Discover
ListSpecials Board Dish GemsChicago's BestEvents
Read
The ScoopGuides FindsStoriesPodcasts
By Day
MondayTuesday WednesdayThursday FridaySaturday Sunday
By Deal Type
Happy HourBrunch Full Directory
Neighborhoods
Wicker ParkRiver North Logan SquareLincoln Park All Areas
Account
My ProfileBusiness Dashboard My AccountSponsor Your Business

Sign In

Sign in to upvote deals and save your favorite spots.

or
or use your phone

View Full Business Page →
Home / Businesses / Cerdito Muerto

Cerdito Muerto

Pilsen · Mexican American Community-sourced, unverified
📍 1700 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60608

Cerdito Muerto opened June 26, 2025 inside the actual building where owner Emidio Oceguera grew up — a Pilsen property his family bought in 1983, where his father ran a neighborhood pool hall until his death in 2013 and his mother ran a restaurant, Tacos Palacio, alongside it.

$$$
Duck carnitas nachos and a whole-goat birria taco on blue corn tortillas, alongside an espresso Martinez made with a house cordial — served inside the actual building where the owner grew up, honoring his late father's pool hall and his mother's restaurant.

Oceguera, who holds culinary arts and hospitality management degrees and previously managed Chicago Cut Steakhouse, built the new restaurant as a direct tribute to both parents — a mounted set of pool cues still hangs near the entrance, and his mother still sometimes helps out in the kitchen. The name, which translates to 'the dead piglet,' leans into his father's farming roots and a Day of the Dead sensibility rather than going for anything literal. Chef Becky Carson, previously executive chef at Ramova Grill and Taproom, learned family recipes directly from Oceguera's mother and runs the small 30-seat kitchen with sous chef Carlos, turning out duck carnitas nachos (the dish most reviewers single out), a long-braised whole-goat birria taco, and an al pastor taco built without pineapple, all on blue corn tortillas — deliberately skipping the chips-guacamole-margarita formula the owner calls 'polite food' in favor of something more specific.

The bar runs about 100 bottles of tequila and mezcal, roughly 90% from Mexican-owned producers, built around drinks like an espresso Martinez with a house cordial that took months to refine and a paloma made from grapefruit soda juiced and force-carbonated in-house. The Infatuation gave it an 8.5, praising the candlelit, old-soul room and family photos at the host stand. No confirmed phone, website, or Instagram turned up despite deliberate search — reservations run through Resy, with small-group bookings handled by email instead.

Specials at Cerdito Muerto

(1)

Cerdito Muerto

PilsenCommunity

Hours

Hours not listed — check before you go
📅 Takes reservations 🥡 Takeout unconfirmed

Amenities & accessibility

📅Reservations accepted
❔Takeout: unverified
❔Wheelchair access: unverified

Location

🧭 Apple Maps 📍 Google Maps

Photos

No photos yet — be the first to add one.

Have a photo from a recent visit? — customers and business owners both welcome.

Know about a deal here that's not listed? Add it below — we'll verify and publish it.

to suggest a special.

Think Cerdito Muerto deserves Iconic/Notable or Super Gem status? Tell us why.

to nominate a gem.

Keep exploring

Nearby
Full Directory
Explore
Happy Hour
Own or manage Cerdito Muerto? Claim this listing to verify your hours and add real photos.

Know a Chicago gem we're missing?

Tell us about a can't-miss special, a hidden spot, or a dish worth the drive — a father and son read every nomination.

Nominate a Gem →

See a deal here we're missing?

Menu prices change, happy hours shift — if something's out of date, tell us in 30 seconds. We verify and publish it.

Add a Special ↓
An editorial collage of Chicago foods from The Bear: Italian beef, deep dish, a hot dog, and a growling purple bear
📰 The Scoop

The Bear Ate Chicago

Every restaurant, dive, diner, bakery, and beef stand that made its way onto the show — plus an interactive map of every stop.

Read the Story →
Chicago's Best — ranked pizza, burgers, BBQ, and more
🏆 Chicago's Best

Pizza, Burgers, BBQ & More — Ranked

The Chicago Specials Score: member votes plus our own editorial judgment, updated as new spots earn their place.

See the Rankings →
Chicago Events — festivals, parades, concerts and more, curated month by month
📅 Events

Festivals, Parades & Concerts — All Year Long

Every real, verified Chicago event worth planning around — browse month by month, from this weekend to next summer.

See What's On →