Rustico Grill

You’re closed. I’m writing a review anyways. You know why? Because I miss you terribly!
If anyone out there from Rustico is reading this, know that your chilaquiles were the best that I have ever had in my life, and I am haunted that I may never get to eat them again.

Inconsistent!
I was here in April with a group for a friend’s birthday. We had a blast and like (not loved) the food. Maybe it was the drinks but I remember getting some shrimp dish with a spicy creamy sauce that I couldn’t stop eating.
So I went back this week with my boyfriend. It was dead so we couldn’t figure out why the service was really slow. This time they said chips and salsa were $ 3 (but not listed on the menu). I could have sworn they were free when we were there before. So we sat and drank water for what seemed like forever before we got our $ 6 dollop of pre-​made guacamole — also no chips. It didn’t matter all that much b/​c after you ate the cucumber that came with it, it was gone. Disappointing!
Both of our dinners were not hot. My fish tacos were not great. The fish had no flavor, some little bones, and some of the bites were rubbery. I did like the tortillas though!
The drinks were just ok. We tried 4 of them and it still wasn’t enough to make this place fun.
First time was good — the second visit made me not want to go back.
Too bad its a great space!

To be honest, I can’t even remember what I had from here. That should be an indication of how great (or not) their food is. The one thing I did think was delicious was this little green sauce, and one of the guys said if I liked that then I should try their habanero one. He was off the clock, but told one of the other guys to bring me a little taste of it and wow, he wasn’t lying when he said that was hot! I mean, I know it’s habanero, but all habanero salsas aren’t created equal.
My friend and I both agreed that the food was alright, but nothing special. The drinks on the other hand, well those were pretty damn good! My favorite ended up being the Blackberry Acai one.
I was near servers as they were talking and while they were really cool with my friend and myself, they tended to talk about their customers non-​stop and seemed to get caught up in conversation at the bar. I frequently saw people staring at them trying to get their attention. This wasn’t even long after they had opened, so it wasn’t busy just yet. By the time we left it had picked up and the servers seemed a little more attentive, but honestly this place didn’t live up to my expectations.
I’ll go back if any of my friends suggest it, but I’m not in a hurry to rush over there anytime soon.

Incredibly disappointing. I am a reallly big fan of Mixteco– just look at my review below. From the lackluster, disinterested service we received, to the bland, I cannot believe, boring dishes, I was thoroughly unimpressed. If I owned and operated one of the most delicious Mexican restaurants in a city of great Mexican restaurants, I would be embarrassed with this location.
First off, it started with the stale tortilla chips– now this probably won’t happen to you, I am guessing it was just a fluke, but it was surprising nonetheless and I would have to include it if anyone asked me about my night here (and thus, you now know).
Its hard not to compare the two restaurants when you know of similar ownership, and also, when one is so incredible (Mixteco, just in case you did not figure that out by now). The two items I tasted that are also on the Mixteco menu, the tamales and the slow roasted pork, just did not have the same flavors. The Mixteco tamales are melt in your mouth, and like all the sauces at Mixteco, I just want to lick off every little piece from the plate. The tamales at Rustico were bland, and on the room temperature side. Same goes for the pork.
We didnt’ even try the tres leches, which at Mixteco is my faaaaaaavorite. I just couldn’t stand any more dissapointment.
Its too bad, I wish there was a Mixteco on every block. Now I guess I just have to go for the real thing…

Hmm, don’t know if I should give this 3 or 4 stars.
Let’s put it this way, if I were in the neighborhood I would go back… especially if I decided I didn’t want the traditional Mexican fare of El Cid and the wait for Buena Terra was too long but I am probably not going to go all the way down to Logan Square just to eat here when Mixteco is so much closer.
This place sort of reminds me of Mixteco but not quite as good and without the wait so at least there is a balance there. I had the Carne Asada which is what I usually get at Mixteco. I am not a big steak guy and rarely order steak aside from Mixteco and Ruth Chris. The Carne Asada here was ok, maybe not worth $ 20 but it was good. Looks just like Mixteco’s just not quite as tasty. Partly because I think my steak was a little undercooked for Medium Well.
A friend had the Shrimp and seemed to really like it and another one had the steak tacos but I didn’t hear any compliments or complaints out of her.
This is not a burrito joint! If you are in Logan Square and want something a little more high end than the average Taquira, this is the place to go. Good service, no wait.

I would give it a solid 3.5 stars. Went there for a birthday celebration and was pleasantly surprised. Their margaritas were quite tasty and so was the Argentinean wine! But now to the food… the guacamole we ordered was just mediocre. Really, I could have made it better. It didn’t have garlic or have enough salt in it. For a Mexican restaurant, they should really look into improving it. We also asked if it was made tableside to which they answered «yes» but then just brought out a couple small dishes. For my entrée I had a special that night: It was a scallop dish with rice. It was quite tasty and had a nice kick to it… actually it was quite spicy but not overwhelming. Others at the table also enjoyed their meals, but nothing stood out to anybody as amazing.
The restaurant is cute but tiny, and the atmosphere is good for a small group. The only thing is the location is kind of out there (well, at least for me) and it didn’t do anything for me to run back there right away.

I came here with the roommie for Sunday brunch. Like some other Unilocalers on here, I really wanted to like this place and just couldn’t.
The breakdown:
1) Tacos Ensenada (2 stars) — the tilapia was great, but the dish was seriously lacking some acidity
2) Guacamole (3 stars) — average, chunky
3) Huevos Al Bajio (2 stars) — bland sauce
4) Huevos Motulenos (3 stars) — nice texture, decent blend of flavors (eggs, smoked ham, and black beans, plantains, and zucchini)
5) Plantains (4 stars) — fried, thin, slightly crunchy, tasty… closely rivaled Carnivale’s sweet plantains!
6) Pie De Nuez Con Chocolate (2 stars) — average chocolate dessert
The décor was really cutesy, and the service was nice and not overbearing. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about the atmosphere just wasn’t right for me. Maybe it was because the place was at 20% occupancy, and the servers were staring at us a lot. I actually felt uneasy — I couldn’t wait to get the bill and leave. :(
Not returning.

I would call Rustico Grill an overpriced mexican restaurant. I got the Groupon for Rustico Grill and gave it a try tonight and was not really impressed.
To start things off, I made a reservation and had to wait at the bar, even when I got there on time. The bartender was not really helpful and did not provide us with a drink menu. They could not transfer my tab over to the table. Lame!
We got to the table and it took a while for anyone to come over, when the waiter arrived he kind of lurked over my shoulder rather than welcoming us to the table. It was a bit awkward.
Anyhow we ordered food and snacked on the chips and salsa which we thought was really good. The food arrived and it was presented quite nicely. The food we ordered was pretty good. I had the Carne Asada, and the GF got the Chicken Squash Mole.
I had a few more drinks and thought the house margarita was a bit weak, but tasted better than the Rustico version. The dessert was pretty good.
So overall I think the food was good, a bit overpriced. Drinks were mediocre and service was well below average. All in all, I would think you would be better off going to El Cid up the road. Even with the $ 50 groupon I dropped about $ 45 on the first round of drinks, tip and excess of the bill. To top things off the music was too loud and bit out of place. It sounded like techno music from a video game from the late 90’s.
I would give it 2.5 stars if allowed. El Rustico is not a remarkable restaurant and I do not recommend it.

This place should get 2.5 stars, it’s better than Meh but not A-​Ok. To start we had the tilapia taco app. It was bland as hell, zero seasoning. For entrees we had the cochinita and the chicken enchiladas. All sucklings pigs are awesome and this one was pretty close to Mixteco’s so I have nothing negative to say about that. The chicken in the enchiladas was so dry it was hard to eat unless doused in mole. I also ordered a side of plantains that I’m pretty sure were microwaved.
As far as the restaurant itself, it’s neat and has much better ambiance than Mixteco. But, I could have sat on the guy next to me’s lap… the tables are that close together. I’m SO not a fan of that. My husband and I felt like we had to whisper so as to not bother other diners. Our server was pretty strange. Never really said hello or told us about the special that was on the chalkboard outside. He never came back to ask us how our food was and just seemed pretty uninterested. I don’t plan on coming back here and would most likely tell people to take the drive to Mixteco and BYOB.

Server was rude and inattentive. That was the 2^nd time my friend had him as her server and she said he ignored them the previous time, too. Our waters were filled about 3 times before he even came over (and only after asking the water boy for our waiter). When he finally did come over he just looked at us with raised eyebrows offering no «hello» or «what may I get you?» etc.
Warning if you’re using your Groupon here. Despite what it says (mention Groupon at reservation), you should also mention upon arrival and definitely to your server. Apparently we got a «special» (even though the word special was mentioned no where in the title) and thus were prevented from using the groupon. Rather we had to pay full price for the «special» in order to use it.
Despite the fact it was their fault, the server didn’t even comp us a drink and was unapologetic and said it’s «not his fault» because they didn’t tell them.
In retrospect, I shouldn’t have paid at all and demanded a manager.
This place is never full when I walk by and, despite the good food, it’s no wonder with service like this. Also, it would be a little expensive (esp with service like this) to warrant returning.

Well I love Mixteco and Rustico pretty much has the same menu with a liquor license. And the ambiance is way better here. Unfortunately the service wasn’t very good and the food wasn’t up to par. My lamb was overcooked and a bit fatty.
I’ll stick with Mixteco but had to try this place with my groupon.

I had ants in my pants to try this place. I love Mexican, was going with an awesome person, and it’s the freaking weekend, time to party! Olé!
When we arrived (2 minutes before our reservation) the hostess whispered while sweetly giggling, «Your name? Hmmmn, almost gave your reservation away.» Then, smiled and gestured at the mostly empty restaurant and said, «Sit whenever you want.» My companion asked, baffled, «What did she say?» We still wonder if she was being PA or sarcastic. The décor is cute and I like the puffy pillows on the bench seats. Makes it easier to recline after a long day or snuggle up to a date.
I got the House Marguerita and Mixteco Marg. The Mixteco is pretty good with Agave liquor. All are on the rocks. They must not want the noise of the blender. They were out of Pacifico beer. We also got Corona. They had an ok beer and Marg list.
Initially, the server hovered and kept asking every two minutes if we had questions, but after we ordered our entrées was scarce. We closed the restaraunt out, last there at 10pm on a weekend-​never a good sign for an urban, cute restaurant.
The free chips were unremarkable, the green salsa supplied was not that hot or portion realistic with the amount of chips. My date thought it hot enough, but for a true Mexican food lover I’d claim it’s mild, yet savory.
We got the Tilapia Taco appetizer. Decent, especially since the fish was not fried.
I really was excited for the Mole.
Legend has it mole, the Mexican National dish for holidays and feasts, developed in pre-​Hispanic times when the Aztec king, Montezuma, thinking the conquistadors were gods, served mole to Cortez at a banquet to receive them. Mole comes from the Nahuatl word «milli» which means sauce or «concoction».
I happen to love mole, and given origin myth surrounding the sauce, it seemed apropos to dine on it when out when such princely company. I ordered the Chicken Mole enchiladas. He ordered the Scallops. Both were yummy.
I’d say it’d rival Mixteco Grill, but it’s not BYOB and not near Uptown or Lakeview. Odd that it was dead on a weekend night. I’d go again, que sera, sera, fiestas happen when we arrive.

Came to Rustico Grill for Valentine’s Day dinner!
While Rustico did absolutely nothing to help the Valentine’s Day theme (no specials, no special menu, no decorations, no champagne, no nothing) I feel like the dinner was still a success…
You have to get past the service part… it’s not the best. The servers here should be servers at a fast-​food restaurant because they do not speak to the guests, just merely take orders. They also do not seem to be that familiar with the menu.
But dinner here was still successful because the food is just so dang awesome. I mean, the mole sauce is just out of this world… more of a sweet sauce than an onion-​y sauce. The tres leches cake dessert was one of the best desserts I’ve had in my life; you owe it to yourself to try it! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. I should note however, that the menu on their website is incredibly outdated! I picked out items off the website to order, then got to the restaurant and was told, «oh yeah, that menu is way outdated.»

I felt like I was cheating on Mixteco when we came here but this is closer to my house. I was planning on getting the pre fixe menu until I found out that I could only have soup for my appetizer and I just didn’t feel like soup. I just needed guac and mole.
I love how beautiful this restaurant is inside. It feels like a lot of care went into making it look warm and awesome. I love the tall ceilings and wood. I had chicken with white mole and I never new how amazing white mole is. It’s like cinnamon and mixed with sweet potatoes it was exactly how I hoped it would taste. The tiger shrimp were also really good but not as good as the chicken. The guacamole was served with huge slices of jimica and cucumber, which was an awesome change from normal chips. Complimentary chips and salsa were served too which warmed my heart. I really wish this place was BYOB but such is life. Service was fantastic.
The reason I can’t give more stars is that my food was kind of cold when served. It still tasted great but I could only imagine how much better it would have been hot. Next time I come I want white HOT mole!

Brunch: They gave us empanadas instead of quesadillas. They gave us one order instead of two. My Bloody Mary was composed of sodium with salt on top and a side of salt. They have no breakfast burrito. Everything costs $ 18. My friend’s mimosa had a brown residue.
They did give free chips and huge mugs of coffee, but it cost WAY too much for what we got, and they are inexperienced at serving. We got a tamale to go and it was mostly corn, didn’t taste like much of anything either.
I don’t care to try any other meals there, ever. It’s almost as bad as its predecessor Rustik. (See my review for more info on that!)
You’re going to point to three fried puff balls (clearly empanadas) and say those are two corn tortillas (aka quesadillas)? Really now? Am I on acid or did I have a lobotomy? No, the staff of Rustico Grill did.

Update: we had dinner at Rustico shortly after the insanely good brunch. The dinner was rock solid (maybe even great) as far as flavors and ingredients go, but the portion I received was WAY too small. The service was also abysmal – there was only one waiter for the entire restaurant, and I was pretty much done eating by the time I got the chance to order my second drink (their margaritas are VERY good).
We will give them another chance, but this visit did not live up to the promise of the original brunch visit.

Tsk, tsk to me…
Despite reading the lackluster reviews… I forged ahead anyway, intent on paving my own path in Logan Square, and checking out the man behind Mixteco Grill’s newest endeavor.
A bit flat, I am sad to report.
Mixteco was so… unexpectedly marvelous. A beacon of sunshine on a dreary corner (Montrose & Ashland), beckoning patrons in with a BYOB policy, mole that would make your mama weep tears of spicy joy, and excellently prepared dishes. Rave reviews, an expansion within 6 months, lines around the corner. Made in the mf’in shade.
So, of course the next logical step would be a «step ‘n repeat,» and the digs of shuttered Rustik became Rustico Grill. And somewhere in that exchange some of the ideals got lost.
Mainly…the quality and presentation of the food. When expectations are high, they are high… and mine were only about mid-​range and I left a wee bit disappointed.
First, the seating. Dinner for two at almost 9pm on a Thursday evening… and we were sat right in between a very obvious first date (4 inches to our right) and a gaggle of girls (4 inches to the left). This type of seating is just dandy if there are NO other open seats, but there were several other options. Smushing yourself into seats, and then drowning out background noise along the lines of «oh yes, I used to have my cabbage patch dolls play Parliament government» does not make for an enjoyable meal, even if the food is phenomenal.
Which, sadly… it was not.
Mahi Mahi= «meh-​i meh-​i.» Two limp looking cuts swimming in some type of lukewarm mole sauce, accompanied by 2 slices of zuchhini and a bland white rice. Just a real downer, all around. Chips were fine (um, hello… this is a given!) but salsa was weak, on all fronts. Spice fail. Texture fail.
Service was really fine, but couldn’t overshadow the food or seating arrangements. Despite entertainment on the right… just wasn’t as enjoyable of an experience as I’d come to expect from the Mixteco man. Luckily, the digs are fresh… and there is time to whip this menu into shape. And next time, I want a corner table. Thanks ;)
*also offering brunch, which I think may be a winner… especially in this ‘hood.

I was in love with Rustik and was disappointed when they closed, but we decided to give Rustico Grill a try for brunch one day. I’m pretty sure that this isn’t a family owned place, but you sure feel like it is once you step through the door.
The menu is interesting, with many options I have never seen for brunch at a Mexican place. Of course, they have the old standby’s, tacos, chilaquiles, etc., but our server recommended the huevos capitalanos since I was looking for something spicy and different. It is two eggs served in corn boats with a spicy sauce. Deeeelicious.
We went back yesterday and I went with the chilaquiles verdes with two eggs. So good. I loved it. I hope this place sticks around. It is kind of hidden on California, but I love it for brunch when I get a chance to go.

My friends had me all excited about this new place. It was lively and hip when we walked in, so I didn’t doubt them. After we sat down, the first thing we noticed was the grinding sound of a heater fan or something. A faint whirring sound that was quite obvious each time the heat came on. Quite annoying too.
The food was nothing special. The guac was very salty. The fundido was a bit dry and rubbery, and the pork empanada was a bit like pot roast in dough. Several people split an app of ceviche and loved it tho.
My entrée was tacos al pastor. I’ve had better, much better, of the taco trucks on the street in town. Overall, I’m not so sure I’d give it another try.

It’s been a long haul. Eight months of unemployment takes its toll, not only on your finances and hence your ability to dine out, but on your relationship. And so it is that when I finally got a job recently, I wanted to immediately treat my immensely devoted, patient and relieved Beloved («MB») and resume our culinary adventures. And at what better place than the newly opened Rustico Grill.
Though I had been highly anticipating this opening, I had heard that the menu would be nearly the same as its sister restaurant, Mixteco Grill. Now, I would not know this firsthand because I have never been able to get INTO Mixteco Grill due to its extreme popularity. All I know is that when I read about «Pescado a La Veracruzana (wood-​grilled mahimahi with capers, olives and pickled jalapeño) & Camarones Poblanos (shrimp in luscious poblano cream)» I was smitten.
Unfortunately, these two items were not on the menu opening night but no worries — the menu was so enticing and tantalizing that it took us 15 mins to decide what to order. But first — drinks. The minute MB saw the words «hibiscus flower syrup» she had to order the Flor de Jamaica margarita made with said syrup, Patron Silver Tequila, lime juice and club soda. I ordered the Margarita de la Casa — 100% blue agave Cuervo Tradicional, fresh lime juice with Grand Torres orange liquor. Both drinks were smooth and enjoyable.
Fresh warm chips were promptly brought to our table along with a highly addictive green tomatillo salsa. For appetizers, MB chose Uchepos Gratinados — two corn tamales with a creamy poblano sauce, Monterrey dry cheese and esquites. We could have, and should have, ordered another one as we fought over every bite. It was simply fabulous! My appetizer selection would be right up your alley, Hotheads — Chile Relleno en Escabeche: one chile ancho stuffed with potatoes, chorizo, and poblano rajas with Mexican escabeche (carrots, red onions, olive oil, vinegar). Hot! I would order it again but it needs more chorizo and less potatoes, in my opinion.
And now, for the Platillos Fuertes… it was mole night at our table. MB devoured her Salmon en Mole Amarillo: wood grilled salmon in Oaxacan yellow mole served with sautéed veggies and chocoyotes. As I am a sucker for pork chops and if they are on a menu, then case closed — I chose the Chuleta en Mole Manchamanteles: wood grilled pork chop in sweet chile ancho mole served with sweet mashed potatoes, chorizo, grilled pineapple and plantains. I did not find the mole very «sweet», however, and thought it rather bitter but I think the sweetness of the potatoes and pineapple might have confused my taste buds.
We finished the evening with coffee and one dessert. My piggy self desperately wanted my own dessert but we were so full that we decided to split one, and because I am so nice and compromising (and a big liar), I let MB choose the dessert out of a list of six options. I had my fingers crossed under the table that she would choose the Nevado de Chocolate y Mole Negro (warm chocolate cake filled with a sweet version of the mole negro served with strawberry ice cream/​chocolate sauce/​berries) but alas, she is not a chocolate addict. Instead she ordered the Pastel de Tres Leches — cake soaked in a mixture of three different milk products served with strawberry sauce and fresh berries. Good choice, my love! It was truly one of the best Tres Leches I have ever had — moist, light and not too sweet. Divine!
The evening was perfect except for one design flaw. We chose to sit in the back of the restaurant where there are four separate 2-​tops and it is quieter. However, there is a windowed outdoor atrium in the middle of the restaurant which, while pretty, also serves as a pathway/​shortcut for the staff to bring glasses, etc. to the bar. Unfortunately our table was by the human traffic which was really annoying after awhile. Be forewarned. Otherwise, a memorable meal and in one word: GO!