Taco Diablo

Loved the food and margars here. The tacos were creative and well made with quality ingredients. Think Big Star minus hipsters. There were some service issues at times, however, which made for a few long and confusing waits, wistfully gazing at other patrons’ cocktails and chips being served before our desperate eyes.
However, in spite of a couple of so-​so host/​bartenders, place was still pretty solid. Hopefully they will be able to rebuild after the fire that took out half of the block.

Unfortunately this place burnt down thanks to PineYard Chinese restaurant fire next door. Me no get pay well so me burn middle of nite no moh work now bad man. Um, that was my best impression of a disgruntled Pine Yard employee who may have done the deed and took my 2 fave restaurants down!

Unfortunately closed due to a fire in the building it is located in.

I think this is a cute little place that is very unique for Evanston. I have liked all of the food I have ordered, but I seem to order the same thing every time. I get the guacamole and chips for the table, and then the 3 taco combo with the carne asadas and the pork. The margaritas are very good.
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because compared to other taco places, it’s a little too much money for the amount of tacos you get. It could be because it’s in Evanston, but go to Roger Park if you’re not looking to sit down and drink margaritas.
Margaritas: $ 8 — $ 10
Taco Combo: $ 12

Had a taste for Mexican food for lunch and used Unilocal to guide the way while in Evanston.
Had the Carne Asda Taco dinner, at first I thought the tacos were a little small but the huge cuts of steak and great flavor won me over the smaller size. Great Tacos! I will be returning to try other items on the menu soon! Enjoy!

I was never very interested in this place from seeing many low reviews peppered among the good ones, despite the 4 star rating. But I decided it was finally time to see for myself.
We ordered 4 tacos each and ended up trying 7 different types.
My favorite was the lamb taco, distinct fragrance of lamb without being too lamb-​y, if you know what I mean + tender lamb. Spicy shrimp was also pretty good, just like any other decent shrimp taco. Very dependable. Carnitas was okay too.
The chicken thigh and cripsy duck tender both had very dry meat which is really surprising considering the two proteins. The chicken thigh just tasted too bitter from overpowering mole. And the duck, chorizo, and egg was really disappointing. Sounded interesting, but it was completely unmemorable and a bit dry.
I think the factors that prevent me from giving them 4 stars are:
–Price — $ 4 for such a tiny taco is absolutely ridiculous. We went after 9PM, so tacos were 2.75 each, but even then, it’s a bit pricey.
–Dry meat/​not freshly made — our tacos came out extremely fast. Like all within 5 minutes of ordering. It worked out great since we were in a rush, but you could tell the food wasn’t warm, the fried duck tenders had been sitting for a while, etc.
–Timid flavors — i think this is what is missing from their tacos. they sound very interesting on paper, but at the end of the day the execution wasn’t great. Like to me, Mexican food = BOLD exciting flavors. Not here, though. We ordered various tacos with different toppings, but none of the combination of flavors really stood out after the fact, except the lamb.
The service was great. We ate at the bar and was attended to at the perfect pace by a super friendly bartender. The ambience is pretty nice. It’s dim but adequately lit, and it’s pretty lively.
So if you don’t come in to love this place for its exciting authentic Mexican fare I think you’d enjoy it just fine. The food is alright, especially if you think of it as more of a «fusion» type place.

Originally tried coming Friday night at 7pm and the place was PACKED. It’s not a huge space and there definitely was not really a good space for people to wait so people are packed near the doorway. Decided to try again Saturday night, this time after 9pm and it was a much better experience! There was a minimal wait and by 9:30pm, the entire bar was empty and no wait for tables.
After 9pm is probably when I’d go back again just because tacos are $ 2.75 instead of the typical $ 3.98. Many Unilocalers reviewed that prices continue to hike up :(For me, $ 3.98 is pretty steep for a taco and if it goes up any more, I probably won’t ever come unless they’re running a special, lol.
The chip and salsa they provide is very good — two types of salsas. The green one has a really strong citrus flavor and also a bit too sour for my taste. The red one has a hint of sweetness and heat which was my preference. I tried 3 of the their tacos — Lamb, Crunchy Chicken, and Crisp Almond Duck Tenders. I got the latter two because it seemed like everyone raved about the Crunchy Chicken and Crisp Almond Duck Tenders. I actually found that the raddish and cabbage slaw on both tacos is what made tasty :(. I would commend that the crispness of the meat was nice but it was relatively tasteless otherwise. The Lamb taco made my whole meal worth it! It was incredibly flavorful, juicy, and was topped with some advocado salsa. I would definitely come back for this taco and to try some other ones!

After eating here twice, I’ve concluded that the food here is so-​so. While the tacos have interesting ingredients, upon eating them I found the flavor so mild that it was hard to differentiate the tacos in taste, despite them being very different in terms of meat and toppings. If you’re eating here with others and multiple people order tacos, the staff brings the tacos out «family style,» which is to say that some random assortment of tacos are put on a plate and brought to your table, so it’s confusing and annoying to parse out the tacos to the people who ordered them. The guacamole was also borderline bland, and I didn’t like that they incorporated leafy greens into the guac. Compared to how much I pay for better tasting and cheaper food at Mexican restaurants on Clark St. in Rogers Park, the food here gets 1 star. The second star is for their decent service.
They don’t take reservations here, and they won’t seat you until your entire party shows up.

I love this place. As a displaced Texan constantly searching for delicious Mexican food served with a laid-​back Austin vibe, I was delighted to find this place. The spicy margarita is the stuff of legends and, in spite of the heat, goes down way too easy!
When it comes to the food, make sure you start with guacamole served with basket after basket of salty, crunchy chips. Seriously, these chips are to DIE for and so are the accompanying salsas. I’ve tried every taco on the menu and my favorites are the shrimp and the crunchy chicken. I’ve also had their quesadillas and highly recommend them as well.
As a heads-​up, this place gets CROWDED so if you’re coming with a large group, it’s best to come early. Though there are worse things than getting stuck at their (awesomely ornate) bar…

Came here a few weeks ago and it was outstanding. The wait was super long so me and my fiancé sat at the bar and had the most amazing Tortas and Tacos. Everything was so fresh, vibrant and delicious.
Today not so much… Which completely sucked because we talked our last visit up so much that this time we came back with a big group who couldn’t wait to try it. We got seated quickly despite the hustle and bustle. Maybe a bit too quick because our table was dirty and the floor below us wAs covered in limes and dirty water. We told the waitress so she picked up a few limes and apologized about the previous family seated there before us. We dealt with the puddles of water and straws below for the duration of the dinner.
We ordered our food and everyone basically ordered what we had suggested from our last visit. 2 people didn’t receive the food because they «accidentally gave it to another table»… So we tried to wait for them to complete the order but it took too long. They finally brought one order over after 15 min and realized that they were still missing another order. 10 min later the food was on the table.
Half of us got pickled onions the other half got grilled onions, not sure what that was about, if you run out don’t substitute! The food wAs inconsistent all around the table. The tacos had no flavor which was embarrassing considering we bragged to these people about them. Everything was just off!
So one of the girls has a flan brought over for a birthday and despite the dirty table and floors the 25 min wait for food and the inconsistency of everything coming from the kitchen… We got charged for dessert.
Wow. So so so disappointed with our last visit considering how much we loved the first!

This place does not disappoint! The Crunchy Chicken tacos are my favorite, but whenever I am with friends, they always rave about what they order… from the chorizo to the catfish. I’m not big on salad, but their dressing will have you craving more. Their house margarita is strong, but oh so good. The décor is adorable, yet refined. And the waitstaff is always on point.
Make sure you check out their lunch special. Two tacos and a side salad is a perfect lunch that will fill you up. I can’t promise that you won’t want to come back for dinner, though!
I definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to try a fun spin on Mexican food!

The décor is great — loads of wood and diablo art. Granted, I did not sample all of the tacos, but the ones I did seemed to be smothered in grody mayo-​based sauces. Come to think of it, my tum-​tum is hurting at this very moment. The food I ate was mediocre, but the service was what really turned me off about the place.
The girl working the bar was the fakest, most churlish damsel I’ve come across in quite some time (do I attract this behavior or am I just a grouch — I can’t tell anymore). And her utter inability to be conscious of what’s beyond her nose, not to mention her abject ignorance, actually makes this place worth staying away from if you want to hold on to your own faith in humanity.

Nondescript on the outside, nicely decorated inside. Unfortunately, the décor was the highlight of the experience. The service is mediocre, and the food was nothing specials.
The chips are good, but the salsas aren’t– one is cloying sweet, and the other pretty spicy but otherwise not very flavorful.
We ordered two different types of tacos and nachos. The tacos were both okay, but the nachos were terrible. I’m admittedly a nacho snob, but these were among the worst I’ve ever had. The presentation was lovely– a low bowl platter, filled with artfully arranged chips and toppings. However, the cheese sauce was spooned over only the bottom chips, so by the time you could reach those chips, they were so soggy they weren’t worth eating. There was sour cream piped on the top in a patter instead of in a pile in the middle, or on the side, so it was all warm and runny (gross! isn’t the point of sour cream to be cool and delicious?), and it also tasted quite sweet. When I took my first bite, I honestly thought that it tasted like ranch dressing had been spread over the plate, and seriously considered sending it back.
I’d come back here for tacos, and I’d love to try their drinks, but steer clear of the nachos!

The after-​9pm special at $ 2.50 per taco is an insane deal. Try ‘em all.
Taco Diablo’s tacos are sublime, well-​balanced, individually conceived dishes. There are no bad choices here, though I feel the shrimp tacos, potato tacos and braised beef tacos stand out in particular.
Enchiladas are rich and flavorful, but not greasy. Served with butery-​delicious assorted veggies. Not typical Chi-​Mex. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Chilaquiles are succulent and savory, layers of sauce and tortillas and dairy goodness, with a runny egg on top (and add extras like meat, optionally). A good breakfast dish. And, their French press coffee is as good as a coffeehouse. Service and atmosphere are dreamy in a weird-​good way. Alcohol choices are excellent.
Of course there’s a wait at popular times! They are serving gourmet food at mid-​level prices. I suggest you go afternoons, and late night mid-​week. Or better yet, don’t. (More tacos for me and my amigos.)

Bangin’ tacos and chilaquiles. Not your usual taqueria type of ordinary either. We’re talking complex ingredient combinations, tasty marinades, brightly colored veggies and fruits and awe inspiring yum factors. Ingredients like spicy camarones (shrimp), moles, braised beef, escabeche, duck chorizo and the list goes on. Their flavorful inspirations remind me much of Taco Joint in the city. Décor is ethnically inspired, trendy and its intimate tones are best for happy hours or a romantic rendezvous for two.
Look at Evanston adding all of these tasty culinary eateries.

2 words – taco plate!
At 3 tacos for $ 11.89, that’s a bargain, and I was surprised by how full I got from the meal. And this is coming from a vegetarian, who ordered:
— 1 potato taco: I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy foods, but the chipotle salsa and arugula added the perfect kick.
— 2 vegetable tacos: The queso fresco made the dish with its trademark salty-​sour kick. While it’s creamy by nature, it’s not rich or buttery tasting.
The nachos and guacamole combo is another must-​try! Note that Taco Diablo doesn’t take reservations, so come on weekdays to maximize chances of getting seated quickly.
[Update ¼/​14]: I’m saddened that Taco Diablo was burned down by the Pine Yard fire back on Sat. Dec. 29^th, but I hope they will rebuild.

Having lived about two blocks away from Big Star for most of my Chicago life, I have to say that Taco Diablo is sooooo much better than that overhyped place. The only gripe is that they don’t take reservations, so on weekend nights be prepared to wait 30 minutes or longer for a table. But on weekdays, you can easily snag a table, especially if the weather is bad. I especially love their tortas, which I think are better than Frontera’s. The bread is perfect, the meat well seasoned and tender. I’ve had their tacos before, and they were good, but not spectacular (I think it’s something about the meat to other fillings ratio).
Did I also mention free chips and salsa? The green one is particularly spectacular for a non-​spicy-​food-​eating person like me.

Excellent find in Evanston! Found this spot on my Unilocal app, as usual. We were just off the plane from our two-​week trip to Asia and were dying for some Tex/​Mex and just American food in general. So in we wandered for a late lunch/​early dinner on a Saturday.
We were promptly greated and seated at booth along the wall and served homemade chips with two different salsas. These house salsas were actually spicy too — bonus! Love the atmosphere. Cool style this place has going on. Unique drink list — lots of specialty margaritas and imported Mexican beers. I tried the Spicy Margarita — very very good. Like a traditional but with just a hint of kick. Loved it!
On to the food…
We each got the 3 taco plate — choose from at least 10 taco choices. Unique garnishes, flavors go very well together. I can’t even remember which tacos we had but every single thing we ate was so fresh and delicious, I’m sure it doesn’t matter which you get. Soooo good! The taco samplers come with two sides also. We both got beans and rice which were yummy too. All in all this was a ton of food for 2 people. We left stuffed and would definitely eat here again if we find ourselves in Evanston.

This place gives Big Star (in Wicker Park) a run for their money. The tacos are not only authentic and creative, but they are very reasonable for the price. The tacos are filling and 3 was more than enough for me.
I tried…
1) Duck Tenders — this was my favorite, a ⁶⁄₅. They were perfectly crispy and there was a sweet sauce that balanced the flavors beautifully.
2) Carne Asada — Really tender meat, still juicy (which is hard to accomplish when it’s cut into small pieces). This really hit the spot and it felt a lot more authentic than any normal «mexican» joint.
3) Spicy Shrimp — Good pieces of shrimp cooked to perfection, and it came with a sweeter aioli, which was enjoyable.
The tacos come with rice and beans, served family style, if everyone gets the tacos. Otherwise, it’s individual portions.
All in all, I think it’s a great place to start off the night. And the staff is incredibly friendly!

I love tacos. They are my #2 favorite food group (after noodles). So, I am ECSTATIC to report that there is finally somewhere in Evanston where you can get delicious tacos, and around the corner from me. Happy times!
Every time I go, I order the 3 taco plate. Priced at around $ 10, and served with rice, beans (veggie black beans or pinto beans with bacon), and escabeche vegetables, this is a terrific amount of food and really won’t break the bank. I’m throwing Taco Diablo into a regular lunch and dinner spot.
My favorite? The spicy grilled shrimp taco. They’re still tweaking the menu a little — so last week, I ate a crunchy chicken taco (DELICIOUS!) and today, I had a crunchy duck tender taco (delicious, but please bring the crunchy chicken back!). Honestly, you can’t go wrong. The shredded beef cheeks braised with mole, the mahi mahi, the duck chorizo and egg, the chicken thigh… they are all delicious. Right now, I’m sitting here thinking: «I didn’t order the mahi mahi for lunch today. Would it be crazy if I went back for lunch tomorrow? And on Wednesday? And maybe for the rest of the week too?»
They do have other items on the menu. I’ve been ogling the stews for a while, but haven’t broken free of the draw of tacos just yet. If you’re looking for some lighter fare, the house salad with fresh orange and honey dressing is perfect.
And you mustn’t forget drinks! I love the house margarita, but if you’re looking for something with a slight twist, try the one made with mezcal — it has this really great smoke flavor to it.
Complimentary chips and 2 salsas (one green, one red) are great. The artwork in this place is just awesome. Servers are friendly and I really love the bus staff! I hope the feeling is mutual, because they’ll be seeing a lot of me. Welcome to Evanston, Taco Diablo!
Note: the storefront is really nondescript — TB is in the old Bill’s Blues space, across the street from Tom Thumb and next to the bicycle shop — look for the small sign in the bottom window.