De Cero

Don’t order their delivery service. They show up late and are extremely rude about it! Took 2 hours to get a delivery and they gave me attitude about it when I called to complain.

Yum! Great tacos. Love the a la carte lineup that lets you get a nice sampling of their various selections. Skirt steak, duck, and the mahi mahi really stood out.
It’s a little crowded in there but it’s definitely a place all taco-​lovers should try. Good margaritas, too.

Duck Nacho… Thumbs Down. No enough flavor. it is modern Mexcian… whatever the hack that is. Not going back. But they were nice

I can only comment on the Restaurant Week $ 22 lunch menu, but it was amazing. A good amount of food with variety for the price.
I’d recommend either the horchata or hibiscus iced tea beverages. For the starter, get the tamale if you want more food or the guacamole if you want it to go with the chips. For the tacos, choose the whitefish over the catfish if you’re making that decision (you get a much larger piece). The sage chicken was also good. Can’t go wrong with either dessert, but I thought the brownie was a great way to end.

Now named Hello Tacos, but still as delicious as ever. The ceviche is on the spicy side, but totally worth it. Margaritas are great and well worth it.

Can someone save us from yet another mediocre Tex-​Mex restaurant in Chicago? With 20 options under the «Hello Tacos» section on the menu, it might be safe to say that De Cero wants to think of itself as an upscale «taqueria». The tortillas are freshly made. However, after living in Mexico, how often is a taco with 3 – 4 ounces of filling served on only one tortilla? Typically, tacos are composed of two thin tortillas so that the filling & juices don’t soak through.
We sampled duck confit, battered catfish, sage fried chicken, and skirt steak tacos. While I know better than to order duck confit in a Tex-​Mex restaurant, it was a cold winter night, enough said? What came (on a single tortilla) was about 3 ounces of flavorless pulled & chopped duck. It didn’t have even the slightest twinge of cloves, nutmeg, ginger or cinnamon usually found in most confit. The potion was ample enough, but it soaked through the thin tortilla it was packed on, and ended up on my jeans!
The skirt steak taco had decent flavor, but was almost impossible to chew. Had it been sliced on the bias and chopped finer, perhaps it would have been OK. Instead, it was stringy and difficult to enjoy. Sage fried chicken had nice sage flavor, but the breast tender was overcooked and dry. The catfish taco was the best of the 4 we tried. It was tender, and the accompanying slaw was crispy.
I also tried the Chicken Barbacoa. Even though chicken is not typically cooked «barbacoa» style, in the Yucatan, they prepare «pollo pibil» (chicken wrapped in banana leaves with spices. I was kind of hoping the dish would be like that. Instead, it tasted like it was only lightly rubbed with some spices, and steamed/​brasied. At least there were 2 legs and a thigh, so I pretended it was steamed chicken, garnished it with onions & cilantro & rolled it in a tortillas.
The two best food items we tried at DeCero were the «Bacon Pinto Beans (also called charro beans in Tex-​Mex cuisine) and the open faced Chicken Mole Tamale. Unfortunately though, that wont be enough to bring me back.

There is a good variety of of stuff here to choose from as a vegetarian. We tried the portebello tortas and few vegetarian tacos. Tortas were really good! Tacos were good to but I feel as they are just a bit expensive for what you get. The salsas are pretty good. The mango habanero and chile de arbol are quite spivey and I generally can handle pretty spicy food. Next time, I would get one spicy and one of their milder salsas for a good balance. The chocolate brownie with coconut ice cream was a great end to the meal.

Definitely one of my new favorite Mexican restaurants! The salsas are amazing, with my favorite ones being the warm chipotle and mango habanero (was warned that it is really spicy but it’s actually not that bad at all). All of the tacos I had were really good, especially the al pastor and chicken chipotle. The meat was flavorful and tender and enough that three tacos were pretty filling.

I ordered the tacos and the jicama slaw which was very underseasoned, I was a bit disappointed but the beans were good. The duck taco was my favorite, I will go back, but mostly for the drinks! I had the pomegranate martini which was good but also a little overpriced. The overall ambience and experience was good.

Great food, service and cool atmosphere! Their taco and margarita selection is on par. We had the chips and salsa with like verde and chipotle smoked salsa; recommend both! Their cucumber margarita is refreshing and has a surprisingly spicy rim that is a nice compliment! Overall their food is amazing and we’ll definitely be back!

I wasn’t impressed by their tacos. They have a great selection of tacos, but somewhat lacking in taste. Plus, my order arrived a little bit cold. For $ 4 a piece, you would expect great flavor.
Overall, the atmosphere is great. I would only do drinks, chips and guacamole. You can get better tacos for less! The salsa was not even the authentic one.

Went there for lunch a few weeks ago, and I was satisfied. The battered catfish tacos with the jicama slaw were very good. The fish was cooked and breaded well. The slaw had jicama, two types of cabbages, carrot, and jalapeños all sliced thin with a chipotle cream sauce. The small torillas were not as warm, but it was all still very good. The battered shrimp tacos were good but not as much as the catfish. I really recommend the cucumber limeade to cool off; it was great! Lastly, I had the fresh fruit snack – healthy and delicious. Recommended! The gives you a good feeling of an authentic old world setting, and if you go when it’s warm, sit outside.

Let me start of by saying the owner is awesome and the way she handles her restaurant (s) is what makes this a real treat. Food is awesome and the Tacos you have to try the different types. Don’t forget to get one of the margaritas they hit the spot and are well worth it.
If I lived closer I would be a regular, let’s say that. The places was packed when we went we had a larger group, but the organizer (Dave) for this event knew the owner. The staff took great care of us and had everyone’s plate out quickly and in good fashion.

Hello Tacos de Cero is a lively new-​age Mexican joint located right on Randolph street in West Loop. They take reservations which is really nice! I was able to make a reservation for 4 only the day before and then changed it to 2 the day of with no problem.
Our table was ready when my friend and I got there. We started with the pico de gallo and the warm chipotle salsas. They give you a ton of chips so I recommend this as a starter for 2 – 4 people. They had lots of other good sounding starters too, including nachos and sliders. I ordered a spicy jalapeño pineapple margarita which was quite good. I’m not sure how much I tasted either flavor in particular but it definitely had some zing to it.
For dinner my friend and I got the taco platter, where you can order 4 sets of 2 tacos and save a couple bucks compared to ordering them all individually. We did the skirt steak, sage fried chicken, chorizo and tres queso. All of them were really good! Quality-​wise I put them on par with Taco Joint and Big Star. They are $ 4 a pop instead of $ 3 though.
Overall, I thought the atmosphere and food were quite enjoyable. It’s a bit pricey, but you probably shouldn’t be dining on Randolph if that’s going to bother you… Will definitely come back!

Ended up coming back here again for a group dinner. We easily were able to get same day reservations for 8 people. I started off with a seasonal apple cider margarita which was okay. My bf ordered the whiskey margarita and he received a cucumber-​based cocktail. and he hates cucumbers! Not a good start to the evening. We ordered chips and salsa for the table. They were generous with the amount of chips, but the amount of salsa was rather small. We got one mild and one hot salsa. The hot salsa was ridiculously spicy, so beware. Couldn’t even eat that one. Everyone was raving over the duck nachos so we got two orders for the table. This is so over-​priced. Literally 4 chips per order, that’s $ 2.50 per tortilla chip. With all the toppings that put on it, I thought it was pretty bland. I can make way better nachos at home, I don’t recommend this dish. All the couples got a platter of 8 tacos to share between each other. Four tacos per person was a little bit too much, but the price wasn’t bad. Most people couldn’t finish their fourth taco. I didn’t think any of the tacos stood out. I tried a few bites of the horchata bread pudding and it was really dense and not good. I’d pass on that.
The only good thing about this place is that they take reservations for large groups.

I thought the two salsas we had were the best things about the meal by far. Both the mango habanero and the tomatillo verde were great and some of the better salsas I’ve ever had.
The tacos were good, but I wasn’t blown away. I tried duck, chorizo, shrimp and steak — all decent but again, really nothing over the top or memorable.
Really on the fence as far as 3 vs 4 but rounding up because it was a nice atmosphere and our server was very nice.

We had dinner here with a friend and enjoyed the experience.
NOTE: This is for the side-​spot, ¡Hello Tacos!
Décor: The look and feel of this place is more of a modern take on a Mexican restaurant. There isn’t a whole lot of «authentic» feel, not a bad thing, but the atmosphere is chill and relaxed. The lighting helps to reinforce the mood as well. If fact, I almost feel it’s just a bit too dark… Anyway, there are plenty of tables and also a big bar (which is where we sat because we didn’t want to wait).
Bathroom: pretty standard and clean
Staff: The bartenders were both very attentive and friendly. Our food came out relatively quickly as well.
Food/​Drinks: We started with wine and a Mango Habanero marg (which was good, but needed to be MUCH more spicy…). As we sipped our drinks we snacked on some gauc and chips (the guac was thick and chunky, yum!, but not spicy at all despite us asking for it to be made that way). Finally, for dinner, we had tacos and enchiladas. The tacos were typical size and we had steak, chicken, and pork (all pretty tasty). The enchiladas were also pretty good.
Value: The tacos are a bit on the pricey side, I think, at $ 3.75 each. Other than that, we spent about what we were expecting.
We had an enjoyable time but nothing really stuck with us as solidifying a return visit. We’ll check out other spots before coming back again.

If you’re seeking a trendy, fancy drink filled happy hour, this place is a nice choice. The patio was filled by the time we got there and the bar was actually pretty crowded as well. They offer a bunch of different types of margaritas. from spicy mango habanero to cucumber ginger (all $ 10). If tequila isn’t your thing, there’s also beers, wine and other speciality drinks. I’ll be honest… the margarita wasn’t doing much for me so I switched to a gin mule and I was much happier.
The tacos were underwhelming, especially for $ 4. I was surprised to see different types of choices on the menu, like duck confit, chicken mole, whitefish. I opted for the chicken mole and chorizo and they were just fine. The hot sauce really enhanced the flavor, though.
Our server was great and so was the flan. Overall, thumbs up for a fun atmosphere for drinks and dessert, but don’t expect much taco-​wise.

A little pricey, even for the neighborhood, but I thought the food was pretty solid.
I got the mahi mahi and the al capone tacos and split a chicken quesadilla. Really enjoyed the mahi mahi and the quesadilla; both were flavorful, and the proteins were very well done. I wasn’t a huge fan of the al capone – found the spiciness a little too overpowering, but at the same time, the pork shoulder was, like the other proteins, very well done.
My only complaint is that the portions are small (side note: the tacos come in ones rather than pairs); other than that, I enjoyed my experience – good service, nice ambiance, and solid food.

I came here for my birthday and it was so much fun! They have watermelon margueritas… yum!
Their tacos are delicious… and so many to choose from! And their home made corn tortillas are so so good!

Came here for drinks before au cheval. Being a Hispanic restaurant, I had to try their sangria. Must say, I was not a fan because it just tasted like lemonade. We did however order chips with an assortment of salsa because they had a happy hour special. All the salsas and chips were pretty good with medium heat. I’m sure I’ll be back at some point to try some of their entrees.

Meh, not a fan of De Cero.
We arrived first in our party. Couldn’t seat us before more in our party showed up… which I understand however there were several open tables (including the one we were going to sit at) open. Both bars were jammed so it was almost impossible to get to the bar for anything. Also I had my purse, coat & a glass… talk about balancing act. Eventually after about 10 mins they did seat us just as our other 2 couples showed up. Annoyed.
Also, we had asked to be sat in the back… which was not conveyed so we were right in the front by the door… bums.
Service was ok. Nothing special there. It was just very vanilla.
The food… oh the food. We did guacamole and three salsas. Overpriced… no shocker there. It was the best part of the meal… the guac & salsas… sad, very sad. Everyone ordered an array of tacos but I got carne asada. The carne asada was so chewy. I honestly was chewing for 20 mins… but I never saw the server after I started eating so of course I was starving and chawed down. Ugh, it was bad… like really bad. I think my husband had four tacos… none impressive. Very meh.
Overall, I didn’t like it. Didn’t think it was worth it. Didn’t like the vibe.

Do you want expensive Mexican street food in a trendy neighborhood? De Cero Taqueria is your answer. We spent $ 40 (before tip) there and this is what we got:
— One teeny tiny Skirt Steak taco (see picture) that wasn’t that good. There was only one tortilla layer and the chipotle mayo sauce overpowered everything. I didn’t like it and was confused why the server claimed that it was the best taco on the menu.
— Chips with two kinds of salsa and guacamole. The two kinds of salsa (supposedly one mild and one spicy) were both spicy and also had hints of fruit that kept us dipping again and again. We would have liked it if the server explained that we had to pay for each of the salsas.
— One Mango con Chile margarita that was yummy. The mango flavor was strong and fresh. It wasn’t spicy at all.
— One beans and rice. The beans were whole and mixed with bacon bits. The rice was white. (See picture).
— One horchata to go (probably about 8 oz). It was creamy, sweet, and had noticeable cinnamon. It hit the spot on our drive home.
I was especially irritated that we paid so much for so little. Most Mexican restaurants will GIVE you chips and salsa. They will also GIVE you rice and beans on the side of any meal. I understand that this is a convenient and casual restaurant in a high-​rent neighborhood. I suppose it would have been less irritating if the server hadn’t OFFERED us chips and salsa and then surprised us by charging us for them.

Speedy Gonzales hat seinen Sombrero einmal zu Hause gelassen und sich etwas schicker gemacht. In Deutschland gänzlich unbekannt: Mexikanische Küche auf hohem Niveau und in schickem, modernen Design, ganz ohne folkloristisches Gerassel.
Wer bisher dachte, Tacos müssen hart sein, wird mit den frisch bereiteten und eben weichen Teighüllen überrascht. Knapp 20 verschiedene Taco-​Varianten bietet die Karte an, zu jeweils ca. $ 4. Zu zweit teilt man sich am sinnvollsten eine gemischte Taco Platte zu $ 29, bei der acht ausgewählt werden können.
Die Annahme, Bohnen auf Mexikanische Art kommen ausschließlich in Dosen daher, erweist sich als Irrtum. Frische Salsas, pikante Vorspeisensalate (in diesem Fall ein Meeresfrüchtesalat mit Jalapeño und Zitrone an prachtvollen Tomaten zu $ 8) und feinste Nachos beweisen, dass mexican cuisine deutlich mehr zu bieten hat, als die fröhliche fast-​food Abspeisung mit Erdbeer Margaritas aus Eimern.
Apropos Getränke: Zu mexikanischen Bieren mag man stehen, wie man will, es gibt jedenfalls vier davon, alternativ 13 offene Weine.
Als Apéritif oder Digestif (oder beides) kommt natürlich nur Tequila in Frage. Auch dabei sollte man sich eiligst lösen von mittelmäßigen Destillaten mit blödem Hutaufsatz. 22 Sorten in allen Aroma– und Qualitätsstufen werden fachkundig erklärt und verkostet. Entweder pur, oder als Margarita.
Das macht Spaß, das macht neugierig, das macht traurig — weil: zurück in Deutschland — beinahe undenkbar.
Also Speedy, bring schnell noch vier Margaritas mit Don Julio 1942 Anejo Tequila und hoch die Tassen, wir trinken auf Pancho Villa — und auf De Cero.

I had the catfish tacos last night which were absolutely amazing. I was also very impressed with the shrimp tacos they had a great flavor. The guacamole and the two salsas I had were awesome. I like the atmosphere of this place.