Amelia’s Bar & Grill

We stopped in while filming the season finale of «Chicago PD» in that neighborhood, or I’d have never found this place. But I’m so glad I did!

I happened here by chance and I enjoyed my visit. I was looking for a Spanish brunch spot and although we missed brunch by the time we arrived, the food was enjoyed by us all the same. The artwork was very interesting. I had a mango margarita that was a bit too sweet for my taste. I assume that all of the food was prepared fresh due to the wait time. It wasn’t an extremely long wait for the food, but long enough for the thought to creep into your mind. Both my mom and I ordered shrimp dishes that ranged from mild to spicy in taste and very flavorful. I will probably visit this place again, but for dinner and will probably stick to app’s and wine.

Awesome restaurant. Every dish we have tried has been tremendous. Fabulous drinks as well… Love the Mango Habanero Margherita.

We have not been back since the change of Management. We loved the «old» Amelia is so much that we were worried that the new management would be disappointing. What a wonderful surprise! The restaurant has the same wonderful food and all my old favorites. They were also a little busier on a Saturday night. If you loved the old Amelia’s, give the new Amelia’s a try. If you’ve never been, you must go. This is a wonderful restaurant, a cuisine that is really not duplicated anywhere on the south side and the price point it makes it a very reasonable option.

Amelia’s is truly a hidden a gem. Their menu changes seasonally to incorporate fruits and vegetables that are in season. I have visited countless Mexican Restaurants in my lifetime, but Amelia’s truly blew me away. Their food is sophisticated and delicious beyond words can explain.

Great Mexican cuisine and friendly service. Everything I’ve tried here has been impressive. Their presentation of the food is also excellent. The atmosphere really also brings out the culture. Highly recommend visiting this awesome restaurant

This is a hidden gem. The music and atmosphere are great. The food is amazing. I think this is the best salmon I’ve ever had. So much fun.

Go to this restaurant!
Great service, quality food, I really enjoy this place! Went there last Saturday night a little later in the evening so it wasn’t too busy. Brought in our own wine — no problem at all. We had the artichoke fritters as an appetizer and they were delicious. Also had a shrimp roll. I can’t remember the exact name, it was good as well. Our server (Omar sp?) was extremely friendly, attentive, and helpful. We also shared a few entrees — I highly recommend the lamb chops and the carne asada. This is not your traditional Mexican food — its like Rick Bayless before he became Rick Bayless. The restaurant is sort of on an island on 46^th and Halsted — there is not much else in the area to support it.
Its very nice inside and the management and staff are very friendly
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Go to this restaurant, its worth going out of your way a bit.

Thought the food was good… Not great. Thought the byob feature was great… Until a «corkage fee» was added to the bill which seemed to be without notice. Really… Who does corkage fees anymore… seems nit-​picky.
Then… Let’s talk price point. In my opinion… It seemed as though the price point did not match the location, the area, or the atmosphere.
Unfortunately…I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending this place to anyone and most likely would not be back.

I’ve been to this place a few times for lunch (I work in the area), the food is definitely the best part of this restaurant. I’m being honest, take my review with a grain of salt because I’m not ashamed to admit that my preference is more Americanized– Mexican food over the true Mexican cuisine that is this restaurant.
The tacos are really good, just wish the portion was a little bigger. The portions of the burritos and other Mexican type food looked a lot bigger. The sandwiches & wraps too are surprisingly really tasty with a lot of fresh and unique ingredients. I’ve had the chicken wrap, and it was anything but bland with the avocado and aoili sauce.
It’s weird though, every time I come in, the place is empty. I’m not sure if it’s the location or what that is causing that. It’s a little odd though because sometimes you’re the only person in the restaurant, which at times is kind of nice. However when that happens it usually takes awhile for the food to come out. Sometimes you also don’t get a waiter that speaks english and it’s hard to communicate your order.
All in all, the food deserves 5 stars, I think with maybe better decoration & service they could up their game a little and move to an overall 4 – 5 star category.

She loves me. she loves me not. she loves me. she loves me NOT
Yep. I don’t love this place and I wanted to as I love good Mexican and yes folks I’ve been there and had some lovely traditional dishes although I am a sucker for Tex-​Mex as well. This place is just okay. It was empty, literally empty at 1pm on a Saturday which I found strange. money laundering organization. okay maybe not. but still NO one is there is strange. The entrees range in price and options to the kinda expensive for me to have lunch/​brunch. but alas we were there for a celebration.
I opted for the Huevos Tapados — the presentation of my dish and all dishes were awesome. They really know how to make it look delish. This dish was two eggs cooked in between two tortillas with Smoked Turkey, Pico Gallo and Mozzarella Cheese. As I right this review. I don’t go MAAN I need to get back there, it was just okay.
Nice thing is that they have BYOB but a ridic per bottle corkage fee of like $ 5 which is crazy. and something ridiculous for beer as well.
Would I go outta my way to get back. not so much, but glad I tried. Long live food tastings in Chicago.

Hmmm, I’m not sure how the average rating is a 4.5 here. What did I miss? It was fine. The place was empty, so I wonder how they stay in business. The food was just OK and the service was eh, OK I guess. The prices on the brunch menu were good and it’s BYOB which is usually a plus, but there’s a $ 5 PER BOTTLE corkage fee! Per bottle? That’s ridiculous and I don’t recall seeing that listed on the menu. Perhaps their dinner menu, vibe and scene is better. My friend who I went with raves about this place… it’s one of her go-​to Mexican spots. Hmmm, I really do think I missed something during my visit… too bad I probably won’t be back to give it a second shot.

For those who have only experienced tacos, tortas, burritos and tostadas with rice and beans, and who are as yet unaccustomed to Mexican CUISINE, you will find it in spades at Amelia’s. From the moment you see, much less taste whatever you order, you will know your palate is ready to graduate to the next level of gustatory delight. In short, get yourself to Amelia’s before you can’t get a table! It’s HOTT!
Olga, our server, has put me at a loss for words, and that is something to behold, indeed. Her professionalism, friendliness and knowledge of the menu were all top-​flight, and if I over-​tipped then in surely was intentional.
I was sorely tempted to rush into the kitchen and grab the chef for a hug, but as it was our first visit, restraint seemed in order. Still, it was a mighty tempting thought.
After the explanation I gave to Olga about my sole (and dismal) experience with mole sauce, she directed me to the Camarones a la Chimpa, Sauteed Shrimp Served in a Fragrant Pumpkin Seed Green Mole, Rice, and Sweet Plantains. OMG! I am now a devotee of the mole. Olé! The Jumbo Shrimp were perfectly done,
My wife had the Lomo de Cerdo, Farm Raised Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Andouille Sausage, Hominy, Garbanzo Beans, Tomatillo, Swiss chard and Spicy Ciruela Sauce. She was gracious enough to allow me a sample taste, and we were both overwhelmed by the sublime dexterity of the chef. Bravo!
The Cranberry cheesecake, with almond cookie crust, honey mascarpone and
Homemade cranberry compote was a reminder that cuisine is not limited to entrees, but can extend to dessert as well.
Chef Eusebio, muchisimas gracias por su maestía y sutileza en trabajo de cocina fina.
Olga, (hugs*)!
For those who find less quantity than they may expect on their plate, consider whether taking your time and savoring every bite isn’t the point, after all, of fine cuisine? Take you time, truly explore and enjoy the many layered flavors, and in the end, you will be satisfied. Or just drink more wine and order dessert!

I’m so glad I tried Amelia’s, I get stuck in my north side bubble and forget about all the other neighborhoods with great offerings around the city. I drove — I would’ve had to walk way too far for public transit, and I am not very familiar with the neighborhood and didn’t want to be walking down an empty street with no other businesses. Amelia’s is a bright spot in a pretty bare area — you would never expect to find this place here, but it is worth the drive.
I met a friend for brunch on a Sunday. The restaurant wasn’t busy, but there were a handful of families and couples giving the place an energy, and the crowd is diverse. We each had a mimosa, then I tucked into the huevos divorciados. Yes, that means divorced eggs! The eggs are poached and served over a corn cake with smoked salmon, arugula, and two sauces — guajillo (red) sauce on one egg, tomatillo (green) sauce on the other. Thus the divorce! The dish wasn’t quite as warm as I’d hoped, and the corn cake was a bit dry, but the eggs were cooked perfectly and the fresh garnish/​sides of veggies were so refreshing! The food is fresh and light, such a relief since I often find Mexican food to be very heavy. Truth is that it doesn’t need to be, but the Americanized version so frequently is.
It’s more affordable for brunch than dinner, but the meals are worth the price, especially considering the lack of similar options in the area. This is absolutely worth driving to the south side for, if for no other reason than to support a neighborhood gem and to get out of your comfort zone!

I have updated my review from two years ago because the restaurant has really got it together and we had such a great experience. We cannot wait to return!
My wife and I visited Amelia’s for Sunday brunch and we so pleased with the breakfast menu and offerings. The flavors and inventiveness made us appreciate that Amelia’s isn’t just another Mexican restaurant. This is the first time we dined here during the morning hours, and the atmosphere is really welcoming and comfortable, with easy music playing, very good service, and fresh flowers and linens on all the tables.
We had started with the Ensalada Sandia — Watermelon, Roasted Golden Beets, Frisse Watercress, Red Onion and Feta Cheese Mescal Vinaigrette… perfect for a Summer morning.
For my main dish, I ordered the Huevos Divorciados — Two Poached Eggs over Corn Masa Cakes, Smoked Salmon, Baby Arugula, Tomatillo and Guajillo Sauce, and cilantro/​garlic pesto potatoes — WOW — all the flavors were just outstanding!
My wife ordered the Desayuno Amelia — Steak and Eggs with Nopales Empapelados and Beans, and those delicious cilantro pesto potatoes. The nopales are in the foil packet, and it consisted of cactus, chorizo, mayo and a salsa steamed in the foil — just amazing flavor!
For dessert — Blueberry Bread Pudding with Dulce de Leche ice cream — a happy ending!

I’ve heard the rumor (might be gossip) that if you display your groupon deal to the people before you order, you’ll get smaller portions.
I think it might be true? I saw the pictures and was amazed at the portions. Especially at the price that the food was labeled for! I ordered the Calamari with aioli sauce. It was pretty good. Though it looks really small as compared to what I saw for others. *shrugs*
My friends ordered subs and burgers. They look decent. Fries were abundant.
The ingredients were definitely top notch stuff! :) I’d come here even if I didn’t have a groupon.
The dessert was delicious as well. We ordered the blueberry yogurt cake (?) I forgot but it’s supposed to be gooey?
My friends said it was a bit too dry. I found it alright and wished I had a glass of milk to get it down.
Even if you come here for the ambience, it’s pretty nice. I thought I was in a different country/​state the minute I sat down to look around. :) The music definitely brought it to a whole new level.

We came here for Brunch after purchasing a Groupon, and have to agree with the rest of the reviews.
This restaurant is a GREAT find. In a bit of a sketchy part of town (not much else around) but the food is amazing.
Great flavor and good size portions.
We tried the calamari for an appetizer and it had a nice crunch without being greasy. The aioli sauce it was served with was also excellent.
We got the Halsted omelette and Mexican Flauta both were tasty and served with a side of potatoes.
Next time I want to try the Stir-​fried eggplant.
Service was quick and on point. The coffee was very good and fresh and was refilled regularly.
Definately reccomend this place if you are in the area.

If this review was based on The food alone it would get five stars
99% of the time I could care less about service as long as you bring out the food hot/​and don’t make me wait more than 5 min for my bill. The problem I have here is the service is SLOW!!! (I’ve been here 3x) This could be easily chalked up to under staff/​lack of experience as each time it was only ONE waiter that had to play the cashier/​host/​bartender. (I was trying to be forgiving as it was one waiters first day, one waiter English wasn’t that good. one waiter spent a lot of time in the back of the kitchen-​again short staff as I think he was part of the kitchen crew)
The food is something you would expect to get downtown and not at this location which is the middle of nowhere. I know I’ll be here alone just for the calamari lol but based on MY experience it’s hard to recommend this place as I wouldn’t dare want to bring a large party

Simply amazing! Every bite was delicious from the calamari appetizer to the dessert crepes. We had a half-​dozen different entrees and all were amazing. My carne asada was sooo good and the shrimp that came with were spectacular. The cactus side-​dish was yummy and I ate it with the home made corn tortillas that came in place of a bread basket.
Great service and great food!

Is it wrong to lick a plate at a restaurant? How about if you do it very discretely? What if the food is so good it feels criminal to waste even the tiniest morsel? When you visit Amelia’s I bet you too will be considering licking your plate.
The delicious Quesadillas de Huitlacoche with corn truffle, epazote, and chihuahua cheese was first to inspire thoughts of plate licking. (Fun fact: Chihuahua cheese is not made from the milk of Chihuahuas). The Queso Fundido, and the sides of Marinated Mushrooms and Eggplant Stir Fry were also full of flavor.
The bread pudding dessert was another star worthy of plate licking. My mistake was offering to share it with my brunch mates. Ten people! I know, I know, what was I thinking, right? I just didn’t expect it to be so good. And do you know how my «friends» repaid me for my generosity? They laughed at me when I got powdered sugar all over my face as I tried to scoop up the very last of the sauce. (For the record, I wasn’t licking the plate). Yeah, see if I ever again share my desserts with those ingrates. Next time I think I’ll sneak into Amelia’s by myself, get a corner table, and indulge in as much plate licking as my heart desires.