Chilo’s Taqueria is closed
Chilo’s Yaletown
Address: 1351 Richards, Yaletown (map)
Hours:
Current posted hours
Menu
Chilo’s 2.0
By Jason Chin
Eat Vancouver editor
Following a lead from egullet, the Fishman and I decided to try out Chilo’s new location in Yaletown. We were both a bit skeptical because Chilo seemed like an unlikely guy to expand his operation to swanky Yaletown. Part of the charm of the original Chilo’s, we thought, was that it was out of the beaten path, and a bit of a hole in the wall operation. That’s not to say that weren’t excited about idea of great tacos at a more central location.
My first impression of the new Chilo’s is that it’s pretty much the old Chilo’s on speed. Instead of an old TV in the back playing DVDs, the new one has a wall-mounted flatscreen with a satellite hookup. The new Chilo’s also has upgrades like slick new tables and chairs, bright orange paint, an open serving area, and stylish new bowls for the salsas and limes. Needless to say, we were pretty psyched about trying the tacos.
After a brief consultation with the friendly, and thankfully English speaking (if you’ve been to the original Chilo’s you know what I’m talking about ) staff, we chose a variety of tacos ($1.50 each): lengua (tongue), carnitas (seasoned pork), pastor (a different variety of seasoned pork, sweeter), pollo (chicken), and saudero (beef rib). Our favorites were the flavorful carnitas and the perfectly balanced pastor, but to be honest, they were all just as good as at the original Chilo’s.
With the snazzy new digs and extended hours of operation (open until one or two am most nights), I really don’t see any reason to pay a lot more at the Taco Shack if it ever opens again, or El Taco, which is pretty bad to boot. I can also see sequel to Chilo’s as being a great late night dining spot in a town that is need of more spots for nocturnal noshing.
14 responses so far ↓
1 tomas pinto basto // Apr 3, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Hi
I read your review of chilo’s and would like to know in more detail what you liked about the tortilla’s, the chicken, the salsa’s. As a fan of mexican food I am curious of the details. I also want to know morew about the other places, el taco and taco shack.
2 layla // Apr 6, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Muchas felicidades. a los dos les deceo lo mejor y son bien chambeadores los queremos un beso LAYLA Y MIA
3 Raul y Susana // Apr 8, 2007 at 5:03 pm
From Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, we congratulate you guys,and soon we will be traveling to your city just to try your so called delicious tacos,
Susa y Raul
4 Ale Hdez // Apr 8, 2007 at 6:03 pm
What can I say!!! I`m proud of U guys!!! Love U Tons!!!
5 Jason // Apr 8, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Hi Tomas,
Actually, I had the asada recently and it wasn’t that good – overly tough and dried out. All versions of pork and chicken are nice and moist though, with a nice balance of seasoning that really bring out the flavors. I’d suggest trying it for yourself to see what you think? The red salsa is made from dried chilis so it has that nice dry heat in the background, but nice tanginess in the front. The reason I love the place though is that they are just inexpensive, well-crafted tacos. Flavors that bring me back to a simpler time in my life, when an afternoon would consist mainly of hanging out with friends in front of a taco truck near my place. playing cards, shooting the breeze.
6 tomas pinto basto // Apr 9, 2007 at 7:49 am
Thanks Jason, I did try the taco’s(mediocre) and quesadilla(good), I found the chicken to be pasty, the asada to be dry and the prawn taco to be good, although i didn’t understand the melted cheese on it. I will tell you, that I didn’t like the salsa’s and limes sitting on the table open and I thought they were flat. I went to el taco, much of the same, as the taco shack seems to be closed i’ll have to keep searching. As for the price $1.50 for mediocre, is still mediocre, I would gladly pay a couple of bucks more for the quality. Thanks for getting back to me.
7 Jason // Apr 9, 2007 at 10:29 am
I thought that about the chicken once, but other times it has been better. Maybe it’s because everything is cooked at the location on Victoria and then transported to the yaletown one? Have you tried the Chilo’s on Victoria or the Dona Cata a few blocks from there?
8 Cholo // Apr 9, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Echenle ganas muchachos y pongan en alto el nombre de Mexico sobre todo porque son de los altos de Jalisco!
I’ll see you soon my boys, keep doing well and some day you’ll be like me, your father. Because we love tacos and you make it excellent!
9 tomas pinto basto // Apr 21, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Hi Jason,
I tried the taco shack on broadway, while its not what i’ve had on the beach in mexico, its the best i’ve had in vancouver. They told me they make their own tortilla’s, you should check them out.
10 Jason // Apr 22, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Yeah I’ve always said taco shack serves good tacos. see my quick bite on it. But at the end of the day they are lots more expensive and probably just as good as dona cata but with fewer sauces. i also have a personal gripe with them because i said their service wasn’t so great at the cornwall location, and they said no, you’re only saying that because you are a racist (a black guy was working). i’m not a racist.
11 luis chinos // Jul 4, 2007 at 9:05 am
heeey que pedo pinche elias cabron me acabo de enterar de esto wey mil felicidades carnal espero que te siga yendo chingon para los que vean esto es lo mas cercano si no que igual a una taqueria mexicana suerte carnal
12 Grace Y // Aug 13, 2007 at 4:21 pm
This place sounded relatively new, but it’s gone now, the Richards location at least. A forlorn “For Lease” sign in the window, and me, hungry and sad.
13 Jason // Aug 13, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Yes Grace, thanks for reminding me. I’m sorry you wasted your time.
14 Don’t Like the Taco Shack? You Must be a Racist. // Aug 11, 2008 at 12:30 am
[…] in Vancouver, as well as one of the first to write publicly about Dona Cata and the now defunct Chilo’s, people keep asking me why I don’t write more about The Taco Shack. Surely their focus on […]
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