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El Potosi
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
Addison (Blue)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
18 reviews for El Potosi
If you're looking for the cheapest and best taqueria in Chicago, this is it. I've tried many of the small hole-in-the-wall taquerias in town and this one sits above the rest. I bike across the northside to eat here on a regular basis.
The burritos (in particular the chicken, which I usually despise as a burrito ingredient) are phenomenal. They also serve what I believe to be the best tacos in town. The prices are very low, as they are in most of these holes in the wall, but the food quality is great. Best to come during the summer and sit out front for a little neighborhood people-watching.
However, don't go here if you are looking for mad-service or are afraid of a little urban grit.
Despite the view (standard northwest side bodegas and cookie cutter condos), the location and mood inside the patio at this little BYOB Mexican joint can't be beat.
Seemingly plucked straight from a Baja beach town, the little yellow patio is only slightly more spacious than the inside, which, besides the kitchen only allows room for patrons at the counter and two other tables. But why would you want to sit inside? You will amaze yourself when you actually fit 6 friends around 1 table.
Bring a take out margarita from Manny's up the street and enjoy it with greasy yet still above average burritos, tacos and enchiladas. If you're hungrier larger plates of carne asade and rejenos will fill you up. If the unlimited free chips and salsa don't first.
Best of all you still have a lot of money for another Tecate run at the liquor store next door.
welcome to shanty town. coming up on the right is el potosi, local taco hovel...
seriously... this place looks busted, but that's part of the charm. most of the seating is on a tiny outdoor patio filled with bric-a-brac and painted with black and white donkey murals. you can byob, so grab a 6-pack before you come.
the food was well above average for what amounts to taqueria food. i will tell you to save your calories and pass on the rice (fairly bland) and the shredded chicken (a bit dry). the two things i was doubtful of, the chiles rellenos and the flank steak, were freaking awesome! the steak was tender and grilled a perfect medium, which is hard to do on a steak so thin. the chiles were smokey and filled to the brim with gooey cheese. NOM. the chorizo tostada was delish, but a little heavy on the sour cream. both the salsas served with our food were great. the darker, tomato-based salsa was spicy and had a deep, smokey flavor while the tomatillo had a nice bright flavor with a bit of heat as well. much more complex than most tomatillo salsas i've had.
definitely a great taco stop, especially on a summer day.
I would love to come to El Potosi with Nancy Pelosi. Except that she would become Nancy Pe-lo-SEE, according my resident Spanish-speaking roomie. Madame Speaker doesn't seem like the taco type, anyway.
After zipping by here so many times I finally stopped with a friend on a nice Memorial Day weekend Saturday. I think what I like best is it feels as if you've gone to some new town. The crazy haphazard and full-of-junk spot sports a Key West, or Southern California, or Mexico vibe, so as others have pointed out, authentic. And I like that very much.
And what can one say about tacos? Pretty difficult to make really bad ones, I think. So, I have only had the chicken and steak tacos/platter, and it was very satisfactory and a good value. I would like to return for some other treats. Very friendly staff there, too.
Nice little unpretentious outdoor spot for lunch when you're shopping the Avondale area (Target, Home Depot, Discount Pet supplies.)
First off... This is my second time eating here, and I really was hoping for something good. But alas my wish was crushed because despite the authentic look and feel the food, price, and service all SUCKED! El Potosi=FAIL
I really wanted to like El Potosi, but the guy who took our order didn't seem like he even knew the menu, and the food was merely decent.
This is our favorite little Mexican joint and if you like your mex food authentic, it should bt yours also. I recomend numero dos to go. Works for us every time.
This place is indeed UGLY and a little creepy looking....but the food is AWESOME....esp. if you like Mexican breakfasts, huevos rancheros, etc. then THIS is the place. The servers always go out of their way...once a server actually picked up a case of Coronas for us at a store nearby....totally awesome...
This place is run out of what was once the garage to the two-flat on Waveland that sits behind it. As burrito stands go, it's middle-of-the-road food-wise: I've had better and I've had worse.
But I just love the concept: build a floor inside the aforementioned garage, stuff a kitchen in it, add a main entrance to the side of the erstwhile garage, add a patio that extends out to the Elston Avenue sidewalk, put a red canopy over said patio, put 5 tables out and hang kistchy stuff from the canopy frame, and voila, you have a burrito stand. (Difficult to envision? Try Google street view.) And I just love, love, love sitting on that patio on the side of this little garage, eating a burrito suizo and washing it down with a BYOB Carta Blanca or two. On evenings when it's not busy, I'll even linger and finish of the better part of a six-pack.
Three stars for the food plus an extra star for the patio ambiance.
Unapologetically authentic. This place used to be a garage and now....I'd call it more of a taco shack then a restaurant. Tiny little place serves very decent Mexican food. Bring some Coronas (BYOB) and sit out on the patio on a nice day and just watch the people go by. The tiny size of the operation is a little intimidating at first but that's just how they roll at El Potosi.
My new alfresco spot if I am up that way to troll for cheapies at the Unique or waiting to go to a show at Abbey Pub. The antiques and brick-a-brack hanging from the makeshift sunroof make it a pleasant respite from the otherwise dull Elston sidewalk scene. If you're lucky, an elotes cart will sputter by with more treats. I echo everything else that has been reviewed about the place -- service and food are spot on.
Going to El Potosi is like going on a mini-vacation... it really feels like you've left Chicago for a little town in Mexico. The food is consistently good; I prefer the chicken over the beef - it's way tastier. The service is also good and pretty quick. Super cheap and super yummy!
I feel like I am in Mexico every time I am in this place. The food is good & the staff is very friendly. I imagine it is family owned/run. Cheap & good!
Let's be honest - this place is down right scary. It looks kinda cute from the outside but the inside was creepy. It didn't stop me from ordering a couple tacos which I have to admit were quite tasty.
Pretty decent food in a pinch. I haven't eaten much else there except for a burrito or taco. It does the job. Good stuff...not horrible or anything, although I have had better. Nothing to really write home about. Friendly people though. It's got to be a family business because this place is literally a converted garage made business....it depends on whose cooking to get decent stuff. That's the main problem. Good over all.
sheesh, can you tell I'm "so so" about this place :)
I have to agree with both the reviewers before me. Food is yummy but not extraodinary. Service is great.
What I love is that it is charming and it truly does look sooo much like a little place you would pass walking up the hill to my husband's home in Mexico.
One thing - it is "intimate" inside, though not romantic. Okay - it's just little. But no matter! Go on a nice day because you are sitting outside!
After driving by this cute place that looks straight off the streets of Mexico, I finally stopped in to eat. 5 years later, I am in this place at least twice a month.
I am a huge fan of their Sopes. They also have a great breakfast.
During the summer they have a few tables outside and I enjoy a burrito while watching the ever changing demographics as they drive by.
The service is always friendly, too.
The salsa is pretty awesome. Other than that - meh. The place is tiny. Like max. capacity 9 tiny. No joke. If they took the gambling/game machine out they might be able to squeeze a few more people in. It looked like they had a patio that would be nice if the weather was ever warm in our fair city. But, we all know that's not the case. Maybe I'm just bitter because it's Memorial Day and still freezing out. I shouldn't take it out on El Potosi. There was nothing wrong with my meal there. Very authentic and homey. And like I said, the salsa rocked. If you're in the area, stop by. Maybe by then it'll be above freezing.
