I love Don Pez soooo much!!!! The vibes are casual and energetic and the perfect summer spot. I just went back here for my 3rd time and it was just as good as my first 2 trips. Don Pez definitely has my favorite skinny spicy margarita. Whatever they do makes it the perfect amount of citrus with just a touch of sweetness. We started with chips & guac! The guac came with thick cut chips that seemed homemade and our guac clearly came from perfectly ripe avocados. Our favorite has always been the coconut shrimp tacos but this time I tired the grilled halibut tacos and LOVED THEM. They are definitely my new favorite. I also discovered they have a pretty big back patio in addition to their front patio seating. Great for a big group and the owner said it was available to rent out as well. Can't say enough good things about this place!!!!! read more

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I surprised a friend here during her engagement party and it was the most perfect night. The outdoor patio was so cute and the waitresses were so kind, attentive, and quick; especially considering we were ordering many drinks. The owner of the bar was so inviting and nice. While the chicken quesadilla was too spicy for me, everyone loved the food! The back patio is intimate and so cutely decorated. It was the perfect spot. Seeing your friends be so happy, while also celebrating at a local spot, just made for the perfect night!! read more

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Take out | Lunch | $40-50 Don Pez Tacos has the best tacos in Chicago! If you're looking for fresh, high quality ingredients and amazing customer service, this is the place to go! Their wild caught fish tacos are hands down the best I've ever had. I've brought all my friends here and everyone agrees, it's a true hidden gem! P.S. The owner is absolutely the sweetest read more

Just came from Don Pez had a wonderful dinner. Everything was fresh and delicious i had the salmon and shrimp tacos. I live in Northern California and whenever I come to Chicago this is my go to place. Check it out you wont be disappointed! read more

Check your plate - I wish I had. Ordered 2 fish tacos, side of avocado, and a michelada - $38.69 with a surprise service charge I only discovered because I specifically asked for my receipt after I paid. As I was boxing leftovers, I lifted my taco and found a black hair underneath it (see photo). Not small. Not subtle. A full hair - after I had already eaten one taco. So yes - full stop, it came out of the kitchen like that. I told the server as I'm staring at her with my blonde hair that I don't know and the response I received was "I've never seen that before I'll talk to manager." No urgency, no accountability from management OR staff. The solution? Me wait longer while they remake the one taco I hadn't eaten. Who knows what was in the first one... I'm sorry... after that? No. I told her that had killed my appetite. She did NOT offer any other solutions or ask if I was satisfied. We threw away the food and she still charged FULL PRICE. Including the undisclosed service charge. When I got home, I went back to my "phone eats first" photo and zoomed in... the hair was already there when the food was served. Hair in the food, brushed-off response, and a surprise fee. OWNERSHIP should absolutely take a look at this unless you want to continue to charge you customers $40 for a hairy taco and a beer with Clamato juice... *Response to restaurants comments* Per your response and my experience onsite, your claim that this is "SO uncommon" seems strange because instead of responding with corrective behavior, the "solution" was to literally do NOTHING about it???? Make that make sense. I think the real truth lies in their response, they were made aware multiple times, and did nothing until I posted here. Facts are, they either didn't care enough to do anything about HAIR IN MY FOOD or they didn't believe me, which is the EXACT feeling I communicated to my friends, prior to realizing I had photo proof. I did not, and do not, consent to ingest YOUR CHEF'S HAIR. At this point, this is not just a reflection of your food but now your management and ownership at this point. Oh and thanks for the subpar "invite" back lol... (To be clear per the response, they did NOT refund my order until posting this review, while I was on site and brought to their attention I was COMPLETELY brushed off and knowingly charged full price). read more

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Whenever we visit Chicago, this is a must stop! Don Pez has top notch service that creates a home like feel when you walk in. The food never misses also. The guac and salsa are a great pair for the chips. The steak in the bowl was cooked perfectly as well. If you're in the area RUN to Don Pez. You will not be disappointed! read more

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I went to Don Pez in Lincoln Park and overall it was an okay experience. Our server Payton was nice, and when I asked her what she liked, she gave me a few suggestions. I ordered the Baja Mahi, which was okay, but nothing to brag about. I probably should have taken Payton's advice and tried the coconut shrimp. I also ordered the grilled Mahi, which I liked better, but the rice was not really to my liking. My friend ordered the fish sandwich, and she said it was good. I tried both salsas, but I didn't care too much for them. Nevertheless, the food was okay, the service was decent, and the atmosphere was comforting. The space is small, but cute. I did like that they use mahi-mahi and halibut instead of tilapia, because in my experience eating fish tacos, those are better-quality fish. The prices were a little high, but I do understand that mahi-mahi and halibut are more expensive fish. Still, for the overall quality of the food, I felt it was a little overpriced. It was an experience, but I don't think it was anything I would rush back for. read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tasty tacos! Enjoyed a nice lowkey weekday lunch here with my husband. Promptly greeted and seated by one of the owners who was happy to walk us through the menu for our first time there. Obviously got some fish tacos! They are filling and tasty but the prices are very shocking for what you get so probably won't return but if you aren't balling on a budget I do recommend the food! Location wise you can't beat this place which may contribute to the exorbitant prices read more

Bright cheery little taco spot. Good service. Food was fresh, tasty. Guacamole was delicious, short rib quesabirria was a standout. Only thing that could make it better would be the addition of sides like rice and/or beans. read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Ribeye tacos - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped by and got some fish tacos and a short rib burrito. I've been to so many different taco shops/burrito shops and this short rib burrito was the best I've ever had. Meat was tender, and flavorful and not dry in the slightest. The salsa with the burrito was pretty spicy, and tasted great! The fried fish tacos were also so crispy and well seasoned, I actually was blown away by the quality. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures, but it was absolutely worth it and this place deserves your business! read more

We were searching for a patio to take advantage of the random nice weather and were able to snag a spot here. They had great house margaritas and chips and guacamole. Though this was more on the expensive side- $13 for the appetizer and then we also added some salsa for an extra $2. For our entrees we got the ceviche and ceasar salad with shrimp. Both were tasty and fresh, but again on the more expensive side for such a casual no frills restaurant. I'm glad we tried the place though and would love to try some tacos next time! read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Ceasar Don's Shrimp Caesar Ensalada - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tacos are sooooo good!! Drinks delicious. Service phenomenal, we love Nadia!! Perfect lighting and great music!

We LOVE this spot. Family owned, delicious, fresh ingredients and inventive menu. On a street of chain restaurants, this gem is so welcoming and comfortable. Great spot to stop by and relax for drinks and tacos. My favorites are the "slow and low" taco and the classic fish taco of course. Two thumbs way up for Don Pez read more

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Don Pez has never missed. Like ever. The food is insane. They have such a variety of fish and other appetizers. Drinks are always flavorful. Nadia and Julian are absolute angels and always make sure to take care of me. They remodeled within the last couple years and it's nice, I kinda like a mixture of the old decor mixed with the new but we can't have it all can we. This place is and always has been a 10/10 read more

My mom and I were passing through, looking for a bite and found this place! It was SOOO good, very casual environment with excellent drinks and food. Bartender was super sweet and the manager even made time to chat with us! read more

My boyfriend and I are huge fans of the quesobirra tacos so we decided tacos was our lunch date. The place wasn't very busy so we got seating right away. These birras are nothing like we have had before. They cooked the cheese on the outside of the tacos which made a burnt cheese flavor. The meat was also dry. We also ordered chips with guacamole. Our price for lunch for lunch was $70. It has to be the most expensive birra lunch we have had. I would not come back here for birra again. I would much rather go to QUESABIRRIA JALISCO in Pilsen. I also placed a Togo order for my friend. She ordered steak burrito and steak tacos. Her order was almost $70. She was not very satisfied with her food either. read more

The queso birria was delicious! Eden was our server and she was amazing! Friendly, informative, and attentive. The TRIFECTA!!! Highly recommend Don Pez and ask for Eden as your server! read more

I never leave reviews. I am a very patient person. This was the least aware server I have ever witnessed in my life. When we told the waitress we had been waiting for an hour (the table next to us had just had to reorder after waiting for an hour), she acted like we were insane and said we needed to be more patient. We would have gone ahead and left without our food and drinks but she had asked us to tab out for our food arrived. Bill was $170 for some tacos, coconut shrimp, and 4 drinks. Shoutout to the chefs cause food was good but worst service we've ever had anywhere. read more

It was a hit and miss first experience at Don Pez. Someone had recommended it, so we ventured up to Lincoln Park. Lunch on a Saturday, and it was still quite crazy up in that hood. Took a couple of big circles around just to find a meter. It's a tiny place with what... 5-6 tables. For the 3 of us, we ended up waiting like... 25/30 mins. There were 2 parties ahead of us. It's also where the confusion started, because the staff didn't know who came 1st/2nd, etc. We sat at a table and then found out this couple sitting by the window was waiting for a table and not eating there. Btw, so we gave up the table and waited our turn. I think the theme of operational confusion continued. We had some questions about vegetarian fillings and the waitress didn't seem to know any details about the menu. Probably that was the main issue. Maybe brand new staff and understaffed place. She'd go up to the owner for answers. So we ended up ordering 3 taco plates and a nachos. Between the 2 of them they came to use to verify the order like 3 times. Maybe we ordered too much food for the Lincoln Park crowd? Idk... But they kept on confirming and confirming. So the food itself. We liked the fried avocado taco and the fake steak tacos. Both were good. I enjoyed the sauces and flavors complementing the fillings. Now, the things to add is that the theme with all of the vegetarian options here is really cauliflower. Everything is very very cauliflower based, instead of beans or whatever other base options. Like the fake steak or the avocado fillings were good... but unfortunately the cauliflower is just bland. Definitely room for some better options or flavors. In fact, it's one of the reasons I didn't get the burrito, because cauliflower burrito didn't sound very appealing. So we went with the variety of tacos and so that cauliflower taco and the entire nachos plate were flavor challenged. I even ordered a side of the beans in an attempt to boost the juice, but that didn't really help that much. I'll add to this that with tax and tip we paid $85 for 3 people. I felt that's pricey for the above. Honestly this is a 3 star review at best, but I don't have the heart to ding a local owner who was giving it good effort. read more

I had walked by this place 100 times and we finally stopped in for dinner one night. It was during the summer and we sat on the patio - perfect summer outing. I had a chicken burrito and my fiance had fish tacos and they were so fresh and delicious.. my only downside to these were price - definitely not the cheapest food around. We've since also tried the steak & the short rib burritos and they're amazing. The mix of rice and veggies and the freshness of the salsa is so good. We love the burritos so much that we tried their breakfast burritos one morning and, if you like an egg heavy burrito, this is for you. I got a bacon and found bacon on one side and egg everywhere else - a bit underwhelming. While it's still not the cheapest option, their burritos really are so good and writing this, I'm craving another one read more

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We came in for some dinner - as other users mentioned, it's a smaller spot so hard to come in with a large group. The chips and salsa aren't free (and are kind of pricey) but they were really good - and with each basket we got a different spicy salsa to try. The mahi mahi tacos were awesome and the chicken quesadillas were quite large, definitely something you could share. I feel like the chicken had a slight fishy aftertaste so not sure if it's due to them using same tongs or something of that nature. My favorite thing sans the chips and salsa, was the fantastic Big Sky huckleberry cocktails- they were so refreshing and you could barely taste the alcohol. The margaritas were a bit too sour heavy and we weren't huge fans. Overall, portions were great and the pricing wasn't too horrible. Come for the big sky lemonade cocktail! read more

While in the area working a coworker and I stopped here I had the mahi tacos and they were excellent A nice cozy spot with good service Price point was ok Stop in if you're close. Be prepared street construction in progress read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Mahi tacos - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was incredibly fast and delicious. The girl with the curly hair was very helpful with helping my wife and I decide the best option. Halibut and carne asada were INCREDIBLE!!! So fresh and delicious we had to order more! We will be back with the kids! read more

This was a very pleasant experience at Don Pez Tacos Cantina in Lincoln Park. The tacos were also tasty, fresh and served in large quantities and well balanced. The staff was accommodating and prompt to service and did not forget that everything was okay with our order. There was a relaxed and lively atmosphere of the place which could be easily used as a place to relax and have a bite to eat. I would certainly make a repeat visit. read more

RUN - Do not walk - SPECTACULAR little spot that has spectacular service, and FANTASTIC tacos!! Fresh and well made tacos are the understatement of the Century here! Had a CATFISH taco and fresh chips, with authentic made Ranch Water ... and it's abundantly clear the focus here IS QUALITY over quantity. Adorable space in Lincoln Park. (Highly recommend for a stop in while shopping Armitage Ave. Or just come directly for the food.) The authentic salsa + verde salsa is truly the most authentic I've had in Chicago... and I looooove authentic mexican salsas!! (Get verde sauce, put on ANYTHING... you will not regret it) Tacos ARE large and delicious!! Enjoy!!! read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Catfish taco and chips, with "Ranch Water" - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After returning from a recent trip to Ensenada, I've been on a hunt for some delicious fish tacos. Up until then, I really wasn't a fish taco guy. But ever since, holy cow and I can't stop thinking about them. I looked at Don Pez's menu and notice they offered a "Baja Style" fish taco. I knew I had to come as quick as I could to check out these said fish tacos. The place has about 5 tables inside and it was small and cozy. They and also has a nice patio outside with about 4 tables. When I arrived two tables were being occupied and a couple customers came in after me. So not a busy day at all. The gentlemen that took my order greeted me right away and was very welcoming. He explained the specials of the day and even said I could mismatch if liked and also offered me a cold glass of water. He even asked how the tacos were during my meal. I ended up ordering their Signature Pez-cado. A Baja-style beer battered catfish taco with sweet cabbage, pickled habanero and a special sauce. I will admit, I had my doubts on the catfish. Felt it would taste too fishy, but I'm glad I was wrong. These tacos were the truth. They're not identical to what I had Ensenada, but pretty damn close. The fish was perfectly fried. It was crispy on the outside and the fish tasted fresh and delicious. The fish wasn't greasy and the toppings really helped bring everything together. I liked the pickled habanero, because it gave the tacos some heat and the sweet cabbage helped control the heat. Now if I only I could figure out what's in the special sauce. I'm glad I finally made it down Don Pez. They really have some amazing fish tacos here. I for sure will be coming here on Friday's during Lent, but Lent is so far away from now. I will be returning a lot sooner. read more

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Best skinny margaritas in Lincoln park. Gisele and Sofia made our first time here a great experience. We will be back. read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Hibiscus margarita - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Best tacos I've yet had in Chicago. The location is awesome, as you can eat right off of Armitage in Lincoln Park. Most recently I sat outside on the back patio, might be my new favorite spot to have a bite/drink with friends. read more

It's small inside but they do have outdoor seating. And the food is worth the wait. We ordered the dorados, the prime rib tacos and guacamole (with chips). Everything is so fresh and delicious. It can be a bit pricey but I will definitely go back and try some of the other taco options. read more

Amazing service. The drinks were made to perfection. Pozole is authentic. Chips, salsa and guacamole were on point. Giselle and Sofia were amazing and so friendly! We will definitely be coming back. read more

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This place was fire. I had the classic Pez and my buddy got the ribeye. Both were amazing. I am really am looking forward to trying the swordfish. read more

Wayyyy to expensive for 2 tacos . They were good although. Too awhile for the waitress to come bring us water .

The best tacos I've had in a while! The vibe in the restaurant is great and the staff is very friendly. Will definitely be back!! read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not sure about the reviews, but my husband and I thought this was a horrible excuse for fish tacos and a Torta, and we were disappointed. Whereas any Mexican hole in a wall could make a hearty Torta, we paid $75 for dry bread that left us hollering, "where's the beef?" And who puts breading on Baja shrimp tacos? The only way this is #52 in the country is 52nd from the bottom. Perhaps this a Eurocentric spin on Mexican cuisine, but if you are brown or black, this is NOT the spot for you!!! read more

We came at 2:30 pm on a Saturday and it was quite empty. The server was very attentive and helpful with recommendations and the Signature Pez-Cado was incredibly flavorful and tasty with a very affordable pricing. Only thing that can be improved is the environment, lighting and dining/seating areas. The swordfish was also delicious although the meat itself is more dry and there isn't that much sauce to compliment. Lastly, the Mahi was great with a sweet tropical taste and definitely saucier than the swordfish. The environment was pretty chill, definitely felt pretty cozy. Overall amazing experience! read more

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Nadia is the best!! amazing chicken tinga tacos!! the service was the best ive ever had in the city!

Good food, good service. Ordered the following: -regular fish tacos with catfish - 2 per order. - dorados - 3 fried tacos with short rib. - tamarind juice Looking forward to returning. It's a small but attractive interior dining with good music. there are some seats for patio. read more

The food was so, so delicious and authentically freshsh. The server was excellent, serving all tables outside plus taking care of the bar needs and had was very pleasant. Sitting outside was so beautiful! read more

Great taco spot in the middle of Lincoln Park. Been a few times and both the service and food have been excellent each time! There have been a few taco places around this neighborhood over the years, but Don Pez has stuck around through it all. I typically get the signature pez-cado tacos, which have an excellent batter fry and flavor. The Guac is fresh and served with delicious and perfectly crispy fresh tortilla chips. The quesabirria was also delicious and freshly made. Huckleberry lemonade is a great fresh treat; I'd certainly order again. Margaritas was decent as well. The couple who owns/operates this place seem very down to earth. I'm more than happy to continue supporting their business! read more

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I had a great meal at Don Pez! I had the basic fish tacos (fried fish). Honestly, it was a little pricey. This is a small and casual place to grab some tacos. The nachos were also really tasty. My dad enjoyed the chicken taquitos, which were the special on the day we went. One thing I like about Don Pez is that they also participate on Too Good To Go and sell their leftover food at a discount instead of wasting food. read more

Don Pez Taco Cantina - Chicken nachos - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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