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    Don Pedro Carnitas

    4.4 (221 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Don Pedro Carnitas Photos

    Business Info

    DON PEDRO CARNITAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Anthony P.

    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.

    Carnitas by the Pound
    Emily T.

    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.

    1 lb carnitas was almost enough for 4 of us
    Eugene W.

    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.

    carnitas don pedro carnecia sign
    Stephen C.

    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.

    Carnitas Torta
    Madeleine A.

    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).

    Carnitas taco
    Bridget K.

    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!

    Tanya C.

    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!

    Perfect lunch date. Half a lb of carnitas. Nopales and variety of garnishes :)
    Luis A.

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

    Carnitas by the Pound

    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).

    Amol U.

    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.

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Make sure you are first, very delicious food. Hand made tortillas is how you know it's a must go to, also the grilled jalapeño pack a punch.

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    6 years ago

    I went alone as part of my walk through Pilsen. Amazing carnitas!!

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Hit the spot when you got cravings for pork. Made fresh daily. You won't regret it. Say hi to Pedro. He'll take good care of you.

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    Page 2 of 6

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    Publican Quality Meats - Italian Sub Sandwich (Yes, that it how it arrived at the table)

    Publican Quality Meats

    4.2(704 reviews)
    2.0 miFulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side
    $$

    Had a a delicious weekday lunch here on beautiful Friday. Outdoor seating was easy to get and the…read moreservice was prompt and courteous. Great Summer vibes and the selection of meats and quality is amazing. I wish I could shop here regularly versus the usual grocery stores. We had an amazing pork sandwich, a pastrami, and a salad. The first salad was a little bitter, so the Server promptly swapped for a kale side salad which was nice. The breads and meats were standouts for these decadent sandwiches. The flavor and juices were soaked up by the tender meats. My favorite was definitely the pork. Always great eating here.

    I wanted to like publican, but overall thought it was just okay. The portions are quite large, but…read moreis missing the finishing touches that are thoughtful to the customer. For example with my mussels, rather than this large chunk of baguette, I wouldn't preferred it pre-sliced. We went on a busy Saturday night and it was popping in here for sure. However because it was so busy, my table ended up being neglected and our waitress was impossible to flag down. In terms of vibes, it seems like a pretty cool place to be. I liked the chairs and then the little booths seem like a fun time. I was also a big fan of the bathroom sink. Overall, Publican was a fine time, and even better time if you're looking for meat forward dishes.

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    Green Street Smoked Meats - Sliced Brisket, Macaroni Salad, Cole Slaw, complimentary white bread, Cornbread with Honey Butter

    Green Street Smoked Meats

    4.4(2.4k reviews)
    1.8 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$

    food was very good, whole group felt a little robbed for the portion sizes though, $36 for the…read moreposted picture, friend got 3 skinny ribs and a large slice of cornbread for $25. The Star seems to be the sides, which, while still quite expensive, are all very filling and come in similar or more weight than the meats. Service was nice and ambiance was great, but not nearly enough to make up for the expected quantity.

    BABY WHEN I TELL YOU THIS RIGHT HEREEE!!!! This was the best barbecue I've had in years. I thought…read moreMr.Tendernism was in the back grilling. TOO GOOD. We ordered the brisket, baked beans , and ribs. The brisket was juicy and tender. It was delicious!!!! I do wish it was more hot temperature wise. The brisket got cold quick. The ribs were my favorite! I wish we got three orders of them. They were perfectly tender filled with flavor. The char on them had the perfect smoky touch. The baked beans were delicious, they weren't too sweet but they were filled with a slight sweet note that I believe comes from the pork bits in it. So good! We enjoyed our food with the spicy barbecue sauce. I highly recommend that barbecue sauce! Total we spent for all that was around $55. To drink I had the bourbon sweet tea. The bartender was a bit rude. I feel like my drink could've been made with more love but it did the job. My drink costed about $17 I will be coming here again. There was ample enough seating. It's beautiful coming here at night. From the scenery inside you'll feel like you're in a movie. This experience fully blew my mind.

    Photos
    Green Street Smoked Meats - Photo from the bar

    Photo from the bar

    Green Street Smoked Meats - Chopped Brisket Hot Link Pork Ribs smoked turkey Elote Style Corn Baked Beans

    Chopped Brisket Hot Link Pork Ribs smoked turkey Elote Style Corn Baked Beans

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    Inside

    Canton Regio - Birthday cake for the birthday girl.

    Canton Regio

    4.1(787 reviews)
    0.5 miPilsen
    $$

    Canton Regio brought me back to my roots…read more Weird to say but isn't, visited Chicago from Houston, Tx for IMTS with my dad and brother who both grew up in Monterrey Mexico. Growing up, I like to say I experienced it all, waking up early to help my family earn money, laundry and cleaning the house on Sundays, visiting the pulgas and segundas whenever. Living in areas "less fortunate" but still appreciating and making the most out of everything given to you. Over time I felt like I sort of lost that connection, I still had the same ambition of hustling (working job) waking up early, etc but always felt like something wasn't there anymore. I do most of my food searches on Yelp but anything more specific Beli is my app. Beli actually recommended this restaurant as I was looking for a restaurant. I mainly chose it for my dad as much as he says he doesn't mind eating at other spots it just felt right picking something he'd feel familiar with (Mexican food) Wait time is okay, if you're from Houston wait times are typically already 20-40mins anywhere, not an issue waiting. Outside environment, felt like living off airline but more extreme, you can see, feel, and even breathe the culture. Guys were walking about waving Mexican flags, smelling Barbacoa/carnitas tacos down the street, and the obvious loud Spanish music going around. A community gathered together with signs of no ICE allowed too. The inside ambience is crazy, fast paced, everyone working together and communicating like it's just regular day. I'll cut it short since I try not to write long reviews, the arranchera was fire, both salsas-- fire, shrimp tacos, fire, horchata, fire. Everything was great along with service and seeing all the customers bringing their own drinks celebrating for whatever reason. It really made me appreciate everything that's lead up to this moment. Cash only too but spot is worth checking out.

    In the Pilsen section of Chicago, this is a wonderful, out of the way, spot. We came for dinner on…read morea Friday. They don't take reservations. Wait was a little over 30 minutes on this Friday night. There were a bunch of large groups celebrating various birthdays. The wait was worth it, though. Servers on quick, helpful, cooperative in that you can ask any of them for anything and they'll bring it to you. Because it is BYOB, we had picked up a six pack of beer and they put them on ice for us. I had a steak fajita and it was delicious! The sauces for the tortilla chips were spicy. Total bill was very reasonable. We liked it so much we came back a a couple of days later for lunch! If you're in Chicago and feeling adventurous, give this place a try!

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    Canton Regio - Machaca

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    Don Pedro Carnitas - meats - Updated September 2026

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