Little Village Neighborhood Guide
***Updated November 7, 2025*** Remember Little Village is still very traditional i.e. most businesses are not online. The best way to support is to show up/consider ordering catering during the holidays. Food businesses have a low barrier to entry and that’s why you see so many to choose from.
Cash rules in Little Village.
Jorge Neri grew up in Little Village. Here are the even local-er spots he recommends:
CASH ONLY: Taqueria Los Cuñados - 3518 W 25th St, Chicago, IL 60623
Paty's Restaurant Carnitas y otras Delicias - 3414 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60623
La Patrona - 3046 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60623
CASH ONLY: Taqueria Los Gallos - 4211 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60623
Taqueria Las Sisters Inc - 2607 S Kostner Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
Los Langostinos Restaurant (Seafood) - 3059 S Harding Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
Business owners in Little Village, the predominantly Mexican neighborhood in Chicago, are reporting business being down 50% since “Operation Midway Blitz.” I wrote about here for Chicago Magazine (“We Won’t Survive if You Don’t Support Us”).
The neighborhood is hurting. If you’re looking for ways to support the Latino community, head down with friends and family. Do your grocery shopping, order a catered work lunch or stop in for brunch there.
The two mile stretch of 26th Street from Sacramento to Kostner Avenue includes 500 small businesses. Credit cards and Zelle are widely accepted but cash is still king there.
Here are ideas to get you going (and another guide a I worked on with recommendations from lifelong resident, Congressman Chuy Garcia) and don’t forget, some of the best finds come from the street vendors. Here’s a map to give you a sense of distances.
La Catedral (2500 S. Christiana Ave. Chicago, IL 60623) is great for breakfast/brunch/lunch.
Aguascalientes (3132 W. 26th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60623) is my favorite for gorditas, tacos, agua de Jamaica and horchata. You walk in through the right and do two sharp lefts to get to the restaurant (you have to walk through a grocery store first). Once you're done eating, you just go up to the cashier with your table number and pay. They take credit cards but you can only tip in cash. The gorditas (bean and cheese!) are what they're known for.
Chicago Magazine: Gorditas at Carniceria Aguascalientes
People also love Nuevo León, Carnitas Uruapan, Los Cómales and La Chaparrita. Bring cash. While you can pay at most places with a credit card. Only cash tips are accepted.
Dulcelandia (3253 W 26th St.) for the candies. And the best part is roaming the streets with cash in hand buying snacks from all the vendors.
Atlas Obscura: The Many Treats Inside Chicago’s Piñata Emporium Every two weeks, Dulcelandia imports thousands of products from Mexico.
Moreno’s Liquors (3724 W .26th St, Chicago, IL 60623) with one of the biggest tequila/agave collections in the US. People love their speakeasy Osito’s Tap.
And I’ve never been to La Cueva, the oldest Latino drag bar in Chicago, but people love it!!! Bring singles (or more) to tip.
Block Club Chicago: Inside La Cueva, Chicago’s Oldest Latino Drag Bar: ‘It’s A Magical World’ Little Village’s La Cueva welcomed LGBTQ+ Latinos and drag performers looking to sing in Spanish and celebrate their culture. Open for 40+ years, it is possibly the oldest Latino drag club in the country.
Note: There are men/women/children selling candies (instead of pan handling) on the street. Since there’s no one on the street to sell to, I’ve been asking them what they want (usually from Aguascalientes bc it's fast) go back inside and get them a to go order (bc by then I'm usually out of cash).
Inside Carniceria y Taqueria Aguascalientes (3132 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60623) on Monday, October 20 during dinner. Restaurant owners say Monday is traditionally their busiest day of the week.
About Little Village
26th Street is the second-highest grossing commercial corridor in Chicago, just behind the Magnificent Mile — a stunning achievement for a community with an average household income of $33,000 (compare to the Gold Coast/Mag Mile which is $177,478).
Home to 500+ family-run businesses, this two-mile strip draws visitors from across the Midwest and is anchored by an iconic designated landmark arch — the first designation for a structure by a Mexican architect.
With 77% of residents of Mexican descent, Little Village is a cornerstone of the city’s culinary and cultural identity — it deserves to be seen and celebrated.
Source: City of Chicago
Chicago has the largest Mexican population in the U.S. outside of border states.