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Frontera Grill is famous. This Mexican restaurant has been in River North since 1987, it’s the basis for a whole line of products you can buy at the grocery store, and is the first restaurant in Rick Bayless’ empire. And even though it’s way past the point of “hot and new” it’s still a good option if you’re looking for Mexican food in the neighborhood.
Frontera’s menu has things like guacamole, tacos, enchiladas, carne asada, and moles - which are all done very well. The moles are rich and complex, handmade tortillas are chewy, and something as simple as a queso fundido might make you question all other queso fundidos you’ve had before.
This restaurant is always full of a mixture of neighborhood locals and tourists who look like they read about Rick Bayless on Trip Advisor. But that doesn’t mean this place is a bad experience. The brightly colored space is casual, the service is always friendly, and they have a cute sidewalk patio,