Walking into Cantina Paradise in Wicker Park on a Monday night, it’s clear that the restaurant is still trying to lure hungry customers in. It is not very spacious, but it almost seems to be when there are virtually no other diners. After eating, however, I think this is only because it has barely been open for two weeks.As soon as the waitress came by, she asked my companion and me if we had ever eaten at Paradise Cantina. Answering that we had not, she enthusiastically boasted about all of the drink specials, including $10, 32oz. margaritas. The drink specials alone are perhaps their biggest selling point. This became clear as she asked three more times throughout the meal if we wanted to order a drink.

Although the drink specials seem to be among the most prized parts of the menu, the food itself does not hide in the margarita’s shadow. It stands out, too. I was anxious to see whether my order would live up to the waitress’s declaration that their food is “not hangover food. It’s legit-fresh,” which is a little surprising as the restaurant is open till 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 3 a.m. on Saturdays. They must hope the hangovers are brought on by their margaritas and not cured by their food.

Upon the waitress’s recommendation, I ordered the fajita sandwich, which is a prime example of the restaurant’s attempt at a Mexican-American crossover. My meal consisted of lettuce, pinto beans, grilled peppers, tomatoes, onions, guacamole and sour cream served between two buns with a side of Spanish rice and refried beans. If my stomach had the room, I would have eaten all of it. The sides were pretty typical of most Mexican restaurants, but the ingredients on the sandwich were cooked just right and tasted as fresh as the waitress declared. I am still a fan of typical Mexican restaurants, but it was nice to have a fresher meal.

My companion ordered the cantina burrito with chicken, cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. This meal did not come with any sides, so it only cost $6.75 (compared to $8.25 for the sandwich). If you want to make your meal a “dinner platter,” you can add $2 on to your bill and have rice, beans and tortilla chips. The down side of this atypical Mexican restaurant is that the chips are not served free nor do they come with salsa. If you come in hungry, though, the $2 extra charge is worth it.

Just like many of the food options, the atmosphere screams Mexican restaurant with an American spin. The walls and ceiling are decorated with brightly colored paintings of pretty señoritas and banners advertising Corona. There is also a total of 21 TVs all playing sports channels. While waiting for the food to come out, I could watch basketball, hockey, baseball and even bowling. Classic rock blared in the background, but it wasn’t so loud as to disrupt a meal. The service was very attentive and quick, but it’s hard to tell if it would be the same on a busier night.

I felt fully satisfied after my meal (and listening to Tom Petty while I waited for the check.) Without the tip, my meal was under $10. For a college kid, this meal was almost fancy and pretty cheap. Although the additional charges for extras can add up, it’s worth it to try out Paradise Cantina. And if you have a little extra cash, go for the margaritas.