Cafe El Tapatio
Cafe El Tapatio — honest mexican in Lakeview. Order the Salsa. You can taste the generations behind this. "The place is super cute, food is delicious and the bartender, Edgar makes the best mojitos and Paloma’s" — Adriana varela [patio]
What 1,417 diners keep saying
What 1,417 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“GREAT FOOD Thecl Tortas!!!! so good! the Torts Pollerla is amazing”
“This Mexican restaurant is good, although not the best in the area. The service is excellent, and the waitresses are very friendly and greet customers upon arrival.”
“52 years wow! I can’t beleive I’ve waited this long to visit this gem. The food was insane, the cocktails and margs were terrific. Loved the queso fundido and the shrimp Juanita. Get the Kole Enchiladas. Go to their churro factory next door. The vibes are fire!!!”
“I came here because I saw it on tik tok and it did not disappoint. Food was delicious. Drinks were tasty and strong. Service was fast and friendly.”
“Staff was extremely friendly. Food was delicious. Drinks were also delicious! Parking is pretty easy on Ashland or one of the side streets. Can’t wait to go back. Came back three years later and service was absolutely amazing!!! We sat on the outside covered patio that was decorated for Christmas! So cute!”
“Muy Rico todo 100%. Y la atencion muy amables y la musica perfect”
“Wonderful staff, delicious food and a beautiful patio! What a combination!”
“This restaurant is very small on the inside but they do offer outdoor seating that's heated. I highly recommend making reservations if you plan to go. It is very cute on inside but very tight. Our service was great but no complaints about that at all. Everyone assisted everyone we received extra salsa and tortilla chips when needed water was filled on time no issues with service. The guacamole is made fresh I would like it if they put some jalapenos in it but it was good overall. Their salsa is delicious. My daughter did the taco platter where you can pick three tacos. She ordered the bello taco, abrazo de camarôn, and jarocho taco. According to her she was not a fan of any of the tacos she gives it a 2/5 stars. Now my friend and I both got the combination fajitas I got the shrimp and steak medium well and she got the chicken and steak. We both agreed that the steak was tender had flavor but we just don't think it was a good grade of steak because it had a certain aftertaste to it. Both the chicken and shrimp tasted good we just wish that they gave us more of both even the steak it just looks like a lot on the picture because there were a lot of onions and green peppers on the plate. I may have received about 4 shrimps with the combination.”
“First time visiting and our group had a positive experience overall. The atmosphere was very festive. The margaritas, chips, and Guacamole were good. The salsa was hot, but good. Make sure you check the bill. Service was a little hit or miss, but food was tasty - we had tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and enchiladas. We had a party of 5 and 20% gratitude was automatically added. I tipped 20% on top of that because I didn’t pay attention. My fault, but good reminder to double-check.”
“You can’t go wrong with Cafe El Tapatio! The drinks and the food are great and you’ll never walk away disappointed. One thing I will note about this restaurant is that seating is limited and is not best for large groups. If you’re dining as one person, there’s usually space at the bar.”
“Drinks and food were great after they got our orders correct. They gave my boyfriend the wrong burrito and gave me chicken when I ordered veggie. They corrected my order but still gave my boyfriend the wrong burrito. Although tasty, simple service accuracy would make this place go to a 5 star restaurant.”
Sounds like your kind of place?
Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.
One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.
More Mexican in Lakeview & North Center
See the ranking →
In the same lane · Mexican
If it's packed, walk to…
More good rooms in Lakeview, minutes away.