From tacos to burritos to quesabirria, customers can’t stop raving about El Tragon Taqueria in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, and said the secret is out.
“I was not surprised at all,” customer Zachary Weil said. “I know that it’s very high quality, family run restaurant obviously it’s like the best tacos so we’re here like once a week.”
“It is phenomenal I come here for the quesabirria tacos,” customer Mike Lee said. “They’re just so great, they’re sweet, they’re savory, they’re spicy.”
The taco joint is located in the parking lot of a Mobil gas station near Halsted and Division and opened its doors three years ago.
“We usually get the bistec tacos or the chicken torta,” customer Sarah Siddiqui said. “Everything on the menu is pretty amazing.”
The owner from Mexico, who spent 30 years in the restaurant industry in the city, found out Wednesday morning that they were named the "Best Taco Spot" in Illinois in a Yelp list.
“We’re in a gas station, so I think the first instinct that people have is 'Oh, this is a gas station, so oh they must not be good,'” owner Gerardo Madrigal said.
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Yelp said the rankings are based on reviews mentioning relevant keywords and then ranking those spots using several factors, including the total volume between January 2019 and July 2024.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “Someone texted me in the morning, I thought it was a joke.”
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With a small staff, he wanted to bring a taste of his hometown to Chicago. He said everything is made fresh and from scratch and that good seasoning and consistency is key to a good taco.
“I don’t know what to say there are so many good places in the city, but I mean it’s an honor,” Madrigal said. “We’re just trying to keep it simple and natural,” he said. “If you see in this picture, it’s just taco places in my hometown—just basic, I’m not trying to invent the taco again.”
He knows his place has come a long way from when they first opened with barely any customers. He said he is grateful to his loyal customers for spreading the word and for the new recognition.
“We’re humbled,” he said. “We’re humbled.”
