This is a fun little spot if you're looking for a casual taco night and margaritas. For $12 you can get 3 tacos and a small side of rice and beans. The tacos aren't the best tacos I've ever tasted, but they're pretty good, and the service is top notch. You can tell that they're a Lettuce Restaurant and have trained their employees well. We also ordered the queso dip, which was amazing. They're served with these thin crispy chips that make it the perfect appetizer. Apparently there is a salsa bar on the other side of the bar, which we unfortunately didn't get to check out, but will definitely test out next time. I love a good salsa bar! The thing that really took this experience up a notch was the service. Our server was so knowledgable and helpful through every step. He made sure our waters were always filled, brought us a complimentary salsa when we weren't sure if we wanted queso or salsa, and he made suggestions when we were ordering. I will definitely be back here for that queso dip and a margarita! read more

Okay, so I did find something I really liked here, which makes me more optimistic about the rest of the menu. Today I gave the corn fundido a run. For $6 I don't think you can get a bigger bowl of think, crispy, salty tortilla chips. The fundido itself was very well made. The corn was over half of the fundido, and uniformly roasted. There were two or three different kinds of cheese, including queso fresco, but it wasn't just cheese, thankfully. I would gladly get this again. For a buck I also picked up a churro, which was a little bit crispy but mostly just sweet. Good amount of cinnamon on it, though. I think I'll try the tostada next. read more

8/27/18: if you're reading this ~ Y U C K ~ do yourself the favor & stay away!!! What a huge disappointment for an establishment with the word "taco" in its name. I haven't eaten at Taco Bell since middle school and I'd eat there before returning to Tallboy Taco... should be Tall Joke for a Taco. read more

I could sit at Tallboy Taco all day and eat their homemade tortilla chips. They are so great. Definitely not what I would normally ever recommend, but the kale salad is delicious! Just give it a try, you'll see what I mean! read more

Tallboy Taco - Make-your-own salsa bar! - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went there during their happy hour. $4 beers and $6 margaritas! Got the carne asada tacos on flour and they were the perfect amount of meat and sauce. Fish tacos were ehh, tasted like any typical fish taco. Ropa Tacos were wayyyyyy to dry and chewy. Definitely a place I'd revisit for the carne asadas!!! read more

Visited with a friend on a Tuesday, right around 5pm. Venue was not busy by any means. Chips and Guacamole and first rounds of drinks came in a timely manner. Ordered 6 tacos, all came out COLD. No where near warm, let alone enjoyable to eat. Ordered the fries, which were great! But because of their seasoning, they had a bit of a kick to them. Normally a kick is great.... if I had water, or the cocktail I ordered. As the food was delivered, we ordered two additional drinks.... which didn't come until all food was finished and we were ready for the bill. Service was unfortunate, food was cold. Waste of $84.00 read more

Awesome little spot in Northwestern Hospital. Ordered the taco trio and the short rib taco was by far the best. The other two were a little dry and bland but you get guacamole which was fresh and delicious. read more

We came here for dinner on a weeknight and really enjoyed it. Great service and fun ambiance.The menu is limited but everything we had was delicious (carne asada & fish tacos especially) and they do have a great selection of beers & cocktails. In short I wish they had a bigger menu but we walked away happy and would definitely come back for beers & tacos! read more

Went to Tallboy Taco for restaurant week. Their deal was pretty phenomenal - 5 tacos with app and a dessert for $33! We were all excited..... and then the drinks came ..... and then the food came..... then we left wanting to redeem the night by getting drinks and dessert elsewhere. Their drinks tasted like fake lime juice and too much of it as well (leaving a bitter taste in your mouth). Their food: Let's just say that there are better tacos in Chicago. (I don't want to be too negative and start bashing everything). The server brought out tacos before apps. We reminded her that we didn't get our apps and we asked her to take the tacos away and bring the apps and then the tacos. When they brought the tacos out again.... the ones previously brought to our table were definitely cold and very noticeably not freshly mades ones. They were the ones we were served before just kept on the side. They also only brought out half the tables tacos. When we, again, brought this to their attention the server said "oh do you want me to bring the others out now too?" We were all shocked as to why they thought it would be appropriate to only serve half the table. By the time they brought the other half of the table, we were ready to send back all the tacos we had already received. Either too much salt, no flavour, too much breading, cold, and just not tasty at all. Sorry to say that none of us will be promoting Tallboy, nor will be be returning.... ever. read more

Ordered delivery. Spicy chicken taco was delicious and the best of the variety. The steak and fish tacos were also good. Gave the brisket taco a try, but this is mexican cuisine not BBQ- don't get too cute with it. Not a fan of massive avocado chunks in my guac, and thats how it came. Queso was tasty but ordered both queso and guac and only got one small bag of chips- weak. Might give it another shot, might not. read more

Came here on a Saturday night for the music, but decided to have some food while we were here. My friend and I got chips, guac, and salsa, along with some Tinga tacos. The tinga tacos were delicious! Tasted just like mom's tinga. Our waiter was awesome! He was fast in getting our drinks and was extremely attentive. Definitely a good experience! read more

While my server was outstanding, the food was absolutely terrible and I can't help but think that management was lacking as well for the kitchen to be so mismanaged. The first red flag was that the place was almost empty when we arrived during a weeknight happy hour (and during the two hours I was there, only about 2 other guests came in) I ordered the taco platter and got carnitas, carne asada, and crispy shrimp tacos with rice and beans. My friend got a taco platter as well. The second red flag was when the food came out about 2 to 5 minutes later, which is the fastest I have ever seen food come out of a kitchen. Two out of three tacos were cold and the rice and beans was also cold (and the rice was slightly undercooked). Overall, the flavors were good but the only taco I could stomach was the carne asada. The carnitas was supposed to have avocado and it literally had two, 1-inch pieces of brownish avocado on it. The carnitas was also dry and brown as if it had been in the oven and the top layer had crisped/burned. When I bit into the shrimp taco, I got a mouthful of grit or dirt that stuck in my teeth. It tasted like someone hadn't washed one of the fresh ingredients in the taco, such as the cilantro or the lettuce and I bit into tiny pebbles or dirt. I spit out the taco and scraped the grit from my teeth to show the server the flecks that I had chewed. The server was very attentive and apologized and the manager came over to let us know that she talked to the chef about the grit. Reluctantly, I ordered chips and guac since I was drinking and needed food. The chips were warm but tasted old (they were handmade as if from old flour tortillas) and the guac was really cold and brown, as if they had scooped it onto the plate and had it sitting in the refrigerator until somebody ordered it. It was also bland. By this time, my friend was freaked out and had stopped eating because she was scared of the food. I just ordered more drinks, which were pleasantly strong, and then finally, flan custard, which didn't taste handmade but was good anyway and presented nicely. Unfortunately, I will never go back to Tallboy Taco to eat. However, I hear that they have a great Latin dance club on the weekends as part of Nacionale 27. read more

I ordered a variety of tacos including brisket, beef and potato, spicy chicken, chicken and fish as well as chips and queso. The brisket and spicy chicken tacos and queso were so salty that they were inedible. The fish tacos weren't bad and the chicken were ok but didn't have a lot of flavor. I'm not sure if this was just an off night or if the food is regularly soooo salty. read more

Loved the layout. Really cool small place. Outside patio had room for improvement. Don't ever bring children. Not even for lunch. Booster seat is a good foot shorter than the high top tables. All tacos were good as well as guac. Crispy fish and chicken taco stood out. Tacos were over priced considering other options in the city and I hate having to order like it's a fast food joint. Place would be fun for a drink or happy hour but I would go out of my way to go back. read more

Loved it here! Started off with the red sangria which was great and chips and guacamole (would definitely recommend this.) We came during happy hour so all tacos were only $2! I got the fried avocado one and fried fish- avocado was decent, the fish was incredible! We finished off with churros which were amazing. Pretty good experience, cheap and delicious taco place! read more

We came here on Memorial Day night...not many tables occupied to justify the wait for menus or first round drinks. Once our food did arrive it tasted like it been held all day just waiting for some poor soul that expects good tacos. Queso fundido was way runny. No plates on table no serving dishes at salsa bar. Spent $76.00 on a very disappointing night. Thank you but never again. Btw, your music selection sucked for a River North Taco Joint.. read more

Ordered the Spicy Chicken Taco, Grilled skirt steak with papas taco and chips and guacamole. So fresh and every last morsel was delicious! Can't wait to visit again! read more

I've been to Tallboy Taco once to sit down and many other times for take out. My favorite thing on the menu is the Corn Fundido. Many times we just order that as a takeout appetizer because it's so good. Delicious charred corn, with cheese and homemade tortilla chips... Yes please! The tacos here are also delicious. I particularly like the crispy avocado (don't get this takeout though, too soggy),the chicken, al pastor, and steak. It should be noted that the steak taco tends to be spicy on its own without adding anything extra. I like that the tortillas seem homemade. If they're not they are very soft and fresh tasting so extra points for that. My only criticism is sometimes I wish they served their tacos double corn tortilla style. The tacos are packed pretty full of fillings and for takeout the filling tends to break through the tortilla halfway through the taco. Still tastes great though. Each taco has a different combination of flavors and all tacos I've had have been very flavorful! Definitely worth a try if you're in the mood for tacos! read more

We had the taco bar for 4 last night. It was great. Easy to follow reheating instructions. Carne Asade and Chimchurri Chicken were delicious. Plenty of tasty toppings, salsas, guac, chips, and tortillas . The Corn Fundito is so good and the Cinnamon Toast crunch treats are a fun sweet. We had enough left over for lunches the next day. Highly recommend and a la cart menu is even better! read more

I must say that their menu is small, however they're just finding their grove right? I had the Cowboy Brisket, the Al Pastoral, and tried their Salmon Taco Special. This is not your ordinary taco joint, they experiment with new flavors and different ways to prepare meats, with American, Mexican and Cuban influences, which i applaud them, and who doesn't love a beer and tacos!? You really have to be super picky about your tacos if you don't like this place, they are small but the flavors are amazing! read more

The 3* doesn't do it any justice! Great food, great ambience and the strawberry margarita is to die for! read more

Tallboy Taco - Nachos yummy - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here yesterday as I arrived at my client's office a bit too early. I just had a glass of wine at the bar while I waited but the staff was nice and ambiance was pretty- apparently it's 2 restaurants in one so I'm not sure if I was at Tallboy or Nacional- either way I'd come back! read more

So they have really tasty tacos but 3 shouldn't cost more than most lunch entrees in River North. And we're talking teeny, tiny, teeny portions. It's more like an au bouche than an actual meal. read more

Not bad for the cost and location. I would recommend that people visit on an "off-day" to experience the food. I did ask our bartender how the weekends were (we went on a Monday) and they get slammed over the weekend (they also have a dance floor). They have good deals and the beer selection is interesting (some of their specials are beers that I've never heard of). read more

I'm going to start with this. If you are hungry...DO NOT ORDER ANYTHING FROM HERE. The portions are very small for almost $6 a taco. I had the three taco combo with chips and guac. They forgot the chips and I'm still hungry. From what I did order, the brisket taco may be the best tasting I ever had. Juicy, smoky, fatty and tender. The steak taco was pretty tasty as well. The crispy fish was pretty meh in comparison to Velvet Taco or Taco Joint. If price or quantity of food is not an issue, you might want to give it a try. I cannot justify to pay $20 for THREE TACOS and no chips. read more

This place rocks! The tacos are awesome (try the smoked brisket and al pastor), and the atmosphere is great for a casual spot. The service is usually prompt and attentive, especially given that Tallboy is pretty much a bar with foodservice. Also can't beat unlimited chips and salsa for $3! Make sure you try their churros (with chocolate) - they're warm and delicious. read more

Since the menu is limited I was expecting perfected tacos! However it was average - seems like the tacos were missing something eg. cheese, moisture etc. Convenient location and their quac is amazing! Bit overpriced overall. read more

Oh man just try it. That's all.... 11/10 easy!!! And that casa amigos marg is the tits!!!

Great place to grab tacos. Creative options, and good happy hour specials. Loved the queso!

This place is amazing!!! My husband and I came here to watch the Mexico World Cup games. Both times the restaurant had great energy and service. The specials for $15 Modelo buckets and $50 mini Patrone bottles were on point. I recommend any of the Tacos, you really cannot go wrong. My favorite was the pork al pastor. read more

I ordered catering from Tallboy Taco before seeing reviews. Once my order was placed, I began reading the reviews on Yelp, and seeing as how most are average, I was nervous. It was my turn to cater lunch for my office, and I did not want to disappoint. M experience was so fantastic with Tallboy Taco that I created a Yelp account just to write a review! It's a newer spot, but that didn't dissuade Rickey and his team from giving me and my office unbelievable service. Two people came to deliver the food and set up. They came prepared, even labeling every item (a necessity when 60 people are in the kitchen wondering what everything is). The food arrived hot and stayed that way throughout the course of lunch. We ordered fish tacos (amazing!), smoked brisket tacos (innovative and delicious), chicken tacos, veggie tacos, and chorizo tacos (my personal favorite). Everything had great flavor and they brought every taco fix-in you could ask for. They brought chips which were fresh and different salsas to sample. We ordered their dessert too, and the churros were very tasty. Being in charge of catering can sometimes be a thankless job, but with Tallboy, people were going out of their way to ask where the food was from and to thank me for coordinating. The food and service were both outstanding. If the food was awesome being delivered, I can only imagine how good it would be to eat it seconds after it comes out of the kitchen. I recommend this place as a solid taco joint, with interesting options, yummy guacamole, and great dessert. read more

Came here for lunch on a Tuesday. Empty, but I felt like food still took a while. Carne asada taco was fine, brisket was a bit better. We also had the taco salad. Extremely heavily dressed with a spicy mayo - much too heavy. The papas bravas were also dripping in sauce but would have been good otherwise. Atmosphere is awesome and very well done, but the food needs to step up before I'll return read more

The best tacos for the value! Salsa bar with unlimited chips, 2 tacos and a beer for 8 dollars (2 tacos and tallboy for $10), and an a very unique Avacado taco and potatoe and Egg Taco! I would recommend for a chill happy hour or a brunch that isn't too packed! Staff are awesome, and great value for your month! The place shares space with National 27, which can get pretty hopping. read more

Great food, super fresh and fun menu. Reasonably priced for the city. Would come again.

Great food, quick service on a carry out order. Which there were a few more options on sides and toppings. But overall a very good experience and I will definitely order again. read more

I've only had Tallboy as a Fooda delivery at work, so my order isn't always piping hot... however, everything I've ever tasted from them has been delicious. Even cold. In fact, they are my first choice, every time I see them as a Fooda offering. The chicken tinga tacos, fried avocado tacos, fish tacos, pork tacos... everything I've had, has been a perfect medley of flavors. Also, the chips taste home made, light and crispy, and the salsa is fresh and not too spicy. If you're in the neighborhood, check them out! read more

Had a great experience here last weekend! The staff was really helpful with the food and drink menus. My friend and I ordered off of both the Tallboy Taco menu, as well as the Nacional 27 one. Everything was fabulous! We had the rainbow ceviche, shrimp guacamole, tacos, and a side of plantains - which were my favorite part of the meal!!! My friend also got the spinach salad, which was huge for the price! I'm looking forward to going back here soon. read more

2.5 stars. For tacos, tried out a variety including the crispy fish, chicken, brisket, carne asada, and al pastor. The Carne Asada and the brisket were the best of the lot, as the meat in those tacos was actually fairly tender and flavorful. However, that's not saying all too much as the others were pretty underwhelming. The fish taco was soft by the time I received it, and even though there chipotle mayo on it I couldn't really taste any distinguishing flavors aside from the plain tilapia and some tomato from the pico. The Chicken tinga was fairly devoid of flavor, as if the chicken was just boiled and without seasoning. The Al Pastor was similar in texture to the chicken tinga, but at least had some flavor to them, so they were adequate. On the whole, they were served with corn tortillas that were none too flavorful on their own, and the portion of meat inside each taco was also on the smaller side(particularly for the al pastor and brisket tacos).At $3.50-4 per taco, you would expect a bit more out of each. In conclusion, not the worst tacos I've ever had(carne asada and brisket were actually pretty good), but for the price you can do a lot better. As an aside, got a churro as well and it was actually pretty good, so points for that. read more

I loved this place. First of all, maybe I missed it when I was looking at their yelp page but their happy hour is AWESOME! 2 dollar tacos and reduced price drinks! What's to beat? I had a steak and eggs taco (great), fried fish (delicious), and a carnival (pretty good). The chips and salsa is awesome because it's cheap, comes with refills, and their salsa bar is AWESOME! I loved the chips too. The queso was also super super good. Our friends said the avocado taco was great. Sangria was also a hit (they serve both red and white). Altogether, go for the happy hour, stay for the great food. Well worth a visit that might become our new staple. Awesome place. read more

Brad was a very accommodating and overall Tallboy was a great experience! The spicy margaritas were delicious and so was the Thai chili shrimp. Great music as well and the bar later at night is great. read more