Chicago's Mexican neighborhood: Pilsen

Pilsen is a favorite neighborhood for Mexican food.  Located near 18th street and Racine, the community has grocery stores, herbal medicine stores, a Mexican Fine Arts Museum, and resturants. 

Culture thrives in Pilsen and invites you to explore the treasures that wait around every corner. Here bold murals have blossomed in the most unexpected places — on the fronts of homes, along railway overpasses, and wrapped around train platforms. The artful vibe continues within storefront galleries and studios, as well as in the colorful collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art, a highly-regarded cultural institution.

One of the Best Mexican Restaurants in Chicago is 5 Rabanitos.  Check out our separate post about this magical place.

One of our favorite is Nuevo Leon. The staff is friendly, service is fast and is a popular location for locals and tourists. Some people call it the city hall of Pilsen.  Politicians, community activists can often be found there enjoying breakfast or lunch. The noon lunch hour is crowded so it is better to visit at 2pm. 

Another favorite is Los Comales. The place is friendly and helpful.  The prices are cheap. The decor is simple but the flavors are very good.

Also try the outdoor food vendors. City health enforcement is pretty strong so it is worth trying tamales. They are served hot and they are cheap.  People who have sensitive stomachs  (the tamales are s little greasy) should avoid it.

The Pink line is the most convenient way to get there but parking is not that difficult if you come before 12 noon or after 2pm.