Mago Grill & Cantina — Restaurant in Wheeling Township

I'll start off by saying this place would've easily received 5 stars if it wasn't for one major issue which I will address at the end. I made reservations for my GF and myself. We arrived in front of Mago right on time but it took 15 minutes to find parking. I called to tell them this and they told me they would do their best to hold my reservations. Ok? We get there, waited a few minutes, not bad at all. Friendly hostess. We sit down, we get our water, chips, and salsa right away. Loved the green, verde salsa and the chips were hot and great. Our waiter, Miguel, very friendly and informative - very good waiter. Here is where the problem starts: I had a Groupon for this place and you have to tell your waiter about this right away. The Groupon entitled us to a guacamole, 2 margaritas, and 2 entrees - a great value! Before going to this restaurant, I read some reviews and one of them claimed that the guacamole is made table-side... except for Groupon guests. I didn't believe it, but guess what? It happened to us too. We received our guacamole from the kitchen while other tables had a woman going around and making theirs table-side. Really? Way to make us feel like a second-class guests. Furthermore, the margaritas were watered down. Don't get me wrong, they tasted good, but I didn't taste a hint of alcohol and if you hadn't told me it was a margarita, I would've guessed it was lemonade. The food was very good. My GF had the carne asada and I had the filete churrasco - both were very good. Finally, the bill came and another issue arose: 18% gratuity was already included. Is that normal? I know that is common when you have 8+ guests, but when you only have 2? I get it, some Groupon/daily deal customers might be "cheap" and not leave much of a tip if they leave one at all, but I was planning on leaving our waiter at least 20% off of the real amount (and still did) but it somewhat felt odd. Like I said from the beginning, I would've given this place 5 stars if they didn't make us feel like we were being looked down on. And again, the staff we encountered was very friendly and helpful - the issues seem to be fundamental and instilled by management....

BEWARE! THIS PLACE WILL NICKEL-AND-DIME YOU! What a complete mess this place turned into. We have not been here for last few years and not sure if management/ownership changed or what!? We had a party of 10 (6 adults and 4 kids). The food was ok for some, however the skirt steaks were rubbery and chewy. Here is where this place nickel and dimes you! We ordered 4 kids meals which come with a drink. Supposedly, lemonade is NOT included?! Which place doesn't include lemonade as part of the kids drink options in a meal!? Charges $4 for a lemonade for a kiddo PLUS additional $2 for a refill!! What a joke and we weren't even made aware about it. At the end of the bill you get surprised by 3% additional surcharge just for being here and eating inside. They should be taking off 3% from whole bill just for us deciding to dine in at this place! I asked server to remove that bogus charge asap but makes you wanna think how many guests don't notice it and restaurant gets away with stealing more money from poor people's pockets! The icing on a cake was automatic gratuity. I'm fine with it being added automatically, however, 20% is the standard now!? what happened to traditional 15/18%? Then they have a field of suggested additional tip up to 7% on top of 20% that they took out automatically! I suggest you AVOID THIS PLACE IF YOU COME WITH A GROUP AND/OR KIDS. This place will nickel and dime everything out of your pocket. Server should also be educated enough to tell guests that lemonade is additional charge, refills are additional charge, and point out surcharge and its option to keep or remove it. Maria was nice and pleasant, however, very quiet when it came to these nickel and dime charges. I don't blame her maybe she was embarrassed working for this bogus Mago Grill establishment and the owners came up with these extra charge tactics to steal from their customers. This will be my last time at this...

I recently hosted a work event at Mago Grill and Cantina, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The venue itself is inviting and beautifully set up, offering a perfect blend of vibrant ambiance and comfort. The atmosphere was perfect for our event, and the space allowed for both casual mingling and comfortable seating.

A special shoutout goes to Mark, the event manager, whose attention to detail and professionalism made planning the entire event a breeze. He was incredibly accommodating and made sure every aspect of the event was seamless.

Angelica, the manager, also deserves high praise. She delivered top-tier service and was quick to respond to any requests or needs we had during the event. Her presence truly elevated the experience, as she made sure our team felt well taken care of and that everything was running smoothly. From the initial set up to the final moments of the event, Angelica ensured everything went off without a hitch.

Our servers, Maria and Meliton, were exceptional. They were attentive, personable, and ensured that everyone had their drinks and food promptly. The food itself was absolutely delicious, with a variety of flavorful Mexican dishes that everyone raved about. The drinks were equally impressive—well-crafted and served with a smile.

Overall, Mago Grill and Cantina provided a fantastic venue with excellent food, drinks, and service. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to host an event, and I look forward to hosting future gatherings here. Thank you to Mark, Angelica, Maria, and Meliton for making our event...