Dining at Mexican Restaurants in Chicago's Logan Square Neighborhood

The Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago offers a number of things to do, from having picnics on the boulevard to checking out thrift stores to bar hopping at trendy new pubs. But my favorite is experiencing the wonderful Mexican cuisine of the area.

Residents of Logan Square have more than two dozen local Mexican restaurants to choose from, most of which offer affordable and authentic cuisine. These are a few that I enjoy on a regular basis, presented in random order.

El Cid, 2645 N Kedzie
There are two El Cids in Logan Square. The one just across the street from the train station is known for its outdoor patio and upstairs deck. The food is slightly more expensive than some of the other places but still extremely affordable. My $7 burrito was large enough to take half of it home. With a sizable upstairs bar, El Cid is a popular place to enjoy alcoholic drinks.

Zacateca's, 2934 W Diversey
This Mexican restaurant is one of the cheapest in Logan Square but the food is still tasty. I usually end up with some sort of combination plate with beans and rice and it's always satisfying. Zacateca's is a convenient take-out joint popular with those in the area and even has Spanish-language karaoke on Fridays.

San Luis, 2903 W Diversey
Just a block away from Zacateca's, San Luis is quite a bit smaller but still spacious enough for a nice meal. It also has a great atmosphere, with brightly-painted walls and Spanish programming on the television, and neon lights on the windows beckoning passers-by to stop in. The food is affordable and they usually have specials painted on the windows - the last time I visited the special was a 99 cent beef taco.

Fiesta Uno, 2715 N Milwaukee
Fiesta Uno is closer to fast food than most of the other sit-down restaurants on the list. It opened in early 2010 near the Logan Square blue line and has remained a favorite choice when I want fast food Mexican take-out. Though Fiesta Uno's burritos are rather bland due to lackluster rice, they have fantastic sweet potato fries and they're one of the few places around to find churros. If you eat in, take advantage of their salsa bar with five different kinds of salsas.

El Charro, 2410 N Milwaukee
Located next to popular dive bar Two Way, the cozy El Charro's is open 24 hours, making it the best spot for a late-night post-bar-crawl meal. Its convenient location at the corner of Milwaukee and Fullerton helps make it one of the most high-profile Mexican restaurants in Logan Square.

Mexican Restaurants in Chicago's Logan Square: Sources
www.yelp.com