Perez Restaurant

I'm really sorry to see this place head out of Chicago. My sister took me here to send it off with one last meal, and I regret that I'd never been here before that.

Their salsa is so good. It's hard to explain, but it's warm and this dark color and I could put it on everything. The horchata was sweet with cinnamon but not too much. I had a pastor chimichanga, and the meat was some of the best pork I have ever had, Mexican or otherwise. Not to mention that the portion was huge. I ate until I was full (and then some, if we're being honest), and I still had half of a plate of food left.

The atmosphere is low key and welcoming. There's a lot of regulars hanging out and taking their time to eat, and the servers know them. It's a really nice, community type feel to the place. The walls are lined with steel which are a testament to how the neighborhood USED to be not so many years ago, when the building was a meat plant. It's sort of a cool throwback.

I wish I could eat here again, and I am very glad that I got to try it at least once.

Overall: I'd come back mainly for the food, service wasn't too great.

My coworkers and I came for lunch last week and when we arrived had issues with any employees addressing us or letting us know that they'd be helping us out. We had to ask someone if the patio was available to sit at and they said yes 'but it'll be a longer wait', although the restaurant was practically empty.

Eventually we sat on the patio, only half of us got waters when we sat and the other half about 10 minutes after we were seated.

We finally got around to ordering food and it was delicious. The chips and salsa are very tasty and have a ton of flavor. We also ordered steak tacos, chicken tacos, and a chicken burrito. Everything was well cooked, seasoned and tasted exactly how you expect from a classic Mexican restaurant.

I will say that I understand the location of the restaurant and how pricing needs to be competitive, but the prices were much higher for simple menu items and dinners than other Mexican places I've been in the past.

Love this place.
Steak burrito tastes really good ( compared with chipotle) and comes in a very large portion, easily feed two people.
Chicken tostadas is ok, I like tostadas, but chicken is kind of dry and bland.

I'm not sure what's going on with this place as far as delivery goes, but it's horrible.

First, I was put on hold, twice, for over 10 minutes each time. Then, I found out that they don't take credit cards for delivery.

Not all of the food arrived. Even though I ordered 6 things, one was missing. One burrito, 4 chicken tacos, and a steak taco, yet they forgot the steak taco. They were sure to charge for it, though. I was lucky enough to get an apple stem (or bone?) in my chicken taco, though.

The only other time I ordered delivery from Perez was part of a larger order. They forgot my burrito then, too. Again, charged for it, and when I called, they said they wouldn't do delivery for one item.

I'm not sure what's going on with their delivery, but I suggest staying away.

My coworker and I were on a taco-quest and sadly Hello Tacos was closed. After scratching our heads and doing a little bit of googling, we walked down Randolph to Perez and grabbed an uncomfortable seat on their patio.

The goat taco was a highlight, and worth the extra charge. It was shredded, moist and delicious. The chorizo was also pretty great. I also enjoyed my chile relleno taco. The tortillas were lightly pan fried, and everything tasted fresh. The provided hot sauce, and chunky salsa was a nice addition. We also ordered a silky side of guac which was quite salty. My only serious complaint was the lack of cilantro or citrus.

Anyways, yay! Tacos! If there's a wait at Hello Tacos across the street, or god forbid they are closed, give Perez a try! They could use a fresh coast of paint, but the food's not bad!

I came here for lunch. it was too early to be drinking the margs sadly so i skipped that. They give you the nachos with the salsa complementary, as soon as you sit down. I didnt like the chips all that much but the salsa was good. I had the quesadilla di asada for lunch and it gets 5/5 stars- one of the best Ive ever had. I would get this every time. The steak was soft, moist, and perfectly seasoned with the right amount of cheese (read: not too much)

The space is large and the people are friendly. service is relatively quick. They also have a patio. You have to order over $10 to pay with a cc and they dont split the check. So bring cash if you're with friends.

This review may have been the hardest I've had to write, and when I tried to figure out why it's because everything was just okay. Nothing was bad, but nothing was good either. It's just an average Mexican restaurant.

The food- Okay
The price- Okay (when considering the amount of food you get and the area)
The atmosphere- Okay
The service- Okay

Would I actively suggest coming back here to my coworkers? Probably Not. If someone invited me to come here with them would I come back? Probably.

Is Perez going to make you remember that perfect Mexican vacation you had? Probably not. But if you are looking for some American Mexican food that tastes good along with some of the best, warm chips to snack on, Perez is just your place.

The decor is a little odd (not sure what all the metal walls and door have to do with Mexican) and the service is certainly friendly, if not a little slow. You can easily find all your "traditional American Mexican dishes" from tacos to burritos, and fajitas to tostadas on the menu. They even add the obligatory lettuce and tomato onto most dishes.

And the margaritas are huge so know a little goes a long way!

Best place to sit? Out front on their little patio to watch all the action that moves up and down Randolph Street.

So stop by for a margarita or two. Or maybe even three. At that point you might find yourself thinking you are actually are on vacation in Mexico. And just think? At this price point, you can go again and again!

Didn't eat there, but had a bad experience outside this place.

I went to go pick up some clothes at Notre (right around the corner), and I happened to find a parking spot right in front of Perez. The sign posted stated that it was a 30 minute time limit, and I knew i'd only be a few minutes.

Here's where it gets good: So as I am getting out of my car, parked in a perfectly legal public street spot, a guy from inside the restaurant comes out and asks me what I'm there for. I was a bit surprised, but entertained him anyway and told him I am going to pick up some clothes and maybe get a coffee at Sawada. He then tells me that I only have 30 minutes, then pulls out his phone to take a picture of my car. I ask him what's that for, and he says that it's to make a note of the time, and that if i'm not gone in a half hour, i'll get a $100 ticket.

He then tells me to move my car over because I'm taking up two spaces. I actually wasn't, the only car that could "fit" in the spot next to me would have been a smart car, but it would have hit the cars on either side upon opening its doors. The spot was WAY too tight, plus the other car next to me was already over the yellow no parking line. I told him i'm not moving my brand new car, it's parked perfectly, and proceeded to take care of my business. I ended up rushing, not knowing if my car would get keyed or something. You never know.

Anyway, based from that encounter OUTSIDE the establishment, I wouldn't even waste my time going in there. Plenty of other good Mexican restaurants in the area.

Who knew this was here? Must have walked by a hundred times and it never really registered... We were looking for a last minute dinner spot on a Friday night walking distance from happy hour in west loop and someone mentioned this place... Pretty much a hole in the wall with decent food... Having grown up in Texas I've had my fair share of enchiladas, and the beef ones here were fine- nothing to write home about but hit the spot... Micheladas were the size of my head (literally)... Would use this as a post night out spot more than a destination...