Mexican Breakfast

Could anyone recommend a Mexican restaurant that is open early for breakfast? I have a hankering for beans for breakfast and must satisfy this urge as my wife has imposed a temporary restraining order on potatoes. Would prefer south or west locations.

Funny you should mention Mexican breakfast. I have been doing an occasional series of dead early breakfasts. Just the other day, my partner in crime Psychchef made some suggestions a Mexican breakfast should be in the offing. Especially as our meeting time is usually 5:15 AM, we have to locate a Mexican restaurant with a 24-hour opening time or really weird hours.

The other day Psychchef went solo to:

Arturo's Tacos
2001 N. Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
Tel: 773/772-4944
24/7/365

I am sure he will chime in on the food at some point.

From G Wiv, I received the following suggestion:

El Presidente
2558 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago
773-525-7938
24/7/365

I have not been to either location. IF you find more, then we are certainly interested ... especially in your opinion after you have visited!

Nuevo Leon, 1515 W. 18th St. opens at 5 am, and Polo, 1454 W. 18th, opens at 6:30 am.

Here's another possibility:

La Condesa
2230 S. Ashland Ave. (just south of Cermak)
773-376-0078

7 am to midnight daily

I have enjoyed many breakfasts at Taquaria Moran on California (just south of Milwaukee across from the Blue line el stop). Always great food and the Cafe Con Leche for $.99 is one of the great deals around town (made fresh with espresso)

Inspired in part by Thomas D's query, Antonius, our son, and I went to La Condesa this morning around 10. We treated the meal as more of an early lunch than a late breakfast, however: Antonius had the Sabana Blanca (steak in a chile pasilla sauce topped with cheese) and I had Cecina Estilo Guerrero. (Our son, "shrimp boy", had the first item listed on the children's menu: cuatro camarones empanizados con papas fritas.)

The best thing about the lunch was the homemade tortillas! Really excellent. My cecina was also very good, 3 pieces of thinly sliced, salted and dried beef griddled and served simply with lime juice; guacamole and pico de gallo on the side, plus a separate small bowl of frijoles de olla. Antonius was less happy with his choice, tiring of the vinegary chile pasilla sauce after a while. The frijoles refritos with his meal, however, were delicious -- much more interesting than the bland frijoles de olla with mine.

By the way, we cruised past Nuevo Leon but knew from the line of cars waiting to park in their lot that it would be packed inside. Thomas D, were you there eating some beans this morning?

So if we did an early (5:30am) Mexican breakfast, which would be best between Taqueria Moran, Arturos, or Neuvo Leon. I believe all are open at 5am. Looking forward to some cafe con leche or champurrado as well.

psychchef

psychchef wrote:...which would be best between Taqueria Moran, Arturos, or Neuvo Leon. I believe all are open at 5am...

I don't know TM but between Nuevo Leon and Arturos, I'd go with NL without hesitation.

A

Thanks for the recs. I ended up at Arturo's beacuse it was on the way home from an errand. Although I can think of better atmosphere for breakfast the food was good and cheap. I had huevos con chorizo and enjoyed dumping the entire bowl of pico de gallo over it. With beans, rice and tortillas it was a whopping $4.95

I will post for another Dead Early Breakfast at Neuvo Leon's on Wednesday morning, August 4th. I will make sure they are open at 5am though, and call it for 5:30am

Just checked Neuvo Leon and they said they weren't open until 7am. So will check other places

psychchef wrote:Just checked Neuvo Leon and they said they weren't open until 7am. So will check other places

Sorry for giving you out of date information! They used to stay open till 2 on weekends, then open again at 5....

Hello all. I have a houseguest coming in next Friday morning (March 30), an Italian gent by way of Berlin, who is requesting a Mexican breakfast (preferably vegetarian) with good coffee that morning. He will be joining me straight from O'Hare, and he is totally unfamiliar with the city, so I'm looking for breakfasts very close to/easy to navigate from a Blue Line stop, between Jefferson Park and Damen/Wicker Park.

What I've got so far are Cafe Con Leche (Logan Sq/Kedzie), Taqueria Moran (California), and Arturo's or Lazo's (Western). Any other suggestions? Or if not, are any of the ones listed better for Mexican breakfast than the rest?

Thank you!

Cafe tola serves the best breakfast tacos I've had outside of Austin. And they have their empanadas out for breakfast too.

La Catedral Cafe in Lincoln Square has a vast selection of Mexican coffee preparations, some of my favorite Chilaquiles (like eight varieties), and a broad menu of sweet and savory items, both veggie and omnivore friendly.

La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant
4544 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Get the chilaquiles at El Habanero or Chavaz. Both turn out stellar versions.


Chilaquiles Verdes Con Huevos @ Habanero Grill


Chilaquiles Rojos at Chavas

=R=

El Habanero
3300 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 227-9225

Chavas Tacos El Original
2333 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 226-1129

Since he's coming into O'Hare, tell him to stop at Tortas Frontera for breakfast before he leaves the secure side of the terminal.

Thanks for the quick replies! These are all great suggestions (Tola and La Catedral are already personal favorites of mine), but I suppose I should have been more clear. My apologies: when I said "very close to/easy to navigate from Blue Line stop, " I actually meant "easy and quick walk from Blue Line Stop." The traveler will have some luggage, though I don't think more than one bag, and I don't want him to have to go from train to bus. El Habanero, for instance, is about a half-mile walk from the train; that might just a bit too far.

Still, I will keep these all in mind as they are very tasty options, and perhaps I'll figure out how to make one of them work. Please feel free to keep suggesting!

Not your typical joint but doves luncheonette has some Mexican dishes on the menu for breakfast