La Mexicana Taqueria — Restaurant in Chicago

I was lucky enough to find paid parking right in front of their establishment. I couldn't help but notice that from the time you walk in to the time you leave ... their business was plastered with reminders and notifications that if you dine in they will automatically charge you an 18% gratuity to your bill. I always tip between 20-25% but felt somewhat uncomfortable with their forced gratuity. Anyway, I stayed because I was hungry. The place was very well kept and clean. The waiter was very friendly and attentive. He brought out the chips and very watered-down salsa right away. I ordered a taco dinner with rice beans and a lemonade. I already mentioned that the salsa was watered down. Their lemonade was lemonade. The rice was ok, the tacos were cooked right but lacked flavor just like their beans. Their food lacked seasoning and flavor. Now, I have an idea as to why they force the gratuity onto their patrons. This was my first and...

Don't recommend. The old Latina waitress, was racist, she went directly to the white couple who came in after us. Severed them 1st. The when she heard me complain. She came over to take our order. Would speak English to us when we kept on speaking,Spanish. Then went into the kitchen and spoke all Spanish to the cook. The food is not good either I left the plate as I got it. Then the bathroom, you sit and the door is right in your face.

So don't recommend this restaurant.

So today Monday Feb. 11,2019 I decided to give it another try because my parents keep on telling me that the food is good. But there was the rude older lady. So I just had coffee, and I was gonna order but she was soo rude, the way she replied to my father. I just canceled our order and paid for our coffee, i told her she could be nicer, and she said that that's the way she is, and if I dont like it oh well. But go on Tuesday or Thursday those days there is a...

Fantastic experience with La Mexicana Taqueria, and not just because of the food. We stopped in for lunch after a long flight traveling from Tampa to Chicago that was delayed for hours. Food was EXCELLENT, especially the lunch bowls.

After paying, I accidentally left my wallet on the restaurant counter and drove to Indiana where I didn't discover it missing until two hours later. The staff not only found my wallet and protected it, but helped me make arrangement for a friend who was travelling south to pick it up - checking IDs and everything to make sure they were legit. On top of that, not a THING was missing from it.

This could have been a disaster of a trip, but instead the staff here showed that in addition to making killer food and having great service, they're honest people. Much respect to them, and we could not recommend them...