The South Restaurant — Restaurant in Englewood

I wish that I could give a review about the food but I never had the chance to eat at The South because I was refused service. Why were you refused service, you ask?Was it because you came in off the street smelling of trash and were to the detriment of the restaurant? No. Was it because you were a jerk, perhaps drunk, and would have ruined the dining experience for the other guests? No. The reason I was refused service was because I was wearing a tank top. Yes, you heard me correctly... a TANK TOP!

Before I go any further I'd like to note that it wasn't a dirty, sloppy, tank top that you'd expect to find drooping from the shapeless form of a tailgater at a football game. No, it was a brand new tank top from H&M that one could argue is completely fashionable at the moment. I was also wearing brand new shoes (first day ever worn) and brand new fashionable shorts (also first day). Trust me, there was nothing sloppy about my attire.

When my wife and my daughter walked in with me, we were immediately stared down by a table of older people that looked at us like we were street people. The hefty old man at the front of the table - the owner of the restaurant I assume - silently looked at me and rudely motioned to his sleeves. We looked at him confused. After a few seconds of silent, awkward, confusion a waitress stepped in and rudely told us that there was a dress code and that I'd have to wear a shirt with sleeves so we left to go back to my car where I had a t-shirt. Upon entering the restaurant again, I noticed that we followed a group of women wearing TANK TOPS and they were promptly seated with a smile. I asked the owner ( I assume) if the rule didn't apply to women and he said it didn't. (Seems like a double standard to me! Then again, I suppose that a group of old has-beens would welcome the chance to oogle women in tank tops?) Just then, a red-faced slob sitting at the table with the "Don" and his exhausted dolts looked at me with strings of cheese running out of his mouth and blurted that he didn't want to look at my armpit hair and sweat dripping out while he ate. He said this while wearing a worn out v-neck UNDERSHIRT that I probably would have thrown in the garbage before disgracing my lawn mower while wearing it to cut the grass. I honestly couldn't believe it! COULDN'T BELIVE IT! Needless to say, we left.

I'm not the type to rant about a place, but trust me, there is NO place for a primitive, outdated, and enfeebled restaurant like this in 2013. I can think of a dozen great restaurants that I'd rather support within a 10 block radius where the food is good and the service is great! Don't trust their BS on their Yelp profile about "SERVICE" being number one. I've seen the service they offer and next time I'm in the mood for Mexican food I'll take my place in the back of the bus and go to the restaurant down the street that realizes that it's not 1920 and judging from the reviews on here, I'll have a better...

I had a wonderful second experience at The South Restaurant! What a vibe. The bar is filled with locals and regulars 24/7 who are always engaging with the bar staff and return time and time again for their hospitality, strong drinks, reasonably priced beers and exceptional comfort food.

Lainie was awesome. I manage fine dining restaurants and have a background in high-volume concepts for michelin restaurant groups. She knew the products, personalized the experience to me and my preferences, and was spot-on with checking in, despite a very crowded bar and a full restaurant when I arrived. I see why the locals returns time and time again for her attentive and down-to-earth hospitality.

The food was awesome. I never would have ordered a burrito with French fries, but alas this was Lainie's favorite and it really worked! The texture was spot on, the fries weren't over or undercooked, and actually added a lot to the "everything" burrito. I imagine this is actually not that easy to nail, especially at the volumes they are doing. I really enjoyed it.

Chips & Salsa: delicious! And a huge indicator of what the food is going to look like. Attention to detail and flavor, but approachable for everyone (the hot salsa wasn't too hot, the mild was actually mild and had a lot of flavor). I eat a lot of salsa and finished two salsas... so if you're like me (salsa lover), order a second one!

I'm a bit of a cocktail snob, and during my first visit (not with Lainie) was a bit sticker shocked on the price jump for a sweet and sour marg with Corazon. I had asked for Casamigos, but was given Corazon (they are the same price here). During my second visit with Lainie guiding the experience, I decided on a bartender poured rocks margarita (still with sweet and sour) but they were strong and $7. Their well tequila is 100% blue weber agave and not bad, so I wasn't excited to upgrade again. I prefer fresh squeezed lime juice in my margs and I'm always willing to pay more for it with a mid/decent Blanco tequila. At this place they do what they do really well, it's not a craft marg bar, so I had a better experience embracing it for what it is.

I wish there was at least one mezcal in their bar program. It's my go-to. I get it may not be popular, but at least one bottle would be nice. Price isn't of consequence, but it is a growing category and there are a lot of fun/creative things that can be made with the spirit.

Really great experience, genuine hospitality and fun sociable locals. Thanks Lainie, I'll be back... New...

My aunt and uncle love this place, so they took me there a few months ago. I had the California Burrito, which made no impression on me whatsoever. I had to scan the menu to try and figure out what I had. Not a good sign. My mom wanted to go back for Mother's Day, and I reluctantly agreed. I got a queso burrito with steak, and it was terrible. The only flavor it had was salt and pepper. Mom had their famous Quesserito, which was bland and suffered from low quality ground beef. If this is what they're known for, the owner has done a remarkable job keeping a restaurant thriving off of a substandard plate, so there's some business sense there that is admirable. The waiter said they'd been serving them since 1970. That's it! I realized that the recipes are 30 years old, and they taste that way...out of date, bland, and in severe need of reworking. The average patron both times I was there were in their late 60s to early 70s, probably having established loyalty around the time the Quesserito was imagined. The decor must have been pretty cutting edge back in 1967 or so, but now feels extremely dated, and not even in a retro-chic kind of way. It felt dark, stuffy, uninviting, and claustrophobic, with only one tiny window that I found myself wanting to sit closer to. If the food is good, I can forgive just about anything else, since dining is what brings me to a restaurant. The problem is, its just not good. Rework the menu, liven the place up, and turn the lights up a bit so I'm not blasted in the face when I walk, no run to my car after suffered through a bland experience in a dark little hole...