I have been going to this burrito house for decades,a while back ago I went and order a steak burrito I was so hungry ready to eat,when I ate the burrito it had strings of hair in it due to the woman making it not wearing a hair net,and on top of that her daughter has been working the cash register since she was nine years old,probably younger then that,and her lil brother sit at the table from the time he get out of school till the time they close,I ask her if she could put on a hair net to protect the food she got mad and ignored me saying is you gone order or not read more

Mr. Salsa - The cook never wears a hair net,this isn't the best pic,but it's a pic with no net on - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Even by Chicago standards, this is fantastic Mexican food. The decor is not amazing but the price can't be beat. Even better for takeout. Lovely people run the place. read more

Horrible. I hate that this is my local Mexican joint. Portions are tiny. Carne asada fried to crunchy crisps most time. Without hot sauce, the tacos lack any defined flavor. And once again they are microscopic but charge 2.75??? Foh. That's not even the worst part. The owner solidifies my hatred for this place. I refuse to patronize that hole in the wall ever again because of his unprofessional and lackadaisical attitude and work ethic. The owner brings his drunk friends ( they'll be four or five deep on the weekends) into the open kitchen with him while he takes forever to prepare customers Foods. His friends literally are just sitting and standing drinking Dos Equis, laughing it up, bring drunk and having a great little party all around our food. They don't have any type of protective kitchen attire on. Not to mention that these men are a huge distraction to the cook. And maybe I would wait and deal with this foolishness if the owner shelled out grade A tacos, but they're tiny gross and half assed with the flavor. Couldn't pay to go back there read more

Doesn't look like much when you walk by, but the food is amazing. My boyfriend and I popped in for lunch today. Everything is made to order - even the chips & salsa! My boyfriend got a chicken burrito that was such a gracious portion. I ordered the carne asada dinner that came with rice and refried beans. All of it was delicious!!! We'll definitely be stopping her again. read more

Tacos were okay. Tomatoes were missing in all of them. Cook was extremely rude; He took forever to take my order even though I was the only one there at the time. He was also rude and rowdy to a patron over the phone, which after hanging up proceeded to call them "stupid." read more

Excelente! I love the pastor tacos...great service, great food! I've had lots of tacos in Chicago and this is in the top 3, easily.

Best light and airy vegetarian burrito I have eaten, usually burritos are heavy and dense. This is still fulfilling. The first time I ate one of these was during a parade. We were in a float and the sun was baking us. Ours hadn't left yet so my husband jumped off the bus and ran in there. We were driving by and it was time for the kid to eat so we stopped in. Cheese, flour tortilla for her. Simple. Crispy. Good. As for the burrito, everything I remembered about it was true. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Guacamole was a little basic, yet very, very freshly made. If it had heat, like with jalapeno, the kid couldn't have eaten it. So, thumbs up for everyone. Mild. read more

For me, Mr. Salsa is a cheap place to get a nice steak burrito. I just learned about this not so long ago. Their menu is quite satisfactory. They have a tiny space with very limited seats; that's why, I would certainly do a carry-out if grabbing a bite from here springs to mind. The male staff is a cheerful person who could prepare the order in a jiffy. No high expectations, plain and simple! read more

I feel that it's my civic responsibility to update this review and let fellow late-night burrito seekers know that Mr. Salsa isn't what it once was. Or maybe it's me that's done the changing? You see, in the almost three years since I've last had a Mr. Salsa burrito and penned that initial review, much has changed. My Mexican grub list now has 36 entries (http://www.yelp.com/list/all-mariachi-all-the-time-chicago) so it's safe to say that my taco/burrito/gordita palate has been, um, refined. I recently dropped in for a standard chicken burrito (without tomatoes, per usual) and came home with a droopy mess of a burrito. Tomatoes everywhere, no sour cream, an excess of boring pinto beans and subpar chicken. The burrito was very loosely wrapped so I skipped ahead to cutting into the meat of the carnage and it wasn't pretty. For a burrito in this town, $6 is actually on the high side so it best be good. Really good. This burrito? I'd give it a sloppy C-. Not sure if it was just an off-night, but this burrito maven has too many other "A" taquerias on her list to risk a C- eating experience. Next! read more

Thank CC's mom and dad for shaking and baking to make a little CC shine onto this world as she just reminded me I actually crossed the threshold of this place and partook of the meat and tortillas. I so forgot I ate the night of prom and just thought I had mashed faces with the tamale guy or his sister as I had salsa breath all night... now I know it was with Mr. Salsa and his chicken tacos I licked and sucked that night. through the clouds of random images in my mind, I can only remember the smiles in my tummy as I chomped and chewed. It was a dive of a place, but smelled good and felt mighty nice in my tummy to go along with the vodka, whiskey, beer and altoids. good stuffs. es bueno! read more

Bottom line is this... BEST FRIGGIN TACOS IN CHICAGO! I swear by this and all my taco condenseur friends will back me up...Nothing is better then drinking at Driftwood just next door and stopping in for a drunken taco...Personally the steak taco is my favorite but others tend to lean towards the chicken....if you are a salsa fan then I would suggest you pick-up the green bottle and prepare for a zesty treat ...first try it with their complementary and endless chips....then smother your tacos in it..trust me its sublime...However if you are not one for spicy stuff then try the taco without it...my GF is this way and still gave a 5 star rating (read her review, Andrea M.)... You really got to get over here sometime ASAP...you not just missing out on something your missing out on EVERTYTHING! read more

Sadly I must take away one star because I can't get no late night tacos!!!! The last two times I tried to fulfill my craving I have been denied. Once was a Saturday night at about 1:45. Stopped by on my way home and they were closing up - uno mas taco de carne asada, por favoooooor!?! Nope. The second time was a Tuesday night at 11:30. Starving for some tacos after a night of up and down poker winning, they denied me again. Worst part about this is they don't have any hours posted, at least none that I can find, so I am at a loss as to how late their actually open and on which nights. Mr. Salsa - pleeeease stay open a little later so you can remain the best late-night tacos on the northside......I miss your carne asada goodness. read more

UPDATE: GIVE IT TO ME SHEPHERD STYLE!!!! Er...Al Pastor that is. The carne asada may not be up to par, but the al pastor tacos are perfection. ***************************** LIKE WHITE CASTLE... Mr. Salsa is best enjoyed late at night after consuming mass quantities of beer. When enjoyed sober, the food is solid, but not stellar taqueria fare. That said, the place is aptly named because their salsas are fantastic. I love that their chips are fried fresh with each order and the guys behind the counter are great. Finally, a note of warning to all your Mexican Coke enthusiasts. The bottle I had here contained HFCS instead of cane sugar if that matters to you. read more

Compared to other taquerias, four and a half stars. Compared to other restaurants, three is about right. I think I'd be inclined to add another star if they served a jicama salad or black beans, but it's plenty delicious as is. Mr. Salsa taught me the right way to make guacamole, that the al pastor taco (or burrito) with lime and cilantro kicks serious a**, and to ask about the carrot-garlic-jalapeno-onion stuff they serve. Mmmm, it's been a while, Mr. Salsa. Oh! And I've eaten here sober. Many, many times. I used to live around the corner and once I ate here five days in a row. And you can byob. read more

Late night spot for halfway decent Mexican food. It'll get the job done if your'e starving or drunk, but it's a bit bland. Definitely a take out spot- went here with a friend the other day and we were the only two people there. Nothing special, but if you don't mind a 10 minute walk I'd say go down Sheridan to Taqueria los Caminos de Michoacan. They are super yummy! If you're craving tamales, don't expect your life to be changed by these. They're solid, but nothing to write home about. Staff was pretty nice, although they seemed a bit confused when taking our orders about the number of tamales that came with the tamale dinner (the answer is 2) read more

Behold the God of Mexican. Holy hell. Fresh chips, the hottest but best salsa I've ever had, FAST and hilarious service, CHEAP!!!! and behold... the tacos. My friend, "I don't remember the tacos last night. Were they good?" Me: "They were heaven." Her: "That good, huh?" Me: "I think you took one to bed with you." Her: "I'll have to go when I'm sober." read more

I feel like I should like this place more, but I just don't. And I think it's because the chips are soooo greasy. Like in a terrible, icky, annoying way. It is possible to make homemade chips less wet with grease but Mr. Salsa has not. Sigh. I got a veggie burrito, which was fine. It tasted like every other taqueria burrito that has ever existed. My husband really, really likes Mr. Salsa, so maybe that will make you want to go here more. Alas, Mr. Salsa is just not doing it for me. I will likely only come here if I'm drunk and need a quick fix. Or just order from GrubHub late night. read more

Open at 2A! What more do you need? After a night out painting the town red, I am usually ready for dinner #2 right about 2A. Amazing quesadillas for $2 each and burritos and fajitas for $6! They taste jus like they do in Mexico (I should know - I jus came back from a vacation in Acapulco!!!) The decor is plain and uninspiring and there is some spanish channel on the tv; Cash only place but there is an ATM down the street - you only need $12 + tip total for 2 ppl. Free chips and salsa too.... food + price combo definitely makes it a 4 star read more

Just moved to Uptown, and when I found out that there was a taco joint right around the corner from me, I knew it would be dangerous if it was good. Well, Mr. Salsa, you've ruined me. The al pastor taco is my go-to favorite. I've tried MANY al pastor dishes from various places, and Mr. Salsa is in my top 3. Aside from their wonderful tacos, their tamales are pretty awesome too. Basically, I am always a skeptic of late night food because everything tastes better after a pitcher of margaritas. Thankfully, I've found a gem. read more

One of our favorite neighborhood taco spots. Great homemade salsa. Love the chicken and Chile relleno tacos. Never had a bad meal or experience - always friendly as well read more

If you walk with your head down, staring at your shoes, you might miss this place. Right off of the North Broadway Street and West Montrose Avenue intersection, Mr. Salsa is a small taqueria with counter service and a few tables to dine-in. When I walked in, I heard the Latino music playing and was greeted with a smile- I had a feeling I was going to completely fulfill my craving for Mexican food here. I ordered the chicken fajita burrito with chips and salsa. The chips were fresh and I was given two kinds of salsa- salsa verde and salsa roja. They both were full of flavor, although I favored the salsa verde. The salsa roja was fantastic as well, but anti-spicy waters beware... this one packs on the heat! My burrito came out quickly and was cooked to crispy perfection. I smothered it in both salsas, and thoroughly enjoyed each bite. The crunch was a great contrast from the warm, gooey inside filled with cheese, rice, beans, peppers, onions, sour cream, chicken, and hot sauce. I'd suggest anyone in the area, with a craving for some Mexican, to check this place out for a quick, but flavorful, bite to eat! read more

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The vegetarian burrito at Mr. Salsa reflects my personal ideal: generous portions of rice, beans, cheese, avocado slices (NOT guacamole), onions, lettuce and tomatoes. All in a warm, grilled tortilla. Basically, everything but the meat. This is how it should be--I hate places that charge extra for avocado or even rice on a veggie burrito. Hello--THERE'S NO MEAT ON IT! Excellent smoky salsas and greasy, salty chips. And cheap! read more

After eating here for most of my life I can't say anything other than high respect and admiration for the chefs that have worked here since day one. being able to make quality authentic Mexican food damn near perfect every single time I order is something to be highly commended. the gordita always being able to fit that soft, crunchy, medium. The selection of meat, and occasional change of pace during lent, where they try out more fish based dishes it's safe to say that these chef know makes good food. That being the ingredients that make that food and cooking with the attitude of cooking for a friend or family member. Having known them for almost all my life it's safe to say they truly love what they do and that's what makes a place authentic. More than the dishes, more than the people that make the dishes, it's the soul that they have. I recommend a majority of the menu as I have not tried the rest of the menu. read more

One of my go to places for pick up. The steak burrito is my jam, but everything is delicious. It is a small place, but it is clean. I am a repeat customer fo life or as long as I live in Chicago. I recommend Mr. Salsa and you too will be happy. read more

People are told never to judge a book by its cover. However, sometimes the cover is right. This place looks like a family-run, slightly-divey, taco spot. And guess what? You'd be completely right, without even stepping foot inside. Much like every nut has a bolt, every drunk has a Mr. Salsa. I have frequently stumbled into this place with my below-par Spanish. Want my Spanish lesson for the day? Repeat after me, "Burrito Asada, por favor." That one line will get you a toasted tortilla, greasy and salty carne asada, chihuaha cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and refried beans. Complimentary salsas as well. Bow your head, and devour. It hits the spot, but won't make you rethink your career choices and switch to being a short order cook for your local tacqueria. There are better, but when you're drunk and hungry, you don't deserve better. read more

This mom and pop place used to be pretty decent pre pandemic, but now like a lot of other restaurants, they have drastically raised their prices for the same, exact product. The same burrito in size, quantity, and ingredients went from $7.25 to $8.00. Tacos are now over $3. The couple that owns this place used to be a lot more hospitable and consistent in their food, but now they're pretty slack with everything - the food is quite mediocre for the prices that they are charging. What's worst - the last time I came here, the husband deliberately overcharged me for the burrito by $.50 and thought I wouldn't notice. Never again - completely not worth it. read more

For a cheap burrito place - holy shit! I had the bean and cheese burrito, boyfriend had the carve Asada. The young woman who is making the burritos obviously cares about her job and it showed in the food. The burrito tortillas were crispy which you rarely get because people are so lazy and faster they just plop them down for two seconds. The cheese in my Barito is melted which I appreciated because a lot of the Mexican places we stop by typically just sprinkle the cheese on and it is still cold when I eat it. My boyfriends said the flavor of the tenderness and the chew of the CarneAsada burrito was perfect. There was just enough fat to make it even more flavorful. The young woman chef made the guacamole right before my eyes and it was fresh and delicious. Live your burrito dreams! Wednesday night read more

Went there for the first time at 3:00pm on a Saturday. Almost passed it by because we saw the "Free HIV Testing" sign in the window and thought that it was a medical clinic rather than a taqueria. We ordered al pastor tacos and guac and chips for take out. The al pastor tacos were above average and priced right. The guac was okay but could have used some lime juice and extra cilantro. The guac was not a bad deal for the $5.00 price, though. **Cash only** read more

Only drawback is the cash-only policy, otherwise I would have eaten every meal at Taqueria Mr. Salsa. Their tacos are delicious and cheap. I've tried the pollo, al pastor, and carne asada and all are so so good. They put lettuce and sour cream on, and their salsa verde is my favorite. I've also had their burrito with carne asada, and it's a heart-attack waiting to happen, so good for a cold-Chicago night. Being from California, it was comforting to have delicious and cheap Mexican food close by. My best experiences here were always late at night when I'd have the taxi drop me off at Taqueria Mr. Salsa rather than my apartment. One of the brothers behind the counter always appreciated my drunken Spanish and would throw in an extra taco for good luck. Once they were closing the restaurant down and opened up just for me and my friend! It's comforting to know that at the end of a long night, you can count on something! read more

I had a sudden craving for tacos de pastor and this place came up as a place for good tacos de pastor. Since I was in the area, I decided to stop by. The women working there were very friendly and on the customer service factor alone, I was very pleased. However, the tacos were just o.k. Maybe its an unfair comparison to compare them to the tacos I have when I visit Mexico, but there was just something missing in the seasoning of the meat itself. The pastor was a bit rough and not very flavorful. I didn't try any of their other dishes so maybe those are superior to the tacos but in all honesty, can't say the tacos were delicious. The salsa was also at the ok level, not bad but definitely not where you are left wanting for more. read more

Pretty good for cheap Mexican food. We got the taco dinner and the steak burrito dinner. The rice and beans was very good. I'm giving 4 stars because we had a hard time ordering over the phone since the person could not understand us and we can't understand them, however we got our orders right. Everything was a little greasy but it was still delicious. read more

Delicious and cheap! There were some language barrier issues and they forgot my tamale but then they gave me one for free! We agreed with other reviewers that the pastor is a must eat! Thanks for the recommendations! read more

So after a long, long St. Patty's day with good friends, we were looking for something to sate our late night hunger and what could be better than.....mexican food. Okay, not the best St. Patty's day choice, but at the time it was within walking distance, open, and had a good reputation so we made the trek. We get inside and it's perfect. Bare bones, old, cramped, and with good smells floating around. I got the cabeza quesadilla and a pastor burrito. The quesadilla was just meat and cheese, always a great combination. The meat was cooked until tender and not any more. I was a bit skeptical about cabeza but it worked well. The pastor burrito was really good too, and had a big portion of meat. I got some red salsa and some green salsa with my food and they were both good. Could have used a tad more spicy, but for the average person it was probably a healthy amount. Overall the food was really good, it's open late, the staff is efficient, and it was pretty cheap. Definitely going back for more! read more

Clean and delicious!! Their tacos are life, the meat is really flavorful and not fatty. I like the chicken and steak alike. They also make fresh gorditas that are so good, I get the chile relleno one. Skip the guacamole here, it is over priced and nothing to write home about, but def have the chips and salsa. read more

Chimichangas all day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Call me Mrs. Salsa I highly recommend if. read more

I've been here many times, and many times I've had an awesome experience. Before today I would have rated 5 stars-exceptional service and great food. Twice before when food was slow to come out i was given free drinks and chips for the inconvenience. So nice. Above and beyond right there. But tonight I was really craving a quesadilla. I walked over and ordered from the chef. I said grande chicken quesadilla. He wanted to be clear and asked again. I repeated. 15 minutes later a lady hands me a bag and says chimichanga. I said no, must be someone else's. She looked at me like I was crazy. The chef yelled at me and told me that's what I said. I said no, sir, you're incorrect. Chicken quesadilla. He rolled his eyes and continued to belittle me in front of the other employees. They threw the chimi away and he made the quesadilla another 15 minutes later. And they made me pay for it. I wasn't expecting anything free, but the customer deserves better. I don't know why he blamed his mistake on me. I've worked in food service before and this was very rude and improper. read more

Thank goodness I only live a block away from this place! The owners are all so friendly and I love that they endure my not so great Spanish. The fish tacos with their fresh pico de gallo are fantastic and sometimes I literally cannot resist going in for one. Their nachos are also great. They use real shredded muenster cheese, not the gross yellow slimy stuff. Super delicious. Super friendly. I will keep supporting these guys for sure! read more

I always get a veggie burrito or veggie tacos and they are amazing. Quick reliable service and and awesome people running this spot. I'll go here to grab lunch or dinner over chipotle any day of the week read more

Moved here from Texas 4 months ago and had yet to find any quality Mexican cuisine. Mr. Salsa hit it out of the park. So delicious and fresh food. Highly recommend this place! Tacos and guacamole are amazing. Can't wait to go back :) read more

3.75 stars. Ever since a friend had a party at the bar next door (Driftwood), I have been coming back to this place religiously for the al pastor tacos- some of the best I know of in the city. The pork is perfectly seasoned and not as fatty as most places around town. Served with fresh chopped onions and cilantro, I usually add cheese and avocado. Two or three of these makes a delicious, inexpensive meal. One note: This is one of many Mexican places in Chicago that serves avocado as an extra, but not guacamole. It would be nice if they went the whole nine yards. Great al pastor, though. read more