Los Mangos

Went here to have dinner with my family, we were starving and very much looking forward to eating here as we love it.
Got there and it was closed. WOMP WOMP.
Called their number and it was no longer in service.
Real bummer.

Their food style reminds me of traditional Mexican food cooked at home. Nothing fancy, just straight up regular home cooked just fine with me because prices r cheap. They deliver which is a plus for me becuz we order at work all day time. You can’t go wrong with anything on that menu that is Mexican food of course but they do make a good burger and fries. Do not try there french toast.

I was spending the day with some friends at their house when we all started to feel hungry. Should we order pizza? No. How about heading out for burgers? No. Okay, let’s walk over to Los Mangos. Los Mangos? Brilliant!
The food at Los Mangos is cheap, filling, and pretty much amazing. The food is fresh and homemade and tasty. Basically, everything on the menu is delicious. Really. Everything! And that is saying something, because their menu is surprisingly lengthy for such a tiny establishment. That being said, I think my favorite thing on the menu would be deemed boring by most, but the tacos are outstanding. I especially love the chorizo taco. Oh, and you have to try the nieve de mango. It is the perfect end to a delicious meal.

I had to stay at the Carlton Inn at Midway, and Los Mangos was right down the street. My friend wanted to check this place out and I was skeptical because, that’s just how I am. The food was authentic the service good and the Dancing with the Stars in espanol on tv, was amazing. Get the tacos al pastor and an agua de jamaica.

WOW awesome food!
The free chips are good and so is the salsa.
I always get their steak torta, it is very good, it fills me up very quickly (I’m the type of person who would eat more than several portions before I was satisfied). Their beans are not too salty like other restaurants.
There is nothing to complain about… besides one time when I ordered another torta for my friend and the waitress forgotten completely. We waited for an hour before asking because it wasn’t very busy, and by that time we had to go. Was rather disappointed.
Other than that, it is a 5 star place to get very inexpensive excellent Mexican food.

Don’t get me wrong — I think the food in this place is amazing. The ambience is a little dingy but tolerable and clean. Charging us $ 4 extra for a pollo/​asada (No Cecina by request) malcajeteda (the price is supposed to be 14.99 for the asada/​pollo/​cecina mix, but they charged us the price for a Mixta, which includes seafood, for taking out the Cecina) left a bad taste in our palate.

I have ordered delivery twice and the food was hot, fresh, and delicious! I tried the pastor juarache, steak, pastor, and chicken tacos, all of which were very good. Guacamole is pretty standard. I’ll continue ordering whenever I’m in the mood for good mexican food while at work on the South Side.

I have to say I am pretty surprised that anyone found this place worthy of more than three stars. The food is okay, not terrible but certainly not worth returning for.
I stopped in to Los Mangos out of curiosity since I was driving through the area and I had grown up not too far away from here and wanted to see how the neighborhood has changed. This location is small. I don’t believe it was ever meant to house a restaurant since its longest tenant was a comic book store we used to ride our bikes to as kids. As a result the seating area is a little cramped due to the narrowness of the shop and the kitchen seems really make-​shift.
I tried a variety of things since I wanted to sample the menu. I first had a steak (carne asada) gordita. It was alright. If I found any fault with it then it had to be how much more disproportional the ingredients were. They really skimped on the steak and loaded it up with beans. So be it.
Second up I had a couple al pastor tacos since they were small. It was a lot greasier than I would have liked which to me says that the quality of pork they used was not the best cuts. I was disappointed the most with this out of the things I tried.
My buddy i was with had a couple quesadillas. One with just cheese and the other with chicken. He wasn’t impressed with the chicken filled one and claimed it was a bit rubbery but he did enjoy the plain cheese one.
The prices are decent but check your bill when it comes. We were surprised to see that the items we ordered that were on special were priced back to the normal menu rates. It turns out the specials are only during certain hours of the day which is a fact that is neither printed in the menu or sign-​age they have hung around the restaurant.
Overall I don’t find this place to be special at all. If I was in the area again and wanted Mexican I would hit La Haciendita on 47^th or Atotonilco on Kedzie. They are both far superior in cuisine to Mangos.

I found this spot by accident, I’m so glad I did. from the hundreds of Mexican spots to eat this is the one I now go to. great prices with the daily specials. I now also have 3 people hooked on eating at this place.
Jam Limo

Stumbled by this place on accident… was stopping at the liquor store next door and decided to stop in cause the smell was intoxicating. I love grilled meat :)
No one spoke English which was a downer, but I was able to communicate what I wanted on the menu which was their house special and namesake. beef a la mango I think or something like that. Grilled steak with grilled veggies in a mango spicy sauce with rice and beans. Got home and opened the package and WOW. it was SO delicious. I wish they had better parking and knew a little English. I would go more if they did. I need to brush up on my Spanish before I go next time.

Good carryout and they deliver. Their burritos are not as big as Solazo’s or Zacatacos’s, but sometimes that’s OK with me.

This is a very nice standard fare Mexican Restaurant. It is clean and colorful. The food is very good and well plated. The waitstaff was friendly and efficient. If I lived in the area I would return. It is too long of a drive for us to be regulars.

Southwest Chicago is chock full of wonderful taquerias, and this is no exception. It doesn’t quite meet up with my taqueria gold standard, which is La Chapparrita on 60^th and Kezie, but it came pretty damn close.
They spent a little bit more time than most taquerias dressing up the place, and it looks cute and unique. The paintings on the wall are actually for sale, all done by an artist in Mexico.
The food was completely fantastic. I ate a grilled garlic fish dish with a bright, fresh salad, and it was flavorful and delicious. My huarache was a little on the crispy side, but also flavorful. They listened to me when I asked them to put a ton of cilantro on it. The sauces on the table were spicy and well balanced.
The kids of the owners were hanging out nearby snacking and doing their homework, which contributed to the sweet family atmosphere.

The food here is great! I was inclined to come because the handmade freshly made tortillas are hard to come by, and this place is definately worth it.
The mixed parilladas (chicken, beef & shrimp) are yummy, or heck everything looks so delicious as well.
Customer service is great, its refreshing to see that after about a year the owner still comes out to see if the customer is completely satisfied! Atmosphere is fun/​relaxing… and to those who check like I do– the kitchen is VERY CLEAN! … OH and i asked the owner (and you can tell in the great taste of the food) to find out that the food is prepared freshly everyday, sure you’ll wait 10 minutes for your food but you get great tasting nachos with two salsas while you wait– its worth waiting for FRESHLY made food and tortillas!

Oh! I hate to be the first person to say anything negative… but I must share my truth. And I am being generous with three stars — my husband thinks it should be two.
I do agree that the food is very good. Based on other reviewers’ suggestions we tried the chorizo tacos, the steak burrito and the mango sorbet with chile. All were good. They didn’t wow me though as they did the other reviewers… but perhaps I was tainted by the time I got my food.
The problem? The problems are interwoven. First, the waitress gave us ketchup with our chips. Maybe she thought it was red sauce? So we asked for red sauce and she had trouble understanding. That was the second problem, we speak little Spanish and she spoke even less English. Instead of bringing us a bottle of red sauce, she brought us a dish of salsa. Problem solved right? Not exactly… as my husband was eating the salsa he discovered broken off chips in it. Used salsa. Used salsa??? And the language barrier was so significant that we gave up and didn’t try to resolve it with the waitress. So we were probably wary by the time the food came. It was a small transgression, yet a significant one.
We might go back and try them again. We’ll just make sure that we get red sauce in the bottle.
Also, I must say, the Mona Lisa picture freaked me out a bit.
If you do decide to try it, according to a sign inside, there is free parking at Archer Bank across the street.

Best-​kept secret for Mexican food in Chicago and it’s not expensive either. Their chorizo tacos are the best. Steak tacos are good. Mushroom quesadilla is great. Steak burrito is great. Their patented dessert is nieves de mango con chile (mango sorbet? with chile).
The eating area is enjoyable as well. Intriguing paintings line the walls, many of which are double meaning paintings (looks like Mona Lisa but has pictures of flying angels in her face, that sort of thing). Often Spanish TV is playing; it’s a fun place.

This place is completely rad. So rad, in fact, that I am STILL thinking about the food that we ate here over a week ago, even tho in the last week I have:
1) Visited Mexico and eaten really delicious street food;
2) Witnessed the inauguration of the first African-​American President in D.C.;
3) Have been out of my mind partying for five straight nights.
YES! IT“S LIKE THAT. The food is absolutely divine; made w/​love, served w/​love, and eaten w/​love. Places like this are what Unilocal is supposed to be all about — VAMOS! You can literally order ANYTHING off the menu, and you will be STUNNED by how much you really don’t know about regional Mexican food. I, apparently, am a real smuck. And Azulina is right — you GOTS to get the Mango sorbet w/​chile — that is some straight vaya-​con-​dios shit right there.

One of my best experiences in small (hence the name, Express) restaurant that serves Mexican cuisine.
Don’t let the location fool you.
Drive down Archer you might pass right by Los Mangos and never give it a first — let alone a second — thought.
El mistake.
Wow.
I could almost start anywhere on the menu.
Let’s go «Memento» on this peep.
* I ate snow. Well, nieve. With mangos, of course & spices, both peppery and delicious. I can only try to describe the flavors that burst from that little styrofoam cup. And it was gratis to my surprise.
I step away from the table for just a minute and wonderful awaits me.
* Los Mangos is BYOB. But if you want to bring a B, you might want to get that before you head to Archer because the nearby package store has a small selection.
* The tamarindo drink might be better than the horchata. You need that when it’s really cold because there is this ridiculous thirst that occurs when you try to breathe frozen air. Thanks, insane wind chill.
* What the heck is a picadita & why have I only discovered it today? Damn you, Taco Bell, for failing to introduce me to a wider array of «South of Border» cuisine.
* Meat is delicious yet mushrooms in a quesadillas are more delicious.
*What’s up with the salon/​pamper/​sex toys shop next door? Is it BYOV?
* When you see a bowl full of mangoes on the counter, maybe then it might click why this restaurant is called Los Mangos. Or not.
*This is the best authentic Mexican food I’ve had for under $ 7 an item I’ve ever seen. I’d recommend to start with the taco dinner (3 tacos) for $ 6.50. The best deal you’ll ever find.

Anyone who goes to Los Mangos strictly for tacos/​take-​out (even quesadillas) is doing themselves a disservice. The best way to enjoy the food at Los Mangos is to sit down at a table, go through the menu, get the kind of dish that doesn’t travel well, and savor every bite.
We braved the coldest night of the year to have dinner at Los Mangos, and at the end of the night, everyone agreed it was worth it. We shared quesadillas (carne asada and mushroom), an enormous huarache al pastor, picaditas de pollo con salsa roja, tostadas (carne asada, al pastor, and pollo), chorizo tacos, and two baskets of chips presented with a choice of three salsas. Los Mangos is BYOBeer (up to one six-​pack), but we opted for the horchata and tamarindo agua fresca.
The smells that came out of the kitchen were promising, but once the plates started coming to the table, we were dazzled by the beautiful food and generous portions. Every single dish we tried was delicious, and perfectly prepared. We were certain that we didn’t have room for dessert, but when we were asked if we would like mango nieve (sorbet) with chile, we couldn’t resist. We were again very pleasantly surprised when we were served two scoops of soft, sweet ice studded with chunks of fresh mango and flecked with ground red chile. It was the perfect light dessert after such an indulgent dinner, and even though logic told us it was far too cold to eat ice, the chile added nuance to the sweetness and was surprisingly warming.
The woman who waited on us was friendly, helpful with recommendations, and returned to the table to ask us if we wanted more drinks and to clear the plates we finished and replace them with clean ones and flatware. Before we left, the owner came out of the back to ask us how we liked everything and encouraged us to come back and try more items from the menu. He was cordial, welcoming, and gave us suggestions to try next time.
This is wonderful, lovingly-​prepared homestyle Mexican food for shockingly cheap prices.
Update:
Tonight, I picked up some squash blossom quesadillas. They aren’t listed on the menu, so ask for them. I also tried the salsa de cacahuate (peanut sauce), a traditional specialty from the state of Guerrero. It’s delicious, and I think it would taste good on just about anything. As with everything at Los Mangos, you can taste the love that goes into it.

This might look like a regular taqueria, but this is not a regular taqueria.
Because a regular taqueria wouldn’t have roasted squash seeds, tortillas and chile spiked mango sorbet — all made in-​house — HOMEMADE — with the kind of love you can taste. This was some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had.
«Los platillos se sirven con tortillas hechas a mano» — you see that on the menu, you have struck foodie gold.
So this is a very, very special taqueria. I mean, I’m no Rick Bayless, but if half of the damn menu stumps me, like has a ton of things I’ve never, ever even heard of before? That’s exciting and kind of rare
The standard Mexican food items here were anything but and the new things are going to become some of my new standards. Some of my samplings:
Picaditas Guerrerenses — similar to sopes, but thinner and more delicate. Topped with a chicken stewy mixture that I’m pretty sure had some kind of squash in it and served with the roasted squash seeds. The squash seeds were probably one of my favorite things and I also ordered an extra bowl on the side — and raved with every bite of every single one.
Huaraches with al pastor pork — kind of large (like the shoe) and almost like an oval Mexican pizza. So good. You guys just don’t even know.
Quesadillas — totally different than any I’ve had before. Made with their thick and chewy fresh corn masa tortillas and kind of long and thin. With mushroom as a filing option? Incredibly delicious.
Tacos — their taco tortillas are very thin, soft and chewy. The chorizo was perfect — crumbly, fine and perfectly spiced and not too greasy. I’ve been thinking about it all day.
Tostadas — if these are tostadas, then maybe I’ve never had tostadas before. Perfectly fried with meat that had grilled onions and generously topped with soft creamy cheese and crema. Oh my. Wow.
Nieve de mango — kind of like a cross between a sorbet and shaved ice. They ask you if you want it with or without chile — you want the chile.
I’d say get anything on the menu, because it will probably be amazing.
Next up for me — the molcajeteadas! I’d never heard of this before, but one of the owners recommended it to me, and who the hell am I to turn that down? Next time Los Mangos, next time (btw, yes, I do lika the Mango and the Mango is good…)
Basically this food is so good, so high in quality, that the prices are almost obscenely low. Four hungry ass, foodie mofos ate like kings and queens in here for about $ 50 — all together. In-​sane. And it is cute as hell in here — orange walls, Diego Rivera-​esque art, mangos all over the place — perfect date spot. And BYOB. And they not only have Mexican Coke in the glass bottles, but Pepsi, too.
Basically if you are wanting to eat at something like Topolobampo, Frontera Grill or Mundial Cocina Mestiza — high quality and amazingly unique and delicious Mexican food — but your wallet does not approve of any of that, come here instead and you will be very, very happy. Tip well.