Takito Kitchen is a cute little sit down taco place on Division that *GASP* actually celebrates Taco Tuesday and *GASP* has outdoor seating and *GASP* allows dogs!
Unfortunately, the Taco Tuesday special isn't the greatest in the world ($3 tacos) and half off already pricey margs. But it's not the worst either!
Read MoreOh, La Principal. I've been curious about the only Evanston location on the list for awhile now. Conveniently located off both the purple line and the UP-North Metra line, this place was surprisingly trendy - though there was definitely an older crowd than most of the trendy places we've gone to that were within Chicago city limits. We were seated in the "lounge" area.
Read MoreLa Cecina is this little restaurant nestled in Back of the Yards. We, once again, took a cab over from the Loop and got there in no time. La Cecina is a sit down restaurant and it was empty when we got there and we were seated right away. There were telenovelas playing on the TV in one corner and a few people in there that seemed familiar with the servers. It definitely felt like a local place.
Read MoreAll the way off the orange line is this little spot called Birrieria Zaragoza. It's a small place that looks like you'd go up to the counter to order, but if you sit, a waitress will take your order. I immediately like the vibe. It's cozy, there was fun music playing, the staff was nice and helpful, and the food came wicked fast.
Read MoreIt also sports a positively adorable patio which was perfect for the sunny day we were having.
The only unfortunate thing about the menu is that you can't mix and match tacos - you have to order an order of the same three tacos. I happened to make a deal with a guest judge, Tyler, to swap a taco with him.
Read MoreRight in the heart of Little Village is a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant/grocery store: called La Chaparrita. The room is filled with colorful, cheerful decor and just screams charming. I have immediately fallen in love.
Read MoreOkay, these tacos are huge - and I ordered 2. They were legit bigger than my hand (see photo for reference).
Other than the size, they tasted quite good. We asked for cheese on the side and got some, because the taco itself was just a slab of beef with some cabbage on top. I... personally wasn't huge on the cabbage. You all know I'm an onions and cilantro kind of gal.
Read MoreWe got the steak tacos and there was a very... Mongolian Beef vibe to the tacos. Chinese-Mexican fusion maybe? I don't know. But it was good, I was ultimately satisfied. And surprised too, because this place definitely aims to be cool, however they don't deviate from the standard taco formula, which I appreciate.
Read MoreThe recommended tacos were the Crispy Potato Tacos (Papa Y Epazote) which were a little different in that they were rolled tacos, almost like a taquito. And man - they lived up to their hype. A vegetarians dream, I would imagine.Hell - I’m a meat eater and I would write songs about these tacos. And I don't even know WHAT the sauce was on top but yes. yes. yes.
Read MoreOkay, first off, I know it's quite the trek to Rogers Park from say.... ANYWHERE in the city. I say that having lived there for 5 years and Rub's isn't even off the Red Line. It's WEST of the Rogers Park Metra station - like at least a 10 minute walk west.
Read MoreBefore we get to the food - the place itself seems fun. There are some tables outside but the inside looks festive as well. For vibe alone, I'd come back. And everybody who worked there was really nice - I walked in prepared to be annoyed at the service - it was crowded and after work so a prime happy hour/happy taco time. But despite how crowded it was the staff was well prepared and we were seated, margaritas in hand, shortly after arriving.
Read MoreWe started off with the Chicken Cemita - which is basically like a taco sandwich. We figured we'd try one because it was the restaurant's namesake. It was... fine. Basically tasted like a taco barfed onto bread - though not a particularly flavorful taco. At this point, we weren't impressed.
Read MoreThis place is a tiny corner place that is sleek and modern, highlighted by it's lime green walls.
There's alcohol here too! Which is a plus in my book. The menu was very cute and aligned like the ‘El’ train map. So, kinda loving the vibe on arrival.
Read MoreFirst off, it appears to also sell Italian food and Pizza, which, I mean, ok. One of the best quiches I ever had was from a similar place up in Rogers Park so, no judgement here.
The inside is a little grungy in a I-Wouldn't-Want-To-Take-A-Nap-Here-With-My-Mouth-Open kind of way, but I mean, whatever - THEY WERE OPEN DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. Not gonna complain.
Read MoreThese are solid. I don't have anything bad to say about them. They were well seasoned and I really enjoyed them. Did they knock my socks off? Not quite. But, if I lived around the corner this would be a go to taco SPOT.
Read MoreI guess I'll start with the good. The restaurant itself is lovely. Well decorated, clean, BYOB and neighboring a liquor store. I walked in and was like... I could hang out here.
Read MoreI'm going to keep this one short and sweet. I don't have a lot to say about the place. However, it's not for lack of being able to differentiate it. The place is filled with weird antiques on the floors and walls like the decorator raided a thrift store and dumped it all in one room.
Read MoreThe recommended taco was the Taco Pioneros, which isn't actually like a taco at all. It's basically a platter with steak, bacon, ham, peppers, onions, cactus, and cheese which you then shell into tortillas yourself.
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