Tequila CJ Cantina Grill — Restaurant in Lake Township

Tequila CJ Cantina Grill is a vibrant and lively Mexican restaurant located in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood. As a fan of Mexican cuisine, I recently dined at this establishment and was thoroughly impressed with my experience. First of all, the atmosphere is fantastic. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with traditional Mexican artwork, and vibrant lighting that sets the mood for a festive and fun dining experience. The lively music playing in the background adds to the overall ambiance, transporting diners to Mexico without leaving Chicago. The menu offers a wide variety of traditional Mexican dishes that are bursting with flavor. From classic tacos and enchiladas to sizzling fajitas and flavorful mole dishes, there is something for everyone. I order the Mexcalazo dish and it was a true culinary masterpiece that brings the authentic flavors of Mexico to your plate. This dish is a delicious and innovative twist on traditional Mexican cuisine, featuring succulent Rib eye cuts cooked to perfection that are marinated in tomato sauce with poblano peppers, onions, topped with panela cheese and served with rice and beans. The meat is roasted to perfection, resulting in juicy, flavorful cuts that are packed with savory goodness. The smokiness infuses the meat, creating a delightful interplay of flavors that is sure to captivate your taste buds. The presentation of the dish is visually stunning, with the beautifully grilled or roasted meat taking center stage, showcasing the skillful preparation and attention to detail. It's a dish that is sure to please the adventurous foodie and those looking for a memorable and authentic Mexican dining experience. With its bold and smoky flavors, expertly cooked meat, and attention to detail, the Mexcalazo is a must-try dish that will transport your taste buds straight to Mexico. The service was exceptional and the staff was attentive, friendly. They made sure that we were comfortable and satisfied with our dining experience, and our glasses were never empty for long. My dining experience was outstanding. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was lively, I highly recommend it for an enjoyable and memorable...

Don’t be fooled by the ambience or the live music. I am sharing my personal experience to warn others about the discrepancies in pricing in addition to this establishment’s dishonest practice with their patrons. This appears to be a pattern based on previous complaints submitted on other social media platforms. On February 25th, my family and others celebrated two birthdays at Tequila CJ Cantina Grill. There were a total of 18 people and we were the last group to leave. The following day, I noticed discrepancies in the receipt that were not reflected in the menu. I contacted the restaurant and spoke to a manager named Ricardo. Initially, he agreed to meet with me at the restaurant to discuss the noted differences. I met the manager and he noted AND acknowledged the discrepancies indicated in the receipt. In addition, I informed him that our waitress had taken the liberty to place additional orders of ice cream for the kids without asking the parents. The manager stated that he would discuss the matter with the waitress and also return the amount questioned. He agreed to contact me by the end of the business day. He never did. I contacted him a day later and he immediately told me that he will contact me in a bit as he found a resolution to the problem. He never did. I waited a few days before reaching out to him again. I left him a voicemail expressing disappointment over his lack of professionalism and inquiring about the resolution. He text me stating that he would be getting in contact with me. Again, he never did. Needless to say, I gave this restaurant an opportunity to make amends before broadcasting my negative experience. The manager has not been responsive to the issue, and has continued to avoid a resolution. Very unprofessional and dishonest. I will no longer support this...

I have been coming to this restaurant for years but I’m sad to say that because of it’s popularity the service lacks and therefore the food suffers. They have so much going on with the different gimmicks that it becomes so busy and there’s not enough staff to ensure that they are paying attention to their customers. They have the live singing and then the constant toro or they have the monkey, which is ok for a live atmosphere but it gets to a point where you can’t even hear the person your with talking.

I had a table for 5, our food came at the same time but they were not done at the same time. My plate was completely cold while the other plates were warm, not even hot. I ordered a soup for my son and it took forever for the waitress to bring me a spoon which they should have included when serving the plate, I ended up asking one of the members of my party to give up the spoon that he had, so my son could eat his soup before it got cold. The food tasted great but it takes away from the experience and flavor when it’s served cold and not hot as it should be. Cold steak doesn’t taste well. Then towards the end of it all, the waitress gave me the bill, did not provide a pen to sign with, and basically accused me of stealing the pen after I signed the bill with my own pen. Like really, I just paid a bill over $160 and I’m going to steal a $1 pen. On top of that, they charge a gratuity of 18% automatically, making me pay around $22 as a tip that I know the lady did not deserve.

This is not the first time the service lacks, because it’s so busy. It sucks because I really enjoyed the food here but it’s not worth it when the service sucks. There’s better options for a...