Review: La Tacorea, best Korean taco in Chicago

Resident Foodies say: We stumbled on a new Korean taco restaurant called La Tacorea in Chicago, on Belmont (x Clark, near the Belmont stop) in Lakeview, which just opened up last week.

The clever name alludes to the fusion of Mexican and Korean flavors, which the restaurant describes as “muy yum.” Of course, the Korean taco has been around for some time, popularized in LA and moving around the country. Chicago has a few places that serve Korean tacos, or a fusion of Mexican and Korean flavors.

But we were pleasantly surprised by La Tacorea. It was amazing, even better than Del Seoul, which is commonly thought to have the best Korean taco in Chicago.

So what did we like so much? The flavors. The lightly spiced honey soy chicken taco is close to perfection. It is served with rice on a soft tortilla, with your choice of lettuce, cilantro, onions, cheese, and other fixings. And don’t forget the special Chipotle sauce in the yellow bottle–it has a kick! The taco is a “jumbo taco,” with generous portions for an unbelievable price of $4.25. That’s a steal. The menu is simple in a good way. You can get Korean bulgogi, Korean kalbi, shrimp, and tofu tacos. Plus, each of the above dishes comes in a burrito or a bowl version, similar to the pick-and-choose, made to order approach of Chipotle.

Showing its true Korean expertise, La Tacorea also offers mandu, bibimbap, and kimchi in a jar. We love this place.

Kalbi taco with Kimchi fries at Del Seoul in Chicago

Resident Foodies say: The kalbi taco at Del Seoul in Chicago was a real treat. We loved it. The seasoning was quite authentic Korean, with a tinge of sweetness. We didn’t like the BBQ chicken taco as much–not enough spice and the chicken was a little overcooked. The kimchi fries were nice and crispy, but perhaps could have used more kimchi or kick. All in all, we loved the kalbi taco and would definitely come back again!