28 Best Mexican Restaurants near University Park

“Absolutely delicious food!!! Great atmosphere. Excellent service. I am a tough food and service critic having worked tourism for 17 years. Seems so quaint and small on the outside, yet you walk in and wow! I came in for a burrito to go and ended up staying for hours. Excellent service, food, and company from the bar tender. I am now a fan and will always return.“

“Visiting my son and he suggested this “place for tacos”. Well it was way beyond tacos. This is a jewel of a place literally hidden in south suburban Chicago. The chef is adventurous and he goes way beyond traditional Mexican fare. We had an amazing mussels in chipotle sauce, that you will want extra bread for dipping. My son had a massive salmon burrito. He said the salmon was cooked to perfection. The chefs special was a four cheese ravioli with crawfish and a delicious sauce. Again, not your typical Mexican dish but terrific.The place was sadly deserted on a Tuesday night. I hope people check it out as it deserves love.“

“First time visiting and I ordered Al Pastor tacos, Chorizo sope and a quesadilla for the kid. Kid like it and mom approves ??Authentic Mexican food flavors and some of the BEST Al pastor I have ever eaten. Service was very nice when I ordered, restaurant looks and smells clean. What a Gem!“

“This place, what can I say that would give it justice? I am a truck driver along with my wife and daughter in the truck with me. We are parked over night and wanted something other than junk food. Gracie's was suggested by one of the workers at the Petro/TA and I told my wife about it. She being from Chihuahua Mexico and was Leary about Northern Mexican restaurants. We went, we are, we lived this place. When we walked in, we were treated with warmth by the ambiance of the place. Small, joyful and filled with love. The seating was close and personal, but very comfortable. I ordered the Taco el pastor with rice and beans. My wife ordered the Chile rellenos with rice and beans, my daughter ordered the Cecina which was seasoned flank steak with sides of beans and rice. I left full and satisfied, my wife ate her entire Chili and was reminded of her home. My daughter couldn't get enough and was trying to continue to eat, even after we boxed it up to leave. The only thing I would say bad about this place is, the stationary chairs aren't made for bigger people, but still I give this place a 5 star review. Thank you for the great food and the ever lasting memories.“

“One of the best in Chicago heights! Me and my husband have lived in the area for 5 years and have pretty much tried every Mexican food spot- this is definitely one of the best. Great customer service and the food came out very hot and tasty“

“My lunch was so good! Drink was pretty tasty too! And the service was fantastic!“

“Legit one of the best tortas I had in a while, they have specials during the week so I was here on a Wednesday and got the Torta and drink for under $7bucks good deal friendly staff and my order was done fast. Small family own join so a must visit in you in town“

“we came out for beer, which was not bad, but the tacos were awesome! Definitely will be back.“

“I tried Taco Vida for the first time tonight. I thought that I would start out with the basics. I had two beef tacos. They were delicious. The place was clean. Not a long wait. The girl who served me was friendly. I can’t wait to try some of their other food.“

“First time visiting place. Visitor from Indiana looking for a place with good nachos. Well, I'll have to say I found it. The serving of nachos with meat was great. Piled high. No skimping on anything.Very short wait. Clean and friendly place.“

“I have not been here in 5 yrs no longer in Illinois..small neighborhood store with the beat tamels & carnitas ever and I've had a lot of carnitas..they only have them on Saturday & Sunday but worth the wait..the meat & masa ratio is perfect..the carnitas definitely the bestMessage to the cook..Keep up the good work..I will be back...OH yes like everything else the price has gone up to 8.99 a lb...but my craving was satisfied after 5 years it was worth it??“

“We went on a taco tryout trip and ordered steak and veggie tacos from five different places in the Chicago Heights area. La Fonditas was picked #1 by all 4 people in my group, one of which was a vegetarian. Best taco I have had in YEARS! So good we went back later that night and tried other items in the menu. All of which were just as good. This will definitely be our go to place fir Mexican food.“

“Some of rhe best tacos I've ever had. I get steak fish and shrimp with the homemade guacamole sauce“

“My husband and I love Habaneros! The salsa is fire ?! We order our tacos a little different…. And they get it right every time! We like it much better than the competition in town…. Always our go to spot!! Thanks for being awesome!!“

“This place has amazing tacos de carnitas !!!! The meat was so tender and juicy. No fat on the tacos I had. It’s a 20 min drive from my house in Gary but man it’s worth the drive. I highly recommend. I had 2 tacos de carnitas 1 asada 1 apastor and 1 large agua de Jamaica. Total was $18“

“The food is great and the custservice is good. It's the best customer service I've seen in a very long time.The atmosphere is great for dining but don't sit near the doors.Parking: Over 10 spots to park in.Kid-friendliness: Iv'e seen children here on many occasions. They're welcome, too“

“I have lived here in the heights for many years and this is the first time I have eaten here and let me tell you, this restaurant is one of the best Mexican restaurant ever..The waitress I had was named Julie, she pleasant and courteous. My order came very quickly and the food was amazing. I will definitely be coming back here for sure on the weekend to try the homemade tortillas. I give million star rating.“

“I don't think the server understood what I was saying. I requested for it NOT to be spicy. And it's definitely so spicy that I couldn't eat. It didn't complain about it because I didn't want to go back out. Just gave it to my son, who likes spicy food. I'll make sure the next time that I get a clearer understanding. “

“Tony and Good wife Gloria and their amazing server Hugo are so genuine and kind!They deserve 5-Stars every time!Margaritas HALF OFF MONDAY WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY!!! AMAZING!!!!Best authentic family owned location. Every day they work extremely hard to make the "MOST AMAZING" buffet that starts at 10:30am and it's unlimited food!The soups, quesadillas, beef tacos, cinnamon and sugar chips, taco salads and the list goes on of the most fresh and delicious food. They really put their heart into the food at this location.Best Pepe's Ever!“

“I'm so happy I saw this place. I placed my order on the phone, was ready super quickly. $29 and change for Nachos with beef, Carne Asada burrito dinner plate, and chicken taco dinner!? Very decently priced for the amount of food! Husband is not a fan of nachos with melted cheese (prefers nacho cheese) but with these he said they were seasoned really good he ate almost half and got really full. Now! The burrito! Bring an appetite! Filled to the BRIM. Not many places do that anymore. I will definitely be visiting again. Please don't change!“

“If you know you know it's a late night gem. Everyone knows the guy that takes the orders and even if you don't he acts like he been knowing you for years. Food on point for the late night Hunt just be aware of your surroundings while “

“The food was excellent, they made it just like a requested!! I got the steak tostadas with rice and beans. Customer service was good and the prices were reasonable. They have a good sized menu as well with plenty of options. Don't be thrown off by the location being next to a gas station. I will be going back at some point soon!“

“Basic fast food but on point. Never been disappointed by anything and I've eaten here since like 5th grade. Beefs, Dogs all are good. Prices on point too, you might can find coupons in the mailers or papers that still circulate but I used to see them in the Value Saver that comes in the mail or the Penny Saver but that's been a while but really not checking for them either lolParking: Depends on location have been to almost all but definitely parking for at least 20 or more spacesmaybr.“

“Food is very good, as to the comments about the extra fee it’s only a couple of cents and they have signs everywhere posted talking about the 4% charge, and right in front of customers so it’s pretty easy to spot. Very good service, ladies are clean & quick!“

“Love their food. We live 2 hours away, and whenever we come through town to visit family, we stop to get tacos. So flavorful, and they are VERY generous with the amount of meat they put on the tacos. The cilantro and onions are always fresh, and the cilantro is never black or wilted. The flavor of the salsa is consistent even after months of not eating there (since living out of town). The meat is juicy and tender, and seasoned well. The rice is fluffy and not bland. Very good stuff, and for a fair price!“

“El Cortez has been in CC Hills for many years. Food is excellent! Service has always been spot on. I gave 3 stars for atmosphere, because after all these years I feel they need an upgrade. All in all excellent service and excellent food. In the summer you can drink ? on the outdoor patio.Highly recommend!“

“Basic walk in and walk out. They do have a small eat in area. They’re customer service is always great and the service is always fast. I usually call ahead and walk out the door to head that way and I’m walking out with my food all within 15-20 minutes.“

“Five stars because their food in my opinion is the best tasting in the area! Carne asada is good and the pollo asado. Sus caldos are also good with generous portions. Service could be improved food takes a bit longer to be ready in comparison to other places. Great food and prices! It has a good vibe and setting.“