Today, Tecalitlan Restaurant has enough space to seat 140 people. But it wasn't always that big—before it was a villa-themed eatery with hand-carved chairs, exposed brick walls, and mounted steer horns, it only had seven tables. That was back in 1973, when the Garcia family first opened the place. It would expand slowly but surely over the years, just like the surrounding Ukrainian Village neighborhood or a hot-air balloon inflated by a bike pump. As it grew, it gathered followers of all stripes: friends from down the street, CitySearch readers, and star athletes such as Bobby Simmons, Alexi Ramirez, and John Lucas among other NFL, NBA, and MLB players.

Loyal patrons still visit for the bowls of home-made chips and salsa, as well as glasses of 3G margaritas and sizzling platters of tacos, fajitas, and burritos. In fact, Tecalitlan burritos, which the Chicagoist named one of the nine best burritos in Chicago, have become such a fan favorite that diners have been known to mail them to out-of-state friends and family.