Las Islas Marias

Food was awesome. Drinks even better!!! Service was ok but the good and drinks make up for it. Will definitely be back next time I visit Chicago.

Bad waitress. She took our order never brought the tortillas and never came to ask if we needed anything else, my boyfriend had to get up and pay smh! for that we left no tip. Food is ok and drinks

We use to frequent the location on Milwaukee fairly often because we really liked the food and atmosphere but it closed so we decided to try this location and after trying it, we will not go back.
I know it was busy but service was really bad. We were a party of four and first two of us were served, than a bit later one more entre was brought out along with the appetizer that should have been served first. The crab legs were completely different than how they normally served them, a bit disappointing. We also waited a while for our last entre but it did not come until everyone else was done eating. It was just fajitas! The place is very loud too so don’t expect to be able to enjoy any dinner conversation.

I always wanted to try this place but now that I did, I just felt that I throw my money away. When we arrived the place was busy but there was a couple waitresses seating down. We decided to seat ourselfs down to a clean table.
Waited for 15 minutes to have somebody come and ask us if we waited to drink anything and also received our menus. What I notice was that this place is not organized and they do not have great nor good service at all but, I decided to try their food since everyone is bragging their food is great.
My son had the bacon wrap shrimp, my wife had the breaded shrimp, and I had the oysters appetizer and the octorpus in chili hot sauce.
I was disappointed in the food preparation and overall taste, this place is not what it appears. After I had to force myself to eat he food, we waited patiencely to get the bill. After waiting almost 2 ½ hours just so other waitress to ask us if everything was ok. We did tell her to get our bill. 10 minutes later we received our bill and they started to clear our table. 30 minutes later still nobody came back to pick up our bill and/​or thank us for coming in. I just decided to take the bill to the register only to wait another 10 minutes to pay when their is nobody in line.
Really bad customer service and the place is dirty too.
I would not recommend this place because the food is not that great and they really have terrible customer service.
As for the tip I did not leave one because they did not deserve it, and they want $ 15 an hour. This is what my family and experience and we will definitely not be returning to this restaurant ever.

Unfortunately used to like this place not anymore, waiter was a mess had no idea what she was doing, took for ever to bring the appetizer, bring napkins, drinks or lemons. We order one kids meal, and three adults plates, they did not bring them all at once. brought one dish then after 10 – 15 minutes the next one and so. my Shrimp was cold as if they pulled it our of the fridge. And the Kids meal never arrived! until i spoke with manager then they brought it, my poor kid did not enjoy her meal at all because by the time it arrived we had already given our food to share! manager would not attempt to do anything for us, so sad.

I truthfully enjoy the food here, however the service is utterly horrible.. We live across the street, we would visit every weekend. The waitresses have forgotten our meals, drinks, and been blatantly RUDE. Even Tho We thouroughly enjoyed, The Food The Service Made US never return. On our very last trip the waitress was a total witch. I would ask 4 something, she would respond 2 My husband. she forgot our child’s meal. Never returned w. Our drinks. We never got more tortillas and were rushed out of there. Nah sorry I’ll spend $ 125.00 elsewhere. If you go with a table of dudes, they will attend and flirt w. You, I’d you go as a family, they judge and think you won’t tip well. Now I used to wait tables I always tip well. Skip this place el veneno is better.

They have the best shrimp soup in the city! I’ve tried many other places and this spot here is above all. After you try it you will not like any other place.

Came in on Tuesday evening so it wasn’t very busy which was nice. The waitress was very friendly and attentive. Loved my drink, very tasty! Just one was enough the margarita I had was huge and it came with two coronitas. My husband had the michelada and he loved it. The food was very good as well. Their ceviche is just perfect. Great place for a family meal.

Excellent Mexican seafood joint with reasonable prices.
They have live music so loud you can’t hear the person next to you.
They feature soccer games playing on a huge projector screen and TV’s all around the restaurant.
Service is OK. Waitresses are not very attentive.

Wow! Where do I start? Amazing flavor. Exceptional service. If you are looking for excellent soul seafood, this is the place! The prices are reasonable. The drinks are great great. The best sangria ever!!! I’m just smiling!!! I’m glad I discovered this place because I will definitely be back! I suggest that u stop here if you love food with flavor.

Love the LEVANTA MUERTOS, juicy and spicy, the cocktails de camaron deliciosos. Service SUCKS I do not understant of, i people hate their job why they don’t quit; pure bad attitude. The food gets must of my stars but service gets ZERO…

Went here for my mother in laws birthday as well as my husbands birthday. People rave about how good this place is. I was not impressed at all. I think this place is just well known for there micheladas! But I do have to say there really good!
we kept getting different waitress’s. So of course they had no idea what we were getting cause with every waitress we ordered something. And when another waitress came along and we asked for our appetizers she looked at us like we had seven heads.
When we ordered the appetizers we ordered our kids meals as well. So they could get a head start. We only got one of our appetizers. By the time we finished it, my daughters shrimp cocktail came out (the juice was to sweet and not very good)
After waiting a good 30min for our other appetizers we told the waitress to cancel that and we’re ready to order dinner.
(Meanwhile, my boys meals were still not given to us)
We ordered dinner all at the same time.
30min later 2dinners come out. While the other 3 were not out not including my boys meals.
Then after more waiting we finally got the other dinners. BUT STILL NO FOOD FOR MY BOYS!!! FCKN IRRITATING!!! So I kept my cool we asked about the boys meals the waitress looked confused when we placed it with her.
Ugh, just typing this is pissing me off
Overall you have an idea over my experience!!! TERRIBLE!!!
My husbands fajitas were good but no tortillas were given with them. WTF?
My shrimp cocktail was not great either the juice was really sweet. The only thing that kept me calm was my piña colada, :-) michelada and the mariachi!
I wont go back and if I do it would be for the micheladas only which will be at the bar! But not anytime in the near future, that’s for sure!!!
Terrible place!!!

So far the best of all Islas Marias in Chicago. Try the crawfish «langostinos» this is the dish to die for. I don’t really know why some people complained about the food in this place in case they don’t know this is not the typical American seafood restaurant in fact is one of many mexican style seafood, Nayarit to be exacts. If you can not deal with spicy or the real look of a fish don’t go here keep driving until you find red lobster or something similar.

On May 1 we went here to celebrate a Birthday thinking it was going to be great like most reviews… I think Not! We called ahead the Monday prior trying to make reservation for Mariachi and a group of 16. They told me they don’t take reservations and to call the morning of and it will be set. I called at 9 since the person who answered the phone said they would be open to find out Ooooo they weren’t open … then we tell them we will be there at 630 and need the Mariachi to be there and we get there to find out the Mariachis left!!! Was I livid ! They were supposed to sing happy birthday and all and that never happened. I asked to speak with the manager and he tells me I should have made a reservation prior and I was supposed to put a deposit for the Mariachi. here’s a piece of advice make sure when you can talk to someone who understands both Spanish and English because I spoke both and still ruined it all! To top it off the waitress was rude and oh ya she was the only one attending our table… great job! NOT!
S.N. THANKS FOR THE DRY FAJITAS!

Go to Chicken Run and Campeche Seafood for good seafood and Mexican food… you won’t be disappointed.

Saturday night Pachanga night! SO I meet up with My main man Leo and his cousin for some cervezas and a bite. They were already at the bar of this establishment enjoying some Modelo’s! and Michelada’s! If you dont know what a Modelo or a Michelada is then stop reading now.
Ok, See what I did there?! I put up a hipster Filter mechanism… ha!
Drunk Mexicans at the bar blowing of their weeks paycheck on beer and Live table side Mariachis… check!
Awesome Ceviche… check
The Shrimp empanadas and the sauce accompannying them. DAMN!
Oysters for me and mi compadres… checketie check check check!
Go early or really late as it gets crowded.
Shake & bake seal of approval!
Hipster infestation level: –10 Yeap a negative… Drunk Mexicans loud Mariachi singing and carnivorous seafood eating West of Pulaski = Skaaarryyyy! Boooooooo!

OK Place to eat sea food. I have only had a number of things so il only be rating based on what I ate so far.
Parilla de 7 mares
7 Mares soup
Shrimp Cocktail (Not a huge fan, but they are fresh. I think they could do a better mix of their juice for the shrimps, its too light)
Fresh lemonade, real good
Ceviche that comes as a table side is really fresh and good.
Their staff is pretty good about attending in service, its an OK place thats in the middle of Chicago’s West side.

I felt like I had to chime in — I would agree that most places that aren’t spanish (Spain spanish, not Mexican) don’t serve very good paella, and most times, it isn’t paella at all but just a mixed rice dish. Spain is known for great paella, not so much Mexico. I’d steer clear of any paella, at any restaurant, unless it’s known for the dish, and I’m saying this because I’ve been let down too many times.
Having said that, I think this place has delicious seafood. They are known for their «langostinos», or langoustines, and they are sooo good. They have this slightly spicy sauce that you just want to lick off the plate. My husband got the carne asada, and it was extremely tender with a nice seasoned char. Shrimp empanadas were fresh and tasted homemade. And, the portions are huge! I wouldn’t bother with the mixed drinks — my piña colada tasted like a candied milkshake — but I definitely recommend this place for reasonably priced seafood. Next time I’m ordering the snapper! I’d also like to check out the other locations.

This is one of my favorite places for real, true mariscos. I lived in LA for a year and this food brings me back to the great whole-​in-​the-​wall mariscos restaurants in East LA. The food comes out on huge platters and the portions are gigantic.
I always order the laungestinas (sp) because they are to die for! My mom always orders the fish soup, and she claims that there is no better place in the city ot get it.
Enjoy!

My husband and I were always curious about this place after driving by the one further over on Grand (near the Brickyard Mall) and decided to give it a try, figuring the crowds must mean the food is good. We were wrong.
I got the seafood paella plate and could barely eat any of it — the rice was nasty — the kind of rice you would see on a «pilaf» offering at your typical family restaurant. Then, the seafood on top was not «eater-​friendly». We’re talking crab in the shell (which when I did get it out, was not very good qulity), scary crawfish with their feelers and eyes and legs. Not something I am into deconstructing — especially when I had no «discard» plate and table barely fit our meals and drinks.
I don’t even remember what my husband ordered — I was so distracted by the aquarium on top of my rice. I do recall that he thought the food lacked flavor — suprising as we were the only caucasians in the restaurant — this was not like being at Pepe’s where the reverse is true and you expect watered-​down food.
We have not been back and every time we pass one (I’ve seen more and more) I wonder what it is that packs the people in?