Taqueria Cinco Hermanos — Restaurant in Grayslake

After growing up within the Latino community, eating authentic Mexican dishes, and learning how to cook within that community, I'm pretty particular about the Mexican food establishments I give my hard-earned cash to, because I know what good Mexican food is and it is often not what you get...Cinco Hermanos gets my money happily!

As such, I often have certain requests that may not be on a menu, but I know are doable, based on my knowledge of Mexican cuisine. Not only do they happily receive my request during my phone order, the request is always executed correctly and to my liking.

My husband doesn't like certain things in his burrito, and when ordering from other places, those things were either in there, or replaced with other "fillers." He orders the same exact thing every time, so he has often been disappointed...and his requests are easy like no lettuce and no rice inside the burrito...no biggie, right? The first time we ordered the way my hubby likes his burrito, from Cinco Hermanos, not only did they get the order right, they added some extra meat in the burrito as the "filler." That's customer service and attention to detail right there!

I love that their tacos ARE NOT GREASY!! We love tacos al pastor, but they are often bathing in grease, which is actually just laziness on the cook's part...I know, because I make them at home, often. I usually don't like to order carryout tacos as a result, because they arrive home soggy and greasy...NOT the experience I've had at Cinco Hermanos! The tortillas rarely have any extra grease on them and the meat is the same. Any tacos I've ever ordered from them arrive home intact, non-soggy, and as delicious as if they were just prepared in my own kitchen!

I also really enjoy their green salsa...it tastes like homemade. You can tell that they used fresh ingredients and that it was made in smaller batches. It's hard to explain, but trust me when I say it is one of the best green salsas I've ever had, including some homemade authentic versions. It's a little warmer than most, so be prepared for that, but it is crave-able!

If you're looking for a stellar caldo de res, this is the place! Not only did it taste like the thousands of caldo's I've enjoyed in Mexican kitchens over my lifetime, it was served the way you'd be served in said kitchen...plenty of meat and veggies in that delicious broth! My typical experience ordering caldo to-go, is a container with a lot of broth, one or two small pieces of meat, one small carrot, more cabbage than anything, and half a potato...not even enough meat to make a decent taco to eat with the broth. I ordered this one weekend I was sick, and let me tell you, it hit ALL the right spots! Rich broth with an abundance of meat and veggies...exactly the way it would be served in my home kitchen. I was floored when I opened the container and saw it, and then more pleasantly surprised when I tasted it...perfection! Just know that it's only available on weekends and totally worth the wait! Oh, and one of my requests, LOTS of limes, was absolutely fulfilled, happily. Hats off to this place for great customer service!

I've not had one thing on the menu that has displeased me, nor has my husband. Not one.

Not only is the food delicious, the service is impeccable. I have certain requests when I order carryout, not excessive by any means, just certain things we prefer, like only green salsa and no plastic utensils necessary. At other places we've ordered, 8 out of 10 times, there's a bunch of red salsa in the bag - along with the green - and a bunch of plastic forks that end up in our garbage can. EVERY SINGLE TIME we order from Cinco Hermanos, the instructions are followed to a T, which tells me that they're good business people and not throwing their money in our garbage can. As a business person, I find that smart, admirable, and a likely indicator of how they run their business on every level.

Here's a good "tell" if a Mexican restaurant is good and authentic or not...when you walk in and see tables, full of Latinos eating,...

Tacos al pastor with grilled pineapple! HooooooWEE! Fantastic! I also had a couple of shrimp tacos. Honestly; we’ve been here a few times and I’m still hoachin to try the chile rellenos tacos! There’s a LOT on the menu I’d like to try! My girlfriend and I were in on a Friday night, we’re seated immediately in their newer seating area. A big open space that looks as if the interior decorator is coming right along with it. It’s missing a little bit in decor, but things like this are a process and honestly for me, when I find a place that’s as good as this AND I get to see it grow? Well, I’m getting a sense of community, and I don’t even live in Grayslake! Fact of matter, when my partner and I first found this place, it was just the first half of just a row of booths and the kitchen. We loved the tacos from go! The meat is always tender and a joy to eat, their presentation is… Well, really, what can you do with rice and beans and a few tacos. I’m not expecting Gordon Ramsey to make the tacos, and if I’m honest, they quite probably wouldn’t be as good! Their al pastor tacos are to die for! In my experience, which in the case of tacos al pastor is extensive (my favorite) Cinco Hermanos does them better than ANYONE ELSE! I’ve had them elsewhere, and while they’re usually good, the meat is quite often rather stiff and because it’s cut into such tiny pieces, it’s easy to overcook. Cinco Hermanos’ chefs have it locked down! Only one other place have I had the pastor tacos with pineapple. I’ve had it with orange, but the pineapple takes it up a couple of notches! Their shrimp tacos are nothing to sneeze at either! Bottom line, when I eat here I get a HUGE bang for my buck, the food is absolutely delicious, the servers are always happy to help us, and the folks in the kitchen make it super easy for the rest of the staff to look good!

10/10 would recommend 10/10 would recommend you go back again, and...

It has been a long time since I've gotten food from a restaurant that I felt is worth 5 stars. Usually the food will be good once and every other time it sucks, leaving me to update my review. I've now started to eat at places a few times before writing reviews to make sure I'm leaving accurate reviews. I've had food here 4 times and have yet to have a disappointing meal.

I have gotten half the torta menu, tacos, soup, burittos, and guacamole appetizer; everything has been legit amazing. I have reheated tortas the following day and try are just as good; there isn't a single item I haven't loved. The staff are extremely welcoming and helpful, they even gave us a taco each to try their barbacoa, which was amazing and flavorful. I am already planning to get the Cubana torta for dinner tonight! The establishment is clean and inviting, I cant wait to find the time to dine in! I hope this restaurant does amazing because it's a great addition to Grayslake.

The food is so good that I hardly have the patience to take pictures before digging in! Don't pass on this one,...