I've been dying to go to this place for a long time (I don't live in Chicago) and it completely lived up to my expectations. First of all the way they handle service is genius: You're given a number which corresponds to where you sit. You then order at the counter and everything is brought out to you: the perfect midway point between table service and fast casual. But the food of course is the star. The short rib tacos were probably the best tacos I've ever had. What made them amazing wasn't the marinade or how it tastes with the salsas etc. It's just the pure taste of the short ribs themselves. They've been braised or something forever to the point that they're impossibly tender and juicy. It has the taste and the mouthfeel of the world's best pot roast or something. Carnitas tacos were also tender and juicy but didn't quite have the depth of flavor of those incredible short ribs, which didn't even need any salsas or anything they were so flavorful on their own. The guacamole was also among the best I ever had and you can order it with all types of accoutrements on top of it including bacon and chicarones which made it even better. We also got an order of the chicharrones. They're big pieces of pig skin with some hot sauce on them. They were good of course, though not miles away from ones you can buy in a bag. Even the drinks were superlative. The margaritas were really strong but well balanced. The Jamaica Agua Fresca was the best version of that drink I've ever head. They infused so much hibiscus flavor into that drink it was amazing. read more

As a first-time (very excited) diner at XOCO, overall, I was pleased with the entire foodie experience. Here's what I ate: Woodland Mushroom Torta http://bit.ly/aWajrh [wood-roasted garlic mushrooms, goat cheese, black beans, wild arugula, 3-chile salsa] --RUSTIC. The wood-burning oven cooking technique works absolute magic for these tortas. The crisp, crunchy bread contrasts beautifully with the textures of warm/oozy goat cheese and soft/juicy mushrooms. --TOMATO BROTH. Order it on the side. Totally worth it. I preferred dippin' this torta into the tomato broth as opposed to the 3-chile salsa. The flavours in the tomato broth are simpler, yes, but eating the uber crunchy torta slightly softened by the tomato broth just felt like a match made in heaven. Vegetables & Black Bean Caldo [woodland mushrooms, zucchini, potato-masa dumplings, black bean broth, spinach, avocado, serrano chile] --HEAT. Not temperature; spice. Not for the faint of heart! Next time I'm sick, I'm heading straight for this soup. I'm sure it's capable of curing any illness. For real. --SALTY. The potato-masa dumplings were the greatest thing about this dish. Initially thought I had bitten into a piece of plantain! However, the black bean broth was just too darn salty for me. Perhaps I'm hyper-sensitive to salt? Churros http://bit.ly/c8Pi3C --Fell in love with churros the first time I tried them in Barcelona. http://bit.ly/bKCOrs To this day I prefer them exactly the way I had them the first time: smaller in size & plain/un-sugared. Happy eating, all! read more

Xoco - Woodland Mushroom Torta - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love XOCO! I would rate it a 5, but that doesn't feel quite right. 4.5 is accurate, but the app on my phone doesn't give that as an option. Anyways, I've been 3 times over 2 years and it hasn't disappointed. I love the pork belly vermicelli caldos, the broth is rich and warm...and the arugula cuts it perfectly. Their chips and guacamole are great, and of course you can't end a meal there without the churros! I've had the chicken caldos and the seafood one as well, and while I loved both of those, the pork is my favorite. read more

Xoco - Pork belly vermicelli caldos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ok loved my tacos simple and elegant.... I got a delivery so no frills but the salsa condiment was so flavorful I had wished I could have a cup or more for any food that needed a lift read more

Before coming here, I'd never heard of Rick Bayless, but I'm all caught up now! I came here with two friends (one of whom is a huge Rick Bayless fan) and we started off the meal with margaritas. I loved the unique flavor pairings that I don't normally see with margaritas. I got the passionfruit margarita, which was pretty good but I think I would go for the prickly pear next time. We ordered the fully dressed guacamole but I actually didn't like it so much. I realized I don't prefer extra stuff in my guac & chip experience, and I found it distracting. My friend ordered a tortilla soup to share and it was way too salty. My friends ordered tlayudas, and I opted for the seasonal salad - grilled octopus, mango, and jicama. I don't believe it is currently on the menu anymore but it was phenomenal. The grilled octopus was not over cooked, which I was concerned about. The mango and jicama throughout the salad was delightful. I even added some of the dressed guac to the mix and it enhanced the experience. The salad won me over and bumped this experience from 3 stars to 4. We ordered churros to top off the meal, but I wasn't super impressed. The chocolate sauce was yummy but I thought the churro itself was just okay. read more

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I actually had the the spicy churro chicken sandwich. As weird as it was it was really good.

Our hotel was right across the street. We ended up coming twice. Both times my wife got the Cubano which she loved. First time I got the Abogda which was super spicy and didn't like. Second time I got the Milanesa which I loved! Would get that again. Chocolate drinks were good. Churro good. Got the sundae which was okay. Wouldn't get that again mainly for the flavor of the ice cream. Overall would come back. read more

Xoco - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Every positive thing I said about this place three years ago remains true, although as more and more delicious Rick Bayless places saturate Chicago, you probably don't need me to tell you that any more. Xoco feels less like a discovery and more like a delicious-thing-you-can't-believe-you-take-for-granted. But here's a new discovery: on Wednesday nights, after 5 pm, for some reason they serve tacos al pastor. And because it is Xoco, they are delicious. I don't normally love pineapple on my tacos, but somehow it works. And the pork has a nicely chewy char that gives it both depth and texture. Highly recommended, even if Xoco is otherwise old news to you. read more

Obsessed with Xoco!! Best tortilla soup ever. I crave it regularly. I've tried almost all of the Fortas. My favorites are the shrimp and the chorizo! read more

I really like this place! Really enjoyed my first dinner there, came back just for the churros, and went back a third time for a full dinner. Quick note: I always try to go during off hours, specifically for an early dinner, to avoid the lines (it's a small spot and there are no reservations). I've had the Pepito and Cubana torta sandwiches, and enjoyed both -- really fresh ingredients and a lot of flavor. One of my friends had ordered the vermicelli and didn't like it, so I'd stick with the sandwiches. For dessert definitely get the churros with chocolate sauce, then a side of soft serve and dip away -- I'm not normally a fan of churros but these are amazing. Also had their chocolate cappuccino, which was a little too sweet for me. I'd stick to a torta (do half and half with a friend so you get a little variety) and the churros (don't skimp on the soft serve). read more

Came here at 2pm for lunch. Had heard great things about Rick Bayless, and was not disappointed. The wait was about 45 minutes for my party of 4. They have a weird, strict order of doing things. Wait in line, wait for your table, then you order, and then you can sit and they'll bring you food. Chips and guac to start -- I don't know what they do, but the guacamole is some kind of amazing. Really smooth. Also came with two salsas. A nice snack, but probably not worth $6. Split the goat barbacoa and Ahogado sandwiches. The ahogado is nice -- pork carnitas, black beans, pickled onions. A little dry if you eat it alone, but that's why they serve it face down in tomato broth. It's a fun concept, but the sandwich itself is not amazing. The goat barbacoa is only served on Saturdays, and is stunningly good. It's goat and avocado, which makes a lusciously soft and delicious filling for the sandwich. Aztec hot chocolate is spiced wonderfully. The first half is not too thick, but if you let it cool it will be harder to drink. The agua de jamaica is a red colored sweet and tangy drink, almost lemonade based. Nice and refreshing, and probably a better way to wash down a sandwich than the thick hot chocolate. Also had the 3 churros with a chocolate shot. Really good. Had the Margarita churro which had a lemon sauce drizzled on top and was coated with crushed almonds. Pretty good, but I'd try a different one next time, or stick to the plain churros. All in all, a great food, great place minus the wait. read more

3.5 stars --Rick Bayless is amazing, but the wait can get out of hand. TIP!!! -- The O'Hare airport has XOCO and Frontera Grill at the airport, which serves the same sandwiches. If you are traveling, you should stop at the airport, instead (prices similar) and use your time in Chicago NOT waiting in line. _ _ _ _ I've tried his other restaurant, Topolobampo (very high-end) and the flavors were so rich, I had to try his other restaurants in Chicago. XOCO is the more casual, affordable, no-reservation needed kind of restaurant. FOOD: Aztec Hot Chocolate--a must !! The flavors are so unique. There is a blast of fireworks when it hits your tongue. All the sandwiches ($10-14) have an explosion of flavor and kick. I only wish the bread was a little thinner so that the carbs don't get in the way of that goodness inside the sandwich. Churros--Just ok. Good fresh, but tough as a brick later--so don't save this as a snack. SERVICE: Great--the line was so long, we were given free hot chocolate while we waited. :) VERDICT: Great if convenient, but if the line is out the door--not worth an hour wait. Move on. read more

You can order online take-out to avoid the lines, which we did. We enjoyed the seasonal torta, with crispy beef, the best. However the pepito was excellent as well. Hubby liked the peanuts. The chips were good. We usually prefer the green sauce, but here the red salsa is better. The red chile soup is amazing. Nicely spiced and not too hot. Both authentic and aztec hot chocolates are great. read more

Look! At the corner of Clark and Grand. It's a line. It's a long line. It's people standing in a long line to go to Xoco. Every time I pass that restaurant, I feel like the preamble to the old Superman show that began, "Look, up in the sky; it's a bird; it's a plane." The food is good, I admit without hesitation. Since I went the first time, you can get your lunch for to-go. When Xoco first opened its doors, lunch for dining on the premises and that mean long waits. The torta milanesa was fantastic. The chips and salsa were worthy. And there was a spicy soup I remember having that I kept ordering during the winter months. Where I fell in love with Xoco was with the breakfast options. The ham and cheese bread pudding - I think that's what that was - and all of the empanadas were notable for breakfast fare. I never ordered breakfast without getting churros with chocolate dipping sauce that was substantial enough to stand a churro in. And the Mexican hot chocolate was very much like that I had in Distrito Federal, Mexico. I don't know if the wait is long like it used to be. After all, the restaurant has been in business for a few years, so the notoriety may have subsided a bit. But it drew a larger crowd than Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile - no joke. It was worth it, though. read more

I don't understand the hype. Came here with a friend based on another friends recommendation. He said the sandwiches here were amazing, we figured we'd try it. A very hip and happening place, even for a Friday afternoon at 2pm. My friend and I tried the Cubana, and a daily special sandwich that had garlic shrimp. We also ordered the churros with special chocolate sauce. Cubana was decent, though the bread was hard. The garlic shrimp was bland, with no real flavor. As for the churros, they forgot about them, so we had to remind them to bring them out. 15 minutes later, we got them. Just ok. Overall- should've just gone to a neighborhood taqueria. Certainly would have been cheaper. Celebrity rating- snookie read more

I came here for brunch during our time in Chicago. It is weird. You tell the person at the front how many ppl you are, then you wait on line to order food. After you order and pay, then you get seated with the seat #. The food comes a few minutes later. A very odd layout and set-up. As an app, we ordered i believe was the coctel rojo. she wanted it because she thought it will be like ceviche. Not really..... it was more like a seafood dip for tortilla chips. It was okay. The shrimp and scallops were fresh at least. She ordered the Ahogada torta. You can alter the heat level base on what you want. I think she ordered medium? The sandwich was submerged in a chili soup that was yummy. You just want to keep on dunking your bread in there. The pork was moist and flavorful and the bread was crispy on the outside yet soft in the inside. They even scooped out some of the bread's inside so you don't get too full from the carb overload. My gf wasn't a big fan but I liked the dish. I ordered the Saturday Torta special: Goat Barbacoa . The goat was shredded and the tomatillo sauce came on the side. The sandwich was savory and delicious. It was def a bit gamey, but it wasn't off putting. I also ordered some Oaxacan-Style Peanuts because i thought it would be something good to snack on. Little did i know that it was premade and in a plastic bag. I ate it when i arrived home, and i literally destroyed it within a minute. It's a small bag....yes that's the reason why i finished it so quickly.... I need to start roasting my own peanuts and add mexican spices to them. The seating area can be a bit cramped. We were seated near the bathrooms and near the kitchen cleaning area. One of the workers was a bit rude to us, telling us to move our stools in (not even asking politely). She later forcibly bumped into the girl's stool without apologizing. read more

Amazing upscale casual spot for lunch. The line can get long for dining-in but the manager seems to let single diners order at the to go counter to skip the line and get seated at a counter which was very nice and efficient for everyone. Ahogada (5/5) - braised pork carnitas served in a spicy tomato broth was one of the most flavorful sandwiches I've ver had. The value is stupendous. It's not a cheap sandwich but you're getting an amazing deal Churros (5/5) - very tasty even without any dipping sauce and the price is great too. Would definitely come back here. read more

We came here for dinner when family was in town visiting. It was a later dinner, maybe around 9pm or so. We walked in and were seated fairly quickly. We ordered from the counter, had a seat and our food was brought to us. I ordered the Ahogada sandwich. I love carnitas pork. I loved how tender it was. The tomato-arbol chile broth it was served with was the perfect amount of spicy! Of course we ordered chips, salsa and guacamole as well to top it off! Can't wait to come back and visit! read more

I've been to a couple of Rick Bayless' restaurants now, and this was by far my favorite. This is more of a quick bite place. It's a small seater and you order at a counter. The food is flavor packed! Get a house marg! They have happy hour from 3-5, where margs are half off. Food wise: -Tlayuda: a corn tostada that is wood fried with black bean spread, salsa and cheese. This not only looks amazing but tastes great too. It's crunchy and flavorful. -Fully Dressed Guacamole: basically guac with a bunch of toppings, including chicharron. Cool take on guac as it was a little crunchy. Not bad -Milanesa Sandwich: crispy chicken with cabbage, cheese, salsa, jalapeños and black beans. This was a good sandwich. Crispy chicken was not over fried. -Chipotle Shrimp Sandwich: This was the Friday special. I wasn't really impressed. Wasn't as flavorful -Avocado Toast with chicken: this not only looked pretty but was very flavorful. The chicken was a good addition. -Pozole Soup meal-in-a-bowl: red chili broth, corn, cilantro and others. We added the chicken. This was good but bland, I added a lot of their spicy salsa for flavor. -Short Rib Tacos: must try! Very flavorful and cooked well. -Churros: came with a great caramel sauce. I definitely want to come here to try more of the menu. Come at odd times, or you'll be waiting in line. read more

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I thought that I'd found the best cup o chocolate at mindy's, but Xoco offers an Aztec hot chocolate that gives cocoa sippers a cup of authentic grittiness accompanied with a spicy kick. Instead of saving the drink 'n churro for last (which you can do when you order, just save your receipt and go up when you're ready), my friend and I had them first while our chips 'n guac and tortas were in the midst of preparation. The wait wasn't terrible when we came in around 11:30am and the hostess told us 25 minutes. Despite the line, the hostess came around to update us and apologized for the wait. For once, it felt nice that we were taken care of while in line. Once we were seated, we had our churros. I was regretting that I'd only ordered one (since we got a bunch of other stuff). The chips 'n guac was pretty good and I couldn't get enough of my Milanesa dipped in the cilantro crema. This was just me, but I would've liked shredded chicken over the gunthorp, which was like of a breaded consistency. All in all, best torta I've had and I can't wait to eat through their entire menu! read more

Xoco - Milanesa with chips 'n salsa - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ate here 4 months ago and I'm still having fantasies about this food! A friend wanted to check it out for a late dinner so 4 of us showed up around 8:00 and waited in line for about 40 minutes on a Tuesday night to order. I got the Cochinita Pibil Torta and it was one of the tastiest sandwiches I've ever eaten. Perfectly tender and salty pork and a very slight punchiness of the pickled onions. The habanero salsa was hot, so go easy on it but it really brings out all the flavors. Everyone was more than happy with their tortas and caldos. We all got hot cocoas and split some churros for dessert. I got the Barcelona with a Dulce de Leche shot and I could not finish it. It was delicious but super rich. That and a couple of churros could have taken the place of an entire meal. Although leaving feeling pretty overstuffed, I'm quite certain I dreamt of the meal. I had to have more! On my way to the airport the next day I risked missing my 1:15 flight home and took my chances by going back for lunch :) The XOCO salad with carnitas was hands down the best salad I have ever eaten. Black beans, crispy tortillas, avocado lime dressing, yum!! I had to bring home evidence of this magical place, so I got a box of breakfast treats to take home to my wife. Ginger-lime muffin, some sort of spiced apple-pear crumbly bread. All fantastic. I can't say enough good things. I cannot wait to get back to Chicago so I can go another round with this place. Bless you, Rick Bayless. read more

Xoco - Pear muffin - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Throughout our adventures throughout the city of Chicago, XOCO is the only dining establishment that we felt deserved a second visit. To be honest, our first visit to the restaurant was on a Saturday and neither of us were even aware that Rick Bayless and his famous Frontera restaurant were in walking proximity to our hotel. Our group had simply wandered about downtown and noticed a line formed in front of a restaurant that stretched halfway down the block so we decided that it would probably be worth our while to follow the masses. On the first visit, we ordered the Gunthorp chicken torta, a chicken torta with black beans and avocado complemented with a light refreshing salsa. Fresh from the oven and savory to the taste buds, the torta raised our hopes about Chicago dining after our previous night of failure. In addition, if the hibiscus and lemongrass drink is available during your visit, it is definitely worth an order. A bit sweet, but the flavor is deep enough when complemented with lemongrass that it is simply a refreshing drink especially when stepping out of weather ranging above the nineties. As for the second visit, we ordered the ahogada torta, also from the wood burning oven, a tender pork torta presented in a spicy chile sauce. Even for regular diners of spicy foods, the ahogada is truly a meal with that heavy spice that warms the entirety of your body. While it is not a spiciness that will cause an awkward runny nose at the table, it may leave quite a few patrons clamoring for water between each bite of the dish. Truthfully, if you visit Chicago without visiting XOCO it would have been a waste of a trip. read more

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Try the Tlayuda - I've never had one before and glad we got it! Tacos, guac, pozole, and churros were all excellent. Glad we beat the lunch rush and we're able to sit quickly! read more

The food is amazing here. One of my favorite places to go to when in town. Will continue to come back here every time. the first time I had every came to Chicago I ended up eating here and fell in love with the food. I was able to see the owner and chef when I was out there. Which I thought was awesome that he was there in person. Each time I try something new and I am never disappointed by my choices. read more

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I'm a little disappointed you can't get the caldos before 3 p.m., because the Short Rib Caldo is quite possibly the best soup I have ever had. So many great, unique flavors, with awesome textural contrast. I actually want to get a cold so I can make my wife go pick up a nice spicy caldo to clear me up! And the Head Cheese Tongue Torta - holy offal! Linguists should get rid of the word offal and replace it with wondorffal. read more

Rick Bayless knows Mexican food. I love his food so much that I had it two straight days in a row. The first day I had the cochinita pipil which is a suckling pig torta with habanero sauce. This is some super hot sauce but I kept munching away anyways. There is something about spicy pain I enjoy. I had to refill my water 3 times. The wife had Ahogada which was highly recommended by Yelpers. This has to be one of the best sandwiches I ever ate. A carnitas sandwich that is a inch soaked in a savory spicy tomato broth. I can only dream about a sandwich so good now that I am back home in California. for desert, we had the churros dipped in chocolate sauce. This was also good. The second day was our last day in Chicago. We narrowed it down Portillos or Xoco. Best dog I ever ate or best sandwich and mexican food I ever ate. The clear choice was Xoco since it was one of a kind restaurant. This time I ordered the special which was a pork belly torta and the wife had the short rib caldos. Today didn't blow me away like the first day but both dishes were solid. I recommend for the caldos to order a side of bread. It is so good to soak the bread in the soup. It reminds me of a vietnamese beef stew with french bread. For desert, we had the vanilla soft served ice cream with caramel and bacon. Everything complemented each other, sweet and savory. Do not leave Chicago without going to Xoco. read more

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Being from Texas, I know a thing or two about tortas: they are delicious. XOCO hit the nail on the head with their tortas, caldos, and churros (though I only tried a torta and a churro, the soups DID look amazing). Waiting in line to order was not very fun, but once we did we were able to sit and quickly got our food, which was surprising because everything was hot, fresh and delicious. I got the Milanesa, which was incredible though a bit chewy for my tastes. Not much in the way of veg options, but meat eaters and spicy food lovers will rejoice here. read more

Xoco - Torta Milanesa. Yum! - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Incredibly worthy lunch spot in River North. Stopped by here for a late lunch with Sunny H., and it was still crowded. I can only imagine how packed this place gets during the regular lunch rush! Xoco is fairly small, but their system of ordering and being seated seems to work as best it can considering the space. The menu consists of different sandwiches, tortas, and soups, and everything sounds fantastic. Sunny and I ordered and were directed to one of the communal tables. For my meal, I went with the ahogada and it was absolutely fantastic. Tender pork carnitas and black beans on crusty bread, plopped right into a bowl of arbol chile broth. I got mine medium spicy and it was perfect. This is undoubtedly the messiest sandwich I've ever eaten. Between trying to get as much of the broth on every bite as I could and the copious amounts of pork refusing to stay in the bread, I was a disaster. However, the sandwich was phenom. I love all of the flavors Bayless uses, particularly anything with that smoky, chile flavor. Sunny went with her standby, the pepito, which she said is always amazing. It looked and smelled great, I'll have to try that one next time! Overall, fantastic spot for lunch in River North. However, I would definitely beware of the potentially crazy crowds! To-go or an off-hour is your best bet. Another win from Rick Bayless! read more

Xoco - Ahogada torta. Delicious. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tipsy or sober, this place always hits the spot! The first time I had a sandwich here was after a full day of brewery tours. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly sober. I was hungry, and probably anything would have tasted good at this point, but this was really, really good! It was a Saturday, so I had their special - Goat barbacoa torta. The bread is so cripsy and delicious, and the flavors of the meat and salsa makes a perfect combination. Upon my second (sober) visit here, I knew my love for this place was real. I had the Ahogada, which is a carnita torta sitting in a pool of delicious tomato chili broth. You can get the broth spicy or mild, and I went for spicy. It definitely had a nice kick to it, but it wasn't overpowering. Now I could have just drank bowls upon bowls of this broth. YUM! This time I also had the much talked about churros- one pistachio glazed and one regular. I personally think the regular one is so good that you don't need the glazed options. These aren't that large, so I suggest getting a few. The restaurant itself is casual- you order up at the register and they bring the food out to you. Along with the food, they have a small drink selection- some beers and margaritas. My only gripe about this place is it's not open on Sundays, and that's usually when I'm in the city. read more

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Really great authentic Mexican, that is really well priced. Nice format: order at the counter, choose your seat (indoor or outdoor) and they bring the food to you. Our drinks were refilled often, as the staff was very attentive. We started with chicharrones and the fully dressed guacamole. I had the summer carnitas torta and my colleague had the carne asada. We finished with churros with chocolate sauce. If you only go for one thing go for the churros, better yet just stop in any time for them. I'll be back to Chicago and I will definitely be back to Xoco. read more

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Since I first got to Chicago, a little more than a month ago, I wanted to try Xoco. This weekend the husband and I finally head there for lunch after a spinning class. The food is fantastic! Nothing like south american flavors. We started with Sikil Pak, that is a pumpkin seed dip served with tortilla chips and cucumber. It was my first time having that, very tasty and healthy. We had the woodland Mushroom sandwich and it was so delicious!! Pretty well stuffed with lots of mushroom, goat cheese and arugula. For a sweet taste we had three churros with a chocolate shot for dipping and we also had an Almendrado (a cup of chocolate shot with almond milk). The churros were so very good, I must say my recommendation is to order a coffee to have with the churros, the Almendrado was way too much chocolate to have with the churros and the chocolate dip. The place itself is nice but small. Definitely not good for big groups. Mostly comfy counter sits, I didn't mind sitting at a counter, but I do prefer sitting at a table. The staff is great, very friendly and helpful. There was a wait, but only 5 minutes or so. You first place your whole order, including desert with the cashier, than you are given a table number and the hostess with lead you to your number. The prices are affordable in my opinion. For the snack, sandwich, churros and drinks we paid $40. That is very reasonable to me. I plan to be back for breakfast! Can't wait to see you huevos rancheros! read more

Xoco - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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There are already over 1,200 reviews of this place, and I'm just as crazy about Xoco as everyone else, so I'll keep this short! I've had the Cubana and Choriqueso tortas, the seafood caldo, churros, and champurrado hot chocolate and all have been outstanding. The DUCK SOUP they have right now though (the special Winter caldo) is absolutely to-die-for. Very large, succulent pieces of duck, deliciously roasted winter root vegetables, plentiful strips of poblano peppers, a very complex and tasty broth, and (this is my favorite part) it's topped with these crunchy strips of beets that I reeeeally need to figure out how to make at home. I just posted a picture of the soup. It is the best thing to get at the restaurant right now, before it turns to Spring. read more

Xoco - The winter special caldo- with duck. Absolutely amazing. - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'd had Rick Bayless' sandwiches before at the Tortas Frontera spot at O'Hare, but had never made it to any of the proper restaurants in Chicago. But when this Xoco opened up in my (now-former) neighborhood, I was excited to try it and wasn't disappointed. Flashback to last August. It's a warm, sunny, gorgeous summer day in Chicago and my buddy and I are sitting outside on the sidewalk. I went with the ahogada torta, which you can see from my photo is served standing straight up in a bowl of spicy tomato broth. The pork carnitas were delicious and melded well with the broth and all the other ingredients. It was one of the best sandwiches ever. We capped the meal with the amazing churros. The churros themselves were great solo, but even better when dipped into the creamy and rich cajeta (goat's milk caramel) sauce. I ended up changing plans with a friend a few days later and made her return to Xoco with me! read more

Xoco - Ahogada torta - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Decided to stop in here on a whim and boy was it a good decision. Being a Rick Bayless restaurant I had fairy high expectations. To begin I had an appetizer of chicharrones. The sauce which had doused them was rather spicy but these were very light and flavorful. For my entree I chose a daily special, which had pork avocado heirloom tomato and maybe a tomatillo sauce. This was very good - meat was tender, sauce spot on, and bread did not tear up the roof of my mouth. The first two parts of my meal were excellent so I figure the desserts have to be a home run as well. The churros and chocolate did not let me down. read more

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I was excited to take my friends here for their first time, but I must say I wasn't too impressed this time around. Perhaps, we ordered the wrong dishes, but I expected everything to taste good. Lunch time on a weekday was a little chaotic. They wouldn't take our order unless they had a seat available for us so we had to wait about 10 minutes. This time, we ordered the Pepito Mexican torta (sandwich), the Seafood Caldo (soup), and the churros with chocolate for dipping. My friends also ordered the Almost Naked Guacamole which came with chips and salsa. I like that they have self serve tap water and sparkling water, but I wish they get a better ice machine as it was taking forever to get the ice. Guacamole was good, but nothing special. The torta was good especially when dipping it in the salsa, but I would have enjoyed the chicken one which I had before instead. The seafood soup wasn't too exciting. I think the Short Rib Red Chile one that we got last time would have been better too. The churros were still good although it came out before we finished our food so it ended up getting cold. Overall, this time around, it was okay. Hopefully, the excited hype is not affecting them. read more

Great atmosphere, speedy food, but the "Austin breakfast taco" was more or less an omelette wrapped up like a burrito with one large tortilla. I'll be back to give it another shot after I explore some more taco eats around town. I'm from Texas, tacos are a way of life. read more

I would give this place more stars, but wow is it pricey!! For what I paid, I thought I would be getting twice the amount of food I actually got. The food is good though, I give them that. A bunch of us came here for bfast and some coffee. They do have an extensive coffee menu, from regular drip to Mexican Hot Chocolate. The other thing is, you have to lurk over people to steal their tables when they leave b/c it's a order and sit kind of place. And well, if it's busy, there aren't any tables open. I hate lurkers, let me eat my food in peace. read more

Xoco - Yogurt & Tea - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been here 5+ times now and left every time a satisfied customer. Things I've tried: Pork Belly Vermicelli - SO good! The pork belly is crispy, the broth is flavorful and not too spicy (I'm a wimp when it comes to spiciness and this was the perfect amount), and the avocado pushes it over the top. The only con is that, at least on the weekends, by the time the caldos (soups) are served, the sit-down line is ~1hr+. Churros - Crispy, sweet, just a hint of chocolate.. almost funnel-cake like. mmmmm.. Cubano - The smoked pork loin is very tender and moist, and not too salty. The bacon and avocado really make the sandwich. Pepito - Very nicely braised short rib. As far as tortas go, though, I preferred the Cubana. Menudo (Saturdays) - perfect amount of spiciness, loved the tripe Mexican Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting - the frosting was perfect! Not too thick, very light--the cupcake was really rich as well, but not too dense. Almendrado & Classic - perfect thickness of hot chocolate for me, but the almond milk in the almendrado really gave it a richness that I preferred over the classic. Barcelona - Good, but THICK! I think they add cornstarch to thicken up the chocolate. It's good though, but takes patience because it takes awhile to drink. That's my opinion though, because a friend of mine said it wasn't thick enough (compared to hot chocolate she had in Spain). To each her own. Weekdays and mornings are better--I've even gone at 7-8 am on a weekday for breakfast. On weekends I've waited between 30 min to 1hr 30 min. The take out line is always fast, but make sure they have what you want (they have specific takeout hours for different items). This is a perfect place to bring friends from out of town. LOVE IT! read more

Luckily, I was able to try XOCO the weekend before I went to Frontera Grill. You're probably wondering what's with the three measly stars? I don't know, it wasn't all that i was expecting it to be. Don't get me wrong, it was good and definitely not bad. Not only that, they got this awesome system going on with shuffling customers in and out without clogging up the lines. That doesn't stop the line from building up though. This is based solely off of whatever sandwiches I had. Anyway, I got the carne asada sandwich which was a little on the expensive side for what you get. I also ordered the chorizo sandwich for the girlfriend. Now, if you take a step back and look at exactly what you ordered, what you got, and how much you paid...it doesn't quite add up. It's literally just a sandwich with sauce to dip. *dont get me wrong, its still good* Then, when you eat it, you'll notice that the bread is awesome; a lovely crust with a soft inside. The contents are full of flavor but just isn't satisfying. I'm not sure if its this notion that I have with sandwiches - they better be full of ingredients. Then you take a look at your sauce...which may be more on the creative side due to the fact that you're pairing the two. But thats all it is... But do try the churros!! I wish I could do 3.5 stars. Seriously fresh and crispyslashcrunchy with this chocolate dipping sauce. Try taking a shot of that and it'll put you out for the rest of the night. Amen. read more

Xoco - Carne Asada Special - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I personally had a pretty decent meal here at XOCO (though it was a lot, LOT spicier than I had anticipated). I ordered the Cubana, which had smoked pork loin, bacon, black beans, avocado, spicy morita (ahhh... reading the menu in hindsight, there's what I missed), artisan Jack cheese and chipotle mustard. I really did enjoy how flavorful the food was, but after a few bites I was sad to say that I couldn't really experience much due to my tongue being incapacitated by the spices. Boyfriend ordered the goat barbacoa (Saturday special) and he really enjoyed his food. But his also wasn't nearly as spicy as mine. I also ordered a glass of their iced mint chocolate, which was pretty delicious though thick and left a weird paste in my mouth. Still, overall, would order again and again. I would like to try their Aztec chocolate next time though! Sounds like Mexican hot chocolate and I always love me some of that spiced chocolate. The best part of the meal had to be the glazed churros though. We ordered a hazelnut and a chocolate-peanut and they were AMAZING. They also came out before our food did, so we had dessert before dinner. And I regret nothing. So overall, I would say that it's worth a little splurge. But unless you like spices (or can read a menu better than I can), you may want to just stick to XOCO's sweets. read more

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