Where the cities wasted eat...
Neighborhood: Different Northside 'hoods with lot's of bars
Cuisine: Mexican - The drunken gringo type
Price Range: $4-$10
Would I go again? Well I still drink so sometimes I do to some and might make it back to others.
We have many different series' here at S'C'&C. One of those is "Oh yeah, I've been there to". These are quick run downs of places that I also happen to have been too along the way on the great Chicago eating trail. These posts just point out that if your wondering if I've been somewhere, I most likely have. Today we head to Twelve (10 newly featured) late night Mexican shacks, which happen to be abundant in Chicagoland. I cant verify this but I would bet that aside from Mexico City and maybe one other large city in Mexico that there is no other city out there with more Mexican restaurants than Chicago (LA included). Whether its a spot run by an award winning chef like Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill or a hole in the wall joint like these places that are frequented by the city's heavy drinkers, we got all phases of them here in Chicago. It's no coincidence that all these spots featured today are in neighborhoods with lots of bars and with that many drunks. These places are a part of Chicago and anyone who grew up in the city and did it up out on the town in their heyday has their favorite late nite burrito shack, always visited with blurry vision and after 2am.
Index (abc order)
Allende
El Burrito Mexicano
el gallo bravo
Fiesta Mexicana
Jaimito's Burrito's
La Bamba
Picante
Taco Burrito Express
Taco Burrito King
Taco Burrito Los Panchos
Taco Burrito Palace
Tradicion
I thought that with NYE 2010 approaching that now was a good time to post this. I imagine that these joints take in more money on New Years eve than any other night. These places have always been gold mines for those that open them. Since the 80's spots like them have been popping up near areas with lots of bars and clubs and near train stations throughout the city and its suburbs. They all have the same goal and that's to serve cheap, greasy not too authentic Mexican food up until the wee hours of the morning. Unless the tradition that is drinking starts to disappear, these places will be around forever and we as a society haven't stopped drinking since we found out about liquor and what it does. So here are 11 late nite spots that will soak up the liquor and the items you should order should you choose to dine at any of them. I am not responsible for how you feel the morning after. Cheers!
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Allende
Located on Lincoln just off Fullerton in Lincoln Park
It's fitting that Allende is first in ABC order because out of all these spots featured its also the best in my book. Located just off Fullerton on Lincoln, a block away from the red line stop it's been around for as long as I have in the neighborhood and at this point I'm one of the originals. They actually have two locations with another down south on Lincoln near the Children's Memorial Hospital and both are open late and serve to a working class lunchtime crowd and to wasted customers thru the early morning hours as well. I like Allende especially well when they have the al pastor spit going which is usually on the weekend.
The areas only al pastor spit, that I'm aware of anyway
Despite an abundance of Mexican restaurants in the city we still only have a few handful's of places that do up al pastor straight off the spit and not just on the griddle. In Lincoln Park you wont find them anywhere else and believe it or not Allende's are very good when they are on their A-game. Spicy marinated pork meat is sliced like gyros off the cone and then topped with cilantro, onion and comes with plenty of limes and salsa. A wonderful late nite snack.
Taco's al Pastor from Allende are the best tacos in LP...when they are on
The rest of the menu at this little sit down/take out joint is actually pretty good too and if something sounds good to you it most likely is going to be from here. I like the breakfast options and at under $5 the ham, eggs and cheese with beans and rice and tortillas is great bang for the buck. If a place isn't doing up real deal tacos de carne asada, I tend to stay away from the steak tacos, but as far as steak tacos made on the griddle go, Allende might be best. Good quality food at really cheap prices and a really good homemade red salsa make Allende part of my neighborhood rotation. I eat here when sober, so that's saying something aint it?
Ham, egg and cheese breakfast plate, dirt cheap and filling
Steak taco from Allende
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El Burrito Mexicano
Located on Addison, steps from Wrigley Field under the red line stop
If there's a large drinking area in Chicago there's another thing that's for sure going to be near it and that's a drunken Mexican restaurant, open late and serving the shit faced. It just so happens that El Burrito Mexicano is a block down from the biggest outdoor bar in the world, Wrigley Field. So you know this place has seen it all and has some stories to tell. It's been around a while and it's nothing pretty inside, just a grill, a few tables and a menu to soak up the alcohol. Pretty much every place on here today is like the other. I used to go here back in HS now and then.
Steak taco platter is my go to from Mexicano
Nacho platter with cheese, beans, SC and avocado is great too...
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El Gallo Bravo
El Gallo Bravo has a number of locations around Chicagoland. Many of them are 24 hour joints including the one I like to hit up from time to time located over on Montrose and Clark. You can read all about my favorite burrito in the city right HERE as it's been featured before. I also really love their hard shell steak tacos which at under $1.40/each are cheap and complete.
Hard Shell steak tacos from el gallo bravo
My own constructed Cali burrito
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Fiesta Mexicana
On Halsted in Lincoln Park
You'll notice that half of these spots are within a mile radius of each other and that includes Fiesta Mexicana which is across the street from Allende and around the corner from TBP #2 and so on. This place is actually a sit down spot popular with Biograph theater goers as well as people starting they're night out with food and drink. It burned down a few years ago and then reopened and I went back once since. I thought it was better before for food but the drinks at the new one were great. One of the better margarita's in the neighborhood and nice price with patron or something decent added in. My combo meal wasn't what I remembered it to be from my youth, maybe my taste buds just moved on? None of this food featured is too authentic.
Combo Platter with one of each
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Jaimito's Burrito's
Located on Clybourn just off Sheffield
Here we have another spot that I have been going to for a while, meaning I am still a customer here from time to time. Mexican food has always been my favorite and I've been going out and about since before I was supposed too so there isn't many places in the neighborhood and it's vicinity that I haven't been to. Jaimito's has always been a favorite of mine for a quick bite when at home or headed there. I think the whole menu is pretty legit with the tacos being my go to menu items. The best chicken tacos in the city reside at Jaimito's. They take moist meat and flavor it up in a red sauce and in this case I enjoy the lettuce, tomato gringo style toppings.
Tamale with their top notch sauce
I pretty much always go with the chicken tacos but don't sleep on the chile rellanos as well as other items like the tamales and enchiladas. Another thing I must always get is an order of rice or two. I think they put out the 2nd best Mexican rice in the city and love their red salsa that comes with it as well as the tacos, burritos etc...I just wish some of these places would use larger containers for them and or stop being so stingy with handing them out. The tacos need the salsa.
Jaimito's chicken tacos are my "best in city"
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La Bamba
Locations throughout the Midwest
Oh boy, this next stop is not something I like to remember. When I was at college in Madison we had nowhere near the selection of good greasy Mexican we have in Chicago and I never slowed down from hitting up the bars and rocking out til the wee hours. This created for some desperate times which were going to La Bamba for a burrito when I was fiending for Mexican food. This is a franchise started by a family who had the idea to bring "burritos as big as your head" to areas with lots of college kids. Yes I love Mexican so much sometimes I had to eat at this not so great place. I'm not a burrito guy either but if drunk enough I could make theirs good. We got a few in Chicago and they're locations throughout the Midwest. Ignore the "authentic Mexican food" sign.
Steak burrito from La Bamba...a favorite among college kids
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Picante
Located on Division in Bucktown
Back in the 90's when Lincoln Park was the king of bar's and weekends in Chicago many places like Picante popped up. Then when Wicker Park and Bucktown got trendy and bars and clubs came with it, more taco joints would come too. I've only been to Picante once and it's located on Division not too far off of Damen. It's there to serve the hipsters tacos and such after midnight. They need them too right? It's a really small space and the food and its flavors arent too large either. The most popular menu item is the white boy tacos which are just hard shell ground beef tacos with lettuce, tomato and cheese. Since they arent fried fresh they are just ok as is everything else on the menu. The fish and chicken tacos sucked. Sorry but they did kid.
Hard shell taco filled with ground beef aka a White Boy's taco
Chicken taco from Picante
Picante's fish taco
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Taco Burrito Palace
Located on Halsted in Lincoln Park
Oh yes the place where I spent more drunken nights than most...TBP. Back when it was in it's old location this was a place of legends. The crowds it got and stories the old building could tell. Those days are over, they moved and so did most people that made this thee place to eat during the late 90's and early 2000's. You can read all about it HERE.
The former late nite inebriated eats champion of the Northside
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Taco Burrito Express
Located on Halsted in Lincoln Park
I wasn't kidding when I said we got alot of spots. Our next stop is to Taco Burrito Express aka TBE. It's located on Halsted right down from La Bamba in between that and Taco Burrito Palace. Back in high school you either went to one or the other but most definitely not both. Since I was always a big fan of TBP I only came here a handful of times but had many friends who liked it far better to TBP. The nice thing about it today is that it's still the same place it was in the 90's.
Corny murals are a must at drunken Mexican joints
I have found that the food here today is still pretty good like it was back when. I really enjoy the veggie tacos from here and think they are superior to TBP's version. I like veggie tacos from these places nowadays and have found TBE's to be what TBP's used to be so when I want some of them I will just go here instead. The item that people loved TBE for back in the day was the chicken quesadilla and I'm afraid that has changed. It's nowhere near as greasy and filling as it used to be but is still a good option if that's what your feeling like. I like.
Veggie taco from TBE
Chicken quesadilla from taco Burrito Express
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Taco Burrito Los Panchos
Located on Diversey in Lincoln Park
Hey, hey whatdaya say, another place just up the road. This Taco Burrito is located on Diversey just off Lincoln. From what I can remember a few of the guys that work TBP Los Panchos used to work at TBP. I cant verify this but I am almost positive since I've been in the neighborhood eating at these spots my whole life. I like this place for it's tamale plate. They are just like TBP's but these are always a little more moist and fresh than the other spots. It must be a family thing and these guys must have branched out because many other things are very similar but I don't really order anything else but my beloved tamale plate from here. Best lunch for under $5 within reach from me. Although for me it's usually just a snack.
Los Panchos tamale platter, great deal at about $5
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Taco Burrito King
Locations throughout Chicago
I used to eat at a TBK located in a strip mall on Ashland just off Belmont back when my friends had a place around there. Taco Burrito King has quite a few locations throughout the city but I haven't been to any of them in years. I took this picture of my go to item, the steak taco platter, when I went to the Greektown location, about two years back. I have not been back to any of them since. Not much different than any of the others seen on here, they just have locations in lots of different neighborhoods. It's ok at best.
Steak taco platter from TBK
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Tradicion
Located on Belmont just off the Red line stop
Our final stop on the drunken Mexican restaurant late nite crawl is one stop before Addison on the red line over at Belmont. I usually stay away from these parts and it has nothing to do with crime or shady people, just weirdos and freaks which actually scare me more than any ghetto corner could. But I stopped in here one night when I got a parking spot a few feet away and ordered a chips and salsa along with a couple steak tacos to go. I got this big Styrofoam cup of house made red sauce and a big bag of fresh fried chips for about $2 and it was everything I wanted. I went back a few times and kept on enjoying the steak tacos and loving the chips and salsa until I had a bad experience there with the tacos one time. They were nothing like what they used to be and straight gross and I have not been back since. They can bee seen below. Just like Allende was first in abc order and also in food quality, Tradicion is last.
Tradicion has really good red salsa...
...but the steak tacos are very forgettable
Oh and in case you were wondering, my current late nite go to taco joint that I almost always go to when I want Mexican late is La Pasadita. See ya next year on S'C'&C with the King.
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Allende Restaurante
2408 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-7114
El Burrito Mexicano
936 West Addison Street
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 327-6991
El Gallo Bravo #5
1429 W Montrose Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
Chicago, IL 60613
Fiesta Mexicana
2421 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 348-4144
Jaimito's Burritos
1781 North Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 397-9009
La Bamba
2557 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-7491
Picante Taqueria
2016 1/2 W Division Street
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 328-8800
Taco Burrito Palace
2459 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-0740
Taco Burrito Express
2540 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 929-8867
Taco Burrito Los Panchos
1155 West Diversey Parkway
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 935-3198
Taco Burrito King
Multiple Locations
List of them
Tradicion
958 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 388-1574
