Nuevo Leon, you are one of my favorites! I love you dearly. Please don't ever leave me.
Chips and salsa, yes!
Side of guacamole, definitely!
Fresh and ripe.
Half chunky, half creamy. Perfecto!
Tostada with seasoned steak, lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, guac, and sour cream.
It's a hot mess, but don't mind me.
Leave me be as I enjoy this in solace with my bib.
Skirt steak taco with lettuce, cilantro, onion, and tomatoes.
Add a dose of hot sauce and a spoonful of guacamole,
Close your eyes and savor each bite.
It can't get any better than that. Do it! Â
Cheap eats. Free parking. Good service. No complaints.
I had tried to go here two other times, but the line was simply too long and I was too hungry to wait...third times the charm, I guess! Â There were three of us at about 3:45 on a Saturday and we only had to wait about five minutes - the key is to go at an off time and you get right in! Â They brought out chips, salsa and soup right away. Â And after asking for a refill on water, brought out a pitcher of water too. Â I ordered the combination platter, but only ate a little bit there because I (of course) gorged myself on chips and the delicious queso con chorizo. Â My friends got some steak meals that were also great. Â Very reasonably priced, Â I was going to give four stars, but after writing about it I decided it deserved five!
Review Source:My girlfriend and I decided to come here after a long night the day before. We heard about this place this past fall and finally decided to take a chance. If you deal with long line you will not regret it. Great food and prices are not bad either. There is only 1 bad thing about this place, it is the size of the place it's way to small. They need to add a room or something but overall 4/5.
Review Source:There was a line out the front door, which is expected on a weekend night. Â It moved quickly, about a 10 minute wait. Â Once inside, we found out it's byob. There's a sign that says COOLERS ARE NOT ALLOWED yet there were still a handful people hauling in tubs of beverages, some with rolling-luggage coolers you normally expect at a Soldier Field parking lot. Â It's Friday night and I guess it's time to party at Nuevo Leon. The woman standing in front of us in line was so sorry we didn't have anything to drink, she gave us a salted-top glass of the margarita juice she brought for dinner. Drinks all around!
We were eventually seated in the original, east side of the restaurant, but I would recommend trying to sit on the newer, west side of the restaurant where things aren't quite as rustic and crowded by all those people waiting in line. Â The server promptly took our order, and it took a strangely long half hour for the food to arrive. Â We both got the enchiladas, mole-chicken and tomatillo-cheese.
Unfortunately, the food was pretty bland. There wasn't much flavor that set it apart from other, less hyped Mexican restaurants. The food was served in big quantities, it was filling and cheesy and incredibly cheap too (total bill less than $20). There just weren't any distinct flavors, and the chicken was sparsely apportioned.
Only one question, are you serious???
I was there with some friends and I got to try many different things and I have been there a few time over the years and all I can say is are you serious??
Service was super nice and did all they could to help us as fast as possible. To start the line was all the way to the door, mostly white people. We waited for a while and got seated.
As said before I got to try many things and honeslty out of the list the only thing that I really enjoyed was the tacos sabinas. Guisado de res was bland, rice ok, refried beans with a lot of oil or lard and just ok in flavor. Guisado de puerco same sad story. Nuevo Leon steak was overdone and bland. And even though it is BYOB I would have to be really drunk to enjoy their food.
What did you say? Â an institucion, yea, yea I get it it has been there for ages but hat does not mean that it is good. Or at least I did not find it.
After all the hype from friends telling me this place is the bomb I decided to give it a try last night. Â We went as a party of four at 6:00pm, and we went early because we were told there can be very long lines. Â We got there and the line was out the door but we were seated in about 20 minutes which was great. Â The place inside looks a little old and outdated but its authentic mexican food so who cares. Â
My fault, I gave up red meat for lent so my choices were slim but who can resist authentic tamales in the husk? Â As we waited in line watching everyone enjoy their food I couldn't wait to dig in. Â Here's the problem, we ordered the tamales and the waitress came back and said they didn't have anymore! Â How on earth on a saturday night at 6:30 are you out of tamales? Â Very disappointing! Â With the limited choices I did have, basically chicken... everything was great and everyone else loved their food.
No Tamales!!!! Really!!!!
Oh my. Amazing. Delicious. Authentic. So many salsas are offered, try the green tomatillo salsa because it's just amazing. I've never disliked anything I've ordered here, doesn't matter what it is. My other-worldly breakfast experience here locked me in as a customer for life, since my eggs and chorizo knocked my socks off with their great coffee. For dinner remember it's BYOB, which saves you $$ and doesn't limit your drink choices! All around great place, famous for their Menudo. Don't miss out on this place. However the neighborhood can be sketchy sometimes, so just don't go wandering around later, post-meal.
Review Source:Nuevo Leon on 18th Street may be the best Mexican Restaurant in the Chicago-Metro area. Â This establishment is always busy. Â The service is excellent...constant movement by the waitresses. Â Customers are treated and served as if they are at a family gathering. Â Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared with excellence. Â Every item is fantastic! Â
My pet peeve about this restaurant is the lack of "elbow room." Â It can feel pretty tight at times due to its' popularity.
There is a reason why this place has a ton of good reviews. Â It's darn good, darn plentiful and darn cheap. Â Best of all, you'll find the crowd rather mixed...locals/outsiders, Mexicans/everyone else, young/old, rich/poor, upper class/lower class, etc... Â I've been many times since I moved here several years ago. Â Bonus for being a BYOB. Â You should go. Â It's Muy Bueno!
Review Source:There's a crazy-long line at lunch on Sunday, but it moves fast. The waitresses never stops moving and get the food out at top speed. You're greeted with a yummy free appetizer.
The Chile Rellano and the combo platter were delicious. The enchilada in mole sauce was the best enchilada I have ever eaten. The only complaint I have food-wise is that the salsa is too hot even for a spicy Mexican food lover like myself.
Great food, great service, great prices.
Will be back, for sure.
Went to dinner at this place on a Thursday night 9 pm
First time ever in this neighborhood, I was a bit sceptical at first. However, after eating at Nuevo Leon, I will recommend this little gem to everyone! Best authentic mexican I have had yet.
This this is a BYOB! However, bring your bottle with you when traveling to this mexican hideway. you will be disappointed to find that there is not a liquor store close by
Dirty. Â Crowded. Food is nothing special.
The management act like they invented tacos!
They USED to be the best , now just riding on their famous reputation, but honestly they have made fortune after all these years , don't their customers deserve a CLEAN restroom with SOAP??
The chicken enchiladas are flavorless boiled chicken relying on uninspired sarzas.
I headed out the Nuevo Leon because I received a gift certificate there from my boss. When I arrived there I saw the line extended past the door to the restaurant. As I waited in line I saw customer after customer come out looking pretty content.
It was about a 30 minute wait before we were seated and were promptly given chicken soup. Not sure if this is some custom that I am unaware of or not, but I have never been served soup immediately upon being seated before.
I had a steak burrito and my girlfriend had chorizo and chicken tacos. I would say that the food was above average and the price was very reasonable. Normally I would rate this experience 3.5-4 stars and recommend it to my friends and family; however, what transpired when I tried to pay left my girlfriend and I speechless.
I went to the cashier directly following our meal and handed him the gift certificate I was given. He looked at me strangely and said that he would have to check with the manager. A few minutes later, the manager appeared and told me that the gift certificate was not valid. I showed him that it was clearly filled out and he pointed to the employee signature and said it was forged. I tried to explain to him that I was given that certificate by a member of a religious organization and he told me (I use quotations because it is exactly what he said to me), "If you got this from a religious brother then he was doing something he shouldn't have."
To say I was infuriated would be a gross understatement. I was trying to use a $25 gift certificate to pay for our $15 bill and the manager basically called me a liar and a forger. I didn't leave the gift certificate on the table and attempt to leave the restaurant quickly, I did not try to max out my bill so that I would use all of the "forged monies", I just wanted to use the gift that my boss had given me for my hard work.
Well, in lieu of using the $25 that my boss paid to the restaurant, I was now paying my bill on top of that! So my meal ended up costing around $40 for a burrito and a few tacos.
This action taken by the manager was deplorable. Moreover, any revenue that would have been lost through my "forged certificate" has now been lost tenfold through my reviews that I have told my friends and family.
Originally I thought that this would have been a nice restaurant to bring my family to, but upon the gross misconduct that I faced I have been forced to reconsider. Neither I, nor any of my family, will ever step foot within that restaurant again.
Went here tonight for dinner with two friends who recently moved to Chicago from AZ. They were jonesing for some good Mexican food, and we were excited to try this place. The place was packed and the line for a table was long. The line moved quickly, the waitress was friendly and efficient. We had steak tacos and chicken flautas both tasted fresh and delicious. I love that it's byob, and c'mon, 4 of us ate dinner (left with full stomachs and with leftovers!) for $32.00. It doesn't get much better than this....
Review Source:I love Nuevo Leon! My family has been coming here for years and I feel right at home every time I visit. The tortillas and frijoles  are perfection and made in house, my favorite dish is tacos de sabinas.  The staff is so friendly and helpful.
I am disgusted reading some of the comments, why is Mexican food just expected to be cheap and fast? This restaurant has been along for a long time and has a faithful following it is also a place where families will go on a Sunday after church. So to give a low rating for having to wait in line, and the place being busy is just silly.
Here's the thing... If you grew up in a mexican family like I did, you understand fully why people love this place. It feels like home. A staple of the Pilsen community with good reason, just like El Milagro, Casa Del Pueblo, and Don Pedro, they've been doing it longer and better than everyone else for decades, and their staying power is a testament to that.
Most of the complaints I've read here seem to be about the food not being up to Rick Bayless standards, when this type of place is exactly what he's been ripping off and repurposing for a long time now! Where else can you get meals this substantial and of this quality for under $12? I know foodies and chefs who love this place, and if you're a veggie/vegan, sorry but this probably isn't the place for you, sadly - But I don't see it as an excuse for hating on the place. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that I have had better dining experiences; but at a MUCH higher price point, I must add. Nuevo Leon, may you never change.
I'm really enamoured with this place. Â Food is always good quality, nothing fancy but delish and consistent every time. Â LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pickled carrots that are in the relish assortment but beware - it's spicy hot.
Service is always great, friendly and fast. Â Prices are very reasonable too.
For 8.00 + tax and tip up to 10.00, had a great, very filling entree dish in steamed barbacoa. Oh man, oh man, oh man. Juicy, thin flakes, with good rice, some nice but not distracting salad and tortillas. It's just like the family-owned places in California. Did I mention they give you soup and infinite chips? This place is fantastic and I miss it already.
Remember: cash only.
I could take or leave this place. It's exactly like every other mid-priced Mexican restaurant in Chicago (and there are plenty) and has the same combination of meat, rice, beans and tortillas that you can seriously get anywhere without waiting in line. It's just kind of *shrug.
The food was good and I'd go back if there was no line, but it's not really worth any wait or the hype.
It also didn't appear to be very clean. Maybe it was the decor and old greasy-spoon furniture, but it was kind of ick. You eat with your eyes first and the ambiance isn't very appetizing.
My favorite Mexican restaurant in Chicago!
So many great reviews of this place already so I will get to the point quick.
Authentic, homemade quality, stick to your ribs, Mexican food at it's best. Â Practically, everything I have had here is something that my mom makes or my abuela used to make. Â Homemade flour tortillas fresh off the griddle... Â again, as close to my abuela's as I have ever had. Â
Try the tacos (3) Sabinas, grilled strips of steak, with grilled onions, jalepeno peppers, cheese and refried beans in a flour tortilla.  Or, my new favorite the Filete al Nuevo Leon .. A nice sized NY strip steak, with homestyle fried potatoes, rice, beans and  Guacamole..  a  king sized Mexican feast worth every peso ($12).
I know many people complain about the long lines and the tight quarters, but this place is definitely worth the wait and minor inconvenience of rubbing elbows with the person next to you.
Bonus: NL makes you feel welcome and cares about your hunger.. Â sit down and have a nice anotjito on the house, flauta de papa, carne de puerco en salsa rojo, or the carne con friljoles.. just a few of the delicious samples that vary day to day.
Nuevo Leon rocks. It is some seriously good Mexican food. Me gusta mucho.
We have gotten here as early as 11:00am on a weekend and there was already a line for a table. It is seriously that good. I always get a steak dish. If I am in a dessert mood, I do flan. I like flan.
Cash only, but prices are reasonable. Street parking.
Seriously best Mexican food I've ever had. I pretty much always get the steak fajitas. I'm sure the refried beans and fajitas must be cooked in lard because the flavor is to die for.
Even if there is a line out the door you will usually get seated within about 15 minutes. The service is usually very fast as well. FYI: THEY DON'T ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS.
BONUS: They always bring you a small appetizer and delicious chips before your meal at no cost! Validated parking in a nearby lot.
The dishes I had here were solid in taste and a great value. Â Service is pretty quick and friendly.
Here is my main problem which will prevent me from returning. Â I read another review that implied they reused salsa and pickled vegetables from tables. Â This is pretty gross if true. Â Upon observation, I think that other review was accurate.
BYOB awesome Mexican
I been meaning to write this review since July when I went for first time. Been back in August, September and now last week!!
Had a little bit of everything on the menu, all very good. Brought a bottle of margar. mix, the staff not only brough us glasses with ice, but salted all the rims (was told they dont do that on a Friday or Saturday when busy but it was pretty empty cause we went when they opened)
Parking a lil hard but this place is a must!
This place never fails and hands down is the best Mexican in Chicago! We've always come here on a Friday or Saturday night, so there usually is a line, but it actually has always moved super fast.
The staff is on top of everything and services is always quick and friendly. I can't say I've ever had a bad dish or bad experience here ever.
As soon as you get seated, they bring 2 different salsas, a small dish of pickled vegetables and a potatoe-filled taquito. The items on the menu are all reasonable and the portions are large. Also-this place is byob, which is always a plus in my book! (And..no cork fee!)
If you're looking for an amazing Mexican byob, go here. You won't be disappointed.
Had to go here because of a family obligation. Â Not a huge fan of where this restaurant is. Â I do have to say that even though there were about 25 people in line. Â They did seat us almost right away. Â I guess it helps that there are 6 people in your group! Â (It was extremely crowded for a Sunday at 5:30pm, but maybe it's always packed? Â They definitely can bring in the crowds!) Â
The steak was good. Â The cheese enchilada with mole sauce that came along with my steak was gross. Â The guacamole was not to my liking as well. Â They made it too creamy. Â It was definitely not what I'm used to. Â And the salsa that came with the chips was way too hot to my liking.
My sister-in-law didn't care for Nuevo Leon because it was a BYOB! Â lol... Â I think she was craving a margarita. Â
Beware! Â This is a cash only business!
I think my family will just stick to Arturo's on Western and Armitage on the NORTHSIDE next time. Â They serve margaritas there to my sister-in-law's liking.
Nuevo Leon is located on 18th Street in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. There's a small private parking lot down the block, but on a Saturday evening, was full with a line of waiting cars.
Nuevo Leon is housed in two three story buidings--attached by a "tunnel." This year marks their 50th anniversary and it's still under the original family's ownership. The interior is simple, a bit dated and tight.
The menu is printed in Spanish, but you'll have no trouble ordering something delicious. I had the combination fajita plate with chicken and steak. It came sizzling in a cast iron platter. I was expecting a very spicy dish, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was mild. Nacho chips and several salsas were provided to everyone with their meals.
Outside the restaurant was a gentleman selling churros from a cardboard box and down the street was a homeless woman asking for money. I had a wonderful evening with friends (there were nine of us) and would not hesitate to come back.
PLEASE READ THIS.....
So, I just went into Nuevo Leon, I'm waiting in Line, about 5 couples in front of me, I'm watching my surroundings, and notice, every time a table gets up, all is cleaned up BUT the Salsa and carrots and peppers... Hmmm, then the waitressing comes up and picks them up and brings them toward the kitchen area.. So I watch further while sipping on my Cerveza, now there is only one couple infront of me.. Waitress does the same, BUT now I can see what is going on, the peppers and carrots are being put back into the fridge and another waitress is picking them up to put on another table.... YIKES... Then the salsa, busboy picking up to top off!!! After its been on someone else's table!!!! Sorry I went some place else.. I've probably have eaten worse, but Please, it's been on my terms, not theres... I will NOT Be Back and the food is not even that Good!
Enjoy!
If you want traditional Mexican cuisine and ambiance at a small cost, Nuevo Leon will not disappoint. Free chips and salsa, free appetizer (changes daily), and inexpensive, quality food. I recommend this place to everyone who loves Mexican food.
Be prepared to wait. Nuevo Leon has recently become very popular.
Cash only. If you want to complain and knock yelp stars because you're not able to swipe your Chase card, please feel free to go elsewhere. Perhaps you may enjoy one of those authentic burrito bowls at Chipotle...
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