United Grill

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi

Every now and then I like to get a little dirty when dining. By which I mean some good old fashioned grease eats. The Chicagoland area has more than it's fair share of spots where the grease on the walls is considered a good thing. Usually these type of spots serve food at a more than fair price and sometimes do it around the clock. This is the case at United Grill in Cicero. An old school 24 hour diner with a slot shop on the side. It's Cicero location makes it a popular spot with Mexican families. They also have a second location on Armitage just off Cicero but I've never visited that address. 

Locals Favorite in Cicero 

For an old school diner the menu at United Grill is somewhat tamed down. They offer the usual breakfast classics and sandwiches. Judging by the online reviews it's biggest strength is the fact it's always been there for Cicero locals and such. After that there's quite a few good words spoke on the burgers. I've had a few over the years and have to say it is pretty good for what it is. Sometimes I get a taste for a classic diner burger like this which you cant just recreate. Not without a flattop that's cooked 1000's and 1000's of pounds of sausage, bacon, and burgers anyway. It took decades for United Grill to get that flattop seasoned just right. So while the flavors from this burger wont come from the fact the beef was raised humanely on heirloom corn it still tastes better than the $5.50 pricetag and that's with fries. They're just frozen but like the burger they take on the flavor of the oil.

Diner Cheeseburger at United Grill

United Grill 

2145 S Laramie Ave

Cicero, IL 60804 

(708) 222-0637

5 New Taco Spots

- On the road with the 'Chicago Taco Tour'

In case anyone was wondering I'm still taking rides on the Chicago Taco Trail. The site might be no more but my love for tacos is forever. If you follow my instagram @chibbqking you know I'm still knocking off Chicagoland taco shops one by one. I'll never be fully done as new spots are always opening and pushing the number of spots yet to try higher by the day. But every now and then I'll spy a new spot that warrants an immediate stop or a trip to the top of the hit list. Here's five of late.

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Del Pueblo Restaurant (Cicero)

We'll start with my favorite spot of the bunch. A local family with roots in Monterrey decided to become the pioneers of Tacos Bañados in Chicago. “Bathed tacos” are popular in Northern Mexico states such as Durango and Nuevo León. They make them here by filling steamed tortillas with house special barbacoa de res and then pouring a warm red chile sauce on top. Like enchiladas so to say. Tacos Mañaneros and Tacos al Vapor also available. As are all the Northern Mexico favorites such as gorditas and guisado filled burritos. Then there’s the frijoles charros made and served with chunks of beef shank with marrow still in the middle. One of a few of the new regional stops to hit the trail.

Northern Mexican Delights at Del Pueblo Restaurant

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Carmelo's Taco Place

This summer I spotted a new taco shop in Gage Park with a trompo in the logo. You know the drill - stop in and try the tacos al pastor. They passed the first test with a nice spit of pork up and running. The second test not so much as the meat went from a holding tray to the flattop. Still credit to the taquero for crisping it up real nicely. Pork was well seasoned too so a pretty good taco nonetheless.

Taco al Pastor at Carmelo's Taco Place

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Barbaro Taqueria

Barbaro is a modern taqueria that opened late summer in Humboldt Park. I was attracted by the menu which isn’t the same old same old. Options like suadero, longaniza, and lengua caught my eye. I tried the namesake 'Barbaro Taco' with carne asada, nopalitos salad, queso fresca. The lengua with traditional toppings. Plus a Campechano mixing suadero / longaniza. All served on soft / sturdy corn tortillas made in house. Also a Volcan de Longaniza bc I love mounds of meat, beans, cheese.

Tacos at Barbaro Taqueria

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Rio Tacos

Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot better for North Park students. Rio Tacos is on Foster just west of Kedzie. The menu offers typical taqueria favorites including a diverse selection of tacos. Pictured below is the Chorizo with Sweet Potato (yes), Suadero (yes), and spit roasted Al Pastor (ok). Just $5 for three tacos (on Tuesdays) with gratis chips and beans - not including tip. Always tip your taquero!

Taco Tuesday at Rio Tacos

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Mr. Mesquite (Elk Grove Village)

I wasn’t expecting to find a Phoenix area taqueria import out in Elk Grove Village but that’s where the first out of state location of Mr. Mesquite resides. They have a Chipotle type menu setup but the comparisons end there. Meats are grilled over Mesquite coals and served on translucent flour tortillas with AvoSalsa and Cheese. Build them up further with a variety of housemamde salsas and toppings at the loaded salsa bar. Steak and chicken were both pretty good with nice hints of Mesquite char.

Mesquite Grilled Tacos at Mr. Mesquite 

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See ya next time @chibbqking

Especialidad de la Casa Pt. 6

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

It's been a while since we took a tour of the city's wonderful Mexican restaurants and their specialties of the house. This is no doubt my favorite of the many ongoing specials here at S'C'&C. Not much left to say other than there's new places popping up every day. I'm always on the prowl for the spots that have a menu that doesn't read like 90% of the other spots. Places that specialize in something.

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Con Huevos 

Cicero, IL

I learned of this spot while on the prowl for a good Mexican breakfast. Upon further investigating I realized it more than fit the bill. It's the definition of a local diner except it's in Cicero where about 80% of the population has a Mexican background. This is now my favorite breakfast place in all of Chicagoland and I'm working on a full feature of it for another Chicago based food site. Today we focus in on the Huevos Motuleños. This is a popular breakfast dish in the Yucatan region of Mexico. Learn all about this magnificent way to start your day from my guy David Hammond in New City. Con Huevos is the only place I know of to get what's basically tortillas smeared with beans and then topped with egg, ranchero sauce, ham, peas, and cheese. Recipes can vary and I've only had this dish a couple times but I have to say this version is better than the ones I tried down in Mexico.

Huevos Motuleños at Con Huevos

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Gordillas

Little Village

Gordillas was on my radar from the day I saw their coming soon sign in the window. It looked like a chain of sorts, albeit one from Mexico however I dont believe that to to be the case. I think they have aspirations to expand their offerings of Norteño favorites like gorditas and burritos. While they do eat tacos in Northern Mexico they also eat lots of burritos which aren't what they've become here in America. In Northern Mexico burritos are made using wonderful flour tortillas and are filled with an average amount of stewed meats. Shredded beef is big and that's a popular filling for the burritos, gorditas, and quesadillas on their menu. It's delicious and so are the potato and pepper options.

Quesadilla (L) Burrito (M) Gordita (R)

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Delipan

 Montclare

While riding down Harlem I spotted this place and decided to go in and see what was up. Turns out it's a little Mexican bakery where they're making all sorts of pastries as well as breads. I always like to scan through the reviews of a new place and lots of love was out there for Delipan's bread. They use it to make tortas in house and a turkey sandwich sounded pretty good. The smell of the fresh baked bread was to much to resist. I opted for the pavo (turkey) option and crossed my fingers it was fresh roasted turkey meat but alas it was just the deli stuff. Still this was loaded with all the good stuff including jalapenos and avocados. At just $5 it kicked the crap out of any big name sandwich chain.

Pavo Torta at DeliPan

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Holy Taco

Lincoln Park 

Holy Taco is one of the handfuls of hip taco spots to open up in Chicago over the last couple years. It's from the people that own Millie's Supper Club and it sits on a stretch of Webster that has a few bars popular with DePaul crowd. It's not a bad option for those kids to have. While I didnt love the tacos I did think a house special sincronizada was good drinking food. The Sincronizada is an extension of the quesadilla which in Mexico is actually a Mulita and by extension a sandwich. It's only a quesadilla when folded over. When it's one tortilla on top of another it's a mulita and when you stuff it with ham and other stuff like cheese and then top it with sauce it becomes a sincronizada. There's many variations on this snack and Holy Taco will make you one with any of their taco fillings. It's then doused 50/50 both red and green sauce and lines of sour cream. Extra napkins please.

Sincronizada at Holy Taco

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El Jacalito 

South Chicago 

If one doesn't know about El Jacalito they would ride right by. It's home looks like that of an abandoned diner that hasn't housed a tenant in years. It's the type of spot that just reeks of old school East Side Chicago. Though it also feels like it could be a random restaurant on the side of a barely traveled Texas highway. On my visit the place was packed with blue collar city workers, families, and hoards of regulars taking orders to go. Sit at the "bar" and you'll watch as the ladies pour on pound after pound of steak mixed with peppers and onion. This is what most people are here for in one way or the other. The signature menu item at El Jacalito is the super steak taco. It's made on a ginormous handmade corn tortilla that has the thickness of tavern style pizza crust. This is so it can hold all the meat shoveled in. The meat goes over a layer melted cheese and it's all topped with lettuce and tomato. It eats like a burrito but is in fact a two handed taco. One ($6.50) will fill you up.

 Super Steak Taco at El Jacalito

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Previous Posts from this Series 

Especialidad de la Casa Part 1

Especialidad de la Casa Part 2

Especialidad de la Casa Part 3

Especialidad de la Casa Part 4

Especialidad de la Casa Part 5

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Con Huevos
5709 W Cermak Rd
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 477-4163

Gordillas
3759 W 26th St
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 823-1499

DeliPan
2651 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60707
(872) 256-5425

Holy Taco
953 W. Webster Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 857-0844

El Jacalito
8465 S Commercial Ave
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 933-6840

Mr Taco

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

Its the freaking weekend baby I'm about to have me some fun! Today's stop is a weekend favorite of Cicero's heavy drinking crowd. It's also one of the few restaurants in town that Al Capone didn't frequent. At least not to my knowledge. Mr. Taco is old, but not that old. I don't have the exact date this place opened up on the corner of Ogden and Austin but it's been around for at least a couple decades. Open late this is the spot many local late night revelers find themselves post drinking.

Locals Favorite in Cicero 

First things first, as someone who's been to as many Chicagoland Mexican restaurants as anyone I know this isnt "real" Mexican food. Or is it? I mean it's owned and made by Mexicans. You can take up your idea of what authentic is with them. Today we're here for the food. The type that's great at soaking up lots of booze in the wee hours of the morning. Even though it's called Mr. Taco the tacos here aren't the most popular item however they are good in that American style Mexican food way.

Steak Taco 

Also good are the enchiladas which they sell by the single. Not many places do that so I'm not as well versed in enchiladas as I am tacos. They use a dark red sauce that might come from a can but I doubt thats whats on your mind when you've got a few whiskeys in you.

Beef Enchilada

You could say Mr. Taco has a cult following and the reason for that is the steak quesadilla. They make them a little bit different here. Using regular sized taco tortillas they take one and put it over a bunch of cheese melting on the flattop. The cheese then melts into the tortilla creating a cheesy, crispy outside. Steak and the toppings go on top and you basically eat the thing like a taco. This is one of my great guilty pleasures which I enjoy when out and about this way after 10:00pm. It might not be "authentic" but I'll be damned if its not good after you've had a few. See for yourself.

Steak Quesadilla

Mr Taco
5960 W Ogden Ave
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 652-3767

Freddy's Pizza & Grocery

-Grubbing in Chicago (land)
Where the locals eat.

Greetings my fellow foodies. I wanted to take the time today to showcase one of my favorite spots to eat at anywhere. So with that we head to Cicero, IL and the amazing Freddy's. I first found Freddy's, oh maybe 7-8 years ago, and from that very day forward I have absolutely loved it. It's like going over to your grandma's house to eat for Sunday night dinner. Freddy's is that special neighborhood place every 'hood deserves. How neighborhood is it? Well the owner met his wife inside when she was shopping. When first approaching Freddy's it might not look like much. Oh just another neighborhood deli is what you might think, but once you enter, you know. Freddy's is fantastic on each and every level. Its a throwback to another time.


a chibbqking/Chicagoland favorite in Cicero, IL

Inside the place isn't all that big, they have a dining room next door but I would say you can fit maybe 12-15 people inside there max. There are a few aisle of Italian groceries with all your needs to cook an Italian feast they got the pastas, oils, cookies etc..In the back of the room is the deli counter where they keep the fresh food coming and also carry an assortment of olives and dried meats. But that's not it, Freddy's also bakes some of the most fantastic bread in the city and they also make their own Italian sausage in a few different forms as well as hams made on site. This is the perfect example of a one stop shop, just so long as you like yourself some classic Italian cooking. I cant say enough good things about this place so lets just take a look instead. Here are some views as you wait in line down the aisle towards the food counter.


Each day is different as far as whats on display


Freddy's is a full service deli with fine meats and cheeses available


Everything from the pasta salads to the dried sausage is made on site


Fresh made family recipes are available for there or to go

Freddy's is the type of place I cant go to without spending at least a bill, sometimes I'm able to get in and out without spending too much but it's all good because when I spend like that there I eat well for a month or more. Rarely do I go to Freddy's and not get both something for eating right then and there but also some groceries to bring home for the fridge. The Italian sausage made on site is my favorite spicy version out there. But then the prepared food is so good that I often times find myself getting some of that to go for later on too. As you stand over the food counter you will see whats available that day on display. Everything comes fresh from the kitchen in back as Joe (the owner) and his wife pump it out. You browse at whats available, tell them what you want and they throw it on a paper plate and you pay and go to the dining room next door. So simple, so easy and oh so good.


The dining room

The selection is serious and you will have a hard time choosing what to go with. Freddy's is a great spot for a group of friends or family. The prices are very fair and your getting homemade family recipes that are rib sticking good. In the summertime Freddy's gets busy with customers coming in for their homemade gelato and Italian ice too. When someone tells you "everything is good" they mean it from their heart. Items available for chowing include chicken dishes, pastas, fried food, sub sandwiches like Italian beef or a meatball, a few types of pizza, soup and salad, sausage and so on. Its a decision deciding what to get. So instead I just go there often. Whenever someone asks me my favorite places to eat at around town, Freddy's is included. Here's a site of some of my favorites.


Just another meal at Freddy's...


Freddy's salads are good stuff


Some square sheet pizza with fried artichokes


Sausage pan pizza from Freddy's


Sheet pizza from Freddy's (cheese)


Sicilian sheet pizza


Fried Calamari


Handmade Gnocchi stuffed with asiago in a vodka cream sauce


Italian Sausage Patty, peppers, potatoes and onions


Chicken Parm from Freddy's


Lemon Chicken


Chicken Marsala


Dessert


The insides


Italian Ice in the summertime is a Chi tradition

Freddy's Pizzeria
1600 South 61st Avenue
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 863-9289
Website