The Best Mexican in Chicago

Big Star

★★★★☆ 3.6 (3427) • $$

"Such a hot day!!!! And we couldn't get into the Thai restraint we wanted to try so we walked here. First thing first, we were so thirsty!!! I ordered the citrus agua Fresca. Oommggaaaahhh it was so refreshing and delicious. Such a big cup for a decent price. I did have to water it down because it was pretty concentrated, gave me a bigger serving! Can't beat that. Tacos tacos! !!' All of it was so good! Barbacoa, al pastor and tilapia. The Al Pastor was my favorite!!! Glad I grabbed two. Barack was next and then the fish. Fish tacos are not always good and this was good! Each taco was filled with so much protein. The restaurant is pretty big with lots of seating inside and out. Service was outstanding!!! I honestly did not have a great time in Chicago with service and she gave the best service! This was my last meal and she gave me the best ending to my visit to Chicago!!!! Very upbeat, always smiled, seemed like she loved her job and was having fun at the same time, most I potently she was honest and didn't just give me an answer to get a bigger bill for a bigger tip. I would definitely recommend this place to Chicago visitors."

Antique Taco

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1388) • $

"Antique Taco is a walk up style taco joint located in Wicker Park. Because of its counter service style you're free to mix and match taco types to your hearts content. The menu has a variety of meat and non-meat bases, all of which were tasty.The space is brightly lit and features some locally crafted goods for purchase as well.This is the perfect place to drop in if you're looking for a quick bite that's a step above your standard fast food or fast casual joint."

Cafe con Leche

★★★★☆ 4 (1159) • $$

"We came in on a Sunday morning and were able to be seated immediately in their outdoor patio. The brunch menu has a good variety of options ranging from American standards (pancakes, French toast, eggs with sausage) to more Latin items like tortas, chilaquiles, etc. we opted for the latter; the coffee came out quickly, but the food took some time given it was breakfast food. It arrived at our table lukewarm at best, but the overall flavors were good and the portion sizes were generous. Overall I'd say it was a good experience!"

Garcia's Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (1465)

"About a 1-1.5: Garcia's has been around since the early '90s in the Lincoln Square area and is apparently known for their chimichangas.Their menu also offers various appetizers, salads, fajitas, beef/chicken/seafood dishes, burritos, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tostadas, tortas, and breakfast options.We came here for an early dinner, and we ordered:+the Carne Asada chimichanga - we opted for the fillings of beans, onions, and cheese, served Suizo-style (topped with melted cheese), with a side of the salsa ranchero+horchata - we opted for the large size - this was definitely on the sweeter end, more like candy-like; check your sugar levels afterwards!Making the entree a 'dinner', this came with a side of rice, beans, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream and guacamole. The rice had no flavor and was dry; the refried beans were also unseasoned and more on the gritty/gloopy side. Guacamole was okay, and definitely preferred to dip the tortilla chips in rather than the extremely watery salsa that was served.The chimichanga itself didn't seem to have been drained well, as it was very oily - I thought the 'melted cheese' would be more of like a queso, but seeing the melted cheese on top was disappointing - it was also flavorless, so it didn't really add much to the chimichanga. The salsa ranchero tasted literally like the watery salsa that was served with the chips.The fillings of the chimichanga were okay; it seemed as if there were generous amount of carne asada within, but there were some parts that were too fatty or gristly.I was also surprised with the amount that we paid for the chimichanga meal, being it almost close to $40, in addition to gratuity, with the drink - not sure what various surcharges that were applied, but that was a bit ridiculous. Sure, they give you a generous amount of food, but there was no value to it due to the quality that was served.Service was friendly, but we could have been checked in more often for refills of water, condiments, and/or getting the check. The place seemed to get busier as the evening went on, and you can tell that this is a popular spot for the locals.Unfortunately, the craving for a delicious chimichanga was not satisfied, and this place was a no dice - definitely a hyped joint.Metered parking spaces available. +overhyped (and, overpriced) chimichangas+watery salsa and salsa ranchero+inattentive service+metered parking spaces available"

El Nuevo Mexicano

★★★★☆ 4.2 (892) • $$

"Went here for dinner with a friend. The restaurant is much bigger than you can tell from the street. They have an enclosed heated patio in the back area where which we sat. They give you as many orders of fresh chips and salsa as you wish. Salsa is kinda spicy, but I prefer it that way. We ordered Al pastor enchiladas which were very good and got the churros for dessert. There are cheaper Mexican restaurants in the area but this place isn't overpriced. Service was also very good and attentive. Will be visiting again."

Broken English Taco Pub - The Loop

★★★★☆ 3.8 (1065) • $$

"Was in Chicago for a conference and needed a quick bite to eat with my colleague. Broken English Taco Pub had a decent crowd on a Monday night. Service was great and we received our food extremely fast. It was so good that we forgot to take photos of the food. We had brisket and shrimp tacos and shared the chicharrones and guacamole appetizer. Everything was delicious. Great atmosphere, great service and great food and drinks. That's a win for me!"

Cafe El Tapatio

★★★★☆ 3.8 (965) • $$

"This is some really solid Mexican food. It's considerably better than the other Mexican options in the area. It's not changing lives, but it's a good option. The salsa they give you with the free chips is hot fire. It is so damned good and it will set your tongue aflame. I had the taco salad in a tortilla bowl. Good stuff. The service was excellent. The ambiance was fine minus the standard annoying music."

Takito Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.2 (745) • $$

"Been here several times. On this occasion came for Taco Tuesday specials. On Tuesdays they have $3 tacos (for the most part). Between us girls we ate about 4 tacos each. Unanimously agreed that Shrimp Taco with Strawberry Pico was thee favorite. We also enjoyed the Skirt Steak and the Fish Taco. Our night was very pleasant with Juan guiding us through the menu. Juan also was very good about telling us his favorite entrees. Three Yelp Elite ladies left very happy on Taco Tuesday. So nice to bond over food and hang with these girlfriends. Drinks: Passion Fruit Margarita with sugar room was my favorite. Gabby loved Lychee Margarita."

Tzuco

★★★★☆ 4.2 (683) • $$$

"My 19 year old made reservations for my bday and we were running more than 10 mins late . We showed up 20 mins later only to be informed our table was given away. We were so disappointed and had my mom and aunt in tow .... My 75 year old aunt got so upset and asked if they could accommodate us and finally the manager came out and got us a high top table with 2 additional seats for 6 people. We squeezed In and ordered a whole bunch of food including the red snapper on the menu. The service was good , the menu lacks chicken dishes and the drinks were meh. I have had better old fashioned. . Lauren the manager came up and checked on us a few times which was good. I hope chef Carlos will increase the poultry options and also improve the drinks . The guava pavlova was superb!! I will be back with my girlfriends"

Taqueria El Asadero

★★★★☆ 4.1 (709) • $$

"We came here at around 11pm on a Friday night. They were pretty busy with a lot of takeout orders. We decided to dine. The crew here was great. It was late at night, they still had smiles and the kitchen was bumping some good music. Don't forget it is also CASH ONLY. I ordered a carne Asada taco and a lengua taco. Both were very delicious. They use skirt steak of their Asada and fill the tacos up with meat. The lengua was cut thick, and was cooked perfectly. Very tender and flavorful. I put some red salsa on the Asada taco and green salsa on the lengua. My wife ordered an Al pastor taco and it was just as delicious. They also give you chips and salsa when dining in. Will definitely be returning when in the area."

Tiztal Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (634) • $$

"Tiztal Cafe is the only place I can go for Chilaquiles. I have been coming to Tiztal Cafe for the last 6 going on 7 years and they have remained consistent. I am so happy in this day and age with things becoming more expensive and it becoming easier to cut but on food quality to save money it does not seem as though Tiztal Cafe is taking that route.I love that I still see some of the staff that I saw when I first visited back in 2016. Tiztal Cafe gives you the feeling of a family restaurant even though they get really busy. The staff is always wonderful! No matter how busy the restaurant gets the wait staff is always smiling and patient with everyone. I truly cannot order an entree outside of the Chilaquiles because they make the best on the Northside. I have tried other Chilaquiles around the Northside and always find myself comparing them go Tiztal Cafe that I no longer try. I am happy that Tiztal Cafe still gives you large portions of food. I easily get three meals out of my breakfast. The trick to keep the chips from getting soggy is asking for the salsa on the side. I remember once when they accidentally put salsa on top, the waitress gave me extra chips to take home without me asking. That moment solidified why I keep coming back and telling anyone that will listen about Tiztal Cafe. The amount of food you receive is worth the price. They align with what you would typically see on the Northside. I highly recommend coming to Tiztal Cafe. If you aren't big on crowds, come on a weekday or really early in the morning on the weekend. The line moves fast if there is a crowd. Bonus: they have an outside patio!"

Chilango Mexican Street Food

★★★★☆ 4.2 (660) • $$

"Great place!! Highly recommend their empanadas and horchata! My partner and I stopped here after a week long trip in NYC. After a week of pizza, pasta and bagels. We desperately wanted some tacos!! So glad he suggested this place!! We shared 3 tacos: Steak, al pastor and shrimp. As well as 3 empanadas: beef& rice, champinon and nutella-banana. Everything was delicious!!"

Chilam Balam

★★★★☆ 3.6 (867) • $$

"Such a hidden gem in Chicago. I love Chilam Bilam with a group of friends before a night out. We came here and did the chef's menu and we got so many delicious items. From the guac, to the taco board, to the ceviche, the place is awesome and the staff is great too. It is BYOB so bring your own tequila and you can mix in anything that you'd like! Would recommend doing this and then going to the laugh factory for a show down the street."

El Habanero

★★★★★ 4.6 (531) • $$

"For sure it's one of the best Mexican places in Logan Square, and it has no lack of competition. It sucks only that it's no alcohol, cash only, and closed Sundays. El Habanero is among a lot of kind of small ethnic restaurants along Fullerton. Has an authentic menu but it accessible enough for those who aren't familiar with these kinds of items. There's some vegetarian choices amidst all the beef and pork tacos. Came here recently at lunch. It's not a big place. There's only a few tables. Even so it wasn't that crowded. This seems like a place where most people are from the neighborhood. Also most eating here were Mexican or Latino. That's a pretty good sign, because that means the food is authentic and good enough for them. Has some authentic beverages. It's about $3 for Aguas De Tamarindo. Cool and refreshing. The food menu contains lots of meaty options but there's some vegetables. Each of us got the Vegetariano Burrito. It's about $10 and it's a big one. Comes with cheese and sour cream but leave these off for non dairy. This was filled with beans, lettuce, and tomatoes. Filling lunch. These are enough to feed a couple people. Get a lot of good authentic stuff from here. It's got no alcohol and it's cash only and closed Sundays but it's great besides all those. There's plenty to choose from for meat eaters and also has things for vegetarians."

Adobo Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (813) • $$

"Food was good. Nothing outstanding. The margaritas are in a super small martini glass. I think I finished mine in 2 sips... barely 2 gulps. Great outdoor seating space."

Carnitas Uruapan

★★★★★ 4.5 (548) • $

"A very OG spot in Pilsen. As the name suggests, they focus on carnitas. You can pick to just buy their meat by weight or get the Es Special for a full meal, which we did. They also have a few cut options for their meat.We tried the ribs and the carnitas. Both were very succulent and rich. The Es Special came with tortillas, a drink (get the horchata!), refried beans, and a choice of their fried taco. Needless to say, this was a heavy meal but in the best way possible. We also got some chips and guac that were as fresh as can be. Crispy chips, tasty guac.Definitely a deal for what you pay for. Come hungry!"

Pueblo Nuevo

★★★★★ 4.5 (542) • $

"I decided to finally return back, I truly regret not returning sooner. Lulu was great. She has the most amazing personality, and truly makes you feel at home. I ordered their Carne Asada burrito. The carne Asada was delicious. It was very tender and seasoned perfectly. I also substituted their lettuce and tomatoes for rice. The tacos were also very good. Lulu also recommended to try their Pambazos, and invited us back to try them out. Will definitely accept that invite!"

El Barco Mariscos

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (943) • $$

"This place is FABULOUS! I loved every single food I've had, along with margarita. The waitress was very nice and restaurant is spacious. They offer chili oil type of salsa as a complimentary and it's delicious. I recommend to people who enjoy Mexican seafood."

Flaco's Tacos

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (940) • $

"Totally solid tacos. I'm sure they would've tasted even better if I hadn't got them to go. I'm definitely coming back and appreciate that someone spotted me and brought my order out since I had my dogs with me.The chip portions are crazy big. And the tacos are also bigger than most.Loved it."

El Mariachi Tequila Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (824) • $$

"One of the great things about Chicago is the abundance of amazing places to eat. There is never a shortage of delicious food all around town and the variations of how so many cuisines are presented. Recently, I dined at El Mariachi Tequila Bar and Grill and well, let me tell you how that all went....We were warmly greeted and shortly thereafter, seated to a table that provided optimal views of the restaurants beautiful interior. It was warm, cozy and spacious inside with decor that made you feel like you were eating in a quaint villa in Mexico. Next up was the amazing food... here's a rundown of what we enjoyed:Tableside guacamole: Made to order and to your tastes! Fresh avocados are gently crushed with ingredients such as onion, jalapeno, tomato, salt, freshly squeezed lime juice and cilantro. Simply and so delicious with their housemade tortilla chips!Weekly Special Citrus Shrimp: This refreshing appetizer was the creation of their executive chef which consists of rock shrimp, spicy poblano guacamole all set atop a thinly sliced orange segment. Strikingly beautiful yet packed with some heat!Ceviche de Camaron: This shrimp ceviche is not your typical version! Shrimp is marinated in sweet passion fruit and citrus juices and tossed with Peruvian corn, red onion and aji amarillo pepper. The additional crisp tortilla chips made for a perfect way to scoop this in your mouth...Margarita Yucateca: And what would this delicious Mexican dinner be without a proper margarita?! This colorful libation involves hibiscus infused Cabo Wabo tequila, blood orange, triple sec, habanera simple syrup and agave nectar... olé!Carne Asada Costena: A grilled skirt steak is marimated over night and served with specialty sauteed and seasoned cream shrimp (shrimp not shown) and served with cilantro lime rice and black beans. It was wonderful and such a great twist on a surf and turf dish!Salmon a la Veracruzana; An 8oz salmon filet is wrapped in banana leaves and served over a tomato caper Veracruzana salsa, accompanied by cilantro lime rice and caramelized plantains.Pollo Relleno; A breaded chicken roulade stuffed with chorizo, sweet corn, poblano, asafetida cheese... served over creamy tomatillo salsa, really asked garlic cheese potatoes and ancho green beans. This had to be my favorite dish of the night next to the chips and freshly made guacamole!Chipotle Ribeye: A well seasoned boneless ribeye toppde with mushrooms, creamy tomatillo salsa all served with roasted garlic cheese potatoes and ancho green beans. Another unique twist on steak and potatoes.And finally it was time for dessert! We were presented with a beautiful platter of three desserts consisting of cheesecake, chocolate flourless cake and flan. All were made in house and they were fantastic!After an outstanding meal, we stepped outside to their back patio... and wow. It was an awesome space perfect for outdoor dining. During the day, you can take in all the exposed brick, wide open season and beautifully paved patio. By night, you can enjoy the twinkling lights, soft glow of the lanterns and the beautiful and romantic ambiance."

Taqueria Moran

★★★★☆ 4.2 (601)

"Ordered take out for lunch and the staff was kind to direct me to the cashier where a sweet older woman assisted me. I waited about 5 minutes for my order to be prepared and she asked if I wanted pickled veggies which was nice as some places don't.I ordered 3 tacos: al pastor, carnitas, and shrimp. The shrimp and al pastor was bomb. I usually can eat 3 tacos but couldn't finish because they were super filled. Although I also had a side of rice and beans so if I didn't have that I could have eaten all 3. The carnitas was a bit soggy/mushy and it was hard to differentiate the pieces of meat inside. The rice and beans were standard and fine, nothing out of this world.Overall would definitely return for some more tacos!Note: green sauce is not spicy at all whereas red sauce is spicy."

Sabroso! Mexican Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (462) • $$

"SO GOOD - ordered for delivery.Favorite items ordered / ranked / why1. Pork Tamale w red sauce: cooked so perfectly and fluffy moist and the pork was really good and not dry and large portion2. Al Pastor Taco: again pork was cooked perfectly and a lot of flavor3. California Burrito: a ton of food absolutely gigantic, tasted really good fries were soggy but we expected that since we got delivery. We love California Burritos and we're happy we split this lol since it was massive4. Chicken Tortilla Soup: I love chicken tortilla soup and this one had plenty of flavor and chicken and avocado. For people who don't eat spice regularly this would be considered medium for spice level, for people who eat foods that are spiced regularly, it's pretty mild.5. Chicken Tamale w green sauce: love tamales but chicken ones are hard cause they can sometimes dry out. Still good but added more salsa and a large portion.We also ordered the carne asada taco and taquitos, but they were ok!"

Quesadilla La Reyna del Sur

★★★★☆ 4.2 (578)

"2nd time here. Food is so good! We got the quesadillas and it was really good. The tinga "meat" is delicious. - great for meat and non meat eaters. Will be coming back!"

Alegrias Seafood

★★★★☆ 3.8 (706) • $$

"I've been wanting to try this spot for a while, and I took my parents to experience it with me. We were first greeted with complementary ceviche tostada, which was fresh and delicious. We had no idea what to order (the menu is overwhelming with pictures and no prices), but our waiter pointed us right away to the special platter big enough to feed 3-4 people. That was the perfect dish to order for us because we loved the variety of seafood - lobster, crab, scallops, octopus, shrimp, etc - and the quality and amounts of it all too! The sauce was delicious, and we had a good amount of seafood leftover. The fries, fried rice, and garlic bread that came with it was also scrumptious. My dad's virgin pina colada (we didn't bring our own alcohol with us oops!) was very refreshing with the meal. The servers were so nice and explained that everything was made fresh to order too! It definitely tasted like it. Overall the price was well worth the value of quality and amount we got too - around $150 for the huge platter."

La Cantina Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (723) • $$

Federales Fulton

★★★★☆ 3.5 (715) • $$

"We couldn't walk past and not do the ice shot. If you are outside you get drawn to watching and can't help but want to be a participant. We got in and went straight to the bar and got our ice shots. I have to say it was a lot of fun and I hit the bell. I appreciate the fun and casual environment."

Lonesome Rose - Logan Square

★★★★☆ 4 (518) • $$

"On my first night in Chicago, I went to check out Lonesome Rose, a restaurant I'd heard a lot about.Upon walking in, it's so cute and fun vibes only. The staff there were all super courteous and my server Bella was amazing from beginning to end, constantly checking in on me and other tables to see if anything else was needed.Started off with the guava mezcal margarita, which was so good. Not too sweet and gave me a nice little buzz. I wanted tacos so got Sal's carne asada and the fried chicken. I was also given a side of pickled onions which complimented both tacos perfectly. The carne asada had loads of good flavor, meat was nice and tender. The fried chicken had pimento cheese, hot sauce, and pickled jalapenos. A flavor bomb, in a good way! I also ordered the chicken empanadas, which was my favorite out of the 3 dishes. Fried to perfection, lots of ingredients inside from chicken to corn to beans, and the green salsa that accompanied it was the icing on top.For dessert, Bella helped me decide on the horchata soft serve and recommended her addition of crushed peanut butter pretzels. First, the soft serve is a huge portion, I could barely make a dent in it, even though I wanted to eat the whole bowl if I could. I loved the addition of the PB pretzels because I am a sweet and savory kinda gal. I truly wish we had a dessert like this near home because I am craving this now!Highly recommend this restaurant that also has a very cute rooftop dining area, bar with karaoke, and outdoor seating as well. Service was impeccable by Bella and the food and drink prices are super reasonable for the quality you get!"

Del Toro

★★★★☆ 4 (483) • $$

"Yum! I came here after a work event with some colleagues and we were seated right away despite not having a reservation, which is always a pleasant surprise! The patio is large and super spacious, so it made a great option for a place to come with a big group. The drinks are everything of a margarita lovers dream. There are SO many margarita options, and even some traditional Mexican beverage options too like sangria, horchata, jalisco old fashion. I went with the jalapeño margarita and I loved it, but buckle up; she's spicy! It comes with half a jalapeño atop it, if you want to make it even spicer. We shared some chips, salsa and guac to start and loved all three. The guac was so fresh! I ordered the carne asada and pollo adobado tacos. Both were flavorful, but the carne asada was my favorite! The tacos are decently sized, but I would probably get one more. Overall great time here and I would absolutely come back to hang on the patio and try some more drinks!"

La Mejikana

★★★★☆ 4.4 (386) • $$

"Honestly, I think I've been here before, but I had them bookmarked and stopped by again last night an hour before they were too close. We had no issues parking right in front. We walked in and were able to sit wherever we wanted. The place was packed and jumping with other customers. The menu was kind of hectic. They have a variety of items that should please everyones pallet. We ordered 2 of the Quesa Birria tacos, and 1 order of 3 steak tacos to go. For drinks, we got the watermelon margaritas. Everything was freshly prepared and came out hot pretty quickly. Our meat was bland. It wasn't bursting with flavors as I expected, same with the steak tacos. They were bland and basic nothing to write home about. For this area, I expected more honestly. I'd come back for drinks and the music, but I'd pass on the food unless I was starving."

El Milagro Taqueria

★★★★☆ 4.1 (438) • $

"I've not been to El Milagro in many years, but my love and I enjoyed having a no-frills lunch there on a recent Saturday afternoon. They were doing brisk business, but after we placed our order at the counter our food was brought out fairly quickly. A hearty plate of food with rice, beans, slaw and tortillas is now nearly ten dollars, still not a bad deal nowadays.I enjoyed my mole chicken for lunch. My love actually ordered lengua in tomato sauce. As you can see, she did not get what she ordered, but she still was fine with her meaty lunch. I tacked on a dessert tamale. The strawberry tamale was a unique taste sensation, not overly sweet."

Flaco's Tacos

★★★★☆ 3.5 (579) • $

"We're not too late for #tacotuesday We love heading down the street to get some Flacos Tacos! Even their outside seating is quite nice and rustic. The sauces are made with perfect consistency every time we eat here! Plus $1 tacos where could you go wrong?"

Taqueria Primo Chukis Uptown

★★★★☆ 4.4 (366)

"Recently came in again on a Wednesday night with my partner and unfortunately they are no longer BYOB. It was nice while it lasted. They still have the $2 Tuesday and Thursday taco special for Asada, Fish, Cabeza, lengua, and carnitas which is a great deal. I got the asada burrito this time and it was pretty tasty. They still have the same 2 salsas at each table (the green being not spicy at all and the red having a kick). The lengua taco was not good at all. It tasted very flavorless and unseasoned. I will still continue to come back for their Asada tacos and burritos here. They're delicious!"

Cocina TARASCAS Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (543) • $$

"Came in with my youngest son and his girlfriend. Vive was excellent and so was the artwork and the music. Service was decent except that I felt like our waiter was forgetful. They had some excellent veggie choices which made Lesley happy. My steak was cooked the way I asked, however it was served with a heavy sauce that I would have preferred not to have. The rice and beansWere good. Gaucomole was fair. I really enjoyed the ambiance but I felt that the food was not as good as 3 or 4 other Mexican restaurants in the area."

Esencia Urban Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.5 (345) • $$

"Very good. Brunch menu is a bit short but the quality of the kitchen's output is there. Potatoes were special. Delightful cafe latte."

Allende Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (432) • $

"I took this order to go and it was amazing. So flavorful and so fulling. I got the burrito and the torta both with carne asada. They only take cash or card and do not take apple pay. Prices are definitely worth it and I am definitely coming back."