that day, you can drink in the presence of skyscrapers. I'm not sure how Salseria can continue to cough up what must be the considerable tenant rent for this space and privilege, but they manage somehow. You get free chips and salsa. I think they allocated about 90% of the free chips and salsa fund to the chips and 10% to the salsa. But it's free, so dig in. $5 margaritas on Thursdays are a mild introduction to the world of imbibing, or a good choice for anyone who doesn't really like the taste of alcohol.
(3)Joshua M.
I have been here a couple of times now. My wife thinks it's great because we used to eat at Fuego something or other in Oak Park, which is essentially the same place. This is pretty much corporate Mexican. It isn't horrible, and if you stack up against some of the AWFUL Mexican I have had since living in Chicago it probably deserves at least another .5 stars. Somehow for the location I think a Bennigans might have been a better choice. Ahhhh Bennigans.... but I digress. First off for a "salseria" (I am no Spanish speaker, but that sounds about as legit as "hospitaliano" does for Olive Garden) the salsa here is nothing to get excited about. It's a cut above a bowl of Pace, but hardly a reason to title the restaurant after it. The chips are really really greasy. And not in a good way either. Greasy to the point of I sort of want to bring a bag of chips in to show them that it doesn't have to be like this. As far as food goes I stick with the pollo asada. A nice piece of grilled chicken, some rice and beans. It's simple but a good portion. They also have Jarritos which is a plus for me.
(3)Ted S.
Love this place. Perfect for a lunch or a after work drink!
(5)Aaron S.
Alright, just needed to update this review after a sloshed Thursday night with friends after work. Despite the fact that this place is not called the Margariteria, it does make a rather tasty margarita. And on Thursdays, they are indeed $4 each. You can get any of the many insane fruity margarita concoctions for the $4 price, but they all come in blended form. If you want just a margarita on the rocks, with or without salt, you'll have to settle for the plain lime version. I haven't consumed a large amount of margaritas during my lifetime, but I have to admit that out of the few, these margaritas were some of the tastiest I've ever had. Of course, I'm just not a fan of alcoholic drinks that taste of alcohol - so maybe they know how to "make it taste right" or maybe they skimped on the liquor. Either way, they were tasty and I had a good time. Of course, I also had a good time because of the awesome salsa bar and attentive waitstaff who came an filled our chip bowls when we were too tipsy or lazy to waddle over to the salsa bar and do it ourselves. Oh, and a supreme nachos. So they earn one extra star for the cheap margarita Thursdays. If I ever return here specifically for the Friday free happy-hour appetizer bar, it just might get that fifth star!
(4)Jacob Y.
Salseria is a Mexican restaurant inside the Lobby of the Willis Tower (aka Sears Tower) on the second floor. A friend of mine who works in that building recommended this place for lunch, and to be honest, although it's not the best Mexican restaurant in the city, it's not bad either. The decor, like many other Mexican restaurants in Chicago, with colorful artworks that resemble a somewhat Mexican atmosphere. But what really stands out are the Mexican movie posters, which I think add more to the ambiance than anything else. The best way I could describe the food is that it reminds me of a lot of americanized ethnic restaurants in the city. The taste is somewhat blander than the authentic cuisines. Salseria does pride itself with providing a variety of salsa for your chips and dishes (which I like). I personally prefer the chips they bring you with the meal than the meal itself. Margarita-wise, I have had a chance to try them for happy hour. Not bad, but I must say at $15 a pop, it better be good. I would rather try the hole in the wall places throughout the city for a much tastier fare!
(3)Amie C.
Love love LOVE the chips and salsa! I often crave their homemade chips and a nice mixture of their medium and spicy salsa. Good thing i work across the street and can have this often. Rice and beans are also tasty. The chicken burrito is good too! The meal doesn't seem terribly authentic but it's a great place to grab a bite if you're in the area and looking for a fiesta :)
(4)Kate O.
I usually only think to write a review when I'm really impressed by a place, but i was so UNimpressed with this place I just had to tell someone! I went there for lunch today with a friend. To sum it up: dirty glasses and silverware, terrible service and even worse food. My food came out cold and my friend, who ordered a salad, did not get what he ordered but was nice enough just to eat it and not send it back. Overall, just not a good experience. Maybe good for a few margaritas or tequila shots on a happy hour but I would not recommend this place for a good meal.
(1)Matt S.
Overpriced Mexican anyone? Ya I said it. Decided to give it a try on Cinco de Mayo and ended up with a dry burrito, watery margaritas... but delicious, crack-laden chips. Oh man, those chips were good.
(2)Lyndsay G.
I'm a fan on this place for several reasons: 1. cute waitress 2. moderately fast service 3. very very very strong margeritas 4. Bags outside for free 5. Killer outside seating I've never had a bad time here. It is a great place for happy hours, as I have been several times. The food is basic "Mexican" but nice when you are getting drunk. It is located int he Sears Tower, so if you get lost getting there, you're an idiot. Also, there is free buffet on Fridays. One downside is several of the busboys don't know English, but easily one of the better happy hour places I've been to in the Loop
(4)Rene P.
I work near this place and we love it. Considering it's not a "hole in the wall" I don't think it's that unauthentic. They have a ton of salsa choices and specials every day. Since I mostly go at lunch, I get the steak tacos or a the steak chopped salad and both are great. I eat the one in Elmhurst too and think it's a good sit down Mexican restaurant, again not a "hole in the wall" type of authentic, but nice for dining out and the outdoor section of this location is a nice bonus too.
(4)Erin J.
Despite some initial irritation when we'd arrived - had a reservation, still waited 10 minutes to be seated - the service and the food made up for it. We went here for our team holiday lunch and I believe everyone there enjoyed the food and beverages. They do make a mean margarita, although they serve it in a plastic cup, which makes it awkward for salted rims. I got the carnitas special with the 3 tacos and rice and beans. The rice was rather dry, which I have just some to accept as de riguer at most Mexican places, and the beans were a little bland. The carnitas, however, were flavorful, and they didn't overdo it on the onions. I did enjoy the thicker chips and the salsas, and while the quesadilla was indeed sorta oily, it was no where near as greasy as the queso fundido. But I mean, c'mon...it's cheese; it's gonna get oily when you heat it up and toss some meat in it. The service was attentive and friendly and relatively fast-paced. It was a great place to go for lunch with my work peeps, and we were out in about an hour. Good stuff!
(4)Tiara Lynn A.
Went with a group to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Our reserved table for 8 was ready when we arrived and the service was outstanding. Very friendly servers kept our drinks and chip bowls filled. The chips were absolutely delicious and the salsa was outstanding. Everything else though... well... It was alternately bland and over-limey. My spinach & chicken enchiladas were TERRIBLE. Cream sauces are supposed to be mild, but this was so sour it was barely edible. The guacamole was almost flavorless. The chicken reminded me of ceviche -- it was as if the lime marinade partially cooked the chicken. I was not impressed. We were kicked out of our table after paying, which I kind of appreciated because it meant they were keeping existing reservations. We got coupons for free margaritas as a consolation, which was a nice touch. I'll be back for the drinks, but not for the food.
(3)Diana L.
I think the average of 3 stars is a kindness. Three Native Chicagoians going to a restaurant inside the Tower was a dubious decision, I admit. It was more of a last moment social meetup then a planned dinner. Monday night served up $2.50 drafts of Dos Equois or Negro Modelo which I'll give them as a fine deal but then the meal happened. I ordered a Caesar salad, asked for "no chicken, no meat please", which was repeated back to me by the waiter. When the food arrived the salad was covered in charred chicken pieces. Immediately my fellow diners told the server, "She's a vegetarian, she doesn't eat meat" and asked for another salad. When I received the second salad a minute later, pieces of chicken skin were dotting the plate, leading us to believe they just picked the chicken off then sent it out again. I wonder if they recycled the chicken into the next patrons quesadilla. I will not be returning, even for the nice summer patio or drink specials. This town has too much going for it to have places like this.
(2)Charlotte O.
My S.O.'s friends decided to have a little belated birthday get together for him here last night. Since him and his friend work in the building, It was an easy place to meet up and have a couple of drinks. (Which is funny considering in his review he said he wouldn't be having their margaritas any time soon!) I ate more tortilla chips than I ever thought possible. They are super crunchy and slightly greasy YUM. What's awesome is that they have a self serve bar with all their different salsas and chips so you can have as much as you like. They had some really tasty salsas to pair with the chips. The one that stood out to me was the super garlicy orange colored one. I have no idea what it was but it was dammed good. We had margaritas as well. I liked how you can get them non blended. That's how I prefer mine. You can also get it without salt. Which is what I did for our second round because the salt really didn't add anything to the drink IMHO. They were super limey and not sickly sweet like some places make them, which was nice, two drinks were enough to give me a nice buzz, so they are pretty strong as well. (My S.O. was also buzzed for the record). We also ordered the super nacho's. Which we really enjoyed. They contained some really yummy refried beans, decent guacamole, and super garlicy picco de gallo. So if you like fresh chips and yummy salsas paired with strong margaritas this place is worth checking out.
(4)Courtney R.
Salseria is a good lunch staple when you want to go somewhere that actually feels fun and doesn't serve sandwiches or wraps. The decor is so vibrant that even when I go in the middle of the day it makes me want a margarita. The food is OK, not stellar, but what do you expect at a sit-down restaurant at this price point in the Loop? Service is super fast so you can get in and out in a lunch hour. The chips, though greasy, are clearly made in-house which makes them a standout favorite. I also like the new skinny margarita option. Why aren't more Mexican restaurants doing this??? It's so easy and delish! The manager, Bill, is great to work with as I have booked an event here in the past. I would recommend.
(3)Nicole V.
Salseria is located in the Sears Tower where the old Dos Hermanos used to be. Great for lunch or happy hour in the loop! There is an outdoor deck and a bar. I really liked the fresh margaritas. The menu consists of traditional Mexican fare. I tried a few of the appetizers and all were quite tasty. The ambiance will have you and your coworkers saying "ole" after a few margaritas! Definitely adding this to the list of the places where I can take the edge off after a hard day of work.
(4)Y.D. K.
I haven't ever had a meal here, but I had the salsas, the steak & chicken fijitas, and the awesome flank steak and they are all wonderful. Drinks are also great - had a decent stock of beers as well as the tasty and potent margaritas (frozen or otherwise). Staff is good, and atmosphere for indoor dining is a bit subdued, but nice and quiet. You can also go out to the outside deck and enjoy a refreshing drink while soaking the air, noise, and sun pollution of Adams & Franklin (I think, is the intersection).
(3)Juliet H.
gross gross gross!!!! First of all, they had their own bottle of salsa sitting at the table..as I was reading it, I noticed the sign..."keep refrigerated"...I don't even want to know how long it has NOT been refrigerated. Also, their "salsa bar"....was gross. It had also been sitting out there for a long time..they just didn't look right. The food was horrible. I'd rather eat at Taco Bell, afterall, I can eat lean there now, right? Anyway, even though you are in need of your taco fix, don't do it. Go to La Cocina if you are looking for good Mexcian food for lunch.
(1)Ben B.
I've only been here twice, but the service was good both times and the entrees, while nothing to write home about, got the job done. Fair variety and a decent price for a sit-down meal in the Loop.
(3)Susie C.
This place is a pretty chill place to go to. I work in the Sears tower so coming here for lunch is very convenient. The food comes out quick, and they have different flavors of margaritas. They're pretty good too! On Friday nights, they have happy hour where they provide free appetizers (selected) for a certain time period. They have different size burritos to suit different people appetites..that's pretty cool! But dont worry, the price is cheaper for the smaller one of course.
(4)Jeremy W.
Hey, I've had nothing but good times at this place. From the initial chips to my favorite Enchilada Suiza, everything delivers on taste. Critics should consider giving it a 2nd chance because I think this is the best restaurant in the Sears Tower, errr, I mean, Willis Tower.
(4)Kristie n scott V.
My chile rellanos were not crisp and the filling was not remarkable. The group had shrimp skewers, burritos, and quesadillas. The food was not bad. I thought the chips were greasy, but my friend liked that style. The reasons to come to this restaurant were 1. The location. We visited the Willis Tower and weren't ready to leave this awesome building. This restaurant is on the third floor of the Willis Tower. 2. Outdoor eating was beautiful. 3. The salsa bar had several different options, which was nice.
(3)Jessica C.
Alright, so I love Mexican? You bet I do. I've been to Salseria for lunch and for happy hour. You can't go wrong with the enchiladas. The salsa(s) they bring out are great. Just 1 el problemo.. I like my liquor in my margaritas.. Don't get my wrong it was great going down, but I found myself having to buy a shot of tequilla because the booze content was not nearly enough to comfort my icky day at the office. Perhaps I'm just a young booze craved office yuppy? You be the judge...
(3)Kristin M.
Not great, not horrible, but really nothing special. It's hard to find something new and exceptional in the loop, and this place is neither. I'd rather go to Chipolte if craving Mexican. The sangria is really bad, maybe I should have had a margarita...
(2)Kimberly F.
It's OK. I've been here for lunch and after work drinks since I work in the Sears Tower. Their food is overpriced and average. Their margaritas are not good and their chips are greasy, although sometimes I want grease-soaked tortilla chips. The service is fine and all that, and it's way too convenient for me to stop going here. It just isn't spectacular.
(3)Kate F.
The jalapeno salsa is incredible! The other 8 or so salsas at the salsa bar were just okay, so no need to waste your time with them. And anything with carne asada is going to be delicious.
(4)Abby T.
wow, this place is NOT GOOD!!! 1. It's a salsa place that prides itself in having a variety of salsas, yet it doesn't have FRESH salsa? tsk tsk 2. I ordererd the shrimp fundido and stopped eating after 2 bites. It was congealed cheese w/ tiny rubbery shrimp stuck in the cheese like fossils. 3. Got tacos here another time, and they were lukewarm. GROSS. 4. Ordered tostadas here last Friday and besides the scant beef and toppings... they were sloppily plunked atop just 1 tortilla. Come on, it doesn't take a genius to know that one measely crispy tortilla shell cannot physically hold a generously made tostada (Wow, that was a lot of adverbs). This place is HORRIBLE. I make better tacos at home. Will never come here again.
(1)Bryan H.
The service: We made a reservation for 25 people for a department dinner. They said it was no problem and that they could accommodate us. When we arrived at 530, there was a sign on the door saying that they were closing at 730.... Which we found interesting, as that meant we couldnt stay late and drink at the bar there. (An important team building exercise!!) They neglected to tell us this over the phone ofcourse; so we were stuck eating there. They placed all 25 of us at three regular sized tables, crammed into the corner. They did at least attempt to put the tables together, but certainly did not have any idea of how to seat a large group. People were literally shoulder to shoulder; you could even cross your legs it was so tight. A few latecomers weren't even able to sit at the table. As soon as we were done eating; the manager asked us to leave as they were closed. They even called last call in the middle of our dinner! Luckily we were all drinking pitchers of Sangria and Margarita's; so we were just able to load up with some extras of those. The food: Chips were literally dripping grease. Seriously. Ew. They were mighty tasty, but i can't imagine how bad for you they are. Dripping. We ordered our food, and being a group of 25, we knew it would take quite a while to prepare such a large order. What we didnt know is that we would all be served cold food. Instead of letting it sit under the warming lights, they must have just let it sit out while they finished the rest of the meals. Not a single person in the group got a warm dinner. It also took about an hour for them to serve the food. We weren't in any rush, but a 60 minute ticket time is ridiculous. The Drinks: Drinks were good; standard Mexican fare really; nothing too outstanding. Considering we spent over $1000, we were treated terribly, the food was cold and greasy, and finally kicked out at 8pm. I do not recommend this place at all.
(1)Steve T.
This is pretty much a mexican food court in the Sears Tower. I had low expectations to begin with, but I told myself it was pretty hard to completely screw up margaritas. Well, they were bad. You could have gotten better Margs by buying the pre-mixed Jose Cuervo mix at Binny's and spiking it with additional tequila. Very greasy food, it felt like I ate a brick and was about to birth a mariachi band. Greasy Chips. Salsa...might have been from a can. Guacamole might have not been real... it was debatable. One quote from a friend was "I think this is green sour cream". I don't think I'll be back here by choice...
(1)Monica J.
What an interesting concept!!! --- we all know that the best part of mexican dining is the pre-dinner chips and salsa. So, i was very pleased to see that they had a salsa bar with six different varieties. I really enjoyed the spicier ones. Unfortunately, by the time my food came out...I had filled up so much on the chips that I barely put a dent in my entree. I am a SALSA fiend..i can't help it! I ordered the pollo asado with black beans...overall, pretty good. Chicken was tender and seasoned well...beans were kinda bland...but i pretty much expected that. Love that they have the fat-free black beans as a substitute for the fatty refried ones..not many mexi restaurants do that. They usually have one or the other. The place gets pretty crowded for lunch so make sure to have reservation before going ...they have outdoor seating in the summer which makes for some awesome scenery since it's at the Sears Tower! In general, the atmosphere is lively and upbeat...with tv's blaring whatever game is on. Prices are reasonable and portions rather large...good deal. Will certainly be back for more SALSA!
(3)Alison M.
Since it's located in the Sears Tower, Salsaria could be the perfect place to stop for after work drinks. However, both times I have been here, I have been disappointed. The margaritas taste like gasoline, the entrees are middle of the road, but the thing that gets me is that the chips are awful-- really greasy and sort of thick. Besides the location, there is nothing that would make me want to come back.
(1)Jon T.
I loved it! Indoor/outdoor seating at Sears, er Willis Tower. Green salsa with the chips is awesome, this was my 2nd time there and only complaint is not being told about the Salsa bar on the first trip. Quick service, attentive waitstaff and authentic Mexican food put this on my short list.
(4)Samantha G.
I took my Dad here for lunch when he came to visit. He loves his TexMex, as do I, and we were both very happy with our meal. Not a bad burrito, if I do say so myself. The service was a little slow to start, but it got better as the meal went on. Our favorite part was the comp chips and salsa platter. They gave us 5 salsas to munch before our meal, and all of them were excellent. I'll go back just for that.
(4)Lisa K.
I have monthly group meetings here for new hires and set up the menu ahead of time and all arrangements before hand. Everyone is very friendly and willing to help as much as possible. The space can be a bit cozy for larger groups due to structural constraints of the restaurant. Everytime we come, there is a plate of chips/salsa waiting for us and our appetizers are soon on their way. The drinks come out in no time, the staff works together to get the orders. The appetizers have always been good. The queso fundido is a little hard to serve, espeically at a crowded table full of co-workers. It is more like pure melted cheese as opposed to a dip. It is probably best saved for smaller groups. Our entrees always arrive on time as well. The only problem has been the beans, rice and tortillas at times are late or missing. We always come during the height of the lunch rush so maybe that is the reason. Otherwise, things go well and everyone has a good lunch on the quick.
(4)Leang E.
I wanted to try this place out since I had already been to Augustino's, and I had been craving guacamole like mad. So, in the typical me fashion I had to try this spot that I'd neverbeen to before. I was surprised to find that my carry-out order was only going to take 5-10 minutes. The staff here was friendly. I'm sure there's a lot of corporate people that ocme here to eat, as would be expected from all the businesses in the building. It's pretty busy during lunch and there's typically a wait. I'd probably try to come before the lunch hour rush if I were going to sit down and eat here and have waiter service. The prices are average for downtown. They have a pretty extensive menu for a small little place in the Sears Tower. I ordered the chicken quesadillas platter with a small guacamole. It was pretty tasty. The green sauce isn't as spicy as other hot sauces. The salsa was a little watery for me and not as thick of a consistency as I like it. It's a good spot to go to if you are craving Mexican in the area. Oh, I think they have $4 margaritas for happy hour, and I think it's on Thursdays.
(3)M M.
This place is great for a big group to head to lunch. My team always goes here for birthdays or other celebrations. The chips and salsa are amazing, greasy, fattening, but definitely recommend. They bring out unlimited for free. As far as the entrees go, I always get the taco salad with chicken. The chicken is really not good- it tastes fake, is a gray color, but I still eat it anyway bc mixed in with the other things it is just fine :) Prices are very reasonable and I've heard their margs are great!
(4)John K.
I wanted to try them for lunch one day and ordered the burrito dinner. They charged me over 8 bucks but I didn't care because maybe it would be worth it. I went to pick it up and the dinner was in a Taco Fresco bag and was EXACTLY the same as Taco Fresco only a couple dollars more. I could've gone there and saved some money, it's only a block away. I guess they're owned by the same people and have the same kitchen? It's ok but if your not drinking just go to Taco Fresco.
(1)Brey R.
Came here on Cinco de Mayo. There was a line, but our party of 5 was seated within 5 minutes. It wasn't exactly the warmest day, but we decided to sit outside since the host was pretty insistent. They originally sat us at a table inside, but made us leave as they said it was reserved. So we went outside. After sitting for about 10 minutes, the server came to take our drink order. I told her we were ready to order. For drinks, we ordered 1 sprite, 1 iced tead, 1 corona and 2 margaritas. After about 5 minutes, the sprite and iced tea came out. For lunch, we ordered 1 steak quesadilla, no sour cream, 1 steak quesadilla with everything (appetizer portions), 1 mini taco sample (appetizer portion) 1 steak and shrimp and 1 steak. 20 minutes after the 2 drinks were brought out, the corona and margaritas came. Corona, was warm and margaritas, watered down. They were probably sitting for quite some time. The place is like a zoo. Waitress is no where to be found. Looking at our watches and all of us are starving. It has been 40 something minutes. Waitress comes back and says she lost the bottom part of the ticket and asks my friend what she orders. My friend says a quesadilla appetizer with sour cream. We all look at each other. Does this mean they haven't started our order? We are 45 minutes into our lunch break. We have an hour lunch. We purposely met up @ 11:40 to avoid some of the lunch rush. Waitress comes back and says she puts ticket in and our food should be coming in 10 minutes...umm ya...lunch will be over in 10 minutes. We tell her no point, just box everything up. She apologizes, says kitchen is slammed and they have too many ticket orders and can't keep up. I tell her, well we have to get back to work, she says to meet her at the front and she should have our lunch up there. We get our check. Go to the front. It's like a zoo. Our food isn't there, it actually sits on the counter another 5 minutes until our server gets there to start boxing it. Elapsed time so far, I would say 1 hour and 15 minutes. The manager apologizes and takes about half off our bill which was nice of him. Server wouldn't take the tip, we had to force her to take it. By the time it was all over, we spent about 1 hour and 40 minutes there. Thank goodness for the chips and salsa, it served as my lunch. I took the quesadilla to my desk, couldn't eat it. I heard the rest of the food was dry and room temp. Prob won't ever go back again. Food is okay, service, eh. I get it's the lunch rush and Cinco de Mayo, but staff your kitchen better. After us, there was a line of patrons also complaining about not getting food and having to go.
(2)Megan R.
This place is great for a quick lunch. I got the quesadilla and LOVED it - and I am pretty picky about my quesadillas (wierd I know) they have an "all you can eat" salsa bar with chips. The service was quick - great spot for lunch and especially a magarita if it has been a rough day!
(4)Amanda L.
Don't expect this to be high end but I had a great lunch there. I believe the people of Taco Fresco are behind this and all of the food was really fresh. Also, everything was actually cheap for a sit down restaurant in the Sears. I think the average entree was about $9. I like the outdoor patio too. I'm sure I'll be back plenty of times this summer.
(4)Tony G.
When I read the reviews and saw the term 'Tex-Mex', I had visions of Texas Star Fajita Bar. Oh, those were the days. We were seated quickly, and I was happy to see that they had my favorite 'TX Star' standby on the menu - Steak Quesadilla with beans and rice. Not only that, our meal started out with free chips and a selection of FIVE excellent salsas. Holy Hot Peppers, Batman, that rocks! Anyway.....with both hopes and expectations high, I didn't even read the rest of the menu before ordering my steak quesadillas. While waiting (maybe 10 minutes) for my meal, we downed the chips that were on the table and half of the fresh basket that we received without even having to ask. The meals came, and all looked well. The first bite was delicious, then second was ok, but by the third bite, I realized that my quesadilla was dripping with grease. Dripping! This is NOT the way that it was done at TX Star, and my search for the perfect steak quesadilla continues... 3.5 stars, rounded up to four because of the excellent salsa and the very good service.
(4)Bryant C.
I stopped in here for lunch a little while back. The Mexican food was middle of the road, nothing really special. It wasn't bad or anything, but I think you can get better food at the various little places around town at a cheaper price. i.e. Carmela's and Taco Burrito House. The one thing that was cool and boosted up the rating a little was the salsa bar. they give you chips and then you can go up to the salsa bar and pick and choose from a variety of different salsas. I liked that for sure. With all of the other places to go I'm not to sure if I will be back.
(3)Chris D.
For a restaurant to have a line at 11:35 a.m. on a nice, sunny Tuesday, you know it must be doing something right. It seems they actually were slow in seating, and it took a few minutes to get waited on. But, they served the most amazing variety of five yummy salsas, and the chips were flaky and light - just wonderful. Our food seemed to arrive in five minutes - amazing. I had the special of the spinach and mushroom quesadillas, and they also had whole-wheat tortillas - a first. I loved it, and my friend enjoyed her spinach-chicken enchiladas as well. I returned a few weeks later, and the line wasn't as bad. Had and really enjoyed the grilled vegetable burrito. The food again arrived very quickly after it was ordered.
(5)Joseph W.
On a recent weekday night, I went to Salseria for a couple of drinks after work. I ordered a glass of house Chardonnay. The glass was on the small side. As I finished the first glass, I asked the bartender if the chips (which he had just served to the couple to my left) were complimentary on or the menu. He said that they were complimentary, so I asked for some (shouldn't the bartender have asked ME if I wanted chips?). The chips were great, and the sauces were not too hot. I ordered a second glass of house Chardonnay (they only had one brand). After finishing the chips and the second wine, I asked for my bill, expecting perhaps $5 - 7 per glass of wine--after all, this place advertises $3.50 beer specials. When the bill came it was $24 plus. THEY CHARGED $11 PER (SMALL) GLASS OF CHARDONNAY. The chips were indeed free. As I paid, I told the bartender to tell his management that I would never come back. I didn't take out my frustration on the bartender, and gave him a 15% tip, but am writing this YELP review to warn others about Salseria's $11 Chardonnay.
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