Surprise! Only 2 Illinois Taco Joints Make Yelp’s 2025 List

If you're planning a taco road trip out of Rockford, point your GPS toward Chicago. That's because Yelp just dropped its Top 100 Taco Spots in the United States for 2025, and two Windy City restaurants were included.

The thing is, both of the restaurants that made the list just barely made it. I was legit surprised Illinois wasn't better represented on the list, but the truth is California occupied 45 out of the 100 places, including taking the top spot with a restaurant located in North Hollywood.

Texas and Arizona also had a handful of taco joints make the list, so that only left room for two from Illinois. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, as Wisconsin got no love from Yelp on this list.

Chicago Lands Two Spots on Yelp’s Top 100

Anyway, here are the two places, first being the 100th-ranked taco joint, called Don Pez Tacos Cantina at 844 West Armitage Avenue.

Don Pez Tacos Cantina Ranks 100th in the Nation

Sydney H. on Yelp called Don Pez their "new favorite restaurant" and they "can't say enough good things about this place." Overall, Don Pez scores a 4.6 out of 5 on Yelp.

Tepalcates Earns High Praise in Chicago

The other Illinois taco joint to get included is Tepalcates at 2326 West Belmont Avenue, also located in Chicago. Rated a stellar 4.9 out of 5 on Yelp, fans like Megan G. say "this is my new go to for Mexican in Chicago" and "the food was incredibly high quality and surprisingly pretty cheap."

Where Does Rockford Fit Into the Taco Scene?

That's saying something considering everything in Chicago is expensive. Have you been to either of these places? Is there a taco spot in Rockford that deserves some national attention? Tell us.