(312) 661-1434
445 N Clark St
Chicago,
IL
60610
41.8903
-87.6309
Neighborhoods: Central, Near North Side
What People Are Saying About Frontera Grill
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
This is some of the best Mexican food you'll ever have. Frontera's menu features excellent traditional fare, from chilis 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. 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 with…
09/24/09
Go somewhere else, enjoy more, spend less
by pyroz at Citysearch
Let me start by saying my wife and I are big fans of Top Chef. We were excited to see a hometown chef win Top Chef Masters so we excitedly decided to try his Topo Restaurant. Sadly, we were less than impressed with his food and restaurant. We were provided a guacamole appetizer that was only ok, Ive made better homemade guac myself. The Margaritas were all Tequila and no flair. We ordered 2 different flavors, but they both tasted the same. My wife ordered a Halibut meal that was awful, (she had to order something different and that was just OK) She is a huge fan of fish, and to her her dish was inedible, tasted like the fish had gone bad. My chicken dish came out without its sauce, and I had to wait for that. That was after everyone was served and eating before my food arrived. We are by no means food critics, however, we did expect WAY better than we received. Again, we were big fans of Rick, so we would like to believe this was just an off night, but we will not risk spending the amount of money we paid just to go and find out we were mistaken. Think twice about eating here, the hype of this restaurant is blown way out of proportion. ....sorry Rick :(
- Pros: None
- Cons: Too Hyped
07/24/09
Loved it for years
by MFA11 at Citysearch
Love it always.
- Pros: Really fresh and authentic
- Cons: crowded!
07/18/09
great food, terrible service at frontera
by elysaw at Citysearch
The food was great, but the service was terrible. The hostesses lied to us about our wait time, over and over -- it took over four hours before we got seated. Two hours in, we were having a great time at the bar down the street and they rushed us back saying that "our table" is finishing up. "Our table" proceeded to finish up for another 2 hours. Once we got seated the waiter was a jert, who would only recommend the most expensive dishes. Also, he tried to charge us for > $40 of apps that we did not have. Frontera ruined what should have been a great night with friends.
- Pros: food
- Cons: everything else
The Details on Frontera Grill
The Extras:
Topolobampo offers a five-course tasting menu for $70 ($105 with wine).
Know Before You Go:
Frontera 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.
Save Time:
Frontera Grill takes advance reservations for all lunch parties and for a limited number of dinner parties of any size; 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 months in advance for weekend seatings.
Know Before You Go:
Topolobampo is open Tue 11:45am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm; Wed-Thu 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm; Fri 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm.
The Extras:
Topolobampo offers three distinct five-course tasting menus nightly, priced between $85 and $90 (wine will add $50 to the bill).
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch, Outdoor Dining, Notable Chef, Private Rooms, People Watching, Date Spot, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Rick Bayless
Smoking Permitted:
At Bar
