The Mexican, Now Open in Lincoln Park

Edgar Castaneda and the Taco Joint team have opened a new Lincoln Park eatery, The Mexican. Located at 1967 N. Halsted Street, this family-owned, full service, casual restaurant draws inspiration from the "fondas" found throughout Mexico City. Fondas are diner-style restaurants that center around heartwarming, homestyle Mexican meals.

The Mexican's menu, executed by Chef Edgar Torres, is designed to allow diners to mix, match and share items, such as ceviche, quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas and other house specialties that keep simplicity and authenticity in mind. The bar offers a large selection of mezcal and tequila, signature mezcalitas and margaritas, creative cocktails and Mexican and local craft beers. The menu is outlined below.

The interior of the restaurant emulates its Mexico City fonda counterparts with a design that features rustic reclaimed timber paneling, hand painted tables and chairs in coastal color palettes, a distressed brick fireplace, inset rotisserie for pollo rostizado, textured walls and vintage light fixtures.

Dinner is served nightly, with lunch and brunch service to come. Currently, the operating hours are: Sunday-Thursday, 4-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 4 p.m.-midnight.

The Mexican
1967 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
312.460.3200
TheMXChicago.com
@eatMXchicago

THE MEXICAN MENU

PARA LA MESA - FOR THE TABLE

Chips or Chicharrones & Salsa $3
Tortilla chips or house-fried flour rinds, house-made salsas: mild mango-habanero, medium red guajillo, spicy roasted jalapeño

Street Corn Fundido $7
Queso Chihuahua, charred corn, queso cotija, chile piquin, lime, tortilla chips

Guacamole $7
Chunky avocado, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime, tortilla chips
With crisp seasonal vegetables, add $2

Drunken Beans $3
Beer-braised pinto beans, bacon, queso fresco, hot sauce, tortilla chips

ENTRADAS - STARTERS

Crema de Chile Poblano $4
Cream of poblano pepper, roasted corn, crema

Mexican Wedge Salad $7
Bibb lettuce, queso fresco dressing, cherry tomatos, chorizo crumble, red onion, crispy hominy, queso cotija. Add chicken $4.50, grilled shrimp $6

Ceviche Aguachile $8
Lime cured white fish, jalapeño-herb vinaigrette, red onion, cucumber

Shrimp & Crab Ceviche $8
Citrus cured shrimp and jumbo lump crab, cucumber, avocado, pico de gallo

Quesadillas de Papas con Rajas $7
Queso Chihuahua, potatoes, chipotle, onion, cilantro, queso cotija

Tostadas de Salpicón $7
Chilled shredded beef, sherry-chipotle vinaigrette, lettuce, red onion, queso fresco

TACOS
2 per order, served with drunken beans

Tacos Al Carbón $12
Grilled marinated flank steak, grilled spring onions, queso fresco

Tacos Al Pastor $12
Spit roasted pork, pineapple, onion, cilantro

Tacos de Pescado Pibil $12
Achiote marinated grilled white fish, habanero pico de gallo

ENCHILADAS
2 per order, served with homestyle rice

Enchiladas Suizas $12
Pulled chicken tinga, roasted tomatillo salsa, queso Chihuahua, crema, radish salad

Enchiladas Rojas $12
Red chile stewed mushrooms, griddled queso panela, guajillo-ancho salsa, arugula salad

FAJITAS

served with homestyle flour tortillas, grilled spring onions, blistered sweet peppers, green beans, salsa Mexicana and drunken beans
Steak Al Carbon $15
Al Pastor Chicken Breast $14
Garlic Jumbo Shrimp $16

ESPECIALIDADES - MEXICAN SPECIALTIES

Carne Asada $16
Marinated grilled skirt steak, roasted jalapeño salsa, creamy poblano and onion quesadilla, drunken beans

Chile Relleno $13
Roasted poblano pepper, salsa Mexicana, queso Oaxaca and panela, poppy seed puff pastry, homestyle rice

Sopa Marina $16
Shrimp, white fish, mussels, calamari, crab claws, vegetables, guajillo chile-seafood broth

POLLO ROSTIZADO - ROTISSSERIE CHICKEN
sinaloa style, all-natural rotisserie chicken marinated with citrus and zesty herbs and spices

Half Chicken $12
Served with Mexican "chimichruuri", fideo seco and homestyle corn tortillas

Whole Chicken $22
Served with Mexican "chimichruuri", fideo seco, esquites and homestyle corn tortillas

AL LADO - SIDES

Homestyle Rice $3

Drunken Beans $3

Broccolette $4
Citrus-chile oil, queso cotija, toasted pepitas

Esquites $4
Roasted corn & bell pepper, epazote, lime, arbol chile-butter

Fideo Seco $3
Toasted vermicelli pasta, tomato-pasilla sauce, queso fresco

POSTRES - DESSERTS

Coconut Flan $3.50
Coconut custard, caramel, cinnamon, toasted coconuts

Tres Leches Parfait $3.50
Vanilla sponge cake, tres leches sauce, berry compote, whipped topping, toasted almonds

MEZCALITAS, MARGARITAS Y CERVEZA

“TheMX” Mezcalita $9
Peloton Mezcal, Blue Curacao, lime, “MX” spiced syrup

Pineapple-Serrano Mezcalita $9
Peloton Mezcal, grilled pineaaple, lime, piloncillo syrup

Smoky Mango Mezcalita $9
Peloton Mezcal, grilled mango, lime, ancho chile syrup

Strawberry-Cilantro Mezcalita $9
Peloton Mezcal, strawberry, cilantro, lemon, piloncillo syrup

Taco Joint Margarita $8.50
El Jimador Tequila Blanco, orange liqueur, lime, salt rim

Cucumber-Mint Margarita $10
Casa Noble Tequila Blanco, cucumber, mint, lime

Chile Guava Margarita $10
Agave Loco Tequila Reposado, orange liqueur, lime, guava, chamoy rim

Dos Equis Lager Can, Victoria Can, Bohemia, Indio $5
Tecate 24oz. $8
Coronita 7oz. $3
Half Acre Brewery: Daisy Cutter, Lead Feather, Pony, Gone Away $5.50