Tonight was the second time I have been here. Last time I sat upstairs. For some reason, the second floor was closed tonight. No Biggie. Just sayin.. The place was busy but not slammed for a Friday night. In the hour and 1/2 we were there, there were always a few tables open. It is dimly lit and has both booths and tables with chairs. We sat in a booth. I had the fish tacos... YUM! The dinner plate comes with rice and refried beans. The rice and beans were pretty standard and nothing to rave about. The tacos were super. Lots of small bits of fish topped with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. My friend enjoyed a tamarind margarita while she waited for me to arrive. She really like it. We shared a pitcher of regular margaritas. Our waitress was terrific. Every time she passed by she would fill our margarita glasses. I deducted one star because we felt a little pressured to hurry up and order then to pay and leave. Although... we did get wrapped up in conversation and 1.5 hours passed very quickly. I will have to come back to El Cid to enjoy the patio and beer garden in the warmer months. read more

Gringos, step right up and empty your wallet. I used to frequent here until I had one and half bad episodes. 1/2: The upstairs lounge: Nice setting, especially on a cold winter's night, but please explain me to why it's the same menu with higher prices? Not cool. 1: I usually would never boycott a restaurant after one bad experience. I always figure that everything and everyone gets three strikes in my world. However, this was a beyond repulsive moment. I had the typical semi-above average burrito (I'm fine with that) and when I received my bill I realized that they had overcharged me. When I pointed it out to the waitress she seemed hesitant to change it but I was all smiles and sugar. How could she resist? When I returned to my table my roommate said, 'We are leaving no tip and let's get out of here now.' Puzzled, I followed him out and, Deo gracias, my Spanish speaking roommate informed me that the waitress said something derogatory about me to one of her coworkers. Nice. So, gringos, take a Spanish course at CCAC before entering here, or as I do, walk right past their doors, reserve your judgement, and head directly to one of the many other Mexican joints within walking distance. read more

El CID has become a fast favorite. I loved their outdoor patio. I had a Piña Colada that was very thick and tasty. My dinner was a Torta. The meat was very flavorful. The prices are very reasonable. Convenient to the Blue Line in Logan Square. Drop by! read more

I think we've established how excellent this place is. I just wanted to say how much I love love love the outdoor seating area. It is really fabulous. A hidden treasure (kinda). A santuary (sorta). That is all. read more

I really wanted like this cute place. It is located right off the "square" in Logan Square. Every time I get off the Blue Line stop--I always see people having fun, eating [what looks like] good food & sipping on good drinks. Well. I guess I need to get some new glasses because the food wasn't good at all. In fact--I believe it was some of the worst "Mexican" food I've ever had. Hey when your best friend is Diana R & her mother makes some great meals, you know what GREAT Mexican is. This was pukified Mexican. I just wanted some tacos. Some yummy corn, steak filled, spicy, luscious tacos. What did I get? A soggy fatty steak & bland taco. They only gave you ONE corn tortilla per taco. Come on man, don't cha know you hafta put at least TWO tortillas? Anyway. I'd give them one star--but I gave two solely on the fact that our server was insanely nice. It looked like she stepped off the set of happy days. I cannot remember her name--but my face hurt from having to smile so much about my food because I didn't want to crush her dreams. Will I be back? Me thinks...never. read more

Really friendly service, which unless the food in a place like this is super-crappy, is what really matters. I had a Cuban sandwich. It was fresh. I could have eaten two of them, but I'm too fat, so I didn't. But I wanted to. Nice patio, too. read more

One day this summer I dressed up like Eurotrash for fun and met up with my buddy Josh and his family here for lunch. Josh's 5 year-old daughter kept saying "weird" and "silly" and laughing at me (as did his wife, come to think of it). When the check arrived I feigned urinary incontinence then bailed to the men's room. When I got back, Josh had paid for my meal and pitcher of margaritas. He casually mentioned that tuition was due for his kid's school in a few weeks, but I let that slide, because I've known him since college and I'd hate to let his lousy manners spoil almost 15 years of friendship. Anyway, I like their patio, fish tacos and soups. read more

I've been here twice in the past few weeks. Once for dinner and once for breakfast. For dinner we sat in the outdoor patio--it's great. I felt like I was at a fun block party with great food. The fish tacos were great and they have some of the best tortillas I've ever had. I'm a fantatic for white corn tortillas, and El Cid's are superb. The margeritas were great and the mojitos were yummy. The owner was super nice! For breakfast I decided to have classic Huevos a la Mexicana. They were perfect (although I really wished for black beans on the side--they had refried pinto beans). These were fantastic in the great white corn tortillas with a squeeze of lime on top! The fresh-squeezed orange juice was amazing. It was so fresh I think it was taken directly from the orange minutes after I ordered it. I will definitely be back! read more

A step above your average Mexican restaurant. The service was extremely warm and friendly. They have some awesome burritos here and will smother them in cheese if you wish. I really loved the carne asada tacos and queso fundito (with chorizo, of course). I'm a huge fan of salty steak/cheese and it came out with a great flavor with a hint of grilled saltiness. The only drawback were the fish tacos. I liked how they didn't deep-fry the fish to get a cheap win (because everything that's deep-fried is good, right?), but they did seem a bit bland. I guess I'm picky after being spoiled with some killer fish tacos in Mexico and Cali. The margaritas are great as well, but my g/f's seemed to have little to no blended ice in it. However, my friend that used to live in the area pointed out that it's not the norm. read more

The wait-staff here was incredibly friendly... Like all Mexican restaurants should, El Cid 2 has "I Dare You" portions and legit margaritas. The epinada's (ack, spelling!) were great, and stuffed to the gills. (Editors Note: Epinada's don't actually have gills). Nothing particularly SPECTACULAR about the place, but that's not the idea. It's a stumble off the Logan Square Blue Line with smiley service and reasonable prices. My only criticism would have to be the Mojito's which tasted "neh", and somewhat resembled ecto-cooler. I usually prefer mine where you can SEE the fresh crushed mint leaves in the drink, rather than just assume there's mint because the drink is hyper-color green. If you're looking for real-deal Mojito's go to El Nandu, or Coobah's or the tons of other places that I don't know of and am not currently reviewing. I hear the outside dining during nice weather is terrific, but I can't say from experience. Lousy Smarch Weather. Check out the clippings on your way to the loo... a few complimentary reviews and an adorable crayon-scrawled thank-you letter from a local kiddo. Awwwwww. read more

I moved to Logan Square about ten years ago, I used to go to El Cid frequently. Really my favorite Mexican spot around, it was close, clean, friendly, cheap. Since their upgrades and renovations, the prices have gone up, they do not offer unlimited chips and salsa-- so if you have a party of two, and two more people join you later, they will not bring more chips to the table. It'll cost you a couple bucks just for that little basket. The veggie burrito isn't worth the $7 or $8 whatever the price is now. I ordered an horchata and turns out it was a dollar more than listed on the menu. The atmosphere is nicer now that they have renovated, they have the outdoor seating, but maybe to make an extra buck they've skimped on quality of the food. The wait staff is nice and the ones who have I've interacted with have been there a while. They just don't seem to have the experience to be a great wait staff in the type of restaurant they're changing themselves into being. It pains me to say it, but I don't want to go there anymore. There is far better service, bottomless chips and salsa, cheaper horchata, and fresher/inexpensive burritos in many, many other authentic places in Logan Square. Go to one of those places instead. read more

This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. The server I usually see is a sweetheart and the food is delicious. They make the best enchiladas I've found- make sure you're up for some spice if you order them with the red sauce. Their plantain enchiladas are a mix of sweet and spicy that goes together beautifully. read more

Trip to El Cid wasn't too shabby, but not the best Mexican I've had in Chicago, the pros & cons: Pros - - Chips are on the thick side and fresh - $3 draft beer on Sunday (!) - Salsa verda is tasty - Corn tortillas are very good Cons - - The pico de gallo has some kind of weird sweetness to it (just sugar? pickled relish?) - Guisado de puerco was hearty, the meat chunks were very fatty Will come back as I've heard the breakfast burrito is strong to quite strong. read more

You know what? I kinda think I like this area better when it was a swamp before the Bronze Age, contemporary with the Cahokia Mound period, but without all the pretentious mounds and earthenware sacrificial accoutrements. Just a swamp, and a pre-Cambrian era glacial lake bed. The tribes that hunted here where old-school, I don't even think they had obsidian tools. Just flint. Old School, just like me. I'm a culturally resonant Columbia student and I have to make sure that everyone knows this when I write a review. Great fish tacos and a nice outdoor seating area. But no one here has even heard of Nalatapa-style buffalo jerky. Plebeians. read more

Ok, I have to start out by mentioning that although the food is very good, it *is* overpriced for what it is. And yes, there are plenty of Mexican restaurants in Logan Square with just as good grub. HOWEVER... El Cid 2 gets my vote for being: 1) Uber-convenient. It's right across the street from the Logan Square blueline/ Diversey and Milwaukee bus stops. 2) Having a great atmosphere both in the summertime (back patio), and now, with the renovation of the upstairs lounge, in the wintertime, too. The fish tacos and the cheese enchiladas are my favorites, and I like their margaritas despite the fact they're generally a bit weak. El Cid 2 is often bustling but never without an available table and always has friendly service. I recommend! read more

Always liked el Cid, very close by and convenient. The food is tasty and well priced. The margaritas are excellent! Never had any complaint until recently. They have opened an upstairs section, (was a good idea since they were often buisy), but now it's very chaotic as far as service goes between the floors. We showed up a few times and the staff was in the middle of re-arranging for a large group. It took 4 wait staff to do this. One did the work and the other 3 watched. More chaos and confusion. This went on for 15-20mins until they noticed that we were waiting, then sent us upstairs, where we waited again for awhile the confused and dazed wait staff to find us a seat. It felt like waiting in the middle of a very busy intersection. Same story the next time we went there, although the food came out fast. This makes it hard to come back. Food is great, but they need to get their act together with the expansion. read more

I've talked to a few friends who like this place and honestly, I don't get it. I think a lot of people think of Mexican food as just a late night thing and don't have very high standards for it. Not me. I love Mexican food from all regions of Mexico, have traveled extensively within the country and have a depth of knowledge about the various regional cuisines.... and that's why a place like El Cid disappoints so deeply. If you like real Mexican food, or even just freshly prepared food in general, this is not the place to go. I felt like a prison inmate whose food had been slopped onto my plate by the lunch lady. Flavor is bad, ingredients are cheap, meat is gristly and overcooked. Honestly, even the chips were stale. I would feel like a jerk to write this but hey, people will still eat there at 4am, and if you're drunk enough, you might not notice the utter mediocrity. read more

If you haven't been to El Cid 2 in awhile you are not going to recognize it. Azucar definitely raised the bar-- and El Cid has answered. Heard a tequila bar is going in upstairs- nice. I sort of miss the old school charm, but hey Jose--- great new look!!! Need another restaurant and bar- maybe a couple of boutiques and that block on Kedzie will hit the high note! ___________________________________ 11-17-07 Went to El Cid last night and had a fabulous time. Ate dinner downstairs and then headed upstairs for shots of tequila. The rennovation is amazing!! It's a great place to hang out with friends in Logan Square and I'll definitely be a regular. Love it!!! ***** ___________________________________ 4-16-08 I can't wait for margaritas on the patio or the open air bar!!! Would love some cool live music-- not really a band, but a singer. Still love this place!! read more

My last three or four visits have been HIGHLY unsatisfactory. It's still good, it's just not...as good. I've always loved the fact that you could count on a well prepared meal here, but it has become very, very inconsistent. Let me put it this way - I've actually sent food back to the kitchen. The fish tacos have become...questionable....Sob. Oh, beloved El Cid, what has happened to you? I'd actually bump this to a 3 on the food, but I'll give it a 4 as the staff is so nice, the patio is great, and IF they get it right, the food can be quite good. Still a great place for a snack and a drink, but no longer on my list of favorite dinner places. read more

The food was delicious and the service excellent! Perfect little local place. Sangria was great, too! Definitely would eat her again.

what I remember most is the patio and how after a little downpour of rain in the summer it was kind of nice and quaint... rather secluded and tucked warmly inbetween apartments on both side, despite the fact the alley was just steps away it was quite easy to forget your exact location as the maragaritas and coronas flowed quite easily. The food not so bad, but not so unforgettable as its not too hard to mess up nachos or tacos, but in a city of many mexican joints, there are better places not too far away for mouth orgasms. Friendly and attentive service, the guitar player that appeared was not so annoying and a better alternative to your typical jukebox experience, not much of a 1st or even 4th date place, but better for friends and SO's that have endured many arguments and makeup sessions. read more

The magaritas are good (if lacking just touch more uniqueness), the patio is is worth return visits in the summer, the food is excellent. My favorites are the quesdillas de pollo... yum yum. And they serve bourbon, because of the presence of bourbon I was going to give them 5 stars... but one time I had a bad experience where (I believe it was the owner) treated us like criminals and sat many people before us even though we had put our name in first. They can be guilty of customer profiling on busy nights... so beware of this factor if you are counter-culture or weird in any way. read more

El Cid II was quite the surprise! A group of us went for lunch and discovered they have a little breakfast menu. I tried the breakfast burrito and it was delightful! Other people had the chicken skewers, tacos and one person got the burrito suiza. mmmmcheesey. I think they are doing some kind of renovations, so the place looks to be in a state of construction. The food is cheap and the service is friendly. Overall, we liked it. read more

Yummy Margaritas! Seriously, so good! The food here is pretty good. The nachos are probably one of my favorites I have ever had. It's a big plate so it is a great dish to split between people. The dinner courses are big too. I had the fish tacos, they come with a ride of rice and beans. All very tasty. Service is great too. Very friendly. The back court yard is a nice place to sit, most people are out there. Inside is meh looking. But the outside is pretty cool. Will have to come back again. read more

This is a tough one. If I'm rating just on food, I'd give it five stars most likely. But the prices are out of whack here, simply put. I get it's on the Square, by the Blue Line, and I get it's a "nicer" place with tons of booze and all. But $9 for a burrito without sour cream? I live on Planet Earth and that's a ridiculous price. If you decide to get the burrito dinner, which adds rice and beans to the side, that's $4! For rice and beans! This is a fun place for a small group, it's very nice inside, quick service, and the burritos are big, but come on now. As I've said before, there are a plethora of Mexican restaurants in Logan Square. Quality matters without a doubt, but prices matter too, especially when comparing to places within a half a mile radius. read more

god DAMN that's a lot of ceviche. I mean, holy crap. The three-tostada ceviche dinner is a freakin mound of chopped shrimp goodness that pretty much guarantees leftovers. I actually got tired of eating shrimp. That's never happened before. Tamarind margarita, yum. Queso fundido with chorizo... yum, but kinda gloopy/slablike. Good taste, iffy texture. The food is seventeen different kinds of awesome, and I can stumble home from there if needed, and come summertime (did I mention margaritas are good?) I can foresee the need. Mmmyep. read more

I get it, you want to simplify and cater to your customers but the last few times I went in there (mind you, I've had a near 30 year loyalty to you).... Let's just say this, don't ever change authentic cuisine to cater to ANYONE, ever! Customers come in because they obviously wanted Mexican food so that's what they should get; full flavor and all. You've removed some great things from the menu and the kitchen is slacking on the items that remain. I loved the food before the mutilation of the menu. Go back to basics please. The city is crawling with competition like never before. Shape up. Now when I want local Chicago old school staple Mexican food, I go to Arturo's or Taconazo. They haven't changed for anyone or any reason. They used to be the place I went to after a night of drinking because you close early but now it's them any time. read more

Twenty years ago I frequented the original El Cid near the Congress Theater. No longer around, the new El Cid 2 on Kedzie and Milwaukee in Logan Square still supplies the best carne asada tacos I've ever had. Nuff said. (Cute and polite waitresses a bonus) read more

El Cid - Back patio, cool and quiet. The place to be. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The interior of the restaurant was desolate, because everyone was enjoying the Chicago summer weather on the back patio of El Cid. The patio is enclosed, with a small awning covered bar to mix the delicious looking margaritas, by the rear entrance. There were three musicians who were walking around serenading the tables with two choices: "romantic or funny song??" Choose the "funny," and they may just sing you "Tequila!" I ordered the tilapia tacos, which were light with tomato and lettuce and cilantro. They were good. I did eat all three of the small soft tacos, and that seemed to be the perfect size. The beans weren't the best, though they had okay flavor... the mexican rice was decent as well. Still, El Cid does not compare to the fish tacos at Mayan Palace. Though I will probably return on account of the close convenience of El Cid! read more

Last Wednesday I was there tenth time. Ever time the taco salad gets smaller. They even didn't put guacamole in me Veggie salad. Just little cheap tasteless tomato, cheese and a lot of rice, fried bleans and lettuce. A year ago El cid used to sell great taco salad. Not now. Service? The same. Didn't like her at the most. read more

Pretty cheap for a nice sit down Mexican Restaurant. Its my boyfriend and my go to whenever we get back in town from a trip and want a quick meal. Ambiance: They have a really nice back patio. You feel like you are in someone's back yard when you walk back there with the stones and greenery. That is the place to sit unless it happens to be raining. Hang out on their patio. Service: Great. Very sweet, to the point, and gets your order in as quick as they can Food: Yummy. The tacos are typical but fresh and yummy. I always get the chicken and the veggie. The burritos are filling as well. Ive had the breakfast burrito and the regular chicken burrito. Both were huge where I could only eat half. My boyfriend usually gets the fish tacos and they are delicious. Probably the best in town for picking up tacos really quickly in the Logan Square area. Drinks: Dirt cheap and tasty. Of course you have to get the margarita and they do it right. Price: Cheap meal. $2.50/ taco, $9/ burrito. $5/ margarita. Can you beat that? Parking: It can be tricky, but there is street parking or you can look in the neighborhoods for an open spot for free. Need some Mexican Food right off the blue line. Go on in, I recommend it. read more

With the patio and the newly remodeled upstairs, I can honestly say this place is a destination regardless of it's convenience. Their Pico de Gallo has always been fantastic, and they've made some menu changes that make it pretty above average. The price is right, and the staff are generally cool. Might not be worth venturing into the cold to go to, but on a beautiful night, take a walk and grab a margarita on the patio. You won't hate yourself. read more

As often as we can, we try to have family dinners at different places. Sometimes planned, sometimes not, but always a great time For this place, it was scheduled, and we had a great time, sampling the different margaritas, and having the authentic Mexican food. Was it good? yes, it was good. But like any Yelper, your quest is to find the best! The skirt steak, was done nicely, no complaints. Rice and beans, just regular run of the mill. The music was pretty awesome, as we sat outside, feet away from their live mariachi band. We had the regular margarita, which was better than the mango margarita. Not enough alcohol in their mango margarita. Is that a matter of opinion? Sure, I'd like to hear what people think about it. Must go back and try their infamous fish tacos that everyone has been raving about! read more

I went here with GF upon her recommendation. She said it was cheapish but I found it to be about average. $2.50 for those little tacos that are so popular. I did get a GIGANTIC chimichanga so portion sizes are large for the entrees. The margaritas were great of course. We sat on the back patio which was nice. With all the other mexican options in the area I will probably try something new before I go back here. read more

El Cid is a great neighborhood Mexican restaurant that is more tailored to the hipster ambiance of Logan Square than some of the more authentic and family style Mexican restaurants in the area. A large interior and a huge back patio allow for plenty of seating and a fun and lively atmosphere. There's even some sort of roof deck that was empty the day we were there but I imagine can be quite fun. Oddly, they were playing 90s grunge music when we were there, which took away from the Mexican theme a bit, but I enjoyed it more than the typical Mexican restaurant soundtrack. They were very accommodating to seat us outside and make room for our newborn and his stroller. And the servers were very friendly and kept congratulating us on our baby. That's always nice to hear. The menu is complete with all the usual items and some fun specials. We weren't super hungry so we opted for a few tacos and a few quesadillas. The quesadilla options are pretty cool in that you can order mini quesadillas (the size of a taco) and switch up fillings instead of having to order a full order. My husband had the al pastor, skirt steak, and carnitas tacos. I had the al pastor, chicken, and skirt steak quesadillas. All were great. The al pastor was probably the favorite. Their chips and salsa add a fun flair since the salsa has a bit of mole in it to give it a really unique (and addicting) flavor. They will gladly keep refilling you on chips and salsa, but I wish they served their salsa in a bigger bowl because we were going through it like crazy. I can see El Cid being a fun happy hour atmosphere or a great weekend afternoon party for day drinking on a nice day. We went randomly at 4pm on a Tuesday so it was fairly empty and serene. This is a great spot in the neighborhood for a quick bite and a beer or a full dinner and we will gladly be back again. read more

Went there a few months ago, and really liked it. Good food, nice staff, good times. The meat was seasoned really nice, not over spiced or salted like some places I have been to. Good drink menu, great location right in the middle of things, and a nice vibe all around make this a good place to hit on your average Friday night. Good times. read more

The food here is excellent at a decent price. The sangria is good. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. The best part about it though is the hidden outdoor seating in back. Curse you, winter, for taking away the ability to enjoy a tasty El Cid burrito while drinking a pitcher of sangria and enjoy a warm summer night. read more

NO. The only thing this place has going on for it is the patio. I went for a birthday party and enjoyed the outdoor seating. Unfortunately our waiter spilled his tray on me and I was soaked with water for the majority of our meal. I was given a small apology. Accidents happen but at least comp a girl a drink or something. My tacos de papas were gross and bland. The margaritas were blah and were obviously made from a mix. Not ok. Ever. Too bad. read more

I love El Cid. In addition to redoing the upstairs they recently got new furniture for the main room. Much better than they patio furnature they had before. As mentioned several times their patio is great when it is warm. As for the food, it is your above average typical Mexican fare. There are certainly better places in the city but this is one of the best in Logan Square. Their Margaritas are excellent as well. The waitstaff are always courteous and attentive. They don't shun us gringos like some places in the area. All in all, this is a great place for a lazy day. When it is warm give the patio a try and grab a pitcher of margaritas with you and your friends. read more

Down a star because the guacamole was.....strange. Kind of very creamy and not at all spicy. I had the chicken flautas, which I loved. The waitress was friendly, the patio was full, the weather was great, what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, good guacamole. But I'd say this is a great place to go if you want to sit outside, and it's "romantically lit" (take that however you want) so it'd probably be a good date place. Also take note of the moderately witty signs posted around the patio. read more