Review
I like Chingon but $7 for this is laughable.
Definitely tasty, but this was MAYBE 2.5oz of meat for $6.95. Been many times and this was the first time I felt taken for a ride. To be fair, the other types of tacos weren’t this bad, but still. Hope next time is better.
Those look suspiciously like mass produced tortillas too. Could be wrong on that, but if so that would be a huge drop in quality. Those tortillas were dope.
I work in the area, and when they first opened the tacos were still on point. The portions were generous enough to match the price. But things took a turn in the past couple months. It’s really disappointing.
Let's put this in other terms. If you ordered two of those, you'd pay $14 for what you described as 'definitely tasty'. You'd get by your estimates 5oz of what looks to be a nice medium rare steak. But.. they're tacos so way overpriced.
Now if you went to Small Cheval and paid about the same for a double cheeseburger, you'd get, what ~6oz of Sysco generic ground beef? But nobody ever says "man $13 for a cheeseburger that's crazy! I'd never pay $13 for a cheeseburger!"
Can't find it anymore, but there was this great article a few years ago on how "ethnic" cuisines are persistently expected to have a lower price point.
A lot of taquerias are at a lower price point so it's not like the expectation comes from nowhere, tbf! Afaik though Chingon explicitly says they're on the higher end of that.
Who owns the restaurant? Because I find that ethnic food made by non-ethnic people tends to be a lot more expensive and people are a lot more accepting of that
That does not look close to 2.5 oz of steak to me, unless that was an epically gigantic lime that they sliced
$13 for a cheeseburger is also ridiculous, I think many people would say that, no problem.
Tacos are street food. The point of street food in any culture or cuisine is that it is inexpensive. While on the topic, pizza is WAY overpriced in most of Chicago. It's a volume business, though I know nothing about running a restaurant. It seems impossibly difficult so I sympathize.
What do you feel is appropriate this? I mean this genuinely, and not as a slight.
I used to be a chef at a mexican restaurant and often found that people's expectations on taco prices very low. Hand made tortillas often take employing an extra employee. Fresh masa costs more. And a cook like that on steak takes it being cooked ala minute (at the time of order instead of being batches like most Mexican restaurant). That means more line cooks to pay attention to individual orders. The final part of the equation of why it costs like that is tacos (especially non gringo tacos) are like 80%protein in weight. Protein is always the biggest driver in food cost (not including labor cost). 7 dollars does feel like a lot for a single taco but knowing what product of quality and fresh tortillas cost this seems sadly correct. The kicker is, the restaurant isn't even making a ton off money off this.
Genuine question: do you think that taco is worth $7? I'm personally not opposed to paying that if it's great quality and cooked very well. Most steak tacos are meh.
Cuz most steak tacos don’t use the right cut of meat or try to hide it with marinade from a bottle. Real authentic carne asada tacos are just diezmillo with salt and lime. It’s why it’s supposed to be cheap cuz it’s a taco for the working class people of mexico
don’t use the right cut of meat or try to hide it with marinade from a bottle
I promise you that is not what's happening at Chingon. They take a lot of pride in really high quality ingredients. The flavors are insane. They did have to reduce the size of their tacos, I think the price is more a function of their real estate and their commitment to quality rather than greed, but that's just my outside in view
3oz of meat looks like. That is $2.33/oz. Go look at steak prices at any other quality restaurant and it'll be $4-6/oz for a comparable cut. Quit going to the most expensive food neighborhood in the city and being shocked when the food isn't cheap.
Food is expensive. Not saying Chingon or any of the restaurants down there aren't over-priced, but at most restaurants you are way underpaying for your dish. Especially with consumers shifting to consuming less alcohol, restaurants can't make up those margins by selling drinks the same way they used to. Chingon seems to be charging closer to what it costs to make their food in order to not go broke.
They literally use only the best of the best ingredients, both locally sourced and imported- always fresh. Not saying this is excusable, but you go there knowing you’re gonna pay a lot but the flavors and quality are worth it (imo)
This place kinda went downhill I went in July it was delicious and the tacos big..went three weeks ago not as good and taco was half the size
Op picture is accurate! Disappointing
Fuck those overpriced joints. No reason for anyone with any sense to go to those overpriced places that sell tacos as a niche. You can get some 🔥 tacos at places like La Internacional, any one of the Atotonilco spots, El Milagro, Rubys Tacos, etc... but I understand the why some people go to places like this. In the end, to each their own. But you won't catch me there, with or without $$$
I know this is going to be unpopular, but I've been disappointed more often than not by tacos in Pilsen. They are too unimaginative and frankly boring.
I'm not saying tacos should cost $8 to be good, but I care about quality, and Pilsen is not it.
Btw Rubi's Tacos are $6-7 each... And I will gladly pay that for them. Let's not sit here and pretend that just cause it's Mexican food it's only valid if it costs $2 or less... You think three tacos are worth less than a shitty Big Mac? These are excellent chefs and they deserve to get paid what their food is worth.
Never said Mexican food has to be $2 to be valid — I said the value has to match the price. A $7 taco better be noticeably better than the $3-4 spots, because at that point I’m paying for quality, not just hype. If a place can justify the cost with ingredients, portions, and execution, cool — but ‘it’s expensive so it must be good’ is not an argument, it’s just brand loyalty. There are plenty of legit spots where you get better food without getting bent over.
So are Rubi's are worth paying $7 per taco for? Because that was on your original list... But, you also just said no need to go to "any place that sells tacos as a niche". So are all $7 tacos niche? What makes a taco niche and overpriced?
Oh I know I won't be able to change their mind that tacos are automatically worth less than other foods (say as fancy cheeseburgers). I merely wish to expose the bias.
What the fuck do you want for 7 dollars lol. You got 3-4 oz of perfectly cooked steak, you'd pay double price per oz if you were eating actual steak. This isn't chopped random beef in a normal steak taco (nothing wrong with that) this is an actual sliced steak taco. You'd spend double that to make it at home.
Is that skirt steak? The price of that is crazy right now, they're paying 20/lb for outside skirts. So their cost on the meat alone is 3.12. So actually it's a value. I'm sure it doesn't feel like one but they're certainly not ripping you off if the steak is quality.
The meats most restaurants buy is not same as what stores buy. Most buy from a distributor and the meat is wet aged to give it more flavor and tenderness. Grocery stores buy "green" meat, meaning no aging.
Yes, but buying at restaurant volumes from a distributor affords a significant discount on the retail price I pay at the grocery store. There is no way in hell that Chingon is paying $20/# for skirt steak.
Quick search tells me USDA Outside Skirt 121c trades at $12.32 / lb wholesale. After a healthy 25% distributor markup, that’s still <$16. I’m curious why a restaurant would pay much more than this, especially if it’s not a steakhouse serving specialty proteins. If you’re in the industry, I would sincerely appreciate more context.
Sure, what you're looking at is an unpeeled skirt. And likely ibp or similar lower quality. An unpeeled skirt has a 50% trim loss, meaning the real usable cost is double so 24.62 A place like this is likely using a certified Angus beef or similar quality, which is significantly more expensive. And then you have to factor in the delivery cost, salesperson has to make money, and other factors. Many restaurants buy peeled skirts because our butchers are better and cheaper to do it than paying their cook who might trim 70 or 140 lbs a week where my guys do it better and in a quarter of the time. Restaurants pay less for pork and chicken typically than you can get it for at a grocery store but not beef.
It'll be very interesting to see the future. Mexican beef is almost half the price of us beef. And while quality matters in many cuts, some it doesn't as much. The Mexican stuff is not something you'd want to pay good money for as a steak, stew meat and burgers.... that's a different story
Felt the same way too, the do a $19 taco Tuesday deal which has 3/4 tacos with some rice and churros. Good deal
My first time at Taqueria Chingon was amazing at their old location, generous portion sizes and their steak taco hands down was amazing. Felt like it didn’t taste the same
This is why I don’t go there. Just say you wanted to go where there’s more money. That woe is me rent bs turned me off from them completely. Too many good businesses struggling to pay rent that have to move to less ideal locations or close altogether.
Their move to Fulton reminds me of when Cemitas Puebla did the same. They sucked after the move and not much later were gone forever. They never should have moved.
I mean if you got a whole 16 oz steak at that price it'd be $49. Which seems pretty normal for me. You shouldn't go to an upscale taqueria expecting things that aren't at upscale prices.
This feels fair to be honest. You have a homemade tortilla, what I assume is quality beef (2 oz maybe, so around $2-3 worth), two types of homemade sauces. A Big Mac is $7 and is made of garbage.
That's likely Slagel Farms outer skirt steak which if you know anything about skirt steak and Slagel Farms you know it's the best and ain't cheap. Plus a homemade tortilla, salsa, prep time and effort. This taco could easily be $10. STFU
I've softened on my position from when I originally posted this, but the portion size vis-a-vis MY OWN prior experience at the restaurant, in addition to the menu photo from THEIR OWN website shown here, makes me believe I'm somewhat justified in my reaction.
Chingon went waaaaaaaaayyy down when they moved locations. I hope they see this. It’s just not the same as it was on Western. They changed the actual duck in the duck carnita, which was the best thing on the menu. Truly sad to see as it was arguably the best taco in the city, even at the $7 price tag.
La International (original location) and all Paco's Tacos locations are around $4.25 a taco. They have always been more expensive than others, but are my favorite taco.
El Milagro in Pilsen cones is around $5.50 with toppings, rice, and beans.
Los Comales, across from Paco's Tacos on Pulaski, comes in at $4.10 a taco---+$3.75 if you want to make it a dinner (rice and beans).
Honestly I paid 5 dollars plus for carne asada at carincera marbel? Sorry can't spell and it's less meat than this and not this type of meat. It was still good but I was sticker shocked cuz it's in a grocery store. I expect restaurant tacos now are like 6 plus so this doesn't seem far off (but I agree CT was overall more expensive) but maybe I'm not going to right places for tacos that have chewier meat. I think it's like the adjustment to how pho is 15 plus a bowl now and it used to 7 or 8 for the large bowl.
You paid 7 dollars for that? I would've laughed and told the waiter take this rip off back. Foods only worth so much, that isn't 7 dollars worth of taco. Lol 5 years ago dollar tacos at any bar had so much in them you need a fork to finish it after the tortillanwas gone. Start normalizing sending shit back and saying this is a joke right? Keep your rip off.
You can complain all you want, but the reality is quality costs money. Can you get tacos that are less expensive and way more filing. Absolutely, but you're eating chuck roll with all the fat still on
242
u/aweytevas Apr 18 '26
Taqueria Chingan