Taqueria 5 De Mayo

This is the brother restaurant to El Asadero, food is equally fantastic. Asada is grilled on charcoal it’s juicy and perfect. Barbacoa is fantastic as well. Burritos are huge. Guac is perfect. Staff are super friendly.

Delicious tacos, personally I had the stake and Al pastor tocos, and I’m really happy with my decision. The food is fresh and taste good, service is clean and fast. I wish all the best to the staff! P.S. The tacos have a lot of meat, for me 2 were enough, I felt like I had 4 🥂

Amazing tacos and nachos. The food here has been amazing so far. They also pile on the meat and there’s plenty of flavor in every bite. Their salsas are incredibly tasty as well.

This place has excellent tacos. One of my students invited me to this taqueria and let me tell you, it is one of the best taquerias in Chicago. If you order a stake taco, you do not get meat that is has been sitting in the pan overlooking, no sir, they cook it for you and then it is served to you. It take a bit longer than normal, but it is great. So, next time you are in that area stop by. By the way, if you normally order 4 tacos in other places, two tacos will be enough from this place. They are loaded!

I really wanted to like this place and went here with a lot of expectation based on reviews on Yelp. Vegetarian food here is a let down. Ordered veggie taco, veggies burrito and veggie nachos. All of them had the same ingredients and pretty bland. The man behind the counter was really sweet though!

The food at this place is really good, but damn, the price has gone waaayyyyy up. We got 2 steak quesadillas, 2 chicken tacos (with cheese and sour cream, 75 cents each, adding 1.50 to the cost of each 4.25 taco, making the cost of these 2 chicken tacos $11.50!!) a side of rice, and a large chips and guacamole, total cost, $49. We will not be ordering from here anymore, the food is great, but way too expensive.

I got 2 steak and 1 chicken taco. Steak was too tough and hard to chew. Flavor was decent. The chicken was a lot better. Perhaps order a chicken torta next time.

Solid taqueria on Montrose. Usually fare of tacos, burritos, and tortas but be sure to check out the special menu. Cauliflower tacos, soups, etc.... and really nice staff.

Stopped in to have a taco after work and gosh darn it , it was the best tacos I've had in Chicago. Hands down! The staff is so welcoming and they always greet you with a smile , I also love the fact that every holiday they decorate the inside of the restaurant. Everyone needs to come try them out! 10/10 Green sauce is the way to go, always add onion and cilantro for a greater taco experience!

To update a lot of old reviews, this place now takes cards. Yay. Business that are cash only in this day look like they are money laundering or cheating on their taxes so this update is great (sideeye to 5 de Mayo's competitor on Montrose over by Lincoln). I loved the carne asada tacos. I was in and out fast so I didn't get a gander at the kitchen but they tasted like they were grilled. Chicken was tasty, too, and was the solid chunk kind and not the stewed kind. Guac can be had in a variety of sizes and is fresh. Chips were fresh with a tinge of enjoyable greasiness. Portions are huge. These tacos are double the size of most other places... not exaggerating. My only beef is the amount of salt needs to be cut back by 1/5 to 1/4 on the tacos and chips. Only the guacamole wasn't overseasoned. No need to hasten everyone's heart disease, 5 de Mayo. I'll be back in the hope that they cut back on the sodium because if they can, they will be my new fave. Buh bye Asadero.

Love the beef tacos. These guys make great authentic Mexican food. Don't be fooled by the outside look.

I hate to say this, but the food is not good. It's a salt bomb. I got the al pastor and it was painful choking it down. All you taste is salt and the texture was overly fatty/chewy. Gigantic portions and a premium cost. Two people cost $35 but I have leftovers for days. Unfortunately, it's inedible due to the salt content. On the plus side, the staff is very friendly. Very homey atmosphere. If I were them, I'd dial down the portion size, cut the salt, and lower prices a bit. Add lunch specials.

Tasty versions of your favourite dishes in a scaled-down menu at reasonable prices. Dining space is adequate and atmosphere typical of a lunchy taqueria. Portions on all orders were huge (massive nachos, a 2# burrito, and tacos so full you need a fork), and exemplary in both taste and assembly.

All pros...no cons...except they are cash only. Had the steak burrito (fantastic), a chile relleno (really good) and a chicken taco (one of the best I've had...the chicken was large chunks perfectly cooked and seasoned). Super nice guys running it. Business appeared clean. Definitely will order again!

Can I give less than 1? I literally just watched them microwave my ingredients and probably the most gross tasting food I've had in years. Shame on this business. You are worthless and should be embarrassed. It's a tacos for Christ sake...how hard is it to cook to order??!

We're in the neighborhood when family visit and figured to try this time since it is walking distance. Cash only - order at the counter, but great tacos (barbacoa and lengua), generously sized. Added soup of the day (poblano corn this time), spinach quesadilla (small corn tortilla sized), and good tamales rounded out our meal. Chips do come to the table along with green and red salsa in squeeze bottles. Staff are friendly while juggling call in orders, pickups, and dine ins. A few tables for four and some for two that can be combined. Not a large place, but could accommodate a number of small groups. Passed on the pastor (not seeing a trompo/spit) and asada. Maybe get those two next time.

*THIS REVIEW IS ONLY ABOUT VEGETARIAN FOOD HERE* So after reading all the wonderful reviews and expecting to taste the best taco , my husband and I dropped by on a Saturday afternoon. This is a small place with maybe 5 tables so you buy, eat and leave. More like a fast food sort of place and CASH ONLY. With a lot of expectation we ordered veg nachos, veggie taco and veggie burrito. We got the taco first, it seemed tasty with flavourful rice, beans, onion, tomato and cilantro. Then we got the burrito, it was thick and big but had the same rice, beans and veggies. No problem, we waited for nachos thinking we'll get to taste something different but it was the same beans, same 3 veggies with some cheese minus the rice :D We literally dunk the tacos and burrito in their salsa Verde for some spice. I mean, we got the left over nachos home, slathered it with copious amount of spicy indian coconut chutney ( don't judge us!!) and ate because we were craving for some chillies! Overall, the food was a bit bland and same stuffing in 3 different forms! But the man behind the counter was really sweet and patient. All three stars for you buddy!! I really wanted to like this place but so disappointed :(

Loved the tacos they were properly cooked. At first I was a little thrown off because the tacos are $4.25 each or so but honestly it was worth it. Service was great, it was very peaceful & not too over crowded or loud music. The tacos had lots of meat, I got full with two & I normally eat 4! So that was a surprise. I Will be coming here more often (: (i recommend the asada tacos)

Would have gotten a 5 star review if not for: - no napkin given for takeout, nor utensils and - my torta wasn't cut in half. Who eats big, messy sandwiches that way? The sandwich was crammed with avocado and quite yummy but also a little more expensive than most local taquerias.

Love the tacos and nachos here! Cash only. Authentic. Flavorful. Delicious. Every time.

Family business operate yes best tacos in town cash only but atm available My favorite tacos al pastor and chorizo Complimentary Chips and salsa in the house To go you pay for

Hands down the BEST taco and burritos! The meat is fragrant with mouth watering grill flavors. Cash only!

Well...sad to say...this has been an experience much like many restaurants these days. Over-priced, tasteless food and bad service. First, I noticed they were charging a lot of money...and asked specifics about what my work colleague ordered. They mistakenly doubled his order, and they were just about to let me walk out the door paying 25% more. I caught the mistake, and they made it right. In the end, they added ingredients that were requested to be left off the food for allergy reasons, the salsas were not spicy or flavorful...just colored water. The tortilla chips were flavorless as well as the pico de gallo. In the end, 3 tacos and 1 burrito, chips and pico de gallo = $35. A bit much for a flavorless lunch. With regard to salsas for the tacos, we asked for extra and they only included 2 small cups. My advice is to watch YouTube videos, learn how to cook and enjoy your own tasty food creations at a better price. Chicago restaurants are no longer worth it.

This a great taco joint. The portions are huge. You can easily make 2 tacos into four. The meat is very fresh and the seasoning is great. They cook everything to order. It is a bit on the expensive side, but the portions do justify the cost. The only downside is it's cash only and I rarely have cash. As long as they don't change the portions or prices I will continue to frequent this place. I do wish they would offer tostados though

I don't know what took us so long but I'm so glad we gave this new neighborhood spot a try. The staff is super friendly and pleasant so they basically already had me at hello. We got chips and guac to start and they actually do really good thick chips and not that thin garbage that falls apart when you dip. Easy onion on the guac, which is good cuz I hate onion. I didn't plan to like it as much as I did so I ate way too much and then ordered 3 steak tacos that turned out to be HUGE. I definitely left extremely full. I wish the horchata was just a teensy bit thicker but other than that no complaints. Fed the whole fam for under $40. Total slam dunk. We'll be back. Oh, and we loved watching telenovelas while we waited and ate.

I am new to the area, and have stopped by several times while walking my granddaughter around the neighborhood for a quick bite. It's not only that the food is GREAT with generous portions, and my quesadilla came with a free basket of tortilla chips, but the cook jumped out from behind the counter to help me navigate getting my granddaughters stroller in and out of the door. GREAT FOOD, GREAT HELP, REASONABLY PRICED!! Thank you

THE BEST TACOS ON THE NORTHSIDE!!!!!! THERE ASADA IS AMAZING VERY WELL COOKED Dosent have to much charcoal taste absolutely blown away customer service is great there very responsive and fast so awesome

Great tacos and other offerings, nothing fancy just very tasty food and quick service. This is our neighborhood joint and we go again and again. The al pastor is the bomb, and the other tacos are great, too. Keep doing what you're doing Cinco!

I go here from time to time during my lunch break when I'm in the mood for tacos or a nacho plate. My coworker suggested then as she loves their burritos. I normally order steak tacos which, have a really good flavor from the meat being cooked on a charcoal grill. Delicious. However, the quality of meat they're using is fairly poor and questionable. It's tough to the point you can't finish the entire taco to enjoy...and they're charging you a premium price. Any other toppings added are 75 cents for the small tacos they serve. The flavor is great but, they need to look around for a better meat supplier if they want to charge $4.00 a taco with only onions and cilantro as their base price point. In the meantime, I'll continue my search.

Tacos, burritos, nachos of asada or super delicious! Great quality meat. Quick service, small place but I usually order in advance and just pick up to eat at home. The red salsa gives the food an extra taste without being extremely spicy.

My go-to for quick Mexican food in the Ravenswood/Lincoln Square neighborhood! Employees are always polite and I'm always happy with the food I get. Love the burritos!

Only true Chicagoans know about this place. Friendly staff, generally on time, a classic Chicago joint that's not going to wow you with decor but will wow you with the taste. Can't say much about the chicken but the carne asada tacos are absolutely some of the best in the city. They are the same people who own Taqueria Asadero which is right down the street. Can't complain about the pico de gallo, el pastor tacos either. Only drawback, it's cash only so come prepared.

Probably the best burrito I've ever had. I got the Al Pastor without lettuce, added sour cream. It wasn't monstrous. I finished it and wasn't hungry or stuffed. I seriously couldn't chew fast enough to get to the next bite. I would HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone who enjoys authentic (with sour cream) Mexican fare!

This lovely place is my next door neighbor! And huge bonus that it's definitely my kind of place - no frill and delicious. I recommend the Al Pastor and Chorizo tacos. They're big, beautiful, and flavorful. Their takeaway green salsa is on point too.

Steak tacos are grilled to order so expect to wait at least 15 minutes for your order to come up. Waiting is not an issue when you are served searing a huge helping of fresh carne asada astride a couple of corn tortillas. Great quick gluten-free option in the neighborhood. As per usual with me the green house salsa exceeded my spice tolerance so I asked for the milder red salsa. Big note on this spot, it is CASH ONLY.

We love this place!!!! I usually get tacos, my husband loves the burrito and we both LOVE the torta!!!! He loves the burrito because there is "no filler and lots of meat". I think the food is delicious and we love this local gem!

This is the best place for tacos, the food is made to order. We ordered the tacos and the asada and were very impressed. I will definitely be back to support these great patriots.

The same family from El Asadero own this restaurant, so the food is the same delicious food. Parking is a lot easier at this location.

the food is very good and the service is excellent I recommend it to anyone who wants great mexican food

I live steps away from this place & am never disappointed. They prep everything fresh. Their carne asada & al pastor are scrumptious. If it wasn't cash only I would eat it weekly!

Damn good tacos! The guac was delicious too, and the chips were fresh and flaky. I was looking for a good taco, but this place may be a contender for best asada tacos I've had in Chicago. A+

Taco Time. Tacos are great all meats very flavorful. Al pastor was good. Asada was very very good. Barbacoa was the best. Oh and the tacos are huge. Lots a meat.

Came home with a carne asada burrito from here last night and my whole family was jealous. It smelled as good as it tasted. We all love the tacos there, but now we might have to mix it up and order some new things. The people working here are so friendly and fast. We haven't had a bad experience, whether eating in, ordering over the phone or coming in to order and pick-up. Highly recommend. Only con is it's cash only.

UPDATE: I've been working at my job for almost 2 solid years now and I'm in this restaurant at least twice a week. The food just is good, tastes fresh and made to order. Family owned and just good people. I've tried many things and I think their steak tortas and chicken tacos are great. There is another place a couple blocks away, but this place certainly rules with flavor.

This place is the sister location of El Asadero, the phenomenal taco stand at Montrose and Lincoln (i.e., 1/2-mile straight east). Same excellent steak tacos, same gruff guy making them. The only difference: no line here! I'm a big steak taco fan, and I've been to places all over the city. I have yet to find a better one than here. The meat is tender, the shells are warm and soft, and the chips are free. What's not to like?

Great food (guac, pico, tamales, tacos...) REALLY nice, polite service. I've never had a bad experience.

While trudging through the snow during a frigid January Saturday, I hassled my cousin to take me to someplace where I could get me a decent taco. Lo and behold! 5 de Mayo, with their clever use of alpha-numeric characters, beckoned us in from the cold! It was empty at 5 p.m on a Saturday, which is usually a bad thing, but in this neighborhood (with the plethora of eating options) I was not deterred. Stomping the snow from our feet, we were greeted kindly by two men behind the counter. In my best shitty Spanish, I ordered what I consider to be a fair test to any taqueria; una taco de carne asada y una de al pastor! Como? No, no cheese for this guero. Cilantro and onions only, por favor. The verdict? Solid! The steak was muy flavorful and of good quality. The al pastor was a distant second, lacking slightly in flavor, but I could detect that fruity-esque aftertaste on it (usually they cook it with pineapple or some ish.) They have some decent salsa, too. I'd recommend if you're in the area for sure!

A nice little place with very tasty and affordable food, especially for the price. Their meats are so tasty!

This is my go to, when I want authentic Mexican in the city. Amazing! Fresh! Everything is made to order, Cash Only.

Been going to their sister restaurant since It opened back in 1990. Same great quality food. Don't know who Phil G is who gave them 1 star but he def doesn't know a good taco. Anyway, both locations use real skirt steak and not cheap "taco" meat. You can really taste the difference of quality depending on the cut of meat, everything you make is delicious. Stop in at either location. You will not be disappointed.

My favorite place for tacos in the neighborhood. For $3 you get a sizable taco with enough meat for two tacos. And the flavor is amazing. The taste and price point of this place beats everything else in the area imo. Downside is cash only and the interior isn't really big enough for a party. But I'm never there for that, I just want food and they have what I need. It's on my way to Aldi so I just pit stop here b4 grabbing groceries.

One of the very best taco places in Chicago has been Taqueria Asadero at Lincoln and Montrose. The only negative has been the lines on the weekends as everyone else has determined it is the best. What it they duplicated Adadero, put in the same equipment, sourced from the same suppliers, and placed it in the same neighborhood? You get the same great experience and food with no lines. Equally great food, less wait.

Love their Chorizo tacos! Their Tortas are amazing too, I've gotten the chicken torts and chorizo Torta. The food is S uper cheap for the portion sizes,cash only.

I've been here 4-5 times. They have the best chips and salsa. The steak burrito is delicious. It's affordable, and everything is cooked fresh. The first weekend they opened, the cook pulled me and my family off the sidewalk and fed us a free meal. He wanted us to sample the menu. I've been hooked ever since. Just keep in mind, this is a very basic, small, hole in the wall place. The food more than makes up for the lack of decor. Since everything is made to order, be patient. It's worth the wait.

You want some awesome Asadero tacos but don't feel like waiting in a long line or getting a long wait time on your pick-up order? No worries - walk 2 blocks west and you can visit this place - their cloned, second location. Asadero's tacos had already won me over for years so decided to try this place to make sure food was comparable. Success: same food, same prices - only difference is that this place is not nearly as crowded as Asadero & never had an issue securing a table here as it is usually empty - win-win for me. My go-tos are still the steak and al-pastor tacos - the barbacoa tacos are a bit too salty/greasy for me. The agua de horchata is a must try - SO good. Another thing that is the same as Asadero - cash only.

We went to Taqueria 5 de Mayo on none other than Cinco de Mayo! The cook was extremely overwhelmed with the demand of everyone wanting tacos on this holiday but he handled all of the orders very well! Additionally, the other cook who was taking care of the register was kind and went above and beyond to keep us updated to the status of our order. The quality of steak and al pastor was well worth the wait. We highly recommend these guys and hope that the owner gives them a raise and an additional person to take care of the register for upcoming holidays!

This was our second visit. 1st one was pretty good, we over ordered but were pleased. 2nd time around wasn't horrible but there were a couple of issues. First, customer service could be friendlier and more consistent. Second, our torta de res was way off. Tacos de steak and some al pastor, were good to pretty good. But this torta! Salty, with a strange texture. I hope it was a one time thing. This place is a solid 4 stars on the regular. Maybe just a bad puece of who knows what...