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312 Eats
Ukrainian Village · Mexican · $$

Aztec Dave's Cantina

4.6506 reviews ·Opentil 11 tonight
Great location, decent service, and delicious horchata
Derreck MDerreck M · 341 Google reviews
Read the reviews on Google →

Aztec Dave's Cantina — one of Ukrainian Village's strongest mexican spots. The cocktail list is worth exploring, and owner-operated. "The barbacoa tacos were on another level—smoky, tender, and packed with flavor" — Esther Viramontes [$$]

What 506 diners keep saying

Family runFamily friendlyGreat cocktailsQuick bite
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1143 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Ukrainian Village
Today11AM-11PM
Sun11AM-11PM
MonClosed
Tue–Thu11AM-11PM
Fri–Sat11AM-1AM
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What 506 diners keep saying

verbatim, from Google
Review photo by RG
May 2026

Found this gem thanks to ChatGPT, searching for the best nachos, as my husband is gluten free. Yes, they were the best nachos. Dave was amazing. Didn’t realize he was the owner as he was so fun and humble. We went last night and I want to go back this evening. Food is delicious and great selection of good tequila.

RG

RG

11 reviews on Google

Review photo by Evan Moushon
May 2026

The food and service was great, and the $12 deals actually had pretty generous portion sizes.

Evan Moushon

Evan Moushon

22 reviews on Google

Review photo by David Botros
May 2026

This place completely surprised me! It has the comfort of a casual pub but serves food that is absolutely top-tier. The steak was incredibly flavorful, and the cocktails were just as impressive. Beyond the food, the vibe here is great. The bartenders are super attentive and helpful, making the whole night feel welcoming. There's a wonderful, upbeat atmosphere where everyone is just having a blast. I'll definitely be back soon!

David Botros

David Botros

515 reviews on Google

Review photo by Diego Castillo
Feb 2026

It’s a great neighborhood bar, the food is very good and service is good. Takes a little bit longer for waiter to come back around but everyone working there was very friendly and nice.

Diego Castillo

Diego Castillo

16 reviews on Google

Review photo by Valerie Schoppen
Dec 2025

I did not dine in but got guacamole and tacos delivered to eat at home. I will for sure make the effort to come and dine in, those tacos were dynamite. The guacamole (while a bit pricy at $15) was delicious and I ate all of it. Yum yum yum!

Valerie Schoppen

Valerie Schoppen

6 reviews on Google

Review photo by Melida Gomez
Dec 2025

The best atmosphere.

Melida Gomez

Melida Gomez

39 reviews on Google

Review photo by Angel Bustos
Jul 2025

Get ready to be transported the moment you step into this vibrant Mexican cantina. You're immediately greeted by stunning Aztec art, and including one of my personal favorites, El Gallo Negro! (If you know, you know!) The host makes you feel right at home, and the servers are not only fast but also incredibly knowledgeable. The drinks are absolutely on point. I especially loved my Paloma, which came with chile sprinkles perfectly placed on the side – a brilliant touch that prevents the usual messy rim! Why don't more places do this? Now, let's talk about the food. Every plate I saw looked delicious, making it so hard to choose! I ended up going with the three-taco dinner: Shrimp Guajillo, Beer-Battered Shrimp, and Birria with a side of consommé (a definite must-have!). All three were fantastic. The pineapple salsa was a great complement to the shrimp tacos, and when I asked for more heat, they brought out another chile that perfectly enhanced the birria and consommé. My dining companions also raved about their tacos, especially the Birria Queso, which was perfectly crunchy and loaded with cheese, just as it should be. I've been going to West Fest for five years, and this cantina is officially going on my must-visit list for after the festival. What a great experience and even better food!

Angel Bustos

Angel Bustos

27 reviews on Google

Review photo by Destani molina
Jul 2025

I always have a such great time here! Laura and Victor are the best! I recommend the strawberry mango margarita!!! A hit!!!

Destani molina

Destani molina

2 reviews on Google

Review photo by Susana Nunez-Papish
Jul 2025

Great service Love the vibe

Susana Nunez-Papish

Susana Nunez-Papish

1 reviews on Google

Review photo by Curtis Maafoh
May 2026

Probably some of the best Quesabirria I’ve had in Chicago. It was constructed differently than others I’ve had I will say, so it was very messy to eat but it sure did taste great. Margaritas were also good. Unfortunately our table was pretty dirty and basically has to clean it ourselves before feeling comfortable to eat there.

Curtis Maafoh

Curtis Maafoh

96 reviews on Google

Review photo by Alexandra Pineda
May 2026

So I decided to order a tortas but it tasted strongly of burnt meat and burnt bread. I was very disappointed and was not able to enjoy it.

Alexandra Pineda

Alexandra Pineda

42 reviews on Google

Jul 2026

Gem in Humboldt Park. You never think Mexican in this area and they definitely came with charm, great customer service, amazing food and it’s not just basic cooking. They take quality time and measurements with real ingredients. Loved and will return and recommend!

Lauravic Eng

Lauravic Eng

12 reviews on Google

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