Hacienda Real

Hacienda Real is a full-service Mexican restaurant at 371 W. Townline Road (Route 60) in Vernon Hills, one of four Hacienda Real locations run by the Arechiga family, whose other restaurants include Tia Carmen in Geneva. The Vernon Hills dining room opened in 2025 in a former chain restaurant building. The kitchen pairs tacos, ceviches and fajitas with steak and seafood plates, and the bar pours margaritas, specialty cocktails and a long list of tequilas and mezcals.

What to know

• The molcajete comes with grilled steak, chicken, shrimp and chorizo in a lava rock bowl.
• Seafood plates include paella de mariscos, grilled octopus and shrimp a la diabla.
• The steak list runs from carne asada to a prime tomahawk.
• Other Hacienda Real locations are in Geneva, Yorkville and Bolingbrook.