Carbon
300 W 26th St, Chicago, IL, 60616
Carbon Menu
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Address :
300 W 26th St
Chicago, IL, 60616 - Phone (312) 225-3200
- Website https://www.carbonmex.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:30 am - 12
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Lawrence Y.
A couple girl friends and I came by on one of their recommendations. The place is really small, with a few tables to sit at. I ordered a couple steak tacos, and one crusted tilapia taco with cheese. The steak tacos were pretty good, but what I was surprised about was the tilapia one. Tilapia is probably the cheapest of the cheapest fish out there, but this had a strange tasty sensation in my mouth. Maybe it was the combination with the cheese, or taco stuff, but I recommend trying it if you are in the South Loop/ China town sometime.
(3)Audrey T.
I guess I'm an evil troll because I'm naturally attracted to grotto-like places under bridges that are covered in smolder and flames. That's Carbon. This is the kind of place with a tiny menu and nothing is blown out of place. Tortilla encrusted tilapia? Sure I'll try that. Neat. Good sized burritos and fresh salsa that is made daily. And not only daily, but they mix it up with types that come and go with the seasons. Cool! Very nicely stylized and designed for a small spot, complete with hammered copper and burnished wood paneling and glass fixtures. Not to mention the ginormous mural on the outside. Make sure to check out the painting with the... political types... wrapped in american flags with creatures coming out of their necks and stuck to their heads. Super friendly staff and a cute place in an area that needs more of this type of place. I'd poke back in here.
(4)Julia B.
Fire Grilled Steak Burrito. Enough said. Everything at this place is AMAZING and it is one of the very few Mexican places that I will take my leftovers with me - it reheats great!
(5)Christian P.
I think they have good fish tacos, to try with the pineapple salsa! I didn't like the Horchata. The service was ok.
(3)Matthew A.
1) They need to be open later. When I have a burrito craving after 10pm, then NEED to be open!!! 2) Their food is really tasty! 3) They are very friendly.
(4)amanda m.
I was looking forward to trying this place since I saw the great reviews about the food and had already tried the chips and guacamole at an event in my building, but I was super disappointed! I ordered the burrito bowl with tilapia and what they delivered an hour and twenty minutes later was a burrito bowl with steak. I don't eat steak, so I was left hungry and annoyed :( The guacamole was also equally disappointing because the avacados were unripe. I wasn't impressed by the salsa with pineapple or the tequila lime sauce either. My boyfriend described his steak quesadilla as "blech" and didn't like the sauce it came with either. Definitely won't be ordering out from this place EVER AGAIN.
(1)Ty C.
For some reason this place nails the steak/cheese combination perfectly! The Steak Burrito is something i always find myself coming back to. The speed of service is incredible! I never wait longer than 5-10 min for my food to be ready which means i can just walk in and order it instead of calling in ahead of time. It's just a bit too pricey for my taste because there are equally good tacos at better prices in this city, but this place hit the flame grilled style perfectly.
(4)Kyle B.
I am pretty sure Ii have boiled down Carbon's business to those who like Carbon, and those who go there because a Chipotle hasn't move to the area yet. If you do go, the food is good but go with someone who knows how to order. Their menu is disorganized and doesn't have all options listed, and the cashiers tend to laugh when you mess up an order. (they need to steal chipotles menu style) The food is good if you find the right item for you, I've had some items that are absolutely amazing, and some that are terrible, like any restaurant. The burritos tend to vary in size, I've had some that rival the size of chipotle, and some that are fairly small.
(2)Elizabeth H.
I was extremely disappointed with the quality of food. My "veggie burrito" was comprised of two items: red peppers and onions. There was no zucchini or squash, as is listed on the menu, and there was definitely no rice or even lettuce. Most of the burrito was just the tortilla itself. And then there's the chips & salsa. Half the chips were tortilla and half were wontons. My boyfriend was equally disappointed with his meal as well. I had been super hungry and was soooo excited to check this place out but it could not have been more of a let down. And when I'm that hungry, I am happy eating just about anything.
(1)Karl Z.
I like it, nothing amazing, but it is a taco/burrito place where things are fresh and the meat is good quality and not over-cooked. The fish tacos and chicken burrito are what I generally get, but nothing has disappointed me. I also can't go there without having the elote. I enjoy either going there or delivery, haven't had any issue with either.
(4)Renee P.
I drive pass this place often, so I decided to give it a try--WRONG! The tacos were tasty but the salsa sucks! I ended up getting a take out but I ended up returning b/c I was so unsatisfied with the mild salsa that I returned for hot---SUCKED! It was too liquidity and wasn't that hot or tasty.. The tacos are nice but I'll pass.... Good Luck!
(2)Alina M.
Carbon is a small establishment with bar-type seating and a couple of tables. The service was friendly and fast. The food was served on real plates, as opposed to paper or plastic trays common to fast food taco places. The encrusted tilapia tacos were absolutely delicious. When I go back, that's all I need to order. Carbon prides itself in making their own salsa, but its presentation could be better (maybe mini molcajetes instead of cafeteria-style plastic ketchup tubes). In any case, I enjoyed the food at Carbon.
(4)Lauren-ashley B.
The steak tacos and elote are super yummy. Love this place.
(4)Whitney W.
This place delivers fast, the food is great, the vegetarian options are amazing, the sauces are full of flavor, my boyfriend loved the steak tacos. ORDER FROM THIS PLACE....I've ordered twice in one week...They are delicious and open pretty late for delivery.
(5)Amy T.
I'm not sure what other people expect in a burrito but the description was there. The price was pretty expensive, but I did enjoy my burritos and tacos. I just wished they had complementary chips with salsa though. The taste of the grill gave an extra kick in the mouth for me (along with the avocados).
(3)Mr M.
Can't quite say in the middle of nowhere rather under the middle of nowhere. Went for lunch and was NOT disappointed. Three tacos later (and some elote, claro!) and I was hooked. Lucky enough to enjoy the covered patio on a wonderful day.
(4)David H.
I go out of my way to stop by this place. The fish tacos are the best in the city. Steak and chicken tacos are also excellent. The ambiance is a little divey, but the food is what maters here. It's a better carry out than eat in place.
(5)H. O.
Good food. The steak burrito, fish taco and chicken taco are really good. Seems like quality ingredients; well-seasoned proteins. Salsa verde and guacamole were good, but portions are small and expensive on guacamole. The flour chips were not my thing, but hubby loved them. It's filling. Couldn't eat all we ordered; won't heat up well. So, order just a few things. We've had it twice. It was better the second time, which is unheard of, to some extent, in Chicago. Delivery was a little long at 1.5 hours the second time, especially for a $4 delivery fee. But the food was still warm. We will try Carbon, again.
(4)Joe R.
I usually don't bother leaving negative reviews, but this place has been so far out of the norm for customer service, I guess this one is earned. First time I ordered, approx 7 weeks ago, called, placed order. Hour later, called looking for the order..."should be there in just a few" 30 mins later, called again "Its not there yet? Let me call the driver...he says hes almost there" 25 mins later, he shows up. Food cold. Obviously its been sitting in the car and I'm the last stop. We're starving so micro'ed it and let it go. Today, ordered again...figured lightening won't strike twice...plus its Sunday...how busy can it be? Food showed up pretty quick this time... had ordered Guacamole and Chips along with the Burrito and Tacos etc...Noticed the chips were not in the order...and called the driver back before she even pulled away...she said: "Oh, you'll have to call the store" and drove away... (I assumed she had them or would at least have a spare bag laying on the seat somewhere...but oh well...) Called the store, the customer service guy says..."I'll get it right out to you" Waited an hour, walked to the store and bought chips. Called back , basically to let them know I wouldn't be ordering again, and why... To their credit, the customer service guy was upset that it hadn't been delivered, and asked what he could do to make it right. So I have a $6.95 credit sitting over there as he offered to cover the cost of the guacamole and chips. But from the conversation we had its obvious he wasn't on-site at that location. "I'll call that location to see what happened" But that's not really what I was looking for...all I look for when I order is food that is hot and reasonably soon...I'm only 6 blocks from the place and from my experiences its pretty disorganized and from many of the comments, its not complaints about the food, its the service that burns up their goodwill. Hopefully someone there will read some of these and maybe get an expeditor, or at least someone to check the orders. I won't be back.
(1)DORA J.
It was not impressive. The food was ok, the service terrible, prices inflated. I had the Motherclucker and it was just an average "burrito." It was very Americanized, not really mexican at all. Come here if you like quasi-mexican burritos, lame service and inflated prices. We won't be back. Chipotle or Guerrero's would have been better. True story.
(2)Jessica M.
Carbon, why did you let me down? There is all these hype about Carbon having the best tilapia tacos in town. I came in prepared to be blown away but my order was quite the contrary. The Tilapia was a generous portion but it was nowhere near crunchy and a tidbit dry. Did they fry it and left it sitting? I had mine with cheese and salsa. The cheese didn't melt so I might just pass on that. I also wanted my order to be hot/spicy but my friend told them mild instead. That's not Carbon's fault but definitely worsened my experience. So despite my mediocre experience, I'm willing to give Carbon a second chance, especially because it's within 10 minutes of my home.
(3)Melanie V.
This might be sad to admit, but I'm seriously addicted to Carbon's chicken and mole tamales. They are hands down...effin' amazing. This combination is fantastic and (the BEST part) extremely reasonably priced at $1.79! Carbon's selection of salsa is something that they boast about AND it really is ridiculously good. My fav? Roasted red pepper. (It's a lil spicy, but nothing too crazy.) The burrito bowls are still a favorite at my job. I usually opt for the "no-bowl" option, but instead ask for some tortillas and Carbon is always happy to fulfill the request. They also added a nice option for a bag of chips (corn OR flour OR a mix!). Umm, those flour chips? Slowly creeping up my list of favorite things! Delivery is pretty quick and, if you order online, you get $1 off delivery. Granted, they raised the delivery fee to $3.50, but at least you can save some money somewhere, right?
(4)Rachel R.
Be aware: cheese costs extra!!! They don't tell you that and it's one small line on the giant board of ordering. Per usual, the grilled veggie taco was underwhelming (as are most grilled vegetable options as Mexican oriented restaurants). The tilapia tacos were delicious. The tortilla coating was sweeter than I anticipated, but quite tasty nonetheless. The man who took my order only knew the salsas as mild, medium, and hot. If you want salsa verde, that's medium. I also had the flan. Perfectly portioned, light yet flavorful, and delicious.
(4)Esther K.
I recently had a random, very strong craving for fish tacos. If you can believe it (I can't) the last time I had them was on my trip to LA...which was back in January. Yikes. This did not bode well for Carbon, as Mexican food in LA is aaaamazing, and my craving was screaming, "You haven't had fish tacos in so long IWANTTHEMNOW and they better be just as damn good as the last time you had them!" The fish tacos at Carbon? Good, but just good. The portions are pretty big (as they should be, for the price, yeesh) and I liked the crispiness of the fish, but the flavor and sauce were eh. The elote was a bit too mayonnaise-y and the horchata just okay (more cinnamon please! Although that's just preference, I suppose). My craving was satisfied but I plan on doing some research so that the next time it hits I'll be better prepared.
(3)Lauralea S.
Last night we ordered food from this restaurant--chicken soup, steak burrito, and fish burrito. The steak was of terrible quality--couldn't finish. I took one spoonful of the soup and couldn't go on. The fish was even worse--one bite and threw it out. I spent nearly $50 after including tip, delivery, etc. I will NEVER order from this place again. Total waste of money. Ugh.
(1)Jennifer L.
I learned about Carbon tacos a few years ago when they were a vendor at the Taste of Chicago. I had only eaten the chicken taco and heard rave reviews about the fish tacos so I knew that at some point I had to go back and eat them. My boyfriend and I stopped by after a White Sox game to pick up some tacos to go. We got 5 fish tacos and paid a little over $18 so that is a bit pricey when you think about it. The fish was absolutely amazing even slightly colder than usual. I loved that it was crispy on the outside and breaded perfectly. The only downside was that they were on flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. Decor wise, I did not like what it looked like at all and wouldn't eat inside it. The location was super small, somewhat dark and dingy looking. Also, the bathroom is extremely small and narrow. But, at least they have one! Also, location wise, I did not like having to cross a relatively big street to get to it. But, great tacos and I definitely would eat them if I was in the area and grab some to go since they held up well on our somewhat long drive home.
(3)Charlie C.
Very tasty steak burritos / mexican cuisine, but the price is very high!! 10 dollars for a burrito lol wtf
(3)Sheila B.
I love this place! A few years ago I stopped in and got a taco and a side of beans and the food was good. At that time I didn't have the love affair I have now with Mexican food. So, the other night my nephew and I were coming from an affair in the Bridgeport Arts Building and we were still hungry, so I suggested we stop at Carbon on 26th, in Bridgeport. I ordered a Horchato and a steak burrito bowl and he ordered a quesadilla. OMG! My burrito bowl was out of this world. About a week later I went back and got the chicken one. That's how amazing they are. The ingredients are super fresh and the customer service is excellent. They offered to cut the steak in small pieces, because I mentioned I had issues with chewing beef. I really enjoyed it, plus they deliver to my area. Hmmmmm......maybe I'll order something tonight. I love this place!
(5)Faye B.
Ah Carbon, you hooked me with your crunchy fish tilapia tacos with the lime sauce drizzle. Love the mixed chips, the corn and flour kind which give a different texture from your regular nachos. TIP: order the elote and eat them with the mixed nachos. They are delicious. So glad that this is an option in my work 'hood. Could be an excuse to get away from the hub bub or even after hours and share a beer with a coworker or two.
(4)Susan S.
Burrito bowl is awesome! I love the grilled chicken the most and always order it online. It's tender and juicy! The portion is reasonable too. They pack it well and clean when you order online.
(5)Marie S.
Carbon makes me happy. For reals. The food here speaks for itself, so I'll get straight to it. My favorites are the chicken quesadilla, steak taco (you have to eat it with the red pepper sauce), and the tortilla encrusted tilapia taco. The chicken is very flavorful - you can tell that its been marinated for a long time. Its good all on its own. The steak has a lot of depth with a smoky, char grilled flavor. And the fish, its perfectly cooked, never greasy, and always served with this kick a$$ lime sauce. I don't think Ive been to a Mexican restaurant that actually had elotes on their menu. And thank God Carbon thought to do so. Damn good stuff. (And I feel more comfortable eating from here, than off a street cart.) Don't forget to get a mixed bag of chips with guac. They mix up corn tortilla chips with flour tortilla chips. Homemade, fresh fried flour tortillas are sooooo good. I will admit that it does feel a bit more like Americanized Mexican food, than "authentic" Mexican food. But, I honestly don't care. The food is ridiculously good and exceptionally flavorful... it does not need to be categorized. BTW, catering is pretty awesome from here, too.
(5)Guy A.
The incredible smells from this restaurant drift into the street. I visited on one occasion and ordered steak tacos. They were not bad, but I expected something a lot more impressive based on what I smelled outside. The salsa also was ok. All in all there are better and worse tacos. Otherwise forgettable.
(2)Erin M.
Carbon is like more expensive Chipotle, with better ingredients and sauces. I very much enjoy a good steak burrito, but I was a bit put-off at the cost today-- it seemed like my regular steak with elotes had jumped at least $2.50 in the last year since it's made it to the "Signature" menu. All of the sauces and salsas are fresh and tasty. I recommend the red pepper sauce and the pineapple salsa. A Stelote burrito with cheese and sour cream and a chicken burrito with cheese and sour cream cost $24 delivered, inclusive of tip. Had we had the ability to drive over and pick it up ourselves, we'd have saved $5, but $20 for two burritos is still a little pricey to me!
(3)Linh L.
Delicious! It was less glamorous than I expected, but it was good. I had the fish taco and the fire roasted pepper taco (which came with portabella mushrooms) and chips & salsa. I was unsure about the fire roasted pepper tacos because I didn't see many people recommend it on yelp, but I wish I ordered 3 of those. Forget about the fish taco that other yelpers are raving about. The veggie taco had far more flavor. I also had flour "chips" for the first time. Gross. Once I bit into them, it tasted like powder on my tongue. That'll be the last time I say "mixed tortillas."
(5)Jessica G.
I MEAN does it get much better than Carbon?! Probably the best mexican food I've had in Chicago. Food is unparalleled. The Elote is yummy, quesadillas are always good. And OMG their flour chips. Ugh its just so good I'm so sad I'm moving. Service is always good, friends of mine have had Carbon cater parties and they said the catering is always on time, fresh and delicious as per usual. Don't miss out on this stuff!
(5)Judith J.
Looking for a nice place to have great Mexican food and enjoy the beautiful Chicago weather? Trust me Carbon Mexican Grill is a good choice. Driving around last weekend with my BFF who is a true foodie, looking for an outdoor place. I saw the sign and the outside seating and we decided to give it a try. Why not I'm adventurous! When we get inside the place is packed, which to me is always a good sign. I felt like I have been missing out on a gem! The inside is small and tight, but no one seems to mind. You place your order at the counter and then find your seat. I was going to order a burrito, but that thing was huge, so I ordered two steak tacos and mixed chips and guacamole. Everything was delicious! While waiting to place my order, I was getting nervous because everyone ordering was going to eat outside and I only saw a few tables outside. That's when the lady at register informed me they had more seating out back Next time I come I will have the fish tacos, I hear those are good too.
(4)Vishwa N.
Probably the best damn tacos I've ever had. Don't be fooled by the look of the place. They're food is definitely one for the books. Surely recommend. Horchata is sugary and not as great as I've had at other places. Wouldn't get again. Overall, food and service are very good and that's all that matters, sometimes. Surely recommend.
(4)Cindy J.
I agree with some people who say this joint is slightly overpriced...think Chipotle prices. But this place offers some nice touches, such as authentic beans and rice, than other burrito/taco places just don't have. I found this place at the Taste of Chicago last year and just had to try more shortly after. The fish tacos are really good, but so are the other tacos. Nachos and burritos are just OK. Tacos are the way to go here. This place definitely seems to be a Chicago police department hang out for some reason. The sit down area is small, can be hot due to the kitchen being right next to it and open air. In the summer, Carbon offers outdoor seating. While this place could use a couple upgrades, like a nicer soda machine and more spacious area to get your napkins, straws, etc., it will keep me coming back for more.
(4)Shin M.
This rating is based on the food vendor at the Taste of Chicago. My fiance got the sampler for the Tequila-Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast Taco and the 1/2 Tamales Wrapped in Corn Husk. He thought they were OK.
(3)Frank A.
Came here with a buddy that was raving about this place. So glad I did! Still craving one of their steak burrito bowls as I type! LOVE the side of elotes in the bowl! Also had a bit of my wife's crusted talapia bowl. The fish was exactly as advertised. Crusted on the outside, soft and cooked perfect. I found myself eating both my steak and wife's fish! Solid place and it's definitely made my list of go-to places during the weekend for quick and cheap eats.
(5)Mista C.
Not always consistent, but I go here regularly and most of the time their tacos are amazing. Fish tacos, chicken tacos, steak tacos, all incredible. They make the best fish tacos I've had in my life-if you're into flavor, ask for extra tequila lime sauce. Get pickup and spare yourself the hefty delivery charge.
(4)Z K.
I went here based on the Yelp reviews, and quite honestly was very disappointed by the experience. I was really in the mood for a good Burrito/Taco and literally had to force my wife to give this place a try. Man, was it disappointing. I ordered a Burrito (Something w/ Tilapia) and well, first of all - it was deep fried tilapia. on top of it, the burrito does not have rice, beans, etc in it...just plain old cabbage and you pay extra for cheese. It did have avocados in it. Also, the mild and hot salsas are very BLEH...tastes like canned salsa. My wife had the tacos and again, nothing impressive. In fact, the fish that was in my burrito was fried, as stated earlier, but you know that nasty taste/crunchy feeling you get of deep friend stuff that is stale...well, thats what I also experienced. Needless to say, wish these guys the best, seems like they are doing great but I didnt have a good experience w/ the food.
(2)Phil N.
I'm rarely around the area anymore but when I am, I try to stop in for lunch. Everything I've ever had here is fantastic. I especially love the chicken. Pricier than some places but that's clearly because of the quality of the food. Long story short, come here. There's one off Chicago avenue as well.
(5)Jake W.
How a restaurant of this style, without servers or even a pretense of formality, can charge $8 for burritos and still receive such rave reviews is incomprehensible to me. I ate here with a friend who got tacos as lukewarm and unremarkable as my burrito. Sour cream and guacamole were miserly dispensed (and at an extra charge, of course). No one inquired about my meal or offered even a single word beyond taking my order. Overall, this was yet another fail at discovering decent, affordable, kindly dispensed Mexican fare in the City of Chicago.
(1)Jeff S.
I've tried 'taco places' all over Chicago and the suburbs and hands-down this is the best. If you want quantity over quality then head on over to one of the 300 different La Pasaditas on the North side. But for quality (still at a good price) Carbon has yet to be matched. Tried a mix of fish (tipalia), chicken, and steak tacos. All three were excellent and quite different. The elote was really good as well. My only complaint is the location, but not for the reasons other's have stated. I already do not eat in Chinatown often enough considering it's a few blocks away from our condo, but knowing that Carbon is only a few block further south may prevent me from stopping in Chinatown again :(
(5)Chen-Chen J.
The Stelote burrito reminds me of Mexican San Diego style (not an easy task). Lots of well seasoned, tender steak combined with creamy and zesty corn, and not much else (but in the best way because the ingredients in their simplicity are really all you need for a fantastic burrito). In the past few weeks, I've had several cravings for Carbon, driven largely by that amazing steak. We also had the guac, chips, elote on its own. My friends had various tacos, which all looked delicious. Furthermore, the salsa really adds that kick to any dish. The pricing is a bit more expensive, but definitely worth it! This place is perfect for a quick bite that really hits the spot when you're craving Mexican.
(4)Fabian C.
We bumped into this place by accident last night. We had just picked up breaded steak sandwiches from Ricobene's. So we decided to get a couple of taco's to try this place out since we are rarely in this area. The steak taco's were decent, it almost reminded me of Zacataco's. It just had cilantro and onions. I still couldn't explain why the price for a simple taco is $3.25 WOWZARDS..!! I think I rather go to El Milagro and pay $5.79 for The steak plate, (beans, rice, and salad) and you get way more for your buck.. I am quiet curious to taste the Fish Taco or The Mother Clucker.. but $9 dollars for a buritto? Hay CARAMBA..!!
(2)Linsey R.
I really, really, really wanted to love this place because it's close to my house and I love Mexican food. After several visits and trying many of the menu items, I've come to the realization that the love just isn't there. While none of the food has been terrible, it's barely average and I leave wishing I had eaten something else.
(2)Marj K.
The food was alright - BUT the amount of food for $7.00 was almost laughable. I THOUGHT I ordered 2 chicken tacos on line. And when I got back to the office, I had one (and some beans). I called to tell them of the mistake and was told that the online ordering is "tricky" and what I got was a taco w/ extra chicken. There is NO WAY I had extra chickent. The guy on the phone said there is nothing he can do. I won't be going back - there are other places. I paid $7 for lunch....and I'm STILL hungry (that's a problem). Completely dissatisfied - they had a chance to make something right and they blew it.
(1)R M.
TO DIE FOR steak tacos. I first had Carbon's steak tacos at the Taste of Chicago about two years ago. Ever since then, I have been a regular at this place! I dream about these tacos and their steak burrito. The steak is fire grilled, and it is the best flavor that you could ever put on a tortilla. They are always juicy and tender. Never once got a hard piece of meat. I have been wanting to try the chicken tacos but every time I go in there, that steak is calling my name! It's what you smell as soon as you enter the door. They also have corn as a side dish that is out of this world! They serve it in a small bowl and I swear it makes you want to lick the bowl! Beware that all the extras are just that, EXTRA! Only thing you will get on your taco without costing extra is cilantro and onions but honestly, you don't need anything else. Don't spoil the flavor of that meat by adding cheese, lettuce, tomatoes. That's not a taco, that's a salad! The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because that manager at this location always acts like he has a bit of an attitude. Not the friendliest person around.
(4)J. N.
I remain of the opinion that this place is great... I will now, however, admit I feel like it is a wee bit over-priced and we have indeed had a couple experiences that were less then great. Honestly, when you eat somewhere dozens of times you are bound to have a couple bad experiences. It's a great addition to the area - a more healthy alternative thats still really tasty.
(4)Jorge B.
Update: I have given Carbon26 a chance a few times again, and though the concept is good, they keep disappointing me. 1)You can tell the onwers are penny pinchers in many ways: They charge $3.50 per delivery, and they have a large minimum delivery. They are always trying to upsell you to have cheese on your stuff, which is an additional charge, and.... The most upsetting thing... they withhold the avocado all the time. Avocados just went down in price, they they used to be expensive and most places charge you for them, I agree! But, if you advertise a burrito as having avocado, I expect to have SOME avocado at least. It's been 3 times straight that the avocado is missing from my burritos. This clearly shows it's not an 'honest' mistake, but instead it is a methodological mistake. "If it's to go, don't put avocado, they will likely won't complain". I'm an avocado addict, and the fact that they're keeping me from my addiction is downright insulting. I will not be coming back, it is unacceptable. Previous review (back when they weren't so cheap I suppose): After getting a menu delivered to my door, I decided to give Carbon on 26 a try. When one is advertising Mexican-food in Pilsen, one certainly needs to differentiate themselves from the tens of other restaurants in the community. Carbon did this very well. Carbon's distinct features are its elote, and their fish tacos. I have tried both of these and for the most part I'm very pleased with them. The elote's spicy-ness does seem to fluctuate quite a bit, but it's always good. When a restaurant has such a small menu, they certainly need to excel at what they do, and this is where I'm hesitant to give Carbon more than 3 stars (which is still positive). The fish tacos are sometimes wonderous, and yet sometimes the fish fillet is rather small, so the crust flavor becomes predominant. That cannot be good, especially when their tacos (with the optional cheese) are about 3 dollars with tax. The chicken tacos are also very good, but at times they have been a little on the dry side. Thankfully, they are kind enough to give some delicious pineapple salsa that makes the dryness not an issue. Their delivery has been very fast, and I'm very pleased with. Though I don't consider it a place where I would want to go and eat, it seems to have its unique style and appears to be clean. It is somewhat small though, and right under some overpasses, so not exactly a charming area. + Clearly unique, fast delivery, delicious when made right. - Small place, price per item lousy against near competition, inconsistent food.
(3)L. O.
I went into carbon tonight pleasantly surprised to hear salsa music, it was disappointing to hear a young employee complaining (using swears) about the music. Keep up the good music Carbón!
(4)Sonjanita M.
The food here is really really good, but the service ranges from fair to good depending on the day and the people ringing and wrapping the food. For instance, today I ordered 2 steak tacos and a steak burrito. Neither taco had ANY sauce on them despite my request. The steak burrito only had a miniscule amount of sauce - although 2 sauces were requested. MORAL OF THE STORY - ask for sauce in a cup. On a few other occasions, the cashier talks really really fast- rushing you through your order. I didn't like that but I wasn't paying so I let it go.
(3)Giovanna T.
Went with a couple of my buddies. odd area for a taco spot but great find none the less. Not really to big on the fish tacos but there actually pretty good. However my heart belongs to the steak! Tender, juicy OH! so darn good. Price is great for what your getting. Service is good but the food is fantastic. Trust a taco-holic! (^_^) its worth it!
(5)Joe S.
Not bad at all. We got delivery from here and were pleasantly surprised. I had the lime seasoned chicken taco, steak burrito and the guac to start. I know some people were complaining about the portion size, but I thought it was fine. I guess that is why america has more obese people than any other nation:) But seriously, the service was great, door to door in less than 30 minutes and the food was really, really good. The guacamole was fantastic. We will definitely be giving this place another shot as it is convenient and not too, too expensive.
(4)Honest A.
One of the best tacos in Chicago, period. Don't listen to bad reviews here - they must be on drugs because Carbon is better than just about all the joint in Pilsen. Great place to chow down after a Sox game. The place is a dive but food is perfect.
(5)Dan E.
I tried one of each of the tacos including fish, vegetable, steak and chicken. No complaints about the quality - all were fresh and super tasty. I should have gotten a burrito because the tacos are $2.50 each, a little high for tacos. Staff was helpful and super friendly. Interesting location: right under the Stevenson.
(3)Rahshonda K.
Grilled Lime Chicken Taco Oh My!!!!! I saw them on the Taste Of Chicago list and knew I had to check them out. Lines were long but I braved the hot ass sun for that goodness and it was well worth it. I also tried the Elote Portion which was very tasty as well. I definitely going to check them out again. My friend got the Tilapia fish and she wanted to go back for seconds it was so good.
(5)Ginard H.
One of the best Mexican quasi-fast food places in town! The food is very well-seasoned and quickly prepared. It's so much more healthly than 95% of all other taqueria-like places. It focuses on a somewhat lo-carb, high protein menu. The Talipia taco bowl is my favorite. It's got a amazing combo of slightly sweet (grilled corn) and spicey. Interestingly enough, the ceasar salads is one of the most tasty I've had. It's great also for late-night-missed-dinner-got-to-get-something-now scenarios. I admit the burritos are less impressive but if you stick with the healthier, salad-based fares your taste buds will thank you.
(5)Erica T.
This place was awesome! ! ! I Everything is so fresh ;think its the best Mexican food I've had and I was born and raised on Mexican food. The margaritas are tasty too. OMG the tilapia tacos are a must try. Highly recommend this spot
(5)Beast B.
Awesome tacos!!! I drive from Lakeview just for their tacos :)
(5)Rebecca L.
My husband and I visited Carbon tonight and were absolutely thrilled with it. My husband had tried their tacos at the Taste of Chicago this year, and he couldn't forget them. And he is *very* picky about his food! So we went there tonight, and I'm so glad we did! We highly recommend the steak tacos, fish tacos and chicken taco's, especially with the tequila-lime sauce. Yum. The elote, a mexican corn mash, was really amazing. Wow. In addition, the service is spectacular; I haven't met people this kind and accomodating at ANY restaurant in the city. They had great recommendations and were just nice people. We truly appreciated that. Overall, I definitely suggest you try this place, and sit in their cute outdoor patio and just enjoy. Relax. Eat the tacos, and have a Dos Equis. Its a lot of fun, and not expensive. Life is good - visit Carbon!!
(5)Brandon M.
This one is a little shaky. They're inconsistent, but they can be great! The best item on their menu, I believe, is the chocolate quesadilla. $1.55 for chocolate and hazelnut inside of a tortilla. Brilliant and tasty. They also have horchata that is very tasty and less than $2. Their burritos are $6.50 so it is entirely possible to eat way too much for under $10. I would call that awesome. (I don't understand why people say they're overpriced?) They are pretty standard along the lines of a Mexican menu. I tend to stay away from tacos to begin with, even the best tacos are disgusting to me, so I can't comment on those. I have to say that everyone who is giving this place a bad rap needs to recognize that this is a tiny Mexican restaurant on the border or Bridgeport and Chinatown... The Italian part of Bridgeport too. They're not going to be too bold with their menu.
(4)Richard F.
Fish Tacos were good. Their ingredients are always fresh. Always crowded. Cool place to go since it's not far from my house but if i'm really craving, i'll make the drive up north to Taco Burrito house
(3)Cherish S.
Just ate here yet AGAIN!! I love this place. Today I had the tilapia burrito bowl with corn/pineapple salsa and guacamole. Usually I carry out (I live very close by) but this time I ate in. Service was pretty quick (5 minutes or so) and everything was good and fresh! There are a few small (2-4 people) tables inside and when the weather is warmer they have outdoor eating also. I agree with Hanna's comment about delivery. Would you order Chipotle for delivery? Not if you want it fresh. Carbon is a similar type of place but I always refer to it as an upgraded, fresher, more creative version of a Chipotle. I love the fact that they don't drown everything (including guac) in those nasty onions. The only complaint I've ever had is for ordering chips - they tend to give a mix of corn and flour chips in one bag. Kinda weird but my friends never complain so it works for some people. I think the flour chips (similar to the "bowl" used for the burrito bowl) are very good.
(4)Doug R.
Amazing place. The minute you pull up the smells let you know you've made the right choice. Talapia tacos are best!! Three choices of salsas! Large portions!! Very fair prices!! Definitely put this place on your map!!
(4)Kimberly D.
Finally tried Carbón after being highly recommended by a friend. I ordered for delivery via Grub Hub and it will definitely be added to my delivery menu drawer. Delivery though took an hour and probably would've been quicker if I picked it up myself. I was pleased with how the food was packaged because everything was still pretty warm. The delivery guy was also one of the friendliest I had ever met. Fish Taco Bowl was fantastic! I had to order without rice so can only imagine it be even better with the rice. I loved the freshness, flavor, and quantity of the fish. The combination of the tortilla encrusted tilapia, beans, elote, cheese, and green salsa was a great blend of different flavors. I also ordered the Elote (corn hash) as a side dish and loved it. Fish Taco with flour tortilla is one of the better fish tacos that I have had in Chicago. Generous amount of fish and the tequila lime sauce was good and made it unique. The sauce was on the sweet side, which my fiance did not like too much. Steak Taco was just ok to me. Steak was cooked perfectly and not chewy, but I have had better flavor elsewhere. Chips with the chips and salsa is a mix of corn chips and flour chips (like tortilla bowl shell) that I'm not sure if I liked. Salsa Verde was fresh but I have also had better elsewhere. All in all a great meal from Carbón. I will definitely order for delivery again when i am craving the fish taco, elote, or fish bowl. I would also like to try going to Carbón to try it freshly prepared as oppose to delivery.
(4)Patty A.
My coworkers and I ordered lunch from Carbon today. Bad Idea. We ordered at 11:30 a.m. and were promised delivery by 12:30 p.m. Fast forward to 1 pm, no food. I call the place and was told that due to today being Cinco de Mayo, they were extremely behind and that our food was not made yet! I am thinking a phone call would have been nice. The gentleman on the phone apologized but we decided to cancel the order. Half an hour later, the manager calls me and decides to deliver our food free of charge. (Hence, I decided to give him an extra star for his kind gesture). But, once the food arrived (at 2:30)....I realized that the taste and quality of the food was not worth the aggravation of the earlier events.
(2)Erin B.
I've never had a craving for tacos...until now. I really Love Carbon! I always get the tequila lime marinated chicken (but am thinking about "branching out" on my next visit), and it's so on! I add the onions, cilantro, cheese and salsa verde on top, and I am set to go! While it does take a little longer to prepare (everything is made to order) and it is on the more expensive side, I don't mind because everything tastes so good! They're looking to expand their business to other locations, and I'm hoping to see a lot more of them throughout the city!
(4)Christine T.
The fish tacos are really good. The steak burritos are decent-- not the "typical" taqueria-styled burritos. It's a good place to stop by for a fast meal.
(4)Amelie D.
It seemed so off-the-beaten-path and cool, I was ready to give this five stars before I even tried it. Atmosphere was great, and the staff was friendly and answered all questions, allowed samples, gave us free soup, and generally made us feel good. However, the food was just okay. Although the whole concept of the restaurant seems to be a grill (carbon?), the fish taco was anything but. It was breaded and fried and was only available on a flour tortilla. The steak taco was also a little bland, and I've had better at places like Lazo's or Los Comales. Chips were super oily and therefore delicious, but later felt like a rock in my stomach. I was really excited to try the elotes, which they serve already plucked from the corncob and in a bowl, only to discover that they didn't even grill the corn. With some tweaks to the menu, this place has all the potential for being a hot little spot.
(3)Hector M.
Just had a steak burrito from carbon and I thought it was excellent. The steak was perfectly cooked and the hot sauce that went with it was perfect. The sauce had a good kick and you could tell the sauce was fresh. I can't wait to order again. Update: Try the talipia tacos! Just had them and they were very good! Good alternative if you are not interested in having steak.
(4)Ben F.
Amazing one of the few Mexican places in Chicago that cooks over an open flame. There tequila marinated chicken tacos are a true culinary treat. I drive alot around Chicago for my job and love tacos and the grilled steak tacos here are the best in the city and all sauces compliment the flavors perfectly. A definate must try!!!
(5)Patrick U.
Definitely not your ordinary run of the mill taco joint and so much tastier than Chipotle. Good portions of meat along with a variety of sides and salsas your not gonna find at just any taco stand. Try the fish tacos when your there with a side of their delicious elotes.
(5)Davin S.
Delish fish tacos and the staff were really nice.
(5)S. T.
We randomly went here on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. It was fantastic! I like to eat all kinds of food, but I'm vegetarian so I'm restricted. I loved their "fire roasted veggie" burrito. I found it to be authentic with red cabbage and perfectly roasted veggies. My fellow diners had the tacos which they also liked, they are basically the same as the burrito. I also LOVED the salsas, they have two salsas that you add as you go. The rest of the (non-veg) menu sounded great. Keep in mind that this is a "hole in the wall" but it was fairly crowded on a Sunday afternoon with several cops/paramedics catching a bite. This is definitely a diamond in the rough, everyone should try it!
(5)Sam T.
A traditional Mexican Restaurant. So far they only deliver up to 2PM on weekdays. But they just opened so things are still expanding as business grows. So no big deal there, because they are going to be successful with the quality of the food here. They have a sign that says they offer different kinds of salsa depending on the season. The usual hot, mild and sweet plus mango avocado salsa, roasted poblano & cilantro lime salsa, and also black bean and papaya salsa. Interesting choices that I really can't wait for them to stock. Give them a try. I loved the Grilled Corn and Pineapple Salsa!!! Okay I got a Burrito Bowl and a Chocolate Quesadilla. The Burrito Bowl is HUGE! It comes in a large taco bowl and its more then a meal. Make sure your hungry before getting this one. The Chocolate Quesadilla. I saw it on the menu and being the adventurous person that i am I just had to try it. It's basically a flour tortilla with chocolate and hazelnut and sprinkled powered sugar. It is served warm. Very delicious! Try this place out. Bridgeport has been needing a few new places to create a little more variety. Carbon is going to be a huge hit!
(5)T J.
I love their fish tacos! Had the elotes twice, might depends on who makes it cause the first time it was meh, but second time delicious.
(4)Julie B.
Carbon was actually a Taste of Chicago find for me and I'm oh so happy it was there! Make sure you ALWAYS get the tequila lime sauce. It is DELICIOUS and should be eaten with a spoon with everything they serve! For $2.50 you get a delicious double tortilla wrapped taco..(the steak is delicious). The chicken tortilla soup is delicious as well. I'm a huge huge fan of this place, both of their food and their free street parking at the Chinatown location!
(5)Aesha W.
I tried this place for lunch, because it looked like a nice little restaurant when I passed it on the way to work. I and a couple other girls in my office ordered for lunch, but that was kind of a pain because it was so incredibly loud that I couldn't hear the girl taking the order. Each of us had a taco salad, and they were really large. It was pretty good, but there seemed to be cinnamon or something sweet that I didn't really enjoy. I might order from them again if we order through work, but since it's nowhere near my home, it's not a place I'll be visiting really often. Edit: Oh, man. I've usually had Carbon just for lunch, but when I was living in Hyde Park in summer 2009, this was pretty convenient and ended up eating here a few times. My boyfriend liked it a lot, and thought it interesting that cheese is an add-on - he hates cheese, so it was easy to make sure he wouldn't get it here by a confused employee. But the real reason for this edit is the dessert: the chocolate quesadilla. I hadn't had one before because they won't deliver them, and I can understand why. This is one delicious dessert, dirt cheap and super satisfying. Makes me want one now!
(4)Matthew B.
Great food. i order here probably once a week at the minimum... The fish tacos are my favorite
(4)Hope Z.
Fresh +Fast +Creative +Reasonable Mexican Grill = Carbon I passed this restaurant on accident one day while finding a shortcut to Lake Shore Drive, and its fire mural piqued my interest. If you like burritos stands, and fresh food, you will love this place.the food is so fresh and so yummy. Its in bridgeport, 26th and princeton, down the street from Ricobenes They have a small limited menu but its so so fresh and so so yum. I had tequila lime marinated chicken tacos ( onions and cilanto) with Pinapple Chile Corn salsa! I could have ate the salsa with a spoon. My finace's burrito, my tacos, drinks and our dessert was only 20 bucks! Now dessert? Yeah, a Chocolate Quesadilla. Its nutella in Quesadilla form. and the best part? 95 cents. update from second trip: THE TILAPIA TACOS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD. DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200, JUST GO EAT THESE TACOS. THEY ARE SO FLIPPIN GOOD.
(5)bob b.
It's hard to find but, sooooo worth it! I had the fish tacos very very yummy! My friend had the steak tacos she loved it! Don't forget the dessert choc quesadilla delish!
(4)Christie L.
Unique taco experience. Tortilla encrusted tilapia with tequila lime sauce tacos are delicious. Nice mixture of corn and flour chips with several different salsas to choose from. Cute vibrant space under the expressway.Great addition to 26th street.
(4)T K.
Get the elote and fish taco. Sooooo good. Price is higher than expected for a taco ($2.75 w/ cheese), and you will need at least two to fill you up. However, everything is fresh and very tasty. Not a everyday lunch but good for a craving of fresh taco. Service was fine. Please keep in mind this is NOT a full service restaurant so not sure what others are expecting. The place is small with 6 small tables and a small kitchen. You order your food. You eat it. You clean up. You leave.
(4)Corina V.
I've had this place a handful of times and I do enjoy the food but I always thought the price was a little steep. I just ordered some food from there through grubhub and had a horrible experience. I live 10 minutes from there and they tried to say it would take an hour for the delivery. When I got the food, I had a burrito full of onions and cilantro when I asked for one without any vegetables. I tried calling grubhub but Carbon refused to redo it. Thank god grubhub has great customer service because I had to throw away a $7 burrito because of Carbon's messup. After this experience, and their steep prices I am NEVER going there again. There's plenty of places that have better food with WAY better customer service.
(1)Heather Z.
My husband and I absolutely love Carbon! We eat here at least 3 times a week since finding them back in March. The food is so fresh and flavorful every time. Everyone is so friendly and you can tell that they have a lot of repeat customers such as ourselves.
(5)Cupcake C.
Try the corn Hash! This place has super tacos and salsa. Yum.
(4)Ruby F.
This place is terrible, the worst mexican food ever. I would rather eat Taco Bell. The spanish rice was white rice with corn mixed in and the Guac tasted like it came out of a tub at jewel. Overall it lacked in flavor entirely. I had chicken tacos my bf had steak, neither was worth it. I guess we should've went with the tilapia like everyone else on here.
(1)Katrina H.
if you voted anything other than 5 stars.. You're TRiPPIN!!! This food is DELICIOUS!!! I absolutely LOVE their Tacos.. the fish tacos are like NO other!! and this little Spicy Corn Salsa Dish.. GOOD LAWD! Gone to HEAVEN and back for more!! it's that good! The staff is Great!! Kim is always friendly.. Love this place!
(5)scott a.
It is across the street from my house. It looks cool. I had such high expectations. Sadly I don't ever eat here. They have a fire roasted veggie burrito, and it is damn good. But it is tiny and expensive. I would almost be willing to deal with this on occasion, but every time I order it the don't have it prepped and I end up waiting 10 minutes. Sorry Carbon, I really really wanted to like you... it just didn't work out. (a lot of meat eaters I know really like it here)
(2)Marco T.
This is my go to when we don't want to make the trek to La Pasadita. The steak and chicken is grilled to perfection. My go to is the tilapia fish tacos/burritos. Oh and the elotes too...
(4)Candace B.
This little "latin piece of paradise" has damn good food! I love the chicken salad bowls (or whatever you call them), they are deee-lish. The meat is great quality, always hot and fresh and much better than Chipotle. Mmmm...
(5)Ina J.
My coworkers and I ordered from here today. I had the chicken burrito bowl. It was all right, nothing spectacular but enough to stave off my lunchtime hunger pangs. Like a few others have mentioned, there are a number of places to pick from in (nearby) Pilsen.
(2)Candice M.
I love this restaurant! My favorite is the Tilapia fish taco with extra lime tequila sauce. Excellent. Its small inside...they plan to expand eventually but in the summer its great because they have a beer garden in back. The steak taco is great too with cilantro, tomatos and cheese....the chocolate quesadilla everyone must try. Also try a small thing of home made beans....I like them on my steak tacos!
(4)Daisy T.
I have eaten here twice and have never been that impressed. Yesterday I ordered the burrito bowl with tilapia as recommended by the cashier. Both the tortilla shell for the bowl and the tilapia are heavily deep fried and the deep frying oil seeped into all the food causing a bitter after taste. The tilapia was disgusting. I've had other fish from mexican joints and this one is the worst. No flavor just grease. The rest of the bowl was also dissatisfying. Honesly chipotle is way better. Nothing here tasted fresh, just greasy. Also heavily overpriced. I paid over $9 for one burrito bowl with very little toppings. I will never go back.
(1)Daniel G.
Never called for delivery but have eaten there many times. The elote is excellent as are the fish tacos. The different choices for salsa are also interesting. Wash it all down with an ice cold beer and have a good day.
(4)Dusty K.
Sadly, I ordered delivery and it took over an hour to make it to our place. I was worried that our food would be cold and my hunch turned out to be correct. Our tacos were cold by the time they arrived and I took a bite and threw it out. I was really disappointed. Fortunately I ordered guacamole as well but even that was sub-par. I partly blame myself for ordering mexican delivery but I can't find the urge to eat there in person after my experience. There are other options in the South loop and will spend my money elsewhere
(1)A C.
i was quite disappointed.....having gone to the Taste of Chicago last year and tried out their wonderful fish tacos, I wanted to give their restaurant a shot. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening: fish was overcooked, tortilla wrap was cheap flour made, and it was not crunchy at all. Very disappointed. I go to Ricobene's next door now for my regular fix of greasy fast food. :(
(2)Jose G.
The low stars is largely for price and value. At these prices any normal (and Mexican owned) Mexican restaurant would give you much larger portions, and more central ingredients (like beans and cheese). But the ingredients Carbon does give you are very good and tasty. I liked the elote, though they're stingier with the chili powder than a street vendor would be, and the vegetarian tacos and burritos are overpriced, small, cheese is extra, but made with quality ingredients. This is not a corner taqueria, and for this neighborhood could be cheaper and better. But I was pleasantly surprised nonetheless.
(3)K S.
Delicious and cheap - an ideal place to order delivery from.
(4)K T.
My partner and I are mexican food fanatics! This food was bland - not spiced very well... I appreciate that it's grill cooked and all... but wouldn't patronize again. ALSO - GREASY GREASY chips - with pieces of fried taco shell (think Taco Salad shell) -- grease overload!
(1)Foodie A.
We gave this place a try from the reviews, so we decided to get a take out. Don't know how people can give this place a better rating than 1 star. They screwed up our order and when we called back to try to tell them, they have the nerve that we got our order wrong. We have the receipt of the correct order and we know what we ordered! They finally admitted they screwed up. In addition to that, the food was greasy, the tortilla was soaked in grease, could barely hold anything, could use a little more flavor, greasy chips, not enough salsa per taco and burrito that we ordered, we got steak for the chicken burrito, and no sorry for the inconvenience -- food. For the price, $2.50 for a maybe $1.50 taco? Wow, not worth it! If you want a better Mexican food, clearly this is not the place.
(1)Sophia T.
I think this place is great. It's pretty quick and their burritos and burrito bowls are delicious and simple, with the meat being the primary ingredient you can taste. The guacamole, however can use a little help, but overall it is a great little place. Be sure to get a punch card also, after 10 burritos you get one free! Street parking is also very easy.
(4)Wandy N.
The restaurant just opened in the west town/river west area, I went on a Friday for the first time and had a fish taco being it was Friday during lent I couldn't eat meat, I was a bit skeptic but, It was really good. So I was actually dying to go taste their steak tacos so I went back the same weekend and had a Steak Taco my other half had Burrito bowl, and WOW really impressed. Very generous and fresh tasting pieces of meat, good flavor. Absolutely LOVED it. I am a huge taco lover and I have to say they were delicious. My only complaint is the Tortilla soup, very good flavor just toooo thick. Please work on making it more of a soupy soup! Other than that..SO GLAD YOU ARE NOW IN THE NORTH SIDE. Will definitely be a regular there.. Welcome and looking forward to many many meals there.
(4)Jacko J.
Ehhh. I'm not coming back. Everyone raves about the fish taco's. Average at best. Very greasy and over fried. I have to say the variety of salsa's were pretty good but that's it.
(2)William B.
Fast friendly service, especially David . He was very prompt with the small little "extras" that were needed such as silverware, napkins or sauces. Since I traveled from the Midway Airport area, it was TOTALLY worth the drive and I already told 5 people about it. Keep up the great work!!
(5)Julia W.
This was my first trip to Carbon after driving by it a million times! I know Mexican food is typically dirt cheap but for two people to eat 2 giant burritos & a drink, I didn't think $16 was bad. I think the price is $5.95 plus whatever you add on. I know I added sour cream, guacamole, & all that-- I was in between YAY! I'm a fan & Woohoo! But I suppose the price drove me to 4 stars b/c you do just have one burrito on your plate. And for $6 that's fine with me but there is no rice, no chips, so even though you have plenty to eat because the burritos are HUGE, it doesn't quite feel like dinner. I thought it was fantastic! The staff were all SUPER friendly & quick serving us. They gave us samples of rice water or something (???) and the Elote (?) (corn chowder). The corn stuff was really good! I'm picky on the beverage side of things, but that stuff was good too. I think it's a cute restaurant, good food, friendly people! Next time I'll try the Tilapia b/c it gets rave reviews. I'll be back!
(4)annie r.
ok, i'm wondering if i'm going to a different place from the rest of the reviewers cause in my opinion, this place is one of the best in the city for tacos and burritos. plus i kinda like the creepy, under-the-highway location. everything here just tastes fresh. the flavors are distinct and layer well. plus, the salsas cant be beat. i recommend the tilapia (in burrito bowl form) and the steak (as a burrito or taco). AND their horchata is great. its a bit pricer than other fast food burrito joints, but its just way better so i'll pay the extra 2 bucks. the friends i have in bridgeport say the delivery is fast too, but thats just heresay, i usually eat there.
(5)W C.
The horchata was alright, although I never tasted it before. But the food has no rice, the chicken was burnt, the burrito bowl was an nasty overnight tasting wonton bowl, and they had to put in our order twice because the girl accidentally cancelled it. I had ordered delivery, and the guy was all attitude because they didn't give him the credit card slip, when in fact it actually was his pocket. Like it's my fault when your restaurant doesn't give you the slip? When my credit card bill came, I was overcharged by a dollar. Certainly it's a dollar, but I don't like the fact that the delivery guy can put in whatever he wants for a tip. I am never coming back here again.
(1)shirley m.
I would give this place 5 stars but the menu is limited! I can however get my mexican fix. What they have in selection they make up for in friendly and speedy service. Go for the fish taco, it's tortilla encrusted served with cabbage and cliantro lime sauce-pass on the cabbage and get it with cilantro and onion instead. The fish is really moist, flaky and oh-so-good. Steak tacos are good, they grill over an open flame and chop right on the spot, never dry, always moist. The chicken breast is marinated in a tequila-lime sauce but tends to be on the dry side for me (I'm a dark meat kind of girl) but is great served as a quesadilla. They have a good selection of cerveza, jarritos, horchata and soda. Don't pass up the dessert, the brownie is REALLY good, nice ,chocolate-y, chewy and cooked thru (vs a moist center) I always have to order two brownies because I'm eating one in the car on my way home :) Service is really fast, you place your order find a seat and voila!
(4)Tricia B.
Order through GrubHub on March 16th. Tilapia taco was fantastic, ceasar salad was very good and was the roasted pepper sauce which can be order separately. Chips were great. Guacamole was not to my liking, not bad just not to my taste - too many onions, tomatoes, filler and not enough avocado - so I would not order than again. But I would order the fish taco and salad again. Tried the chocolate quesedilla but it did not travel well. You can a lot of food for the money. The delivery minmum is $15.00 which is why I ordered so much - too much food for one person, but I was able to sample several dishes. Delivery person very nice. Would definately order from then again...maybe with some friends!
(4)Andy B.
2 words...burrito bowl! All right a few more, love that weird neighborhood which is right on the transition from Chinatown to Bridgeport, hanging under the overpass. I've only had the burrito bowl but its so good I don't dare to try anything else.
(4)Curt L.
First timer, my wife and I had two steak tacos, a fish taco, chips and guacamole, one burrito bowl. No drinks, no sides. Tab was $23. Food was decent, but there are lots of Chicago taco joints with better, cheaper food and a fairly decent place to sit and eat it. Nowhere cool to sit indoors, sat outdoors with 26th St. traffic and the thunder from the elevated expressway overhead, while sitting next to a fenced off area filled with construction equipment and a guy on a ladder cleaning out the rain gutters. Not sure what appeal others appear to find in this brand of al fresco dining. Won't be back.
(2)vicky y.
i was pretty excited to try this new mexican grill that just opened in the old neighborhood. we thought we were walking into a rotisserie but turned out it was actually a burrito and taco joint. the interior was pretty heavily decorated with dark accents and blown glass with what seemed like local artwork along the walls. about 10 tables lined the perimeter with additional stools around the serving bar/counter. we decided to try their burritos which were filled with just ur choice of meat, a sprinkling of their cilantro/onion mix, and salsa. no rice or lettuce so don't be surprised. instead, we ordered sides of rice and beans and guac, which we prolly won't do again. side portions were pretty small (think sides at pot belly's) and taste was nothing to rave about. i was pretty excited to try the grilled corn and pineapple salsa. it made a nice complement to my fish burrito but by itself, actually tasted pretty dismal. nonetheless, i'll probably return at a later time when they get their operations running more smoothly. i'd like to try their chocolate quesadilla dessert which i hope will be more than just tortilla and nutella.
(3)Jelly C.
Many restaurants have tried and failed at this location so I give Carbon major points for prettying it up and opening for business. I read a lot about the yummy fish tacos so I had to give them a try. I ordered a tilapia, steak, and tequila lime chicken taco. ! The tacos came with a side of elotes and your choice of salsa (I tried the sweet pineapple and corn salsa. not bad) I thought the elotes would be something out of the world like the menu insisted but I prefer the ones you get from the little carts down Archer. I also ordered a cup of "authentic" Horchata. I'm not sure how "authentic" horchata is suppose to taste (I get mine from Los Comales) but it was good, not too sweet. The tacos were a bit of a miss though. The steak in the steak taco was really rough. I chewed until my jaw started to ache... the tequila lime chicken, which I think is their specialty, wasn't too bad. Although I wouldn't mind a little more flavor. The tilapia was probably my favorite. Although it was fried, it wasn't oily and the sweet green (avocado?) sauce complimented the fish pretty well. I was a little bummed when I saw the huge packages of tortillas the lady took out from the back. Although I'm sure not all taco places make their own tortilla ( I probably can't taste the difference honestly), butI like to think that they do so seeing that was a total bummer. There was a steady stream of people coming in and out and some of them seemed to already be regulars. Overall the food can be a bit bland but I'll be back for another round of fish tacos.
(3)Olivia W.
This is by far my favorite taco place in Chicago - if you're looking for an unbeatable fish taco, you've found it. My boyfriend and I go here whenever we're anywhere near the neighborhood. As noted by others, the tequila lime sauce is to die for. I also enjoy the soda fountain style margaritas (although they could maybe use a few adjustments). This place is a good deal, a unique grounded atmosphere, and delicious tacos.
(5)Nolan C.
All i have to say is, best fish taco's!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Jeenee R.
i hail from southern california, so i know my fish tacos... and this place rocks. simple combination of fluffy tortillas, lettuce/cabbage, perfectly fried tilapia and some amazing sauce (ask for extra).. i can never suffice with just a taco, so i just order a burrito and call it a day.
(5)Lori G.
1st time ordering and did it online. the food was here so fast and it was perfect. the fish tacos were awesome! i had 1 with the red roasted pepper sauce and 1 with the pineapple salsa. the beans weren't gross, refried but rather a combo of beans in their natural juice. my husband had the big, healthy steak burrito which was delish and the guac was so fresh and yummy. thank you for a wonderful experience. we'll be ordering again...very soon!
(5)TIFF R.
This little place is AWESOME. They may not be big in size but they are on taste. I've gone a total of 6 times now and I just love it. This place is not far from China Town yet I live in Wrigleyville and I don't mind making the drive AT ALL. I've gotten the tequila lime chicken tacos and of cource the ENCRUSTED TILAPIA tacos an d burritos. You have got to stop by and give them a try. By the way, the prices are more than reasonable for the food. I just love, love, love this place and will continue to return. They definitely need to open a location in Wrigleyville so others that don't know about it can stop in and enjoy.
(5)Frank R.
Pretty sub par tacos. The steak and the chicken were not very flavorful. Better off heading down 18th street. The place is nice and clean and the service is quick, just not the best food. Who knows, maybe I just got a bad batch?
(2)George C.
Best fish tacos and horchata in town!
(4)Corie Z.
This place was a great find in the middle of nowhere. Phone orders are simple to make because the person who answers the phone speaks perfect english (hard to find at a lot of mexican restaurants). The food is made incredibly fast and no matter how special or detailed or big you make your order they are always right. Their prices are pretty decent as well, considering the amount of meat they give you. The steak quesadilla is my favorite...it's HUGE and has the most tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth grade A steak u will ever taste. Add a little sour cream and tequila lime sauce and my tongue has a tiny orgasm. The elote is a great side dish. Its something i've never heard of and haven't been able to find at other mexican restaurants. For anyone here who hasn't had it it's simply corn in a slighly spicy creamy sauce. It's definitely better than the traditional rice and beans you get at every other mexican restaurant. Delish. The only complaint I have about this place are the tacos...they only have corn tortillas. I prefer flour tortillas or the hard/crunchy shells. The corn tortillas get so chewy and I don't enjoy that. But still, I'd rather order my quesadilla than the tacos anyway. If you live in the area, they deliver. If not, its worth the drive in my book. Definitely something I will go back to over and over.
(4)harry l.
flame cooked stk tacos...YUM!! satisfying everytime!
(4)Shannon R.
These are by far the best tacos I've had since living in San Diego...maybe even better. My office got Carbon catered since we had to come in on this blustery, freezing day. We had a selection of fish, steak, chicken and veggie with flour, corn or wheat tortillas. All were delicious and fresh! Very high quality. Highly recommend Carbon!
(5)K K.
We had a party for 15 people catered today. The food showed up about 10 minutes early.It was well packaged and hot, with plenty of napkins, plates, serving spoons etc. The food was FANTASTIC. Everyone at the party loved it. We had fish, chicken and veggie tacos. Elote, Rice and Beans, tortillas, and guacamole, and an amazing selection of salsas There was enough food for twice as many people and everyone took leftovers! We will definitely use Carbon for catering our parties in the future. We go to both locations frequently, so we knew the food would be good. We were very impressed with the quality, price, presentation and quantity of what we ordered. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
(5)Margaret G.
On my first day at a new office, I was urged/told to head to Carbon for a quick lunch and delicious Mexican food so my friend and I walked the .6 miles. I am glad we got there when we did cause boy is this place busy for lunch. We snagged the last open table and within a few minutes the bar stools were filled too. I only ordered two tacos, one steak and one chicken and they were sososo good. AND it was the perfect amount of food for lunch without putting me in a 2pm food coma. The mild salsa was seasoned perfectly; the steak tender. The two tacos came out to almost $8 so I thought it was a little expensive. Overall, I will be heading back again during the month I am at the new office. Service was quick and left us plenty of time to return within our hours lunch break. After reading reviews, I now know there is the entire menu I need to try!
(3)Colin C.
Ordered delivery from here tonight. I will say ordering online was simple, you get $1 off, and it came in about 40 minutes. I had a steak burrito which was literally just that - a bunch of steak in a tortilla. I think there might have been some onions. The corn / pineapple salsa was pretty gross. The salsa verde was good, and provided pretty much all the flavor for the meal. The lady friend had a tilapia burrito, which she said was pretty good, but that "Chipotle is 1000 times better." I thought it was sort of gross. It was enormous, she only ate about 1/3. I don't think I could have eaten that much of it. Also, the paper that the burritos were wrapped in was really thin and a lot of it tore off on the burrito, so I ate about a post-it note worth of paper. I guess that's what you get ordering Mexican food in Chinatown. I will take the blame on that one.
(2)Pierre W.
I've eaten a lot of Mexican food in my time. This is my all time favorite. The tequila lime chicken tacos are unreal. Burritos are excellent. So are the sides - elites and guacamole. Get the roasted red pepper sauce on the side.
(5)Kristen L.
Carbon is still a great place that will continue to be near and dear to my heart, but I have one piece of advice. For grubHub.com users out there, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT order online! The boyfriend and I ordered 2 burrito bowls and 1 elote (all still delicious) and it took an hour and a half for it to be delivered. I suggest either calling the restaurant directly or going there yourself. Also, a couple of other bad things: 1) the bowl itself (a fried corn tortilla bowl) can get soggy and 2) the cheese melts into one giant piece and clumps together. Still though, couldn't bring myself to give it less than 4 stars because the food is just that good.
(4)Terry S.
If you can make it past a thought of grabbing a Breaded steak at Ricobenes..and venture a half block west..you"ll be treated to one of my 3 favorite taco joints around..in a class by itself..they only have 4 main ones,,which they have perfected, Steak..Chicken. Veggie..and my favorite here..Fish.(Tortilla encrusted Tilapia, w cabbage and a tequila lime sauce).so heres the catch. .its not just typical! They've managed to put their own twists on these and their all phenomenal, and they also make one of my other favorites that few places sell..ELOTES. [Mexican corn) freshly prepared! My only complaint is there getting a bit trendy which breaks down as a bit more pricey..but you wont b disappointed with the food..its awesome!
(4)Jon D.
I am writing this review in real time. My experience. As I eat. Here it goes. "Stelote" burrito. Brown paper bag. It's a massive, foil wrapped force of nature. On the side, enticingly crimson red chili sauce beckons to be poured over everything. I tear into the foil, the form of the flour tortilla becomes clear. One bite opens the wrapping up to display the huge, succulent slices of beef within. They are tender, and taste of summer grilling. Plump corn kernels associate closely with their beefy compatriots. Oh yeah, I have the sauce. I open the lid, spicy but sweet aromas waft through the air. I gingerly pour it over the open burrito receptacle. The next bite, the sauce hits first, pleasant, and not overpowering. I could have used more. The cheese makes an appearance, shredded as a layer embracing the meat. The steak becomes even more flavorful with every bite. They weren't shy about stuffing the most flavorful bits of flank steak in here. Next bite, more sauce, more beef, better as you go. The burrito was teasing me at first. Now it's gettin' serious. Now we're getting somewhere. Let's see what happens when we slather it with even more sauce. I hold it with both hands as I bring it up to my face, all the fragrances fill my airways as I press it closer to my lips.... ... Alright, that's enough typing, I think I might need to finish this in private. Signing off! -j
(5)Nicole T.
I really enjoy the food at this place although it is a little expensive. Don't drop in to place an order because it is extremely slow. The other day they promised my order in 15 minutes and it took 30 min for a chicken burrito and elote. From now on, I am ordering online! I've really never had anything that I did not like. I love the horchata and the chocolate dessert. However, they need to work on time management!
(3)Andrew R.
Great steak burritos! Pour on the salsa verde and I'm in heaven. Chips and salsa fresca on the side makes for a satisfying, delicious meal. Being from Southern California, I have high standards for Mexican food, and while it isn't nearly as greasy, the food at Carbon is always very fresh and feels healthier than its closer-to-the-border counterpart. Delivery was always done within a reasonable time and the food was hot. My only complaint, and reason for 4/5 stars, is the price for the portion. Either make the burritos larger or lower the price. And 65 cents for some cheese is crazy. Awesome food, slightly pricey, give it a try!
(4)Kat M.
Oh yes, these are some of the tastiest vegetarian tacos in Chicago!! Fire roasted mushroom, onions, peppers, all marinated in balsamic vinaigrette and served in a whole wheat tortilla. Seriously good. And two of them make for an inexpensive and satisfying lunch. Sure, I suppose it is not the most traditional of taco joints, but I'm fine with that. If a Mexican place is being really serious about traditionalism, then I won't be able to eat there! And I do appreciate being given my options. So I like this place. Plus they keep my carnivorous spouse happy, too. He general orders the Mother Clucker Burrito - grilled chicken marinated in tequila-lime sauce. The thing is huge and he generally gets two meals out of it. Plus, it's chicken so he feels like he's eating healthy! It also offers easy, free parking right nearby. What's not to love?
(4)Monique B.
awesome steak burrito, but sauce is put on the side, not in the burrito and it's extra for things like guacamole. spanish rice was good, but dry quesadilla was a delicious mix of cheese. maybe chihuahua cheese and something else chocolate chip brownie tasted store bought, but was an overdose of chocolate, which was exactly what i wanted at the time. delivery was extra fast and nice.
(3)Veronica B.
It's my first time at this place, very excited to try it ( especially because my boyfriend enjoys the food), but then the person at the counter killed it. I was trying to check out the menu ( it was clear it was my first time here) and I just started to say the name of something and the person at the register ( It said Toni on the receipt) says " we don't have it " I wasn't even done with my order but at this point I didn't want anything so I stuck with my 1 single taco. I recommend that the manager or owner of the restaurant remind the staff of friendly customer service. It is needed in the food industry. I live in Pilsen and can enjoy Mexican food at a much more reasonable price, but choose here for the new experience. I will not be coming back.
(1)Kelly L.
Everytime I come here, the prices go up. It's good local mexican food, but I can go to Pilsen for less.
(3)Reda D.
Pre cooked meat , tasted old and chewy . Terrible food
(1)Al G.
The fish tacos and all the bowls are great. After years of eating there just tried the fish quesadilla now my favorite. As long as you eat there you are will be happy, I don't recommend delivery. Over an hour on a slow night half mile away food wasn't hot barely warm, more then one occasion .... So eat there enjoy it, but avoid delivery
(3)Ashley W.
Never been to this place in person, only ordered online. I have no complaints regarding their delivery service. As everyone is raving, I agree that the tilapia tacos are a must try indeed! They are so good. Adding on the extras, however, can get to be a bit expensive. I cannot go without the avocado on the side. The horchata makes quite a delicious and thirst quenching pair to go along with the food. I am a fan
(4)Sabra R.
The tilapia tacos are definitely worth the trip. The fish is cooked and seasoned perfectly and the slaw and sauce give them a uniquely cool and sweet taste that is addictive. The brownie is the best I've had---EVER. The only reason I didnt give them 5 stars is that I'd like some other sides that are less heavy/fattening---grilled veggies perhaps? And the chicken taco was somewhat dry and bland compared to the tilapia.
(4)Alice L.
Absolutely terrible. Ordered delivery and half of our order was forgotten. Specified no cilantro on a taco and received only cilantro. Tacos more expensive than anywhere else, but with half the amount of meat. Inauthentic AND overpriced. Guacamole tasted like it was from a plastic tub in the supermarket. Never again. This place could only be good if you haven't sampled Mexican food anywhere else, but given the wonderful variety of Mexican restaurants in this city, there is no reason that anyone should ever visit this establishment.
(1)Jane W.
Carbon does an excellent fire grilled tacos/burritos/bowls. Their tacos and burrito's are pretty typical, but they charge extra if you want cheese. The burrito bowls come with rice, veggies, meat, and salsa. Their salsa is amazing. My favorite is the pineapple salsa. Their horchata is excellent as well, I like that it isn't too sweet. However, it is very expensive. I think about 9/10 dollars for a burrito + drink.
(4)Kathy D.
We usually order from here at least a few times a month - their guac and chicken burritos are pretty solid. However, once in awhile the chicken is a little suspect, but nothing too gross - until last night. My husband has been in bed since 9 pm last night with a solid case of food poisoning. I also had a pretty bad stomach ache, but he was the one who got the brunt of it. Sorry, Carbon, you lost a customer.
(1)Mary Ann S.
Had the steak bowl. It was delicious. Steak is so flavorful. Just make sure you ask for extra lettuce. They hardly put any in there. Service was just ok. Cashier wasn't really helpful. Asked if cilantro was included in the bowl. She said yes, but when I got home there was no cilantro. Also asked for some fresh grilled Jalapenos. Was disappointed when I discovered I was given pickled jalapenos. Overall.. Food is great as long you know how to order it.
(4)Anne L.
Was able to try their food at the taste of Chicago. We had the tequila lime grilled chicken taco with the mild (green) salsa on a corn tortilla. It was delicious and the spices in the chicken was perfect. I look forward to actually dining at the restaurant and trying more things on the menu.
(4)Shannon S.
Carbon wouldn't be what I would call "traditional Mexican" fare. It's definitely Americanized. That said, who cares?!?! The food is fresh. The food is fantastic. I am always game to eat and eat and eat and eat at Carbon. (I lika to do da taco eating.) I've tried almost everything on the menu and I've been happy with all of it. The tilapia tacos have a very generous portion of fried fish and are prepared the west coast way with cabbage and a creamy lime sauce (I always add cheese). The chicken tacos are kind of a new favorite as well. The chicken is just too tender not to love. Their chips and salsa is also where it's at. The bag of chips has a mix of corn and flour chips. The flour chips and the combination of the two is very unique and very delicious. Carbon has 5-6 salsa to choose from. I like the mild which is a chunky tomato style salsa and the roasted red pepper which is more of a creamy, spicy condiment than anything else but the fat kid in me loves it ... on everything. Above all things Carbon, the elote is what I find myself craving the most. The portion is large and the seasoning is just right. I would swim in a pool of it if possible. The location is convenient for carry out and dine in (they have a rather large outdoor patio) but they also have delivery. They just recently revamped their menu with a new list of burritos. The one that stands out the most is the "Stelote" which is a huge steak burrito with elote in it ... and soon it shall be MINE! Give Carbon a try. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Viet H.
Very good tacos and quesadillas and yes you can mess up on a quesadilla. Not here though. Past experiences from other vendors. Very good quality meat and seasoning. The reason why I took off one star is because of the prices. It's pretty steep for tacos, etc. when your restaurant is located under the highway. Definitely not in prime real estate. I don't see why it should be that much. I come here from time to time and I would hate to have a bad taco or burrito because of how expensive it is. It's good so far every time.
(4)Jackie M.
Must try the fish taco !!
(4)Rae M.
Don't get me wrong the food is really good. My personal favorites being the tilapia tacos, the Caesar chicken salad burrito, the chicken burrito bowl and last but not least their homemade chips and guacamole is to die for! So your wondering why I have this a three? Well first off their delivery service is terrible! They usually forget something or they don't bring it at all I kid you not! This has happened more than three times so I just has to post this! But if your still in the mood for good authentic Mexican cuisine then this a decent place with adequate outside seating and a wide variety menu to satisfy your craving, but stay away from the delivery please!
(3)Caroline B.
I think Carbon is pretty awesome. My favorite is the Burrito Bowl. It's like a burrito but in a big, bowl shaped tortilla shell. Steak topped with all the regular fixings and elote mixture on top. Yummm! Not the most diet friendly... but definitely more healthy than the standard lard infused bean dishes you get at most Mexican restuarants. A little on the pricey side for what you get... but still worthy for a treat once in a while.
(4)Micah H.
So I was hungry for some Mexican food but didn't feel like heading out so I ordered delivery through GrubHub from this location. Perhaps it was a bad day for the folks at Carbon, because I see a lot of great reviews here, but, that wasn't the case for me. I've honestly had better tasting food at Taco Bells. The salsa was salty, I couldn't believe it, I've never had salty tasting salsa before, and it was disgusting. I ordered four different tacos, two with beef and two with chicken but with different salsas. The whole experience was just bad, nothing tasted right that is to say the least. I will never try this place again it was that bad. I don't generally like to give out negative reviews, but, I can't in good conscience allow others to go to this location without being dully warned.
(1)Shaydon A.
Hands down literally the best carne asada burrito, chicken burrito, quesadilla and red salsa I have ever had in Chicago. Period! They do tend to forget things like added guacamole or extra meat so keep an eye on your order, which is why they get 4 stars instead of 5. Don't let that scare you off though; it's a small price to pay for the best Mexican food you'll find in Chicago.
(4)Darren F.
carbon is a small restaurant with a few tables inside and a small patio... the service is alright and price is a little pricey...i went in the afternoon and it was pretty busy... i ordered 2 steak and 2 fish tacos since a friend recommend it to me.. it was good! i love how the fish is fried and is crispy on the outside! the steak was just ok.. i think the steak taste average like most other mexican restaurants... i will be back to try out their other food! i do recommend the fish tacos tho.. probably the best I've had so far!
(3)Gary C.
I'm a northsider. There, I said it. *Sigh* It feels good to get that off my chest. So what was I doing down south? Eating, as usual. Story of my life. But to my defense, I was meeting a friend from high school to catch up on the past few years. He suggested this local spot, and who am I to decline trying a new spot. So how did it deliver? Well, it delivered, for the most part. I was pretty hungry, and wasn't quite sure what to order...so I ordered one of each taco [that mattered, aka the non-veggie tacos]. In order, from tastiest to meh, the tacos are as followed: fish, steak, chicken. The fish tacos are lightly breaded and served with a tasty sauce. I think without the sauce, they wouldn't be as good. The steak is classically done, with cilantro and onions. No bells and whistles, but it's done very nicely. The chicken...was dry...and bland...and I was unimpressed. On top of that, I ordered some chips and salsa...but I think I ordered the wrong type of salsa, because it wasn't very good. I hear the mango salsa is pretty legit. Go with that one, because I got a green one and it was underwhelming. And as odd as it sounds, the chicken tacos and salsa really chopped this place down to a three-star joint...well, maybe three and a half. I mean, I'd come back here and order the tilapia and steak tacos...but that's about it. Service is pretty good, as they have people running the food out to the patrons.
(3)Stephen D.
Fish taco (my reason for trying this dump) - barely average. Chicken taco - cold AND the chicken was dry from sitting all day. Chicken tamale - again, stale and boring. Service & ambiance - same as food.
(1)Sonya M.
Recently decided to stop in after passing Carbon tons of times... I had the chicken (lime) tacos and they were pretty good. Can't say they were the best I've ever had in the city but they were decent. Carbon isn't exactly what I'd call "authentic" either so considered yourself warned on that aspect of the experience. Head over to Pilsen if you're looking for that experience. The service was good, restaurant was clean, etc. I don't really have any complaints. It's a solid establishment if you're looking for something in the area. Try the salsa too. I passed on it but I've heard that it's fantastic if that's your thing. My sister LOVED it. Looking forward to stopping in again to see what else they have to offer.
(3)Tom L.
Seriously, some of the best tacos and burritos that I had ever had in Chicago! The steak burritos is particularly awesome.
(5)Julie O.
I was so happy to finally get to Carbon after trying the fish tacos at the Taste last summer. Carbon was really good! I loved the steak burrito, the chips and my tilapia taco. Everything was piping hot and tasted fresh. Carbon is quite small and has the ambiance of an urban taqueria, which is what it is. Bonus - I got street parking right away right across the street.
(4)Akeisha W.
TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!!!!! We use to order from here quite often and they supposedly changed their boundaries. We live 4 blocks west of where they will deliver to. I will even pay extra to have you deliver here, but my money is no good. I will NEVER eat here again. They do not appreciate their customers. I only ate here before because it was the closest Mexican restaurant to me, not because it was great. I'll continue to give La Pasadita and Los Cosmales my business:)
(1)Samantha L.
I don't have a whole lot to say about Carbon except that their steak burrito is awesome. Delicious corn tortilla wrapped around a ton of steak. I don't think I've tried anything else, it's so good that's what I want every time. Definitely worth trying if you are in the neighborhood.
(4)Phoebe Z.
I really want to like this place, and have given them several chances to get it right...but 3 strikes, you're out. I won't go back. While the food is above average, helped mostly by the salsas and sides being good, the steak/chicken/fish is bland and soggy, like it was steamed instead of grilled/fried. Also, in my experience they cannot get an order correct. There are a handful of good Mexican takeout options to be found in Chicago, but sadly, this is not one of them.
(1)Nausheen A.
mm fish tacos! I sure do love them and boy is this the place to go to curb your craving. I have been going to this gem of a place for a few years now, not often but once in a while especially since it used to be walking distance to where I lived. I never tried much here but did try and love the fish tacos with lime sauce,mm. The tortillas were good and the elote was good too. Always got my food to go.
(4)Meg S.
Do you know how hard it is to find quality...somewhat authentic...Mexican food? Extremely. That being said, Carbon is a must for those like me who enjoy taqueria style mexican fare. Cilantro y cebolla? Yes, please! While it's not as ethnic as some of the other places I've frequented, the flavors are there and the prices aren't THAT bad. Plus they deliver, which prevents me from having to travel to the ends of the earth.
(4)Alex H.
A couple of things made me skeptical from the outset: First, located almost directly under the highway, its not exactly the most picturesque of locations. Second, Mexican food in Chinatown? Sounds questionable. The food is good enough, however, to make you quickly forget any initial uncertainty. I've had tacos, burrito bowls, and salads from Carbon, and have tried the fire-grilled steak and tequila lime chicken in various combinations. But the absolute gem of the menu is the tortilla encrusted tilapia. Crispy-fried and covered in delicious tequila-lime sauce, get it in a burrito, taco, or salad. Doesn't matter. You won't be disappointed. Also love the tented outdoor seating area when the weather is nice. Makes for a great place for a lunchtime cerveza. And no, it isn't as cheap as Chipotle but the quality more than outweighs the slight price differential.
(4)Lauren C.
Ok, I skimmed a bunch of the previous posts to see what people were talking about because I know exactly what sticks out in my mind there, but surprisingly I didn't see it in as many posts as I would have thought. THEY HAVE AN AMAZING PINK "SALSA" that I literally would PUT ON ANYTHING. It's so so so good. Great amount of spice, nice cool creamy texture. So delicious. I think it's the roasted red pepper salsa, but I'm not 100% sure. To compliment the great dip are some GREAT chips!! The mix of corn and flour tortilla chips is so fun and unlike anywhere else. I also love the tacos, burritos, and TAMALES!! This is a great restaurant to get some super yummy food. Bring a couple people with you so you can try many things.
(5)Anthony S.
Great Food, Horrible Delivery Service. As an established fan of Carbon for the past 5 years, they were always great and willing to go the extra step or in our case an extra few blocks to delivery our orders. Well now they have a new system and can no longer accept our orders. Thanks for the last five years of great food, enjoy your new system, too bad you have lost us as customers.
(1)Mike R.
Best chicken tacos and burritos I've had, bar none. Elote and horchata are both phenomenal as well. Fish tacos are a personal favorite and I would definitely have to call them my favorite in the area; the only place that attempts to approach establishments in California.
(5)Danielle L.
This is my favorite type of spot: an upscale dive with GREAT, fresh and flavorful food and reasonable prices. Most dives have great food but you look at the decor, close your eyes and hope the kitchen is sanitary. This place (although it looks like a converted garage) is clean and nicely decorated. You order at the register, they bring it out to you if you dine in and then you bus your own tables. Very casual but we noticed on the way out that they have outdoor seating under a tent--kind of more upscale than your average dive. Runs about $36 for a family of two adults/ two kids. Oh and I highly recommend the steak tacos and burrito bowls!
(5)Megan M.
Great deal for the quality and amount of food. Tacos, burritos, tamales are all excellent. Guac and the mixed chips are to die for. Delivery is not the fastest but I'm not exactly nearby. If you have delivery, be sure to check your order before the driver leaves. We've had mixed experiences with getting the wrong order or missing items -- always resolved quickly and with a smile.
(5)Jay n.
Yes!!! All week I had been in search of a good fish taco. I tried Taco Diner in Bolingbrook, Taco Fresco in Naperville, Tortilla Flatz in Plainfield and one of the Burrito places in Naperville. Along the way I had some good tacos, mostly average, and was still hoping to hit the home run. Why, well a co-worked had boast about the fish tacos at 'such and such' place. On Friday I was in the city for work. What did I do? I YELPED 'Fish Taco' in Chicago and CARBON was the first on the list. I said, 'what the heck' I can find this place. Well, it wasn't easy without a GPS. Bridgeport/Chinatown is hard to navigate, with all the bridges and dead end streets because the I-55 and I-90 pass through the area elevated above the streets. Carbon is actually on 26th Street, right under the Dan Ryan Expressway. It's a small 'sandwich counter' type place. There are a few small tables inside, but mostly it is a take it and go type of place. I had the Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Fish Tacos - AWESOME. Fried tilapia strips on a flour tortilla, nice and thin and a little crispy. I had mine with lettuce instead of slaw, with some tomato and onion, and smothered in Chile Lime Cream Sauce. The way the tilapia was done would be enough to make this a First Class Fish Taco, but the Chile Lime Cream Sauce took it over the top. I added some Salsa Verde and the combo was just AWESOME. The Steak Taco was also very, very good. I'd put their fish taco up against any other I've had - in Chicago, in Texas, in Louisiana, in California and in Hawaii (my 2nd Favorite is on Maul half way up the Volcano). Carbon.....you're a hit. Hard to get to, a little nervous about leaving the car parked down the street, but worth the trouble.
(5)Gina H.
I have had the fish tacos and the fish burrito(A Fish Named William), burrito wins. I had the steak quesadilla and it was greasy yumness so don't order it if you are dieting. It also looks like they have a big outdoor patio for summer even though it is under the highway, looks cool! It is mid priced, expect to pay about 12 for a burrito and a beer. But who cares, it is good and it isn't fast food quality but rather well made and very tasty!
(4)Sandra M.
Here's the reason for the 5 star update: I filled my pop at the fountain machine, set it on the counter, and accidentally spilled it all over the cook's side of the counter. It spilled right about where they keep all of their electronics...printer, receipt thingy, etc. The look on the cook girl's face told me it was NOT good. Of course I apologized profusely, helping to clean up my side of the counter and offering to help them. The owner/guy in charge (?) told me not to worry, to have a seat, everything was ok. I knew it wasn't. My kids were embarrased. Everyone was looking. We sat, had our delicious fish tacos and corn, and snuck out (with my tail between my legs). They could have been mean but weren't. Thanks and sorry again, Carbon.
(5)Andrea S.
Clearly microwaved, cheese wasn't even melted. It was like chewing rubber. The meat was all over cooked and dry, while the tortillas were soggy. Horrible. It's what happens when you reheat things. Also, all of the extra topping you order arrives in separate containers and not on the dish... But at least we didn't pay too much for it.
(1)Joy H.
ordered online 2 steak fajita burritos one no mushroom the other no onions. Twice they gave me 2 steak fajita burritos with everything said they would issue me a credit but when I called back the following week no credit was found. I checked my online order again to make sure I typed it in correctly (which I did) but still no credit was issued so i think I am done with them. I did like their chips and salsa though....
(2)Andy S.
Had their fish tacos at taste of Chicago last summer, they were great. Went to their restaurant and the quality was not as good, I will be back, and hopefully the tacos will be as good as I remember.
(4)ML C.
Oh my goodness. Everything is so awesome. Only a few suggestions......pork carnitas burrito/tacos, al pastor, chihuahua cheese, jicama/onion/radish slaw, pinto beans (not refried), chorizo, mole verde, and my fave.....al pastor / chile relleno burrito
(4)Tiffany P.
Very good steak burrito!
(5)Wayne B.
Good for a quick bite, but that's about it...
(3)Summer O.
I've ordered from this place a few times now and I really like it. Delivery service has been very fast and friendly. MY THOUGHTS * The steak is too chewy. This I assume is due to the fact that they cook it completely through. I like my steak to be a little red for juiciness and tenderness. Also lacking in seasoning. * The tequila lime chicken however is awesome. A nice blend of tangy and sweet. * The guacamole leaves a lot to be desired. While it's nice and fresh it could use some salt and pepper and a whole lot of crushed garlic. It is very bland. * The chips are made fresh and are nice and warm. They combine fried corn tortilla chips and flour tortilla chips so a little variation in texture. * The Key Lime Pie bar, while a little steep in price, is awesome on the flavor. I could eat these things every day. Ah-MAY-zing! So there's some good and some things that need improvement but overall I recommend this place. You can get your mostly authentic Mexican food fix fast and at pretty good prices.
(4)David G.
This place is fucking great! Tacos are awesome, I really like the fish tacos. Burritos are really solid and worth every penny Go for the pineapple sweet salsa and try something different. You cannot get a thing here that tastes bad, it is impossible....motherfuckers!!!!! Carbon is the Shit, eat here if at all possible.
(5)Laura A.
We ordered catering from Carbon for our office event last night. It was our companies 15 year anniversary, and while we order from Carbon for employee dinners, we never used them for catering an event. Let me tell you, from the start, working with Deb, was the best experience I've had in a while planning food for a party. She was the most helpful and any question I had, she readily had an answer for me. Not only is their food the BEST, but when they delivered the food, I was expecting them to just drop it off and leave. Well, let me tell you, Deb and her team were there to set up the food and make sure it was all presented well. Deb stayed and made sure we were pleased and then they took away all the empty containers so we wouldn't have to worry about it. Totally went above and beyond what was expected. All our guests raved about the tacos. The fish tacos are the best I've ever had. I highly recommend Carbon for catering your event. And make sure you talk to Deb, so professional and personable as were all her staff she brought with her. There were quite a few of them!! Deb, Thanks for making our event a success!!
(5)Rajiv H.
There is nothing healthy about the quesadillas at Carbon, but I don't care when it's this good. The cheese is melty, the chicken flavorful, and the tortilla is soft and flat grilled with enough butter to make it taste good, but not make you feel like death itself. I first discovered Carbon via a craving for late night food. They were more than happy to deliver. One Tequila-Lime Marinated Chicken Quesadilla later, I was sold. I went to the actual location recently, and it's a pretty cool joint. It's really small on the inside, but in the summer they have an outdoor tent/patio. I do recommend staying away from the burrito bowls. The bowl they're in is a deep fried taco bowl, so it's more like what we Americans know as a Taco Salad. If I ever need Mexican food near me, Carbon is the place to go...or get delivery from (what? I'm lazy).
(4)Sabrina M.
Carbon was hands-down my greatest "discovery" at Taste of Chicago this year. I went back twice just to get those delectable tilapia tacos! So when I realized they were fairly close to the house, I had to start ordering. I've only ever ordered takeout and for the most part, it's been as good as what I had at Taste of Chicago. The grilled steak is well-seasoned and tender; the marinated chicken is juicy & grilled to perfection and the fish is fresh, flaky and delicious. Tacos or burritos, you can't go wrong. The only sour note I've hit so far is that a couple of times, my delivery has been butt, bone ice cold. No bueno. Outside of that, Carbon is a winner. I'd take it anyday over Flaco's Tacos, which is practically right around the block from me...
(4)Thomas K.
I had really high hopes for this place and just wasn't impressed. I am always searching the city for new and different mexican(ish) places and had tried for a few months to make it here. When I finally made it - my first impression was good. Cool location, small busy place, unique atmosphere - all elements of a good find. But, the food just.....wasn't....good.... I tried, I really did. I wanted to like it. But something about the food just wasn't good. First off - the food all had a sweet" taste - like everything incorporated a teaspoon of sugar. And second, and most importantly - the food was boring. I mean, incredibly pedestrian. And frankly, I am ok with boring if it is done well. But, this food was not done well. It was boring and kinda weird-tasting/gross. Not a fan. Won't be back.
(2)Leticia L.
I absolutely loved the elote. It is a delightfully creamy corn with a hint of spice. It was so good. For my meal I ordered the burrito bowl. It needs some work in my opinion. There was too much going on there but it is definitely workable. I ordered the Tilapia bowl. The fish was fried and not overly seasoned but it was over-powered by the tons of cheese they smothered on top. Definitely took away from the flavor of the dish. And I really don't understand the point of lettuce. Lettuce is just filler and not a very good one for this dish. Next time, I order hold the lettuce, easy on the cheese and I little lemon juice instead of salsa for the fish.
(3)Nancy L.
I loved their delivery...it was fast and the food was nice and warm. Fish Tacos-Nom-Nom Vegetable Quesadilla-Nom-Nom Guacamole- Nom-Nom Mild Salsa- Nom-Nom Brownie-Nom-Nom Will be back :)
(5)Nida K.
Hmmm... well. I put an order in for delivery and... 52 minutes later I called to see what the hold up was. I said, "I put an order in an hour ago and it is still not here" the guy who picked up (Vinny) said after getting my info, "Let's see... here it is, you actually put the order in 52 minutes ago." WHAT THE F-- PEOPLE! Really? Correct me for 8 minutes?! Hmm... Then he tells me how they have been running late all evening and that the chefs JUST finished my order. Hmmm... maybe I should have told him its now been 55 minutes! Well anyway, the food was here by 9:22 - so that is a total of an hour and ten minutes for a burrito bowl from a spot about 12 blocks away! Really! Then.... the delivery guy called me and said "I'm out front" and I said, "okay, but my apartment is in the back just like the delivery instructions state" and he says "they don't say that" the thing is, I have lived here for years and I know that I typed the words "APARTMENT IN REAR" in the instructions. The food was cold, the cheese was hard, the taco shell was wilted because the stuff inside must have sat in there a while and the side of sour cream was half filled even though I had to pay extra for it. Well. I was thoroughly and extremely dissatisfied. Maybe I will try again in the actual restaurant and not delivery, but as of now... meh - barely 2 stars.
(2)Taran Q.
My plans of going out for dinner last night were dashed when my boyfriend got stuck on a work call past 7pm. I was too hungry to wait it out so I decided to look for a good place to get delivery. I stumbled upon Carbon here on Yelp and decided to give it a try. So glad I did! We ordered a veggie quesadilla, steak tacos, steak nachos (plain bc that's how BF likes them), guac and chips, chocolate quesadilla and pineapple corn salsa. Everything was so yummy. I loved the authentic steak, cheese, cilantro and onion tacos. Probably the best tacos I've had in a long time. I was also super impressed with the veggie quesadilla and how flavorful it was. Our food arrived super quick! I was a little nervous after reading other reviews about lost orders and long delivery times, so when our food came in 25 minutes I was thrilled. (Granted we only live a mile away.) I highly recommend Carbon and I am so glad to have added another great take-out place to our repertoire.
(5)Claire F.
Chipotle, Qdoba, etc.... need to all shut down and open as Carbon!! Their burrito bowl is amazing! The beans are fabulous, the spicy ranch sauce they give you is out of this world....love love love!! I also love the horchata and the steak quesadilla! This is not authentic mexican food, but that's not what they are going for. It's just delicious...crazy delicious food! What else matters??
(5)Alisa S.
Expensive, $5.00 for a small cup of guacamole? If you want authentic Mexican food, not a place to go. Food is expensive and salty. Not coming back again.
(1)Cassie S.
GET THE ELOTE!! OK, now that that's out of my system... We've only ever ordered delivery from here. I usually get tacos while the boyfriend always gets a steak burrito. He loves the burrito. I like the tacos a whole heck of a lot. I didn't like the corn/pineapple salsa so much, but that's ok - all a learning experience!! I love the salsa verde and have liked some of their seasonal salsas as well. And then there's the elote. Good lord this stuff is good. We always have to get 2 larges or I won't get any!! Maybe next time will try carry-out, as their delivery has been taking longer and longer and it hasn't exactly been hot the last few times... Still delicious though!
(4)Allie J.
The 4 stars are for the food. If you've been past Carbon you'll know it's literally underneath the highway. But don't let it deter you. Because holy crap these tacos are AMAZING!! the steak tacos are grilled. The fish tacos are fantastic. It's hard to find good fish tacos in Chicago (having lived in California I'm picky about my fish tacos). But this place has a good thing going. The elote is also great. Like I said you're not going for the atmosphere- you're going for the food. No frills. Good eatin.
(4)Emily H.
I had Carbon once.. liked it. Then I had it again. I liked it enough the first time to purposely bringing a friend there. I ordered a chicken burrito with rice. I was excited to bite in and my first bite was ..ew. But I soldiered on and took another bite. Another ew. I look inside my burrito to try to figure out what is so unpleasant about it and realize that there are PEAS in the Mexican rice. Seriously.. peas?? I despise peas. Mexican rice w/ peas needs a warning label. Then I proceeded to try to pick the burrito apart in an attempt to get rid of the disgusting bits, but I had no luck so I just gave up and accepted that I wasted money.
(2)JRchicago R.
This restaurant is nothing special. i'll keep it short and to the point. - floor was dirty with crumbs and lettuce throughout - there was an industrial ac vent above my table which cooled my dish within seconds - the salsa tastes like it was made in new york city - the mens washroom was dirty - the food was ok, the taco salad shell was kinda chewy; not crunchy - the meat was too chewy, poorly trimmed.
(2)Never M.
Have been going here many years. The fish taco's can be hit or miss. The steak burrito with cilantro tastes so clean. They have the best salsas period! Everything is fresh, the service is great. Neighborhoods a little dingy, typical Bridgeport. When me and my boyfriend do stop in, visits run a bit long. Its a cop hangout since theres a station in the area. He's a cop and cops love to chat each other up. Just ignore them and go for the tacos...
(3)Fernando A.
The food was great. They also delivered it all the way to Hyde Park even though there was a crazy storm with sirens.
(5)Jon W.
You know what really grinds my gears? When restaurants want to charge you extra just because you choose seafood over meat. Carbon doesn't do that. Fish tacos are one thing, but how many places do you know where fish comes standard on a burrito or quesadilla? Not only can I get a burrito with tilapia at the same price as one with chicken, their tilapia is perfectly crispy. And with its delectable combination of tequila lime sauce and cabbage (plus cheese), I don't even bother with the salsas they offer on the side. Their horchata is pretty good, too.
(4)Brenda G.
I just had my first experience with Carbon and it was a great one!! I used to be a loyal Flacos Tacos customer, eating there at least once a week. After having a horrible experience with their customer service, I was ready to try something new. I was not disappointed by Carbon. I had a chicken taco and steak taco, both were delicious. The meats were flavorful, and both the mild and hot salsa were tasty. The guacamole was delicious as well. I loved that they offered both corn and flour chips with the guacamole. I opted for the corn and was happy with my decision. I was very intrigued by the chocolate quesadilla and decided to give it a try... and let me say, wow! it was better than I imagined. The chocolate oozed out of the tortilla, and the powder sugar was a delicious addition. YAY for Carbon! You just found yourself a new regular customer.
(4)Not J B.
Under the highway, six blocks from the closest bus stop are some great, cheap fish tacos doused with a fabulous tequila lime sauce. If that isn't the definition of a hidden gem, I don't know what is.
(4)Matt W.
For a good quick protein meal for your after work out meal, hit up carbon and order the lime chicken burrito. There is tons of meat for the price. A lot of people complain about the lack of flavor,but honestly its better without the grease or the sauces that other joints put on. The chicken is never dry on the inside. Plus i recommend the red roasted pepper sauce. MONEY!
(4)Lisa L.
Ate here the other day and was impressed. I had a grilled steak and grilled burrito with rice, onion, cilantro and cheese in it; it was delicious and really not badly priced. I had the burrito with the extras, plus a Tuti-fruiti Jarritos and tipped and got out of there for under $10. I loved the location and the decor - the owner obviously put some thought into the design and presentation of the place and really utilized the space well. I really liked the artwork, especially the political piece to the left (if you're facing it) of the grill.
(4)Nicole H.
Michael D.. does D stand for deutschbag? I think I know your girlfriend...I saw this coyote looking chic walking down the street with a Carbon bag in her hand - the missing toppings were on her face. Anyhow Carbon is the go to spot for quick and delicious Mexican. Try it, they won't disappoint.
(5)Min C.
I consider Carbon the Jimmy John's of tacos. Delivery is ridiculously fast and the food is great! Never had the chips, but the steak and fish tacos are really tasty. The fish taco tends to have variability in the taste, though. The burritos are essentially oversized tacos and don't have beans (I prefer not having the magical fruit in it, personally), and the elote is pretty pricey for slightly spiced creamed corn. Horchata is always delicious! Slightly steeper than I'd like on the prices, but it's (usually) great food that is super fast. Can't argue with that!
(4)Angela T.
Best fish tacos in Chicago. Ever. Having lived in Southern California long enough to develop a bit of an addiction for fish tacos, I was excited to hear a friend who knew a thing or two about the delicacy that is a properly battered and fried fish taco was raving about this place. My first introduction to Carbon was at the Taste of Chicago. Good but a bit soggy from having been sitting out in the heat perhaps too long. Second introduction? My boyfriend and I rushed our way there with a mean craving for tacos and were greeted (promptly, at that) with some of the most mouth watering, flavourful fish tacos on this planet! My boyfriend and I were in disagreement over the chicken tacos. I thought it was too light on the lime and heavy on the tequila and smokey flavour (was it adobo??), whereas he was happy to scoop up the remnants of my once bitten taco. Warning: they say the salsa verde is mild but it is actually really rather hot. Perhaps it was just that batch but it set my mouth ablaze when I rather absent mindedly scooped a mouthful onto a small tortilla chip.
(5)Kim T.
I am very disappointed in the customer service. So I ordered a food for 4 people to be delivered. I spoke with Maggie. I will admit it was confusing order. I repeated myself a few times to make sure. 1 fish bowl with extra fish, 1 fish burrito, 1 chicken bowl with no onions and 3 steak tacos with cheese and sourcream on the side. We have ordered from Carbon numerous times to be deliever at the hair salon on Wabash. So we recevied our delivery but notice later that we received an extra chicken burrito hence we were overcharged. So I called back and Maggie clearly annoyed said "I went over this order with you. and you said a chicken burrito with everything. I said actually you asked me what did I mean by everything and I clarified a chicken burrito with no onions. Maggie paused and said well we will come back and get the chicken burrito then. I laughed and said you are going to pick up the burritio, Ok thats fine. It's here. We would like the refund. Actually, all I wanted to ask for was a credit because this salon orders from Carbon all the time but I think that is just silly. Just admit oops my mistake and sorry for the mix up. Now I think hey was my food made to order or was it a take back from a wrong order. I will never order from here again. I just thought that was poor taste and rather gross. What are you going to do with food you dropped off but take back. Usually I hate to write bad reviews but I am just in shock....really Maggie. That's silly. I can see if we never ordered from there but come on.
(1)Deanna M.
The red salsa (picoso) is delicious!!! I'd eat it on just about everything if I could. I had 1 veggie taco and 1 tilapia taco, both were awesome. The ingredients were good quality and they both had a great flavor. I can't wait to try the rest of the menu. I think I am literally going to eat my way through it each time. My very picky boyfriend had a steak burrito & elote and he liked his meal a lot, as well. Carbon THANKFULLY has shaken up the mundane assortment offered to Bridgeport diners. I mean...we have run-of-the-mill mexican, pizza, hot dogs and chinese. That's about it. Yes, Carbon is mexican, but offers way more than the standard soggy taco with like 2 chunks of meat on a stale tortilla. Try this place if you haven't already, and if you like spicy foods, try the picoso salsa!!! It's awesome!
(5)S G.
Really good fish tacos :-)
(4)Jessica D.
What a nice little gem of a taqueria this is and I'm not a taco person WHATSOEVER! I prefer the other dishes but Carbon has won my heart! The tequila-Lime marinated fire grilled chicken taco and tortilla encrusted tilapia taco are EN FUEGO!! The guac and chips (please note I have learned to order flour only tortialla chips from Carbon) is a meal within itself! The pineapple salsa is a nice alternative as well! Do they serve margaritas?? NOT SURE - but I wish they did along with an expansion!
(4)Kim S.
Been back many a time now and I heart their fish tacos with the red pepper sauce. The red pepper sauce is is aaaaaammmmmaaaaaaazzzzzziinnng!!!! Seriously, I could drink it plain but that would be disgusting to watch.. But I might if no one was looking.
(4)John G.
Great steak burrito!
(5)Katie K.
LITERALLY best mexican in the city. ALWAYS order from them off GrubHub.com and they get me my food relatively fast and its always delicious. Favorites to order: GUACAMOLE and FLOUR CHIPS.. wow so amazing Chicken and cheese quesedilla. So good ALWAYS my go to place to order from on grubhub!
(5)Joyce M.
The tilapia burrito was good (no bones inside), but also greasy. Good portions & decent prices.
(4)Kim A.
I don't get what the hype is about this place? This is CHICAGO there are delicious delicious cheap tacos abound! Subpar tacos, high prices, and a really really odd set-up on the inside. Is it deli style? Is there wait service? Hell if I know. I can't quite figure it out. Fish tacos are one of my favorite things of life... and these were average. You can get better tacos elsewhere...seriously... it's CHICAGO.
(2)Desiree Anne A.
So I'm in search for the best fish tacos and after reading the reviews on carbon, I was determine to try it, like right away. In fact... only minutes away from my apartment, I biked there to get a taste at the fish tacos! I pass this place all the time. I always thought it was just a bar, a little creepy since its directly under the over pass, but heck, so is ricobenes and I love that place too. Ok, so we get there, a little confused on how to order. I like the fact that you walk up to order, it makes things that more chill. There's plenty of outdoor seating and I believe in the back you can even have larger parties under a huge tent. I ordered for two, 2 fish tacos, 1 steak, and chips/salsa. Again, I didn't know if I had to wait for my order by the counter, but this nice young gentlemen, said he would bring it to us. Mhm, how nice. Anyways, the chips came first and boy it was a pleasant surprise to see tortillas and wonton chips with a huge portion of salsa. The chips were a little on the oily side, still good, but the salsa was amazing! Spicier than I expected, but it was went well together. Moments later the tacos came. Again, the nice server, asked us if we wanted salsa on the side. Wow, he came back with 4 containers of the tomato based salsa and and 3 of a red pepper sauce. I loved both of them! I had so much fun dipping my taco and chips in all different sauces/salsa. I don't think I've had that great of service in my life at a place where you aren't expected a server. This specific server was just so polite and attentive, never annoying. He really just wanted us to enjoy our meal. Before leaving, my bf asked him for his name, and what do you know, they have the same name, hah! We'll keep him in mind, because we'll be back for sure! I'm giving Carbon a 5 star because of the service alone, more specifically that server. The fish tacos, get a 4 star for being super tasty, juicy, and uniqueness of toppings. I really hope this place get a bump up on their reviews ;)
(5)A S.
Awesome fish tacos! Had the elote also very good but next time I'll tell them easy on the chili, a little too hot for me...lol But I will definitely be coming back!
(4)Brigette S.
I rarely give low ratings. But this places needs to come with warnings. It is extremely expensive for flimsy, flavorless tacos and other dishes. The only toppings on their tacos are cilantro and tons of raw onion. Who doesn't at least put lettuce and tomatoes on Mexican food? The pineapple salsa is mushy and lacks flavor. Their homemade chips are extremely greasy and inconsistently cooked. Guacamole is basically just avocado and onion, no zip, flair, or special spices I could detect. Fish tacos are breaded and deep fried fish chunks, not fresh tilapia like any good fish taco should be. Meat on burritos and tacos I've had is always flavorless and chewy. I don't believe the chicken to be fresh, but rather pressed/processed chicken meat that can't be disguised with their grilled/open fire shtick. If you're a boring White person that shies away from robust, rich flavors, you might love this place. Otherwise, SKIP IT. Go down the road to 31st & Halsted to Erendira or El Cid or any other authentic taqueria in Chicago.
(2)Kimberly L.
Two tilapia tacos for $5.00?! Holy guacamole, count me in! This place is grossly located under a highway bridge but they do try to make the best of the uber urban atmosphere with flaming art work and a big safety-vest colored tent where you can sit and watch the traffic whiz by. Bonus: an ideal setting for watching Chicago's Finest chow down on their lunch hour. Great fish tacos and hot sauce with just the right amount of kick.The sweet lime sauce is a nice counter-balance to the heat of the salsa but I had to scrape quite a bit off--they were a little heavy handed and it was just too much. Overall, a fun and inexpensive place for a quick bite to eat.
(4)Kali M.
YES! Fantastic fish tacos! (weird location, but worth it - good luck finding it, too!) Just go there, trust me!
(5)Rebecca H.
I love the location - even though it is strange. We sat outside under the tent on a very hot, humid summer night for 4th meal. I had a trio of tacos (fish, steak, chicken), my husband had a burrito (steak). The tacos were... just OK. Too many onions, not enough oompf. His burrito was awesome! We also had the elote - no lack of oompf there! The beans are more like a bean-stew and they are so freaking awesome. We have been back a few times - take out and delivery. I order extra beans because I like them leftover for lunch :) I really like the chicken burrito - the onion to other filling ratio is much better. I really like their guac and salsa as well. Just be careful of the onions!
(4)Anemone T.
Dear Carbon, Some people like my boss pronounce your name like it was French and seem to think you are authentic Mexican from "Pilsen" because they never went south of Roosevelt on the Red line. We only had take out via Grub Hub, but even still I could tell you were trying to be fancy. If that's the case, I would go easy on the yellow squash and zucchini in your vegetarian choices. Well, I can't blame you for doing what everyone else does, I'm just disappointed that you are yet another restaurant where vegetarian automatically means the usual "roasted vegetables" aka summer squash. Just be more creative, would you please?
(2)Ashley C.
The food was ok. They messed up my order and to send the delivery guy back. I was impressed, but I wasn't disgusted either. It was edible. I wouldn't order it again.
(3)M G.
I order from them all the time . Delivery is always super fast and the food is almost always great. They have their off days when it comes to Guacamole but their steak burritots and their Elote are always good!
(4)Kate D.
We have been living in Bridgeport for 3 years and have been going to Carbon the entire time. We LOVE the tacos, especially the fish tacos with the Tequila Lime Sauce! We figured if cops eat lunch there, then it's good and we were right. The tortilla soup and chips guacamole are also staples of our lunches there. The staff is friendly and the place is loud and good for kids.
(4)Krystle L.
Carbon left me pleasantly surprised. First, their delivery area must be huge. We live north of the Eisenhower and west of UIC and they had no problem delivering to us. We even felt a little guilty for making them drive so far. The delivery guy was friendly, even after he couldn't find our building and even after we accidentally hung up on him. (We're not really customers from hell, usually.) On to the burrito bowls. We ordered one steak bowl and one tortilla-encrusted tilapia bowl. The burrito bowls have a nice variety of ingredients, including shredded lettuce, melted cheese, elote, beans, rice, peas, and of course whatever meat you choose. Everything was very fresh. The lettuce was not wilted at all, even after marinating in hot burrito-filling for the ridiculously long drive from the restaurant to our apartment. The corn and peas were sweet and vibrant. The tortilla bowl itself was crispy and deliciously greasy. When you are eating the filling, everything is so fresh and there are so many veggies you start thinking maybe this is even healthy, but then you get to the puffed up tortilla bowl, shining with grease, and realize that yeah, it's not, but you just don't care.
(5)Pete F.
Steak quesadillas! Yes, they're greasy, but they're what a quesadilla should be. Carbon's steak is top notch, and they use a heavy dose of cheese. To top it off, the hot salsa is some of the best I've ever had! The burritos are tasty, though not huge. The burrito bowl is also great! It's served in a large taco shell, so when you're done with the inside, it's like, hey, free nachos!
(4)Karl M.
As you pull up to this place, the sweet, smokey aroma of charred wood fills the air drawing you inside as your mouth starts to water and your stomach growls. The place is cozy if you like dine-in. The dining room is dark and noisy with the grill right there and two tv's on either end of the counter. Four of five tables for two and maybe five seats at the counter. They have a patio outside in the summer but it is not that picturesque unless you like cement and over passes as the expressways are overhead. But don't let that deter a visit. The food is worth a drive to the South side. The menu is not congested with traditional mexican restaurant fare but rather a simple, taste explosive selection of tacos or burritos, quesadilla's, elote, and rice and beans. I have had every one of the menu items at this establishment and they are all excellent and worth a try. Perfect portions. Wonderful flavors. Prepared masterfully.
(5)Tanya D.
I've passed this place on the shuttle to Ogilvie station a few times and a colleague mentioned wanting to try it out. I got the chance when a friend came by for lunch and was willing to drive us over from campus. Good food, closer to authentic fare that I like. I got two tacos and it was plenty of food for me. If you are in the neighborhood or are passing by I recommend it.
(4)Sir C.
I live about 4 blocks from Carbon, and I go every now and then. The first time I had it when it opened a couple years back I was quite disappointed with their food. But I went back a year ago or so and was very impressed. My favorite: Fish taco $ fish burrito bowl - yes the fish is supposed to be grilled on real fish tacos, but the way they make it is so delicious!!! nice and crusty on the outside, and the fish is soft and flaky on the inside. yum. The fish burrito bowl almost seems like a bottomless pit of tasty discoveries. Lettuce, mexican styled corn!, fish, cheese, beans. excellent! honorable mentions: steak taco - the steak is very seasoned and you can taste the smoky grill flavor as well. chips&salsa - can't go wrong here. i usually opt for their fresh salsa, which is very tasty. this might be the only place in chicago that i have been to that serves both flour and corn tortilla chips which is very good and out of the typical chips. The red and green salsa that comes with the tacos are also very good and spicy as well. This is a great local neighborhood taco joint!
(4)Jennifer C.
After receiving the menu in the mail a couple of times we decided to sample the fare at the Taste of Chicago. Hello....we sampled the chicken tacos and they had this lovely sweet citrus taste to them! We've been looking for some good Mexican delivery to the South Loop and finally have found a place that's on the rotation. We order delivery from them regularly. At first we were unsure about the size of the tacos so ordered three each to come to find out that they are really big! Going forward my hubby and I order two for each of us and share large sides of rice and beans. The only thing we didn't like were the chips. We found the to be a little greasy seeing that the bag it came it looked oily. As well, I think they were flour shells that were cut and fried, not corn chips...meh.... You will be pleased if you order the chicken tacos as the flavor of the chicken is super yum-o. Recently I decided to drive around Chinatown just to take a little look see and ran into Carbon. It was a tiny little dive sitting alongside the expressway. I can't speak for dine in but take out is always good. They actually messed up my delivery order once when I asked for no onions and cilantro, they actually had it on my tacos :( I called back and they sent a new order shortly....
(4)Michael B.
Carbon...you are one of my true loves. It doesn't get much better than their tortilla encrusted tilapia burrito with the tequila lime sauce, shredded cabbage and a little of their hot sauce. I get a stomach ache every time I eat this, but can't make myself stay away! They offer a new take on the taco stands. You can get a steak burrito anywhere, but Carbon's taste is so unique. There aren't a lot of toppings (although you could request more I suppose) but they aren't really needed. Even there chips and guacamole are unique. They don't just serve you chips, they also have these sort of fried tortillas that are thicker (okay I have no idea what they are, but whenever I reach blindly into the bag of chips and come out with some of those I giggle like a little girl with excitement.) Other's have mentioned the elote as well. I will also say that it is awesome. Everything on the menu is good.
(5)Diana G.
I tried the steak burrito and nothing impressive. I tried the taco bowl and bleh. My guy bought a burrito and he was like they charged for cheese. He was like WTF! It's a burrito. It should come with it. Overpriced and not very good.
(1)Mindy S.
If you live in Bridgeport, you have 10+ choices of each type of Italian, Mexican and Chinese restaurants. Carbon would top my list if Taqueria San Jose (3253 S. Halstead) didn't have such a big spot in my heart. I have stuck with one thing on the menu, which I crave all the time, even as I'm writing this. Warning, this place will wear your stomach thin if you eat it weekly! The "tortilla-encrusted fish" with tequila lime sauce in a taco salad is AMAZING. The taco salad comes in a typical taco-salad crunchy bowl, but the insides of Carbon's set them apart. The base starts out with rice and beans, following by a stellar layering of their elote (I'm guessing the traditional corn, parmesan and sour cream cheeses, paprika) fish and other salad veggies! Their fish burrito is a close second and guacamole is always good. My friends have never been happy with the quality of the beef dishes.
(3)Mike S.
I first visited Carbon for their fish tacos while working at Area 1 Police Headquarters on the South Side. I love this hidden gem and have gone out of my way to go back for their offerings; the best reasonably priced delicious fish tacos in Chicago. It's a pain in the ass to get to, being located UNDER the Dan Ryan at 26th and Princeton, but this place is worth the trip for a great lunch. I learned about this place by asking the ASAs and police officers around the courthouse, so if you ever want to know where the best places for the cheapest price are, ask a cop. They know where all those places are.
(4)Jen T.
i love this place!! i feel like i am constantly eating here. The tequila lime chicken burrito is heavenly, and i love that you can get a mix of both flour (homemade) & corn tortilla chips with their deliciously fresh salsa or guac. Their salsa verde is ridiculously good. Delivery is fast and reliable, and eating there is cozy too -- plus when it's nice out, there is a huge outdoor seating area.
(5)Adrianna L.
This place is fast, tastes authentic, and the steak is GREAT! There are surprisingly very few choices on the menu, but I think that's why what they do make is great. The elote is pretty good, although when I read that they had elote, I was really expecting them to have it on a stick, rather than in a bowl. I've been back several times. Great place.
(4)Tasha A.
I tried Carbon for the first time at the Taste of Chicago and was absolutely blown away by the tequila lime chicken tacos! They were fantabulous; my mouth is watering at the thought of them! The restaurant is nice, definitely don't eat inside - check out the patio!
(5)Angie M.
We've been coming here since they opened and have enjoyed their food. In the past, we've enjoyed the fish tacos with the cabbage. Recently my husband had a steak burrito and it was tasty but it was a lot smaller than the past and the price is the same if not more. We dont care for their rice and beans but they have different salsas such as pineapple which are nice. Good place to come after a Sox game.
(3)Linde P.
After discovering the back patio that was mentioned in a prior review, we waited just a few minutes for our food to arrive. Four tilapia tacos with tequila lime sauce (absolutely delicious), one steak taco (good), elotes, and guacamole. The best thing about the fish tacos was the sauce! If they had been served on corn tortillas they wouldve been the best fish tacos in/ around Chicago, but I'm just not a flour tortilla kind of girl! The elotes were perfectly spiced and a little less creamy than the 26th street version. All in all, it was delish and we will definitely be returning with friends when the patio is more populated ( we were the only ones on it).
(4)Kathy S.
Loved the steak tacos! The guacamole was fresh and tasty. The sauce on the fish tacos was a little sweet for my taste, but still yummy. Will certainly be back!
(4)Monique L.
I just want to say I tried the fish tacos last night at the Taste of Chicago and they were off the chain. The food was hot and the sauce that came with it was awesome! I cannot wait to actuallly go to the restaurant and try some of their other menu items.
(5)Nathan G.
I tried this place for the first time at Taste, and now I've ordered food from the 4 times (in the span of about 2 weeks)! This place has great food and they aren't afraid to load up your tacos, burritos, salads, etc. I've tried all of their meat tacos, the burrito bowl, the burrito, quesadilla, chicken tortilla soup, and a bunch of the sauces. Here are my favs so far: 1. Chicken burrito bowl - this thing is loaded up with so much stuff its unreal. Plus, the crispy edible bowl they use is such a plus. 2. Steak taco - simple, authentic style, but packed with a lot of flavor and meat 3. Chicken taco - although I like the steak one better, the chicken taco still rocks 3. Fish taco - it was good, although a lot of other reviews have it as their best item. I don't think it is the best, but maybe I'm just not a fish guy. 4. Quesadilla - I get steak in this usually, and it is very big and very good. They also have a small size (which isnt all that small). 5. Elote - Now this is corn hash with some kind of sauce in it. I'm not a huge fan of corn, but this stuff is good. And my wife swears by it. 6. Soup - The soup wasn't bad, but it almost had the taste of a chicken chili. Now the sauces - They have a ton of different kinds, but so far my favs have been the salsa verde and the roasted pepper sauce. Very, very delicious. I've never actually eaten at the restaurant, but they have a lot of seating outside which would be nice. Either way, you gotta try this place!
(5)laela l.
What can I say that hasn't been said? As far as these slightly-overrated fish tacos people rave about -- let me say this: If you like a lightly sweeter sauce to go with something savory, it's good. I personally thought it was a bit much. Don't get me wrong, I'd get them again without the sauce. You want spicy, throat-burning salsa, you won't find it here. The hottest one wasn't terribly hot. They get points for having a variety of salsas though. Don't want to sit around a la typical restaurant style? Not here, it's more 'fast (but healthy) food' where you order and you get it brought to you within minutes :) Bland rice :( Overall, if you need something quick but don't want fast food, this will satisfy you.
(2)Michelle E.
Try the fish tacos and the tortilla soup! The roasted red pepper sauce is the bomb diggity delicious!
(5)Denise H.
Oh Carbon....everytime I see or hear your name my mouth waters. So after about a year of searching for Taco spots (Arturo's, La Pasadita, Coyote's/Cardona's, street vendors, etc), I happen upon Carbon and have not strayed. Now don't get me wrong, I was a long time fan of Cardona's for it being a very late night spot, however, since they've changed to Coyote's, they've lost their flare. (You still may find me there at about 3am after clubbing cause of limited options.) I've had all the taco's at Carbon and absolutely love them. The steak definitely gets kudos for being flame grilled (as La Pasadita claims but they are super inconsistent). The chicken is so juicy it practically melts in your mouth. They have an outdoor dining area in the back/side of the restaurant for those who don't want to sit out front or inside (both of these spots are somewhat small). Carbon has about five different salsa's of which I love all of them except for the chunky tomato (may be good for dipping but not on tacos in my opinion). And to top it off....they have beer. (I've heard rumors they have margarita's also but haven't dared to ask....next time I will). Stay tuned!
(4)Carmen M.
I was picking my sister at James Ward and we decided to stop by Carbon for lunch. The choice was between Ricobenes and Carbon both restaurants which are next to each other, but we thought we should check this place out. We arrived and the restaurant was pretty empty. But good thing we got there a little early, because the place was packed at around 12:30PM on a Monday afternoon. We decided to each order a different taco: steak, chicken, and fish. I had the fish taco, but I got a chance to try my sisters' chicken and steak. My favorite was the fish. It came with a sweet lime tequila sauce. The sauce was delicious and definitely made the fish taco special! I will definitely will be coming here again to try out the fish taco. My recommedations for the taco would first be the fish, chicken, and then the steak. But all in all the tacos were really fresh tasting and delicious! The place was very nicely decorated and clean. The bathroom is also exceptionally clean and also nicely decorated! My sisters really liked the sink. One complaint is that the place gets really smoky when they start cooking fast. They open the door, but the environment is still a little bit smoky from the grills. But other than that the food is exceptional and the service is very great as well! Interesting Note - Check out the mural behind the restaurant. It is very nicely done and really attracts customers to come to this little restaurant.
(4)Omar O.
I loved the tacos from here. If you get the hot sauce with the bell peppers in them they are completely amazing!! I also tried the elote dish that my girlfriend ordered...BEST I'VE EVER HAD! The guacamole is pretty good too but ask if they can give you just the hard, corn chips. They put some of the soft, flour chips in the basket that I didn't like. Definitely in my top 5 Mexican places to eat in Chicago (and Mexican food is my favorite food!).
(5)Jon C.
Best new place I have found for tacos. Took years to try but was well worth the wait.
(5)Chris H.
What a place! Carbon is the amazing. The restaurant reminds me slightly of chipotle, but but with far better favors. My girlfriend ate the fish taco which she loved and described as juicy and crisp. I had the chicken burrito which tasted like it was grilled (in the good way). The best part was probably the sauces/salsas, which are free and come in many varieties. You would miss out if you didn't sample all of them. The roasted red pepper tasted almost like a salad dressing, but complimented the chicken wonderfully. Finally, don't be disturbed by the location or decor. It may be in Bridgeport, but it is easy to get to from the Orange line Halsted stop and while the restaurant is directly under the Dan Ryan, it is very nice inside.
(5)Brittany H.
Let me just start off by saying that I am a Carbon enthusiast, in the past I have ordered from this place 15-20 times and over time I have seen the decline. Recently I started to get a few mess-ups in my orders and overall just a decline in the quality of the food and service there and each time I let it go and kept my love for Carbon going strong. However, the consistent disappointment, coupled with my most recent experience with Carbon delivery, helped me decide that I'd had enough. First, the driver that delivered to me most recently spilled my horchata all over inside the bag, everything was covered in horchata, it was a very unpleasant experience unwrapping all my wet food. Then, my guacamole was rotten. I kept tasting it in between different bites of food to make sure it wasn't a bad bite or I wasn't crazy but it definitely tasted awful. And it cost me $6.50. Then, and this is just a small technicality but something I've never had to worry about in the past, I asked for a flour tortilla with my Tilapia taco and they gave me a corn one. Not the worst thing in the world but if you've ever had the taco you know, that's just wrong. Overall, I'm just disappointed. and I will never order from Carbon again.
(2)Dmitri G.
LOVE the fish tacos!
(5)john d.
The fish tacos are very good, and the elotes were a new experience for me. Lot's of flavor and interesting options. I'm told that these are healthy alternatives. Either way this is a very different taco shop. My experience was very similar to my visit to De Cero, pleasantly surprised. Chicagoist took a look at the place recently too... chicagoist.com/archives/…
(5)Ed C.
Not the most authentic Mexican restaurant but in an area where good tacos are hard to come by Carbon definitely stands out. Tilapia fish tacos with creamy lime sauce is a must to try. Their salsa is very good(no matter which one you choose I suggest the pineapple salsa with the tilapia). Prices are on the high side but all around a solid option for Mexican food. Tequila lime chicken is very good as well.
(4)Amanda R.
We order from this place at work from time to time. Everytime they have messed up my order so I stopped ordering from them. The chicken is good but thats all I can say about it. What a shame. Food is similar to chipotle but they deliver which is nice.
(1)Mike Y.
I'm kind of addicted to their fish tacos and elotes. Whenever I visit a friend that lives near there, I'm always requesting that Carbon is where we order our food from. I honestly don't remember if I have tried anything else from their menu, and I very well may not have. The fish tacos and elotes are so good that I just don't want to get anything else when I get the chance to get their food. The actual place is pretty small but kind of trendy-ish in design. It is definitely a take-out/delivery place by design.
(4)Genni N.
I love this place. One has to go in though not expecting the typical Mexican joint food. Everything is made fresh! I am a big fan of their chicken tacos but on a flour tortilla with the tequila lime sauce. That sauce is to die for. The staff is friendly and always tries to please. If you're curious about how something tastes, just ask for a small sample.
(5)Erin M.
Food tasted ok, there was nothing special about it. but beware, my husband and I have been sick for days after eating here. we think it was the guacamole that made us sick, it had a kind of rotten taste to it.
(2)Charlene H.
I decided to visit this restaurant after eating some of their food at the Taste of Chicago. I visited the website, etc. First this is at best a take out joint. In the restaurant there are some tables and seats but it does not feel inviting. There is a patio. I asked one of the workers how did we get to it and he pointed to the door we came in. We went and sat outside for some minutes before wondering if a server was coming. We asked someone at another table and they informed us that we had to order and then come back to our table. Once we did that someone brought out food to us. However, they go back through a door that is locked to the kitchen and if you need anything you have no way of asking unless you leave the area and reenter the restaurant from the front. I ordered a steak taco, the tequile lime chicken taco and a tilapia taco. I am the queen of tacos and this food pale in comparison to even what was presented at the Taste. The food was warm and I like my food hot. It was mediocre but nothing to write home to mom about. The waitor was pleasant enough. He asked if there was anything he could get us. Overall I was disappointed with the ambiance. The website made it look like something it was not. The taste and temperature of the food added to my disappointment. Great website, great marketing but it is all very misleading when you get to the place.
(2)Sharif N.
If I'm on the south side of the city, I stop here on occasion if the mood for Mexican food strikes me. They're tacos are decent, as well as their guacamole and chips, but not my favorite. They have a good Nutella chocolate/hazelnut quesadilla, but beware chocolate lovers it's a bit too sweet, so remember, one serving is usually enough for two people! I definitely think La Pasadita on Ashland Avenue [the yellow building on the east side of the street] has much more tasty tacos, although they don't take credit card, the space for dining-in (if you want to call it that) is cramped, and you always end up smelling like carne asada when you leave. Overall, I'd stop in again...considering price, speed, and quality but don't expect a WOW experience.
(3)Adam P.
This place is worth the raves. Everything here is delicious. Try the stelote burrito. Otherwise, the fish tacos are amazing and so is the tequila lime chicken tacos. The Verde salsa is so good, ask for extra and save it for other, non carbon meals.
(5)Iliana P.
The fish taco burrito bowl is delicious! Their tacos are delicious as well, but I always get the bowl. I think it's because I enjoy deciding what combination of ingredients I will put in my mouth next....but sometimes I just mix it all up and it's just as yummy! I usually order for take-out- i place the order, then head over and the food is ready by the time I get there. Their side of Elote varies, many times it's great, and other times it's just ok. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)Julian W.
They're about 6 minutes from my apartment and I heard they had some of the best fish tacos in town. I'd have to agree: the tilapia is crisp and juicy, with a tasty lime sauce, lettuce and cilantro. The pineapple salsa was OK, but I'll stick with the regular tomato-based variety next time. I asked for a sample of the elote: it was alright, but won't be ordering. The key lime square was decent, but I've had better. But I highly recommend the fish tacos.
(4)Kimberly T.
If you eat fish only Carbon has the best fish tacos. I don't like the cabbage and I normally add cheese for a small fee and the lime sauce is finger lickin good. Very friendly staff. Call in and pick-up your food it will be ready at the time they say. Don't leave your car running.
(5)Hanna B.
Great! Mexican with heavy flair of lime. Highly recommend the fish tacos! We eat here regularly. I run in and order and stay for pick up - maybe 6-8 minutes top for a trip. Good treatment for regulars. Never order delivery. While staff is great, this is not food that should sit for any amount of time in a brown bag! It's cooked and served fresh off the grill w/ fresh sides, why trust that to delivery boys who don't earn enough in tips to rush? Still trying to figure out if its legit to park in Ricobene's parking lot while eating here...the restaurants are definitely connected...we'll keep chancing it until we hear more!
(5)Katie W.
Mmmm, burritos from Carbon! Sometimes when I go to the city for workshops, they order lunch for us from this place and I love it! Very good guacamole and tasty burritos. The tacos are a little dry for my taste, but I feel that way about tacos in general, so that's not really a reflection on Carbon. Never been to their actual restaurant before. I've considered stopping in for lunch on the weekends, but it's unfortunately not convenient to any train/bus routes. Still, if you're nearby, I'd highly recommend eating here.
(4)KIMBERLY L.
Yes, the food is good, however, certainly not the best Mexican I've had. If you're in the area go for it but I'm not sure I can say go out of your way to try the food. I had the elote, which is good, but NOWHERE near what you'd find in a street vendor's Mexican corn cup (even Pete's grocery store on 47th & Pulaski has waaaay better corn, waaaay better). We also had the tilapia taco on a corn shell (I can't eat gluten so I was darn sure it was gluten free) and a steak taco. The roasted red pepper sauce is very tasty. The guacamole is tasty as well once you add salt (again, corn chips, not the flour ones). We dined in. Be aware that the place is small, only about 5 or 6 tables that seat 2-3 people each and the tables are CLOSE to one another. The servers/staff are all friendly. Again, good food, but I certainly wouldn't say it's worth making a night of it.
(4)Jay W.
I have been here twice - the first time was so absolutely phenomenal that I had to go again! The second time...not as good. I completely understand that these things happen, but what bothers me is the price. This is a glorified taco stand, if you will. Two chicken tacos, chips and salsa, a small side of beans, and an horchata for about $15. I mean really?! Maybe I'm being cheap, maybe I'm being nit-pickey, but you order at the menu board, there's limited seating, and portions are not gigantic. For my $15 I will go to Pancho Pistolas down the street, have a margarita, chips and salsa, three tacos with beans and rice. I'm sorry Carbon. You are very delicious, but a little over-priced.
(3)Reggie M.
I was in the neighborhood and looking for a place to eat. I didn't want to wolf down a king breaded steak next door so I walked into Carbon instead. They had a great ambiance and a neghborhood feel to it. I especially loved that there wasn't any mexican radio - ciento cinco punto uno - blaring from the speakers, instead they were playing 80s music. A white guy came out from the kitchen and asked the person taking orders "wheres the salsa music?" and she responded "I don't like salsa I like 80s". Its refreshing to eat a burrito in a more Mexican-American atmosphere rather than a 1st generation Mexican restaurant. I orered the tilipia burrito. The tillapia was cruncy yet moist inside and tasted great stuffing the burrito with fish and cabbage was a good combo. I just wished it carried more flavor and spices. It was good and you could taste natural fish flavors pop, but for me the flavors were kinda boring.
(3)Herman B.
Limited Menu, but simple good food. I had the chicken burrito and the meat was seasoned great in my opinion. Simple toppings -cilantro, onion, and lots of meat. They grill the meat right in front of the restaurant which has a bar to eat at and some tables, the Restaurant is small, so I don't know if I would eat there (we had take out). Take out took about 15 or 20 minutes after we ordered.
(4)Celene T.
Yes, Mexican food in Chinatown. When we don't want to drive all the way to Pilsen, or are afraid our friends won't be able to stomach our usual hole in the wall taco joint, we come to Carbon! Their fish tacos are surprisingly light, and I usually vie for the steak tacos which have yet to disappoint. I also like their elotes and assorted chips w/guacamole. Their beans and chocolate quesadilla, I am not a fan of, but there's a lot more on the menu that make up for it. There's not a lot of seating, but it's ok, stuff stays warm and intact when you carry out.
(4)Angela N.
This place is way to overhyped. I live really close by and tried their burrito bowls in the past, but seeing that I haven't been here in a while and not knowing why I never came back I decided with a group of friends to go again. This time I had the steak burrito. The burrito was lacking in flavor, and every bite I took tasted like I had consumed a whole onion!!
(2)Kushal P.
2nd time here, they have been consistently very good. Veggie bowls was very tasty, and my wife is usually picky about her vegetarian options. I had the chicken bowl and chicken burrito so far. Both times food was great. Also it's pretty easy to find parking under the bridge. All in all, this is a great fast food Mexican spot.
(4)Dominic C.
I can guarantee you, that everything in their menu is good. Tried the fish, chicken, and steak tacos/burritos before and they're all good. Good horchata too. Only thing I would really have to say is their prices are on the higher side, like literally the highest I've ever seen (3.95 for ONE steak taco and almost 10 for a steak burrito!) they also sometimes skimp on the meat and toppings for taco :(. Their interior is also very small. I try not to come here often because they can cost a lot. But man, they have some of the best tacos and burritos around, so sometimes I don't mind paying he price lol
(4)Betty H.
Not a fan Food 3.5: steak burrito, too chewy; chicken tacos too dry, elota was delicious Service: 4
(3)Laverne A.
My first experience with this location was at The Taste of Chicago. The steak taco was so good I went looking for the store and I have not stopped going. The steak is tender seasoned well and tasty. The portion size is fantastic. My favorite is A Fish Called William burrito, it's filled with 3 types of white fluffy fish, cilantro line sauce and a few other items, OUTSTANDING.
(5)Sunia C.
Delicious mexican food. Not a sit down place, very few chairs and tables. Giant portions for the price and tastes amazing. Lots of great flavors. I got the tilapia bowl.
(5)Rashonda H.
What has happened to this place. What is going on with the customer service And more then that the quality of the food. This is a very well known place in this area. But it's not the same as I write this review I'm thinking about the open kitchen should be updated and cleaned up. It was just to busy with a pot on the grill and chicken cooking on the grill all at the same time. No no no The Cashier just took my order she never even looked at me she took my debit card and then she said did you wont cheese because I forgot to ask and if you do I can just charge your card. Really. No thank you because that's not how that works. Not with my card. My food.. Just not good quality at all I didn't enjoy it at all. I was so upset at the fact that I had all this lettuce. (pictures) Big chunks of cheap lettuce at that. Well sorry but it's time for this place to go back to the drawing board. Us yelper's work had at what we do. And now a days Reviews are very important. I hope that you get this and reply I would be more than happy to point out a few things
(1)George H.
Really good Mexican food. I get carryout from the 26th street location often. The steak is very good along with the chicken. The roasted red pepper sauce with the chicken tacos is a good combo. Beware that their hot salsa is really hot!
(5)Katie S.
The food is consistently good - fresh and delicious ingredients. Great salsas and sides, including an elote that is spot on. I might consider giving 5 stars, but the past two times they've gotten my delivery order wrong. Hopefully third times the charm!
(4)Jennifer B.
Such great food! I always get their taco salad with the tilapia, because I'm obsessed!!
(5)Mimi T.
I ordered the steak burrito and the steak was too chewy for me. I also felt like the burrito lacked flavor. However, the steak tacos are pretty good.
(3)LeeAnne Q.
I've been here twice in the last two weeks after a friend took me here for the first time. I got a chicken & steak quesadilla and a steak taco it was delicious!!! The meat is seasoned well and you can add whatever toppings you want. The second time I went back I got the exact same thing it was so good the first time! It was just as delicious!!! I got my food to go both times..it's not exactly a sit down restaurant.
(5)Jeana C.
Came here for the third time since it's right by my house. This place was also on one of the FB buzzfeeds of one of the must try burritos in the US so I decided to try it. Buzzfeed recommended The Mother Clucker. It was pretty good and tasty. I had mine with wheat tortilla (ask for it!). In it was a lot chicken breast, cilantro, onions and that tequila lime sauce. Chicken was grilled very nicely--but it was also $11.50. Free parking with patio seating. Fresh and healthy. Serves alcohol but not a full bar.
(3)Hungry M.
Tacos way overpriced. Five plus workers. Two tacos came out cold. Elotes and horchata were tasty. Won't be coming back for just that.
(2)Vishal P.
Greatest fish burrito I've ever eaten. I order the regular fish burrito(marinated tilapia) which they batter with crushed tortilla chips deep fry then put in burrito with cabbage, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and tequila lime sauce. I then pour roasted red pepper sauce with every bite. Man o man this only thing I miss from Chicago. Very busy place and I would recommend ordering online before coming. They serve beer and have limited places to sit. Takes about 15min from order to get food. This place has a place in my heart...
(5)Kate U.
Alright so I checked out this place for lunch, and thought it was good. It's not a very big place at all, but they do have a patio in the back if it's nice outside. So you walk in and you see large amounts of chicken and steak cooking on the grill. The menu is pretty vast for such a small place; they have taco salads, regular salads, burritos, tacos, regular plates, you name it. I ended up trying the tacos; 2 chicken and 1 steak. I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the steak as mine was tough and overcooked. The chicken was fantastic though, I would recommend getting any dish with chicken. One of my co-workers got the taco salad and that looked fantastic, I would probably do that over the tacos. In my opinion, it was a little expensive. The tacos are filled with onion & cilantro though, so it's not like it's just plain meat. I also liked the variety of salsas that you could choose from; mild, medium, and hot. The hot was excellent to put on top of the chicken tacos. They do have some cool side items that you can add onto your tacos for extra $ like avocado. Definitely will be coming back to try this place.
(4)Vicky Z.
Went in and waited 10 mins no one to take the order but when another customer came in they take his order right away. Pretend she didn't see us . Never going bk
(1)Marilyn L.
Don't get the veggie burrito. Literally just onions and bell peppers in a wheat tortilla. No beans? No sour cream? No cheese?? The guac has no flavor. Fish taco is not good. Tasted like old oil. Giving it 2 stars because their red hot salsa is actually really really good
(2)V C.
not sure what the rave is about this place. At work it is one of the default places to order from. Perhaps this restaurant is trying to be too trendy or too american... bottom line is this place should be called mexican-american and not just mexican as typically understood by comparable places in the US. By default a burrito comes with NO salad, NO beans, NO rice.. not sure in what planet that was invented but on Earth a burrito requires the basic salad and carbs, and legume. I will say the steak is tasty.. yet on the chewy side. The burrito bowl (which contains salad as it is presumed) is also tasty. I could eat from here again if needed but it is not a place I would think of to go to on my own. Plenty more authentic places around town.
(3)Javier P.
What happened to this place??? We used to order a lot, and our last 2 deliveries have been horrible. However we decided to give it 1 more try. Last night we came from the airport super hungry and we decided to order 6 steak tacos, 2 horchata waters and 1 corn. The delivery was made on time, but there were no salsas, no napkins, no straws like literally nothing - just tacos and the horchatas. We were super hungry so we just decided to eat the tacos and another surprise happened when we opened the tacos - we cannot ask for them to be well-done but please, don't send them with blood. The meat was rare, so we just had a sip of the horchatas that tasted like plain water and then we went to sleep. Never ordering again.
(1)Megan S.
We tried Carbon at the Taste of Chicago. We had some steak and chicken tacos. The chicken was slightly dry but the steak was phenomenal. Better than some I had while in Texas. The Bf and I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks so we decided to go to the restaurant. The steak was dry but the chicken was good. The chips seemed greasy. The service was very great and I kinda dig the grunge vibe. Unfortunately our stomachs weren't happy a couple hours later...if you know what I mean. BF mentioned that he thought the steak at Cesars (Lakeview-on Broadway)was better. I have to agree with him. This was a disappointment and kinda of a hike from Lakeview/Lincoln Park area.
(2)Agape W.
The burrito: A Fish Named William = a heavenly delight for those of you who love fish tacos! The portion is huge, the tilapia is cooked to perfection, and cabbage abounds. Hit it with a little extra fresh squeezed lime and you will be good to go! Talk about delish! Don't plan on bringing a big crowd here though; aside from sitting in a line at the bar, the largest table seats only two. (I deducted one star for needing to add lime, for not having enough light at the tables (IMO), and for the fact that I've still had at least one better fish taco/burrito outside of San Diego.) Definitely don't hesitate to give Carbon a try though!
(4)William K.
I used to always see these Carbon delivery vehicles riding around town, and one day I decided to take my curiosity to the next level. I went to the small and accessible restaurant that is positioned under the I-55/94 junction on 26th street, and the food is consistently on point! Definitely the authentic Mexican grill experience...so if you're a fan of Chipotle, this spot will definitely blow your mind. It might even make you hate Chipotle! lol. The Burrito Bowl is the star of the menu. A taco shell bowl with all the ingredients anchored in the middle is a certified winner. I've had them all, and they're all winners. Their hot sauce is the champion of hot sauces; has kick and flavor galore! The tacos are very good too, as well as the burrito itself, but if you're going to go experience something unique you can't always find elsewhere, the burrito bowl is the premier option. The restaurant is very small, but as long as you come during a time when it's not lunch or dinner, you should be able to comfortably sit down. They have the Mexican drinks you would anticipate at any Mexican restaurant (Horchata and Jarritos), and their fountain drinks are always treated with precision. Other notable menus items worth having include the Guacamole and Chips, the chicken tamale, and the quesadillas. I will warn you of one slight criticism: the price of the food is not competitive lol. If you're dining for two, expect to spend between $20-40 for a compete meal. If you roll solo, it's about $10-15 on a basic appetite. Anything more will result in busting out the American Express black card. The food is really good, so just know that the money is at least well invested. Their Grubhub service is really efficient too. If you want to pickup food without the wait, use the app; it'll save you some wait time, as they can get busy and sometimes take longer than normal.
(4)Felice O.
I ordered the Steak-inator Burrito, It was beefy...Really Beefy. I think I'm still chewing that steak. I was impressed with the homemade chips and salsa, but the guacamole lacked flavor (lime juice perhaps). I gave this place 3 stars because the seasoning was off and I couldn't tell you why my tastebuds did not agree. I think perhaps the charred flavor combined with the buttery essence in the tortilla is a flavor profile I don't care for. All that meat was screaming for a little more fresh salsa/ cilantro/ something... Nonetheless, the servers were very helpful, very sweet and very knowledgable. I give this place three stars because I still prefer Taco Fresca's Burritos, but what can I say. Years of San Franciscan Burritos from the Mission have made me this way.
(3)Crystal C.
I have been to this location a number of times it has its pro's and con's. I will start off with the pro's, the pineapple salsa is my absolute favorite. I also really liked the fish tacos and the quesadilla. The con's I would have to say the staff, and the high priced chicken tacos that in my opinion are really not that good. I recently came to this location to get some pineapple salsa since I was in the area. When I arrived the staff was far from friendly, which I think isn't asking for the staff to at least greet you when you walk in. I ordered and my order was correct on my receipt (always check when dealing with this location). I got my food all the way home to notice that my pineapple salsa was not in the bag. I was given the wrong thing. I had to call the location and ask for a credit because I didn't receive what I went all the way there for. Overall not a good experience triple check your bags and your receipts FYI.
(2)Christina M.
I catered from Carbon for a party of 35 since I love their food so much. For $13 per person and a $30 delivery fee, we got an assortment of tacos with all the salsas, toppings (including elote) and rice and bean sides. Everyone raved about the food all night! Plus, everything was delivered without a problem and packaged for easy serving (they also provide all the utensils to serve and eat.) Everything was delicious, as usual. My only complaint is that the chicken and steak provided was not as much as I had hoped. We were told that it would be enough for each person to eat 3-4 tacos. Unfortunately, even though we ordered a bit extra (for 35 although we had 30 people), I'd say people were lucky if they got a third taco. Overall the food is awesome, though. I'll continue to order food for delivery regularly!
(4)Liz N.
Delicious, yes, but for tacos in Chicago... A bit pricy. Me and my hubby had 5 tacos, an elote,an horchata,and a fountain drink for $25.
(3)J C.
Im a fan of carbon grill and have been coming here since the doors opened, I order from here often at least once a month. However the food quality I've been receiving lately has been dropping tonight I received tacos with rarely any meat, cilantro and onions and the meat was fatty which is rare! Im slowly starting to steer away from here.
(2)Mary C.
The menu selection is really small but I only order one thing from this place and it's good. Steak burrito bowl. It's really tasty. I love the salsa they put in it. The seasoned rice and corn. I usually order a elote with it and mix it in to add a bit more taste but this place does one thing well and that's good enough for me.
(4)Amy H.
I went there for the first time with my coworker and I loved it. He suggested the Carne Asada. I got that and other two tacos. One of them was the fish tacos and that became my favorite fish taco place. There was sauce but it didn't overpower the taco. I poured their hot sauce over it too. It was fresh and so spicy. It made my nose run. I can't wait to go back there.
(4)Diamond L.
Huge fan of the fish taco! OMG I haven't had anything else that compares!! But the chicken tacos are amazing as well. The staff is always friendly, but good luck finding a park, this place is always busy!
(4)Axel Pedro J.
This was my second visit to Carbon. My first experience was actually a little better. I ordered a couple tilapia tacos and a horchata to drink. After waiting over 10 minutes for my food I take it and go. The fish was cooked perfectly but had no flavor. The green "salsa" also had no flavor and even seemed to be watered down, and at no point did I taste "tequila lime" sauce. Then afterwards having to wash it down with watered down horchata. I regret giving this place another chance. Do yourself a favor and drive right past this place down 26th st and get some real tacos.
(2)Janet M.
I usually order from the 810 location but last time the steak tacos were inedible due to all the gristle. This time ordering from this place was a disaster. The order was cold, 20 minutes late with a driver that cannot read the address off the ticket and told me I had a "tone" when I was irritated that the food was not only late but you went to the wrong place. Oh, and the cherry on top of the sundae was a USED piece of napkins rolled up and placed inside the plastic bag along with my food. Never again.
(1)Kacie A.
Ever since I tried Carbon I can't go back to chipotle. This is authentic Mexican food. The Chicken bowl is amazing with the elote. Also the flour chips with guac are to die for. This is now a regular spot for me and my boyfriend
(5)Liz O.
I've gotten this place a few times and I've gotten quite a lot of food. I got the veggie tacos and they were stuffed. I enjoyed the different kind of salsas they had which was different but in a good way. I also liked that they had more healthier options too. The biggest complaint (and mostly everyone else's) is the prices. It's well overpriced for a mexican place. I do enjoy the food but everything is extra charge. Sour cream, cheese, avo...etc. I'm surprised they don't just do build your own tacos and charge you for every ingredient. I know my sister got the mother clucker and she was not impressed because there was barely anything on it! The up charges are crazy. Some make sense, but others not so much. I enjoy the food however it has not been a frequent spot due to not wanting to pay the prices. I can go to pancho's and get the taco dinner, which is 3 tacos stuffed to the brim with all those ingredients, with rice and beans, under $10. Sorry carbon, but it's just not worth it.
(2)Tina J.
Me and my boyfriend ordered the steak burrito, steak taco, and chicken taco. I have no complaints!!! The food was delicious!! The salsa was the cherry on top. My friend recommended the place and I am so happy we tried them. They are pricey our bill was over $30 dollars but it was well worth the money. I will definitely be having them again.
(5)Michaela S.
I just called in about 1 minute ago and I HAD to leave a review!! The guy who took my order was sooooo beyond nice! I have called in before and the person who took my order was not very receptive, however this experience was a complete 180 degrees! The food is always good so it's no need for me to comment about it lol! :)
(5)Kevin B.
Best fish tacos on the Southside. And I'm not really a big fish taco fan but something about Carbon's fish tacos make them great. Cool little spot right in Chinatown. Its a great late night spot to grab something on the way home. And if you choose to dine in, they also sell beer. They can get busy so I would recommend calling in your order ahead of time so its waiting for you when you arrive. Hella cheap and reasonable. If I'm not ordering some tilapia tacos, the chicken burrito is just as good. The only downside is cheese is extra on things but that shouldn't deter you from going. You can easily walk out Carbon full with your meal being under $10. Frequent all the time...
(5)Kendra S.
Chicken taco with tequila lime sauce!!!
(5)Gary A.
I came after hearing plenty of ranting and raving from my brothers at work, ... That emoji properly expresses my thoughts on carbon. I ordered a side of rice, corn, chips and salsa, fish, chicken and steak tacos, with an horchata. The rice, horrible! The corn, watery and no where near as good as the corns in a cup that you can get on the street. The steak and chicken tacos were good but I wish they'd cut the meat into smaller pieces like most taco spots do. The steal and chicken was in huge strips, but nonetheless had plenty of flavor. The fish on the other hand was horrible. Not to die for, or worth the price tag. Atotonilco offers a fish taco that costs drastically less and tastes 1000 times better. The horchata on the other hand though was worth it. At least they get that much right. Not to mention everything I just mentioned, 3 tacos, rice, corn, chips and salsa, and a drink cost over 20$... That was ridiculous! It was not that good, not 20$ good atleast.
(2)Liz P.
This place is tucked under the intersection of the Dan Ryan and the Stevenson, and has free street parking. I had a steak burrito bowl, which was very good - especially with the roasted red pepper sauce.
(4)Jill D.
I love the delivery from this place. The food is good and it is always packaged really nicely. Try the corn and key lime pie, and do the burrito bowl. Inexpensive and quick.
(3)Susan C.
I like this place for tacos and guacamole. It's not that far from where I work at. This restaurant is relatively small to dine in that is why I always take take out. The prices are reasonable and I usually order 3 steak tacos and get guacamole cups on the side. There salsa are great to and it depends on how hot you want it. This place is always pack we people every time I go in to order. If you are crunch in time, it's good to call in and order a head of time.
(4)Jamie L.
Just as a disclaimer, I've been to most of the mexican restaurants in Pilsen and on Archer (Nuevo Leon, Paco's Taco's, Tio Lius, etc.) in Chicago. This place ranks at the absolute bottom in terms of cost and taste. When this place first opened, the prices were SOMEWHAT reasonable in terms of how much food they gave you. Now, they charge a ridiculous amount for such little food. They charge $8.50 for a fish burrito; you can get a burrito, rice and beans at Nuevo Leon for $6.50 and get better quality. Moreover, they charge you for cheese...I have never seen this at any mexican restaurant. Ever. The taco's are $3.00-3.50 (depending on what you purchase) and all you get is lettuce on it with the meat. Go to Paco's Taco's and get a taco loaded with meat for $2.25-2.50 The only reason my wife and I have occasionally stopped by here is because it is conveniently close to church. The only benefit of this place is its convenient location. Again, if you're looking to get quality food with affordable prices, this place is NOT it. Go somewhere else and get a better deal.
(1)Rob G.
Somewhat disorganized with our order. Mixed up take out and dine in. Then made us wait an additional ten minutes. Not great for the price.
(2)Fanny T.
Carbon has pretty great tacos. I always order their fish tacos and burritos, but the burrito bowls are pretty good too! HOWEVER. They ALWAYS forget something when I pick up an order. One time they forgot a large elote (which was comped the next time we came in) and another time they don't pack any of the salsa I requested. Overall: 4 stars for food, 2 stars for service.
(3)pat m.
Better confirm with restaurant when ordering online. Order placed but not "picked up"...not even an I am sorry when cancelled. Food is good. But it has to arrive for you to enjoy it.
(1)Serena Y.
Save your money...this place is overpriced & isn't that great! Disappointed that I wanted to give it 2nd chance & was right the first time....tacos aren't that great skimpy on the steak & basically are not worth the hype!
(1)Tiffany P.
Best Chicken Burrito in Chicago! ! And AWESOME customer service! !!! The manager Oscar is awesome!
(5)Letitia J.
A group of us just placed a pick-up order via phone and this was my first time w/Carbon. Well, David, in the call center, was really great. He was friendly, helpful and efficient. And, the food is fresh and delicious. I got the quesadilla w/chicken, vegetables and avocado. And, the corn pineapple salsa tops it off just right. David-Thanks for your exceptional customer service!
(4)Lei D.
Very good food most of the time, but inconsistent. The biggest annoyance is that they continually forget to include two salsas per order when I request it. One never seems to be enough A number of times I have gotten the lettuce bottom in my burrito bowl, instead of chopped lettuce, but most of all, the people serving you in the restaurant tend to be either unfriendly or indifferent. I still eat their food, but just let down 1/2 the time.
(3)Chris V.
I stumbled upon this place while working in the neighborhood and looking for lunch... Jackpot!!! I had the Steak Fajita burrito with mild salsa and loved it!! I have been back two more times and was not disappointed. Anytime I am in the area I stop here for lunch and have recommended it to friends as well.. See you soon
(5)Michael D.
I got the chicken burrito and it was quite delicious. Great atmosphere and authentic tasting food will definitely lead to success for many years to come.
(4)Raymond M.
I came here for what I always get - The Mother Clucker with extra Tequila-Lime Sauce. It has been a long, long time since I have had it. It was just the same as I last ate it. Nothing has changed, except the presentation. Before, the burrito was sliced in half and served as is. Now, each half is propped on its end so all the juices and sauces stay within the burrito. This burrito is for protein lovers - nothing but pure protein deliciousness. The Tequila-Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast was moist and tender. The burnt edges give it a nice crunch and flavor. The Tequila-Lime Sauce is sweet with a slight tang. The onions and cilantro were fresh. The onions gave it a nice texture contrast from the chicken breast. While being oversized can be good and satisfying, it can bad. Near the end of finishing up the burrito, it gets a little boring because of the same taste and textural consistencies of the burrito fillings. Overall, I love this massive burrito and it is not expensive for this amount of flavorful meat. I love with extra Tequila-Lime sauce. It gets messy as you eat closer to the ends because the burrito halves were propped on its ends. The only exception when dining at Carbón is that I would definitely get the Stelote if the steak was freshly grilled and the burrito was made right off the grill. Definitely get The Mother Clucker or the Stelote if it's right off the grill. Hopefully, you can finish it in one sitting.
(4)Samreen K.
Love their burritos!! Their salsas are really good and the staff has always been friendly!
(5)Zach J.
I really like some of the menu items here that is why I give 5 star even though my chicken tacos were kinda boring. My main course was the steak and Elote burrito which was just so damn good! The steak is tender and juicy then the Elote is really creamy and delicious. This burrito was a flavor explosion and I enjoyed every bite. I have had the elote by itself before and it was damn good alone too. Next time I will try that big chicken burrito they have as a special. The thing is massive in size and looks amazing. My brother ate it right in front of me and said it was really good especially with guac on it.
(5)Bahadir B.
I ordered a steak fajita burrito. The meat was good (as always) but the rest of it was horrible. I think next time I order they will put a whole onion in my burrito. The other ingredients were all put on certain parts of the burrito: pepper at the bottom, mushrooms in the middle, onion mostly on top. It was a miracle the lettuce was spread well. The person who prepared this burrito must be semi-blind or he/she was watching tv while prepering it.
(2)Patty C.
After my workout at the gym, I needed to pick up a quick lunch. I drove by Carbon, and figured if I ate half a chicken mole tamale and just half the side of elote, it wouldn't be that bad. And of course I ordered a horchata to go with my order. I took my order to go, and it took serious will power to not eat it in the car as it smelled so damn good. Once, I got home, I quickly proceeded to eat. After one bite of the tamale, there was no stopping until everything was devoured. So much for my will power and my workout. Thanks Carbon for a delicious lunch.
(4)Evan H.
Went to Carbon on 26th Street this Saturday with my Mom at her suggestion. We have liked this place in the past, but I was blown away by the price increases and disappointed with the food.. My Mom had two steak tacos at $3.50 each! Not only were the tacos skimpy, but the steak was not tender at all. I had the regular steak burrito and it was ok, but at $24.00 for 2 tacos, one small burrito and chips and salsa, we will not be going back. Who do these people think they are? Don't they know you can get very good Mexican food all over the city for much less than these prices. If you want and inconsistent food and high prices, this is the place to go.
(1)Mironda R.
"I heard so much, but alas it's just Carbon" I heard a ton about this place and how delicious it was. I had the chicken tortilla soup (hated it) and 2 fish tacos that weren't too bad. My dining mate had fish tacos and a chicken and steak burrito that was devoured. At the end of the day, I thought it was just okay. The prices are super reasonable and the employees are super friendly. I would totally go back, but I wouldn't slosh across the city to get there.
(3)Miss A.
Horrible customer service! I will NEVER go back in my life. They skipped my number, had me waiting for 30 min, they lied and said it was because they cooked it fresh, but my order was cold when I got it. I went to the car and they forgot my elotes, went back and they were SO RUDE. Their tacos are not good enough to EVER endure that kind of service. Two thumbs down
(1)Steve M.
I like/love the Carbon up on Marshfield/Chicago ave. This Carbon? Sure, the people who work there seem cool, but my $9.50 chicken burrito + fountain bev was a total rip. The chicken was dry. I've had better and larger burritos for half that price in the UKV. Also - a word to the health conscious - this place looked VERY DIRTY. Like, call the food inspector dirty. I sat up at the counter, and got a really close look at the goings on behind. There are mad food spills, greasy shit is everywhere, and the griddle top doesn't seem to be venting properly because all of the ceiling tiles are brown and nasty. The hot station that holds all of the rice, beans, and probably the chicken that went into my burrito looked messy and grimey. Everything back there has a sort of brown/skuzziness to it. Won't be back.
(2)Danny M.
Their tilapia tacos are amazing and my all-time favorite. Its always made fresh but I can't say the same for their steak. Their steak is sometimes pre-cooked and kept under a hood. If it is made fresh, you can noticeably taste the difference. Its a hit or miss for the steak. If i'm feeling very hungry, I get a burrito bowl. It comes with elote which makes it more enjoyable. Some favorites to order are the tilapia taco, steak burrito bowl, chicken tortilla soup, elote, and horchata. My favorite salsa is their roasted red pepper (red and creamy). They are generous with their salsa and will give you as many as you want. When I first started going here, I went once a week for about 3 months. Then, their service dramatically went down. I have ordered tacos with cheese to go before and realized there was no cheese on ANY of the tacos. I called back and was given a credit for a guacamole for the next time I visited. But then it happened again, and I didn't bother this time. Overall, there are some items on the menu that I would come back for. But with so many other taco joints around that are cheaper and better, I find myself coming here less unless I'm in the area.
(3)Jonna N.
I discovered this place while I was at the Taste of Chicago. Even though I live relatively close to this place, I would go to Ricebene's instead. I'm glad I tried them at the Taste, but when I went to the actual restaurant it was a different story. I tried their fish tacos and they were awesome. Their horchata isn't half bad either. I would go back just for the fish tacos, but they are a bit pricey. However, one time I went I brought two of my friends with me and I was served, but they ended up losing the tickets for my two friends. I guess it was because they got busy/ We waited over an hour for our food, but I don't understand why no one helped us since we were sitting down and not eating and just staring back at them. My friends got two horchatas for free. I didn't go back after this because it is in a busy part of the neighborhood and I felt like the taste of their fish tacos weren't going to beat the terrible service that my friends received from this place.
(2)Claudia H.
Carbon never disappoints-the food is always super fresh and delish. We have had their catering on multiple occasions now and it never disappoints. They give you tons of food, an ample variety of salsas (more than just a few) and tableware. Everything is neatly organized and labeled on arrival. Our delivery person arrived early and even offered to stay and help us set-up the food. Beyond professional! This is a very well run business and I've never been disappointed. My only critique is that it lacks room to sit and eat in the Bridgeport location. I note that a previous reviewer compared Carbon to Nuevo Leon. He's right-This place is nothing like Nuevo León. I don't think you can fairly compare the two. They are completely different styles of cooking and last time I checked Carbon wasn't closed down for sanitary issues by the city unlike Nuevo León.
(5)Vince L.
The food is so fresh! Delivery has been great in Pilsen, they even noted hat we have a newborn and don't want them to ring the doorbell.. Consistent product regardless of which restaurant you order from.
(3)Mike A.
Been visting this place for years and absolutely love it. A few months ago they shrunk the size of the burritos they serve. Last week they drastically raised prices. My typical order was two steak burritos and mixed chips with salsa and two regular foutain drinks. This was roughly $24.00. Last week the same order with the smaller sizes cost $35.00... The food is great but not for those prices. This is pure greed at its best and for that I say goodbye.
(1)Keri B.
Best Mexican food I've had outside of Mexico and San Diego. Delicious guacamole and so happy with my choice of a steak quesadilla! This place isn't fancy but it's absolutely fantastic and authentic.
(5)Danny A.
Ordered there several times in the order was messed up every time they argue with you on the phone when you ask them to correct the order when they're very rude and unprofessionall would never order or eat at this place again how can you trust the food when they are so unprofessional and argue with customers
(1)Harshingar P.
The food is a little more like Quodoba flavor style rather than chipotle style. The portions are sufficiently large. The salads, burrito bowls, especially the flour bowls are to be tried. The food quality is good but the taste leans towards a sweeter tone which I do not prefer so I took away a star. The staff is friendly and delivery is on time. Have eaten in the restaurant and ordered for delivery as well. It is a small place so large groups are not a good idea.
(4)Cynthia A.
AWESOME fish tacos and steak tacos. The flavor always delivers. Don't love eating at the location as the atmosphere is slightly drab and there's always a cold draft in there but as far as the food, it is excellent.
(4)Adam B.
Great steak fajita burrito. The skirt steak was perfect.
(4)lucy f.
If I could give 0 stars I would. I gave Carbon at least five more chances since the last review and another one being tonight and I just can't believe how bad it keeps getting. Undercooked steak, incredible shrinking burrito, forgetting add ons, adding things that I didn't want on, forgetting condiments, waiting over 20 minutes for an order that was placed hours before, customer service lying about giving credits for poor food and service. When I've called to talk to a manager they've done nothing to correct these issues. They're super unorganized and fooling around when I go in to pick up my order and no one cares.
(1)Sean K.
The stelote is excellent. Pricy for a burrito with corn. The interior is a little slimy but sometimes those are the best burrito joints.
(4)vicky c.
what is going on with this place? i've been coming to this place since they've opened and their service has declined tremendously. first the cashier just looks at me, no hi or acknowledgment for me to order, and then i had to wait 20 minutes just for an elote and horchata?! She claimed she called my number which of course she never did because i stayed right by the counter since i anticipated my order was going to be a quick pick up. Dont even bother wasting your time here.
(1)Peggy A.
I enjoy Carbon but the prices are steep per taco. The fish tacos and guacamole are awesome.
(3)Maurice E.
A hidden gem in Chicago fresh ingredients combine with flavor and a huge portions. The fish tacos are really good but my favorite is the Mother Clucker shut your mouth I'm just talking about the Mother Clucker. A really cool place with good food.
(4)Russ S.
probably the worst mexican in the city. It's definitely the whitest. we ordered a "dessert taco" for $1.50 and it was a little nutella on a tortilla folded in half. for real?! at least make it two tortillas or something. jeez. The flour tortilla bowl was gross, the steak dry, and in general, just really wasn't impressed with anything.
(1)Mike W.
This place has really changed in a big way. For years I would eat lunch once a week here. On top of that I would pick four burritos and bring them home for dinner another day during the week. Recently I noticed they increased pricing by quite a bit. Now for two regular steak burritos with nothing but steak and the tortilla the price is $19.90!!! Seriously?? But a long with that increase the meat is at a lower grade and taste is no where close to what it has been for years. It really is hard to say this bit after the last couple visits i wont be coming back.
(1)Jill M.
The best darn tacos on the south-side of chicago.... The Tequila lime sauce is 2 die for!!
(5)Lily Z.
I ordered the chicken burrito. It was really good! I think it's a nice step above chipotle. It's not a traditional taco and burrito place. My friend got the steak burrito bowl. It's an actual tortilla bowl as compared to chipotle burrito bowl which is in a paper bowl. One weird thing, they put carrots and peas in the burrito. Ask for tequila sauce on the side! It's really delicious.
(4)Bella B.
Enjoyed my lunch date at Carbon yesterday! I had the fish burrito bowl. It was so delicious! And an added bonus was that they serve liquor. I had a tasty margarita. Not too pricey and perfect for a simple lunch date with my man.
(5)Amanda S.
FYI: This location offers beer and margaritas, the other one has no alcohol. I just want to smother everything in their mild salsa and tequila lime sauce. First time? Get a mix of chips to experience both fresh fried corn AND flour tortilla chips. We had flour chips the first time we were here, very airy, crunchy but soft, like puff pastry! The corn this time and very fresh and crunchy. My fave so far is the fish taco and chicken taco!
(5)John K.
$11 for a huge chicken burrito wft? Then I tasted this wtf $11 burrito, then I said wtf! The best burrito I ever had, would have gotten 5 stars, but again $11 for a burrito.
(4)Mike D.
My second review of this place... and all I have to say is: Elote, elote, and elote. Those are the three ingredients to complete and utter happiness. And possibly world peace too. I know what you're thinking... world peace is that simple? The answer is yes, elote from Carbon can lead to world peace! Amen!
(5)