El Charro
2410 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647
El Charro Menu
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Desayunos/ Breakfast
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Desayunos/ Breakfast
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Address :
2410 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL, 60647 - Phone (773) 278-2514
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Open 24 hours
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
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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Rahul G.
Not many 24 hour places around Logan Square so this place gets big ups for that. Late night Mexican? I'm in! Got a steak burrito and it was delicious. Extra for sour cream and cheese, eh. However, the salsa they serve on the side is so so so good! Some of the best around! Glad to see chips included. Great area with so many good bars nearby. Stop by here after for the munchies.
(5)C R.
El Charro...home of the $2 hipster tacos. It's a 24 hour Mexican restaurant which is a plus, until you eat the food. I ordered the steak tacos- they were okay, didn't have much flavor. They charge for extras like cheese, sour cream, avacado, etc. which bumped the price of my $2 taco to $3.50 quickly (womp). The tamale looked skinny and limp; and I don't like skinny limp things. Meanwhile, the waitress tattooed her eyebrows on. She was also rude. But I would be too, I guess, if I couldn't grow eyebrows and had to serve drunkies in Logan at 3am. Many, many hipsters swear by this place. But us regular humans realize that even for a late night post drinking stop, this place is not the bomb. In fact, it makes you drop a bomb in the toilet the next morning. Gross.
(2)Andre W.
Me and some peeps showed up here last night after drinking at multiple events for several hours. We were in Logan on Milwaukee and Fullerton around 3am and saw this place was open. We were all hungry and hoping to soak up some alcohol before we called it a night. We got in line and there was maybe 2 people ahead of us, but for some reason they could not take orders in a proper amount of time. I was getting frustrated and took a seat at the counter near the register in hopes of getting my order taken. Finally she got to me and I went with the carne asada burrito which I recall not being too expensive. It didn't take too long for it to come out thankfully so we were able to eat quickly. The burrito was very bland and lacked flavor...the hot sauce didn't even help. 4 out of five of us thought our meal was wack. Usually when drunk even the worst late nite eats is pretty decent...this was the exception to that. The one person that enjoyed their meal got some sort of torta platter or something. I probably won't be back and will look for other options in the area next time I'm drizunk and needing to eat.
(2)Alice L.
Pros: cheap Cons: still not worth it ========================================= I live super close to this place, and have always thought about trying it. Never got around to it until last week....... and I regret it. Some things are better left a mystery! Service: I was promptly given a menu --- alllll good Food: I ordered the El Charro special plate, thinking it would be a good representation of what the establishment had to offer. Before this, I've NEVER in my life had bland Mexican food before. I actually like my food on the "less salted" side, but I seriously found myself wondering if they had salted anything. Proportions were off, the food tasted of just fat/grease without much else going on, and I did not even have the heart to save leftovers. I'm sorry El Charro --- it took me awhile to come to you but I will not be returning.
(2)Emily B.
Ok, El Charro is open 24/7 which is nice and all but you'll only want to eat there if you're wasted at 4 in the morning. The food is scary. The ladies that work there are straight up rude but I'll give them a break because I would be too if I had to work that late and deal with the drunk crowd. Fellow drunk idiots, they will try to rip you off. I'm not proud of it, but I've been quite a lot since living here the past 3 years and the last (O.K. the second to last) time I went there my friend and I split a vegetarian burrito. We don't fuck with the meat there. They were busy, tons of drunk people, and we left 10 dollars on the table to cover the burrito and the tip. Our waitress chased after us and said it's not enough because the chips and salsa is $3. I put up a fight because I know for a fact that the chips and salsa are free from going frequently and we didn't even ask for the chips she just brought them to us. She was trying to play us because she wanted extra money from the drunks. Also there's a 10 dollar minimum which is annoying. I never have cash after leaving the bars. If you don't eat all your food, don't bother with a togo box. You won't want it the next day, I promise.
(2)erin w.
This is a 24-hour Mexican restaurant.
(3)Jenn T.
Decent Mexican food--aka it's okay if you're in the area if you're starving late at night or you're drunk and need a taco/burrito, as it's open 24 hours. Otherwise, there are definitely better places to eat Mexican food. Also, if you do make it here, stick to carne asada, their chicken is shredded and very bland/kinda gross.
(3)Sarah Y.
Mmm...open late night, fast and friendly service despite serving a range of drunkened people out at 2 am, and pretty delicious food. I had a torta which had a good bread, and relatively unsketchy meat. I'm not sure I would come here for lunch or dinner, but it definitely satisfies a late night craving!
(4)Pedro L.
How have I never reviewed you El Charro? You were my strength when I was weak. You were my voice when I couldn't speak. You were my eyes when I couldn't see. You saw the best there was in me Lifted me up when I couldn't reach. You gave me faith 'coz you believed. I'm everything I am. Because you loved me. I'm drunk, but this tampiquena is awesome.
(4)K D.
Best Mexican breakfast in the area!! Probably best food all-around, although not by a huge margin. Wish they served booze, but they make up for the lack of margaritas with giant cups of horchata.
(5)Jose M.
Good tortas, great horchata. Open 24 hours. It's a shame that it's going to get gutted by that new ramen place. Hopefully they just relocate instead of closing their doors.
(4)Mike P.
It's 4am, I don't have dignity or self respect and I'm hungry. Problem solved.
(5)Kathleen O.
When I see people soberly eating El Charro, I cringe and begin dry heaving. I can't help it... I've unfortunately given in to El Charro one too many times. Anyone who has closed down The Owl has most likely stumbled down the street to this 24 hour Mexican joint thinking a 4:30 AM burrito sounds like heaven. Even when you're so drunk that you can't even formulate a sentence, their burritos taste like trash. I never blamed alcohol whenever I found myself kneeling to the porcelain God, but rather the mistake of eating El Charro the night before. For anyone who thinks about going to El Charro to enjoy some late night grub, I urge you to reconsider this offensive excuse for good late night food... unless of course you're constipated... then have at it. It's probably the only time I'd ever encourage anyone to head to El Charro.
(1)Jonathan B.
It's okay. Service isn't the best. I was nearly ignored after not tipping for a to-go order.
(3)Dakota B.
Best burgers in town. ONLY 2.50!!!! The salsa for the chips is muy spicy. Tamales were pretty great. The 7/11 next door makes this a great place to dine while traveling. My concierge told me to go here and WOW I couldn't believe the burger quality. I still can't handle how juicy it was.
(5)Nicholas G.
This is my number one choice for tacos when the hour grows late and my desire for a fine craft beer is overwhelmed by a desire for a less-fine taco. El Charro has the benefit of being open 24 hours (for you 4AM Owl stragglers), being very cheap, and having genuinely good food (on the late night scale, I mean: I assume you're not coming here for your anniversary dinner). Although it is usually busy I have never had a problem getting a seat, and the service has been fast and friendly in my experience. And despite its general divey-ness, it is clean and there is no blaring music or TV to assault you when you walk in. My go-to tacos are the lengua and chorizo, which are tasty and heaped with toppings, but if it's a winter weekend and they're offering pozole, I would definitely go for that. For $6.00 you get a filling stew with plenty of tasty roast meat, definitely just the thing to make that cold walk home a little more pleasant.
(4)Diane G.
As a soon-to-be Logan Square resident, my friends and I wanted to scope out one of the late-night taco joints in the hood. Open 24/7, which is a huge plus, and plenty of seating to boot. Overall, cheap prices (Tacos for $2, burritos for around $5) and decent food. I got the veggie taco but my friends got the carne asada and were not displeased. If you're hungry at 3:52AM, this is a solid option.
(3)Patrick W.
Decent Mexican food, the burrito suizo I think is your best option. A lot of melted cheese and the sauce it's covered in is more mole than salsa. Service can be a bit slow at times. Open 24 hours.
(3)Patrick F.
OK if your in a bind looking for food late night or looking to fill your super drunk munchies.
(3)Brian G.
What else do you need when you already have a great cheap late night Mexican place? Everything on the menu is great. You can find me here most weekends between 2-4am.
(5)Joe P.
i write only reiterate the truth--you really don't plan to eat here, nor do you eat here sober. Not once, but twice in one night, we wondered in here begging (not literally) for food to quell the acid growing in our liquor bellies. I imagine, if I were sober then, that the tacos were OK--but when you're not, they were delicious. I've been told they're objectively not very good, but should the objective matter when the drunk subjective is what is experienced? Nope.
(5)Pizzaman M.
By far the best Mexican food in Logan Square!!! I had the steak tacos and the quality of meat is the best!!! They were very tasty and fresh. Ill be hitting this corner spot very soon....maybe for breakfast!!! Since there breakfast specias start at $4.99!!! Yayyyyyy for my wallet!!!
(5)Felicia M.
Loved this,place until tonight. The girl working tonight wouldn't split our $23 check in half even though its only a $10 minimum. We argued about it for a long time. Finally we pulled out our cash and only had $15, the girl working told us we could pay that and she would cover the rest. Apparently her boss didn't like split checks even though they have done that every other night. I go in there at least once a week and they've always done it. When there are 5 other Mexican places nearby you shouldn't be mean to your customers.
(1)Ericka S.
We've been eating at El Charro for four years and I just realized I've never given them a review. I am a vegetarian and a good vegetarian taco is hard to find. Most of them are afterthoughts on a meat-centric menu. Cluelessly comprised of some beans and rice, and a sparse sprinkling of obligatory toppings. El Charro's vegetarian tacos are these big delicious heaps of yumminess, with a huge slice of fresh avocado on top, which I didn't even have to request in advance.
(5)Will M.
This place hits the spot... if the spot you are looking to fill is found somewhere around 5am after say, a bachelor party. Neither particularly good, nor particularly bad, El Charro slings a mean late night burrito. While I can't recommend the steak dinner, any of the normal taco stand offerings are served fast and cheap. There always seems to be seating and that is nice after a long night of (whatever it was you were doing that led you to be in this place while the sun is coming up.)
(3)Jeanne H.
I like El Charro for three reasons: #1 They have an amazingly cheap breakfast special that I almost can't believe. The food is decent, but seriously the price is ridiculous. #2 They have beautiful plants. #3 They were open during the Snowpocalypse of 2011 when not a single other restaurant in Logan Square was open, as far as my friends and I could tell. Yay for El Charro!
(4)Heather D.
Came here with a friend after a late night in Logan. I'm a stickler when it comes to Mexican food because when your inlaws are Mexican, there really is no comparison to home cooked meals. So I like their food, but I don't love it. Get it? What I do love about the place was we didn't have to wait for a table, it's open late, and the crowd makes for great entertainment! (Hipster crowd, nothing against them -the night we went they all decide to sing and dance in the restaurant, which was pretty great!)
(4)Angie M.
Jessie B.: Is your burrito good? Me: No, but it's good enough. It's open late. They serve food that's not totally offensive. It's cheap. I'm pretty sure the burrito I ate here saved my life on Friday night (or was it Saturday morning?). I don't remember much, but I do know that I enjoyed the green salsa that comes in the little ketchup type bottle a little too much. And the waitress was very nice and patient. Good qualities to have when dealing with late-night drunkies. This joint is A-OK in my book.
(3)Derek B.
I was blown away when I saw the review from Joe A, because, I too have fallen under the spell of El Charro's burgers. Several friends have insisted that El Charro's burgers are second to none, so I decided to give it a try. Guess what... it was amazing! For $2.50, you get a better quality meal than a McDonald's burger, but at the same price. Like Joe A's review, I too was disappointed by the lack of fries, but that is a small inconvenience for an otherwise excellent burger. Bottom Line: Go to El Charro. Skip the burrito and get a burger. You're doing yourself a favor.
(5)Joe A.
Hello Yelpers. I'd like to preface this yelp review as my first, and as a chef of a few years, have found whining and complaints of the sort for the most extent on here to be one piece of shit customer who types a bitter review because they had one singular bad experience. Yeah, that happens sometimes. Repeat offenders? Sure, come Yelp about it. Otherwise, it was probably a Friday or Saturday night, and you're just the asshole all industry folk hate in the first place. Just had to get that off my chest. Anyway, I have been going to El Charro for almost a year and a half, as it is much too conveniently located by my house for a 24 hour establishment. For 14 of those months, I laughed and gawked at the idea of their "American" menu, Hamburger, $2.00, Cheeseburger, $2.50, and of course nothing says "American Food!" like some French Fries. Much to my dismay, they don't have french fries. Or so they say. Regardless of such a heartbreaking travesty, me and a few friends have been going here almost exclusively for their hamburgers. You want a burrito? Taco? MEXICAN food? El Charro is not the place for you my friend. Find your way to Pilsen if you want something authentic. If you're that drunken hipster at Bonnie's who missed Tamale guy when he rolled through, so noooww you're hungry. Go to El Charro. And get a cheeseburger. You will not regret it.
(5)Nick L.
24 hr tacos= automatic 3 stars. Yummy 24 hr tacos = 4 stars. Big fan of the chicharron tacos.
(4)Patrick C.
I had 2 of the barbacoa tacos last night. At the time, it hit the spot and it was exactly what I needed. I don't think I'll make a special trip to go here, but if I'm in the area late night again, I wouldn't mind crushing some more tacos. Bottom line, this place is a late night eatery where you can coat your stomach at 2 am and head to the nearby 4 am bar across the street.
(3)Jane J.
Veggie Burrito = YES. MMMmmm So. Good. Not so much the cheeseburgers, but it's a mexican place so, you know.
(5)Michael G.
This place is perfect for late night (drunken) carryout in almost all of Logan Square due to it being at a very central intersection. And the amount of regulars there don't lie. Sometimes the counter seems like a collection of old school Logan Square types. At all times of the day and night. The only problem is you need a lot of drunken patience to endure an experience here. The wait staff if you order from the counter is unresponsive (to put it nicely). The kitchen is slow (to put it nicely, more like at a standstill at all times). The bathrooms aren't incredibly clean either. But, still, the food is greasy heaven (and better than the other blue line alternative of Flash Taco) - and if you eat in, there's free chips. The sauces are flavorful (though not incredibly spicy) and the cheese is excellent. The beans and rice are the usual dry fare of every hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. I second the earlier review about El Charro's revenge though. This restaurant will leave you feeling a bit bad the next day, but the food is honestly worth it.
(3)Adam S.
El Charro is a lovely taco joint on the N end of 'that strip' of MKE Ave. As if 24 hours isn't good enough, their prices are low, and the food is great. I've been in there twice, had a burrito once, and tacos the second time. Both times the Al Pastor was awesome, huge chunks, cooked well, and plenty of other stuff in the burrito. I don't remember exactly what was in there (damn you, beer), I believe it was lettuce, tomato, sour cream, beans, and cheese, in addition to the Pastor. The burrito was HUGE. It came out really fast, and was all around awesome. Tacos the second time were the same way. Just lovely. It's small, and it seems to get pretty damn packed late at night, but it's a 24 hour joint...2 Amigos and Chicken Run eventually do close, believe it or not. Yet another lovely Mexican joint in Logan Square.
(4)Ashley A.
Of course, I'm a fan of any food place open past 2 a.m. for the mere purpose of serving us lushes after a long night of drinking. Place was dead, but what do you expect at some divey, small mexican joint that late at night? I ordered queso fundido, which is basically a bowl of melted cheese (heaven!) with chorizo sprinkled on top. I absolutely loved it because a) I am in love with cheese and b) it was greasy & filling, perfect for any inebriated person. Only bad thing about this place was that they wouldn't take separate credit cards, so we had to pay with one and everyone else had to pay that person with cash. We got free chips & salsa while waiting for our food, which was a plus. I'd definitely go back if I was in the area that late at night. Easy to find, too; it's located right on the corner of Milwaukee & Fullerton.
(3)Pinaki S.
I'm writing this review on behalf of my never-would-ever-revew-on-Yelp friends. My buddy said the steak tacos compete on the same level as Pasadita. That's probably what you should order.
(5)Wesley S.
Not bad, for an unpretentious neighborhood restaurant. On the other hand, the food is nothing special. El Charro's took over, and now occupies a corner diner on Milwaukee and Fullerton. It is open 24 hours a day, as the diner might well have been. The fixtures, including the counter and its seats (the counter is a popular seating area, by the way) are from a prior era. The restaurant is clean and tidy. Staff is pleasant and welcoming. A meal for two comes to around $20. Any neighborhood would be glad to have a restaurant like El Charro's.
(2)Marc R.
I have never been able to get my butt out of bed and over here for the breakfast specials (under $4 before 10:30 AM) because my girlfriend is unable to get ready in time to make it here. Well, today she was off to work early in the morning and I was on my bike riding home and it was before 10:30 AM. Yeah! So, I popped in to try the breakfasts on special. I always order the Juevos a la Mexicana day or night and did so today. The specials lack the pieces of iceberg lettuce and a tomato that the $6 versions come with, but who really eats that. It was a trio of beans/eggs/rice and it was exactly what I wanted. I had a diet coke with some fresh lime (just ask) and enjoyed a break from the 90 degree heat and was so happy to save a buck or two (so I gave my server a few extra bucks). I am a big a fan of the Mexican breakfast and this place delivers (my dad was Tejano)! Now, if only I can get my GF out of bed early enough to have the specials when she has the day off.
(4)Sara P.
Definetely one if the best tacos in Logan Square. Huge pablamo peppers taco are my favorite. Decor could be updated but its the part of mexican food spots charm. Nice severs and good prices. That's everything I need to kill my hunger.
(4)M H.
One of the better taquerias in Logan Square. The food is always good, reasonably priced, and they're open super late (Mexican really is some of the best post-bar food ever - I'd say it's possibly even better than Mediterranean, but I don't want to start any fights). The staff isn't really friendly, but I'm usually there pretty late (or early, depending how you look at it) when all a waitstaff is expected to be is tolerant. The beans are flavorful, and the ingredients seem to be of high quality - fresh grated cheese, fresh veggies, and decent quality meat (little gristle). The tortillas are very good, but not exceptional. Yes, service is a bit slower than most places, but they seem to put more effort into each dish.
(4)Daniel M.
Every time I go here there's some crazy drunk person there trying to start either a conversation or a fight with everyone in the place. The staff don't seem to care. The Mexican food is also below average for Logan Square, which is a neighborhood full of Mexican restaurants. No real reason to go here that I can see.
(2)Jennifer S.
Before moving to Chicago I had a pretty good working knowledge of Mexican food. I moved here right in the height of the Bayless years. You may like him or not but what I respect about him is his love of street food. So along those lines, my shout to el Charro is my love of their refried beans. I am a refried bean snob. (a little embarrassing but yes I am). I would have not thought much about the place but I live so close and it's always reliable, always open. My husband and I found ourselves starving late on a weeknight with everyplace else closed and so el Charro was the only option. Two words- refried beans. I was telling the waitress how good I thought the beans were and she explained that she too can't make them at home as good as they do and that she takes batches home to her family. I consider that a pretty good recommendation. Also, you order guac and they give you a ****ton. How could that ever be bad. El Charro is not gourmet and for that matter I can't even speak to anything else on the menu other than the beans and guac but what I can say is they are my peeps, my go to place for anytime basic, simple Mexican goodness. And they are nice people.
(4)Matt A.
I just had a massive plate of ham & eggs with tortillas, a side of refried beans (with cheese!), rice, chips & amazing salsa, and a coffee that got refilled multiple times (obviously, if this review is any indication) for under $5 after tax. And it was good. This is apparently a 7 day a week breakfast special that runs until 11am. I am apparently going to die of high cholesterol within the calendar year. Happily. Fast service. Nice waitress. Latino soap opera hilarity coming from the TV in the corner. Clean. Not divey or grimey at all. I have no clue how they stay in business selling breakfast for under $3.50, but I'm prayin' they do. There are, for the record, multiple options -- you're not stuck with ham & eggs. So yeah, this place rules. And it's 24 hours. Boom.
(5)Christoph B.
Heartburn-y. That's how I feel today. It's not El Charro's fault (entirely) but they certainly didn't help. I stopped in here late last night for the combination platter which consists of a large plate of beans, rice, tacos, tortas, and other Mexican fare topped with cheese. The food was average at best. Flavorless is a better description. Service was great however for it being so late. Hopefully I won't be back again but I know that's a lie.
(2)Nicolas H.
I had two tacos, Goat and lengua. The lengua was good, but the goat had some bones in it which I guess is to be expected, but I don't really dig on bones...
(3)Nick B.
Paul D. writes, 'Now understandably, when you're plastered beyond belief, everything is delicious.' El Charro shattered this myth for me. My sole (and, god willing, final) meal at El Charro was hands down the worst drunk food I have ever ingested. First, my burrito arrived sitting in a pool of fluid. This should have been a red flag, but the wee hour and high blood alcohol content being what they were, I thought I'd charge onward. The 'food' itself had the acrid, sour overtones that I imagine those who buy dented cans and brave through past-their-expiration-date dairy products are well familiar with. Unfortunately, I haven't developed the iron stomach vital to doing those things, so as I choked down as much of this culinary nightmare as I could manage, I arrived at the realization that I was totally going to be sick off of this. Maybe it's unfair to blame El Charro for an experience due in part to some alcohol-induced lapses of judgment (The first, 'Hey, how about this place?'), but when you fail so spectacularly with people who are hungry and inebriated, you've really fucked up. One star.
(1)Melissa S.
El Charro is a perfect storm that results in the perfect taqueria. I tasted my first ever taco de lengua here and it was amazing. I decided to try to find the best tongue taco in the city. Many many tacos later, El Charro is still the best I've tasted. Oh, and they're open late, cheap and friendly. What else do you want?
(5)Patrick G.
I've gotten chips and tacos to go here once. The tacos were good enough for a taquerÃa and the salsa was above average than your normal late night joint. Took between 7-10 minutes for the food to come out, they wrapped it up very well for transport. I would eat here again if I was in the area and needed a taco but would not make special trips to go here.
(3)Ha-ti N.
Stumbling around in Logan Square looking for something to eat after a long night of drinking? El Charro is open 24 Hours. So grateful are the drunks of the night. As was I but I was not drunk. I was about to go see a late movie with the bf and needed transportable food (to be put in my purse) and eaten inside the theater. Time was running out as we searched the streets but in the distance, I saw a glowing sign that said, "Open 24 Hours" What!? It is unreal~ I have never run across food joints open this long other than McDonalds....and whatever. Chicago goes to sleep early (and I am quite frequently disappointed by this) We ordered a burrito and flautas. Good? Definitely just enough. They gave me basically half an avocado to go with my flautas -- the salsa was really good.... I don't know how the burrito was but I am all for this place for opening late and making more than mediocre food and being really fast!
(3)junior k.
Two stars is generous on this night. My wife didn't complain about her chookie tacos (other than the too-hot salsas), but I can totally bitch about mine. A huge burrito? Yes. Al pastor with everything? Yes. Decent price? Yes. Huge, cold pieces of dog food-size puerco in the burrito? Yes. High hopes, given such a gigantic burrito, were totally dashed by the huge, cold, gross meat bits in this thing. The too-hot salsa could do nothing to make it right. Bottom line: i eat either a burrito or some tacos or both almost every day. This is the first time ever that I've trashed more than 50% of a burrito. Sad!
(1)Mariah V.
While at Logan Square Auditorium some weekday night, I suddenly had a craving for a burrito. I needed food, and I needed it right away. A quick search on my phone, and I ended up at El Charro. It seemed like there was only one person working in the restaurant. So service was slow, but I didn't mind. I just got to munch on some chips and salsa. Maybe it's because I was drunk, but I could not get enough of that barbacoa burrito. And it was cheap! While I hardly ever make it to that part of the city, I've somehow managed to eat at El Charro a handful of times. If you're out late in Logan Square and you have the drunchies, then this is a good place for a cheap meal.
(3)Teddy R.
Avoid! The food is mediocre and they made me pay for my burrito twice in what was easily one of the weirdest situations of my life.
(1)Dan K.
I have to disagree with the other guy. But that was almost 2 years ago, so maybe it's gotten better? I went about a month back and I think El Charo is pretty money. I've been to plenty worse. First of all it's open late, past 2am for sure. The guacamole is amazing. The chips taste great, almost like a frito, but not as oily. And the prices are cheap. After a night out, me and my roommate stuffed our faces and paid under $20 for 2 entrees, and app, and 2 drinks. Plus they have decent horchata and jamaica. The rice and beans are good in my book. The sauces are in ketchup bottles so you don't have to keep asking for more salsa. There are two types.
(3)Eric M.
Just ate here for the first time. Excellent Mexican food! Great portions and great prices. I'll definitely go back.
(5)jenise r.
Oh El Charro we have ended great nights here... I've had many items on this menu and was pleased everytime. One things I love from here for some reason in the refried beans. I could eat the whole can. Service is iffy sometimes. One time te waitress did not get off the phone the whole entire time we were there. I'll always run in here at night...
(3)Hanbit Y.
unexpected short stop turned into the best chicken soup I've had recently. 4 stars only based on the soup. I will definitely come back for that soup at cold nights.
(4)Erin B.
This place was perfect for an after-the-bar, cheap, authentic Mexican meal. It's open 24 hours, and like any hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Chicago, has it's own flair to keep you coming back in. We ordered vegetarian tacos, which some restaurants will jip you on and just give you beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese. El Charro, on the other hand, gives you a fresh corn taco piled high with beans, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado slices, Chihuahua cheese and onions. The bill for 3 people was only $16.
(4)laela l.
El Charro gets 4 stars in the catagory of late night casual eats in the area. It's very low-key and the food came out quick.. I recommend the barbacoa tacos :) tender meat and full of flavor. The goat taco was a little fatty but at least I tried it. I've never come across a late night Mexican place with a variety of meats and choices. 2 amazing tacos for $4? And chicken mole (a huge plate) for $7. Not bad at all. The verde salsa and chips :) yum Plus, they had telenovelas on in the background; who doesn't love that? $10 minimum for the credit card fyi.
(4)Alyssa V.
I have to be fair here. I have eaten at El Charro many a time, and gotten delivery from there, but I only have blurry memories of eating enchiladas at 4 in the morning with my roommates on like, our front steps. I think I ate a burrito there once and I believe the waitress was nice. Anyway, El Charro is OK in my book because it's right next door to Helen's 2 Way bar, it's down the street from my house, they deliver, and it's 24/7. And I think the food might be pretty decent?
(4)Brad C.
Stopped in here around 12:30am after a night of bowling and drinking at the Fireside down the street. I was with my lovey lady and the both of us were pretty hungry. We ordered two vegetarian tostadas, a chicken burrito and a cheese quesadilla. Yeah it was a lot of food but it was needed. We ended up eating it at El Charro since it was cold and we still had to make it to the train and get home. I was shocked at how quick the food was ready, it felt like about fives minutes. During that short time they brought out two squeeze bottles of hot sauce and a basket of tortilla chips. Both hot sauces were good but the one in the clear bottle was awesome, the two of us nearly used half of it that night. The food was just what the doctor ordered. The quesadilla was standard, the vegetarian tostadas were pretty tasty. As for the chicken burrito, it might of had a little too much chicken and not enough of anything else, but still good. Overall decent prices, super fast and rather tasty hot sauce. El Charro is a good option especially since they are open 24 hours. I don't think they were are good as Taco Burrito Express #3, but beats La Pasadita.
(3)Bridget M.
Yes, I was inebriated. Yes, I was starving. So yes, this review is heavily influenced. I ordered the milanesa tacos. They didn't last long. The prices are higher than what I'd expect - $24 for two entrees at a 24 hour joint? Okaaaaaaaay, but only because 1) I'm drunk and 2) I'm huuuuuuuuuungry! My tacos were somewhat memorable which is saying something given the state I was in. At the time, I remember thinking that they were delicious. In the morning, I couldn't quite recall why they were. I appreciate how courteous their hours are. When you are so close to so many bars, you gotta be open late, so thanks!
(3)Steve S.
24 hours. Just fine food. Been there forever and stayed the same- while el cid went yupster and puebla remodeled and lost any charm it had to gain more space, money and blanquitos like me charro remains. They have a super cheap breakfast-like $3.55 or something! I miss the chile relleno/carne asada combo plate often as well as my old hood.
(3)An P.
This Logan Square spot is open 24 hours a day and will hit the spot after a long night of drinking. It looks like any other Mexican restaurant with paintings of Mexican scenes of tiled rooves and such. There is a giant black bison head and two four point bucks mounted on the wall. Their picture menu hangs over the counter across the entire wall. Sat down and were greeted with hot sauce and a basket of tortilla chips. We housed those so they gave us another basket. I ordered three quesadillas and cheese fries. I got three quesadillas and fried cheese. Me and my buddy were trying to figure for the life of us what on earth they had dropped in front of us that was a giant pile of cheesiness with some tortillas. We figured out that the lady must not have understood and served up some fried cheese instead! The food was good but my advice to you is to NEVER, EVER park your car on Milwaukee past 3am. What will happen is your car will be towed. In fact, as we left the place my friend's car was locked onto a tow truck. We yelled a bunch and the guy let it go and we escaped a long way home.
(3)Paul d.
So seriously this place has a money location. With Two Way, Boney's and Whistler down the block, it's perfect for a late night eat. Plus, it's 24 hours. Unfortunately, it is such substandard food in Logan Square and Humboldt Park where seemingly there's a taqueria on every block. Now understandably, when you're plastered beyond belief, everything is delicious. However, if you ever happen to bring it home and eat it for breakfast the next morning that's the true test. I ordered the combination platter with beef taco, tostada, cheese enchilada and beans and rice for about ~$10. When I had the second time around I was vastly disappointed. If the beans are the best part of a combination platter, than that must be saying something. Everything else wasn't bad or it wasn't good - it just didn't taste like anything. Seriously, paper flavored tacos. I'll have to try something else on the menu the next time I go but in the meantime, stick with Taqueria Moran.
(2)Eric B.
Three words: DE LIC IOUS 24 Hours (even on the birthday of my Lord and Savior!) Prices so low that they is stoo-pid The Super Burrito is so fine that I actually asked it out on a date Pozole is God's gift to the hungover Cute waitresses that giggle when I say 'lechuga' Helpful hint, kids. You want good Mexican? Look for Mexicans eating in the restaurant. This place feels like you've been transported to Mexico City (my Xanadu) in all the good ways. I love the aloe plant jungle, the taxidermy, and the mosaics. Beware: Squeeze bottles of salsa have nearly completely ruined what's left of my baby-t collection over the past year. Squeeze gently.
(5)A L.
Yes you can eat at 3am but honestly I've had better tamales at so many other places. I ordered rice & beans and one tamale and the total came to $10 with tip. Wha? That is one expensive tamale.
(2)Chad S.
I have blurry memories of this place... having last eaten here before I moved to Austin, however, being right around the corner of my old apartment, and the last open business before I get home after a long night of getting shitfaced at Club Foot, this was usually the one spot I wound up at, even after resisting all other late night temptations along Milwaukee... On top of that, the only thing I can remember ordering, all the damn time, was the Pork Mole burrito, and it was a sloppy, delicious mess that really was two meals, not one. But of course, I would invariably gobble the entire thing down with little regard to my health or safety. I see all these other reviews, and wonder where the hell were all you people when I was sitting there, staring down the deer, and trying to convey my needs and desires without knowing a lick of espanol?
(4)Brian M.
Went here late night after some drinking at the Arts fest and split the queso fundido and a couple of steak tacos. It wasn't the best, but at the time it was good drunk food. I don't think I'd go back because of the results the next day, a stomach ache all day, probably my fault but definitely didn't think it would sit so rough with me, I have an iron stomach.
(3)Jordan M.
Worst excuse for Mexican food ever. Everything is bland and very unmexican. I guess this place survives on their late night crowd.
(1)Joan L.
In all honesty, I think that the only thing this place has going for it is the fact that it's open 24 hours and they're near a bar. If they weren't near a bunch of drunk folks who needed their obligatory, drunken face-cramming sessions I really can't see this place doing very well. The tacos are bland and more something to chew on and amuse yourself with than food.
(1)Andrew H.
24-hours. Their veggie burrito suizo is pretty awesome at 3am, also at 10 the next morning. Their breakfast specials (before 10:30) can't be beat if you finished your burrito already.
(5)Carl G.
I go here sober to get the Machaca, for 6 bucks. it's worth it
(4)John L.
El Charro is a great little corner diner. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but if I still lived in the area or happened upon it while driving down Milwaukee Ave., I'd stop in for some Mexican breakfast chow. I never have had anything but breakfast at El Charro. It's good for a greasy Bistec a la Mexicana hangover cure and the salsa is pretty good, nothing to write home about, but not bad by any means. Like any proper taqueria, the pickled jalapenos and carrots flank each and every table. When I lived in Logan Square, it was primarily Latino populated. I'm talking about pre-condoland and pre-Starbucks (that still blows my mind). I took a friend from out of town to eat here and he's not used to seeing Mexican restaurants every 1/4 block or so. So by his 3rd meal in the neighborhood, he's like "does every fucking restaurant here serve complimentary chips and salsa? And for breakfast?" I'm like, "yah!" (say "yah" in a Parker Posey voice; think "A Mighty Wind") I told him it was a Chicago thing and he bought it...heh...
(3)Christopher T.
Best mexican in Logan Square. Very simple. Friendly service. Unique apperance. They even have a Ms. Pacman arcade game. You'll also find bottled coke with real sugar. Two salsas served in squeeze bottles.
(5)Devendra O.
I have a love hate relationship with el charro....great late night burrito joint but you pay for it the next day. The price is right and service is fast and friendly
(4)Donnie B.
Best place to eat in Logan Square! Get the goat tacos... mmmmmmm! Faviola is the kind lady that works there from 11pm-5am. If she is serving you, hook her up with a fatty tip for dealing with the drunk customers that come in there!
(5)Fred G.
I do love this place - it's not nearly as good as others, but it's convenient and tasty, and by far the cheapest. The service is always great but not necessarily fast?! It's cute, its easy, and it tastes great.
(4)Alicia G.
I love El Charro, because their food is cheap, the quality is good, and the nachos come loaded down with ranchera sauce and halved avocados. Every time I pass El Charro, on foot or on El, I seriously consider making a detour for a goat taco or two. Plus, the (holiday-themed) windows are full of giant, rambling plants, and the restaurant's flatiron-type outparcel provides a nice view of the street and foot traffic on Milwaukee and Fullerton.
(4)chad n.
24 hours is the best thing going for this place. Otherwise average in food, prices ok, menu selection decent. After drinking, the slightly salty greasiness does well. However, for a little bit more cash you can hit El Cid or EC2 for better food. Specifically i've had the El Charo combo which came with cheese enchilada, beef taco, and something else plus rice and beans. Salsa was OK, but once again, the tortilas in this town are terrible, ruining this meal.
(2)Jason N.
I'm gonna keep this short as to be honest this place is just not that memorable. We all had either tacos and sopes and it was the same consensus. The steak was bland and the pork wasn't bland but it just didn't taste very appetizing. I know it's a late night joint, but there are many other late night options to keep me away from this place.
(2)Ramona v.
I loved El Charro for a long time but we have to part ways now. With their new menu they are charging $6.25 for a veggie burrito and $5.25 for any of the meat burritos. Why go somewhere to pay more to not have the most expensive ingredient, even if I love all the plants and the waitresses are nice.
(2)Brian B.
There's a littany of Mexican Restaurants in Logan Square. I give this one high marks because 1) It's open later than all the others 2) It's cheaper than all the others 3) Service is fast, and kind Downside is that the guac can be dissapointing, but the price-point is such that I make my way here alot more for the combo meals than to El Cid which is much closer to me.
(3)Oly G.
El Charro is a great restaurant! This is the only place I will eat a burrito suiza from. The homemade ranchera sauce is absolutely great! I can just drink down that sauce. The owner knows my passion for her sauce that she brings it to me with my chips as I try to decide what exactly to order. And the waitstaff is great, especially Vero she is very professional and courteous. She always makes conversation while you wait for you food without ignoring the other patrons. And it's open 24 hours a day!! what else could I ask for
(5)Manny Q.
I really dont understand whos complaining about the prices, probaly the broke hipsters that go in ther while they park ther range rovers. This place is just amazing, the staff is sooo nice I fall in love with em. The only downside is the horchatas are really sweet, I now fear I have diabetes. I usually have the sopes, the rice and beans what a combo and the pork skin taco? amazing. Yea giving that its across from the shitty whistler its still legit, dont stay too long if you do, all the douche bags from vlive will be coming in.
(4)Heidi N.
After a bad experience down the street, this place was a lifesaver! Seriously solid Mexican food that hit the spot. I had the enchiladas suizas and was not disappointed, and my friend had one of the specials - something with pork. She liked it. The waitress was attentive and friendly and I kind of fell in love with all the corny Easter decorations. I'd go back if I again found myself hungry in Logan Square.
(3)Tom A.
Totally solid. Straight forward, gringo friendly. Veg friendly. We really like the plants -- a little sliver of conservatory in LS. Service friendly, quick. Nachos nice -- will order every time. Veg tacos decent -- like most such things it's sometimes hard to eat: you take a bite and there's nothing to do but eat it all. Veg quesadillas (served with rice, beans, lettuce etc) also will be my regular here -- big, tasty, can eat with fork and not make a mess. Tasty horchata comes in a glass (not styrofoam) -- appreciated.
(4)Lamb J.
The goat mole tacos are a bacchanalian party in my mouth.
(4)J J.
OMG. I think I'm in love. I finally found a burrito place that just may match the San Diego style goodness I so enjoy. The veggie burrito I got was DELICIOUS! Granted, I had had about 4-5 drinks, but I'm giving it 5 stars anyway for completely satisfying my drunken hunger. Will return when sober.
(5)Colin B.
it's cheap. the waitresses are nice and friendly. there's always delinquents and derelicts / crazy people in there during "regular" hours and drunk hipsters (like me and brett) there during late night hours. I eat there regularly enough to realize that i wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but since it's around the corner who cares. i wish they'd shell / de-vein their shrimp dishes but for the price, i guess you can't complain too much. The quality of the salsa varies; sometimes it tastes old / spoiled but yesterday it was terrific. I recommend the sopes and horchata....and never ever try to eat the entire chilequiles dish by yourself.
(4)Joe S.
Y tengo hambre como el lobo! Abierto las 24 horas.
(3)Leigh K.
El Charro is what it is; a 24 hour Taqueria on the corner of Milwaukee and Fullerton. The decor is intriguing and kind of terrifying though featuring two deer heads, a cow head, and a fish. Their eyes watch you while you eat which is creepy. No stuffed chickens in there though. Also odd was a strange fishbowl with a few coins scattered in the water, but no fish. Interesting. We went at 10:30 on a Thursday night and we were the only souls there. It was mediocre in every sense of the word other than the fact that it is open 24 hours. The chips were some of the worse I'd had and they tasted like stale cereal, but the salsa verde (in a squirt bottle) improved the quality of the chips. I had chicken flautas ($6.95) which I had to wrap a napkin around because of all the excess grease; they were tasty though. Zachary had a super chicken burrito ($5.75) with heaping portions of pulled chicken. Charlie had a taco ($1.50) and a quesadilla ($1.50), which I bit a piece off of and oohed and awed at the sheer amount of cheese crammed in there. Charlie's taco had shredded cheese on top which was not melted at all. El Charro also had a jukebox featuring a large number of Tejano music which, had we not been in a rush, I would have liked to hear a couple of songs. If I happened to be drunk at a bar nearby, then I would hit this place up again, but it's not going to be calling my name like Irazu, which is a short jump away. Irazu's hours are not friendly to late night craving, however.
(2)Jen L.
It's hard to find a quick, cheap 24hr bite around Logan but El Charro should be your stop. Nicely charred steak taco, thick chips the way I like 'em and the corn tortillas tasted homemade, which should really push this to a 4-star rating. Plus, they have pretty plants. Ok, this is going to be a 4-star rating.
(4)tessa c.
i love first of all that this place is small. it's more intimate and you don't have to worry about your drunk/clumsy ass tripping on the way to the bathroom or a fast walking waitress. i've only had the tacos here as i have been here once and they are amazing!
(4)Molly B.
Kind of scary and dingy but seemingly authentic. Beware the El Charro revenge about 45 minutes post-burrito consumption. Great chips though and very reasonable. If I was stumbling through this neighborhood at 1 am in a state of inebriation, I would definitely partake. Otherwise, probably not so much.
(3)Jonathan C.
Open late, decent prices, kinda cool wedge shaped location along milwaukee. Interior is small but bright and not dingy. Service sometimes doesn't speak English but they get you, and are very nice. My favorite thing is they do a very good (crunchy) chilequiles. I'm a crispy chilequiles fan (feast does my favorite version). But this one is cheaper, closer, and available not just as brunch. Value is what this place thrives on.
(3)Natalie J.
oh jesus...why do i keep getting drunk and forgetting and coming here?! it's awful! it makes me feel terrible WHILE i'm eating it. how on earth are people giving this place 4 and 5 stars??
(1)Madelinne K.
alright, granted, this was my first time here but i was really surprised at how not gross it was. i thought it would suck after reading the reviews on here, but i ordered the three quesadillas with beans and rice and it was pretty good. this is also coming from someone who loves taco bell so, take this review as you will. the service was so-so, the waitress was friendly enough but the drinks were never refilled and the only times she came around the table was to give us chips, take the order, and then give it to us. we went up to the counter to get the check and pay. like i said though, she was nice. they dont take credit cards and anyone who knows me will know that i almost never carry cash, but it was alright because the 7-11 has an ATM. another fantastic part about it is that its 24 hours and its got a big old bulls head on the wall. i would give 3.5 stars, but i decided to round up instead of down.
(4)Theresa R.
Was in the area with minimal time to grab a bite to eat. Came across El Charro. Interesting place, but kinda dingy (seriously weird smell). Definitely not a place to go out of your way for. However if you are near and looking for decent mexican food, nice and quick service, and cheap ($26 for three of us, each ordering a dinner entree) it's worth a try.
(3)Alex K.
This is a very typical late-night taco place - but the barbacoa is awesome. Definitely tastes slow cooked, and has a richness, a subtlety, that I have not had elsewhere. Makes chipotle barbacoa look very sad. Other that that, I don't have much to say, but if you're there I recommend it. They also gave me a barbacoa burrito even though it's not on the menu. Sweet.
(5)Veronica H.
Best Mexican Food friendly service and great food.
(5)molly c.
so, i am not going to lie to you people. after the yelp par-tay, i went to the two way...because that's how i roll. and while inside the two way, timothy m. and i decided that we needed to eat. apparently we didn't see any food at stone lotus. color me buzzed. so, i had some cheese enchiladas and tim had some combo plate. i think we both enjoyed our food. it was hot and tasty and reasonable. it's open 24 hours! what a great end of the night!!
(4)A S.
EL CHARRO is my favorite restaurant in Logan Square. I am a vegetarian, and supposedly the beans are not cooked with lard. I doubt this is true, but sometimes eat them. The guacamole is insanely addictive. They are pretty low priced. It helps if you know a bit of Spanish when ordering, this place is pretty authentic. The decor is great. Teal seats with a patterned orange tiled floor. When you use the little bathroom you have to walk down a really long hallway. It's not the cleanest restaurant i have ever patroned, but definitely the tastiest. Occasionally, the jukebox will spout off a traditional tune, while telemundo is constantly on the little TV. you can even play pacman. Nevertheless AMAZING food and friendly staff.
(5)Andrew P.
Two stars because: Awesome fish bowl diner ambience (the place is all aqua toned), open 24 hours, and they had some good nachos (unusual in this neighborhood). But this is generally a pretty crappy taqueria, although it's fun to sit at the counter and pretend you are in a Mexican nighthawks.
(2)Nana H.
I like El Charro, more then The Puebla ( down the street on milwakee). its open 24 hours, and the food is pretty consistent, even at 4am. I used to go there alot more often, when they had the ms. pacman/galaca machine in the back, but now since they've replaced it with the bust-a-move ( another good game) i havent been back as often. The woman here doesnt speak very good english, and the bathrooms are alittle scary...but thats just how these places are.
(3)Corinna K.
i only recently became a relaxed vegan, so the idea of going to any mexican restaurant scared me. however, my quickly served veggie burritos were delicious, the service was fast, and i found the decor amply kitschy.
(3)