Original Taco, Palatine, IL

I was running errands between my parents’ and my sister’s houses when hunger struck. I whipped out my phone to check for nearby taquerias and picked Original Taco. I’ve passed by it a million times but it’s off a busy intersection with 0 visibility from one direction and not much more from the other direction so I never noticed it.

It looked pretty authentic outside and inside. The menu was thorough and though I haven’t been paying too much attention to prices at each place, $2.50 for a standard taco (anything under $3) seemed like a good deal. I wanted to like it.

I ordered a chorizo and a carnitas (pork) taco and and tamarind water, paid and they said I could have a seat. They didn’t bring any chips. (!) A waiter/busboy brought my food. He was busy serving tables of other hungry customers (Mexican families) too. A white couple even walked in, walked out, then came back in to eat. The workers speak English. They don’t seem like they do and they have heavy accents but they do.

My chorizo taco was piping hot temperature-wise but I dove in. The tortillas I think were La Preferida, my favorite at home but I would like something homemade when I go out, and oiled up. The chorizo was … bland. Just OK. The carnitas taco was plain shredded pork. I would have preferred a sauce on it or maybe some pineapple. I guess both did the job but it was hard to compete with a place up the street that I had recently rated 5 Stars.

3/5

Original Taco, 1130-1856 N. Rand Rd., Palatine

2 tacos & a tamarind water $8.54