Located just down the street from the Shaw Media offices, a colorful new Mexican option has popped up off Route 31 in south Crystal Lake. While there are plenty of small Tex-Mex taco eateries in the area, Mario’s can attest to a fun background story, as owners Anita and Mario Ortiz have been running the cleverly named Mario’s Cart food truck around McHenry County for the better part of a decade.
The cafe features a long bar and a selection of margarita options; the staff indicated to me that they’re hoping to be an evening destination, with live music and other events. In their early opening weeks, the restaurant has been hosting karaoke on Thursday nights.
This Mystery Diner went to check out the new establishment just a week after it first opened.
While the restaurant itself is part of a strip mall, the interior is bright and vibrant, with a giant mural that says “Vive el Momento!” alongside a skeleton mariachi band that appears to carry that enthusiasm into the afterlife.
Like many smaller Mexican and Tex-Mex spots in the area, Mario’s offers a nice variety of tacos, burritos and quesadillas with your choice of meat. The menu also includes fajitas and some specialty fare such as the Diabla Shrimp ($23).
I ordered a number of items to go, including a burrito, burrito bowl and shrimp tacos, in addition to extra chips, salsa and guacamole.
The salsa and guac were solid, and the chips are the thicker restaurant variety, a positive sign for a new Mexican destination.
The burrito was appropriately hefty, and the meat was well marinated; the ingredients in the burrito bowl were fresh and spicy; both items cost $11.
A favorite part of the meal were the shrimp tacos – three at $4 each – which the server alerted me beforehand had a spicy marinade and lime crema, perhaps in anticipation of some diners counting on more mild fare. But I found the shrimp to be delicious and tangy.
One week later, I also returned and tried their Cubano sandwich for $10; while obviously not a traditional Mexican option, Mario’s version adds juicy carnitas — pulled pork — to the mix, adding some kick and making for a nice, meaty option.
A standout for me was the mango mousse cake for $6, a fruity and fluffy dessert with a really nice flavor and consistency, akin to key lime pie. It capped off the rest of the meal beautifully.
With its take on traditional Mexican cuisine, I’d say Mario’s is versatile enough to be a popular take-out destination to satisfy one’s burrito craving, while the venue also offers an inviting atmosphere for an appealing, sit-down option.
• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Northwest Herald. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff when ordering or picking up the food. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.
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IF YOU GO
WHAT: Mario’s Restaurant
WHERE: 1145 S. Route 31, Unit H, Crystal Lake
PHONE: 779-220-9797
INFORMATION: www.marioscart17.com/marios-restaurant