El Cid 2

Excellent food and service. Its such a cute restaurant. I love the atmosphere. Def recommend!

Raul (Ray Ray) is a delight. He makes my world exist. If he weren’t working here, this review would be three stars. His service and attitude were excellent. Also the black shorts and black tee are a great uniform.

So– I don’t know why dogs are only allowed on the front patio and not the back. There’s nothing being prepared in the back patio– I think it’s just because they wanted to fill up the front and not have to send servers to the back today. But, ok. I’d like to see why that’s a law– which is what I was told. You also don’t have to pass through the restaurant to get there– you never go inside in order to get to the back patio. Whatever.
Anyways, we waited– once moved to the front– about 10 minutes for a server. Then we ordered our drinks, guac, and extra salsa (the green tastes fishy to me, and the pico/​salsa comes in a container that is about 1 – 2 oz– and I can go through that with about 3 chips). That salsa– the extra– came about a half hour later. We spent nearly 2.5 hours there. When we got there, there were 3 servers on duty as far as we can see, and others who were doing who knows what. There was one table occupied inside. Leaving at about 645pm, there were maybe 3 more tables outside with patrons. My friend had to go inside twice to ask for service– we were really hungry. We were never offered water (in 2.5 hours). The second person that came out– after my friend had to go inside to get someone to serve us after at least 20 minutes of waiting) came out and was– sweet, but also said «you’re not my table and I don’t know where your server is but I’ll get someone out here.» Ok– how about you find out who that is, out of the three of you, and send her out. I literally never saw the first server we had again. The second server we had (who, again, our table wasn’t «Hers») ended up serving us. She was nice but… this food– come on. It’s quesadillas and tacos. You’ve already made that chicken, beef, shredded the cheese and cooked the beans. By no means should it take over a half hour for 3 tacos and a quesadilla. It shouldn’t take you 10 minutes to get us another thing of chips and salsa (there were probably 15 – 20 chips in a basket– and again that salsa… hello, less than 2oz? seriously?).
Did I mentioned the green salsa tastes fishy? And the guac is a quantity over quality situation. It’s watery as all hell, and completely tasteless. It was like– an old onion, some kind of sad avocados with no flavor, and an old tomato– no garlic or lime– no spices. Bland as hell. This would be AMAZING if it was 2am and I was drunk and didn’t care. But that wasn’t the situation today as I am no longer 24 years old, FFS. If you have more servers than tables, please don’t take 10+ minutes to serve us drinks, chips, or salsa– and if I ask you for extra salsa before you bring anything to our table– please bring it with the chips and salsa and not 15 minutes later when I have to ask you for the second time for extra salsa. JFC. It was my second time there– and good laws. Those signs in the back– you know– sassy service signs (if you want high quality, go somewhere else, or whatever the hell it says) — should have been indicator that the owners or mgmt doesn’t care.
Never again! Also, those margaritas… it’s basically the same taste and feel (literally, mouth feel is gross) as those hysterical, horrible margs at the boozy Taco Bell that I had once– because, well you just have to try it for laughs. So basically this is a Taco Bell. With slow as hell service.

Thought I would update this since it has been several years since I first came here.
2 stars for the atmosphere — they have a great back patio area in addition to their cozy upstairs. The service is also pretty good, and delivery is fairly quick.
The food, on the other hand, it probably my least favorite Mexican food in the area. I have eaten here probably 8 — 10 times (my sister loves the place) and EVERY time, no matter what I get, I feel sick. Their rice and beans are completely mush and the flavor is wonky. I’ve tried quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas — nasty.

We went to El Cid because of its listing in a «Best Patios» restaurant list. We went for lunch and were disappointed to learn that the back patio is only open in the evenings. That was only the first of three disappointments. The second was the Strawberry Margarita. They were completely devoid of tequila. I am quite certain you could drink 8 or 10 and easily drive home. The final disappointment was the food. My wife had a fish taco that featured fish that tasted as if it had been left on the counter for a few days. I had a beef burrito that had far more rice and lettuce than beef. We won’t be back.

The fundito dip with cherizo is so amazing and their tortillas taste very fresh and authentic. My boyfriend had three tacos and is still raving about the carnitas and al pastor. Their salsa is a pretty spicy but also very fresh. The margaritas are also some of the most affordable in the area at just $ 22 for a lime pitcher! The waitress was very friendly and warm to us. We sat outside on their awesome back patio and half way through dinner decided we were way too cold and she moved us inside with a smile. We’ll definitely be going back!

I had three different tacos for a quick dinner. The table salsa and all of the tacos had a strange sweet & vinegar flavor that reminded me of cocktail gherkins.

Let me start with the only bad thing, and that was our unattentive waiter. We saw him when he took our order, brought our food, and brought our bill. No checking in and never saw him checking his other tables.
Now on to the great…
The location is perfect and it is impossible to miss. It is RIGHT across from the Logan Square CTA and a couple doors down from Longman & Eagle.
The food here was great and the prices are unbeatable. The quality of the food and the quanity are great. Fresh ingredients and the food was served hot and promptly. They also serve you free chips and salsa when you sit down, which is a nice little touch.
The atmosphere is great too. Fun and light atmosphere with a nice upstairs dining and bar area. I just moved to Logan Square, but have heard they have a great summer patio area.
Will definitely come back again soon, for this nice, good, and affordable Mexican gem in Logan Square.

This was a great experience! And I will definitely be back! We chose El Cid because our one friend in group had already dined here. The food was fantastic and very reasonably priced! You can sit down stairs or they also offer upstairs seating. We sat upstairs where we received great service. Jana, the manager was excellent! She treats this establishment as if it was her own! As a business owner myself –I really appreciated that. All of us had different entrees and shared a fee pitchers of Margaritas. ALL DELICIOUS. You can also rent out upstairs space for private parties… which I am considering for upcoming wedding shower. They also have a Cuban Restaurant which I can’t wait to try! Thanks El Cid for the great food & service! I will definitely be back!

Damn good chicken burrito with Red Sauce. The server was super chill and a nice guy. I would’ve liked my margarita stronger, but that’s just me lol. I’ll definitely go back.

I can’t speak for how good (or bad) the first «El Cid» location is – or where it’s even located, for that matter — but this Kedzie spot hits the spot pretty often for me when I want quick, affordable and predictable Mexican food.
The menu has all the typical favorites you’ll find in a Mexican restaurant, but they have some more adventuresome dishes for those willing to branch out. I can’t say I’ve done that, because I never get past wanting a tostada or burrito.
The service here is always excellent. Staff is attentive and friendly. And the food arrives very quick, even when they’re busy. That alone is worth five stars. I was going to give them four stars, but expediency is worth an upgrade in the rating.
What’s also worth noting about El Cid is that they’re very consistent. Living in Logan Square a few years back, I never felt their menu took a turn off the deep end or even had a bad meal. That’s worth something, too.
El Cid probably isn’t worth trekking across the city for in the depths of winter, but if you’re in the neighborhood and want Mexican food, you can’t go wrong stepping through their doors.

Cheap drinks & mexican food at this local spot!
2 story restaurant with a bar upstairs
—complimentary salsa & chips: nothing special but I like the spicy green chili
—large tamarindo margarita: only $ 9.75 and you can get it blended or on the rocks. A bit syrupy but if you like mexican candies this is the drink for you
If I lived in the area I would come back for their cheap tacos and quesadillas!

My favorite bar in the area!
When you walk in, it looks like a dive type place that leaves little to be desired. However, once you walk in the back patio area, it is amazing! It is a very festive vibe, while almost giving you the illusion that you are in the suburbs. It gives you that private, relaxing «vacation» type vibe with all the fun décor.
One thing that I love too, is the fact that you get a bowl of chips and salsa with any order (including drinks)

The fish and shrimp used in the tacos smelt, felt, and tasted previously frozen but El Cid had unusually tender corn tacos and a strong margarita. Chips were warm and fresh, as were the pico de gallo and green salsa. The pico here was significantly sweeter than I’m used to — unclear if they use a different strain of tomatoes or add sugar. I would say my friend’s skirt steak taco was 50% meat (excellent) and the meat I tasted was moist but possibly under-​seasoned. This was a mediocre eating experience but I actually had a decent time there — good vibes, I guess?

El Cid is a great neighborhood Mexican restaurant that is more tailored to the hipster ambiance of Logan Square than some of the more authentic and family style Mexican restaurants in the area. A large interior and a huge back patio allow for plenty of seating and a fun and lively atmosphere. There’s even some sort of roof deck that was empty the day we were there but I imagine can be quite fun. Oddly, they were playing 90s grunge music when we were there, which took away from the Mexican theme a bit, but I enjoyed it more than the typical Mexican restaurant soundtrack.
They were very accommodating to seat us outside and make room for our newborn and his stroller. And the servers were very friendly and kept congratulating us on our baby. That’s always nice to hear.
The menu is complete with all the usual items and some fun specials. We weren’t super hungry so we opted for a few tacos and a few quesadillas. The quesadilla options are pretty cool in that you can order mini quesadillas (the size of a taco) and switch up fillings instead of having to order a full order.
My husband had the al pastor, skirt steak, and carnitas tacos. I had the al pastor, chicken, and skirt steak quesadillas. All were great. The al pastor was probably the favorite.
Their chips and salsa add a fun flair since the salsa has a bit of mole in it to give it a really unique (and addicting) flavor. They will gladly keep refilling you on chips and salsa, but I wish they served their salsa in a bigger bowl because we were going through it like crazy. I can see El Cid being a fun happy hour atmosphere or a great weekend afternoon party for day drinking on a nice day. We went randomly at 4pm on a Tuesday so it was fairly empty and serene.
This is a great spot in the neighborhood for a quick bite and a beer or a full dinner and we will gladly be back again.

And my friends keep wondering why I like Logan Square so much. It’s not just because I live there, but the restaurants mean I don’t have to go to Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, and Near North.
Chips and salsa. Margarita. Vegetarian chimichangas. Tamale. Margarita. Salmon with arroz and frijoles. Flan. Food comatose.
Although the chips and salsa were complimentary, the tomatillo salsa and the pica de gallo surprised me. The tomatillo salsa had a nice bite to it and I think the pica de gallo had a bit of mole in it. If you’ve had a mole sauce on meat at Latin America restaurants, you’ve probably wanted a smoke afterwards.
Love the vegetarian chimichangas, stuffed with rice, tomatoes, onions, and cheese. The fresh guacamole that came with it was a highlight. The tamale was fantastic. The red salsa that came with it had to have been made with habanero sauce. It was hot.
The plate of salmon with arroz and frijoles was a true winner. Glad I ordered this instead of the usual enchiladas or tacos. And then there was the coconut flan, smooth as butter, and tasty as bliss. Had me speaking Spanish, and I don’t mean butchering the language.
Oh, I mentioned margarita three times above. Yep, I had three of them.

Wowzers! Excellent Food! Excellent Atmosphere! Excellent Drinks! Excellent Service!
This is how Mexican food should always taste… delicious. I discovered this place, because I came in from a flight from Orlando, and I was staying in the lovely Logan Square Area. I was pondering around 10:30 p.m. in the evening on a Thursday, what is open at this time, and to my luck this place was open to 12! Perfecto!
I ordered Horchata for my drink, Guacamole for my appetizer, Carne Asada (Steak Taco and Chicken Tostada for Dinner. Chips and Salsa are included with every meal. The Chips and Salsa were fresh and tasty. Everything I ordered from beginning to end was to die for. I even sampled my brother’s quesadilla, and that dish alone made my eyes literally roll in the back of my head. All I know is I am sucker for steak tacos and these are some of the best steak tacos I have had in a long time. Even the atmosphere of this place is so cozy and intimate.
The waitress did an excellent job of consistently checking on us and making sure that everything was fine with our table. Let’s not forget to mention that the food came out extremely fast! The prices were reasonable. Even the Horchata was some of the best I have ever had.
Overall, the experience left me speechless and wanting more. Mexican food at it’s finest!
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I just had one of the best date nights thus far.
Jana and her staff provided exemplary customer service and the Pastore Tacos were a definite MUST have. Their Margaritas were the best I’ve ever had! I highly recommend giving this place a try.

To me, the place was very good. We were in a rush to get to a CIMMFEST show at the Logan and wanted something quickly. The tamals @$ 3 were probably the best i have ever eaten. Priced at the high end of every other dump taqueria, i thought the place a good value. I was surprised at the huge diversity of opinions at Unilocal,but maintain my thought that Logan Square in general is not that twee, and most of the people involved with it, have no clue to what they are talking about!

This is a tough one. If I’m rating just on food, I’d give it five stars most likely. But the prices are out of whack here, simply put.
I get it’s on the Square, by the Blue Line, and I get it’s a «nicer» place with tons of booze and all. But $ 9 for a burrito without sour cream? I live on Planet Earth and that’s a ridiculous price. If you decide to get the burrito dinner, which adds rice and beans to the side, that’s $ 4! For rice and beans! This is a fun place for a small group, it’s very nice inside, quick service, and the burritos are big, but come on now. As I’ve said before, there are a plethora of Mexican restaurants in Logan Square. Quality matters without a doubt, but prices matter too, especially when comparing to places within a half a mile radius.