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    Carnitas Don Rafa

    4.2 (87 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Carnitas Don Rafa Takeout or Delivery

    Carnitas Don Rafa Photos

    Business Info

    CARNITAS DON RAFA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Drink Menu
    Diana G.

    First, parking can be a bit tricky. Decor is pretty cool and modern. Waitress was nice and checked on us a couple of times. Mango Chamoy Margarita - It was good, but don't know why they got that bar out front, but she made my drink in the back. Guacamole - This was made a bit different than I am used too. A bit bland for me since I needed salt and I usually don't use it. Mix Plate - (Carnitas & Barbacoa) - Barbacoa was pretty good. Carnitas, I got the mix which came with the skin. A piece still had hair on it, which is off putting. Came with rice, grilled jalapenos and nopales salad which was different. Caldo De Res - My guy liked it. Overall, it was okay and maybe a tad on the pricier side.

    A flight of tacos, the chefs special.  Mine was steak, above was my friends pork tacos.  Mmmm.   Best quality ever.
    Stephen M.

    Went here with a buddy to celebrate my birthday a week early. We both had 3 taco dinner, a chefs special. I had steak and he had the pork. We also had fresh guacamole appetizer which was awesome. Only thing we both wished that everything was spicier with heat. Other than that, totally awesome. Waitress was Maricela and she was a real people person

    Cafe de Olla
    Julie W.

    Cute little hidden jewel , great Mexican cuisine and amazing art work on the building.

    Michelle I.

    This place has been my favorite carnita spot for years!!! And I am glad to see the super upgrade! Food is delicious and service was perfection. Come and check out the space and culture

    The Chef's Special Carnitas Tacos. It comes with 3 tacos but I always get an extra taco.
    Chewy C.

    Was in the area and was looking for a new place to try and stumbled across this place. Walked in the decor is nice and the smell of carnitas is in the air. I had the Chef's Special Carnitas and This was very good and the difference between this and the regular taco dinner are the extra garnishes and chicharrones which definitely adds to the flavor. My fiance had their steak dinner and it was okay. The steak could of used a bit more flavor. We wanted to have 2 specific margaritas but they didn't have the ingredients so we settled for something else and It was good. This place is very good & I will come back again and maybe they will have the ingredients for the Margaritas we wanted

    Angelica C.

    My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on a Saturday and sat outside on the patio. Both the inside and outside are well decorated with vibrant colors, and the ambiance is very chill and relaxing, as well as the music. Everything was pretty much perfect, from the complimentary chips and salsa, meals and drinks, to the service. I ordered the chef's special with three tacos de carnitas and he ordered tacos de asada, we were both satisfied. I had the pineapple and jalapeno margarita and it was soooooo good!! The waitress was super attentive and just added to the great experience we were already having. We've been to a lot of restaurants and Don Rafa is definitely one of our new favorites! We will definitely be back.

    Was much, much better when it was on 46th and Kedzie. Much smaller menu. No one spoke English when we were there. Besides us Gringos the only other person there was a pre-teen who was obviously the son of one of the wait staff. Won't be going back, though we went to Kedzie often.

    Rice bowl served in my own plate to conserve plastic. Half barbacoa, half calabacitas. Delicious.

    My multi-tenant office building (700 Commerce, Oak Brook) has a system where they have a different food vendor each day ("Fooda PopUp"). It's a great idea, but some of the vendors are seriously lacking. I was very happy that today it was Don Rafa. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. I had a rice bowl served on my own plate (to conserve plastic). I had a rice bowl with half barbacoa and half calabacitas. Delicious and such a good value.

    Celia A.

    Use to go to the old location when I was a little girl and loved it. Came to the new location for the first time today and was not disappointed. Great food and atmosphere like I remember, glad that carried over to the new location.

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    9 years ago

    First time try Mexico food, perfect experience, good service. Strongly recommend the steamed steak.

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Fire! Carnitas are bomb, Tamales are bomb and I have heard great things about their other items. Great sit down place or carry out.

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    14 years ago

    if your looking for a place for great carnitas ( fried pork ) look no further. if you come on the weekends come early and come hungry.

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    Greek Prime Kitchen & Bar

    Greek Prime Kitchen & Bar

    4.3
    (138 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    I've been in once and have had delivery too. The food here is great and the portions are pretty…read morebig. I thought the service at the bar was nice and attentive. It's got a decent amount of seating and some TVs scattered throughout the restaurant. The inside is nice but seems a little older for sure. When I was there I tried the Philly which came a a big seeded roll, was piping hot and fresh also came with my choice of potato which I got Greek style (it was huge and amazing). For delivery I got a gyro plate which was a nice amount of food as well (also very good) came with a Greek salad and typical platter sides, tzatziki sauces. I'll be back and probably would order delivery from here again. The menu is huge and there's a lot of options to try.

    So, this is not the cute Greek restaurant you visit in Greektown. This is "the walk through the ice…read morecream shop and display cases, to the dark panel traditional Chicago-style bar, back to the rear and up some stairs to chairs and tables in a dining room with TVs on the wall" type of spot. And I was here for it! Great service from our server. Good quality and variety of food. (Hello, octopus?!). The "Greek" dressing on my Greek salad was...interesting. I'll definitely make sure to just ask for oil and vinegar next time. Drinks were a generous pour and didn't take long to be made. Overall, it's what I'd consider a "true Chicago kickback spot"z: No frills, but worthy.

    Photos
    Greek Prime Kitchen & Bar
    Greek skillet with added onions. Being treated to world class service by Andres.
    Greek skillet with added onions. Being treated to world class service by Andres.
    The lighting Is a little funky but this is their deliciously moist chocolate cake. I believe it's a triple chocolate cake.

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    The lighting Is a little funky but this is their deliciously moist chocolate cake. I believe it's a triple chocolate cake.
    Marz Community Brewing

    Marz Community Brewing

    4.4
    (234 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    This is one of our favorite local spots…read more Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service. They have an extensive schedule of events and pop-ups so definitely check Instagram so you know what to expect before you show up! On Monday's, their regular kitchen is closed, but they usually have a pop up. They have a rotating selection of beers on tap along with a few standards. They mostly serve their own products so don't go in and expect a Bud Light, but rest assured that whoever is behind the bar will help you find something you like. Their canned gin and tonic is my personal go-to.

    My friends and I came to Mars for a book club meeting and wow, it was such a vibe. I did not expect…read moreto like it this much. The area initially threw me off a bit. It is surrounded by factories and buildings that look a little abandoned, so it feels a little sketchy pulling up. But once you walk inside, it is a completely different experience. The space is beautiful, with a great layout, a central bar, and plenty of seating. It is mostly seat yourself, and you order drinks at the bar, but they do bring food out to you and clear your table. The staff was friendly and took the time to explain how everything works, which I appreciated. Now the food. So good. I have had a favorite taco spot for the past few months, but this place honestly raised the bar. They are known for their fried cheese tacos and they absolutely live up to the hype. The shrimp was delicious and the sauce reminded me of a seafood boil, rich and flavorful. The salsa verde was also great. I also had the fries topped with fried cheese, cilantro, and onions, and they were just as good. Everything smelled amazing and everyone at the table loved their food. One thing I really loved is their drink options. They have great cocktails, but also offer well crafted mocktails that feel just as intentional. On top of that, they have THC and CBD drinks, which really adds to the relaxed, laid back vibe. Overall, it is a great place to sit, hang out, and enjoy good food and drinks for as long as you want. I will definitely be back.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Smash burger
    Smash burger
    Very interesting!!

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    Very interesting!!
    Eat Clean Chicago

    Eat Clean Chicago

    4.4
    (14 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Wow. This is a great company and service. I am an…read moreattorney who works sometimes odd hours and was looking for a meal delivery service that would be convenient, work with my weight watchers diet and be delicious. Bonus points if my husband would eat it (never thought that would happen). I found eat clean chIcago on yelp and the reviews looked good and the options online looked delicious. I had some questions getting started and the owner Juan was very accommodating. But the real kicker was when my husband and I ate our first meals. The Mongolian beef and spaghetti with meatballs. They were.... absolutely delicious. My husband was so impressed and ate every single bite. He brought the steak to lunch the next day - delicious. For dinner we ate the steak tacos - again absolutely delicious. I have had so many meal delivery services in Chicago and this was absolutely the best we have had. It is so well seasoned and so fresh even after being cooked in the microwave. I also really love how much the owner clearly cares about his business. Always a good sign to me. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a convenient, but healthy way to have some delicious options. I will be a customer for a very long time.

    I found out about eat clean Chicago from my trainer. I was nervous at first but having someone cook…read moremy meals is very convenient for me. I no longer have to cook and weigh everything to make sure I get my protein intake. Also I get new tubberware with every order so that's a bonus lol. I recommend them

    Photos
    Eat Clean Chicago
    Steak sensation
    Steak sensation
    Kung pow Chicken

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    Kung pow Chicken
    Dama

    Dama

    4.0
    (5 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    I came here during lunch time on a weekday. It wasn't busy. I ordered the food to go through a…read morekiosk machine. My food was ready after about a 10-minute wait. Luckily I checked my order after I got into the car. The order was not correct. I ordered the seafood tofu stew soup, Korean vegetable pancake, chicken katsu box, and the egg toastwich. Instead of giving me the chicken katsu box, they gave me a chicken katsu toastwich. I quickly went back in and they made the chicken katsu box. The owner was very nice. She says she can give me a free drink because of the mistake. I got their brown sugar milk tea. The chicken katsu was pretty good. The chicken was tender and moist. I wish there was more sauce on it. The vegetable pancake was ok. I wish it was more crispy. The seafood tofu stew soup was not too spicy. It was just right for me. The interior design is very stylish. If you dine in, a robot will deliver the food to your table. They have plenty of tables for dining in. The place looks clean and it is an open kitchen, so you can see the whole kitchen. I would go back again to try other food since I think they added more items to their menu since I was there.

    Dama is a big improvement on it's predecessor, Red Panda. Now they have self order kiosks where you…read morecan order food and drinks from. Still an amazing interior with several seating areas and different feels in each area. The problem is it's always empty, hopefully it picks up as the weather warms. Food is amazing, more of a Korean menu now with traditional boba tea offerings and still some sushi. They've added robot service as well which is always fun. Drinks are fast, food a bit slower. Really hoping this version sticks around longer.

    Photos
    Dama
    Chicken Katsu, egg toast sandwich, milk tea
    Chicken Katsu, egg toast sandwich, milk tea
    Dama

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    Lacoco's Catering & Banquets

    Lacoco's Catering & Banquets

    2.4
    (9 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    I am a regular customer of LA Cocoas ordering almost once a week. Today, I placed my Ravioli…read moredinner which comes with a side salad through Uber Eats. The order arrived we unpacked everything abd the salad was missing. I called the restaurant back and spoke to a phone person. He told me that I had to call Uber directly. Apparently he doesn't know thst you can't call Uber, they don't have a valid customer service number. I then asked to speak to a manager who was totally rude and needs to take classes in customer service at the University Level. I explained that we were missing our side salad and he started yelling at me telling me I need to call Uber. There is nothing he can do. I told him you can't call Uber he said thsts not my problem. He told me that's on.you. The restaurant has nothing has nothing to do with it. He wouldn't let me talk and kept rudely talking over me. All I wanted was for him to send another salad. First ,they wanted me to vome pick up the salad and i said no. i am in for the evening. They have their own delivery drivers that can Bring it. They did bring the salad but I did not appreciate thst manager preaching to me how it's Ubers fault not his, what happened to customer service? I mean how much does a side salad cost the restaurant a buck or 2? I am NEVER ordering from LA Cocoas agsin and I recommend that other people don't order either. Thank you

    I am sooo over La Cocos...My family didn't want to order from here because they've been…read moredisappointed in the past and I should've listened..but nooo I insisted! First of all I ordered a pizza with pepperoni jalapeños, green peppers and onions on one side and just pepperoni and sausage on the other...what did i get a pizza with just onions jalapeños and greenpepper on one side and pepperoni and sausage in excess on the other...then I asked them to mix italian ice lemon n blue raspberry what did they do...put a little smidge of blue raspberry and three quarters of lemon on top...how is that mixed?? At least put half and half! Then to make matters worse as im diggin down in the italian ice I find a dead gnat! They dont ever have to worry about me ordering again...wish I could give 0 stars!!

    Photos
    Proof I ordered Pepperoni on the Whole pizza!
    Proof I ordered Pepperoni on the Whole pizza!
    Its in the garbage because i wasnt drinkin it after digging out the bug
    Its in the garbage because i wasnt drinkin it after digging out the bug
    Lacoco's Catering & Banquets

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    Carnitas Don Rafa - mexican - Updated July 2026

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