The Outpost Mexican Eatery

Long story short. I ran to a computer store out in the Downers Grove area and my truck brakes malfunctioned. I had to leave my vehicle in the Jewel parking lot over the Christmas holiday. I came back to grab it and give the tow truck driver the keys. We got to talking about Mexican food and what the best spots were out that way to grab some. He told me this one spot but I searched myself and found the Outpost Mexican Eatery. Now I saw it had like a 4.5, 4.6 or 4.7 rating so I'm thinking, I have to try the place. Get there and the staff is SUPER COOL. I tell them I have 20 million views on my different reviews on Google and we talk about the food industry a bit but now it's time to get to gametime and see what the food is talking about. Look here, I got the 3 Taco dinner and they don't need a 4.5 rating, they need a 5.0 rating. The Tacos were seasoned so well you don't even need the amazing 2 sauces they give you (Red and Green). The cilantro was fresh and the food is simply delicious. If you're EVER out that way you have to try them, SERIOUSLY and tell them Shag sent you!

Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon, and the place was completely empty, which was surprising—no customers or pickups. I got the burrito bowl with a small bag of tortilla chips for $14. The food was pretty good, not amazing, but solid overall. The service was great, and the staff were friendly. Just a heads-up: the vibe here feels more like Texas-Mexican, with a bit of an Americanized twist, so don't expect super authentic Mexican flavors. The chips felt like they were missing something, though—would've loved some house salsa or guac to go with them. Also, they were playing country Texan music, which added to the less-than-authentic feel. Nothing bad overall, but something to be aware of before coming in. Still, I would recommend giving this place a try 👍

Excellent, consistent, and local. Our go-to Mexican spot when we are hungry for tacos on Tuesday or hosting a party. The Outpost offers high quality, delicious traditional Mexican food. Couldn't be happier yo have this restaurant in our town!

Very tasty. We had Barbacoa tacos with aujus and chicken tacos and were very tasty. The ground beef tacos not so much. The beans were very nice. The rice was a bit dry and no flavor. But altogether really tasty Mexican fast food.

We finally made it back to this place to try out their food. We had come on opening day but they ran out of food (around 6ish pm) and they weren’t taking any more orders. They asked us to come back in about 30 minutes but we didn’t want to wait so we went elsewhere. Today when he walked in, there was nobody inside when we walked in however the lady at the cashier was taking a phone order. There were people behind her prepping the food. Nobody acknowledged us or even said hi. A guy came up, he was very nice and he tried to ring us out but the lady on the phone had to assist him. The one thing that really bugged me was that the lady’s mask was not on properly, her nose was completely out. I ordered the veggie tacos and I confirmed the ingredients I had read on the menu: black beans, zucchini, corn, tomato-I then picked the onion and cilantro option for the tacos. My tacos did not have any tomatoes on them. The food was good. I was not a fan of the fries. The guacamole was good, just a smaller portion than I expected. Maybe I’ll give them another shot, not sure yet.

Had a delicious taco lunch at The Outpost today! My husband and I had tried one of their family meal packs when they first opened and found the food bland. Today's was a 180 degree different experience. Three of us ate and we all enjoyed the tacos and tortas. The owner is just as sweet as can be too, and that makes for such a welcoming environment. Guess the former issues were probably due to the newness of it all. Glad to know it's a great staple in downtown Downers Grove!

Rice and beans were bland - no flavor. I ordered no onions and sour cream on the side. Instead i got both on my tacos. Chicken had seasoning but was not flavorful.

Food was fresh and there were good choices. Young staff not interested in customers. The atmosphere is simple but comfortable. Good price for good food.

Me and my boyfriend walked around the Downers Grove area and this was the only taco spot we saw. We came in spontaneously and thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered. Birria Tacos w/consome and the shrimp ceviche. The flavors brought firework flavors to my mouth. The customer service was top tier! I can't wait to come back and try some breakfast items soon!

Fabulous tacos with authentic hot sauce. Personable, smiley happy people. Love this place and their peeps!

The outpost is so good. I left a negative review about a year ago and I realized it was just the one dish that I didn't really like, but everything else has been so good and I regret being so negative because there are such nice people here. My parents come like every week they love it. i would prefer the tacos had a bit more salt/seasoning, but they are so good

No frills but good food! A couple of tables for dine-in but they seem to do a lot of takeout as well. We didn't realize how HUGE the quesadillas are or we would have split one! Mine was cheese and barbacoa: a bit greasy but still yummy and very filling. The elote corn was tasty but we couldn't finish it with the huge entrees! It was a hot day so quite warm inside the small space due to the open kitchen. There was a big samovar of ice water with small cups if you didn't want to get another drink (they do have horchata and "imported Mexican beverages"). Staff was friendly and helpful. There's quite an extensive menu, including things like curados (pickled veggies) and breakfast items. Overall, glad we tried it! On the north end of downtown Downers Grove.

I eat at the Outpost 2-3 times a week. The seasoning on the meat is extraordinary, plus the fresh corn tortillas are full of flavor. The cilantro and onion is my go-to. I lost a lot of weight recently and the Outpost Tacoes help me get my macros in with high-quality protein sources. Plus, the people are so friendly. I am often welcomed with a smile and hello. Today I met the owner who was down to earth and super friendly. Highly recommend the Outpost.

I got a meal deal which included two 2 taco meals with rice and beans, 2 churros, and 1 elotes. I didn't care for the elotes, it had a weird flavor that's hard to describe. Maybe it needed salt or lime? The Al pastor Tacos was my favorite. They do not skimp on the meat. I like that they let you choose the toppings without charging extra for cheese. The chicken taco was grilled chopped chicken. It was good but I needed the salsa to add flavor. The rice and beans were delicious. I want to try the queso next time I come back.

Delicious food, friendly staff and clean! We outpost!! It's always been fresh and very tasty. Five stars for sure!!

By now, you all know I love my tacos and on Taco Tuesday, there's no better place than The Outpost for tacos. It's a great place that serves their tacos Mexican style. And for those who don't know what that is, it's cilantro and onions. But you can also have lettuce, tomato and cheese if you prefer. Today I enjoyed a steak and a chicken taco on corn tortillas. So tasty. I can never decide between them so today I had both. Aside from the tacos, I enjoyed chips and guacamole. I really enjoyed it. The chips were freshly made, crispy and very large and the guacamole was made to perfection, with avocado's, onion, tomato, peppers and a hint of lime. Fantastic. The service was perfect as you order from the counter. And it's always enjoyable watching them make my tacos right there on the grill. The place is located in a small strip center right on Main Street, 1 block north of they tracks in downtown Downers Grove. Anna, the owner was there and as friendly as a person could be. They have a few different sauces to put on your food, my favorite is the red. It's a bit hotter than the green but I had both today, red in the steak and the green on the chicken. You can't go wrong with either one.

In the southern suburbs its a bit easier to find good Mexican places. After living in the north burbs, I feel spoiled but this is one of my go-to's out here. The flavors are good and are indeed authentic. Their menu is a bit limited so if you're looking for burritos, tacos, quesadillas or burrito bowls, then you'll be good here. Pros: Savory and authentic They offer good side items: corn in a cup, mini churros And they offer side of avocado, finally, not sure why more dont do this They are on Grubhub (but they aren't great at following instructions if you modify things) Cons: Limited menu items They tend spice the food up, anytime i order anything to remove chiles, it comes with the chiles (peppers) Rice and beans are mediocre Guacamole comes with jalapeño (I prefer to have the option) Overall, its a good spot and one of my favorite spots. But if you go there, just double check your order. I dont know if its the way they take orders or their system doesn't show it clearly (both their online ordering & when ordering through GrubHub) but we almost always have something wrong.

The Outpost catered a party for us. My guests are still raving about the food! I highly recommend The Outpost for catering. They were on time, friendly, helpful, communicated well, very professional, and the food was absolutely delicious! A wonderful experience! A++++++

May 5th was my first visit to the outpost and it was very good. The reviews were spot on, the tacos are delicious, we tried Shrimp, chorizo and barbacoa, their beans were very creamy and the rice was flavorful. Considering it was 5:30 when I was there , it was busy with walk-in orders like myself, call in orders and online. The wait was short, 15-20 minutes for a freshly prepared meal that was delicious. I will be back for my taco cravings.

Tuesday calls for tacos, so I walked to the Outpost Mexican Eatery for lunch. Tried the combo with 2 steak tacos, rice and beans, which came with a side of a green and a red salsa. Everything was delicious, especially the small cubes of sautéed and tender steak and the salsa verde. The interior is small but cozy with 3 or 4 tables and Mexican music playing. Will definitely be back!

I had the Outpost cater breakfast tacos for a meeting I had recently and everyone loved it! I felt like a hero..They did a great job with the food, on time pick up, friendly, affordability...always a positive experience. I will be back again!

Stopped by to try new place in Downers Grove . Overall the steak tacos had decent amount of filing but steak was on the fatty side and chopped into bigger pieces than my personal preference. Taste wise they reminds me of tacos sold by Taco Grill located on Ogden Ave . Aqua de Jamaica drink was delicious and I high recommend trying it .

Everything is good here. Fast and friendly service, with generous amounts of ingredients, no skimping, and fair prices. Dine in or carry out. 2.00 tacos on Tuesdays. Put this one on your short list of must try local dining experiences.

Thank you Anna !! So let me start with this ..we , a local business in downers grove, .. had an impromptu party for 50 , and we were in a bind for catering .a friend of mine said to call the outpost..i called and spoke to the management, jesus and Anna and told them i had a party of 50..anna was very reassuring and told me their tacos were very good and could cater our party ..she was right , the tacos were amazing !! The outpost saved our party and all of our patrons loved the food .i understand the owner is a product of Gibson and the quality shows in their food.. the place , the service and the caring is over the top..i highly recommend this place !!

Delicious, fresh, distinctive and healthy! Our go to for Mexican! The burritos and the salad are very popular in our house!

Just had lunch here for the second time. I ordered the al pastor torta. The portion is huge! The cuts of meat are really generous and flavourful. I really liked their marinade they used for the pork. I like the slices of onion, tomato, and plenty of cheese. I definitely will order this sandwich again! I also ordered the chips and guacamole. For the price, you get a really small cup of guac and double the amount of chips. The avocado was smashed so much that it was a smooth paste. I prefer seeing bits of avocado in my guac. It also had a creamy texture, like they added something else to it. It was like some pre-packaged guac you get at the supermarket. At least they had chuncks of tomato, bits of onion, and cilantro in there. The chips tasted off, too. Kind of like they were stale or made with old tortillas? I'd still come back, just not for the chips or guac.

A small restaurant that a friend of mine loves so I had to try. It has some seating inside so I ate there. Great staff , friendly and attentive as I asked for a slight change to an order. Really enjoyed the quality of the food. The breakfast burrito steak bowl was amazing. The tacos chicken and shrimp were excellent. Overall a nice, clean, well run eatery. Highly recommend Outpost!

Highly recommend! I first had their food at a friend's house and then ordered catering for my husband's birthday. The food is so so good. The staff I spoke to over the phone was pleasant and Anna was very kind when helping me place my catering order. She even personally delivered it and followed up the next day to make sure all went well. We're already wanting to order catering from them for a future gathering!

Yum! Had this for the first time and will absolutely be back! Highly recommend the burritos - chicken and steak were both delicious. Quesadillas were also a hit. Not a fan of the chips, they tasted dense and stale but you could see oil in the bag they came in so I think that is intentionally how they make them here.

Above average food. Tacos are great, but my wife especially loves the Chorizo bowl. Hopefully this place sticks around awhile!

Wow! What fun variety and delicious flavors at this quaint little authentic Mexican eatery! I had the Cactus bowl, while my far better half had the nacho plater. We slit the very tasty " street corn" cup! Really good stuff with friendly staff and comfy seating areas. We'll definitely be back!

After hearing great reviews from multiple people on a certain fb dining group I decided to try it. I think they were plants, lol.  It was without a doubt the worst tacos I've ever eaten.  I threw my vegetarian out after a bite. My shrimp taco was both completely devoid of any seasoning and burned my mouth at the same time.  I had it with cilantro and onion and the pieces of onion were about 3/4 of an inch long by 1/2 inch wide. I've never seen pieces that large in a cilantro onion mix.  It did not help that the sauce lids were not closed all the way and it soaked through the bag and now my car stinks.  I will give it one more chance with the breakfast tacos and post a new review if they are good. Right now it has a 1 star, would be 0 if that was possible. I'm going to edit this review and bump it up from my original 1 to a 2.  I tried the breakfast tacos. Again, there is literally no seasoning on them other than what makes it spicy.  No salt.  The quality of the ingredients is good and the cooking of the item is great:  not over or undercooked but I've never tasted anything before that was both simultaneously spicy and bland.  I thought maybe, just maybe, the spice was covering the seasoning but I got a bite of just egg, no chorizo, and it was completely bland. It would have helped if it had cilantro and onion but it was topped with tomatoes only adding to the lack of depth.  All was not lost because I brought it home and added cilantro, salt, and pepper.   Sad because it would be a nice walk from work in good weather. At least your staff is really nice??  But the food can't hold a candle to Alfredo's or Tacochela.

Great food and service Anna is the best. Always happy with food. Will recommend this place to everyone in the area.

Tacos are top notch, especially the Al pastor! Prices are reasonable. Order to go and walk over to music in the park in a Tuesday! Place is clean and service is friendly.

Outpost is our "go to" Mexican eatery. Their burritos, tacos and the salad that has the cactus in it are all sooo good. I just wish they stayed open later than 8pm! Please consider a 9pm close so the DG area has greater access to your delicious Mexican foods for dinner. TY!

Had lovely experience at The Outpost for a quick taco and torta. Service very friendly and fair prices. The Al Pastor taco was as good as the best place in Cancun. Crispy and soft pork with a hint of the pineapple marinade but not at all sweet. Generous amount of meat too (not a tiny Mexican style taco - which I love too but different). The chorizo torta was delicious. Chorizo is greasy - that's why it's delicious. But this was much less greasy and flavor was great. Apparently chorizo is made with a family recipe of chef and if you eat pork - try it!

I ordered catering from Outpost for a small party. The food was delicious. We had steak and chicken for tacos which came with all of the toppings. We also had delicious guacamole and chips. The entire tray of guacamole was gone in 45 minutes. So good! Also, my personal favorite was the side of elote. Many guests said it was the best they've ever had. We will definitely be ordering again soon!!! (After we finish all the leftovers!)

11/12/22 we ordered for for delivery. They delivered someone else's order to us. I called the DG restaurant and the person who answered acknowledged the mistake, then said our order was at the store if we wanted to go and pick it up. Really? Is that their idea of customer service?

My husband picked up the weekend special Mexican hamburger... so delicious... we hope this burger will be added to the daily menu.

Was excited to try this new spot unfortunately is was a let down. Got the burrito special for starters the steak is pre-cooked and cold and they throw it back on grill. It had no flavor and sum chewy pieces I had to spit out there's nothing worse. Also tried the tomales again they were not good. 1 star does go to the friendly staff but unfortunately I won't be returning cause there's too many good spots to give my money too

Excellent! Carry out or catering, we've had Outpost 6 or 7 times. The quality of good has always been too notch. Highly recommend!

Seriously delicious tacos. We've ordered take out several times and it has always been prepared fresh & absolutely delicious. Ordered a family taco dinner for my daughters birthday & everyone raved about the food. The steak, chicken Al pastor tacos were delicious and the elotes was a fun change of pace for a side. There was more then enough for healthy portions & even after day 3 of leftovers we were enjoying the food :) also tried a Greek dinner pop up menu one weekend that was a solid offering. Again, freshly prepared and generous portions. PS: they are able to accommodate gluten free requests for tacos and sides which is a must for our house.

Outpost is a favorite lunch and dinner spot for my family! We ordered a family meal for my sons birthday and I didn't realize they ask for 2 hour notice for a larger meal, I called the store and they were incredibly friendly and helpful. The told me they would have ready in time for our dinner and even had put birthday notes on the bag! My son was so excited to see a custom birthday meal just for him! Not only is their food exceptional but they are the friendliest spot in town!

Great experience! We ordered a burrito bowl and burrito for takeout. Both were great! Definitely will come back

New favorite burrito spot. Tried this place out the other night as a recommendation from my brother. Got the steak burrito with everything, it was stuffed to the gills and super tasty. I'll definitely be coming back here.

Good tacos, freshly prepared, generous portion. Especially good value when they offer $2 taco special. Nice people, worth your patronage.

Every so often, I like to order tacos from Standard Market for lunch. A friend told me about Outpost so I decided to give it a try. Wow. I won't be going back to Standard Tacos anymore. I tried one of each taco thinking I would have a few leftover for tomorrow. Nope. The food was fresh and flavorful. The chorizo taco was spicy but not too hot - well-seasoned and packed with flavor. I was pleasantly surprised how many vegetables were in the vegetarian taco and really impressed with how fresh the tomatoes were. When you go, don't forget the guac and chips (homemade and tastes like it). I also liked the authentically Mexican atmosphere (complete with music) and the very friendly staff. I will be making regular stops at this little gem in downtown DG.

Not very impressive. It's basically like Chipotle. My burrito bowl was cold, more like a salad. The shrimp on top was extremely salty and I couldn't eat most of it.

The dinner at the Community Kitchen in Downers Grove was provided by the Outpost tonight. The CK serves people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Not only where they super generous on the portions for steak tacos, rice, beans, and chips but also super generous with taste! Perfectly seasoned and cooked--all of our guests really enjoyed dinner. Thanks for a great meal!

I'm not sure that other negative review went to the same place as me, the Outpost in Downers Grove was one of the freshest, most authentic Mexican restaurants I've ordered from in a LONG time. Had Steak and Al Pastor tacos, both were amazing. The steak was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The guac, rice, beans, and churros that accompanied our meal were all fresh and tasty. After Costco Churros for years I had forgotten how they were actually supposed to taste lol, these were perfect. Soooo much better. My wife and 3 kids all agreed, and they can be a picky group! We will definitely be back to the Outpost!!!

Ordered carry out last week and it was a near complete disappointment that ended throwing out most of the order. The ground beef on the tacos tasted old, like it had been sitting around for a very long time. The tacos lacked flavor.... they were just the bad beef with lettuce and tomato - no cheese. The chicken also had on old taste and smell. The rice was dry and not very flavorful. The pork tamale was way over cooked. It was dry and the wrapping was stuck to the tamale and could not be separated. It was baked hard, dry and uneatable. The shrimp was over cooked.

Very clean place, and super delicious shrimp tacos. We enjoyed it. Highly recommended

very underwhelming and over priced for their quality. the first time i ordered i waited almost 30 minutes and when i finally got my food, the tacos were cold, and the queso was also ice cold. the queso had the consistency of water and it was SO gross. the steak tacos were boring. you can get better chips and queso at chipotle! and better tacos and Los on Ogden! Also, i ordered a churro, and it was clear to me that it was frozen - better churros can be gotten at Bar Chido (they actually taste homemade!). i gave this place a second chance and got a burrito bowl. It was basically a salad because of how much lettuce they put in it. Also, it was supposed to come with pico de gallo and they just didn't give me any? my sister also ordered a burrito bowl and instead they decided to give her a burrito...she's gluten free and couldnt eat this. it took them almost over 30 minutes to fix the mistake and remake the burrito bowl! overall, places like taco grill, bar chido, and Los are way better than this place!

Totally a awful first visit. Burrito was bland tasteless and just a big blob. The Mexican rice was flavorless, mushy and overcooked. The guacamole was fair but was full of huge chunks of avocado that were much too large to eat without a fork and the chips were hard as a rock and dark brown with a slightly burnt taste. We threw most of our food away. Sorry to say better food at Taco Bell.

THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN DOWNERS GROVE! We had the pineapple pork, chorizo, shrimp, and chicken tacos - each one was SO GOOD! Full of flavor and stacked with toppings! Street corn is also a 10/10!! We will be back!

Tacos were very meaty and flavorful. I think this place has a lot of potential for the price. I will come back to try some their other offerings. I also like how there are bowl options for lighter meals.

Mouth watering, authentic tacos and burritos! Great menu options for the entire family.