02/12/25 - Tortas Frontera Grill. This is a Rick Bayless restaurant in O'Hare International Airport. Rick Bayless has built himself a restaurant w/award winning restaurants like Frontera Grill & Topolobambo. The first time I got food from Tortas Frontera to take on the plane as it was a domestic flight that wasn't serving food so I thought I would grab a Cubaba Clasica & take it on the plane, BIG MISTAKE. This sandwich is meant to be eaten on the spot & not later When I went back the second time on 02/12/25 I ordered the same Cubana Clasica - Carnitas, smoked pork lion, bacon, jack cheese, chipotle mustard & pickled onions. This time I ate it before boarding the plane. It was delicious & meant to be eaten right away When ordering it's better eaten right away. I learned my lesson the hard way taking it on the plane instead of eating it right away. There are three Tortas Frontera locations at O'Hare International Airport (ORD), located in Terminals 1, 3, and 5. Founded by Chef Rick Bayless, these popular, high-quality sandwich spots are found at the following locations within the secure area:Terminal 1: Near Gate B10/B11Terminal 3: Near Gate K4Terminal 5: Near Gate M18 read more

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Tortas Frontera is now a Tortazo outlet - still Rick Bayliss' food but with an expanded menu. For lunch, they now have tacos and quesadillas in addition to tortas. Unfortunately, this spot has degraded a bit in quality from the last time I visited in its top-drawer Tortas Frontera days. Despite there being no line to order, I waited quite a while before someone came to take my order (though to be fair she thanked me for waiting). The wait for food was even longer, about 20 minutes for one order of the barbacoa tacos. I always like to watch the food being prepared. Previously, this was an efficient operation where the staff worked quite clean. It seemed a bit disorderly on this visit. The tacos themselves were very good, especially the well-seasoned meat (which didn't even need to salsa provided) and the tender corn tortillas. There were a LOT of onions, which I ended up shaking off to get the fillings more in balance. They include a lime wedge on the side, which added great acidity to the tacos. The tacos were good enough to make me come back, but only with a lot of time before boarding. read more

Tortas Frontera - Barbacoa tacos to go - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was set to update a review and found I somehow never reviewed Tortas Frontera! Specifically the one at Concourse B in Terminal 1. This is the best airport food in the country. I am confident of that. If it weren't in a ticketed area, I would consider running out here occasionally just for a torta. Most of the time, we fly in the morning and find ourselves planning to arrive a little early to ensure we have time to enjoy a breakfast torta. The avocado, egg, and rajas is my go to, but the chorizo is excellent too. Definitely slather the torta with that green salsa/chimichurri that comes with it. Tons of flavor. Superior black coffee here too. They serve Dark Matter coffee, and they're brewing it perfectly. I used to run to the Intelligentsia over at Concourse C for coffee, but I realized a while ago that I dont need to. My torta was $14.30 this morning. You will spend that on a prepackaged tray of cheese and crackers at Hudson News and be sad all day. This place is still an excellent value. The service is always incredibly nice and efficient. If you have time, grab a table or seat at the bar. Just walk past the line for takeout and let them know at the bar that you want to dine in. Great guacamole with fresh chips too. Bonus that the little TV in the corner is always playing Rick Bayless' cooking show. His cadence is always so soothing. read more

Tortas Frontera - Half of an avocado, eggs, and rajas torta. Big breakfast! Green salsa/chimichurri is not really spicy, but flavorful. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everything in the airport is expensive but Tortas Frontera came in lower and with pretty decent portions. We walked up to the cashier and were asked if we wanted it to go or dine in. We said dine in and they invited us to sit anywhere we would like. All the tables were open (it's 6:30am) and our server greeted us right away and brought us waters. We ordered the chips and salsa, bacon egg and cheese breakfast torta (which comes with avocado on it YUM) and chorizo and egg tacos. The chips and salsa were okay--my husband liked the sweet green sauce. The red sauce has some heat and a Smokey taste. I enjoyed both. When our food came out to us I asked our server for extra green sauce so I could pour it over my torta. For airport food I was really impressed with my torta lol I would def come back to this restaurant if I'm in ORD again. Adding the green sauce to my torta was a boss move too. The torta was toasted perfectly and the portion was excellent. I was very full. My husband was a little disappointed about the size of his tacos (comes with 3) but they are about the size of "street tacos". I thought they were fair. The flavor was very good. His tacos also came with avocado on it. Overall very pleased with food and service. As we sat there and ate all the tables filled up and people were standing to the side waiting for their to go orders. Nice little spot with nice natural light from the large window! read more

Tortas Frontera - Chorizo and egg tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wish I took photos! I made it to San Diego from CHI airport and still enjoying my food. The avocado Cobb salad was amazing and the milnesa torta were good combos! Service was quick and made my meal to go! Airport ambiance was helpful with everyone grubbing and enjoying themselves. Wish I had pictures definitely needed more salsa both red and green! Green forever favorite! read more

Manage was terrible didn't try to fix the kiosk issues at all. Then just started with a poor attitude. read more

Tortas Frontera - Beef birria made without love - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really enjoyed my meal there. I had a tortas chicken chipotle sandwich. It was delicious and the customer service was amazing. The food was fresh and authentic. When mentioned my allergies they were extremely transparent which is rare read more

Tortas Frontera - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

From Chicago, first time at TF, here are some thoughts: -Service is friendly. -They said it would take 10-15 minutes, but it came out in 5. -I ordered the chipotle roasted chicken tortas. -This sandwich was bursting with flavor! It had a little kick, the avocado was delicious, chicken was good, had some kind of cilantro sauce that made the whole thing work : ) -The Cubano sandwich looked crazy good, will have to try next time. Highly recommended! read more

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Food: tasty, only 1 salad option yet still good - guac cobb salad Service: slow Ambiance: tight, crowded Ordering at the kiosk was useful but doesn't have customization options Chipotle chicken was good read more

When one finds oneself during a layover at O'Hare, there are four pro moves, in my opinion, that help the hours go by. Assuming you are not in a private lounge. These tips are not for you. Go back to enjoying being elite while the rest of us have to get creative ;) Tip number one. Go for a long walk. O'Hare is a massive labyrinthine airport. I had a 5 hour layover. Spend as much time walking and exploring. It's essential for your mental and physical stamina. Tip number two. Do you see all the flight crew members toting around striped Garrett Popcorn bags? They suffer no fools. Find a Garrett Popcorn stand and ask to sample their wares. Buy the biggest sized bag - trust me. The Chicago mix (caramel and cheddar cheese) still tasted good a week later. High marks for the sea salt as well. Be the envy of your seat mates on the next leg of your flight, plus it makes a terrific gift. Tip number three: Find the open air rotunda. Go up the stairs. There you will find a quiet and peaceful lounge, with an array of seating options, desks, and outlets and blessedly, not many people. You will also discover a yoga studio. I spent 20 minutes doing sun salutations all by myself. Get yourself rebalanced again. Tip number four. This brings me to Tortas Frontera. Absolutely delicious options, but most especially, the tacos. Don't forget copious amounts of hand sanitizer, because you'll be licking your fingers. They also serve margaritas in to-go cups. Now, those are $17 bucks a pop, but at least they were generous with the tequila. Order a second to take with you on your plane. When the gate agent asks if there is alcohol, politely smile and say "No, ma'am". Happy travels! read more

Tortas Frontera - Carnitas tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When airport food is usually means your forfeiting money and taste for convenience, Tortas Frontera stands out from everywhere else The food is fresh, hot, and served with just enough time to squeeze inbetween security and boarding. The bread is soft and the ingredients are flavorful. We've tried both the chorizo, egg, and cheese, carnitas tacos, and classic cuban, all delicious and worth the money. Wish we got a little more salsa since the flavors really lift the food, but again, this might be the best bite in O'Hare and well worth the stop read more

The waitress was nice. Service was good. Table could have been cleaner but they were busy and I was just happy to find a table. The chipotle chicken torta was just ok. Wish I had gotten a salad. My mom loved her guac cobb salad with chicken. The margarita was ok. Would eat here again. read more

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You always expect airport food to suck. This place proves you wrong. The tortas are delicious! The torta with breaded chicken was finger licking good You can do carry out or dine-in. No matter what you chose be ready for a little chaos. read more

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Service was fast and super nice. Tortas were awesome! My fave was the Cubana. We also got the Briia. Great flavor but not a lot of meat. I will know for next time to add extra meat because it was kind of skimpy. Flavor was awesome though. read more

I had a very unpleasant experience at **Tortas Frontera**. While waiting about **20 minutes for below-average tacos and guacamole**, I was standing near the bar. A gentleman who was dining there kindly offered me the **empty chair at his table** while I waited for my takeaway order. I sat down for a moment, but the bartender--an older man--quickly came over and **rudely told me to stand up because my order was to-go**. I was shocked, especially since the chair belonged to the customer who had invited me to sit. I had to stand up while the chair remained empty the entire time. After 12 hours of traveling and another 10 hours ahead due to a flight delay, this lack of basic courtesy was extremely disappointing. To make matters worse, when ordering at the machine there is an option to **add a tip**, yet the service I received was far from tip-worthy. The food itself was also disappointing: the guacamole tasted stale and the chicken was dry. Overall, this was a very poor experience, both in terms of service and food quality. I will definitely **not be returning**. read more

I had their chicken torta, the meat was chewy in that uniquely identifiable undercooked chicken way. I spit it out and threw it away. The lime agua fresca was fine and online order was too but really those things can't bring up the score from the horror of that first bite. read more

The crispy chicken was whole and very filling. I probably won't need a big dinner. The cilantro sauce was a nice touch to an already spicy sandwich. The line moved quick and you could sit at the bar or at a few tables along the wall. I will definitely return. I subtracted a star for no chips included with the sandwiches. 5 chips wouldn't hurt them. read more

Tortas Frontera - Chicken - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

5 Star update- This time about the staff! My last review here was in 2011, so it was time for an update. As a note: I rate airport restaurants against other airport food. And in that case, this is still a 5 star option. But what really blew me away this last time was the staff. Not only was the gal taking my order super friendly, but the guy behind the bar went out of his way to check on us (even though he knew we weren't ordering drinks) well after bringing our food over (they could've just called our names like other counter service spots). Besides that, they were playing great music (salsa and cumbia) and were all swaying to the music behind the counter. So was I! It was a fun vibe and I very very much appreciate that when I'm stuck at an airport. Previous review: 5 Stars for the best airport food I've had in three days (I've spent an unpleasant amount of time here at the airport this week...). Right off the bat, I'll admit I'm not a spice person. I have the esophagus of an 80 year old woman and the mildest spice puts my heart on fire. For those non-spice people, there are options! I asked the woman at the counter for the least spicy Torta and she said they're all medium, but you can remove the spicy elements off anything. With that confirmation I went for broke and ordered the Pepito minus the pickled jalapeño. Biased beef short rib? Yes, plzzzzz! It also boasts artisan jack cheese, cilantro crema, black beans, and wild arugula. The sandwich was FIRE. Ok, bad descriptor because it was actually very mild in terms of heat. The bread was crusty on the outside and wonderfully moist and fluffy inside. The short rib was perfection. Not a fatty piece in there, and it was packed full! The surprising flavor was the arugula. There wasn't too much but the flavor really came through! Finally, I splurged and got a Lucilla's Alfies cookie (Argentinian alfajores- crumbly cookies with dulce de leche filling). It wasn't cheap (maybe $3?) but it was really, really good! And that's saying a lot because my Peruvian heritage makes me prettttty picky with my alfajores... Overall, this one's a new fave when at O'hare! read more

I always stop by here before my flight because the beef stick/little slice of cheese/biscoff cracker box they sell on planes won't hold me over for my four hour flight. Tortas Frontera is always fresh and full of flavor. I always get the Cubana Clasica sandwich which has the perfect amount of carnitas, bacon, pickled onions, sauce and salsa (on the side). It even comes in a nice box that you can eat over on your lap and perfect for the plane. Ordered and got my sandwich in about seven minutes. The flavor is so on point I would eat here even if it were not at the airport, which is saying something. I believe there is a location in each terminal and I've eaten at two of them and they always deliver great food! read more

Tortas Frontera - Cubana Clasica - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You typically don't look forward to airport food, but I was excited to land and walk straight to Frontera. I've been to Disney Springs restaurant and loved it, so I wanted to see what they could do for travelers. It's great. Order a refreshing drink and get ready to enjoy your layover. They make one of my favorite guacamoles, but I did not like the chips as much. They reminded me of Mission Tortilla chips. That's not a bad thing, but they could be better. The Cubana was delicious. It looks like the sandwich doesn't have a lot of meat. It doesn't, but it has just enough. Order to get your food quickly through their app or sit down at a table. Either way you're going to have a good time. read more

Tortas Frontera - Cubana - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the only food I will sprint through the airport for. I purposely choose layovers through O'Hare so I can get another taste of this magic. I hope my return trip home has another lay over here... There are lots of vegetarian options. It's always fresh, hot, and packed with flavor. The food was so good I didn't even think to get photos first (priorities). I ordered the chili rubbed cauliflower torta (amazing!), corn chowder soup (best soup I've ever had), and the nearly naked guac (always a slam dunk). Each item was absolutely delicious and I'm still thinking about. The guy at the pick up counter was super friendly and helpful! You can order online or in the app and pick up if you're on a tight schedule. It doesn't give you an estimated time when you order unfortunately. I normally order as soon as my plane hits the gate. Just make sure you double check and order to the right terminal! read more

As far as airport food goes this is a fairly decent option! Just be prepared to wait a bit for it, but worth it. I had time to kill so I walked multiple terminals to this one because it had better yelp reviews. Solid C+ quality food read more

Tortas Frontera - Chorizo torta - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing! One of the best salsas I have had. The chipotle chicken I ordered. It really was this Smokey flavor salsa. Avocados were perfect! Like they came down from heaven. FYI they don't have prices listed for their alcohol! A draft beer was 13$ which is insane and almost as much as the torta! Great service. read more

My favorite stop at ORD!!! I came early to eat lunch before boarding. The salad I usually get was no longer on the menu. Started with guacamole and chips and the almost naked margarita. Guac was really good and oh so fresh! Chips were crispy and perfectly salted. Got the chipotle roasted chicken torta and it was delicious. A must stop at ORD. Gate B11!! read more

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I love this place! Great drinks, friendly bartender, amazing tortas and cold beer. Make sure to get a half hour before you sit down to realy enjoy the food and drinks. read more

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Long lines for the food order. Ordered a Cobb salad, chips and salsa, fully dressed guacamole for $40.79. Our order number is 04. Good wait here for the food to come out. Small seating area. 4 tables, 6 counter seats as well. The Cobb salad is pretty good. The chipotle grilled chicken is decent, although I was hoping it would be more flavorful. The arugula is a nice add to it. I added some salsa verde, as it lacked dressing and was a tad dry. The fully dressed guacamole is good. The chips are just so-so. read more

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Not a lot of good food options in the United terminal but this one stands out because the sandwiches are gourmet and very tasty and come in portable boxes that are easy to take away. There's always a wait when I've visited - expect 10 to 15 minutes to get your food. The sandwiches are hot and freshly made with nice flavors that pop. There's a very small indoor seating area, which is almost always full so take your sandwich to go in the portable little box. read more

Tortas Frontera - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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THE ABSOLUTE WORST experience - the 2 women and the dude making the food were unbelievable and RIDICULOUSLY preoccupied with jaw jacking and chopping it up amongst themselves instead of realizing they're AT WORK IN AN AIRPORT and people are COUNTING ON THEM TO DO THEIR DAMN JOB.. after 10 minutes gave up and had to leave to catch my flight ..LAME AF and $26 thrown into the wind - recommend avoiding this crew of entitled slackers read more

Got the bacon, egg and cheese torta before catching my flight. A decent portion and reasonably priced. Took a while to make even though there weren't many people in line. There is limited seating and you can take to go, of course. read more

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Had a Cubana torta and chips and salsa. The service was good, and the food was awesome! read more

Tortas Frontera - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The only good thing to come out of this god forsaken airport. Got stranded here with my son overnight thanks to United and all their cluster fcks. We were headed to our gate but my son smelled the wonderful aroma of tortas here so we stopped in. Glad we did. He ordered the cubana clásica and we each got the mango lime Agua Fresca. This place has bomb service and awards to boot. I dig it. AND our cashier was helpful to show us that C7 was the opposite direction of where we were headed so I'm glad we stopped in. read more

Winner of the 2028 " best airport restaurant close, Tortas Frontera is heads above other restaurants in terms of food quality, and at $14-15 per torta, it's not a bad deal either! It was my second time there and unfortunately my mom found the cubano torta too salty and the mango lime to sour, but I'd give both items 5/5 stars, so your mileage may vary. Although obviously not as good as Xochi (in downtown Chicago), I would still recommend this restaurant to foodies. read more

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Wonderful airport food. Loved my Cubana--great ingredients, flavor, sauce, and love. I will travel across terminals for this food at O'Hare. Service is fine and there will be a line. You can order at the cash register or via a machine screen. read more

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The food was super delicious. I had the chipotle-roasted chicken torta and especially the cilantro cream was a highlight! If you order through the order kiosk, you also have a very decent wait time and get food fairly quickly! The only thing that could've been better was the portion size -- I could have easily eaten two of the tortas! read more

Normally airport food is trash, but this place was surprisingly good. The food actually matched the menus and was pretty fresh. I'll definitely stop here again when flying through. read more

Tortas Frontera is my go to when I need dinner at O'Hare. Always get the Guac Cobb Salad with chicken. Every time I go, there's always some kind of a wait, so keep that in mind if you're getting close to departure time. There's to go orders as well as dine in, with options to order at a kiosk or at the cashier. read more

Tortas Frontera - Guacamole Cobb salad with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Every Frontera Grill I have been in has hit the spot. I didn't have high hopes for this one since it was in an airport however it was delicious. The pork torta was fresh and had great flavor. The bread was a little too big for the torta but overall it hit the spot. They also make fresh guacamole and you can taste the freshness. For airport food this was one of the best. read more

About 6 years ago we flew out of Chicago airport and were looking for a lunch spot. We stopped at Tortas Frontera and were so happy we did back then. The menu was extensive, the food was very tasty and it was made in front of us so we knew what was in it. As a bonus, the tortas concept was somewhat unique and offered something different than the usual airport fare of fast food, pizza and cold "to go" sandwiches. Fast forward to recently when we flew out of ORD again: We were looking forward to patronizing this eatery, but were sadly disappointed during this return visit. Tortas Frontera now has more than 1 location in this airport, but sadly the menu we experienced last time, which I believe offered about a dozen styles of tortas, was now narrowed down to a selection of just 4. Also, the flavor just wasn't as good. There were lines of people waiting to order and then receive their food, but it feels like either: 1) This restaurant has generated a following, they know people will come here and they've reduced the quality and amount of offerings because they can; 2) The same as point #1, but they believe people will come here because chef Rick Bayless' name is attached to it; 3) They simplified the menu to make life easier for the people working to fill the orders; or 4) A combination of all those. Regardless, it's just not as good as it was. Not by a long shot and we were disappointed. We'll likely not be back. read more

Good spot for some better flavor Rex Mex options. I enjoyed the tortilla soup with chicken, but like any airport food spot, you're going to pay a significant premium. $15-20 feels pretty off for a 10 minute wait for soup (more of a cup rather than a bowl) in my opinion, but the taste was solid and something to consider next time you're at a nearby gate. It's much better than the traditional chain options, especially if you're looking to avoid quick fast food comps. read more

Had a few hours and a need to grab dinner. There is seating but it's a little confusing. I lined up to the ordering line. They asked if I would be eating in or carrying out. I asked for a seat and she directed me to the back. A waiter/bartender greeted me and I chose a seat at the bar. The Cuban was really good and probably has ruined me for any other Cuban sandwich. Also ordered the chips and guac which were plentiful and delicious. Probably too much food for one but left satisfied. I can easily see why this was selected as one of the best airport restaurants. read more