Taquizas Valdez
Mexican restaurant · Albany Park ·
Tacos, tortas, pastries, and specialty coffee drinks
Tacos, tortas, pastries, and specialty coffee drinks
"After just 12 months, the Irving Park restaurant ended its run, with ownership explaining on social media that they were "forced to make a decision that deeply hurts — but one we know is necessary" due to an economy "unforgiving to small businesses." Taquizas Valdez had been known for its variety of tacos and tortas, as well as pan dulce." - Jeffy Mai
"A relatively new Irving Park taqueria is participating in a charity collaboration called Bite Club; through April it’s offering a Cali-style breakfast burrito stuffed with andouille sausage, scrambled eggs, fries, Muenster cheese, black beans, pickled red onions, avocado-jalapeño crema, and cilantro, with $1 from each sale benefitting the Irving Park Community Food Pantry." - Ashok Selvam
"Taquizas Valdez is a new Mexican restaurant in Irving Park. In addition to tacos with fillings like al pastor or lime-marinated chicken, the counter-service BYOB spot also has tortas and a mushroom pambazo. They’re only open for lunch and dinner on weekdays, but they open earlier on weekends with a menu full of breakfast tortas, pastries, and cafe de olla." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"Taquizas Valdez in Irving Park has a vibrant large mural depicting the owners’ Mexican and Chicago backgrounds, and tables covered in psychedelic streaks. And like how this counter-service spot bursts with color, their tacos are bursting with proteins—two tortillas can barely hold it all. The steak and al pastor have an excellent char, while the chicken (albeit a little dry) has a great citrusy marinade. Aside from tacos, their massive tortas with pillowy bread and steak-loaded fries make us wish they were open for midnight munchies. Food Rundown Taquiza Fries This combination of steak and fries is one of the best things on the menu. The fries maintain some crunch even when covered in a mountain of steak, beans, guacamole, and lime crema, plus some slices of fresh radish for crispness. photo credit: John Ringor Tacos Our favorite is the al pastor. The pork has a few crispy sections, plus a decent amount of sweetness from the diced pineapple. The steak taco is a close second—the beef is great, but the flavor gets slightly buried under a bunch of vegetables and crema. photo credit: John Ringor Tortas If you’re more of a sandwich person (or just want something heftier), get the torta. The soft bread absorbs the sauces and juices from meat and beans very well and gets a burst of freshness from the red onion, tomato, and lettuce. photo credit: John Ringor" - John Ringor
"A Chicago native, Ivan Valdez, has opened a restaurant in Old Irving Park with stellar tacos, tortas, and more. The spot focuses on Mexican pastries on the weekend. Valdez, a former Marine, also cooked for Loba Rey, Homestead on the Roof, and Quiote." - Ashok Selvam