Eataco hit the spot when we rolled in with four hungry kids and a strong craving for nachos. I originally picked the place based on pictures of their nachos online, and they did not disappoint. The presentation was spot on, and every layer was generously coated with toppings. The only minor drawback was that the added protein felt a bit sparse, so I would likely skip paying extra for that on the next visit. As for the kids, they completely devoured the chicken quesadillas before I even got a chance to try a bite, which is a ringing endorsement in itself. The tacos here diverge from traditional street tacos. Instead of a light balance, they pack in a much higher meat-to-topping ratio. We tried the barbacoa and chicken tinga, both of which were expertly prepared and packed with rich, delicious flavor. However, because they are so heavily loaded and juicy, the tortillas simply could not maintain structural integrity. It was impossible to pick them up and eat them like standard tacos, but attacking them with a fork solved the problem easily enough. A special shoutout goes to the house-made salsas. Both the red and green options were outstanding and elevated every bite. Overall, the atmosphere and quality land right in that sweet spot--an upgraded, elevated step above a chain like Chipotle, while still being more casual than a sit-down, traditional Mexican restaurant. Paired with exceptionally friendly staff service, it was a great experience and a spot we would happily return to. Great outdoor seating. read more

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The food did not disappoint! They offer a great selection of vegan options, and our server was happy to point out which tacos I could order. Everything came out fresh, flavorful, and delicious. It's a fun, trendy little spot in the heart of Northbrook. I was catching up with a friend, so we stayed for quite a while, and the restaurant became very busy. Unfortunately, it seemed like they were a bit understaffed. Our server checked on us only occasionally, so service wasn't as attentive as it could have been. Overall, though, the excellent food made for a very enjoyable experience. read more

EATACO - Teriyaki Tofu Tacos, Chips & Guacamole - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Eataco is a cute eatery for Mexican food in downtown Northbrook, and it had been on my to-try list for a while. On a rainy Thursday night, we finally had a chance to check it out because we wanted a quick and easy meal before heading to the Art exhibition opening in the Northbrook Public Library close by. The restaurant was not busy at the time. There was only 1 table occupied. After we settled down, there was another small table taken. Our waitress was friendly, but after she brought the Miller Light for my husband and a draft beer "Fist City" for our daughter, she forgot about my lemonade. I had to remind her when she brought our food. She also just brought 1 Fish Taco when my daughter ordered 2, and had to place another order again. Not a big deal. When we left and passed by her, she didn't say anything like thank you or good bye, just looking at us. It was a little awkward. Well, maybe she's just not very outgoing. Hope that I was not expecting too much from a little eatery. Now on to the tacos. There were hits and misses. The Crispy Avocado Taco was very good! It's my first time tasting fried avocado, crispy and flavorful! I would order that again! However, the lamb in the Lamb Carnitas Taco was bland and rather dry. it's the first time that I ever had lamb that had no flavor. Although the mango slaw had a nice crunch, tart and refreshing, and went well with the lamb meat, it was skimpy and not enough to top all the meat. I joked to my husband that maybe that's the taste of munching on cardboard! I don't like to waste food and I wasn't full, but I could not continue eating, and had to waste half of the lamb taco. Husband thought that his Blackened Salmon Taco was OK, but his Steak Taco was not, since every bite of steak had gristle. He was surprised since that was supposed to be their signature taco. Daughter's 2 Fish tacos were good, except that she didn't like the flour taco shells. She prefers corn taco shells. My lamb taco had corn taco shells (2 layers) and the crispy avocado had flour shells. I love supporting local businesses and really planned to give Eataco 5 stars before we came, but had to deduct 1 star after we dined in. However, when I read more reviews afterward and found that many customers enjoyed the 2 bottles of salsa (1 green and 1 red) that came with the tacos, and we had no condiments of any kind on our table. Should I had a bottle of salsa, the Lamb Carnitas would have been edible. Unfortunately, I had to deduct another star. Our overall experience at Eataco was not bad, it took us only 55 minutes for the meal. It fits the bill when you need something quick and simple. read more

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two friends and i tried eataco for lunch this week. we were seated quickly, given menus and water. we started with chips and salsa for the table and it was good! we all ordered tacos: mushroom and avocado crispy cauliflower and chicken lamb and barbacoa. two salsas were brought to the table--green and red. they were both delicious! water was refilled and the restaurant itself is bright, clean and has great wall murals. bathrooms are clean. our server was knowledgeable and funny! i'll def go back and try other menu options. read more

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Against my better judgement went again with a friend who hasn't been in the area in over 10 years. They wanted to go and I should've just recommended another spot. Crazy how expensive these tacos are and how little they actually give you. It's not even good. lol. Everything is super bland with no real flavor. I only got two tacos and a drink and it basically came out to 20 dollars. Last time I'm making this mistake. read more

They do a nice job the portions are not huge but the ingredients always seem fresh I guess all taco places seem a little expensive for what you get and eataco o is no exception Would absolutely go there again read more

I've been wanting to try Eataco for a while now. I ended up trying it for dinner (Saturday evening). I was very surprised to see we were the only ones in the place. Maybe they do a lot of take-out orders or they are busier at lunch? We took a seat in a cozy booth and were brought menus, a carafe of water and bottles of green and red sauces. We had the salsa and chips and elote for our appetizer. The salsa and chips came out right away and I thought the salsa was very good with medium heat. The chips are thicker and really crunchy. I personally like thinner chips, but others may appreciate these. The elote came out a while later and was a great portion of grilled corn cut off the cob and topped with crema. I thought the corn was delicious and I loved how charred it was. The topping was too much for us though. I had to scrape it off. I love traditional elote, but I don't like mountains of sour cream/mayo as too much can be nauseating for me. I'd skip this next time only because of the overkill of topping. It took a while for our tacos to make it to the table but I'm guessing it's because we ordered a bunch of different tacos and they make everything fresh. We both tried the Crispy Fish, Eataco Steak, Barbacoa and Pastor tacos. We liked the Eataco Steak the most. The steak had good flavor and it was a solid steak taco. The crispy fish had a nice crunch but the actual fish was a little bland. It was topped with a slaw and lemon aioli. The creamy lemon aioli in my opinion was very rich and tangy and almost overpowered the taco. Much better once you added fresh lime and the green table sauce. The barbacoa had some really nice flavors. It had a sweet citrus flavor which I really enjoyed. If you like sweet beef, this is something you'd like. There was a lot of beef in the taco and it was very tender and not fatty. Great quality beef. The Al pastor was good, but honestly we were so full by this point that I was only able to take a small bite. The tacos were very filling. If I could do it over, I'd skip the appetizers and just get the tacos so we could enjoy them more (we just had way too many chips). The table sauces were some of the best I've tasted in a Mexican restaurant. If they sold them by the bottle, I'd be stocking up on the green for sure. In the negative reviews I saw people mentioned the tacos being hard to handle and/or greasy. Neither was the case. None of our tacos were sitting in excessive juice or grease and we had no problem eating them without them falling apart. Everything was very clean, presented well and it was apparent that they paid attention to detail. Service was good. Our water was refilled once it was empty. Our server had a smile the whole time. The atmosphere was nice. There was great music and it was quiet since we were the only people dining in. The total came to $62 for chips and salsa, an order of corn and 6 tacos with no sides or drinks. We will probably try them again but perhaps for lunch to try their bowls. read more

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A 2 star is very fair for our experience here. First time in this area, def won't be returning. To be honest, I haven't had quite this rough of an experience in a while.. and we are big on trying new spots. From the gauc to our entrees, very mid quality - not worth the price at all... ordered a Jalepeno marg... it wasn't even too spicy, it just tasted gross and warm. Period. First time I've been charged for a drink I've basically not touched. Also, huge lack of customer service. It's fine that our waiters switched, but having someone for the first time check up on you say "hey I'm leaving, so and so will be able to help". Would've at least appreciated a "hey how's everything tasting, how's even your drink?" first and then "so and so will be taking over for me." Nope, just that "I'm out and I'm handing you off to whomever"... super weird vibes. When people say "American Mexican" this is it beyond the phrase. Id skip on it! And I really never say that to this level! read more

This was a surprisingly good find. The food is delicious and good ambience. We ordered the chips and salsa. Tofu and avocado tacos. And carne quesadilla. All were really good! read more

EATACO - Chips and salsa - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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So construction is in full swing now (April 2025) so unfortunately this location is now surrounded by it. However, it's so worth parking a little bit further and stopping inside. Had a craving for some higher end fish tacos and this was just the place, in fact the food was way better than I expected. We ordered the elote (which was huge! I was expecting it to be just a couple of tiny cobs - but it was a giant bowl), shrimp taco, salmon taco, and a mexican bowl. The shrimp taco was amazing, a party of scrumptious flavors. The tacos did come with corn tortillas, which I usually don't like - however these were warm and fresh! The service was fast and friendly. The decor was a lot of fun inside too. This is definitely a perfect spot for a lunch date because after you are done eating, you can take a quick stroll around the adjacent park. read more

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I visited for the second time just a week ago and met a friend here. It's a cute place that has maybe 6-7 tables and a long counter along the window. There was a server and a cook. We arrived and other tables were already seated. We ordered their chips and guac to start. I'm not a guac fan, but my friend liked it and the chips were crispy and good. He ordered a non-alcoholic beer and I a diet soda. All three were served rather quickly. Then we looked at the menu to decide on lunch. The server kept checking on us (like every 15-30 seconds) to take our order. It was annoying. When we were ready, she was nowhere to be found. We called out from the register and she appeared from the kitchen and took our order. We each got three tacos. I ordered the burgermac, coconut shrimp, and skirt steak. He got the chicken tinga, crispy avocado, and ground beef. They all come in soft tortillas in corn or flour. We both got them in corn. We got our orders pretty quickly. The tacos "shells" were already falling apart, so the fork came in handy. Disappointment #1. The flavors were all over the place. The burgers in the burgermac taco were so overdone that they could easily be stamped with the "NHL" logo and be used in a hockey game. Disappointment #2. The coconut shrimp was good and the sauce was good too, but since the taco basically fell apart, it turned into a small plates tapas dish which isn't a good option for that kind of meal. Disappointment #3. Lastly, the skirt steak was actually able to be eaten like a taco albeit the taco falling apart in my hands. I ate it as best as I could. The same thing happened to my buddy with his tacos. He thought they were just okay. Once we were finished, we again had to track down the server as she was nowhere to be found again. Finally she comes back and I can pay online. Perfect, as I figured it would be another 15-20 minutes before we saw her again. With so many places for tacos, this one I'll skip. read more

Went with a friend for lunch. Ordered the brisket and salmon tacos. Delicious!! Brisket was tender and lots,of it. Same for the salmon. No skimping on the main ingredients. Nicely grilled tacos and two were plenty for lunch. I've paid more at other places for much smaller and not as tasty tacos. I'll be back to try different tacos and other items. We got there about 12:30 and restaurant was empty!! read more

Went to an art show at the Northbrook library and afterwards I just felt like having a taco. The place I would usually go to was closed, but my friend and I saw that this place was still open. Very pleasant surprise food was excellent. Service was super. Our hostess Melanie was super helpful and so friendly and smart. Will definitely go again whenever I'm in the neighborhood. read more

Generally don't make it to northbrook until the cycling event in July. Stopped by Eataco because we happened to be in the area and wow, what a gem. My wife and I ordered the margarita with a lite salt rim. In a word, delicious. Between the two of us we ordered 7 tacos but could have stopped at 6, because they were all overflowing...with deliciousness. Don't leave without trying the fried avocado. It is unlike anything I've ever tried. Slightly sweet but perfectly balanced with the fattiness of the avocado. We allso tried the ajo shrimp, crispy fish, Al pastor, calamari, and coconut shrimp. They were all delicious with honorable mention going to the avocado. This will now be a destination stop. read more

Very tasty foods! Loved the fancy flavors and the quality of the tacos. We ordered the elote (delicious), guacamole and chips and each had two tacos. My steak taco was fantastic and seasoned well! The chips were crispy and guacamole was very fresh. I really liked the service as well. The waitress was kind and got our orders in quickly. She made great recommendations as well. Note there's no horchata but there is guava jarritos which was yummy. Plenty of free street parking. The restaurant had amazing artwork and I loved the painted chairs and colorful murals. Would definitely return! read more

EATACO - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Every time I order and pickup food from this restaurant, something is wrong. Tonight, they forgot to put chicken on my $17 nachos. When you call them, they don't answer, and they also don't call you back when you leave a message. Pretty disappointed. read more

Time for an update! We've been back quite a few times, and it seems to confirm our first experience was an outlier. The food has been fantastic. There's a jicama slaw on one of the tacos that I would eat on its own by the forkful if given an opportunity... Staff are kind and helpful. We most often stay with our food, and they provide table service if you do. This has become a regular part of our rotation when looking for tacos on a night out! read more

Delicious spot! Huge tacos! The ellote is amazing! Good service. Will stop in again when I'm in the area

The food was delish! I tried steak, shrimp, and vegetarian tacos, and all three had great flavors, Green salsa is delicious, read more

We came, and we ate Tacos! Eataco located in downtown Northbrook is the perfect place for lunch or dinner with some friends! Whether you're in the mood for some quick apps, or a few tacos, maybe even a marg, the choices are endless. I came by for a midday lunch with my husband and we got guac and chips to start along with 3 tacos while he got a burrito. The chips and guac were SO good that we couldn't stop eating, so much so that we couldn't even make through our entrees! I ended up getting 3 tacos, the EATACO asada which was chef's kisses, the fish taco which was super flavorful and the avocado taco which had a nice kick to it. When you walk in you're greeted by folks behind the counter, and sometimes you'll catch the owners too! The food is delicious and I can't wait to come back and try some of the other tacos on the menu! read more

AMAZING TACOS. I'm not an exclamation point kind of guy all over my positive reviews but if I were I'd insert a few right here. Honestly, I was pleasantly shocked at how good these tacos were. My daughter and I each got a fried avocado taco with grilled red peppers and onions, cilantro, red pepper aioli & crispy lentils. An amazing fusion, so flavorful. Also ordered a chicken mole taco which was just as rich and fresh. Our server J.J. was so friendly. Warm personality and happy to to tell us about all the options. Latin music on the overhead really fit the mood and reminded me of Miami. I'm definitely coming back. Soon. read more

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Order the spicy Korean wings made to perfection Friendly service. Upbeat music has a city vibe read more

EATACO - MUSHROOM RAJAS fresh and light, perfect - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Eataco is a great downtown Northbrook Mexican restaurant located right on the corner of Shermer and Meadow road. I came across here, right after going to my favorite dentist on a nice sunny afternoon. They have a pretty nice outdoor seating area and people-watching is great as you sip on some margarita and tacos. I went with the following: Crispy Fish -- which had wild caught cod, pickled hibiscus-cabbage slaw, lemon aioli, cilantro Beef brisket -- citrus marinated beef brisket, cheese, onion, cilantro, smoky-pasilla salsa Lamb carnitas -- my favorite! It had michoacan simmering lamb, orange-mango pickle slaw, cilantro Sadly, no complimentary chips, but the tacos did come with two bottles of hot sauce. I could never figure out which is hotter beforehand -- green or red. But beware, the red comes out fast.... and it's the hotter one! Service was good, food was great, and overall experience... 4 stars! BATHROOM REVIEW: Located past the bar, you may not find it, as you have to go past the beaded curtain, which may be confused as the entrance to the staff area. In the mens, there is a urinal and toilet. Both were clean and in working order. They had one of them Dyson hand dyers too, that would blow off your skin, if you're not careful. Just kidding. Sit or squat? Sit! read more

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Great service and great tacos in northbrook! The price per taco reflects the quantity/size and quality of the taco. Each taco was filled jam packed and huge! Definitely filling! I couldn't even finish three tacos. The steak taco was super tender! Definitely one of my favorites. I also tried the fish taco and crispy coconut shrimp taco. The coconut shrimp taco was definitely unique taco. Delicious but probably not what I'm looking for when I'm craving a taco. The fish taco was equally delicious and well seasoned with the perfect combination of sauces. There is a huge list and variety of tacos you can try. I can't wait to go back to try other types of tacos but definitely will take me multiple trips because each taco is so filling! We also enjoyed their elotes! My kids devoured it! You know well be back! read more

EATACO - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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My family and I love to go to Eataco. Great food in a great location, as our son can go play in the playground in the Village Green after dinner. The tacos all have a unique twist yet are very authentic, which sets them apart from other taco places. Would highly recommend to everyone, especially families. Something for everyone. read more

I stopped in at an odd time because I hadn't eaten all day and had two tacos and Elotes. I had a chicken Molé taco (I wanted more Molé flavor) and a brisket taco (tons of meat). Maybe it was because I came in at three in the afternoon, but both were extremely dry. The only person in the place did not bring me the two dispensers of salsa, and I asked the table next to me if I could borrow theirs just for a minute, and they said no. Unreal. I finally did get some salsa which helped with the dryness. But they were very very tasty. The Elotes was a great big portion. I ended up taking more than half of it home. Also delicious but it could've been hotter. I would love to come back and try them maybe at a better time. read more

I was surprised by the food. I didn't expect to like it so much! The nachos were a pretty large portion and the burrito was a great size too. They were both very tasty, which if I'm being honest I wasn't expecting since we came here on a whim. What a great surprise! The tacos were a bit on the pricey side so we skipped out. The service, though, was phenomenal. The servers were extremely friendly and attentive. I really appreciated them. They have a terrace and indoor seating area which was very nice. read more

EATACO - NACHOS, BURRITO - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I'm trying to visit a restaurant new to me each week. EATACO has been on my radar for a while so visited today for lunch. Parking was easy and the place was pretty empty but we're having single digit weather so that may have been a factor. Service was great! I was immediately greeted and they let me choose where to sit. They were also attentive, helpful with suggestions, and super friendly. The place itself is fun and inviting, and I liked the lively music and artwork. The sunny, bright restaurant really chased away the cold outside. The food was delicious and portions very generous. I got the guacamole and chips, the Mexibowl with lamb carnitas, and the Sketchbook Mexican lager that complimented the food perfectly. Carnitas seems to hard to find here in the northern burbs, and lamb carnitas even harder to find. The Mexibowl had lots of delicious elements and frankly was way more food than I anticipated -- I don't know why anyone would go to a chain fast food place if you're near EATACO. It's so much better here, with so many more protein options, and really affordable. I also really enjoyed the chips which I believe are made in house, and the guacamole. I like spicy so the sauces at the table helped bring some heat to the guacamole. They have margaritas which I'll have to try next time, as well as other proteins. This place isn't super close to me, but for the quality, creativity, service, and value it's worth the 20 minute drive. read more

The taco are meh at best. We tried 7 different tacos. The lamb, steak, brisket, cod, calamari, shrimp and beef barbacoa were completely flavorless!! The elotes were ok, which is why I gave 2 stars instead of 1. Service could have been better too. Definitely not coming back here. read more

I'd been meaning to give this place another try since my last 2 star review over a year ago merited a response from the owners. They provided a lengthy reply, implored me to give them another chance, and offered me a 30$ gift certificate (didn't take them up on that). Also, wanted to give them another chance because of all the positive reviews. I happened to be nearby today and hadn't eaten all day, I was pretty hungry. So though I was going out to dinner within the hour I thought I'd grab just 1 taco, I was craving tacos. I ordered the mushroom taco and the bill came to $4.45. I handed them a $20 bill and they asked if I had anything smaller. I gave them .50 cents. She handed me back the $16 and said she didn't have the 5 cents owed to me and actually laughed. I said it wasn't funny, I certainly don't care about a nickel but how is a business not prepared to give change or take a $20 bill? I might understand if it was a $100 or even a $50 bill or if it was just opening time and they didn't have money in the till but none of this was the case. When she handed me my taco she also gave me a quarter and said, "you know many businesses don't even take cash." True, I've been in other countries where this is literally the case everywhere and places in this country where this is also true. However, I was not eating at any of those places; I was eating at EatTaco and they DO take cash. I didn't order a side of attitude with my taco. The mushroom taco was fairly flavorless. There are many better taco places nearby. I'll give them 1 star for having a variety of vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian options. Though I'm giving them 1 star, I won't be giving them a 3rd chance. read more

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Love this place!! Clean , good service, great food! Very creative, fresh ingredients with lots of flavour. I didn't love the chips but could over look them because the tacos are so fabulous. Can't wait to go back. read more

Amazing tacos. We had the ground beef, the lamb, the barbacoa and the steak tacos. Amazing toppings in each of them. Great chips and salsa. Cool vibe indoors. And they serve margaritas. And there's a really good ice cream place across the street if you still have room for dessert. Lol read more

This looks like a little hole in the wall but oh,oh,oh it is not. Small family run business with very tasty food. My boyfriend got the tacos; Lamb, Steak, and I forgot with the last one was because all he would talk about was how wonderful the first two were and I taste of them and yes they were! (The last one was brisket and it was very good too). We split some Elote which was good and I got the bowl with shrimp which was very tasty and big enough for a second meal for lunch. Cute outdoor area to eat and they do serve alcohol! I have already planned my next visit back with my daughter. Prices are reasonable and please support small family businesses read more

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Apparently every single negative response necessitates a point by point takedown on part of the owner. I don't usually see this with businesses on Yelp, but every so often... Hi Melissa, not sure why there was confusion upon arrival as there are signs at the host stand indicating please wait to be seated. ***It cannot be a coincidence that I was confused about the format, and so too were the other customers who came in. It seemed like a counter service spot, and when we waited to be seated, no one came. As far as the drinks go, we are a small operation and do not have space for a fountain hence, we have to seek other ways to serve soda. However, never use flat products. I particularly opened a new bottle to pour your drinks which is why that is what was stated. We don't accuse anyone of lying nor do we like to be accused. ***I didn't mean to accuse. The bottle poured flat soda. My tastebuds told me this. I am not sure what else to say here, but this is getting ridiculous. Given the employee shortage it's been challenging to find people to stand at the hose stand. Pls consider the struggles small businesses are dealing with before going on here to give a low rating review. We wish it was easy as snapping a finger to operate a small family owned business byt' it isn't. ***I never said it was as easy as snapping a finger, and I wouldn't. There is no need to misrepresent my legitimate concern. read more

Service was great, no complaints. The food came out hot and fast. Great for a date night or out with friends since the ambiance inside sets the mood pretty well. The sauce on the ajo shrimp taco was flavorful. The steak is filling and they're not cheap with there portions. By the way, check out the other side of this place by the bathroom ! read more

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Tacos were mid. Exceptions: fish, shrimp, cauliflower. Service was 3/10. Wasn't even crowded. read more

Cool little place that went to for lunch. Not many people there but the service was pretty good. We were the only ones and there were only two people working but everything was good. The food was really good. I got the coconut shrimp taco along with the steak taco and brisket. All three were really good and had a lot of flavor. We did get guacamole to start and that was really good as well. I would recommend this place and look forward to coming back. read more

EATACO - Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I chanced upon this place when I was driving around. So here goes. I called to ask questions (for me it was stpuid questions from a first timer lol) and the lady was so nice in answering them and giving me info, i was also asking for recommendations and she really gave me some good ones. As you know if its a mexican place I always look for Nachos and so i ordered their nachos with calamari as my meat. Unusual right but i liked it. Its different from all the other places but its a good kinda different. Their nachos comes with black beans, fire roasted corn, pico de gallo, sour cream, queso fresco and your choice of meat for an extra cost. Next up her recommendationa for Tacos. The way she described them, you'd wanna try them all lol. I tries the crispy fish and the grilled shrimp. My favorite is the crispy fish i was surprises coz im not really a fish girl. But oh my its a must try!!! The grilled shrimp was delicious too. Will definitely go back to try more atuff on the menu!!! read more

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Margarita tasted fine, but felt like there was very little tequila. The guacamole had a plastic piece in it, but they made us a new one and it was good. The steak taco and shrimp taco was very good. Definitely worth sitting outside, but inside the one area looked cute (but it was empty) the other area felt like a cafeteria, so I wouldn't recommend that. Service was good and they were helpful. read more

Nice taco spot in Downtown Northbrook. The food was good, service was quick. Outside seating is really nice. Would definitely go back!