5 places for Mexican breakfast dishes

Hidden on a desolate stretch of Fullerton, this small and vibrant BYOB Mexican restaurant serves up a cozy weekend brunch, including three types of breakfast tacos ($6). The bacon tacos are topped with scrambled egg and pickled jalapenos before being drizzled with sour cream. The smoky meat stands out against the onion and egg in the chorizo tacos, served on corn tortillas. Our favorite is the vegetarian-friendly black bean taco, topped with cheddar cheese, black beans, scrambled eggs, tomato and cilantro, with a tiny bit of goat cheese crumbled over the top.

This bustling cafe in Noble Square features updated versions of classic Mexican dishes. There are two tacos on the menu, portobello ($8) and pulled pork ($9). Skip the portobello tacos, which feature strangely vinegary mushrooms, and opt instead for the pulled pork. Corn tortillas are covered in pepper jack cheese and rich slow-cooked pork, then dotted with onion, tomatoes and pickled jalapenos. Perched on top is a wobbly poached egg to break open and mix in. Don’t even attempt to eat the resulting mess with your hands—you’ll need your knife, fork and plenty of napkins.

Tucked away in the Little Village is a tiny taqueria serving some of the best tacos in the city, breakfast or otherwise. The morning menu has numerous choices, but the standout (and superb hangover cure) is the huevos con chorizo ($8.50). Chorizo, eggs and potatoes are cooked to order on the flat-top grill and scrambled together. For vegetarians, the huevos con nopales ($8) are not to be missed, with eggs and tender sautéed cactus. Both are served alongside rice and beans, so you can heap the mixture into fresh, warm corn tortillas and douse them in salsa.

Ordered as-is off the menu, the breakfast burrito ($9) at this Logan Square institution couldn’t be more simple and straightforward—scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheddar cheese and avocado are stuffed into a large flour tortilla. Liven up the dish by adding bacon and a generous dollop of the accompanying sour cream. But it’s the addition of Lula’s housemade hot sauce, a thick, vibrantly red concoction that’s slightly sweet and delivers a burn of heat that really makes this dish work.

As far as grab-and-go breakfast is concerned, you can’t beat the selection and quality at Rick Bayless’s XOCO. We have a long-standing crush on the breakfast tortas, pressed and griddled sandwiches filled with eggs and more. Our go-to is the chorizo and egg torta ($8), composed of scrambled eggs, chorizo, roasted poblano peppers, cheese and avocado. Coming in a close second, the zucchini, egg and poblano torta ($7.50) has scrambled eggs, roasted zucchini, poblano peppers, cheese, and a cilantro-laced sauce stuffed into a toasty split roll.