The real allure of Los Nopales is that you can enjoy parts of taqueria experience that are usually hurried over and unloved. Sure, its BYOB stance means that it doesn't have to devote any manpower to kicking out over-sized margaritas. But more importantly, it has a fairly concise menu for a taqueria its size, and you get the feeling that every dish might be worth ordering. More

While a seemingly simple filling to get right, carne asada requires some special dedication that most taquerias aren't willing to dedicate to it. But there are places that do. I just didn't think that one of them would be in Ravenswood. More

[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] La Pasadita 1141 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago IL 60622 (map); 773-278-0384‎ The Short Order: Oddly beefy grilled steak tacos. Want Fries with That? No sides are needed. Save room for tacos. Want Ketchup? Just bottles and... More