Driving in the city on an empty stomach bad idea. I was in the Pilsen area looking for a good Mexican restaurant. I had walked by this restaurant a couple of times before and so I thought I would give it a try after reading all the reviews. The menu is pretty self explanatory tacos, tortas ( comes with a side of fries) and salads. I ordered 2 pollo en Mole tacos. Ok guys I'm pretty picky when it comes to my Mexican food. I grew up on authentic Mexican food. I understand the hype don't get me wrong who doesn't love tacos. The presentation of the taco is awesome but when it comes to quality and authenticity of a taco it lacked. The mole on this taco was sweet and good in flavor. The chicken was very bland no taste. So I didn't eat the chicken. My sister had the cecina taco she said it was great! ! If you don't like spicy or a kick to your taco skip it. But she said the cecina taco was waaaayy better then the pollo en mole. The chips and salsa were great ! ! ! The chips served is a selection of tortilla, yucca, and plantain chips. Also, it is a BYOB so I thought that was a plus. The restaurant itself has a hipster vibe, low key. The customer service was good. We were seated right away, got our drinks, and ordered taken. However, we were not offered water while we waited and no utensils were given to us. But the table next to us did get waters and utensils. I was disappointed with my visit. But we all have different taste Buds. I will stick with cebolla y cilantro on my tacos. Enjoy. read more

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Great food! You have to try the Cochinita Pibil Flautas! They use handmade corn tortillas! Their cafe de olla is also a must try! Their chips are really good too! Overall all their tacos are simple and rich in flavor. read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Flautas are amazing - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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In the past I've placed an order for delivery and when it didn't show up, I went to the restaurant to find my food sitting on a table while the restaurant was being run by teenagers. They didn't apologize and I should've taken that as a sign but I placed an order yesterday for delivery and it never showed up. The phone rings and rings and no one answers. The food, when made, usually feels like it was thrown together without a care. Which is a shame because it used to be a good restaurant pre-covid. Now I'm out $40. Please don't bother with this place. read more

Ummmmm: yummmm. This place is next level. Pro tip, obviously -- who wouldn't tip?! But also it's BYOB and one of the few spots in town with arabe tacos. Everything is good, which is a good approach to having a restaurant. read more

Large sized gourmet tacos - can be ordered individually (not necessarily the 2 of the menu). I liked the al pastor, pollo en mole poblano, lomo and cecina tacos and the empanadas de camaron. They also seem to have quite a few items that are not on the official menu so ask the server. read more

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These tacos are the kind that make you want to stop eating tacos altogether. Everything they produce reflects the usage of organic and fresh ingredients. I've never tasted guacamole this fresh. The coffee is fantastic as well! Everyone is very friendly there. becoming undoubtedly a regular. read more

Yum! Que Rico!! We are not from the area but happened to be on 26th St.- Took our puppy to PAWS :( Yep, we Yelped it and sure enough....it was just what we were craving. Good hearty fresh tacos, my partner had the torta de lomo, of course I tried it, muy Rico! The salsa's were not too too spicy but they had a good kick. My café de la olla- Mmmm The cook checked up on us a few times and Marta the waitress was very pleasant. Will definitely be back ( hope it's not to bring our puppy back to ( PAWS ) ;-) read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Very nice cool décor - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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loved the taco variety. Excellent price. what else do you need to hear ?

Best tacos I've had in years. Been thinking about this place since I first ate there last week. Friendly staff, quick service and pretty cool Aztec/Mayan decor. Awesome real wood with bark tables and chairs. Came in on a Tuesday for lunch and there was 1-2 others orders besides mine. Best Food in Pilsen! read more

This taco place is not your regular Mexican tacos They are very different from what most of us are use to. Tacos are very tasty you can actually taste all of the ingredients on them, meat is tender juicy not dry or chewy. Every taco comes with its own sauce. I will definitely will be back for a second review read more

Best Tacos and guacamole in Chicago!! This Mexican restaurant offers amazing, quality, flavor packed food at very cheap prices. The service is great and the environment helps to tie it all together. You don't have to wait around for a table and the seating arrangements are spread out enough where you don't have to worry about bumping chairs with another table. Also all the tables are make of giant natural slabs of tree trunks, making it a very unique and cool space to enjoy amazing Mexican cuisine. read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - El pastor taco (right) & pollo en mole poblano taco (left) - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Highly recommend the tacos . Had the Cecina, Al Pastor and Lomo tacos. Also got the guacamole. The blue corn tortillas are the best! Next time I want to try a torta! read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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FLAVOR is the reason to come here, in a word. My favorite taco place in Pilsen and I don't know why this place isn't packed (maybe location?). Upon sitting down they bring you a basket of plantain chips, tortilla and maybe jicama chips (?) with a smoky salsa. If you ask for spicier, they will bring it! The guac (3 options) is chunky and satisfying. Tacos come 2 at a time so bring a friend so you can try a few! They are quite filling so 2 was plenty but it is hard to choose from so many excellent options. The arabe is a must, and I'm partial to fish tacos (theirs are lightly battered, with a creamy sauce and pickled onions), but the cochinita pibil is to die for. They do details well, like the plantain chips, a bit of sauteed arrugula on your arabe, and it makes all the difference. That it's BYOB is just the salsa on top. read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Arabe and pescado. Wish I had taken more pics but it was so good we just dug in. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was a bit overpriced for the small servings. Really good quality queso fundido and guacamole. Staff was very friendly and we were seated immediately. read more

There are plenty of options for Mexican spots in Pilsen/ Little Village (obviously). This place sets it's apart by doing things a little more gourmet. I had the pollo mole and the ahi tuna tacos. The Ahi tuna was excellent. As for the pollo, I was a little underwhelmed. The owner is super nice and the spot is definitely worth checking out. read more

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Awesome place. This place has everything you could want in a taco place: perfectly soft tortillas, flavorful meats with highly seasoned sauces, and picture worthy garnishes & plating. It's a hipster type atmosphere with hipster type tacos, but I'm totally fine with that. Stop by and give them a try! read more

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Do not go in here starving to the point that you will die, I repeat do not go in here starving!!! The tacos are delicious super delicious! However expect a long wait getting your food maybe 40 plus minutes. That's a long time if you ask me for tacos. Food 5 stars but service from the wait staff takes off one star. Could work on bettering their service from the waitress and on the sped the food leaves the kitchen. Tip: order out your food will be ready in 15 min or less! read more

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Was recommended this place by my boy, not sure what he was smoking at the time he had their food. Ordered a torta de carne asada. Figured with a name like taco azteca, shouldn't be that hard to make a torta. What caught me off guard was it's served with fries my gut was telling me that's a red flag but i was high and hungry af so i gave them the benefit of the doubt. Got my food, and man was my gut trying to look out for me. That was nowhere near an authentic Mexican torta. I'm not even sure if that was steak or just boiled beef or just something that isn't carne asada. The portion size was like lunch for a elementary school child. The fries did look somewhat promising, but man they couldn't even get the fries right. Tried their taco de carne asada too. Man don't even get me started on that smh just looking out for y'all heads looking for authentic Mexican food. Its a no for me dawg *randy Jackson voice* save yourself‍ read more

These tacos are awesome. Some of the best in the city. This place is truly a hidden treasure. The mole tacos and cochinita pibil are my favorite. Place is super laid back and chill. Added bonus is that it is byob. Definitely a must try. read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow wow! That was the first thing to pop into my mind when I bit into the Malinga chips, then again with queso fundido, and the tacos..... love at first bite I can be a little particular, but what I recommend when you come here (not if, you must!) Is to close your eyes, spin your fingers around in front of you a couple of times and then order one or two of whatever your fingers land on. That's what I'm gonna do on my next visit, haha. My tacos were the lomo (the amazing-est), cecina, al pastor and pollo en mole pablano. I'll try the rest next time :) read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - The lomo and pollo en mole pablano - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was tasty and healthy. You won't be disappointed... Doesn't look like regular American Mexican foods. I assume it more traditionally prepared. For example the carne asada was a marinated (because it was so tender) slice of beef, with thick slice of cheese and fresh vegetable toppings. The grilled veggie (zucchini, pickle onions , cauliflower, and etc is a must for veggie lovers. Both style of chicken tacos where amazing. "I'll be back" - in my Arnold Schwarzenegger voice... LOL EXCELENTE!!!! read more

This place is so legit. Came here after living in San Diego for about 9 years and I have been craving a legit Mexican spot ever since I came to Chicago. The attention to detail along with the quality and thought put into dishes are very much appreciative. Everything has a "high-end" feel even though it is definitely more of a your average day type of restaurant. For starters, the chips are more than just fried corn tortillas. I have no idea what type of vegetables they were but there are 3-4 different types of chips that they provide with 4 different salsas which are all homemade. My only gripe with the salsa is that they bring it to you in these tiny little containers which make it hard to scoop from...buuuuuuuut the tiny containers have unique designs which are a nice touch. I got al pastor tacos while my girl got the fish and we were happy to find the quality ingredients used such as the pickled vegetables rather than just plain lettuce. Had the shrimp appetizer as well which was so deliciously cheesy. Walked out with a $20 bill which I found to be perfectly reasonable considering the quality of food. Will definitely come here again. Tip: You like the soups in the pictures? Come on Sundays. That's the only time they serve them. Trust me. My lady was very sad. read more

Taco Azteca started wonderfully, but recently I've had a number of problems with the quality of the food, and, most especially, they have become completely unreliable to order from. The last THREE times I have ordered from them on Grubhub, the order was cancelled because "the restaurant has stopped taking orders". This happened to orders placed at 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 11:30 a.m., all of which should be pretty normal times to order food. Additionally, the notification is received nearly an hour after the order is placed, meaning that, if you are ordering on a lunch break as I was, you have no time to make alternate food plans and get to just be hungry for the rest of the day. I love supporting local businesses, but I will not be ordering from them unless and until they fix this issue. read more

These are not your average tacos. They are much higher quality. I ordered the mushroom mole tacos and they were delicious as was the chicken empanada. Chips and salsa are also really good. Very friendly service from the waitress/bartender. Ignore the negative reviews on here. I had a great experience with the food in the staff. read more

Kind of a hole in the wall. Fancy and yummy tacos (I especially like their al Pastor). I was surprised that they don't offer rice and/or beans. Love that they're BYOB. I recommend giving them a shout. read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Al Pastor Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is in a league of its own among its neighbors. The interior could use a little love but you really can't argue with the food they're putting out. Presentation is ON POINT. Everything looked and tasted beautiful. Can't wait to try more! read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Vegetarians- I highly recommend the corn salad and Queso Panela Torta. Both are delicious. The torta came with fried yucca sticks( at least I think that's what they were) that were absolutely phenomenal. read more

Ok this is a gem of a find. The Arab tacos were amazing as well as the al pastor tacos. The cecina sauce was a bit too spicy for me. The shrimp taco was good...shrimp was very flavorful. The flautas and the shrimp empanadas were amazing. Would def go back for the these appetizers and the arabe/al pastor tacos. Service was also friendly read more

COVID -19 takeout review. Me and 2 buddies ordered food from here yesterday at 7 pm. My buddy goes inside, waits for about 5 minutes and brings the food out. We drive back to our friends place, unpack the food and they forgot an order of food ($10 torta, pricey as hell.. Happy Jorge)....but the worse part was.. EVERYTHING WAS COLD. Not warm COLD. Rice, beans, steak, all of it... even my buddy who ordered some crazy looking corn, that shit was cold to....I guess they r trying to save money and not turn on their burners. I would seriously check the food before you drive off. Pricey and it may be COLD, I may have forgot to say that it was COLD... read more

nice little place with good service, came here a few times with my friend. He did the ordering everytime and i just went with it.. we tried few different tacos each time we go there and i can say out of all the tacos ive tried, i enjoyed 90% of them.. seems like they pay a lot of attention to the quality of the food and it shows. the food is a bit on the expensive side but it is worth it! sorry i dont know what we ordered but we tried almost all the tacos they have besides the non meat ones haha read more

Amazing....the food was seasoned perfectly and everything was fresh and creative. The service was amazing and they give you these delicious yam chips and salsa when you dine-in. Also, the decor is beautiful they have hand crafted wooden tables....I just felt at peace when I was dining in this beautiful restaurant. I will return! read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing tacos! Would definitely be back. They close at 10; please make reservations on weekends! The mole & the al pastor tacos were my favorite. They were very decadent & make my mouth water even thinking about. BYOB!! Yes bring your own brews. read more

Incredible food and they deliver! So, I'm updating my review because I've gotten more tacos from here and I can attest that this is one of my favorite taquerias in Chicago. I've still not eaten at the restaurant because I am lazy and they'll bring me hot tacos right to my door. They are consistently delicious and I have to stress that the tacos arabes are the most amazing food I've ever experienced. They have perfectly balanced sweetness and spice that makes my heart soar. Omg if I had a desert island food, I would choose these tacos. Try every taco here. They're all wonderful, big and reasonably priced. Love this place. read more

Wait where did this come from!?! These tacos are especially well crafted. This place really stands out among Pilsen Taquerias, not sure if it's even in the same category. read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - 1Taco Pastor, 1 Taco Camaron, corn and plantain chips and a pretty unique salsa. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands down best fish tacos in Chicago. Shiiit, maybe in the whole Midwest! I come here at least once a week to get those delicious pieces of heaven rolled up in a hot tortilla. Also don't forget about their chips and salsa! Happiness in a basket! Love love love this place! read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Pescado Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you're feeling bad and boujee, then these tacos are for you. A little fancier than your typical taqueria tacos and prices reflect that. That being said, this is not the place you go to when you have to buy a bunch of tacos to go for your tias and primas like I did! Also, since this place serves "not-your-tios" tacos, they didn't offer traditional Mexican fillings like steak or chorizo. They did have cecina and pastor. Unfortunately, I did not get to taste these tacos, just got to pay for them. My family thought they were delicious, nonetheless. The staff was very friendly. Wait time was a little longer than I'm accustomed to when getting tacos to go, but I'm assuming that's bc they were dressing these tacos up. read more

The food was delicious-- the vegetarian mushroom tacos were amazing-- highly recommend. Two stars off for the price, service, and atmosphere. Two tacos for $7.50 seems a little steep, especially when the atmosphere of the place is very casual/ not put together. The service was pretty bad also. There was only one other table, but our food took a long time to come out. My girlfriend's tacos came out long before mine, and I had to flag the waiter over to ask if someone had forgot to put my order in. He didn't really give me an answer, and I waited about ten more minutes for my tacos, without an explanation. I'd be willing to give it a try again because the food was good, but they need to get their service in order. I also think they shouldn't be charging as much for the food. read more

Interesting find in the neighborhood. Like a much, much better version of Big Star. Tacos are 3.50 each and normal sized. Expensive for the neighborhood but for the price better than places like Big Star that are trying to do fancy tacos. Also the flavors are very unique, but still recognizable and authentic. The al pastor was amazing. All the flavors of a really good al pastor taco and still so juicy. Best I have had in Chicago. Hongo taco was pretty good but not as memorable to me. To be honest, even the rice and beans, which are not even on the menu but I asked for and they made, are more flavorful than a lot of places. Not a good option if you are looking for quick, cheap, plain tacos. Then again, there are plenty of those places in the neighborhood, so this was a nice surprise. read more

Everything is amazing !The shrimp tacos,the chicken tortas, everything! Everyone I have recommended this place to loves it .Every item on the menu is packed with flavor & has its own unique flavors. You gotta try it! read more

El Taco Azteca - Pilsen - Tacos de camaron & arabe . Delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was the worst Mexican food I've ever had in the Chicago area. While they present the food well and it looks very appetizing there is just no flavor. No hot sauce on the table. This is awkward. What is this place? If you want authentic Mexican food or anything that doesn't need loads of salt you must look elsewhere. The bill was $30 for 6 tacos drinks and guac. The guacamole also was cubed. Wtf? The tilapia tacos and salsa are decent. read more