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La Bamba

4.3 (46 reviews)
InexpensiveMexican
Closed 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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Recommended Reviews - La Bamba

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Ground beef Taco
Kelly R.

Can't beat $2 tacos! Consistently decent & affordable. Always quick with your order. Ample seating, perfect place for carry-out or on-the-go.

Super Steak Burrito!!
Zack R.

I've been eating La Bamba since 1997. Been to many of their locations, but this one is interesting because rather than catering to the weekend late night college crowd, it serves weekday breakfast and lunch to business folk in The Loop. Only open Monday through Friday, and they close by 4pm. The burritos and tacos are as good as ever. And, of course, that hot sauce. It's so great, and no one else makes a sauce that tastes quite like it!! You'll find it in a little food court in the basement of an unassuming building in Madison. It always seems to be the worst kept secret because they're ALWAYS busy! So happy to relive a little bit of my college days and it's not simple nostalgia. The food is LEGIT!!

3. Three Piece Tacos Combo
Keith R.

Great taco joint in Chicago Loop. Would not have found this if it weren't for my Chicago coworker who took me here. Tacos were good, authentic Mexican tacos. Got one of each...chicken, steak, and picadillo. Picadillo was the best. Will get the burrito next time!

Mini Breakfast Burrito - Chorizo
Tess R.

A one and a half day trip to Chicago was made complete by the delicious breakfast I got at La Bamba! The service was quick and incredibly friendly, and the prices absolutely can't be beat. I love a hole in the wall spot, and this place is exactly that. Located in the basement of the Loop, it makes for a very cool tucked away breakfast or lunch spot. I got a chicken tamale and a chorizo breakfast burrito. I ate the tamale inside the food court, and took the breakfast burrito to go on a walk to the park. It was the perfect amount of time to let all the flavors meld together, and to let the burrito cool enough that it wouldn't burn my mouth. Both items were incredibly fresh and flavorful, with the chicken tamale being incredibly moist in the center. Can't forget the salsa, flavorful and hot enough to clear my sinuses and wake me up. A must if you're in Chicago!

Steak quesadilla
Tessie E.

They say the best restaurants are hidden gems and if this is true, La Bamba fits the description. Tucked away, on the lowest level, in a building on Madison you will find La Bamba in the cafeteria. They serve $1.50 beef tacos all day every day. They also have a taco Tuesday special. I went on a Wednesday for once and wanted to try something different. The burritos are as big as your head and the quesadillas are too. What you see is just HALF of my steak filled quesadilla. I too was surprised to find the other half resting peacefully underneath. It also came packed with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. I ate half for lunch and had the other half for dinner. The guac is also very good!

Cheese Quesadilla
Janelle S.

I found this place on the maps and decided to try it. It can be hard to find and you have to go down stairs to get to it, the stairs are kind of small and it can be hard to get up or down. It is almost like a food court. The tables at the food court are very wobbly and the restrooms are decent. I ordered a horchata and a cheese quesadilla. The horchata was kind of watery but decent. On the quesadilla I was asked if I wanted everything with it and I said yes, I figured everything would be on the side but they added it to the quesadilla so it was more like a weird burrito? I think one of those would be able to feed two people easily. I chose not to take the extra home though because I don't like soggy lettuce (which happens after you warm it up)

Made fresh.
Brian F.

In the mid to late 90s, La Bamba was the staple late night (or really any time) spot in Urbana-Champaign if you wanted burritos the size of your head. The line was always out the door after the bars closed and always short on seating. So what does that mean for this location? Well while it's in the Loop, and buried in the basement of a non-descript building, the flavor is EXACTLY as I remember it, instantly bringing back the memories from decades before. I got the chorizo burrito, regular size, everything on it. It was more than enough to satisfy my lunch time hunger. The included homemade, red, hot sauce was as spicy and flavorful as ever, and I emptied out the container and will probably ask for more next time. Pro-tip: The mini size is just enough for anyone and comes in at under $7. Also, water is free and definitely needed if you're going to indulge. Highly recommend and will be back!

Breakfast items are such a good deal
Lily F.

This La Bamba recently took over the Dunkin Donuts in the bottom basement/food court next to Pho Apple. And thank you for doing so. The food here isn't necessarily phenomenal but the value for the breakfast tacos are too good to give it anything less than a four stars. For a little bit more than a buck you get an incredibly overly filled tortilla. Like the taco was filled to the point where it didn't resemble a taco but more like a breakfast brick. A delicious brick stuffed with eggs, potatoes, eggs and your choice of meat. The potatoes were interesting. I'm not sure what kind of seasoning is put on them, but they come out orange. I don't care. They could be green potatoes and I'd still eat them. The chorizo was good, but I actually liked the steak better. I can only imagine how big their burritos can be. I just imagine they just slap a tortilla on a live pig and give it to you. The hot sauce was decent too. Definitely a dangerous addition to add into my breakfast rotation.

Mark H.

Tasty taco takeout in a food court. Great hot sauce. Cheese between fresh corn tortillas. Good flavor.

HUGE quesadilla with lettuce tomato and cheese - totally addicting!  Affordable for the Loop too.

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

Good food and great value. Frequent taco specials. The salsa is good with a decent amount of heat and plenty of cilantro.

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

Best breakfast tacos and nice staff. 2 for $5 real breakfast vs sweets in the morning with your coffee

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7 years ago

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Bocaditos Mexican Cuisine - Enchiladas Maya

Bocaditos Mexican Cuisine

4.2(120 reviews)
1.3 miWest Loop, Near West Side
$$$

Went here for my birthday dinner on a Saturday night. Nice atmosphere and music but not too loud…read morefor conversation. I loved the decorations. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas they were expensive but excellent! Came out on a sizzling plate. I tried the Habernita drink and sangria. The habernita drink had mezcal, orange, pineapple, and habanero so had a nice kick to it. My friend told server it was my birthday secretly and they came out with a sparkler had birthday music playing and shots of tequila for my table! We had a great time and I will definitely be back! I recommend coming here to celebrate your birthday or just to have a delicious meal

Stopped by Bocaditos Mexican Kitchen in Chicago on a Wednesday night before a Blackhawks game and…read moreit was the perfect pre-game spot. The aguachiles were easily our favorite -- super fresh and full of flavor, with really well-balanced ingredients. You can tell the food is made to order and not rushed. The chips and salsa were also way better than your typical starter. The chips came out warm and crisp, and the salsa was smooth, flavorful, and super addictive. We also tried a few drinks, and they were excellent -- well-made, not overly sweet, and a great way to start the night before heading to the game. Our server was amazing -- friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. They kept checking in at all the right times and made the whole experience relaxed and enjoyable even with the pre-game crowd. Definitely a great spot to hit anytime you're in the area looking for solid Mexican food and a fun vibe.

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Bocaditos Mexican Cuisine - Empty restaurant

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Barrio - Quesabirria tacos

Barrio

4.1(1.4k reviews)
0.5 miNear North Side
$$

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

What a fun spot! We had reservations (glad we did) and sat in the bar area at a high-top table…read morealong the window. Perfect seat in my opinion. Views of the city right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago. What I tried: + chips and queso - 8/10 + ribeye with rice and beans (was a special) - 7.5/10 + spicy margarita - 8/10 Great service!

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Barrio - Interior views

Interior views

Barrio - Chicken fajitas

Chicken fajitas

Barrio - Margarita time!

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XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant - XO steak

XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant

4.8(358 reviews)
6.1 miRavenswood
$$

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.

Terrific food and service. We felt very welcome and enjoyed our dishes immensely. Pleasant and…read morelively ambiance.

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XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant - Dining Room

Dining Room

XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant - Pineapple special. Simply the best.

Pineapple special. Simply the best.

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El Xangarrito - Cheesecake

El Xangarrito

4.8(216 reviews)
6.8 miLincoln Square, Ravenswood

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.

Xangaritto continues to be a beacon of delicious food and friendly hospitality. They switched…read moreowners about a year ago and the beginning was a little rocky but today was an amazing experience. I love coming here for the tampiquena and the enchiladas. The tamipquena is marinated in something delicious, pretty sure it includes adobo chiles, making the tamipquena flavorful and tender. The enchiladas have some of the best sauces. We especially love then poblano sauce on the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas have some tender chicken and the sauce is slightly spicy and creamy. Everyone is super friendly, the waiting staff and chef take pride in their work and it shows. I continue to strongly recommend this place for a delicious dinner out. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant. It s a cozy elevated escape.

Photos
El Xangarrito - Veggie Pastor Tacos

Veggie Pastor Tacos

El Xangarrito - Traditional Pastor Tacos

Traditional Pastor Tacos

El Xangarrito - 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.

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Enchiladas Potosina

Manchamanteles Restaurant

4.4(145 reviews)
3.8 miBucktown
$$

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.

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Manchamanteles Restaurant
Manchamanteles Restaurant - Dobladas De Mole Negro! Delicious

Dobladas De Mole Negro! Delicious

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Queso Fundido!!(keepsmilingphoto.com)

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La Bamba - mexican - Updated June 2026

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