La Oaxaqueña Menu

  • Appetizers
  • Salads
  • Super Tortas : Unicas En Chicago
  • Tacos
  • Specials
  • Seafood
  • Desserts
  • Beverages

Healthy Meal suggestions for La Oaxaqueña

  • Appetizers
  • Salads
  • Super Tortas : Unicas En Chicago
  • Tacos
  • Specials
  • Seafood
  • Desserts
  • Beverages

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  • Michelle B.

    DELICIOUS BURRITOS. Stopped in today needing something quick but delicious, and boy did this place fit the bill. Ordered an al pastor burrito and a horchata (as did the boyfriend) and proceeded to scarf them in the car. Not our preferred method, but it worked. Took 10 minutes for the burritos to be done and we were on our merry way. The burritos were super flavorful and were sizeable but not grossly so. Staff was pleasant and service was quick - can't wait to try this place out for a seated meal one day soon.

    (5)
  • MaryEllen S.

    Best sopes ever! Everything tastes so fresh. Love the mole as well. Staff is always friendly and fast. Wish it was closer.

    (5)
  • Adam W.

    The food here is awesome! The mole sauce is one of my favorites ever. The margaritas are pretty bad, but I can live with that.

    (5)
  • Samantha G.

    There is no such thing as frozen seafood used in this restaurant. Our shrimp tacos and shrimp coctel were simple and delicious, definitely not short on the amount of shrimp given. Micheladas were an added bonus. Service was fast and friendly. Well priced with the exception of the margaritas. I will be back to try other items on their extensive menu. A true hidden gem.

    (5)
  • Jenny Y.

    Several reviewers earlier had described La Oaxaquena as grandma's authentic Mexican cooking, and I couldn't agree more. The restaurant is unassuming from the outside and has a homey feel once you step in. Although I'm not too knowledgeable about the differences, I learned that the owners hail from Oaxaca, and they specialize in the regional cuisine. I've tried the chicken and carne asada tacos and they are solid - farely typical Mexican fare. My old co-worker sung high praises for the Sopa Azteca (Chicken Tortilla Soup), and the broth is truly packed with incredible flavor! The soup has generously shredded chicken, carrots, onions, rice, cilantro, cheese and tortilla strips and makes a hearty meal by itself. Being a soup lover, I've ordered it almost every time. Spanish seems to be the default language so I usually let my co-worker order, and since he's moved on, I've been longing for this delicious soup, especially in such a cold winter.

    (4)
  • Stephanie H.

    I've seen mixed reviews but we gave this a try. We are very into authentic Mexican food and it was delicious here. We ordered the app of what I would call ceviche but I'm not sure of the name of it. The seafood seemed fresh to me but it did have a bit of a sweet quality to the sauce. That's just not my preference but it was still good. My guy ordered a chorizo and steak torta which he liked and I ordered the carne asada. I loved my steak! It had an enchilada with it that I also didn't like because of the type of chili sauce. I can't remember what that's called that is smoky and brown but it's not my favorite. I'm not sure why people complained about the salsa. All of them were spicy to me and I enjoyed the flavors and suffered through the spice. We will be back.

    (4)
  • M L.

    Our dinner experience started out bad. We ordered pina coladas and they tasted very cheap. The tortilla chips tasted stale. The guac appetizer was meh. Cant really screw that up. The cesina chorizo torta was flavorless. The carne asada tacos arent prepared as they are throughout the city and other mexican places. The meat is not diced. Just a slab for tacos. ordered the mole chicken enchiladas. Mole is too sweet than im used too. Maybe one less block of abuelita chocolate. The music was love songs from the 70s in spanish. should have tried the seafood.

    (1)
  • Mallory S.

    Not my favorite. Salsas were kinda bland. My girlfriends steak taco was full of fat and gristle. The quesadillas gringas was really good. My chorizo taco tasted dry even drenched in salsa. Al pastor is really good. Prices are pretty fair. It literally smelled like toilet cleaner when we walked in though which was kinda nauseating. Not sure I'd return. Oh but they do have Johnny Walker black label, Chivas, Jack Daniels for only $5!!!

    (3)
  • Heather W.

    Went last night. The food was just okay. I got a shrimp taco (good) and a carne asada taco (shoe leather) with rice and beans (meh.) My friend got the cornish hen with mole which was good. The service was just unbelievably slow. Took forever. I was pretty disappointed. Also - its not cheap!

    (2)
  • Aimee M.

    Cute place. The front room is kind of sparse but luckily we were led to the side room that decorated well--almost like a cantina. No kids menu but the place is kid friendly. We started with the quesadilla gringas--basically a cheese quesadilla topped with ham and red onions--it was mighty good. My husband had the mixed fajita plate--steak and shrimp. Pleasantly surprised that they didn't skimp on the shrimp. Good serving size. Good flavor. Big enough service size that he had leftovers. I ordered the enchiladas mixtecas with salsa verde--3 enchiladas, chicken, steak and cheese. The enchiladas were tiny. The chicken and steak were ok, a little bland. The best was the cheese. The green salsa was tangy, but there was a sourness to the dish that didn't appeal to me, I think it was the cheese that topped the dish. It wasn't queso fresco or cotija, just an odd tasting cheese? I didn't get sick afterward so I dont think it was bad cheese, just an odd cheese I guess. Friendly service and ice cold tasty horchata a plus.

    (3)
  • Amanda S.

    I really wanted to like this place but the food just didn't do it for me. The carne asada was way overcooked and the guacamole lacked salt and flavor. That being said, the music they played was awesome, I really liked the servers and the overall laid back vibe but I would not return for the food.

    (2)
  • Kristin C.

    I went here an age and a half ago, but then came back recently. Why come back? Best. Frozen. Margarita. Ever. Seriously. Bookmark this place now. I've peered into the back area and seen the bushels of limes they have on hand. I bet they put one bushel (do limes even come in bushels?!) in EACH MARGARITA. They are so delicious. Also, at $6.00 each, well priced. The food? Authentic! I have only tried the tacos, but I will tell ya, extra stars for the chorizo. It must be homemade and some of the least greasy chorizo I have encountered (except for soy-rizo but that stuff's fake!). Come for the rita's (frozen, original, lime) and stay for the sweet ambiance, service (although to warn you, no one is in any hurry) and delicious tacos.

    (4)
  • Aaron K.

    Have only gotten pick-up from this place. Food is really good and consistent. Would definitely recommend their al pastor tacos and the tamales are also good (and huge). Only issue is the owner is always trying to nickel and dime for everything and is a bit rude. Example: Asked for an extra salsa and he just flat out said "no". Asked why not and he said I needed to pay 50 cents extra which I obliged. Paid him $1 for two more which he seemed extremely annoyed about. Didn't know there was a salsa shortage in Chicago... Have had other similar experiences, however, the ladies are always nice.

    (4)
  • Adele n.

    I'm not hugely into Mexican food, but I really dig this cute, welcoming place. The vegetarian torta is delicious and under $7. Vegetarians often get the short end of the stick at Mexican restaurants, but not so here. This sandwich has awesome grilled cactus leaf and the queso fresco. Yummy.

    (4)
  • Michael E.

    I absolutely love their Carna Asada tacos;-) it's so delicious and I will be back many times more! Plus their horchata is super fire!!! Wish I could give them 6 stars!

    (5)
  • Jeff S.

    This is such a HAPPY PLACE! We were feeling blah on a Friday night, and just weren't interesting in going out to dinner at our usual places. We wanted to try something new, and it had to have margaritas. Thank you YELP! and fellow reviewers for helping us discover this place less than two miles from our house. The staff was very friendly when we arrived (the two women who waited on us were exceptional at their jobs and made it a joy to dine here), got us seated and got us chips with three different salsas right away. The dark salsa option was hot and magnificent. It's a blackened color because they roasted the jalapeños before making them into salsa. Fantastic! La Oaxaqueña has two menus in one. It has the sandwiches and quick eats that are priced under $10, and it has more substantial meals that are in the $11-30 range. We went with the lighter fare. The rest of the family all had sopes, or soft and thick flat tortillas with meat spread on top of them along with beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream. The kids had them with steak and chorizo, my wife had them as vegetarian sopes. All three devoured their meals and cleaned their plates with smiles on their faces. I went with a sandwich, one of the Super Tortas, having the Torta Huatulco con cesina, chorizo y cebollas. It was large enough to be a meal, GREAT, and curiously delicious, though I wish I would have left the tomatoes off (my mistake not to ask) and doubled the avocado on it. For my second half I put some of the above mentioned salsa on it, and it was even tastier. And yes, the margaritas. They are always better when someone else makes them for you! They were tart and delicious. We had more than one each. They aren't huge, and are reasonably priced, the perfect size for having with a lighter fare dinner such as we had. I can't wait to go back to this place and try it again, more sopes or tacos or tortas. Also would love to try several of the full dinner dishes. Wonderful find, very happy place, and I would say one of the better authentic Mexican places I have ever discovered in Chicago. A real treat to which we will return.

    (4)
  • Patrick C.

    Okay this is good stuff. I lived in LA and this is what you get at home from a good home cook. This is a gem and thank goodness it's close to my friends condo. This will be a regular stop in this neighborhood.

    (5)
  • Marisol R.

    Why a one star review? Well to start off let me recommend you NOT GO during peak hours like weekends and Friday night. I've been here before and the food is good the tortas are great but the service is VERY SLOW! So if you're starving this is not the place to go. I just visited last weekend and I had to walk out. My family and I sat down and 10 minutes later the waitress came to give us menus , another 10 minutes went by until the waitress took our order, another 10 minutes had gone by and she still had not brought us our drinks ( she instead serviced customers who has arrived after we did ) on top of that the owner just sat there knowing they were busy and didn't bother to assist at least to as part of customer service. Honestly I would never go back ! The owner didn't even try to convince or apologize for such a delay , I mean he must be ok with letting money go out the door like we did. I mean if you know that you will be busy why don't you hire someone to help or get up be useful and help. And note , I wasn't the only one who walked out of that place dissatisfied.

    (1)
  • Nikki G.

    I've eaten here several times and the food is pretty solid indeed. I willdefinitely come back again

    (5)
  • Juan P.

    After a motivational conference at the Copernicus Center, we came out at 10 PM and were looking for a open restaurant. I was worried because it was late and employees are tire and don't give 100% on their job. We found that La Oaxaqueña was about 3 miles south for the theater and opens till 11 PM. My wife and I invited her 2 sisters to try their mole specialty. We had 2 orders of Chicken Echiladas Oaxaqueñas, Carne Azada Oaxaqueña (all served in mole sauce), and 2 tacos of Al Pastor, a soda, a Jamaica water, and plain water. It is hard to describe the delicious flavor of all the food, even the salsas and chips that preceded the meals were fantastic (we asked for second on the salsa). We have been there several times and never been disappointed when we tried different items of their menu. They just need to work on their customer service; the waitresses do their job but need a little more personal touch. Probably I'm asking too much, I should be content with a great food.

    (5)
  • Gladys M.

    The tortas are great but they are huge. One torta can easily be split for two people. It's the only thing I get here, I've tried other things but didn't like it very much because I have had better. I usually pick up because eating in takes forever!!!! I ordered a taco dinner, two tacos (steak and chorizo, which they burned my chorizo) with rice and beans. My other two friends ordered chilaquiles and that took 50 mins of waiting to get our order. The place was not at all packed maybe 3 more tables were occupied so I didn't understand why it took so long. But regardless I always recommend the tortas because that seams to be their speciality and they are very good!

    (3)
  • Mark M.

    Terrible dry, flavorless meat in the tacos that was simply disgusting and took over an hour to be served with only one other small table being served when we arrived. Nice enough people but poor food quality!!!!!

    (1)
  • Mark S.

    ASK FOR THE PRICE ON TO GO ORDERS THAT YOU ORDERED FROM AN ONLINE MENU!! the first time i ate here it was awesome though the 1/2 chicken dinner took almost 40 minutes. this time i phoned a to go order in. there are four menus online for this restaurant. for the enchiladas oaxaquenos both list the price as 7.75. when i went to pick up my to go order he asked me for $13.12 dollars. i did a double take and said what? i told him the online menu doesn't say that and he gave me an excuse that there are two menus...one with the old price and one with the new. i told him that there is NO WAY i would pay $13 dollars for enchiladas (almost double the price online.) i researched FOUR online menus and they all say the same thing: enchiladas $7.75.

    (2)
  • Jolene B.

    This was the best meal we had in chi town.. the mole sauce was to die for. thanks Kira Baron

    (5)
  • Melissa C.

    Very Authentic! Very good and well cookef rice. Delicious salsas! Nice small place, very friendly staff. A waitress explained the their chiles rellenos where a bir different from most. She was very helpful! :) only down side might be that there is only limited street parking.

    (4)
  • Sammi L.

    Food was salty...I had better food at other restaurants. I do not recommend this restaurant ...service was okay and so was the food.

    (2)
  • Robert H.

    I really had high expectations for this restaurant based on the rave reviews for their mole sauce. However, I'd never eaten mole so I had no idea what to expect. Even though I was not a huge fan of the mole I will be the first to say that considering how many Yelpers rave about it I think it's safe to say the problem was more on my end than the restaurants. I think it was while reading this restaurants reviews on Yelp that I read a comment that said something about don't be "that guy" that orders anything that has a name you might find on a Mexican fast food restaurants menu. Like a dummy I was "that guy". I ordered the chicken enchiladas with mole sauce that came with sides of rice and re fried beans. Although my personal tastes weren't super thrilled with the mole the enchiladas were filled very full of shredded chicken and both the rice and re fried beans were good. I also enjoyed the complimentary chips and salsa Verde and negra that came with the chips. The reason I'm giving this restaurant a 4 star rating instead of a 3 star rating is for 2 reasons. First and most importantly my server was very attentive to making sure my needs were met and she was very happy to answer questions from a guy who really was not at all familiar with the menu items. The other reason was although the restaurant is a little on the small side it is decorated very nice and instead of feeling crowded it felt cozy and relaxing. I will return at some point in the future and will not be "that guy" again. Next time I will go outside my comfort zone and try the fish. To be truthful the pictures of it don't look all that appetizing, but I moved to Chicago to try new foods and that will certainly be a dish I wouldn't be likely to find in Michigan where I moved from. Even though I couldn't give this restaurant it's 5th star that it probably deserves and it was probably just my unrefined taste buds that made me not as happy as most people I would definitely encourage others to try it out. I'm looking forward to returning and hopefully being able to give the food a solid 4 or 5 star rating.

    (4)
  • Pam D.

    We celebrated Cinco de Mayo 2012 here. The food was just as good this time as last. This time I had the enchiladas with mole sauce. I just love the mole here so much. I also had a few margaritas. (It was a holiday after all! ) They were good, but not as yummy as the ones at Taxco, but Taxco is long gone. I am quite content with the ones they serve here. Christopher had the carne asada and polished off the entire plate. Ok, he actually left the plate intact, but ate all the food. Geesh! LOL Everything, including my side of grilled nopales was mighty tasty. It is a bit pricier than a typical taco joint, but this is not a typical taco joint. At this point I think of it as a 4 1/2 star place, but I'm giving them 5 stars because their mole sauce makes me so happy. The service was fine and the atmosphere is very friendly. The parking in this area sucks, but that's life in the big city. Still, it is well worth making a trip to La Oaxaquena. Come for the mole, stay for the rest.

    (5)
  • Luis T.

    I have heard about this place from a couple of people and decided to try it. The tortas are AWESOME!!! I had the Torta Oaxaqueña and tried the Torta de Milanesa and they were fabulous. They both were a pretty good size and loaded with meat. They were worth every penny. The horchata was also great, nice and sweet and full of flavor. I'm usually really picky about my Mexican spots but this one is definitely worth trying.

    (5)
  • Flor G.

    Hello, I was just at this restaurant over the weekend. If you want to know how many starts I would give this place based on taste, it would be 5!!!! However, it was far from busy when I got there (party of 3). We ordered tortas, not any crazy and intricate meal. All I have to say is that it took FOREVER! This would be expected if it was busy, but it was not, in fact kind of dead. The ambiance isn't the best, though it's very nice looking, they did not even have music playing in that second dining area (the newer one). Don't get me wrong, the food was on point, so I guess if I was not hungry or if I had forever to wait, then I would go here. Otherwise, not so much. Everyone there was perfectly nice, nothing above and beyond, but nice. If you don't mind waiting maybe 45 minutes for tortas, then you should go, the taste is great!

    (3)
  • Elder M.

    I came here because of good reviews, but when I went there I was disappointed, It took them 1 hour to get my order ready and they were not even that busy they only had two customers there. The tortas were below average as well as their tamales. I ordered 1 order of green chilaquiles that were decent. But overall I wouldn't recommend this location unless you want average Mexican food with slow service.

    (1)
  • Daniel S.

    the cubana torta here was amazing, i got it both times, so much meat, reasonably priced, and the quesadillas were good too

    (5)
  • Jean C.

    This is a very nice place with excellent food. A group of us went on over there for a late lunch one weekend and had a lovely time. I got to try the cactus, which I'd never had, and had a taco trifecta of fish, asada and pastor, all of which were really tasty. The guacamole and horchata, two of my go-to dishes for new Mexican places, were also really well done. There was also some hilarity with spilled beer and water, but don't go expecting a floor show; we were just lucky. The only quibble I have -- and it's not the fault of the restaurant so no stars off for this -- is that parking in the area is horrible. The restaurant is on a busy street and all the residential streets in the surrounding area are permit parking only. Just be aware of that when you try to park your car. I expect that on my second visit I'll give the fifth star. I think this place is going to earn it.

    (4)
  • Leticia R.

    Had the 3 sopes -chicken, chorizo, and steak and for a starter, the Aztec soup. Not a big wow for me...The soup was good but lacked some flavor. ..a little too bland for my tastebuds. The sopes were lacking something.. .hard to pinpoint... God knows I love my Mexican food and I have been from rinky dink taco joints to the elegant establishments. ..but this is one I will have to try again to make my final determination.

    (3)
  • Shawn F.

    La Oaxaquena, we were sooo excited to try you!!! However, by the time our food came, the only thing we were excited was to leave and never return! My boyfriend and I took a friend that was in town here last night. We were excited to try this highly rated mexican restaurant that was so close to our house! My friend is also a very big fan of mole and was eager to get a taste. When we got to the restaurant there was no one there. It was a weird atmosphere. There was some traditional music playing in the background, but then there was a mexican soap opera playing loudly throughout the restaurant. We started off with the guacamole. Being big fans, we always like to give it a go. It was very oniony and it seemed like it was missing an important ingredient... avocado! The restaurant appeared to use tomatoes, onions and lettuce as a filler to make up for the fact that they clearly had a shortage on avocados. When our meals came, i knew immediately that my boyfriend hated it. He ordered the enchiladas. In the menu they are described to be paired with a green sauce, however, they were defiantly covered in mole. This wouldn't be so bad, however, the sweetness of the mole was over powered with a burnt charred taste. My friend ordered the tamales..those too were burnt- disappointing. I had the chile rellenos. This is my go to dish at mexican restaurants. I am normally a big fan, however these were not ordinary chile rellenos. These were covered in onion and what i think was pineapple. Inside the rellenos was cheese and raisins? The rellenos were incredibly sweet. It just wasn't my cup of tea. However, they were not burnt ...so thats good. IN all honesty, most of the dishes tasted exactly the same. I understand this place is known for mole-- but it doesn't have to be apart of EVERY meal. Additionally- when your restaurant is empty on a Tuesday night there should not be any reason for burnt food being brought to the table.... and trust me it wasn't the flavor of the mole-- the food was actually burnt. All in all, not a fan. The chips and salsa were okay- but nothing i experienced would bring me back. Its too bad to, I was really excited about this place and its reviews.

    (1)
  • Jeff G.

    this place is solid. chile relleno was very unique and unlike anything i had seen before: it was one of those red-colored dried peppers you see in mexican grocery stores stuffed with beef. kind of hot with a bit of a sweetness. very tasty. wife had carne asada very good too. this is your grammas mexican cooking scene is mixed of gringo and paisano. we'll be back

    (4)
  • Brandon B.

    Food was excellent I had the carne asada oaxaqueña which was delicious, there mole is excellent. My friends had the regular carne asada and the enchiladas in salsa verde and both loved their meal. Two small complaints; the chips before the meal tasted a little burnt and the service was a little slow(the waitress was excellent and very nice, just the service was a little slow) overall I highly recommend it

    (5)
  • Edward E.

    Delicious and reasonably priced. First let me start off that you get 3 salsa's when you sit down. All 3 are made in house homemade and each has it's own taste. One is dark and smoky (hot spicy) the other is green verde and spicy warm, and the last more of a traditional salsa and mild but delicious. Wait staff were nice and quick. I ordered a Steak Burrito, and my wife ordered enchiladas. Both were excellent. Pop was by the can, but reasonable $1. We were in and out in 35 minutes. Terrific food and a very fun time. If were in the neighborhood, we will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • Oscar S.

    Had a good experience at La Oaxaquena.The food is definetely authentic.The salsas were delicious and food was FANTASTIC.First time for me ever having Godornis(Cornish hen)in mole sauce.Thumbs up for the mole!!!! Will most surely return.

    (4)
  • Barry P.

    Hard to pronounce, easy to like. Had a birthday dinner with three friends, and the birthday celebrant likes Mexican, so we found this little gem of a restaurant on yelp located on a not too busy stetch of Milwaukee ave. and we were very happy for it. Prices were right and the food and service were spot on. We had guacamole, excellent sopas, whole red snapper veracruzana, carne asada and tres leches cake and flan for dessert. Definitely would return to this little gem of a restaurant on Milwaukee ave.

    (4)
  • Maciej G.

    The sincronizadas we ate were pretty good. They had a gentle but filling quality about them, and the variety of ingredients created a nice stratification of flavors, textures, and crunchiness. As for the tacos, I'm not sure if they made them differently because we three were serious gringos, but the amount of cilantro was very low and hard for me, at least, to detect. There was much more onion than anything else going on, and I find this interesting. La Oaxaquena seems to buck the practice of adding a ton of cilantro instead relying on the flavors of the meat in their tacos to do the work. It seems that their strategy worked for the most part. Of the four tacos we had, the al pastor and chicken were pretty average for tacos. I really was not impressed with either, but they weren't bad. They just didn't wow me or catch my attention. I will say, however, that they o'cesino and chorizo surprised me. The former had a nice texture and good flavor to it. It tasted like well-prepared meat with good, tangy flavor. The chorizo was probably my favorite. It was perfectly seasoned. I enjoyed the slight spice and good amount of salt in the meat. They didn't overdo either. Because we had to split the tacos, the chorizo spilled a bit, but we were happy to garnish our other tacos and what was left of the sincronizadas with our newly-dubbed chorizo-bits. I will probably stick to these tacos in the future.

    (4)
  • Char Y.

    We came on a sunday night and realized that this is a hole in a wall. It's a cute themed restaurant that I wouldn't have noticed while driving by. guacamole and chips - good, really fresh sample plate - good, i wish there's more of their famous mole on everything. I thought the texture of the food was mushy and flavor ok. The mole is good but it's not the best i've ever had.

    (3)
  • Maxwill R.

    This place is AUTHENTIC. The salsa is so good but they do not mess around. Don't even try it if you don't like spicy stuff. I do and was crying but couldn't stop eating it. Delicious!

    (5)
  • Pinaki S.

    As soon as my friends moved to Logan Square, I've been wanting to come here... finally, 5 months have passed. It absolutely did not disappoint. From the cactus, to the Horchata/Jamaica drinks.. to the price.. to the largest fish I've ever eaten my life, to the mole, to the salsas, to the hot and friendly waitress, to the music playing, to the Latin's Top Model playing on Telemundo (los senos!), to the eclectic crowd. You need to go there.

    (5)
  • Juan C.

    First time here but won't be the last. The service was great and very friendly. I had Vuelve a la vida cocktail and it was very good. My wife had shrimp and octopus in their Oaxaca sauce and she loved it and she is not a big fan of octopus but she loved it in the dish. The kids had some regular tacos but they were good as well. Overall very nice and clean place. The service was great and the price is also fair.

    (5)
  • Dennis L.

    Authentic mole! La Oaxaqueña is an excellent, authentic Mexican restaurant. It took me only a minute to spot the dish I would end up loving: Enchiladas Oaxacanos. This dish features enchiladas covered in a delicious dark red mole. The flavors were superb! The atmosphere is very modest, and the tables are covered in your grandmother's plastic. Our server was very friendly and never let us see the bottom of our glass. Overall, I had a wonderful experience at La Oaxaqueña, and I would certainly return.

    (5)
  • Michael W.

    Stopped in here a while back to get some Mexican food for the family. When I walked in to order it was semi busy. I order some dishes and waited to take it out. I don't speak Spanish so I am always hesitant to call and try and order over the phone. Especially since this is in a Latino neighborhood. Seems easier to just go in. They were very friendly and spoke perfect English. My fault for not learning Spanish in high school. The food was fresh and tasted great. We will be back next time we crave tacos!!

    (4)
  • Jaime G.

    Really good Mexican joint in Old Irving Park. Nice selection of tacos and typical Mexican fare done right. Start off with a Mexican beer michelada (beer services with a cold mug of tomato sauce, chili, and plenty of lime) and a side of freshly made guac. Then try their sampler plate that includes a tamale, steak, cactus, mole enchilada, and a chile relleno. All good (tamale however was super dry). Large selection of Mexican beer and a surprisingly large place. All good but gotta say service is very slow. Come here if you're in the hood looking for a some good Mexican.

    (4)
  • Bill M.

    Boy was I happy to discover this tiny Mexican place on the Northwest side. It is a cutesy little restaurant that can easily fill up with local diners, who should know a good thing when they taste it. I enjoyed tasty enchiladas with mole sauce, something I have not eaten since my trip to Puebla, Mexico a few years ago. The cornish hen is good too, but there are lots of bones of course. The horchata helps the delicious salsa go down. The desserts were decent, which does not diminish the fact that this is a place serving good mole dishes at reasonable prices.

    (5)
  • Jason W.

    HOLY Oaxaquena!!! Sure, I can't say their name but wow their mole' is great! I would bring family and real mexicans to eat at this place!!! Awesome!

    (5)
  • Moe f.

    I have a new favorite Mexican restaurant! This place rocks. Great chips and a trio of delicious salsa's. $5 Margarita's and other reasonable priced beers. Chunky, fresh guacamole!! And the Oaxaquena enchiladas were fantastic. Wife also loved the pastor tacos.

    (4)
  • Shauna D.

    Without inviting the question "How many Mexican Grandmother's homes HAVE you been in?" I would like to say that yes I totally felt just like I was hangin' in a Mexican Grandmother's dining room while she worked on some pretty amazing dishes in the kitchen. You know you're in for a quality meal when the salsa trio comes out and does not disappoint. All three tasted amazingly fresh, homemade, and each packed a lot of individual flavor. I went with the Carne Asada Torta, and mi amiga had the Chicken Enchilada. Both spectacular. Tortas can vary, so sometimes I don't know quite what to expect... In the more common torta found in take out places and casual eateries you'll get shredded chihuahua cheese, a pile of shredded lettuce, finely chopped carne asada swimming in guacamole and sour cream on a super soft bolillo. Not here. This was a substantial SANDWICH. Perfect cuts of sliced carne asada just slightly charred, thinly sliced cheese, a cut of tomato, a cut of avocado, and a bit of red onion on lightly grilled bread with just the right amount of crunch. Delicious! I don't anticipate you'll ever have a wait here. They have 2 dining rooms and it is very quiet, service was prompt too, but we were the only people there at the time! I will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • Jay N.

    It was a Tuesday night and they stay open late. Nobody was really there, but they still made their food with care and the wait staff was pleasant and helped me out with my order. It looks like a small location, but they have another side room. Street parking is decent and the area is safe. Their mole sauce is deep and smoky but not sweet. The chicken enchiladas were well sauced and are definitely a big reason to go there. The beans are solid but I was surprised that their rice had peas and seemed almost like a Chinese fried rice. They provide 3 different salsas with a good range from green to roasted tomato to a pumpkin seed one. They are relatively medium to hot. I also ordered a cesina and breaded pork sandwich which was really filling for only $6.95. Tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and the bread was soft yet able to soak up most of the juices from the meat. Definitely a place I would go back to!

    (4)
  • Khadijah L.

    Tamales so good, I almost cried! Love the mole here, I've never been so impressed with mole before. The guac is a bit on the bland side. But this place is def worth checking out.

    (5)
  • Michelle C.

    I don't get the hype this place has. I've been here on two seperate occasions and it just seems average. The mole is good n all if you like it in the sweet style, but its the fish dishes that I was interested in. We ordered the octopus and garlic appitizer, which was slightly bland (I never put salt on food!) And the guac had no flavor despite being the right texture. The chips didn't even seem salted. My biggest gripe with this place was the waitstaff. They RARELY came by and never seemed that pleasent if you didn't speak spanish. Back to the fish: I ordered the silverbass and it was greasy and not what I wanted. I wasn't aware it was deepfried as it didn't say on my menu. The taste was fine but it sat in my stomach like a rock. The first time I ordered a dinner was steak with their mole sauce. Turned out to be just plain weird. Rice sucks too, mushy. Also ordered an al pastor taco, flavor was good yet it was super fatty- gross. I hope to give this place another shot.

    (3)
  • Harlow-Merissa K.

    Walked here eager to try this place, since it is somewhat near our new apartment. Went here on a Sunday afternoon to have some Tecate & Mexican food. Service was VERY slow. Trio of salsa that they give you was average, food was NOT that good. Ordered a carne asada burrito, (as basic as it gets!) that took almost an hour to arrive. No cerviche' on the menu, but then again in this case, maybe that was a good thing. When I asked for hot sauce, the waitress just pointed at the salsa, and ran off, um oook. (I saw bottles of hot sauce on other tables.) There were a lot of screaming/crying kids, along with senior citizens in the place. We were probably the youngest ones there by a mile. Typical mariachi style music was playing, but it did nothing to cheer up the depressing afternoon vibe. The waitress did not even smile & seemed to want to be someplace else. (So did we. Ugh.) I should have known, when I saw a table of 8, (presumably regulars), come in and order tortas. They had their food long before we did. We sat there with predominantly empty plastic water glasses, and no food it sight. Burrito was burned (and I mean BLACKENED) on the bottom to a hard crisp.The tortilla was dry & tasted like one you would buy from a supermarket. The inside was full of unmelted shredded white cheese that was cold. The carne asada was also burnt tasting, and dry as hell. Even though I asked for "everything" on the burrito, it was the only item on the plate. (No rice/beans, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guac or anything else.) I was absolutely starving, and it was clear that the waitress wasn't coming around anytime soon, so I picked at my food and tried to eat whatever wasn't suitable for charcoal. My boyfriend ordered the rabbit, which he enjoyed, but overall, especially with the abundance of Mexican food available in this city, I was disappointed & will not be back.

    (2)
  • Alan S.

    Wait staff were very pleasant but the food was disappointing. The guacamole was good but the chicken fajita was salty and the chile rolleno had a spicy pineapple and garlic sauce on it that was 'different'.

    (2)
  • Rachel M.

    This is my favorite neighborhood restaurant. This is my "let me show you what is a 15 minute walk from my house" "aren't you sad you live in Portland/Berkeley/Lakeview and can't have this everyday" show-off restaurant. Because if Chicago has restaurants this good hiding on Milwaukee between Belmont and Addison, then maybe it's the best food town in the country. The salsa is a good harbinger of things to come. Three delicious varieties (although the spicy heat level varies every time I'm there). The shrimp and octopi appetizers are good. The fish, especially the snapper, is delicious and terrifically priced. The nopales are a must-try; I love them with extra cebollitas, but careful with the jalapenos which are usually just hot and good, but once were taste bud killing hot. Thank you, God, for giving Mexico cacti so they could cook them like this. If you're not sure, get the cesina, a tasty flattened piece of moderately tough beef marinated in citrus and oregano, then grilled. I promise you'll like it. Personally, my 3 faves are: -Torta Tezoatlan: the menu reads cesina, nopales, and jalapeno. The sandwich comes on bread the size of a baby, filled with cesina, nopale, jalepeno, avocado, onion, beans, cheese, tomato. It might weigh 5 pounds. The Sopa Azteca is fine, but do not order it with a torta and have a hope of finishing everything. -Conejo: Rabbit smothered in a red adobado sauce. Smoky, spicy, and rabbity. Lots of bones, but oh so taste. -Godornis con mole Oaxaqueno: The dark mole everyone raves about with the enchiladas is even better over this little bird. Service is good (patience with non-native English speakers helps), lots of Mexican beer choices, reasonable price (more for seafood, and beers add up), atmosphere is local and relaxed, they're open late, they take cards. Only negative: like most Mexican places, it's pretty paltry for vegetarians: cactus, beans, cheese, and not much else. Oh and guys, guys! They'll *deliver* to you! I don't know what they're range is, but they've delivered tacos to my very door! A+

    (5)
  • Jason G.

    Yet another place within walking distance from my apartment I am ashamed to have never tried - until now. A spur of the moment trip led us here and to the wonderful mole. Everything was on par with authenticity down to the cheese sprinkled on top of my enchiladas. It was kinda creepy being almost the only people in a place, but the service was good and the food was amazing. Can't vouch for anything but the mole, so if you go, that's the safe bet in my book. -1 star for not having Mexican Coke. I was sad!

    (4)
  • Rob R.

    Despite following the unfortunate trend of Mexican restaurants to center ambience around a television, this place is good because the food is wicked good. I ordered the oaxaquena tamales, but was given the mole chicken enchiladas- but no matter, it was great and something I would never have ordered intentionally. some other specialties that you couldn't find at taco bell include nopales (cactus). If I come back with friends, I will try to impress them by taking on the Torta Cubana, which is a sandwich of steak, hot dog, sausage, ham and cheese. I think there would be no more doubting of my manliness if I succeed in this endeavor.

    (4)
  • Cat C.

    They have a chicken and chorrizo torta that is to die for and my other favorite is the ceviche tostadas! Very reasonably priced and great food.

    (5)
  • Allie S.

    About three things I was absolutely positive: first, La Oaxaqueña was unbelievably delicious. Second, there was a part of it - and I didn't know how dominant that part might be - that wants to fatten me up. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with it. Twilightesque obsession aside, do you know what I love the most? Probably not, I don't know either, mmm I just love food -- but excellent Mexican is definitely high on the list. Out with my friend, who believes there is no better than his Mexican mama's food, we partook in the amazingness that is La Oaxaqueña yesterday. I already want to go back. Really REALLY badly. After reading the Yelp reviews I was like 'horchata, heck yes!!' -- and oh man, I agree that the horchata here is nectar of the gods... creamy and sweet and perfectly flavored and... guh, now I want some. We had the sopes as an appetizer [the *only* issue was that we ordered chorizo and got chicken -- and we didn't say anything to correct it because the chicken looked amazing as well] and they were a delicious way to start off, along with the trio of salsas with the basket of chips. The salsa verde is my new lifeblood, I want it to pulse through my veins -- it's that good. I had the carne asada Oaxaqueña, which came slathered with the best mole I have ever eaten in my life and cheese. Simple pleasures, because that + corn tortillas = Allie in food heaven. Yum. Friend had something slathered in a tomato sauce [enjitomatadas] that was also amazing... and he also said it was on par with his mom's cooking, which is about as high of praise as he gives. We finished up with pastel de tres leche which was also awesome -- it was my first time experiencing it [we don't have a lot of legit Mexican in Seattle, imo] so I can't offer too much beyond "I think I'd put myself at risk of diabetes on a regular basis to consume this deliciousness." Basically if I lived in Chicago... I bet I'd be here once a week.

    (5)
  • Kevin A.

    THE BALLAD OF KEV. CLAMPETT (to the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies theme) "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Kev, A hungry urbanite, who gets grumpy 'less he's fed, Then one day he was cravin' Mex'can food, And up in Avondale came a bubblin' crude. Mole that is, black gold, Oaxacan tea..." Y'all come back now, ya hear? Because La Oaxaquena serves up some mean mole negro con pollo. The 1/2 chicken portion is more than enough to fill you up, the meat is so tender and juicy you can forget about using a knife, and the sauce...so yummy I could bathe in it. Skip the chips (a little cold and not so crispy) and save your appetite for the mole.

    (4)
  • Donna C.

    This place is amazing with food of extremely good value: the portions are huge, the prices are reasonable, and the food is delicious. The mole here is different from all the mole I've ever had (varying from chocolate-ier to bitter). This one has a smokier flavour and probably the most flavourful too. It's got a hint of bitterness and sweetness, neither of which were overpowering. My husband got the carne combination and it comes with so much meat! Chicken, cesina, steak, pork chop... wow. Just amazing. Can't wait to go back and try that whole red snapper or some of that other seafood. For dessert (even though we were stuffed), we had the tres leches cake. Oh my goodness it was delicious!! I really like tres leches cake in general but most of the ones I've had are more cake-like and soaked with the leches as opposed to having the leches integrated with the cake. No dry cake texture... just pure heaven.

    (4)
  • Claudia G.

    At last cheese enchiladas in salsa verde with some kick! - like a mule to my gut and I loooved it! So my beau and I checked out this place the other night. It has a nice, spacious interior and the staff is extremely pleasant. We found the music fun too. We started with los nopales (cactus) which was grilled along with spring onions and very mild peppers. I thought the combination of the sweet cactus against the onions was going to be strange and it was strangely very enjoyable. Three big cactus leaves (?) came out so we took one to go as not to spoil the main event. So my beau, the big mole lover, opted not to get any mole dish even though everyone said this was mole heaven. (This just sets us up for a trip back in the very near future. Yay!) He ordered a steak and chorizo torta as well as the chile relleno. The torta was unexpectedly ginormous (hmmm. No red squiggly line under "ginormous." Anyhoo...). He loved it and packed half to go. He loved the chile relleno as well - said it was the best he ever had. He also gave a nod to Irazu for having a delicious sauce on theirs but found the actual chile better here. I tried a bite and found it very good...although it needed a little sauce. (smile) So, perhaps you already have some sense of how I felt about my meal. Honest to G_d in my ongoing search for the most delicious version of cheese enchiladas in salsa verde I have found a top contender. My tongue was on frickin fire. It was awesome! When my eyes started watering and my nose started running my beau offered me a sip of his horchata (so deliciously sweet and flavorful) which quelled the burn. Yeah, my margarita wasn't going to help there. This place really merited a try of the dessert regardless of how full our bellies were and the tres leches cake was the perfect cap on the evening along with two cups of coffee (also really good). We traveled over from Lincoln Square. The side street parking is zoned so plan on parking on Milwaukee.

    (5)
  • John Y.

    Another one of my "i've lived in Avondale for four years and have passed this 800 times but never went" restaurant finds. Home made salsas? Amazing. Am kind of broke today, so I just went with some steak tacos. My brow furrowed when they came because the steak was thick. Normally, this leads to stringy, tough, crappy tacos in my normal mexican food perusings. THESE, however, were tenders, had a nice char, and great flavor. Add some of that chunky dark smokey salsa on 'em with some lime, and it really was one of the greatest steak taco's i've eaten lately. Staff was uber-pleasant. Hell yes. Must go back and try some regional dishes. Five stars like a mofo!

    (5)
  • Jane M.

    The Best Guacamole EVER!! My guy and I went here after catching reviews by fellow Yelper's and due to my massive fish taco craving. Upon sitting, we were served 3 kinds of fresh salsa and chips and our drink order was taken. The menu is decent sized and prces range from $2.75 a taco to $20 dinners. We shared the Guacamole (FANTASTIC), which was made when we ordered it, so talk about fresh! YUM and everything we ordered was made fresh, no sitting under a heat lamp for eons turning into fossils. He had a steak burrito, it was huge, I had a fish taco- super delicious- and the Tacos Dorado, very good. I actually cannot wait to go again.

    (4)
  • rachel s.

    OMG. For $8.50, I had the cornish hen in mole sauce. Melt-in-your mouth delicious, with a perfect horchata to wash it down. Why have I been wasting my time elsewhere? I want to go back for dinner again. Tonight. I can't believe it's taken me years to finally visit this place.

    (5)
  • Eliza Z.

    We came here looking for some delicious Oaxacan-style Mexican food, about a week after our return from Oaxaca. It was good, very tasty. If I'd never been to Oaxaca, I would say it was some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. Unfortunately, I had JUST been to Oaxaca, and I was slightly disappointed in the offerings. Some of my favorite things I had in Mexico (memelitas, tlayudas, and pozole) weren't on the menu here. BUT, that being said, it was still a definitely delicious meal. The things that were ordered: Sopes with beef - we shared this appetizer. They were okay, I'm not sure I would order them again, but they were a solid offering. Tacos - beef, chorizo. The chorizo tacos were soo good. The beef were alright, definitely overshadowed by the chorizo. Chicken enchiladas with black mole - by far the best thing. The mole was most definitely on par with the ones I tasted in Oaxaca. Mmm mmm, this one was a favorite with all my dining companions. Steak with nopales (cactus) and onions - this was also a repeat of a dish I had in Mexico. It was HUGE. The cactus here is prepared so well, grilled along with some onions and jalapenos. And also a great value, for 12 bucks I got an enormous steak that I didn't even come close to eating half of. I wasn't a huge fan of the beans that came with it, they were pinto and I personally prefer black beans (and also I didn't see one pinto bean the whole time I was in Oaxaca, so I was slightly sad when I received pinto beans). The salsas that came out with chips at the beginning were also pretty fantastic. Overall, it was a pretty great meal and will go on the list for my go-to Mexican restaurants. Once I've been there a couple more times, I might even beg them to see if they could make a tlayuda (giant Oaxacan taco).

    (4)
  • Brian N.

    This is the Mexican restaurant you've been LOOKING for. well prepared, authentic Mexican at very reasonable prices, served by absolutely charming server, and very pleasant and appreciative owners who happened to thank us on the way out. Top notch, and not a single bad thing to say! Nicely decorated, and just plain comfortable, particularly for a restaurant offering such reasonable prices. No raised voices trying to outdo the volume of some "over the bar" TV set. (I must be getting old, because a TV in a restaurant just pisses me off like I never thought it would.) Encheladas Oaxaquena, topped in a deliciously smoky and complex mole sauce, was outstanding. Ordered fish taco since that was the craving of the night and what led us here - absolutely the best I've ever had, with the fish cooked to perfection, slightly charred, while remaining flaky, flavorful and moist. Heavenly. Nice selection of bottled Mexican beers, as well as tequilas. When we go back, we'll definitely be trying the margaritas. IF the margaritas are as good as tonight's food was, this place belongs on a "best of the northwest" listing. I swear, with food this awesome, even the rotating beacon at the car wash across the street looked kind of romantic in the dark sky with the season's first snow falling....

    (5)
  • Ted S.

    Enjoyed a nice dinner here. Three fresh salsas and chips came out first. All very good. Then 3 chicken enchiladas with mole sauce for main course. Refried beans and seasoned yellow rice on plate too. All very good and fresh. Very slow for a Thursday night. Only 3 tables of customers. I was okay with that, because that gave my server more attention to me. Very reasonably priced. I will definitely go back when in Chicago.

    (4)
  • Suzy C.

    Close your eyes and imagine this: layer of refried beans, above that a breaded pork cutlet, above that two perfectly charred hot dog, above that a grilled piece of ham, above that gooey melting cheese, and above that a layer of chorizos.. now put the entire thing between two pieces of toasted bun.. now, imagine this delicious sandwich and double its size in your mind so it is the size of your face.. then imagine its price tag of $7.95.. and that right there, ladies and gentleman, is the Torta Cubana, aka, my new love affair. My fiance and I came to this restaurant never having heard of it before, but lured by the fact that we could get american airlines mileage points on the credit card. First, I check the bathrooms, it is clean as a whistle. Next is service - awesome. Atmosphere - local, clean, and roomy. Complimentary chips and salsa - would we have stayed if there wasn't? Then the food.. oh the food... Torta Cubana - I can never go back to eating a plain old torta anymore. While I was moaning and groaning over this Torta, my fiance was discussing how we can divorce ourselves from our regular Taqueria b/c we found our new love. Whole snapper with seafood mix - wow wow wow. I thought Mariscos had the whole snapper thing down, but I was wrong. This place was better. My whole snapper came LOADED with a mix of seafood on top (calamari, shrimp, mussels, squid...) And the best part? The whole dish was only 19 bucks!!! I didn't eat my dishes, I made love to it, it was that good. If this is what cheating feels like, my fiance's got some problems ahead because I have no qualms about leaving my steady truthworthy taqueria to revisit this new better taqueria. If this means I am advocating for extramarital affairs, then so be it.

    (5)
  • Samantha M.

    Some of the best, most authentic Mexican food I have ever had! I've eaten a few of their dishes including onion and cilantro tacos, chicken fajitas, and mole chicken. Plus many, many glasses of horchata. I've had the same waitress every time and she's always sweet and friendly. It does help if you speak Spanish but is not necessary. Super bonus, they're open late!

    (5)
  • Meghan O.

    So happy I found this last night! Fish tacos, great. Octopus with garlic and onions, delicious (I mean really really good). Horchata, chorizo tacos.....the list ends there. Oh wait! the refried beans! - FYI, the meals are not taco,rice, beans. It's more a taco, order rice beans on the side - it's still very reasonably priced. I can't believe I forgot the guac! It's huge and we were able to eat it through the entire mean, fresh and delectable. Everything was sooo good. I would usually never go to a place I just see on the side of a street (I like to plan my feedings). I will be back again and again. I suggest reading the whole menu first and whatever sounds* good, try it. That's what I did and oh my my, oh hell yes..... Oh yeah, they have tamales too.

    (5)
  • Not Eileen R.

    I am baffled by all the good reviews. Went with my husband who loves even bad Mexican food and even he didn't like it. The salsas that came with the chips were tasty. What we ordered: app: Quesadillas: The pork inside had chunks of fat, yuck! me: chicken enchiladas in mole. The mole was good, but the chicken inside was dry. hubs: the combination plate: the steak was cooked to the consistency of shoe leather and was a brownish gray. The Oaxacan tamal was dry. The nopales were boring, they lacked any flavor/seasoning etc. Nothing tastes fresh. Some items were okay, others were down right inedible. Big pass!

    (2)
  • Anjee J.

    My first encounter with this great restaurant was... actually pretty awful. It was my fault completely, though, as I decided to go down the Stupid White People route and order a chicken burrito. Allow me to reiterate something a previous reviewer mentioned: DO NOT DO THAT. EVER. Absolutely do not order a burrito, taco or anything else that could be replicated at a Taco Bell, or you will be as sorely disappointed and confused as I was. This is not a place for standard Mexican fast food fare. Realizing that we had erred terribly, my boyfriend and I decided that we had to go back and order exactly what La Oaxaqueña is known for this time: their entrees, especially those with the mole. We began our Mexican feast with the usual: complimentary chips and salsa, horchatas and an appetizer (chorizo sopes). - The chips were oddly cold and a bit overcooked, but the salsas that came with them were incredible. I especially liked the one with a creamy consistency and had succeeded in finishing off half the container before our sopes arrived. - The sopes were tasty, albeit a little difficult to eat due to the fact they are basically small mountains of toppings. I'm very picky when it comes to chorizo, so I was a little apprehensive about my choice of meat, but it was great! Flavorful, non-greasy and a bit crunchy, just how I like it. - Fantastic horchatas, possibly the best I've had to date. Very rich in flavor and a little creamier than any I've had before. So far, so good! Now all we had left was the grand finale: the Carne Asada Oaxaqueña, a giant slab of steak smothered in cheese and mole sauce, which we decided that we would split. And oh. my. GOD it was amazing! The mole sauce really is the highlight of this place. It even seeped into the salad on the side and made for an awesome dressing! (Side note: I was rather impressed with the fact that their "side salad" was actually edible. This was the first time that I encountered a salad in a Mexican restaurant that didn't strictly function as a filler on the plate.) However, we were not asked how we'd like our steak done and had it made well done by default. I didn't mind because I like my steak made anything upwards of medium, but if you don't I'd suggest asking them to prepare it otherwise. To end our meal, we went with some flan. Some damn good flan. The portion was a little larger than what I expected and it was an utter delight to eat - it literally melts in your mouth the second it makes contact with your tongue! Ah, how I chuckled at the naivette of the Stupid White People a few tables down that were ordering tacos... ;) In conclusion: GO HERE, don't order a burrito, drink a horchata, GET SOMETHING WITH MOLE, mention how you'd like your steak made and save some room for dessert. Oh, and by the way, the damage? Just a smidge under $30, including tip. Words cannot express how freaking happy I am that this place is walking distance from my boyfriend's apartment.

    (5)
  • George A.

    Got take out last night. I called and tried to order the "Camarones Oaxacaqueno" appetizer, steak fajitas, and steak enchiladas with mole. The woman who answered didn't understand my above average Gringo Spanish, or maybe she didn't know the menu. She gave me to the owner (guy) who I've ordered from before, I ordered three items. I got there and they only had two items on the ticket. So I had to wait for the steak fajitas to be made, it only took 10 minutes, no problem. So my wife's meal was piping hot and mine was room temp. The Camarones appetizer was very fishy, I would not order it again. I recommend this place to dine in but only get take out in non-peak hours,

    (3)
  • Aaron K.

    All I have to say is: Wow!! I was down the street at my favorite mechanic and things were taking a bit longer than originally anticipated. Hungry, I did what any good food hunter does and asked the boys in the shop where is their favorite local lunch spot. Hands down the answer was La Oaxaqueña. A short walk later I arrived, ordered sopes with chorizo and two tacos al pastor. The authenticity was off the charts (and my college Spanish was stretched to its limits by the waitress.) These were by far the best sopes I have had in Chicago and second only to the homemade ones my great-aunt prepares. Light and fluffy without a hint of grease - something hard to do under typically circumstances and made only more difficult and impressive by the addition of chorizo. The tacos were stellar and would outshine the Chicago hotspot of Big Star any day. Upon hearing of this greatness my wife actually volunteered to take the car in for its next oil change just so she could check this place out....though after my experience I'm not sure I'll let her.

    (4)
  • Rob B.

    I am amazed, this is so authentic. But that said the tortas take on the Cuban sandwich is Off The Hook! The place is nice and the plastic covered table tops and the stations to the holy mother and holy family make you think your in a chevy chase movie.

    (5)
  • Fritzie H.

    Tried this place about a year ago for the first time and I've been in love ever since. We were looking for a place to host my pop's 60th birthday and we all know how picky my dad is so my sister suggested this place. We rented out the "party side" and got ourselves a trio (well, one of the guys didn't show up so I guess it was a duo) and got ready to rage (without the booze...and a lot more food). We had a great time and the sweet little owner acted as our host, waitress, and conversation starter. The food is amazing. The tacos or anything with carne asada are great. The meat is seasoned to perfection and it's always so tender. The one thing that I didn't think I'd like and ended up falling in love with was the Tortilla Soup. It has veggies, chicken, tortilla shreds (duh), and cheese. I don't know how it all goes together but it works. Love it. The owners are quite possibly the sweetest folks you'll ever meet. I feel at home when I eat here, like visiting my grandma. That and the food keep me coming back.

    (5)
  • Angelo P.

    The mole here is pretty damn good and the rabbit was a good surprise, but there isn't as much meat on it as it seems. I ordered some octopus which was super tender and any other dish I've had here is top notch.

    (4)
  • Bridgette K.

    Another great restaurant within blocks from our home. My boyfriend goes in just for their soup alone la sope asteca. The woman who I believe owns the restaurant makes a great stiff Margarita yummy. This place don't sell just any ordinary mexican food, it sells out of the ordinary Mexican food that is very good. Their different salsas are amazing as well. The service to is something that is also GREAT. I suggest you come take a ride on over to try some different type of Mexican food!

    (5)
  • Nery E.

    oh boy! this is really THE BEST mexican restaurant i have ever been! tamales oaxaqueños, tacos oaxaqueños, pechuga gratina, and enchiladas mixtecas (chicken) are just amazing!!! can't go wrong with any of these plates! their staff and owner are excellent!

    (5)
  • Bob D.

    Finally a North side Mexican joint that can compete with my South side faves. The table salsa is by far the best on the North side with only two or three places on the South side in competition. The three sauces were, char roasted green chile, a vibrant tomatillo, not the dull green that is so ubiquitous but rather a bright green that tells me two things, raw and fresh, you can't fake fresh. The last was the hottest of the three a smooth puree of chile de arbol. Chips were lacking a bit in the texture department. Keep in mind, 95% of moles you get in restaurants are from a canned paste, yes 95%. That is why most are very similar. They can range from pasty and bitter to refined and velvety, but when someone takes the time to make their own, an incredibly laborious process that is when revelations begin. I am no stranger to mole, I make them, I have had them in homes from age old recipes, I have had them from masters of the cuisine. This mole ranks up there with all of them. Jet black, roasty, toasty resinous with a distinct dried fruit flavor and they give you the full serving. None of that Rick Bayless swoosh on my plate. They smother half a chicken in it and fill it up the sides. This will guarantee my breakfast tortillas are very happy. There is so much depth, so much cultural exchange in this magnificent mole it almost made me ignore the store bought tortillas that lacked any character or texture. The taco pastor was an average rendition. The appetizer of octopus, shrimp, and squid was very good. I would recommend sharing this with four people, it is a big pile of seafood and it can hang heavy on the pallet. I didn't eat the whole snapper but it looked very good at the table next to me. My eye also caught some kind of soup that looked like a grandma may have had some influence in the cocina. Next time I will try the tamales and the rabbit (conejo) in adobo sauce. Nice service, nice beer selection although pricey $4.50 for a Bohemia adds up quick.

    (4)
  • Leslie B.

    This was so yummy, I could not stop eating. After checking out local Mexican spots online, I came across some reviews and I now have a new favorite. Authentic, Mexican food with a very homey feel. The salsas were super yummy, especially the verde. I had the enchiladas with the mole sauce, VERY GOOD. So many great flavors that I did not want to leave any food on the plate.

    (4)
  • Rayid G.

    I was waiting to get my car fixed so i thought I would go to the corner mexican place and get some lunch. I wasn't expecting much from La Oaxaqueña so when i was given three different salsas with chips, I was pleasantly surprised. The salsas were very good, excellent compared to what you get at most mexican places. I ordered a torta which was excellent - the grilled meat was freshly grilled, the avocado was good, the bread was just toasted perfectly. Excellent torta - will definitely go back!

    (4)
  • Eddie S.

    Authentic, reasonably priced, outstanding ingredients. Al Pastor Taco, Oaxacan cheese steak dish are hightlights. Must get the double top shelf strawberry margaritas. Service is great, never a need for a reservation. Parking's a breeze.

    (5)
  • Angel G.

    I love this place. It's in my #10 spots for authentic mexican. It's quite clean and the people are warm. You should try the soup. Its amazing.

    (5)
  • Dan N.

    Delicious, fairly priced, quality food. Great staple Mexican food, good cops and salsa. The staff is warm and friendly and quick to recommend something to try.

    (5)
  • Asif M.

    Went there for lunch yesterday. Friendly atmosphere, great food.

    (4)
  • Dave S.

    I really, really need to be kicked in the head. I say once for every time I have walked by this place and NOT stopped in for something to eat. I am thinking that should be adequate punishment. I have lived within 5 minutes walking distance from this place for over a year now and FINALLY decided to try it out. Upon further examination, I really deserve two kicks in the head for every time I passed this place by. My wifey and I were trying to go to La Pasidita but they decided to close early that night so we were both in the mood for Mexican food so we went here. This place is relatively small and somewhat older but it was decorated nicely and clean and kept in good shape. Our server did a very good job taking care of us. We started out with the typical chips and salsa and they brought us out three different types of salsa. I tried all three and they were all very tasty and fresh. I ordered the mixed fajitas which consisted of steak, chicken and shrimp. I must say tat I made and excellent choice as these fajitas really blew me away. The onions and peppers had a nice crispness to them and the meat was cooked perfectly. The flavor combination was outstanding. The homemade rice pudding for dessert was also delicious. I am only deducting one star from this potentially five star review for the little gnats that annoyed me throughout my meal. They were frustrating but it was not enough to have me write this place off completely. I will be back!

    (4)
  • p s.

    Start by the fact they use fresh ingredients for everything and you know what your in for; DELICIOUSNESS... I have been there 4 times and they haven't let me down yet. One of the best Mexican joints in the neighborhood. The guacamole is amazing. The tacos are also very good.

    (4)
  • L L.

    If you're a salsa person, go to La Oaxaquena! They bring you three different ones when you get there and all are delicious. I typically finish them by the end of the meal. Delicious Oaxacan food, huge portions (as usual, I recommend sharing an entree!), and surprisingly tasty seafood. Highly recommended!

    (5)
  • Joshua M.

    La Oaxaquena is probably some of the best Mexican food I've had in Chicago. Their food smelled and looked delicious. The food tasted and felt healthy, and it didn't sit in the bottom of my stomach like a lot of greasy mexican food can do. The people there were very nice. It's a very small hole-in-the-wall type of place. To be honest, I only tried it out because I was hungry and wanted to earn frequent flyer miles for my trouble. However, I'll be going back. La Oaxaquena is pretty tasty!

    (4)
  • Derrick R.

    Good Mexican food and fast service.

    (4)
  • ROSIE V.

    salsa: a spicy sauce of tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers. Key words: spicy and hot Neither of these descriptions applies to any of their three salsas. I wish they would not cater to the 'gringos' by removing the heat. There is no point to salsa if there isn't SOME heat. The food was good. We ordered the steak dinner and enchiladas with mole. Both dinners were good. Great value, we would probably go back. What I didn't like was getting cartilage in my enchilada. I'm glad we finally checked this place out since it's so close to home. The salsa did disappoint though.

    (4)
  • Camille O.

    If you've ever spent time in Oaxaca, Mexico - as I have - you know the difference between run-of-the-mill mole and the real thing. Mole is a complex sauce dating from pre-hispanic times made of chilies, sometimes cocoa (mole negro), and any number of other ingredients. The state of Oaxaxa claims seven different moles, each representing a different indigenous group. At La Oaxaquena the mole is superb. I recommend the Pollo en Mole, a half chicken smothered in the succulent sauce. I'm apt to wipe the plate clean with tortillas so as to not leave a bit of the sauce behind! And then there is the Caldo de Camarones, a shrimp soup overflowing with the plump crustaceans. Close your eyes a moment while enjoying the dish and you can almost hear the waves of the Pacific Ocean lapping up on the shores of Puerto Escondido. "Buen provecho!"

    (4)
  • Nicollette W.

    My husband picked me up from the Grayland Metra station and took me to this place based on the reviews he read here. I wanted to go home so we sat down and ordered some food to go. I order the cheese enchilada dinner. It was smothered in mole and boy was the mole good! I would say it was probably the best mole sauce I've ever had. The meal came with beans and rice. The beans were the consistency I like, a bit on the non-chunky side. The rice was kinda weird. It had carrots and peas in it. I think it was extra-long grain rice. My husband ordered the taco dinner and liked the steak meat. I was different because it was just 1 slice of steak versus other places that serve it shredded. He wasn't a big fan of the rice either. Over all it was pretty good. I would come here anytime I have a mole craving. I thought the prices were a bit higher than I would like, but average for the area. The restaurant is clean and the hand carved chairs were pretty cool. Also, there was some crazy hispanic music playing that was cool. Oh - one other thing that was weird - I ordered a horchata which we waited for our food. It had this weird jalapeno after taste! Like either it was stored near the jalapenos in the fridge or it has jalapeno juice added to it. It was bizarre. But it was good - so I drank it - just that weird after taste.

    (4)
  • kirstjen l.

    Yummy chicken soup -- and plenty of it. The others at my table had sandwiches which were huge & they all agreed that they were tasty. Sandwiches were $6.75 & the soup was $5.00

    (4)
  • Laurel W.

    I came away from La Oaxaquena stuffed and very content. It's a very cute, quiet place, very homey. The chips were average-to-mediocre but the green tomatillo salsa was amazing--the best I'd ever had! The shrimp, green pepper, and onion appetizer was perfectly done and quite delicious. I ordered the enchilladas en mole--as other reviewers mentioned, the mole was quite fantastic. It was complex but balanced in flavor. My eating companion had the Chile Relleno--it was amazing! Next time I would go for the tacos--they looked good and were incredibly reasonably priced. I look forward to my return trip!

    (4)
  • Timothy M.

    This place is great, how could I have waited so long to go here when it's only a block from my apartment? Regardless, I had been craving some savory, greasy food all day after working all day doing manual labor while hung over. La Oaxaquena is small and dainty. It has the feel of a small, authentic cafe with red & white checkered table tops, carved wooden chairs (surprisingly comfortable), neon beer signs, and cozy decorating. The place is definitely family-owned and the one waitress working was an attentive (but not too attentive) cute mamacita. The food. The chips and salsa came... the verde was outrageously good! The two other salsas were also delicious, not overwhelmingly hot, but definitely spicy. I decided to order the Nopales for an appetizer - prickly pear. (They come cut into whole slices, not sliced into a salad.) It came with deliciously oily peppers and onions to wrap up in the small tortillas they provide. For the entree, I got the enchiladas (chicken and cheese). Holy Christ! So good. Best mole dish I've ever had, with Pepe's on Harlem being a close second. There's not even words for how good this mole is. It also came with refried beans which were also great. The second time I came here I was entertained by watching the Arsenal vs. America soccer match on TV (can you guess which side the patrons were on?). Bottom line is, this place is decently priced, the service is good, it's got a good atmosphere, they play old-school Mexicano music (think Rat Pack-era), and the food is delicious. A great place for a date, or for dinner with friends. A definite plus for the neighborhood.

    (4)
  • Jessie S.

    Great food! I especially like the pastor tacos and the selection of chiles

    (5)
  • Tony R.

    Being the only Oaxacan place in the area, this place is a favorite after a long day of fishing. I either order the chicken mole or the conejo adobado for some Yucatec deliciousness. Both dishes just ooze brilliance and just waiting for the food to come excites my palate. I also must recommend the three salsas that come up with the chips, they are unlike most salsas you've ever had at Mexican places. This is a place that'll put Chevy's to shame...that is if you can even consider that Mexican food... However, I advise against ordering the seafood combo with the works. It basically tastes like dirty saltwater. Be wary. The whole fish cooked in cactus though is most delectable.

    (3)
  • Slu S.

    Off the beaten path cocina on Milwaukee serves fantastic Mexican food with little fanfare. The Huatulco Torta is a huge sandwich filled with chorizo, cesina de res, and guacamole. It is a great dish and there is no need to order extra tacos to fill the void. The mole negro is fantastic here as you'd expect from an Oaxacan joint given the well known chocolate coming from Oaxaca.

    (5)
  • Aztlan S.

    Great Oaxacan food! Not expensive at all! The fun begins when you sit on the carved wooden chairs and begin trying out the chips and three chile/salsas they bring out. For those of you who don't like your chile/salsas salty, this place is for you. I liked all three chile/salsas, especially the dark brown salsa. I added salt to the green and reddish salsas and had a blast. The chips, while not salty, are not mind-blowing either. It's all about the chile/salsa, people! I had the costillas with nopales (prickly pear cactus) on the side. It was delicious --and very different to the costillas you would get at most Mexican restaurants in Chicago. For starters, the costillas are not cooked in salsa, you have to pour the chile/salsas yourself and help yourself to the grilled nopales on the side. The side of beans was good, this being a Oaxacan restaurant, they are served with a leafy green plant (I should have asked what it was; it was slightly minty!) chopped and mixed in --don't expect the usual frijoles you get at most Mexican restaurants. My friend had the mole Oaxaqueño and loved it. I, having to taste everything, loved it too. The mole sauce is probably a tad bit sweeter than most people are used to --most Mexican restaurants I have been to serve mole Poblano, not Oaxaqueño. That said, it was quite tasty as was the rice it was served with --delicious! By the way, the owner was very gracious and helpful. She came right over when I told the waitress I was originally from California and loved the Oaxacan food there. I asked if they had any dishes cooked in "coloradita" sauce. The owner said the rabbit dish is cooked in a sauce that is similar to "coloradita" and I will definitely be trying that next time. Before you go, you should know that La Oaxaqueña is probably not the type of "Mexican food" most Americans --and Mexicans-- are used to. Oaxacan food is distinctive and delicious. It's not fair to expect the food of Oaxaca (pronounced Wah-Hah-Kah) to taste and/or be cooked the same way as the "Mexican" food you are used to. It is decidedly Oaxacan and delicious at that.

    (5)
  • Andrew S.

    Generous sized burrito. Awesome salsas. Went back and edited this one. LOVE THIS JOINT!!!

    (5)
  • Eric V.

    Thanks to Dave D. I had my first introduction to Oaxacan Mole Negro at La Oaxaqueña. I know Mole Negro is made from very personal recipes and can vary from place to place. Some of my least favorites have too much chocolate or cinnamon, or are just too sweet. La Oaxaqueña's is rich, earthy, and complex. This mole negro stands right up there with the mole I had at Topolobampo, and perhaps it's even better cause I can afford it on a regular basis. I haven't had much opportunity to explore the rest of the menu, but anything with mole negro is a must.

    (4)
  • Eric S.

    Best place for a torta.... way better than mom's.... sorry mom... lol love the way that they use whole steak and not choped up steak.... love it

    (5)
  • Cristina B.

    Tamales Oaxaqueños are the best! And my other 2 favorite dishes are Pechuga De Pollo Gratinada and Enchiladas De Pollo! Yummy! The Tres Leches is THE BEST EVER! Seriously! They have full selection of Mexican and other Imported Beers. The only cons are the Margaritas; they don't make it that good and neither the Conejo Adobado.

    (4)
  • Don W.

    Best Mexican that I've had in Chicago! Great chorizo! I found this place when searching through restaurants that award American Airlines points (& cross referenced with the Yelp rating of course!). I've ordered delivery from them several times, & have eaten at the restaurant itself twice. Likes: Their service is excellent, despite the slight language barrier! Their Chorizo is also excellent - not soggy & greasy but properly cooked (slightly burned on edges) to give it nearly the same consistency as sautéed ground beef (but much more flavor of course). Get the appetizer with chorizo covered by melted jack cheese & enjoy! The Pastor Pork comes with just a few hints of pineapple, which greatly enhances the flavor without overdoing it. One of my favorite entrees there is the Torta Oaxaquena, which is a sandwich with thin strips of tenderloin steak, chorizo, & avocado. They also have a wonderful Tres Leches cake, which rivals any $100 bakery's cakes, and is a fine dessert for cleaning the palate! Finally, I can't properly describe the overall value of this place without mentioning the incredible portions and great bargain prices that you get! Those burritos are like 3 meals each, so beware. I warned you! I saw a guy eat what was probably like a 3 pound fish there too, so don't be surprised. Dislikes: Their décor is dated, but that's not a huge deterrent. I'm also not crazy about the Torta Cubana, which is really overkill, having like 4 or 5 different kinds of meat on it! The Torta bread itself is not great either and could use an upgrade. Unsure: They don't speak English very well at all. It's great because it goes to show how authentic this place is, but it can be difficult, especially when ordering delivery over the phone. I also am not cultured enough to care much for the salsas - there are 3 different sauces set out on your table, of which the only one that I recognize is a salsa verde, which I know is too spicy for my wussy tongue. I tried the other two, both of which were spicy as well, and neither really did much for me. I'm sure, though, that these are very authentic sauces, and that there are plenty of people out there who would appreciate them. I Need to Try: Mole chicken. Everybody raves about the Mole at La Oaxaquena, but I'm reluctant to delve into Mole... Hopefully I'll muster up some courage soon :)

    (4)
  • Uncouth T.

    Fantastic tortas, the Monte Alban being my personal favorite. It consists of a terrific grilled chicken breast and is smothered with chorizo along with the usual assortment of fresh toppings. Absolutely scrumptious. Their fajitas and shrimp diablo are both delicious as well. A great little gem on the NW side.

    (5)
  • Quantas G.

    This place has the best mole I've ever had. My roasted cornish hen was swimming in it next to a side of yellow rice. The three roasted salsas to accompany the chips were tasty and not the run-of-the-mill salsas. The decor looks like a Mexican grandmother's living room and they even have Jarrito's. My friend's tortas looked delicious and are my next item to try when I go back.

    (5)
  • Lori M.

    cariño cariño cariño... super much in love with this place. i am a chilaqules, dare i say, whore ? and this place knows how to do them up delicious. if you need a throwdown showdown (aka HUGE portions) and are seeking amazing southern mexican cuisine, you should bundle up and head over, they're open late, it's like dining in an abuelita's kitchen, and i'm telling you, they are proud of their restaurant and rightfully so - it's my new fave for 2009, and most likely 2010. their salsas are to die for and my dining partners who have had their fish tacos, chicken & steak torta, and several other items, are equally in love with La Oaxaqueña. Just don't crowd the place, the atmosphere is also perfect. oh, and did i mention $4 margaritas ?

    (5)
  • Joshua M.

    If you are a follower of any of my reviews, you will know that Mexican food in Chicago to me is a very frustrating affair. With a population this size I have always expected better. La Oaxaqueña should have been a 5-star review but fell short on a couple of things. 1. Decor and ambiance is your typical sit down hole in the wall taqueria, nothing special completely average and typical... what you would expect. 2. Cuisine is Oaxacan in region, which I am told is known for their mole sauce. I'm not huge on mole, but it was good and I'd recommend ordering something with the mole on it. I'm told this place is pretty close to being authentic Oaxacan. 3. I ordered the Carne Asada Oaxaqueña, which is essentially a carne asada steak smothered in cheese and mole sauce. The best part about it was it was a good piece of meat, cooked actually how I ordered it. That was really the food highlight... the Spanish rice would have been good without the peas in it... peas need to be done away with. It also needed something else instead of the "salad" on the plate which just consisted of some lettuce and a slice of tomato. The chips and salsa were decent, and they had Pepsi, not fountain, but hey I'll take it in a can over Coke any day. 4. The service for the most part was pretty good. Chips were refilled fast, water was poured, and the margarita drinkers in the group had several pitchers brought out promptly. Food was also pretty quick to arrive. Where they fell short was check. We had ten people in our group and 9 credit cards. They charged one card the wrong amount and all math skills seemed to break down. I understand it gets a little complicated some times, but that part was kind of annoying. I left the place thinking, eh 3-stars after the check. But I've decided to go back to 4, because it was after all a large group. All in all, a pretty good place that I would definitely go back and try again.

    (4)
  • Lindley E.

    After a spate of reviews, this place was jam-packed. Now that the crowds have subsided, get yourself and your your family over here for a user-friendly introduction to the cuisine of Oaxaca, which some consider the culinary capitol of Mexico. Moles are wonderful and well-prepared. The tamales will chicken are great -- but as a caveat, if you don't like bones in your chicken, probably best to stay away. There are so many great things on the menu, you'll have to visit many times to begin to even have a feeling for the depth and breadth of this subtle cuisine. The house salsas (rojo and verde) are also remarkable.

    (4)
  • Casia J.

    UPDATE: Some say it's closed, but it's not. Hooray. I'm sad to read it's closed. I was there not long ago. In case it reopens, or this applies to the other location... Incredibly nice people, good but limited menus, inexpensive, felt JUST like Mexico. Why? Because a 15-year old peddler strolled to our table with a black velvet board of sterling silver charms (Virgin Mary, scorpions, mariposas, the usual) in need of a good shinin'. I'll be back.

    (4)
  • Edith K.

    I came to this place base on all wonderful reviews, we started with a 5 start from the very beginning because the place has a nice atmosphere, quiet dinning, low play music, even the plastic covering the table cloths and the mats didn't bother me at all ..... we came to "have a wonderful dinning experience!!" The 3 sauces and the chips, unfortunately were not to my taste, i thought it needed more dressing, very bland ... and yes we did add it salt to it it didn't work, maybe it was just on us, the chips were to hard, like old type. Drinks, we had sangria and jarritos in a bottle serve with aside glass of ice. My husband order the bistec a la oaxaquena, according to the reviws done accordingly to you taste, well, he order it medium and got well done, but he really enjoyed this meal, and will give to this plate 4 stars. I order the seafood soup (octopus, scallops,shrimp,etc and crab legs) i think it has a native name attached to it (cant remember) unfortunately the flavor was a bit earthy to me, seafood was over cooked, bit spicy, the broth was very dark, on the other hand the crab legs were cooked separate, like steamed... and place right on top of the bowl for decoration, this i enjoyed very much, the crab legs had a lot of meat, and to the taste. The ambiance, well, here goes my other 2 stars. There was a table that had 3 kids (maybe 5 and 6 ) parents were dinning and the kids were running all over the lace, sometimes hiding around my chairs (playing hide and seek ) and being loud!, the kids continue like this for another 10 to 15 mts, after that there was peace and quiet for 1/2 hr then they started again playing (this time running again and yelling LOUD) so loud i had to ask for the check, The waiter seemed not to mind the noise, too bad, i don't need this, specially after a long day of work. No i don't think i want to come back, there are not side orders, appetizer is very limited, nothing for vegetarians, also, i guess there is only 1server for the entire day. Authentic? not to me.

    (1)
  • Mark S.

    I finally checked this place out because of the reviews here...and it's really close to my house. I'm glad I did- I'd go out of my way to eat here! The Mole was super yummy, as the other reviews say- get it. The place was clean and actually cute inside, the waitresses were on it, wow, what a find- thank you internet. They serve alcohol too, with a full selection of Mexican Beer. Update- I've eaten here so often lately- this place is AWESOME! Make sure you don't miss the seafood/fish on the back of the menu. You'll see other folks getting huge aluminim foil puffs with fish inside brought out by the waitresses- don't miss!

    (5)
  • rachel p.

    there is some definite disparity in the food at oaxaqueña. i think this place deserves a 3.5 based on my one and only experience there... but i'd definitely be willing to give it a second try. the chilles rellenos and tamales were virtually inedible. tamales were extremely dry and the chiles were overly smokey and were seriously lacking in the amount of filling they contained. that said, the spicy shrimp dish and whole red snapper with pico de gallo were delicious. we also had appetizers of queso fondito and mixed seafood which were both excellent. the margaritas were inexpensive, were served in pitchers and were quite tasty. our server was excellent. very friendly, gave us her suggestions, explained dishes and was very prompt. the chairs were incredibly uncomfortable and forced you into a very odd posture. for every plus there was a minus. i think i'll go back and try some more seafood. definitely worth a visit

    (3)
  • Stephanie M.

    this place if awfully cute. even if the food did kind of suck i might come back for at least tacos and a diet coke. but it doesn't suck! plus, we both ate for under 17 dollars, including tip. certainly not the best mexican i've had in chicago, but worth visiting. good service. the chips were kind of not very good but i continued to eat them. the verde was standard and the other two choices were very good, especially the one that was dark brown. we had a few tacos and the tamales with mole. just the order of tamales would have been enough for the both of us actually. but we are girls with girl stomaches. the tamales were delicious and unlike any i have ever had because they were square and EXTRA thick and the chicken wasn't pulled. drool. they were so good and the mole was sweet, also unlike any mole i've ever had. tamales! this is what i leave you with! that's all you get !

    (4)
  • Cassie B.

    My boyfriend's brother (who I have to thank for so many great recommendations), took us here one late weekday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the salsas and cactus appetizer. Absolutely delicious black mole!

    (5)
  • Sean R.

    Been here once. So far so good and I look forward to coming back to try more stuff. This is not your typical gringo-friendly Mexican restaurant, though there are some reasonably familiar and comfortable dishes. I had two dishes here: the gringas quesadillas and enchaladas mole. The quesadillas had the best el pastor meat I've ever had. Now, I don't know if it was cut off of a schwarma-like spit as the purists insist it should be. All I know is it tasted better than any al pastor I've ever had off a spit or from a heated holding container. Juicy, tender, citrus-y, and generous (though not overdone) with the pineapple slivers. Next up was the enchiladas with mole. Ah, so THIS is what mole is supposed to taste like. Quite different from the Americanized moles that practically taste like chocolate sauce with a bit of spice thrown in for good measure. Yes, the chocolate was evident in this stuff too, but it was more subtle and better integrated into the other flavors, and overall it was just more "earthy" if you will. Very interesting stuff. One drawback was the English skills of the waitstaff that made ordering more of a chore than it should have been. Explanations about menu items were not very forthcoming because they simply couldn't understand my questions. Anyway, four stars for now. I plan to try more menu items in future visits, and if those items are consistently as good as what I've tried so far, this review will probably get upgraded to five stars.

    (4)
  • Brad D.

    My wife had the Chiles Rellenos - delicious! Very spicy, served with pineapple for a great sweet and sour taste. I had the cheese enchiladas with green sauce, Also, pretty spicy and delicious. The service was great - very friendly and attentive. And, the prices are reasonable. Our only complaint is there weren't more vegetarian options, but there were enough that we would go again.

    (4)
  • George F.

    Our favorite Mex-style restaurant. Very authentic. Family staff. Been here many times.

    (5)
  • Jennifer W.

    This place is by far my favorite for Mexican fare. We eat a lot of Latin food in our household and we just keep coming back here. I've never had anything bad, and I've had a lot of it.

    (5)
  • Stella S.

    I have to admit, I have issues. I'm like a junkie for this place. It's not far from my house, but I would have never tried it if not for the wonderful reviews on Yelp. I went there on Wednesday, with my little girl, for lunch. The chips were not all that great, but she liked them - dipped in water. I preferred the green salsa. She had a cheese quesedilla, I had the enchiladas in mole, one of each (chicken, carne asada, and cheese). The mole was very tasty, and just spicy enough. We left happy and it was only about $13 for lunch! Then Thursday, after telling my hubby how great it was, we decided to get take out for dinner. He had the carne asada torta, and I had the milenasa torta. We opted for sour cream in leiu of the mayo. My daughter got another quesedilla. OMG. Can I just say, this was the best torta EVER. My hubby loved his, and mine was delish. Now it's Friday. I raved about the place to everyone where I work (another resturant but we're so bored of the food). We placed a to go order and my lovely busboy picked it up. I had the sopes appetizer, which was great and filled me up fine. I just wish I had gotten all carne asada, I found out I'm not too fond of chorizo but I was hungry so I ate it anyways. My co-worker had the chicken tamales, which she said were really good but they did have bones. Another had the enchiladas verde, and he said they were great. This place is really great, and it's dangerous because I love mexican food. My hubby wanted another torta for dinner but I had to dissuade him because I don't know how healthy it would be to eat there that many meals in a row. Actually, I'm the only one who would have been doing that - since I'm the junkie. Go here, you'll love it.

    (4)
  • Roberto F.

    i read the reviews for this place so I decide to check it out. Although the food was great i thought it was a little expensive. I recommend it for a nice dinner or lunch. Definitely not a place to go get tacos try there dishes there better

    (3)
  • joco w.

    The food was pretty good, two appetizers to try is the pico de gallo with the octopus and shrimp, also the steak and bacon with cheese and a shell..and some other stuff it was great. We all agreed that all of their food that had steak anything in it was good, however the chicken was so bland and dry, I dont think anyone at my table touched anything they ordered that had chicken in it.. I did like how extensive their menu was, not all mexican restaurants have a ton to choose from on their menus

    (4)
  • Eric B.

    Delicious food, great prices. I got a chance to practice my bumbling español on the bemused señor at the counter. The carne is greasy, but, come on, the greasy is half of carne's deliciousness. The pollo, corn chips, and aquacate are equally yummy. If you're near the 60641 ZIP code, vaya a La Oaxaqueña. Delicioso. Try your bumbling high school spanish on the tolerant staff. Just be polite and sincere about it.

    (5)
  • rachel L.

    This is our go-to Mexican place. I am vegetarian and enjoy the unique options here: cheese enchiladas in mole, chilaquiles, enjitomitadas (sp?), chile relleno, etc. Dishes are prepared in the Oaxaquenos style, which is different than most small Mexican places in Chicago. For example, chile rellenos isn't battered and comes with a yummy pineapple sauce. I won't give 5 stars, however, because they haven't adjusted their service to handle the extra room that they recently added. On Friday and Saturday nights, in particular, the wait for food can be quite long. Still, I highly recommend La Oaxaquena for tasty, inexpensive dishes.

    (4)
  • jason t.

    nice spot, and luckily open till 11 on weeknights. i got the torta tonala which has tenderloin steak AND grilled chicken breast with guacamole, and it was delicious & too big for even my drunken hungry self to finish more than half of. the menu has a lot of interesting dishes, heavy on seafood selections, and i will definitely go back to try as many of them as possible.

    (4)
  • Blah B.

    So Thursday after work i took the long ride here with my son's. They love Mexican as much as I do, but when I say Mexican I mean real authentic Mexican food, not a greasy taco joint!! OK so there menu is def. different from most lil hole in the wall places etc. My son ordered the oaxaquen tamales with mole wrapped in Banana leaves.....sounds great huh?? Yeah that's what I was thinking too?!! When we unwrapped the tamale and tried it, it was obvious that it was an old tamale, the banana leaf flavor was so strong and pungent that we didn't even finish half of one tamale. I ordered the costillas on the grill, um not pork chops on the grill?!! Costillas are amazing and if you were raised in a Mexican home then you know what the costillas are and their def. not pork chops. Those pork chops were dry overall and rubbery on the edges....yuck!! The only thing we enjoyed was the cactus and the grilled onions.....so disappointed!!!

    (1)
  • Maria L.

    So there is finally a place my bf doesn't b** about AND I like it too! I personally LOVED the food- a little pricey, but worth it to support specialty Oaxacan food on the North/Northwest Side. I had the Oaxacan tamales- chicken, some grilled peppers and onions and wrapped in a banana leaf- NOT a corn husk. I have to admit that the masa was dry in the tamales (boo!). But the taco oaxaqueno made up for that! I ordered one as an appetizer because it came with rice, beans, cabbage (mmmmm) and cilantro and onions. Only comes with beef and since I'm not a fan, it's a HUGE deal that I LOVED it! Tastes right off the grill. A little greasy, but good enough to make ME like it! And that's a feat! My bf loved his cesina oaxaquena- comes with a huge side of guacamole and beans. The beans needed a little salt, but they were for sure homemade!!! LOVE!!!! Plus, they have CHEAP margaritas (strong but small) lime only- that's fine, it's authentic. AND for the old man- $3.50 imports (many good Mexican beers).....Yay!!!

    (4)
  • Buddy H.

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. There food to me is always so fresh and very Home made. It's a family owned business and the couple is always so nice. The Carne asada is the best on anything that's it's on. I love the sopes I add avacado and it's to die for. I eat here all the time it's walking distance to me and compared to other mexican restaurants around I always choose this one!

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :9:30 am - 11:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    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.

La Oaxaqueña

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