When I got out to eat with my family, I try to use a Restaurant.com gift certificate. Last weekend my husband said he was in the mood for Mexican food, so I took a look around. I found a place called 4 Hermanos that was not too far. We’d heard good things, but had never had the opportunity to visit.
4 Hermanos is a small restaurant on the corner of Central and Milwaukee in Chicago. It’s mostly a store front and it looks like it’s been there forever. When we walked in, we were all a bit taken aback. This location is old and has been somewhat kept up, but the ambiance isn’t going to win any awards. That being said, you know the old saying about how the best food comes from the little dive around the corner? That describes this restaurant to a “T.”
Because we had a Restaurant.com gift card, my husband and I thought we’d splurge a little. We got both guacamole and Queso Fundido as appetizers. While we waited for them to arrive, our server (the only server in the restaurant) served us chips and both green and red salsa, each of which were contained in squirt bottles. My kids devoured those in about 4 minutes.
One thing that caught my attention while we ate our meal over about an hour and a half – we watched 9 people come in to pick up orders and the delivery guy leave with food twice. Consider the fact that this location contains what is probably a total of 7 tables and a long counter to eat at, you get the feeling that the neighborhood is in on the delicious secret that is this restaurant.
The guacamole was to die for. I don’t know how else to put it! My husband and I each tried it and mid-chew looked at each other with wide-eyed happiness. Much of that happiness also came from the fact that we knew that our children wouldn’t eat any. More for us!!
Next our server brought out the Queso Fundido that we ordered with ground beef (the other choice was chorizo). Oh. My. Goodness. I am a HUGE Queso Fundido lover (it’s melted cheese with meat on a flour or corn tortilla. HELLO!) and this was one of the best I’ve ever had. My daughter even got in on the action and had two servings for herself!
I believe it was in the middle of the appetizers when I said to my husband, “I’m moving in. All they need is free Wifi and I’m never leaving.” He then proceeded to point at the free Wifi sign and I tried to hold back my tears of happiness.
Our server brought out our entrees a few minutes later – Chicken Flautas for my husband, Chilaquiles with steak for me, Quesadillas for my daughter and chicken strips and fries for my son.
I was so full from the appetizers that I wasn’t able to eat much of my entrée, but I tried my best! It was delicious, so I really wanted some. My husband and daughter cleaned their plates and my son enjoyed his chicken strips, but it was a large portion (6 strips and a plate of fries), so we took much of it home.
When our bill came, my husband presented our server with our Restaurant.com gift certificate. Her response was “Oh, $25?” with a smile and then reduced our bill by that much (almost half). In the end, we went out for one of the best Mexican meals I’ve ever had for $29 plus tip – for four people! It was a fantastic bargain. Not to mention that I went right home and posted in one of the Facebook recipe rooms that I’m in that since I went to 4 Hermanos for dinner, I am never cooking again. So luckily for me, they are on Restaurant.com!
This location has most definitely been added to the list of “family restaurants” that we will go to, so I do hope you try it. And since I’m moving in, I’ll see you there. 😉
*This post was written on behalf of and in part with the Restaurant.com Ambassador Program.
Alli is a Chicago based wife and mother of two children. She has turned money-saving into a game and enjoys searching out the best deals to help you save money! Alli shares her insight, tips and up-to-the-minute deals for local and national retailers and brands. Her hope is that you will play the game and learn to save money at the same time!