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    El Cortez Mexican Restaurant

    3.2 (161 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    EL CORTEZ MEXICAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - El Cortez Mexican Restaurant

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    Beef burrito with suiza
    Richard R.

    This wonderful and charming restaurant serves the best Mexican food I ever had! The portions are generous, the ingredients are fresh, and the taste is out of this world!! The beef burrito I had was the largest I've ever seen! I had enough for another meal the next day, and it remained perfectly fresh. Did I mention the salsa is phenomenal? I bought a huge container to go, because I crave it. We had them cater a party in the fall, and everyone raved about the beef and chicken fajitas. We were blessed with leftovers for days. Please patronize this restaurant, we need to keep them running.

    Where are the shrimp???
    Atina M.

    They CHEAT you out of your order. ESPECIALLY if it's to go!!!! I spent $50 and I ordered a meal that included steak,shrimp, refried beans AND rice. They argued me down that I had to pay extra!!! For things that come WITH THE MEAL! THIS is the steak and shrimp fajitas and they charge 2.50 per shrimp.

    The best house margarita around!
    Chris E.

    Back again with a couple friends for a little dinner on their covered patio. Tonight I ordered The Manny - which is basically a smothered grilled chicken dish.. poblano peppers, tomatoes, onions and avocados... served on top of their rice.. it's incredible. They serve it with a side of this hot sauce that's really good. The couple with us got the Pollo Carbon and Chorizo and Eggs. My wife went with one her standbys - Beef Enchiladas Verde. Washed down a great meal with a couple pitchers of their house margaritas... again, these drinks are like candy. You can't stop at just one. Service tonight on the patio was a bit slow, and that sometimes happens when you eat on their patio. Didn't bother us much because we weren't in a rush.

    Loved the hospitality the vibe and the food ! MUST TRY ! The mini burritos  ! Thank your I the staff !
    Roberto C.

    Loved the hospitality the vibe and the food ! MUST TRY ! The mini burritos ! Thank your I the staff I will be back !

    Fillete Estrella

    Been eating at Cortez since original Blue Island place ,. for e over 30 years. A must try !!!Authentic !!!!!!!

    Skirt steak
    Mattikush C.

    Great staff and authentic food. Tacos r fire. But i get the skirt steak just make sure u get it medium not rare othetwise u cant even chew it lol. Pina colada they got strawberry versioms too plus they let u vape but overall great mexican joint. It has a bar and two dining areas, with gambling too.

    Lisa R.

    We were traveling in the area and looked for great Mexican restaurant. El Cortez was listed as #1. I try to share good parts of places during these times. There is ample parking and there are even slot machines in front area of restaurant. Bar area seems like a good space. Not sure why there are so many great reviews because I found food and service below par. Prices are decent, and sides tasted ok, however the meat in the taco dinner was lacking seasoning. We had to ask for water, additional chips/salsa and hot sauce for our food. Overall 2 stars.

    Proof of payment.
    Stealth R.

    We had ordered some food and drinks at the location. The food was acceptable, but the drinks were terrible. He's why I labeled the drinks terrible. We ordered Margarita's with an upgrade in tequila. We ordered top shelf tequila Casamigo's but received a mixto or lower than tequila, making us feel illness. We both had a Hugh headache like never before. The next was ruined because of substandard alcohol. We wanted what we paid for, but now they have lost our business. BUYER BEWARE!

    I am here!!!

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    6 months ago

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    9 days ago

    Excellent food and service I have been going there for years one off the best Mexican Restaurants

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    5 months ago

    There is a reason this restaurant is packed on a Friday night! Delightful service, authentic Mexican food, and delicious margaritas!

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Love them so much very good tacos and drinks . Always bring myself and kids here they lock there tacos and have nice music

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Love their mole sauce on enchiladas. May be jarred but I do want mole when I order enchiladas. Love their guacamole.

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    2 years ago

    Great drinks and the best chips and salsa In town. Overall the food is good and worth a trip.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Good Mexican food at reasonable prices. I like and recommend this restaurant. Would gladly eat here again.

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The food was really good! Fast and fresh! Definitely will be my go to spot for authentic Mexican food.

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    3 years ago

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    Maiz & Barro Mexican Grill - Cantina - Al pastor, chicken tinga, and carne asada tacos

    Maiz & Barro Mexican Grill - Cantina

    4.4(104 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    Authentic and Delicious!…read more I was in the area with my family, and we decided to stop in for a bite. We walked in late one Sunday afternoon and were seated promptly. Our waiter was a polite gentleman who was pleasant and affable. I ordered a mango margarita and my sister had a Paloma. The margarita appeared to have been dispensed from a pre-made container. It wasn't something that was freshly blended. It was decent but a little too sweet. I didn't finish it and ended up ordering a Coke later. My sister enjoyed her Paloma though. My mom had a ground beef taco and a chicken tinga taco. She didn't like the chicken but enjoyed the beef. My sister and I both had the rice and beans. For tacos, we ordered chicken tinga, Carne asada, and al pastor. The tacos were phenomenal. They were flavorful, tender, and authentic. The tacos are small, like street tacos, but it was more than enough. The rice and beans were also tasty. My sister didn't care for the rice, but I enjoyed it. We all agreed that we'd visit Maiz & Barrio again. The restaurant vibe was lively and comfortable. The restaurant decor is tasteful with vibrant colors and beautiful wall art. The restaurant is a decent size, so the tables aren't too close together. The bill was $116 for the three of us, which included a 22% tip.

    Maiz & Barro occupies a space in a strip mall in Oak Forest on 159th St. that seems to have been a…read morerevolving door of Mexican restaurants for the last 20 years. None of the previous businesses were able to hit the mark, or last for any significant amount of time. Maiz & Barro have seemingly figured it out. There are so many Mexican restaurants in the south side ... both of the fast food variety and also the ones offering full service. However, most of the ones actually in Oak Forest don't offer table service, so it's nice to have this spot in the neighborhood. The food is a bit pricey, but the atmosphere is lively, and the service was great. We've been here a few times in the past and the food has always been good. We stopped in for lunch during this visit and we did not leave disappointed. The tacos are very good and the complementary salsa they serve is delicious. Not my favorite Mexican food in the area, but definitely good enough to warrant repeated visits.

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    Maiz & Barro Mexican Grill - Cantina
    Maiz & Barro Mexican Grill - Cantina - $5 Taco each

    $5 Taco each

    Maiz & Barro Mexican Grill - Cantina - Chicken Enchiladas Rojas

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    Chicken Enchiladas Rojas

    El Cortez Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated September 2026

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