Ok some of the other reviews here explain why this place fell from glory. It really isn't good anymore people. I used to come here some years ago for their steak quesadillas which used to be my favorite.
I decided to go back only to discover skimply made quesadilla with barely any guac, salsa and sour cream they might as well not added any side dippings that's how pittiful the offering was. It's a sad state of affairs since this place is so close to work but looks like I'm gonna have to roam over to the nearby establishments after my sad steak quesa experience.
I've been to two other Taco Frescos.  One seemed so much better, but  unfortunately it closed.  This one doesn't inspire me to go back.  First:  the weird "up-selling" of food beyond what you've just ordered is more appropriate for a retail sales person working on commission.  Second:  if you're going to offer a veggie burrito, you can't just remove the meat. You actually have to add some extra vegetables.  Or something.  Vegetarians know when you are cheating us.  Third:  I have NEVER seen such over-packing of an order.  Gigantic styrofoam containers shoved inside plastic bags.  And if you order chips and salsa it comes separate from everything else in an equally gigantic styrofoam container.  Mother Nature must weep with every to-go order that is placed.  Plenty of businesses think about how to be environmentally friendly.  There is no excuse in this day and age.
So I like to put in one positive:  I appreciate any chain that is attempting to make a healthier version of fast food. And Taco Fresco, as a brand,does make the effort in that regard.  However, I have not found a location in Chicago that actually serves baked tortilla chips instead of  fried, even though most of the time the menu says they have that option.
The food here isn't awful, but the service is.  The older woman at the register spends all of her time trying to "upsell" you for more things ("Chips and salsa? Chips and guacamole?  Tiramisu  from italy?  Fruit? Combo?" and on and on), and very little time actually trying to get you your food.  She lets fully prepared bags of food sit cooling behind her for minutes while she is pushing more sales on others.  I'm done with the place.
Review Source:Every review is correct - the service is terrible. Â I go here 2-3x per year when I'm too lazy to walk to Chipotle. Â The only consolation is that I know what to expect. Â I feel bad for any first timer who's blindsided by the "lady behind the counter". Â This place must be a front for something... there is no other way it stays in business.
Also - I feel reallllly bad for the cooks there. Â I can only imagine how bad of a work environment it is, considering I can't wait to leave after 30 seconds.
I made the mistake of going here for lunch without reading the reviews. I can't believe every review is right on target!
They do hustle you to buy extras (fruit, cookie, drink) and not everything is priced. I ordered 4 tacos and they pushed the grapes on me, then the guy behind the counter just put the pineapple in front of me...they don't tell you what the total is and they don't give you a receipt. It sounds great, but god knows how much it actually costs...for browned pineapple.
Not to mention, they got my order wrong and the shrimp taco still had shells on.
This place used to be great (5yrs ago). Â It's now run by a Greek(?) woman who is pushy and rude, charges exorbitant prices for add-ons and hawks overpriced, low-quality extras like grapes at breakfast. Â If I was a tourist, I'd figure that's what you get when you eat near the Art Institute. Â It didn't used to be this way. Â I hope other locations have retained the quality of the original model.
Review Source:I used to go here For lunch regularly  before they closed. I was so excited when they opened back up. Highly disappointed!!!! They aren't good at all. I miss the old owners or employees. Save yourself the trouble and go somewhere else. Not what they were. I won't be returning to this location.
Review Source:I  don't know why I like their food so much. I hadn't been here for some time but when I walked past I knew  had to gets some. I remember why I had been staying away once I ordered: the prices. The manager/owner(?) is always trying to get you to buy lots of other stuff. Also, you have to be careful because everything is not priced as it says. Too, I bought a burrito which came out to $6 and some change. Just the burrito and it's not like it was really big. That baffled me for the rest of the afternoon. He couldn't explain to me why this particular burrito was so drastically different from the other burritos on the menu. I did however buy some strawberries that really good but I can go to the farmer's market for that.
Review Source:Taco FRESCO?? Quite the opposite.
I am surprised of other reviews here that say it is fresh. I just picked up two tacos for lunch here and the lettuce and tomatoes are definitely not fresh. Â Neither are the tortillas.
BUT the reason I will never be back, despite me loving tacos and working across the street, is the miserable lady behind the counter. My god woman. Just awful.
To the point; this place advertises the best fish tacos in the city.
In a corporate chain NOT owned by a anyone you would expect to have experience making tacos of any kind - that is a pretty bold statement.
The results were surprising - they were very good. Maybe not the best, but surely a contender.
Here is why I will not return to this place;
1. Signage confusing enough that you don't know - until it is too late that there is an up-charge if you order said fish tacos.
2. There is NO signage by the little containers of lime - but you get charged. You get 1/16 of a lime for 25 cents.
3. The (nearly) cute girl got hot sauce, extra hot sauce, limes, sour cream for free despite the sign saying that one hot sauce is free extra hot sauce is 25 cents. (I can't help it that I am not an (almost) cute girl.)
4. The owner was condescending in that way that only stupid people -who think they are smart -can be condescending.
5. I ordered a taco dinner and the owner gave me one napkin. Really? One napkin? I asked for additional napkinS (plural). He gave me one.
There are a ton of good restaurants in the loop who will treat customers better. There are a dozen within fifty feet of this place.
Never again.
Awful service... the lady that was running the place can't even pronounce taco! She tried to get me to get a combo and since I was already purchasing a pop I considered it and asked if instead of rice and beans that I get soup. She pretty much charged me for everything including a taco I did not order and when I asked her about it she argued that they were giving me the rice and beans (even tho I asked to have it replaced with soup, which she had agreed to) and said she was "trying to save me money". When I opened my food up there were no rice or beans. She pretty much charged me more for a lot less and had the audacity to argue with me in front of a line of customers. BAD BUSINESS! WILL NEVER COME AGAIN!
Review Source:It claims to be the best fish taco in Chicago... I guess that's like saying you have the best Italian beef sandwich in LA. Don't expect much, and you won't be disappointed. Two kinds of fish, ahi and tilapia to chose from. No issues, but nothing to make me forget Wahoo or Rubios in SoCal.
Review Source:I can echo Jeremy's rant about this place. Â The owner's wife is extremely rude and the customer service at this location is horrible. Â
The long story: they have a frequent diner coupon that they punch each time you go there. Â In the fine print, it says for orders over $5. Â I ordered a quesadilla that came to $4.95, and the lady wouldn't punch the card. Â for five measly cents, this place loses a regular customer and gets a bad Yelp review - hope it was worth it. Â There are many other TF locations - I would recommend any other one besides this one. Â The old location (now closed) on Clark never had a problem with it - and they always got my business.
As others have said in their reviews the food here although healthy is very bland. The salsa, guacamole and quesadillas are good so for that I.  and because I agree with the others about the owner's  rudness and pushy behavior which I have seen with my own eyes and she has done to me before. i am giving this place 3 stars
Review Source:Long story short (if you don't want to read my rant) Â Don't waste your time!
This restaurant gets one star for the owner's wife. Â The food is pedestrian at best but it is fresh. Â Don't bother calling in an order to be picked up, as you'll sit and wait after you arrive as they don't make the food until you show up.
This woman talked me into a combo plate which is $2.25 more than the price of the burrito for rice and beans and a soda. Â MAKE SURE YOU ONLY TAKE A CAN OF POP. Â It seems Jarritos at this location cost $2.29 a bottle, which is not labeled anywhere. Â If you decide to get Jarritos they discount the price to $1.29 ON TOP of the combo charge!
She is rude and obnoxious and I guarantee I won't be back to this location.
The last time I went here, I got the "ultimate burrito". Â It was so bad I threw it away after two bites. Â I had a coupon for fifty cents off, which I presented along with my credit card. Â The surly woman who was cashiering picked up my card from the counter and swiped it. Â When I then pushed the coupon forward, she said "you should have given it to me earlier" and didn't honor it!
Even the food I've had here that was decent wasn't very filling for the price. Â After that last experience I've never gone back. As others have said, the food is very lacking in flavor. Â There is not one good reason to ever patronize this place. Â La Cocina is nearby and is far better in every way.
Rip-off!
I ordered a steak burrito with a can of Coke. After handing the cashier (and owner) my card, I noticed the total seemed to be about two bucks higher than it should have been based on the menu prices. I asked to see my receipt and he THREW AWAY the register receipt, and printed out a new one that just had the total price, not the individual items.
That aside, my burrito was dry, tasteless, and about 90% lettuce. Avoid!
Two stars instead of one because the service was extremely fast.
I love this place. Go there at least once a week sometimes off, cause the food is so good, love the guy who works there, totally friendly and cool, he even knows my face I go so often, fast, cheap, and oh, did I mention that the food is absolutely delicious? Every entree (taco, burrito, etc) comes with an automatic side of rice and beans, very delicious and filling sides, but don't forget to get a tamale, also a good side. For the healthy people, they offer healthier sides, I haven't tried em cause health food isn't my thing.
Another thing, I had to review this place cause 1. I love it, 2. Way to many people gave this place a lower score than it deserves and what it really is, so no offense to my fellow Yelpers, but I wouldn't trust most of their reviews.
VERY generic Mexican food. Pretty much every taqueria I've been to in the city has more flavor and more authenticity. As others have said, there are specials being shouted at you from the minute you walk in the door until you pay - "chorizo quesadillas! fresh GUAC and CHIPS!! COOLD WATERMELON!!!"
The plus side was that there were no other patrons seated so after I ordered I was able to enjoy a quiet lunch. Seriously though....you are really going to charge me for hot sauce!?!? Why would I come back when every other taqueria is providing it free of charge?
Whatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhat...a million words flew at me as I was perusing the menu and the many specials of the day. Â
There are many places I go where you are expected to be rushed, but usually the line goes out the door and the menu is simple to read...Not the case here. Â There was no line and yet I was still being rushed. Â If you choose to put so many specials and options, expect me to look at all of your specials and options, please.
The food you ask? Â It's decent. Â The $2.50 fish tacos are actually good and with them being grilled, it can't get much better. Â
Something else I appreciate is the kitchen which is right there in front of you. I like to see where the hands are feeling around as they touch my food (no butt scratching allowed here). Â
All in all, this place is a decent place for lunch every once in awhile.
I had burned out on Chipotle and Qdoba was too far to walk in the cold, so we ended up at Taco Fresco. Â TF is a chain where in other locations, I've had uneventful, expected levels of service and food. Â This particular location is really bizarre, however. Â It looks like a regular TF, the menu appears to be the same, but somehow, the husband/wife owners who are running the front counter have transformed this place into a very anxiety-ridden lunch experience. Â
It all starts with the order, where the two of them begin barking loudly at you in a heavy Greek(?) accent with the phrases like "Hey, you want special? Â You want a soup? Â What you want, burrito, taco? Â What, WHAT???" Â Rather than being able to take your time to become familiar with the menu and to see what options are available, you feel incredibly rushed to make a series of decisions immediately while under pressure and stress. Â With each choice you make, the old man barks your orders loudly back to the cooks at the grill behind him. Â As if this wasn't irritating enough, as you finish placing your order, the old lady begins trying to upsize your bill by talking you into adding really strange things that don't appear to be on the menu (or even Mexican, for that matter). Â During my visit today, it was this: "You want Matzo ball soup? Â Huh? Â You want milk-chocolate crisp from Europe? Yes???" Â
Ummm...no.
After we had gotten our food, my wife went to get a bottle of water from the fridge, thinking that the combo meal came with a beverage.  The old lady then began wagging her finger and scolding my wife loudly in front of the other customers "YOU...water is EXTRA!!!  Combo has can of pop ONLY!!!"  So, we politely apologized and asked how much more it would be for the water.  The old lady replied sternly  "Fifty cents!"  We took out 2 quarters and I walked it  over to the counter, where she then said "PLUS TAX!  You owe me 6 cents!"  I then went back to my wife, who had already dug out a nickel and a penny and I walked back to the old lady to hand it to her.  She snatched it from my hand with a scowl and threw it into the till.  With that, I turned back to my wife and said out loud (in front of other customers as well) "And there you have it...why we won't ever be coming back here again."  Â
These people need to learn that if you want a restaurant business to succeed in the US, you need to use a bit of common courtesy, be friendly and polite and don't try to upsell your customers on random items that don't belong in a Mexican establishment in the first place. Â (I'm sure corporate would probably object to this practice as well). Â Furthermore, lose the nasty attitude. Â Act like you actually give a damn and that you enjoy working there. Â At the very least, pretend that you are happy for people's business, even if on the inside, you are miserable, unhappy and hateful of the entire planet.
Lunch time downtown and you've got a craving for Mexican comfort food. But if you hit up the Q-Dub or Chip-O everyday, it'll start to show.
Taco Fresco hails itself as the light at the end of the tunnel.
They offer healthy alternatives for your usual burritacoesque faire. (FRESCO?)
There is usually a special that includes a can of pop! (SWEET!)
Although the concept is hot, the food wasn't memorable. (NOT SPICY)
Healthy shouldn't equal flavorless. (BLAND)
The only flavor I detected was the one "Ma's" attitude left in my mouth. (SOUR)
TF is not a limited-menued high-volume joint. I don't need someone to intimidate me into ordering. Must be why I can't bring myself to  return. Why stand the uncomfortable process only to be disappointed with a stifled decision? (SALTY)
This just ain't my cup of salsa!
I came here for a quick lunch before heading to the Art Institute. What caught my attention was the healthy options that they had.
I decided to get the chicken quesadilla and chose the healthy option, which means they use low fat cheese. The quesadilla was okay. I thought the chicken was dry and the guacamole was not so good. The portion size was good. I wouldn't come here on a regular basis, but only if I'm in a rush and in the area.
I go here fairly frequently because you can actually get decent, lean food for a reasonable price. Â None of the food tastes particularly good, but I go here when I want to eat a lunch that isn't a calorie overload (this can be hard in the Loop). Â My favorite item is the chicken taco salad. Â The chicken is very lean and plainly cooked, the salad is fresh, and it comes with chips and salsa. Â It fills me up and I feel good afterward. Â The tacos and burritos are pretty good too, and as long as you don't smother them in toppings, can be pretty lean. Â The hot sauces are good and I like that they sell fresh fruit too.
I wouldn't make a special trip for Taco Fresco, but it serves my purposes.
Craving quesadillas one day I decided to head over to Taco Fresco. My coworkers eat here occasionally and I thought I would give it a try.
I was pretty impressed with them. I got the steak quesadillas with extra guac and refried beans. They serve up a pretty heaping helping so I definitely had a enough food...maybe even enough for two.
The line moves quickly so you are in and out in no time. Definitely better than McDonald's or even Wendy's those places get so boring.
The lady that works here is pretty crazy. The last time I was there she was selling grapes and kept saying "delicious grapes can't find anywhere else". She gave everyone the stink eye who didn't buy them including me.
All you need to know is it's quick, it's good, and it fills you up!
It's fast food but it's as authentic as it comes when the food is that fast and that cheap. Definitely take this over Taco Bell any day. It's also relatively healthy. The corn tortillas are very fresh and the portions are very large. Go with the garlic chile shrimp burrito. All of the POP is in cans so no fountain soda. Their salsa is pretty impressive.
Review Source:I work just around the corner from this place, and have made the mistake of ordering food from this place with my coworkers. Â They are fast here...but then again so is McDonalds. My tacos were very bland. You are better off walking east on Jackson to La Cocina where the food is a bit more authentic and tasty.
Review Source:The food is really quite bad. I ordered a guacamole taco and was convinced I had received the wrong item. I basically got a tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, and what seemed like tomatillo salsa slathered on top. It wasn't until I was halfway through that I realized that liquidy, transclucent gunk on my taco was not salsa but was, in fact, their version of guacamole! Yuck!
Review Source:This was my first time being here, and amazingly there was absolutely no one there at noon. Ordered the taco combo, two tacos with your choice of meat, some rice and beans, and a drink. The tacos where great, the beans and rice were good, but I expected a little more food. The tacos were very small, I think I'd have to eat 6 of them to feel satisfied. The only reason I didn't give it 4 stars is the small portion of food.
Review Source:This was my first time coming here and what caught my attention was the fact that they offered fish tacos. I've never eaten fish tacos and was inclined to try out the taco combo, which came with two tacos with your choice of meat, beans and rice, and a can of SODA. I ordered the steak and tilapia fish taco. They were both amazing, but I was very impressed with how the fish taco tasted. It was awesome! My main beef with my experience is that the portions were way too small for what I paid. Basically, I finished all of my food and it didn't fill me up. I wish they would provide bigger portions. The tortillas they used were the size of silverdollar pancakes. Give me more tilapia! I'm not a fatty, but I want my money's worth of food! I'm actually giving this place 3.5 stars, but if they increase their portions, I'll bump their rating up another star. Just maybe.
Review Source:3.5 really. If you are in the loop and need a quick bite to eat, then yes come here. Don't expect La Pasadita, but it is fast food (and really fast too) and it is quite tasty. There are many locations located in the loop area and it is a MUCH BETTER alternative to other places around the loop and a much better price!
DON"T BE FOOLED HOWEVER! The place advertises healthy but you have to order "healthy" in order to get the healthy. There is a difference when you order a steak taco and a healthy steak taco. They will use low fat cheese and fat free black beans ONLY UPON REQUEST!
One more thing, I love hot sauce, really love the stuff. They have some of the better hot sauces around but be warned. If you take too many they charge you for extra sauce which is kind of strange. Some places offer bottles for use but others only offer mini cups which is 1 per item, take two and they charge you for it. They also offer water in a cup upon request if you prefer not to have a bottled water or a can of soda.
Go there, eat up and enjoy! The "healthy" black bean burrito on wheat tortilla is incredible! And will fill ya up!
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
I usually eat here when I forget to bring lunch from home. Everything tastes so fresh and it's actually healthy! I like the lunch combos. I think it's great you can choose from a very large selection of juice and pop. I usually get the chicken quesadilla combo with double refried beans and a fruit punch! If you go in around lunch don't be intimidated by the long line because it moves extremely fast! You'll be in and out in no time!
I stumbled into Taco Fresco out of desperation last week. Â I was completely sick of Corner Bakery and Cosi and Cafe Baci . Â And Quiznos stopped carrying Antipasto Salad, the only thing I'll eat there.
I spotted a sign for Chicken Chopped Salad. Â I figured it'd be more interesting than a Taco Salad, and at 5.99, it was cheap.
I get back to my office, and oh my god, it was wonderful. Â Â the chicken was warm and fresh. Â The white crumbly cheese - almost feta like, but not as sour, was perfect with the lime dressing. Â The lime dressing is to die for - a little sour, but very light. Â I love the tortilla strips - they seem fresh, and are nice and thin. Â
I also like that they offer a small side of quacamole for 25 cents. Â Most places charge more, and their quacamole is quite respectable.
I've had this salad 3 times in the last two weeks. Â Â it's that good. Â And, they are fast and efficient, which I love.
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