Absolutely delicious and authentic food. And so friendly! The ribeye dinner has great depth of flavor, smokey and rich from the arbol chilis but not so spicy that you can't taste the dish. Fresh homemade tortillas are a real plus. The star of the show is their chorizo, they get it crispy on the grill and it makes the Gordita and fundido better than anywhere else. read more

Was super hyped up after reading the reviews and seeing the star ratings. If we could give half stars I would give it a 2.5, and all of the stars go to the service. Very attentive, wonderfully welcoming staff, just was disappointed in the food. Chips and salsa to start, had the queso fundido which was saltier than normal. Had an Al pastor sope and a carne asada gordita and was lacking in flavor, with regards to the beans and meat, very bland. Decor was whimsical and authentic, however the establishment, specifically the floors could have been cleaner. As a Latino maybe my expectations are a bit higher than most, however, with this stellar location, this place could be fantastic with some improvements to the menu and food for sure. read more

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Great authentic food @ great prices I always come back and bring a friend.the atmosphere felt right the pic ups were multiple as the people lined up to get food w a glad look on their faces . read more

It's a very casual restaurant that seems authentic, all employees but one speak English which made me enthusiastic that the food would reflect that too. Honestly the food isn't great but it isn't bad either, it's sort of bland and lacks much seasoning/flavor, my dad and I both ordered a strip steak "dish", mine was a torta and his was a taco dinner. The torta tasted EXACTLY like a burger... I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but I really enjoyed the bread they used. I'm not sure about the tacos, but my dad said they were okay, he just expected more from an authentic Mexican restaurant. I would come again and try something new though. read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Tacos Dinner - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My review is mainly based on the dish that I ordered and price. This place has actually been recommended for some time and so I was finally able to try it today. I went in knowing that I wanted to try tacos. I ordered the taco dinner which actually only listed having 2 tacos. Most places offer 3 taco dinners. I was not sure what to expect. Their selection of meats was fairly diverse. I narrowed it down to Al Pastor and Tripa (Tripe fried hard). I had to check behind the counter to see if they had their Al Pastor on the vertical rotisserie. I was able to confirm it and felt safe with my order. I received my tacos with the usual rice and beans. The tacos were huge! Double tortilla and generous filling. 2 tacos were definitely enough. Both tacos were good and met my expectations. The meal only cost $6.50! You can't beat that for lunch! Definitely pleased. If you happen to work in the area, I would definitely recommend this for lunch. I will have to try other plates on their menu! Check it out and judge for yourself. read more

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I'm not telling you this story because I want the restaurant to be judged, but I am telling you that if you need any motivation to learn Spanish, here it is. I tried to call in a to-go order today and when I started speaking in English the lady immediately hung up the phone. So I called back and ordered in Spanish and then they made my order right away, they probably don't even realize it was me. The food was awesome, the burritos are huge and only $9. So yeah go learn Spanish and then you'll be able to eat here! read more

Hands down the best mexican food Ive had! Affordable. Clean. Fantastic service. Friendly staff. Large menu. Huge portions. Delicious and flavorful food! I ordered the burrito for $10 that was massive and loaded with meat. Beans and rice that were served with were outstanding. I had 2 meals out of this. Fiance ordered a chicken taco, chili relleno taco and steak gordita...wow!! Best chile relleno Ive had and the gordita was amazing! All large servings. We will be back...very soon! read more

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Staff smiled the moment we walked in and quickly asked if we wanted to order drinks. Tacos were good, the salsas added great flavor to the tacos and each taco comes w plenty of meat. The horchata was rich and Really good place for a quick bite. read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Tacos de asada con cebolla y cilantro - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

While I like to call myself a "Chicago foodie," my love for food really comes from my observant nature and analytical mind. I also like to drift around the city, by foot, and to find some inspirations for writing. Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria is located diagonally across from the Unique Thrift Store in the Hermosa neighborhood (a transitional neighborhood in between Avondale and Belmont Central/Cragin). I saw many Mexicans walk into this place constantly. I told hubby that we would have Mexican for brunch, but he insisted on eating three (3) strawberries before walking out of the door. Here's a little foreshadowing: he would suffer from the consequence of consuming these fateful strawberries later on. What happened to him? You would have to stay tuned, my friend. This place appeared semi hole-in-the-wall. There weren't many tables and sitting at the bar, but we were fortunate enough to spot a table before the church crowd was let out. We had two (2) large horchata, menudo (weekend only), and chilaquiles en salsa verde (without meat, just huevo). The service was prompt. Even if the service was slower than what we expected, no worries, because "Day of Thunder," dubbed in Spanish, was on TV to keep us company. We might be impressed by how well Mr. Tom and Ms. Nicole conversed in Spanish, but we were surprised by the portions of our food. Especially the chilaquiles en salsa verde con huevo, the entire edge of the oval place was filled with the beans and salsa verde. I didn't know how the plate was delivered, since there was no way to grab onto the rim of the plate. The salsa verde was flavored well. It was comfortably spicy. Hubby didn't know that he was approaching to the "danger zone." As he was attempting to finish up the last bites, he took a long pause and decided to raise a white flag. He felt awful because he didn't like to waste any food. Was the strawberry-trio really the culprit? I wouldn't say the answer was affirmative, for we also had the large horchata. The horchata was on the lighter side, which was how I typically like my horchata to be. However, a stronger kick with the cinnamon would be much desirable. My menudo was palatable. For $6.25, the portion was also generous. Our $20 spent in Poncitlan Jalisco could have split into two (2) more individual meals. We were going to run errands around town, so taking the extra food with us on the road wouldn't seem too feasible and convenient. Remember to come here with a 100% empty stomach. read more

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I actually really enjoyed the tacos. They weren't the cheapest but they were definitely a very generous size. Carne asada was incredible. read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Carne asada was incredible. Tacos Dinner; Skirt Steak Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Always friendly staff, prices are most reasonable. I love their menudo. Somewhat inconvenient location most of the time because parking is super limited depending on time of day. read more

This is my fave place around the aerea for the last 3 years , food is delish , I would say thankfully I had never had any issues with them either their food , tried a little of everything front be menu and have to say just kick what you like usually and you'll like to ;) , nice ladies at front , in general very family and tasty Mexican food place !! read more

Excellent food and very reasonable can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu. Very authentic Mexican food and the prices are great read more

Best in town Love at first taste this has become my favorite Mexican restaurant! I highly recommend this place for everyone to try. read more

Their Torta Milenasa pollo was cooked well, ingredients were fresh, and the staff was beyond helpful!

My boyfriend and I are big foodies, we decided to try this place yesterday for the first time. We came here for tacos. Our waitress was great and service was fast. Parking may not be the easiest since you have to find street parking. If you want reasonable prices along with big portions of food this may be an option for you. As far as flavor goes they lacked in my opinion. I had a taco dinner with Al Pastor. It came with 2 tacos, rice and beans. My boyfriend had the same with carne asada and a quesadilla as well. Food was just okay, flavorless and disappointing. Also my boyfriend enjoyed the salsa but they weren't spicy enough for me. read more

This restaurant has fast service, great staff and some of the best and most fresh Mexican food on the Northside of Chicago!

I absolutely love this place. I come at least 1-2 times a month! Amazing food and portions, and prices are decent as well, especially after the pandemic! I am so happy they made it!! read more

My Spanish comprehension may only be so-so, but I am proud to say I have a keen ear for detecting a good intellectual debate in *any* language. "Si, pero [insert incomprehensible intellectual Spanish here]" the one man at the next table over stated calmly, before taking a bite into his torta. "Si, pero [insert incomprehensible intellectual Spanish here]" his dining companion responded, opening his mouth wide both to pick up the volume and also to sink his teeth into an enchilada. It gets a bit confusing, there being no less than *four* taquerias named Poncitlan within the small pizza-slice-shaped neighborhood called Hermosa. Just like the other Poncitlans, there's a very broad range of decent quality Mexican food here, the standard options of steak, chicken, avocado, etc. on your choice of taco, tostada, burrito, torta, etc. The possibilities for above-average Mexican dining are endless. This place has some interesting seafood options available as well, but your irresponsible reviewer has yet to try them (some day!). "SI, PERO [INSERT INCOMPREHENSIBLE INTELLECTUAL SPANISH HERE]!" the first Latino shouted, underscoring what must have been such a forceful point that his dining companion dropped his fork. With my untrained palate, I really can't taste much difference between the food at this Poncitlan (Poncitlan Jalisco) and the unrelated Poncitlan Azteca on Armitage & Keeler and Lindo Poncitlan on Armitage & Kostner. Good experience with the tostadas and enchiladas so far, and with three table salsas I can fine-tune the adrenaline kick and flavoring to my liking. The difference seems to lie mostly in the atmosphere... Whereas Lindo Poncitlan casts a clean, family-friendly vibe, Poncitlan Azteca is plastered with Corona posters and margarita specials, clearly targeting a drinking crowd. Laid out like a diner, it seems Poncitlan Jalisco is a bit livelier than both, and has something for all types- solo diners, girls' nights out, dates, intellectual conversationalists. "SIIII, PEEERRROOO [INSERT INCOMPREHENSIBLE INTELLECTUAL SPANISH HERE]!" the second Latino shouted, slamming his fist onto his table and leaping to his feet. All was quiet for a good moment, until a smile slowly came across the first guy's face. "Es lo mismo," (it's the same) he said, softly and gently. The other nodded, "Es lo mismo." The first got up, and they both shook hands. Nothing brings people together like a good meal at a solid Mexican restaurant. read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm so lucky! I live within four blocks of Poncitlan. A seven minute walk and I'm sitting at a beautifully hand-painted table, looking over the extensive menu. This is your archetypical Mexican family restaurant. It is small. I haven't counted but I estimate about ten tables. with four seats at the counter. Each table has four chairs, painted in the same campesino style as the tables. The food is perfectly prepared and the traditional Mexican flavors rise from every dish. I especially enjoy the chiles empanados and the flautas. My girlfriend is always satisfied with the vegetarian burrito There are other meatless meals available but she likes the burritos. Each burrito is good for two meals. The chips that they bring to your table while you're waiting for your order are made fresh daily. The green and the red salsas accompanying the chips are a bit too picante for my taste but I'm a lightweight. Still I eat my share of chips. The prices are very reasonable because their customers are mainly neighbors, compatriotas still getting a foothold in the American dream. Give Poncitlan a try. I'll bet you go back. read more

Good tacos with good amount of meat in each one. I have been trying all the local Mexican places in the area and this one has the most "bang for your buck". Authentic food and good prices. read more

I went on a non busy afternoon, no sitting area dueti Covid-19. I bought a steak burrito and Agua de Horchata. The burrito looked great, the meat was very salty. The horchata was fantastic!!! My suggestion to the owner and staff, is to lower the salt in meat, and taste all the food, to see if you would enjoy it. That's necessary. read more

Excellent salsa; very cheap prices; great service!! I no longer live in the neighborhood, but I do sometimes make the trek out there to grab lunch from here. read more

This is my new favorite taco spot in Chicago. The tacos are flavorful and I I'm addicted to the quesadillas. The horchata is sweet and delicious. It is inexpensive and the staff is very friendly. I'm officially a regular. read more

¡Delicioso! Such a great place! Incredibly friendly, comfy, and some of the best tacos ever. Loaded with perfect meats, fresh, and so so well-priced. Can't wait to go back to try more of their meals. Mmm, tripa dorada... read more

I've been there a lot of times, the service is great, the staff.is friendly, and the food is delicious. I love tacos de tripa and tortas. I used to drive all the way to southside(little village) to eat tacos, now I just walk two blocks and enjoy some of the best tacos in chicago. read more

Came here for breakfast with my family on a sunday morning. The place is dingy, but I always had good food experiences. Very authentic mexican food. This time around my dad found a LONG BLACK HAIR on his gordita, mind you he is bald; when we told the waitress she got all offended and my dad had to ask her for a new one. All upset, she took his plate and change the gordita, left the same plate and just kind of threw the plate on the table. "No im sorry, no what I can do for you," just plain rude. A friend had warn me before about how she had gotten sick from eating here, and after this I belive her, and I am never eating here again. No matter how good their tacos are. read more

Usually they're very good but today I don't know what was wrong with them. I ordered a burrito 2 tacos and a steak quesadilla dinner. Very simple. They gave me a burrito 2 tacos and a random extra taco that was super soggy with something weird. They didn't even give me my quesadilla dinner. I go back tell them that they forgot my order and when I received my order it was not a quesadilla. It was tacos with melted cheese. The tortilla was a corn tortilla, on their menu it shows a flour one. The tortilla was not even grilled/cooked. I didn't get sour cream, guacamole or pico de Gallo like you're supposed to. They're messing with my food and my money. Does that look like a quesadilla to you? read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had an al pastor burrito, and some tacos + horchata. Crushed me. So good. Great tortilla shells.

Great food at the right price. Very friendly staff that is always accommodating. Tacos, burritos and quesadillas are spot in. Can't wait to get a torta next visit. read more

I am really surprised more people haven't reviewed this place. I had a sopes and a gordita with ground beef. First off this was almost too much food. They used fresh ingredients and The made the sopes and gordita shell fresh as far as I could tell. They don't get a five star cause the seasoning wasn't perfect by my standards, but this personal preference. I can see others totally giving it five stars. read more

Complimentary salsa and chips!! And it's good! Their chicken tacos are my favorite! Very reasonable prices! Not the "fanciest" of places, but it works! read more

One of the best taco places I've gone to in a while! There's always fantastic service, food, and are always clean!

I was craving a good Mexican breakfast for about three years now. Which was the last time I was here. This was a great way to start my morning. I flew in to Chicago today and my parents took me straight to their favorite Mexican breakfast place. Poncitlan has been here for years. They have become good friends with my parents. Jose the owner of Poncitlan jokes with my dad about which soccer team they root for. The place is pretty big. I mean it is no Kissimmee. This has much room and the staff here are working hard in the kitchen making every order as quickly as possible. Guacamole. I love going to good Mexican restaurants and ordering this. All of the ingredients nice and fresh. Just what the doctor ordered. Salsa and Guacamole. Elvia was our server today. When we walked in the table was set and the menus laid on the table. Elvia knew my parents would be coming today since they come every Sunday. The place gets full quickly with all the locals. By the time we left people were waiting outside to be seated. Now lets talk FOOD!! Desayuno Poncitlan. The Poncitlan breakfast. 3 over easy eggs, topped with ranchero sauce and ribeye. Desayuno Poncitlan. This is the same dish with no ranchero sauce. My mom and dad like it plain. I enjoyed it with the sauce on top. Chilaquiles Rojos. I was very hungry after a short flight from Orlando. I always have to order one more thing just to have something extra. I ordered this as a side. It tends to come with eggs and steak as well. Elvia y Jose, Gracias for todo. Mis papas siempre hablan de ustedes y que siempre los tratan muy bien. Se los agradezco mucho. read more

Place has AWESOME fresh made salsa. Great Mexican food if you're in the mood, always busy. Lots of places in Chicago that make Mexican food are NOT good, thisnone however is very good. read more

This place is a hidden gem. The whole staff is very friendly and the cooks can move 100 mph. When you sit down you're greeted with complimentary chips and salsa and given a huge menu. Personally I get the steak burrito or tacos and it's always on point. I work down the street and usually end up getting lunch here 3 times a week. Great place for takeout as well, food comes very fast! Overall a great place to munch! read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So glad I decided to give this place a try! This will now be my new spot! Delicious food, great service, great prices! i will be trying different dishes, but I'm sure the rest won't disappoint either. The meat was perfectly seasoned, the beans were so yummy, and the rice was good too! Their shrimp cocktail was delicious too! Cant wait to order from them again. read more

Great neighborhood joint! Large portions, great prices and better yet the food is like Mama's. I grew up in Avondale and use to a great deal of Polish food but just moved into the area and when I am crazing cooking like mom's I head to PJT's. One of my favorite dishes is the clado de res, and needless to say it is not just for when you are sick or the weather in Chicago stinks. Large chucks of veggies, the clad is season just right, and of course it comes with a heaping helping of onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime and rice to top it off. Looking for a quick tied you over till you can sit down and eat, eat or maybe a light snack; if that is such a thing to someone who is Latino(a); go for the sopes or the gorditas 'what treats. The little gems are just what that spot in your stomach is looking for. Fresh, loaded with goodness and all you need to stave off cravings. To wash it all down do not forget the horchata. My son LOVES IT!!! The smaller size just won't do so get the big one and go easy on the ice. If you like then top things off with COKE but in the bottle; there is just something about the taste. Not for date night but a great friends hang out, easy on the budget, great food, parking is kinda hard (street parking is what they have) but PJT's is worth the hassle of finding the parking. Sorry not sorry; all I have to do is cross the street to get my hands on some of their great food. Buen Provecho read more

Great food at a very affordable price point, breakfast is quite filling as are the other menu items in this typical neighborhood spot. Always a good experience here read more

Poncitlan Jalisco Taqueria - Colorful tables and chairs - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a very good restaurant. Good place for lunch or dinner. I prefer to come here at night to eat dinner. The cook who works here is very good and I like how he prepare my meal. The staff is very nice and friendly AND SUPER FAST. they work fast. I wish that all employees in Chicago was like this. Every time I come here I see a lot of families sitting at the table. This is a really good restaurant and familes with kids are very welcomed in here. Good restaurant!!! Good FOOD!!!!! And good ambience :) LOVE THIS PLACE !!!!!!!! read more

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