5 Best Mexican Restaurants in Arlington Heights, IL

When you have a craving for tasty tacos, creamy enchiladas, or sizzling fajitas, you can dine at one of the many Mexican restaurants in Arlington Heights, Illinois. From traditional to modern to fusion, these restaurants represent some of the best Mexican food you can get in the greater Chicago area. Here are five of the best Mexican restaurants in Arlington Heights.

Javier’s, Sabor Mexicano

Fajitas

fajitas by stu_spivack is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0

For over 50 years, Javier’s, Sabor Mexicano has served top-quality Mexican food in the Arlington Heights area. Javier’s serves fresh food with generous portion sizes, so you always leave feeling full and satisfied. The spacious restaurant features separate dining areas with bright decor and comfy booths, along with a full bar. In the warmer months, you can enjoy a meal or drinks on the restaurant’s garden patio.

On the menu, you’ll find a wide range of traditional Mexican dishes to satisfy any palate. House specials include the fajitas, served with steak, shrimp, chicken, or veggies and sizzling to perfection. Authentic Mexican dishes like the tamales, chiles rellenos, and bistec con papas come served with tortillas and your choice of two sides, including Spanish or white rice, refried beans, black beans, charro beans, or vegetables. Other items on the menu include seafood, chicken, and combination plates. Order a house-made margarita or other tequila drink from the Agave Bar to complement your meal.

  • Location: Eight W. Miner St.
  • Hours:
    • 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
    • 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
    • 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
    • Closed Tuesday.

Mago Grill and Cantina

Mago Grill and Cantina serves some of the tastiest Mexican food on this side of the Rio Grande. The restaurant has a Latin-inspired menu, created by two chefs who have family roots in Mexico. Many of the dishes on Mago Grill’s menu come from family recipes, contributing to its reputation for fresh, authentic cuisine. Inside the restaurant, the festive interior creates the perfect backdrop for a fun meal with friends or family.

Signature dishes on the menu include steak, chicken, seafood, and pork entrees cooked to perfection. Start your meal with a classic appetizer, such as the tamales de frijol with two black bean tamales, tomato salsa, queso fresco, and sour cream. For your entree, choose from favorites like the pechuga azteca, a chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto with cheese, roasted poblano sauce, and epazote rice. The menu also features house moles, fajitas, enchiladas, and tacos. Pair your meal with a cerveza, margarita, or sangria, or choose a cocktail made with one of the 200-plus blue agave tequilas in the chef’s collection.

  • Location: 115 W. Campbell St.
  • Hours:
    • 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
    • 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday.
    • 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.
    • 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Salsa 17

When you visit Salsa 17, you’ll enjoy some good food and good fun. This Arlington Heights restaurant serves delicious Mexican dishes in a bright, colorful environment. It also offers charming alfresco dining during the warmer season, ideal for sipping a margarita or enjoying your meal underneath the warm glow of string lights.

You can come to Salsa 17 for dinner or brunch on the weekends. The restaurant’s dinner menu features appetizers, fajitas, tacos, tamales, and moles. House specialties include the birria de borrego, a lamb shank with a birria sauce of ancho, guajillo, and chiles, served with chipotle mashed potatoes. The camarones enchipotlados is another favorite dish, featuring jumbo shrimp in a garlic chipotle sauce. For brunch, choose from a selection of burritos, tacos, and enchiladas, or try the breakfast fajitas with your choice of steak, chicken, pork, carnitas, or chorizo with two eggs and papas rajas.

  • Location: 17 W. Campbell St.
  • Hours:
    • 4 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday
    • 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.
    • 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
    • 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
    • Closed Monday.

Crazy Quesadilla

Think you can handle a 29-inch quesadilla? If so, you’ll fit right in at Crazy Quesadilla. This eclectic Mexican restaurant, which opened in 2020, serves some crazy large quesadillas, along with other authentic dishes influenced by the culture and cuisine of Mexico City. Crazy Quesadilla uses high-quality, fresh ingredients sourced from local farmers markets, and it prepares its namesake quesadillas using corn tortillas made fresh each day.

In addition to 29-inch quesadillas, you can also get an 8-inch quesadilla, hand made with toppings like chicken, steak, sausage, and seasoned pork. Other dishes on the Crazy Quesadilla menu include tortas, tacos, seafood, and burgers. You can get a dinner plate with favorites like carne asada or enchiladas verdes served with rice, beans, and salad. There’s also an extensive drinks menu featuring premium tequilas, margaritas, and other frozen cocktails.

  • Location: 644 E. Golf Road.
  • Hours:
    • 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
    • 10 a.m. to midnight Friday.
    • 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday.
    • 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Taco Maya

For authentic Mexican food with a fusion twist, head to Taco Maya. This restaurant offers quality, made-from-scratch food inspired by different cultures. You’ll have your choice of six salsa options on the menu to enhance the flavor of your meal. Taco Maya also serves a curated menu of specialty craft cocktails.

At Taco Maya, you can order an appetizer to begin your meal, such as the queso blanco dip or the tostada with your choice of meat. For the main course, try one of the restaurant’s specialty tacos. The chingon taco features chopped steak, chorizo, jalapenos, onions, cheese, and cilantro. The chili potato taco , another favorite, comes with queso cotija, sour cream, and cilantro. Taco Maya’s menu also includes a variety of tortas, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas.

  • Location: 1257 N. Rand Road.
  • Hours:
    • 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.
    • 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

These are some of the best Mexican restaurants in Arlington Heights, Illinois. With so many options, which one will you visit first? Did we miss one of your favorite Mexican spots on our list? If so, send us a message and let us know, and we’ll make sure to add your suggestion. At NeuroHealth Arlington Heights, we’re invested in our local community, with a long history of providing comprehensive mental health services to children and families in the area. Browse our website for more information about our experience and services.

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