TopolobampoAlways awesomeWe've been going for something like 15 years. It never ceases to amaze, on all fronts, but particularly the food, of course. We had the Topolo Classics tasting menu and the Street Food tasting menu, with wine pairings (the sommelier does an incredible job) and both were simply stellar.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing Dining Experience!I am a huge foodie from San Francisco. After Rick Bayless won Top Chef Masters, I told myself that if I ever went to Chicago, that I would go try Rick Bayless' Oaxacan black mole and it did not disappoint!!! I also saw Rick Bayless walk down the aisle making sure things were in place. I heard that he likes his restaurants (Topolobampo, Frontera Grill, and Xoco) all close by so that he can really be there everyday making sure his food is up to par. We had an amazing waiter that knew the menu extremely well and gave us descriptons of each dish. Even the desserts were amazing. I love this place and would highly recommend it. I would go back to try other dishes as well. So Yummy!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique cuisine, perfectlyUnique cuisine, perfectly executed and beautifully presented. Pricey but worth the money.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMExotic delicious foodTopolobampo is not an ordinary Mexican restaurant by any means. I had an incredible intensely flavored carnitas dish, and of course, one of the special Margaritas. Would definitely recommend this place - but don't both with the cookbooks unless you just like looking at them. You will never be able to re-create the dishes in your home kitchen - and why would you want to try?5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMexcellent creative foodThe Alaskan black cod with a green chile puree was excellent, as was the selection of oysters. However, the Chef's ramp triad creation served as an intro/aperitif was phenomenal. It included a ramp gel on the bottom, followed by a thick ramp puree, and then topped with chopped ramps. It was made with ramps from the Bayless' garden.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWow!What a treasure! Went for lunch, as that was the only time we could get a reservation for the week we were in Chicago. Mexican like I've never had before. Fabulous ceviche, unbelievably tender calamari, great house margarita, wonderful service. Would go again in a heartbeat next time I visit Chicago!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMNothing like itWe love Mexican food. We've been to a few "upscale" Mexican restaurants. Topolobampo is in its own category. Inspired and creative. Leave the guacamole & chips and experience the finest in Mexican food. Best way to enjoy this restaurant if you're going for the first time is to do the tasting menu. Each course is more than "tapas" -- in fact, quite ample, and by the time you do all 5 courses, you'll be full, but won't regret it. Topolo was recommended to me, and now I know why. I'll be recommending it to others.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMNot Your Grandmother's Mexican FoodIt's hard to imagine how a restaurant could be better. From the warm greeting, to the sense that everybody wanted us to enjoy ourselves, to dishes that were based on Mexican Food with new layers of creativity, our evening was a total delight. My wife and I each ordered a different 5 course tasting menu, "Street Food" and "Oaxacan". Nine dishes were spectacular--my winner was grilled octopus--and the tenth was just good. I expressed my very slight disappointment of that tenth dish because I thought the Mole' sauce was not the type I liked. Shortly afterward our server brought me a bowl of the Mole" sauce that I had been expecting. It doesn't come cheap, our evening cost $300, but it felt like it was worth every penny5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMWow!Service wa exceptional, food was beyond outstanding, price was so worth it. Everyone in my party agreed.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMNever fails to amazeTopolobampo never fails to amaze visitors from out of town. First, it changes the way they think about Mexican food and second, it is in Chicago. The food and experience are consistently outstanding.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways so good, very happyAlways so good, very happy to have this restaurant in Chicago. I've been a customer since 1987, and it never disappoints. They keep pushing the envelope, but the food is still the star.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing dining experienceThere are so many unique choices on the menu that Topolobampo is an adventure in dining. Every course was better than the next and the presentation was beautiful. Even the drink menu provided choices you wouldn't find on a typical night out. Well worth a visit but book months in advance.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMOf course the food was spectacular.Of course the food was spectacular... but the service was even better. By the end of the night we knew so much about the background of the ingredients and how the dishes were prepared. Getting to know your food... FUN!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMServer attitude was excellentServer attitude was excellent but service was way too rushed and dishes on tasting menu needed clearer description when delivered. We enjoyed the meal but felt at a loss to know what we were eating.pr4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMAn all around terrific diningAn all around terrific dining experience. Food and service were both terrific, room was intimate without being dull and boring.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMBoth the food and serviceBoth the food and service were superb. Expensive, but worth it.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMsuperlatives sustained!!The menu always has NEW items - of equal quality to the 'old standbys' - each visit only reinforces what a great chef Rick is. And, the two new Topo wines are fantastic - Jill has done a great job!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMFor our group of four we triedFor our group of four we tried all three tasting menus plus the vegetarian entree and the Sopa Azteca (get the soup). While pricey, it was worth it for a special occasion. It was some of the best food we'd ever tasted. The cocktails were tremendous too. The Mojito (with rum) was fresh and up there with the best our table had ever had, the Topolo Margarita was wonderful and the spicy Oaxacan Gold was deliciously complex. Two drawbacks to our experience: it was a bit loud in the restaurant for our four-top especially since one in our party was slightly hard of hearing, and there was too much time between our tasting servings, which resulted in a three-hour stay. Other than that, service was exceptional and responsively friendly.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique that is other thanUnique that is other than Tex Mex, take on Mexican cuisine. We had the Classic Tasting Menu which was excellent. The service was attentive but not overbearing helpful with recommendations and explanations. Prices are high but quality is superb. Worth the money.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinately the best MexicanDefinately the best Mexican inspired food I have ever had. We had the set menu and it was wonderful. Great flavours and the waiter was excellent at describing where the inspiration for each dish came from. A very enjoyable and memorable meal.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMVaried and interesting tastingVaried and interesting tasting menus (yes, there are three). All is good, some is great. Nice to see Rick Bayless dining in his own place as well!4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time, but not the last.After 13 years of trying for the right reservation, we arrived and not disappointed. Service and food where outstanding, will follow up and try the others spots.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMI scheduled a business lunchI scheduled a business lunch at Topolobampo, wanting my out-of-town guest to have a good Chicago food experience. The restaurant could not have been better! Service was perfect. Our waiter gave helpful advice without being pushy. The food was out of the world good. Portions are not huge - do yourself a favor and order appetizers, first course and main course. That allows you to enjoy more of the flavors! It is no wonder this is a popular Chicago restaurant. Do not hesitate to dine here if you can.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMUnbelievable flavored!The food here is unbelievable! My husband and I ate here for our anniversary dinner. Frontera has always been a favorite of ours, but we wanted to try the high end restaurant for a special occasion. We both did a separate tasting menu. Quite yummy and much more food than I anticipated! We both walked away stuffed. If we ever go again, we would probably split a tasting menu and probably add an appetizer. Service was very good also. Don't expect anything special though if you are celebrating. They brought us an extra dessert (tasting menu includes dessert!) so we ended up with three! Oh we'll!!4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing Food!!!The food was Amazing, but the service is very slow. For so few tables I was surprised Dinner took a full 2 hours on a Tuesday night.
I asked some questions about the menu and was surprised the server didn't have much description for the meals.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the outstanding treasuresOne of the outstanding treasures of ethnic dinning in Chicago. I always take out of town guests here as they are not likely to have anything like this at home.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique menu. Very good food,Unique menu. Very good food, but actually prefer the menu on the Frontera Grill side of the restaurant. Took 30 mins to be seated with reservations.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMabsolutely amazing evenabsolutely amazing
even better than my last visit
the tasting menus were to die for4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was fantastic, butThe food was fantastic, but it was hard to hear the server's explanations of what we were getting. This makes no difference if one already knows a lot about the kinds of dishes offered, but we didn't. We do hope to return.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have failed on severalWe have failed on several occasions to get a dinner reservation here when we were visiting Chicago, so instead tried for lunch and were successful. We were seated at a very nice and spacious table for two in a back room that appeared to be where people with reservations and in small groups were being seated. The waiter was knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions. The food was amazing. I had the lamb with black mole sauce and it was very very good. My husband had a steak dish served with a very good tomato salsa. We shared a ceviche appetizer that was also wonderful. This place is not cheap but it is well worth a visit.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMViva Rick Bayless!Rick Bayless continues to deliver the most exciting, authentic and at the same time innovative, Mexican cuisine north of Merida. Our two hour luncheon was a a parade of intensely flavored and beautifully presented dishes from Mexico's four corners. It is not hard to close your eyes and remember that long ago bite of a carnitas taco from a roadside stand in Puebla. Chef Bayless works hard to keep it fresh and interesting and it shows in the senses of taste and smell that his food provokes. I enjoyed the primer on Mezcals that our waiter delivered with pleasure. We also had two quick breakfast meals at Bayless' adjacent XOCO and I highly recommend that culinary homage to a quicker and simpler, but no less evocative Mexican food.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was good, but overpriced.The food was good, but overpriced. Understandably, part of the price is due to the great service and environment, but I was expecting more. The combinations of ingredients and the display were creative, but overall, I don't think I'd go back.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFood surprisingly was mediocre.Food surprisingly was mediocre. Meats- average at best, sauces- too strong flavor, overpowering the main dish. Creviche was ok, but again not well balanced flavors, could be better. Only thingnot average was the price. Dissapointing. Rick Bayless sometimes should taste food, that his kitchen puts out.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic!!!!!! Yummy food!!!!!Been going to topolobampo for some time and its outstanding!!! I love the food it's so yummy!!! Everything is fantastic and the staff was fantastic!!! Everyone is always attentive and friendly! This is a great restaurant to go to but it's hard to get reservations so chop chop people!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAuthentic Mexican Food, theAuthentic Mexican Food, the coordination of the Front of the house is wonderful, waiters know when to approach, wine expert very knowledgeable, and food is exquisite. Mexican cuisine mixed with European techniques draw new flavors from Mexican Food4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMExquisite! The food is alwaysExquisite! The food is always interesting and delicious! Service is impeccable, always one of my favorite evenings in Chicago4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent!Can't say enough - if you want to be pampered, delicious food, excellent service, it's a must! First time in Chicago, but will be back to Topolobampos next visit for sure!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have tried for years toWe have tried for years to get a reservation, but always wait too late. Well, the wait was well worth it. The meal was spectaular. The service impeccable. We can't wait until oiur next visit.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBeen here many times, alwaysBeen here many times, always an incredible experience. Jill the sommelier is the best in the world!!!!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMPossibly the best meal I havePossibly the best meal I have ever eaten. The food was exquisite--amazing flavors, beautiful presentations. Our waiter was attentive and very knowledgeable about every aspect of the menu and wine list. We will definitely be back!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI'm a huge fan of Rick Bayless,II'm a huge fan of Rick Bayless,I watch his show Mexico:One plate at a time and I love it. Overall was great, the ambiance, the service, but I was really expecting his food to be outstanding. Don't get me wrong, it's very good, but I was expecting it much better.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWe are visiting from Los Angeles.We are visiting from Los Angeles. I have wanted to eat here for years and it met and exceeded all my expectations . The service was efficient and helpful and very nice. Netherlands food was amazing. I would so got back.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMBrilliant Adventure of TastesThe blending of Mexican methods and ingredients with the foods presented showed qualities of a genius of the chef world. Each taste was a gastric adventure of splendid proportions. The art work and the book about it blazed forth the glories of Mexican art.
I was disappointed at the noise level. It was difficult to have a conversation with two people across from each other at a small table.
My friend and I are elderly widows who choose outstanding restaurants to sample. This sample was a success.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely terrific food.Absolutely terrific food. Wonderful vegetarian tasting menu. Wasn't as thrilled with the decor.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMTastyDelicious from start to finish. The tasting menus are outstanding. They really have a way with fish. The sturgeon was the highlight.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMI will remember this mealI will remember this meal for the rest of my life.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMa fine mealThe fish was too salty, otherwise the meal was just great. We had cochinito, rock hen, and carne asada, the cerviche was great.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMIf you enjoy Mexican food,If you enjoy Mexican food, you owe it to yourself to experience the freshest, most well-prepared meal of your life. Incredible ingredients done simply yet so tasty. Wonderful staff attends to your every need almost before you know you need anything.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our second time atThis was our second time at Topolobompa and the menu is always changing. It was my wife's 40th birthday and it is her favorite restaurant in the city. We will be back in July for our wedding anniversary. This is the best Mexican Food I have had in my life.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOur favorite in the city!One of our favorites. Food is fresh, tasty, original and healthy.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM