Mexican breakfast--Loop (and immediate) environs

My schedule is going kerflooie (kerflooey?) for the next several weeks and in one sense it will be a plus: many more chances to have breakfast out during the week. I was certain that there was a thread on this subject (though not confined to the Loop) but I can't find it.

I'm interested in Mexican food for breakfast. I'll be on foot (or public transport) so am somewhat limited. My starting point will be the Northwestern train station. Pilsen would be the logical suspect but I'd prefer staying closer to the heart of the Loop, if possible. Plenty of breakfast places but I'm having trouble coming up with a lot of good options. Oh, last requirement: open early. Before 9 certainly; before 8 even better.

Thanks.

There are a couple of La Cocinalocations in the Loop, and they serve breakfast starting at 7am. I've never tried it for breakfast.

Pucca wrote:There are a couple of La Cocinalocations in the Loop, and they serve breakfast starting at 7am. I've never tried it for breakfast.

Although I do pick up breakfast to go from there on occasion, it's not especially great (my standards are lowered for breakfast in a hurry).

Taco & Burrito King on Van Buren does a decent breakfast and Burrito Buggy (sort of across the street at Van Buren) does a great (and massive) breakfast burrito.

For fancy Mexican breakfast, Xoco (opens at 8 am; closed Sun and Mon).

Otherwise, I think you need to go to Pilsen. Hard to beat Nuevo Leon for breakfast! And they open at 7 am, I believe.

P.S. Take the Pink Line L train from Clinton to 18th Street: a quick trip.

I've had breakfast a couple of times at Xoco and thought it outstanding. If you get there right when it opens, we didn't run into any lines or wait.

Mexican breakfast is surprisingly easy to find in the Loop as more places have let the mostly Mexican kitchen staff add to the lineup. Ceres Cafe, the pleasant diner in the Board of Trade, eg, has pretty good chilaquiles and pours an almost undrinkably strong bloody Mary. Lloyd's to go, very near the station at Monroe and Wacker, has Mexican breakfast items, including serviceable huevos rancheros. And the large sit-down Mexican cafe called La Cocina at Clark & Van Buren (no relation, AFAIK, to the already noted small chain of Mexican spots in the Loop by the same name), close to other places mentioned, has an extensive Mexican Breakfast menu. The place has its hits and misses, but breakfast is the best call there. Good chilaquiles.

http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurants/la-cocina/menu

Thanks to all (so far!).

A couple questions: my understanding about Xoco (based only on what I read, not from first-hand experience) is that while quality is excellent, the breakfast menu is pretty limited so far as the number of actual choices.

I had completely forgotten about Burrito Buggy's super king-sized burrito.... Ah, the good ol' days. I'll keep it in reserve, though.

I would never have guess that of Lloyds...and La Cocina is new to me. The menu looks interesting.

Amata, thanks for the Pink Line suggestion. I never take that line and so it rarely enters my thinking. It opens a whole new world of possibilities.

All in all, plenty of food for thought (and breakfasts). Thanks again. Look forward to any future contributions as well.

I am on record vouching for Perez in the West Loop. In fact, they make my favorite plate of huevos in town, machacado con huevo. Its actually a notch better at their Pilsen outpost where they have a heavier hand with the chiles. You can't beat it, especially slathered with their salsa negra. They open at 6am.

Perez
853 W Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 421-3631

...count me as a Perez fan too. Very solid, genuinely Mexican place in the Randolph Market area near enough the station to work. Would actually be my first choice had I thought of it. You nailed it with the dish too. Going to Pilsen might notoffer any improvement.

I'll third Perez. When my ofice was in the neighborhood, it was a regular stop. They have since spruced the place up a little (and I do mean a little), but the food is as good as ever.

You're all right, of course. Indeed, Perez is a regular stop on our office lunch rotation. I'd forgotten about it since I so closely associate it with lunch. Hadn't occurred to me that it would be open for breakfast. The only reason I'm tempted to go elsewhere--at least initially--is to see what else is out there. Have lost count of the number of times we've had lunch there. And SteveZ, I will say that I think they've spruced it up a bit more than that...plus they've expanded it substantially as well. But no matter, Perez is a solid contender, no question whatsoever!