Don Pez Fish Tacos — Restaurant in Chicago

I have never returned food to a restaurant and asked for my money back, so yeah this was a first. I have always walked by Don Pez and never had the chance to order from them, so I did this past weekend when I was on my lunch break. When I went up to the register I asked the employee what I should order - he suggested the Mahi Mahi tacos. I looked at the menu and saw that they were $16 for two. I said sure! Figured they would be delicious and worth the $16 price tag (plus tax, plus the $2 tip, all equaling to about $20).

When my order was done, I was handed over this big bag with a big box inside, I was excited to get back to my place of work and eat them. To my very unfortunate surprise, when I opened the box I was STUNNED. I am attaching a photo of what one of the tacos looked like. I did eat one of the two tacos to see if I was missing something? No. Flavorless. The tacos are street tacos meaning they are on corn tortillas no bigger than like 4 inches. The TINIEST piece of sad looking Mahi Mahi (literally the size of my pinky), 3 tiny sad flavorless pineapple pieces that I guess are supposed to be salsa? And a squirt (just on one side of the taco) of green something.

I took them back to the restaurant and asked the manager (also may be the owner) if what I received was correct, and if this is what $16 gets you at Don Pez? Not only did she stand behind the product, she went on to ask me the following questions throughout our conversation: Have you ever purchased Mahi Mahi and do you understand the value of the fish? Have you ever ordered Mahi Mahi at a restaurant? Have you ever worked in the industry? - she went also as far as to say "these have been difficult times for us, I can barely hire employees."

Listen, I have the outmost compassion and sympathy for restaurant and small business owners. But that is not an excuse to be accepting $16 from a customer and giving them these "tacos". Also - terrible customer service! I think her questions to me were so gross and condescending. After me trying to get her to acknowledge my frustration, she asked me if I wanted credit back. I wasn't sure if she meant credit to the restaurant or what, but I asked her I needed a refund. At first she said she was going to give me half of the refund since I did eat one of the tacos (lol okay) - but she eventually gave me the $16 back.

My advice is to go spend your hard earned money at any other restaurant near by, this is not the place unless you want to over pay and get...

I’m always a bit leery about restaurants that have become famous due to winning an online award or that is proclaimed to be “best of” something. I feel these awards aren’t based on anything and just a lot of hype. However, that is not case for Don Pez Fish Tacos in Lincoln Park. Tasting Table has declared that they have of the 20 best tacos in the US. More specifically, I believe it’s their shrimp taco. This is one of those times, I have to believe that the so called experts were correct; the tacos here are amazing. I went here recently on a Thursday night. I tried a wide variety of tacos. I tied the mahi taco, the quesabirria tacos, the veggie taco, their award winning shrimp tacos and the pezcado tacos. Both the shrimp tacos and pezcado tacos came out hot, cristy and delicious. I also liked the quesabirria tacos. They have a ton of cheese on them. If like your quesabirria taco cheesy this is the place for you. However, one word of caution. They weren’t super crispy. If like your quesabirria taco with a lot of crunch, you might want to pass on them. I also tried the chicken flautas. Again, they came out super crispy and delicious. For dessert I ordered churros. They were sweet, and yes, absolutely a pattern is forming, crispy, hot and yummy. I also tried some of their unique drinks. Most surprising, they feature a huckleberry shake. For those that don’t know, huckleberries are common to the northwest and big sky region of the US. Apparently, one of the owner’s relatives is from Montana supplies them to the restaurant. While this kind of drink was totally unexpected at a Mexican restaurant, it was delicious and is a must order. I also ordered the aqua fresca, which was very refreshing.

I also loved the restaurant itself. It was small, it has the ambience of neighborhood taqueria (which it literally is). The walls are covered in festive and colorful murals.

In sum, Don Pez Fish Tacos is a must visit taqueria that lives up...

I can’t say enough good things about this place! I’m super picky when it comes to food, especially about ingredients and healthier options, and honestly, it’s hard for me to find spots where I can enjoy the meal without worrying about what’s in it. But this place? Perfect. I was so relieved to find somewhere that not only caters to healthier choices but does it in a way that’s also delicious!

The food here is absolutely amazing – fresh, flavorful, and just the right balance of healthy and tasty. And the drinks? Also top-notch. I loved everything I tried. The atmosphere is adorable too – cozy and inviting, with just the right vibe for a relaxing meal. It feels like one of those places that’s perfect for unwinding after a long day of exploring.

I loved it so much that I actually went back the same day to grab some food to go, and let me tell you, it was just as amazing as the first time. Same quality, same flavor – it was like they just keep delivering excellence no matter what.

I’m already counting down the days until I can go back. This place is a total gem, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for great food and a great...