HabaNero Baja Grill

This place has some very tasty tacos. I like all their meats but my favorite are the fish tacos. It’s made to order so you can add your own sauces and extras. It’s not a Taco Bell so the price per taco is not cheap and the tacos are smaller but I think it’s worth the price. The place is small so not much dining space. Plus again since it’s small even if you eat there it’s pretty loud so you have to shout to have a conversation. My 4 stars is mainly because of the food and nothing else. If you’re nearby it’s definitely worth a try.

This is one of my favorite places to stop when I visit Chicago. Great Mexican, great tacos. Highly recommend the shrimp tacos especially.

Their food can get so spicy it’s a shame. Bring milk if you dare to eat some of their spicier dishes. The staff is also very accommodating and they allow you to assist them in arranging your food. It’s rare to find a place that can actually walk the walk when talking spicy.

I have a love hate relationship for this place. The meat and seafood for the tacos and rice bowls are seasoned very well, but the issue is they serve extremely small portions for the amount they charge. Two tacos are the size of one taco. I always have to order 4 just to slightly feel full. They are also skimpy with the toppings. The service is great, the food is great, but u get very little for your money. If I’m looking for an extremely light lunch then this is the place to go, but if u want a fulfilling lunch be prepared to spend $ 12 -$ 16 on average to just get you full. To spend that amount of money for a quick bite to eat for lunch is too pricey. There are other great options in the area that serve mexican food that is great and not as expensive. If I could give them 3.5 stars I would but I cant.

Neat option for your Mexican fix
The good: food was fresh and tasted good. Lines moved fast and ample seating at lunch hour (most people did take outs)
The bad: small portions. I had the shrimp salad at 1 and its 3:30 and am starving.
All in all: Good tasty food for dieters and folks who are watching their weight while at a Mexican restaurant
3.5 stars

Disclaimer: I just moved to Chicago after living in San Diego for 10 years, so I’m probably setting myself up for failure trying to find Mexican food I think is good here.
I knew this was probably going to be a bad idea when other reviewers were comparing this place to Chipotle and excitedly saying it’s EVEN BETTER, like Chipotle is vaguely good or something.
No burritos. No carnitas, no al pastor, no adobada, no lengua. I had chicken tacos with spicy salsa, and it was bland. No heat to speak of in that hot sauce! Plus I was still hungry after I ate them. The food seems fresh. Perhaps the salads are good.

We had Habanero Grill cater for our roughly 700 person event last Saturday. They were incredibly helpful with prepping the weeks leading up to the event in terms of menu planning, recommended set up, clarification of cost… They were not intimidated by the number of people we were projecting to feed, which was 800 – 900.
The day of? Oh my. The food could NOT have been better. The set up was quick, the staff was helpful, the food was hot and flavorful, not compromised at all by being brought in off site. They did everything possible to make sure we had plenty of food and that the quality was superb. There wasn’t one thing we didn’t like!
I heard that people loved the event but a huge part of that was the food, I’m not ashamed to say. We suspected we were getting quality but had no idea how happy we would be. I would recommend them to anyone, parties big or small.
Customer service was excellent as well. I have a new favorite fast casual restaurant.

DO NOT DO CATERING! I placed my order 24 hours in advance for 20 people. Made it very clear and reconfirmed delivery time for a specific time as meetings were planned with a short window for lunch. They called the time it was suppose to be delivered and said they messed up. While I am human and understand these things happen I was appalled at the way it was communicated. The worker was rude and made it seam like it was my issue and my fault. When I asked to speak to a manager to see what my options were, she said she would call back and the food would be there in 30 minutes. The food came an hour later, the order was still messed up and the manager never called. I had to call several times of which no one could give me any information. Extremely disappointed in the service level and how they handle rush hour.

Overall: Solid lunch option for your mexican fix.
The good: Food tastes pretty good, with a variety of different options such as tacos bowls, salads, sandwiches, soups. Decent prices. The meats and fish tasted great.
The bad: Limited seating, a somewhat long wait that didn’t move very fast, and the spiciest sauce wasn’t very spicy. Also, portion sizes are on the smaller side.
Atmosphere: ⁷⁄₁₀
Service: ⁷⁄₁₀
Food: ⁸⁄₁₀

I tried the tacos. It was not good. I will not visit this place again. I was not satisfied on any level and ended up getting a second lunch later.

Much needed non-​Chipotle /​non-​Taco Bell spot in the West Loop! Habanero Baja Grill has the quality ingredients over Taco Bell like Chipotle but flavors like a real Mexican taco spot! Serving up authentic menu items using only locally sourced all-​natural antibiotic-​free meats. You cannot go wrong coming here! I have had every protein in taco form here but the standouts are the chicken, shrimp, and barbacoa. I always order how Chef Amado Lopez recommends which is posted below the menu however you can customize your own tacos the way you like. All the tortillas are house made and the quality can be tasted. I have yet to try the churros but they seem to be a hit since every time I am stopping in there are a few people eating one. The place is small and there are only a few seats so get there early or take your order to go. In the warmer months, you could eat near by the river around the building where there are always plenty of seats and tables. You can always walk across the street to the Ogilvie Transportation Center food court, sit near Taco Bell, and rub it in to those around you that you have a better taco meal! Stop in and get your taco on! Just maybe Chef Amado Lopez will create your meal to order as I see him there all the time taking my order!
Food — 5
Décor — 4
Service — 5

I was headed over to Taco Bell when I passed by this place. Decided to try my luck. Great idea.
The long line was a little daunting, but they moved really quickly. I tried three different tacos and they were all great. The best thing is the salsa. I can never find a Mexican place with hot enough salsa. The habanero fit the bill. I will definitely be back.

It’s like Chipotle but they call it Haba Nero.
Pros:
The line moves quickly
Barbacoa soup
Cons:
Same containers for both solids and soups
Walk in, choose a base (tacos, soup, greens), then pick your meat, and what you want in it.
It’s a typical fast food experience with seemingly healthier options. Their focus is speed, don’t always ask what you’d like to drink, don’t always offer extra napkins or straws.
It’s in and out, your meal is what you make of it.

Chipotle competitor fails to out-​Chipotle Chipotle.
For starters, yes, the prices are nearly the same, but you definitely get less food. I had a shrimp bowl and shared chips and guac with someone and left hungry.
Pros: It was fresh, definitely. Enjoyed the shrimp, which is not offered at a lot of assembly line places.
Cons: less food, like I mentioned. The guac had a few onions and a bit of cilantro in it, but definitely needed some love. It worked for me because I love heavily-​limed guac, but it was plain.
Having one small garbage can for all of your eat-​in patrons isn’t the smartest idea. It was overflowing by the time I headed out. All in all, won’t go lower than three because the food was fresh. But at the same time, not in a big hurry to return.

The people were nice, the place was nice, it was full, and the food was… OK. The place was a bit difficult to find as well… although it shows it kind of on the river side of the building, it’s really on the other side and it’s on Madison.
So food-​wise… I mean, it tasted good, but it was very messy. I’m sure it was what I ordered. I got the tacos, and they were just say to over-​flowing with stuff. The flavors and all were good. I wish they had a burrito, because that’s a great way to wrap everything up in a nice package.
Maybe next time I’ll have to get the bowl…

You know a place makes a ton if they are only open from 11a-​4p. Nice!
The place is similar to Chipotle in that it is the same price point for Mexican fast food. What distinguishes Habanero is its seafood offerings (fried fish, chipotle flavored shrimp and its traditional Mexican style rice).
I read the reviews of other Unilocalers and was well prepared for the long lunch hour line which totally blocked the entrance. I put on my commuter flats and hiked across the street to wait it out. Surprisingly, 12 minutes later, I had my to go order in hand. So it is worth noting that it is a long line but it moves pretty quickly. So, don’t be discouraged. Because it really is worth the wait.
My shrimp bowl was really good. I found the chipotle flavored shrimp and «medium» sauce to be just the right combination. The person behind me ordered the tacos (soft corn tortillas) and was able to get three different types. After seeing the marinated steak and barbacoa being placed on her tortillas, I began to wish I had tried it, but I told myself I could always get it the «next» time if my stomach survived the first visit.
Until the next HBG creation…

I haven’t gone back to Chipotle after visiting Habanero Grill… it’s THAT good.
I’ve always had the Baja salad here because I couldn’t get enough of it, but my coworkers loved the rice bowls and their homemade tortillas.
I’ve tried a lot of their protein — the shrimp, fish, barbacoa, and chicken. Love all of the above but the shrimp and fish are probably my favorite. The shrimp has a garlic butter taste while the fish has a light crispy coating that doesn’t feel too heavy.
Their salads are delicious because they put lots of fresh veggies in, like arugula, diced daikon, tomatoes, pickled red onion, cabbage slaw, and avocado (for free)! There’s also a crunch factor with the wonton strips.
The workers were also super nice, seemed to enjoy what they’re doing, and way efficient. I was in and out of there in 10 minutes or less even if there’s a line.
Since I worked right next to here, I grabbed lunch here all the time. The only thing is that I would be SUPER thirsty the rest of the afternoon… so drink lots of water and avoid the shrimp if you have meetings.

Love these tacos! Barbacoa, shrimp, fish, and even the chicken is outstanding. Not too big of a fan of the steak but the rest are top notch.
I love the selection of arugula and their tomatoes are always ripe and juicy.
Whenever I have a taco craving (which is literally 3 times a week) I immediately go here.
Corn tortillas and really fresh ingredients makes it beat out Chipotle and Taco Fresco hands down.

3.5
I was going to go to Chipotle to grab a salad, but my friend suggested we go to Haba Nero. Since I’ve never been before she didn’t have to twist my arm. I had no expectations going in except that the meat was all natural (good thing) and the tacos were supposedly pretty decent… and they were. I’m pretty picky when it comes to taco’s, so I can’t give it a five star because I have had better for a cheaper price. For a place in the loop though it’s pretty decent.
My friend got the 3 chicken taco order and I wanted to try everything, so I mixed it up and got 1 chicken, 1 steak, and 1 shrimp. It’s nice that they allow you to mix the taco’s. My favorite would have to be the steak. I like the avocado sauce they use on it. What’s also nice is this is right by outdoor seating. Everyone and there mother was outside enjoying the beautiful weather and watching the boats go by. Made me feel like I was on vacation than just a lunch break.

A casual quick service Mexican restaurant from the chef who opened XOCO for Rick Bayless: Chef Amado Lopez. The love for and depth of knowledge about Mexican cuisine can be felt throughout the menu. We sampled three tacos, all served on tortillas made by hand in house. The barbacoa was aromatic, fried tilapia spicy with chipotle mayo, steak was juicy and well-​seasoned, paired with pickled red onion for tang. The housemade red salsa features guajillo, ancho and arbol, an earthy heat that builds on the palette. Green salsa has a sweet, grassy chile flavor accented with herbs.
I found out they were «soft» open this week when they posted a photo of a vegetable caldo on instagram. One look at the steaming brothy bowl filled with arugula, hominy, chile poblano, tortillas, lime and more was all it took. My girlfriend and I placed a large to-​go order for caldos (soups) and cemitas (sandwiches) and enjoyed hot chocolate and churros while we waited. The chocolate is less rich than XOCO, which makes it more drinkable and the perfect cure for the cold winter we’ve been having, especially paired with the sugary crunch of a churro.
Chef Amado and I worked together for years at XOCO and I must say I was sad when he moved on: It makes me happy that he has made a new home to fill with his generous spirit, high standards, and the authentic aromas and flavors of Mexican street food. The folks who live and work in the West Loop have a great new place to eat!