Taco Fresco

We were at Woodfield Mall after lunch this weekend and noticed they opened a Taco Fresco.I know there are other locations.Even if you have not been to this one if you have any personal experience with TF ,what did you think?Thanks in advance.

I have tried the one in Geneva Commons on Randall Road in Geneva and deem it...ok. I like taco pastor and the flavor at TF is very close to a mom and pop place I go to. TF prices are pretty good but you don't get very much. The mom and pop place has raised their prices and charge $4 for a taco but you get a generous portion. I have also tried Baja Fresh which is also in Geneva Commons and find it ok as well.

They're a local chain with several locations in the loop. They also own Fuego Loco in downtown Oak Park, which is a sit-down restaurant in contrast to the fast-food approach of the others.

They're fine. Obviously not up to what you'd find at your neighborhood taquieria, but the still a much better lunch option than your local Subway or Burger King. I like the fact that you can order any of their items "low fat," which generally means they'll substitute (good) fat-free black beans for the regular refried beans in their dinners. They also offer a decent fish taco, which isn't always easy to find.

It's been a few years, but I've eaten at the one on Clark and Quincy in the loop. It struck me as pretty bland. I'll have to give it another try and see if I still feel the same way.

I think they're a decent loop lunch option. Of the taco chains, I like Baja Fresh better, but Taco Fesco has well-priced lunch combos, especially if you're an iDine member.

I thought that the food was pretty good, but expensive at the Geneva location. Personally, I preferred the Baja Fresh in Fox Lake.

I have no experience with Taco Fresco but want to add my tout for Baja Fresh. I've ordered from the Michigan Ave, Niles, and Rosemont locations and been satisfied. It is interesting to note that Baja Fresh is brought to you by the same people as Wendy's.

As Chipotle is from McDonalds.I have not tried Baja Fresh.Is the Niles one in where Cub Foods is?I have tried Chipotle and find it odd they do not offer beans and rice for sides since they use them in the burritos.

As the Digital Underground once said, eat what you like. However, I personally don't understand why anyone would ever patronize a "fresh-Mex concept" restaurant in a place like Chicagoland or Southern California or anywhere else with tons of solid Mexican and/or Mexican-American mon and pops.

In the Loop, for example, it would never cross my mind to walk past La Cocina and the Burrito Buggy for Qdoba and Chipotle, but many folks do. It's not my love of the underdog or dislike for chains, it's the food. Rice on a big bland flour tortilla is filler, and not good filler.

Chipotle in the Mall of America or Orlando? Sure, thank God if you happen upon it. But here?

I have a Taco Fresco across the street from my office downtown. It's acceptable, but only that. They have a minimalistic menu that annoys me - I wish they'd at least occasionally have tamales and sopes, and al pastor and barbacoa tacos would be nice.

Tried the TF at Woodfield today.Two taco combo with chips,rice and beans.Both tacos were so so.They actually included quite a bit of meat.I ordered one each chicken and steak.Too much lettuce,not enough chhese.Chips were average.Nicely crisp but greasy and undersalted.I tried all six of the salsas from the salsa bar.The hot ones seemed all heat no flavor.Only tried the mild hot sauce of the three on the table which had a nice tang without heat.It was filling but not thrilling.

I had to be in the Loop near the Civic Opera Building the other day and wound up at a Taco Fresco for lunch. In the blistering heat, I didn't want to go far. The other nearby options appeared to be One North Kitchen, which I didn't have time for; Mangino's, a sub shop; and McDonald's.

I chose between Mangino's and Taco Fresco based on which looked busiest -- probably a mistake. One ought not to choose restaurants based on the lowest common denominator.

I ordered a steak taco, a garlic chile shrimp taco and a small guacamole and chips. Fresh tasting, with chopped tomato, onion and cilantro in it, the guac was above average and the chips were fine.

But the utter blandness of the tacos was astonishing, even after I'd doused them with the supplied containers of hot sauce. The tortillas were soggy. The shrimp had no noticeable garlic or chili flavor whatever. And to add insult to injury, with a can of pop, my lunch ran over $9.

I've had better, cheaper meals at the McDonald's-owned Chipotle chain.

Afterwards, I found out that I should probably have gone here:

Market Creations
312/629-4920
Civic Opera House
20 N. Wacker Drive, third floor
Chicago, IL 60606

Market Creations is a breakfast and lunch buffet offering do-it-yourself salads, sandwiches and breakfast foods. I peeked in, and the cafeteria line seemed to have some good-looking prepared items.

JeffB wrote:I personally don't understand why anyone would ever patronize a "fresh-Mex concept" restaurant in a place like Chicagoland or Southern California or anywhere else with tons of solid Mexican and/or Mexican-American mon and pops.

I agree, and will always try to go to a non-chain, locally-owned place.

We're suckers for high convenience these days.