Equal part tradition and ingenuity, tacos are brought to life in their unique environment, and each region has its favorites — whether that region is in the center of Mexico City, the highlands of Jalisco, or right here in the Windy City — home to one of the largest Mexican populations in the United States. Chicago’s taco scene is as essential to the city’s culinary traditions as Italian beefs and deep-dish pizzas. New taquerias seem to pop up faster than Tuesdays on a calendar, with a hunger resulting in a rich taco landscape from weather-defying market stall cooks to backyard kitchens to taco trucks with celebrity chefs.
Chicago’s Best Taco Restaurants
Where to find the best carnitas, carne asada, and birria
Brenda Storch is based in Chicago, and has spent more than 20 years focusing on elevating underrepresented narratives, deepening the understanding of food as an element of cultural identity, and inspiring action through human-centered storytelling
Here’s a list featuring a mix of classic haunts and a few exciting new ones. The listing highlights some of Mexico’s better-known taco types, including anything from birria, al pastor, carnitas, fish, breakfast tacos, and asada, to tacos de canasta, exotic meats, and vegan options.
— Additional reporting by Ashok Selvam and Serena Maria Daniels
Chicago’s Best Taco Restaurants
Where to find the best carnitas, carne asada, and birria
Brenda Storch is based in Chicago, and has spent more than 20 years focusing on elevating underrepresented narratives, deepening the understanding of food as an element of cultural identity, and inspiring action through human-centered storytelling
Equal part tradition and ingenuity, tacos are brought to life in their unique environment, and each region has its favorites — whether that region is in the center of Mexico City, the highlands of Jalisco, or right here in the Windy City — home to one of the largest Mexican populations in the United States. Chicago’s taco scene is as essential to the city’s culinary traditions as Italian beefs and deep-dish pizzas. New taquerias seem to pop up faster than Tuesdays on a calendar, with a hunger resulting in a rich taco landscape from weather-defying market stall cooks to backyard kitchens to taco trucks with celebrity chefs.
Here’s a list featuring a mix of classic haunts and a few exciting new ones. The listing highlights some of Mexico’s better-known taco types, including anything from birria, al pastor, carnitas, fish, breakfast tacos, and asada, to tacos de canasta, exotic meats, and vegan options.
— Additional reporting by Ashok Selvam and Serena Maria Daniels
Santa Masa Tamaleria
Yes, tamales are the name of the game at Santa Masa Tamaleria, recently added to the city’s Northwest Side near Dunning by Daniel Espinoza and Jhonna Ruiz. But the neatly edited menu of tacos are the perfect addition to any tamale run. Try the taco adobada — pork made with a fiery adobo sauce — or tacos stuffed with chorizo verde and potatoes or with poblano peppers and melted cheese. Then be sure to indulge in a tamal of the month, which has included one filled with Italian beef. A true Chicago Mexican creation.
Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago
Migos Fine Foods
Acclaimed chef Brian Jupiter of Frontier and his CDC Azazi Morsi bring Portage Park Migos Fine Foods, a casual neighborhood spot featuring an array of halal tacos like barbacoa available with lamb or beef, al pastor with chicken instead of pork, and a selection of vegetarian options, like jerk cauliflower. Round out the meal with the eatery’s popular hand-battered fried chicken, available as wings, tenders, or within a torta.
Migos Fine Foods
Tacotlan
Run by father-and-daughter duo Everardo Macías and Jessica Perjes, this taquería is a haven for birria lovers who will find a variety — tacos, ramen, grilled cheese, and even pizza (bizza). But it’s the quesabirrias that are a crowd favorite, selling out quickly. These gooey, crunchy, flavor-packed treats are a celebration of culinary creativity. Whether you are swinging by for a single taco or a pound of birria, Tacotlán can accommodate. The eatery even offers an at-home kit for quesabirrias that will feed a group of six to eight. Beyond birria, Tacotlán serves a range of Mexican staples with creative twists. Jessica recommends sampling the Lalo menu, with various tacos featuring outer skirt steak, a tender and chewier cut than its famous counterpart.
Chicago Taco Authority
This “CTA” is a transit-themed taqueria along Irving Park Road, just off the Kennedy Expressway. The Chicago Taco Authority has several nods to the CTA inside the small, yet comfy, dining room. The service is welcoming and fast. A unique “surf and turf” taco comes with bacon-wrapped shrimp. The skirt steak and chicken tinga are tops.
Tacos de Canasta "Rossy"
While tacos are usually best enjoyed directly from the hands of a taquero, tacos de canasta (basket tacos) were born to travel. Getting their name from being bundled together and tightly packed into baskets, if you are in Mexico City, chances are you will run into one. In Chicago, tacos de canasta are less ubiquitous.
The family behind Rossy might have Guerrero in their name, rest assured that their tacos de canasta scream central Mexico. Typically stuffed with a few staples, including potatoes, chicharrón, adobo (a dish made with beef and guajillo chilis), and beans, Rossy delivers on the traditional filling assortment offering mole instead of adobo. Another detour from the Mexico City taco de canasta experience is that Rossy serves its patrons from Thursday through Sunday, making the experience a much more leisurely one for most. Rossy’s menu includes other popular items such as picaditas (small masa patties with different toppings) and quesadillas. Other items, such as pozole, are available seasonably.
Lucido's Tacos
Fans of tacos al pastor will jump for joy from seeing Lucido’s slightly crispy, adobo-laden, thinly sliced pieces of meat atop a warm tortilla. With the quality of their star menu item, it is no wonder that the eatery, which started as a weekend home-based kitchen, has secured a brick-and-mortar location. Order your al pastor “con todo” which means, with all the garnishes. Make sure you ask for pineapple for that acid, sweet touch. Salsas add a different dimension to the flavors, but you can start by only adding a hint of lime. Eat. Savor. Repeat.
Taco Sur Birreria Tijuanense
Taco Sur in Little Village offers a Baja-inspired menu boasting a selection of tacos al carbon with three protein options: asada, chicken, and rib. A taco style from northern Mexico, the meat for al carbón is cooked over coals, resulting in a smoky flavor and a little char. Other interesting dishes on the menu include tostadas called volcanes, filled with birria and cheese, and carne adobada, which looks like a traditional al pastor but has an entirely different flavor. The space is bright and airy, the open kitchen features elements commonly seen in Mexican establishments such as molcajetes. The taqueria is family-friendly and has a small parking lot for convenience.
Birrieria Zaragoza
Way before the birria boom driven by social media hit our feeds, the Zaragoza family had already been serving the festive Jalisco stew for nearly 15 years. And while there are many ways to enjoy birria, the Zaragozas stick to a 100-year-old heirloom recipe from the Los Altos de Jalisco region. The family, recently featured on Netflix’s Taco Chronicles, takes great pride in their process and ingredients, which include raising their goats. The meat is seasoned and cooked for several hours and served with a tomato consommé, red mole, handmade tortillas, and a fleet of garnishes (onions, cilantro, chilis, and lime). Follow the juicy and tender birria with a goat head taco. It is crispy, lightly brushed with an ancho-based mole, and finished on a comal. The molcajete sauce made with fire-roasted tomatoes and chilis is not to be missed. A second taqueria recently opened in Uptown.
L' Patron
Brothers Ernesto and César Gonzáles have made their family recipe for steak tacos famous at their Logan Square establishment. An alternative to the asada tacos made with finely chopped meat, at L’ Patron, tacos are served with juicy chunks of top-notch beef that have been tenderized with a citrus marinade and spices. The result is a delicious flavor that takes you back to a backyard “carne asada”. If steak is not your thing, there are many other tacos on the menu to sample. Don’t forget to bring dollar bills because L’Patron is cash only. However, a newer location on Damen in Bucktown — L’Patron Grill — does accept credit.
Asian Cuisine Express
When you first arrive at this Little Village restaurant, you might question if you’re in the right place — after all, its name suggests a focus on Asian cuisine. But you’re in the right place as customers will see after catching a glimpse of the prominently displayed trompo. Tacos al pastor are the highlight of the restaurant’s minimal Mexican offerings. Unlike other executions of the dish that are soggy or cubed, at Asian Cuisine Express, al pastor tacos are thinly sliced. The charred-yet-juicy pieces of meat are served in small tortillas to maximize the bite-to-flavor ratio and closely represent what you would expect the dish to be. And don’t forget to order the pastor fried rice. This is a Chinese restaurant whose owners let the cooks have some fun. And the results are worth it.
La Chaparrita
From behind the counter of this half-Mexican grocery store and half-taco wonderland, taquero César “El Molusco” Castillo consistently delivers some of the best tacos in town. His technique uses a flat, thin, circular, hot surface with a dome-like center known as a “comal con sombrero,” just like the ones you will find on the streets of Mexico City. Start with the juicy and flavorful suadero, a Defeño darling featuring a thin cut of meat that is finely chopped and served with cilantro and onion. Try the steamed tacos de canasta with pressed chicharrón, potatoes, or beans before diving into the more adventurous items like cabeza (made with many parts of a beef’s head), crispy tripe, and sesos (brain), which are go-tos for regulars of this Little Village favorite. Featured among a few others on this list in the Netflix series Taco Chronicles, according to the show, owner Angelina Hernández prides herself on serving a taco “that tastes like Mexico.”
Taqueria La Zacatecana
La Zacatecana survives from good word of mouth. It’s been in business for more than 25 years as a no-frills establishment with a small taco menu and popular options like tripe, tongue and chile relleno (stuffed poblano peppers). But it is their juicy and flavorful grilled steak tacos that take center stage. The eatery is now offering handmade tortillas on Tuesdays to take their taco game to the next level (available from 11 .m. to 7 p.m.)
La Casa de Samuel
More than a taqueria, La Casa de Samuel is an established destination for authentic regional Mexican plates. Founded in 1989 by celebrated chef Samuel Linares (who died from COVID in 2020), the Little Village restaurant features an impressive range of options that seamlessly bridge the well-known with the exotic, which this eatery reminds us, can be relative. Find iguana, rattlesnake, venison, frog legs, cornish hen, and even bull testicles along with their spectacular freshly-made tortillas.
La Casa de Samuel [Official Photo]
Taqueria El Asadero
El Asadero is a cash-only, no-frills establishment with a dedicated following. Low on cliché but big on consistent quality, this time-tested haunt draws a crowd that spans cities and state lines, all yearning for its headliner — grilled-to-order steak tacos. Their freshly fried chips and guacamole are not to be missed, and their salsas are on point. The menu also features tortas, tamales and burritos.
Taqueria El Asadero
Carnicería Maribel
Far more than just cutting meat, carnicerías are community hubs. They are go-to spots where neighbors exchange stories, swap recipes, and where kids get their first taste of real tacos. Shoppers will also find groceries and ready-to-eat delights. Carnicería Maribel has been a cornerstone of its neighborhood for more than three decades. Here, hidden away in an unassuming counter in the back, patrons will find a short taco menu featuring favorites like a lean and flavorful asada and chorizo, plus less common ones like the dry and salty cecina or the incredibly tender tongue. Tacos are served in generous portions that spill from the tortilla, which comes with a “copia” (copy). The double-tortilla or copia system lets you craft the perfect bite, balancing fillings to your heart’s desire. Don’t forget to snag some snacks on your way out.
Carnitas Uruapan
When it comes to tortilla pairings, pork is an absolute game-changer. And there’s no better example of this delicious duo than the mouth-watering dish known as carnitas. With a third-generation Michoacano recipe, the epicenter of carnitas know-how, Carnitas Uruapan must be doing something right, as patrons keep coming back to order either one taco, a whole pound (or many), along with the traditional cactus salad, pickled chilis, chicharrón, or brain quesadillas. And the lines were already long way before the story of this 49-year-old Chicago staple was a James Beard Award semi-finalist. Second-generation owner Marcos Carbajal speaks with enthusiasm about the Michoacano-style tamales, known as corundas available at the eatery. The tamales which are made with two different masa types and stuffed with either queso fresco or Swiss chard can replace a tortilla as a vehicle for the carnitas. Corundas are served with chile de árbol sauce, sour cream, and cotija cheese. Carnitas Uruapan has a second location in Gage Park, and a third location in Little Village.
Anthony Arroyo/Eater Chicago
Carnicerias Guanajuato (Ashland Avenue)
There are four locations of Carnicerias Guanajuato, a full-service grocery store that stocks a myriad of Mexican goods; often, customers can grab packs of tortillas from the shelves that are still warm as delivery trucks drop them off fresh from various factories. These stores also sell fresh meats, salsas, and cheese. Wild idea: Why not offer customers fresh tacos using all these ingredients available on hand? The cafes inside these grocery stores offer simple menus of chorizo, chicken, steak, and more. All are tasty and served with zesty salsa (not bland like a certain spot up the street). For those dining on a budget, these tacos are worth the visit, as you can walk out spending less than $10. It also depends on your appetite. Eat those savings. There’s also a parking lot, so you don’t have to drive hangry.
Rubi’s Tacos
From a bustling stall at Maxwell Street Market to a permanent home in Pilsen, Rubi’s has been the go-to spot for mouth-watering asada tacos and quesadillas served on freshly made tortillas for more than 25 years. But it’s not just the asada that keeps patrons coming back — their complex mole and chicharrón en salsa verde, a delicious dish prepared with tomatillo sauce and pork rinds, are particularly special, squaring up proudly with the best you’d find in Mexico. Now, the team at Rubi’s is taking its fervor for “Vitamin T” (tortas, tostadas, tacos…) further, embracing a bolillo as its latest canvas. They’re folding their beloved asada and al pastor taco stuffing into tortas. And for those with a taste for breaded delights, a milanesa torta is on the horizon.
Diego
Known for his pop-up at Soho House, chef Stephen Sandoval channels his San Diego upbringing into a menu inspired by the street food scenes of Ensenada, Tijuana, and their coastal cousins. The result is a celebration of their ingenuity, scrappy charm, and complex cultural influences. With its lights on well into the night, the restaurant offers a short taco menu, including fish tacos and the increasingly popular taco gobernador — a Sinaloan delicacy made with cheese and shrimp. The tacos dorados might pack potatoes instead of fish, but they’re anything but forgettable. For the night owls, the all-terrain tacos de canasta stuffed with potatoes, cheese, and salsa cruda keep the party going until 2 a.m. Diego serves brunch on the weekends, dishing out an elusive breakfast taco (at least in Chicago) with eggs, bacon, and the complex salsa macha.
Don Pedro Carnitas
Chicagoans can’t get enough of Carnitas, and those lucky enough to be in Pilsen can indulge in their very own themed taco crawl. Carnitas are the staple with a few other items, including cactus salad and brain quesadillas only on weekends. When it’s time to place your order, start by choosing your preferred meat (beginners might want to go with maciza) and then decide how much you want — orders are weighed by the pound. You will turn these carnitas into tacos with the complimentary condiments and tortillas. Lines are long particularly on the weekends. Consider getting there early to avoid missing out.
