Carnitas Don Pedro is easily the best carnitas spot in Chicago. We're regulars here, whether dining in or ordering to-go. The meat is perfectly seasoned, and the tortillas and salsa are the perfect match. I always make sure to get a taco seso to complement carnitas. I also finally tried their weekend Menudo--it was incredible, and I'll definitely be getting it next time! They have parking spaces available but be sure to get earlier. read more

Second time i try Second time salty carmitas Beans $3 side taste like out of the can Service was ok but food wasen"t........ read more

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This place is the best spot for carnitas. There's always a ton of people here and you often have to wait for a table but it is very much worth it. It's a small place but don't let that sway you away because the food here is so authentic and delicious. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas by the Pound - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Back again! Even better than last time, this is my heaven! Carnitas king! Service is always on point and all you need in this world is a delicious taco. read more

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Absolutely amazing The only one that's worth the 30 minute drive! The meat was great!!! read more

This was my first Carnitas experience, and so the bar has been set incredibly high. They just give you a half a pound or full pound of Carnitas along with some onions, hot ghirdinear and tortillas and you just have at it like an animal. The inside is no frills and it's clearly a spot for regulars in the neighborhood . Highly recommend and it's the perfect lunch experience. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas by the Pound - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First experience was 26 years ago. I was working a Saturday. A laborer picked a few lbs before work 6am. 9 was break and he open a cooler full of meat tortillas and 2 of the best salsa I've had to date. Standing bye the tailgate of my truck we ate like Kings on a cold winter day. Salsa all meat everywhere... To this day I rate all Carnitas on an almost as good as the Don scale! read more

Amazing value. Simply amazing. The carnitas are $12/lb, and you really only need third pound to be satisfied. Comes with tortillas and toppings. Carnitas aren't mind blowing, but they are definitely good. Definitely worth it for the price. Staff are very friendly. There is a fair amount of seating. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - 1 lb carnitas was almost enough for 4 of us - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Im rating this place a 2 star because their carnitas are way TOO salty! not even the salsa helps! les estoy dando 2 estrellas porque sus carnitas estan MUY SALADAS! que ni la salsa la quita los salado! read more

From outside Don Pedros looks like any number of 18th Street Mexican restaurants. Most of which offer a variety of delicious Mexican dishes. Most of which are really good. But it's when you step through the doorway of Don Pedros that the real magic begins. First off let me say that they have off street parking on the side of the building which is almost unheard of in the densely packed Pilsen neighborhood. Get it while you can. Now on to the magic. When you enter it's "Hola's" all around from the staff. A small group of folks behind plexiglass windows where the magic is working as the meats are slow cooked. The aroma's filling the room are reminiscent of a Mexican home kitchen. The dining area is a decent sized space where the tables are spaced apart well enough to feel comfortable. The tables are basic and not cluttered with unnecessary items. After all it's all about the meats here. Our server, who was excellent at what she does, came over no menu in hand as my buddy inquired about the offerings. She said she would explain the menu and let us know what was available for the day. That's when we knew the tacos would be off the hook. Today, Thursday, the offered boiled seasoned beef and their signature carnitas. We opted to take some of the skin with the carnitas. All meats are offered by the weight usually by the pound. We ordered a pound of each and a couple Mexican cokes. The real kind of coke. Upon returning our server dropped off a small bowl of fresh cut limes, a small bowl of chopped fresh white onion and cilantro mix and two kind of homemade salsas, one verde and one rojo. All you need for real deal tacos. Next she dropped off our carnitas and boiled seasoned beef and some fresh corn tortillas. We dug in hard! Their seasoned beef is tender and perfectly seasoned. You can actually taste the beef with very little lard behind it which is the way it should be. Their signature carnitas if absolutely off the hook! Tender, moist and juicy, and perfectly cook with the skins which offer so much favor. Making our own tacos table side, the 18th Street way is as real as it gets and honestly all you need it this case. Every bite was better than the last. We had to pace ourselves and force ourselves not to order another pound. They have various offerings on different days and i will be back to try more out. So many great places out there but Don Pedros Carnitas authentic, simple and to the point. The Don knows what it does and it does it the very best. read more

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I've been on the hunt for the best bang for your buck torta in Pilsen & I think I've finally found it This torta came in a different style bread than I'm use to seeing. It's longer but just as fresh. It comes packed with meat & refried beans at the bottom. It's simple sandwich but with the sides provided, you can build your own creation. For 7.99, this is the best deal I've found so far. Unlike the other carnitas spot on 18th, you are able to dine in. It's a simple set up with only 4-5 tables but the space is breatheable & homey. The service is as expect in Pilsen, with mostly spanish speaking servers but always friendly. I will come again as tortas are my favorite & it's a meal under $15 (if you get bottled coke as well). read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas Torta - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As soon as I walked through the door I knew this place was the real deal! The lady behind the counter was using her butcher knife to chop up the juiciest meat! Actually, when I walked in a guy at the counter said "This place is so great! I can never just walk past without ordering something." I was doing a food tour through Chinatown and Pilsen so I only had a bite of a carnitas taco. The meat was cooked really well and the toppings were fresh. The salsas were super spicy and fantastic! read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas taco - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't express how delighted I was to eat here the service by Matilde was amazing and the food was next level. You won't go wrong with making the trip out this way! We had the lost amazing weekend lunch! read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ordered 2Lbs of Carnitas online. I opened it when I got home and it was filled with skin, gristle and picked over bones, it even had cartilage chunks. Mostly inedible. I wish I could upload the photos in the format. ​ read more

Holy $h!t this place is hog heaven. Muchas gracias Don Pedro, you are a Maestro. The menudo is also the best.

I stopped here on my way home from WI. My cousin's daughter suggested this place. I was not disappointed. I got cueritos, buche and a Mix. 2.5 lbs total. I also got some Salsa and Tortillas, And yum! If you're passing thru or have the the luck of living close, stop by. You will not be disappointed. Oh! And if there's a little old lady and a young man outside selling aguas frescas and tamales. Try the limonada and green chicken tamales, they were delicious. Enjoy! read more

The best carnitas in Chicago, go early because they run out of the good part of the meat! read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Perfect lunch date. Half a lb of carnitas. Nopales and variety of garnishes :) - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was amazing and everyone was super nice. The carnitas were a little too salty but other than that it was amazing. Great little lunch place. read more

First time but won't be the last time. Got seated pretty quickly - ordered carnitas and sodas. Food was awesome. Came out quick and hot. Service was attentive and prices more than fair. Parking can be tough. read more

Excellent!!! I also love that they are open 1st thing in the morning! We even went back to bring some home (was in town for a conference). read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas by the Pound - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This spot is a legit hole in the wall delight. As the name says, the carnitas are the main draw (though other meats are available for purchase, too). It was a little intimidating at first, as all the other patrons were fluent in Spanish and seemed to know the drill, but the staff were incredibly helpful. Here's the deal: - Order carnitas by the pound. They will ask what parts or cuts of the meat you want. I went with a "mixed" plate, as they said this was the typical norm, but you can also opt for a relatively leaner cut. - Add tortillas by the dozen (70c for 12), to make your own tacos. - If dining in, they will also provide a bowl of diced onions and cilantro on request for tacos, plus bottles of red and green salsa. These weren't too spicy, but packed some excellent flavor! The signage posted indicates a 45 min. time limit for tables, but when I went around noon on a weekday, there were enough extra tables that it wasn't really being enforced. In any case, service is fast enough that it shouldn't matter. Last thing: street parking on 18th is pretty tight, but it was pretty easy to locate spots on the surrounding streets without hassle. Watch out, though, as some streets are permit-only. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Carnitas were delicious. I would definitely go back. I think they should give you tortillas onions and cilantro even if you are doing take out. read more

They focus on one thing and excel at it - carnitas. The meat and fat are so delightfully tender, juicy, sticky. They'll chop up every part including intestines. You get a bowl of onions and cilantro. No hipster bs. Can't get more authentic than this I think. So cheap. About $8 per pound or plate. Perfect for 2 people. Staff is very friendly and add to the homeliness of the restaurant. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tacos de Sesos o tortilla dorada? Nunca pongo comentarios malos pero esto esta mal. Lo abro y no hay nada... Siempre compraba aquí pero ya no. Antes si estaban bien rellenos pero ahora ya no. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Tacos de Sesos o tortilla dorada? - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Comida buenísima! El menudo y carnitas estuvieron muy deliciosos. Servicio también excelente. Muchas gracias por el servicio read more

Fantastic food and service. Highly recommend this place for lunch. They also have parking

Me encanta este lugar !!! Los tacos dorados son deliciosos y las Carnitas muy buenas lo recomiendo read more

This is the place to check out if you're a fan of carnitas. It's been around for 30 plus years for a reason. They have other meats available but the carnitas is their number one seller. If you've never ordered carnitas at a meat shop like this before be ready to be asked what kind of carnitas you want. You can choose from the ribs, intestines, skin, etc. I've never been asked that before. So it was nice to know what my options are. I asked a mixed batch just to be able try a little bit of everything. Most times when I order carnitas, the restaurant just gives me pulled pork and that's it. This place definitely is much more authentic than any other place I've ordered carnitas. I was fortunate enough to wait in line long enough to get the fresh batch. But some of the parts I got were quite dry, despite the fact they just made it. It definitely did help to mix it with other parts of my order and drizzling some of the salsa verde on top. Had know idea you can have carnitas for breakfast. This place opens up so early throughout the week. If you don't want to order inside, I highly recommend you phone ahead to minimize the weight and to ensure you avoid COVID that much more when you walk up to their pickup window outside. Luckily they have an adjacent parking lot as well which makes things more convenient. Will have to come again to try other menu items. read more

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It took me a while to find this place due to some GPS issues, but it was worth the wait. This has become one of my favorite places to visit when in Chicago. I had been to other places, however just by seeing that they had 'quesadillas de sesos' and chicharrón, I was into it. Our server was very friendly and we started with a 1/2 order of Carnitas with costillas (ribs). They bring you a pound of tortillas with sides of onion and cilantro, and two salsas, la verde y la roja, which is the hottest. And also the traditional Chile en Vinagre from la Costeña which gives it a different taste. We also ordered 2 quesadillas just to try and we had to order 2 more. They were crunchy as expected, and delicious, just like I remembered when I ate them in Mexico. Something that surprised me was the Coca Cola, which was in a larger glass bottle (basic complement of the Carnitas) but with a plastic cap . Loved it!! We had to take one order to go of barbacoa and Carnitas for a Sunday breakfast. Loved this place! read more

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We walked in and carnitas were on the menu. Other than that it was a nopales (cactus) salad. I'm fairly certain that was basically the whole menu and let me tell you, the place was full of happy customers. We ordered both the meat and the salad. The waitresses were fast, the food was inexpensive and purely delicious. The restaurant was really clean and I think the #1 of carnitas was $11.99 and two big guys ate their fill of around 10 carnitas tacos . So good. read more

This is one of the best Mexican restaurants specializing in carnitas. On weekends, they do not offer tacos and you must buy carnitas by the pound to make your own tacos. My opinion is one pound is more than enough for two adults to share. Staff is nice and they accept credit cards. Their dining room is small so I like to go on weekdays. It is still owned by Don Pedro's family. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Make your own carnitas taco - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was good, I liked how they had tables to sit and eat the carnitas there. Pretty busy place but delicious

It was ok the carnitas are just ok thought would be better for all the hype, I think they where better prepared before, but people where nice. read more

Long wait and a bit confusing to figure out which line to wait in, but worth it! We waited around 45 min for a table (Sunday lunchtime, probably close to or as crowded as it gets), but initially didn't realize we had to check in first to get in the waitlist. Also, the line for takeout and the area where people wait for tables are pretty much indistinguishable when it's crowded. However, the staff were friendly and helpful. We were probably the only ones who didn't speak Spanish (you can tell it's authentic!) but the staff and other patrons were kind enough to help us figure everything out. The food was amazing! We ordered nearly everything on the menu because we wanted to try as many things as possible and ended up with way too much food. We weren't given a menu, so I just used the one on their website in the online ordering section. The 1/2 pound of carnitas, which comes with toppings and tortillas as well as salsa provided on the table, was much more than enough for two people. We were also amazed by the value, so much food for so little cost! read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas (1/2 pound) - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I unfortunately didn't dine in, but opted for takeout, so I can't really rate them on on their dine in service. If you're doing takeout, then you have to get in line on the right side, the line forms toward the back and then works it's way back towards the entrance. You tell the guy how many pounds of carnitas you want and want kind of cut. I asked for two pounds with cueritos(pork skins), maciza obviously and some buche. They then weigh it making sure your satisfied with what you're getting, and then best part of it all, after your give him the nod that's it's good to go, he grabs another handful of meet and puts it right on top for you! Than you have to squeeze back in the middle of the line to hand them your cash. It may look little intimidating at first, but don't worry, if it's your first time, get right in there and order yourself a couple pounds of carnitas. There's also a batch of chicharron(pork rinds) that you can purchase as well. As for the carnitas they were by far one of the best carnitas I've had ever tried in the city. I usually combine a little bit of the cueritos with some buche and maciza to fully get all of the wonderful flavors of carnitas with some salsa. Don't even worry about adding salt as they have the the perfect amount of sodium. The best part of these carnitas is that they're perfectly made and not even greasy at all. I'll definitely be back, most likely will be dining in next time. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - 2 pounds of carnitas. - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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this place deserves 16 stars!!!!!!!! love it here. only my second time here, and i will be back. it's so good!!! ok, if you like carnitas, this is your spot. tell all the other carnitas joints they can keep trying, and they'll likely never beat this place. i just had (devoured is more like it) their giant carnitas torta. highly, HIGHLY, recommend! each one made fresh in front of you. you can choose which "cuts/parts" of carnitas you want on the sandwich, such as the "main" part, skin, intestines. my recommendation, which importantly is their recommendation, is to get it all together, with the beans, onions, and cilantro. comes with red salsa that is quite mild and compliments the meat textures perfectly, if you ask me. i tried one fried taco for kicks. it was tasty enough, not the freshest but i still liked it! the star of the show is the carnitas torta. you will love it! in the future, i may order carnitas or chorizo by the pound. they sell meats that way, and a lot of customers were taking back the meat presumably to use to make their own tacos or dishes. I LOVE THIS PLACE! read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - carnitas torta - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was told to check out the carnitas and they did not disappoint! There was a line but it moved very quickly and everyone was wearing masks and staying safe! Will definitely go again read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Carnitas by the Pound - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Back in heaven. Food here is delicious.half lb.. barbacoa. The other half pound carnitas.. And 1 order of 5 quesadillas.. Great for two... delicious meal ..juicy , home made just delicious...salsas a variaty to try with your succulent meats... read more

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I can say without much hesitation that Don Pedro has the best carnitas in Chicago. The place has been open more than 30 years. If you are culturally open minded regarding good and eat pork come and try this place. Come in a Sunday morning and have a wonderful experience! They don't give you chips when you seat at the table, they give you chicharrónes. I ordered half portion of carnitas and half portion of barbacoa. I ate there and took the rest to share with friends and Family. I talked to the wife of the owner for few minutes and she was kind enough to answer my questions about when they opened and how the business has expanded. The food is just delicious. I can understand why Don Pedro carnitas is still a gem in Pilsen. read more

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In a pre-workout hunger rage, I hopped off 94 at the Cermak stop because I *needed* tacos #gainz. I honestly hadn't intended to come here; I was more concerned abt finding a taco spot in front of a valid parking spot, so I wouldn't end up like the sea of cars with yellow boots dotted along 18th street. Boom. Found parking out front & had NO IDEA that their specialty/only thing they serve is roasted pork.....I'm a vegetarian. I'm used to making due with less, so I figured that there was something in there that I could eat besides napkins. Unfortunately, there is no rice & beans (¿QUE?) so I settled with the Nopales salad on a tortilla. 2 for $5.33? In gentrified, $3-standard-for-a-taco Pilsen? I'll take it. After inhaling the tacos, I decided that Nopales are like Tofu's Spanish speaking cousin, in the sense that it takes on the flavor of whatever spices you use with it. In this case, it was served in a pickled salad fashion, so it has a tangy, fresh vinegar taste that is light, & perfect for the summer. I'm sure I'll be eating them again & if you're an adventurous eater like me, give them a go. read more

Don Pedro Carnitas - Hubba hubba. - Meat Shops Near Me - Chicago, Illinois