Holy guacamole are we excited to share this Chicago Suburbs Mexican restaurant with you guys!
If you follow us on Instagram, @hashtagsandhandbags, you would have already seen some photos from our shoot at Invicto! And if you DON’T follow us on IG…then what the heck are you waiting for?! Okay shameless self plug over, now read on to find out about some of the best Mexican food in Chicago (land) area haha.
We are always a little bit wary when a new brand or restaurant invites us to try their products for the first time. This is because, while we want to work with brands, we ONLY want to work with brands that we actually like and would of course recommend to YOU!
So we headed out to Invicto in Naperville, Illinois to check out the food and atmosphere and let me just say we were truly blown away by both the food and our experience! Who would’ve thought that we’d find the best Mexican food in Chicago, in the suburbs! This fast-food joint is located in the West Suburbs of Chicago, just off of 88, and it is well worth the drive if you are a Chicagoan.
Invicto was started by the former executives of Naf Naf Grill (another of my fast casual faves) with big plans to fully immerse you in a Mexican taqueria! Let me tell you they have achieved just that in both atmosphere and flavor.
SHOP BOTH OF OUR OUTFITS HERE!
Here’s what you need to know about Invicto!
ATMOSPHERE
Definitely a well-decorated and cozy spot that will transport you to Mexico! Complete with postcards and souvenir magnets, the cash-wrap is adorned with traditional candies and other various trinkets.
ORDERING: Order at the counter, get a buzzer and head to the pick-up window when your order is ready.
SEATING: Open seating throughout, tables fill up quick during peak mealtimes.
PATIO: Small outdoor patio, perfect for getting a side of vitamin D with your tacos.
BAR: Small bar seating where they make your margarita or paloma. (Remember toorder your drink at the counter, the bar really just serves as adorable additional seating.)
If I were to give this place a rating based solely on it’s “Instagramability” it would get the full 5 stars. Haha There are SO many cute photo opts here!
WHAT TO EAT
Okay on to the good stuff. The food at Invicto blew us away, literally every single thing we ate was incredible. So no matter what you order, I guarantee your taste buds will not be disappointed! We really want to name this the best Mexican food in Chicago…like it’s that good. But I guess it’s technically the best Mexican in the suburbs haha.
TACOS
We tried a wide variety of these all were jam-packed with flavor. The elotes taco was my favorite taco I tried, that and the crispy avocado taco are great meatless options. The elotes taco is exactly what it sounds like, they scoop their corn/mayo mixture into a taco shell (I prefer this one with a flour shell) and the latter contains deep fried avocado slices!
The steak, chicken and chorizo are also all so good. We preferred them in that order flavor-wise. I should mention the chicken isn’t pulled chicken, but char grilled delicious chicken that is still juicy inside. The chorizo wasn’t what I was expecting, it was in a green verde sauce, which was still delicious, just not the spicy chorizo you might be used to!
QUESADILLAS
We only tried the Pollo Asado (grilled chicken) quesadilla when we went there the first time. Honestly it was SO bomb I ordered it again when I took my husband back the next week! The way that they grill these street quesadillas leaves them delightfully charred and oozing with cheesy goodness. The quesadilla was by far the stand-out item for all of us. Hannah, Maria and myself all chose this as our top item. (I’m drooling just thinking about it).
SIDES
Elotes: 10/10 would recommend. I want to bathe in their elotes…okay not really haha but they were incredible.
Papas Especial: Maria and Hannah both named this as one of their favorites from Invicto and I have to agree you can’t go wrong with seasoned French fries covered in nacho-style toppings.
Chips & Guac: The guacamole here is fresh and doesn’t lack in flavor. Definitely a great side to go with your meal!
Chips & Queso: I had the queso when I went back here with my husband and I liked it more than that chips and guac! Although I’m a huge sucker for cheese so I might be biased…
WHAT TO DRINK
Definitely don’t pass up the horchata here! Hannah is still dreaming about it and I think 1 out of every 2 tables had one while we were there. They even have horchata cold brew which we didn’t try but I definitely was intrigued by! We enjoyed the juices we had there as well, the watermelon was bomb even though we aren’t that into sugary drinks. When I went back with the hubs I had a paloma and they let you choose between regular tequila or mezcal which is awesome since I love mezcal! The make their palomas with Squirt (the pop) so that was way different than anything I’d had before!
I think it’s also worth noting that while we didn’t try a milkshake, a ton of people did while we were there and they come with a churro garnish!
WHEN TO VISIT
Invicto’s Naperville location is open every day from 10:30am- 10:00pm. We got there promptly at 10:29am after deciding on the way there that “it’s never too early for tacos”! Haha A realization that occurred thanks to Hannah (our lovely friend who shot all these incredible photos).
At 10:45am a couple strolled in, along with a gentlemen who enjoyed a delicious looking burrito the size of his head! By 11:00am the place was bumpin’ and there were only a few seats left. Come 11:30am Invicto was packed. It seem lots of people visit on their lunch breaks as well; co-workers came walking inside in droves.
So we’d suggest getting there earlier, or later, rather than the usual 12:00pm lunch hour. Same goes for the weekend; I know because Kyle and I went back the following week on Saturday because he had major FOMO and I needed a quesadilla! Not sure what it’s like during dinner hours, but I think it’s safe to assume there’s a rush then too.
CATERING // CARRY-OUT
We know this technically can’t be the best Mexican food in Chicago since it’s in the ‘burbs. But what if you took it with you back into the city?! haha
If you’re on the go, or visit during a time when there aren’t any seats available, take advantage of carry-out! You can place an order online or tell ‘em it’s to go at the counter.
Need to feed 10 or more taco lovers? Give Invicto at least 24hrs and place a catering order for your next party or work event! See the catering menu here!
ONE FEEDS TWO
One of our goals for H&H has always been to shed light on awesome organizations that give back in one way or another. Therefore, we LOVE working with brands and companies that are philanthropic, Invicto is no exception to that.
Invicto is a proud partner of One Feeds Two, an organization that provides one school meal to a child living in poverty for every meal you purchase for yourself. Check out their story here, and be sure to support the cause when you see their logo inside of a restaurant or down the supermarket aisles!
So in a nutshell, there are three solid overarching reasons to visit Invicto ASAP:
- Instagram-worthy atmosphere!
- Incredibly delicious and authentic flavored Mexican food!
- One Feeds Two partnership means you can feel good about eating out, knowing you’re helping to make a difference.
Invicto (aka the best Mexican food in Chicago) is located just outside of the city, at 1727 Freedom Drive, Suite 101
Naperville, IL 60563
Photography by Hannah Schweiss Photography
*Disclaimer: The food we tried at Invicto was complimentary and gifted to us, however all opinions are our own!*
Be sure to check out some of our favorite Greektown spots here!
