*** UPDATE 10/1/2014: Sadly, Cabo's Cantina is now closed. It was great while it lasted.***
We stopped in for an early dinner. We left filled and satisfied. The food was very good and we will definitely be back. We had cheese curds as an appetizer. They were tasty, but they are breaded and then deep fried and served with a sauce. The sauce was a wonderful tomato-jalapeno-fruit sauce (can't fully identify the fruit), and it may have some roasted red pepper. Truly good sauce. The curds themselves were unexceptional. Too much breading, but that seems common in this part of the country. (We prefer curds warm and "naked" with a spice "rub" rather than a sauce. But I'm not complaining. They were good.)
The main courses likewise were really good. The pork tacos had ample seasoned pork, cilantro, onions, and (oddly) sour cream. But the mix of flavors was very good, and I added the green salsa (that came with the chips) to mine. The squash tacos were a real surprise, especially at a restaurant like this. They were spicy and perfectly done. Both taco dishes came three to a plate on soft corn tortillas. The crisp was billed as a Mexican pizza-- a flour tortilla filled with cheese and toppings. Not quite a tostada, so Mexican pizza is probably as good a description as any. It was piled high and easily shared. And, most important, it was delicious.
The chips and salsa were good. The salsa, in fact, was very good. Especially the hot salsa. It was a tomatillo salsa but with lots of peppers but still not really hot. The red salsa was billed as mild, and it was. None in our party found it exceptional. The chips were warm and very salty. I couldn't tell for certain, but I don't believe they are made on the premises.
The menu is relatively large and broad, ranging from tilapia to steak to tacos and burritos. And there are many choices in each category. Carnivores and vegetarians both will find things on the menu, though vegan vegetarians may not find much. It isn't really Mexican; if you are looking for authentic Mexican you should go to Maize or El Charro. The food here is Mexican Inspired. I'm not knocking it. It is delicious. The steaks and seafood with Mexican spices were amazing, and they have a greater variety of tacos than do the more authentic places. The chefs may have worked in a steakhouse as they really know how to cook the steaks. And the spices and sauces add to the flavors rather than smothering or overwhelming the meats or vegetables.
The place has one other feature that many of our Mexican style restaurants lack: a lovely decor. Although says Cantina and Grill on the sign, this is a sit-down restaurant if you want it to be. On the side away from the bar it has normal tables, while the bar area has service at the bar and at those "tall tables" that require high chairs to sit at. The decor is simple but very nice, the music was quite low and we could easily talk over it. There are several TVs and I suspect it serves as a nice sports bar on game days.
The wait staff was wonderful. They would explain any dish you might have questions about, and they make recommendations if you give them guidelines about what you are looking for in a meal. Very professional and amazing given that they've only been open for a week.
Parking is ample and we were seated immediately. The waitress took our drink order less than five minutes after we were seated, and the drinks arrived promptly, as did the chips and salsa, and both were refilled quickly and without our needing to ask.
All in all, I think this place is off to a great start in Champaign! I suspect it will become one of our regular stops.