La Magdalena

We had a pretty bad experience here. I had high hopes since the reviews were good, but I honestly won’t come back here.
First, we walked in and no one was there to seat us. I had to walk around to try to find someone to get us a seat. When we were seated, the table was still dirty. It took our server forever to get to us, take our drinks, bring our food (that’s another story), bring our check… it was a long experience. They brought us salsa with no chips, so we had to ask for those. It was just… a rough night for them I guess.
We finally got drinks and ordered food, and it went even more downhill. The food didn’t all come out at the same time, the orders were wrong, they had to redo our entire order. My tacos were supposed to have pineapple, there was none. I don’t know how much of the night was the kitchen’s fault, and how much it was our server. The food wasn’t really that great (and pretty cold by the time I got around to eating mine).
Our server was new, and we tried to be forgiving of that. The manager did take our food off of the receipt, which was nice (and also why I am giving them 2 stars instead of 1). But there are so many other Mexican restaurants in the area that I have had good experiences with, so I would rather go back there.

We came here for Cinco De Mayo, as a Plan B after abandoning La Hacienda on Lake Street, which had multiple hours wait. We considered ourselves lucky to get a couple of seats at the bar, instead of waiting for the dining room.
I tried the combo fajitas (steak, chicken, shrimp), house margarita & red sangria.
Down-​sides:
* Didn’t arrive sizzling. It doesn’t really matter to me, but some people are sticklers about that.
* No complimentary chicken soup with the meal. I didn’t realize this should’ve been included, until after I read a few more reviews afterwards. Minus at least 1.5 stars for that oversight… blame the bartender ??
* Only 3 tortillas initially. This is not much for a huge plate of fajitas. I could order more without add’l charge… but it would’ve been nice, not to have to do that. They are soft, thicker & taste freshly-​made.
* Margaritas are on the sour side, which I didn’t care for. Added sangria myself to sweeten it up a bit.
Up-​sides:
* LOVED the red sangria ! It’s decently sweet… even though the small apple chunks floating in it are very sour… but at least they made the sangria *look* more authentic ;-j It’s alittle cheaper than a margarita, too.
* The choice of two salsas is a good idea. I preferred the spicy one. As an aside, I can’t tolerate anything very hot. But it was not really that spicy to me, especially if you avoid the small slivers of jalapenos. It was also *much* tastier (more onion, garlic & cilantro) & thicker (not really chunkier, just thicker. so better for chip dipping) than the mild one.
* The meat & shrimp were some of the best-​tasting fajitas I’ve ever had !! Very good char-​grilled taste, and sauteed onion & garlic flavor too. Plus alittle «greasy» (for lack of a better word)… in a very good way !
* Shrimp was medium-​sized and had a fresh, «sweet» flavor. And at least 5 – 6 pieces, which is nicely abundant for a combo. Steak was chewy, but tasted great. Chicken was all breast & not too dry. Each one was very tasty !
I will *definitely* be returning for the fajitas & sangria. And maybe try some other menu items as well !!

Apparently La Magdalena is owned by the same people as La Hacienda which isn’t too surprising since their menus are fairly similar! The only glaring difference is the atmosphere where La Hacienda is more lively and sports bar-​esque whereas La Magdalena seems more homey. We had a few different people waiting on us throughout the night but our main server, Martin, was awesome! He was extremely personable and funny which made the night even better. Service was top notch and you could tell the staff really worked with each other. Our glasses were always full and someone was always checking on us to see if we needed anything and made sure we were having a great dinner.
In addition to the service, the food was very good. I ordered ground beef enchiladas and my friend had the chicken special. The food was well flavored and generous with portions so we had plenty of leftovers for the next day (success!). I also had a glass of sangria which could have used more fruit and flavor but overall wasn’t bad. I’ll definitely be back to La Magdalena and I can’t wait for warmer weather when they open the patio!

This is the best Mexican restaurant! The food is always so good! Everyone needs to try it

What a great find! My husband and I were in the area and asked ourselves… In a sea of Mexican restaurants (Addison) how do we choose? This place was great! Our waiter was fantastic, the chips & salsa were great, the margaritas were delicious, and the food was yummy. If we lived nearby, we would definitely return to try other items on the menu.

This is an awesome Mexican restaurant in the Chicago suburbs! The service is great — everyone working there is super nice and attentive. The margaritas are huge (bonus) and tasty. The steak quesadillas are some of the best I’ve had. Everything is super reasonably priced. I’ll be back!

This restaurant was just okay. The food and the service was lacking. The salsa was delicious.

I absolutely love the restaurant, the people there and the days that the margaritas are on special. If you have not been there, I suggest you go. You will not be disappointed.

Fresh Hot Salsa, tamales above average still not at a Texas grade. Service good other food standard — no complaints

This is the only place I go when I want Mexican food. The service is great and the food is delish !!! I have not had one bad experience here at all. And the inside has a nice quiet atmosphere. The have the Spanish music going, but its not loud and quite relaxing :)

JimFrom the negative reviews that I read on here they are so wrong this is not your typical taqueria. I was basing opinion on Unilocal reviews. Yeah, so wrong this is more gormet, than your local taco joint. I was impressed with the service from Martin. I will be back I guarantee that.

. Our waitress it might take us check correctly she also did not come back to our table and a timely manner the food was great but as I said our waitress tonight come back and a timely manner she never checked up on us never took our drinks for my table and then too embarrassed so she chased us outside door please never come to this place.

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants for sure. Always good service and food. I really enjoy the Carne Asada, and have heard many compliments about their other dishes from the people I have come here with. Tasty Margaritas are also flowing here. Waitrstaff and managers check in with you often to ensure everything is okay. Good sized portions and tasty meals! Free chips and salsa are delicious also. Parking is hidden in the back and can get a bit crowded when busy. Overall just a consistent quality place!

Really good food, good décor and atmosphere and excellent service.
We will definitely come back.

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant. And I’ve tried many!
Service is usually spot on, and the food never disappoints. House made salsas are spicy and delicious. Manager always stops by to check on the meal.
Favorite dishes are the fajitas. You can ask for an off-​menu special, «Fajitas Alambra». It’s the best I’ve ever had anywhere! Sautéed steak, chorizo and bacon along with fajita vegetables AND pineapple. Topped with Mexican cheese. Highly recommended!
Usually enjoy coming here every week or so. They have Margarita specials on Monday, as well.
Their guacamole is very good, by the way!

Hola Amigas and Amigos, mi gusta some Mexican food por flavor!
I wanted to try out La Magdalena in my local town. I’ve passed by it so many times, but never had a chance to check it out until recently.
To park your car, you have to go around the building through an alley and into a small parking lot in the back of the building.
As I walked into the place, it was as small and cozy like their parking lot. I didn’t see a hostess podium, but someone did see us come in and greeted us right away. They sat us in a booth which I liked. It was pretty busy on a Saturday night, mostly family and a couple of GNO drinking the night away. It was a cute establishment, the décor had dark tall wooden chairs and tables and the lighting was dim for dinner lighting, I guess. The place had a full bar on one side and tables and booths in the other. They also had some authentic Mexican music playing in the background which got me into the mood, to eat Mexican food of course!
I like when the greeter states her name and welcomed us. She got our drink orders and then we got a basket of warm crispy chips and fresh spicy salsa. Our waitress noticed I was stating the salsa was a bit spicy for me that she kindly gave me a milder one. So remember that you can ask for a milder salsa if you can’t take the heat.
Our meals came with a cup of chicken soup with noodles. It was good for a cold winter night.
Our food was served quick, nice and hot. Hubby got the beef cheesy chimichanga made out of ground beef (a deep fried burrito). I took a piece, it was cheesy and crispy not at all oily. The beef was also flavorful and he devoured it no more sharing, lol! I would order that for me next time. It also came with rice, sour cream, guacamole and refried beans.
I had a taste for steak fajitas; it came with onions and green peppers sizzling hot. The steak was soft and juicy not overly cooked, I choose warm corned tortilla vs flour tortilla. Mine also came with the same sides’ guacamole, sour cream, rice and refried beans. However, I wished my steak was a bit more flavorful that I don’t have to put anything on it. I thought it was kind of bland so I ended up adding salsa for taste. The rice and beans were also not as flavorful as I’d hoped for. I did like the guacamole fresh and creamy yum.
Overall, it was a good experience. I will come back and try other items on the menu, just because I liked the friendly service and it’s so close to the house.

Remember like a week ago when the weathermen said we were supposed to get that storm and then didn’t? I’m being vague because that can pretty much be ANY week here in the Chi. But anyway, the night we came here we were supposed to get a massive snowstorm. And instead, we got pouring rain, for hours and hours and hours. And people stayed inside because that’s when they do when the weathermen scare them, except for the ones who came to La Magdalena. Because it? Was hoppin’.
My wife was craving Mexican food. I wasn’t that hungry, but figured I’d go along. Our server was super friendly and cheerful. In fact, her attitude made up for the sh*tty weather outside.
My wife ordered some random combination plate with rice and beans and blahblahblah. I got us an order of queso fundito and the caldo de pollo (chicken soup). The former was brought out to us on one of those skillet plates and set aflame before us. Dripping with oozy cheese and spicy chorizo, we made mini tacos with the fresh flour tortillas (you can have corn) that came with it. It was wonderful.
Next up was soup. All entrees come with the house chicken noodle soup, even tho it’s not stated on the menu. It’s pretty standard. Nice broth, plenty of noodles. Nothing stand-​outish. But good. I’m not quite sure why you get soup when you order a meal of soup, but you do.
Then our entrees came and quite honestly I was too into mine to even pay attention to what my wife had. Some enchilada/​taco nonsense that you can get at any Mexican place. She liked it, but can you be more boring? Please.
My soup came in a huge bowl and there were three full pieces of chicken (with bones) in it. I believe there was a thigh, a leg and half a breast. The broth was reddish and spicy (not hot spicy, just flavorful), and it was full of veggies and noodles. When they say it’s a meal in a bowl, they aren’t kidding. This was wonderful and on a rainy winter night I couldn’t have had a more perfect meal.

This is our usual place for Mexican. It’s the same owners as La Hacienda by the Marcus theaters but this is for the local crowd… not the moviegoers. A little more intimate… prices are a little better. Margaritas are terrific. Chips and salsa are tasty and keep coming. All meals are preceded by a complimentary cup of soup… simple broth with pasta. Babies love those noodles!
My favorite meals are the spinach enchiladas, the shrimp fajitas and the skirt steak. All generous portions and delicious. Entrees come with your standard rice and refried beans. These are not favorites of mine so I wish there were alternatives. Seems a shame to send away so much food untouched.
They’ve recently added a patio area. I’ve only been out there once and it could be better. The furniture is comfortable but VERY heavy. Hard to move even your chair. (UPDATE ⁰⁷⁄₂₀₁₄: They have new furniture that is much better!) The sun is also a problem and given the western exposure, this isn’t good in the summer. There is a sort of trellis there but it does nothing to block the sun. Seating has you right on a busy road (Addison Road) and there’s no view to speak of but that’s not a big deal.

I am editing my review for La Magdalena. Before I gave it three stars, now I give them four. I have been to a lot of Mexican places in the Chicagoland area since my last review, and I’ve got to say, this place is better than all of them!
The service is so friendly, and I LOVE the outdoor patio seating area. The margaritas are great– not weak like a lot of other Mexican restaurants. Also, the salsa is heads better than other places. It’s fresh, and they bring you a mild type and a spicy type (I recommend the spicy!) They also give you a complimentary soup with your meal which has Mexican spices, meat, and noodles.
Our food can out hot and fresh, and service was attentive the whole time. If you’re feeling Mexican, I recommend La Magdalena.

La Magda-​le-​na, I la-​la-​love you! I’ll keep this short and sweet.
*Unlimited tortilla chips and salsa (the good, «homemade» kind. mmmm)
*Amazing chicken tortilla soup (comes with every meal!)
*Chilaquiles con pollo… let’s run away and get married. Now.
*Outrageously huge and outrageously good margaritas
*Very reasonable prices
*Portions are huge; you will leave with a to-​go container, or two, or three
*Lovely colorful and vibrant décor
*Great outdoor seating in summer
We’ve been coming here for years and will keep coming for many more.
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiibbbaaaaa!