There's a reason why many consider Chicago the country's #1 food city. Whatever you're craving, you can find a world-renowned restaurant that serves it and a hole-in-the-wall place that does it even better. That's why my friends and I decided to find the best tacos in Chicago at every price point.
When we went to research the best taco places in Chicago, we were overwhelmed by the options. Every neighborhood had tons of taco places, and all of them looked good. While it would be awesome to try every single one, we simply have neither the funds nor the time for that, so we had to pick a few of the best.
I divided this article into categories based on price and rated each place on taste, authenticity, atmosphere, eatability (how easy it is to eat the taco), and wow factor. Keep reading for your new Chicago taco bucket list!
$: Tacos Under $3
This place felt like we had stepped into Mexico. The tables were filled with families sharing a meal (at 10:45 am, always a good sign), there were bins of pickled vegetables on every table, and there were Cinco de Mayo banners up in June. The menu had massive variety, not only of tacos but of all types of Mexican food.
The waitstaff were friendly, attentive, and helpful, the service was really fast, and there were tons of salsa options to choose from. We ordered an al pastor, beef tongue, pescado (fish), and chicken. All the tacos were exactly as we expected them to be – tasty, well-prepared, and focused on the meat. Simply put, it was a great example of what a taco should taste like.
That being said, there was nothing particularly exciting about any of the tacos. There weren't many toppings on the tacos other than the meat itself, which was fine because the meat was really good and there was enough of it. The pickled vegetables on the table were a pleasant surprise, because who doesn't want to sample pickled carrots, cauliflower, and yucca?
We were surprised to later learn that it was a chain because it felt so authentic. However, there are more exciting tacos to be found in Pilsen at this price point.
Authenticity: 5
Taste: 3.5
Atmosphere: 4.5
Eatability: 4
Wow Factor: Pickles!
This place is an experience, and an experience worth having. The elderly owner was preparing meat on the griddle as soon as we walked in. There was a telenovela blaring in the corner, a painting of the last supper hanging in the kitchen, and a simple chalkboard menu. This is clearly as authentic as it gets.
We somehow managed to overcome the language barrier and place our order, and then watched the woman make our tacos in front of our eyes. She took care to cook our meat and warm our tortillas on the griddle, then double-wrapped each taco in tin foil and paper towel. The whole time, she was laughing about our inability to communicate in Spanish. It was awesome.
She kept trying to get us to order more, saying "only three tacos?" and laughing at us when we didn't order anything to drink with our food. She treated us like we were family. This situation was ideal in every way.
We took our chicken, steak, and al pastor tacos to go and ate them picnic-style. We were astounded by how tasty all of them were and how much meat she managed to fit in each taco. The toppings were simple, but the meat really shined on its own.
These tacos are worth it for the experience and also for their taste. We initially thought that these tacos would be the peak of the day, but there were more jaw-dropping tacos to come.
Authenticity: 5
Taste: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Eatability: 5
Wow Factor: The friendly owner!
In a world where our number one place didn't exist, these would easily steal the #1 spot. Their barbacoa taco literally changed our lives forever, and their tortillas were the best of the day. They were noticeably moist, dense, and flavorful, which is commendable for a corn tortilla.
They had many options, including vegan and vegetarian options. Their salsa was delicious and they gave us a ton of it, and each taco was not only served in a paper boat, but also wrapped in tin foil. Everything was delicious and beautiful.
We got al pastor, barbacoa, birria (goat), and chicken tacos. Each taco had sparse toppings, but more than enough meat. All of the meats were incredibly flavorful and juicy and melted in our mouths. If you're into goat, the birria was phenomenal, but the rest catered to a wider audience. In downtown Pilsen, this is the place to go.
Authenticity: 4
Taste: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Eatability: 5
Wow Factor: The tortillas
There are no words to describe the heaven that is Taqueria Taco Bueno. The name, which includes the phrase "good taco," does not lie. We came to this place already full and with low expectations, but it blew us out of the water and left us wanting more.
The storefront is painted orange and covered with Spanish words, and everyone inside was speaking Spanish. Initially, we were afraid of feeling like outsiders, but we were immediately brought into the communal feel of the restaurant. We ordered only two tacos, the beef stew and cactus with egg. There were tons of inexpensive options, so we picked the ones that we found most interesting.
Once we sat down, the man at the table behind us asked if it was our first time coming. When we explained our mission, he jumped into a passionate spiel about how much he loved this place. He and his sister had been coming for 31 years, they had recommended it to all of their friends, and his child has grown up drinking their horchata (so flavorful).
Even though we only ordered two tacos ($5 worth of food), they still brought us free chips and amazing homemade salsa verde. When the tacos arrived, we were in awe of how massive they were and how gorgeous they looked. Both were full to the point that we couldn't pick them up without eating some of the contents first.
The beef stew taco had huge chunks of succulent and tender meat with rice reminiscent of beef risotto. We did not expect beef stew to work as well in a taco as it did. The cactus and egg taco tasted like the lovechild of chicken fried rice and the perfect breakfast. Everything about both tacos worked, despite our doubts.
The toppings really complemented the meat without overshadowing its flavor, and we imagine that all of their tacos are as good as the two we tried. Our new friend insisted that we try the pork stew as well, but we were too full to take him up on that recommendation.
Thinking back on our time at Taqueria Taco Bueno fills our hearts with love and makes us cry tears of joy. It's worth whatever journey you have to take to get there, and we're definitely making multiple return trips to try everything on the menu.
Authenticity: 5
Taste: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Eatability: 2 but literally who cares (not us)
Wow Factor: Element of surprise
$$: Tacos From $3-4
#3: Flash Taco (Wicker Park Location)
This place was honestly underwhelming. We had heard that it is a beloved, cheap Chicago institution, which set us up for disappointment.
We ordered the adobada and the veggie taco. The adobada was a very good steak taco – it had a really great and unexpected seasoning, which we enjoyed. The simplicity of the toppings served it well.
The veggie taco, on the other hand, was very mediocre. It had too much sour cream on it, and it felt more like peppers in a tortilla than a taco. We wanted more flavor than the basic veggies we got. There were other veggie options, which might have been better. This taco really brought our ranking of this place down.
Authenticity: 3
Taste: 3.5
Atmosphere: 2.5
Eatability: 3.5
Wow Factor: Depends on your order
This was the first stop on our taco adventure, and it was a strong start. The staff was friendly, but we were surprised that it was empty compared to other restaurants in the neighborhood, which were packed. The decor was cute, but didn't feel like an authentic taco place.
We were pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of salsas that we were given, and the ease with which we could pair them with our tacos. Each had a distinct flavor profile that complemented those of the tacos. We paired the salsa verde with the carne asada, the adobo with the chicken, and the orange salsa with the government precioso (a signature taco with multiple meats).
The chicken was noticeably juicy, but we needed the salsa to counteract the dryness of the tortilla. Our tacos kept falling apart, which is pretty standard for a taco but worth noting nonetheless. This place got the job done, but definitely was not worth it for its price.
Authenticity: 3
Taste: 3.5
Atmosphere: 4
Eatability: 3.5
Wow Factor: Salsa options
#1: Big Star (Wicker Park Location)
This place is a restaurant/bar/food truck hotspot, and also has a window exclusively for ordering tacos to go. They have tons of fun outdoor seating, and the place is great for Instagramming your dinner.
We hesitated to put this in the $$ category because they had some pricey options, but there were definitely affordable choices as well. We chose the chicken mole and the carrot/pumpkin taco from a fairly substantial list of options. All the tacos had a creative spin on them, which was pretty cool.
The vegetarian taco was tasty, especially if you're someone who loves carrots. At the same time, the fillings, toppings, and tortilla didn't feel like they meshed together, even though they were all delicious on their own. This would have made a nice side dish, but we're not sure that we love it as a taco.
The chicken mole, on the other hand, was absolutely delightful. When we bit into it, we literally thought we were eating steak because the sauce was so rich and deep in flavor. Simply put, this is a phenomenal chicken mole taco.
We were a little disappointed by the small size of each taco, but they weren't offensively small. This is the place you go to for the vibes (California-esque tbh) and it's an added bonus that the tacos are good.
Authenticity: 2
Taste: 4
Atmosphere: 4.5
Eatability: 4
Wow Factor: Creativity
$$$: Tacos ≥ $4
Listen, there's nothing wrong with this place. It's a casual, aesthetically pleasing brewery and taco place in West Loop. It's next door to Leña Brava, a more upscale Rick Bayless restaurant. The menu is small and pricey, but has enough options for most crowds.
Our waiter was super helpful and attentive, cracking jokes with us and challenging us to try increasingly hot peppers and hot sauces (none of them were that crazy, but it's the thought that counts). He told us the backstory of the Smoke Alley Plate, based on a real place in Oaxaca where you pick up ingredients and craft your own taco.
Given that Cruz Blanca is a Rick Bayless restaurant, we had high expectations. That being said, we were pleasantly surprised by the menu's effort to convey authenticity. The Smoke Alley Plate is a really cool idea, and because it's Rick Bayless, everything tasted great.
We also ordered a barbacoa, al pastor, and cauliflower taco, all of which came out astoundingly quickly and had very complex and unique flavor profiles. All of them felt like a twist on the classic.
You don't go to a Rick Bayless restaurant in West Loop for the authentic taqueria experience, but you go for high quality food in a fun atmosphere. We think this would be a great place to bring a group for a fun night on the town.
Authenticity: 3
Taste: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Eatability: 5
Wow Factor: Smoke Alley Plate Backstory
First of all, everything about this place is adorable. It's like Tumblr and Instagram went on Spring Break together and decided to open a taco place. They sell kitschy taco-lover shirts, pins, etc., and the waitstaff is as hipster as it gets.
The menu is small, creative, and expensive. Authenticity is clearly not a top priority, but it's not pretending to be authentic either. We ordered a steak taco and mushroom taco, both of which are gorgeous and tasty. The toppings are unconventional, but work.
The mushroom was our favorite. The mushrooms felt meaty and had been marinated expertly, and there were multiple sauces to add more flavors to the mix. This was delicious and you should order it even if you aren't a vegetarian.
It's worth noting that each taco order comes with two tacos, so it's harder to mix and match flavors. If you want to try everything, bring some friends. The taco-enthusiast sitting next to us recommended the shrimp tacos, but warned us that they're really messy.
Authenticity: 1.5
Taste: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Eatability: 3.5
Wow Factor: Instagrammability
Note: this is not primarily a taco place, but more of a small plates restaurant. You should come planning to order more than just tacos, because the menu has more to offer and all of it looks good.
This Logan Square restaurant is, first of all, a feast for the eyes. There are painted tables, tiled floors, colorful dishes, and cacti everywhere. It perfectly fuses Instagrammability with an authentic feel. We felt like we were on spring break at a resort.
There are 4 tacos on the menu. We ordered the milpas (vegetarian) and the chicken. The tacos are small, but full of flavor. The first thing we noticed was that the tortillas were grilled, which gave a nice bite to the tacos.
The milpas was a fantastic vegetarian taco. The combination of textures, spices, and flavors melded perfectly together. It was one of the only veggie tacos that felt cohesive as a taco.
The chicken taco was also great. We wanted more crunch, but the chicken itself was juicy and flavorful, which is hard to execute. This taco felt lighter than other tacos we had eaten, which was a welcome change after 7 other taco places that day.
This place was delightful all around, and we want to come back to try more of the small plates on the menu. It's also worth noting that our waiter was super helpful and the service was great. Also, Logan Square is a great location and the parking near it is free.
Authenticity: 3
Taste: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Eatability: 4.5
Wow Factor: The Vibes
Closing Thoughts
Over the course of this taco odyssey, we learned quite a bit about the humble taco. Most importantly, if what you want is a delicious, authentic taco experience, you shouldn't be paying more than $3 per taco. The more expensive tacos, while often delicious, were more about the atmosphere of the restaurant and the millennial hype around fancy tacos.
There's nothing wrong with an inauthentic taco, because they can be amazing in their own way, but we do think that the best tacos were the ones that felt like they were made with love. Going to Pilsen and getting authentic tacos is an experience that should not be missed.
We want to emphasize that you're missing the pinnacle of taco goodness if you're just looking for your next Instagram post. We would highly recommend putting the social media aside at least once to fully experience everything that a taco can be.
This brings us to the clear winner of the title "Best Tacos in Chicago at Any Price Point," Taqueria Taco Bueno. We've spent long enough raving about how much we love it, even though we know that its greatness cannot be conveyed in words. Simply put, you must try it for yourself to fully understand.
Thank you for following us along our journey, and we hope that we helped you navigate the fantastic taco scene Chicago has to offer.