lunch or dinner near Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum

Does anyone have any "must-try's" for this neighborhood, for someone who doesn't get to that area very much?

I searched a little bit for Pilsen, etc. but did not find any definitives.

Thanks for any replies!

Very close to the museum on 18th Street is Carnitas Uruapan, written about here by myself and more recently by David Hammond: search "Uruapan."

A little further away is Nuevo Leon, a veritable institution in Pilsen. There are lots of mentions of NL, though no single thread. NL is a very good norteño restaurant. Uruapan is just carnitas and nopales salad for the most part (though there are, in fact, some other items offered -- check out the warming trays by the front).

Either one should give you a nice meal.

Antonius

Nuevo Leon

You can also consider Real de Catorce, for more upscale (and more expensive, and, perhaps, less authentic) fare.

Nuevo Leon Restaurant
(312) 421-1517
1515 W 18th St
Chicago, IL 60608

edit: and Antonius beat me to it. Either CU or Nuevo Leon would be a good choice.

The carnitas places mentioned in this thread are all in Pilsen.

Nuevo Leon has gotten a fair amount of mention, it's probably the best known place in the area. A search will turn up multiple mentions (be sure to click "search for all terms" so you don't get Leon's BBQ, etc.)

Is Casa de Samuel in Pilsen? I don't know what the boundaries are. It's not far, certainly. Likewise the places in this thread. Not strictly Pilsen, but not far.

I agree with Antonius about both Carnitas Uruapan and Nuevo Leon. Here's a link to other recommendations along that stretch of 18th Street.

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=45371#45371

Something which should be mentioned but I forgot to in the linked post is that the carnitas places close early. Go there for lunch, but if you end up looking for a dinner place in Pilsen try one of the other recommendations.

Amata

p.s. I also agree with the recommendations posted while I was typing the above!

Casa de Samuel is in la villita, and a bit of a hike (1.5 miles or so) from the mexican fine arts museum. Somewhat closer is Taqueria Tayahua, near Western and Cermak.

Mike G wrote:Is Casa de Samuel in Pilsen? I don't know what the boundaries are. It's not far, certainly. Likewise the places in this thread. Not strictly Pilsen, but not far.

Technically speaking, the Museum isnt even in Pilsen! (Pilsen goes from Halsted to Ashland, Heart of Chicago from Ashland to Western, but that's technicaly speaking). Casa de Samuel is indeed not that far but it's over on Cermak, just west of California (northside of street); that's Little Village over there.

Another place a little further away than NL and CU is La Condesa, on Ashland just south of Cermak; that's a good place too. But it sounds to me like you might want to wander around the neighbourhood a bit. NL to museum or vice versa would give you a chance to see a nice chunk of the core of the neighbourhood.

Antonius

Thank you for all of the responses (and how quick!)

I had read about Nuevo Leon in the past, but somehow missed it due to horrible searching-skills.

Also, thanks for the heads-up re: restaurant hours...the Museum is only open to 5pm, so we will probably look for dinner options.

We tried Nuevo Leon last weekend for the first time and were quite pleased. Lots of familiar items and some interesting, unfamiliar (to me) options. Gratis cup of chicken soup and tasty chips, salsa, pickled jalapenos. Healthy portions. Attentive, but not overbearing service.

It may be common knowledge, but if you do go, keep in mind they are cash only, but with an ATM on site. My disdain for $2 fees was assuaged by crossing the street to visit Bombon.

Zee

Just one more heads-up about Nuevo Leon. There's often a line to, and sometimes beyond, the outside door. But don't let that frighten you. The restaurant is much larger than the single room you see from the line and the line moves quickly. The line was to the door at noon on Sunday (20-25 people perhaps?) but our total wait was maybe 15 minutes at most.

Hey, I was just re-reading my old post that I had linked to above (yeah, like you guys never do the same thing! ) and realized that one more heads-up or update should be added: Polo, the little norteno place on the north side of 18th Street is closed, as ToniG told us recently in this post:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5587

(That post also contains a further recommendation for the neighborhood, Taqueria El Milagro, on Blue Island south of 19th.)