El Jefe - Leña y Mar Menu
Welcome to El Jefe - Leña y Mar, a vibrant Mexican seafood bar where the rhythm of live music meets the tantalizing flavors of the sea and land. Located in Aurora, IL, this trendy yet classy eatery is perfect for both group celebrations and casual dinners.
The menu showcases a delightful array of appetizers, including Guacamole and Ceviche Barra de Navidad, all crafted with authentic ingredients like fresh lime and Serrano peppers. Seafood lovers can indulge in the Vuelve a la Vida, a traditional cocktail featuring shrimp and octopus, or savor the wood-fired Salmon Adobado.
Guests have praised the ambience reminiscent of Tulum, complemented by exceptional service and creative cocktails. Whether you're enjoying a lively night out or a special occasion, El Jefe promises a memorable culinary experience infused with joy and flavor.
Appetizers
Guacamole
Chunky avocado mixed with fresh lime, cilantro and Serrano peppers.
El Jefe Dip
Queso dip served El Jefe style with Serrano peppers and pico de gallo. Served with corn tortilla chips.
Ceviche Barra de Navidad
Tangy Serrano broth, red onions, tomato, avocado, cilantro, jicama.
Ostiones en Su Concha
Raw oysters, lime cocktail salsa, habanero mignonette.
Esquite
Street style roasted corn made with spicy garlic mayo, red pickled onions, espazote, cotija cheese and chile dust.
Queso Flameado
Tortillas Monterrey and chihuahua cheese served with tortillas. Topped with your choice of style.
Sopecitos Trio
Deep fried corn dough, topped with refried beans, skirt steak, chorizo and chicken tinga. Garnished with romaine lettuce, sour cream, fresco cheese and cherry tomato.
Aguachile Verde Mezcal
Tiger shrimp cured in fresh lime juice, cucumber, mezcal, Serrano pepper, cilantro, red onion, avocado, jicama. Spicy.
Ostiones El Jefe
Wood-fired oysters chipotle mayo, spinach cheese bread crumbs. Chef Audel recommends.
Pinche Asada Tacos
Grilled skirt steak garnished with grilled cheese, crispy onions and chimichurri. Chef Audel recommends.
Al Pastor Tacos
Slow-roasted adobo marinated pork garnished with cilantro, onions and roasted pineapple.
Pollo Morita Tacos
Chipotle roasted chicken, avocado, fresco cheese, sour cream.
Pescado Baja Tacos
Fried cod fish baja style garnished with red cabbage, grilled pineapple and jalapeno cream avocado.
Camaron Gobernador Tacos
Grilled shrimp with melted cheese, poblano pepper, onions and garlic sauce. Chef Audel recommends.
Pulpo Enchilao Tacos
Grilled octopus, red cabbage, guajillo adobo, avocado, spicy pumpkin seeds.
Tacos
El Jefe Specialties
Arrachera Jefe
Marinated open-fire arrachera skirt steak topped with chimichurri and served with guacamole, smoked grilled vegetables, rustic sauce, grilled cheese, 1 chicken enchilada with red sauce and charro beans.
Chile Relleno
Poblano pepper stuffed with manchego epazote chihuahua cheese and butternut squash topped with ranchero sauce and sour cream. Served with black beans, Brussels sprouts.
Carnitas
Crispy pork carnitas, smoky grilled vegetables, fresco cheese, charro beans, guacamole, rustic salsa.
Molcajete Lena y Mar
Skirt steak, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, chorizo, smoky grilled vegetables, rustic salsa, grilled cheese, charro beans. Chef Audel recommends.
Sopa Costa Alegre
Shrimp, fish, octopus, prawns, mussels, tomato, carrots, potato, chayote (Mexican zucchini), garlic bread. Chef Audel recommends.
Birria Quesatacos
3 birria tacos with melted cheese served with onions, cilantro, limes and traditional consome for dipping.
Enchiladas Entomatadas
3 chicken tinga filled enchiladas smothered in tangy tomatillo sauce, garnished with fresco cheese, avocado, pickled red onions, sour cream, black beans and roasted vegetables.
Ribeye
Choice black Angus, compound butter, grilled onions, smoky grilled vegetables, charro beans, roasted potatoes, grilled jalapenos.
La Jefa Chopped Salad
Romaine, spinach, red onion, roasted corn, jicama, avocado, spicy pepitas, creamy jalapeno dressing, fresco cheese, tortilla strips.
Pollo Asado Yucateco
Half free-range chicken marinated in adobo achiote pepper and served white rice, cherry tomatoes, grilled potatoes and charro beans.
Coctel de Camaron
Traditional Mexican shrimp cocktail made with pico de gallo, cucumber and avocado.
Vuelve a la Vida
Traditional seafood cocktail made with shrimp, octopus and oysters mixed with pico de gallo, cucumber and avocado. Chef Audel recommends.
Salmon Adobado
Wood-fired Alaskan salmon cooked in guajillo-ancho adobo served with white rice and Brussels sprouts.
Camarones Momia
Apple bacon-wrapped deep-fried shrimp, manchego cheese. Served with white rice and cucumber salad.
Pulpo a las Brasas
Grilled octopus topped with El Jefe chimichurri and served with spinach, cherry tomatoes, white rice and roasted potatoes.
Camarones a La Diabla
Sauteed shrimp tossed in spicy arbol-guajillo sauce, white rice, cucumber salad, fried plantains.
Camarones Al Mojo
Sauteed shrimp tossed in a garlic butter sauce, white rice, cucumber salad, fried plantains.
Pina Volcan
Sauteed shrimp, octopus and cod fish inside a smoky wood-fired pineapple with mushroom-tequila cream and chihuahua cheese. Served with white rice roasted vegetables.
Seafood
Pa Un Final Feliz
Capricho 3 Leches
3 milks cake. Pastel de tres leches frutos rojos borrachos. 3 milks cake drunken berries.
Flan de Temporada
Platanos Flameados
Churros en Carrito
Birthday Cake Jefe
Churros de Plaza
Salsa de chocolate caliente con canela y azucar. Cinnamon-sugar hot chocolate dipping sauce.
Cafe de Olla
Cafe, canela piloncillo. Coffee, cinnamon piloncillo.
Regular Cafe
Regular coffee.
Seasonal Custard
Flan de temporada. Sabor crema de caramelo helado de temporada. Flavor crme caramel custard seasonal ice cream.
Carajillo
Caf espresso en las rocas licor dulce con sabor a vainilla y ctricos. Espresso coffee on the rocks sweet vanilla-citrus flavored liqueur.
Ensalada Playa Manzanillo
Playa manzanillo salad. Corazones de lechuga romana, cebolla morada, pepino, jcama, queso panela, picatostes de ajo, vinagreta casera de jamaica. Romaine hearts, red onion, cucumber jicama panela cheese garlic croutons homemade hibiscus vinaigrette.
Pozole Verde
Green pozole. Sopa de maz pozolero, paletilla de cerdo hoja de chile mexicano, chile serrano. Hominy corn soup, pork shoulder mexican pepper leaf, serrano pepper.
Dinner de la Cosecha y la Olla (Archived)
Dinner la Lena Del Mar (Archived)
Camaron a Las Brasas
Grilled shrimp. Camarones a la parrilla, arroz blanco, ensalada de pepino, salsa de tomatillo verde, salsa ranchera, pltanos fritos. Grilled shrimp, white rice, cucumber salad green tomatillo sauce, ranchero sauce, fried plantains.
Costillas de Puerco
Pork ribs. Costillas de cerdo, frijoles negros refritos en salsa de tomatillo verde, mazorcas de maz a la parrilla. Pork ribs, green tomatillo sauce refried black beans, grilled corn on the cob.
Carne con Chile
Beef with chile. Trozos de bistec a la parrilla, nopales, cebollas salsa guajillo frijoles negros refritos papas asadas. Chunks of grilled steak, cactus, onions guajillo sauce refried black beans roasted potatoes.
Dinner Del Jefe Para El Jefe (Archived)
Dinner Pa Mariscos, El Jefe (Archived)
Camarones Colados
Fried shrimp. Camarones fritos cubiertos de hojuelas de coco salsa de mango y habanero, arroz blanco, ensalada de pepino. Fried shrimp covered in coconut flakes habanero-mango sauce, white rice, cucumber salad.
Langostinos Tomatlan
Langostinos al estilo nayarit, salsa de ajo, arroz blanco, verduras asadas. Prawns in traditional nayarit style rub, garlic sauce, white rice, roasted vegetables.
Variedad del Pacfico
Pacific variety. Pulpo a la parrilla salmon a la parrilla gambas a la parrilla, gambas mejillones arroz blanco, verduras asadas. Grilled octopus grilled salmon grilled shrimp, prawns mussels white rice, roasted vegetables.
Variedad del Rancho
Ranch variety. Bistec asado a la lena, pollo chorizo carnitas frijoles charros verduras asadas ahumadas cebollas asadas mazorcas de maz. Wood-fired grilled steak, chicken chorizo carnitas charro beans smoky grilled vegetables grilled onions corn on the cob.
Dinner Pa Compartir (Archived)
Dinner Pa Que Amarre (Archived)
Frijoles Charros
Pinto beans. Frijoles pintos, chorizo, tocino, queso pico de gallo fresco.Pinto beans, chorizo, bacon, pico de gallo fresco cheese.
Arroz Blanco
White rice Ajo, espazote, zanahorias. Garlic, espazote, carrots..
Papas Asadas
Roasted potatoes.
Papas Fritas Marinadas
Marinated fries.
Yuca Frita
Yca fries. Queso fresco, mayonesa morito. Fresco cheese, morito mayo.
Elote Placero
Wood fire grilled corn on the cob. Mayonesa de morita, queso cotija, polvo de chile piqun. Morita mayo, cotija cheese, piquin chile dust.
Cebollitas Asadas
Roasted onions. Lima, sal marina. Lime, sea salt.
Chiles Toreados
Grilled jalapenos.
Guacamole Lunch
Chunky aguacate, lima, cilantro, chips de chile serrano toppings pina chipotle, mango-habanero, pico de gallo tradicional. Chunky avocado lime cilantro, chips serrano pepper toppings chipotle pineapple , mango-habanero, pico de gallo traditional.
Ostiones en Su Concha Lunch
Oysters in their shell. Ostras, coctel de lima salsa habanero mignonette. Ostras de temporada, costa este u oeste. Oysters, lime cocktail salsa habanero mignonette. Seasonal oysters, east or west coast.
Ostiones El Jefe Lunch
Oysters the Boss. Chipotle-mayo, queso de espinacas, pan rallado. Chipotle-mayo, spinach cheese, breadcrumbs.
Coctel de Camaron Lunch
Shrimp cocktail. Salsa cctel casera, pico de gallo cilantro, pepino morita, aguacate. Homemade cocktail salsa, pico de gallo cilantro, morita cucumber, avocado.
Coctel Campechano Lunch
Campechano cocktail. Pulpo, camarones, pico de gallo, pepino, aguacate. Octopus, shrimp, pico de gallo, cucumber, avocado.
Coctel Vuelve a la Vida Lunch
Back to life cocktail. Camarn, pulpo, ostras, pepino pico de gallo, aguacate. Shrimp, octopus, oysters, pico de gallo cucumber, avocado.
Churros de Plaza Lunch
Square churros. Canela-azucar, chocolate mexicano. Cinnamon-sugar, Mexican chocolate.
Cafe Lunch
Coffee. Cafe tradicional mexicano molido. Traditional brewed, ground Mexican coffee.
Flan Lunch
Crema de caramelo, helado de temporada. Creme caramel, seasonal flavor ice cream.
Lunch Pa Un Final Feliz (Archived)
Lunch Pa Taquear (Archived)
Pollo Morita Lunch
Chicken morita. Chipotle, pollo asado, queso fresco, rebanada de aguacate, crema agria. Chipotle, roasted chicken, fresco cheese, avocado slice, sour cream.
Pinch Asada Lunch
Skirt steak. Churrasco, chimichurri el jefe, cebolla crocante, queso panela. Skirt steak, el jefe chimichurri, crispy onion, panela cheese.
Chorizo Vegano Lunch
Vegan chorizo. Vegano. Papas Yukon doradas asadas, salsa de tomatillo de arbol, ensalada de nopales, yuca frita. Vegan. Roasted Yukon gold potatoes, tomatillo-arbol salsa, cactus salad, fried yuca.
Arrachera Jefe Lunch
Bistec de falda, guacamole, ensalada de nopales con cebolla asada, salsa rustica, enchilada de queso panela, frijoles charros. Skirt steak, guacamole, grilled onions cactus salad, rustic salsa, panela cheese enchilada, charro beans.
Pollo Estilo Yucateco Lunch
Yucateco style chicken. Medio pollo de corral adobado con achiote-guajillo, ensalada de nopales, frijoles charros, papas asadas. 1/2 a free-range chicken achiote-guajillo marinade, cactus salad charro beans, roasted potatoes.
Lunch La Lena del Rancho (Archived)
Lunch Pa Maricos El Jefe (Archived)
Camarones a la Diabla Lunch
Camarones picantes en salsa de arbol-guajillo, tequila, arroz, choclo callejero. Spicy arbol-guajillo salsa shrimp, tequila, rice street corn on the cob. Spicy.
Camarones Momia Lunch
Breaded chrimp. Camarones, queso manchego, arroz con tocino, ensalada de aguacate. Shrimp, manchego cheese, bacon rice, avocado salad.
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo Lunch
Shrimp in garlic sauce. Camarones, mantequilla, mojo, arroz platanos con crema. Shrimp, butter, mojo, rice platanos con crema.
Camarones Colados Lunch
Colados shrimp. Camarones al coco, salsa de arroz, habanero y mango, ensalada de aguacate y pepino. Coconut shrimp, rice habanero-mango salsa, avocado-cucumber salad.
Aguachile Verde Mezcal Lunch
Pepino, lima, chile serrano cilantro, aguacate, mezcal. Cucumber, lime, serrano pepper cilantro, avocado, mezcal.
Ceviche Barra de Navidad Lunch
Caldo picante de serrano, tomate con cebolla roja, aguacate, pepino con cilantro. Tangy serrano broth, red onions tomato, avocado, cilantro cucumber.
Lunch Ceviches & Aguachiles (Archived)
Lunch de la Cosecha & la Olla (Archived)
Cesar's Tijuana Lunch
Corazones de lechuga romana, picatostes de ajo con cebolla morada, aderezo casero de queso cotija y parmesano. Romaine hearts, red onion garlicky croutons, homemade dressing cotija Parmesan cheese.
Sopa de Tortilla Lunch
Tortilla soup. Pollo, caldo pasilla, aguacate, tortilla crocante de crema agria, queso fresco. Chicken, pasilla broth, avocado, sour cream crispy tortilla, fresco cheese.
La Jefa Chopped Salad Lunch
Lechuga romana, espinaca, cebolla morada, maz asado, tomates cherry, jcama, aguacate, frijoles negros, remolacha asada, pepitas picantes, aderezo cremoso de jalapeno, tiras de tortilla de queso fresco. Romaine, spinach, red onion, roasted corn cherry tomatoes jicama, avocado black beans roasted beets, spicy pepitas creamy jalapeno dressing, fresco cheese tortilla strips.
Pozole Verde Lunch
Green pozole. Hoja Santa, paletilla de cerdo, maz pozolero serrano. Hoja Santa, pork shoulder, serrano hominy corn.
Sopa Costa Alegre Lunch
Seafood soup. Camarones, pescado, pulpo almejas, mejillones langostinos, jitomate, guajillo, papa chayote calabacn mexicano, pan de ajo. Shrimp, fish, octopus clams, mussels prawns, tomato, guajillo, potato chayote Mexican zucchini, garlic bread.
Huarache Chilango Lunch
Frijoles negros refritos bife de falda o pollo morita lechuga romana, crema agria salsa serrano-tomatillo queso fresco. Refried black beans skirt steak or chicken morita romaine lettuce, sour cream tomatillo-serrano salsa fresco cheese.
Chilakillers Lunch
Salsa de tomatillo serrano asado o tomate-guajillo frijoles negros refritos, crema agria, queso fresco, aguacate, huevos fritos o revueltos. Roasted tomatillo-serrano or tomato guajillo salsa refried black beans, sour cream, fresco cheese, avocado, fried or scrambled eggs.
Papa Rellena Lunch
Baked potato. Papa al horno, bife de falda con queso manchego, cebolln con tocino y crema agria. Baked potato, skirt steak manchego cheese, sour cream bacon scallions.
Lunch Almuerzo Del Jefe (Archived)
Lunch Pa Que Amarre (Archived)
Frijoles Charros Lunch
Pinto beans. Pintos, chorizo, bacon pico de gallo, Mexican beer.
Elote Placero Lunch
Mazorcas de maz asadas a la lena, mayonesa ctrica, polvo de chile piqun. Wood fire grilled corn on the cob citrus mayo, piquin chile dust. Placero corn.
Arroz Blanco Lunch
White rice.
Coles de Bruselas Lunch
Brussels sprouts. Coles de bruselas, queso morita mayonesa fresco. Brussels sprouts, morita mayo fresco cheese.
Papas Asadas Lunch
Roasted potatoes.
Papas Fritas Marinadas Lunch
Marinated fries.
Nopalitos Salad Lunch
Ensalada nopalitos. Paleta de nopal, tomate, cebolla morada. Cactus paddle, tomato, red onion.
Yuca Frita Al Mojo Lunch
Yuca fires. Alioli, queso fresco. Aioli, fresco cheese.
Platanos con Crema
Plantains with cream. Pltanos, crema agria, queso fresco. Plantains, sour cream, fresco cheese.
Soda
Pepsi Cola, oraneg Crush, Sierra Mist, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi de Dieta, Limonada.
Te sin Azucar
Unsweetened tea.
Horchata
Rice cinnamon water.
Agua Del Dia
Seasonal flavored water.
Jarritos
Lima, ponche de frutas, mandarina, tamarindo y pina. Lime, fruit punch, mandarin tamarind pineapple.
Topo Chico
Agua mineral. Mineral water.
Squirt
Refresco de pomelo. Grapefruit soda.
Coca-Cola Mexicana
Mexican coca cola.
