Located on the corner of North Ridge and Bryn Mawr, this homey Mexican cafe makes even Caucasian Americans momentarily feel, not only that they were born in Tijuana, but that they're coming home for a big, old family dinner. The atmosphere is friendly (with the smiles to prove it) and the service equally if not spectacularly so. Sit in a booth on the right-hand side—away from the counter, where you order—and watch traffic and passersby through the large windows looking out onto the aforementioned intersection. The walls are painted soft-orange and burnt sienna and are "decorated" with a security camera aimed at the cash register, a big TV in the corner by the ceiling (showing primetime, all the time) and a painting of the Virgin Mary directly above it. If there's some kind of symbolism going on here, we're not getting it.

El Norte is, as the name suggests, a Mexican restaurant on the North Side of Chicago. What the name neglects to tell you, however, is how darn delicious the food is, from Mexican staples like flautas, fajitas, enchiladas and, of course, the particularly fantastic tacos (of all kinds, including fried pork, charbroiled, steak, bbq pork, ground beef, Mexican sausage, steamed beef, vegetarian and, maybe most important, tongue tacos, for those customers who've yet to get their daily tongue intake—and all under $2!). Frankly, it wouldn't be a bad idea to change the name to El Norte Delicioso to more accurately capture the experience here, or even El Norte Delicioso y Barato (inexpensive, en espanol), because the food here is as low as $1 and no higher than $9.75. El Norte also offers American and Mexican-inspired breakfast options ($4-$6) as well as a variety of milkshakes with flavors that include banana, strawberry, pineapple and coconut.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Benjamin Andrew Moore