When first confronted with the idea of an “antique taco,” one’s mind can’t help but wander to images of disgusting, moldy tacos from the mid-1800’s.

This could not be further from the truth.

In reality, the Wicker Park taco joint, Antique Taco, 1360 N Milwaukee Ave, is a colorful atmosphere with even more colorful and flavorful food; and from the first bite on, any fears regarding disgusting tacos are immediately dispensed.

From the moment you enter, you feel at home. Filled with collected antique wall hangings and soft folk music permeating the air, the friendly staff immediately hands you samples of their delicious fresh squeezed pineapple mint juice, or “agua fresca”—you almost want to sit down and read a book, rather than stuff your face with tacos. But, refrain from that urge and eat. You won’t regret it.

Coming from a self-professed aficionado of Mexican food, I can say that it’s a rare experience to actually taste the freshness of a taco. But at Antique Taco, every ingredient was so fresh and the flavor so rich and intense, that you could figure out every ingredient in the taco after one bite. We started off our lunch with chips and guacamole—the best guacamole I’ve ever had. It was flavorful with just the right amount of lime.

Our next dish, the pork carnitas taco was beautifully presented: adorned with a strip of bacon and stuffed to the brim with mouthwateringly spicy smelling carnitas. The taste was even better than the presentation—spicy at first with a sweet aftertaste, and the bacon on top provides the perfect amount of salt to complete an amazing taco. The chicken taco showcased hints of curry and cinnamon in the taste—creating an interesting new twist on a classic.

Now, for the bestseller: the crispy fish taco. As someone who vehemently hates fish, I almost refused to order Antique Taco’s so-called “best taco,” but I’m glad I did. The sharp contrast of a bland piece of fried tempura with a sriracha tartar sauce is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before: completely amazing. The sauce was just the right amount of spicy and the smoked cabbage on top provided the perfect amount of crunchy texture. It all combined to create one amazing taco, of which I quickly ate two, and then promptly asked if we could order more.

At this point, I was stuffed to the brim and couldn’t contemplate ordering anything else. But I couldn’t resist the desserts.

We ordered Abuelita’s Pop-Tart, a homemade puff pastry that was filled with rich Mexican chocolate, made thick by a combination with melted marshmallow. Paired with cinnamon ice cream, the pop-tart was out of this world compared to its grocery store counterpart.

Everything on the menu was reasonably priced, averaging $7 or $8 an item, and you surely get what you pay for in the sheer amount of food, the incredible taste and the stellar service provided by the staff.

Bottom Line: For a place whose name may cause you think of stale tacos, that couldn’t be more wrong. Antique Taco’s atmosphere, service and quality of food combine to create one of the best taco places in Chicago.