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Category: Latin American [Edit]
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village
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My friends and I stumbled into this place one morning as we were wandering around the neighborhood. Both brunch options we originally picked out had an incredibly long wait. Since we hadn't really been to Roscoe Village before, we decided to wander around. That's when we found this amazing restaurant, and best of all- we were seated right away!
My friends all ordered from the brunch menu and loved it. I was lame and ordered quesadillas, but I had no complaints. Even though it was 10:30am, chips and salsa were brought to our table. Water pitchers were placed at our table. It was great.
The wait for our food was a little long. I didn't really mind, and I assume it had something to do with the fact that 8 of us walked in on Sunday morning when the place was completely empty. Maybe they were shorthanded? Not sure. It came when it came, and it was delicious.
One word. AWESOME!
I really loved it here - The food was great, service was great - it was just awesome! I'm going to become a regular. I'm sad that it's taken me 6 months since moving to Roscoe Village to go here... man, what have I been missing!?!?!!???!?!?
How have I not reviewed El Tinajon? I've been eating here for about 5 years, and I've been a fan since the first bite. For first-time visitors, I would recommend ordering one of the combination platters - they're great mini-tours of Guatemalan food, but are also accessible to diners who are accustomed only to Mexican food.
Especially recommended are the enchiladas - beets! queso blanco! - the chilaquila and anything with longaniza in it. El Tinajon's black bean paste and guacamole are also exceptional.
Once you've settled in, you should order exclusively from the "Traditional Guatemalan" section of the menu. The Hilaches - a creole stew of pulled beef and potatoes, served with rice - is exceptional, as are the other soups and stews. Hilaches + a cold Fall or Winter night + El Tinajon's bright and cozy interior = magic.
I ordered a taco salad with chicken, and was thoroughly confused when I got it. The salad part was fine, but the chicken tasted like fish. I kept wondering if I had ordered fish on accident or something. But after a couple bites, I was convinced that it was, indeed, chicken. It just tasted a little funky--very salty, and I don't know, it just had a fishy taste. Strange.
Their margaritas are very good. Very strong!
The waitstaff was very friendly. The atmosphere was nice, authentic and cozy. I'll definitely go back and try another dish, but my first experience wasn't amazing.
Based on most of the reviews, I would give this place another chance in the winter. It sounds like most of the preffered dishes are 'stew' like. Althought warned it was pretty bland, it is VERY bland. The salsa tasted like tomato paste, although the homemade tortilla chips were pretty good. I had the Carneasada Guatemalteca broiled 8 oz. ribeye steak, served with rice, black beans, plantains and tomato chutney and sour cream. It was ok. Ribeye seemed very bland but not terrible. Just very bland.
My friend got the Tacos Quatemaltecos 4 corn tortillas filled with beef of chicken rolled and fried crisp , served with rice, beans and salad garnish. Which is pretty much Taquitos and as she stated, you can't mess up taquitos. They did bring out some chicken soup on the house which was a nice gesture, although bland.
We also ordered the pineapple sorbet which we were very excited about. Great presentation in the pineapple half, but i think these are pre-made and not that tastey.
I only gave it 3 stars because I dont' want to give a horrible review, seeing as how I was warned it was bland, and it sounds like the winter food is a better selection. But this was not that great of a trip.
This place is ok. As other reviews say, food is bland, although I guess this is true for Guatemalan food vs other Mexican food. I can't remember what the name of my dish was but it was basically tortillas with lettuce, beef, and condiments on the side and then plantains.
It's just ok, I probably wouldn't go back, but I think it's more that I don't like Guatemalan food, not this particular resturant. But the ambiance is nice and staff are friendly.
I had a chicken stew with potatoes and green beans in a cilantro and tomatillo sauce - I can't remember the name, but I do remember that it was T3 on the menu - that was really bland. I tasted no cilantro. Because the chicken stew my friend got was really delicious, I'd go back to order what he got. It had carrots and potatoes and was yummy, unlike mine.
I came here with my girlfriend a couple times for dinner. The first time I had a combination plate that I didn't really like. It had some Guatemalan tamales, but that's all I remember, probably because it all seemed pretty bland to me. Because of this, I was reluctant to go back, and I would have given it two stars. My girlfriend had the Caldo de Res and she loved it.
A couple weeks ago we went back and I had the Pollo Zacapaneco (I think) and it was really good. It was pretty much like a chicken fajita, with a much sweeter, milder flavor, and it was delicious. I would go back again to have that.
What better time to try Guatemalan food than in the middle of a day St. Patrick's celebrations, right? My thoughts exactly. I'm glad I ended up at El Tinajon and not some generic fish & chips Irish pub - the food was delicious, hearty, and exactly what I needed.
Chicken stew ftw. Seriously. I don't remember what it was called but there was chicken, potatoes, green beans, some crazy broth, and rice on the side. It was delicious and filling - I ended up passing my plate down the table because it was too much for me to eat.
The sangria was good but a little pricey. I'm pretty sure I ate the fruit out of half of my friends' cups by the end of the night.... I guess that means it was strong?
They also have the most ridiculous collection of wind chimes I've ever seen, short of perhaps a crazy old lady's house or a wind chime store (they make those, right?). Does El Tinajon mean wind chime? I'm going to pretend it does. I will definitely be making a repeat visit to The Wind Chime.
I like this place. The food is very tasty, but be advised that this is no "Mexican" restaurant. Guatemalan cuisine has a slightly different flavor and might be blander than Mexican. Guatemalans use a couple of spices that I've not been able to figure out, but make a great overall flavor.
Refreshing jamaica (hibiscus) and horchata drinks are a must. Their mango ice cream sorbet is fantastic. Their hearty soups is a must during winter and their seafood very welcome during summer.
Service is really great. We are always treated attentively and courteously.
We walk there, so we don't have any parking issues. I don't see any issues for people who drive there, though.
All in all not a bad place. For a quick bite with a twist from the regular, it is an excellent option.
The food at El Tinajon was good, I'm just not in a rush to go back. I'd never tried Guatemalan food before, and I really did enjoy the flavors of everything I sampled. I went with one of the combo platters, which came with a guacamole tostada, a flauta-like item, and a puffy quesadilla-like item. (Sorry, I don't remember exactly what they were called but these are the Mexican dishes they'd be most similar to). Everything tasted fine but nothing stood out to me as "WOW." And the tostada used about a sliver's worth of avocado. The sides of rice and beans were great; really well-seasoned. Plantains were PERFECT. No question, they were my favorite part of the whole meal. Even though I finished everything on my plate, I was still hungry at the end. Thank god Courtney didn't finish her stew - I think I ended up eating half of it!
So...bottom line...I'd like to try this place for lunch and see if the portion sizes work better for me. As far as dinner is concerned, I'll definitely go back but probably need to order something else - like one of the more filling stews.
Guatemalan cuisine is sort of like laid back, homestyle mexican food, but with fresher vegetables..
But this review is for brunch. If you are sick and tired of eggs and bacon and potatoes and need a change, this place is great. Thay had a lot of eclectic selections and a sizable brunch menu for a cute lil place like this and everything was good.
The best and most surprising? The coffee! Awesome joe with cinnamon.
And yea, the location is funny cause its like this little authentic guatemalan joint in the heart of Rosco-condoland, but I'd go back.
Yum. Yum. Yum!
I've been here for dinner once and got some sort of potato and meat stew that is the answer to Chicago's cold winters. It melted my heart and made my tastebuds very, very happy. Just spicy enough to keep the water coming, but I could still taste the food. I was happy with my dinner that night, but hadn't been back until a couple weeks ago when we stopped in for breakfast.
I gotta think that if you're hungover, there's no better place to go for brunch the next morning. The plantains are caramelized sweetness and the black beans topped with eggs are a perfect remedy for what ails ya. They also serve chips and salsa at brunch so you can have that before your pancakes if you'd like.
It's a little pricier than some latino-flavored places with this much kitsch, but I'll be back for sure. (Especially since I live right around the corner.)
I think all reviews should be written in limerick format.
Let's start now...
A small restaurant down the street
Serves chicken, chorizo, and meat
The salsa was good
But if not in my hood
I would find somewhere else to eat
hot tamales! And several different varieties even. We started with an appetizer special of sweet corn tamales, and some nice fresh guacamole which was delicious and a decent sized portion. I had one of several vegetarian combinations for dinner which included a potato taquito, pureed black beans, a black bean tamale, fried plantains, white rice, and a cheese quesadilla. Are you listening vegans? I'll eat your quesadilla for you if you want, and tell them not to sprinkle the queso on your plate - you'll have one hell of a delicious meal. The fella had one of the traditional entrees which consisted of some seriously slow-cooked, cut-with-a-spoon beef in a seasoned broth with some white rice and fresh corn tortillas. Not fresh from Jewel. For-real fresh. On the walk home I expressed my desire to practice stomach-stretching like the competitive eaters so that I might finish my meal someday.
The only thing keeping this meal from being a five-star experience was the margarita. A big glass of sour mix. Next time I'll try the Guatemalan beer.
I like it. Definitely a place that adds charm to Roscoe Village. When I go, I always get one of the meat stews. I'm also a rice guy. This place have great rice.
The food delivers the novelty the wife and I seek. She usually gets one of the combo plate and there's always something on there we haven't tried before. The service can be shotty, we've had both good and bad service there. The food usually makes up for the lack of service.
My fiance and I LOVE this place. We drive up to Roscoe Village from the South Loop once a month or so to visit this colorful restaurant. My fiance was born in Guatemala but raised in the states, and when we found this place, his eyes lit up! They always bring a basket of chips and yummy salsa to begin with (but caution: no free refills on the chips). Their drinks are a little pricey for what they are. Their food is the real attraction. I love the Pache de Papa tamale and the stew with potatoes and beef is to die for. I love their plantains with mole as well. If you're really adventurous, try the Corn Atole to drink--soooo good and so different!
The reason I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is for two reasons: I've found their breakfast to be so-so, and service is hit or miss. We'll definitely be back soon!
I stopped in one morning for breakfast and really enjoyed my juevos mexicana...but eggs with peppers, onion and tomato aren't really that complicated. The side of beans was good. The chips and salsa were good.
The service was not great but they had outdoor seating, which was perfect for the first spring day of the year in Roscoe Village.
Cute as a button interior, super waitstaff and some seriously potent sangria.
The Enchilada Guatemalteca was a surprise, it was a flat corn tortilla layered with a lettuce leaf topped with chicken, some sort of pink pickled cabbage,cheese, parsley and a slice of hard boiled egg. The meat was excellent, but be prepared for the cold pink cabbagy stuff - it is rather unusual and unexpected!
The Pachede Papa was huge, delicious and very filling. Spicy mashed potato, steamed in banana leaf, with pork mixed in. Yum.
The menu is large and varied, and also includes a mexican section in addition to the guatemalan. Your tummy will be happy!
Pretty decent place, tasty food and really great lunch prices. 4.95 specials. You can't beat that any where. They gave a complimentary soup and I must say I was blown away by it. It was rich in flavor and probably one of the best caldos that I have ever had. So why not more stores? Although my meal was good, I felt like I could have got at any place, although I would've paid more somewhere else. Also the black refride beans were little to soupy for liking
Major bonus points for this place are the sorbets and the other desserts they have. A little on the pricey side but one and can feed two people. A nice little treat after your meal.
I'm surprised by the positive reviews, so maybe my experience is not typical.
Service was painfully slow. Everyone in the restaurant was getting up to go to the kitchen door and ask for more chips and salsa. We had to remind our water several times what drinks we ordered. My Sangria tasted awful.
I had the guatemalan tacos, which were very bland, and possibly microwaved. The rice definitely WAS one of those vegetable rice pilaf microwave deals... The salsa was pretty watery and boring, the guacamole was way too salty. We also tried one of the chicken stews which was decent, but also fairly bland and just not of very high quality. Considering that the appetizer, one drink, and two entrees put me back $35, I will definitely not be back. It's not the cost that irks me, but the value. We felt like they were playing a joke on us!
Solid food, quiet street, great atmosphere. I would knock the prices down about 2 bucks per dish, but the stews are great and quite flavorful. I would recommend this as a casual dinner joint to get some good and different cuisine.
Hungover? Too ill to drag your sorry ass up to Lawrence for some curative Korean food? Get thee to El Tinajon and order the Caldo de Res ~ it will cure what ails you. A big, beautiful, steaming bowl of rich beef broth studded with veggies and meat, served with lime and tortillas and garnished with jalapeos....just the thing after a long, hard, night of drinking.
Prices have gone up over the years, but this place is still a cheap date. Out of towners love it as, let's face it, Guatemalan cuisine hasn't exactly taken over the US yet. I took family friends that were moving to Guatemala (and had never tried Guatemalan food) here last year, and breakfast for all 6 of us was under $40.00. 2 of the people in our party were under 8, so a good place to take kids as well.
I've yet to have a bad meal here, but I'm particularly fond of the the aforementioned Caldo de Res, the breakfasts, and the appetizers. I used to love the tamales here, but since receiving severe and prolonged food poisoning after eating the real deal in San Marcos, Guatemala on Christmas Eve 2006 (cursed be the day), I can't eat the darn things at all, even here where they are muy delicious. Don't let my tamale aversion stop you, however, as they make a very good version here.
Pleasant staff, very vegetarian friendly, comfy & inexpensive ~ hungover or not, a great place for an relaxed and budget friendly meal.
I really liked everything about this little Roscoe Village storefront restaurant. As we walked up on a frigid winter night, one of the employees saw us coming and threw open the door for us and welcomed us in, taking us right to a table. So, from before we even entered until we were on our way out, we were treated very warmly and attentively. The food was great, with a lot of the traditional flavors of latin american food like plantains, ceviche, beans and rice and tamales, but without the spiciness that people associate with Mexican food. I had a combination plate with the intention of trying a few different things, and doing so only made me want to try more.
Great people working there, cute, modest interior and great food make this a place worth returning to.
I was here a few weeks ago and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
It was a bit different from Mexican food and the blend of spices made everything very tasty. The atmosphere was casual, nice, and the service was very good. I will have to come back when I am in town again.
Went here for the first time about a year and a half ago because I had an Entertainment Book coupon. There was a note on the door that said because of changed ownership they were no longer accepting the E.B. coupons. It was disappointing but I was really glad that they pointed that out before we sat down.
We've been back a few times since and it's the only place I've ever had Guatemalan food, which I compare to a blend of Cuban and Mexican. I've had a few of the combo plates and also the Guatemalan version of the Cuban ropa vieja (shredded beef) which was really, really good. Their margarita's weren't too shabby either. They have outdoor seating which is nice in the summer.
Overall really great food but I have nothing to compare it to besides other Latin American dishes. I can't vouch for authenticity but I can vouch for DELICIOUSNESS.
Guatemalan food isn't that different from Mexican food.
So I wonder than why this place charges twice as much for half the portion size? I ordered and appetizer and a dinner combo plate and it cost me $18+ . I can spend $10 at ANY Mexican food joint and get twice as much without sacrificing much quality.
I will admit the rice and beans were better but...come on...rice and beans? Otherwise the entrees were TINY...and honestly just OK.
Two stars is too many but I can't give halves.
I came here for dinner one time, and it's pretty good. I don't remember what I ordered at all, so I can't specify, but it was a cozy ambiance and good food.
The pulique was on special so I had that and a large margarita. The pulique was a very flavorful stew and I LOVED it! I could have it everyday! I even really liked the homemade chips and salsa! I enjoyed the Guatemalan inspired decor and the prices were decent. I will definitely be back!
One of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood. Went here bascially on a whim, but have gone back many times as we always feel that it is decent food at a decent price.
They are a Guatemalan restaurant, but they also have a Mexican part of the menu that I often order from, and is as good as any other Mexican food I have had in the city. The chimichangas are my favorite, but it is all good here.
don't get Guatemalan food thinking you're getting Mexican food. It's not the same country and the food is completely different. I'm a bigger fan of mexican food because I like it spicy but the food here is pretty good, comparable to what I've had in Guate. If you want good Guatemalan food, then go here for sure
El Tinajon rocked my socks off. One of my good friends from college married a Guatemalan girl and they live in Eastern Indiana, not generally known for anything well Guatemalan so much to their delight we found this one tucked away and cozy Roscoe V to satisfy their cravings.
Don't be an ass and order the Mexican items on the menu. Go for the Guate and you will be rewarded with a better and somewhat lighter type of food than most Mexican. We had both corn and plaintain hot drinks (Atoles) that were muy delicioso. The tortillas for most things were corn instead of flour. The spicy potato appetizer tasted to me like the inside of an Indiana Samosa but a large roll of to dip in to. For dessert we had a coconut sorbet. One of the best authentic ethnic food experiences I've had in the city in a casual, cozy, inexpensive restaurant. If only the darn Brown Line wasn't a freezing several blocks away.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city! The food is absolutely delicious, I love their sangria (with the fruit in your glass), and everyone I've taken here is rightly impressed.
The food is not bland whatsoever, but at the same time, it's not Lalo's, so if you are thinking it will taste the same as a Mexican chain, well you're right, it won't! But in my opinion, it's SO much better. The salsa, the black beans, the tamals, the chicken, and the plantains? Can't go wrong!
I've never been disappointed by anything on the Guatemalan menu, and the waitresses are so nice and accommodating. I love this place; just thinking about it makes me want to go and visit again!
So as I usually have a violent reaction to most Mexican food (use your imaginations), the discovery of this place really eased my mind and stomach.
The guacamole is very yummy, the sangria somewhat powerful, and Guatemalan tacos nice and crispy.
The refried beans are the best--they're smooth and not weird and chunky like at so many places.
I've been back a couple times, and plan to keep going. Yum!
Another great experience today at El Tinajon. I had the Pepian Antigueno, it was very flavorful and seemed the perfect choice. Deb had the combination platter 2 with the relleno. Great service, excellent Guatemalan coffee, warm (important in winter) dining room. I can't recommend El Tinajon enough for relaxed dinner with friends.
We had a great time. We went with a party of 8 and ended up with a bill of only about $128 not… Read more »
mmmmmm beets.
beets with everything!
just add a delicious rice drink, and it's a remarkably tasty, home-cooked kind of meal that you can feel good about eating.
I came here like 3 times in 2006, but time had its way with my brain and I forgot its name. now that I've found it again, I'm never letting it go.
if you don't like beets, I'm sure you can order something without them. but that's why I'm going back.
Do not come and dine here unless you like bland mediocre food at inflated prices an from an unscrupulous restaurant. Let me tell you of our bad experience. first we order a pitcher of margaritas, we are given a half pitcher and when we inquire about it we are told "we have six different sizes of pitchers that they explain are all the same size" yet within 5 minutes we are given a full pitcher. what is that? Clearly if we did not call them on it we would be charged a full pitcher price for a half pitcher. If all there containers are the same price why replace it within minutes? second we order two vegetarian burrritos which are suppose to have lettuce, rice, beans, tomatoes,mushrooms,onions and avocado. What we get is burritos filled with beans, lettuce and rice. We ask them to give us just some mushrooms and tomatoes, since we we really hungry and did not want to have to wait to reorder. our mistake. We should have sent it back.It was the worst pathetic burritos we have ever had. Then when we get the bill our bill is over charged by a few bucks. We inform our waitress of the error and we are told "prices are subject to change" well did they change within the last hour after we read the menu? No they say we reserve the right to change them. not honoring what is on the menu. You can not have a disclaimer on the menu and expect to get away with charging more. I don't care if it's a few bucks more it's the principle! when we ask to see a manager we are told you can have our card and call him "he is not here". two seconds later another waitress comes out and claims she is the manager after the first waitress swore up and down there was no manager present. What a crock of malarky. I have never had such a bad experience as this. SAVE $50 and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! This restaurant will try to cheat you if they can. It really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I would give this restaurant no stars if I could.
Came here on a busy Saturday night without reservations, and while we still had to wait to be seated, the place was very accommodating. Although the restaurant itself is tiny, it has a nice, relaxing atmosphere to it.
The guac was fantastic (no big chunks of avocado!), and the chicken enchiladas I ordered were cooked perfectly. I just wish there had been more enchiladas and less refried beans. The sangria was perfectly sweet, and one of my friends commented that the stuffed peppers are fantastic, which I will definitely try next time.
Great place to go if you're looking for a little twist from Mexican food.
I live in Seattle, not Chicago, but every time I visit my college buddy in Chi-town we go to breakfast at El Tinajon. Having spent some time living and traveling in Guatemala, I can say El Tinajon's cuisine is autentico and delicious.
I order the Desayuno Chapin, which includes eggs, tortillas, plantains, black beans, and fruit. It's a whopping five or six dollars, I think, and they give you tortilla chips and salsa (a little strange at breakfast, but still good). The coffee is lightly spiced with cinnamon and they pour until you say "uncle" (or tio, I guess).
Thinking of this makes me really hungry. I actually would come to Chicago *just* to eat at El Tinajon alone, except that makes for a pretty expensive breakfast.
First, I didn't think the portions were tiny. I find that Mexican restaurants leave me feeling over-full, and I left El Tinajon very full and with food still on my plate.
They take reservations, which was great for my group of seven-- the restaurant filled up by 8. They have a full bar, and were more than willing to make drinks that my friend and I were making up ourselves. All the waitstaff was really friendly throughout the whole evening, and we didn't at all feel rushed, even though we were taking up two or three tables.
The food came out really fast, and was great. I was expecting some more spiceyness,but I guess that's not how it is in Guatemala. They have a whole section of vegetarian plates and most of the entrees come with rice and beans. I didn't love the rice and beans, but my friends seemed to. The plantains were amazing, as was the guacamole! I highly recommend trying them both.
A great, intimate and cozy restaurant that would be good for a group or a date, or a night out with the parents. The full bar and proximity to other bars make it a great location. Good food, good prices, good staff.
New Vegetarian Plate $8.99
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