Tacos El Norte Gurnee

Decent Mexican food at fair prices... Think of this place as the "diner" version of a Mexian restaraunt... go in it with that in mind, and you'll have a decent dinner.

ATMOSPHERE: Very Kitzchy, over the top Mexican theme, reminds me of the poor towns just over the US / Mexico border. So overdone, in fact, that it makes me a little sad, especially since some of the decor is tacky with years of dirt or grime that hasn't been really cleaned in a while.

FOOD:  Typical mexican fare, complete with the regular onslaught of tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and nacho-type dishes. I generally get the steak tacos, and they're smallish (I can eat three, and my 5 year old can eat two). They are hot, borderline authentic, and well done for the price point (around $2 per taco - can't beat that). There is NOTHING special about the food in terms of flavor or creativity, but if you're looking for a cheap taco that's reasonably tasty you can get it here.

SERVICE: Meh... the servers are Mexican / Spanish, don't speak a lot of English (that they let on to), but they are efficient enough, bringing drinks and food on request and the bill quick enough after your meal. The customer service here is again, diner-quality, but if you can accept that then this is the place for you.

VALUE: Good, for what you get. Personally I'd rather spend $5 on a great taco than $2 on a fair one, but you take what you can get in the suburbs. I wouldn't go out of my way for this place, but if you're local and in need of a chimchanga, you might as well stop.

Here you find a typical cheap pseudo Mexican place that you take your kids because dinner doesn't cost much and everyone else has their kids with them but you can order alcohol which isn't possible at Taco Bell.

Did I mention that there usually are groups of kids running around like they have lost their minds?

Service levels vary wildly- that is once you get the attention of a server to place your order (which always seems to be a challenge no matter what night of the week).

Avoid unless you have a lot of patience or are on a tight budget. Speaking and understanding some basic Spanish is helpful to place an order too.

Oh good luck if you try to order any sides, extras or anything that's not straight from the menu. Sometimes pointing at something that you want on the menu helps, but only sometimes.

Love this place! I've been to a lot of Mexican restaurants and this is my second favorite to el portion in Bloomington-normal, il (from my college days). Food is always great, it cheap, there's tons of options. They make a good margarita. I love it. This is also the fanciest and biggest of the taco's el Norte restaurants. They all have great food regardless.