El Burrito Amigo

Don't get me wrong.  I love Rick Bayless, but the carne asada tacos at this totally nondescript taqueria in Cragin are just as good as anything he's turning out at any of his restaurants.  It's not a knock on Rick.  These tacos are just that good.  

The flank steaks are marinated in typical carne asada fashion, seasoned, and grilled over open flame.  The meat is always cooked to a perfect medium-rare with a bit of char on the outside.  They do a pretty brisk business during lunch, so there are some days when the smell of grilled steak fills the neighborhood for hours on end.  The tacos are served in the traditional style - double corn tortillas, raw onion, cilantro, lime and salsa verde.  Words can't even do it justice.  I can completely relate to the earlier reviewer who said he nearly hyperventilated the first time he had them.

The other thing that's great about this place is the people that eat here.  There's a CTA bus depot next door, the El Milagro tortilla factory across the street, a handful of small warehouses nearby, and that's about it for a couple block radius.  Most of the clientele are usually covered in paint, dirt or grease and look tired and happy.  I just can't say enough about this place.

my fave in town. i sort of hyperventilated the first time i tried these tasty guys. it was a special  moment for sure.

i love the spit crispness and the toppings. i like to put spicy/vinegared onion slices on top along with radishes to cool off the heat of the jalapeno. their green salsa is all heat and little flava for me though.

(thanks to david hammond for this one)

A bit out of the way but I like what this place has to offer. The quality of the food is excellent, the meat is cooked perfectly and every bite is full of flavor. Probably the best tacos to get here is the Al Pastor with some of the red hot sauce and you have satisfying meal. To wash it all down grab a joya or some Horchata or Jamaica.

Down side, parking in the area is horrible and you the wait time seems a little long. All in all to be expected, so just relax and sip on your drink until your food gets there.