Owned by world-famous chef Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill is famous in Chicago for gourmet Mexican food. We visited for a friend's birthday on a Saturday night. Unable to get reservations, they arrived at 6 p.m. to get on the wait list and then had drinks and waited in a local bar. They were given an estimated wait of 2 hours. The rest of the party of 8 total arrived at 8 p.m. At 9:30, we checked on the table and were told that they were waiting for a large party to leave. The party had been done for an hour but were refusing to vacate their table even after the host offered them free drinks in the bar. While I appreciated the restaurant's efforts to clear the table, not much soothes a wait that is 90 minutes longer than even the estimated 2 hour wait.
We were finally seated in the "lower level" (i.e. the basement), which was sparsely decorated but comfortable. As to the rest of the restaurant, my impression was of masses of people. I couldn't even begin to describe the decor.
The food was good. The tamales were tender. The mole was bold. The ceviche was outstanding. Service was decent, but not what I would have expected from a renowned restaurant. Refills were slow and there was not much follow up.
Overall, I'm glad that I experienced Frontera Grill but I'm not sure I'd return. While I enjoyed the food, I'm not convinced it was worth the fairly pricey bill (Around $50 a person including dessert and excluding alcohol) and I am convinced that it wasn't worth the wait and the crowd.
So if you want to experience the taste of Frontera Grill but aren't near Chicago or just don't want a 2 hour wait for a table, check out the line of Frontera Grill products. Pictured above is the Sausage and Roasted Pepper selection of the Stone Fired Pizza line. The stone-fired crust is crisp. The organic chicken chorizo sausage is delicately spicy and perfectly complements the earthiness of the roasted green peppers and red onions. It's terrific.
Also delicious is the Frontera Classic Salsas. I favor the Chipotle Salsa with its smoky heat and hint of roasted garlic.
Information on both Frontera Grill the restaurant and the products can be found here.
We were finally seated in the "lower level" (i.e. the basement), which was sparsely decorated but comfortable. As to the rest of the restaurant, my impression was of masses of people. I couldn't even begin to describe the decor.
The food was good. The tamales were tender. The mole was bold. The ceviche was outstanding. Service was decent, but not what I would have expected from a renowned restaurant. Refills were slow and there was not much follow up.
Overall, I'm glad that I experienced Frontera Grill but I'm not sure I'd return. While I enjoyed the food, I'm not convinced it was worth the fairly pricey bill (Around $50 a person including dessert and excluding alcohol) and I am convinced that it wasn't worth the wait and the crowd.
So if you want to experience the taste of Frontera Grill but aren't near Chicago or just don't want a 2 hour wait for a table, check out the line of Frontera Grill products. Pictured above is the Sausage and Roasted Pepper selection of the Stone Fired Pizza line. The stone-fired crust is crisp. The organic chicken chorizo sausage is delicately spicy and perfectly complements the earthiness of the roasted green peppers and red onions. It's terrific.
Also delicious is the Frontera Classic Salsas. I favor the Chipotle Salsa with its smoky heat and hint of roasted garlic.
Information on both Frontera Grill the restaurant and the products can be found here.
5 comments:
I think I've seen the Frontera chipotle salsa in the store. I'll have to try it, I love anything chipotle.
yes, frontera is so overrated. however, i will give bayless respect because he does treat his staff very well.
"mexico one plate at a time" is one terrifying bayless close-up after another, and features fantastic bon mots like "mexicans love PIE."
Thanks for calling it as you see it... and for the tips on bringing some of the flavors from this renowned chef to our own tables!
I've had the frozen pizza - it was ok. I liked California Pizza Kitchen much better
I've never tried the frozen California Pizza Kitchen pizza. I've been to the restaurant once and found it overpriced and underwhelming.
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