Taco Joint: Tasty Tacos, Cool Vibe, Great Margs

If you are a lover of Mexican food, than Taco Joint might just be your new favorite restaurant. The hip new spot to open in Chicago offers fresh food made from awesome ingredients. In addition to the excellent street fare, Taco Joint offers guests some of the tastiest margaritas in a variety of combinations and flavors.

The Vibe

Taco Joint is located in the River North neighborhood on Ontario Street, close to the corner of Ontario and LaSalle. The bright neon sign heralding them as an Urban Taqueria and Cantina can't be missed and instantly invites you in. At high tables inside, guests can perch atop leather-cushioned stools, which give off a laid-back vibe while at the same time not seeming to try too hard. Taco Joint is the ideal place to meet up with friends for a bite and some cocktails. The large floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the front are excellent for people watching and give a great view of the Chicago skyline in the background. On the cold Wednesday night I visited, it was not incredibly busy, but my boyfriend and I still enjoyed ourselves immensely, while being waited on by the friendly and attentive staff. Though it is not fancy, Taco Joint still feels upscale and trendy through their attention to details in the food and wide variety of Tequila flavors they offer (their menu offers at least 50 different kinds). Their aim at bringing small town Mexico to the big city is executed perfectly.

The Food

The deal we found was good for six tacos (three each) and we took our time browsing through the choices available. I settled on a Baja (beer battered tilapia fillet with arbor chile-slaw), Al Pastor (marinated grilled chicken, tangy tomatillo salsa, onion, cilantro, and caramelized pineapple) and the Cracklin' Duck Tinga (duck leg confit, stewed tomatoes, onion & chipotle, house-made chorus, avocado slaw and crispy pork crackling'). My boyfriend followed suit with the Baja and Duck, but also chose the Steak Jalisco (grilled sirloin, charro style chili, onion, cilantro, quest fresco and avocado).

Everything tasted good and my favorite taco of the night was the Al Pastor. The sweetness of the pineapple paired nicely with the chicken and the onions for an almost perfect bite. Second favorite was the fish taco. I have been on the search for the best fish taco in Chicago, and this one would definitely be in the top ten. The fish was crispy and the chile slaw offered just enough heat. I had never tried duck in a taco and it turned out to be quite good. The meat was incredibly tender and juicy, and I always love avocado on anything! While I did not get a bite of my boyfriend's steak taco, he said that the fresh means were good addition.

While we stuck with the food offered through our deal, Taco Joint has a lot more to offer, including tortas and other Mexican snacks. When browsing the menu, I was tempted by the guacamole, which a couple of friends near us ordered. I could literally smell it from my table and will most definitely be back to try it. Everything on their menu is fresh and authentic, which makes each bite a party in your mouth.

The Drinks

Our deal also came with two margaritas and I had the hardest time picking which flavor I wanted to try! I ended up choosing a mango-passion fruit margarita and found it extremely delicious! My boyfriend opted for strawberry-hibiscus, and the sip I tried of his was delicious as well – sweet with a faint hint of flowers. Really quite good. Taco Joint offers many varieties of margaritas, which makes choosing just one very hard. Most flavors are available in a glass or bottle portion.

Taco Joint Margarita – their spin on the classic marg made with El Jimador Tequila Blanco, orange liqueur, lime, and salt rim
Fruit Margarita – a spin on their Taco Joint marg in guava, mango-passion, pineapple-blood orange, coconut-lime, and strawberry-hibuscus flavors
Made in Mexico Margarita – what I imagine a really good restaurant in Mexico would serve you. Made with Olmeca Altos Tequila Blanco, El Buho Mezcal, Hacienda Sotol Reposado, pulque, lime and agave
Black ‘N Green Margarita – A sort of beer marg made from Negra Modelo Beer over a frozen Taco Joint marg
Grapefruit Margarita – This one was recommended by the waiter and if I liked grapefruit, I would have ordered it in a second. Made from Herradura Tequila Reposado, orange liqueur, citrus-chile agave, ruby red grapefruit, lemon, grapefruit biter, and a chile piquin rim.
Chile Mango Margarita – This was also recommended by the waiter, but I was wary of the spice and fruit mix. Made from Agave Loco Tequila Reposado, orange liqueur, lime, mango, and a chile piquin rim