Taqueria Los Paisanos: 'It's Actually Good We Didn't Close'

JOLIET, IL —When Governor J.B. Pritzker required all Illinois sit-down restaurants and bars to close their doors effective March 16 to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Joliet's Taqueria Los Paisanos restaurant on Collins Street was not sure how business would go.

The small family-owned Mexican restaurant at 573 Collins St. is in the same strip mall as the Domino's pizza. Taqueria Los Paisanos has built up quite a following of loyal customers during the past 10 years. Still, several Joliet restaurants chose to close after the health crisis hit Illinois.

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"We were going to close the first two weeks and then we said, 'Let's give it a shot.' And actually, it's good we didn't close," one of Taqueria Los Paisanos' co-owners, Angelica, told Joliet Patch's editor Tuesday afternoon.

"Sometimes it's slow, and sometimes it's very busy, especially for the weekends," she added.

Located at the corner of Collins and Liberty Streets, just a couple blocks south of the world-famous Old Joliet Prison, Taqueria Los Paisanos continues to stay open daily.

Customers can call in their food orders or visit the restaurant to place their takeout order from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The restaurant's phone is 815-722-0521.

Taqueria Los Paisanos also uses Grubhub and Uber Eats for deliveries.

Taqueria Los Paisanos has a very large menu.

One of the most popular items at the Joliet restaurant is the Menudo, a traditional Mexican soup made with cow's stomach in broth plus a red chili pepper. Taqueria Los Paisanos also features tortillas, tacos, tortas, gorditas and platillos.

The Collins Street restaurant has even created several family meals because so many Joliet families are forced to stay at home during the shelter in place.

Among the restaurant's specials are the Charola Combo for $29.99: six tacos, six burrito la Palma, six gorditas and three tortas.

And for $39.99, there's the Charola De Tacos: 15 tacos plus guacamole and Cebollitas.

According to Angelica, Taqueria Los Paisanos first started in Jerez, Zacatecas as a family-owned business in 1987 in Mexico. Jose M. Diaz is one of the brothers of the co-founders. Jose Diaz started his business here in Joliet 10 years ago, and as a young child worked at the family business.

"He’s created his own original recipes bringing his hometown Jerez authenticity into his food," Angelica wrote Joliet Patch in an email. "He’s been owning Taqueria Los Paisanos in Joliet for 10 years."

Angelica also wanted Joliet-area residents to know the "Tortas de Lomo are great sellers, our Birria Estilo Jerez, either in a dinner with rice and beans or its own broth ... Our Adobada tacos are another thing from home that are great. Our Tostadas Jerezanas are super traditional ... Best thing hands down is our Famous Menudo."

Joliet Patch continues to write about the city's small local restaurants and businesses during the ongoing health crisis. Taqueria Los Paisanos was one of the first Joliet restaurants to fill out Patch's simple online survey to let everyone know they are open and their current hours of operation. About 140 Joliet businesses have been added to Patch's list so far. If you want to add your business to Joliet Patch's list of open and closed businesses, you can do so here.

Related:

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Niko's Pizzeria Says 'Stay Safe Everybody' Amid Coronavirus

Joliet's Boston Market Closes Business