El Famous Burrito, Mount Prospect, IL




I wasn’t sure I wanted to review El Famous Burrito. Nestled in a strip mall, it looked like a chain restaurant. And whenever I went to Walmart or Menards or the bank El Famous wasn’t open yet, it opens at 11a. I was shopping for cosmetic bathroom updates today and boy does looking at stick and peel vinyl tile and paint make me hungry so I wandered in at late lunchtime. The place smelled good.

I’ve never had a torta before. I know that’s a weird thing to say. My Mexican mom just never made me one. We never went out for one. When I went to college and my friends lived above what was my first taqueria, I asked what a torta was. They told me it was a sandwich. I wondered why I’d want a sandwich when I could order a taco or a tostada or a quesadilla and I continued to live my life ignoring the torta. I figured it was a gringo thing. But I noticed that El Famous Burrito had tortas on the menu and I decided, despite that they also had sopes on the menu, today was the day I’d try a torta.

They seemed to have a bunch of regular customers happily scarfing down their food. There were a couple of big fat guys and Mexican customers. And the cashier barely spoke English. She was too nervous even in Spanish to recommend a flavor of torta. I vacillated between steak and chicken and went with chicken. After waiting for a few minutes, my torta came up and I took it outside to eat. It looked pedestrian at first, just a grilled sammie. I took a bite. Beans, stewed chicken with lots of sauce, cheese, sour cream, everything you’d put in a taco but on a grilled bun. It slapped. It was good. I enjoyed every giant bite, at times examining and approving the pulled chicken chucks slathered in tasty sauce. I was full. 9 hours later I never got hungry for dinner. I am a new found fan of the torta. And I think I need to go back and try more items at El Famous Burrito.

* Update: Summer 2023 - I went back and I tried the birria tacos. They were on fleck. Changed Stars from 4.5 to 4.75.


El Famous Burrito, 1214 E. Central Rd., Mount Prospect, IL

4.75/5 Stars. They can have their other .25 star when they open earlier for breakfast. lol jk

Torta & a diet Coke $11.64




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