Tortas Frontera

The carnitas tacos are highly recommended, with great flavor. For those who don’t like spicy food, they have a green salsa with excellent flavor and no heat. The way they package their products is impressive, with branded bags and boxes that give a professional touch. Service can be a bit slow, but it’s understandable given the number of orders they handle. The only downside for me was the guacamole — about 3 to 4 ounces for $13, which I think is a very small portion for the price. Other than that, everything is very recommendable.

Tortas Frontera was the top recommendation for food at Chicago O'Hare. This location is situated next to the food court in Terminal 3, and has bar seating, and then tables as part of the court. The service was pleasant and quick considering how popular it was. In total we only waited 7 minutes after ordering our food. I ordered the Beef Quesabirria Torta, and it had a nice smoky flavor and pairs well with the broth. I poured the tomatillo salsa on the sandwich itself then dipped in the broth for the perfect bite. My wife ordered the Chorizo + Queso Torta, and it was better. More of a sweet and flavorful option. The sandwiches are good, but they won't fill you, especially at $18+. But the flavors are there and it's an enjoyable bite. The Mango Lime Agua Fresca is delicious, very sweet, and worth it if you enjoy sweet drinks. Overall, I think it's a worthy ballot for top food at Chicago O'Hare, but the door is open for another contender.

Whenever I fly through ORD I get a smile on my face because ... Tortas Fronteras. IYKYK. Order on the app then walk up to get your order otherwise plan on 10-15 while they MAKE IT FRESH FOR YOU. What can I say? Everything is outstanding. The guacamole should be a national treasure and any Torta..you can't go wrong. Today I got the chorizo queso. And the guava alfajor. late it so quickly I didn't take a picture but here's one from one of the other 100 times l've been there. Ambiance? Lively music. Friendly efficient service. Watch them make amazing food. If you're lucky enough to grab a spot enjoy the atmosphere while you devour your Torta. Close your eyes and imagine you're eating it on a bench in a city park somewhere in Mexico.

The Baja chicken tacos and guacamole were great. Gluten free corn tortillas. I had time before my flight so I headed over to Frontera. No wait to order and the food was prepared in a reasonable amount of time. The drinks are good and there is a bar but it was a morning flight so I passed on the bar. There are a few seats and a counter to eat if you have time before your flight.

I literally have to stop here every time I go through O’Hare! This is a must for every trip. The bread on the tortas is toasted to a delicious, crispy, golden brown texture, the fillings are so good. Do yourself a favor and get you some frontera on your way through!

This sandwich yummy! The black bean spread was honestly such a nice touch! It’s a popular airport spot, so be prepared to wait a bit. But if you have time to kill, I recommend

Franky is the best. He is very fast, funny and great. My highlight of me waiting for a flight. If I am ever at this airport again I hope he is working just to make me smile. Thank you Franky

Delicious 😋 meal, appreciate effort with local ingredients and businesses. Although naturally costly at airport, two 2️⃣ tacos 🌮 was good portions and filling. More appealing & appetizing than other airport food here. Thanks! 🙏

I was excited to see that they offered Mexico City-style tortas at Chicago O'Hare Airport that I definitely had to stop by during my short layover. This restaurant is one of the more popular dining options offered at the food court. They make all the tortas fresh, so prepare for a wait. Online ordering is also available, so you don't miss your connecting flight like I almost did! I wish I had more time here so I could unwind and enjoy some chips & guac and a cold beverage. I ordered the Cubana Clasica Torta, Chorizo + Queso Torta, and Chipotle-Roasted Chicken Torta. These were so good, not only did I order during my arrival but also for my departure flight back home. It smelled delicious, and I wanted to try them all! My favorite was the Chipotle-Roasted Chicken Torta. Inside the torta, the chicken was well-seasoned and tender with a tasty cilanto crema sauce. Followed by the Cubana Clasica Torta, it comes sandwiched between a crunchy toasted roll with a chipotle mustard spread. They should include more veggies to match the meat ratio. My least favorite was the Chorizo + Queso Torta. The chorizo was overly salty and missing a type of condiment to enhance its flavor. Every torta comes with a choice of either tomatillo salsa or red chipotle salsa. These were made in-house and chunky (not watery), just the way I like. If you are looking for a satisfying meal before your flight, this is the place to go!

This review is for the bar area and only ordered beer, not food. When we walked in there was the overwhelming smell of sour mop water! I wish we turned around and walked out right then. We sat ourselves at the long table opposite of the bar. The whole table was sticky with crumbs and some trash. We asked the bartender for something to wipe it down and she gave us napkins. She said she had been so busy she hadn't been able to clean. Well while we were there the customers slowed down and she never came and cleaned the area. Hmmmm.... And the tall seats were very uncomfortable. We stayed for about 45 minutes and my partner had a huge reaction to something in this area, possibly the sour smell? He immediately started having a runny nose which wouldn't stop. It lasted for about 10 hours non-stop allergic reaction. There are so many places to have a beer, we would not come back to this location and recommend going elsewhere.

Whenever I fly through ORD I get a smile on my face because ... Tortas Fronteras. IYKYK. Order on the app then walk up to get your order otherwise plan on 10-15 while they MAKE IT FRESH FOR YOU. What can I say? Everything is outstanding. The guacamole should be a national treasure and any Torta..you can't go wrong. Today I got the chorizo queso. And the guava alfajor. I ate it so quickly I didn't take a picture but here's one from one of the other 100 times I've been there. Ambiance? Lively music. Friendly efficient service. Watch them make amazing food. If you're lucky enough to grab a spot enjoy the atmosphere while you devour your Torta. Close your eyes and imagine you're eating it on a bench in a city park somewhere in Mexico.

Service was fast. Restaurant was packed. I got the Barbacoa tacos. They were street tacos size, but packed with a lot of meat. Very satisfying. I LOVED the habanero salsa! Spicy, seasoned, and had great consistency. My coworkers tried the tortas and said they were great. The only downside was the prices which were inflated airport prices.

We love Chef Rick Bayles's culinary shows dedicated to Mexican cuisine on the great PBS! During our layover in Chicago last week, we thought it'd be fun to try the food at his restaurant Tortaza, part of Tortas Frontera. When in Chicago... we thought it'd be a perfect choice for our main meal of the day. We shared a Chicken Chipotle torta - it's big, fresh, flavorful, full of fresh avocados, I saw the ladies working here cutting it right in front of my eyes! We also shared a couple of Carnitas Tacos with guac, red pickled onions, shaved radishes. Wonderful dishes, simple, delicious and very fresh - especially for airport food. We paired it up with Lime Agua Fresca-s, which we were tart and fresh, once again, nice to enjoy between flights. The prices are actually reasonable for airport rates and the service was very good. Great choice for a layover at O'Hare! Salud Mr. Bayles for a nice meal!

A Mexican torta shop named one of best airport foods by Time Out Chicago. The lines are always long during lunch and the food does take a while to come out, so don't come if you're in a rush at Terminal 1 of the O Hare airport. I got the chicken chipotle torta, which includes avocado, poblanos rejas, jack cheese, arugula, and cilantro crema. Honestly this was quite yummy, especially with that tomatillo salsa I was obsessed with. So bright, fresh, and added a nice kick to each bite. The torta itself was freshly toasted and it made a very yummy hot sandwich. Wish I got more avocados as the order next to me got half and I got 1/4, but it's not a biggie hehe. There's some seating and a small bar, but depending on lunch rush, it'll be hard to snag a seat.

Great option at O'Hare. I stopped at American Airlines, Terminal 3 but believe they have an outpost at other terminals. I've been to Rick Bayless' restaurants downtown Chicago... both Frontera Grill and the more high end Topolobampo... and he is a master chef when it comes to Mexican chow. So, not surprising that he knows how to deliver when it comes to translating his recipes and techniques into a fast casual concept. The place is busy, so plan accordingly for prep time. My Chicken and Bacon Quesadilla with tomatoes, jack cheese, garlic, mojo cilantro crema was awesome! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Located at O'Hare, The tacos were good. Toppings were fresh. Typical airport prices. Service was fast. Sat at the counter on a high stool. It's what I'd expect at an airport, fast and good so I can take time to relax before a flight.

Easy access in the terminal with plenty of seating. I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. It's was a good torta. Real avocado, tasty bread, the chorizo had good flavor. Really surprised. The service was fast and friendly. I had to walk from another terminal but it was totally worth it.

Had a delicious torta at Tortas Frontera at the Chicago airport. Pro tip is definitely to order ahead. Right before take off I placed the order for when I would arrive. Upon arrival my torta was hot and ready to go, which was a great call since the line is very long here. I ordered the beef quesabirria torta which was money! The meat was tender and a bit spicy, great handheld meal while getting to my next flight.

I stopped by to have a quick lunch before flight. This is pobably the best food around in the terminal. Beef quesabirria was my entree. It was flavorful. Mango lime aguas frescas was a good drink to try.

02/12/25 - This was the second time I've eaten @ Tortas Frontera a Rick Bayless restaurant. Both times I ordered a a Cubana sandwich. The first time I ordered Cubana sandwich it wasn't very good as I bought this to eaten on the plane knowing there wasn't any food being served. This was a big mistake as this should be eaten right away. The Cubana is a Smoked pork loin, Gunthorp bacon, artisan Jack cheese, black beans, cilantro crema, chipotle mustard & avocado. The second time I ate it right away and it was delicious. Lesson learned 5 stars

Sadly this has gone down hill hard! Rick needs to come and do some quality control. Yesterday had chips and salsa and the birria torta. The chips were bad! Seemed old some what stale. The bread for my torta also seemed like just an over toasted stale bread. Wasn't much meat on it either. I loved this place for first several years it was open but it's not the same anymore. With airport food in general getting very expensive these days at least make sure your food is super on point for the price. I sat at the bar and the bartender/ server seemed like he could absolutely care less about anything. Bummer that this has fallen so hard.

This place is a hot mess. The machines to order don't work management doesn't come to address things when they didn't even offer any kind of apologies or assistance very disappointing at this point maybe I should've just gone to another place. What a poor showing customer service with for people who are in a hurry

Solid for airport food! Otherwise the chorizo was pretty salty and the combination of ingredients was underwhelming, but as a whole, it satisfied the hunger and was quick and doable with only a 45 minute layover! Since it's a sandwich station, you can speedwalk to the bathroom midway in Terminal K and back during the time they take to make it and your food will be ready for pickup by the time you're back. I ordered a choriqueso and ate it too fast for pictures of anything remaining but the empty box. If you land Terminal 3 Gate K, and have a layover in G or H, it's on the way!

Chicago O'Hare Terminal 3, Il. Typical high priced that we are subjected to at airports. We ordered at a kiosk, there were a lot of steps, I believe it is faster to just stand in the short line and talk to a human. Easy seating and the food came in about 15 minutes. The Crispy Chicken Milanesa was really good. I added avocado for $3 (!) that really helped perfect it. A tad spicy but not overpowering. Very nice just fried chicken breast and chipotle sauce.There are several sauce choices but chipotle goes well with this sandwich. The Guacamole Salad was huge ($15.50). It really could feed two people. Lots of guacamole and chicken in there with a good dressing. I'll probably just go with this next time.

A must stop for sandwich when connecting in ORD, and always worth a small line/wait. Since I missed the time window for breakfast sandwich, I had the Crispy Chicken Milanesa. Hand made to order, and with the freshest, locally (regionally) sourced ingredients, makes for a tasty Torta!

My go to meal spot when I'm flying through O'Hare. It's an airport, so I expect I'll be paying a lot for food. Other than the sticker shock, I find little to disappoint me here. No waiting at the kiosk to order. Several people waiting for their food. It takes 10-15 minutes to get the sandwich, but I find it worth the wait. The staff was friendly and having a good time with customers as they cranked out sandwich after sandwich. It's a small space and not a lot of seating, but the decor is Mexican all the way. I normally go for the crispy chicken Milanesa, but this time I went for the beef quesabirria. I couldn't be happier with my choice. The beef was juicy and moist. The cheese was stringy and the bread held up to the demands of this sandwich. I added chips and salsa to my order. The chips were hearty and in large portion. The cups of salsa are a bit smallish. Ordering an extra is a good idea. That's fine with me since it gave me the chance to had red and green salsas. I left plenty full and ready to nap on my next flight.

I had a chipotle chicken torta, and it was very good for airport food. It took about 15-20 minutes for it to be made. The combination of chipotle chicken, avocado, arugula, and black beans gave lots of flavor and texture. Like a grilled panini, you have to eat it right away as the bread will be the most toasty after it's pressed. You can still take it on the plane, as long as you are okay with soft bread. 1 star off: The packaging box was flimsy. The cover kept popping off and the bottom kept on becoming folded as I walked with it in a bag. Maybe this is more evidence for eating the torta right away!

The chips were stale and the salsa was flavorless. The staff was inattentive and the music was too loud. Not enough seats.

At first I wanted to be upset soup was $15. But was actually surprised it was delicious. Would I order this anywhere else for $15, no. But for an airport restaurant this was pretty amazing and subpar food would be expensive anyhow. I ordered the child's cheesy toasty and it was ok for dipping in soup but I wouldn't really recommend for anyone over the age of 8. The negative was how long it took to get my food- about 15 minutes. So be prepared to wait a bit.

Still solid food as it has been for all these years. The breakfast torta with chorizo, eggs, and avocado was very tasty and a very good portion size. The loaded guacamole alsoshown was tasty. The breakfast ordering system requires you to go over to the bar to order coffee (nowhere found on the kiosk screen menu). The bartender grumpily is made to have to head back across to the food area to pour a cup from the carafe. Ludacris - I say! needs fixed.

We love Tortas Frontera! Today we had some time in the Chicago so we hunted for this place. The tortas are so very good! I had the chipotle roasted chicken with fire roasted salsa. Chicken, avocado, poblano, jack cheese, arugula and cilantro crema. The salsa had a great heat to it and it brought the flavors of the sandwich forward. Loved it! As Arnold said, 'I'll be back!'

So, I went to the restaurant and was very unhappy with the food but this location redeemed them. I wanted to grab something to eat on the plane so I ordered their Cobb Salad as well as chips with guac. While the pricing is a bit excessive (which is expected in any airport), the food was delicious, flavorful and fresh. I will definitely go back the next time I find myself at O'Hare. The location was festive and the staff were very helpful.

This is truly good food- for an airport or otherwise. Been here many times and always happy but this latest visit was the best: I had a perfect bowl of tortilla soup topped with barbacoa. Unctuous, a little spicy, and totally filling. Then I booked another flight. Gotta come back!

Bought the tortilla soup for dinner. Had a 4hr flight. All I could taste was salt. It was awful. Actually inedible. Threw it out on the flight. So not only was I out $12, but I was starving on a 4hr flight. Hopefully it was just the chef who made it that day, but I'd never risk it again.

The torta milanesa was pretty good. The chicken was crispy and saucy. Because they assemble to order, the breading stayed crispy. The salsas were excellent as well as the Jamaica agua drink. Unexpectedly tasty for an airport food stand. It's somehow affiliated with Rick Bayless since his name was on the packaging. You order tibia 2 kiosks, where you can customize the sandwich to your liking. They do try to upsell you after almost every click, so that's annoying. Ordering in this fashion is also not friendly to people who are not tech savvy. I stepped in to help a lady who struggled with the machine for a while 10 minutes while the line behind her got longer.

Had a delicious torta at Tortas Frontera in the Chicago airport. Pro tip: definitely order ahead. I placed my order right before takeoff and timed it for my arrival, my torta was hot and ready to go, which was perfect since the line there is always long. I went with the beef quesabirria torta, and it was incredible. The meat was tender with a nice kick of spice, the perfect handheld meal while heading to my next flight.

I love delays at O'Hare because of this restaurant. The guacamole Cobb with crispy chicken and the agua frescas that are made in-house is the best thing that can happen to you during a layover. They are also quick after ordering, in addition to having some bar seating and tables. The price is right and the food is fantastic.

Although there was no line today (Saturday afternoon), ordering online was definitely the way to go! I arrived at Terminal 1 and found the location there was out of their vegetarian sandwich. I put in an order at T3 and by the time I was there it was ready! Lots of layers of flavor in the eggplant and definitely enhanced by the green salsa, it was an easy to eat and satisfying bite at the airport. I'd definitely return next trip. There are a few nice seating options if you are okay to walk - the Rotunda, for example, is bright and open!

Amazing food and experience in terminal 5 . Highly recommend to anyone traveling through. Service was incredible

While flying through ORD on a layover, I stopped in, as the place seemed like it would have a nice selection of freshly-made Mexican dishes. I sat at the bar, the bartender was moderately busy, but not very busy and service was ok. The menu wasn't very vast, just offering several different items. I opted for chips & salsa, with their habanero salsa added (they charge $.50 more for it) and their torta made with a fried chicken breast... It arrived cut in half, the first half I ate seemed to have chicken in it all, but the second half I ate only had a small piece of chicken. The chips were decent, the salsas were just OK, but that habanero salsa was really spicy. The silly music with the same latin beat was annoyingly loud and redundant. Overall - Not worth stopping in... I won't return.

Absolute garbage customer service kiosks not working, customers wasting time putting orders in. Employees couldn't care less.

There is one bartender here who should not have this job. The others have been okay but this one--short with a mustache--always takes forever to attend to you, he doesn't give you a menu, he's rude, and he makes terrible drinks. The food quality of this spot used to be pretty consistently good but it's been going downhill lately. Spotty at best.

I love that they make everything from scratch - or I assume they do because a simple to-go sandwich takes 15-20 minutes. I don't know if they need to figure out how to optimize production of their less than dozen menu items (including soups and salads) or if they need to pay staff enough to care, but if you're heading for a flight give this a pass. This isn't a one time thing, but it's finally become a last time thing for me. Edit: the Cubana was fine, but not 18 minutes worth of fine. It had no special requests. Edit2: ships-soups. No aquatic vessels here.

I am back in Terminal 5 at Chicago O'Hare Airport waiting for a connecting flight back to NYC, so I had to come here for a bite and a cocktail. It's been a few years since I was last here, but it hasn't changed a bit (I wish I could say the same thing about this airport, which is a mess). The menu is small--less than a half-dozen sandwiches, a few soups, a salad and chips 2 ways. Drinks include a small selection of wine, beer (their on-tap selection is more interesting than the cans/bottles) and cocktails, which I recommend. They have a kids' menu and are open for breakfast with a separate menu, which I didn't have. Service was pretty good (I have seen some reviews where people had long waits for take-away, but I guess it depends on when you get here). I have never had the pleasure of eating at any of Rick Bayless' other restaurants, so I am happy I got the chance to eat here again.

Surprisingly good food in an airport. I got the Chorizo Queso torta and a mango lime agua Fresca. Service was prompt and friendly. The torts was delicious. Hit, fresh, and filling. The agua Fresca had a good sour not to sweet refreshing quality. Next time I'm in O'Hare I'm going here again for sure. No pics was really hungry.

Surprisingly good airport food, this restaurant is located near gate B11 in Terminal 1. While at the going rate of $15 (pretty much the entry-level price at airports these days), the amount of protein is disappointing, the freshness and composition of the tortas (Mexican sandwiches) is something to appreciate. Combined with a staff that genuinely seems to care, Tortas Frontera is almost certainly the best food option in Terminal 1.

I waited for 20+ minutes before asking where my order was, as I was seeing others who ordered after me get their food first. I went to the cashier and they told me to order through the kiosk, and when I told them I did, they were quick to make my order. The sandwich itself is good. The bread is the standout, the eggs are a nice soft scramble, the chorizo has a slight spice, cheese is melty, and the red onions give it a nice crunch. Texturally, the sandwich works. In terms of flavor, it's decent but somewhat lacking. Same can be said for the side of chipotle salsa. Because of my forgotten order and the underwhelming flavor, I give it a 3/5

Had a connecting flight in Chicago and couldn't passed your establishment because it smelled so damn good. The line was really long but that means it's really good lol. We ordered the Mango lime frescas which were so tasty. Guacamole is real avocado and not the fake. That's such a plus. My Cuban torta was delicious loved the flavor profiles

Delicious Tortas, but Service is Slow! The tortas here are packed with flavor and fresh ingredients--absolutely delicious! However, the service is extremely slow. They hold onto large batches of orders instead of sending them out as they're ready, which leads to long waits and crowding at the counter. We waited over 25 minutes for two to-go tortas. If they streamlined their pickup process, it would be perfect. Worth the wait if you have time, but not ideal if you're in a hurry!

Ladies and gentlemen, you can finally get good food at the airport! As a local Chicagoan, everything Rick Bayless does is fantastic in my book, so I was stoked to find his outpost in Terminal 3. The screen where you input your order alleviates waiting in line, you can actually see real food being cooked (vs. re-heated), and the staff are very kind. I had the Choriqueso before my international flight, and it was excellent! I wish I had noticed the bar area before I ordered because the drinks looked good! I enjoyed the music too.

On a flight back from Montana, my friend and I went on a search for some good airport food - something that is not fast food and we were not in the mood for a burger or pizza. We found Tortas Frontera and it was that excellent airport food we were looking for. Made to order and quick. You start by ordering at a kiosk. It is big touch screens that are very easy to navigate. The service was friendly and quick. NOTE: keep your receipt. You need to show it in order to pick up your food! The sitting area was a bit noisy, but we were able to find a quieter place eventually - it's open in an airport....

For fast food and had several things from this place over the years of traveling through Terminal 3. I really like the food, good choices for me it's kicked up Tex-Mex. Fast food that feels like a way better version that other fast food restaurants and hands down better than any other fast food chain Mexican food. Good service. Order at the counter of now kiosk. Crazy busy H area where H&K y off. I'd come to their sit down version of this place for sure

Love that Tortas Frontera challenges and raises the bar of "airport food." I got the Chicken Milanese torta - mildly let down on the taste; I was expecting a burst of flavor across the cotija, crema, and jalapeños but shockingly it tasted a bit one-note and bland? Not sure why, as it theoretically checked all the culinary boxes of "salt, fat, acid and heat." However, I was impressed by the freshness of the ingredients and the speedy, efficient service. A solid choice nonetheless.

Jasmine was wonderful!! Food is such better quality than the standard sandwiches at the kiosk's! They were very busy, but they had it all under control, food was out within a few minutes! Delicious!

It's my favorite place to eat at O'hare. It's high quality food prepared on the spot, and it's interesting, not just the same ole fare. But their software-based ordering stations are counter intuitive and difficult to use.

One of the best options in Terminal 3. Made to order, the staff works hard to churn out the food fast. Typically, airport food is just meh but Tortas takes it to another level. Fresh and plentiful ingredients nestled in a great telera roll, you can't go wrong. Be wary, the habanero salsa is hot as advertised so use it sparingly if you are heat sensitive. A solid meal before our flight.

The torta was good but the service was horrible. Uninterested and rude staff (except for the woman taking orders at the bar). Absurdly slow as well.