TOP TACO

NAV MAN is endeavoring to obtain the best taco in the city of chicago and her surrounding areas. Please suggest the purveyor of these tasty tortilla'd treats of your most liking, and NAV MAN will go to that place, order it, eat it, and rank it.

NAV MAN's TOP TACO TALLY


1. Las Asadas Western/McLean
Carne Asada


El Bueno: Excellente steak taco. Thus far the top taco of my journey. Look at that char they threw on that meat. Wasnt that grillman's first rodeo. Real solid. Pretty cheap. NAV MAN was pretty pumped about those gratis chips and salsa.

El Mal: Not much mal. Maybe a little excessive on the queso.

4/5 Piñatas.

2. Tacos El Jaliciense 33rd/Halstead
Carne Asada


El Bueno: Taqueria most resembling the Double Duece from the outside. Got to grilling right after the order was put in. Carne was real good, Chorizo con Huevo was BRILLIANT (and won an award below).
El Mal: Weird location.

3.5/5 Roberto Bolano y Octavio Paz

3. Taqueria San Jose
Al Pastor

El Bueno: Dos guys were hammering down shots of what looked like tequila. The table was fit for a Rey. The chips were straight out of the frier. The Pastor was tasty.
El Mal: Pastor was un poco dry.

3.5/5 Ponchos

4. Atotonilco 3916 26th.
Barbacoa

Atotonilco's
El Bueno: Waitstaff was friendly, the food was fast. Very cheap. NAV MAN and two others had 13 tacos and 6 RCs for 36 bucks. The al pastor had a nice kick to it.
El Mal: The barbacoa was kinda crappy. They only have RC.

3/5 Sombreros.

5.Nuevo Neon 1515 W 18th St
Carne Asada



El Bueno: The room was muy bueno. Mucho authentico. The carne asada was most pleasing to the NAV MAN. The free soup was pretty badass.
El Mal: El cuarto de baño kinda smelled.

2.5/5 Chimichangas
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Los Accoutrements:

CHIEF CHORIZO:
NUEVO LEON; 1515 W 18th St


EMPEROR EGG:
Chorizo con Huevo Tacos El Jaliciense; California y Grand


NAV MAN IDENTIFYING EATING GARB:

tacos de sabinas, nuevo leon
tacos al pastor, carniceria tierra caliente

Cilantro likes his tacos topped with cilantro.

cilantro wrote:Cilantro likes his tacos topped with cilantro.

jimmy likes tacos

Well, you should pretty much be eating any of these with just cilantro and onion.

The three in my rotation (all better than any La Pasadita on any side of Ashland) are:

Las Asadas (the new one replacing the shack on Western is even better, although they pour the salt on like Streets and San)
Zacataco's (59th and Pulaski)
Tacos El Jaliciense, California and Chicago/Grand

Check 'em out, I'll be curious to hear.

NAV MAN voy a comer los tacos de Nueva Leon durante La Dia de Trabajo.

Mike G wrote:Well, you should pretty much be eating any of these with just cilantro
Las Asadas (the new one replacing the shack on Western is even better, although they pour the salt on like Streets and San)
Zacataco's (59th and Pulaski)
Tacos El Jaliciense, California and Chicago/Grand

Check 'em out, I'll be curious to hear.

Done and Done, gonna do tacos for lunch every weekend until its frio.

Mike G wrote:Las Asadas (the new one replacing the shack on Western is even better, although they pour the salt on like Streets and San)

If you get them on a day where the grillman isn't so heavy handed with the salt, they are 2 buck pieces of pure heaven if you ask me.

Nav Man -
Para carne asada al carbon, pienso que las asadas es el mejor. Si quieres algo mas rico, su barbacoa esta bien tambien. Mi favorito segundo para carne asada al carbon es Taqueria Asadero en calle Montrose Y Lincoln. Asadero tiene pastor muy sabroso tambien.

jimswside wrote:jimmy likes tacos

I would totally go see that band.

Can't go wrong at Maxwell Street Market. Fresh tortillas = delicious, delicious win.

Also, the Zacatacos further south (71st?)on Pulaski isn't as good as the one near 59th. Still amazing, but not as amazing.

I still go for the taco de cabeza or lengua at La Piramide. Cabeza seen on the left:



La Piramide
3645 W Lawrence

San Juanito is on my regular rotation for tacos al pastor.

Also, I often crave a taco de chile relleno from el potosi

Best,
Michael

Tacos El Jaliciense, California and Chicago/Grand

Hah, I've been admiring that place on drives down Grand for many years — it just looks like a quality taco operation. Thanks for the intel.

Octarine wrote:

jimswside wrote:jimmy likes tacos

I would totally go see that band.

lmfao, that made my week...

Mike G wrote:Well, you should pretty much be eating any of these with just cilantro and onion.

The three in my rotation (all better than any La Pasadita on any side of Ashland) are:

[...]
Zacataco's (59th and Pulaski)
[...]
Check 'em out, I'll be curious to hear.

(Editing mine.)

I was beginning to think I was the only one, having recommended them here a few times, specifically the 59th & Pulaski location, not the one in the 70s on Pulaski, but not hearing much in the way of support. I've been to La Pasadita a number of times, all three locations, and have been let down on every occasion. That said, Zacataco's also has its off days, so I'm not willing to quite write La Pasadita off yet, although I'm close.

I also recommend Zacataco's potato tacos. Oozy mashed potatoes folded over in a taco that gets a dip in the deep fryer. Great contrast of textures and flavors.

So, in my opinion, in no particular order, the best four tacos in Chicagoland (and this is going to be South-side centric):

Zacataco's steak tacos
Zacataco's potato tacos
Atotonilco's al pastor tacos
Xni-pec's fish tacos

I might also have to put in a plug for Xni-Pec's cochinita pibil tacos, but I'm such a sucker for the fish tacos they have there, that I get them every time over the cochinita pibil.

Also, Atotonilco's al pastor tacos are a little different than traditional al pastor (at least how I know it). They're spit-roasted like al pastor usually is, but they're much thicker and saucier than versions I've come across in Mexico. They also don't have pineapple. A little LTH research suggests that they are Jaliscan-style al pastor. I've never been to Jalisco, so I don't know. That said, even without the pineapple and less-sauced, crispier red pieces of meat, they're among the most delicious tacos in the city.

Atotonilco Restaurant
3916 W 26th St
Chicago, IL 60623-3703
(773) 762-3380‎

Xnipec Restaurant
5135 W 25th St
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 652-8680‎

It may be a bit far afield, but I really like the tacos at La Rosita (attached to the grocery store of the same name) in Palatine.

La Rosita
1212 E Dundee Rd
Palatine, IL
(847) 202-0265

Binko wrote:Also, Atotonilco's al pastor tacos are a little different than traditional al pastor (at least how I know it). They're spit-roasted like al pastor usually is, but they're much thicker and saucier than versions I've come across in Mexico. They also don't have pineapple. A little LTH research suggests that they are Jaliscan-style al pastor. I've never been to Jalisco, so I don't know.

I'll agree on the Atotonilco al pastor. I've had AP tacos from at least three of their locations and it's always good. I don't think the style of al pastor they serve is necessarily a Jaliscan thing; it's more of a unique style that Atotonilco chooses to serve. The al pastor I've had in Jalisco nearly always has a pineapple associated with it.

Jaliscan Street Al Pastor Vendor

The top two tacos from the Cermak Steak Taco el Carbon-a-Thon Saturday 1/24/09

Panther in the Den wrote:La Lupita
6539 Cermak Rd, Berwyn
(708) 788-8226‎


Darn! Over exposed.

Las Fuentes
4101 S Harlem Ave, Berwyn
(708) 788-2002‎

Hey NAV MAN you seem to really know your stuff maybe we could talk about some good eats over a couple of Mojitos one of these nights? I know a great taco joint in the west loop named De Cero Taqueria we could check out.

-Stylish Ray

While on the Char grilled steak burrito crawl we discovered...

Panther in the Den wrote:Carniceria Y Taqueria Tierra Caliente
1400 N Ashland, Chicago
773-772-9804

El Pastor taco


Beside having a great flavor the addition of some well done Chicharrón like crunchy bits really sent it over the top.

Rubi's Tacos at Maxwell also serves an excellent al Pastor....with the added bonus of having several nearby used tire and nails stands.

Did the rounds at Maxwell today for the first time in ages. Nearly everything I ate was on-point. Fresh masa, charcoal grilled carne asada, and piquant salsas. Other standouts were lamb barbacoa, beef barbacoa, fresh agua tamarindo, and oaxacan tamales (as big as my head). Oh, and the churro truck on the way out (or in) at Des Plaines and Roosevelt is ridiculous. Best fried dough I have had in years.

NAV MAN and other taco/masa-enfolded-meat-items enthusiasts, get your ass to Maxwell next Sunday.

Seconding or adding:

1. tacos arabes at Cemitas Puebla
2. al pastor at Tierra Caliente
3. sabinas at Nuevo Leon
4. carne asada at La Lupita
5. tacos de pescado at Xni-Pec (note that this currently appears only as part of a combo platter, request it solo and they'll likely give it to you)
6. al pastor at Taqueria San Jose
7. carne asada at Tio Luis
8. tacos de carnitas at Carnitas Don Alfedo
9. tacos de cabeza al vapor at Taqueria Los Altos de Jalisco (across the street from the Depot, there are multiple locations but this is the one I know)
10. tacos de birria at Reyes de Ocotlan

Taco's El Pastor at...

Burrito Amigo
5238 W Grand Ave, Chicago

The addition of grilled onions is a delicious touch. Perused the thread and didn't see a pic. I will have to return to get one. (Darn! )

Please do be aware that the spit is only on in the evenings so check the thread for the times it will be on. You will be glad you did.

I had a couple of insanely good tacos from Tierra Caliente earlier in the week. Al pastor it's typical crisp edge stroke of genius, Tacos Canpechanos (chorizo/carnitas mix) a symphony in contrasting texture.

Tacos Canpechanos (chorizo/carnitas mix)



Carniceria Y Taqueria (was Carniceria Leon)
1400 N Ashland
Chicago, IL 60622
773-772-9804

How do I get my pictures up here? I loaded them on photobucket and i click the "IMG" button above the post, but posting the url does not load the image onto the post. Where is the NAV MAN going wrong??

I have added spaces around the image command in Gary's post from above to show you how it should look.

G Wiv wrote:I had a couple of insanely good tacos from Tierra Caliente earlier in the week. Al pastor it's typical crisp edge stroke of genius, Tacos Canpechanos (chorizo/carnitas mix) a symphony in contrasting texture.

Tacos Canpechanos (chorizo/carnitas mix)

[ img ] http://gwiv.com/CarniceriaLeon26.jpg [ /img ]

Carniceria Y Taqueria (was Carniceria Leon)
1400 N Ashland
Chicago, IL 60622
773-772-9804

OK. Manana.

hey nav man, on the left side of the photobucket page you should see "IMG Code". Just copy and paste that and put it into your post.

Ok, gleam. thanks. The first entry is up. Gonna get my taco on for lunch.

Stylish Ray wrote:Hey NAV MAN you seem to really know your stuff maybe we could talk about some good eats over a couple of Mojitos one of these nights? I know a great taco joint in the west loop named De Cero Taqueria we could check out.

-Stylish Ray

NAV MAN wrote:Ok, gleam. thanks. The first entry is up. Gonna get my taco on for lunch.

You should post your intent (when and where you are going) and you might be surprised on who might join you.