The 30 Best Restaurantes Mexicanos in Chicago (2023) Find And Enjoy Delicious Mexican Food

Known for its rich history and cultural diversity, Chicago is home to some of the best restaurantes mexicanos in the United States. The Mexican community in Chicago has flourished over the years, and with it, a host of restaurants serving authentic and delicious Mexican food. If you’ve ever asked yourself “where can I find the best Mexican food near me ?”, you’re in luck. We’ve compiled a list of the 30 best restaurantes mexicanos in Chicago for 2023. From authentic tacos and Swiss enchiladas to fresh margaritas and crunchy churros, these restaurants offer the best of Mexican cuisine in the Windy City.

TOP 30 Restaurantes Mexicanos in Chicago

1. Birriería Zaragoza

Thick handmade tortillas, freshly made sauces, coffee with cinnamon you can get all of that at Birrería Zaragoza. However, its sole purpose is to accompany this Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant’s signature chopped roast goat meat dishes. Unlike other birrierías, this goat does not touch the consommé until it plates, when a little tomato-based broth is poured on top. At that point, all you need for one of the best goat tacos in town is a good drizzle of the restaurant’s elaborate hot sauce and maybe a squeeze of lime, a little onion, and cilantro.

Address: 4852 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60632, United States

2. My Namesake Craving

Open since 2017, this Logan Square restaurant puts a unique spin on classic Mexican dishes. When you open the menu at Mi Tocaya Antojería. your eyes will go straight to the tacos (and you should order some of those), but the cravings is where you’ll find chef Diana Dávila’s best work. You can discover an ever-changing menu of dishes like spaghetti. Corn-style squash and pork leg stewed in a delicious mole.

Address: 2800 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

3. Taqueria Chingón – Restaurantes Mexicanos

A tasty homage to Mexico City’s street restaurants, Taquería Chingón is a partnership between Oliver Poilevey (Le Bouchon) and Marcos Ascencio (Bar Lupo), two men with a shared passion for the classics. Tacos al pastor are a must, with tender chunks of pork that pair with a creamy avocado sauce, sweet pineapple, and flecks of cilantro. A vegetable-based version of the dish with portobello mushrooms and celery root to create a perfect rendition. The restaurant recently closed its patio to offer year-round seating, rain or shine.

Address: 2234 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

4. La Chaparrita

La Chaparrita is famous as Chicago’s best restaurantes mexicanos specializing in fritangas tacos, or fried meats cooked on a large metal stove called a tray. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, from the extra meaty sudadero to the intricately seasoned longaniza sausage. But the most spectacular, and perhaps the best taco in the city, it is the tripe. Order it crispy and these little bits of the cow’s intestine (not, as you might assume, stomach) arrive as crunchy, glistening, golden-hued nuggets.

Address: 2500 S Whipple St, Chicago, IL

5. Topolobampo Restaurantes Mexicanos

Topolobampo which has consistently earned a Michelin star since 2015. It is Rick Bayless’ finest and most exclusive Mexican restaurant. As in all of his restaurants, the products used here are local and seasonal. So whether you’re eating fresh oysters, ceviche, or one of the beautiful moles, you’ll know you’re eating the best the season has to offer. An ever-changing menu means it’s difficult to predict exactly what will be offered day to day, but because Bayless is involved, it never feels like a gamble.

Address: 445 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

6. Carnitas Don Pedro

This restaurantes mexicanos is a pork temple in Pilsen that attracts endless queues on the weekends and it’s not hard to see why. All parts of the pork are poured in pork fat until it is juicy, crispy and melts in your mouth. Order by the pound and build your own tacos with the variety of condiments and tortillas provided, or try the fried brain tacos for a real treat. Just make sure you arrive early – the restaurant closes once it’s sold out for the day.

Address: 1113 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

7. Tzuco

Chef Carlos Gaytán is became the first Latin American to earn a Michelin star for his French-Mexican restaurant Mexique. He continues to prepare the flavors of his native Mexico with haute cuisine techniques now at this River North restaurant called Tzuco. The menu is full of extraordinary dishes like a perfectly prepared guajillo-roasted octopus and an ultra-tender pork leg served with pickled red onions and habanero sauce. While the crispy snapper fillet is recommended for two, it’s light enough that you can order it alone.

Address: 720 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

8. 5 radishes

XOCO alumnus Chef Alfonso Sotelo’s dishes are deliciously comforting with just the right amount of personality. Whether you order a large plate of tacos (which won’t cost you much at $3.75 a piece) or our favorite, the warm and hearty green chicken tamale, you’ll feel welcome at 5 Rabanitos. Expect an attentive plate (with sliced radishes on each plate, hence the name) and potentially a visit from Sotelo himself.

Address: 1758 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

9. Carnitas Uruapan

At the Carnitas Uruapan store in Pilsen, regular customers get special treatment (aka refried beans, which aren’t always offered), newcomers just get blank stares, and everyone eats carnitas. At this restaurantes mexicanos, you can ordered by the pound, the juicy pork is served on a plate with nothing more than a side of corn tortillas and a spicy green sauce so you can build your own tacos. Without wasting any part of the pork, the limited menu also includes fresh, hot and delicious pork rinds.

Address: 1725 W. 18TH. ST. Chicago, IL 60608

10. Rubi’s on 18th

Rubi’s is a former Maxwell Street Market vendor. It has moved into a brick-and-mortar space in Pilsen and serves a menu of tacos and quesadillas with charcoal-grilled asada and pastor. Hours are limited and you’ll probably want to order head to avoid waiting in line, but the generously filled tacos and quesadillas are well worth it, especially if you missed trying Rubi’s signature dishes every Sunday on Desplaines Street.

Address: 1316 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

11. Bahá Restaurant

Take a culinary journey to the Mexican coast in search of fresh seafood when you dine at Bahá Restaurant at Belmont Cragin. Expect everything from ceviche and seafood cocktails to whole grilled fish and shrimp prepared in a variety of ways. Be sure to start your meal with Torre Sears, or Torre Sears, a picture-worthy stack of shrimp, fish, crab, and mango topped with a spicy house sauce. Pair it with a smoky mezcalita and you’ll feel like you’re on a beach by the ocean.

Address: 4842 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60639, United States

12. Two Urban Cantinas

Two Urban Cantinas located on a stretch of Armitage Avenue, Topolobampo alums Brian Enyart and Jennifer Jones Enyart offer creative Mexican fare like crispy chipotle wings and sweet corn tamale topped with flambéed parmesan mayonnaise. Pair your meal with a Dos Mezcal Old Fashioned – it’s just $9 during happy hour, along with other food and drink deals.

Address : 2829 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

13. The pattern

There are several reasons why L’Patron is always bustling with activity. Chunky guacamole is accompanied by chips fresh from the fryer sprinkled with sea salt; fish tacos feature perfectly fried fillet, crispy cabbage, fresh pico de gallo, and a touch of serrano aioli; Perfectly cooked carne asada adorns beef tacos and burritos; and you can have a cup of what might be the least cloying horchata in Chicago. One thing you’d expect from a fancier taqueria that you won’t find here: inflated prices.

Address: 3749 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

14. Solazo

Reborn after being closed for two years due to a fire, this sister spot to La Josie offers the same relaxed atmosphere. At Solazo you can start with an order of aguachile rojo and then enjoy an order of tacos with options including beer-battered fish topped with chipotle aioli, cabbage and jicama or grilled flank steak served with chicken, vegetables and spicy shrimp . Formerly BYOB, the spot now features a menu of more than 100 agave spirits including mezcal, tequila, raicilla and Bacanora.

Address: 5600 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60629, United States

15. Yvolina’s Tamales

Unlike many Chicago tamale shops, which prefer a corn husk for the steaming process, Yvolina’s cooks each tamale in a clean cocoon of banana leaves, creating a slightly moister masa shell. You will also find ingenuity among their fillings, which range from the classics (chicken with green or red sauce) to the not so classics (tofu and green tomatillo, quinoa with lentils); However, both ends of the spectrum are equally delicious, especially when dipped in store-bought mole sauce. Vegans and vegetarians will also be happy to know that many of the tamales contain no meat or animal products.

Address: 814 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

16. Alegrías Seafood

If you’re looking for the best value for money, it’s hard to beat Alegrías Seafood. Diners are given complimentary ceviche tostadas to eat (be careful with the habanero sauce, it’s extremely spicy) while they peruse the extensive menu. You’ll definitely want to bring a group because the huge portions are meant to be shared. Options include king and snow crab legs, stuffed lobsters, shrimp, prawns, fried whole fish and more. There’s also a generous BYOB policy, so come prepared.

Address: 1024 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

17. Xocome Antojeria Restaurantes Mexicanos

At Xocome Antojeria you’ll find everything at this family-owned operation in Archer Heights, from tacos and tortas to picaditas and enchiladas. The must-try in restaurantes mexicanos is the tlacoyo oval-shaped blue or yellow dough discs filled with beans and cheese and topped with ingredients like carnitas, cochinita pibil, and even filet mignon.

Address: 5200 S Archer Ave Suite 8, Chicago, IL 60632, United States

18. Barça Restaurant

At Barca Restaurant you can spend some family time, possibly the best on the north side, which is slowly simmered and then covered in chili paste before roasting. Order it by the pound and make tacos you’ll dream about again and again with the tortillas and accompanying sides. Or for an east-meets-west combo, try birria egg rolls. On weekends, specials such as Menudo are also offered.

Address: 1221 W 47th St, Chicago, IL

19. Leña Brava

The name Leña Brava means “fierce firewood,” a nod to the restaurantes mexicanos focus on classic wood-fired dishes, like the signature whole grilled sea bass. You can also build your own tacos with corn tortillas, caramelized onions, roasted chiles and flank steak, lamb neck birria, or pork carnitas. Pair your meal with beer from sister restaurant Cruz Blanca.

Address: 900 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

20. XOCO

Brunch at Rick Bayless’s casual restaurant in River North known as Lunch and dinner are equally impressive, offering tortillas stuffed with Baja chicken, golden pork carnitas, and barbacoa. End your meal on a sweet note with a cup of masterfully brewed hot chocolate blended with chili and allspice and a pistachio-glazed churro.

Address: 65 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

21. Birriería Reyes de Ocotlán

At Birrería Reyes de Ocotlán you may not be convinced by the scope of the menu at first (this place only serves about half a dozen dishes), but after trying the delicious tongue tacos, the head tacos filled with delicious cheeks of beef, the simple but delicious goat consommé or the goat tacos. Packed with sumptuous meat, you’ll find you won’t want for anything else.

Address: 1322 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

22. Kie-Gol-Lanee

This restaurantes mexicanos specializing in traditional Oaxacan food, Uptown restaurant Kie-Gol-Lanee serves more than just the standard variety of tacos. Feast on tlayudas, tamales wrapped in banana leaves, a comforting roast leg of lamb, and rabbit stew with yellow mole. For starters, skip the usual order of chips and guacamole and opt for the chapulines (crispy grasshoppers) if you dare. You can also save some money with a $45 three-course prix fixe menu offered Monday through Thursday.

Address: 5004 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60640, United States

23. The Oaxacan

With hundreds of Mexican joints to choose from, La Oaxaqueña has the specialty of the Huatulco cake, a sandwich that combines homemade chorizo, caramelized onions, a layer of pinto beans and fresh avocado on top of cecina, thin meat that is marinated for two days and then grilled. Or maybe it’s the roasted Cornish hen topped with Oaxacan mole or the crispy snapper hidden beneath pickled red onions. Perhaps there are too many reasons to count.

Address: 3382 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641, United States

24. Taqueria El Mezquite

This 18th Street spot has only a few tables inside, but summers bring a respite with an outdoor patio. A favorite of many at Taquería El Mezquite are the enchiladas with red sauce, filled to the brim with cheese or chicken and served with a side of addictive refried beans and rice. Also order a cup of Jamaica; You’ll want something to go with these cheese-laden, sauce-covered guys.

Address: 1756 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

25. Taquería Traspasada #2

The signs at this slim countertop Taquería Traspasada #2 tout their food as the best Mexican food in town, and while the objective truth of this may be difficult to determine, it does in fact do some excellent things with pork. The al pastor tacos are tender and laced with a rich adobo essence; others are stuffed with delicately flavored pork rinds and slathered with fresh, thick green sauce. Weekends bring special menu and birria offerings, the latter featuring bites of soft, slightly juicy meat in a smoky broth.

Address: 811 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657, United States

26. Lonesome Rose

Owned and operated by the same people behind Longman & Eagle and Parson’s Chicken & Fish, the Lonesome Rose is a hipster’s paradise, with a sweet rooftop terrace. The menu leans Tex-Mex, with crispy fish tacos, burritos and Truck Stop Nachos, packed with black beans, cheese, pickled red onions and crema. Share a pitcher of margaritas made with tequila or mezcal or order a sweet glass of horchata that you can wash down with rum or bourbon.

Address: 2101 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

27. New Town

The cozy Pueblo Nuevo restaurant decorated with cacti, Mexican art, and flowers. It is a popular spot for both date nights and family dinners. At restaurantes mexicanos, you can warm up with a bowl of pozole sprinkled with dried chiles or enjoy a lighter meal of shrimp served in spicy tomato sauce with a side of rice. You also can’t go wrong with pastor or grilled meat tacos. this grilled served in warm tortillas and sprinkled with cilantro and onion.

Address: 4342 N Central Ave, Chicago, IL 60634, United States

28. Taqueria Los Comales

The bustling Mexican joint at Taquería Los Comales is part of a local chain. It is located in across the city. It serves great tacos in fresh tortillas with fillings like spicy chorizo and tender steak, topped with onion and cilantro. Dress them up with salsa served in squeeze bottles and spicy pickled vegetables, including carrots and jalapenos, found on every table.

Address : 3141 W 26th St

29. Mis Moles Restaurant & Tequila Bar

Mis Moles Restaurante & Tequila Bar takes center stage at this family-friendly restaurant in Irving Park. They offer three different varieties of salsa (red, pipián and green). You can try them all along with chips and salsa before choosing your favorite to accompany chicken breast or enchiladas. Come during the summer for the charming duck or visit during brunch for a hearty meal of chilaquiles or eggs rancheros.

Address: 3661 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618, United States

30. Taqueria Mazamitla

It like the obvious choice at this Avondale restaurant, and you can’t go wrong with the extra crispy al pastor taco or carne asada from Taquería Mazamilta. But if you’re in the neighborhood at breakfast time, be sure to grab an order of chilaquiles—drenched in a satisfyingly spicy green sauce. This enormous plate offers almost enough sustenance for two.

Address: 3610 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618, United States

Conclusion

Well, in this article we are discuss best 30 restaurantes mexicanos in Chicago. Now, you can easily find them according to you choice and enjoy Mexican food.