Old Pueblo Cantina

This place is amazing! Definitely NOT your average Mexican restaurant… Exceptional food, exceptional atmosphere, exceptional service!! We had several small dishes + tacos…everything superb. Thanks to Carlos for being very hospitable and also being our sommelier for delicious Mezcal (margaritas are great too). Outstanding Latin music in the background. We’re coming back!!

The food was yummy! And the service was great! I highly recommend this restaurant! I enjoyed the chicken skewers which was their version of chicken fajitas.

Stumbled upon this place while passing through and I have to say it has become my new favorite Mexican restaurant. The food was absolutely amazing. Recommend the skewers, yes all three variations. Our waiter Victor and the Manager Carlos were extremely friendly and took the time to make sure everything was perfect. I can’t say enough about their hospitality. Will definitely be stopping in again when passing through the area in the future.

Recommend: will come again to try other things. I enjoyed the free chips and salsa, guacamole was great, shrimp tacos were good loved the corn breading on the. I did not enjoy and would not recommend the cheese crisps, it's like a wannabe nachos but dryer, we got as it was happy hour special but I don't think it's worth it. Service and atmosphere was really good. Will be back.

Update: I have ordered from here a couple times now and I don’t know what happened, but whoever used to be in the kitchen seasoning the steak is no longer there because it is beyond bland. The salsa is never fully filled and its flavor is off. I’ll try these guys maybe in a year and see if it’s gotten better We ordered delivery on a Tuesday for their steak tacos and oh my goodness. Hands-down the best steak I’ve had delivery ever. It was so juicy so tender and so flavorful. The salsa was undeniably amazing and it’s one of those places you have to 1000% try again. There are some amazing creative options on the menu that will definitely want to try later.

Overall, the place is really nice and the atmosphere is one of the best in the area. The chips and salsa they start you with were phenomenal. The service was also very good. However, the entree options were a little limited for a Mexican place. Also, the portions were pretty small for the tacos. Three small tacos and a little serving of rice and beans. Didn’t feel like enough to make me full. I’d rather them up their prices by a few bucks and give you more food than having you leave still hungry.

We have been twice to this restaurant and it does not disappoint!!! Tori B. is amazing!! Attentive. Quick. Great recommendations for food and drink. This place is a hidden gem in Lincoln Park and so is Tori. Order cheese crisps with a side of their house made hot sauce, you will not be disappointed. Ask for Tori as your server. We will be back!

Old Pueblo was a great local Mexican cantina. We enjoyed the atmosphere and service. I found the food (specifically the tacos) came out just a bit a cold, but we got the cheese crisps were delicious! I also appreciated that the service was great. I’d go back again.

My family and I absolutely loved our experience here! The service was great. Everybody was incredibly kind and our server was helpful with recommendations and answering all of our questions. We made a same day reservation on Taco Tuesday easily, but not sure if it's always like that. Atmosphere was so lively! It was a little loud, but great vibes. Food was SO GOOD. The complimentary chips and salsa, was maybe some of the best I've had. The chips were fried and super crispy but not oily. The salsa had so much flavor with a nice kick to it. The corn esquites was amazing. I could drown in that. We got the steak and shrimp fajitas and again, outstanding. I also love that you can mix and match the tacos (but you can't with the taco Tuesday deal). We got the carne asada, mushroom, and crispy shrimp. I thought they could use more sausage but overall, super flavorful. The quesadilla was a MEAL. Generous portions and delicious. The only thing that didn't wow us was the ahi tuna tostada. It wasn't bad but compared to everything else we ate, it wasn't the best. Cannot wait to come back!

We came in recently for dinner with friends and gladly ordered the Taco Tuesday special. Since we couldn't mix the platters, we each ordered a different type, then switched with each other for variety. We had mahi mahi, mushroom, al pastor, and carne asada. All came with rice and some delightfully spicy beans. What a fun twist! I really enjoyed carne asada and al pastor best. It was really good quality and filling! We also tried a half and half cheese crisp - green chile and short rib. Something fun and different. Also, their chips are homemade and the salsa is tasty. Service was great. Bathrooms were stinky but it's Lincoln Park so likely a very old building. Would be fun to come back and try more and some cocktails. Enjoy!

The food here is really delicious! We started with the mini beef chimis which may have been my favorite thing. The filling was so good. I then got the red chile beef tacos which were also delicious, although a bit spicier than I expected. My partner got the Al Pastor tacos and those were also great ! The pineapple on them was a good contrast. We sat inside as all the patio tables were full. The interior was cute. Our waitress was pretty slow, but it was a busy night. For drinks, I got frozen strawberry margarita and a Sonoran sunrise. Both were fine. Overall really enjoyed the food and would come back!

We came to Old Pueblo Cantina and had a great experience. We're from California so I'm always looking for different and unique versions of Mexican food. Old Pueblo Cantina was definitely a new and interesting experience! The service was great and it was very comfortable inside, not too loud or rowdy. We shared the Chicken Tinga Taquitos, Southwest Caesar salad, and the Green Chile Cheese Crisp. We definitely ate too many of the chips and salsa at the beginning, but everything was still wonderful, and the Cheese Crisp tasted just as good the next day as leftovers! Definitely looking forward to returning and trying something new!

Great service, patio, and happy hour margaritas! It was a beautiful day, and the patio was nicely in the sun. We were given complementary chips and salsa, however the chips were clearly the last bit of pieces in the batch but otherwise would've been good. The salsa was tasty. My lobo loco margarita was delicious and refreshing and a steal at $8. I also got the skinny margarita which was nice and light. We tried the short rib cheese crisp as well, and this was tasty but basically like a flat nacho.

Everytime I go, always say I can't wait to be back. Great service, helpful staff members, great drinks!!! Happy hour 4:30-5:30 w $8 cocktails and $11 cheese crisp dishes. Great deal! Have also been for their weekend bottomless- GOOD SPOT !!!!!! Patio is great place to sit outside when it's warm

Great dining experience at Old Pueblo Cantina. Made a reservation for 5:30 on a Saturday and service was phenomenal. Ordered the Al Pastor and Mahi Mahi Tacos. Overall tasty but the al pastor was very dry. Margaritas were awesome. Lots of seating options and a great place to go for a dinner with friends, birthday celebration, casual date, or a quick bite to eat.

Spicy and classic margaritas. Very very strong margs. Worth every penny! Service was great.

Old Pueblo is a nice Mexican restaurant in the west side of Lincoln Park. They have pretty indoor seating but the outdoor seating is where you want to be. The food is also pretty solid. Their chips are some of the better chips that I've had. On the other hand, the chorizo cheese crisp, while tasty, was a little disappointing. It really is a singular giant nacho.

Throughly enjoy every visit to Old Pueblo! They have great daily happy hour specials during the week that make their tasty margaritas a good deal. They also have daily specials, most notably Taco Tuesday where any of their taco platters are discounted (dine in only I believe). The ambiance is pleasant and service is always friendly and attentive but sometimes does feel a little rushed. For example we ordered apps and within 5 mins our mains were brought out. Then as soon as they cleared the entree plates the server brought the check without us asking even though we had most of our margaritas left. Not a huge deal when they're busy I understand but it was not the case this particular night. There's street parking in the area but can be tricky depending on the time of day.

The service here was so good, there is tons of tables inside and out. We just went for margs and chips and salsa and they have great marg pitcher options. The salsa was super good and spicy. We got skinny margs so didn't feel crappy after without the sugar but it was super strong. Would definitely go back!

Our new fav neighborhood Mexican spot! Our waitress was so lovely and put us on to everything we got, so I'll do the same for you: - La Sandia for a delicious summer cocktail - spicy corn esquites - YUM - chicken tinga taquitos - a MUST - shrimp tacos - also a MUST - Al pastor tacos - so flavorful The vibe is so fun and friendly and popping on a Thursday night. We had such a great time. You definitely need to try it out!!

Came here after looking for Mexican food. It looked like a small place but it's bigger inside. Old Pueblo Cantina is a kind of hidden place on Webster. Gets less of a crowd because of it, for sure not because of the food of course. The prices are kind of high on some things, but the quality is excellent to be honest. Any good Mexican restaurant will give you free chips and salsa, and here this is the case. It was pretty fast getting these. The service would be pretty fast so there was no long waiting. It's about $12 for a margarita. There's the classic which was good enough, and even though it's a pretty small glass of this, it's strong though. As for the food, we got some of the vegetarian choices. There's a few. I got the Burrito. It's about $16 but it's big though. This came with chihuahua spices, crema which I left off, lettuce, pico, and vegetables. Add a protein for a couple bucks. I got it with sweet potatoes. The other protein choices are carne asada and meats such as that. Better than expected. It has a lot of drinks and food to choose from. There's meaty options and things that are good for vegetarians.

Old Pueblo Cantina has yet to miss! One of our repeat restaurants here in Chicago. Convinced they have the best chips and salsa anywhere. We have gotten as many as 3-4 refills each time we come. The chips are served warm and are always perfectly salted. The salsa is so fresh and has the right amount of spice to it. There's a good variety of food on the menu. We out of habit have kept ordering the tacos because they are that good. The tortillas are made in house and are some of the best we've tried. The steak taco is a personal favorite as the meat is slightly charred and has a good smokey flavor to it. I did venture out of my typical habit and order the enchilada which was also good, but probably will stick to the tacos because they are just that good. There's lots of indoor and outdoor seating. We love coming here on warm days and sitting outside. The service here is also amazing. Very attentive and always quick. Definitely try OPC if you are craving some Mexican food!

Had a great first experience here! Staff was very kind, offered great recommendations. The cheese crisp was delicious! we got the chicken enchilada soup and chimichangas, both were great. You've got to get a margarita pitcher too. No complaints! Will definitely come back

The food is amazing and it comes out at a great temperature, the waiters and manger are super nice and helpful, love the inside and the decor all around the walls. Overall just an amazing place. I recommend the burrito it's big and tastes great.

I had an amazing time coming here for dinner with my family! The atmosphere was really great and there were really good vibes. The food was enjoyable. The chips were outstanding I LOVED them. My tacos lacked a bit of flavor, but everyone else in my party loved the food. The staff was super friendly and I enjoyed interacting with everyone we talked to. I recommend!

The service is really excellent and attentive. And this place has great vibes. We came here because it was conveniently located. The chips and salsa are delicious, and so is the guac. The food however resembles nothing like authentic Mexican food (which is not difficult to find in Chicago), but worse, it isn't even good! It's also expensive, which is fine when the food warrants it, which is not this. In summary, come for the ambiance, chips/salsa/guac, drinks, and happy hour.

This has become my favorite Mexican place in Chicago! The staff is amazing, everyone was so quick and friendly! This place is huge! Lots of fun decor. Seating is tight together but I didn't mind! To drink I had a Sabrina sunrise and la sandia both with vodka. The la sandia was one of the best cocktails I have had. I love the Tajin rim! They bring you out chips and salsa, the chips were crispy and salty, and salsa was sooooo good, kind of a smoky flavor. We then did the carne seca cheese crisp. I loved this!! The green Chile was amazing on it, I also dipped mine in salsa. For the main my boyfriend and I split the chicken tings enchilada with verde. Full of flavor and so filling. I cant wait to come back here! It is the perfect Mexican spot!

Great for summer dinners, we love their outdoor seating. Their location on Webster in the heart of Lincoln Park makes it a great spot for dinner with friends, while providing a friendly neighborhood feel. Love the crispy shrimp tacos and guacamole. Such a good place with great vibes for dinner and drinks in the summer!

We came in for lunch on a Sunday. The complimentary chips were good, but much of the basket of chips were crumbs. We ordered a bowl of guacamole and it was pretty average. I ordered the Al Pastor tacos and they were absolutely delicious and quite juicy. I would order these again. The service was pretty slow. We ran out of water and had to wait for a while. It also took them a long time to come and get the check. Overall positive experience and I would come back.

Great service, very kind servers! The salad was pretty good! Needs a little more sauce but def reccomend. Chicken tacos are also pretty good but definetly a little spendy. We did All you can drink nice variety to select from! The auga Fresca drinks are good! The margs are strong

The tacos and rice and beans were pretty good but I got the churros and was kind of disappointed, they were too doughy and not light and airy enough.

My friends and I love this place! It's great for a friday night and they can accommodate bigger groups. I came with a group of 9. The margaritas and tacos are very good, but it is on the $$ side for mexican food.

Came here on the recommendation of a friend and really enjoyed it. We got there at open so it wasn't busy at all. The Queso Fundido was amazing but we had to order extra tortilla's to finish it all. The Skirt Steak was nice and tender and the tacos were awesome. Service was fantastic and very friendly. I would absolutely come back here again!!!

WOW. The food here was amazing. The chips and salsa were so fresh - you could tell the chips were just handmade in the restaurant. I got the carne asada tacos and they were delicious. The meat was cooked and seasoned perfectly. I was very impressed! The service here was great and they were very attentive. Overall, loved the vibe of the place - great people and great food!

The atmosphere here is great and the service is super fast and friendly. However, the happy hour deal leaves a lot to be desired (a dollar off some regular beers) and the infamous chip pizza just isn't worth the price. The salads are pretty big and are a much better deal! We'll definitely give it another try to sample more of the menu in the future. The skinny margarita is also tasty!

I would agree with most of the reviews on here - good, but overpriced. We got the pitcher of margarita. Split between three college aged kids, not bad. Pretty strong and plenty to go around. I got the carne asada tacos but the steak was pretty dry, I did not finish them. The people I was with loved their food, hence the rating. We came at a busy time, but service was a little slow - we were about halfway done with the pitcher and the chips by the time we put the rest of the order in.

I went for Sunday brunch and the atmosphere was great. Love the unlimited margaritas however they seemed a little watered down. Food was good and the quesadillas were huge.

I left L.A. January 2022 and happily moved here to Chicago for a number of reasons, all which fulfilled a much saner lifestyle. Up to date, the food in Chicago has surpassed L.A. by eons! Except for two glaring cuisines; sushi and Mexican food. Sushi here in Chicago is devilishly expensive. Our go-to sushi spots on Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley are better and less costly than here. There's no way to get around this. It is what it is! Mexican food in Chicago is very good. Its got its own style and taste and it's very authentic. But, put it up against East L.A., or "The Hood", that's a tough battle to win. Which brings me to Old Pueblo Cantina. This indoor / outdoor restaurant is absolutely charming with impeccable service and good food. They have one selection that I've never seen before - a thin pizza without a breaded crust. The base is a crisp cheese used as a crust and I loved it. Everything we ordered tonight was very good: The Guacamole and chips, the carnitas, the spicy corn esquites, the grilled chicken tacos all eaten with gusto. The only thing missing here tonight that L.A. still has, is the 85 year old Abuela (grandmother) in the kitchen doing her hundred year old recipes that are ingrained in her memory. I miss that.............

Amazing food with fresh ingredients. Delicious margaritas. Homemade tortillas were the best. Great service. We didn't have reservations so sat at the bar and am glad we did because we had fun interacting with the staff. Highly recommend!

I came here for brunch with some friends on a fall Saturday. It was nice out so we sat outside. We made a reservation but didn't need it, as it wasn't too busy when we arrived at 11:30am. They have an awesome bottomless brunch deal - $25 for all you can drink for 90 minutes for most drinks on the menu. Unheard of in this city! Free chips and salsa - chips are really good, a little thicker and crispy. Salsa wasn't my favorite - not a ton of flavor, tastes a bit like tomato sauce like someone else mentioned in another review. The brunch menu is small but you can order from the regular menu as well. I got the chorizo hash. It was decent. I'd probably try something else next time I go. Service was friendly and she got us drinks when we needed them. I'll definitely be back!

Some of the best Mexican I've ever had the service was amazing as well as the food the grande quesadilla is so good I would come here every day The Ambiance is fun and very colorful

This is a different kind of Mexican restaurant and we thoroughly enjoyed this local spot. Unlike others, the free chips and salsa were warm and super fresh. Very dangerous to fill up on before ordering anything else! We then had their signature carne secs cheese crisp which was equally tasty and had an even flavor of green chili and cojita. Even though we were full we still shared the mesquite wood skewers. The waiter was excellent and allowed us to mix the steak and chili lime shrimp. Exceptional! Finally we closed with the churros. They were fantastic and a great closer to the meal.

A group of five * showed up last minute and scored a table. Our margaritas were delicious and the meals hit the spot. A+

Took my girlfriend here for dinner. It's a fancier feeling Mexican spot with a relaxing atmosphere, good service, and good food options. Free chips and salsa as well. Quesadilla was great and very large serving. Just expect a pricier bill. Great spot!

Service was excellent and the vibe was great, but the food was just ok, and the prices were not worth it. Started with a margarita that was a bit heavy on the agave and lime and a bit light on the tequila. Bit disappointing for $12 or whatever, would've expected something special. The chips and salsa that we also started with are free, but it's a very tomatoey salsa. Starts sweet then gets spicy. It's ok just different. Then we went for the dish they're supposedly known for, the giant neon sign advertising the cheese crisp. A Sonoran specialty as they say. It was good, but for what is basically a large flat nacho, the price of $18 is very hefty. I thought ok, it's steak, there'll be a good bit of meat on there....no. A couple piles a shredded beef was all. We then had tacos and enchiladas. The enchiladas were better than the tacos I felt, but basically every dish was ~$20. Three tacos for $20 better result in some incredible tacos, but they were just ok. So nothing was bad but nothing justified the hefty price tag either.

Great restaurant in Lincoln Park! We popped in on a Sunday and we're seated immediately and had attentive staff. It was still happy hour, so there were drink and food specials. I believe the house margarita was around $8. Unlike some margaritas, this one was fresh and tasty-- no syrupy flavor here! I deducted a star because my rice bowl was just that... $17 for a bowl of rice and beans with minimal toppings. It was tasty, but they were so skimpy on even the lettuce as a topping that I can't justify paying for it again. I'll definitely order something different next time.

Enjoyed dinner here! The restaurant is deceptively large--when I walked in, it seemed small, but there are several rooms around the corner. I had an agua fresca and the sweet potato tacos, and we shared chips and guacamole. The guacamole and salsa were great, but the sweet potato seemed a little undercooked.

Amazing! We sat out on the patio on a beautiful Tuesday night and it was great. Our server was friendly and hilarious. The chips and salsa are SO GOOD. The guacamole is amazing too. I got the famous cheese crisp and it was delicious. I can't wait to come back!

We love a good Taco Tuesday deal! $12 for a plate of three tacos with rice and beans! You can't mix and match unfortunately, but I split the Red Chile Beef and the Crispy Shrimp with someone else. The Red Chile Beef was definitely spicier than I expected. It tasted good, but I don't think I'd be able to get it again. The Crispy Shrimp was really good and that's coming from someone who isn't a huge fan of pineapple! And of course, since they're known for it, we had to try the Cheese Crisp. We got the Queso one and it was pretty much as expected! Yummy and I'm definitely glad we tried it, but not sure I would need to get it again.

i'll start off by saying we capped off a very long, sad, and frustrating day of massive layoffs at my company with dinner here, but i don't think that influenced my take on this spot. we had received a Ballyhoo gift card for Christmas and decided to forgo our usual favourite spot (Coda di Volpe) and try something new. the place pretty much met my expectations and i don't mean that in a totally negative way. it was a slightly kitschy Mexican restaurant ambiance (e.g.: the contraption the skewers come out on where they dangle is ridiculous, especially for the smaller tables). but the overall food was pretty decent and what i expected when looking at the menu. i enjoyed the cheese crisp thing they are known for (basically a flatbread/cracker crust pizza), and the blackened mahi mahi taco was pretty good, as well as the street corn side. the red chile beef and al pastor tacos were subpar (especially the beef which had almost no flavour). the homemade flour tortillas were pretty good, though i probably still prefer my tacos on corn. the free chips and salsa were a plus+! and the cocktails were decent but probably overpriced. the server was very attentive and had good recommendations, though he (possibly mistakingly) made me think the sides came with the tacos which they did not and we paid for them separately. but i'll let that slide because it my just have been a communication issue from both sides. not the best tacos i've had in the city, which led me to the conclusion that we really don't need "elevated" street food. it just becomes an adventure in higher prices with less flavourful tastes. so, most people will likely enjoy it, others used to street tacos and corn will probably find it overpriced and less good than what you'd actually find on the street or in many of Chicago's Mexican joints.

Taco Tuesday! Taco and margarita specials! The place was totally packed, be sure to make reservations in advanced! This is the fullest restaurant I've been to since prepandemic, good for them, seriously! We ordered the shrimp ceviche, shrimp skewer, cheese crisp, and churros. The ceviche and churros were our fave. The cheese crisp (with green chiles) was underwhelming, but if I ate meat, maybe one with chorizo would've been more exciting. I added salsa and that improved it. The chimichurri for the skewer was extremely spicy. Churros we're soft on the inside, crispy and sugary on the outside with a thick caramel dipping sauce (yum). Meals come with free chips and salsa at the table.

Taco Tuesday deal is insane, $13 for all taco dinners. The carne asada tacos were so juicy. The rice and beans were mid, but the tacos were so good it didn't matter. Outdoor seating was a nice lil vibe. Great service as well considering it was taco Tuesday. Will definitely be back.

Fantastic every single time! The chips and salsa are so fresh and crisp. I've tried every taco, and while carne asada is my favorite, all of them are delicious!

Idk how good the tacos are but $52 for 6 is crazy. The shrimp salad had 4 shrimp. The tortilla soup was pretty bland and inauthentic- It was like tingas with tomato broth, celery, and carrots. No spice, corn, or crema. Service and ambiance was fine.

Lincoln Park needs a serious palate check. I am of Mexican American ethnicity and let me tell you- this place is not authentic at all! Let me give you Lincoln Parkers a little hint- any restaurant that proclaims to be inspired by Sonoran Mexican recipes that sells Chimichangas is absolutely taking you for a fool! It is a cardinal sin to include a Tex- Mex invention into the menu and claim you are authentic Mexican. It is so frustrating. And therein lies the biggest problem in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and other high end communities in Chicago. You are being robbed of an amazing authentic Mexican experience when restaurants muddle with the recipes to adapt it to northsiders' palates. Restaurants need to be brave and offer a genuine Mexican culinary experience. Lincoln Parker's need to know what truly amazing Mexican food is all about. Get out of your comfort zone LP!! There are better places like Cilantro Taco Grill on Lincoln Ave that even if it's a fast casual concept, they offer an uncompromising no BS authentic set of original Mexican recipes.

I wasn't expecting good mexican food in Chicago but I was proven wrong. Frozen margaritas were great, tacos were authentic, and their famous "cheese crisp" is worth a try. Very unique.

The best tacos in chicago A must try restaurant Keep up the great work Thanks you