Cruz Blanca Brewery + Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

This brewery was an absolute joy. My partner and I escaped the late June heat wave in here, and the hostess was extremely kind and helpful accommodating us without a reservation. The patio outside is lovely, but it was hot so we ate inside— love the decor and vibe. The upstairs taproom was closed but the bathrooms are upstairs so I caught a glimpse and it looks lovely as well.

We ordered the chips and guac, the pork belly pastor tacos, and the chorizo y papas tacos. Everything was delicious— the guac was fresh and had great texture, the pork belly was crispy and flavorful, and the chorizo was sinus-clearingly spicy. I believe the tortillas are house made and they’re phenomenal.

To drink, we tried the coco frio and the 555 beers— the former is coconut and pineapple and was crisp and delicious. The 555 definitely delivered on the promised horchata vibe. We also had a spicy mango margarita, but I made it not spicy and swapped the Espolón Blanco for Casamigos Blanco, personal preference. It was excellent. Also had the La Floridita marg as-is and it was also delicious. And a couple of Virtue Rosé ciders— local Chicago cideries are 10/10.

Most importantly, the service was perfect. Our server was Erica, she was extremely attentive and charming and funny, was patient with my admittedly annoying requests to edit the mango marg and turn up the air conditioning. She made a great experience even better! Thank you Erica :)

Couldn’t recommend this place highly enough. Go...

Only reason why I am giving this place a 2/5 star rating is because of the food. This was my first time eating here because I am from out of town and was told that this restaurant had good food. So, when my friend and I came there we were seating right away which was nice; however, our table was literally in the sun and we had no shade. We didn't mind the sun at first but after 10 mins it was unbearable. Being a server for any years, I know what it's like to have guests who want to move tables at random times for a specific reason, so doing that my friend and I got up to move one table back because there was shade and umbrella's covering the table. Our server immediately ran over, disrespectfully talking to us that we aren't allowed to move. Alright fine it is what it is, but I have never been talked in such a manner before. Then we asked if we could have an umbrella at the table, the manager happened to be next to us, and literally acted like she didn't know what a table umbrella was and didn't care that we wanted to sit somewhere more comfortable. After a few minutes of finally being allowed to move somewhere else we were given dirty looks by other employees. If my manager or boss ever witnessed the way I talked to my table the way my server and manager did, I would be either written or suspended for having bad behavior. Absolutely disappointing that I wasted my last in Chicago at...

I guess inevitably all food dynasties come to their end. I’ve recently visited several of Rick’s restaurants and sadly, this is now just another chain trading on the visionaries name. Cruz Blanca is the latest. The service exemplified how far these restaurants have fallen. The waiter started by immediately taking our drink order. But then he literally walked by our table every 60 seconds pushing us to order. Annoying and rude.

Starters appeared before our drinks. We placed our order and the food appeared in 4 minutes. That’s a tostada and taco plate. Clearly pre cooked and reheated. No chance these dishes were fresh cooked. Then the margaritas. Large mugs which by definition couldn’t have more than a small shot of tequila. I’m sure there are many restaurants that do this, but again more a chain than a quality restaurant that Ricks name should represent. So, while the food was tastier than McDonald’s, there’s no question this is now a chain that had lost its creative and quality soul.

Time for the check. The waiter is MIA. He disappeared right after he realized he wasn’t going to sell any more food or decorative drinks. I’ve sought out Rick Bayless restaurants for years, always excited to try a new format and culinary experience. I’m not sure if it is a lack of involvement or focus, but based on the last 3 I’ve sampled, this chain has...