I ate here a few times decades ago! That's how long Original Tacos has been around. I stopped in today for a carryout steak burrito, and it was great! This is a small storefront and I think the picture of this place is in the dictionary for 'hole in the wall'! It's a small restaurant in a small strip mall on Rand. Easy to drive by but if you are hungry for good Mexican, this is the place to stop at. The restaurant is clean and the service was pretty fast. I was relieved they do not put fries in the burrito!! The burrito was very tasty and all the ingredients were fresh tasting. Red and green salsa came with the burrito and they were very nice - the red had some good heat and the green had a very nice herbaceous flavor. I'll gladly eat here again! read more

n Chicago, raised in Southern CA--I'm so ecstatic to find legit Mexican food. They've got great service from calling in for pickup or dining in. The best lengua tacos I've ever had. The 2 salsitas they provide, I could chug after every bite of taco. Their tamales always fresh and hot and soo moist. I could not recommend this place enough!! We come here once a week :) All photos shared are as of May 5th. read more

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Quesobirria is so good, would recommend it for certain. Service is amazing. hard to find a spot that compares read more

Original Tacos - quesobirria, carnitas, fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

All this for about $16, $20 with tip. I came for a quick lunch and was not disappointed. It was clean small place. Service was quick and friendly. Steak tacos were decent. Prices were fine. I am always looking for a good taco place in Palatine. I would come back here. read more

Original Tacos - 3 Tacos and Jarritos (steak) - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Authentic, inexpensive, excellent service, and anyone who complains can go walk to taco bell and eat garbage

The first few times I tried this place I was turned off by the service - long wait time for to-go order when I arrived at the stated time and cashier wasn't particularly friendly. However, this most recent time they were a bit more pleasant so maybe we'll chalk the past experience to a bad day for them. Now about the food - pretty tasty overall. I got the Al pastor torta, and the bread was so fragrant and delicious, even better on reheat surprisingly. The chorizo tostada was loaded, though the shell was crumbling under the weight but still crispy. My wife got the tripe tacos crispy, which she said was just right. All in all I'd go back again - hopefully the service is now consistently friendly like this time. read more

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Consistently GREAT tasting and authentic Mexican food and service from my favorite servers Ivan and Anita! The brightly lit dining area (which offers a lot of seating) and rest rooms are also clean every time I come in! I usually get my usual favorites: 1 of every taco they have plus menudo con pata, pozole and the Costillas de Res or Lengua and Salsa Verde! read more

Original Tacos - Menu 11-18-2024, page 1 of 2 - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

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11/10 food and service i recommended this place to my friends and family , workers are nice and friendly great atmosphere place needs more attention read more

Original Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Food is fabulous so ignore the fact that ambulance is not so much! Try carry out it tends to be cold inside. Don't miss out on the best Mexican food around! read more

Solid tacos ..prices keep going up ....I hope they keep a lid on prices as the size of the tacos seem to be getting smaller....they used to have taco trucks that went to businesses but I think they got rid of those with the tough times ..they really need to watch their prices ....they are getting a bit high for a laid back taco shop! read more

Outstanding food and service. I tried three tacos, the steak , the pastor, and the chorizo and they were hot fresh and delicious! Our server was friendly and helpful. There was adequate parking out front to support the small dining room. read more

Still good food but prices continue to go up and meat quantity in tacos continue to go down. They are going to ruin a good business by raising the prices so much and skimping on the meat ...my two tacos cost 6.00 and had more lettuce then anything, for essentially 3.00 a taco they should be very generous with the meat ....Also ..just an observation ..they seem to have more people working then in the past in the past it was 2 guys behind the counter and one girl working the tables. I think its been under new ownership for years ..the nice older guy that had the food trucks for lunch delivery I have not seen him for years he ran a lean business had low prices and food sizes where surprisingly big ..this is not longer the case. read more

Original Tacos - Taco with a lot of lettuce not much meat ! - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

The food is great. I wish they had told me ahead of time that they were going to charge me a credit card fee. We had cash but they wouldn't take it after we noticed the fee- they said they could not reverse the transaction. They have huge hand-made signs for all sorts of things, they could have one about this too. read more

Original Tacos - Bring cash! There is a CC fee. - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Really good food and service. They are always so friendly and never get an order wrong. They are amazing!

Original Tacos is very convenient to our home. When we crave Mexican food, this is alway a good option. Make no mistake, this is not fancy at all. This is counter service with your food served on paper/plastic. When it's warm, they have tables in the front on the sidewalk. These were great during COVID. Having been here a number of times we've sampled a lot from their menu. The food is good but not always great. Ot is a bit inconsistent from one visit to another. I'll agree with some of the other reviews, the dice is bland and the beans tend to be mushy And not as flavorful as they could be. There tacos are authentic. They use corn tortillas and serve with cilantro and white onions. You can get lettuce and tomatoes if you'd tastes lean that way. The taco meat is generally good. Their Carne Asada is flavorful. The Carnitas are not in my top 10 list although their Al Pastor is generally good. The print is right which makes up for the minor inconsistencies. While this isn't my favorite Mexican restaurant, the people working there are very nice and will try to cater to your needs. And, they have generous portions for the price. This is definitely worth trying. I hope it suits yours tastes. It does suit mine. read more

The wet burrito (suizo) used an enchilada sauce that tasted like it wasn't too far removed from basic tomato paste and water. The burrito was large and cooked fine but the pastor wasn't all that tasty and lacked any noticeable pineapple bits. Could use a little lovin in the flavor department. No chips and salsa at the table. The red and green hot sauces were standard. Friendly service. Mildly clean. Not terrible. read more

Absolutely delicious food. Tastes fantastic. This place has become a regular for our house.

My family (and extended family) have become regulars here over the past year. We thought we found our favorite taco place. But the customer service here has repeatedly left a bad taste in my mouth. Until that improves, we're off to find tacos elsewhere... read more

Original Tacos - Left: steak taco original (with grilled onions and jalapeños), right: carnitas, tripe, and fish taco at the bottom. - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Good food, quick service, good/nice people working there. Lost a star because they don't offer free chips and salsa when you eat there. Best tacos in Palatine IMO. read more

Wonderful authentic Mexican restaurant. Everything we have had was delicious. I especially like their fish tacos.

The best tacos in the area. Never been disappointed any of the times I've gone. Foods always fresh and the wait isn't bad at all.

My boyfriend has been getting burritos here for quite some time, he saw birria tacos on the menu and we had to try them. After getting amazing birria tacos on the city, we were a bit hesitant but glad we made the choice today. Grabbed 3 a piece and don't regret it at all! The consume is delicious but not a spicy kick to it. Definitely worth trying! read more

A true "hole in the wall" but in a good way. One of this small modest taco places, that's unassuming, BUT the best steak tacos and burritos around! read more

If you're in the area, this a great place to get a filling meal for a very reasonable price. Food isn't really the most unique or flavorful you'll find... but it's a good value overall. Some things like the nice browning of the tortilla or extra crispy frying on the fries were very nice touches. The flavor combinations with white onions and cilantro in the corn tortillas demonstrate that they're prepared in an authentic manner although the meat overall is a bit dry. The refried beans and rice overall were a bit underseasoned and slightly mushy. Still, due to the price and nice variety of options available make this a nice place to get Mexican food if you're in the area. read more

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I eat at Mexican restaurants all across the Chicago area and now I stop here at least once a week for a steak burrito. They are friendly and the food is consistently great. I really like their salsa roja, lots of flavor! Would definitely recommend to anyone! read more

It's been about 9 years since my review, and it's even longer since I started going here. Place is still an easy 5 star. Brought my kid here to get some GOOD tacos. He said he only wanted one and ended up eating FOUR. The steak burrito I got tastes the same as always. You wouldn't tell how good this place is, looking at it. Hand written signs inside and a bit of clutter. But then you look behind the register and see tons of bags packed ready for pickup. Talking to the guy, he says business is BOOMING with delivery/ Uber eats orders. read more

This place is awesome. I've been going here for years. The food is so good and yummy. The servers are so kind and helpful. Especially the lady who's name I don't know because I don't bother asking. She's my favorite though. The bathrooms are clean and so are the tables. This place can get super busy and I'm pretty sure why it does. The food is cooked and made well. The decorations are old but I like it that way. It makes it easier to remember how this place looked like the first time I started eating here. The cheese is awesome. So are the fries. The tacos too. I might explode. read more

Great place. Reasonably priced. Friendly guys working there. Very fast. Food is really hot. Well done!! read more

Original Tacos - Chicken taco - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

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Hello everyone! This is @chitown.seriouseats from instagram we tried this place today and I'm giving it a 3 star because the steak was great! The food was great, for 40$ they gave a lot of food, the only thing is that the tostada should be a little cheaper they didn't put much on it, the torta was great with the steak and flavor, but it was mostly bread and not much ingridients, the tacos were delicious the Al pastor had almost to no flavor, the queso Birria tacos had so much flavor but it was all falling apart and the carnita tacos were delicious. read more

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Doesn't seem like I've ever left a review for this place but I've been coming here for almost a decade since living in Arlington Heights. These are the best tacos around. I don't think I've ever had a bad experience here and I don't think I ever will. Consistently good. read more

Great food, I order tripitas tacos and a shrimp tostada everything was delicious, I will definitely come back

Great food, especially their tamales! Nice to have a spot where we can get authentic style Mexican food late night in the suburbs. A+

Food was great, authentic, flavorful, except the tamales, do not recommend the tamales, but the tacos and burritos are amazing! Will definitely be back, just not ordering the tamales. read more

I really like this place!!! I highly recommend coming here. They don't do delivery but it's worth picking it up! Lives up to its name. I definitely was comfortable here because everyone was nice and respectful. They even wear masks here and that goes to show they are considerate! This is officially my taco spot and definitely going to bring friends here. You'll be hearing from us a lot Original Tacos!! read more

My Spanish is horrible, I hate onions, and I never feel like a fool for ordering here. The food here is absolutely delicious and the portions are crazy big! I love the chimichanga platter with rice and beans. I will say the salsa they make isn't what I expected from restaurant salsa. I go here probably once a month! read more

Been here 2 times. Food seems inconsistent. 2nd time around my food was very greasy. The steak was also salty. I ordered 6 tacos and a burrito. They all tasted the same. I was hoping this would be a solid pick, but this will be my last option when it comes to burritos and tacos read more

Original Tacos - Greasy burrito! I live 3 blocks down the road. Once I am done drinking the grease, the whole plate was soaked - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

A small and personal place where you can dine in or carry out. This is your basic taco place, but you know it is good, because all of the locals go here to eat. I had the three taco special, which was three tacos with rice and beans. For the meat I chose Al Pastor (pork), and it was topped with onions and cilantro, which is the authentic way. The meat was marinated nicely, and piled on street style corn tortillas. The beans were basic refried beans that were topped with cheese. The rice was the only thing that seemed to lack flavor. It was good, but I've had better. My boyfriend had the burrito pequino with rice and beans. He chose chicken for his meat, and he said it was good. Overall, service was quick, and the food was good. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants some authentic Mexican food. Also, the price is reasonable. Oh! And they are open late! read more

Original Tacos - Al Pasto taco special. - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

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Ordered food from here for the first time tonight after reading so many good reviews here on Yelp. Man, people weren't kidding when they said this was a small hole in the wall" place. Actually drove past it and had to make a u turn to get there. Place probably seats 12 people at the most. HOWEVER... their food is delicious! I had the Mucho Burrito with Carne Asada and it was the best burrito I ever had! The thing was HUGE! My wife had the fish taco dinner and my daughter had the chicken taco dinner. While my daughter absolutely loved hers, my wife thought the fish was a bit overcooked, but she is excited to try something different. We usually order out mexican food once a week and will be doing so from Original Tacos every week from now on! Oh, one more thing, they are VERY affordably priced! read more

Original Tacos - Having my Cuban Torta cooked! - Mexican Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Amazing, authentic, made to order. One of the best Mexican restaurants in the area! Definitely give it a try, the tacos and tortas are my favorite but everything is good. read more

Horrible customer service. I left here a couple of minutes ago and I am a regular customer and I called in the order and they messed it up. I called to tell them they messed up the order AFTER I had already drove home and the guy had a nasty attitude and he was in denial, but he said I can come back and get What he "claimed" I ordered. Once I got there I explained that I was coming from work and it was taking away from my work day to come BACK here...he did not care. He gave me attitude the entire time saying it wasn't his problem, I asked him for my money back for the entire order and I'd go else where, he said NO. Then I asked if he could at least let me keep the food they got wrong since they were going to throw it away and he said NO. I will never come here again he was rude, disrespectful and overall an ASS! read more