Frontera Grill & Topolobampo
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 661-1434
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Illinois Street
- Directions:
- El: Red Line to Grand
- Specialties:
- Mexican Food
- Best of Citysearch:
- Celebrity Chef 2007, Margarita 2006, Margarita 2004
- Hours:
- Frontera: Tue 11:45am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm, Wed-Thu 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm, Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm, Sat 10:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10:30pm, Topolobampo: Tue-Thu 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm, Fri 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm, Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm
Editorial Review for Frontera Grill & Topolobampo – by J.P. Anderson
The Scene
Both spaces have a hip, colorful vibe: Frontera is more casual and less expensive, with a lively bar scene and a rowdier crowd. Nestled in back, Topolobampo is refined and fun, with bright paintings, blue-velvet curtains and a brick-tile floor, giving it a sophisticated south-of-the-border feel. Service in both rooms is smart, friendly and professional.
The Food
This is some of the best Mexican food you'll ever have. Frontera's menu features excellent traditional fare, from chilies rellenos and enchiladas to six kinds of tacos. For more adventurous, upscale dining, try Topolobampo. Start with the tortilla soup, a heady ambrosia of dark broth with chicken, avocado and cheese. At lunch, don't miss the salad sampler, with marinated, shredded cactus that's spiked with habanero chili. Other noteworthy Topolobampo plates: Pan-seared tuna with red-chili enchiladas, and succulent chili-marinated pork.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoFrontera Grill takes advance reservations for all lunch parties and for groups of five to 10 at dinner; groups smaller than five should call early on the same day. Topolobampo takes lunch and dinner reservations for up to eight people; it's a good idea to call several weeks in advance for weekend seatings.
The ExtrasTopolobampo offers a five-course tasting menu for $70 ($105 with wine).
User Reviews for Frontera Grill & Topolobampo
06/16/2008 Posted by Southernfoody
I'm rather stunned that this restaurant gets all the hype it's getting. I agree with many reviews of the food being over-spiced--be it too much lime or simply too salty. And after you wait for this reservation and the experience--like you'll really send it back? I couldn't imagine eating at the Frontera side (even though my husband said the food looked better on that side), it was so loud you may as well eat under a plane for the same sound effect. Who really enjoys this? Expensive mexican food in my book. Pro: the decor of the place and the mango dessert con: That we spent over 300 dollars and didn't enjoy it. Won't be back
Pros: We received our food quickly
Cons: it wasn't that good (too salty), the noise level, nothing wow'd us
05/22/2008 Posted by kdanica
First, we tried to change our reservation from 2 people to 4. I called an hour ahead of time and the maitre d told me that this was not possible. Wrong answer. Fine-dining restaurants should do everything possible to accomadate their customers and, by looking around when we got there, they could have accomadated us--there were several empty tables! We were seated 15 minutes late from our reservation time, but once we sat down, the ambiance was great, so we thought we were in for a wonderful experience. Wrong. We both ordered from the five course tasting menu--70-85 dollars each--save your money! Everything we ate was overseasoned, heavy, and downright disgusting. Even when my entree came out--pork tendorloin--it was over-cooked and brittle. The waiter told us that the "dining experience" would take 2 hours, which was fine, but in hour 3 after we'd had horrible food, we asked the busboy to tell our waiter that we'd like the final course (dessert) to go. The waiter then came out hurridly and apologized saying "I know it took too long between the first and second course" thus admitting mistakes when we hadn't even complained. You would think he'd have comped part of the bill--no way. I was so unfullfilled with dinner that I went back to the hotel and scarfed down a bag of M&Ms.
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