Taqueria Cielito Lindo - Cheap Eats in Rogers Park

On Morse, on the way from Lifeline Theater (at the red line) to their parking lot last night (adjacent to the Metra stop), we smelled frying beef and corn decided to stop for a quick bite... but it may have been coming from another nearby place.
Taqueria Cielito Lindo had nice smells of steaming tamales, in about 6 varieties (red pork, green chicken, queso & rajas were the ones we ordered) at $1 each, and a quesadilla loaded with very crispy al pastor for $3.50... that's about the cheapest dinner for two we've ever had at $7.12. The rest of the menu was typical tacos, burritos, etc.

Most of its trade was takeaway, we were the only ones dining in at about 7 on Saturday. The tamales were rich and steamed beautifully, although I thought the pollo en verde was somewhat bland. They had red and green salsas that were suspiciously commercial looking (very uniform texture) although I can't vouch for that.

This place isn't even on Google's radar -- there's another place with the same name on Fullerton according to them.
Nothing earthshattering, but for a quick bite, that'll leave your wallet and belly full, here's another point on the map.

Taqueria Cielito Lindo
6952 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 274-0166

I believe this is the place that occupies the old Harold's chicken space. I was wondering if it was any good. Thanks for posting. Unfortunately, I much rather have the Harold's chicken back than another Mexican Restaurant, but I will definitely give it a try soon. I wonder if this place is somehow associated with the tamale stand that was on the corner. I believe that Tamales Lo Mejor de Guerrero got their start on that corner.

Y'know, there was a bit aluminum pot parked on a cart just outside the door, with a sign that I think had something about "Guerrero" on it. I didn't pay attention, but I didn't think it was full of tamales at 7PM in the rapidly chilling air.

d4v3 wrote:I believe this is the place that occupies the old Harold's chicken space. I was wondering if it was any good. Thanks for posting. Unfortunately, I much rather have the Harold's chicken back than another Mexican Restaurant, but I will definitely give it a try soon. I wonder if this place is somehow associated with the tamale stand that was on the corner. I believe that Tamales Lo Mejor de Guerrero got their start on that corner.

Garibaldi Tamales

On their sign, they call themselves the "Queen of Tamales". Garabaldi is the Tamalero that used to have a stand in the parking lot of Supermercado Morelia, back when it was on Clark Street (where the new fire station is). I think they were the main competition for Sra. Bustamante, the owner of Tamales Lo Mejor de Guerrero, who originally had a stand by the McDonald's on Pratt and Clark. I always liked Garabaldi's tamales, which are of the denser gelatinous type of tamale compared to the fluffy and drier consistency of Lo Mejor de Guerrero. The Rajas con Queso were my faves.