Comments on: El Norte closes unexpectedly

By: Most Read Stories of 2012 | Edgeville Buzz

Most Read Stories of 2012 | Edgeville Buzz — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:24:43 +0000

[...] El Norte closes unexpectedly (November 1, 2012) – Popular neighborhood taqueria El Norte closed unexpectedly at its [...]

By: Kayla

Kayla — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 05:48:00 +0000

I’m guessing for health violations. I can count on two hands and a foot how many roaches I saw in there over the last year. Ick. Great food but ick!

By: Pie Hole Pizza Coming to Andersonville | Edgeville Buzz

Pie Hole Pizza Coming to Andersonville | Edgeville Buzz — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:00:51 +0000

[...] Edgewater lost a popular late night bite spot on

By: Kathy Herwig

Kathy Herwig — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 13:39:00 +0000

I have to say, my husband and I also got really sick from eating there. The kitchen and bathroom – same bathroom the employees use – were filthy. I feel your pain, because I know people loved the place, but it was shut down for a reason, and that might have been related to the lack of cleanliness. Just sayyin’. Uptown Taqueria seems pretty decent. I’ve had tortas from there and they’re pretty tasty.

By: AMH

AMH — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:23:00 +0000

I feel like this place got shut down for health code violations, or had the windows shot out/broken at least twice a year…..Not a shocker that they ducked out in the middle of the night. Classic restaurant trick.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:43:00 +0000

You are totally that peron on Yelp

By: Krystal

Krystal — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:53:00 +0000

Patty didn’t run El Norte, she was just another manager but the owner and the main manager were very nice people

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:05:00 +0000

The owners supposedly had a land lease on that property not sure exactly what happened but that property went into foreclosure … They actually owned the building at one point .. Someone doesn’t just get up and leave unless there is foul play involved … Maybe they rode the tide of not paying the mortgage and it was time to go …

By: Anthony Chacon

Anthony Chacon — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:44:00 +0000

Both those “greasy spoons” are not in the direct area of Hollywood and Broadway. Its a nice walk I suppose but for our immediate El Norte frequenters it is two stops away on the red line. On a cold winter day the walk from us to thorndale is not fun. I want a place to stop for breakfast on the way to the red line toward where many of us work (South!) or perhaps (NOrth). There is a multitude of asian/asian fusion/asian asian/asian inspired/asian and indian/indian fusion and mexican/budget mexican food around Bryn Mawr and then comparably upscale Nookies and (only for Valentines Day) Fransescas, but no little corner place with good breakfasts for cheap. The nice thing about El Norte was the $2.99 breakfast. After that was The Bakery formally known as Flourish with $9 breakfast sandwiches. I would like to see something on that strip of Bryn Mawr. Maybe where the old Friend Chicken place was under the L or those abandoned units where the old barber shop was.

By: Dennis McGuire

Dennis McGuire — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 17:24:00 +0000

I’ve many friends who like Little Corner but I’ve never had a good meal there. My go-to diner is Alexander’s on Clark and Granville. It’s nothing fancy and again, not great, but always solid for breakfast.
Anthony, you make a great point about the profit margins vs. rent. That’s just the reason why El Norte could never make it in either the Ole Ole or Frieda spaces. Rent in that strip of Clark isn’t cheap. Just look at how Angel’s (a very successful modestly priced restaurant) was forced out for the failed (and more expensive) Frieda’s.

By: jbressman

jbressman — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:55:00 +0000

I believe, Joe, the comment was based on the fact that a new (much needed) Walgreens BUILDING is being built, rather than the fact that it is a Walgreens. http://www.edgevillebuzz.com/news/broadwayglenlake-walgreens-closing-next-week

By: jbressman

jbressman — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Anthony – for a good greasy spoon, check out Little Corner Restaurant on Broadway at Thorndale. http://www.edgevillebuzz.com/restaurants/little-corner-restaurant-neighborhood-gem Also, so you’re aware Ole Ole space is going to be occupied by Marigold (Indian restaurant formerly of Uptown)

By: Anthony Chacon

Anthony Chacon — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:13:00 +0000

This article makes it sound like it was all the owners of El Norte doing. I talked to the workers there the last day and from what they told me (of course, this is secondhand information) The owner of the building was making it difficult for El Norte to continue there. The sign on the side of the building saying “What do you want here?” was up long before El Norte left so it seems like there was a plan to redevelop that building. I joked with a friend we should all reply to the billboard and say “We want El Norte”.

I have a feeling that the new owner of the building was more interested in bringing in a higher rent than working with keeping El Norte going. I guess in order to renovate the space all the tennants would have to move out anyhow. And with the low prices of El Norte they could not have been bringing in a huge profit on every meal compared to say, Little Mexican Cafe. I think El NOrte just got stuck in the crosshairs of change.

Hopefully El Norte finds another place, maybe in the shuttered Ole Ole or Frida? Meanwhile, The Uptown Taquero is across the street if we want an alternative to the upper mid priced Little Mexican Cafe.

I would not mind if a greasy spoon went in in where El Norte left. Nookies is nice, but not the greasy spoon that Edgewater is missing. Sometimes I just want two eggs, toast and some OJ and maybe a shortstack of pancakes while sitting at a diner. No frills. Just food.

By: Joe Buck

Joe Buck — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Yes, Walgreens means BIG progress! I mean, we must be the only neighborhood outside of the Gold Coast that has a Walgreens. How sweet it is. How sweet it is. Great ending to the piece!

By: Kim Z Dale

Kim Z Dale — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:46:00 +0000

This is incredibly disappointing.