Chicago's Best Mexican Food 2008

Two excellent restaurants—one casual and buzzing, the other sophisticated and sedate—with a reputation for Chicago’s finest Mexican food.

Reviews:

• “Who honestly thinks this is 5 stars?”
• “Save your money "
• “Service was extemely poor and so was the food.”
• “Love the Hot Sauce!”
• “Fantastic!”

Tips: Frontera Grill takes advance reservations for all lunch parties and for groups of five to 10 at dinner; groups smaller than five should call early on the same day. Topolobampo takes lunch and dinner reservations for up to eight people; it’s a good idea to call several weeks in advance for weekend seatings.

Frontera Grill & Topolobampo

Casual Mexican favorite serves up a diverse menu of standards in the bustling Ukrainian Village neighborhood.

Reviews:

• “Excellent Food”
• “Great food, but a little negligent”
• “Amazing!”
• “An Excellent Traditional Mexican Dish and Atmosphere”
• “BEST MEXICAN FOOD EVER!”

Tecalitlan Restaurant or email Tecalitlan Restaurant

Oversized drinks and Mexican dishes attract crowds to this casual corner spot.

Reviews:

• “Best Tasting Mexican Food!!!”
• “Overrated. Don’t judge this place by its cover”
• “Highly Over rated”
• “Great mango margaritas!”
• “Yummy and great priced Mexican food”

Tips: Prime seats during the summertime are at tables on the shaded patio.

Cafe El Tapatio or email Cafe El Tapatio

Regional Mexican fare and tequila aplenty make this South Loop hacienda a hit with downtown execs.

Reviews:

• “Best Mexican Food in Chicago!”
• “AVOID this place!”
• “Best Mexican Ever”
• “Friendly staff, good food, decent value”
• “Horrible”

Tips: Finding a parking spot here is challenging, so either valet or take public transportation. The Roosevelt El stop is just a two-block walk.

Zapatista

Vibrant, festive atmosphere draws a casual Lakeview crowd to this budget Mexican spot.

Reviews:

• “Over Charge You……”
• “This place is good business!”
• “Great service and Burrito.”
• “Colorful and energetic place on Belmont”
• “Excellent!”

Tips: Bring the little ones along; they can choose from kiddie dinners offering tacos, burritos and enchiladas with rice and beans for just a few bucks.

Mi Tierra Mexican Restaurant

Contemporary taqueria serves upscale Mexican street food in stylish surroundings.

Reviews:

• “Loud and overpriced”
• “Go for drinks and chips/guac, NOT for the food…”
• “good mexican food”
• “It’s OK”
• “mediocre tacos at incredibly high prices (and poor service)”

Tips: The beverage list includes 25 tequilas, a small wine selection, and a handful of Mexican beers—but the specialty fruit and herb drinks, like the pineapple margarita and the banana-dill daiquiri, are too tempting to resist.

de cero

Reviews:

• “Great Carne Asada”
• “Pretty Generic”
• “Best Mexican restaurant for steak!”
• “La Joya de Bridgeport”
• “The best Mexican I’ve had in Chicago”

Pancho Pistolas Authentic Mexican Restaurant

Casual Humboldt Park restaurant spotlights authentic flavors from the streets and marketplaces of Mexico City.

Reviews:

• “Very Disapointing”
• “A great new find!”
• “good kids menu”
• “Who rates these places??”
• “BEST MEXICAN IN CHICAGO — AND AFFORDABLE DRINKS!!!!”

Tips: The bar offers margaritas served on the rocks, mojitos, sangria, several Mexican cervezas and more. Nonalcoholic drinks include horchata, sweetened cafe de olla and atole made from corn masa.

Maiz

Friendly B.Y.O.B. storefront in Uptown serves fresh, creative Mexican fare at cheap-eats prices.

Reviews:

• " 5 star through and through."
• “delcious regional mexican food”
• “Best Mexican food in Chicago”
• “Fantastic Mexican, Great Value!”
• “Very Disappointing”

Tips: Feel free to bring your own beer or wine; there’s no corkage fee. You can get coffee, juice, horchata or a milkshake.

Rique’s Regional Mexican Food

Mexican diner stays open all night, luring hungry customers with everything from tacos and burritos to seafood soup.

Reviews:

• “Awesome”
• “BEST TACOS IN CHICAGOLAND — What more is there to say!”
• “Great Place, The Place to go when is a late night or a nice afternoon!”
• “It was late. It was good.”

Tips: Arturo’s is locked in battle with the next-door Lazo’s in the fight to catch the the attention of Mexican diner fans.

Arturo’s Tacos

Reviews:

• “Excellent Authentic Mexican Food”
• “the most AMAZING tacos!”

La Oaxaquena

De Pasada

There’s no pretense at this innovative but simple Latin eatery in Pilsen.

Reviews:

• “Worse restaurant – beware of contamination”
• “Exceptional Mexican food”
• “Great new brunch place!”
• “awesome hidden little secret”

Tips: Brunch along this strip is a rare find, but the kitchen here cranks out some mean fruit crepes and egg dishes.

Mundial Cocina Mestiza

Reviews:

• “Best late night Mexican- EVER”
• “Never Again”

Taqueria El Ranchito

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