Hacienda Los Jardines, Ottawa, IL

After my review of Jardines last year, the manager contacted me and asked me to give them another try. Hacienda Los Jardines is a huge Mexican restaurant in the downtown area of Ottawa, Illinois. We arrived just before they were scheduled to close at 8 p.m. on a Sunday and took a seat outside.

The chips and salsa they serve are great! We couldn't get enough. I started with a classic margarita, which is, of course, one of their specialties.

Having reread my last review of Jardines, I decided to go with the Fajitas Vegetarianas, which was a heap of marinated seasonal vegetables like red and green peppers and onions served with rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. I thought the rice and beans were really nicely cooked. The tortillas were fresh and salsa was great. I was very pleased with my meal on this trip.

I will also give kudos to the server as she was very patient with our large group as she was cleaning up the restaurant towards the end of the night. We tipped her well.

They still offer a choice of veggies, soy chorizo, or cactus as vegan options. On the first visit, I found the soy chorizo to be a bit dry so I'd recommend the veggies as an alternative. All in all, it was a good time. On the next visit, I'll try the cactus. Thanks, Jardines, for offering great Mexican fare in this small town.

Previous review
December 5, 2014

Jardines
711 LaSalle Street
Ottawa, IL 61350
(815) 434-2833