Torta Haüs

I love a good sandwich and Torta Haus delivered. But what makes this place a winner in my book is the service. I came here a little bit ago with some friends on a Sunday night. It was late and rainy and the place was pretty empty but we were warmly welcomed.
There’s not a lot of seating here and you order at the counter — think of it like your local sandwich shop — but we were immediately served chips and salsa once we were seated. The chips and salsa were amazing. I really loved the salsa.
For my meal, I ordered the Al Pastor. It was delicious, melt in your mouth. One moment I had a sandwich, the next I didn’t. I practically inhaled it. I forgot what my friends ordered but each of us greatly enjoyed our food. While we were eating, we joked around with the staff and had an overall great time!
I definitely plan on coming back.

So happy I found this place! Perfect spot for a quick lunch or casual dinner. The food was BOMB. We ordered the Queso Dip appetizer and were going to order salsa too, but surprisingly chips & salsa are complimentary for dine-​in customers (surprising bc it’s such a small, casual spot). The salsa was sooooo flavorful and fresh! The queso dip was unlike any I’ve ever had. Not too salty, perfect mix of flavors, stayed hot/​warm our entire meal and the cheese they use is insanely good. I split the Cuban Torta with one other person — such a good call. It is huge! Especially if you’re starting with chips & salsa plus another appetizer. Felt like I was back in Miami… so tasty! The toasted bread, the pickles, mustard, meat. everything was delicious and they nailed the ratio of ingredients. BONUS: It’s BYOB!

Whoa. Mind blown. Definitely a different take on Mexican cuisine. Don’t let the name confuse you. It’s not purely a Mexican and German fusion. It’s got some cuban and American influence too. I went with a couple friends and I tried the German torta and they tried the Cubano and some carnitas tacos. Everything was on point. It’s a small location. Nothing special in the décor, but the staff is very nice and the food comes out fast. It’s set up so you can see your food prepared which I always enjoy. The price to portion ratio is definitely in the customer’s favor. The salsas given to all customers have a very nice flavor too and the chips are authentic. It’s BYOB and near the brown line so it’s convenient. All in all, great choice when looking to eat outside the box.

Once again, we forgot to take pics of most of the food, but we did get one of the donuts. They were warm with honey, ice cream, cinnamon, and a back kick of something I couldn’t place. It was a nice ending to our dinner! As for the rest of our dinner, we ordered the Carne Asada cheese fries, the steak torta (beans on the side), the jerk chicken taco (AMAZING), and they even made a small order of quesadillas for our son. The food is just as good as the first time we went, and everyone was still just as friendly! Our son even loved it all, so we know this spot is a winner! I can’t wait to go back! I can’t decide if it’s more the food or the people that make this place, but it’s worth ur time to check it out.

Came by this week for dinner with my cheap eats team members… friends, this might be the best cubano in the city. Tried «The Cuban», «The German», and the chips and very tasty salsas; you can’t go wrong here. (A third friend tried the Carnitas and loved that also.)
Prices are fair for the specialty sammies because they are so massive; everything else is priced under $ 10 and you get a lot of food. The Guac Bar will be next on my list; that was also attractive but we couldn’t order it given how many chips we took down with our salsa. BYOB as well and these guys were doing a pretty steady amount of takeout service when we came by this week too.
Seating inside for about a dozen people so you could dine in as well; can’t wait to come back here!

Stopped by last Friday evening for a quick bite, and had mixed emotions about this place.
First off, the free chips and salsa for dine-​in was an awesome surprise. I got the medium salsa, and it definitely had a kick to it. If you are used to the «spiciness» of your standard Mexican restaurant salsa, then go with the mild. The chips are homemade as well, and a great way to start the meal.
The torta that I ordered left me wanting more. I ordered the Carnitas torta, and while the bread was nice and soft, I would have liked it to be a little toasted to give the meal some crunch. The beans seemed to soak right into the bottom of the bun, which was a bit of a letdown, as the flavors were good. Adding some of the salsa on each bite was good as well to spice things up.
I’d stop by again to try some of the tacos, because the prices are very reasonable, and because the staff were all very friendly.

We decided to go out and try this new place in Lakeview
The food came out quick and was hot and fresh. I loved the guacamole. The tortas were excellent.
It definitely is a hole in the wall, but I don’t mind that. Hell, I might even prefer it!

Awesome no frills place with great eats, fair pricing, and friendly staff.
Swung by at 6pm Friday for dinner. Free parking across the street, otherwise paybox on the street of the place. Either way, spots are available, but this is also very close to the Diversey brown line stop!
We were warmly greeted upon entrance (and exit). The staff is genuinely very friendly. The place is very casual but do not let that fool you into thinking this is just your ‘run of the mill late night ultra greasy burrito joint to help sober you up’ place, which is why prices while definitely reasonable are a bit more than your average Mexican joint. I would have liked to see the menu displayed on the wall but most of the time, I find myself squinting anyway, so looking at the personal menus was no big deal.
I got the al pastor torta and boo got the Cuban. While we waited a mere 5 – 7 minutes-​ish for our food, we were served complimentary chips & salsa. We opted for the medium salsa. Mild and spicy are also available. This was great. The medium was a perfect medium indeed with just enough kick. The tortas were very yummy and of standard torta size which were very satisfactory. They even bake their bread daily, which is a super plus. Ingredients tasted fresh. Nothing was too salty or greasy, which is a common offense that I come across at more casual establishments. Their food is def authentic but also great that they offer some other concoctions. They are even veggie friendly with not just basic veggies, but soyrizo too! Btw, I enjoyed the Cuban here much more than the one at the popular Cafecito.
Definitely coming back and trying the noted German specialty torta and the Haüs donuts for lunch, dinner, or late night. Will likely upgrade to 5 stars then!
P. S. BYOB and free wifi!

I might never go to Chipotle again…
Torta Haüs has become my favorite go-​to restaurant in Lakeview! Did I mention it’s also BYOB?! I’ve tried their tortas, tacos, soup, salsas and have been blown away by all of it!
Unlike most Mexican restaurants that use pulled chicken for their tacos, Torta Haüs uses cubed chicken breast. Their steak is also great (tender and flavorful) but I prefer the chicken. Torta Haüs is a fast-​food style restaurant and certainly isn’t meant to be a date night spot. Having said that, it’s perfect after a long day at work or a casual evening out with friends.
Tip: When they say «hot» they mean it! Medium salsa is the way to go!

I have been dying to stop in, seeing such good reviews really got me excited! I’m just going to start with the most surprising part for me– this place is pretty small! It kinda has a hole-​in-​the-​wall vibe, only about 6 tables and some counter space. Also no bathroom, weird. It’s definitely an «eat fast» place, not a date night or group dinner place.
The food was great though!
Salsa– 4.5*, we got both the medium and hot varieties. Medium is red and pretty spicy up front, while the hot is a green variety with some really smokey, charred flavor and the spiciness hits you in the back of your throat
Queso– 10*, is 10 stars a thing? If so Torta Haus get it! This stuff is amazing– not too thin, not lumpy with a slight spice. Soooo good!
Steak Quesadillas– 2.5*, great steak! But way too little cheese. It was ok, just nothing standout
Chick Arbol Torta Special– 3.5*, so this sandwich was on special on Saturday so I had to try it. The ingredients = perfection. However, it probably would have been better as a bowl. With the black beans, diced chicken and Arbol crema the bread just turned to mush and totally fell apart.
I definitely want to come back and try some other items– asada fries anyone?! I think the ingredients are great quality and the flavor is totally there, we just might not have ordered the right entrée items for ourselves.

Stopped in for lunch with my boyfriend and I was exceedingly happy and satisfied with my experience!
The food was amazing. Everything was fresh and full of flavor. We ordered a Cuban sandwich, a steak taco, a fish taco, and an order of guacamole. Everything was delicious to the last bite.
The service was excellent. The guys that work there are super friendly and nice. I can’t wait to come back! I have my eye on the German Torta and the Carne Asada fries! YUM!

I was really excited to try this place but it didn’t blow me away. We ordered the queso and chicken tortas. The queso was super thin in texture. Tasted awesome but I wish it was thicker/​cheesier. The tortas were all right as well. Could use more flavor. They just did not compare to cemitas at habanero grill in the loop.

There is so much to love about Torta Haus.
Let’s start with the people. When I visited on a Saturday night, there was a short line and the restaurant was about half full. The gentleman taking our order was incredibly friendly and chill.
Although the layout of the restaurant leads you to believe it’s a fast food situation (order at the counter and they bring it to your table), the food isn’t exactly fast. That’s because they’re making it fresh. I ordered the carnitas taco and the carne asada taco ($ 3.75 per taco). Carnitas were fantastic. The carne asada was good, but pretty dry. It needed a splash of salsa or something.
Our table also shared the carne asada fries ($ 8.99) and these were beyond good. The key is the queso sauce they throw in there. If you see anything on the menu that comes with queso, GET THAT. It’s amazing. Liquid gold.
Torta Haus is BYOB and there’s a liquor store just under the El tracks a few steps west on Diversey. When I returned with a 6-​pack of Corona, the man behind the counter walked out with some limes and salt. He did that completely unprompted, but that goes to show how far they’ll go to take care of their customers.
I didn’t see a bathroom there, so show up with an empty bladder.
If there’s any knock on Torta Haus, it’s the prices. $ 3.75 for one taco is pretty steep, especially considering how few ingredients go inside. There might be other items on the menu that feel like a better value.
I can see Torta Haus making its way into my regular restaurant rotation as I make my way through the menu of Mexican delights. Check this place out!

Stumbled across this place after a friends recommendation, really happy we checked it out!
The guys running the place are incredible, so nice and very into what every person in the restaurant thinks about their food. I always like it when the guy making everything comes out to ask how everything is, adds a nice personal touch and shows that a place like Torta Haus really cares what their customers think!
The food itself is also very good, great spot for a relaxed dinner or lunch. I’ll be back for sure!

Ventured out for dinner and decided on this new byob spot in lakeview.
Once we decided what we wanted we ordered at the counter. This is when the first appearance of a child under the age of 13 was behind the counter with no gloves handling credit cards and delivering chips and salsa to the tables.
The food came out fairly quickly. The food was pretty good and the guacamole was realllly fresh. We had great service.
As we were finishing there were some things that were unsettling. Another child was behind the counter/​in the kitchen area but no helping customers, he was helping himself to food. Then I watched the food runner eat and use his phone behind the counter and then immediately deliver food to tables.
I asked if there was a restroom and was led to a makeshift employee bathroom THROUGH the kitchen. I could have easily touched the food.
Torta haus needs to reevaluate some things if they want to stay in business. It really stinks too because the food is great. (Hence the 3 and not just 1 star)

I ordered the German torta and it’s insanely delicious and probably one of the best tortas I’ve ever had in Chicago. It comes on par with a lot of Rick Bayless Xoco sandwiches I’ve had in the past, but I may even prefer this one more! The torta had layers and layers of meat (schnitzel, sausage) with sauerkraut, brussel sprouts, and thousand island dressing. It was so filling and delicious. My friend ordered the mango salad but it only looked like a bed of leaves with some mangos and slices of avocado. If I were coming here, I’d stop thinking about calorie count and just indulge.
The service was on-​point and very nice. I really respect the guys who work here because they work quickly and treat their customers well. Only downside is that the prices are a bit high. For the torta, I paid nearly $ 12.

Hands down some of the best customer service ever! Such a friendly and informative staff. I placed an order to go and was able to grab some water and was offered some chips and salsa while I was waiting.
I was with a few people and we got the carne asana fries (queso on the side since it was to go), fried fish taco, steak taco, and a shrimp wrap. Also a horchata for myself. Everything was amazing. Great flavor with a little bit of a kick. We will definitely be back!
Thanks for the great food and great service.

Even if this place was serving up 7 – 11 grade sandwiches it’d still probably get 4 stars from me. That’s how nice these guys are. The owner is absolutely huge on customer service, and if you leave here without noticing it, then you weren’t paying attention.
Fortunately, the high level of hospitality is matched by some equally awesome grub. They do delicious sandwiches, wraps, soups, and salads all with flair from south of the border. A few menu highlights are the German Torta stocked with wienerschnitzel and sauerkraut, carne asada fries, and some to-​die-​for tortilla soup. I don’t think you can really go wrong regardless of what you order though.
On my visit I noticed about 90 percent of the customers were repeat offenders and it’s not cause this place is BYOB. Yes they have awesome food, but when you pair that with genuine friendliness of the people who are serving you, it’s makes the dining decision pretty easy up in this neighborhood.

The only negative thing I can say is the prices are high. That’s kind of unfair because I’m a cheap bastard.
Unfortunately my heart will always keep $/​lb as a factor and i wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing I let the 5^th star go just because I like the guy. $ 20 for a Mexican meal is a lot.
I got a steak torta with queso dip and a coke. It came to over $ 20.
The torta was above average. Standard size if not on the small side. It had onions on it which is uncommon in my experience. Clearly super fresh, and tasty. One of the better tortas I’ve ever had, but also the most expensive.
Queso dip was good. It was a watery consistency comparably, but tasty. Not a large amount for 7 bucks. Chips were elite though.
Coke was 2.50 for a 16 Oz fountain.
I should have gone with the German torta per other reviews, I was just craving skirt steak.
Guy up front was really nice, you can see the food preparation area from the damned sidewalk and they prepare everything to order. It’s the real deal. If you aren’t a penny-​squeezing bum like me you would probably give them five stars like everyone else.
If it’s an option and you haven’t at least tried it, you’re only hurting yourself.

Simply delicious.
Ordered the chicken bowl and it was everything I wanted it to be and more.
Highly recommend.