Hacienda Leon — Restaurant in Bloomington

I was really interested in this place ever since I saw the transformation going on. I’ve waited a few weeks to go in order to let the crowd die down, and I was sort of disappointed.

The inside really well done, I think the atmosphere was great and they did an excellent job with making it feel ‘upscale’ in a way with the nice grand entrance. However, I found it sort of odd that they put your straw inside of your napkin rather than just hand you a straw with your drink (totally minor thing to be worried about, but just my opinion)

I ordered the steak fajitas and waited probably 10 minutes. Not bad time at all! The waitress was polite and refilled our drinks promptly and delivered fresh chips often. Everything was going great.

Unfortunately towards my last few bites of my meal, I felt something very rough while I was chewing and ended up pulling out a piece of plastic. I decided to ask for a manager as there was a lot of little kids near our table and I was concerned that wherever the plastic came from, it could’ve gotten in their food as well.

He looked at the plastic and verified that it was from a bag that their rice comes in. ??????? I was confused why it would matter where the plastic came from, I’m just wondering why it’s in my food.

Moral of the story, I understand that this was a minor thing but unfortunately it (literally and figuratively) left a bad taste in my mouth. The steak was cut up too much and I was having to pull quite a bit of it out of my teeth. Flavor was alright, and I can appreciate the food being hot when it came out. But I just really didn’t appreciate how the manager handled the situation and didn’t attempt to make the situation right. Will not...

Update 1/9 regarding their take out: Don't. They used to deliver on doordash but now have their own website. In addition to having changed their menu and removed several favorites, their new website completely lost the order. They were apologetic, but to find it, I had to get my phone and show them the email order. Luckily, I hadn't paid online (although that was an option.)

They went and made the food, which I received quickly. The food quality, however, was terrible. I'm not sure if they have a new cook or what was wrong, but the chicken was still half-frozen and nothing had any spice. We ended up throwing almost everything out.

I gave them another dine-try a few weeks ago and they were okay, but had lost some of the spices and "deep" flavors I enjoyed. I hope that whatever, and whoever, they changed comes back soon!

Original review (dine in) Hacienda Leon is fantastic and the best Mexican in town. I've been here several times, for lunch and dinner, and have brought quite a few "Leon newbies". The wait staff is very patient and attentive, explaining the options carefully. Every person I've taken has left delighted (and full.)

The interior is beautiful, very elegant yet casually welcoming. It's a great date place (secluded booths) and there are large, open seating areas suitable for groups.

Drink refills are quick and the food is outstanding - even my picky husband branched outside of his fajita zone to try new favorites. Pickup is fast and friendly as well - I've never had to wait. Finally, the portions are generous, so plan for a take home bag. Try the Alambra and...

Where to begin? I've been to this location several times in the past when it was Mings and even tried the Indian restaurant that was only there for a year. So I wasn't quite ready for the shock when I walked in. The beautiful remodel the did on the outside doesn't hold a candle to the incredible job that was done inside. This place looks like it belongs in the North West suburbs or even a vacation destination like Orlando. From the tile floors to the the awesome iron and hurricane glass chandeliers, its fantastic in every way (even the bathrooms are beautiful). The menu is a blend of regular Mexican restaurant items with additions of Aztec an Mayan influences. The Margaritas are reasonably priced and come in perfect oversized glassware. I always gauge a Mexican restaurant by the Tamales I order to start. The presentation was fantastic with a perfectly smooth texture and ratio of meat, sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. The fajitas come out sizzling and wow what a flavor. The Cheese Steak was great and not smothered in sauce like some places do. I highly recommend the Chicken and Shrimp Paella. The shrimp in it is huge and the flavor is robust and exciting. Even something simple as the Taco Salad was fresh in a warm tortilla bowl.Salsa definitely tastes homemade at this location. We usually travel to El Toros in Champaign for this kind of meal. That trip is no longer necessary. A group of four of us tackled this with a bill under 60 bucks so its really reasonably priced.Stop by this location and see for yourself. If you are inclined the Bar has a wonderful tall half booth...