Cecina Grill is one of Pilsen's most underrated restaurants. Along with the hand-made tortillas, their salsas, ingredients, generous Chicago portions a excellent meat dishes. The best Cecina in Pilsen. The service has always been excellent, fast and courteous. Yes, the decor and lighting could use an update, yet, it is functional, clean and it just works. The perfect place for any meal, and along with El Mezquite, my favorite restaurant in Pilsen. Any and all of their cecina tacos and dishes are delicious, and my go-to is their "mar y tierra" burrito. The best burrito in Pilsen. read more

Good food with great authentic taste. Parking lot available across the street. Great service. read more

Cecina Grill - Chicken enchilada with mole - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ive heard many positive reviews and I needed to come check it out. It's absolutely delicious here Luckily we came around 2 pm and it wasn't pack on a Wednesday. The waitress Marlén gave good and quick service upon our entry. The place is small, comfy and culturally simple . read more

I have been eating here at Cecina Grill for almost 6 months and to know surprise I enjoy the value of the food here, the menu is vast but I only order taco's (chicken is always juicy and well seasoned). Prices are $4 (Tuesday) and $5 for other days other than Tuesday. The flavor and amount of food for that cost keeps me coming back. if you eat in or take out. You get a small bag of chips and warm (temp) salsa. No excuses but there is a small parking lot across the street too. Service is great and no fee for credit. Highly recommend. read more

Every time I'm in Chicago I go to Pilsen and every time I'm in Pilsen I like to try new and different restaurants. I put together a tour of the neighbohood, including restaurants, shops, and bars, for my partner as it was his first time in the city. We came in for breakfast before heading to the National Museum of Mexican Art (which is great btw). Service was quick and courteous. It's always nice to see a neighborhood spot that is full and loved by variety of people. There were definitely many regulars as evidenced by their banter with the wait staff; everyone spoke Spanish, which is a sign of a great food (iykyk). We ordered chilaquiles verde con huevos for me and beef mole enchiladas for bae. And because they looked so good, I got the cecina tacos to go. Everything was delicious! The food came out quickly, piping hot and fresh. The chips and salsa were perfect! The tacos were banging even two days later! Yet another gem in my favorite neighborhood. read more

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First time here on a Monday afternoon for lunch. Came here on the recommendation of someone who swears at this place is absolutely authentic and super delicious. It is a cute little place and fortunately we were able to find some street parking right out front but you do have to pay for. Service was super friendly and very fast. The food came out piping hot which was absolutely incredible and after the first round of tacos being so delicious we ordered more food. Horchata is pretty good too and homemade Would definitely come back, especially if I can find parking. read more

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What an unexpected gem! This unsuspecting little spot blew me away. From the moment we walked in, we could tell it was a popular place--packed to the brim and clearly short-staffed--but that didn't stop the team from delivering top-tier service. The waitresses were absolutely incredible: attentive, friendly, and genuinely working hard to keep everything running smoothly. Despite the rush, we never felt forgotten or rushed. That kind of service is rare these days, and they pulled it off with grace and smiles. And the food? Delicious. Every bite was flavorful and clearly made with care. It exceeded all expectations. It's the kind of place you almost don't want to tell people about just to keep it a secret--but they deserve all the recognition. Don't let the modest exterior fool you. This place is the real deal. Will definitely be back! read more

Best place in Pilsen for chilaquiles with eggs and cecina. The tacos are also great! They give chips and hot salsa when you arrive. One of my favorite spots to have breakfast or lunch with friends. read more

Tasty burrito at this modest grill in Pilsen. Satisfied my cravings, as Mexican in Martin County simply isn't very good. This was certainly authentic and was served with a creamy orange salsa of some sort, which was both spicy and delicious. Sorry about forgetting to snap a photo until I got halfway through it. I was hungry! Bonus of fresh chips and steaming hot salsa when I was seated. With a Diet Coke, it was around $14. Not bad in this day of $12 Subway sandwiches. read more

Great green juice a+ fresh. Surf n turf burrito No beans No sour cream Add rice Add onion Light guac! Amazing!!!! The tortilla they use taste so damn good however they grill it, it makes the burrito complete! The fresh chips and salsa, sooo good, better than so many Mexican restaurants in atlanta the past year I've been too, this one is the best. The coconut dessert!! It's a beautiful slice of cake that is moist like tres leches, but an airy and light bite with coconut flakes and flavor that is not overpowering. Amazing desssert. So many restaurants have the same items for desserts and the quality to me in desserts are never A + this one is!! With our check we also received these little candies. This experience was great. Nice little area on the Southside, Pilsen area. Family friendly neighborhood, kids walking around with their teachers and just that home feel when you come to this neighborhood. I would definitely return when I'm in Chicago! read more

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I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Cecina Grill used to be part of La Cecina with their other locations in Back of the Yards and the other in Calumet City. But recently they branched off and became Cecina Grill. The disappointing part was their menu. You see, the other locations had an extensive menu. They also had a lot of cheap lunch specials. Cecina Grill is just to pricey with no specials at all. I ordered their Chilaquiles with Cecina. These were very delicious. They came with a side of rice and beans, and the Chilaquiles were in a very flavorful green sauce. And topped with two fried eggs and queso freaco. The Cecina a was long and thin and a bit salty. I really enjoyed my meal here, but I probably wouldn't order anything else bu Cecina tacos here, if they taste similar to La Cecina on 47th. read more

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Delicious chilaquiles with bistec, beans, and rice! Good customer service and the restaurant space is perfect. They had live music the second time I went. read more

Excellent food & service I highly recommend coming here. I ordered the Cecina Guerrero it was so good.

Chilaquiles were nice and crisp, with good amount of salsa, crema, y queso. Cecina was brought out after all the food was ready (waitress forgot) and was good but very thin. read more

Cecina Grill - Chilaquiles con Carne y salsa de molcajete - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went for a brunch on a Saturday and it was a good experience. I was running late but they seated the rest of the party and we appreciated that. The salsa de molcajete was so, so good. So good, in fact, that our table ordered three chilaquiles de salsa de molcajete. The coffee was not cafe de olla but they did make the "regular" coffee taste like cafe de olla. Service was friendly and fast. They even brought out a birthday cake celebrate a birthday in our group. Would recommend for brunch! read more

The food was AMAZING! The staff are attentive and kind. Guacamole was exceptional. Prices are very reasonable as well.

Ordered burrito de cecina with a side of dinner rice and beans for pick-up on a Friday night. The service was right on time with their estimate, which was 20 minutes from placing the order. The portion size was perfect and everything was tasty. The order came with three different types of salsa, which were all spicy and delicious. I do wish the burritos came with a little more meat, but that is my only criticism. There were areas of the burrito that were just lettuce so it could've been prepared a little better. read more

Cecina Grill - Burrito de Cecina with a side of dinner rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious food , great service provided by the Young lady Leslie , who take my order by phone for pick up , she make my day !!! , handmade tortillas and the best chilaquiles . read more

I was nursing a terrible hangover and stumbled into this gem as a complete mess. I left rejuvenated. If you have a hangover or need an intervention come here. They'll take great care of you with patience and understanding. The coffee is also pretty good! Can't wait to take my bf :) read more

Very good food, love their cecina and cheese tacos. Highly recommend this place. I will be returning when I'm back in Chicago again!

Bomb AF! A friend had suggested this place when I first moved to Chicago, but it took me a year to finally listen and go. I had been missing out on some good food! My gf and I take 2 buses, or Uber, from Hyde Park just to eat their Cecina steak! It is delicious anyway you try it! Could be in tacos, burrito, or in dinner plate (ordered each one of those items on separate occasions) and it doesn't disappoint! read more

Cecina Grill - Cecina Burrito: beans, cecina style meat, cheese, lettuce or cabbage (can't remember) and I had them add rice! - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered Uber eats from here. Not only did they forget to make/pack/check the receipt to make sure it's complete but they forgot one item from my order. I called and they pretty much didn't even say sorry. Also, the other items were really bad quality, the pasta, the menudo, the calamari and even the stale chips, were all BAD. We spent $60+ for this order and we ended up getting something else. The pasta was watery not at all something that you would enjoy and it was not secure it spilled inside the bag. The calamari was dry,old, stale and over cooked and the menudo tasted like water, no flavor and barely had meat, even the chips were old and stale. Very bad experience and will not be eating or ordering here again. If I could I would give it 0 stars! read more

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Ordered lunch here for coworkers. Everyone loved their food! I ordered green chilaquiles with Cecina and had an agua de tamarindo. So tasty and price was reasonable. read more

Wear your masks. Food is good, but if the employees either aren't wearing masks or not wearing them properly, sort of gives a feeling that they don't really care about cleanliness and hygiene. read more

I posted here before on this business. I ordered flautas de pollo. When I went to pick up my food nobody was wearing a mask. Not the cook or the waitress or the cashier the customer. I asked where's the masks the customer said he left his in the car. The other 3 put them on. I told them I ordered flautas de pollo but that they could keep the food cause I didn't want it. Then they wonder why so many Latinos come down with the covid. If I could give them zero stars I would read more

Out of all the places to eat Mexican in Pilsen, this is my absolute favvvv. I always get the burrito de cecina because their cecina is out of this world. The flavor of the cecina with the sweetness of the salsa that's suizo on my burrito really is what makes this place special. I've never had it like this anywhere else. read more

Cecina Grill - Burrito Suizo de cecina, tacos Taco de Cecina - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I decided to try this spot because the Jibarito spot I wanted to go to was closed today. Why not support an independent spot right?? Well sometimes it's best to go where u know. This spot looks nice from outside, decent inside, there was an odd smell I could not pinpoint. It wasn't too loud but I smelled it so therefore I made it a big deal. The cook spoke as I came inside. It is open seating. Waitress came over in 1 minute, took drink order. Came back in 2 minutes then took food order. The salsa was steaming, chips were saltless but good, noise level was good, only a few people there. Food came within 10 minutes. It was hot. The rice was ok, not bad but not the best. I have had chicken enchiladas en mole sauce before but this was more bitter than sweet tasting. The horchata was good. The bitterness of the mole costed a star and the server kept speaking to me in Spanish when I told her 3 times I only speak English. Otherwise decent place. read more

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The Cecina Guerrero was impeccable. I loved the guacamole and tortillas too. Quality beef, fast, flawless

Subpar Mexican food. Service on a Saturday evening was poor, despite the fact that it wasn't terribly busy. There was only one server working and she wasn't very attentive. The food took too long to get to the table when compared to other restaurants in the area and the quality was not great. The tortillas served with the shrimp fajitas were homemade, which is a huge plus and the horchata was pretty good. However, everything else was below average. Probably won't return considering that there's better Mexican food in the area. read more

I wish I liked it but found it to be lacking. There was no meat in anything we ordered. Burrito had little steak and the pork was fat. The breaded steak didn't have any steak. I won't come back read more

Stopped in on a super rainy Labor Day while we were in Pilsen, La Cecina was one out of only a few places open on the holiday. The inside is has almost a diner layout to it, with the kitchen mostly open, stool seating around it and tables everywhere else. There are some Mexican decorations here and there, but this place is pretty strictly business. We were given the always-clutch chips and salsa. They were very tasty, the salsa was a brown-red color and had an interesting flavor to it with just enough kick. We started with the guacamole. It was very good with just the right amount of citrus. I also had horchata which also hit the mark. I had a the cecina burrito and I think she had a torta milanesa. I usually don't get burritos at authentic Mexican restaurants due to how similar they can be, but the burrito here was surprisingly tasty! It was different in that the cecina meat is a house specialty, it's like pressed on the grill steak. The tortilla itself was also not just a flimsy, lukewarm wrap either, here they actually crisped the edges of the tortilla and it was the least messiest burrito I've ever eaten and added a nice element of texture to a usually mediocre item. The cute, older Mexican lady who served us was charming and authentic. She did a great job for our simple little dinner. Above average, authentic food here at prices that are good. Great little spot on 18th street. read more

This place is great. I've been here a few times. The service is okay and everything I've had so far tastes fresh. It used to be called La Condesa and they have free parking across the street. It is also one of the few places that have Tacos de canasta. It's not on the menu but just ask, I would suggest getting Chicharron. The food is delicious, I would just suggest skipping the ceviche and if you're going to get the tortilla soup make sure it's not to go. read more

Great food...very authentic Mexican food....went for breakfast but will have to try their specialty Cecina!!!!

I was in town for a convention and decided to try this place out. First off the salsa will put hair on the chest of any human who takes more than a drop. I walked out of there looking like Sasquatch. It was muy caliente, but bueno. The steak was thinner than an "after photo" from Weight Watchers, seasoned perfectly. The tortillas were soft and yummy. The guacamole was fresh and tasty too. I also sprung for the fresh squeezed orange juice, which was pulpy and delicious. It was $8.00 for a large, a bit steep. I could have used the money to invest in my own orange tree. I'm keeping one star off because of the wait time, almost 30 minutes before a server came over and we had to wait for the check for another 15. No return visits by the server to check on drink during the meal. Remember the salsa? The lack of drinks didn't help. If this place puts a surgeon general's warning on the salsa bowl and sets aside a Sunday for customer service training, it would be perfect! read more

This place is DECENT. Definitely better than Los Cómales nearby. Price wise it's a little pricy especially since the food was OKAY. I got the Tampiqueña and The guacamole was extremely salty, the rice and beans were eh needed something so that they can be flavorful (well at least the rice did). The mole enchilada just had a weird taste to be honest; I was not a fan. The steak was the ONLY delicious thing out of my dish. I loved that they make handmade tortillas. Again, I know a place in the south side (Gage Park) called 5 estrellas, and EVERYTHING from that dish (La Tampiqueña) is delicious, and for a cheaper price. read more

Cecina Grill - La Tampiqueña - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you love traditional Mexican food this place is a must!! Absolutely love coming here!! Don't listen to white people reviewing Mexican food. I was born and raised in Mexico City the hotspot of great food in Mexico so I know when food is good. read more

Horrible place I repeat horrible place don't come here these people will rob you legally. 2.50 for a taco the size of my palm.... also you can go anywhere in the city of Chicago and get a can of pop for 75 cents up to a dollar. This place will charge you 2 dollars and some change for a can of pop lol. If y'all want to get disappointed come here trust me they won't disappoint in that aspect. WORST TACOS AND BURRITOS IN THE CHICAGO LAND AREA. read more

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This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Chicago. I love the service, the waitresses are very friendly and kind. The food is delicious, my favorite dish is chilaquiles verdes with cecina. I also love tacos de cecina which are make with homemade tortilla. I love love this place and I'm sure you will love it too! read more

Cecina Grill - Taco de cecina with pico de gallo & guacamole. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Supported the CTU and SEIU unions with free meals. Great atmosphere and music the staff was nice and accommodating . read more

Cecina Grill - Tacos de asada - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was looking for a byob restaurant in Pilsen and stumbled upon these reviews. I was very skeptical when approaching because there was only one table occupied. Anyway. I ordered the chicken flautas my friend ordered 2 tacos( asada, cabeza & Mejia..I think that's what it's called) in the reviews there were tiny tacos pictures so we didn't expect much from that. Well to our surprise they were huge tacos with hand made tortillas. She said she loved every single taco. I loved the flautas. The chicken was actually flavored, the rice was ok and the beans. It comes with pico de gallo and Guac. Holy moly they were delicious. Im going back for sure. You also get a warm plate of salsa, soooo good. We will return. It was $26 for the meals. Can't beat the price !!! Only con it smells like oil and it's sort of run down. read more