El Pulpo Loco

Excellent food, reasonable prices, and friendly service. We had three different ceviches and the whole fried tilapia dinner. We thought the shrimp and octopus ceviches and the tilapia were great, and we didn’t care for the white fish ceviche. The restaurant interior was simple and clean. Metered street parking is available.

We first tried this place during a taco crawl. We were so impressed we came back. It’s got awesome fresh food. The shrimp tacos are amazing and do not have that nasty frozen taste in them. The calamari is great and cooked just right. It is well worth the trek to get here. As taco Mexican restaurants abound in the neighborhood, they truly set apart themselves with amazing fresh tastes that burst on the tongue in amazing ways. Great prices that are very reasonable and friendly staff. They have good horchata!

Excellent food! Large portions and wonderful family service. Enjoyed coconut shrimp, steak tacos and enchiladas. Everything was delicious.

We will be back!!!
Wow!
I’m not crazy about Mexican food and I’m now crazy about this place.
We got the coconut shrimp and the garlic shrimp– delicious. We split both. The rice is so full of flavor. Sauces are also delicious.
Staff is friendly.

I love this place! The food is great and the service is too!
There are many tacquerias to choose from on this block but El Pulpo Loco is the one to visit!

Fresh seafood, mouth popping flavors in a relaxed atmosphere. This is quite a hidden gem. The coconut shrimp is sweet and light. The tilapia is moist and fill of flavor. This is a must stop if your in Rogers Park.

Terrific food– free ceviche is delicious. The tilapia was delicious and perfectly cooked. Great service in English or Spanish.
A sweet little family place, soccer on TV and kids playing in the corner. Horchata and tamarind drinks tasty and not too sweet or watery. Generous portions.
Will definitely be back!

It was good. Empty the whole time we were there, but the tacos were good and the ceviche was delicious! Worth a go!

Like some other reviewers, the place the was empty when we got there which gave us pause but happy that we stayed. I got the the Ceviche Pulpo Tostada (have to get octopus at the crazy octopus, right?) and they did not disappoint. It was delicious. Could have been happy with just that. And for $ 3.99, can’t be beat. My boyfriend got the, wait for it, cheese stuffed bacon wrapped shrimp. Needless to say he was very happy. Horchata for both us. Just a really enjoyable meal. Also got a $ 2 taco to boot and it was reliable. Would definitely get all these items again. Will be back for more pulpo. Wasn’t the fastest of service, but the food was good, so it was worth the wait. Oh, and our server was very friendly. When we were paying the bill, she asked if we’d ever been there before and when we said no, she sent us home with a gift of flan.

Great seafood. Great value. It’s also a very cute family business. The waitress was super nice and convinced us to try this new dessert on the house. Not that we needed much convincing. Love it!

En tan pocas ocaciones llega uno a encontrar, un lugar en donde le den a uno un buen servicio, excelente comida y sobre todo preparada el mismo instante cuando tu llegas. eso solo sucede en este pequeño pero acogedor restaurante. EL PULPO LOCO, VARIEDAD DE PLATILLOS, AUTENTICA COMIDA CASERA.

Excellent fresh and flavorful. Very nice server. I loved the Sopa de Pezcado. Clean and bright. Of course mexican and Latin music in the background. A very present surprise right I my second neighborhood

What could be a better barometer of a Mexican seafood restaurant than a bowl of fish soup? Frankly, the Caldo de Pescado (fish soup) I ordered didn’t really taste of fish. Served with a very healthy portion of catfish, perfectly cooked potatoes and carrots, the tomato broth was very bland. Even the addition of lime, cilantro, & onion didn’t make it memorable. So, I took it home, added a half cube of Knorr «Caldo de Camaron (shrimp flavored bouillon), and finished it there. (At $ 10.99,a bowl, I wasn’t going to throw it out!) The server was extremely friendly and accommodating. Unfortunately, my soup was not memorable. I may go back and try a sautéed or fried menu item, and give it one more chance.

After reading the reviews, I decided to give it a shot. After sampling few of their dishes I would simply say that the grilled fish and grilled shrimp is a 5 star experience. Everything else is average to good. The service was great and the place wss nice and clean. definitely will be back

The place was empty on a Friday night at 6 pm, which is generally not a good sign, so I was a bit skeptical. But, it was close to home and I’d seen some pretty good Unilocal reviews. What a hidden gem! A friend and I started with complimentary homemade fried tortillas and beans. Then, we shared the coconut shrimp which was sweet and crunchy and better than any I’ve ever tasted! We also shared Bistec a la Mexicana and the steak was tender and flavorful. Each entrée came with rice, beans and guacamole. Although we were too full for dessert, the server brought us a complimentary treat — a bite-​sized serving of red jello topped with a creamy rum liquor sauce. By the time we left at about 8 pm, a few more customers had wandered in. Although they’ve been open for about a year now, I’m betting not too many folks in RP know they’re there because if they did, the place would no doubt be packed!

Delicious ceviche in place of salsa… Tasty tacos. Agua Fresca. Excellent service! This place was perfect for our Saturday lunch. They even threw in a free dessert :)

A nice find. Had three tacos, Carnegie Asada, Fish and Cervina (which could be a misspelling). I haven’t quite figured out the ritual surrounding the chips and bean dip. But the tacos were super boss, and then some.

excelente.Comida.casera 100% precios de acuerdo al platillo. Siempre modicos. servicio inigualable atencion magnifica y frescura al preparar .Se tardan en servir en lo que preparan nuestra comuda.

Love the food here!!! Try the fish tacos, the ceviche mixto, and the 7 mares!!! Omg try everything they are great!!!

My fiancé and I saw this place from the road while driving into the city from Evanston last week and decided to stop in and give it a try on a Friday during Lent.
We ordered:
Calamari Appetizer– OK and a bit forgettable.
Combo Ceviche– Easily the standout of the night. Have the mango added when they ask because it is awesome.
Fish and shrimp tacos– Both were pretty good, but I preferred the fish to the shrimp.
Shrimp al mojo de ajo– Gigantic and really good. There were five large shrimp split open, rice, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and French fries (which were fantastic). It also came with a side of bread or tortillas.
We were given a basket of fried tortillas with homemade sauces to start. The bill was about $ 30 for all of the aforementioned items before tip.
The service was ok (I had to usually ask to have my water glass refilled), and the décor is nothing to write home about. However, the food was good, and we are definitely interested in going back!

This is where people go to eat who know Mexican food, they do a lot of takeout. But go there to eat and they will treat you well! I had the breaded chicken torta… soooo good.

Went back this time and ordered fish and shrimp tacos as well as gave their cesina taco a spin. The fish and shrimp tacos are great and generous in size. Cesina’s never really been my thing but I’d like to try it at different places just in case it’s a difference in recipes — so wouldn’t hold this one against them.
We figured to give their huarache a try with costillas de res — good taste, but understand it’ll be a little more work cuting around the short rib bones.
Starters now at the table are a little house ceviche (fish) and crackers which is a refreshing alternative and clearly signals to you that their specialty is in the seafood.
Bonus — an all season paleteria opened just north of here one block!