Verde — Restaurant in Pleasant Valley Township

Honest Feedback with Constructive Intent

I’d like to offer my feedback with the genuine intent of being constructive, not critical. As someone of Mexican nationality who was raised in Mexico for most of my life, my comments come from a place of familiarity and appreciation for the depth and richness of our cuisine.

Presentation: The presentation of each dish was beautiful and inviting — credit to the chef for the visual appeal.

Appetizer – Tampico Shrimp (Cóctel de Camarón): The sauce had a great texture, but the overall flavor was quite bland. It lacked the essential seasoning that brings a cóctel de camarón to life — particularly salt and a bit more lime. Unfortunately, the shrimp didn’t seem very fresh and had a slightly off smell, which was concerning. The avocado was a great addition and added some creaminess to the dish. As for the chips, I appreciated receiving a freshly fried bowl, though many of them were stuck together due to being fried in stacks. That said, the seasoning on the chips was well-balanced — thank you for that.

Entree – Pollo con Crema de Nopal: The dish took a while to come out, which led me to believe it would be worth the wait. However, I found the chicken to be overcooked and dry. The crema de nopal was hard to distinguish, as it seemed to blend into the mashed potatoes, which, like the chicken, lacked seasoning. I asked for pickled onions with habanero to help enhance the flavor, but unfortunately, they fell short. The onions didn’t taste pickled, and there was little to no salt or spice. A suggestion: try pickling the onions a day in advance with lime and a generous amount of salt and line. If habaneros are hard to source, manzano peppers are a great alternative that offer flavor without overwhelming heat.

Service & Dessert: Rachael, my server, was wonderful — attentive and thoughtful. She kept me updated on the delay with my entree and kindly offered a complimentary dessert. The flan was a highlight: not overly sweet, nicely balanced, and smooth in texture.

Final Thoughts: As a higher-end Mexican restaurant, I came in with high expectations — especially given the price-to-portion ratio. While the service and presentation were excellent, the flavor and seasoning across the dishes didn’t reflect the bold and vibrant profile I associate with quality Mexican cuisine. I truly hope this feedback is helpful, as the foundation is there — it just needs a bit more attention to flavor and ingredient freshness to fully live up to...

TLDR; Mexican food how it should be - premium ingredients, handcrafted into imaginative and mouthwatering dishes. Sure, there's no free chips and salsa, but you want to save your appetite for all that is to come.

We visited Verde on a Friday night and while we made a reservation, it wasn't overly busy - which is surprising given how FANTASTIC it was.

We (two) shared two small plates (carnitas tacos and beef tostadas) and an entree (pork shoulder al pastor). It was more than enough food for both of us and the textures and flavors were exceptional. The plating was appealing, the flavors were bold and unique; carnitas were crispy and tender, pork shoulder was cooked to PERFECTION and fell apart with a fork. We'd recommend all three dishes to anyone who visits. We're salivating writing this.

For drinks, we had the Masa Old Fashioned (our favorite): it was spirit forward and smoky while being UNBELIEVABLY smooth and drinkable. The Spicy Mezcal Margarita was complex and not overly spicy, but more traditional in presentation and flavor. The Spanglish Love Letter was also a favorite - a strong, full-bodied cocktail with an almost hibiscus tea-like appearance.

While Verde is pricier than your typical Mexican restaurant, make no mistake - it is on an ENTIRELY different level for the Quad Cities and on-par with restaurants we've enjoyed in Chicago or internationally. We...

Verde is an upscale restaurant serving Mexican Cuisine- not your traditional Mexican restaurant. Verde offers unique options not offered at other places in the quad cities. Please do not be intimidated by the prices, you are paying for the quality and artistry of their food. The environment is also inviting and comforting for both indoor and outdoor seating. The staff were knowledgeable of their menu options for both food and cocktails. We had their Tostadas topped with basically ceviche- fantastic flavor explosion, their steak tacos were extremely flavorful and perfectly cooked, their Birria Tacos...which of course came with the consume...were amazing and exactly what I was looking for. We greatly enjoyed their drink options and their house margarita for happy hour is second to none for freshness and flavor, I just wish the glasses were bigger. Take a hint of the key word in thsi review- flavor, this place is packed with it. Do yourself a favor...