This place is better than a 3.5 star. Staff was busting their butts during their lunch rush. We waited about 10 min to be seated, but was served right away. We come every so often, but they serve consistently great food. read more

I ordered a Gordita and a torta and while eating my Gordita I found a piece of glass! I ordered through ubereats. This is extremely unacceptable. I bit into it and hurt my tooth. I cannot believe it. It is a safety and health issues. I reported it to ubereats and will take further action read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - a broken computer mouse - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely delicious!! By far, the best steak tacos in the area! All of the salsas were good, vegetables on the table-yummy and the rice was good. I can't think of one negative thing to say. I'm looking forward to returning. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Vegetables for the table - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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steak tacos steak wasnt well cooked some pieces were raw uncooked cold that could cause some sickness due to foodborn illness not a place i would recommend not safe to eat there health department should be aware of this restaurant. read more

This is a hidden gem in this neighborhood full of Mexican restaurants. I was taken here by one of my customers during a business lunch. We started off by parking in their lot. FYI, if you are planning on coming here, they have a lot in the back. As you enter, there is about enough seating for 30 or so people at any given time. At every table, they have a container with pickled veggies (carrots, onions, cauliflower, peppers). The wait staff then brings fresh chips and homemade salsa. My customer frequently visits this place so he recommended dining here and I'm extremely excited that he did. My customer ordered a steak burrito and it was the size of a football. I ordered a carnitas torta. I cannot speak for the burrito but I can tell you the carnitas torta was delicious. The carnitas was so tasty and the consistency was exquisite. The flavor just oozed out of the meat. Yum yum yum...I can't wait to visit this place again!! read more

I've never had take out from here I've only had dine in Out of all days I decide to takeout and this is how they give me my food with everything all over the place and to top it off the sauce was broken inside the bag as if they failed to close the lid the correct way . I'm at work remind you I'm on lunch and they're saying they want the meal back to replace/refund my order ? That's not the point . You don't serve a meal looking so shitty like this but it's cool they weren't working to give me what I ask so here's a bad review read more

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

I can only speak to the carne en su jugo, which is the best I've had and the place I compare all others to. Service is always great and restaurant is always clean and inviting. read more

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If you're in the mood for authentic Mexican food for a reasonable price look no further. The best Mexican food in Brighton park with an inviting and very kind staff. This place is too good to pass up. read more

This place is my absolute favorite taco joint. Everything from the refills of chips and salsa down to my regular order of three steak tacos with cilantro and onion topped with the house green sauce and a side of rice is just spectacular. My first visit I accidentally ordered $7 guacamole that I didn't even eat when I brought it home, but other than that this place is a must go. The service is also wonderful. I left my bank card at home in evanston and was afraid Apple Pay couldn't work and the server said she could pay for me and I quickpay her the money. Luckily the machine worked for Apple Pay but that was such a sweet offer to me! Love this place. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Carne asada Tacos Arroz Mexicano - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here after a White Sox game with a few friends we all ordered the street taco's wit different sides. They were really good. The steak tacos have a unique flavor. They are marinated differently than I have had before. They are awesome. If I'm in the area will definitely stop by. I don't remember what everyone else ordered at the table but everyone was satisfied!!! read more

First time here, Amazing experience. I had the steak taco dinner (advertised from Chicago's best) and my husband had the steak burrito. I can't decide what was better, the service or the food! Live entertainment... And did I mention the salsa? read more

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

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I have been going to Tio Luis since I moved to Chicago almost a decade ago when I want simple and great tasting Tacos. Tio Luis has grown for the better, updating their dining area which is more open and seats a good amount of people. It is a family style restaurant servicing the local community but welcomes a diverse crowd. The service here is good, quick, and attentive. Again, I believe the Tacos here are phenomenal! There is a good selection of meats from steak to chorizo with potato and other classic choices each being flavorful and unique. They use corn tortillas and are simply made with onions and cilantro. Their sauces/salsas are great as well! Overall, I recommend Tio Luis to anyone who is in search of good Mexican food that is consistent, tasty, and affordable. I for one, will always visit Tio Luis when in the area. read more

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

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Tried the carne asada tacos. A little pricey but great flavor. Red salsa was a little too garlicky for my taste. Would definitely go again.

Enchiladas Al Gusto Chicken Tinga was delicious and the presentation for a carry out meal was very nice! My favorite so far! read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Enchiladas Al Gusto chicken Tingo was Delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Well, what can I say. I'll get to the point Enchiladas with Mole no Steak tacos yes Alpastor tacos Yes Shrimp empanadas no Horchata no Charged for sour cream and didn't get it. Customer service was good but when they got busy not so much. They did have a guy singing in the doorway. read more

I wish I didn't have to see the help with no facemask serving the chips and salsa. Everyone else was but him. The food is always good read more

Tio Luis Tacos has way more than its namesake suggestions - tacos, soups, entrees, brunch and drinks. While it surrounded by Mexican restaurants, Tio Luis is lovely sit down/family style dining experience that I really enjoyed. Food was excellent - from the complimentary salsa and chips to our order of steak and al pastor tacos and caldo des res (short rib vegetable soup). Beware that once you start eating the salsa and chips, you'll find it hard to stop! Tacos were traditional with onions and cilantro and generously sized. Caldo was an incredibly beefy, homestyle soup with seasoned tender chunks of meat. A few service issues took away from the experience. The little salsa and second soup bowl were impractical because they were so shallow you couldn't spoon things out. The essential red and green salsas were forgotten until we well after we got our food and asked for twice. After clearing our table, waitress cleared at least 3 other tables before we finally reminded another server for our check. If service was better, this would be 5 stars! read more

Buen servicio, muy atentas y las mecerás recomendando sus nuevos platillos. Good service, very attentive waitresses recommend their new dishes. read more

Do they have new owners or chefs? Had stale tacos and a taco salad that was nothing like it has been in the past. Something has changed and we don't like it. I don't think I'll be back.. shame read more

The food is excellent but I was hoping they would have carded us for the Covid vaccine

Everything about this place was excellent. I sat down and was served complimentary tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were thick and crispy and the sals was chunky and full of flavor The beef and pork on the tacos was tender and the sauces in which they marinated them were tasty. I tried the barbacoa, steak, and pork (al pastor) tacos. The waiter asked if I wanted avocado, cheese, and sour cream on my tacos. I said "Yes", even though I figured it was an upsell. The extras tasted great and the extra charge was on $1.20 for the 3 items. Finally, the pickled vegetables on the table were a nice extra. I may come back to try dessert, because I was too full today. read more

Excellent food every time we visit or do take out! During the summer, the patio and pitchers of margarita are excellent!

Order less than you think you'll want and show up early! Those are the lessons learned after a trip to Tio's. Follow these steps and you'll have an even better time than I did -- and I had a good time. My belly wasn't so fortunate. See, I was *trying* to get back in beach shape for an upcoming trip to Puerto Rico. Gorging at Tio's didn't help that. Oh well. I have more reason to get up in the gym and work on my fitness. Starting with the second point first... the word is out about Tio's. My group showed up after the lunch time rush, ready to eat some tacos. Well, we thought it was 'after.' That placed was packed tighter than cougars at a Justin Bieber afterparty (read the tabloids; Mary Kay, you have set a bad precedent). There was no place to sit and almost less options to stand. Thankfully, traffic control is something the folks at TLT have down to a science, so my group was able to dodge hungry patrons and waiters alike as we waited. By the time we finally sat, we'd gone through two table changes, chair changes and more logistical drama than necessary (our bad). Not once did the folks at TLT give us attitude for it. I top my hat to them. I am sure I would have been rolling my eyes and sucking my teeth. I promise not to be as annoying next time, TLT. After all that moving and shaking, I was hungry. Luckily, we had some chips and salsa (red and green in squirt bottles) to tide us over. But, I am like Prince's mother -- never satisfied. I needed beverage and I needed apps. Oh, did I get them. My 'thing' at Mexican restaurants is to order an agua fresca. It's how I judge. I rate TLT highly! The large strawberry agua fresca came in a Big Gulp. They were not kidding about portion size. The agua fresca itself was wonderfully fruity, light and entirely addicting. I mean, from size alone a few of my tablemates got envious and had to have one. Delicious. Again, because I needed to sabotage myself before going to the beach, I ordered an app. Do this. Get the frioles con queso y chorizo. It's.REALLY.good. It's a simple idea with a nice execution and it is what it sounds like: refried beans,, chorizo and cheese served with chips. Sounds simple. Tastes delicious. Trust. It's also deceptively filling. Despite having to power through the app, I thought I needed three tacos. Hey, they're small, come with rice & beans and are the reason to come to TLT. I ordered the chicken, al pastor and shrimp. It almost defeated me. I don't know what it was or why it was, but those tacos nearly took me out. They were good (one was addicting), but they filled me up immediately. If you come here, get two tacos without sides. Two tacos, an app and a drink is plenty. I'm serious. In order of good to OMG: the al pastor was a little saltier than I would have preferred. The sweet profile was there, but the meat quality was a little off. The chicken taco was the surprise hit. It's chicken, right? Wrong. They do something to the meat that makes what you think would be a ho-hum experience into one that you'll want to repeat. But, the by-far favorite was the shrimp taco. Nicely bread, appropriately crunchy and best topped with a red-orange chipotle, every bite was a taste sensation and pure delight. Upon subsequent trips, it's shrimp tacos all the way. Well, and a chicken. And some of that bean dip. And an agua fresca. Grande. That beach body's not coming anytime soon, is it? read more

Today (12/11/2014) is the last day I order from Tio Luis. I am putting this in writing so I do not cave in. The food & service is a hit or miss. Lately it has been all misses. I order from here frequently - it is the go to Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood that delivers. Everytime I call it always sounds hectic and noisy. Once I get my order done, the food arrives within 45 minutes, no complaints. I live close by. There is almost always something missing. Salsa, chips, rice...you get it. When you call to tell them they forgot something, they sit silently on the phone. "Ummmm...do you still want us to bring it?" No, just take my money, don't apologize & I will continue to order from you. No apologies. One time they forgot our large salsa - who eats Mexican food without salsa, right? I called and they gave me the above spiel. They said that they would "credit me", so that the next time I ordered I could get a "free" large salsa. When that time came a few weeks later, they acted like I was crazy. After going back and forth, they begrudgingly gave me my (paid for 3 weeks ago) salsa. That was the first time I promised myself I would not order from them. The food quality has declined severely over the past couple of years. One time we received sour salsa - it was nasty! My boyfriend had chicken tacos with the most repulsive sour onions. (I will upload the picture) When ordering for delivery, the food will sometimes come soggy. I have eaten multiple times in the restaurant. It's okay. Nothing spectacular. Do not get the fish tacos. I could not eat them, maybe it was me - they were horrible. The service is also just okay. The waiters are pleasant. It's a shame that this place has declined so much in the past couple of years. Order take out and your own risk - eat there if you really want to give it a good try. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Sour onions are just the beginning of the issues I have with Tio Luis. Yuck! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'll maybe go with 2.5 stars. Recently came with my friend for lunch. We ended up ordering nacho without beans, my friend ordered a breaded beef lunch special that was suppose to come with fries and I ordered the 3 tacos special with no beans. So, they basically ended up screwing up all 3 of our items. First, the nachos came with beans which were underneath and they basically stuck all the chips in them. My friends was suppose to come with fries (main reason she ordered the dish...I know she crazy, but they gave her beans and a salad. They ended up giving her fries when she asked. My plate ended up coming with beans when I specified no beans (if you read my other posts, you would know I don't LIKE beans.) Tacos were just meh. We felt the waitresses were rushing us even though it wasn't busy and language was not a problem. Maybe they need to start writing down the orders. Irked my friend a bit when she got the check and they charged her $1.95 for the fries. Let's just say for the price they charge, they damn need to put more than what they gave. Sorry to say, they don't seem to be as good to me anymore. Maybe if I return, I'll get the steak burrito and just get carry out. read more

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I ordered food via grubhub mind you 30 something minutes prior to getting to the restaurant. It said food would be ready in 20-30 min. It took me a little over 30 min to get there, waited for 10 min to get attended and when i asked about my order, the guy tells me oh the app is not on. You can wait but it'll be about 20-30 min. I walked out. You mean to tell me... i wasted 30 or more minutes of my lunch time for you to tell me your app is not "on". Why do you even offer ordering through grub hub if you can't honor it?! Who the hell has more than that time for lunch to wait extra?? Isn't that the point of ordering ahead? If the app is not ON, then the restaurant shouldn't be an option to order from.! Orrrr we should get some kind of notification saying so or to call the place instead. I wasted my time!! Ridiculoussss! read more

One of my favorite spots for tacos! My go to order is a taco dinner with steak, al pastor, and lengua. Double rice because I'm not a bean gal. Don't forget the cilantro and onions for a good time. The meat is always moist and flavorful. I don't have too much of a sweet tooth but my friends enjoy the horchata every time we go. They also have a box of pickled veggies on the table to snack on...which are delicious! Complimentary chips and salsa never fail to get the stomach ready for a great meal. I will always be back as long as the tacos stay tasty (: read more

It has been a little while since I was last near downtown Chicago and able to go here. Boy, I am glad I could stop by. Atmosphere - Updated!!, authentic, clean, local, orange, yellow, brownish, ceramic, some booths, tables, locals, mucho Espanola They did some renovations here since the last time I visited. It is now more open, as they removed a wall for more seating. The staff here is very much the same and the place is always filled with locals. Food - When I was here two years ago, I had the steak tacos. This time, which was two visits in three days, I had the chicken tacos on the lunch special w/ onions, cilantro, and lime on soft corn taco shells (see photo). The chicken here is cooked on the bone, which adds flavor. It is then manual separated (as I found a little piece of bone, which is okay as chicken cooked fresh on the bone is sooooo much tastier and worth the accidental piece being present), before marinated and cooked again on the grill till tender w/crisp edges. The lunch special consisted of two tacos set on wax paper as to not mix w/ the side of re-fried beans, red rice and a mini-salad/ garnish. Service - friendly, quick with refills and taught me a word or two in Spanish. Price - On the cheap side w/ decently sized portions. Lunch special w/ many a tea refill was about $10 w/ tip. Overall - I will definitely be back again the next time I am in the area. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Chicken w/cilantro, onion, and lime. (Lunch portion) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food Is HandsDown Amazing Been Here A Good 3 Times And It Never Fails To Disappoint I'm In Love !! read more

I just returned from literally stuffing my face at Tio Luis and once again they changed their menu. I was a little confused so once the waitress came back we had to ask about the lunch specials - so here is the skinny - if the item has an asterisk by it, it is available as a lunch special - AAAAAhhhhh, got it...makes sense NOW that we asked. And the fajitas are back on the lunch special - that makes me happy. This time, however, I went with a Huarache with Tinga de Res - that's an oval shaped fresh masa thick tortilla topped with shredded beef for you non-Spanish speakers. After eating twenty million chips with that yummy salsa and some guacamole we ordered, I could only eat about 1/2 of that Huarache - not because it was bad, but because even on it's own I don't think I could have finished it - serious amount of meat on there, and the fresh masa - heck no - I was defeated. My SO finished it off - and these two big bellied fools rolled out of there fat(ter) and happy....but were not very productive back at the office. read more

For the price and the atmosphere, you can't go wrong. The food is fresh and made to order. I tried the lemonade with cucumber. Yes, it sounds different, but very tasty! There is street parking or if you can park on the side of the restaurant. read more

I had a good experience my first time there. The service was great - it was also not even halfway full so that could have a been a reason why. Food was great. I got a Huarache. My boyfriend got the Gordita Special. Both were very good! I loved the chips and salsa! The chips were super hot which made it harder to stop eating them. The bathrooms and the place as a whole was clean which is always a major plus! This place is pretty far from my house. We came because it was on our way to where we were going. Glad we walked into this place! Would be going again if I'm in the area. :) read more

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

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The portioning does not justify the price charged. Ordered some nachos and was given 5 -6 nachos hardly any food. It was ridiculous. I would not order from here again. read more

Went to this place for an early dinner. The food was pretty good and really affordable. The staff is really friendly as well. It felt like a family oriented restaurant with an authentic Mexican feel. We had chips with sauce to start. But, I think they had 4 different sauces to go with the chips. I tried all of them. The pico de gallo sauce was smokey and flavorful. Love the onion and cilantro in them. So fresh! Another red sauce was a little sweet for my taste, but it was ok. The avocado sauce was mild at first, then there's that slow escalating heat that you'll definitely feel later. Finally, the green tomatillo sauce was straight heat coming at you. That was really good. As far as entrees are concerned, the steak tacos were really flavorful (and also went well with the 3 sauces above). Put extra lime juice on mine for that fresh taste. The steak burrito and enchiladas were ok. Still, with the endless supply of sauce and chips, you can't go wrong here. Will definitely be back to this place! read more

Thank you so much to Tio Luis staff (Elizabeth) she helped me put together an order for a large group, very last minute. - order 4 Tablazos. The food was excellent, delivered on time. Thank you so much for helping me out. read more

Nostalgia. That's all this restaurant is for me. I remember coming here as a child and enjoying some tacos. Unfortunately, times are different and so is the staff. The staff need some courses on customer service. They're negligent and rude. Two gentlemen were sitting in front of me and asked the waitress to come over because they wanted to order more things. The waitress rolled her eyes and her entire demeanor was very rude. She looked annoyed because she had to go over to the gentlemen. Apart from this, the gentlemen never said anything in regards to her attitude. They simply mumbled to themselves about it and continued their conversation. Now, everyone always skips the review on the customer service and go straight for the review on the food. The food is amazing. I'm on keto and they did accommodate two dishes to my special needs. I ordered eggs with ham. The eggs were basic, nothing special. The carne en su jugo (meat in its juice) was very good. The flavor was on point and so was the meat. My reason for 3 stars is because for me personally, customer service is just as important as the food. I want to be able to enjoy my food alongside friendly staff. Not be eating good food in alongside negligent and rude people. read more

If you're from the south side, Tio Luis is a staple in your life. To be honest, I kind of forgot about this hidden treasure until recently. There's not much to say, the food is great (they also added Mariscos) i would recommend the tortas and enchiladas. They're traditional and packed with flavaaaaa. The horchata is also outstanding so make sure you get one to go! read more

I am never in this part of town but work took me out there today and oh how glad that it did. As someone currently on a 3 year Mexican tour, I have had a lot of tacos and Mexican food and this place is a winner. I got 3 tacos. A pablano pepper, a pork with pineapple, And a steak taco. All 3 were very very good especially, surprisingly, the pablano taco. I wish I ate there (instead of my car) because I might had been theories to try another. A couple great things about this was i got 3 regular tacos and it was fulfilling and a good price. But they also have mini tacos in case you wanted to try a bunch which I'm regretting not doing. They also gave me two of each sauces and two little bags of hot carrots. What a country. I have one small complaint. They wrapped my steak and pork taco in the same foil although partially separated by a paper. I much rather different tacos foiled separately. Like I said, not a huge deal. Also, the people behind the counter were very nice and the place was packed for 230 in the afternoon. I'm going back soon. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - Pork and steak taco with the way I like it. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's surprising that I don't frequent this neighborhood taqueria more often even though it is within walking for me! Patrons seat themselves and a server brings you menus and start you off with a basket of tortilla chips and a carafe of homemade salsa. The portions are very tasty and very generous... and I have to admit that I am a slave to Tio Luis' licuados de fresa (strawberry shakes) which I can gulp down in it's entirety within minutes. On my recent visit, I enjoyed a hearty small bowl of pozole rojo (hominy and pork soup accompanied by an accoutrement of garnishes: chopped onions, cilantro, key lime wedges and radish slices) and a cesina taco (corn tortillas topped with a layer of frijoles, thin cut steaks, topped with chopped onions and cilantro), along with... you guessed it, a medium strawberry shake. read more

Tio Luis tacos and cafe - A "small" bowl of pozole rojo from Tio Luis. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious al pastor tacos! I haven't eaten here but my husband brought me home 3 tacos. I was full and it was already 9:30 but they were so good I couldn't help myself!! read more