Saturday, October 4, 2025

Illinois’ Top Taco Spot: A Taqueria Connected to a Lincoln Park Gas Station

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How A Taqueria Connected To A Lincoln Park Gas Station Became Illinois’ Top Taco Spot

A Small but Mighty Taqueria

El Tragón Taqueria at 1234 N. Halsted St. was honored as the best taco spot in Illinois, according to Yelp’s 2024 Best Taco Spot in Every State ranking.

A Humble Beginning

When owner Gerardo Madrigal was looking to open his own taqueria, he wanted a spot that was about 1,000 square feet and close to where his daughter goes to school, he said.

“I used to live in the neighborhood,” Madrigal said. “I knew the area well, and I knew what I was looking for. I found this spot, it was the right square footage and already had a kitchen in it. I knew it was going to be difficult, but in my mind, I knew it was only a matter of time. With good food and good service, people would recognize us.”

A Slow Start

El Tragón opened in September 2021 and got off to a slow start, Madrigal said. It was his first time running a restaurant, and the menu items — from the tacos to the salsa recipes — weren’t perfected in the first few months, he said.

Madrigal was also going through a divorce at the time. Looking back on those days, he said the idea of El Tragón was the main thing that really kept him going.

Finding Its Footing

Within the first year of business, El Tragón found its footing and was firmly put on the map when food review site Infatuation gave his bistec, al pastor and quesabirria glowing reviews, Madrigal said.

Since then, Madrigal has been flooded with messages from restaurant critics and influencers asking for him to pay them to review and feature his taqueria on their channels, he said. He’s refused those offers, instead doubling down on his recipes and his staff’s commitment to good service.

A Old-School Approach to Marketing

“I better have a good product if I want people to come here,” Madrigal said. “My thinking was, ‘Let’s make the customer happy every day — with great food — and that who is going to spread the word.’”

It turns out this old-school approach to marketing still works.

El Tragón Taqueria at 1234 N. Halsted St. Credit: Patrick Filbin/Block Club Chicago

Yelp’s Approach

Yelp’s approach to conducting its Best Of lists is not the most scientific. The online review platform identified the best taco in each state by analyzing businesses in the “taco” category with a high number of reviews mentioning tacos. The top spots were ranked based on factors such as total reviews, ratings and other criteria.

A Sparkling 4.8 Rating

El Tragón has a sparkling 4.8 rating out of 104 reviews. Madrigal wasn’t sure how exactly Yelp determined his restaurant has the best tacos in the state, but he chalks it up to the simple idea that customers like his food, he said.

“All the reviews you see on Yelp, that’s just people walking in and eating tacos,” Madrigal said.

Conclusion

El Tragón Taqueria’s success is a testament to the power of good food, good service, and a humble approach to marketing. By focusing on what matters most – making customers happy – Madrigal has built a loyal following and earned the title of Illinois’ top taco spot.

FAQs

Q: What makes El Tragón Taqueria stand out from other taco spots in Illinois?

A: El Tragón Taqueria’s commitment to using fresh, made-to-order ingredients and its dedication to good service set it apart from other taco spots in the state.

Q: How did El Tragón Taqueria become the best taco spot in Illinois according to Yelp?

A: Yelp analyzed businesses in the “taco” category with a high number of reviews mentioning tacos and ranked the top spots based on factors such as total reviews, ratings and other criteria.

Q: What is the secret to El Tragón Taqueria’s success?

A: The secret to El Tragón Taqueria’s success is its focus on making customers happy with great food and good service. By doing so, customers have spread the word and helped the taqueria earn its top spot on Yelp’s list.

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