Taco Places

Right behind my place in perhaps the most unassuming and rundown strip mall I have ever seen is La Rosita grocery store. There’s a bike path behind it. I’ve ridden my bike in a circle in front of the store wondering what it was like. I didn’t realize there was a taqueria inside. I didn’t even realize it said Taqueria on the awning until tonight. I walk in a bam! There’s the taqueria to the right. It looks like a church or VFW hall. Like someone’s basement. There is grocery store is around it, with giant Jesus and Virgin Mary pictures looking down at us. They’re praying for us. The menu is limited: tacos, tortas, burritos and quesadillas. I notice a quesadilla de calabazas, which is pumpkin flowers. This is something my mom loves when she sees it. Her mom used to make calabazas. I’m not sure how it will go in a quesadilla but I’d like  to find out. I try to order it but they are out of calabazas. I study the menu again. I'm about to tell her to just throw some ham in but she says if...

Sometimes I go to the library after the gym. And I need to try out new taco places so I found Pueblo Viejo near the library. It was down a strip of highway along the commuter train line, empty stores along the way. But in a little strip mall, between a smoke shop and a lawyer’s office was Pueblo Viejo. I went in and the only table there was a 6-top of a multi-generational white family. I let it slide. There was a full Mexican restaurant menu but they also had a full hot dog-gyro-chicken strip menu. I wondered if I should disqualify them from my reviews because of this. But I am half Mexican and half White so maybe this was actually the restaurant for me. I decided to proceed. I haven’t had a steak burrito since college and after reading the menu I decide I’d get one.  I ordered a steak burrito and a Jamaica juice. I sat at a booth. The waitresses brought chips and 4 salsas. A 4-top of white mom, white grown daughter and her 2 white friends come in, sit near me, then switch tables a...

I’ve driven by this place a million times. It’s in a dumpy strip mall next to a smoke shop. I rolled in and there were a few Mexican people in their cars and walking around the parking lot. It’s always a good sign your taco will be good when there are lots of Mexicans around.  I head on in to Taqueria and get a little excited that they have carnitas-the display of shredded and whole meats and pork rinds that you buy by the serving or pound. They dice it up for you fresh. This authenticity in a taco place should equate to a good taco. I’m suddenly trying to watch my weight so I’m allowing myself 1 taco at each place, just a little taste test for you. I had been thinking about cecina (seasoned steak), it’s been awhile since I had one. After studying the menu, I ordered one cecina taco and a Diet Coke. I watch them chop up some greasy yet appetizing pork carnitas for someone as I wait. All of the workers were wearing a mask and they do not allow dine in. They’re still have super Covid...

My first entry, Taco-Bout-Joy is my current favorite. I saw this place on TikTok and cruised by with my friend. I ordered 2 birria tacos. They’re cheesy folded over quesadillas with brisket-like beef inside. They come with an onioney au jus dipping sauce. I had never had birria tacos before but they were sinfully good. My abuelita didn't make these but if she came down from heaven and did, they would have tasted exactly like this. My friend said her veggie taco was good too. Right now, this is the top place I would send anyone who asked for a good taco place. The store is very small and there’s no parking so it’s best if you have a friend drive and circle the block while you’re inside and get everything to go. You can also get delivery through Door Dash type delivery services. 5/5 stars Taco-Bout-Joy, 909 Greenwood, Glenview, IL I didn’t know I was going to have a Taco Places blog when I was there so these photos are from Google.

I ’ve always wanted to try the taqueria inside Jimenez grocery store so I went over after the gym today. I walked into the store and all I heard was Spanish so that was a good start. I headed the the taqueria and scoped out the menu. I didn’t see a chorizo taco on the menu. Chorizo is an ideal Mexican breakfast for me and I try to measure taquerias on how good their chorizo is unless something else catches my eye that day. I asked the guy if they have chorizo tacos. He said he’d make me one. Score. I also ordered a steak taco and a Diet Coke. If you want to know what real Mexicans order, the lady behind me asked for a quesadilla with chicharrones (fried pork skin), which I will probably never order. I also saw a guy practically making love to a large bowl of soup, probably menudo or pezole. Ok he wasn’t making out with it but he kept his face really close to it while he dipped his tortillas in and slurped it up. The chorizo taco was flavorful. I felt it was a chorizo taste I’ve never q...

I think I’m the only person who goes to a taqueria after the gym. But I’m going to go to the taqueria anyways so at least I worked out first. There’s a place called Carnitas right by my home. I always wondered what Carnitas, with it's colorful lettering, was about. Was it the type of place that sold carnitas by the pound? Could I eat there by myself? I finally decided to check it out, for the taco project. For you. I walked in and I felt a little intimidated because I didn’t know what to do and if I wanted to eat here. There are display cases of fried pork rinds, fried meats, a buffet line of food when you walk in. A nice man asked if he can help me. I asked if there was a menu. (I didn’t see one posted.) He suggested I step to the side for a menu. A waitress sat me. The menu was handwritten and taped to the table. She told me I could still get breakfast. I asked what was for breakfast. She listed a few great choices (chilaquiles, enchiladas) and suggested the huevos rancheros. I s...

When it’s time to eat, I usually put “tacos” in Google Maps and go to the nearest place. After the gym today I wound up a La Taquiza. I’ve driven by the intersection plenty of times but it’s off the corner in a non-descript strip mall with poor visibility so I never noticed it. From the outside I wasn’t expecting much but as soon as I opened the door, I was delightfully assaulted by loud Mexican music and festive decorations. It was barely lunch time and the place was jumping with Mexicans and Gringos so I knew it was going to be good. I worked up an appetite at the gym so I decided to order the chicken flautas plate, which was a dinner. The flautas were good though I thought the chicken could have used some seasoning. There was fresh lettuce and tomatoes, the rice was good and the beans were delicious.  4/5 stars La Taquiza, 2661 Shermer Rd., Northbrook, IL Flauta dinner plate & a Diet Coke $16.08. You can definitely just get a couple of tacos for less.

One day I wound up at El Alamo Mexican Restaurant. It is a restaurant with a waitress but they let me order and sit at a table while I ate. I ordered a chorizo taco and a chicken taco. The chicken taco was chicken tenders. I was expecting pulled or stewed chicken. But the strips were well-seasoned and hearty. The chorizo did the job. Overall a solid meal. 3/5 stars El Álamo Mexican Restaurant, 58 N. Wolf Rd., Wheeling, IL 2 tacos & a Diet Coke $9.35

Once I decided to start this blog, I went to eat at Mi Restaurante. It is a restaurant but they let me order at the counter and sit. I had a chorizo taco and a tamale. I thought the chorizo was skinny and greasy as if it were a day old. I’m sure that’s fine to do in restaurants but I like my chorizo fluffy. The tamale was more masa than meat. This is just me as a Mexican who likes to cook and eat being picky. It was a solid restaurant, the food was good, it was clean and they were very nice. 3/5 stars Mi Restaurante, 1742 Kensington, Mount Prospect, IL Taco, tamale, diet Coke $8.72

When I tell people I am half Mexican sometimes they ask, “oh yea, what’s a good taco place around here?” I feel morally obligated to be able to answer this question. You can go on Yelp or other sites to look up taco places but I hope this website will be a one-stop resource of Northwest Suburban taco places that will help you find good tacos. Here are signs that you're probably going to have a good taco: everyone in sight is Mexican there is a carnitas station at the entrance it's next to a smoke shop they give you limes to squeeze on your food they also change money or sell prepaid phone cards Low visibility/bad location  Buen Provecho! LEADERBOARD 5/5 Stars Carnitas - El Paisa Alegre #2, Prospect Heights  https://tacoplaces.blogspot.com/2023/02/carnitas-el-paisa-alegre-2.html Los Huaraches, Northbrook  https://tacoplaces.blogspot.com/2023/02/las-huaraches-restaurant.html?m=1 Taco-Bout-Joy, Glenview  https://tacoplaces.blogspot.com/2023/02/taco-bout-joys.html?m=1 Ta...