Cafe Tola #3

Hit up Cafe Tola after a Cubs game. Wasn't busy at all. Ordered an empanada and a couple of Al Pastor tacos. Everything was excellent! So much flavor in the empanada. I wish it was a bit crisper, but still delicious. The tacos were double normal sized tortillas. Meat was flavorful and juicy. The salsas they gave us were also terrific! We ate in the little outdoor area , which although small, could've been done up a little better.

The empanadas are soo good, the horchata latte is delicious and everyone is very nice there

Adorable little spot with great food! I got the veggie breakfast burrito + potatoes. It was huge, and it came with lots of yummy authentic red salsa. It's stuffed with delicious scrambled egg and seasonal veggies. I did not intend to eat the entire thing, but I did. I also tried the pinto jalapeño empanada, and I'm not really an empanada person, but I would definitely order again!

The empanadas were amazing and Samuel gave excellent customer service I will be coming back here again soon

I’ve been going to various Cafe Tola locations for almost a decade. Easily the best empanadas in the city. Great selection of fillings. I recommend green pork, rajas (veg), ropa veija, chicken mole, and you really can’t go wrong with any. Tacos are an excellent deal, filled up and 1x taco is plenty for breakfast. Everything is well priced for quality and quantity.

Thanks to Yasmin and Peppe for an amazing Monday morning coffee and chorizo breakfast taco. They adjusted my order to help with an egg sensitivity! Thank you! Super clean, super friendly, really delicious food!

I love the empanadas, especially the ham & egg, green chile pork, and birrria!! Coffee is hit or miss, I love their spicy mocha, but 50% of the time it’s made not too sweet, perfect amount of spice, well balanced. The other 50% they are like a cup of syrup/extremely sweet.

When we walked in, we weren’t even greeted. There was a woman standing by the food and she said nothing. We even had to ask if we could order because no one acknowledged us. We got a matcha latte and an horchata latte. First of all, it took way too long. We kept wondering why there was only one person doing the drinks while the other one was just standing there going through her phone. Horchata latte was good but the matcha latte was horrible. They put too much powder in and it wasn’t even blended. My friend kept getting huge lumps as she was drinking. Does anyone think that this should be worth $7? I had heard good things about this place and I believe the food might be good but the service absolutely isn’t.

We came here with my daughter after her music class nearby for some brunch about a year ago and were so glad we did! The empanadas and breakfast tacos were so good and the iced coffee was delicious as well. The place is tiny-tiny (mostly takeout) but they still accommodated us while we ate in with our massive stroller. I would love to go back but my husband is now gluten free so not sure they would be able to accommodate - I'll have to try to go solo!

Oh my god the lechón empanada was delicious! I've been thinking about it still- unfortunately couldn't try their breakfast tacos since their cook was running late due to parking issues but I'll def stop by to try more empanadas and their other menu items! It's a small cute shop, and service was great!

I had the skirt steak Tacos on my first trip and was very pleased with them , tender and well seasoned. The Empanadas are very good with the Black bean & Goat cheese being almost decadent!! Try the pastries as well, guava & cheese / apple & cheese were delicious! The service is fast and friendly as well. - my only knock was for the Apple pie empanadas, they were very bland ..I was expecting them to have the same flavor profile as the topping on the pastries (sugar &cinnamon i believe). They would be awesome with a dusting of that or a side of dipping glaze.

Had some great breakfast burritos with the red salsa. The empanadas were so warm and fresh- chicken tinga was delicious, will be back to try other flavors. Service was pleasant and efficient! Cute spot.

The reason I came here is because I was pretty hungover and was looking for a breakfast burrito. I've been to the Cafe Tola on Southport a few times before for coffee and empanadas (which are delicious by the way), but they don't turn the tacos into breakfast burritos there. This location does however as they have a bigger space. The staff was veryyyy friendly during my experience. It was a dad and his daughter working when I came in and I chatted it up with both of them. I'm from California and they've also lived there so we talked about all of that, and food options from back home as well as in Chicago. I decided to go with a Machaca breakfast burrito and it came out fairly quickly and stayed very warm until I got home. I have to say, I was not impressed at all with the breakfast burrito. It seemed to lack a lot of flavor, even with the crack (bomb) salsa. I didn't wanna give them any less than 4 stars because my encounter with the staff was really friendly and I like the other Cafe Tola location I've frequented before, but I wouldn't order that breakfast burrito again. They do have other breakfast burrito options, but knowing that they don't include cilantro or potatoes, or even refried beans. I guess I'm just too spoiled with the breakfast burritos from back home!

Popped in for some tacos for the walk. Grabbed a Pork, Goat, Steak, mole Chicken, and a Pork Belly. Great service, All delicious, the hot sauce is hot.

I've driven by Cafe Tola so many times. I ended up in the area one afternoon and stopped in for some empanadas and I'm so glad that I did. I ordered on sirloin and one rajas! They're were perfect cannot wait to come back

Great empanadas! Hot and ready to go for a quick bite. Outdoor patio for sitting outside on a nice day! Solid spot. They have another spot about a 5 minute walk if they don't have what your looking for.

Great place to drop-in for a delicious taco for lunch or an early dinner. The steak and chicken tacos are very good. The pork belly taco was superb the first time I tried it, but not available the next time I returned to see if it could really be that good twice in a row. Reasonably priced and filling.

REALLY good empanadas! Nice atmosphere...mainly a get and go place. We had the mole, buffalo chicken, cheese and spinach and a green Verde pork. All SUPER good! We will be back sooner than later!!

Best breakfast tacos in the city! Their pazole (red/pork or green/chicken) is legit comfort food as well.

My favorite empanadas in the city! I come here all the time and they are so nice and the food is always on point. The coconut iced coffee is amazing too!

I was so thrilled when this Cafe Tola was announced within walking distance. I was the 2nd customer and have frequented it regularly since it opened. The staff is fantastic (especially Allison). The Empanadas are wonderful with a flaky crust and interesting insides (my favorite is the pintos and cheese, especially when it's spicy.) We get tacos here regularly - both for breakfast (kids eat an egg&ham&cheese and I get a steak and egg) and for lunch/dinner! Oh, and they have the best coffee, too! This location has a few seats making it easy to eat there quickly before heading into the office.

I write this review with mixed feelings and hope. If it were 2 weeks ago, they'd get 5 stars and leave me wanting to add a second review just to give them 5 more. I've referred countless neighbors to them too. Now, it's quite the opposite. I'm probably this location's most frequent customer. The first couple of months they've been open, they had some of the best burritos I've had in my life--so good, that this non-fast food, non-eating out guy would eat there about 3-4 times a week. Unfortunately, their burritos went way downhill when Tim, their best cook, left. Now the burritos are wrapped in a weird way with WAY too much tortilla bunched up and not nearly as much meat as there used to be. Before, I could barely finish eating the burrito. Now, I get done with one and am finding myself making a second dinner. The flavors are incredible-- OG, goat, etc. If you're on the fence, go with the tacos now as you'll get just as much meat in that as you will the burrito these days. PLEASE RETRAIN YOUR COOK!

I am a big fan of Cafe Tola! I was so happy when this location opened up (it's been there a while now, just late on my review). I usually stop in 3-4 times a month for my empanadas fix! Since I don't eat meat they have the best options I've seen for veggie empanadas besides just cheese like most places. The black bean one is my fav; it has black beans, goat cheese & plantains. They also have a bunch of other veggie ones too that include peppers & potatoes and Pinto Beans & cheese! I usually call ahead and ask what they have hot & ready if they don't have any ready they will put some in the fryer if you call ahead and they will be ready for you once you arrive (if they have them already made). The staff is always super nice; not only the people helping you but also the cooks will come and chat while you wait; everyone is always so friendly, thanks Cafe Tola Fam!

The only person was nice there was the cashier. The chef or Cook guy was so rude when I ask him to not put sour cream in my burrito He said already made it and I wait 10 min after that. The tables outside are gross , no napkins or sanitized to clean. To many bees all over ! I can go to the corner of my house and get the same food for half price and better service! That's what happen when you trying to support local business ‍‍

Just ordered through Caviar and wow! This is the most flavorful and delicious pozole I've ever had. They don't skimp on the chicken or hominy either. I'm super sick and I think that this soup is definitely going to help me get back on my feet. I also ordered the machaca con huevo burrito and even that was amazing and super flavorful! I think I just found my new favorite delivery place. I can't wait to try more from the menu and check out the actual restaurant. I highly recommend!

Cool little place with a corner spot. Empanadas- chicken was good. The red chicken was nothing special -- I was expecting spicy or something different. It was ok. The beef burritos with eggs was huge and very good (based on my kid) - it was piping hot and fresh.

I love this place. Since it opened I've come there about 5 or 6 times. We usually take it to go. But there is a bit of inside seating and a small patio if you want to eat in. The tacos are great! I love the al pastor and the steak. I will say I've tried the chicken and I wasn't a huge fan of it. They put a lot of meat in their tacos, really filling! They are super quick! I am always tempted to try a breakfast taco or any of the burritos, but haven't yet gone that route. I'm sure they are delish though. I've had the empanadas at the Tola location on Southport, and I'm sure these will taste similar. Their iced coffees and lattes are also really good.

Ordered from grubhub one Sunday morning when I was fiending for a bfast taco. I got the egg and beef taco plus a chorizo and egg taco and the cafe con leche. The tacos were pretty tasty, but on the greasy side, but not in a bad way. The cafe con leche was so good, next time I need to get horchata. I took a star off bc I asked for cheese and sour cream and both tacos came without either extras. Both tacos were pretty dang tasty without the cheese and sour cream so that's saying something! I've also tried the empanadas from this joint and they were also pretty delicious! I'd def order from here again!

Fell in love with this place when they first opened. The last two times I have gone they have been getting progressively worse. I went today and what used to be one of my favorite tacos the biggie smalls, had one egg and four little pieces of steak, that were the equivalent of sausage on top of sausage found on a tostinos frozen pizza. This taco cost $5 which is an insult at this point. The steak taco was mostly grizzle and with barely any cilantro or onions. Empanadas are off as well. Used to be a great place but I don't think I will be returning after being disappointed two times in a row.

I used to love Cafe Tola... the location off Southport was always great... I used to go there, laugh with friends, and choose from a laundry list of various empanadas; they had choices for every taste-preference, diet, and so on... Then this location opened up. Everything started out fine - they had a decent selection of empanadas (always in stock), a beautiful new taco/burrito menu, and obviously coffee still. However, when the Summer of 2019 hit, things kept going wrong. (1) The store was closed on two different days during their 'Open Hours' without any explanation. (2) When they WERE open they would have no empanadas available due to an assortment of reasons (no ingredients that day, friers broken, etc...). And (3)... ohhh baby this pushed me over the edge... I was in Tola getting a coffee, and my friend was with me. She had been in Tola earlier that day so she already had a coffee with her. She had drank no more than 25% up to that point and asked for a quick top off. The cashier/barista affirmed her and ended up charging me for two coffees (mine and her top off)... we were shocked. He didn't even explain it, I just saw it on the screen. The dude COULDN'T EVEN MENTION HE WAS CHARGING US FOR IT. Naturally I didn't say anything because I have the backbone of an eel, however, my friend who is usually outspoken was speechless, too. We were both mad at ourselves for not speaking up, but we shouldn't have to... Nevertheless, I'm leaving this review instead. Do better, Tola. I don't know if the owner is going through a heavy divorce or what, but I want old Tola back. P.S. The day of the 'top off' incident they were also out of empanadas

I've been a fan of this location since they opened earlier this year and have eaten in several times, and just got my first to-go order this weekend. I'm not sure if Cafe Tola has been taking some of the recent reviews about small serving sizes to heart, or I just got lucky, but the tacos I took home are definitely the largest and heaviest tacos I've ever seen in my life and were significantly larger than ones I had ordered previously. I got two chicken mole, 1 al pastor and chips w/guac and the total came to $18 (I had added cheese to the tacos, which is an extra charge), which is kind of insane to me so these are definitely on the pricier side when it comes to tacos. Had I known they'd be as large as they were, I'd have only ordered 1, maybe 2 tacos instead. The food was packaged quickly and I took it home. Overall, I think they do a great job with their tacos--my chicken mole was juicy and the al pastor had great flavor. I think their tortillas are particularly good. My boyfriend thinks the pork belly is too fried, but he really likes the OG and the birria. We're clearly in the minority, but aren't actually fans of the empanadas and prefer 5411's when we're in the mood for them. They do offer a great variety of bottled sodas and I know a lot of people like the coffee and other drinks. Next time, I want to try the quesadilla they recently added to the menu!

Needed a light dinner on Friday night...what to eat? We were fortunate to get to this little place before it closed. Honestly it may have been better if we had gotten there earlier, I don't like making employees work when they want to go home. The OG tacos I ordered were delicious. No salsa came with the tacos which seemed strange but I haven't been there enough to know if they forgot it or the tacos don't come with salsa. The birra tacos my friend ordered had a very nice flavor and if you like that type of meat you will love these tacos. The horchata is a top contender in my casual competition for best horchata, highly recommend.

Fun and quick place to grab a bite. Came here on a weekday night and we were in and out within 30 minutes. Service was friendly, food came out super quick. We gobbled it all up because it was all delicious. The highlight of the meal were the goat tacos and the empanadas. There are great tacos all throughout Chicago but I don't think anyone can beat their empanadas, definitely give them a try. I suggest going there early for dinner, they do run out of items on their menu.

If you come here, do not expect good customer service and always check each taco before you leave. This place get 4 stars for taste but 1 star for ZERO customer service. I go here every other weeke because my toddler loves empanada crust. On today's visit, I walked back home before realizing that they gave me someone else's order of tacos. I walked back to the store, explained the situation, and walked home with new tacos. The woman did not apologize about the situation. When i got home, i discovered that they made the wrong tacos despite me explaining what I wanted no fewer than 5 times. Their total lack of customer service is enough to make me stop going there.

Passed by this place and thought I would try them out. As you can see I couldnt wait to get home to eat it. The chicken empanada was so good, mad I didnt get more than one. Of course the horchata was good as well.Their location is small but food is flavorful, will definitely be going back!

stick with the empanadas... the tacos are so small/not worth the price tag. i was so excited for the grilled vegi burrito - hooray for vegetables and not just beans! hooray for vibrant and not mushy vegetables! but BOO --so so so bland. and i think everything is salty! will be back to sopo for an empanada...

I'm so happy that this in my neighborhood. I love the location on southport but I love that this location has seating indoors and outdoors on their patio. I've ordered their birria (spicy goat) and OG (steak) burritos and tacos to go and they taste delicious. The Burris is perfect and not too spicy but the flavor is so delicious. I do like that they have empanadas and drink/coffee menu like the one on southport. I love their horchata, it doesn't disappoint.

So let's just begin with I knew something was wrong when the cook who was cooking my food was touching my food with no gloves!!! Now let's begin with their OG TACOS "Skirt steak" wasn't cooked! Nor was it actual skirt steak! More like ground beef. My friend had a chicken verde that had no taste and chicken was chewy never again so disappointed.

Food Is great yeah, but the grumpy employees ruined the whole experience for me. As a first time customer I don't see them on a regular basis so I don't know if they were having a bad day or what but there is no friendly nature whatsoever. These people really need to take the sticks out their you know whats! Its like they are trying to make it a miserable process for themselves! Maybe try smiling sometime and actually treat your customers with some sort of respect! Absolutely sad.

Exceptional. Ordered the pinto & cheese, spinach & cheese and chicken mole empanadas, the OG and al pastor taco and an horchata. Perfect, even the salsa that came it. Everything was delicious and well portioned. Yes, prices are on the higher side, but there's no skimping. Friendly and fast service, all you could ask for in a quick pick up for a last minute dinner on a random Wednesday night. Am I an expert on such things? Probably not. But I've lived in this city since 1999 and have eaten at most of the high rated places that serve these same foods. And sure, tacos and empanadas can be subjective to a degree, but here the quality was high and plentiful. Marinated meat with good texture, flaky, soft non-greasy pastry, nicely balanced fillings, and a rice drink with the perfect balance of sweet and cinnamon-y. I'll be back as there's so much more to try! (Doesn't hurt that this newest location is basically walking distance from my apartment.)

I got to try their al pastor taco at the Lakeview taco fest this year and it was soooo good I went back the last day to get one more taco. I only knew of their one place next to Jewels but I'm so glad to have discovered that this place is right on Addison off of Ashland. I've been searching for a good taco place near my apartment and this one I fee serves one of the best tacos in Lakeview. I was served right away and customer service was genuine and pleasant,!cant wait to come back.

pretty good sm location patio nice & cozy second time visit this location i order coffee and machaca con huevo taco service nice friendly on point see you soon again

This review is just for the tacos- which they don't offer at the Southport location I usually go to. I tried the pork belly and the pastor. Pastor was just ok- acceptable but overpriced. The pork belly tacos were laughable - they're incredibly small you get like a thick bacon Strip worth of meat in a single piece - less than half what's in the pastor despite them costing extra. I also asked what came on them prior to ordering and was told just cilantro and onion but the pork belly came with some very tasteless beans on them too. It took awhile too- one of the guys working noticed how long I was waiting and threw in an extra taco so the 2 stars is for customer service atleast doing what they could. I had a to go order and some limes mightve made a world of difference but were not offered. I thought this place would be a quicker /cheaper alternative for lunch tacos on my work break since the other taco places nearby are sit down restaurants but its unfortunately its pretty much just as expensive and not much faster. I'll probably be sticking to the empanads in the future

Ordered here based on a recommendation of mine of my closest friends. I ordered chefs choice of 3 empanadas, a chicken verde taco, and, a pastor taco. The chicken one didn't come when delivered , so I can't review that one but the pastor taco was incredibly delicious! The meat was tender and juicy and the taco was soft and warm. This taco reminds me of the best street tacos. The empanadas were a spinach cream cheese mix (I'm guessing by the texture and flavor), a ground meat and veggies, and a bean and cheese one. The crust was similar to that of a crescent except more doughy in texture- soft, warm and delicious. All three were delicious! I love finding hidden gems like this in our neighborhood! Thanks, Cafe Tola!!

Yummy! Amazing empanadas. Plus the people who work here are super nice. Very small place so more take out than eat in. There are a few outdoor tables yet cold in the winter. Very recommended.

So happy that Cafe Tola are open at this location. We LOVE the coconut ice coffees, all of the empanadas (GREAT vegetarian options always), and are so excited to explore more tacos and burritos on this expanded day menu. There is a small patio and indoor seating options. The shop is clean and orderly, and the service is attentive and kind. This place is a cross between fast casual and casual. You have to go up and get your own food but the employees are happy to help I.e., point you to the water, explain the menu, and offer suggestions. For food we've tried the breakfast tacos (they all come with scrambled eggs and various cheese/meat/bean/veggie toppings) and be normal tacos. The tacos are HUGE portions. You could eat one and be full for a snack or small meal. Btw-my friend is vegetarian and LOVED the veggie tacos and thought the carrots were unique and delicious. Keep on keepin on Cafe Tola.

Awesome empanadas and coffee. Fast service, clean store and friendly, prices are reasonable. Plenty of seating indoors and outdoors for a quick bite and drink. I'll visit again when I'm back in town and looking for a quick bite.

This place is inexpensive, quick, and yummy. Horchata - 10 out of 10 For the meat eaters (according to my boyfriend) Get the OG taco - skirt steak - ask for xtra onion and cilantro. Al Pastor is good - a pineapple garnish would put it over the top. Pork Belly very yummy (no beans please!). I had the veggie empanada of the day - potato, cheese, and poblano - it was to die for. I could have passed on the boring burrito I got which was filled with lettuce. Wish they had refried beans instead of boring pinto.

great customer service. i made an error in my order and it was fixed immediately for free. amazing food. so so good.

The empanadas are so yummy, but a little on the expensive side! I got the spinach and cheese as well as the poblano, potato, and cheese ones. I absolutely loved the poblano one! It had big chunks of potatoes and peppers, both cooked to perfection and served nice and warm. This was a great place to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch.

Cute small neighborhood joint. Stopped for my first time and the staff was friendly. I got a chicken mole empanada and a chicken Al pastor taco and both had yummy fillings. I am doing low carb so I didn't eat the empanada crust or the corn tortillas so I can't comment on that. I was impressed with the amount of chicken in my empanada. The taco filling amount was standard. Salsa was delish! Definitely will be back when I'm in the neighborhood.

I really wanted to like this place. Based on comments I was really pumped about going there for lunch. I ordered 2 empanadas and 2 tacos. The tacos were priced on the high side which I don't mind paying if they are nice sized and taste good. Al pastor was I believe 3.50. Very high for al pastor which is usually the cheaper at any taqueria maybe a $2.50 Taco. The meat was not very juicy more on the dry side. Portion was average just like any taqueria. The second one I enjoyed because I never seen at taqueria before. It was a pork belly taco. Price $4. Good but what would have made these better is a homemade salsa verde or roja. What taqueria sells tacos with no salsa. All they had was bottled hot sauce. As for the location. Then have very small low metal chairs. Kind of uncomfortable. Oh almost forgot as for the Empanadas they were really good only thing is they forgot to give them to me so she made up by giving me two extra as I left. If you want to pay 3.50 to $4 for a average taco w/ no salsa this is your place

Hit or miss sometimes the pork is absolutely delicious, sometimes it's chunks of uncooked pig fat you can't chew!! When it's good I love it they season everything so good !!! I will keep ordering, my husband eats it regardless he is not picky.

Always had a good experience here until yesterday my sons empanada had a band aid in it! He went back and they refunded his money but it was like no big deal. That's a big mistake and you have to wonder how clean the kitchen is. Very disappointed

I walk past going two Jewel one day and decided to stop in I am glad I did. Every now and then I stop by and get 10 empanadas just so I can try all the different ones good place

This taco shop has some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced, and the vegetarian food here is horrible. If you have any dietary constraints I highly suggest avoiding this restaurant. We ordered 3 meat tacos (which were perfectly fine) and 3 "seasonal veggie" tacos. They told us the tacos were on corn tortillas-but the came out on flour which we were willing to let slide. However, they had given us the wrong tacos- the breakfast egg tacos instead of the veggie ones. When we politely pointed this out the server clearly decided to take things out on us. They "replaced" the tacos with veggie tacos-but with chunks of meat and gross fat gristle strewn throughout all of them making them inedible to my vegetarian partner. They also served them in 3 separate baskets(one for each taco) so that she couldn't carry them-when we had gotten our tacos to go. It was rude and humiliating, and my partner left in tears and without anything to eat. Seriously? If you aren't going to respect vegetarians, and willfully put meat in their food-why have a vegetarian option at all? To top it all off the veggie tacos would have been gross anyways-there were massive chunks of carrots, undercooked brussels sprouts that were cut in half so they were too big to fit in your mouth, and boiled broccoli... no onions, no cilantro, nothing vaguely Mexican at all. In short, nothing that belongs in a taco in the first place. This isn't rocket science people, we would have been happy with sauteed bell peppers and onions or just beans and normal taco toppings. If you are going to charge $3.50 a taco, give us something other than brocolie and carrots.

So it came to pass. I needed steak tacos and steak tacos I was going to get. Come heck or high water. Now cafe tola has a few other locations, and they make a mean empanada. But it was tacos I required, so to the Addison location I meandered. I had a chapped area of skin near my nose from seasonal allergies plus wind , plus strange luck with these types of things. I brushed my hair in front of it and set out, on my quest, channeling the daughter in The Incredibles 1. I had ordered in advance so I was able to slink in, pay and slink out, with minimal inquisitiveness from the people who work there and the other patrons. I ordered a bunch to supply rations for my home fries, too. That's the kind of captain I am of my ship. So we had many OGs, as they are deemed at Cafe Tola, and dusk fell, leaving me with concern that I had overeaten, but , well, yum.