EAT. SHOP. PLAY. Discovering the Best in Chicago
BY RACHEL DICKENS This post is part of our Barely Refined series that gives readers a weekly dose of all things decadent and indulgent. Until (semi) recently, I was an absurdly picky eater. Before I continue, let's just all breathe a side of … [Read more...]
BY SHEILA TAWIA Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has evolved, from a culturally significant date for Mexico, to an excuse for drinking copious amounts of tequila and eating copious amounts of guacamole in cities around the world. As with most … [Read more...]
BY MARIS CALLAHAN La Sirena Clandestina literally translates to "the hidden mermaid" but you'll only spend as long wondering about the origin of the restaurant's name as it takes you to order a plate of chef/owner John Manion's empanadas. Once … [Read more...]
BY MARIS CALLAHAN Big Star tacos are kind of a big deal in this city. If you walked down Damen on a warm day, unaware of Big Star's notoriety, you might take one look at the line and think they were handing out taco shells stuffed with … [Read more...]
BY MARIS CALLAHAN At some Mexican restaurants, tortillas are little more than vehicles for guacamole and salsa. At Mercadito, that is definitely not the case. Why? It's because house made tortillas make the tacos and tortilla chips, thanks to the … [Read more...]
BY MARIS CALLAHAN When Antique Taco first opened its doors last May, I think a lot of us were thinking the same thing: why does Wicker Park need yet another taco joint? Once I had experienced their farmers' market-inspired tacos, I mentally … [Read more...]
BY SARAH AMUNDSEN Even though there are hundreds of Mexican restaurants in Chicago, I always find myself at Cesar’s, a family owned joint with two locations in Lakeview: one on Clark Street, walking distance from Wrigley Field, and another on … [Read more...]
BY WHITNEY HEWITT I wasn’t sure that Chicago really needed another Mexican restaurant, especially a chain from Texas, but it was hard to ignore the prominent stone building on the corner of State and Illinois. Guacamole, tacos, and a few … [Read more...]
BY MARIS CALLAHAN Chef Ryan Poli's Tavernita might be one of the hottest spots in Chicago right now, but let's not forget about Barcito, the 92-seat “stand-and-eat” pintxo bar nestled just inside the restaurant. With an ever-changing cocktail … [Read more...]
BY KELLY ALESSO This past Saturday I joined the crowd of 3,000 hungry pork aficionados at the UIC Pavilion for the dinner shift of the fourth annual Baconfest Chicago, our city’s yearly ode to all things porcine. Outfitted in my roomiest … [Read more...]
