EL TRAGON TAQUERIA

"“Gas station food” is usually limited to things like hot dogs and Tic Tacs. Unless it's the Mobil complex, which is where you’ll find El Tragón Taqueria. All of the Mexican food at this counter-service spot is great, but prioritize the bistec tacos. Juicy ribeye gets a sprinkling of cheese while on the plancha, giving each piece of meat a crispy crust, and it’s all topped off with grilled green onions. Oh, and the trio of housemade salsas on every table? They’re fantastic—drizzle a hefty dollop of the smoky salsa roja before each bite." - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"El Tragón Taqueria isn’t just a convenient place to grab some Mexican food to process the trauma of spending $300 to fill up your gas tank at the adjacent Mobil. This Lincoln Park spot is a burrito destination in its own right. The meat-rice-beans-pico-sour cream ratio creates an ideal balance of salty, tangy, smoky, and acidic flavors, neatly encapsulated in a crisp griddle-pressed tortilla. Any of the meat options are fantastic, but we especially like the al pastor or the smoky asada. Add some of their excellent housemade salsa and prepare to be in burrito heaven." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen, adrian kane

"“Gas station food” is usually limited to things like hot dogs and Tic Tacs. Unless it's the Mobil complex in Lincoln Park, which is where you’ll find El Tragón Taqueria. All of the Mexican food at this colorful counter-service spot is great, but the bistec tacos are the main reason we keep coming back. Juicy ribeye gets a sprinkling of cheese while on the plancha, giving each piece of meat a crispy crust, and it’s all topped off with grilled green onions. Oh, and the trio of housemade salsas on every table? They’re fantastic—drizzle a hefty dollop of the smoky salsa roja before each bite. " - adrian kane, john ringor

"On one visit to this Mexican spot in a Lincoln Park gas station plaza, we saw some people come fully equipped with a bucket of ice and a 30-pack of beer. In other words, El Tragón is a great, cozy place to eat tacos or quesabirrias over drinks. Unfortunately, the Mobil next door doesn’t sell alcohol, but they do have orange juice to make mimosas, which pair perfectly with El Tragón’s crispy chilaquiles. " - josh barnett, adrian kane, john ringor

"This late-night urban taqueria & cantina serves delicious Mexican street fare such as tacos (10 different kinds including rotaing specials), tortas & flautas. Additionally, more than 50 tequilas are on hand. You can even buy an entire bottle and store it there to drink during your next visit. While you wait for your food, be sure to try one of their many varieties of margaritas or if you're looking for a kick try the Michelada. The cozy atmosphere lends itself to date night or an intimate dinner with friends but you'll also see plenty of people at the bar taking advantage of their great happy hour food and drink specials." - Stephen Merlo