After seeing this place, I finally decided to try it.I tried the chicken quesadillas and chips and salsa. I don't know how the front desk person can take your order and make your food without using gloves.Maybe this was just because of being short staffed ,but i wish he would use his gloves next time.
Review Source:This place is my local go-to place. All the Korean fusion stuff is amazing, the standard Mexican stuff is so-so(get the fusion stuff). My fave is their tortas, any kind. I think they use bread from the Bakery located directly next door to them which is also wonderful and that bread is good I tell you! They deliver for cheap and their service is minimal,(not a check-on-your-table place) very helpful and friendly.
Go here for terrific, affordable Korean-Mexican fusion, right next to Kimball Brownline stop.
Really cheap food, but lots of taste. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in Friday evening with a few siblings. The place was a little on the small side, just an fyi. It's definitely leans more towards a fast food place rather than a restaurant but the food tasted better than fast food. The portions were huge and the service was very friendly. Everyone enjoyed their meals and we all agreed that we would come back again.
Review Source:Holy kimchi taco. Â I think I'm in love! Â Best taco I have had in Albany Park...and let me say I have frequented many of the taquerias around here. Â I did notice while I was there that it was a bit slower that others--but then I peeked into the kitchen and they were slicing and chopping the onions--everything to order. Â And you can tell. Â Totally fresh, delicious and not greasy. Â Had the bulgogi taco, kimchi taco and the carnita taco--all awesome. Â Can't wait to go back--and those in the AP: they deliver until 11 pm. Â Done!
Review Source:Other reviewers complained that the service is slow, but I did not find that to be the case. For a dive, I found the service to be excellent. The man behind the counter (likely the owner) was friendly, helpful with suggestions, and clearly proud of his work. There are pictures of Andrew Zimmern on the walls, and the man looked ever so pleased when he told us that Andrew came back for the kimchi tacos twice. We can't argue with Andrew Zimmern, can we? Ok, yes we can, but I still ordered a kimchi taco. I ordered a bolgogi taco, too, and both were excellent.
My husband had the chorizo burrito which was excellent, but a little too heavy. We split a giant plate of steak nachos which was huge, excellent, and super cheap. I liked the Korean-inspired items better than the straight up Mexican offerings, but it was all very good. We'll be going back soon and often.
Slow service. Mediocre food.
People that came in 30 min after I ordered came in, ordered and still got their food before me. That's how slow they are with take out... I didn't even order a lot but I did see the chefs in the back making the other people's food before mine. It wasn't even busy. There was only one family inside when I walked in and they were already eating..
I got Korean chicken quesadilla, Korean beef tacos, and pork kimchi tacos. The first 2 were a disappointment. The best thing was the pork kimchi tacos.
I don't know if I'd ever go back again. Parking sucks, service is sloooooow, food is eh. I don't think it's worth it just to go to get pork kimchi tacos.
Super cheap, super good, suuuuper slow.
Came here for the first time on a Wednesday around 5. Â There was no one in front of me in line, and it took over 15 minutes for me to get my chorizo torta. Â I probably could have made it myself faster. Â That being said- it was DELICIOUS and the cheapest I've had of anywhere in Chicago. Â Under 5 dollars AND it came with avocado! Â A great surprise. Â I'll probably come back, especially since it's near school. Â Curious to try the Korean food too.
A really decent place to get your mexican/ korean fix-
We had the korean beef burrito, bulgogi torta, nachos supreme with beef,and a large horchata. Everything was very flavorful and their sauces were also really good. They use habanero for their spicy sauce; if you can't take the heat salsa verde is a wonderful medium spice sauce. Â It seems to be more of a take out joint but there are a few tables inside if you don't feel like trekking back home.
Seriously, where else in the city can you get a HUGE serving of steak nachos, with everything on them for $6??? They even include guac on there for no extra charge! Not to mention the guy who has always rung me up is friendly, professional, & quick. Great taste, great prices, great portions. What's not to love?
Review Source:Props to Taco Chino.
Good flavor here, and the Mexican elements are just as on point and as proper as the Korean elements.
Nachos. Dope.
Korean bbq flavors. Dope.
This is my stomping grounds, and perhaps the street/ethnic food capitol of the Midwest. I am not sure if the Kogi truck was out first before Taco Chino, but I will tell you that Korea Town and Albany Park has been blending Latins and Asians since forever...be it food, biz, or family. This place is CLEAN, and nicely decorated. This is odd because usually food in Albany Park is always good, but most often it is served in weird, dank, and sometimes scary places...(Lawrence Fish Market, George's Kabob??).
I am not a million percent sure if the fusion here is perfect...but it is certainly honest, and these guys should be commended for their execution and creativity.
Good place to go for guacamole and nachos. Â Their korean tacos are delicious but I think better in burrito form. Â The wait for the food can be a while some times.
They do also have really good chicken soup. Â It's basically huge pieces of bone in chicken and veggies thrown together - not the prettiest - but very good when you need it for a cold!
Located in the plaza just south of Kimball and Lawrence, you can get some unique tasting tacos. Mix of Korean and Mexican cuisine. I've tried all their tacos (~$2 each) and haven't found one that I didn't like. You also get a huge tub of guac for $4!
Never dined in, but their staff has been pretty friendly. I think there's a note posting $5 minimum for card charges, but they've let me slide. :)
Free parking in the lot.
Tried to order through seamless. I was able to make the order yet apparently I was too far away by 3 minutes. Â At least they had to the decency to contact me.
Business man tip: If you're not ready for prime-time don't put yourself in positions not being able to make deliveries. Â I'll never order again just for this reason alone.
Taco Chino, what the effity eff is wrong with your tortillas?? They taste like dishwashing gloves that have been left in a corn field.
I'm all about my Asian peoples, and I LOVE Asian-Mexican fusion. So I was totally disappointed with Taco Chino. The name is awesome, the prices are awesome, the idea is awesome, but the food is so not awesome. Saddings. I knew that Taco Chino had Asian-Mexican food but when I walked in, I didn't see it anywhere on the menu. There were the typical tacos, tortas, burritos, enchis, etc...I was like where da kimchi at? They have mentions of their famous kimchi taco plastered on their walls but nowhere does it say "kimchi taco" on the big menu that you see when you walk in. Confusing. We ordered, and then thankfully my boyfriend asked "do you guys have kimchi tacos?"
"Yeah," the cashier replied. "They're not on that menu, but they're in here" she said as she pointed at the big board above her head and then at a tiny pamphlet on the counter. Ohhhh. If the name of your restaurant means Chinese Taco, I expect for you to have some kind of Asian somethin' on your menu. Get it up there already so I don't have to be part of a secret society to order it.
So I got my food and I re-psyched myself up because it was super cheap and there seemed to be a lot of it. But they seemed to have taken a tiny meal's worth of flavor and spread it out over a huge meal. Everything was super bland. Mexican food ain't bland. Asian food ain't bland. Are they canceling each other out here or something? I'd rather have a meal the size of a bouillon cube that tastes fantastic than a huge platter that tastes like nothing. The exception was the kimchi taco. The meat was flavorful and I could taste all the real kimchi. But it was wrapped in another dishwashing glove.
I hope my Asian brotha' who owns Taco Chino gets it together. Del Seoul in Lincoln Park is stompin' all over this place.
I've been here a handful of times...
I think the kimchi tacos were just "ok"... nothing special but the bulgogi burrito is definitely worth a try!
I had the roasted spicy pork torta but I wasn't a fan of the flavors of the meat and it left a weird taste in my mouth...
Last time I had the regular steak torta and it was delish!
Obviously, there are some hit or misses but bulgogi burrito is a must!
I'm going to try some of the other menu items a try next time!
FYI, when you ask for a cup of water, they don't give you the cup but instead they bring you a cup of water with your food. Sometimes, it's quiet a wait and I'm not sure about this concept... I was so thirsty today!!!
A friend brought me here to try the Korean tacos. I'm pretty adept at recognizing a good taco in the standard taqueria, but I didn't know what to expect out of a kimchi taco, or Korean chicken, or bulgogi (marinated pork).
Good shit, tasty and cheap. Extra points for the habanero salsa--whoo-weee! That was hot, but laced every taco with a subtle fire that just made it. Wish I were over this way more often.
Taco Chino has a number of different meat options to choose from. Â They even have korean options on top of their normal mexican fare. Â It was once only advertised on their windows as specials. Â But they have updated their menu to include them. Â
My favorites so far are the bulgogi burrito and the chorizo taco. Â For me, those two are pretty spot on. Â The others Ive had could use a tweek on the flavor profile. Â There is alot of potential and it seems theyre continually working out kinks in the menu. Â Bottom line is...
They have fresh ingredients, ample portions and cheap prices. Â A place I dont have to complain about the meat to filler ratio is a place I could agree with.
I was excited when I heard that we are going to try out some kimchi taco, but that excitement went away after my first bite in to a bazaar of meat taco's (bulgogi, korean beef, pastor and chicken). The korean taco's were a bit more than the traditional Mexican version but tastier. I've tried the mild - hot sauce and realized that the sauces were bland like the taco's.
What gives? Â
Was my taste buds out of whack that day? Even the horchata was tasteless, I was confused and it did not make any sense..The wall had pictures of Andrew Zimmern (Bizzarre Foods) a celebrity...Maybe he likes it bland.
I left there disappointed and confused and now in search of a taco bell.
I only visited because of the hype of Korean tacos and my review is dated. Being that they offer bul kogi, kim chi and some kind of Korean chicken tacos, I was like hell yeah, I'll have them all!. But, then again, they don't mention having Korean tacos anywhere on their menu. It's almost as if it's a secret. I'm going to share with you their secret and I'm sad to report, they aren't that good. Save your $2.50 and join the rest of us delighted ones that have partook of the awesome which is at Del Seoul. Actually, I think most that do not have a Korean, experienced, tasting palate would probably try Taco Chino and dig it. I on the other hand have had a lot of good Korean food and found it average.
If I can't convince you to try better before trivial, then do it up good. Get a bulkogi, Kim chi and then do it Mex with cow tongue. Get some cultural experience and try it different.
I wish this place and others with Korean tacos would freaking offer soft flour tortillas. I realize corn is easier to find and more popular but the taste man.. the taste!
I like their washrooms, good colors and tiling. Â Love that glass tiles are being used in washrooms more and more these days. Â IF you plan on having their food, have it on site, the stuff does not travel well.
Like someone else mentioned before me, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this place. Â If it only made the usual Mexican-American favorites, then I would probably not bother coming here unless I lived in the area. Â
I had three of the specialty tacos and what I think was a medium horchata.
The kimchi taco was more like a Korean chicken taco with a sprinkling of spicy cabbage. Â While I was glad to get the value of more meat for my money, I almost wasn't sure if it was the kimchi taco. Â The bulgogi taco was great. Â The pork (kalbi?) taco, while good in flavor, seemed out of place in a tortilla. Â I was given the spicy-spicy sauce, an orangey red concoction with a hint of citrus, but these tacos didn't really need any additional flavor. Â
The horchata, which was on the strange tasting and overly-sweet side, could use more work. Â
Although there are window signs and a framed newspaper article, I wasn't sure why there was no advertisement of the special tacos on the actual menus. Â If that's your thing, then why not make their presence known everywhere possible?
Also, the wait time was a bit excessive. Â I think there were two guys and a girl that each came back from running their errands and still had to wait for their pre-ordered food. Â What gives? Â But I won't complain too much as the front counter/order taker/ server/cashier/jack of all trades dude was extremely nice. Â I could tell he genuinely felt bad about the wait time.
I don't think I'll return to Taco Chino. Â If you ever come here, try the chicken and beef Korean tacos.
This place is just okay. Those two stars are because I walk past it on my way from the Kimball stop and sometimes, I just don't want to cook. Nor do I want to veer off my normal walking route, so Taco Chino got my business by default.
Meh is the best way to describe my experience. Nothing to see here. Move along, move along.
Let me say a couple things before I review:
1. I love tacos.
2. I love bulgogi.
3. I love kimchi.
I had 2 kimchi tacos (with pork) and 2 Korean tacos (bulgogi) and it was good. Â It's nothing special - but it's different, which makes it good in my book.
Bottom line is: if you love korean food, and you love tacos - head on over to Taco Chino and give 'em a try.
Good idea. Bad execution. I am here to help you out, TC.
1.) Get rid of those nasty, rubbery & limp corn taco shells you're using. Whatever oil you're frying them in needs to be changed. I contemplated taking the meat out of the taco and eating it with a fork because nearly every bite of food was lessened by the shell. Your product is being hurt by these shells. Horrible.
2.) I know this is a Mexican restaurant, but take advantage of being the first on the scene in Chicago to do Korean tacos and make them spectacular. I don't eat beef, so I can't speak to the Bulgogi taco. I'd recommend making the Korean chicken taco more like bi bim bap (bop? bap.) in a soft flour shell. Imagine how good the seasoned chicken, veggies and fried egg would taste as a taco. Or, maybe it would work better as a burrito. In any case, I think it would be more exciting than the Korean chicken taco of present. Propers on the kimchi taco. It was well-flavored. The pork was tender. The kimchi popped. The taco shell was nasty.
3.) Improve the Mexican food. Chicago has tons of awesome taquerias. Albany Park is home to many of them. My chicken sope was bland, uninspired and a clearing house of lettuce and sour cream. There were barely any other ingredients. The only reason I managed to finish it was that I sat directly in front of the counter and didn't want to be seen throwing away food. But, it wasn't good. Not even a little bit.
4.) Separate the front and back of the house. I was unnerved that the man who took my money made my food sans gloves. I know time is a premium when it comes to fast-ish food, but there are things one should not skimp on. I debated leaving when this occurred, but I stuck it out and vowed to drink a lot of vodka once I got home in order to kill the germs. I got drunk.
I came here the other day after reading about it and with the whole Asian/Latin fusion thing blowing up thought why not. It definitely leans towards the Latin end of the equation with the menu being filled with Mexican staples and a couple of Asian twists. I ordered three kimchi tacos-which have pork in it, not just kimchi which let's face it would be just weird. The flavors were pretty good-the kimchi was chipped small enough where it didn't overpower the pork and the pork was cooked enough to give it a distinct flavor of it's own.
The lengua they had was also delicious! The meat was so soft and tender, that it split with a fork and almost melted in my fingers. The wait was a little lopsided-I think it depends on what you order. My three kimchi tacos came out pretty quickly but the lengua one definitely took longer. I thought they were so good I ordered 3 more tacos. 6 tacos+Jarritos+Mexican Coke came to under $20 bucks. Score!
I'm conflicted on this one. Â Taco Chino, for the time being, is the only place that serves Korean tacos. Â I hate missing out on the phenomenon that my West Coast peoples experience on a regular basis. Â
At Taco Chino, those were the only tacos I enjoyed. Â The bulgogi tacos are very tasty, but once again I have nothing to compare it to. Â We need some competition here, people. Otherwise this place will be my only source, kinda like Michael Cera grabbing all the awkward teen/sweetheart movie roles. Â More options is always good.
The regular tacos I ate were pretty forgettable. Â The steak taco was bland, and the al pastor was disappointing. Â The Korean tacos almost make up for it, but not quite.
Andrew Zimmermn came here for some apparently Bizzare Food. I think there are bizzarerer options around the city. Â Solid, but not spectacular place.
Did you know? Â Taco chino actually has korean tacos on their menu.
It's posted everywhere outside, but when you walk in, its nowhere to be found on the menu. Â I thought they must have discontinued it, but nope. Â They're there, but you just have to ask. Â
I got one of each taco -- kimchi, bulgogi, kalbi, and a pork kalbi and they're all pretty decent. Â I've been to other korean tacos and they seem to have more of a flare. Â I wish they had marinated the lettuce in the korean salad dressing, added some more bean sprouts.. I think they had cilanto, but those are normally in mexican tacos any way. Â
The prices are really cheap and you can have a great lunch for $10. However, the service wasn't that great. Â They took about 15 minutes just to prepare 4 tacos... and we were the only customers. Â Overall, it's worth a try, but I'd probably wouldn't go back.
Being freshly squeezed back from Mexico after my study abroad, I had a hankering for some authentic Mexican food. Â Unfortunately, I am one of those people that gets freaked out by the shady looking taquerÃas on Lawrence. Enter Taco Chino, moving in a block from my apartment. I give thanks to the gods of Mexican food. Â At first I'll admit I was confused...Taco Chino? Â Note- in Mexico, "chino" can often mean "curly." Â So I was like, "huh?! Curly taco?" Â But eventually I got it all straightened out.
As for the food, I know all the hoo-ha is about the tacos, but let's pause for a minute to be in awe of the burrito. Â Granted, the burrito is not reallly a popular Mexican food, but it's delicious none the less. Â So far I've had a pastor burrito, chicken burrito, and the American Burrito Dinner. Â Eventually I will drag myself away from the monotony, but it's so satisfying that I'm just not quite ready. Â So anyhow, huge burrito, runs about $5.50. Â I can definitely handle that. Â But the best was the American Burrito Dinner. Â Wet burrito, rice, beans, what Mexicans like to call a salad (but is basically a pile of lettuce with a tomato on top) and a drink. Â All for $5.25. Â Really?! Â Is that even possible? That night my husband and I ate for $12.26 and walked away extremely full. Love it.
Finally, Taco Chino has a great atmosphere...bright, well lit, and good Spanish Music...not banda, Gracias a Dios. Â Oh, and everyone who works there is wonderful...and I even get to practice my Spanish with them when I go in. Bonus! Â =)
Hmmm, does anyone know if the Andy Zimmern episode aired yet? Â So I read about this place in the NYTimes and after having the Kogi truck in LA I've been hooked on these things.
I ordered the 4 Korean tacos:
Kimchi Taco
Bulgogi Taco
Koreano Taco Beef and Chicken
So the Koreano tacos were both kinda meh. Â A bit too bland. Â The kimchi taco was quite good. Â The spice and the acidity of the kimchi allows for a nice contrast of flavors in the taco. Â The bulgogi taco was very good as well. Â It's made in a very authentic way. Â Kinda tasted like how my mom makes it. Â I'm surprised that he didn't over season the bulgogi; I think that was the right move...or dumb luck. Â With the bulgogi not being overpowering you can enjoy it with the salsas more readily.
I was impressed by the quality of the salsas. Â They had a green salsa, red salsa, and orange salsa. Â The orange salsa was very hot and delicious...i'm guessing habanero or scotch bonnet based. Â The red salsa was also very good...reminiscent of chinese chili oil. Â
I haven't tried anything else in the menu, and their delivery radius is much too small. Â Why not 3 miles!!! Â I'll definitely try to go back and try out the other stuff. Â I couldn't imagine a Korean dude having all these recipes and techniques for Mexican food up his sleeve. Â I'm guessing he had help...
Honestly, I am not crazy about this place. Its decent. Last time I ate there my Meat tasted like Kimchi?!?! And I just ordered a Steak torta. I was disappointed by this because I am a purist in the sense I want my meat to taste like...meat!?
However the restaurant is clean and waitstaff is pleasant. Might go back
I liked it. Â 4 stars!
I've been itching to try Taco Chino since it's right down the street. Â Last night it made perfect sense to go to spin class, come home and shower and then walk to dinner to gorge ourselves on tasty Mexican bites.
I love kimchi and am a sucker for interesting and new taste combinations. Â We started off with 2 tacos each to decide if we wanted more or if we were going to do a taco crawl of AP. Â First up, I had a kimchi taco and a chicken Korean taco; he had a kimchi and a beef Korean. Â I preferred the pork kimchi, he preferred the beef Korean. Â Tasty and not too unfamiliar. Â Loads of onion and cilantro and the yummy green salsa adds a nice limey kick. Â 4 tacos were $9.65.
We decided to try more. Â Next up a Milanese torta and green chicken enchiladas. Â I had no idea what to expect. Â The torta was hot and tasty. Â Great ratio of beans, meat and fixings. Â A good deal for $4.35. Â The enchiladas were $4.90 so I had no idea what to expect. Â A dinner plate showed up with three chicken enchiladas with green sauce, rice & beans. Â It was a lot of food for the price. Â The chix was well cooked and seasoned. Â I liked the green sauce, but I'm trying red next time. Â Nothing special about the rice and beans. Â Round 2 was $10.19.
I'll say that the prices seem all over the place. Â $4.90 for the big plate of enchiladas, but $2.25 for the kimchi taco and close to $5 for a quesadilla. Â Odd.
The place is super clean and the staff was all very friendly. Â The owner's wife and daughter were there for a little bit and were very nice as well. Â
I'll be back to try more, but the torta and tacos were so tasty, I might just stick with that!
I was brought two tacos from Taco Chino by my friend Rick and that is what I am basing this review on. I have yet to actually go to the place but I plan to very soon.
DAMN! Korean tacos?! Are you kidding me?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! I've waited all my life for these words to go together.... It's like "sleep working" or "icecream sex"... a perfect marriage of seemingly non-alike things into a whole much bigger than the sum of the parts. I had a BBQ pork taco and a kim chee taco and they were fantastic! The yellowish/citrus-y hot sauce was great as well! Good amount of heat with a sweet, fruitiness to it. I look forward to checking out the rest of the menu!!
UPDATE! OK, two more meals and now I am addicted! The bulgogi tacos are IT!Holy crap! I could eat a bag of them! Sweet, savory, delicious!
(ONE to maybe steer clear of is the pork skin taco. I feel I am a pretty adventurous and even gluttonous eater... I eat the fat, the skin, the marrow, the uncooked, the burnt, the week old, etc... but I found my limit with the pork skin taco.)
Nice addition to the neighborhood. Â Tacky magic marker window signs but the place is brand new and super clean which is a bonus. Â The gal that took our order at the counter was super friendly. Â A few tables to sit at to eat but we got our food to go. Â
Had steak burrito, chicken tacos, steak torta and al pastor taco. Â All very tasty. Â The al pastor had a touch of sweet to it but not too much. Â It was well balanced with spice.
The green salsa is tasty and delicious. Â The red was also good but I really enjoyed the green. Â The torta bread was fresh which was nice as I have had some stale ass tortas. Â All in all very affordable and will be a nice option to grab off the train on the way home from work.
This place has basically become my Albany Park version of Cheers. Â Everyone knows my name, they're always glad I came. Â Everyone I bring here things it's pretty awesome food for an awesomely low price.
Added bonus: The owner, Steve, agreed to donate a bunch of food to a fundraiser we had for the not-for-profit theater company I am a member of. Â A buisness that gives back? Â Oh, yes.
Onion and cilantro
Onion and cilantro
Onion and cilantro
Repeat!
I really, really have a tough time saying I didn't enjoy a restaurant. I have been waiting for Taco Chino to open in the new commercial lot off the Kimball Brown Line stop ever since they put up their first sign. I usually come home and am either not in the mood for Mexican or am already carrying groceries from somewhere different.
Today I came home and wanted a taste of Mexican, so the Taco Chino sign from afar lured me in like a siren's song and I obliged. It had a nice clean interior with vibrant colors inside and even took credit card. Looking at the menu, I always love to get quesadillas whenever I try a new Mexican joint, a regular quesadilla was $3.50 and one with meat cost $5.90! $5.90? Where do you come up with this pricing? If the quesadilla is half as big as a pizza, maybe I am willing to pop down $5.90 for one.
Disappointed, I rocked a chicken taco, steak taco, and ground beef taco. Seeing that they had no horchata, I decided not to order any pop. The three tacos cost me $5.62 and I stuffed a menu into my bag that had like two weak napkins put in and took it home.
When I got home, the tacos were still warm but were kinda soggy. Fine, I walked four blocks and the consistency isn't going to be good as the restaurant, I can accept that even though texture is one of my favorite things about eating. What was not acceptable was the pure blandness of the taco, no orange sauce coming out of the ground beef, steak, or chicken taco. Each taco tasted the same! Onion and cilantro, onion and cilantro, and onion and cilantro!
I popped open my green sauce to dip these tacos in to give it some degree of flavor. For the love of eating, put in some cheese, tomato, anything to show you are interested in making food you'd like to eat! Please add chorizo and horchata to the menu and get some better ways to prepare your meat and I will think about Taco Chino again. For peep's sake, if I can go to Chicago Produce down the street, pick up ingredients and make way tastier food for less money in a similar amount of time I may as well do it. In the mean time.....
Nope, not you!
PS They deliver, but I don't know if I would want it!