Outdoor Mexican Dining

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

Summer is finally here! Personally I like eating Mexican food year-round but it can be soothing in the summertime too. There's just something about sitting outside on a nice day with a margarita by your side enjoying some of the finest cuisine this world offers. So I thought we'd put together a list of some places where you can do this here in Chicago. Get out and enjoy the weather while its here.
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Las Fuentes

Popular outdoor dining spot in Lincoln Park

There's been a Mexican restaurant at the corner of Wrightwood and Halsted for what seems like as long as I've been alive. I cant say if it's always been Las Fuentes but they've been there for a while now. I stopped thru last summer becasue I wanted to do exactly what I described up above while eating some food.

Nachos

People come here for the patio. It's a nice place for families and friends in the neighborhood to be able to walk over to and spend some quality time together. Sure it might not be the best Mexican restaurant you've ever been to but the patio kicks ass and the drinks are strong. The food isnt bad, just not life changing.

Flautas from Las Fuentes

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El Tapatio

Popular outdoor spot at Ashland and Roscoe

First up, awesome neon. I really respect places that continue to light up their 1970's and before that neon signs. Same situation as our first stop here. I might not seek out Tapatio in the winter time but when the weather is warm and their patio is open it's a great place to enjoy some outdoor eats. One thing I've noticed at these family style sit-down Mexican restaurants is they always have bomb house salsa for starters. No exceptions here. Enchiladas are usually my go-to order at spots like this and El Tapatio's are tasty.

Chicken Enchiladas from El Tapatio 

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Antique Taco

Hipsteriffic Mexican in Bucktown

On our fish taco tour we stopped thru quite a few of these new wave of taquerias that are taking Chicago and elsewhere by storm. They use ingredients and make drinks served a step above what you'd find at mnay other taco shops in town. Antique Taco opened with some hype in Bucktown last year that I thought it pretty much lived up to. This is a nice place.

Antique Taco Salad

Their signature salad pictured above might of been the best salad I ate all year when I tried it. It's really good especially in the heart if summer when corn is king. I'm also a fan of both the grilled ribeye taco and the fish tempura ones. I wasn't sure I was going to like this place when they opened but they surprised me with nice hunks of ribeye inside rather than chopped pieces. Fresh toppings and tortillas rounded it all out.

Antique Tacos

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La Quinta de los Reyes

New Spot on Elston in Albany Park

I stopped into this location of a place that was once and still might be in Berwyn. I was searching around the web trying to find some real deal shrimp taco dorados when results led me to this place. One day I was driving by and decided to try their version. I was a little bit disappointed that despite them being labeled as "Tacos" they were served as Flautas. Still I liked them and would check out what other offerings they have.

Shrimp Flautas

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Big Star

Where the patio is always packed

We cant have a round-up of good places to eat Mexican food outside without including Big Star. I've argued with people who claim they serve the best tacos in Chicago but I wont argue with those who say it has the best outdoor drinking space in the city. It's a great place to soak up the sun while sipping some booze. The food is pretty damn good too. Not the best but damn good. Take the tamales they now offer on special as an example. These masa made beauties might be near the top. It took me back to A1 Beanery of all places and had me wanting to return for one the next day.

Big Star Pork Tamale

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Las Fuentes
2558 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 935-2004

El Tapatio
3400 N Ashland Ave 
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 327-5475

Antique Taco

1360 N Milwaukee Ave 
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 687-8697

La Quinta de los Reyes

4821 N. Elston
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 685-1111

Big Star
1531 N Damen Ave 
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 235-4039

Henry's Drive In

-In Chicago: Every Dog Has it's Day

The next stop on the Chicago Hot Dog Stand Tour is to Henry's Drive In on Ogden ave, aka Route 66, in the Chicago suburb of Cicero. If you've ever taken a drive down the start of US Route 66 on Ogden ave then you have seen Henry's. Out of all the 1950's era neon signs in Chicagoland-Henry's reigns supreme with me. This classic Chicagoland hot dog stand was started in the 50's by a guy whose surname was Henry. He originally started off with a hot dog wagon on Austin just north of Ogden. When Route 66 was getting going, Henry then built and opened up his own place where it stills stands today. Luckily for the fans of Route 66 and all the neon signs that were built to be displayed along it, Henry's sign is still alive and well. If Henry's were to ever close, I'd pay top dollar for the neon. It shows a hot dog with toppings and fries on top which is how they're served at Henry's and then has a neon arrow pointing towards it proclaiming their slogan "It's a meal in itself" Its classic signage.


A familiar face along Route 66 in Cicero, IL

I'm sure you could find anyone who grew up in Cicero to give you their story of Henry's and recollect when they used to hang out there in high school but I read an interesting piece of info on it over at LTHforum. It seems as though back when Henry's Hamburgers was an up and coming chain (read about my story on it here) they tried to open a location at the corner of Ogden and Austin right by Henry's Drive In which was already there. The poster at LTH who went to high school with Mr. Henry's sons went onto explain that "One of the two parties sued, and Mr. Henry won, primarily, as I understood it at the time, based on the fact that his business bore his actual surname, whereas the chain was using a corporate identifier" The business was then taken over by one of Mr. Henry's boys and has since been sold to a family from the area.


Henry's has some relics on the walls from when Rt. 66 was BIG

So what about the dogs? Well they aren't bad. I would call them your typical Chicago hot dog stand hot dog (better than most places outside Chicagoland, not as great as the best in the city) but since this place has so much history, its a cool spot to visit and I would recommend doing so if your ever in the area. If your doing Route 66 from Cali to Chicago, you'll know your close to the city when you see the sign. The dogs are Vienna Beef skinless (not my style) and come dressed with mustard, onions, relish, sport peppers and a pickle spear. When they wrap the hot dog up they throw the fries (which are frozen but not bad) on top just like so many other Chicago hot dog stands do nowadays. I don't think Henry's started this trend but its obvious from their sign they've been doing it this way since the 50's.


Hot Dog from Henry's fresh out the wrapping


a well known hot dog in Chicagoland

Just like the rest of the hot dog stands around the city, Henry's serves up hot dog stand tamales. If your from Chicago then you should of had one or two in your day and if you haven't you've definitely seen them. Its thought that when the blues musicians of the Mississippi delta came north to Chicago to get out of the south, they brought with them their Delta style tamales. Eventually before you even knew it the city had at least three companies that mass produced the cornmeal based tubes filled with mystery meats that can now be found all over town. In fact it was Iltaco, the creator of Pizza Puffs, who started off selling just tamales. Illinois Tamale Company as Iltaco is short for would eventually cease all making of tamales and stick to their popular pizza puffs. Over at Henry's they serve Tom-Tom tamales and you can have them a few ways.


Serving Chicago since 1937...Tom Tom Tamales

There are a few popular ways of eating Chicago hot dog stand tamales aside from straight up. The most popular way is probably in a bowl of chili. Some places will take the tamale out of the wax paper and break it in half and throw it in a cup and then some chili on top. Its something that Chicagoans have been eating for decades.


Tamale in a bowl of chili

It doesn't end with the chili tamales. If you saw the "No Reservations" Chicago episode then you might remember the "Mother In Law" which is one of these tamales stuffed in a bun and smothered with chili, cheese and onions. Also at Henry's you can get a tamale dog which is just a tamale replacing the wiener in the bun with mustard, onions, pickle and sport peppers.


Henry's Tamale Dog

Lets just say that the "Chicago Style tamale" was my first and last try of one of these things. Something about the pickle spear and tamale didn't make for a pleasant texture or taste. I love a tamale in chili and feel like the tamale often makes most hot dog places below average bowls of chili a little better. They also still carry BBQ beef sandwiches with pickles on top which I remember loving as a youngin' in my youth and ordering often. But rarely see it on the menu of spots these days.


The insides


Henry's Classic Roadfood Sign during daytime (Pic from Rt 66 Pool on Flickr by Flickr-Nickk)

Henry's Drive In
6031 West Ogden Avenue
Cicero, IL 60804-3742
(708) 656-9344