Su Casa was founded by Ike Sewell, the San Antonio native and well-known purveyor of Chicago's original deep-dish pizza found at Pizzeria Uno, which happens to be right down the street. The appeal of the traditional Mexican fare at Su Casa thus forms a nice parallel to the deep dish pizza of Uno's (read: it's solid Mexican food that appeals to a touristy, family-oriented downtown crowd). The quality isn't high enough to produce a definitive "Ole!" but it's par for the course for Mexican fare coming from a Texas man now living far from the border.

That being said, Su Casa's decor was surely designed to transport patrons to a more sun-kissed southern locale. Pinatas, religious iconography, silk flowers and stained glass set the tone for a large space divided into two separate dining rooms (to set apart smokers in pre-ban days). A full bar stacked with colorful trinkets lies in-between; depending on who's working, margaritas are prepared in varying degrees of strength. The menu is traditional and substantial, featuring chicken, shrimp, red snapper and steak entrees that fall within the $11-$15 range, as well as hacienda dinners costing about the same, featuring dishes like tamales or chile relleno. Stop in for lunch specials on weekdays between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and get hefty Tex-Mex meals for about half the cost of dinner fare.

Centerstage Reviewer: August Evans