The food was presented beautifully. My daughter enjoyed the taco salad and my other daughter enjoyed the chicken tacos. I ordered the steak enchiladas, which was also presented beautifully, but there was so much sauce on top with everything else. I couldn't even taste the steak at all. They made the guacamole table side, which was delicious we all had different cocktails, and I don't think any of us enjoyed them. Mine was very strong, but again presented beautifully. I would rather it taste better and not look so nice.
Debbie S.
Great food, awesome atmosphere, and great service. We met up with old friends and talks and talks until the restaurant closed- no one rushed us and our server actually continued to check on us. It can get loud and vibrant in there!
Puni TravelGirl
We went ro celebrate my daughter having a baby. She had not been out in 2 months and needed a girls night. We saw mariachi singers singing bdays for people so we requested the mariachi singers to come sing for my daughter. They did not show up at our table. We ordered drinks that never showed up. So we canceled the drink order since we were done eating. Food was so mediocre. Service sucked. Restaurant was empty. And they still could not cater to us. Will never go here again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Brandon Hunley
Second time here. Server was also the bartender and recommended our second drinks. Phenomenal. Food is great. We had two empanadas and split the Ropa vieja and we’ll be returning here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dan Ellis
This is becoming our families go-to place. Food is outstanding! Enchiladas de camaron is phenomenal. Don't be worried about the different types of moles. I wouldn't have thought a "peanut mole" was even a thing let alone incredible. Everything tastes like it's made from scratch. The table side guacamole is killer. Chips and salsas are dynamite. Very addictive. Have to cut myself off many times.My only gripe is that this place is really hopping during dinner and hard to hear the server. We did get seated next to the bar so maybe a little louder than normal. Waitress was clearly native Spanish speaker and sometimes hard to understand within the bustle of the restaurant. I regret only taking 2 years of Spanish in high school! Overall great waitress and very attentive.Mago is a really fun place and a great atmosphere. Go experience a new restaurant and try something different. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant. Experiment with some new foods that you would not normally try. This place will not disappoint.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Table Service Guacamole Dip, Salsas
Kathie Dorus
The manager is the worst. We had to return one meal 2 times because it wasn't right, when we talked to the manager after spending $200 on our dinner, he took no accountability and tried giving us an explanation as to why it happened. I don't care, I just wanted to go out and have a nice dinner. I will never return to this restaurant. He did give us a gift card that is only good for the next 2 weeks from Monday - Thursday. Which didn't compensate us for the terrible experience.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Brian Sanders
Went there for couples date. Very
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tableside Guacamole
Carl Sandstrom
Great atmosphere great food and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Enchiladas En Mole Xico, Fajitas En Molcajete, Steak, Table Service Guacamole Dip
RossM
Because I live at the north end of "the Barringtons" I don't usually go to the Arboretum for dinner, but when I do my go-to is Mayo. The space is beautiful and the food (including the chips and especially the guacamole) is always delicious. A great dining experience every time!
Went here thinking I was going to get Mexican food with my lovely husband. What we got was American food with an accent mark above the 'e'. It was bland and drafty inside the restaurant. Please rethink here if you want authenticity. If you want food that pretends to be Mexican then this is your cup of tea.
JEFF ZITEK
Any place that actually has to advertise that its rainbow friendly is too woke for me
Kevin Sparber
Been coming to Mago for about 5 years now. Great spot for good Mexican food out in the Arboretum in South Barrington IL. They have a great variety of food and flavors. They had a special with the chilaquiles which I have been on a kick lately and this hit perfect. The fried steak was an added bonus to it, never having it before. It was like a beef jerky and brought the other flavors together well. The dishes can usually be modified to spice levels, getting it a little hotter or not. The chips are delivered warm and have multiple salsa options (mild, medium and hot), which is helpful if you're not a fan of the spice. The mole is delicious bringing a complex nutty flavor with a little bit of heat and a creamy texture throughout. The service is always great when we attend!Parking: Located in South Barrington arboretum so there's parking all around
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rice and Beans, Pollo, Steak, Chips and Salsa, Ropa Vieja, Salsas
Manish Patel
Mauricio and Noemi are great folks and will make your Mago Experience perfect. We’ve been coming here for years and yes, they’ve been some ups and downs but this time it was a perfect 10. From the service to the quality of food everything was on point and what made it better is Noemi was a great server.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John O.
I had the most frustrating and concerning experience at Mago Grill & Cantina. To begin with, their Yelp listing, which is claimed by the owner, states that they accept credit cards. However, after lunch, I was informed that they do not actually accept credit cards. This inconsistency is already a red flag for potential customers. Furthermore, the listing also mentions that they accept credit cards, specifically Mastercard. However, when I attempted to use my Mastercard, I was told that they couldn't accept it and that I would need to manually provide my card number. This manual input process was not only inconvenient but also raised serious security concerns for me. To add insult to injury, after reluctantly providing my card number digit by digit, suddenly, miraculously, my Mastercard was accepted. It's baffling how a restaurant can claim not to accept a certain type of card, only to magically accept it once provided manually. This inconsistency and lack of transparency in their payment processing system are unacceptable. Overall, my experience at Mago Grill & Cantina was the worst and most embarrassing I've ever had. To add insult to injury it was a group business outing. Not only did they fail to uphold the payment methods they advertised, but they also exposed me to potential security risks with their manual card entry process. I would strongly advise others to steer clear of this establishment until they address these glaring security concerns and inconsistencies. Then to make matters worse auto charge of 20% gratuity for their issues on a 400+ dollar bill.
So love me some Mexican food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was presented beautifully. My daughter enjoyed the taco salad and my other daughter enjoyed the chicken tacos. I ordered the steak enchiladas, which was also presented beautifully, but there was so much sauce on top with everything else. I couldn't even taste the steak at all. They made the guacamole table side, which was delicious we all had different cocktails, and I don't think any of us enjoyed them. Mine was very strong, but again presented beautifully. I would rather it taste better and not look so nice.
Great food, awesome atmosphere, and great service. We met up with old friends and talks and talks until the restaurant closed- no one rushed us and our server actually continued to check on us. It can get loud and vibrant in there!
We went ro celebrate my daughter having a baby. She had not been out in 2 months and needed a girls night. We saw mariachi singers singing bdays for people so we requested the mariachi singers to come sing for my daughter. They did not show up at our table. We ordered drinks that never showed up. So we canceled the drink order since we were done eating. Food was so mediocre. Service sucked. Restaurant was empty. And they still could not cater to us. Will never go here again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Second time here. Server was also the bartender and recommended our second drinks. Phenomenal. Food is great. We had two empanadas and split the Ropa vieja and we’ll be returning here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is becoming our families go-to place. Food is outstanding! Enchiladas de camaron is phenomenal. Don't be worried about the different types of moles. I wouldn't have thought a "peanut mole" was even a thing let alone incredible. Everything tastes like it's made from scratch. The table side guacamole is killer. Chips and salsas are dynamite. Very addictive. Have to cut myself off many times.My only gripe is that this place is really hopping during dinner and hard to hear the server. We did get seated next to the bar so maybe a little louder than normal. Waitress was clearly native Spanish speaker and sometimes hard to understand within the bustle of the restaurant. I regret only taking 2 years of Spanish in high school! Overall great waitress and very attentive.Mago is a really fun place and a great atmosphere. Go experience a new restaurant and try something different. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant. Experiment with some new foods that you would not normally try. This place will not disappoint.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chips and Salsa, Table Service Guacamole Dip, Salsas
The manager is the worst. We had to return one meal 2 times because it wasn't right, when we talked to the manager after spending $200 on our dinner, he took no accountability and tried giving us an explanation as to why it happened. I don't care, I just wanted to go out and have a nice dinner. I will never return to this restaurant. He did give us a gift card that is only good for the next 2 weeks from Monday - Thursday. Which didn't compensate us for the terrible experience.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Went there for couples date. Very
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tableside Guacamole
Great atmosphere great food and service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Enchiladas En Mole Xico, Fajitas En Molcajete, Steak, Table Service Guacamole Dip
Because I live at the north end of "the Barringtons" I don't usually go to the Arboretum for dinner, but when I do my go-to is Mayo. The space is beautiful and the food (including the chips and especially the guacamole) is always delicious. A great dining experience every time!
Restaurantji Recommends
Went here thinking I was going to get Mexican food with my lovely husband. What we got was American food with an accent mark above the 'e'. It was bland and drafty inside the restaurant. Please rethink here if you want authenticity. If you want food that pretends to be Mexican then this is your cup of tea.
Any place that actually has to advertise that its rainbow friendly is too woke for me
Been coming to Mago for about 5 years now. Great spot for good Mexican food out in the Arboretum in South Barrington IL. They have a great variety of food and flavors. They had a special with the chilaquiles which I have been on a kick lately and this hit perfect. The fried steak was an added bonus to it, never having it before. It was like a beef jerky and brought the other flavors together well. The dishes can usually be modified to spice levels, getting it a little hotter or not. The chips are delivered warm and have multiple salsa options (mild, medium and hot), which is helpful if you're not a fan of the spice. The mole is delicious bringing a complex nutty flavor with a little bit of heat and a creamy texture throughout. The service is always great when we attend!Parking: Located in South Barrington arboretum so there's parking all around
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rice and Beans, Pollo, Steak, Chips and Salsa, Ropa Vieja, Salsas
Mauricio and Noemi are great folks and will make your Mago Experience perfect. We’ve been coming here for years and yes, they’ve been some ups and downs but this time it was a perfect 10. From the service to the quality of food everything was on point and what made it better is Noemi was a great server.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had the most frustrating and concerning experience at Mago Grill & Cantina. To begin with, their Yelp listing, which is claimed by the owner, states that they accept credit cards. However, after lunch, I was informed that they do not actually accept credit cards. This inconsistency is already a red flag for potential customers. Furthermore, the listing also mentions that they accept credit cards, specifically Mastercard. However, when I attempted to use my Mastercard, I was told that they couldn't accept it and that I would need to manually provide my card number. This manual input process was not only inconvenient but also raised serious security concerns for me. To add insult to injury, after reluctantly providing my card number digit by digit, suddenly, miraculously, my Mastercard was accepted. It's baffling how a restaurant can claim not to accept a certain type of card, only to magically accept it once provided manually. This inconsistency and lack of transparency in their payment processing system are unacceptable. Overall, my experience at Mago Grill & Cantina was the worst and most embarrassing I've ever had. To add insult to injury it was a group business outing. Not only did they fail to uphold the payment methods they advertised, but they also exposed me to potential security risks with their manual card entry process. I would strongly advise others to steer clear of this establishment until they address these glaring security concerns and inconsistencies. Then to make matters worse auto charge of 20% gratuity for their issues on a 400+ dollar bill.