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Jan 2012  |  By Julie Chernoff  |  Comments

Texas Invasion: Austin’s Tacos in Evanston

Austin, Texas and Evanston are both college towns, filled with people who love a good taco.

So it’s not a far stretch to imagine what brought them this way. The owners—Greek restaurateurs from Dallas and Austin—have family in Chicago, and it seemed like a natural fit.

Taco Wars!

Now Evanston goes from a dearth of tacos (though not Mexican restaurants—we have plenty of those!) to a bonanza, as Lulu’s owners Dan and Laura Kelch are soon to open Tacos Diablo in the old Bill’s Blues Bar space. So begins the taco wars of 2012!

Austin’s is first to open, and they’ve scored a solid hit with a varied menu that includes salads, soups and quesadillas in addition to their substantial taco choices.

The room isn’t much to speak of, although we’re told a mural is going up on one of the walls, which will help. You order at the counter, take a number and wait for your food to be delivered, as everything is cooked to order.

I’m confused (as I often am) by the first postings on Yelp, which complained of high prices. Maybe compared with a Pilsen tacqueria, but the cost is certainly comparable to Cosi or Panera. The Combo ($6.95) comes with your choice of taco and a bowl of soup or black beans and rice. An additional taco will run $3.50 to $4.

Soups are a Hit

Loved the soups, a brothy Chicken Tortilla ($4.50 a la carte), filled with chunks of moist chicken and topped with cheese, avocado, cilantro and crispy tortilla strips. Likewise the Black Bean ($3.95), a vegetarian delight, especially when you stir in the sour cream. The soup is not pureed, but features scads of tender black beans in a pool of broth.

The Austin’s Salad ($7.95) was gigantic, a tower of crisp Romaine lettuce, black beans, crushed avocado, shredded cheese, pico de gallo and tortilla strips with your choice of dressing (Santa Fe Ranch, Honey Lime Vinaigrette or the Caesar-y Queso Anejo). The lime vinaigrette was sprightly and fresh, and the Ranch packs a little heat. I combined them and it was just right.

Quesadillas (cheese or chicken, $7.95) come on a platter with a small salad and containers of guac, sour cream and salsa. The portion was generous, the cheese hot and melty, griddled just right.

Taco-rama!

Breakfast Tacos are served all day, and the Early Riser ($3.75) with scrambled egg, spicy chorizo, cilantro, green onions and queso fresco might be the perfect hangover cure. You can choose to have your taco with corn or flour tortillas, but really, corn is the way to go.

Other tacos we tasted: The Baja ($4), piled with crispy, perfectly fried fish topped with crunchy cabbage slaw and drizzled with poblano cream; Shrimp Dorado ($4), featuring plump grilled shrimp in salsa roja with cilantro and cabbage slaw; and the Chicken Austonian ($3.50), moist, shredded chicken with salsa verde, pickled onions and queso fresco. All were hot and tasty.

Desserts aren’t made in house, but rather brought in from a Mexican bakery in Rogers Park. The cakes are prominently displayed in the front case along with a classic flan.

A great quick service place, filled with fresh ingredients and carefully prepared, well-seasoned food. I predict that it will be a big hit with NU students. It’s already buzzing.

3.5/5 stars

Austin's Tacos
622 Davis, Evanston
847-868-8295