\u201cThat first day [after the story published] I had to help work because it was crazy busy. I had to tell people there was a wait time, so it was a beautiful outcome,\u201d said Herrera, who owns the restaurant with her father. \u201cWe are truly grateful; it put a smile on my dad\u2019s face, and he said he could not believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several Block Club readers sent messages about their dining experience at Las Casitas after the story, and one couple left a note at the restaurant.<\/p>\n
Even this weekend, the restaurant was busy with new customers, a nice surprise that will help the business pay its employees and other bills after several weeks of slow business and not being able to pay some workers, Herrera said.<\/p>\n
Prior to the increased attention, Herrera worried the family would need to close the restaurant by the end of the year, she said. While the sales increase has been a relief, Herrera said closure is still not off the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf sales keep up, then we might be OK not to close it,\u201d she said. \u201cI have put my own finances into this before, and if I can\u2019t do it anymore, then yes, [it\u2019ll close]. But we\u2019re trying not to since lots of people have visited the restaurant and there are many loyal customers and employees. We don\u2019t want to let it go.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Hermosa Belmont Cragin Chamber of Commerce hopes to prevent a wave of small business closures with a $50,000 fundraiser that will distribute funds to struggling businesses in the area like Las Casitas. It\u2019s raising the money<\/a> through its annual\u00a0Abuelita Hot Chocolate 5K Run\/Walk<\/a>, which is 9 a.m. Nov. 8 at Riis Park, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave.\u00a0<\/p>\n Increased ICE activity and agents detaining people in the area has been stressful for Herrera and other immigrant families and business owners, but seeing the community come together is inspiring, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to stay together and do what we always do: work hard, keep our families going, and that is essentially what people came here for,\u201d Herrera said. \u201cIt\u2019s so cruel what they are doing out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Alonso Zaragoza, one of the organizers of\u00a0Whistlemania<\/a>\u00a0and leader of Belmont Cragin United, is also organizing mini restaurant crawls called Taste of Belmont Cragin.<\/p>\n Last week\u2019s first event brought dozens of people from Lakeview, Lincoln Park, the North Shore suburbs and other areas to Belmont Cragin restaurants along Armitage Avenue despite the cold, Zaragoza said. He\u2019s also seeing more donations for Whistlemania events, which train residents how to safely record ICE and Border Patrol agents and provide whistles so neighbors can warn each other when agents are nearby. There are now 55 active chapters, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTuesday\u2019s event was amazing \u2014 I got there and didn\u2019t see anyone out there, but then I looked inside the restaurants and [they were] packed. Guerrerense was packed, Taqueria La Paz was packed,\u201d Zaragoza said. \u201cFrankly, it was almost all white people \u2014 this is what it was intended to be. Thank you to a whole bunch of people.\u201d<\/p>\n Some street vendors were granted a spot inside restaurants so they could be warm and still make sales \u2014 a perfect example of the neighborhood business owners working together to support one another, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe diversity of the support was amazing,\u201d Zaragoza said. \u201cThe owners were happy. \u2026 At the very least, for a few hours on a Tuesday, owners were having a good time. Those people are gonna come back and, hopefully, they become regulars.\u201d<\/p>\n The next Taste of Belmont Cragin <\/a>is 5-8 p.m. Tuesday. Attendees are encouraged to visit four Latin businesses along Diversey between Lockwood and Leclaire avenues.<\/p>\n Steadfast in his commitment to support his own community, Zaragoza is planning three more crawls for the coming weeks. The next one will focus on businesses near Central and Belmont avenues, then a few in Hermosa and then local ice cream shops in Belmont Cragin. More details will be posted to the Belmont Cragin United\u2019s social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:<\/strong><\/p>\n \t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/las-casitas-1-1024x671.jpg\")
Chefs at Las Casitas Restaurant at 5746 W. Belmont Ave. are seen working on a few takeout orders Oct. 16, 2025 in Belmont Cragin. Credit: Ariel Parrella-Aureli\/Block Club Chicago<\/p>\n