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    El Gallo Bravo

    3.6 (92 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 9:30 am - 12:30 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    El Gallo Bravo Photos

    EL GALLO BRAVO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    tostada de ceviche
    Gabby Z.

    My boyfriend is a big fan of El Gallo Bravo so he decided to take me to try out their food. I got three chicken tacos with cilantro and onion and a side of their ceviche tostada, and I get the hype it's pretty good. Not pictured was a steak taco dinner with double rice and the rice is cooked perfectly. The atmosphere is nice there wasn't a lot of people which is never a bad thing, depending on what time of day you're going. They had a variety of sauces at the table and they're own "orange" sauce and green sauce. Saying orange because I didn't know what it actually was only by the color since the bottles weren't labeled. Pretty good overall. Will come back and support the business.

    A cockroach on a table as we were eating.

    The food is always good but what's a good food when you're eating around this ? This is disgusting. Completely made me loose my appetite.

    the front of a restaurant
    Bill M.

    I ordered a couple of tacos for takeaway lunch at El Gallo Bravo (the full title is Su Nueva Casa Del Gallo Bravo, if you are keeping score). This taco joint on Lawrence is open 24 hours, and is BYOB. I don't know what the atmosphere is at 3AM, but around noontime there is efficient bilingual service from the staff. Typical me - I ordered single tacos with three different fillings. I was wondering if I needed to break open a bag of chips at home to fill me up. No needs for chips on this day, as each of the tacos have a generous amount of filling. My favorite of the three was the chorizo, which seemed to have enough flavorful chorizo meat for two tacos. The al pastor and the chicken tacos were fine, though I admit I was concentrating the sides (lime wedges, two kinds of sauces) on these two and not the chorizo. Never had radish slices with tacos before (also on the side), but I ate them all up. If this place were just a teeny bit closer to my house, I might come here more often

    Rosa J.

    El Gallo Bravo on Lawrence is the closest Mexican restaurant to our apartment. Even though it's advertised as a "24/7" joint, it opens and closes as they wish. So, why weren't Rosa J. and hubby regulars to this place? The "older" El Gallo Bravo failed the city sanitation inspection and had a mandatory shut-down for quite some time last year. Nevertheless, it resurrected and has been in business since that fatal temporary closure. Anyhow, we came this evening after Rosa J.'s long day of work. Rosa J. did her usual weekend routine: menudo, while hubby had the enchilada de queso. After we found a table and have got ourselves situated, the server delivered for chips and salsa. They weren't particularly spicy, yet we felt the need to order the drinks. Therefore, a large horchata and a large jamaica helped set the tone for our dinner. Here are my reflections on each item we had at El Gallo Bravo on a cool, non-festive Sunday evening: - horchata: hubby commented that it was too sweet for his palate. - jamaica: it was actually strong and the amount of sugar was adequate. - enchilada de queso: it was filling because of the copious amount of cheese. The lettuce was decently fresh, and the arroz appeared appetizing. - menudo: it was awfully bland. I added all the peppers, diced onions, cilantro, and lime that were given to me to the broth. All these add-on ingredients still didn't boost the flavor. Once again, my quest to find a perfect bowl of menudo in the north-side Chicago hasn't yet succeeded. We gave away another hard-earned $24 to this mediocre establishment.

    Mixed ceviche.
    Sany N.

    Wait. 24/7 Mexican Food. What?!? I love being able to grab a late night bite or early morning breakfast or meal here at any random and ridiculous time of day. With that being said, I would stick with the basics when ordering from here. Tacos, tortas, etc. are always a safe choice. The ceviche and other seafood offerings aren't as consistent. If you dine in, take advantage of the delicious spicy salsa they have with their chips and smother it on everything.

    Selena P.

    This place needs to be shut down! By far the worst experience. I am beyond traumatized. I had the langenastino and found a parasite. Thank god that my doctor said it was cooked so it wasn't able to latch onto my intestines.

    Bistec chile en arbol.  No clue what it means but it's spicy as heck with steak,  gravy, a side of rice,  beans and tortillas
    Jacob J.

    It was around the summer of 2015 when I first started grabbing takeout from this location of El Gallo Bravo also known as "Su nueva casa". For many months I grabbed takeout either during lunchtimes or the late night hours. Many are probably unaware that this business operates at an almost 24/7 schedule. It's not truly that schedule since I have tried visiting many a late night and not found it accessible. Other reviews here note the same occurrence. For almost a year food was outstanding. This became my go-to for burritos and tacos. I'd given up all other burrito joints in favor of Su nueva casa; your new home. A little later on I remember discussing this joint with some friends. One of them had related that this was a restaurant known to the Mexican community. Known to offer family favorites. To memory I could remember many a night, finding the place packed with families. What made them different was the care offered to foods. Meats were prepared with nice marinades. Whether you ordered a gravy dish or tacos, the meats alone were tasty. They were complimented by the other ingredients. Cooks took care in the cuts of meats. In their burritos and tacos, if Al Pastor was chosen you'd get some meaty chunks. At El Gallo they have always had their al pastor on a spit. Fully marinated in a thick pink paste that reminds of Pepto. At the top of the spit are thick rounds of pineapple. From conversations with Mexican friends this is the best way of marinating Al pastor and is always tasty. Here you could watch the cook slice away at that meat also grabbing nice tears of pineapple so that whilst it cooked, the flavors imbued one another. This is reason why I returned week after week and what had been contributing to a growing belly! (I'm not proud of this.) While a burrito is a mere $6.50, it weighs and I'd guess somewhere close to a pound. On top of marinated meats, gravies, tasty tacos and burritos these guys made their own salsa. And not just any kind of verde or rojo salsa. Theirs was orange or lime green. One had a slightly sour taste with a slow heat. The other was tasty with a spicy kick. Both available with fresh made tortilla chips at every table (dine-in only). The only major drawback was that most of their staff did not speak English as a main language which created a great barrier. As mentioned earlier due to putting on weight, I decided to take a break from burritos. In that time (some months) something has occurred at El gallo. One, no one from the staff I ordered from previously are anywhere to be found. Maybe they're working a different schedule I don't know. Two, the cooks look different, as in a different staff. Three and this is the biggest note of change.. the salsas are gone! Now with salsa, colors and taste would change depending on what's available. If they specifically used green tomatillos or a special kind of short Serrano pepper; vegetables would change depending on crop yields, etc. But the salsas are different. It's a basic red or green salsa. What gave great taste to their burritos and tacos is also negligent. It's like they adapted a completely new cooking method. The care taken in giving nice cuts of meats is replaced with diced meats. It's such a bummer. I've been back twice in the last couple weeks and both orders were disappointing. Had I written a review of this spot a year ago you'd find a glowing 5 star review. Today.. I teeter between 2.5 to 3. Most people would probably enjoy the place. But for me, noting the great differences it is night and day.

    Steak taco

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    Five stars my 6 year old loved the food & she's a real picky eater.. so happy there's a spot close she likes.

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    8 years ago

    Found a nail in my salsa. waitress didn't even care, no apology. FTP. bring a metal detector if you going to visit this place

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    Barrio

    Barrio

    4.1
    (1.4k reviews)
    7.2 mi
    $$

    Cinco de Mayo at Barrio was EVERYTHINGGG…read more We fully committed to the holiday and ordered honestly the entire menu and somehow every single thing that came out was better than the last. Starting with margaritas (because obviously ‍), queso and chips that were dangerously good, and the chicken empanadas that came out perfectly crispy with so much flavor. We kept looking at each other after every bite like "okay wait... THIS is the best thing here" and then another plate would arrive and prove us wrong again The carnitas fried rice??? I genuinely cannot stop thinking about it. So savory, flavorful, comforting, and packed with crispy carnitas on top with the eggs and pickled onions... literally unreal. And then the skirt steak tacos absolutely stole the show. The steak was cooked perfectly, packed with flavor, and paired so perfectly with all the toppings and sauces. Every single bite tasted fresh and homemade in the best way possible. And can we talk about the ambience for a second because WOW. The music, the energy, the vibe inside, everyone celebrating, the drinks flowing -- it felt like the perfect Cinco de Mayo dinner spot. The service was also AMAZING from start to finish and made the entire experience even better. One of those dinners where you leave already talking about when you're coming back If you're looking for the place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, date night, tacos & margaritas, or honestly just an incredible dinner in general... this is IT

    Food was awesome Everyone was great. Hostess managers food…read morerunners busboy except for our server Cortez Very disappointig! I'm in the service industry for 30 years I had to walk around the restaurant and look for him to get a drink refill . We were done by the time we got it All he did was in very sloppy way take out order . Super bad server. The rest great including atmosphere .

    Photos
    Interior views
    Interior views
    Chicken fajitas
    Chicken fajitas
    Margarita time!

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    Margarita time!
    Sabroso! Mexican Grill

    Sabroso! Mexican Grill

    4.7
    (547 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    Four of us (two adults and two kids) visited Sabroso! Mexican Grill for the first time during a…read moretrip to Chicago. I must admit that I had low expectations because quite frankly, I have not enjoyed Mexican food outside of Mexico or California. However, we were hungry, and it was near where we were staying, so I decided we should check it out, and I am so glad we did! The food was great. Both adults and the VERY picky children in our group all enjoyed our meals. I ordered the green chicken enchiladas and the other adult ordered a chile relleno combo, which I also got to try. Everything was delicious and devoured by all! We were so full but the owner talked us into the chocoflan, and we did not regret trying it. It was soooo good! Speaking of the owner, the service was great. We really enjoyed how he and the rest of the staff were very courteous. It is a small establishment, and it gets a good amount of people, so I assume that there are waits during peak hours. I highly recommend Sabroso! And we plan to return the next time we are in the area.

    My husband and I had a great meal here. We were welcomed with complimentary chips and salsa. I…read moreordered the vegetarian enchiladas, and he had the Sabroso burrito with grilled chicken--both were excellent. The service was especially noteworthy. Our server was very friendly and thoughtfully let me know that the rice is made with chicken broth, offering double beans or a side salad instead. As a vegetarian, I really appreciated that attention to detail. The restaurant is small, cozy, and clean. There's no parking lot, but we found free street parking on Erie Street right next to the restaurant. We'll definitely come back!

    Photos
    Interior din6
    Interior din6
    Enchiladas
    Enchiladas
    CHICKEN TAQUITOS

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    CHICKEN TAQUITOS
    XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant

    XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant

    4.8
    (361 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    My second time here, the first time for my dinner companion. Everything was incredibly good, from…read morethe greeting we got when we arrived, to the service and the food...oh my, the food! Appetizers were quac and chips, and shrimp ceviche. The guac was really good, but the ceviche was the star. Served on a bed of cucumbers, it was visually beautiful, and the flavor was fresh and complex. There was also a LOT of it. We ended up taking some home. Entrees were steak and shrimp for me, and Tampiquena for my friend. In both dishes, the steak was done to perfection. The sauce that came with my shrimp was spicy and deep--lots of flavor layers there. Both of us took home portions of our meals because there was a lot of food on the plates. Finally, the service--the servers are attentive without hovering. If we needed something, they were there, but never intrusive. It is hard to believe this is a little neighborhood spot, given the service and the quality of the food. It was not too busy tonight--we ate early--but I recommend reservations. It is very popular with the neighborhood. Bottom line, we each had 2 margaritas, appetizers, and entrees, and our bills with tip were around $105.00 each--totally worth it! Try this little gem--you won't regret it.

    One of my favorite places that I and my friends go for dinner. The food is fantastic, the service…read moreis fantastic and there are never any hot spots for street parking. I should note that we depart around 7:00 PM. At that time it's very quiet. I don't know about later.

    Photos
    Dining Room
    Dining Room
    Pineapple special. Simply the best.
    Pineapple special. Simply the best.
    Pollo en Mole

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    Pollo en Mole
    El Xangarrito

    El Xangarrito

    4.8
    (217 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Phenomenal food, staff and service. We have come back many many times with close friends and always…read moreleave happy.

    Thanks to Yelp El Xangarrito has been on my list for sometime, and I was not disappointed. It is a…read morevery small family-owned Mexican restaurant but the seating does not make you feel cramped. We did make reservations/wait list and was seated immediately. We started off with chips and salsa, and the salsa was a bit too spicy for me, but everyone else enjoyed it. We started with the Chicken Poblano - a savory dish with creamy poblano sauce mixed with chicken and sliced poblano peppers topped with corn. We all enjoyed it. Most of the reviews recommended the enchiladas and we ordered a variety of them. The Enchiladas Poblanos stuffed with chicken and cheese. The poblano sauce was rich and smoky. We also had the Enchiladas Morita. They were filled with shrimp and cheese. It was so flavorful and the morita chile added so much flavor. Each dish was served with a side jicama salad. Their special was a shrimp pasta with lobster. It came with full lobster tail. The sauce was creamy and flavorful. It is also BYOB, which is a nice option. Service was excellent, friendly offered recommendations. This is probably one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and highly recommend.

    Photos
    Veggie Pastor Tacos
    Veggie Pastor Tacos
    Traditional Pastor Tacos
    Traditional Pastor Tacos
    Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.

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    Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.
    5 Rabanitos

    5 Rabanitos

    4.2
    (841 reviews)
    8.1 mi
    $$

    The chef who owns this restaurant trained with Rick Bayless for 19 years and it really comes out in…read morehis cooking. All of the food was absolutely delicious. We came later on a Monday night so we did not have to wait to get a seat although it was still pretty busy. The place is decorated nicely. Well on a block with many other Mexican businesses. Located right off the pink line it is very easy to get to and also noted to be near the Mexican art Institute. The chicken mole enchiladas were delicious. Spicy and bitterness of the chocolate balanced super well. rice was also cooked perfectly. The shredded beef dish was short rib and mashed potatoes. They were meant to be assembled into a homemade tortilla - a very interesting concept. The homemade tortillas were so warm and fluffy. I have never had such good tortillas. I took a tamale plate home. It was large and had a good portion of shredded pork. Super flavorful, but also I felt the texture might've been firmer than I would've expected.

    A short walk to the northeast from the National Museum of Mexican Art, we had excellent service as…read morewell as food. It was a hot, humid day, but apparently it was warmer inside than on their sidewalk seating, so we dined outside. My wife ordered the Vegetarian Torta ($13.75) and I chose the Shrimp Torta ($14.50). They were each quite large and filling. My shrimp torta was good, but a little one note. The vegetarian torta was an awesome combination of flavors and I would order it again in a heartbeat. Only real negatives were that they did not offer any draft beer options and the Chips y Salsa ($3.75) had a meager quantity of chips to eat their tasty and generous tomatillo and 3-chile salsa options. Would actually go 4.5 stars based on those 2 factors, but gave the benefit of the extra half star due to how good our service was and the excellent flavor of the veggie sandwich.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Chips & Guac
    Chips & Guac
    This bright mural on the side of 5 Rabanitos drew us is for refreshing Micheladas!

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    This bright mural on the side of 5 Rabanitos drew us is for refreshing Micheladas!
    Manchamanteles Restaurant

    Manchamanteles Restaurant

    4.4
    (145 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    Manchamanteles is as fun and exciting on the inside as its boldly colored outside would lead you to…read morebelieve. The staff are donned in themed regalia, and will gleefully sing you a happy birthday song even if you're quite far from adolescence (and also a few days out from your actual birthday). The moles were all phenomenal, and the mezcal margarita pitcher more than satisfied our group. The interior is a bit bright and skews somewhat family oriented, so I wouldn't recommend it for every crowd. But for my group of friends and I, Manchamanteles more than delivered in food, service, and fun alike.

    Came here on Valentine's Day with a reservation, there were three of us, one kid. It was full of…read morefamilies, some couples. The had a tasting menu but we opted out of it. They give you a complimentary spicy trail mix. We started with the guacamole, it was okay. Then I got a traditional margarita, my partner got a pina colada with strawberries, and my kid got a pink lemonade (Marz Brewing made). The margarita was good, not strong but not too watery. For dinner I got the chicken fajitas, the waiter asked if I wanted just chicken which I though was odd because I ordered the chicken fajitas and I wasn't sure what he meant or if he meant no veggies, it came with veggies luckily. It also came with tortilla, corn, and a side of refried black beans with cojita, and rice. It was all okay. My partner got the lamb mole, it was sweet and savory, not spicy. And it came with tortillas. They have a lot of mole options, so if you're into that definitely come here to try! Overall it was just okay.

    Photos
    Manchamanteles Restaurant
    Dobladas De Mole Negro! Delicious
    Dobladas De Mole Negro! Delicious
    Queso Fundido!!(keepsmilingphoto.com)

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    Queso Fundido!!(keepsmilingphoto.com)
    Frontera Grill

    Frontera Grill

    3.9
    (2.8k reviews)
    7.1 mi
    $$

    Bib-gormand Mexican restaurant that shares a location with it's sister restaurant (which has had a…read moreMichelin star for over a decade) I was with a group of 6 friends on a Saturday night when we wandered by this place, and the smell drew us in. We were very fortunate in that they were able to fit all of us in last-minute without a reservation The menu is on the pricer side, but there are tons of options that apparently rotate every couple of weeks. My party and I tried the chips + guac and quesadilla app, and I got there Oxacan carne asada dish. It was all solid. I especially appreciated that they offered unlimited corn tortillas that we could use to make our dishes into tacos. Both indoor and outdoor seating

    I first ate at Frontera in 1989 and although not exactly a "regular" I have continued to return…read moreagain and again, as well as to Topolobompo the sister restaurant next door. The food is always first rate, service good, atmosphere lively and drinks are top notch. It doesn't seem as innovative as it once was, not because the food isn't as good but what was once revolutionary, has since been copied/imitated by restaurants in every city in the country Last night we shared the tasty ceviche trio, the duck carnitas and the wonderful tortilla soup. The mezcal margaritas hit the spot, everything was perfectly prepared. Recommended!

    Photos
    Back room, additional eating area at the bar
    Back room, additional eating area at the bar
    Duck carnitas
    Duck carnitas
    Pork shank

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    Pork shank

    El Gallo Bravo - mexican - Updated July 2026

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