I don't even want to go back and I've been going here for ten or more years.... They had the best fries ever! They WERE amazing seasoned fries and they recently changed to terrible generic fries with no flavor. Gross. I wish I could hate them entirely because I'm so annoyed that I thought about those delicious fries all day, spent $35, then had to spend $30 more on grubhub when I realized they had very unappetizing fries and I really wanted seasoned fries. Their chile relleno tacos are some of the best I've had and it's great that they put vegetables in their rice... The issue is those fries were amazing and Jalisco Express makes similar fries. Jalisco Express has good tacos and although they aren't as good as Tio Luis I will be ordering from them much more now because I just don't know if I can forgive this blasphemy. read more

Best tacos ever !!! Service is quick and efficient! My boyfriend and I love going here and having horchatas and tortas. Would recommend

After hearing about this place from numerous friends, I finally made it out there. The place is a lot fancier than I imagined. Very clean and a lot of nice artwork on the walls. The waitresses are friendly and the service is fast :) I had the chicken, veggie, and fish taco. The chicken taco was packed with meat and flavorful. The veggie taco was also packed with rice, but I wish I knew that they put beans, or else I wouldn't have got it. The fish taco was on the salty side, but it was a huge piece. The best part was the chips and salsa. So good. The chips had just the right amount of salt and lime taste, and the salsa was perfect! I'd come back for just this if everything else weren't that good! :) read more

This is definitely one of the best Mexican restaurants in Chicago. I never drank a better horchata (sweet, but not too sweet)! It was my first time eating a torta, and I inhaled it (I got an avocado one with everything). It's gooey, toasty deliciousness. Our waitress did speak English (enough to serve us), but it took awhile to get our check despite the small crowd. For the fellow vegetarians/vegans: I don't know if the refried beans are prepared with lard, and I don't know what's in the bread. The torta included (along with the veggies) refried beans, sour cream and cheese, but you can order your meal without that stuff if you want to make your meal vegan. You can also get two orders of rice with the dinner instead of refried beans and rice. Although, if you speak Spanish, I suppose you can just ask if the beans are cooked in lard :-P. read more

Great food! Sat down and immediately served with the chips and salsa. They have very very good chips and salsa here. They were fresh and still warm! Eventually, ordered the 3 taco dinner. Very proportional and generous tacos with lots of meat, onion, and cilantro. I got 2 carne asadas and 1 al pastor for the meal. The Al Pastor was forgettable. It did not have a taste I'm used to with Al Pastor. It was very sweet.The 2 carne asada though were very good. As mentioned above, they were generous with the meat and had a good portion. It had a splendid grilled taste to it and a good chew. Rice and beans were good too. 5 stars if the Al Pastor was great. Thank you - definitely recommend it! read more

Real talk, this place is great. Their enchiladas are amazing, with all the right portions - beans, side salad and cheese. If you get the lunch special, you only get 2 enchiladas (salsa verde), but if you do the dinner, you get 3. The price is not bad, pretty much standard for dinner plates: $8-9. During the summer, they offer dollar tacos on Tuesdays, but for us vegetarians, the veggie tacos are not included. Also, be aware that these $1 tacos are smaller than the regular tacos. I also must say, that their mole is good too. It has a really good thick, rich taste. The mole enchiladas are on point. read more

Terrible customer service. Must not be the same owner from years ago when it first opened . Quality has gone down over the years not what it used to be when I lived in the area. I continuously make excuses for them thinking maybe it was a bad cook that day. The last straw was this week when I ordered a caldo to go and they packaged it so poorly that I got home with no caldo left in the container and it made a mess in my car. When I called to complain both people that I spoke to, on different days, since no one called back like they said, both gave me the same bullshit that it must've been me that did something wrong. How can a restaurant not admit that their faulty packaging caused the spill. A hot soup like that should not have a flimsy soda lid on it with no other protection over it. nonetheless I will never be returning and I suggest you think twice before ordering from them. read more

I'm from the south side so my expectations come from the authentic Mexican places around me. That being said, my mans Luis got it right! I ordered the Carne en su jugo since everyone raved about it on here and was not disappointed. I also ordered a torta dinner de carne asada (which I did not even come close to finishing) which was really good, the asada was very tender which I'm a big fan of. The salsas were good, a little more spiciness would've made them perfect but no complaints. All in all the food was excellent here and would definitely recommend it to anyone in the area looking for good Mexican food. My only issue was constantly being called "joven", I'm 25 with more bills than I wish I had lady lol don't call me a child you "old lady", even though you're barely in your late 30s -___- read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Carne en su Jugo and Torta Dinner de Carne Asada! Delicious!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have their number on speed dial. It's true. Whenever I venture to McKinley Park, I have to go here. Ok, and Gertie's ice cream, but that's not this review. The Carna Asada tacos should be renamed 'heavenly wonders'. it's a shame, but now my mouth is watering...be right back must go and get some... It's shame for food to taste this good, really it is. I usually order the carne asada tacos and a side of guacamole. That's just enough. Seriously I don't need to say more...just go and wait to taste a piece of heaven read more

Tio Luis is like family to me. I eat here for thier lunch specials. Carne Brave (Asada) is the bomb diggity. It is the grilled skirt steak marinated and cooked with onions and dried peppers which makes it spicy. They throw some sliced avocado on top and serve it with the simmered whole beans and tortillas. This is A LOT of food and it comes with a free drink (get the HORCHATA). All for $6.50 Right now, they are offering a 99c TACO SPECIAL on all their "regular" tacos. This is a 50% savings! I am in LOVE with their chorizo and lengua tacos. OMG. They are heavenly and at 99c, it is a bajillion times better than any Taco Bell. As with my rating system, they do not attain 5 star status because I crave mexican food more at 3am than I do at 1pm and unfortunately, this uncle is closed after dinner time. But don't let that stop you from going if you are a DAYWALKER. The rest of us NIGHTSTALKERS will continue to keep watch over you. read more

What's not to like about this place? Great tacos, great tortas, great burritos; even their tortilla chips are superior to other Mexi restaurants'. And I can't forget about that liquid crack AKA their horchata mix. Theirs is hands down the best horchata I have had in my life. The dine in experience is nice as well. Polite staff who knew how to treat their customers right. Would go back there again and again. read more

I have been coming to this restaurant for a very long time. The salsa is made with care and all their food is authentic read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Steak! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just had an Al pastor burrito. Excellent! The last couple of years they have become meh, so whatever changes they have made bravo. The steak burrito was excellent as well. read more

One of the best and most authentic Mexican restaurants in Chicago! You must try the Avacado Salsa! read more

Hands down the best chilaquiles in town. And the green sauce is something from Azteca heaven. And I've recently discovered they're open at 6:30am for breakfast every day! My heart and stomach couldn't be happier. I'm looking forward to having everything on the menu. The staff here are always welcoming, courteous and prompt. They've adjusted the menu as well, the drinks are not as overly sweetened as they used to be. I'm going to live here from now on. read more

All that I have to say about the food is summed up in 2 words:"WOW-Mazing". Delicious food and pretty little place in the heart of Chicagos Southside!!! Great decor and style out of this little corner spot on 39th!!! Lots of meat on the tacos and sooooo tasty and savory!!! I had steak tacos and also had a al pastor gordita.....so different than any other place ive ever had!!! Mouth-watering flavors and the fast friendly service perfect too!!! What more can you ask for other than a big appetite!! read more

I'm a huge fan but this place is kind of slipping...the new menu removed many if our favorites and the quality of anything with meat is much lower than before. I hope they can get back to where they were before. It's been a favorite for so long. read more

I ordered take out last night and it took almost two hours of delivery when they said 30-40 minutes. I called again after about an hour and ten minutes and was basically rushed off of the phone. Once the food arrived it was cold and soggy as far as the tortilla, torta bread, and fries. The torta had a strange cheesy taste that ended up making me sick to my stomach causing me to vomit! And I am not a picky eater but this was overall just not a good experience. read more

My third time back in a week. We had great Fish Tacos, Steak Tacos and perfect Carne Asada with Shrimp. Nice selection of salsas and Mexican cervesa's(beer). Food was hot and tasty. read more

I went to Tio Luis yesterday with my friends for the first time. It was a quaint little eatery near the Archer/Rockwell bus depot. I was pleasantly surprised at how clean the place was. Salsa was served in a little carafe and small dipping bowls - double dip away! The horchata tasted good and was a nice deal ordered as a pitcher to split amongst the table. I had the Guisado de Puerco - wow, this is one tasty dish. The sauce was zesty with just the right amount of heat and the meat was moist and fork tender. The service was friendly and the food arrived quickly. The prices were only slightly higher than your run of the mill dive taco shop - by no means expensive. Tio Luis is a place I won't hesistate to introduce others to in the future. read more

Oh Tio Luis has "Tacos" in their name for a reason...they're delicious! I recommend the pork as my favorite, but the steak tacos are a close second. Get the dinner which includes 3 tacos of your choice with beans and rice. A full meal for the whopping price of about $8. I'm a fan of the chorizo fundido too which comes with warm soft tortillas. My friend is a big fan of the guacamole but I would pass on it on my next visit. Try some of the flavored sugary sodas or bring your own beer. read more

Great place. I like their tortilla chips and salsa. The chips are fresh crispy and warm, and the salsa is right to the ratio of hot pepper and tomato sauce. They are so good we actually ask for another basket. I like this place better than the one more near my school el Rey. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Enchilada - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was surprised to see that Tio Luis had been completely remodeled. I usually go about once every two months or so, the place looks much bigger on the inside. You can usually expect to find a line on Sunday mornings. I'm not sure what to make of Tio Luis, there's days when the food is really good and then there's days when it's completely off the mark. That's my big gripe with Tio Luis, there's not enough consistency. Stick to the basics, I don't stray too far from the tacos and tortas. When all goes well, Tio Luis gets 4 starts but I've had too many 2-3 star experiences. read more

Having lived in the neighborhood, I've been to Tio Luis tacos on quite a few occasions and still do not understand how they manage to get so many rave reviews and mentions in newspapers, seriously. The steak tacos are either hit or miss, I guess it depends on which cook is working the kitchen. Service is less than mediocre, they often forget to give you tableware and don't serve you water unless you ask for it. The chips are pretty good I guess, and there IS free parking next door so you can save yourself a couple of bucks from feeding the parking meters. You can also steal wifi from the McDonald's across the street. read more

We got the carne asada and fish tacos for lunch. The carne asada is made with quality meats. The meat is cut down to bite sizes and not at all chewy. The flavor is very well balanced. The corn tortillas are very soft and warm - not too thick and no breakage! They also absorb the green salsa very well. The fish tacos come with pretty generous amounts of tacos. Having just gone to San Diego, they do not compare, but are definitely top notch for Chicago. They have a thousand island type sauce that pairs well with the fish. Big winners- carne asada, the corn tortillas, the green sauce. read more

This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants -- if not my favorite. The salsa is nearly perfectly. Lots of fresh cilantro, spicy but not too spicy, and really fresh. For some reason I prefer their rice more than any other rice I've had. There's bits of potatoes in it, as well as corn and peas and it's just perfect. Yes, it's just rice, but good rice. I normally stay "safe" at any place I eat (Italian I go with spaghetti, Mexican I go with a burrito), but here I love trying new things. I've never been disappointed. I always feel strange going from my home in Pilsen out here for Mexican food, but it's just that good. There's parking off-street as well. It's a small little lot with an entrance directly south of the buliding on Archer. read more

This was the worst restaurant food I have ever had to date. It made my family sick. Shame on you for having such a poor product. I mentioned it to "Chicago's Best" website and all my co workers. Avoid this place. read more

Food is good service not so good, Especially on take out orders. You can expect 80% of the time simple orders are wrong.

I recently went to this location on April 18 the wait was about 10 minutes for a table it wasn't to bad the manager was very polite but the server we had on the other hand was not he took our order and drink order and that was it he dint bring us our food another server did he dint come check up on us to ask if we were okay. The food was very good i give that 5 stars. As we got ready to leave i paid my tab i know how much tip and the total i left as i checked my bank statement today i realized they added money towards their tip and my total was not what i had left very disappointed and will never go back because how u gonna just add money that the customer dint approve. read more

Don't order food when they r about to closed, it isn't as good the day. I believe they give me the food that they were probably going to toss out at the end of the night. read more

Yummy authentic mexican food for reasonable prices. Can't get any better than this. Voted best taco by Chicago Tribune Chicago's top taco: Tio Luis Read: Chicago's Top Tacos, May 18, 2006 This family-run restaurant has been attracting neighbors from the McKinley Park neighborhood for more than 10 years with its traditional recipes. In 2006, the Chicago Tribune named it the Top Taco in Chicago: "From the crowd of regulars who were filing into this McKinley Park spot in the late afternoon, we could tell this place was special. The steak tacos ($1.60 each) here were our fifth of the day, but they might as well have been our first by the way they perked up our senses. These warm revelations, wrapped in soft corn tortilla blankets, were filled with perfectly seasoned and cubed skirt steak sporting a hint of char and an appealing chew. Sweet crisp onions, a chiffonade of fresh cilantro and squirts of ultra-fragrant key limes came together to make perhaps the best steak tacos we have ever tasted in this town. Wow!" Hours: 7 a.m.-11 p.m., daily Check out the story here... http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/search/mmx-060518-chiccago-tacos,1,7794220.story read more

Burrito al pastor and carne - thats what I had and it was ok. end of review read more

Tio Luis is one of the only places in the city that serves up my faved Guadalajara style carne en su jugo. On a recent trip there I was disappointed to have it served cold. They kindly took it back and sadly microwaved the soup along with the avocados in it. :( Still giving them three stars and another chance because I will definitely be back for more. read more

This place has everything! We filled up on chips and then had the taco bowl. They had seafood and breakfast options that were hard to pass on. We ended up sharing, and the food did not disappoint. Beware the chips and salsa, though. Addicting. read more

The food was high tier and the service was exhilarating. I had the eggs with ham and the eggs were cooked really well. The beans and rice also created a perfect balance in the plate. I had the lemonade with cucumber and it was served with fresh water and the perfect amount of ice. Overall I rate it a 10/10. Sincerely, Tanya Morales' son. read more

They have the best salsa ever !!!!! I even buy some to go . Food is great service is okay - I was there last week and it was pretty empty (4pm) and the lady didn't bother to check back if we needed anything else. Maybe she's new or temp worker . That's why the 3 stars . Their seafood is delicious!! read more

Our new favorite place for Mexican food! Fresh, tasty food and excellent service! Definitely going back with friends

What a difference beans make. Having eaten Mexican food all my life, I consider the worth of a taco joint to hinge on the quality of their beans. Tio Luis does not disappoint. the beans are great, with a decadent bit of flavor absent from most restaurants. although some of the foods on the menu ( i'm looking at you, Carne Brava) suffer from a bit of over-zeleous flavoring, the majority of the dishes are right on target. i could eat this stuff EVERY DAY. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - tio luis - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

ok let first say I have always been very happy to eat here and the food and service has always been great. However this past Sunday I had a slightly different experience, the tacos were not warm. But the tostada de pollo was great. The service was great as always, she was very attentive but not bothersome. Although my tacos were not what I'm use to this time, I'm sure it was just a hiccup and I will be back. 3 and half stars if i could. read more

This is one of my fav places for lunch during the work week. Getting your food during the lunch time rush can cause a little bit of a wait but the food is well worth it. I love the chicken tostadas - they moist, full of flavor and they do not skimp on the tomatoes or avocado. Yummy!!! read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois