Carnitas Uruapan Expanding to Little Village by End of the Year

Longtime Pilsen Mexican restaurant Carnitas Uruapan is opening a new location in Little Village, located at 3801 W. 26th St.

Owner Marcos Carbajal was one of the 26 business owners to receive financial aid from a recent $33 million community development grant. The restaurant will receive $1.18 million to revamp the former art deco Concordia building. This will be the third location for the company, following sites in Pilsen and Gage Park. Carbajal tells What Now Chicago he expects to open the new location sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022. This is a huge achievement for the restaurant, founded in 1975 by Carbajal’s father, Inocencio, aka “El Guero.”

Carbajal says the new location will be similar to the first two restaurants, in terms of menu and ambiance. Guests can expect the same delicious slow-cooked carnitas found in Chicago for the past 47 years. Unlike the first two locations, this one will feature a liquor license, giving Carbajal the chance to serve local craft beers, micheladas, and a rotating selection of kegged cocktails made from artisanal Mexican spirits. Other delicious items expected at the new location include chicharrones, tacos dorados, home-style refried beans, Menudo, and various drinks and desserts.

“We are distinctly and unapologetically Mexican,” according to the company’s website. “The moment you walk into our restaurants, the smells, sounds, and sights take you back to simple, delicious, and unpretentious recipes and dishes from Uruapan, Michoacán.”