The 5 star rating I gave Palmar focuses on a couple dishes on their menu. Their tampiquena, or carne asada is amazing, I've had it all around town for years and nothing has ever come close. Their enchiladas with red sauce are also worthy of 5 stars. That said - their standard fare (tacos/burritos/sopes etc) are just slightly above average, I'd give them all 3 1/2 stars. Please try the tampiquena - for your own good. read more

Being sort of my name sake and all I felt that I should eat here. It's also in my new hood. So I should do my best to eat at local establishments right? Yeah that and I was drunk and it was close. The food was good and huge portions if I remember right. In all honesty I still miss my old favorite Mexican restaurant in Lakeview and I don't expect to find it here but I can't help comparing. Speaking of that old place is making my mouth water right now. But wait this is a review for El Palmar so let me continue. I believe they serve beer maybe other alcoholic beverages but I opted for a sprite since I'd already had a lot to drink (sensible I think). Like I said the portions are huge and delicious. The service is slow and they really don't have a sense of humor but I can't imagine it's easy dealing with drunks all evening. I will be back. After all we sort of have the same name. You'd think I'd get a discount or something. read more

First time here and the tacos were good. Loved their steak tacos, could of had a little less lettuce but over all good. The staff was super nice and friendly. read more

The fourth star is just for their long hours, it's the best food open late AND early within walking distance for me. It's very cheap for tex-mex favorites and some lesser known mexican classics, and I'll definitely recommend their cinnamon tea and the horchata. Also the burrito suizo, and their enchiladas. The guacamole isn't how I like it. I t has a lot of extra onions that I don't think are necessary. The environment is very low rent, but the waitresses are super friendly, and I find it fun trying to translate the Spanish soaps with my friends. They're pretty fast, but they never rush you out the door. read more

Yes!! What a lucky find in wrigleyville. The food is comparable to California status Mexican food- pretty high on my list. this place won't break the bank either- no frills! Everything is fresh2death- we stuck with a variety of tacos- fish, chicken, steak.. they also have a shrimp cocktail version of everything alcoholic?? The margaritas are swimming pools of tequila. Swim responsibly. read more

This is my go to spot for Mexican. The food is delicious and the service is great. The reason why I gave it 4 stars and not 5: When I call for delivery the girl answering the phone stalls, sometimes either I or my hubby have found ourselves 10 mins into the phone call trying to give our number and the girl acts like she doesn't understand. My husband and I speak fluent Spanish so there isn't any excuse. My guess is she's stalling for time for the delivery driver to get back. It can get annoying but that doesn't happen all the time. Other than that everything else is great. Delivery comes on time. They rarely mess up the order and the people already know me which makes it more friendly for me. I recommend this place to anyone wanting a Mexican food fix. read more

El Palomar is a pretty no frills but still cheerfully bright and clean. Overall, it's a solid choice with plenty choose from whether you're looking for a quick, cheap bite or feel like having a pretty hearty meal that's still pretty affordable. I went with the former one late morning, ordering just a quesadilla and a taco de pastor. A bowl of tortilla chips and red & green salsa were brought out promptly. The chips were thicker than your average chips (possibly made in house?) ensuring maximum structural integrity. The red salsa was rich, smoky, and spicy -- if you're averse to spiciness, I'd advise not having more than a taste. The heat of the red sauce definitely picked up with each spoonful. The green sauce was creamy and mild but flavorful. The quesadilla -- I got the flour tortilla version; there is also a corn tortilla version -- was good with just the right amount of crispness from the griddle. It was served with a generous dollop of sour cream, shredded lettuce, and a tomato slice. Salsa verde on the quesadilla was good; the lime in the salsa brightens it up. The salsa rojo on the quesadilla was great; for those worried about the spiciness, the sour cream helps smooth out the heat. The pastor taco was great. Though I loved the amount of cilantro and chopped onions they place on the taco (they'll ask before hand) is probably too much for some folks. You might want to ask for it on the side. The meat was a deep red and really tasty. My meal, being simple, came out pretty quick. Getting my check was a little on the slow side but not a deal breaker. From what I saw and didn't experience myself, the menudo another patron was having looked good and the drink options were plentiful, especially with regard to michelada variations. From other reviews, it seems like the seafood options here are pretty good. read more

I live about an hour from this place, and every time i am in the city all i can think is 312 and El Palmar guacamole. The only down of this place is i would not recommend eating here before a hot date, because you will smell like tortillas all night. It looks like your typical Chicago taco joint...small, Mexicans, and homemade tacos. This place is open 24/7 so it is perfect to soak up the booze you have consumed all night. For $20 you can stuff your face will anything and everything from carne asada to shimp ceviche. YES I SAID CEVICHE. Coming from south Florida and being able to find really good Latin seafood....it really is an emotional experience. Do not expect anything fancy. Do not look in the kitchen. Do not over analyze where the meat came from. Do not expect white people. Do not do anything. Just appreciate some handmade Mexican food. read more

I order a shake, on the website doesn't say anything but shake. When I called I talk to 2 different lady's because they couldn't understand English. And when I ask to speak.to the manger she told me its chocolate milk. And she wanted to be rude and have an attitude. I go there all the time. Never again I will go . And no napkins, sauces and late and food was cold. I would give zero stars Dont eat here. read more

So I thought I just liked El Palmar okay, especially after a night of drinks. Their chorizo tacos are decent, and I really dig their beans and rice. Then I went the other night and got the Super Nachos. They could not be more appropriately named. The portion was huge (dinner AND breakfast!) and completely covered with all of the delicious toppings my heart desired. The servers are super-sweet too. They actually put up with my attempt at a drunken conversation with them (about the qualities of different hand creams) without appearing the least bit annoyed. I will definitely be back many more times. The only thing I wish is that they had fountain soda. I never want canned Coke after a night out. Oh, and one more thing, my coworker swears by their hot chicken soup as an instant cure for the common cold. read more

OK Folks, This is a typical Midwestern Mexican food restaurant - nothing to win awards yet nothing to call the health dept over either, just hits the spot while on the way home (they have late hours, 2:00am). My review is not about the food, instead I would like to warn you about credit card/bankcard fraud. I have, over an extended period, used 2 credit cards and a debit card at this location and each time there has been a fraudulent tip added. I leave tips in cash - always. I indicate $0 or write ZERO on the tip line, but at this location someone (wait staff, owners?) adds a tip. I must go through the nonsense of creating cases with the bank and cc companies to get these small amounts taken off of my account. The fraudulent tip amounts on my tabs were usually between $2.00 and $7.50; I ordered the same meal and I arrived usually between 10:00pm and 1:30am. The credit card companies and the bank explained to me that many people may not notice the extra amounts, or they let "it go" because it's not worth the effort to correct it. In my view fraud is fraud - period. Imagine if these fraudulent charges are added to 10 or 15 tabs daily? It adds up and it's not right - not to mention that they have your cc (or bank) info. Why do I keep returning? I've been a long-time customer and this non-sense just started (again for me) within the last year. As of now, I do not use cc cards at this place. BE AWARE and use cash. If you are a "cashless" person, I would strongly suggest you keep your receipt from this restaurant. Small Minor Note: the TouchTunes box on the wall - the staff will turn down the volume (to almost inaudible) on songs they do not like. Again, a hassle to contact the jukebox company to get credit. I'd suggest that you just skip the music altogether. read more

As far as Mexican food goes, there are quite a lot of options in this city. In this neighborhood however, it's been very hit or miss as far as quality and price. I've meant to try this place for a while, and finally decided to do so. I was very happy I did. The food is delicious, flavorful, and it is some of the best Al Pastor I've had anywhere in Chicago. The price is perhaps a bit high, but well worth it, and the portion sizes make up for it. Also very authentic menu in terms of what they offer. One negative is the wait staff...they are a little rude, unfriendly, and very slow. Other than this, i really have no issues with anything at this restaurant, and highly recommend it for anyone looking for authentic, quality Mexican food. read more

After having a terrible Taco Burrito house burrito and being completely unimpressed by El Mariachi, I quickly ran (aka sent my partner as my personal delivery guy) to El Palmar. The carne asada burrito was greasy but still great! I'm not afraid of fat but the grease can be drained off or dabbed off, problem solved. We also got a veggie burrito suizo which was just as tasty. I wish their hot sauce was better though. Thank goodness there is a decent burrito in my neighborhood. read more

First off let me say that I didn't actually sit down and dine here, and there's one main reason why I will in the future, which I'll get to in a minute. As I was heading to Roots for my weekly vape refill, I caught one of the employees walking in with a huge bag of food. Said it was from palmar, and was one of the best Mexican places he'd ever been to. I was hungry so I figured why not. Walking in, it looks like an average taqueria that's trying to be a restaurant. So, no ordering from the counter. But you want to. Anyways, the way I judge a taqueria is by sampling the tacos. Call me a dumb American, but I feel like the taco is the cornerstone of Mexican cuisine. Especially in a taqueria. So I ordered one carne asada, and one al pastor. Usually everything tastes better when you're starving, but these tacos were average at best. The pastor was actually a little better than the asada, but a far cry from the kind that gets sliced off a rotating spit. They also screwed up my order a bit but I'll give them another shot service-wise when I return. The reason why I'm coming back is because of the micheladas. They were the biggest, most ridiculous looking things I've ever seen. Like imagine a small fish bowl with a 32oz of corona jammed upside down in it, and the rim lined with shrimp. Crazy. I gotta try one. Not to mention they offer a few variations of it, all equally ridiculous. The restaurant seems to specialize in seafood, so maybe ordering tacos was the wrong call. Either way I'm coming back and will definitely update this review. read more

I had to try this place since the other Mexican restaurant near the Sheridan El station closed. (The other one was my favorite.) El Palmar, well... the chicken tacos are too bland for me. I thought the ground beef tacos were too spicy. However, the El Pastor tacos were just right! I love their refried beans and rice! The burritos are excellent. Their portions are large. Both salsas, the red and the green are hot. I'm looking forward to trying a seafood dish soon. The atmosphere is nice. (Practice your Spanish, you might need it.) read more

Super nachos super nachos! Although a bit farther from where I live, I love ordering delivery from El Palmar. This is another place where I SWEAR by their super nachos. And they are simply LOADED with lots of guacamole and sour cream, along with all the fixings. Be sure you are hungry when you order it though...it's enough to feed three! Another favorite of mine...their tacos. The meat is seasoned well (unlike some places that don't) and they will top it however you choose, upon request. I am super happy that this place delivers to me...especially on those super cold winters! read more

El Palmar is around the corner from Howard Brown, the clinic I go to every week & also next to Holiday Club...which I have a little bit of history with. As embarrassing as it is, I went here two days in a row once. I have been having an unhealthy craving for mexican food all the time. First time, I got pollo en mole. Tasty mole, although the chicken was drumsticks & it's hard to get all the meet off the bone without having a brown mess all over your hands & face. They garnished the plate very nicely with radishes & avocado. I also got a margarita. It was strong, just how I like it. Second time I opted for the veggie burrito. It was perfect. Beans, rice, avocado, sour cream & lettuce. They didn't just slop the ingredients in there. If you look inside, it kindof looked like a california roll. Good salsa at this place, too. Oh, & the waitresses are very attentive, nice, & get big tips from me. read more

Absolutely the best super nachos! LOADED with stuff and tasty, tasty! Cheap and humongous burritos too. I've only ever had delivery so cannot comment on the restaurant dining experience, but the delivery is fast and fresh. Of the bajillion taquerias in the city, this is certainly one of my favs. read more

Really, really delicious, cheap Mexican. I came here after performing a show, and, well, after several post-show drinks ... So I was hungry, a little drunk, and very tired. They prepared some fish tacos, even though they weren't on the menu, and only charged $2 per. The fish was fresh, spicy, well-cooked and not greasy. There was an awful lot of it, too, especially for the price. I had been to Rick Bayless' Xoco earlier that night, and I think that, given the choice, I'd go with El Palmar. Beuno ... muy bueno. read more

Hands down, best vegetarian burrito....ever. As a veg, it's hard to find quality meals that have the sincerity and know-how to fill you up in a way that is both respectful and delightful to your central-nervous-system-free diet. El Palmar's burrito come through on a luxury ride. Avocado, beans, rice, onion, rice with mini peas and carrots, cilantro, salsa, stuff I'm forgetting, shredded cheese, you name it, all in an enormous tortilla for FIVE BUCKS?! Oh yeah, you heard me. There quesadillas put the smack down on wannabe Americanized versions. Real Chihuahua cheese, etc. My carnivorous socialites have vast enjoyed their meatatatrian choices as well. All in all, the best place to drop $5 for a genuine Mexican meal. Amazing in the middle of the night when you've had twelve too many adult beverages, great for relaxing dinner, superb for authentic Mexican food. Reasonably priced (as Mexican food should be, hello). read more

Staff that hardly speaks English? Check. Pictures of food on the menu? Check. Crazy ass homeless person eating like it's his last meal? Check. Total price $8.94? Darn right. Saw this place while biting into a burger & fries at Byron's. Being Mexican I know that hole in the wall Mexican restaurants are always the greasiest and tastiest. Everything on the menu. Tacos, flautas, gorditas, tortas, enchiladas, you name it they got it. The pictures on the menu are a nice touch, but I wish they have all of the photos for all items. They even have menudo everyday! I had the carne asada torta while the girl friend had a chicken taco with rice/beans. Her total price was $2.70. Unbelievable. Great food. Salsa was a little bland so I took a star off. Stay cheap & dirty El Palmar - just like I like it. read more

We'd been getting pretty consistently good food and good service. But the last time we went the service was crappy and the food was not that great. I'm hoping that it was just an off night, but I'm hesitant to go again. But they still have awesome shrimp ceviche and they have good guac. I tend to judge a place by it's horchata. Theirs is okay and not consistent. I'll be back, but I won't go out of my way to go. read more

There are many spots in Chicago that reviewers have claimed is the best in the city for Mexican food. El Palmar really narrows down the top 3 places that I, personally, have had the opportunity of eating at. El Palmar is fantastic and despite the recent menu pricing spike, it is still my go to place because it is 20 steps away from my apartment. There is another Mexican place across the street from El Palmar but the name escapes me (I don't know spanish very well) and I have tried their food only to find that it was good but it was no El Palmar. I'm not going to be in the area much longer but this place has been wonderful to me and the food is the best that I have tried so far. A few times I have been given incorrect change as well as told my food would be ready in "X" amount of minutes only to find myself waiting 5-10 minutes when I arrive at the specified pick up time. This is no reason to drive me away because their menu is large and the food, once again, is amazing. If you have the chance, give it a try. I wouldn't go out of my way for this place though. I am fortunate enough to have it so close. But do add it to your list of Mexican spots to try. You will not be disappointed. read more

Very much still my favorite Mexican joint outside of the higher priced more upscale faves such as Frontera or El Mariachi. I live around the corner and am happy to have it so close to home. They are always very very nice, the food is above par and they will even make a non menu item for me, such as a fish burrito. It is a tradition I bring out of towners here and I've been a regular for seven years. The cerviche is amazing as are all of the seafood dishes. Can't wait to go back (tonight) and YES they make kick ass margaritas. read more

Great Mexican food. You pay a little more then most places, but that extra little bit of cash is going into higher quality ingredients. They use real Mexican cheeses like Queso fresco and Chihuahua cheese . Their steak is great, the AL pastor is delicious . I am not a big fan of there chicken, It shredded which is fine but seems to have all the flavor boiled out of it . Otherwise I have never had anything bad here what so ever. Fresh , fresh , fresh , cooked to order and delicious . If your a Queso Fundido fan this is the place to get it , expect your cholesterol to jump afterwards. NIce little cozy place with some small tables if you want to stop in for a quick bite . Not much seating but makes up for it in charm . read more

I was a regular here because it's near my apartment and it's cheap. The food is ok, but like I said its close. It used to be open till 4 am and the service was great. But they changed their hours and started closing earlier and closed entirely on Wednesdays. The service took a huge drop. The waitresses started being rude and sometimes taking up to 20 minutes to get my check... And to top it off they don't split checks. We put a man on The Moon and you can't split a check? Don't bother with this place, there are plenty of good restaurants in the neighborhood. Go to holiday club or even Byrons. read more

Not the best I've had, esp since I work in little village area and there are many places I've had an opportunity to try and compare to. However it is a convenient late night spot to visit, and I do enjoy their chicken quesadillas. It's relatively quick. I have had a mix of experiences where I'm welcomed and feel comfortable and other times revived with a more brisk approach, but mostly it's a friendly enough environment. read more

TRUST ME YOU GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH. We came here on Father's Day. It was packed, we had a whole family before us but we all got seated in less than 5 minutes. We got seated, looked at the menu and the waitress got our order including drinks and appetizer. We got our drinks and appetizer fast and then we only waited about 10-15 minutes for our food. IT WAS SOOOO GOOD. We were all more than happy with the food and service. The prices look a little much but for the size and amount of food you get it is a really good price. Get your money's worth. The people there are happy to serve you and hand down has great costumer service. Best seafood place ever. read more

El Palmar - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Over-cheesed Mexican food for the most part. They earn a point for being open late, but they nickel and dime their customers. I get that they deal with a lot of drunks and probably lose money to dine-n-dashers, but it's insane. First time I went there I sat down and was immediately greeted with chips and salsa at the table. I ate a chip, then the waitress came to take our order. I ordered something to go and her response was, "Then you pay for the chips." Nope, sorry, don't give me something and then tell me I have to pay for it. You should have asked my intentions before I ordered. That's on you. Am I being too pissy about this? Probably. But it cast a shadow on this restaurant for me and I'm not eager to go back. I'll go if I have to, but honestly, I'll probably just make a frozen pizza. read more

Not exactly Lalos in decor, but who gives a shit!? Lalos is overrated and not amazing. Palmar feels more like 'home'. Steak flautas are uber tasty. The rice and beans -- 'phenom' to the 'enal'. And the chorizo tacos? *light shines down and angelic music plays* Price-wise, this place is great. You can get full off of tacos, rice and beans for somewhere around 6 bucks. So...unless you make only 3.50 an hour, I think you'll be ok. Not in life, per se, as I don't know your life situation. You may have all kinds of crazy shit going down and cheap ass tacos might not be the cure (though they SHOULD BE!). But bank account-wise, you'll be just fine. :) read more

The place is small-medium sized and a little bit divey. We came in and got seated, we were a group of about 7 people. The food was really good actually. I would recommend the tortas, they're only around $6 and very filling. I got the Chicken Milanesza Torta and it was really good. Super crispy and flavorful, and filled with sauce and veeggies and a good portion of meat. The enchilada plates are huge, and the tortillas and mole are really flavorful. Would also recommed the horchata! So yummy. Be warned though, the Large is HUGE. My only complaint would be the service. I guess we were a little loud and took a while to order, so I kind of understand, but the waitress was not having it with us and it took forever to pay. read more

It's a rare 60 degree day in the middle of February and my radiator is still cranking out the heat, but I'm only able to open one teeny window in my apartment. It was hot as balls in my apartment and what do I decide to eat for dinner? Pozole. For $8 I got a giant to-go container of scalding hot pozole with accompaniments (avocado, onion, cilantro, mini limes and cabbage), three tostadas, and some salsa. read more

Here's the deal: this place is open until late and the servers know that and are tired and already kinda don't like you. This is just the reality of life at El Palmar, where drunk bros wander in from Wrigleyville and spill their third round of expensive clamato/beer cocktails. Regardless of what time it is, yuppies who have wandered in from the Sheridan stop on their way to something else will order obnoxious margaritas and be obnoxious, so the servers understandably are done with people and I don't blame them! If you're okay to wait for a bit, the food is FANTASTIC and you will love it. The portions are generous, the menu has a rotating list of specials, and all the basics are there, too. We used to live down the street and practically lived at this place, because $3 tacos is perfect. We'd order veggie tacos and fries (a great lunch) and occasionally get the chorizo con queso, which is great but will require a nap after consuming it. Now that I moved from the neighborhood, I long for their cheese enchiladas with green sauce. Go to El Palmar when you're in the neighborhood, and be nice to the wait staff! read more

* This review is for delivery only! * I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but 3 was the best I could do. This place was a little better than Mas o Menos...if you will. The steak burrito was very tasty and the size of the thing is next to huge. There was too much sour cream on the burrito but I made do. The rice that came with it was also very good. The chips and guac weren't bad, but the guac was a little bland. For 2 guys getting burrito dinners, chips and guac and a soda it was only $24 with the tip (the bill was around $20 or so)...so not bad and a great alternative to getting a pizza delivered! read more

This place satisfied my craving for late night tacos. I enjoyed a delicious pastor, chorizo, and carnitas taco. The pastor and chorizo was so flavorful I wish I had gotten more !! Only bad thing was the free chips we got with the salsa and as very stale. read more

We get shrimp spicy sauce and shrimp with bacon wrap. Very tasty. The server so nice and polite. Good take care. This is my faverite seafood maxican place read more

El Palmar - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tried this place for the first time, just popped in to get takeout. The staff, even when busy, were very welcoming, polite, and patient. Some of the best Mexican food I've had on the north side. Great place! 100% recommend! read more

Not the best place to eat in at, it was small. But the food was GREAT! will eat there again for sure, maybe order to go.

Dropped in El Palmar for a quick late-night veggie burrito & a bag of chips & salsa. Got home to discover a very full bag of chips but no salsa. :(. Veggie burrito was full of just that - veggies. Lettuce, onions & cilantro, tomato & a little rice. I had asked for cheese & sour cream; no cheese & a dollop of sour cream dripping out the end of the burrito. Saving grace: their red hot sauce was actually hot & uniquely flavored. Not your usual red or green take-your-pick type sauce. Will drop in again if my usual neighborhood late-night Mexican place is closed (as it was on this particular evening...) I noticed that El Palmar had a small bar & I am curious to try a margarita there. I will update this review if I visit again! read more

My bar for Mexican is super high after experiencing some of the best Mexican food in Detroit. El Palmar was sub-par. My chicken burrito was super dry and lacked flavor. The tortilla chips which we got were stale and lacked flavor once again. The only redeemer of the meal was the green sauce which was some of the best green sauce I've had. read more