Flaco's Tacos

Location: 725 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60605


A Quick Word:
Flaco's is definitely one of the better tex-mex style mexican restaurants in the city.  Outside of Pilsen, I tend to avoid "Mexican restaurants" but Flaco's is actually pretty good.  Not only do they have fast delivery, their food seems to be more authentic and also their daily specials are something to look forward to.  As you will see from the food that is featured below, the quesadillas are something special. Not many restaurants make good quesadillas, and Flaco's makes them GREAT.  Just about everything on the menu is customizable so you can make it just the way you like it!

What We Ate:

Poblano Jalapeño Quesadilla

I was introduced to this quesadilla by one of my friends, who seems to be a flaco's regular.  The quesadilla is literally STUFFED with poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers, and Chihuahua cheese.  The tortillas are obviously warmed up and crisped on the grill.  The overall flavor of the quesadilla is an overwhelming poblano.  And, the jalapeños are just there for more of the spice factor.  The cheese makes it a little oily and the way they warm the tortillas also makes the entire dish a little on the oily side.  It is served with sour cream and a couple different salsas.  Each of the salsas is homemade, but unfortunately they aren't as flavorful or spicy as I would like.  I do recommend the quesadilla to anyone.

Shrimp Burrito

One of my friends ordered the special of the day... this huge shrimp burrito.  It is a burrito-sized tortilla filled with grilled shrimp, rice, beans, a pico de gallo, avocado, and some lettuce.  It is served with the two different types of salsas also.  I was lucky enough to snag a bite or two of this burrito.  I was surprised because it wasn't as fishy as I was thinking it may be.  The shrimp were freshly grilled and sliced into nice bite-sized pieces.  The rest of the ingredients weren't mexican-flavored, but all of them together made that mexican/hispanic style meal.

Their house-made salsas.  Neither are spicy, which was disappointing.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Do order the quesadilla!  It is one of the better items on the menu, and when you customize it to order, it will not disappoint.
- They do offer beer.  So I suggest ordering when you arrive and have a drink while the food is made for take out.

DON'T:
- I wouldn't plan on bringing a huge group of people to eat at the restaurant.  They probably have a maximum 20 seats on a first-come, first-serve basis.

How far would I walk for this food?

Blue Agave

Location: 555 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, IL 60654


A Quick Word:
The main reason why I would come back to Blue Agave is their drinks.  They offer a wide range of margaritas and spins on other Mexican Classic drinks.  They do have a pretty extensive menu of tex-mex/mexican style food, but I personally didn't eat them so this review is basically concerning their drinks.  The prices tend to be a little steep which might steer away some people, but if you have a few extra bucks to spend and want a strong drink, definitely try this place out.  The atmosphere at the Kinzie location is great.  Lots of TVs for the game and a huge communal bar is the focal point of the restaurant.  Check it out.

What We Ate and Mostly Drank:

Steak Torta

One random night, my friends and I decided last minute to watch the football game at Blue Agave.  This would be only the second or maybe third time I ordered food here, but the first since they changed their menu.  I had the steak torta, which is nicknamed "the football."  I wondered why until the meal hit the table.  The torta is filled with grilled steak, lettuce, tomato, red onions, salsa, queso fresco, and sour cream.  It comes with a side of steak fries.  The bread is nicely toasted, but the sandwich was too Americanized to even act like a Mexican dish.  The size was the largest torta I had ever seen, but the quantity definitely hurt the quality.  The meat was nothing special and they only part I really enjoyed was adding the guacamole to the sandwich.  It is a big dish so definitely think about sharing.

Taco Dinner

Another one of their menu changes was the way they serve their meals.  I had the three taco dinner with two al pastor tacos and one steak.  Rather than giving your rice and beans, you get to choose your sides... I stuck with the mexican corn (elote) and the red pozole.  I wasn't a big fan of the tacos... the steak tasted like the al pastor which tasted like the pozole.  Some weird theme going on or just cross contamination?  Who knows... Anyway, the elote was delicious.  Sweet corn with a little cheese, mayo, and seasoning.  I'll definitely stick with the tamale next time.

A few of their Drink Specials

Whenever we head to Blue Agave, a few drinks are a must to have.  From Left to Right, we have the "Beer-Rita", the "Three G's Margarita, and the "Rum-chata".  Each of these drinks are incredible.  My personal favorite is the Beer-Rita which is their house margarita topped off with a Coronita.  The Beer-Rita is extremely strong, needing one to feel good, and two or three to be absolutely GREAT.  The Three G's margarita uses higher quality tequila.  And, the Rum-chata is the spiked version of the classic horchata.  Choose one of these drinks and you will not be disappointed.

Chips and Salsa

Not wanting to eat too much, we just stuck with the chips and salsa that comes when you have a seat.  Ya, it sounds sort of cheap, but after a few drinks, the bill still came up on the upper side of $35 so the free chips and salsa was a good idea.  The chips were freshly fried and served somewhat warm.  And the salsa was chunkier than most places but not as spicy as I hoped for.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- I would definitely come here to pregame a party or just to have a few drinks.  They are a little pricy, but the strength of the drinks make up for the cost.

DON'T:
- Do not drive around here... It is next to impossible to find free parking and the meters are pretty expensive in this area.  There is a jewel close by, so if you feel like gambling, you can always park there and then walk over.

How far would I walk for this food?

DMK Burger Bar

Location: 2954 Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL 60657


A Quick Word:
Every loves a good burger... right?  DMK is a burger bar that was opened by two great chefs of the city.  This restaurant offers not only the grass-fed beef burger, but also some of the more exotic meats like lamb and bison.  I have also heard it has one of the best, if not the best, veggie burgers in the city.  Anyway,  I found this restaurant to be more of a gourmet burger bar... The toppings are unique, organic, or both.  The price tends to be a little steeper than others with the portions being significantly smaller and the sides at an a la carte price.  The atmosphere is definitely fun; there is a huge communal bar and a bunch of smaller tables.  It always seems very busy; even on Tuesday nights there might be a long wait.  Overall, the burgers are delicious enough to make DMK the talk of the city for a while now, but the price and portions are starting to scare people to the other burger joints in Chicago.

What I Ate:

#5: Bison Burger

Anyone could probably peg me for this burger after glacing through the menu... Anyway, this DMK creation had a bison burger patty, fresh goat cheese, pickle red onions, and a blueberry BBQ sauce.  They serve their burgers on a homemade freshly-baked bun which is unreal.  The bread has a nice crust on the outside to keep all the juices in but is not as heavy or thick as a typical pretzel bun that most burger joints have converted to.  The patty was well cooked and a thick helping of goat cheese was spread on the bun.  I loved the tanginess the goat cheese added to the burger and the creamy texture as well.  The blueberry BBQ sauce was very subtle; only a little sweetness was added.  I did wish they had some kind of thick blueberry preserve rather than just a blueberry flavored BBQ sauce.  The pickled onions were a simple ingredients that gave a nice crunch... not much flavor though.  It was an interesting creation... and you have to LOVE goat cheese if you want to enjoy it.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- The fries were pretty good.  I didn't have a picture, but the wisconsin cheddar fries is a nice side to share.  The large order will definitely be enough for 2 or 3 people.

DON'T:
- I wouldn't order out.  I heard some of the others people say that the burgers seem a lot smaller when you order out.
- Don't come in with the mindset that you are going to get a huge burger like the other places in the city... I find this place to be more of a gourmet burger bar.

How far would I walk for this food?

Ghiradelli Chocolate Shop

Location: 830 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611


A Quick Word:
Ghiradelli Chocolate Shop is a great place to grab a quick dessert after a huge dinner in the city.  Right when you walk in, you get one of the famous Ghiradelli chocolate squares usually specified to the current season or holiday.  The ice cream here is great.   They have cones, cups, and of course the huge masterpieces that everyone craves.  The reason I could only rate this ice cream shop at a 3.5 out of 5 is mainly because of cost and because seating.  It is next to impossible to grab a seat in the small ice cream shop and after spending easily $10 to $15 on one of their larger ice cream platters, you begin to wonder if it was even worth it.  There are much better places in different neighborhoods of the city and they offer homemade ice cream.  Overall though Ghiradelli's is always an awesome way to end the night.

What We Ate:

Banana Split

An huge ice cream creation made up of huge scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream!  It is topped with crushed pineapples, sliced strawberries, and a homemade ghiradelli chocolate sauce.  Finally, the put a nice helping of whipped cream and a quick sprinkle of chopped almonds on top of it all and of course the cherry.  Sitting on other side of the ice cream is the classic banana split down the middle!  This creation was as classic as it gets.  Everyone remembers banana splits when they were young and this one was just as amazing.  It did get a little messy as the ice cream melted but the shake-like left overs were still delicious.  I do wish you could customize it a little more but all in all its a great dessert to get in the city!

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Grab a seat first.  Then have one person in your party order the ice cream for everyone.  If you stand up that seat will be taken!
- Ask for water... they do give free tap water out.  The bottled stuff is super expensive and definitely not worth it.
- Eat the ice cream in the park across the street.  There are a bunch of chairs in the center of the park-like area.

DON'T:
- Don't get something small.  You will regret not trying one of their signature creations!
- Don't plan on eating at the ice cream shop, especially with huge groups.  It gets extremely crowded and is almost uncomfortable

How far would I walk for this food?

Lalo's Mexican Restaurant

Location: 733 W. Maxwell St., Chicago, IL 60607


A Quick Word:
Lalo's is a so-called Mexican restaurant located near UIC.  It has more tex-mex style food if anything but regardless what type of food... it is awful.  I can never understand why people request going here for birthday dinners... it may be the margaritas but definitely can't be the food.  The best option in my opinion is the UIC Student special and the only reason it is OK is because its a good amount of food for only $6.00.  The cheap price is always tempting but after every time my friends and I order this special, we are full, but not satisfied.  I would never recommend this place to anyone.  Just drive to Pilsen and try out some of the authentic Mexican Restaurants, like Nuevo Leon.

What We Ate:

Steak Burrito (UIC Student Special)

Lalo's is nice enough to offer a UIC student special... unfortunately, the cost is maybe the only good thing about this meal (and it must be take-out between 11am and 5pm).  For $6.00, you get a burrito (definitely smaller than their actual burrito) with choice of steak, chicken, or vegetarian. You also get a side of mexican rice and refried beans as well as a small bag of chips and a little cup of salsa.  A 20 oz drink finishes off the meal.  When you hear that much food for $6 it sounds amazing.  Unfortunately, the taste is not very pleasant and not very mexican in my opinion.  The burrito itself has the same beans and rice that is given as a side and in my case, had some chopped steak.  The tortilla shell was rolled up on itself a couple of times because of the lack of filling.  There is no additional vegetables and unfortunately, the entire burrito is DRY.  They give the smallest cup of salsa so you cannot even add much to the burrito if you want to eat it with the salsa.  The chips are plain and non-salted.  If you decide to try this out, make sure to use half of the salsa on the rice and then eat the chips with the beans and then whatever salsa is left use on the burrito.  This makes it somewhat OK tasting but still not satisfying.

Vegetarian Burrito (UIC Student Special)

For the vegetarian option, there are two different kinds.  My friends tend to ask for the steak burrito without the steak just because the filling is just rice and beans.  Unfortunately, half of the time the staff do not understand the order and they give the typical vegetarian burrito that has the most random mixture of vegetables.  It has mushrooms, peppers, onions, and some other random veggies that are either mixed into the vegetarian rice (green beans, peas, corn (which were definitely frozen at one point)).  They also use whole pinto beans instead of the refried ones.  It comes with similar sides as mentioned above except the vegetarian option so whole pinto beans and the veggie rice.  Everyone was not happy with this option either.  It is just too bland and once again not enough salsa is ever given.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- If you do decide to order the student special, make sure to ask for your drink without ice so you get extra drink.  They tend to fill the cups with more than half ice.
- If you do decide to come here, make sure you are hungover and too lazy to eat anywhere else because that is the only time I order from here.
- CLARIFY your order! They get confused a lot!

DON'T:
- The other food options at Lalo's is also extremely expensive.  I have eaten there are a couple of other times (not by choice) and the food is definitely not worth the cost.  Bland, more tex-mex style food is just not my favorite.

How far would I walk for this food?