Restaurant Review: Taquizo

Wicker Park is home to a new, chef-driven taqueria called Taquizo, located at 1835 West North Avenue, the former location of Las Palmas. Featuring a menu of delicious, fresh ingredients created by chef Yanitzin Sanchez and Richard Vallejo, the recently opened Taquizo provides a plethora of delectable dishes sure to appease any and all taste buds.

Taquizo has your tacos needs covered with a strong selection of favorites and some new ideas that showcase a forward-thinking approach to the menu. The carne asada tacos, which are always my go-to for deciding if a taco joint is doing things right, are downright incredible. Featuring marinated grilled steak, refried black beans, salsa verde, cilantro-Spanish onion jardin, and a hand made tortilla, this bundle of joy is well worth the $4.50 asking price. The difficulty lies in deciding how many to get while not ignoring the other worthwhile tacos on the menu.

I was not expecting the explosion of flavor provided by the suadero taco offered at Taquizo. It was my first time having suadero, a cut of meat hanging from the breastbone on a cow and not as popular in the States as more typical fare, and I quickly realized that this taco would give my beloved carne asada a run for its money. Suadero tacos at Taquizo are $3.95, and as with all tacos on the menu, you can add guac, sour cream, avocado, and Chihuahua cheese for an additional price. 

Another highlight at Taquizo is their quesotacos, a taco rolled in melted cheese, which made me seriously consider moving closer to this Wicker Park location. The cochinita pibil quesotaco featuring Yucatan style marinated pork, achiote adobo, habanero-pickled onion, rolled in crispy melted cheese on a hand made tortilla is mouth-watering perfection bursting with an array of zesty flavors. Likewise, the barbacoa quesotaco with low cooked pulled brisket, chile adobo, and cilantro-Spanish onion jardin, all rolled in crispy melted cheese on a tortilla, puts other tacos to shame. Each of these quesotacos starts at $5.25.

Taquizo also serves up eye-popping burritos with your choice of carne asada, grilled chicken, and spit-roasted adobado marinated pork stuffed with all the mandatory fixings. The price for these burritos ranges from $12 to $14.

Taquizo offers carne asada, pollo (Middle Eastern grilled chicken), and a black bean bowl that will make you forget all about your local Chipotle for those who prefer bowls. Prices range from $11 to $14.

You can also purchase their meal kits featuring 16 oz. of either barbacoa ($35), carne asada ($45), cochinita pibil ($35), or al pastor ($35). Each meal kit comes with house-made corn tortillas, onion, cilantro, and limes packaged separately and makes ten tacos. 

Taquizo is currently takeout and delivery only until the city’s ban on indoor dining is lifted. Once it can open its doors to patrons, Taquizo will feature two menus- one for the classics like tacos and burritos, and one for featuring more artistic creations by chef Yanitzin Sanchez.

Taquizo is open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 pm, and Sunday from noon to 7 pm.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO