Chips and Salsa, Fuego Mexican Grill, Logan Square, Chicago

Tamalitos Suridos, Fuego Mexican Grill, Logan Square, Chicago

I’d heard a lot about Fuego Mexican Grill opening in Logan Square and wanted to try it out. One day I was riding bike around town and it was lunch time, so I stopped in on a whim. I tried the Tamalitos Surtidos, a pairing of chicken and wild mushroom tamales covered with their signature mole poblano and mole amarillo. I’d heard the moles at Fuego were good and wanted to give them a try. I’m happy to report my meal was delicious, but there were a few things I didn’t like about my experience.

1. There’s no lunch menu. I was by myself and didn’t want a large, heavy meal or to spend $20+, so I had to go with an appetizer for lunch.

2. The place is huge and was absolutely empty aside from one other table that left while I was there.

3. As you can see from the description of the tamales above, there were two different kinds and two different moles. When the waitress brought my food out I asked her to tell me which was which and she didn’t even know anything about what she was serving, that there even were two different things on the plate or anything.

4. I opted to sit outside since it was nice out. This was kind of weird and uncomfortable because the restaurant is still on a stretch of Milwaukee Avenue that is a bit seedy. A homeless lady hung around my table and asked me for money while I was eating. The valet and everyone else just sat around.. I don’t know if they could have done anything, but it’s really awkward for someone to beg you for money to buy a meal while you’re eating a meal.

Despite of these things, I think I’d go back, but probably at night and probably with more people… and not sit outside.

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