Diners' Choice: Mexican restaurants in Chicago / Illinois

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Mexican cuisine in Chicago / Illinois? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant - North Lawndale

4.9

4.9 (6)

$30 and under

Mexican

North Lawndale

About the restaurant

An award-winning, Mexican café serving up a Guadalajara-inspired, extensive menu

Top review

Aglaet

Dined on Aug 11, 2024

Beautiful decor, great customer service and delicious food!

Kie-Gol-Lanee

4.9

4.9 (159)

$30 and under

Mexican

Uptown

About the restaurant

Opened in 2016, this Uptown Mexican eatery continues to gather accolades, including a spot on The New York Times' recommendations "36 hours in Chicago" and four straight years of being a MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand restaurant right up to the present.

An immersive experience of Oaxacan cuisine featuring layudas (a.k.a. Mexican pizza), tamales oaxaqueños, enchiladas de mole, cornish hen and tacos de birria just to name a few. Their selection of margaritas made with homemade agua frescas with no artificial syrups and mimosas on the weekends is a must! Diners know to leave room too for the Oaxacan nicuatole (a flavored flan) and tres leches cake.

Kie-Gol-Lanee comes from the Zapotec dialect meaning "Piedra Antigua" (old stone). Its Spanish version "Quiegolani" is the name of a small village in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the owners and siblings are from. Maria and Reynel Mendoza run this operation with their spouses, Leo and Sandra, whose mission is to preserve their family’s original recipes.

Top review

Lindseyvip

Dined 4 days ago

Overall the food was excellent! Would have liked to sit in the downstairs dining room vs upstairs but they had a crowd on Sat so we took what we could get! Will be back!

La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant - Little Village

4.9

4.9 (82)

$30 and under

Mexican

Cicero

About the restaurant

A Mexican coffee house-restaurant located in the Mexican Capital of the Midwest, Little Village, offers a variety of different, non-traditional coffee and ice cream flavors. We also have an extensive menu of European inspired Mexican dishes that include options like paninis, salads and all-day breakfast. La Catedral, is a name inspired by the cathedral in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, which is also reflected in the establishment's logo.

Top review

Ashly

Dined on Aug 28, 2024

I lovee this café de olla and my Togo usually is always chilaquiles verdes w pollo a la parrilla

Takito Kitchen - Wicker Park

4.8

4.8 (721)

$30 and under

Mexican

Bucktown / Wicker Park

About the restaurant

Takito Kitchen is a seven-year-old, "award-winning" modern taqueria (taco joint) in Wicker Park featuring Mexican-inspired cuisine with fresh ingredients & complex flavors, along with handcrafted margaritas; 100% gluten-free menu & freshly squeezed juice margaritas:-)

Top review

Jose

Dined on Aug 30, 2024

Delicious all around! Cucumber margarita was the best!

Zentli

4.7

4.7 (57)

$30 and under

Mexican

Evanston

About the restaurant

Hear the joyful music of Mexico with a mix of Latin American and world rhythms, enjoy the colorful art, and taste delicious tacos in a warm community space.

Zentli (indigenous Nahuatl Language for "corn" or "maize"), is a casual restaurant that serves the best locally sourced Mexican street food in Evanston, Illinois. With fresh, natural ingredients and vegan & vegetarian options in eclectic, artistic digs, we’re your new local favorite.

We built Zentli to honor the ingenuity and hard work of Mexican people by bringing you the genuine flavors of street vendors through tasty food and mouth-watering drinks.

Top review

Rosa

Dined on Aug 31, 2024

Delicious tacos and the mole enchiladas special was outstanding. Love the artwork in the space! The staff was friendly and the owner Piloto is a gem.

Cafe El Tapatio - Glenview

4.7

4.7 (361)

$30 and under

Mexican

Glenview

About the restaurant

Cafe El Tapatio was established in 1974 becoming a Chicago Staple for Authentic Mexican Cuisine and Drinks. Brought to the North Shore in 2017, Cafe El Tapatio brings the heat to the suburbs in a hip and urban environment. Focusing on traditional Mexican flavors we go above and beyond the typical run of the mill Mexican restaurant bringing one entrees like Arrachera XX, Pollo en Mole de Reyna, Camarones al Tequila, and Salmón Citrico; alongside various other traditionally flavored dishes. In regards to our drinks, all our specialty cocktails are made with small batch boutique 100% Blue Agave Tequila.

We hope to see you soon! We're open for Lunch and Dinner during the week and Brunch and Dinner on weekends.

Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @cafeeltapatiogv

Top review

Janicevip

Dined on Sep 4, 2024

Always delicious. Waiter very helpful in picking my meal.

Mirra

4.8

4.8 (29)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Bucktown / Wicker Park

About the restaurant

Mirra is centered around the excitement of exploring the South Asian and Mexican culinary and collaboration that is really an unknown story up north.

A la carte service, wine-focused with a small curated cocktail menu. Our chef's counter will offer a casual prix fixe experience for guests to enjoy. Mirra is a space that is warm, cozy, and comforting, whilst simultaneously executing a bold and vibrant food and beverage program. Mirra is a unique representation of how 2 different cultures can be 1 presented to you by Rishi Kumar, Zubair Mohajir, and David Mor.

Top review

Stevenvip

Dined 5 days ago

This is a brand new restaurant doing something very different and very right. A unique, creative blend of Indian and Mexican flavors in every bite of every dish. Fantastic meal! We’ll be back.

La Luna

4.7

4.7 (780)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Pilsen

About the restaurant

About La Luna
Luna stays true to the communities cultural, ever-evolving roots and offers a place for both locals and visitors alike to enjoy traditional Mexican recipes in a creative space that pays homage to the diverse, artistic vibe of the neighborhood.

Nice to Know:
Walk in Friendly (please call ahead)

Please have your complete party present before checking in to be seated. As a courtesy, reservations are held for 15 minutes past the reservation time.

Top review

PaigeKvip

Dined on Sep 10, 2024

Love La Luna! I’ve been here twice and both times have been impressed with the food and drinks. Last night we had a great server as well. Really enjoyed the spicy margaritas, the birria, and the fish tacos!

Big Star West Town

4.8

4.8 (26)

$30 and under

Mexican

West Town

About the restaurant

Culinary Director Chris Miller introduces an all new menu including ceviche, aguachiles, and Mariscos classics with signature Big Star tunes and an open-air patio.

interested in hosting an event or large group with us?
email vipevents@oneoffhospitality.com to book with us today!

Top review

Brianvip

Dined on Aug 27, 2024

Always a good time. Good food, great whisky, friendly knowledgeable staff.

Cafe El Tapatio

4.7

4.7 (322)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Lakeview / East Lakeview

About the restaurant

The Parra family has owned and operated this cheerful restaurant for 46 years and make frequent trips to Mexico for menu ideas and cook up several family specialties. Beyond the standard tacos, burritos, and chimichangas are dishes such as crepas de pollo.

Top review

James

Dined 4 days ago

We've finally concluded that Cafe El Tapatio is our go-to Mexican place. Like Chinese food, you just have to have YOUR place, and Tapatio is definitely our family's go-to Mexican. Food is always fresh, good quality, good portions, and the family and workers are friendly and caring about the people they serve. Just overall a great place!!!

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