El Mercado Meat Mart

I had no idea about this place when we started our day in Chicago, but we passed it when walking down the street toward the Music Box theater and did a double-​take at the tempting vision of trays of empanadas in the window. Ultimately we decided to wait til after our movie to grab a few as a to-​go dinner (though I had a slight anxiety that in a few hours they might be sold out!)
Well, there was still a selection by the time we came back around 4 pm, and I snagged a ham and cheese and a chicken.
Even reconstituted at home, they were really good! The chicken was encased in a pastry-​type crust, flaky and glossy (egg wash?), the meat itself lightly spiced, a nice counterpoint to the more delicate exterior.
The ham and cheese had a crust that was more like an egg roll: crispier and a bit hardier (seemingly fried?), which held up to the ooze of melting cheese and generous amount of chopped ham.
These (which made a filling meal) and two canned drinks ran less than $ 8.
Definitely a place to keep in mind for a cheap yet satisfying meal!

There are a few good empanada shops on Southport, but this one tops them all. The price and quality is as good as it gets. Café Tola down the street is great too, but you will pay a lot more for a similar product. This market also has unique finds and an outstanding butcher in the back. The meat is the same that they serve at Tengo Sur, so if you like the food there then stop in here. The prices are outstanding, but be sure to remember that it’s cash only.

Cute little store with lots of Argentinean imports… mate, dulce de leche, alfajores, etc. They also sell fresh meats and cheese (cash only).
The empanadas are awesome! Our favorites are: ham and cheese, spinach and cheese and corn. Don’t forget the chimichurri sauce as it’s DELICIOUS!!!

The empanadas from this place are amazing!!! What can I say?!? You have the choice between baked or fried of the different combinations they have. Prices range between $ 1.50−2.00. This is a pretty typical price especially if they are filled with flavorful meets and are a pretty decent in size. I will choose this mom and pop spot over 5411! Just don’t forget to ask for the chimichurri sauce on the side!

Amazing empanadas amazing chimichurri amazing customer service and a great selection of South American products. I will definitely be back.

Amazing place and sweet warm stuff!
it was never so adventures to buy a cup for a tea hahaha but you guys made my day!
Sergio I think owner was amaning man! the store is so clean and has good stuff Im addicted of yerba mate so I went for my tea and bombilla… omg…i laught and im so happy i can support bussiness like that i hope you guys stay on the market as long as possible and i will backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk soon!!!
Sergio you need to write your initial on my cup, will always think about you when i have my tea, Thank you!!! Greetings!

We’ve all tried to make chimichurri, right? Doesn’t seem too difficult … you get some olive oil, some parsely, and a ton of garlic. Easy, right?
Yet it’s never very good. It’s fine maybe, but good? Eh, none of us would go that far.
But El Mercado features easily the best chimichurri I have ever had. It’s in a display case in the back, and you have to ask for it, and it’s only $ 2.25, which is silly cheap for something this fantastic. Pro tip: put it on your eggs in the morning. You’re welcome.
⁹³⁄₃₆₅

This market is a nice enjoyable surprise for a South American. With goods such as the delectable Argentine dulce de leche and meats and the hard-​to-​find Brazilian chocolates (including the sonho de balsas), there’s some kind of treasure to be found here. And after looking around the market, it seems like their alfajores and empanadas cannot be beat, especially for the price and authenticity.
And there are also Colombian, Peruvian, and Venezuelan goods.
And I was surprised to even find that the sonho de balsas chocolates to be even cheaper than what I found them going for in Miami. But that’s not to say that everything was cheap. The harina P.A.N. that is ubiquitous for Venezuelan arepas were being sold here for $ 4.50 — which almost gave me a heart attack and caused a loss of vision. Beware! I’m used to finding these for $ 2 a bag, $ 2.50 or $ 2.99 at the very outrageous most, in Miami.
I would definitely come back for some of the reasonably-​priced goods and even try out their parrillas which I tend to prefer to have at markets than at a full-​blown restaurant with a large mark-​up (like the one next door). And here’s to hoping that they’ll eventually lower the price for the harina de maiz precocida for the arepas.

Delicious empanadas for $ 1 and change. Very friendly staff. Whats not to love!

Empanadas worth a two mile walk. Don’t miss this place if you’re in the area. If you’re not in the area, find an excuse to get there.

The meat is very good. Try the vacio, just add a generous amount of salt and grill till medium. Also ask for the bread rolls that they sell at the restaurant, the «pansitos», they sell them cooked and uncooked, if u get em uncooked you just bake em a few minutes and serve, delicious, everyone loves them. Finally, buy their charcoal it’s natural wood, cheaper than most places and adds a lot of flavor.

ok maybe it was an off day, maybe it was I didnt like the dried blood and remnants sitting on top of the scale, of the box of shrinkwrap sitting in the meat grinder. or the uncleanliness of the meat display in general. I had heard through the grapevine ( Unilocal actually) that it had very good grass feed beef. I didnt see anything. Also when I asked the owner/​butcher, older gentleman for a chuck roast, any kind of roast. no no we have no roast. and then points to a bleh looking piece of beef. So for my needs

Tasty empanadas, great selection of Argentine products (Yerba mate, alfajores, chimichurri, etc).
On the way to Cubs games, I stop by and pick up 2 chicken empanadas and an alfajor. Great deal under $ 5. The empanadas are stiffed with chicken and aren’t dry. I’ve had the beef ones before as well, which come with ground beef and a slice of hard boiled egg. Since I’m not into hard boiled egg, these weren’t for me but my friend Simon definitely enjoyed them.
As for the alfajor, I recommend the one with powdered sugar. Both ways are good, but the alfajor with powdered sugar has a little more flavor (read: powdered sugar = flavor).
Great Argentine market. Bring your dollar dollar bills y’all, because they don’t take cards.

A true Argentine mercadito in Chicago! They also carry a small selection of Brazilian and Peruvian staples and condiments; e.g. pimienta dulce, chorizo, guaraná do Brasil, dulce de leche, alfajadores [but not Havanna label], yerba mate, etc.

Excellent source for empanada shells to make your own empanadas.
No worries, if you just have a taste for empanadas but do not want the muss and fuss they have them available (whole cooked empanadas) for purchase as well. My personal favorite are the beef empanadas. Yum!

Very charming, and very friendly people to serve you. I need to buy the meat they sell here eventually. But if you stop in, do pick up some chimichurri (homemade!) sauce, and an empanada. Both are extremely delicious.

This place is GREAT. They fit a ton of stuff on those shelves. A friend and I were looking for chimichurri sauce for some flank steak. We were able to locate some okay-​looking jars but upon asking an employee discovered that El Merdado sells the chimichurri sauce that Tango Sur uses in their restaurant!!! That in itself is awesome. The sauce was superb and had a great blend of ingredients. We grabbed a couple of empanadas on the way out and they were so good. The meat was juicy and the seasonings were great. Awesome place, definitely stop in and check it out.

Great little Argentine market. The Empanadas are as good anywhere in the city and they are a great price.
They also have some tasty pastelitos! They are real authentic Argentine pastelitos, very tasty.

The Argentinian futbol team may have tasted bitter defeat today, but my pals and I tasted sweet victory thanks to El Mercado.
To fuel our World Cup BBQ needs, what better place than an Argentinian market? 4lbs of beef, some chimichurri, and 6 Argentinian chorizos later, we were set.
Excellent selection of other South American goodies including the odd, but endearing Inca Kola. It’s yellow. It’s called «kola». It tastes like bubble gum. An acquired taste, but always an adventure.
I also enjoyed the beef empanada I shared.
Footnote– At the BBQ, I ate part of a chorizo and an inordinate amount of this beef. I shall return to El Mercado with a gang of hungry hooligans… or myself…

great prices! Rodolfo and Aldo are always extremely helpful. make sure you try the Chimichurri it is the best i have ever had. I go here twice a week to buy Steak try the Vacio or the outer skirt steak, they also sell mate and frozen pao de queido.
Also check out n bar on Elston Ave it is owned by Rodolfo and has the best skirt steak sandwich. rumor has it they are also opening a new restaurant on the 2100 block of division cant wait to try it.

Once you get beyond the silly almost-​redundancy in the gringo-​pandering name: «El Mercado Food Mart,» this joint is a joy. As their business card says, «lo mejor en carnes de todo tipo productos de Sur America.» But they sell items from countries other than South America, too.
I love kicking Jewel’s ass. If you’re lucky, once in a while you can find Jewel charging $ 1.00/lb for linguini made in Idaho, I think. El Mercado sells linguine made in Mexico and spaghetti made in Uruguay, both for .89/​lb. But I’m not really writing over an .11/​lb saving (although I’d gladly walk up the street to avoid needlessly giving Jewel money.)
This is about the Chimicurri sauce. El Mercado sells more homemade and delicious Chimicurri sauce than you can eat in a long while for $ 1.60 per container. You’ll find it in the back of the store on the meat counter shelves. I asked the very friendly lady how they make it: chopped parsley, dried oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, onion, and paprika with olive oil. Lemon and vinegar are added for more «bite.» Basically, it’s Argentine pesto, and used often for a steak marinade, but you can eat it on toast or mix it into pasta. It’s so damn good.
There are tons of other goodies here too, which other reviewers have addressed, like the empanadas, and whole lot more.
And yes, it’s in the gentrified Southport Corridor with nowhere to park. Best to go on foot.