It's good. Used to be better. We had green salsa chilaquiles - I like them made to order. My chilaquiles appeared to have been prepared in advance and were soggy. I like to have with some crunch to them. Other than that - excellent service, generous portions. read more

It's great. Authentic, great service, owner and staff are awesome! It's not super complex; good Mexican food presented well, salsas are simple and flavorful, could be spicier. Chips are fresh and warm. I've tried lots of the menu but I go back to the steak burrito or tacos usually. Awesome specials--pozole, menudo if that's your thing! read more

Small, inviting restaurant with friendly service. Someone told me to try the chicken tortilla soup. It was good but lacking a little spice and needed more chicken as well as prefer a thicker soup base. I'd go back but try something else. read more

La Penca - Chicken tortilla soup - Mexican Near Me - North Riverside, Illinois

The food is terrific. The steak is marinated perfectly and is best cut of meat, no toughness. Very friendly staff.

Came here for breakfast with my mom because she was craving some enchiladas and she really likes the ones here. When we arrived we were greeted and given the option to choose where we wanted to sit. We chose one of their booths by the window. Spacious seating for up to 4 people maybe but they also have individual tables for larger parties. After some chit chatting and eating the complimentary chips and salsa (salsa was so delicious!) I ordered a mango margarita which tasted pretty good if you like mangoes. Then we each ordered different enchiladas. The enchiladas come with cheese already inside but you can opt in for protein for an up charge. Each of them came with some salad, beans and Mex rice. Everything was excellent and fulfilling. The server did check on us frequently to make sure if anything else was needed especially when more people were taking seats. Parking is also free. And for those who have purses, there are mini hooks to uphold your bag next to you which I thought was so nice! read more

La Penca - Enchiladas Suizas and Enchiladas Rojas with a mango margarita and complimentary chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - North Riverside, Illinois

Very delicious tacos. Freshly made. Steak is fresh and easy to chew. I can't get enough of em. Made fast and quick and thorough

It was amazing tacos with amazing work Also so friendly so nice and great interactions with the staff read more

If you like Pepe's Tacos this is the place for you. Bland food with extremely weak, but not inexpensive, margaritas. Not recommended. Yuck!

Best red chilaquiles! There's other Mexican restaurants near me but this spot is my ultimate favorite.

Just moved to area; tried this restaurant. Decided to start 'easy' and was not disappointed with the enchiladas platter. I will return. Clean facility, and take out was timely. Will return for sit-down and a margarita. read more

Service is very good. I didn't like the taco dinner I ordered but I go for the menudo on the weekends they have the best.

Not just another hole-in-the-wall Mexican taco shop. It is impressive fresh Mexican food. I've been here a few years back and still very pleased. I ordered a Ceviche tostada and a bean and avocado tostada. They were both very delicious. Served on freshly fried crispy tostada shells, topped with plenty of fresh shredded lettuce, cheese and salsa. The ceviche was very moist and full of cilantro. I confess I wish I had ordered two bean and avocado tostadas instead of the ceviche. The reason is I just enjoyed the flavor more and I love how fresh the big pieces of avocados were. Yum. The prices are easy on the pocketbook. They have margaritas by the pitcher and I have been told they are good (I didn't have one this time). The staff is super friendly. The place is very small and not a ton of decor but don't let the looks deceive you. The food is amazing and authentic. read more

See all

Delicious food at a great price. We have been going for years. Friendly service and nice atmosphere. The owner is onsite frequently and is also very friendly. Great salsa and the margaritas rock! A gem hidden in a strip mall. read more

Really delicious food, service was amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic the bast of all is the chips with salsa was amazing and the Mexican was wonderful read more

Very good Mexican food for a fair price. I had the Fried Quesadilla which sounded weird, but it was excellent. Homemade tortilla stuffed with cheese, lettuce, tomato & sour cream, and then deep fried. It was cheesy goodness. Ordered via phone call and the order was ready in 10 minutes. Easy to access restaurant in a small strip mall and inside had plenty of tables for a good eat-in crowd. read more

La Penca - Fried Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - North Riverside, Illinois

The food is authentic Mexican food and the margaritas are fabulous! The wait staff are very attentive and always checking to see if you need anything. Highly recommend this restaurant with great food at an excellent value! read more

If you're starving go for it, but not the best. Not Mexican owned, not even Hispanic owned ... you can taste it ... read more

I be craving for some tacos, and let me say.... Location: Fire. Service: Hype. Food: Gas. 10/10 would come again. read more

I spent most of my career on 26th St. I know Mexican food. This restaurant has some of the best.

My son was adamant about trying a chimichanga and we googled trying to find a local restaurant that sold them. La Penca came up so we placed an order to go, and we had chimichangas for dinner. Surprisingly enough they were pretty good. The steak was tender, nicely chopped and very flavorful. But most importantly no gristly pieces of meat! Didn't try anything else from there, but the place was packed when we walked in for our order. Would like to be able to return and have a sit down meal there. read more

The food wasn't all that flavorful and the service was meh as well. There are so many options around the area. I would suggest trying out someplace else. read more

I ordered catering. I did half tray of picadillo, and have steak. It came with warm tacos, two sauces, and lettuce, cilantro, onion, tomato toppings. Everything was wrapped so that it stay hot until you opened it. Everything was very delicious, and it was more than enough to feed my party. The person in the restaurant was incredibly nice! I would order from here again! read more

Friendly, welcoming, and casual Mexican restaurant in a storefront on Cermak. Free parking. Our waitress was really friendly and attentive, offering to refill my Diet Coke three times and bringing us a fresh basket of chips without having to request it. Highly recommend the guacamole starter. The chips and salsa are really fresh and delicious, too, but the guacamole was fantastic. read more

La Penca - Chips, salsa, guacamole. - Mexican Near Me - North Riverside, Illinois

Cute little restaurant. Food is excellent, service good. Did I mention the prices? Very reasonable. Parking right in front. They do serve liquor. read more

My coworker found La Penca since she had a craving for tacos and needed to be close to work for our quick dinner. Let me just say we both left very impressed and plan to be back. Seeing sopes, tostadas and gorditas was a good sign of what to expect from La Penca. I initially wanted the sopes and tostadas. But the waitress came back to tell me the sopes machine was getting cleaned. She recommended the gorditas. I chose the rajas con queso which was on point! Smoky roasted flavor of the poblano peppers and cheese couldn't have been better. The ceviche tostada brought me back to my meals with the street vendors next door to the Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara. My friend went straight to the chilaquiles and was very happy with her dish. Our other surprise was a small horchata was a healthy glass (20+oz?). Dear Chicago area yelpers and those passing through, La Penca is a hole-in-the-wall not to be passed over! read more

This place was great! Close to closing, still took us in! Food was so good! Tasty, and big portions! Prices are reasonable! Service was friendly and fast with food, and it was piping hot...hit the spot! Place is quaint! Small and it's in a little strip, but has plenty of parking and seats on the inside. I would definitely go back! read more

La Penca is one of my family's carry-out staples when we don't have food or are short on time. Usually, we can phone in an order and pick it up in 15 minutes. The food is always hot, fresh, and delicious. We love the Al Pastor - tacos, tortas, or sopes. However, I have yet to have an item we don't like. The staff is always friendly. read more

The food is incredibly delicious! Service is on the spot. Would definitely recommend it to my friends and family. Totally the best Mexican spot I've tried. read more

Restaurant Review Mexican food on a budget, check! This was a place I stopped by for a quick lunch one day when I had time to escape from work and I was overall not disappointed. I initially had wanted to grab food and go, but this is more of a sit down restaurant. The servers were super friendly and prompt to come by to take your order. I ended up ordering a steak burrito which was the same price you would pay at chiptole, although the carne burrito was a traditional cut of likely skirt steak, it had the traditional flavors. For 5 bucks it is relatively plain in the sense you get no mexican rice, sour cream which are all sides that cost more money which make sense. The advantage of eating in is you get warm chips and salsa which is great and offset the cost of paying tip since you are now dining in. Overall good solid traditional burrito and friendly service. Pro- inexpensive, free chips and salsa with your meal Con- rather bare entrees as all sides come at additional cost (or you can order the dinner plate with all of the other stuff rice, lettuce, bean etc) Hidden deals- Specials Thursday and Friday: Mole con Pollo $7.75 Saturday and Sunday: Menudo $7 plate, $9 half-gallon, and $16 gallon Pozole $7 plate, $9 half-gallon, and $16 gallon read more

La Penca - Mexican Near Me - North Riverside, Illinois

See all

Best Mexican food in the area Great service and great MargaritasGreat food selection prepared any way you wish

By far the worst service I've ever gotten at this place today. I am upset to say I will not be returning. The guy with the tattoos was really rude today. read more

This food was not good . In fact, it was terrible. I do not recommend. There was an entire salad on top of my tacos . The chicken tasted like it was reheated and there were like 4 slivers of shredded chicken and a pile of lettuce on top . Ridiculous! read more

This place was on Chicago's Best is what brought me here. I'm in this area all the time and am shocked I didn't know about it! It's in a strip mall but don't be fooled. The salsa that came with the chips was fresh and delicious. We both got the special mole con pollo for 7.99. Very good! It came with 2 pieces of delicious chicken, rice, beans and tortilla shells. We were in a food coma! Delicious and strong margaritas! Looking forward to returning! read more

See all

Not real Mexican food , the meat was chewing & the salsa Wasn't even spicey ! Horchata wasn't IT . They can definitely do better .

This place is DELICIOUS! Tacos, sopes, gorditas and Margaritas! All in that order. Trust me

Guacamole was old, food awful and the service poor. We've been a few times because they're local and love to support local. Continually disappointed. We're done. There are so many better places to go. read more

Good food. Had the steak tacos and a cheese quesadilla. The margaritas are good as well. Very nice server, fast service and great ambiance.

Not bad. But not exceptional. Service is so-so. Meaning not friendly, it's not rude. Ordered enchiladas and they had this weird cheese. Not chihuahua, not authentic. Don't mess with tried and true Mexican recipes read more

This place sells some of the best Mexican cuisine I've ever had. I'm pretty picky about my sopes and tortas but, this is one of the few places I love. The food is great and the atmosphere is also great. read more

After moving to Brookfield from the city my husband and I were missing our neighborhood taco joint badly. Thankfully, we found our new favorite neighborhood spot down the street from our house. The food and service are always great. Don't be afraid to indulge in the margaritas! read more