El Mariachi Tequila Bar ( 3906 N. Broadway; elmariachitequilabar.com/ ) is in the same family of restaurants as Tutto Fresco Trattoria, El Mariachi Restaurant and Revolucion Mexican Steakhouseall along a five-block stretch in Lake View.
I've previously profiled Revolucionand raved about his brunch. In many ways, El Mariachi Tequila Bar is similar; in other ways, it's not.
Let's start with one dissimilarity: the crowds. While Revolucion ( just a short distance away, but in the business five fewer years ) seems to be, at the most, half-full on weekends, the line was practically out the door at this El Mariachi. While that's good for business, it can be bad for patrons; conversations can be hard to hear, especially if there's a large, boisterous group behind you.
However, there's an extremely good reason for the crowds: the cuisine. Executive Chef Eduardo Hermengildo certainly knows what he's doingputting just as good a spin on certain dishes as his counterpart at Revolucion ( and there's practically no financial strain, with many dishes $9.99 or less ).
On the savory side, try los chiles huevudos ( fire-roasted poblano peppers stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, queso fresco and avocado, served with a chipotle cream salsa ) orthe favorite of my dining companion and minehuevos Benedictos ( chorizo biscuits topped with poached eggs as well as a choice of chorizo, bacon, ham or spinach, with hollandaise sauce ). It's simply amazing, and worth a return visit on its own.
We also sampled some sweet items, and they were just as good. My personal favorite was the pina colada French toastTexas toast soaked in tres leches, topped with bananas flambeed with Don Julio reposado tequila and drizzled with cajeta, powdered sugar, whipped cream, pecans and seasonal berries. Basically, it's heaven on earth.
However, the chocolate Abuelita crepe and pancakes de Zanahoria ( the latter with pilloncillo syrup ) certainly aren't far behind.
I seldom mention the service, but the very gracious Gricelda and attentive Estefano made the visit all the more enjoyable. ( I hate to sound shallow, but it helps that they're both easy on the eyes. )
This place certainly earns its name, with 125 different bottles of tequila. Patrons can try tequla flightsat their risk.
By the way, I'll certainly have to check this spot out during the late spring or summer, when the patio is open. I'm sure that setting will add even more to the experience.
Note: This was a media visit courtesy of Mariachi Hospitality Group.