I've been going to Arturo's for 20 years (since 1987). Back then ... the chicken tacos were so good that it was worth the trip through (way pre-gentrified / yuppified) Bucktown to a place where Don Arturo walked the restaruant's aisles with a six shooter strapped to his waist. I'm not kidding. The father of the current Arturo, Arturo Sr., used to patrol the place late night so that we could eat our chicken tacos and suck down giant margaritas safely. He was such a great Patron. Back then ... the moral equivalent of modern Bucktown yuppie hippsters wouldn't dare go West of the expressway, much less go past Damen to Western. It was filled with Mexicans, Guatemalans, Salvadorans, local pols, and local artists who lived there for the cheap rent / good eats. Back then ... the chicken tacos were worth dodging bullets. Even now .... They are as good and worth putting up with Bullet Brained Bucktown Bobo's on their way to / from tomorrow's next trend. Arturo's Tacos will endure. read more

Did you know that La Pasadita closes at 3:30am? Oh yes. All THREE of them. Yessir. We tried in vain to sneak in at 3:37am....and failed. But, some nice man reminded us that Arturo's was 24 hours and off we went! Starving, tired, half-buzzed...Arturo's was our saving grace! Seriously, their chips and spicy salsa are really yummy. And my milaneza (breaded steak) torta ($5) was FAB. The bread it came on was delicious - one of the best tortas I've EVER had. They also offer up a variety of different tacos (chorizo, carnitas, carne asada,) for only 1.80! And they're HUGE...topped with all sorts of goodies. Yum. Can I come back here soon? And, yes, the sun was rising by the time we left. Reminded me of being 21 again. Don't hate! read more

I used to come here often and overlook its quirks such as the will-only-get-you-more-chips-if-you-beg-and-cash-only-tips wait staff. The caldos were amazing and the tacos were awesome after a night of drinking. But then one night I walked in and the food prices sky-rocketed. Each menu item was at least $2 more. My beloved caldo de res went from an affordable $6.95 to ten bucks! We decided to leave without ordering, I politely left a few dollars tip for the trouble of cleaning the table and the chips we started to eat. Suddenly, our waitress came chasing after us with our money, threw it on the ground, and told us to keep it. Luckily I had a few drinks in me so I laughed it off as hilarious. Needless to say, if the price hike wasn't enough, after experiencing that, I'll never return to a restaurant I had been going to for years. read more

Good cheap tacos, huge menu and yummy margaritas - need I say more? The food is excellent and I was delighted to see some traditional Mexican entrees I haven't found North of the border like pozole, menudo and cows tongue (hey, don't knock it till you tried it). I ended up getting the flautas and oh man, were they delicious. They weren't your typical frozen store bought variety. We saw one of the guys in the kitchen make these right in front of us. They were fat, plump and crunchy just like my Granny used to make. Rice and beans were better than average. All in all, it made for a great end to a fantastic evening. When I go back to Chicago I am going there! read more

Most of the reviews for Arturo's are from a saucy hooligan's perspective so I don't think they do it justice. The food is good. The steak has little to no pieces of fat and whenever I find that (which is quite rare) I tend to gush about the place. It's authentic and they don't take advantage of the gringos here with the prices like other restaurants in the area (*cough* la pasadita *cough*) The older waitresses are sweethearts. They're attentive and they make nice small talk. The juke box has everything from Los Acosta to Bon Jovi and if you wanna be super rebellious load it with 90s Spanish Boy (Men actually) Band Pop and sing with your buds...the waitresses get a kick out of it. Lastly, you don't have to be hammered to enjoy the food. It's just tasty on its own so come in and don't skimp on the salsa verde over those tacos de asada or al pastor and for the love of perfectly seasoned meat, don't mask the taste with sour cream and cheese...go with onion and cilantro. You'll thank me later. read more

The Chips Salsa weren't that great, the chips were kinda hard. They gave us 3 different kinds of salsa, one was brown, one bright red and the main one was like chopped up veggies. I had a Chili Relleno and it was very good. I also had a Cheese Enchiladas which was good. The rice and beans were just ok. For desert I had Flan which was good enough but they didn't put the usual caramel sauce with it so I was a little dissapointed. I give this place 3.5 stars but since yelp doesn't have that I'll put 4. read more

Need to feed 5 people on less than $20? Head to Arturo's. You're at a distinct disadvantage if you don't speak Spanish but hey, you're the one that walked into a place that advertises authentic Mexican food. The burritos are fantastic and the guacamole is amazing. You get a lot of food for your money, and most of the patrons are helpful with translating what you want, if you only speak English, to the cooks, who generally only speak Spanish. There's parking in back. Let me repeat that: there's parking in back. In this neighborhood, a restaurant with parking is impossible to find, so that make Arturo's a good place to go in this area even if you don't have a craving for burritos. read more

Late. Drunk. Fast. Pozole. Yes. This is about as close as I can get to mom's pozole without having to have her make soup all day and then drive an hour to get it. And I can't do that at 1:30 AM when I've been doing black pickle shots at Sully's all night now, can I? read more

It's a solid mexican place that's open late. I have no idea what the crap people are talking about when it comes to "authenticity." Even my latin friends can't seem to agree on what's authentic, but the Californians sure seem to think they know. I've given up really caring and simply take the food for what it is. Burritos are good, and if you don't know what it means, I suggest trying Lengua tacos or burritos and then looking it up after you've completely digested your meal. Good stuff. Don't bother with enchiladas. I'm on a quest to find just one place in Chicago that has great enchiladas and Arturo's was one of the more disappointing ones. read more

Hands down my favorite spot in Chicago and the only place that seems to satisfy my taco tooth. Sure Big Star is delicious and cheap but I prefer my tacos without a helping of attitude. Three pastor tacos hit the spot every. damn. time. I mostly take out but they do have a small dining room with complimentary (and fresh) tortilla chips and salsas. An especially perfect night cap after a night out and about . WARNING: they will not let you cut your own pastor off the rotisserie. Trust me...I tried. read more

Oh snap! Tasty tacos, burritos, and enchiladas...oh my! Tasty tacos, burritos, and enchiladas...oh my!!!! Seemingly that I live less than a 1/2 mile from this place--I've been here on every single occasion. Coffee, sober dinner, drunkin' late night snack...you name it I've been through it all. The service is great. Inside is a little flashy for me (that is why they get 4 stars) I'm not too keen on neon flashy lights next to my table. But after a few of the HUGE yummy margaritas you seem to forget a little bit. The food is good. Very cheap, for a quick fix for your hunger child. If you are in this Bucktown neighborhood, please let me know because I'll be glad to stop in Arturo's Tacos with you. read more

For what it is its ok I guess........If oyur hungry late at night, drunk and disorderly, and near by then you might wana stop by for a taco or 2. This is nothing fancy , its just a overgrown taco stand with bad tacos. If your craving good tacos go down the street to "Las asadas" read more

Great late night stop. I think the server ladies are so sweet, and the tacos are tender. Cash only for tip!!! read more

My hands and hair smelled like the Torta Lengua for hours after I was here, and I washed them repeatedly. You get what you pay for. read more

Despite being located on what is fast becoming the most annoying intersection in town (where did all of these damn cars come from??), Arturo's still keeps my business. How, you might ask? By having good food (I am ALL about the chicken enchiladas and torta mileneza), being open 24 hours and by having a nice, if not English speaking, staff. They also put the pickled carrots on the tables....essential for a quality Mexican dining experience. An added bonus? Because the way the doors are situated, it's damn hard to pull the exterior door open. It's like weight lifting, so it totally cancels out the queso fundido you are about to scarf down. read more

Arturo's lived up to exactly what I'd expect from a Mexican restaurant. Quick service (we had our food less than 10 minutes after ordering), a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, and very good, but not outstanding, food. I ordered a chicken burrito, suizo style (covered in cheese!) and had them add avocado. I loved the added avocado as it was basically just a half of an avocado sliced into a few big chunks, which is a great way to enjoy the beautiful, green fruit. The cheese on the burrito was plentiful and delicious. The only thing I'd have liked was some red sauced slathered over the top as well to soften up the texture a bit. My friend got the tacos dinner al pastor and said she enjoyed it. We had to request a lime for her's which she said made it just about perfect. So, overall, yea, Arturo's is exactly what I want in a Mexican restaurant and, for ~$25 for two (including the CASH ONLY tip) it was pretty great. Would return, for sure. Oh, and say what you will about this comment but I think it speaks volumes about the quality of Arturo's that there were several Spanish speaking families eating here. read more

I have been to this place twice. It is a perfect late night taqueria. It isn't too divey, but it is casual and fun. I would not go there if you are looking for something more upscale. They have a juke box and let's just say dancing has happened there every time I have been there. They are open 24 hours. I was last there on halloween eve at about 4am and it was packed, not all with dirty, drunk hipsters either. Food: Order the gorditas. Please keep in mind we're not taking about Taco Bell "gorditas" or whatever they call those atrocities. These are real gorditas made from corn meal and lard. The last time I was there, they were a little bit too dry, but not too much. It might have been because it was super busy. Anyway, try a gordita con queso y rajas. It is cheese with peppers. Don't order it with anything else in it, just like that. It will change your life. It is spicy and creamy and tastes like something your Mexican grandma might make on a Saturday afternoon. The tacos, if ordered with just cilantro and onion, are great. They are made with white corn tortillas, too, not yellow corn tortillas like in the suburbs (thank goodness!). They have cabeza on the menu, but I don't think they serve it anymore. disclaimer: The gorditas and tacos are kind of Americanized and they will put lettuce, tomato, and crema on those things if you do not request otherwise. Their salsas are spicy and good. Their mariscos look amazing and so do their tortas. I haven't tried those yet. I like beans, but I think their beans are really bland. Drinks: The horchata is good, maybe a little bit too cinnamon-y though. I haven't tried any other drinks from there yet. Service leaves a little bit to be desired, but treat your server nicely, and she will remember you when you go back with your friends and be very attentive. Trust me on this one. read more

i've been coming here for years! the tacos here are excellent and I love the chips and salsa. the al pastor are my favorite-- they've got some of that pineapple flavor without being sweet read more

love the food n the authentic atmosphere & staff keep me coming back! #lovinreal mexicanriceh20. the staff always had a lot of patience with my son who is an extremely picky eater. i love the location read more

Came here around 1 am on a weekend night for my weekend fourth meal. The place was packed-- always a great sign-- and the food was hot and flavorful as well. Seems like a great place for post-bar drunk food, but my sober taste buds can attest that the steak and al pastor tacos were great quality for some quick, cheap Mexican food. The best part is, it's right by the Western blue line el station, so it's right on the way home! read more

This place is disgusting. The lady behind the counter wiped down the prep area with a dirty, wet rag and then proceeded to add the toppings with her bare hands. read more

My boyfriend loves this place. He gets the lomo (ribeye) tacos and I thought the meat was too soft and wet. But that's just a preference...the bf loves them. However after ordering my carne asada tacos well done, I liked them much more. They serve chips and salsa to everyone and they're open 24 hours which has its pros and cons...they serve liquor too which could be a nice perk but I haven't tried the drinks yet. They screwed up an order once so I haven't been here enough times to get a good sense of the service, but it's always friendly and the place is clean. I'll go back to try again. read more

Abashedly, I take Arturo's for granted. I'm a recent inductee to "burritos after a busy Saturday night" with co-workers. And while I love going out with new work friends, I had never thought that much about just how good the burritos are. Last night I frequented a different burrito joint and was very disappointed. Both the food and the people watching were terrible. Arturo's, I longed for you. I regretted going to a closer place because their convenience has nothing on your carne asada burrito with avocado and a beer to wash it down. They certainly didn't offer free chips and salsa or the promise of tripe soup and chincerones. I hope you'll forgive my infidelity. I'll see you next week, when we can watch Telemundo together again. read more

Ok, it's not fancy, but it is clean and cheerful. The dishes that keep bringing me back are the Tacos De lomo, and the Chilie Rellenos as a taco requested, but not on the menu. The service has always been quick and friendly. And I have only been there sober unlike most of the reviews for this place. Also have had the cheese enchiladas...Yum! And the Huevos Rancheros. We usually eat here about once a month when we don't want to cook. It really is good and affordable. read more

I'm a sucker for al pastor on a spit and they do this pretty darn right. Excellent al pastor tacos. Perfectly seasoned with nice charring around the edges. I like to order it with some pineapple chopped in. Haven't had anything else here but after trying the al pastor, I really don't want to. read more

Was here on Friday @ 12:30 in the a.m and I live pretty close so I've been here a few times but nothing really ever made me want to give a review about this place until.....the service I got on Friday. 1st off the complimentary water was warm, 2nd the waitress came to the table with gum in her mouth (I wouldn't have minded the gum but the noise from her loud chewing was annoying) and she asks us if we're ready to order with this attitude, as if she is she is doing us a favor. As soon as she took our order I knew she wasn't going to be getting a good tip. The food was alright....I wouldn't even say it was average but it was edible. Had a steak burrito and my girlfriend had a torta. The food isn't the worst but the service is horrible. I understand it was past midnight but it seems kind of stupid to me that you would give someone poor service when you are in the food service industry and depend on the satisfaction of the people you serve to determine how much tip you will earn. Oh yea, you MUST carry cash if you want to dine in, even though you can pay for your food with debit/credit you cannot put the tip on the card....yea it's kind of stupid but that's how they work . I think next time I'll stick to Los Comales or If I have cash on me, maybe L Patron on diversey. read more

Once you pay it's over. I saw my food sitting at the counter for 15 minutes while they continue to take orders. I'm hungry! I want to go! This place sucks! read more

I have to say now that I do prefer this place over Lazo's since it is next door. The food is more tastier here. Since I have moved right back door practically, this has now become my default location for picking up Mexican food. Damn that it's open 24 hours too, and I mean damn in the good way. They have flavorful rice, tacos and fajitas here. I also appreciate their guacamole. They make it for me with jalapenos. I think the salsa is a little bit spicier here and they have options of red and green. They are quick and cheap, and makes for good to eat any time. They also have their own parking lot in the back. read more

A classic! Best late night food in the area - although I think I'd love it during daytime too! The horchata is perfectly done and all our food was great. The staff is friendly and hardworking, super quick too. read more

Late night Taco Bliss. Thank you Arturo's, I was starving and needed protein. Aturo's tacos are enormous and fresh, and $1.80 each. I didn't really need a whole two tacos (seriously, they're huge), but I gobbled them down anyway. I had the Pollo and the Carne 'cos I've become a meat-eating maniac since starting boxing, and my much more civilised vegetarian friend had the avocado tacos, which she swears by - "cos they're so fresh." Fresh green avocado goodness in January is rather nice, esp. for so cheap. read more

An illuminated painted sky ceiling with banana leaf fans make me think "Las Vegas strip"; boisterous party-shirted clientele make me think "corner of Western and Armitage". Not the classiest joint around and a drunken madhouse at max capacity on a weekend night...but it's the same as you might expect from any 24-hour diner with proximity to bars and clubs in the a.m. hours. Except with Mexican food. No matter the circumstances, having a place with 24/7 access to $5 tortas and burritos, $2 tacos and complimentary warm, crispy chips with pretty good pico is a privelege. read more

Arturo's Tacos - caesar's palace ceiling - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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i like to judge late night burrito joints not on the way they taste going down, but the way they feel and taste coming back out. Be it 5 minutes or 5 days later they eventually will need to leave the building and the quality of preparation and ingredients in cheap and quick food must exist in some form or manner be it f8ck your innards good vs. kill your outgoings bad. Arturos has yet to burn any bridges so to speak and so for that I give it 4 stars and it remains on the come back when your too drunk to say no list. Try the steak burritos or tacos, nachos are doable and keep the mouth from saying too vulgar a thing in mixed company. okay dude, party on! read more

A very solid 24 hour Taqueria that just happens to make a mean steak taco. I also particularly like their steak gordita as well. This place is a usual lunch spot for me but I've enjoyed some late night visits as well. The chips and salsa are pretty good to start with. The steak is what makes the tacos pretty tasty. Same thing for the gorditas but I also love the thick corn tortilla even more. Their gorditas is the main reason though I'm giving them 4 stars as I really like it and can't find a similar one elsewhere. read more

My previous review was much generous but my last few trips here have been rather disappointing. I just want to say that they really would get a three for the delicious gorditas. They masa is perfectly cooked and they are at all oily. By far one of the better places to get one. But can you can't just go crazy because they have one item you like. As for their tacos I'm disappointed in there tortillas which tend to get stuck to the wrapping and make it difficult to eat. Plus side, the meat quality is good But what actually discusts me the most is what they charge for chips. We sat down and were wondering why we didn't get any chips so we asked the waitress and I though she said they would be 50 cents. She comes back and says that they are $4.50!!! I have never heard of such a crazy idea. First chips should be complimentary at a mexican taqueria, second if you are going to charge no way should you pay that much. So if your looking for a late night eat that's dirt cheap go ahead and stop in but stay away from the chips. read more

This is probably the worst Mexican restaurant I've ever been to. It's not too expensive and open late, but that's all I can say that's good. We got 6 tacos and 1 or 2 were OK. We got a beef taco that was literally just a tortilla and a piece of beef, and the beef was like 50% fat. Totally inedible. The margaritas were cheap, but clearly from a cheap mix and we left half a pitcher unfinished because it was so bad. read more

I used to live right around the corner from this place and I miss it dearly. I pretty much always got the torta de pollo, but I brought numerous people here (I cannot begin to express the convenience of having yummy Mexican nearby), and they always loved their food, not to mention the cheap prices. Beer and drinks here are pretty reasonably priced, although I think they increased the prices recently. The margaritas are hit or miss, had them once and loved them, had them again and they were wayyyyy too syrupy. If you're in the area and in the mood for some Mexican (sober or baracha) this place definitely hits the spot! read more

Dear Arturo's just because you are open late doesn't mean you can give me bad foods.... Ihave never been here before 3 so i am not sure if the food is better during the day ... Really I am not willing to find out.. THE END read more

All you chic fancy Mexican food restaurants take note and beware. This is what all of you are trying to tell everyone your food tastes like...but doesn't. Usually when I buy two tacos to go I assume I'll need to put salsa and other accompaniments on it to make it taste good. The place has that covered. The food is excellent hot off the grill and they run a lean tight ship the keeps everyone moving and not waiting. Get the tacos, take their recomendations, go home, eat, be happy, repteat... read more

Use to come here with friends and haven't came in a few months but definitely do not recommend unless you like over paying for literally everything! Waited 25 minutes for 3 tacos and chips (came with no salsa!) and a small drink for $22. They also charge you for limes never paid for limes for my tacos before in my life! Won't be coming back after today! read more

My favorite taqueria in the city, hands down. The one thing I miss since I moved out of the 'hood. Standard order consists of the rare carnitas tacos, pan-fried pork that tastes like Filipino lechon, and a giant horchata. Great either drunk or sober. read more