El Jardin's margaritas are on the verge of gaining legendary status, while the restaurant's Mexican dishes provide tasty south-of-the-border cuisine for average prices ($10-$15). Like all Wrigleyville establishments, El Jardin is more crowded when the Cubs are in town, and the staff is friendlier and less harried on non-game days, too.

El Jardin's popular outdoor seating includes an adobe-walled front patio that seats about 40 people and a large garden in back for up to 100 people. Retractable awnings offer protection in case of rain. A bar area at the front of the restaurant houses a small TV and a souvenir shop, while the dining rooms are full of tropical plants and other typical Mexican decor. What El Jardin lacks in originality, it makes up for in liveliness. The large dining areas are great for groups, and the $6 birthday package provides flan and a sombrero for the guest of honor. With so much seating, getting a table is usually not a problem, but if there's a baseball game at Wrigley Field, you can always sip margaritas while enduring the hour-plus wait for a seat.

Centerstage Reviewer: Aimee Hall