Los Nopales
4544 N Western Ave
(between Sunnyside Ave & Wilson Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 334-3149
- Nearest Transit:
Western (Brown)
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: None
13 reviews
Neighborhood: The Loop
"Fresh American Mexican food with fun gourmet burritos like 'baja chioptle chicken' or 'beachin' buffalo chicken' or 'ragin' cajun chicken'…" read more »
86 Reviews for Los Nopales
This might be my favorite restaurant in Chicago.
Service has always been good. It's BYOB, close to the el, easy parking, and it's inexpensive.
I pretty much always get the same thing. The combo with the carne asada and chile rellano (I didn't know I liked chile rellanos). The first time I had the tilapia and it was buttery goodness in my mouth. The guac is really good too.
Mmmm, the carne asada combo though...so good.
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Holy mother of avocados, this place has the best damn guacamole north of Mexico. I am not kidding.
A large order for the table is enough for 4 avocado-lovin' junkies. I generally get a side order and it's plenty...
Mmmm. no for real. One must try it. Now. For the sake of avocados everywhere, this is how its done!
I'm upgrading from my previous review, because it's really quite a great spot...and they just keep getting better. Awesome food, fast service, authentic, genuine, comfortable...and still BYO.
Shebang, get there.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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04/16/2007
I saw this on Hungry Hound, so I figured I'd give it a shot. And, as always...BYOB lures me in with… Read more »
Colleen C. ain't playin'.
I love mexican food, but I'm also trying to eat really healthy, and its hard to have the best of both worlds. Colleen took me to Los Nopales yesterday, and it was the best mexican I've had in a long time. The food was amazing, even being on a dreaded "diet."
I had to pass on the chips and salsa this time, but my chicken torta was fantastic. I woofed that chicken up so fast, I should've gotten a prize. The typical rice and beans came with, and them beans were the perfect texture (yeah, I'm sensitive about beans). Of course the company was great, but expect to experience some lulls in the conversation when your whole table has their mouths full on a mission.
The atmosphere is authentic and cozy, but the highlight was the crazy mariachi music playing. The loud "ow OWwwwwwiiiiii" definitely made me almost spit out my water a couple times with laughter. Loved it.
Will be back soon and often.
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Five stars because it's a tripping distance to my home...five stars because it's BYOB...five stars because the food you get for the price is fantastic!
I took my mom here for dinner while she was in town upon the recommendation of my fave yelper...and we were wildly impressed.
The food is fantastic. My mom had the carne asada (perfectly done, juicy, and tender) and the chile relleno...I had the special, the sea scallops...scary to order scallops in a mexican restaurant? Maybe, but it was a risk that paid off! They were ginormous, flavorful, and beautifully presented on top of a creamy sauce with white spanish rice and mixed greens. Each bit just melted in my mouth. And $13.95 for big sea scalllops? Can't go wrong there!
This is some of the best Mexican food I've had in a long time...can't wait to go back!
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This place is pretty damn good! I love Mexican food and I have been to all kinds of places and this one ranks near the top of the list. This is a small place and when it is full, you will feel a little cramped.
My lovely lady ordered the carne asada and the shrimp skewers and this was probably one of the tastiest pieces of steak I have tried. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. I ordered your basic burrito dinner. The meat was the same which made for a delicious dinner. The salsa we received with our chips was good but unusual. I have never had a salsa quite like this. The texture was very creamy in both the rojo and the verde. It made for a nice flavor but it caught me off guard as I am used to either thin or chunky salsa.
The service was good, the place was clean and well kept, the prices were reasonable and I will be back for more!
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No.....I don't think so. This place was not good. Not only did our food take forever, despite us being the only table there, but at the end of the day the food was not cooked well, and lacked flavor. My girlfriends and I decided to order ceviche and believe me I have tried Mexican ceviche and I love it - but this was not it. The fish I had was not to par at all. Given the reviews on Yelp, I don't think I have ever been so disappointed in a restaurant - hopefully they were just having a bad day but, I will not be going back
Quality / Taste (40%): 4
I had the combination # 3 - carne asada and "griddled" (their cute word for grilled) shrimp. Holy mother! The steak was delicious, delicious, delicious! My mouth is watering right now even as I think of it. The shrimp was also quite good. My high food rating is solely for those two items. In fact, it would be a 5 but the rice & beans that it came with were bland and I was not a fan of the pureed salsa. I prefer chunks on my chips, and enjoyed making artwork with the puree more than I enjoyed eating it.
Atmosphere (20%): 3.5
Clean with some festive character.
Service (20%): 3.5
Very attentive & friendly. Our water glasses never got below half-full, but they forgot Dave's soda (and subsequently cheerfully removed it from the bill).
Value (20%): 3
About standard for your nicer Mexican restaurants - "nicer" meaning not a taco stand. Dave's burrito was big (hehehe) but my combination platter left me a little hungry. It's BYOB, but they apply a corkage fee to every bottle or 6-pack of beer. Lame.
Overall: 3.6
I'd be happy to come back for some more of that carne aside. Everything else I can find elsewhere.
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Wow. Just...wow. Maybe one of my favorite meals ever. I can't believe I've driven by this little place like a million times and never noticed it (thanks, yelpers for helping me see the light)! My friends and I must have had our basket of chips refilled at least five times so that we could sop up every last bit of both the guacamole and ceviche we ordered as appetizers. And then there were the tilapia tacos...OMG. They came without (and did not need ) cheese, sour cream, etc. Just perfectly seasoned fish, avocado and pico de gallo, with corn tortillas that were delicious and amazingly fresh as well. I will be returning again and again, for sure.
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Because of a review I read on Yelp I tried the sea scallops. I'm so glad I did, that review was right on! Thanks, Amanda C. The service was super. They were quick with everything and did it with a smile, and we're a pretty demanding group. We really hit the motherload with this one, because the bill was about 3/4 what it would have been at other places. I can't say enough good things.
yum yum yum yum yum yum.
This place is a must for any Mexican-food fanatic, like me.
Try the guacamole, the skirt steak, tilapia or tilapia tacos. So fresh and seasoned perfectly.
I have finally found my ultimate favorite Mexican restaurant.
Plus, it's BYOB!
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Some of the best Mexican food I have had outside of Mexico. Byob which keeps the cost down. Excellent service. I am a vegetarian and they are always willing to add and substitute what ever I want. What's not to like?
In an effort not to repeat other positive reviews, I would recommend the authenticity (and of course the taste) of the Mole sauce. It's a husband and wife team running this joint and they do so with unflagging warmth and efficiency (Mareila - sp? - is the charming front-room half of the duo).
The only negative is that take-out orders can get slightly lost when they're slammed. But why go to-go when the setting is so inviting?
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Oh, Yelpers, you led me astray!
When we arrived, I expected something more upscale (from the prices on the menu and the amazing descriptions of food here on Yelp), but it was standard Mexican restaurant decor from floor to ceiling--complete with the ponchos stapled to the wall and the mariachi music piped in over the loudspeakers. But the real kick in the teeth was their lack of a liquor license. A Mexican restaurant without beer and margaritas is like John McCain getted elected: IT JUST SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
We were seated promptly, but then had to wait nearly ten minutes before a server came to take our order. The only highlight of an otherwise disappointing evening was the two sauces that came out with our chips. One was spicy and of a reddish color; the other was green and mild. You might be thinking red and green salsa, but both were creamy and thick, unlikely traditional salsa. The chips, however, were cold and tasted store-bought. Our meals came out promptly--"very hot," according to the chef who brought them out (read: we heated up old food in a microwave)--but the quick service brought lackluster food. My fajitas were a mixture of barely cooked onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and a smattering of mushrooms with chunks of so-so carne asada. Of course, there was also the standard plopping of beans and rice. No cheese; no sour cream; no guac. Just that! Oh, and three small corn tortillas. The pollo enchiladas were OK, but tasted like they had store-bought mole on them. Again, plops of pureed beans (AKA refried) and neon orange rice (AKA Spanish).
We had to ask for water a couple times, since our server was not around much (we saw her three times in all). It took us another ten minutes to get our check and pay for it after we had finished eating and our table had already been cleared.
In the wake of nearly 80 glowing Yelp reviews, I hope against hope that this evening was a fluke, but with so many things out of whack--bad service, bad food, cheesy atmosphere--I am truly surprised that it has enjoyed such rave reviews. Hold back your FIVE STARS, dear Yelpers, for world class cuisine and excellent service in an elegant atmosphere. Don't cast your pearls before swine; don't give five stars to a boring restaurant! You're better than that! Momma didn't raise you to date just any ol' boy off the street! And now that you're married, mid-20s and enjoying the fruits of that bachelor's degree in French Art History, it's time to remember what being a yuppie yelper is all about: class. ;-)
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BYOB. Delicious Food. Reasonable Prices. Friendly Staff. Close to Home.
Need I say more??
Postcript - while I've never had a bad meal, the carne asada is particularly good.
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Los Nopales is unquestionably my favorite neighborhood restaurant of any variety. The food is fresh and delicious, and the service is top notch! I particularly enjoy their puree-style salsa.
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Based on the 70+ reviews, I guess that I was wrong about this being a hidden treasure on a relatively barren stretch of Western Avenue near Lincoln Square. I stumbled upon it one afternoon, looking for any old place to have lunch. How fortuitous.
Although lit rather dimly, it was friendly and inviting on a cold late-winter day. The service was great, especially given that the duties were split between a woman and her 12ish-year-old daughter.
I had the tilapia tacos--awesome--and chicken enchiladas (very good). They get an A+ for the food. It tasted fresh and was obviously cooked to order, unlike some other Mexican joints.
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I was thinking this was going to be a standard Mexican restaurant experience seeing that Fajitas were in the $12 range, but this was a big let down. NO margaritas, not even non-alcoholic ones! I love hearing the sizzling tray of meat, veggies, and saucy goodness steaming up from a pipping hot cast iron skillet. Ah...disappointment settles in when my fajitas come runny, barely warm, and nestled between beans and rice on a normal platter plate, a wicker basket of tiny bleached corn tortillas on the side. Clearly not cooked well enough, no real sauce, and I've never seen fajitas served with cooked slices of tomatoes. It's like they took a bag of partially cooked meat, a mlange of frozen vegetables, and some tomatoes from the relish tray warmed it up and tried to pass it off as a meal. I could make better fajitas from fresh ingredients at home. The Enchiladas de Mole my partner had was rather bland for Mole, I've had better at many places in Chicago.
The only highlight and ounce of creativity came in the form of two bowls of soupy, creamy, chip sauce. One green the other orange. They were delicious. Go for the chips, leave for the service, and eat a better meal elsewhere.
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The bf and I were craving Mexican food but didn't really want to go to the same spots. So we decided to try Los Nopales. I went with a tilapia burrito, the bf got the chicken enchilada dinner in green sauce. It was gooooooood. My tilapia was a little salty, but since I love salty food, I still really enjoyed it. The taquitos were good and it came with some guacamole that was really, really good. The bf really enjoyed the chicken enchiladas, so much so that he ate all of it before I could get a taste. LOL.
I love this cute little place! Each time I come here the guacamole is better than before. Great food at great prices and its BYOB!!!! Loves it!
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I've never had a meal here that was anything less than great. The prices are reasonable, the ingredients are almost suspiciously fresh -- do they have a chorizo tree in the back or something? -- and the service is friendly and mostly attentive. On the rare occasions it's not, it's probably because you're there on a Friday or Saturday night when the place is packed.
There's also a charmingly incongruous bamboo and thatch bar-that's-not-a-bar in the front room, looking like something you'd find in the middle of a swimming pool in Cancun rather than a restaurant in the Great Plains. It may have been a holdover from a previous establishment, or maybe it's just there to confuse and delight.
Everything here is good, but the steak torta, chorizo burrito, and chicken enchiladas are especially recommended. They don't serve alcohol, but it's BYOB with a reasonable corking fee.
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I guess this is not so much the "hidden gem" as I thought, based upon all the reviews. At least anecdotally, though, most people I mention it to outside the neighborhood are unfamiliar with it.
I like Los Nopales for that Friday night BYOB reasonably-priced dinner. I almost always order one of the specials. They make delicious pork tenderloin. The sauces are worthy of more higher priced haunts, like Dorado. Their soups and salsas are very original and flavorful. A great place for carne asada when you can't afford the steakhouse experience. Fish tacos are good even with talapia (not a favorite of mine.) I am not big on the cactus items, because I don't like my veggies mushy. The flan is nice and creamy sweet.
A very welcoming and intimate dining experience. You may have a little wait during prime time Friday or Saturday. But the staff are the best. Just very gracious and eager to please. Big points for that in my book.
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This place is great! My girlfriend and I went because it's BYOB and even before the bottle of Chi Chi's blended margarita we were loving the tilapia and flautas. We both cleaned our places and found the food reasonably priced and very authentic. Service was ok, we were the only two in the back section and I had to hunt the waitress down twice for salsa and water, though she was quick once I found her.
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Lincoln Square eaters must be the pickiest people on the planet. This place serves awesome mexican and I've been really happy with the service. The menu isn't as big as some of the other places around the area, but I've yet to find something I really wanted that isn't on there.
For whatever reason everytime I go in they are packed with tons of parents and their kids. I usually get it to-go, but it seems to be a family friendly place.
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Great prices, delicious food. A basic, but delicious Mexican joint. Was packed when we walked in, we like that. Knowledgeable waitress, and BYOB! What's not to love?
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As a Californian totally spoiled by fresh, authentic, cheap mexican food, I was not blown away by this place. It was charming and the food definitely did the job, but I didn't find it to be as cheap as everyone said, at least not for the amount of food you got.(I thought the portions were pretty skimpy). The guacamole was pretty great and fresh tasting. My boyfriend loved the horchata but I thought it kind of tasted like cleaning products. The tilapia tacos were perfectly cooked, but salty and lacking in filling.
I'll eat here again because it's in my neighborhood and the food definitely sufficed, but I still say it pales in comparison to the Mexicali of my heart's affection.
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Great Mexican joint. Unbelievably low prices (BYOB helps), great menu selection, tons of food. I was so stuffed, I could barely move!
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Los Nopales has become our go-to Mexican restaurant. We usually stop by after going to the gym, which completely counteracts the whole point of going to the gym, but its that good.
Service is really friendly (they're all related), guac is awesome and combo 3 is always yummy.
I wish they served margs, but I'm fine with lugging my six pack in with me!
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Enchiladas were so good here. The wait staff was really nice! They give you chips with 2 different salsa dips (one that was tart and another that was hot beyond belief). It's BYOB - so be sure to bring some cerveza to enjoy with your dinner. The tres leches was a total disappointment -- but everything else at the restaurant was fantastic!
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We went here because of the positive Yelp reviews and were not disappointed!
The food we had was very tasty and pleasing. I had the cheese enchiladas suizas (yes, a heart attack on a plate) and it was delicious. My husband had a shrimp something with chipotle and he enjoyed it quite a bit. I think his complaint would be that he would have liked more food, but he said it was good. We also had a side of guacamole and it was very good.
In addition to good food, the service was excellent, for the most part. The wait staff was friendly and kept our glasses filled. Our waiter was a little slow, but I think he was also fairly busy, and he was definitely friendly too, which was great.
I'm not giving them five stars for two reasons. One is because of the acoustics! The place was pretty full, though we didn't have to wait for a table, which was great. We could barely hear each other across the table, though, and it kind of sucked. I did notice on the way out that the front room, where we were not seated, seemed about half as loud as the back room, so given my choice, I'd try to get a seat out there instead.
The other reason is the menu was very small. Oddly, they didn't have burritos, which was a bummer, because I like to fool myself into thinking I'm getting some kind of nutrition when I eat and burritos allow me a little of that, whereas cheese enchiladas suizas, not so much . . . .
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Loved it! I went because of the great reviews and I was not disappointed! The steak was excellent. Great food, very reasonable prices ... Cannot wait to go back.
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This place was awesome! I went with 2 friends on a Wednesday and we got the last table at 7:45 and it was crowded until we left - always a good sign! The service was a bit mish mashed as I think every waitress in the place waited on us as some point, but I didn't care because they were friendly and prompt. I ordered the chicken enchilades with mole and holy mole, they were AWESOME! So good, I was fully willing to eat all 3 despite the fact that I was full after 1.5. I just didn't want to stop the YUM. Chips and salsa were good, although I like a chunky salsa and they had the smooth kind, but both were very good. I recommend if you are in this area.
I love the Los Nopales skirt steak special. I've had so much skirt steak in the past that it no longer wows me. But this dish is different. The steak sits in a flavorful broth, the steak is sooo tender (I think I ordered it "medium"), and the cactus salad on top is a great texture/flavor complement. My friend had the enchiladas (which, sorry to say, aren't very exciting in general), but she apparently loved them (and she rarely loves anything). Overall, it's a yummy, inexpensive place that's BYOB and has great service.
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I am a fan of Mexican food.... I've been wanting to try this place for a few months and seeing how I was stuck inside doing laundry on a cold and windy night, I thought... hmmm Mexican carry out. I placed an order, picked it up and came home. Meaning: Folks, I am talking about the food here.
I got a little smattering of food, some tortilla soup, some nachos and some enchiladas verde with chicken. First off, the soup.... I found a new favorite. fresh chunks of avocados, shredded chicken, thinly sliced corn tortillas, a few peppers. The broth was well seasoned and had some really good heat, right there I was happy. Thank goodness I was at home alone, because I was licking the cup trying to get the last of the soup. Might be a little embarrassing at the restaurant. The nachos were good, though they would probably be better at the restaurant and not sitting in a carry out box. However, they still went down quite quickly and that guacamole was fresh and awesome! At this point I was full... but for the sake of this review I knew I had to munch on some of those enchiladas just so I could say.... they were pretty darn tasty! I wish I could eat the whole thing... but I am looking forward to finishing them off tomorrow.... or later tonight....
Judging from the bustling inside of the place when I walked in, it is quaint, it was busy and the staff was smiling and certainly hustling. I was also quite surprised at how big the place was, they had a second area that stretched further back. I look forward to visiting once again, taking a seat, having some soup and having a fine meal once again. I am sure when I do, they will earn that fifth star.
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Blah blah blah, I like Mexican food and never had a bad meal at Los Nopales. Yes yes, take my word for it because I like to eat and my opinion matters. Yadda Yadda compared to other Mexican restaurants in other neighborhoods, it holds its own. It's just south of the Western stop on the Brown Line, BYOB, good service, etc. etc. Cue the personal note here: I was disappointed that they discontinued deliveries so I can't cure hangovers with chilaquiles at home, but I'll forgive them because they make one hell of a meal. My favorites include the Bistec ala Mexicana, Camarones ala Mexicana...and so forth and so on...
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I typically don't like Mexican food, but Los Nopales is different. Fresh, yummy, always a tasty spin on Mexican food. Enchiladas are supreme and any fish is always delicious. And their specials are always awesome. Also, the waitress are wonderful. They really want to take care of you and give you a good meal. Oh, and great guacamole.
Yum. Finally got to try this place last night and was so glad I did. Chips were pretty good (not Irazu, but still good), salsas great, veggie tacos great and not the usual undergrilled peppers and onions filling. I don't know what they put in that rice, but it was like crack.
They lose a star for cleaning during business hours. That's a gross practice that I'm seeing more and more. No one wants to smell Windex while they eat. I don't care how many fingerprints are on the drink cooler, wait until closing time!
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This place is great. Probably one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city. It has a great selection of food at very reasonable prices.
Dinner for two including one app. $32. Not to mention its BYOB.
Would have given it five stars if the server was a little more attentive and salsa a little spicier.
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I have never EVER had a bad meal here. Everything is so fresh, reasonably priced - and the service is always attentive. It is BYO, but I have noticed they have started charging a "corkage fee," even though they dont actually open the bottles for you. Not sure what that is always about...
Its my favorite restaurant and I cannot say enough about it! The carne asada, chicken tacos and tortilla soup are my personal faves.
I went on Friday with some friends and our server (who is the brother of the chef) was telling us that even the cheeseburger on the menu is homemade.
I used to work near here and we would order for lunch. This Mexican food is sooooo good!
I ordered the Chicken Taco dinner (boring I know, but) it was fabulous. Everything tasted very fresh. The salsa was great and their guacamole is probably the second best I have had yet (my bf's is the best!) The rice in my dish was also extremely addicting!! I agree with Mads G. "it was like crack."
You should definitely order from here if you are in the area. I have yet to dine in the restaurant, but each time I have been in to pick up the take out order it is really clean and the woman behind the bar is really friendly even though I'm white as can be and know extremely little Spanish.
I've eaten here twice and had a delicious meal both times. I would recommend the chicken with mole sauce. The meat was succulent as it should be, and the sauce was very good and plentiful-- hints of chocolate, chilies, and other spices that went well with the red wine we brought along. Although fine the first time, the service was noticeably lacking the second time I ate there, but that didn't interfere with us enjoying the food.
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