Holy Molly! Talk about amazing food in the hole- in the- wall kind of a restaurant!
Just thinking about my cow tongue burrito makes me salivate like a dog and book next trip to Chi city ASAP! I could care less about cloth napkins, etiquette, silverware... the juice was dripping into my cleavage, my heart skipped a beat, few Mexican people were watching our affair in fascination... the Earth almost stopped revolving for a minute there... I don't remember last time I was hit that hard. Wow.
Please try this place before you die. Or you haven't lived.
DO NOT COME HERE! This place USED to be La Pasadita Express but it was recently bought out and their new name is La Palapita. They still use the same "Pasadita" sign and logo but changed two letters to make it now say "Palapita". Its a trick to lure you in! I came in this weekend with a friend and asked if this was the same Pasadita with the same recipes and they said "yes" and that the only difference was the name change because this specific location has a new owner and that they're better! We ordered 2 steak tacos with cilantro and cheese, a steak burrito, and an order of guacamole, to go. My friend wanted to order horchata but they were out. After waiting for about 15 minutes for the 10 year old boy in the kitchen to make our food, we asked if the order was almost ready and they said it'll be a sec. A woman then walked in with a big bag full or tortillas. They probably took forever because they didn't have any tortillas. What kind of Mexican restaurant runs out of tortillas?!? We finally got our order and jumped in the car. I told my friend he better check the order. They forgot the guac! She goes back in and the crabby girl behind the counter says "Oh yeah." Another guy asked what size we ordered and proceeded to cut an avocado in half. My friends like " What! You still gotta make it?!" She told them to forget it and got her money back. When we got home to eat, the food was cold and old and my order was wrong! I ordered two of the same tacos and they managed to get that wrong! How the hec??? Never coming back again! I'll make sure to go to the one on Ashland from now on!
Review Source:The food is pretty good for a "fast food" joint. Â Definitely the best mexican place in the area (no, taco bell doesn't count, America).
The reason for the three stars: As has been noted below, their hours SUCK. Â It seems they close whenever they feel like it.
I'd definitely come more often if I knew I could count on it being open when it states it's open.
Tried it twice; both equally bad.
Today: burrito, and two asada tacos to go.
tacos: not hot enough to melt the cheese in the 10 minutes they were wrapped in foil in the bag on the way home.
burrito: did not stay together after I carefully peeled the foil off, also not hot, hard grains of rice, and very salty.
I was so thrilled to see this place walking distance from my home. It has not been open all that long and i end up getting over there a couple times a month. This place is a complete dive but the steak is some of the best around. The food lives up to the Pasadita name.
Why am I giving it only two stars then you ask?
The hours are clearly marked on the front of the building that they are open until midnight. I tried to stop in one Saturday night around 9:00 PM and they were closed. I tried to stop in last night at 7:30 PM and they were closed? What time are they really open until? It obviously isn't midnight. I would strongly suggest changing the sign on the window to reflect an accurate closing time or risk the chance of losing me as a customer forever!
I was excited when this location opened up in my neighborhood. The flavors are definitely there, as good as you'll experience at their other locations (I've been to their places on Ashland and another Express spot on Elston.) I can smell the meat cooking from my front door; very enticing.
Unfortunately, every time I have visited (five total), they've got my order wrong. Sometimes something is missing, whether it be an ingredient or an entire menu item. One time I ordered three chicken tacos; took them home and opened up to find they were all...steak! I love the steak, but it wasn't what I ordered. One night I ordered a number of items and asked if I could get a side of rice and beans for my toddler. I was informed that since it was so late in the evening (830pm!), they were out of rice and beans. However, upon getting home I discovered that the burrito i ordered indeed had inside...rice and beans.
And as far as their hours, which they claim to be 10am-Midnight, it seems to me that they close up shop whenever they feel like it. I passed by there this evening (Friday), and would have stopped in to eat, but alas they were completely closed...at 815pm. Maybe business has been tough and they have shortened their hours, not sure.
I've eaten outside on their "patio" in the summer. Don't think I'll ever eat inside. Pretty cramped and kind of a poor layout.
So what I thought would have been a 'hit', has been kind of a 'miss'. There are a couple of other places in the 'hood I'll head to when I get the craving for Mexican food.
This place is near my work and I eat here about 3 times a month. The people who work there, including the 4 ft tall gal the other reviewer referred to, have always been pleasant. The food is fantastic. Burritos, tacos, tortas or tostadas. The meat is always good. The extras always fresh. Both the red and verde salsas are great.
The place is consistent and good and that's why I go back.
I don't know what's up with the other reviewer who seems to expected Filet Mignon cut in his steak burrito rather than skirt steak....maybe in whatever suburb/state he moved to Avondale from they rolled like that. Not here. Just good Mexican food.
I've ordered carry-out three times, and this La Pasadita Express is now my go-to place for Mexican carry-out. Â It's worth the trip from Logan Square.
The steak tacos are outstanding; whatever marinade they're using is just right. Â The super burritos (I've had a steak and a chorizo) are really, really big. Â You better be prepared to eat!
Service has always been good, although they've never had a carry out menu available when I've asked for one. Â Seems strange, but I suppose there's not much of a need for one with such standard fare on the menu.
So I'm giving this a solid three stars and an extra star for it being walking distance from my house. Â My Yelp reviews, my rules. Â
Anyway, like someone mentioned in another post, they totally transferred the La Pasadita taste from the La Pasadita Mecca on Ashland to this express Pasadita on Belmont. I had carne asada tacos with cheese, onions and cilantro as well as a chile relleno taco with onions and cilantro. Â
The staff was friendly, made sure I knew there was an additional charge for cheese and prepared our food super speedy.
The Pros
I love that there's diagonal parking, plenty of room to sit inside and their menu is GINORMOUS compared to the Pasadita Shack I usually frequent on Ashland. (The other two restaurants on Ashland aren't as good as the shack (that used to have the crying cow mural) across the street). Â The Express Menu has Tortas and Tostadas plus the staple Burrito/Taco options. Â Oh, they even have side order rice and beans!
The Cons
I'd have given them a solid four stars if they remembered to put the cheese (I had to pay for) on the steak tacos, but meh, they were still delicious.
When that carne craving calls again we'll most definitely be back!
After moving into Avondale about 6 months ago, and walking past this place on the way to the gym, this is my first trip inside. Â From the outside, it smells like it would be awesome. Â On the inside, the decor leaves much to be desired. Â Scant tables, random barstools, whatever. Â It goes along well with Avondale's Third World vibe. Â The girl working behind the counter was pretty rude. Â I'll describe her for you, in case you are immune to individuals with an enlarged sense of entitlement. Â She is about four feet tall, light brown hair, and probably a facial piercing of some sort. Â But I guess I could give a shit about her demeanor, she's probably a) part of the family and working for free, b) making minimum wage or c) part of the current generation that consists entirely of selfish and worthless assholes. Â
I got the Steak Super Burrito. Â I carried it the half block home and noticed that it weighed about ten pounds. Â It was full of steak (skirt steak so not the most tender), beans, rice, guacamole, tomatoes, onions, etc. Â It was freaking huge, but if you've ever had a burrito in Chicago, you were already expecting that. Â I made it about 3/4 of the way through it and had to stop. Â
One thing I found really annoying, even if they do have a limited menu, was that they do not offer chips and/or salsa. Â What kind of a mexican restaurant doesn't have chips & salsa? Â On the other hand, the salsa verde that came with the burrito was pretty damn good. Â
I guess I would go back if ever in a pinch.
FYI I put "not sure" for the question about kids because when I was there they were playing some sort of Latino TV program which featured mostly nude women clearly demonstrating their sexual prowess through modern dance.
Another La Pasadita Express has opened at this address. How many does it now have? This was most recently "Nino's Beef & Pizza". (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/ninos-beef-and-pizza-chicago/">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a> )
I visited here one afternoon. It has the same limited menu that you would find at other La Pasadita Expresses (prior to this; I visited the one at Diversey & Laramie).
I had the regular carne asada burrito with cilantro (only) ($6.70). If you want the garden in a wrapped tortilla, that will cost an extra dollar.
Can't scribe much more than it has successfully managed to transfer the taste and flavor of its burrito to here. It's a very good one. It's about 8 inches long. (I ate this at home.)
Transit options: The #77 Belmont bus runs past here all the time that it's open, but you will have to walk a half-block in some direction because there is no stop at Ridgeway. I got on & off at Hamlin.
It is also two blocks away from the #56 Milwaukee bus.
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