De Cero
814 W. Randolph
(between Green St & Halsted St)
Chicago, IL 60607 (312) 455-8114
- Nearest Transit:
Clinton (Pink, Green Lake)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Valet
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
111 reviews
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
"Oh, how I love the Mayan Palace. I've treked halfway across the city in a snowstorm for this place. Where to start? Well the food: I'm…" read more »
144 Reviews for De Cero
Mmmm...skirt steak taco...
My advice is to go with friends and get the taco "flight" or whatever they call it enabling you to try a lot of different tacos, and then if you don't like one you can just pass it off to a less discerning friend.
I remember liking the drinks a lot. The magaritas/daquaris are all very fruity and girly and delicious which another example of how a relaxed dinner begets an evening of misdecision.
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De Cero may have just overtaken all others to win the crown of best guacamole in Chicago. I previously was listing Mayan Palace as my favorite, but I think De Cero's is better. Be warned though! It's uber-garlicky, and while that's oh-so-delicious, it will most likely cause evening-long consequences. Worth it, but still.
Almost everything else I ate was delicious as well. The chips are awesome, the green creamy salsa that comes with the tacos is perfect, and then there are the tacos themselves. I loved the ahi tuna, though beware, because it's spicy. I loved it and I don't even like mango, so that was surprising. The al pastor and tomatillo pork tacos were both incredibly delicious. I really, really loved the tomatillo pork, and I know when I go back, I'll be getting one of those. The chipotle chicken taco was good, if a little boring. And the breaded catfish was good. I liked the sauce and slaw on that one better than the fish, and I don't suppose I'll be getting it again. Finally, the skirt steak taco was awesome. The steak was cooked just right, and the potatoes in it really worked. (Also, my one bite of chorizo taco was too much. WAY too spicy.)
I did have a spoonful of raspberry sorbet, and it was excellent, if you're looking for a cool, sweet way to end the meal. All in all, I loved it, and I can't wait to go back. I'm looking for a reason even as I write this.
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A taco joint from the owners of Sushi Wabi? You had me at taco, and after reading the positive reviews I was definitely geeked to check out De Cero for a friend's birthday.
Overall I would say I found this place to be underwhelming. The guacamole, which some on Yelp have raved about, was average at best. But hey, with such an extensive taco menu maybe it's best to eschew the chips and just concentrate on the main event.
The taco menu is pretty sizable so I ended up choosing the tacos that seemed the most unusual. My first choice was the ahi tuna taco. While the tuna was cooked perfectly, as a taco it wasn't working. After I ate the taco I couldn't shake the feeling that the tuna would've been better as is, and that the tortilla actually took away from the dish's efficacy.
Next up was the duck taco. I love duck and this duck just wasn't up to snuff. It actually looked like shredded pork, and was woefully under-seasoned. Duck is a fatty bird, and that's the part that tastes the best. The taco would've been far better if they had left the skin on the bird, and seasoned the dish appropriately.
The next two tacos saved this place from getting a one star review. The chorizo taco was the first taco I tried with flavor, and the sauce that accompanied it complimented it well. The skirt steak taco was hands down the best. I'm not so sure about sticking potatoes in a taco, but the meat is so well prepared and seasoned that this taco is the stand out best.
As for drinks, the place was alright. The margaritas didn't taste of too much tequila or salt. Although I don't always drink beer, when I do I prefer Dos XX's which was available as well.
The service ended up being pretty decent. I was initially leery of our waiter, who sported a skullet and had the tendency to roll his eyes at us, but by evening's end he had done an admirable job of putting up with us.
At the end of the day I'd give this place 2.5 stars. It was just good enough that I would give it one more shot to shine, but not good enough that I can say I'd recommend it.
Out of 4 diners, 2 loved it. 2 did not. I just....my meal was not to my tastes. But! The guacamole was so amazingly delicious, I will likely end up going back to eat it. And therefore, try some tacos.
That may have been my mistake, not having the tacos. I had cheese enchiladas. And while I love cheese, one of the cheeses was too sharp, too snappy for my palette. So I didn't love them.
The other diner who didn't love her meal felt that her tacos were just a bit too spicy. She did love the avocado taco though.
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I went to De Cero for lunch. Its kind of in a mini-mall on the near west side so it doesn't really stand out from the road but its a pretty good little taqueria. We got some appetizers - the duck nachos and the mushroom quesadilla. The nachos were pretty intense - nicely loaded with duck and cheese and certainly enough for a group of 5 or 6. The mushrooms in the quesadilla were pretty unique and it tasted great.
The tacos are a little pricey - 3 to 5 bucks a piece but they were obviously made with top notch ingredients. Get the battered catfish taco; it was my favorite and the fish went really well with the chipotle mayo! The chorizo taco and the skirt steak taco were high quality as well.
I got the sorbet for dessert which was pretty standard. None of the desserts looked spectacular but that's hardly a big deal at a taco joint. The restaurant looks nice with wooden benches and tables. It was pretty quiet and fairly empty around noon when we showed up. Bottom line - De Cero is a great taco joint if you want something a little classier (and pricier).
5:05pm: "Damn that is one fine margarita. One fine margarita indeed." (fresh squeezed lime margarita with silver level liquor)
5:30pm: "May I have another?"
6:00pm: "Do you guys have pitchers?"
The food here hence became irrelevant, but the others in my party seemed to really enjoy the combo taco platter, particularly the ahi tuna.
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Pretty damn good.
I will not go into much detail on a restaurant with 100+ reviews... if you don't know that you at least need to try it by now, you are looking for far to much out of a review website. The menu is not going to jump off the screen and into your mouth... just get in a cab, and go.
Tacos were super fun to try (the duck and avocado were my two favs) and the guacamole was indeed fantastic. We had a fairly large group of about 10 or 12, and the restaurant was very accommodating and comfy. Drinks were decent, not the best I've ever had, but they got the job done. They were out of a bottle of wine a few members in my party had their hearts set on, but the waiter was great and brought over tons of samples and they ended up with a great wine regardless.
I recommend trying this place out, especially for a large group (mainly for sharing purposes).
Big fan of Mexican food so it's nice to see a place that provides the style of food with a variety of flavors. Good service and ambience. Slightly more expensive than the neighborhood warrants in my opinion.
This is a very cool little place on Randolph street. Its a little island of comfort amid its more pretentious neighbors.
My #1 recommendation and favorite part of this place is the taco tasting menu. Its $30 and you get to choose 8 tacos. This is more than enough for two people to share. Some might seem a bit off-putting but try them. My favorites were the braised duck with sweet corn salsa and the chicken mole. Both were very tasty. The combination of the sweet corn with some of the salsa was excellent. We also had the ahi tuna and chorizo tacos. The chorizo were better than tuna but both were on the dry side.
We ordered the ceviche appetizer. It was a big bowl of some really great scallop and shrimp ceviche with a huge bowl of chips. Much bigger portion that I imagined Highly recommended.
By far though, my wife's favorite was the guava margarita. It was recommended by the waiter and it did not disappoint... either time.
Why four stars? Well, the service was incredibly fast. We had barely begun to eat the ceviche when the tacos arrived and we had to rearrange everything. It felt like we were rushed. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to try some of the dessert offerings... we were just to full from dinner.
We'll try them next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time.
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Despite good food, good service, and good individual drinks, I am giving De Cero only three stars, because the pitcher of margaritas that our table shared was straight up gross.
I found myself here for a friend's birthday dinner. We started by ordering individual drinks; mine was the pineapple margarita, which I enjoyed. The food was really quite good as well. I had an assortment of tacos from their taco menu. Delish.
What tipped it for me was the rank margarita. Now, I can handle a sub-par drink, but I'm holding De Cero to a higher standard, because my friends had raved that they were known for their excellent margaritas. The pitcher we ordered was just off. I'm no marg expert, but I know a bad one when I taste it.
Overall, I had a good experience at De Cero and I would go back. I would not, however, order another pitcher of margaritas. Next time, I'll stick to the individual drinks.
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This is a fabulous place to go with friends for a fun, casual night of creative Mexican food and great margaritas. The decor is worn wooden chairs with industrial, metal tables. Sounds strange, I know, but actually it works. It's lively, but not too loud. After work crowd, dates and friends enjoying the evening...so overall a good mix/vibe. In the summer they do have some outdoor seating, which is a plus.
I really loved the ceviche! We also had the guac and of course some of the taco samplers..(chorizo was my fav)..we just ordered a bunch for the table and enjoyed it tapas style...and ordered more as we needed. It was a great alternative for a happy hour place. And perfect for sharing!!
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Fantastic fun! This is an easy restaurant to miss on the zoo that is the Randolph row, especially since it's tucked away right next to the showy pan-asian Red Light. But once you're inside, the warm wood, iron, and cozy seating will win you over immediately. We sat in the bar area, and our raised table set us a little apart from the noise in the main room.
Only have the best things to say about everything here - drinks were fabulous, from sangria to the killer margaritas made to order. Food is great for a crowd, you can sample a bunch of items and make a small plates event of the evening. The chili rellenos, tamales, quesadillas freshly made tacos - all delicious! The tacos were especially good, we sampled half a dozen varieties, and there were no losers on the list. The guava cheesecake was a surprisingly satisfying finish.
Service was stellar, laid back and personable. Just great fun, take your friends!
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This restaurant is pretty solid in all aspects of dining. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated with a lot of iron work and worn wood. The colors are bright but subtle and make for a pleasant dining experience.
The food is fresh and very good. The taco list alone is full of options that include fish and mango, skirt steak with avocado, veggie black bean, shrimp, and a couple chicken options. I think there are at least 10 different taco choices. You can order an entree like chicken breast with veggies or other standard Mexican fare, but their taco menu seems to be what they push. You can mix and match your tacos and get as many or as few as you would like. I shared a chicken burrito and 3 tacos with a friend and we were both unable to finish our own halves. One thing to note: the seafood at this restaurant is fresh and tastes great. None of that "fishy" taste that some restaurants can't seem to avoid when serving seafood.
They also have an excellent drink selection. You can try one of their many specialty margaritas (most around $10 a glass), or you can opt for a pitcher of their house margarita (for only $35), which serves about 6 glasses. Our first pitcher didn't seem to have a lot of tequila in it, and when we mentioned this to our waiter, he made our second one extra strong :)
The service is pretty good here. The waiters have a lot going on, but they want their customers to have a good dining experience and they're willing to answer any questions and fix anything that you may be unhappy about.
Unlike other Randolph St. restaurants, this restaurant is not fancy; you can definitely get away with jeans and a nice top. The food is actually decently priced, but you can expect to spend a lot on alcohol. Our tab for 5 people was $220, but about $150 of that was for our drinks. Yeah, maybe I'm a lush, but it was worth it.
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Had an amazing meal here with my pals and loved everything. Great service, yummy guac, ceviche and steak tacos. Comfy room, not to much, not to little. Margaritas were powerful and blended to perfection. I was very impressed my first few visits, enough to keep going back. Always a great vibe, people having fun. I really love that the flavors are subtle yet full, not drowning in uneccesary spice or thick sauces. A delicate balance indeed.
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Started off with some guac, a guava margarita for the wife, and I had the mango margarita (frozen). The guac had a good creamy to chunky ratio, but the chips were a little on the greasy side.
Tamale combination platter was good as were the tacos we tasted (shrimp, pork, and chorizo). Flavors were sublte, not overpowering.
The service was good. The dining area was comfy and although the place was packed, it still felt somewhat intimate. Great for both couples and group in my opinion. Overall good vibe.
Oh, and yes...the green salsa is very good.
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first, at the bar the chairs all connect like lego blocks. if i was the only one there i more than likely would have taken them all apart and put them back together. interactive!
ok...i enjoy the little taquerias as much as higher end mexican, so the concept of upscale mexican is a little difficult to grasp. the ceviche was great, very fresh and tasty. the margaritas were quite potent, stronger than i anticipated, which is never a problem. the server was great with a bit of sass and sarcasm, also nice. as for the rest, the tacos (which they seem to feature) were pretty bland as was the guac. the steak taco was so-so (the sauce was overwhelming), and the mole sauce for the chicken was disappointing. i did enjoy the shrimp taco however.
just an average time for me at this place...wasn't bad but not great.
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I can't explain to you how much I love this place! My roomie took me here for my birthday last summer and we always said we'd go back soon but just made back earlier this month....Needless to say both experiences were out of this world.
I love the starter of the salsas...the green salsa and chips might just be the best I've ever had (next to the Pink Taco in Vegas). My roomie and I each got the Peach Chamomile Colada. I was apprehensive because I hate tea and hate peach flavored anything but this drink was DELICIOUS! We decided to order the AL-la-carte tacos...I had some pork one with a fruit salsa on it that was definitely a 4 1/2 star taco...but the ahi tuna taco is to die for.
The prices are a little more than I would like to pay but if I could I would eat here every night. Definitely try a drink here....each one I have had has been super! :)
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Went here for a work lunch for the first time, somehow having never checked this solid Randolph Row member out until now.
Beautiful interior, lots of worn wood and clean-line metallics which I love. Relatively small seating area, which I also love. The place was packed midday on a Thursday, but it was just the right amount of noise. Great vibe, quick service.
The food needs more oomph though - we ordered several tacos a la carte (steak, tres quesos, catfish), that turned out pretty bland. And you can find better guac at Adobo or Las Palmas. Loved the chunky serving dishes though. Once they nail down what goes in them they get 5 stars.
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With all the great restaurants on Randolph, do yourself a favor and skip this place. I was here late on a Saturday night and it was a miserable experience.
First of all, there were tons of open tables but we got seated next to a table of about 20 rowdy people. People kept joining the party and people's asses were getting closer and closer to our food as they scooted by our table. One woman obliviously checked her cell phone for a couple of minutes literally while her ass was in our guacamole-truly astounding...
At one point, we even saw a guy throw a plate on the ground to clear room for other food/people. What the hell is this....Chi Chi's?
Not all of this is the restaurants fault but failing to deal with the situation is-which is exactly what happened. The worst part of this whole thing is that the manager came over and when he asked how things were, I told him that these hillbillys next to us were throwing plates on the ground and being generally annoying. He didn't do anything about it...just let the plates sit there and said he was sorry about the situation. Didn't move us to one of the many open tables, nothing...Unreal.
Another thing within the restaurants control, the food, is also nothing to write home about for what you pay for.
Bottom line is that I could have gone to Taco Bell, spent $5, and been much happier than after this "fine dining experience"...and I hate Taco Bell.
I understand that my experience may have been an isolated instance but I don't feel like they valued my business and with so many great places to eat in the neighborhood, thats all it really takes for me not to go back.
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Loved the atmosphere and the food here. Great place for a get together with friends and enjoy some unique drinks. The tacos here a excellent whether you get fish, chorizo, or shrimp you can't go wrong. The thing I really like is there handmade salsas that come with fresh fried up totrtilla chips before your order arrives. The custom tomatillo, chipotle, or bottled taco sauce are great additions to the tacos. Definitely worth going back for more.
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I went to dinner here a month or so ago and I came in with my doubts about a modern taqueria, it sounded like pretentious Mexican food. However, I walked away from this place pretty wowed, and really didn't care how they describe themselves.
Upon entering you will notice that the place has an earthly look to it, and a lot wood was used to make this place but they did a bang up job. They even have a taco bar in the front room a la taqueria style, which surprisingly wasn't cliche and fit the room nicely.
The bar was crowded but not crazy and the drinks that were ordered in my group were good but some were too sweet. I stuck with Mexican beers "michelada" style, which is beer mixed with tomato juice, hot spices, and salt (Try it, it's different but in a good way).
On to the food, this what we ordered and we were very happy. I would go for the corn tamales which were awesome, they were melt in your mouth awesome. The other tamales were just okay, but the corn tamales were something else. As for the entrees we all ordered a smorgasbord of tacos and they were all fantastic, a few that I would recommend are the al pastor, tomatillo pork, and the rajas.
Overall this place is great and I can't wait to go again.
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Pros:
Service was great, although we went right after work before a Red Wings...er...Blackhawks game...on a Wednesday. Still, waiter was a good cat with good ideas.
Cons:
The food was boring. We ordered some chips, salsa and guacamole to start (maybe we're boring) and it was bland. Next, we split the taco meal where you choose 8 different types of tacos. It's just "okay" and definitely stay away from the three-cheese number. It's lame. Also, corona in a bottle shouldn't be 5 cranks. Really? No, it shouldn't.
All in all, I wouldn't object to going there with a group but my wife and I won't seek it out again.
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Tacos and Tequila... can't beat this place.
Their website says upscale mexican... I wouldn't go that far. Their decor is very purple and turquoise with unfinished floors and teeshirt sporting waiters. However the food did not disappoint.
Their specialty margueritas are awesome. I loved the pineapple. The choices are really some of the most unusual and appropriate flavor combinations. They said they make the mixes with fresh fruit.
I didn't know what to expect since I LOVE tacos and was afraid that I wouldnt find any baja style mexican food here (light, no lard mexican).
They take it to another level with the tacos. I loved the choices. My faves were the seared ahi , skirt steak and chicken mole. Very different and the flavor combinations were crazy good.
I also got the guacamole - you can't hate good guac. It's worth the calories.
I would go back and definitely take visitors from out of town. The taco platter is optimal. We had three people and ordered the platter plus one taco a la carte. Great deal!
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De Cero was a "modern taqueria" near her office. Very good tacos. We ordered 8 to split. I think we liked the chipotle chicken and the skirt steak the most, but it was all very tasty, wrapped in their warm, homemade tortillas. The decor was clean and modern, warmly evocative of western architecture in the face of bitter Chicago winter. Huge tequila selection that we didn't partake in, because well, she needed to go back to work, and I wanted to drive around town. Also buy a bottle of their hot sauce. She called it a Mexican "sriracha sauce" - you know the one with the rooster on the squeeze bottle. It was good.
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Chipotle chicken tacos are cool. Hearty guac is cool. Margaritas with Don Julio are cooler!
Liquid lunch? I think so.
Do I have any regrets? I think not.
I'd come back here --- sure, why not? Hell, I'd even pay for food here --- how about that?
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THIS.AIN'T.YOUR.GRANDPA' S.MEXICAN.RESTAURA NT.
Oh MAN, what can I say?? I absolutely LOVED the food here, it's so fresh and non greasy- it's Fresh Ingredients meets Trendy Urban Night Spot meets a Damn Good Chef.
The Tres Salsas appetizer is absolutely killer, like, insanely killer good- have you ever seen a creamy salsa verde? I haven't....and this was just that good! And the tacos? Oh man- this is what tacos are meant to be- a little crispy, a little soft- just *perfect*.
The enchiladas were not bad, and they came with black beans and rice- and being a black-beans-as-a-side-and-always-leaving-them-to-s aid-side-hater, you have to listen to me when I say these beans were cilantroed, non-greasy, light, and generally fantastic.
And to top it all off, you have to have the Mango Margarita, on the rocks, like I did. It's so perfect with the salsas. And man, did I mention those salsas were killer?
The food is so good here I think this place may just be introduced to my parents next time in town (unlike a certain *ahem* F******* Grill, which was great, but rather vegetarian unfriendly.)
One star off for reallllly packing in the tables and the t-shirted-but-extremely-friendly-and-attentive- waiters (which I really feel takes away from the entire package that this place is trying to sell--- I mean, a two person dinner that costs $60+ shouldn't have waiters in t-shirts and jeans), other than that, De Cero, you've won my heart.
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I really enjoy De Cero (with one minor exception). I usually order the taco platter, which is always a winner and its great because you can chose whichever sounds good to you that night. The braised duck, battered shrimp and beef tenderloin are my favs. The only taco I tried and didn't care for was the chorizo. My boyfriend swears by the ahi tuna taco.
I make a mean guacamole, but I'll admit that De Cero's guac beats mine - Its delicious! Also, you can't go wrong with the traditional margarita on the rocks with salt.... mmmm. That's a good start to any meal!
The only complaint I have about De Cero was at a business dinner event. During the summer my company reserved the front area of the second room. The food and service were really good - except I didn't notice because I was sweating to death! It was one of the hottest days of the summer and the restaurant felt like their was no AC. It was awful. The management didn't seem to concerned either because the problem was never fixed. The only thing they were concerned about was kicking us out when our "time" expired so they can bring another group in.
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Went here for my birthday..the guacemole was nothing special, I am not sure if was fresh..almost tasted like it had been made prior..I am a big fan of the fresh made to order varitey and when your payint $8 for it, the I would expect it...had the taco platter, I would recommend the duck toco and the tres queso taco...very tasty...service was good and a hibiscus magarita was interesting.
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How come I am the last person to hear about this place! It is really awesome! In the mood for Mexican decided to take a stroll around Randolph St. The outside looked promising the inside as well. They have an amazing taco selection and all of thier tortillas are home made. Also, thier margaritas are not syrupy. Very fresh indeed!
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Highs: Pitcher(s) of margaritas. Very strong margaritas. Chips and great guacamole.
Lows: Somewhat watery looking salsa. Small water glasses (What? I drink a lot of water. When you give me a small glass, you have to refill it every 45 seconds.)
Highs: Tacos. Love me some tacos, especially when I can mix and match a la carte style. My choices: tres queso (like a really awesome quesadilla but it's a taco - does that even make sense?), rajas (spicy peppers, creamy sauce, messy in a good way), and catfish (a nice twist on the traditional fish tacos and something you can't really get in Chicago). They were served with a gigantic bowl of black beans that I barely dipped my fork into.
Lows: Food envy for the enchiladas my friends ordered. I would definitely try if I came here again. Food regret for the goat cheese tamale I didn't order.
Highs: A nice change of pace for a work lunch.
Lows: Close seating. Bathroom is all the way downstairs (and after those margaritas, I didn't really want to go down all those stairs).
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The food is great at this place. My hubby and I split the taco platter. The steak and battered shrimp are my personal favorites, though they have a zillion. Traditional Mexican food with a fun twist. Rasberry basil dacqueri and guacamole are also must-haves.
The one downfall to this place is that the location is small, so you're eating on top of your neighbor. If you want a place to have a cozy conversation, this is not it.
But come for the tacos.
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I really wanted to give this place 4 stars but when I get to the service, you'll see why I stuck with 3.
Party of 7, we got a comfortable enough table for a room that size and crowded. Nice noisy atmosphere but not so bad you can't talk at your table.
First round of drinks went smoothily. Getting the server to come get our appetizer order and to ask each person at our table what they wanted was almost impossible. He just didnt seem to have the attention span for it or didnt care. One appetizer got dropped completely but we weren't charged for it.
The cumin rubbed skewered rib eye was delicious, the duck nachos amazing and a huge portion, solid chile rellenos, and the other appetizers at our table all were enjoyed.
Had trouble convincing the server we wanted more drinks and to order dinner. He would just kind of show up and say nothing, then if someone tried to address him for one thing, he would take that order and run away. Then he gave my girlfriend a pitcher when she just asked for one margarita.
Dinner finally arrived and was pretty delicious. The duck tacos were a let down, but the al pastor, salmon, rajas, and others were great. The tuna and chicken mole were both solid selections as well, though the salsa on the tuna actually needed more habaneros, hardly noticeable.
All in all a great experience for fancy taco night, though lacking in service.
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I loved this little place! You walk in and it just feels laid back and inviting with the bright colors and antique looking tables and chairs. We didn't drink any tequila but they had a HUGE assortment to choose from! My husband just got a Modelo and I wasn't drinking. To eat, we got the guacamole for appetizer, but next time definitely want to try the tamales because the people next to us ordered them and they looked and smelled fantastic! For our meal we got the 8 taco platter where you can mix and match from like the 15 choices they have on the menu. We liked everything we got which consisted of chicken mole, fish taco, barbacoa and a few others that I can't remember. And most of all the service was impeccable! We will definitely be going back!
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This place has great food and great prices. The aptmosphere is great too. I send all my college friends from out of town this way. Keep up the good work, we'll be back soon!
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All I have to say is goat cheese tamales and guava margaritas! Yum!
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Food is good, space is extremely limited, but the service is always above average and they work hard to accommodate your party size. The prices are a little high, but that is probably to make up for all the erector sets they have to buy to build the furniture. Also... a duck taco tastes about as nasty as you would expect... so, don't try to impress your friends.
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de cero is my favorite spot for Mexican food in Chicago. Since I started coming here about two years ago, I haven't found reason to visit any other Mexican restaurants. The food at de cero is outstanding. The freshness of their ingredients is evident to a novice "foodie" (I hate that term) like me. I dined here with friends (Mexican friends mind you) two weeks ago. We shared portions of carne asada, steak enchiladas, and steak fajitas. We also split an order of duck nachos for our appetizer. While my friends didn't classify the food as authentic, or as their grandma's would make it, they agreed that it was fresh, flavorful and delicious. For desert I enjoyed the guava cheesecake. It was the perfect end to a great meal.
The ambiance at de cero is very nice as well. It's warm and inviting, but also somewhat minimalist - at least compared to most Mexican restaurants I've been to. The service is also top-notch. My friends and I were greeted by Miguel when we walked in. Our server Val was wonderful. By the time our meal was over I felt like it was time for her to meet my parents! de cero is a great restaurant on all fronts. I highly recommend it.
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I'm thinking I came on an off night because everyone I know says such great things...
The Good - I have to start off by saying that the bartenders and waitstaff were great. Attentive, give great recommendations, sociable. Oh and the guacamole was delicious and be sure to try some margaritas!
The Tolerable - Seating is tight, I felt like I was constantly being run into by other patrons and the waitstaff.
The Bad - The food. I felt like everything that had meat in it was dry. Flavoring of everything was either too much of one spice that overpowered or too little and was bland. We had a variety of tacos, so I was able to try a few and was not impressed by anything.
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Nice menu with a broad selection of tacos and narrower selections of apps and entrees. I love the focus. The tacos are outstanding, and it's a fun place for a group. Not the cheapest tacos you can get, but great if you're ok with spending a bit more cash. Get the soft-shell crab tacos if they're offering it.
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We entertained some clients here in their side room with tacos, fajitas, margaritas and mojitos. It made for a great atmosphere for kicking back after a long day of meetings. I would highly recommend it for this type of activity and I'm planning to go back so I can order off the menu. The sampling we got was just fabulous!
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