Maybe it was a one-off, I'm not sure, but the guac was extremely bad, way too lemony and completely lacking flavor. As basic as guac is, this was disappointing. I only tried the chips and guac but yet would never visit again. read more

### When Happy Hour Ain't Happy: A Tale of Tacos and Turmoil Happy Hour: a time-honored tradition where the worries of the day are supposed to melt away with discounted drinks and appetizers. It's a concept designed to bring joy, relaxation, and a bit of fun to everyone who walks through the doors of an establishment. However, not all Happy Hour experiences live up to their jovial name. Let me share a story about when Happy Hour at Tallboy Taco wasn't so happy. My sister and I decided to check out Tallboy Taco, lured by the promise of good food, great prices, and an enticing Happy Hour deal. As someone always eager to explore new dining spots, I walked in with a sense of anticipation, ready to ask questions about the restaurant, the menu, and how their Happy Hour worked. Unfortunately, my excitement quickly dissipated when I was met with an unexpected guest: rudeness. The bartender, whom I approached for information, was not just unhelpful but outright disrespectful for no apparent reason. Despite my genuine curiosity and polite inquiries, her demeanor was cold, and her responses were brusque. I even mentioned it was my first time visiting, hoping for a warmer reception or at least some patience. Instead, when the conversation shifted to payment methods, and I revealed I had a credit card, not a debit card, it seemed to mark the end of our interaction. But let's talk about the silver lining: the food and the drinks. Despite the service hiccup, the Happy Hour deals were undeniably fantastic. Everything was priced at five dollars, from the strong and satisfying margarita I had, to the tacos, and even the nachos, which came loaded with toppings. The quality of the food and the drinks was a stark contrast to the quality of the service. It was a reminder that sometimes, even in less-than-ideal circumstances, there can be elements worth appreciating. So, would I go back? Yes, but with adjusted expectations. I would return for the food and drink specials, fully aware that the service might not match the high standard set by the cuisine. It's a reminder that customer service is a crucial part of the dining experience. No matter how good the deals or delicious the food, the way staff interact with customers can significantly impact the overall impression of a restaurant. This experience at Tallboy Taco serves as a poignant reminder that not all Happy Hours are created equal. While the concept is designed to be a beacon of happiness and relaxation, the reality can sometimes fall short. It underscores the importance of good customer service, which can turn a good dining experience into a great one, or in my case, leave a bittersweet taste in your mouth. In the end, Happy Hour should be happy for everyone involved - customers and staff alike. It's about more than just discounted drinks and appetizers; it's about creating a welcoming, enjoyable environment. Here's hoping that my next Happy Hour experience will be truly happy, from start to finish. read more

Tallboy Taco - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I don't have the order confirmation anymore, and I'm not asking for a refund. But please take this seriously- there was a staple in my mom's taco from a couple weeks ago. She just informed me about it. That's really unsafe and someone could get seriously hurt. I'd expect better from a Lettuce Entertainment restaurant. read more

My mother was visiting & we were in the mood for some tacos, so We Came Here & it was Awesome!! We were greeted warmly, and the place was bright with Great Music & yummy smells coming from the kitchen. The top floor wasn't opened to us for lunch, but we didn't mind, the menu was such a distraction, we only had 1 thing on our mind: Eat EAt EAT! We tried the 3 Taco Combo with the Crispy Fish, Pork Al Pastor, & Birria Short Ribs - all 3 were Out of This World! The Crispy Fish taco was my mother's favorite, the filet was HUGE, the batter was light & crunchy, not at all oily, and the spice blend was On Point! Great! I chose the Pork Al Pastor BC I'm a sucker for pork & pineapple, and it was So Juicy! The pork was savory and the onions and cilantro really built up the layers of flavor! I asked for the most popular and was told the Birria Short Rib taco was it, so that was our third. The chunks of beef were huge (this did make the taco a little hard to handle - it was the messiest of the tacos), but we both agreed that we could've eaten a bowl of just the meat & been Happy!! I Love the Soft Hand Pressed Corn Tortillas & Crispy lime flavored Chips! I loved the lemony flavor of the house-made guacamole, my mother didn't like it so much, but we ate it all!the 2 salsa sides were Great - I liked the green blend better. With a few more menu items left to try, I will definitely be back! read more

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Great food and service. Especially liked the guacamole. Plenty of tables to dine outside. Prices are reasonable. read more

they get two stars for good customer service that's it. I ordered Barria tacos in they came out like regular tacos. Also instead of Barria dip they gave me caraMel instead. Just close it down not worth the time or money I wasted 27$ for that crap. read more

The mandatory QR code ordering system is incredibly frustrating and slow. Meanwhile the employee in front is sitting there with nothing to do (playing on her phone) and could've taken our order in 1/4 of the time it took me to type it all in. Poor app design and it's forced on you. Tacos were good with solid meat quality but not worth the QR hassle. read more

We came here, as promised a year later, for Cinco De Mayo! It was early with a light crowd, and we had a Lettuce Entertain You gift card. This was different feel than last year, but the food was the same. We got margaritas on special, chips (a little drier this time?) and salsa at the salsa bar, and tacos (steak and potatoes, beef, pork pastor, and shrimp.) They were still small but filling, and for dessert we got the churro in caramel (dulce de leche) sauce, and a paleta Corazon(blood orange popsicle with tequila!) The service/set up this time was..meh.. since no one seemed to be watching the Cubs game (it was 6pm) we asked them to turn to the Derby at 5:50. After some delay we were told it was not available. But after the race was over (but no winner announced) it appeared on the tv. Then, we ordered a 'Spicy Mami', a margarita with a kick to it, and when our waiter brought it he pronounced 'mami' the 'wrong' way. It was probably UN-intentional but still..off putting. We didn't say anything. I'll explain in detail if asked. Finally, before receiving dessert, we could see the place was getting busy, and the manager approached us (only us it seemed) and said they were getting very busy and if we could separate our 2 tables (we were sitting against the long booth wall with high chairs using 2 tables, I admit it). We used an extra chair for our coats, and he stuck a 'reserved' sign on the table next to us. He was apologetic about it, but by the time we left 15 minutes later no one had sat down. I can buy that happening on a Saturday, but our next outing we will probably just sit at the bar and have an appetizer, nothing to linger over. read more

Tallboy Taco - $10 Margarita special! - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The welcoming committee caused the 4 stars instead of 5. However, my quesadilla was 5 stars! read more

Tallboy Taco - Chicken Chimichurri quesadilla - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Interesting concept that fails in execution. Upon entering, you are rather gruffly told that there are QR code on the tables and you can order there. Throughout most of our time in the restaurant it was relatively empty and there was only 1 employee in the front of house. He dropped off waters and then pretty much ignored us. We figured we would order some chips and corn queso to munch on while we waited for our food. We had no way of knowing that our order was taken and it took 15 minutes for the queso to come followed a minute later by our tacos. If there was actually a waiter involved, they could have given us a few minutes between the two. I guess if your goal is cut the number of employees by 50% or more this works. I did not enjoy this. As far as the food, it was mediocre at best. The corn queso was ok but it was a bowl of canned corn with some cheese and seasonings. It was ok but it was obviously not fresh. We had the fish tacos and everything about them were completely bland. Everything lacked salt, the tortillas tasted like nothing, there was no seasoning on the fish, there was no sauce, the slaw didn't have anything elevating it. Sure a squeeze of lime and the salsa helped but usually a chef wants their food to stand on its own without altering it or drenching it in sauce. There are so many places with great tacos that this place is just unnecessary. read more

Great quick service Mexican food right off the Mag Mile! Tallboy Taco has a wide range of tacos, quesadillas and nachos for a quick bite! The taco combo comes with rice and beans, just add a side of guac and chips for the table to round out your meal. They have still and sparkling water on tap which is a good switch up from your typical place. The birria and al pastor are my personal favs! read more

Tallboy Taco - GUACAMOLE & Birria Short Rib Taco & Pork al Pastor Taco - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everything we ate was SO delicious - Al pastor tacos, queso fundido - even the rice/beans sides were very tasty! Great service and a fun vibe! read more

Decent place for tacos and drinks . Me and my friends came in at 7 and ordered 2 tacos cookie and a margarita read more

Tallboy Taco - Tall boy margarita - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped by for a weekday lunch and ordered the 3 taco combo ($15.95), which comes with three tacos of your choice and a side of guac/chips. I ordered the crispy fish tacos, and they were overall not bad -- the fish was juicy and wasn't overcooked (but could have been crispier in my opinion), but I would have liked more flavor. Either more crema or a salsa for the taco would have been nice additions. read more

Tallboy Taco - Guacamole - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love it! From the decor and ambiance to service to food and dessert, I love it all. It's so nice to have a good Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood that is casual and not a chain. I tried the nachos w chicken and they were fantastic. The dessert menu is awesome too. It's small, including cookies, two types of soft serve ice cream, and churros, but mifhty. I did try the churro ice cream and it was so so good. Can't wait to come back and highly recommend!! read more

Tallboy Taco - nachitos - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I would give the drinks 5 stars and the food 3 stars - so there you have it, 4 stars on average. We ordered Tallboy Taco delivered to our house in Glenview through LEYE's Northern Suburbs program where you can get many of their restaurants delivered if you live a certain distance from Northfield. I ordered the Casamigos Margarita Kit as well as the Taco Bar for Two. The margarita kit included a 375ml bottle of tequila, limes, two mixes, margarita salt, a cocktail jigger, and two Casamigos branded glasses. I typically don't like margaritas with premade mix but I LOVED the Yuzu mix for the margaritas. It wasn't too sweet and was a great change from the standard lime-based margaritas. The hibiscus lemonade mix was just ok but a bit on the sweet side. Both my husband and I agreed the Yuzu was awesome. I wish I could purchase just the Yuzu mix to make more at home. Even if I could get the kit without the glassware and jigger for a lower price, that would be ideal. For food, we got the Taco Bar, which came with chips, salsa, guacamole, corn fundito, tacos and all the fixin's, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch marshmallow bars. For two people, this was a TON of food. We could have just eaten the chips, salsa, guac, and corn dip and been full. Plus, those starters were really gooooood so it was hard to stop eating them! For the tacos, we got the Carne Asada and the Chicken Chimichurri. The tacos were just ok, nothing special. I liked that we got both corn and flour tortillas as well as pico de gallo, onions & cilantro, and limes for the tacos. The Cinnamon Taste Crunch marshmallow bars were exactly what you're imagining. My kids liked them but no one finished them. Overall, there are better tacos at lots of different restaurants in Chicago, I can think of a handful of better taco places near me in Glenview alone, much less the city. But, their Yuzu margarita was SO GOOD. For people that live close to here, this would be the perfect spot to go to for chips and drinks. I want that Yuzu mix in my fridge now!! read more

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While five stars might be a little over zealous considering I've only eaten here once and it was just take-out, Tallboy Taco's nachos are SO. GOOD. First things first: this place is brand new. The reviews are a little confusing. Lettuce Entertain You used to have a restaurant by the same name located inside the now-closed Nacional 27 (RIP). The menu was bigger (and slightly different) and the interior had a totally different vibe. If you see a review dated before September 2020, it's basically for a different restaurant. BUT this new location, located right in the heart of Streeterville across from Northwestern's hospital, with its clean, trendy vibe, is amazing. And I love it. The menu is pretty simple: tacos, chips & dips, and a couple salads. But I highly recommend the nachos! The white nacho cheese is perfection, and the chips have just the right amount of crispiness. I could eat the guacamole for days, and the meat wasn't the slightest bit chewy or cold. Prices are a tad high but for being a block off of Michigan Avenue, I wouldn't expect any less. And dairy free and gluten free are marked on their regular menu (thank you!). Nachos are one of my all time favorite foods (no shame), and I think I've now found my new go-to in the city. Tallboy Taco, I'll see you again soon! Like, maybe tomorrow. read more

Tallboy Taco - nachitos with steak ($9) - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really god take on the Mexican food. More on the contemporary side of things. Ordered the steak, eggs and cheese taco, birria short rib enchiladas, and Chips and guacamole. The taco was soft, steak was perfectly seasoned. The birria was good too. The sauce on it tasted pretty awesome and pickled onions with short rib was a great combination. The guacamole was very fresh, and very tasty. I'd recommend trying this place! read more

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We had the pulled chicken and veggie tacos... so much flavor and I could tell the ingredients were very fresh. Better food and better prices than other Mexican restaurants in the area. To the customers complaining about $4 for a taco... have you even smoked a brisket? With anything nicer than Wal Mart meat? Also don't forget the 3 tacos + rice and beans for $10 deal. Excellent prices and lovely bar space. Salsa bar was an unexpected plus. read more

We arrived right when they opened on a Wednesday morning, first people to come in. Person working the counter was folding napkins and couldn't take two seconds to greet us. I had to be the one to say hello and start any kind of dialog. Being our first time here, asked what the most popular tacos were that were ordered and without looking up, they mumbled something about crispy shrimp and something else. As I was obvious a bother to the their napkin rolling, I ordered a plain cheese quesadilla and a two taco plate (crispy fish and carne asada). There are no fountain drinks, only bottled or canned, so choices were a little limited. For being the only ones there, food took what I thought was longer than it should be. Food presentation was awesome and the food tasted fantastic. The avocado crema has just the right amount of kick, the fish, nice and crispy and the carne asada was really flavorful. So why the 3 stars? Credit card only and it asks for a tip starting at 18%. There is ZERO interaction once you place an order other then dropping the food off at the table. No one asked how the food tasted, no one asked if there was anything else we needed. You even bus your own table. People at McDonalds are more personable then the person who took our order and they don't take tips. If a place wants to ask for restaurant service tips..... PROVIDE restaurant level service and hire people that want to make sure we have a great experience. This was our first and last time at Tallboy Tacos and it's all because of the lack of service they provide. read more

Tallboy Taco - Two Taco Plate and Cheese Quesadilla - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I got a takeout today from Tallboy. Very high quality, tasty food at a very reasonable price. Tried their Fish taco, Al pastor and fried avocado taco- loved them all. Rice and beans were really fresh and light. Highly recommend trying this spot if you are looking for good tacos in the neighborhood. read more

Cute small place. Is Leye owned. Good variety of tacos but no options other than corn soft wrap. No crispy shells. Tacos are all tasty. And they are fairly priced. However, they charge 4 dollars for a can of diet coke. Yes, 4 dollars!! When a place charges as much for a single can of soda as it does for its tacos, there is a problem. The quesadilla has a funky taste, not in a good way. The cheese is weird. So recommend for the tacos. Period. read more

For the past two months, overall it seems the food isn't what it used to be, so my initial review most likely won't hold up for current orders. On several occasions I noticed the chips were crumbly, overcooked, and oily. And the cheese was super thick on the Nachitos unlike times before. And on my most recent visit I ordered the Nachitos with steak, but when I got home there was no steak--they forgot to add! read more

Quaint little spot right across from Northwestern Hospital for a quick bite. Very fresh and loaded with flavor. The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

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Amazing. Also a foodie. Surprised this doesn't have at least 4.5 stars. Highly recommend. One of the best house margs I've had and the chips and queso are incredible!! read more

The food here was great! The Queso was so good with the perfect textured chips to go with it. The only taco I wasn't too much of a fan of was the carne asada(far left taco in pic) because it seemed a bit dry. Other than that everything else was a 10/10. Also the aesthetic of this spot is so cute! read more

Tallboy Taco - Queso Blanco, Fresh Ground Beef Taco, Crispy Fish Taco, Carne Asada Taco - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The tacos and nachos are good! Surprisingly even the rice and beans are good. There's a lot of flavor and kick to the tacos, rice and beans, and the nachos. The nacho chips have a great crunch to them and don't get soggy. The guac and cheese is good. The margarita is good too. I asked for a spicy seasoning on the rim. The decor and atmosphere is really a good vibe. It's got a very earthy look to it. I am enjoying the music too. It's a good spot for a quick bite and drink read more

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Only reason I came here was for the $2 taco Tuesday special in early May. I tried to smoked brisket taco and crispy fish taco. Sure, the tacos were decent, but by no means anything special. I would not pay $4+ (regular price) for any of these tacos, though. The atmosphere was pretty fun: there were lots of 20 somethings hanging out, there was a party going on in the back room, and the space was huge and well decorated. The service was great! Our server was very attentive, filled up our water as soon as it emptied, and just had a very positive and friendly attitude! Overall, the price is /really/ not worth the food they serve, but then again it's River North so if you really need a taco and you're in the area, you can come here (but you should probably head over to Pilsen if you looking for much better, and much cheaper tacos). read more

Tallboy Taco - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

tried tallnoy taco this week; ordered takeout tacos. they have a bundle deal--got the carne asada (2), crispy fish, guac and chips for my SO. i had the avocado tacos and they were very good with the crema. loved the guac (i claimed it) and the chips were homemade and warm...how else should chips be?! my SO inhaled the 3 tacos--especially liked the carne asada, he being a carnivore. everything was packed up in a stand-up cardboard-recycled flip box; all of the tacos withstood my fast driving and arrived home intact. the restaurant was empty indoors, as the weather was gorgeous for eating outside. my order was cheerfully taken and suggestions were offered (which is how i ordered the bundled taco meal). also, the restaurant inside was spotless. a really great addition across from NW hospital and i'll go back for more tacos. read more

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Service was very quick for lunch. Shrimp taco was great, the carne asada taco was a little dry, but overall a good experience. read more

Tallboy Taco - Crispy Shrimp Taco and Carne Asada Taco - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You will wait forever! If you don't have more than 1/2 an hour to spare for a simple to go order; skip Tallboy!

This has become my new favorite taco place. The service was great and the tacos are prepared so well. My favorite taco is the pork al pastor. It's generous with the fillings and the pineapple. The pork is super tender and mildly spiced. The ground beef taco is also super good with the beef being super well browned and crispy. Some special limited tacos I've tried were a crispy duck taco with green mole sauce and a carne asada/chorizo combo taco that were both super flavorful and tender. The corn tortillas are fresh and hold up well to all the fillings. Guacamole and chips both are both seasoned perfectly and the chips are thin, evenly crispy, and not overly greasy. Definitely try this place if you're in the area. The quality and preparation of everything keeps bringing me back read more

First, the staff were just plain rude. Feel free to let us know things, but you don't need to snap or demand customers to do things. Second, staff were gross! They were all wearing their masks under their noses, which whatever, but they were constantly fiddling with their masks and their faces while prepping food. I'd prefer your mask over your nose but for hygienic reasons - don't touch your face/nose while prepping food!!! All three staff did this at least once while we waited for our food. And PS, the shrimp tacos were gross. Overcooked and terribly chewy read more

I walked in and placed a pickup order & my food was ready pretty quickly. I took my order to my hotel and discovered two of the tacos I ordered were wrong. However, they were amazing! Everything was. I'd definitely eat here again. Great food, great service, and I loved the decor of the restaurant. read more

Very tasty Birria tacos, although I wish they did the tradition way and fried the tortilla in the birria oil. The meat was very tender and seasoned perfectly. I also tried the fried Avocado taco and it was good. The 2 taco combo came with beans and rice on the side, which was a good treat! read more

Tallboy Taco - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was just commenting how good the queso blanco was and to my disappointment I moved onto the ground beef taco. The ground beef taco was burnt to crisp!! I thought the meat was just dark because of the seasoning they use, but it was completely burnt meat!!! Terrible. read more

Tallboy Taco - Burnt Ground Beef Taco! - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was so good ! With all the competitors that are within walking distance , it sure has quality throughout the food . Chipotle could never . read more

Tallboy Taco - Outside - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Can't simply order at the counter, so everything takes ten times longer by the time you sit and wait for someone to see your order. And then they expect you to tip- what a joke! read more

Finally got to try this one last night! Overall A-Okay! Tacos here are surprisingly pretty good and average right around the $4 per taco mark. Luckily their after 5pm dinner special gives you the option of any three tacos plus a side of rice and beans. We tried the beer battered crispy fish taco, the 12 hr smoked brisket taco, and the steak n egg taco. All were great but definitely on the smaller portion side. The rice n beans comes out mixed together in a small bowl definitely on the smaller side as well. In addition to tacos, they also serve salads, burritos, platters, and desserts. Staying true to the name, they have a handful of tallboy canned beers ranging from $6 or $7. I ended up going with the Tighthead Brewing Irie IPA which was awesome! They also carry some select regular 12oz cans and bottles of beer as well ranging from $4-6. They do also offer some harder selections; margaritas, palomas, mojitos, sangrias which were available in single servings, half and full pitchers. The venue itself seems to serve as the bar area to National 27 with bartop, hightops, and booths seat through out. There's also some outside patio seating as well when the weather is favorable. The overall vibe inside I would describe as a casual & cozy cantina. While I feel like this place could definitely be 4 star worthy, I think the price point vs food portion is a bit high and for service I didn't have a clue who works here and would be willing to help ya out as there wasn't a host at the entrance and no one initially at the bar. Overall a pretty mellow spot for a Thursday night. Not sure I got much else on this one other than it's lettuce entertain you affiliated. I'd try and catch their happy hour on Monday - Fridays 5pm-7pm to save some dough on drink specials. 'Til next time, cheers! 262/365 read more

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Went here with my boyfriend and he got the Carne Asada Taco and the Pork al Pastor Taco, he liked both. I got the Chicken Chimichurri Taco and the Fresh Ground Beef Taco, I only kind of liked the ground beef one and really liked the chicken one. I would have preferred the option of getting a flour tortilla but the corn tortilla was okay! I also got chips and Queso Blanco that were pretty good. The cashier was nice and the dining area has a nice layout. I don't think they have fountain drinks just drinks in a bottle but there was water you could serve yourself that is free. read more

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