El Tipico

I like this place, its a good family sit-​down restaurant and also a good place for a big group, the food is very good, I would give it 5 stars if the service wasn’t so slow. I have been here many times and usually it’s not packed but it feels like forever for food to be served, it could also be that I am really hungry.
Overall everyone including the manager are very friendly and I like the place. They don’t deliver but if you order through grubhub you can get delivery. I don’t recommend it because grubhub takes too long and your food will be soggy, it’s better eat at the restaurant.

El Tipico, imo, is one of the better (dare I say Authentic!) Mexican places I’ve ever been to — even down to the chairs! My son & I had lunch there on Saturday, 1÷16÷16 — and they DO have flat screens (note to reviewer Astrid D.) … they’re EVERYWHERE! We counted at least five. Our food was anything but el tipico (typical). No live entertainment (too early), but plenty of fresh veggies, sizzing fajitas, and the fried ice cream was LA BOMBA! (I mean real fried ice cream, in an edible bowl — not that Ditka’s stuff you get at the Taste.) My son & I only happened upon this place b/​c Ken’s Diner (2 doors away) is closed on Saturdays — what a happy accident! We loved it and will be going back many more times! We might actually make it to Ken’s one day … :-)

I’ve been going to this restaurant since I was a child in the 80’s. A lot has changed but thankfully this restaurant stays the same. Super reasonably priced margarita pitchers and reliable food. I love the chili relleno combo (one beef, one cheese). The dining room chairs rock too.

I want this place to be so much better. I love the inside, with the giant tree with lights and they have a raised floor possibly for entertainment? Throw in a few flat screen tv’s and the inside was fine! The food was good, but very plain. Guacamole did not taste fresh and the chicken had no flavor. If I were to close my eyes and eat that shredded chicken, I would’ve been wondering what I was eating. I saw quite a few seated tables in there, not packed at all for a Sunday night but for sure a few people wanted to eat there. Pleaseee add flavor. I was very surprised with the lack thereof.

We love this little hidden gem. Great décor, wonderful semi-​private room, Wednesday specials, and I love the food. Joel the manager is very friendly and accommodating to any requests. My girlfriend and I stop in there about 6 — 7 times a year. Recommended: Camaches, (sp ?), steak burrito and great combination choices.

Took my family there last weekend staff was friendly and food was good. Was a nice place to have a nice quiet dinner. Will be heading back there again.

Haven’t been there in years and now I remember why. Plenty of food but very mediocre. My cheese enchiladas were not hot. Cheese was not even melted. Ranchero sauce was ok and tasted home made. Chips tasted like generic store bought. Ladies room smelled like mold and mildew. Service was slow even though the restaurant was not crowded and there was plenty of help. Place is dark and dingy.

This place has decent food. Nothing special. I came here with some friends and they forgot to add rice to my buddies dinner special. The wait time was long and the food was cold. I’d go elsewhere with my $ 10 for dinner. There are a lot better restaurants in the area.

It’s my birthday and this is where I wanted to celebrate with my hubby. $ 30 Cadillac don Julio margaritas, delicious food, and sweet serves. I love restaurants with that mom and pop feeling.

My family and I have been coming here for years. Love the food and adore the manager. The camuches are a favorite of mine since my favorite Mexican restaurant in Evanston closed years ago. This one is the closest to that one. The drinks are great and I’ve never been disappointed bt the service or the food. I or someone in my family has tried almost every dish on the menu and have been more than satisfied. The prices are great and it’s an enjoyable experience.

Had this food for the first time and was very disappointed. The tacos tasted stale and the steak tasted like rubber. the service was very slow. In addition, the crowd was very ghetto. I will never go back or recommend to anyone.

Gave this place a second chance and it was much better. Enjoyed my meal after smoking hookah all night. Would recommend this place.

Best place to practice your Spanish! (Shout out to Liz!)
Love this place and have been coming here on/​off for years. Their food is hearty and the prices are on point!
My recommendations:
I love the tostadas and their corn tamales. It comes with homemade refried beans and delicious Mexican style rice!
I love that they have Horchata! It’s my favorite drink and theirs is good (not the best I’ve had) but delicious enough for me to order a second glass to take home.
Desserts: I recommend the sopapilla– they are fried chips in cinnamon and dough. Sooo yummy and similar to Taco Bell’s cinnamon twists in flavor.
Wednesdays (Miercoles) are half-​priced margaritas. I’ve had the coconut and it goes down super cold.
Service is quick and friendly and the atmosphere is kind of dark but super cozy!
Muy Bueno!

The service was horrible. The waiter took 15 minutes to bring us water and soda. Chips and salsa took another ten. The food came out in two shifts for four adults and three kids. We had to ask for silverware for the table. The food was bland and only ok.
If you remember this place as good, it’s not anymore. I would rather go to Taco Bell. We went on a Saturday night at 7:30 and it was a quarter full. That should have been our first sign of things to come.
Never, ever go there !!!

This isn’t a bad little Mexican restaurant in Skokie. It was one of the 1^st in the area (there are several now and a couple truly excellent options that are in the discussion for the best in Chicago proper).
From the outside, it doesn’t look like much, but the inside is kind of cool in a kitschy kind of way.
They have live music some nights and the food is pretty decent. Mot of their stuff is homemade and it shows. The complementary salsas were tasty and one had a little kick of spice — definitely not out of a jar. The chicken soup was made from stock (not broth) which makes all the difference in the world.

Slow, slow, slow service. Good puffy taco. Tres leches was on the daily specials menu, and at 8:30 pm they had run out. Uninspiring to say the least. Nice old guy guitarist sang for us: was cool.

This place deserves a 0. Customer service is awful. I wouldn’t let my dog eat this pig slop.

I’m surprised this place is still in business. The food lacks flavor, the service is horrible the waiter we got was rude and the manager (Joel) didn’t seem to care. It’s always the same routine when I go, it’s very predictable. They have the same customers that have been there for years!!! But of course with that food who would pull new customers and they change bartenders every week!!! Seriously this place is lousy.

No idea why this place has only 3 stars. It’s absolutely delicious. We always go for their lunch special you can’t beat their prices. The service is fast, friendly and efficient. My three year old is a picky eater but love this place! We will defiantly be back again and again!

Came here with my friend and her family on a very crowded Saturday night. There was a party going on there as well, so it was pretty chaotic, which I heard isn’t usual like that. The service was okay, but I did get annoyed at the fact that when I asked one of the servers if I can have more hot salsa, she never brought it out for me, but they were busy so it wasn’t too big of a deal. The food was… average. I had the spinach and cheese enchiladas which were pretty good, but their guacamole was definitely lacking something. I’ve had my fair share of authentic Mexican food, so this place just didn’t really do it for me.