The food was *really* good. - The free chips and salsa when you sit down are both fantastic. We ended up ordering some to take home. - They don't mess around with the fajitas -- you get a giant, delicious portion, which I thoroughly enjoyed. - My husband had a chile relleno taco that he loved, but I thought was ok. That said, I am a little picky about chile relleno. - Our waitress was very nice and service was quick. Only issue I had was that I was thirsty and she never refilled the water, but that's ok. We will definitely come back! (As an aside, I appreciate them telling ICE goons to stay out of their establishment, as everyone should be.) read more

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I go here on every a Chicago trip. My son lives down the block. It's tradition when I arrive . The food is delicious and the prices are very low . The service was a little lacking because they were prepping for a large party. The place has beautiful painted chairs and is quite comfortable. Go there ! read more

I grew up in the neighborhood and recently went back for lunch. It's nice to know the restaurant has maintained the consistency in delicious food. I love their menudo and pozole along with the other menu items. Everyone is always kind and the interior has cool Mexican decor. read more

The rice and beans were good! The tacos weren't bad, they tasted a bit simple, but the portions were good. My mom had the chilaquiles and she said they were good too, and that for the price it was worth it. What made the meal though were the drinks. I had the regular horchata which is more on the sweet side. Despite that it was one of the better ones that I have tried. The horchata slushy according to my mom was amazing and it did taste super yummy. Definitely recommend trying this place. read more

El Azteca - #71. 3 tacos (Al pastor and asada) and #68. Chilaquiles - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just got this spot delivered for first time and I was so happy with it! We got chilaquiles and the torta. The ranchera sauce is listed as mild, it has the perfect amount of spice and citrus. Chips were nice and crispy. I don't eat meat so I was thrilled with the amount of meat free options. Will deff be back to try more! read more

El Azteca - #68. Chilaquiles - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am amazed that I have lived in chicago for most of my 58 year life and have been to Mexico several times and yet, have never had such wonderful, bountiful fresh food. I have ordered-in for the last three weeks and every time this food is amazing. The people on the phone are polite and professional, the delivery is prompt and the food is consistently over-the-top! I am planning a visit to the restaurant in Hermosa where I am sure to get even better service and food. Please try this!! 5 stars!! read more

The chips, the salsa, the atmosphere, the micheladas, EVERYTHING here is absolutely amazing. I ordered a torta de lomo (ribeye) and 2 tacos (Al pastor and chicharron). They all were absolutely delicious. My friend order the Costillas de Res platter, the rice and beans were well seasoned and full of flavor, the Costillas were cooked to his liking and were very tasty. This place is great. I highly recommend it for all occasions. read more

I got the Steak Nachos. They are $21 tho.. so a little expensive and huge for just one person. More for like 2-3 people. I removed the lettuce and pico de gallo. Taste was ok. I ordered at the restaurant for takeout and was out pretty quick. read more

El Azteca - Meat Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is so good. I was sick and ordered some soup, Gorditas and tacos for the family. It tasted as if grandma cooked!! Sooo good!

I visited this location multiple times and they have never disappointed me. To start when I call to place an order, the service has been nothing but kind and professional. They answer all my questions regarding the menu and make sure I will be able to eat what I am craving. Once I go to pick up an order Ms. Maria has a smile in her face and provides me with great service. They always get my order correct. The food has been excellent and I always return. I recommend this place for their service and food! read more

Highly recommend, came in with my family on a Wednesday Night so it wasn't crowded. Food was very tasty! Place was clean and our server was very attentive, she kept our table clean and our glasses full. read more

El Azteca - Carne en su jugo. Very flavorful, service was great. We also had a Arrachera Torta and a hamburgers for the kids. Everything tasted great! - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here from NY go eat out at neighborhood restaurants from years ago. The place is colorful and spacious and workers welcome you in. Its self seat but for a place this size a hostess would be ideal to arrange seating. Colors colors colors all over very nice and traditional and a fiesta atmosphere. Had a Paloma 3/4 full on pint glass due to shortage. 9$ not to bad the taste was good and I ordered a second. Tequila variations are on site and there is a price for everyones budget. Chips and salsa were good, salsa has a zing i liked it. I ordered a Steak Milanese torta my guests a taco sice and beans and a chicken milanese platter. Rice and beans were on point. However rice could use more veggies. My torta had flavor was nice toasty and delicious. However, the meat was so thinly sliced and for milanese it was semi dry and burnt. Same for our chicken platter. Pretty loaded but that was not chicken milanese but burnt dry thin sliced chicken. We skipped dessert as the food was filling in a good way. Def recommend for snacks and drinks and im sure the rest of the food is good but for us it was just one stop from our trip. read more

El Azteca - Steak milanese torta, chicken milanese and steak taco rice and beans so good - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love everything about this restaurant from their food to the very cool/traditional decor of the restaurant!! Their chilaquiles are something else for breakfast however be careful if you ask for the hot red sauce... it was spicy!!I would recommend the hot regular sauce and they are more enjoyable. For dinner I've had the "parrilladas mixta" which has chorizo, steak, shrimp, and ribs was an excellent choice to share. Their beans and rice are always on point and trust me... a lot of Mexican restaurants mess up the rice however El Azteca does it very well. The steak burritos and tortas are also a great option if you are in the mood for something like that. Let me also tell you about the "Horchata slushee" that they offer here which is the usual horchata but they add rum to it! They are great in the summer! lol Overall the staff and the food are always on point so I keep coming back here from time to time for delicious Mexican food. They have a small parking lot in the rear and plenty of street parking available as well. read more

Loved the place had some tacos and agua de horchata my girl had the tampiqueña and we loved it good service read more

El Azteca - Tacos de tripa suave y sope de asada - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this restaurant!!! Delivery is outside of their zone, I called and they made an exception. They also deliver alcoholic beverages!!! Which is amazing for your weekend brunch "for one". I ordered the weekend menudo (because.. You know why) and tacos for the kids. My food was prompt and still hot when I opened the container. I order from here frequently, and know the food is always amazing!!! If you're looking for Authentic, this is the spot! Friendly employees, fast delivery and they deliver alcoholic beverages! Get those margaritas, they are BOMB!!! read more

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I went to this taco spot earlier when I saw an interaction with these three young kids with the cooks these cooks are perverts kept looking at the underage girls and lately they been lazy with food half cooked almost threw up eating it read more

Had a craving for Mexican cuisine and I have stopped by "El Azteca" since I live nearby. Anyways I had more of a craving for Tex-Mex and they had a dish like a fajita called "Parrilla Zamora De Pollo" which is grilled chicken breast serve with onions, bell pepper, green onion leaves and grill cheese with whole pinto beans. Delicious and spicy from the Pinto Bean mold that was included in the dish. Salad was fresh too. Also for a drink had a "Sangria and Sidral Jarritos" which was tasty just like a alcoholic Sangria only this does not have alcohol. They do have beer as alcohol but I am NOT a beer drinker. Anyways it was local and was trying to get a workout to get something local near my neighborhood without driving my car and finding parking.I have been to "El Azteca" Before but Mexican cuisine is not my top favorite to eat. It is a craving every now and then like Indian Cuisine. It is a hit or miss with them but today was a HIT! read more

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Owners of El Azteca restaurant. The fine Mexican restaurant has been opened since 1987, their father opened the business up. Now, if you follow my reviews you know I'm on the real! I will let you know the REAL scoop of people, places and things. This place is the SPOT! It is authentic to its food and culture. Say you read it here... Once you taste you won't regret it!!! read more

El Azteca - Owners of El Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

THE MOST PERFECT WAY TO START YOUR MORNING! Café con canela perfectly made and adorably presented. Just one of the many delicious items on their menu. Come check them out! Excellent food and service! read more

El Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

OK, first thing's first: I love the decor in this restaurant. The space is large and every chair seems to have been individually carved with whimsical things like parrots, sombreros, etc. Each chair is different which is awesome. They're just super fun and bright. I definitely like whimsical decor. Now the food: pretty good. I wouldn't say Poncitlan is doing anything vastly different than other Mexican places in the neighborhood but the food is tasty and it's fairly inexpensive. Their menu isn't as big as some other places which I consider a good thing because it means they're doing a few things well instead of trying to do everything mediocre-ly. They have a variety of tacos plus staples like enchiladas, fajitas, tostadas, and tortas. You can get any of the aforementioned items with whatever meat you'd like or a variety. I always get the taco salad and I'd say it's a bit too meat-laden for my taste so I order rice and extra lettuce so it's a bit more salad-y than a bowlful of meat. Still tasty, though. I prefer the ground beef but others say the steak is delicious too. Margaritas are large and fairly inexpensive. I've never seen an actual drink menu but I know they have margs and beer because I've seen other people order it. Not sure of the cost but it exists. The pop is kind of expensive because they have no soda fountain so you're paying by the can or bottle. The horchata is cheap though and I think the refills are free. Poncitlan is a good restaurant in Hermosa. They are friendly to large groups and seem to regularly be able to accommodate groups of 15 or larger. Since there's so much space there's always somewhere to sit and I've never seen it horribly busy on a weekend night. I'll keep coming here, especially with large groups, because it's inexpensive, the service is friendly, and the owner is a nice guy. read more

The food is not as good as before.. service is on the slow side and the waitress had a face that she didn't want to be here... on top of that we order one quesadilla "one" and they brought it to us when we had finish eating.... read more

Guys I order today chicken Caesar salad its amazing,taste ,size its huge and price only $8 delicious,and on the picture is only half because other half I eat already read more

El Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Staff is super friendly, always on point. I always come back for their Torta de milanesa. Good breaded steak and bread always fresh, definitely recommend. read more

Never have I ever been to a place where they are so rude!! they are also passing off tacos as quesadillas and telling people that they are Mexican and since I'm not i don't know what I'm talking about. (This was said by Alejandra, the one with the pink hair) I was a regular customer for the past 5 years and delt with this so called "family" restaurant getting my order wrong on multiple occasions, being rude and over charging. In the world of customer service if I tell you what you gave me is not what I ordered, it's your job to fix it not come to my table with an attitude telling that I'm wrong. Today was the last straw. Taking my business elsewhere. read more

This used to be the place to go when Pedro was the owner, ever since his kids have taken over its just a shame. The prices have gone up, the drinks aren't all that tasty, and the staff is just rude.! I grew up coming here every sunday after church and let me just tell you it has gone just down to the gutter. Never again will i step foot in this place. The tacos arent what they used to be. Thanks but no thanks going down the street to the other taco place, BYE. read more

Living a block away I love this place. Not only convenient but they serve bomb a** food. The portions are definitely worth the price. Never fails! Try it, you'll like it! read more

Came here specifically for the weekend menudo, only to be told that they ran out!!! I was heartbroken ;(. So I ordered some tacos instead. I'm surprised to see how much this place has changed. I remember when they first started out, on the corner of kostner and armitage in a tiny run down hole in the wall. They eventually moved to the corner of where they currently are. As the business got bigger, the quality of the food declined. They don't even give u any lime with your tacos anymore, but instead give you one tiny slice of lemon with your modelo beer!!! What kind of Mexican place gives a slice of lemon with beer??!! Other than the goofy new changes, and lack of flavor in the food, the service was very good. But I don't know if I will be coming back anytime soon. Sad. Since I used to come here when I was a little girl read more

Very solid tacos, cheap drinks and cool hand-painted decor. One of my favorite neighborhood spots to go for a casual, cheap but delicious meal. Service is totally adequate and prompt. The guacamole was disappointingly bland however, I would avoid it. Other than that- no complaints. I will be back! read more

Their tortas de pechuga de pollo are great! Make sure you actually request a "pechuga de pollo" so it's an actual piece of fillet chicken breast...enjoy!!! Zion read more

We've lived down the street from Poncitlan for a little over 2 yrs now -its our default Mexican restaurant and our place to go if we are feeling like a mexican breakfast -wish i could say i love it, but i cant .. The food quality as far as taste and preparation has gone down considerably since we started to go .. everything seems to be cooked on the grill now with a large dousing of oil so any meat dish u order is greasy (noticed today that they even do the 'bistek ala mexicana' on the grill .. i dunno but ive always known it to be a dish of steak cubed with a sauce) .. the guacamole is great and the breakfasts are by far now my favorite dishes from them .. the rice can vary from terrific to totally bland -and as i said, anything meat related is going to have u tilting your dish off to pour off the oil (yes, i literally did that with my fajitas recently) Wait staff is ok - at times they have difficulty if u dont speak spanish -this is especially true if u are calling in an order for delivery or pick up ..we have called in for a torta dinner , coke and a large cup of ice..my spanish is far from flawless ..after much wrangling and word picking, i got a torta dinner, coke and a large cup of rice .. i have also had the person answering the phone just flat out say they dont speak english so please call back later on a personal neighborhood note, i have to say these guys are always great about keeping their sidewalk cleared in the winter and ive seen the manager come out to tell a group of guys who were hanging outside the restaurant after their meal and gettingn loud to keep it down so as not to disturb the neighbors and that was nice .. will i keep going ? yes, but ill kno what to choose =D read more

They called to inform me the refried beans weren't vegetarian so they replaced with pinto beans that's all fine but I ordered cheese quesadillas and they gave me steak tacos. I'm a vegetarian. Tried calling them but they didn't pick up. read more

This restaurant quickly became my favorite Mexican restaurant the first time I visited, replacing...what was it called? It doesn't matter, this place is TOPS. I work close by and so I come here regularly for my steak tacos and/or cheese quesadillas. Parking is available in the back off the alley behind Armitage, but it does become congested at times. Parking is almost always available for a fee of course on Armitage (Pay To Park). The complimentary salsa they serve is simply the best salsa I have ever had, period. It is hot, so beware! Plenty of freshly-chopped jalapenos and cilantro, it goes down great with any of the main dishes. As I mentioned, I love their steak tacos, and this is one of the only places where you won't find fatty peices of gristle. Order a Mexican Coca Cola out of a glass bottle (natural sugar in place of high fructose corn syrup) to top off the experience. The waitress staff is very helpful and cheerful. read more

Food is Amazing. I would have gave 5 Stars but the service is not very good. Hopefully the owner shows these the waitresses how to properly serve people. read more

El Azteca - Spot - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm disgusted with the food here. I ordered a quesadilla with steak meal, and what I got was 2 tacos with cheese melted on the tortillas. I was really craving a traditional quesadilla with a flour tortilla and skirt steak. It did not taste good on corn tortillas. And to top it off the lettuce on top was so watery I couldn't even eat my lunch. And I was at work. I would not order from here again! read more

Hands down best mexican food in the city. It used to be a smaller little shack on the opposite side of keeler and was better then (as usual) but still the best place I have ever eaten at. Oh get the rice water or the strawberry milkshake they are also great! read more

Chicken sandwich was lacking in flavor. I expected a little more from the photos. I am American but always order in Spanish from Mexican joints out of mere respect, but once I broke the accent, they took advantage of me and my lack of authenticity for my potential ethnicity (Spanish). What I mean is White persons should not receive less product than others in food orders and often too many times this has been the case for me in similar situations when ordering Mexican food. read more

I love this place. I work near here. Everytime I go there the food is great and fresh. I have had an tostada with Avocado... yummy. It's cheap also. The waitresses are always friendly. I would recommend this place. read more

Been here a few times and love it. I think their Horchata is second best (first is Atotonilco) but their tacos are spot on. I recommend this place to anyone. read more

I assume we selected the wrong day to visit. We were hoping to find, "hands down the best Mexican food in the city" or our soon to be "favorite Mexican restaurant" unfortunately, neither of these occurred. We entered this bustling restaurant and were a bit overwhelmed. There didn't seem to be a hostess stand or a marked area to wait to be seated. Menus were not on the table and I use that as a sign that it's not a seat yourself establishment. Multiple waitresses breezed past us each making eye contact, but never smiling or speaking. Finally, we were acknowledged and led to a table in the center aisle of the restaurant. We take a seat and begin to look over the menu. A half empty basket of chips and a small bowl of salsa were placed in front of us. We quickly polish off the basket of tasty chips while we wait for someone to take our drink order. Our waitress appears again and we both order margaritas, a side of guacamole and some additional chips. As we wait for these items we are asked if we'd be willing to move to a booth against the wall. Sure. I noticed this happen to at least three couples that had previously been seated in the center. It took quite a while for the guacamole and margaritas to make it out to the table. Unfortunately, we still had no chips. As quickly as items were placed on our table our waitress was gone. I understand that it was busy, but we deserve a little attention here. We waited and waited. I had finished my margarita before food orders were taken or the basket of chips ever made it to the table. We sat there staring at this delicious looking guacamole, but nothing to sample it with. Such a bummer. When the food did arrive it had a nice flavor. Nothing that blew our socks off or made us rationalize the ridiculously slow service. read more

Food is good but the service and attitude of waitress is the worse i have ever experienced