It's the end of the week and you've hit up all your usual spots for lunch. You're sick of sub sandwiches and bland midday meals, what you need is a little spice to add a punch to your lunchtime routine. Try hitting up Taco Village off Rand Road in Des Plaines. It's a perfect place to grab a quick bite to eat either alone or a place to gab and munch with friends.

What's great about Taco Village is getting quality authentic Mexican food in a short amount of time. After I ordered the taco combo, two tacos served with rice and refried beans, I waited about five minutes before my number was called. The menu has tons of options to choose from, tacos to burritos to breakfast.

I decided to stick tacos, since it is the Taco Village of Des Plaines. I went with a steak taco and a chicken taco as part of the taco combo. I'm already partial to steak tacos but I was pleased to find that the steak wasn't overcooked like in most Mexican restaurants. It was moist and tasted fresh. The taco, in corn tortillas, didn't come with any spicy sauce, but there are plenty of sauce and spices to add to your own selection.

The chicken taco came with it's own sauce and it was just as good as the steak but gave the meal more range in flavor. Of course, the rice and refried beans were also great and soon enough I was stuffed. The portions are pretty large. You could get away with eating one taco and being full after the meal. If you're in a pinch for time, it's the place to go. You can still get a great meal in a short amount of time.

The staff is super friendly and every server behind the counter shouted a hello as I walked in the door.

This taco joint is only 15 months old in Des Plaines but actually made its debut in 1968 in Bridgeview. The inspiration to move into Des Plaines came years after the Bridgeview restaurant closed its doors. The son of the previous owner wanted to continue the family tradition and recipes to share with others in the area.

Taco Village is definitely the place to go for a fast and fresh meal.