Cafe El Tapatio

First time visiting and our group had a positive experience overall. The atmosphere was very festive. The margaritas, chips, and Guacamole were good. The salsa was hot, but good. Make sure you check the bill. Service was a little hit or miss, but food was tasty - we had tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and enchiladas. We had a party of 5 and 20% gratitude was automatically added. I tipped 20% on top of that because I didn’t pay attention. My fault, but good reminder to double-check.

This restaurant is very small on the inside but they do offer outdoor seating that's heated. I highly recommend making reservations if you plan to go. It is very cute on inside but very tight. Our service was great but no complaints about that at all. Everyone assisted everyone we received extra salsa and tortilla chips when needed water was filled on time no issues with service. The guacamole is made fresh I would like it if they put some jalapenos in it but it was good overall. Their salsa is delicious. My daughter did the taco platter where you can pick three tacos. She ordered the bello taco, abrazo de camarôn, and jarocho taco. According to her she was not a fan of any of the tacos she gives it a 2/5 stars. Now my friend and I both got the combination fajitas I got the shrimp and steak medium well and she got the chicken and steak. We both agreed that the steak was tender had flavor but we just don't think it was a good grade of steak because it had a certain aftertaste to it. Both the chicken and shrimp tasted good we just wish that they gave us more of both even the steak it just looks like a lot on the picture because there were a lot of onions and green peppers on the plate. I may have received about 4 shrimps with the combination.

I came here because I saw it on tik tok and it did not disappoint. Food was delicious. Drinks were tasty and strong. Service was fast and friendly.

Authentic Mexican cuisine. Super friendly and attentive staff who makes you feel welcome. Food was superb, fresh, flavorful and hot. You can tell they put care into everything they make. Place is little congested but compensated with excellent food quality. My family of four, all agreed that overall it was an amazing experience and will definitely go back.

Drinks and food were great after they got our orders correct. They gave my boyfriend the wrong burrito and gave me chicken when I ordered veggie. They corrected my order but still gave my boyfriend the wrong burrito. Although tasty, simple service accuracy would make this place go to a 5 star restaurant.

You can’t go wrong with Cafe El Tapatio! The drinks and the food are great and you’ll never walk away disappointed. One thing I will note about this restaurant is that seating is limited and is not best for large groups. If you’re dining as one person, there’s usually space at the bar.

Best spot for Mexican food in the neighborhood. We had 2 meals and 4 cocktails. Bill came to $100 after tax. I highly recommend the Burro bowl. It’s very filling and has a mix of everything. They have a large patio that is well spaced out so you can easy park a stroller or large breed dog and not feel like you’re taking up the aisle. Our server Magdalena was super nice, attentive, and gave good recommendations when we didn’t know what to order.

Liked the former restaurant which was at this location at one time. Not bad, but for those who know real food I recommend making it at home. The food looks nothing like these photos. You are paying for historical tradition, but the prices do not match the quality. Not a bad place for tourists, and for those who enjoy a late night place to hangout after serious drinking. Not bad people mind you, but money and the things it buys has converted the owner and staff into that breed which prefers those who are willing to pay the high prices. One taco to go was all it took for me to declare, "Never feed this slop to a dog, let alone come back to order a dinner."

We started with a queso with chorizo and it was delicious. Real chesse instead of the usual 'nacho cheese'. I ordered the carne asada with frites and it was also delicious.

This restaurant is very small on the inside but they do offer outdoor seating that's heated. I highly recommend making reservations if you plan to go. It is very cute on inside but very close together. Our service was great but no complaints about that at all. Everyone assisted everyone we received extra salsa and tortilla chips when needed water was filled on time no issues with service. The guacamole is made fresh I would like it if they have put some jalapenos in it but it was good overall. My daughter did the taco platter where you can pick three tacos. She ordered the bello taco, abrazo de camarôn, and jarocho taco. According to her she was not a fan of any of the tacos she gives it a 2/5 stars. Now my friend and I both got the combination fajitas I got the shrimp and steak medium well and she got the chicken and steak. We both agreed that the steak was tender had flavor but we just don't think it was a good grade of steak because it had a certain aftertaste to it. Both the chicken and shrimp tasted good we just wish that they gave us more of both even the steak it just looks like a lot on the picture because there were a lot of onions and green peppers on the plate. I may have received about 4 shrimps with the combination.

A great place to take friends or family! And they had some really cute Christmas decorations. My friend who is celiac (no gluten) shared the app and got tacos and was fine! We split the queso fundido with chorizo which is so good and very cheesy and fairly big. Make sure to save some of your table chips! Which I was able to do because the table salsa was a little spicy for me. I did the carnitas taco and the abrazo de carne taco with rice and beans. The carnitas taco was juicy and delicious. The abrazo was extra cheesy and definitely very filling but I enjoyed the steak, too. Good portion of rice and beans, too! And of course fantastic margs.

Delicious food. i could not stop eating. Patio seating, easy parking and great service. I will return.

This place is seriously my favorite. They jump revamped their menu and it did not disappoint. My friend got the pineapple coconut pancakes that were delicious. And I loved the grilled talapia tacos

Small inside but mid-size patio outside that allows the dog. Sitting on the patio is tight, so big or mod size dogs might need to be seated very tight. Service was not good. Our server made a remark on me being vegetarian. Initially, he forgot our request on hot sauce. After our reminding he brought it but made remark they typically do not give it because no one eats it, so we should not keep it untouch. We sat for a while after our table was cleaned for the bill. He passed us but ignored us. Finally, we got up and paid at the desk. Mumbai Margarita - 3/5 Veg fajita - 4/5 - good taste and big size. The grilled veggies are chopped big and in greasy red masala. Guacamole-3.5/5 Revoltijo - 5/5

Not all chips and salsa are created equal, but this place's were great. I had the enchiladas verdes with tinga, and as someone who is very picky about their tinga, I highly recommend. The jumbo margaritas were indeed jumbo! Enjoyed the mango one. Super cute place and love that it's connected to a churro shop as well. We sat outside and while it was chilly they had space heaters. The staff was very accommodating about moving us a couple times so we were closer to the heaters. Unfortunately, the one we were next to died, and while a staff member did turn it back on, it died again which made things colder than expected. The bathroom situation was weird. There was one single stall situated right in the center of the servers' station. I waited roughly 10-15 minutes while someone was in there and felt awkward standing in the middle of the restaurant. Eventually a waiter did direct me to a different single stall on the opposite side of the restaurant. Overall, good vibes and food. We went on a busy Saturday night and were seated promptly with great service.

Surprisingly great patio for being on a busy corner! I loved the limonada for a mocktail treat, but my boyfriend really impressed with his michelada too!! Birria tacos and elote also made the reorder list for next time for us! The staff were also super kind and attentive! Will be back!

We've been here several times and it's always great! We've never had a time where the food taste different or not the same, this place is consistent. It's is a bit pricey, but the quality is great. The drinks are average, more on the sugary side but not mad. Like you have to have a marg at some point! Service is quick and friendly. It's a bit loud in there between the music and people, but when it's almost 70 degrees in March then hey if you can't beat em, join em. Definitely recommend: Carne asada Queso fondido with chorizo Chile relleno Enchiladas crepas with chicken Guacamole

Average food, not too flavorful and some of the food we ordered did not show up. I got the Ben Aqui for an appetizer but it was just a bowl of cheese and beef and poblano and onions. Interesting but not incredible. There was nothing to eat it with but a spoon. Then I got the Suizo which was a potato, sour cream chicken tinga burrito with a lack of flavor, I asked for hot sauce and got a spicy cold salsa. My partner ordered a Shrimp soup, it was large and he said it was lacking spice and very hot. He was supposed to have tortillas on the side and they never came. We also ordered a kids quesadilla and it came with beans and rice. The staff were kind and the music was nice

Cafe El Tapatio is worth a trip to Roscoe Village!! We discovered this restaurant on a whim when we needed a quick bite before a class. And we've been back 4 times since! I love love love their brunch offerings and nightly happy hours. I love that the manager comes to check in every time. The Azteca soup is delicious. The marinade on the fajitas is fantastic. Tacos are good but small for the price. The enchiladas were huge. I definitely plan to continue coming back and trying more of the menu!

Stopped in for lunch on a Thursday. It wasn't crowded at all so took a table in the back. The free chips and salsa were good but note the salsa was very spicy so be careful if you don't have water on your table and you are not expecting it. They have a full bar but we were not drinking. The lunch menu has lots of options. I had the tacos with rice and beans and they were all very good and just enough food not too much. The service was good. Parking is street only and they have an outside area in the summer. Would eat here again when I am back in the city.

Such good food, such horrible service. We got in and stood at the host stand at noon at a mostly empty restaurant for 10 minutes. No host came to greet us and the bartender didn't even turn around. We finally sat down on our own, grabbing the nearest table. There were only two other tables in a very open restaurant, we still had to flag our waitress to bring us water and menus. She came back with three waters, some chips, and a single napkin. The food is truly great, but we have to flag her down again to get our order in. After giving our order, which she did not ask us for any drinks, she never refilled our chips. We had to for more napkins, at least one for every person. The order came up quickly, and she delivered it. For the next 30 minutes, however, she never checked on us, never refilled our waters, never checked on the food or offer more chips. She did nothing. Eventually, we had to get the bartender to give us our bill. I have not had this bad of service in many years

Fantastic authentic dishes from a 50 plus year family owned restaurant with great large outdoor seating! Chocolate Churros are a must...

Cool friendly neighborhood spot on Ashland and Roscoe. Sat at the counter and had a potato chorizo hash with black beans and over easy eggs. Filing tasty and aids in recovery. Service was quick and staff is knowledgeable. Quick walk from my house and I'll be back soon.

I went there last night. The food was delicious, great service. It was a bit loud but the rest was fantastic.

I frequent this restaurant. Service is excellent. Chips- warm, Salsa is very good. Beans, rice, tacos, enchiladas usually very good. I tried the chicken (pechuga tapatio with mushrooms), it was a little dry since it was a paillard of chicken was over cooked, but the sauce is great. I tried the shrimp Monte Alban. Description: "Pan-tossed jumbo shrimp, onion, tomato, garlickly cilantro chimichurri, flambéed with smokey mezcal, and Chile de árbol. Served with Mexican red rice." Too many onions camouflaged the shrimp, very garlicky green tomato wedges mixed in, too much oil in the sauce and very little chile de arbol. No beans served with this dish, okay. Drinks are excellent.

Family has been coming here for years and this place is the best. Azteca soup is amazing. Great service and love the atmosphere

Extensive food and drink menu. Food was delicious. Fast service for dinner. Good for small groups.

Food wasn't to tasteful but I could not believe we were charge $2 for tortillas typically tortillas come with your food and we were charged a transaction fee this will be the last time we eat here over priced not even worth it ...margarita was so bad tasted like juice This place is full of white people bc they do not know good Mexican food

Coming from CO we don't have many authentic Mexican restaurants; however, El Tapatio restored my faith in the Northern American version of the cuisine. Been wanting to sample a Birria style taco for a bit and found one at El Tapatio. Located on a corner in Chicago is serving up some serious southern, spicy, and innovative cuisine. With an attention to detail they bring a higher level of standard to street tacos, tortes, and burritos. The quesabirria came out lava style-hot, full of beef, with a side of consommé hinting on sweet and savory notes.

We enjoyed a nice birthday dinner with friends. Good food and pitchers of margaritas. Service is good and the chips and salsa sides are great! I loved the plantains and all the entrees were quite delicious. Love the nice touch of singing and sombrero I had to wear with surprise serenade of a birthday song at the end! Fun night!

Food is amazing. Service is hit or miss ambiance is loud, fun, tight quarters. I love the food, but they gotta get their servers on the same page. I ordered the RR marg. It says Jumbo size. I get a regular size marg. I ask for the RR marg and they say "that's it." Nope. I have had the rolls royce marg. It's not small. Waitress said "we gotta charge you for it. You ordered it." Nope, i didn't order a small one. I ordered a Rolls Royce. Anyway. Check your tab. Make sure you get what you asked for, or drink elsewhere and xome and eat here.

This is my fav neighborhood Mexican spot! All the dishes I've had are excellent, and the margaritas are a must have. I like sitting on their patio!

Went here on a whim and wowowowowowow it was so delicious. We got tacos: carne asada, chorizo and carnitas. All were so tender and delicious, salsa was just the right amount of spice, horchata was creamy, chips were fresh. Best Mexican food I've had in a while. The service was also very quick we got our food within 10 minutes of ordering. 10/10 would recommend!

Fun and festive Mexican restaurant in Roscoe Village. They have a HUGE outdoor patio so it's a perfect spot for summer. Dog friendly patio, too! We loved the tacos - your choice of 2 or 3 with rice and beans. The sangria was homemade (not too sweet) but definitely strong. Large portions. Fast service and attentive service - multiple different people checked in on us including the owner. They are connected to Churro Parlor so of course we had to order some. Don't miss out on the churro guava sauce. We will be back to try the fajitas and quesadillas!

Ugh, taking off two stars because here is yet another place nickel and diming the customer. Food was great, but the prices on the menu do NOT match what they charge you. The shrimp dish was listed as $20.95 on the physical menu, but we were charged $24.95. The bill ended with a 4% "transaction fee" for no reason at all. So not only are they charging fees instead of adjusting menu prices, the menu prices are misleading. The house margs are premade and poured from giant jugs, so upgrade to a better margarita if you want something good. Just like all of the other restaurants charging bogus fees, I won't be returning until they get rid of it.

This is my favorite local Mexican spot. All of the people that are super nice and hard-working. All of the food items are delicious. I always save room for the churros

l will start by saying I have been going to this place for 25 years. Its a few blocks from my apartment. As a neighbor and someone who has worked in the restaurant industry for 30+years I always give any establishment the benefit of the doubt and then some...(especially during and after the Covid shutdowns)..and over the years I have given some HUGE benefits of the doubt when orders are messed up or checks are wrong or service is terrible....but in the end I choose to support local businesses and I am a notorious over tipper regardless of the circumstances. That all said....my partner and I sat on the patio today. We were the only people outside and one of 3 tables in the whole place for our entire stay. We had to ask for a happy hour menu.....which always draws Grimaces from the server or bartender.....like its a drag that I chose to come there specifically for happy hour on my day off at 4 pm...when no one else is there.....looking for a deal and to spend some money. Their menu states that they have 6 dollar Palomas all day, some food specials and that they have 6 dollar Corazon tequila drink specials for happy hour. Great....we order 2 palomas....we have a bite....we get 2 HAPPY HOUR margaritas.....(believe me if I could have gotten a 6 dollar tequila soda instead of the cup of sour mix I got I would have GLADLY)..ordered one more paloma..ordered churros from their new expansion and then we get the bill. It is almost DOUBLE the stated price on the menu. I go inside and ask if there is anyone I can speak to and I just get laughs and oh sorry thats just not what the price is? Keep in mind that they state they have a happy hour online....they have had a happy hour for like....ten years now?...It seems they were empty from 4-6 today because not one person who works there tells anyone they have a happy hour. There was no manager on duty and when I asked for a card or contact info for an owner I was met with rolled eyes and some fumbling around before of course there was no info available.....could not find a card. The end result was 8 dollars being taken off our bill. That left the tab still way more than it should have been based on the menu I had in my hand. All said we had 5 drinks total. Not one of them was the right price and the Palomas were two different prices in places on the bill....neither was right. We were not looking for anything free....we went there and were overcharged and no one was willing to fix the issue. That is theft. Its nice that you have some Pride flags up on your patio this year but there was clearly something that said it was ok for some of your staff to literally shrug and do nothing and treat us with such blatant disrespect. I have zero fond feelings for yelp.....I was left with zero recourse to do this to at least help warn others and to contact my bank to dispute part of the charge. FYI Fernandos is around the corner on Lincoln.....its sad they don't have a patio.....but they have a better happy hour when it comes to drinks and food options and we have never been overcharged there.....because.....its computers.....it should just match the price on the menu for whatever time it is. signed....your neighbor who will never spend another dime there.

Found this on accident looking for chilaquiles and a mecheleda. Success!!! Owner was very informed about the menu and drinks. Cool vibe and been around 50 years.

Wowza. Some of the best Mexican food I've had in a long long time! We came here at about 3pm on a Sunday afternoon and there was a decent size crowd. The space is a bit of a hole in the wall, but still is really well kept with a super friendly and attentive staff. We started with some margaritas and chips and salsa. I will note the prices on the menus didn't add up with what were charged, but we were charged $9 when it said $11, so definitely not mad about it :) I went with the spicy margarita which was topped with LOTS for fresh jalapeno slices. This gave it a nice kick! Chips and salsa were delicious but warning: the salsa is SPICY (& and I love spice!). I went with the Chimichanga. I cannot believe this was my first time having a Chimichanga, and I'm not sure how I went 27 years without one. If you're new to the chimichanga world like I was, it's pretty much a deep fried burrito. So yes, it was phenomenal. The chicken was flavorful, moist and tender. The tortilla was perfectly crispy. And the cheese was plentiful. Also, it's huge! It's served with rice and beans. I'm not a fan of refried beans, but the rice was delicious and the company I was with said the beans were too. Cafe El Tapatio seriously knocked it out of the park and I know for certain we'll be back soon to explore more items on the menu!

It's a great place if you're looking for something good and fast to eat I love it Homemade cooking if they can keep the same cook, for once other than that all is good with them,

I can't believe anyone reviewed this restaurant positively. $25. for 3 tacos full of salt and even the rice and beans were unappetizing. Save your money.

Really great brunch! Such a cute spot with open retractable windows for the restaurant and their patio is definitely a beautiful space. The server was really quick and informative. I ordered the huevones breakfast tacos and it was super messy yet delicious! Extremely reasonable prices as well!

Great food but we were treated poorly by the manager. Our server was great, made me a drink off the menu. But, we were rushed at the end of our meal and asked to leave even though my dinner mate and I still had unfinished drinks. We were asked to finish our drinks at the bar but there were no seats and we had to leave without finishing them. I have been going here for 30 years, and have never been treated this way.

My best friend treated me out as a late birthday gift. There's a nice ambiance here and beautiful decor as you step into the second room. We were seated next to the window with a view of all things going on outside. I ordered one of the craft cocktails I can't remember the name of, but it was good. My bff ordered one of the margaritas and enjoyed hers too. We ordered the elotes as an appetizer and it was def some of the best elote I ever had. When it came to food it fell a bit short for me.I ordered the del mar. It was a tilapia fish taco with greens and cilantro cream. There wasn't much flavor to me and it was dry going down. The cream was dry on the tilapia fish. I wish it has been saucier so I could really taste the flavor of the cilantro cream. My best friend ordered the chimichanga and said she wished it had been fried a bit more and was not a fan of the mushy texture of potatoes in her chimichanga. The waitress was attentive, but I couldn't help feeling rushed. After looking at other reviews I can't help but notice others feel the same. I hope this is taken into consideration. I would like to come back this summer and give something else on the menu a try with a frozen margarita.

Wow- what an awesome spot. Honestly the margaritas aren't my favorite here, but everything else makes up for it. The food is fresh and VERY well made. I think this spot is probably too 5 Mexican in the city, which is saying something. I highly recommend the chicken chimichanga- it was unreal.

SO CUTE INSIDE. Please come decorate my house. Margaritas were fresh, couldn't even taste the tequila. My Michelada was delicious and a good price! Our food was delicious as well. The salsa before the food was good but SPICY!! Service was delicious too.

This place is a solid "meh, its OK" to me. Our table started off with the Queso Fundido (Melted creamy chihuahua cheese topped with chorizo and corn tortilla) This was easily the best thing we ordered. The cheese was rich and flavorful, the chorizo was dry and so did not give that pool of red grease you sometimes get with this dish. Next came the Nachos (Crispy tortilla chips smothered with beans, salsa dulce, melted chihuahua cheese, crema and guacamole). Next best item, the chips had a good amount of toppings and we added steak which were big pieces and very tender. I then ordered two tacos for myself, one was the Abrazo de Camaron (Seared Chihuahua Cheese stuffed with shrimp and roasted poblano. Topped with ancho crema, cilantro and onion.) I did not like this because 1) it was ugly, the cheese was dark brown and gloppy looking and 2) WAY too salty, like I could not get through a second bite. I picked out the shrimp and left the rest. The other taco was the Brasas (Citrus marinated char-grilled tilapia topped with mixed greens, pico de gallo, and jalapeño vinaigrette.) this was good, a solid choice. Fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned well. Not sure I would come here again for dinner, but maybe for drinks and to sit outside? Its a cool looking place but the food has a lot to be desired.

This is some really solid Mexican food. It's considerably better than the other Mexican options in the area. It's not changing lives, but it's a good option. The salsa they give you with the free chips is hot fire. It is so damned good and it will set your tongue aflame. I had the taco salad in a tortilla bowl. Good stuff. The service was excellent. The ambiance was fine minus the standard annoying music.

Update.. Consistency is part of the keys to good business. Decided to try the "popular" chimichanga. For $22 it was not worth it. It came with small portions of refried beans and dry, clumpy unseasoned day old mexican rice. The chimichanga (steak)was also unseasoned.

I went here on a Sunday with a friend because we were craving authentic Mexican food. Chips and salsa come free and the salsa was spicy and delicious! Our server was sweet. I ordered the L.A. Califa burrito with mushrooms and it was delicious! The mushrooms are marinated and super tasty which makes them a wonderful vegetarian option! Save room for dessert for churros next door at the churro parlor (they recommend ordering ahead). I will be back.

Food and service very mid. Despite being to only table we had to ask for chips and salsa. And the bus person mostly waited on our table. I was very excited to come the second time but something's are best left to memory. Rice and beans are not that important to be but the smudge of beans and dry clump of cold rice were not expected based upon my past experience. The interior is beautiful

I love this spot! One of my favorite go-to, authentic Mexican spots in the city. The Al pastor tacos are my personal fav, but I've heard their enchiladas and steak tacos are amazing too. This is definitely a repeat dinner place for me.

Truly the best Mexican restaurant that I've had in Chicago. When the rice and beans are good, you KNOW it's a good Mexican restaurant. Usually these sides are an afterthought, but here it's just so so good. This restaurant is a go to for me and my boyfriend on weekends when we don't have a reservation made elsewhere because Cafe El Tapatio is consistently delicious and although usually packed, the wait is never too long. The complimentary salsa they give you is extremely spicy some days. I love spicy food and sometimes it's a bit too spicy for me so beware. My favorite taco is the Mar de Cortez (beer battered shrimp). The way that I dream about this taco..... I usually don't get Al Pastor tacos as it's a bit basic, but their's is so good

Why does this feel like a hidden gem? Maybe because it's in a part of the city I really didn't visited until I moved there. Came here for a weekday lunch and brunch and so far I've avoided the large crowds I've seen on weekend nights. The food is amazing, and really - there's something about those beans. I'm not sure what they put in it, but they're the best I've had, easily. When we came for brunch I substituted my breakfast potatoes for rice and beans. I thought that was the play, but my wife said forget the rice and went double beans. I'm assuming lard is playing some part, but the spices and creaminess of them are amazing. Can't forget the entrees either. I've had the quesabirrias which had super tender meat inside with the requisite dipping consome, and a breakfast torta that was also excellent (though I'm now realizing I can't find their full brunch menu online, ha). So far nothing that my family or I has been a miss, and I can see why my friends who used to live here say this was their favorite place in the hood. My only complaint is we got takeout once and my dad's nachos seemed to be missing guac and I think you get less food in your styrofoam container. Definitely a spot you want to visit in person. Everyone in West Lakeview/Roscoe Village seems to know this spot, but it deserves even wider recognition. As long as it doesn't make the wait go too long...

I've heard great things about this spot so decided to try. I will never go back- here's a summary of events: - waited over an hour for drinks on the patio - our food came out incorrect and the guy delivering the food said he was just expediting the order and couldn't help correct. no one came to correct or check on the food - was charged twice for my portion of the bill, so almost $200 for bad service and mediocre food; filed a report with chase for fraud since the restaurant seems unable to run a report to go through credit card transactions for that evening comically bad service and the food was just fine. I normally wouldn't complain about a restaurant like this but the overcharging of my credit card has done me in.

I have been to this restaurant a dozen times. The food is always fine, not groundbreaking, but fully adequate cuisine. There are even a couple of dishes that are quite yummy. However, I just left after having a birthday dinner with my friend. After paying the check we were having conversation for about 10 to 15 minutes. The waiter approached us and said, "if you're not going to eat or drink anything more, we really need you to leave the table. There are lots of people waiting.". We looked and there was one party of four waiting. The party next to us had also finished eating and was not being asked to leave. We told him we would finish our conversation soon and then we would be going. He approached us again five minutes later and repeated the same thing. I told him repeatedly to back off. My friends birthday was definitely ended on a sour note because of the situation. It was very very sad.

The service was slow, the food lacked flavor and the margaritas were basically all juice. Disappointing experience to say the least.