Tomate Fresh Kitchen

If you’re looking for authentic Mexican food in north side chicago (let me tell you, not the easiest to find without going south chicago) this is the place to go. I come here regularly to get lunch for my partner and I and the food consistency is always there. They have wonderful vegetarian options (the sweet potatoe gordita or black bean burrito are two of my go-tos but they’re all good) and the meat there is tasty as well. The food is always ready in such a fast time, even if there are a ton of orders. I don’t think I have waited longer than 10 minutes for my food but usually is like 3-4 mins. I recommend this place to anyone, great food and the staff is super friendly. **UPDATE I wanted to add a few more to my review. The consistency is amazing at this place. The food is always so delicious and the portions are generous for the cost. The salsa is fantastic, and the heat varies on the day. overall, it’s not very spicy but sometimes more than others. Sometimes they have fried plantains and they are SO GOOD AND SOFT. the pomegranate sauce with it is a nice touch. They will continue to have our business. SIDE NOTE - The burritos do not come cut in half, this was for pictures.

This is TAKE OUT ONLY - I didn't know that at first, but hey, good to know. The food was good! Decent vegan options, though not particularly incredible. The tofu and mushroom tacos were nice with the salsa, but I was hoping for more flavor and spice overall. There's some great vegan tacos in the city, but for Evanston, these were solid!

My favorite place in Evanston. Orders are consistently ready within 5 minutes of placing online. The food is good and still affordable. Great place to grab a workday lunch

The food is excellent. Half the time I order something extra (eg guac with the bean and cheese burrito), it doesn't appear. But two things: a) I finally figured out how to call them about it, and they were very helpful. and b) their food is so tasty, that it's still totally worth it.

Not the best tacos in the world, not wow, meat is a bit dry in tacos beef. I loved their empanadas and will order more than one next time. Shop is tight, don t expect to eat there, it s only for pickup but food is well wrapped. Shop has different juices (rice, mango, etc.) but haven t tried them yet. Last but not least, staff is very kind!

We love Tomate Fresh ! The tacos and burritos are super fresh and delicious. We pick up or have delivered at least once a week. The Aqua Fresca and chili relleno burrito combo is very satisfying.

It’s a northwestern and north Evanston staple and a great place for good, affordable lunch. I have been coming here for the past 5 years almost once a week. Their burritos are yummy with several vegetarian options. Over the years, I have grown to love the sweet potatoes and the tofu burrito and every once in a while I order the yucca or the spicy mushrooms. They also give you a standard red salsa, but when I have asked for it, I have also gotten either a salsa verde or a spicy salsa. If there’s one place that I would come back to eat in Evanston this would be it. I think their burritos are second only to the ones I have had in Mexico City. It’s a great blend of heat, fat, salt and acidity and their taste has been consistent over the past 5 years. I love their new online ordering system, it’s faster and more organized than their original system where you’d go into the store and stand in a line to place an order. The older system was chaotic. The online system has some issues occasionally but it’s pretty reliable and convenient. It is take out only and during the summer they have a few chairs outside, I’ve never seen the outdoor seats empty though! All in all, amazing place, fantastic service and great food.

Three dollar tacos! They have burritos and other stuff (to long to list, but there is something for everyone), as well as desserts and horchata. Very tasty, good customer service, no room to eat, barely any room to order. But still great! Patio seating out front.

These guys are cool. Tacos are good. Support local places that care about what they're doing

Stopped here for lunch before class one day. There is a QR code on the door to order. When I got there, they said they stopped taking orders, so I waited 15 minutes before I was able to place my order. After placing my order, I waited about 10 minutes before my food was ready. I got the carne asada burrito. It was a fine burrito, but it had a very strange fishy aftertaste that was quite off putting. I had high hopes for this spot, because I've heard good things about it, so maybe I'll need to try it again.

Checked out this not as well known Mexican restaurant that was hidden a ways away. It looks kind of crappy from the outside but try it because it's better than it looks. Tomato is located in Evanston up north close to the Noyes CTA station. Has only to go orders because there's no dining area inside. You should call to make sure they're open because it's unreliable. A lot of people will say this hardly is like a restaurant at all. It really isn't much of an atmosphere to be honest. There's no seating inside and there's nothing inside really. No bathrooms. Of course there's lots of restaurants like this, but this is extreme though. Also the crazy ordering system is lame. Scan the QR code on the window. Order online. They also only accept cards so make sure you have the correct type of payment. As for the food it's okay but overpriced to be honest. It's about $4 for an Agua Fresca, and I had the Blueberry Lemonade. Good drink. This even had bits of fruit floating in it. Better than the food to be honest. It's about $10 for a burrito, and it's a pretty average one. Has a few vegetarian choices. The Fried Tofu Burrito is one that's vegetarian. Strange looking barely cooked tofu, and it was covered in seasoning but it helped a lot. The burrito had limp vegetables and was soggy. It did have pretty good flavor. The rest of the menu is basic stuff but pricey. Be sure to know if they're open before going. It's closed a lot, even when it's supposed to be open for the business hours. The portions are pretty small for the prices, and there's no inside dining as well as this being card only, making you have to bring the correct type of payment or whatever.

Literally so good. Nothing else even compares to the taste and quality of the food here. I love the chicken tinga burrito especially. Highly highly highly recommend. If you don't go here you are missing out! I'm dead on the ground every time.

Most iconic establishment in Evanston. Excellent price for a burrito and absolutely delicious.

Small place with amazing food, and fast service! We had veggie tacos and a Carne asada burrito and loved all of it, plus it only took about 10 minutes for our food to be ready The sweet potato taco is probably one of the best veggie tacos I've had. Their bean and cheese taco is like a mini burrito, but I wasn't the biggest fan of their caramelized onion taco (it was super hard to eat, and had a bit too much onion, but still tasted pretty good). I also love their red salsa, it's just the right amount of spicy. My partner loved the burrito but could only get through about half of it, so you'll definitely be getting your money's worth. Will 100% be coming back for that sweet potato taco and red salsa

Conveniently located near NorthShore Evanston hospital. Take out are served out through a small window facing the street. The parking near the area is tricky, but I parked across from the establishment in a parking lot that's supposedly paid, but I stopped by just to cross the street to pick up food which was less than a minute, so I think it was probably OK. It was during a weekday so there are plenty of parking locations. I liked that they toasted the burrito wrap so it's drier and tougher, but I think the meat and fillings inside are also a bit dry. Perhaps I should've asked more sauce to go with it! Otherwise, I think it's a good option and location that serves the community around.

Great burritos, okay tacos (usually very soggy). Service is unfortunate. You never know when this place will be open or close. They don't have a phone line that works, they have no form of communication (socials, email, etc.). They will randomly close for catering or other reason and you won't know until you try to order online and it simply isn't available. No indoor options, only pick up. So cannot speak to ambiance.

We toured the University and ended up here. My kids and I had the burritos, horchata and strawberry smoothie along with flan. All of which were ok....we picnicked on the chairs across and ate our food. All of this costed close to $80 slightly overpriced for mediocre taste.

Tomato Fresh Kitchen could have been the best most uncomfortable lunch I've had in years! Let me explain: When I was in college (over 100 years ago) I could eat any meal put in front of me sitting down, standing up, laying down, walking, running, bathing or any yoga position thrown art me. Now - just sitting down at a table is the only way I can eat my food. Tomato Fresh Kitchen is located in the heart of Evanston, IL, home to thousands of Northwestern College students. These yougin's can eat like I could eat 100 years ago (in any position). Tomato Fresh Kitchen is not a restaurant. It doesn't have seats or tables. They have no bathrooms or servers or really anything resembling a restaurant, except really great food. It does have a QR code taped to their window to scan, enter your order into their system and pay ONLY by credit card. There is no human interaction except for handing-off your bag of food when its your turn for pick up. So, with that in mind, let me start with the "best lunch" part mentioned above: My carne asada burrito was one of the better burrito's I've ever had. The flavor palette along with the construction of this beauty knocked me out. I really don't have anything to compare it to other than (possibly) Tacos Villa Corona in Atwater Village, CA, but Tomato Fresh was better. I really loved this burrito - a lot! Now, for the most "uncomfortable part": I sat on the curb in 39° weather with unwashed hands with my knees in my chest, trying my best to consume my food, with a smile. Why not sit in my car you ask? Well, without a knife or fork or spoon I am not the neatest eater on the planet. My pristine wife relegated me to the curb on Noyes St. (rightfully so). This Mexican food was flat out delicious - so much so, I would come back here in a heartbeat. Here's the caveat, I will bring a fold-able chair, some clean wipes for my hands, on a warm spring or summer day. That should do the trick!

My friend and I ordered tacos from this place for take out and I felt like they were very just meh! I'm surprised from the reviews... I was hoping for a bit more! I also feel like the red salsa that they give is also kind of basic. There wasn't a lot of heat factor. I'm not sure if they have any other salsas, but a good green salsa would have helped bring the flavor out from these tacos. The only one I sort of liked was the Al Pastor, but I wouldn't even bother with the Asada again. All in all, probably wouldn't return.

No doubt the best food in Evanston and Chicago. I haven't taste any Mexican dishes that can top this place. The food is really fresh and delicious. The staff is great. This is a must stop place. Before the pandemic, you use to be able to come inside the store, but now, all food is ordered online. Very great food. $$$

Fast service with very authentic dishes. Never had a bad experience and good drinks selection.

Love this place. Food is delicious and they are super quick to turn orders around to go.

My go-to favorite Mexican restaurant. It is so convenient, relatively fast and cheap, and very very good. I always go for their tacos: salmon, duck, beef tongue, carne asada along with a carne asada quesadilla and a horchata. I can only speak for their tacos and quesadillas however many have told me that their burritos are to die for. 10/10 place

Good food, though nothing to write home about. Pastor and cochinita pibil pork had great flavors, but the pork itself could have been more tender. I was excited that beef tongue tacos were on the menu. The meat itself was tender, but the flavor and texture overshadowed by the sauce/spices and filler ingredients like onion bits. Tacos are just $3 to $4 each, but any extras like guacamole or cheese will easily set you back $1 a pop. We ordered a side of guac ($1) and a side of pico de gallo ($0.75) instead and we're disappointed to find that we only received a tablespoon's worth of each. The gordita was fine (I wish the masa was a bit less stiff) and the tamale was a generous portion. My order was ready in 15 minutes - nice and quick. Online ordering lets you skip the napkins and disposable utensils to go green, which I appreciate.

I placed an online order on a Saturday afternoon and it was ready for pickup within ~15 minutes. Upon ordering I was confused because the website still lists burritos as $6.50 but I was charged $8 per burrito when I ordered online. I had a carne asada burrito bowl while hubby had a carne asada burrito. We shared a duck taco and cochinita pibil taco. For our drinks we had a horchata and hibiscus orange agua fresca. The burrito bowl was decent but it was much smaller in size compared to Chipotle and you have to pay for add ons like cheese. The tacos were TINY especially for $3-$4 each. They were soggy and falling apart by the time they arrived home but I'm sure they'd be better when eaten right away. The duck taco was okay but the cochinita pibil taco was lacking in flavor. The horchata was painfully sweet which I was anticipating since it was mentioned in another Yelp review. The hibiscus/orange agua fresca was okay but tasted similar to POM in my opinion.

Got takeout from here for an early dinner. The grilled chicken and carne asada were both a bit dry. We got them in burrito bowl form, and the chicken definitely had better flavor than the carne asada. The salsa that came with it was nicely spicy so that helped a bit. The gorditas were soggy. This may be because we got it as take out? The tilapia was breaded but it wasn't crispy and there wasn't much in there so you taste mostly the beans. Overall, not bad for the price. It can get expensive if you add additional items to the burritos though, given that it only came with the meat, beans, and rice.

Based on some friends' great recommendations I went there and tried to order. There is no admission inside and any ordering has to be done via Google Chrome which I don't use (security concerns). No one there was willing to help and there was no flexibility at all. I finally walked away. Not a very welcoming place and I have no idea what the food is like.

Just as delicious and fresh as everyone says they are. Their menu board has huge font, so you don't have to squint! Others weren't kidding when they said that there is zero seating available, literally no dining in option. There's a small board that hangs out of the wall where you might be able to stand and eat, but even that space is crazy cramped. We ended up eating in the backseat of our car. All items came with salsa, which was nice to have! We got... chicken tinga quesadilla: perfect balance of cheese to meat and not greasy carne asada burrito: not the best burrito I ever had, but definitely tasty and packed with rice and beans potato & spicy queso empanada: nicely baked, but kinda pricey for the small size pineapple+mint+habanero drink: must get!

Wouldn't recommend this place. We have tried most all of the vegan & vegetarian tacos & burritos. The burritos especially are mostly filled with rice, the salsa is bland (probably store bought) and the rest is flavorless. You need to order online, and pick up at the window. There's minimal interaction with the staff, and they always seem in a rush. They have a great location and lots of hungry students, so that's probably why they are still in business.

SO GOOD! I always get the carne asada burrito - delicious!!! The red tomato sauce that comes on the side is amazing, and compliments the burrito so well. I tried the al pastor taco today and that was also yummy and did not skimp on the al pastor. Takeout is so quick and staff is so friendly :) I love Tomate!!!!!

This place is absolute ! It is so delicious and definitely a favorite of mine when I'm in Evanston/visiting Northwestern. Tomate is a bit of a hidden gem and everyone I know on campus absolutely adores the place, and for good reason! I ordered the nachos and added on chicken tinga (they usually come with ground beef) and a horchata for pick-up. Both were incredible! Especially the nachos - they had the perfect blend of meat, beans, cheese, and toppings! It was seriously delicious. The horchata was a bit on the too sweet side for my taste, but I know plenty of people who like it very sweet so it's just personal preference. The portion sizes on both were great, and the price was very reasonable. I don't think more needs to be said - GO! Definitely worth trying.

I really like Tomate Fresh and we eat there regularly. However, we've noticed that their order of guacamole ($9 Mayan style) isn't as plentiful as it used to be. The portions just get smaller and smaller. I think it's very good but I don't think we'll keep ordering it because it's maybe a cup of guac for almost $10 once you add tax and tip. Their tacos are excellent and the quality has never wavered. My favorites are the chili relleno taco and the duck taco. Others in my family swear by the black bean, salmon, and tilapia. Finally, there have been great with regard to COVID -- making sure everyone is masked up when they pick up their order and keeping everyone safe. I really appreciate that.

It's easy to miss Tomate on sleepy Noyes Street - but it is worth the small trek of heading up to North Evanston to enjoy some classic Mexican. Whether it's delivery, take out, or sit-in - Tomate consistently delivers incredibly satisfying and fantastic value meals. They have a variety of scrumptious burritos from the classic carnitas to chicken tinga to sweet potatoes. One of the core elements of a tasty burrito is the foundation. The pillowy tortilla, hearty beans, and aromatic rice are the supporting cast that prop up the starring role. Both the supporting cast and the starring roles at Tomate deserve Oscar nominations. Although I've only had Tomate burritos, I've always been curious to try their other offerings such as empanadas, tacos, and plantains. The food is perfectly washed down with their frescas and horchata. For anyone looking for delivery - Tomate is the BEST place to order from! On Uber Eatz, Tomate consistently arrives in less than 20 minutes. The food is always hot, fresh, and timely. Let's support Tomate during this time!

Ordered catering for a small outdoor retirement party. The empanadas were delicious even after sitting outside for a bit. Everyone raved about the tacos. Seasonal empanadas *chef's kiss* Tania is pleasant to work with and very accommodating. The team individually wrapped the tacos and empanadas and labeled them for covid reasons and dietary restrictions. Got the whole party saying they would buy/order from them!

After four years of only trying Tomate catering, I finally decided to make a trip to try their burritos. A lab member told me gave me a tip: order in advance so that by the time you get there, your order will be ready for pick up! I thought she meant I should order over the phone, but they never answered by 3 attempts. I then tried to order online for pickup through Yelp (Grubhub) but it said that the restaurant was not taking online orders. After hearing so many times that the place is really small and there's barely room to form a line, I kept looking for ways to order in advance. and ALAS! If you go to their website, there's a place where you can place the order, WITH NO ADDITIONAL FEES!! I would highly recommend this because after placing the order, I got a text in 3 minutes that my order was ready for pick up. I heard that the place is small but I was shocked by how small it actually was. There is just enough space for about five people to stand inside, a space just a little wider than the width of the door. Luckily, I went inside, provided the name under which I ordered, and my things were ready in a little brown paper bag. FOOD: I got the carne asada burrito with grilled cheese, pico, and guac ($9.90). The grilled cheese costs a bit more than regular cheese, but I really liked the texture it provided. However, if you're planning on eating the burrito later, the melted cheese turns rubbery and not super pleasant. I really loved the rice that comes in the burrito! Mild but well seasoned. The carne asada had a really nice dark flavor to it which I missed. However, the dark beef and the black beans are but in the middle of the burrito, so you can't really see how much meat is inside. The meat pieces were smaller than steak at Chipotle, but I felt like I got a decent amount of carne asada, especially given that the price of a regular burrito without add-ons is $6.50. I did miss having more veggies in the burrito though, whether that's the most authentic or not. Even with the guac, the bites of burrito felt dry at times. The burrito came with a side of red salsa. It is not spicy at all, but it was a good addition to the burrito. I wish I had asked for a spicy salsa.

Last Friday I picked Tomate for our office lunch. I'd never eaten here before. We needed lunch & variety. We received carnitas burritos & tacos with salmon, chicken, al pastor & carne asada. We had rice & black beans & guac w/ chips. Everything was delicious. Everyone commented about the freshness, flavors & authenticity. We all had leftovers to take home as well! I'm positive we will be putting Tomate into our favorites & rotations. Thank you for a wonderful meal, on behalf of everyone at the office and our spouses!

Nice inexpensive taco/burrito place if you want a quick bite near North campus

Seriously...It is hands-down one of the best food places for tacos. Like oh my god it's so good! Beautiful hole in the wall experience. Head on over to Tomate Fresh. It will leave you wanting more and more.

We've eaten lunch here a few times and it's ok. Today they got one of our tacos wrong and when we asked them to replace it they denied it was wrong even tho it clearly was. They didn't offer to replace it and were really rude about the whole thing. Why? I work nearby and have recommended this place in the past for a quick lunch but I'm done with them now.

I know times have changed BUT, Tomate Fresh has changed too. Prices keep increasing, and proportions keep getting smaller. Hard to find the protein burritos. Not what it used to be.

Stopped by here for some takeout as we were craving some authentic Mexican food. This is a busy and popping location in Evanston and I was told it was great so I gave it a shot. ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: 6/10 Small, cramped place, clearly made for takeout only, but it still was a bit claustrophobic especially if it were to become very busy. I like how everything on the menu was pretty clear though and most of the food was up front. SERVICE : 8/10 Fast service that was above average. We came in 20 minutes before closing and they got our order out really very quickly. They were also very nice. FOOD: 7/10 We ordered barbacoa, carnitas and tilapia tacos, a carne asada burrito and horchata to give a wide range to try. Barbacoa Taco - This was pretty good. I think the meat was kind of on the blander side but overall the taco was enjoyable. Tilapia Taco - I liked this one a lot. Fish tacos are something that isn't always done right, but when it is, it is a dream. I'd say these were above average. Carnitas Taco - The best of the bunch in my opinion. The carnitas were flavorful and melded well with the taco. I'd go for this again if I came back. Carne Asada Burrito - I wasn't too impressed with the burrito. Overall, it was average, but the meat in it was very good. I'd say carne asada is better than barbacoa. Horchata - Standard cinnamon dairy drink I believe. It was good, but slightly on the sweeter side. I liked it though. PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 8/10 I'd be inclined to come back here to try some more things. Not the best Mexican I have ever had but definitely a more authentic experience that's hard to find elsewhere. TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: Worth a shot. OVERALL: 7/10

Really wish there was an alternative to Chipotle, but unfortunately, there's not. $10 for a Carne Asada Burrito that's basically only rice and beans? Too expensive for very little meat. Very nice people though!

Tomate is SUCH a gem in Evanston, especially for Northwestern students that crave incredible Mexican food. Living near downtown Evanston, walking to Tomate is quite the trek but it's always worth it. I can't say enough positive things about this little shop. I also didn't know that it's a woman-owned shop until today, which makes me even more excited to stop by as much as possible (and so should you!) :) There's a lot to order on the menu, and each item has its own incredible and unique flavor. My favorite is definitely the chicken tinga burrito, and I always add cheese and guac! The menu items come with what's described, so you need to make sure to add cheese, guacamole, sour cream, or anything else that you'd like into your burrito for a small extra cost. They also give you a container of salsa with your order! While it's not a sit down place, and there's only barely enough room for the line (which is usually out the door during lunch time), they do have outdoor seating when the weather is warmer. Just be aware that this seating fills up really quickly as well. The line does get super long during lunch time, but it moves really quickly and it's worth the wait. The staff there are so kind and do such an incredible job keeping the line moving. For the price, which is comparable to Chipotle, you're getting so much more in quality. If you're up north on campus for classes, you need to give this place a try. Coffee Lab is right next door so it's a great way to take a quick break to grab a meal and do some work. You won't be disappointed stopping by if you're in the mood for some great Mexican food.

Actually my favorite place in Evanston. Pumps out food in 5 minutes that's fairly cheap and delicious. Really nice people too!

HOLY HOLY HOLY FREAKING FRIJOLES. If Yelp allowed me to give 6 stars to one restaurant, this one would be it. This is the best place for Mexican food in Evanston. Maybe even Illinois. Okay I'm just kidding on the second part, but it doesn't change the fact that Tomate has changed my life (and saved me from certain starvation many many time as a Northwestern student). I didn't discover Tomate until junior year of college, where my apartment happened to be located really close to the store. It's one of the very few restaurants located on the north side of campus, so for us students that lived north, it was the most convenient food option. The store itself is small, you order at the counter and wait to get your food. It could get cramped and hot in there at times, especially in the summer. The wait is normally not that bad, except for peak meal hours- 12pm-1:30pm, and 5pm-close. For around $7, you can get a burrito- my favorite is the carne Asada. It comes with grilled sweet onions, steak, tomato rice, and black beans. The meat is seasoned to perfection and cut up in small cubes, and there is the perfect amount of each. You can also customize the burrito too at no additional charge. Also, the burrito is pretty big so for me it can usually last me 1.5 to 2 meals. I've also tried the grilled chicken burrito and the horchata. The grilled chicken is well seasoned and the horchata is nice and cinnamon-y. After the first time, I started coming here every time I didn't have time to make food, which was every other week. I ended up loving Tomate so much, I catered it, as part of my student group events. It was always the most popular food option, and everybody in my student group loved it too. On top of the food being delicious, the customer service is amazing too. Not only do the workers try their best to keep the line moving, the owner of the restaurant is so nice! One time, I forgot to include the tax exempt number on one of my catered orders, and the Tomate owner was able to adjust my total right away once we entered in the tax id number. This is some top notch quality service. Tomate is undoubtedly my favorite restaurant in Evanston, for the value, the food, and the customer service. And, I guess, for the nostalgia factor because it reminds me of my student days. Even though I've graduated, I still find myself craving Tomate from time to time. The coolest thing is that there's nothin fancy about it-- there's no exotic spices or rare seafood or anything like that-- only good, old, down to earth, authentic Mexican food that everyone should try. I already can't wait till the next time I'll be able to come back here!

Tomate is one of the best food options for Northwestern folks that spend a lot of time on north campus. It sure has saved me numerous times during my undergrad years from the horrors of gruesome school cafeteria food. Tomate's business revolves around take-out and delivery. The place has no tables inside, and just a couple of tables outside you could sit at if the weather permits it. It is a very popular spot for students, so you can expect a long line at lunch and dinner hours. Although it may take a while to order, the food has come out fairly quickly for all of my previous visits. I always order a burrito, and one burrito always fills my belly up to the brim. Portion size has never been a problem for me. And all of the burritos I have gotten to try are delicious. Some of my recommendations include the carne asada, chicken tinga, al pastor, and tilapia burritos. Being a near-carnivore, I was really surprised at how good the fish (tilapia) burrito was. And I LOVE how they prepare their chips; they're thick, fried to perfection, and taste homemade. If you're putting down a big order with a bunch of people, chips & salsa, chips & guac, or nachos might be a great add-on to your meal.

Customer service was the WORST ive had all since before the pandemic. If you try to ask for help with their confusing system you will be pushed to the side and told to order online, yet even after having done so they will make your order however they see fit regardless of what you asked. To add injury to insult, the guy at the window (same one who would not answer my question before ordering) then told me what i should of done and felt justified in giving me not what i asked for. Will never return.

Tomate is a staple for us. One of the few places where me, wife, and kids all agree. We generally pick up an extra burrito or two and that's lunch the next day. They were closed for a long vacation in January. Wife was "why aren't they OPEN!?" and kept on checking the website for updates. One of a few places that actually got better because of COVID restrictions. It used to be a small cramped waiting area. Now it's website ordering and much more efficient. Have the horchata.

So here's the caveat, it depends what you order. Empanadas good. Tacos great. Burrito...meh. The meat choice also obviously matters too. Just speaking in general if you were craving a burrito I wouldn't get one here. The ratio of the fillings were completely off. We ordered a Carne Asada burrito and it was more of a rice burrito with some carne asada and lettuce. Aside from that I was a big fan of the empanadas and tacos. We tried the chicken Tinga, pork with salsa verde. Both were well cooked, flavorful, and delicious. I would recommend those over the carne asada. The carne asada was ok. It does the trick but its a little underwhelming and bland compared to other carne asadas I have had. We also tried the horchata and the pineapple-jalapeno aqua fresca. They were so good. I would definitely have the agua Fresca again.

I got the carne asada burrito! It was really flavorful and a decent size. The only thing I wish was different was having the options of having toppings like at chipotle without additional cost for each item. Otherwise, everything I get here usually tastes super authentic and good!

This was okay. I got two sweet potato tacos which were DELICIOUS. I also ordered pico and chips and a side of guacamole. The pico was 100% not pico. Tasted like tomato sauce from a can with a few spices in it. Big let down. And the side of guacamole was the tiniest little container I've ever seen!!! Would get the tacos again. But the other stuff I'd pass on.

Steak here is phenomenal - cubes are tender and juicy! I loved the Steak Burrito and the Steak Taco in particular. However, the "Cochinita Pibil" was a disappointment - I've gotten it both in a taco and a gordita and both times, the pork was hard, and flavor-wise it tasted like the meat just had a bit of orange juice splashed onto it. At the very least, try searing the meat on a grill to give it a crunchy exterior, although I don't know if that would fix the horrid lack of flavor. If you're craving good Cochinita, Taqueria El Chorrito in Rogers Park does it well. Tomate could learn a thing from them.

We were extatic to finally try this place. It is well worth a pit stop on Noyes street for their amazing food. They have a wide variety of dishes including tacos, gorditast, burritos, emapandas, and more! The flavors they have are also a wider variety and include not your every day types like yucca and carmelized onion! Lots of vegetarian options and of course meat too. Plus all of their food is crazy affordable! Prices range from $3-$7 dollars and are so filling! We couldnt decide what to try first so got a variety of items. We tried a carne asada burrito, yucca gordita, carmelized onion taca, guacamole tub, and al pastor burrito. All of them were amazing! We ordered online and arrived maybe 10 minutes later and everything was there ready for us! SUper quick and with the walk up window they have everything is super easy to do and you dont have to walk into any enclosed spaces. Their guacamole was also one of the best in town and tasted very fresh. They also have drinks like Horchata and Jarritos to try and merchandise. A few students in front of us were purchasing shirts which were super cute. Really looking forward to coming back again!

I literally cannot give this anything less than 5 stars. The food is delicious. Perhaps not as cheap or tasty as the most authentic Mexican food I've had in San Diego, but for Chicago? You won't get anything better, especially at this price. The portions are enormous -- big enough to the point where I can barely finish a burrito (but I still do -- they don't call me "Bottomless Stomach" for no reason :D ) Tomate's location in Evanston is more out-of-the-way than you'd expect -- it's closest to the Noyes stop (about 200 feet away). As my sister goes there weekly, she reports that there's almost always a line. When I went, there was a line of 3 people ahead of me, and the guy behind wanted Tomate so badly that he brought his laundry with him. Yeah, it's that good. I went with the vegetarian burrito and a side of chips and guacamole. As I mentioned earlier, the burrito was extraordinary. I could've entered a food coma right then and there, but forced myself to stay awake so that we could watch Logan in the theaters (#EndOfAnEra #ICried). I didn't finish the chips at the time, so it became a great post-movie dessert. 11/10 people recommend coming here for lunch or dinner, whenever you can get the time (perhaps while doing laundry?). You can't go wrong with your choice, but you should get a taste of the chips and guacamole. I'm visiting my sis in Chicago in a few weeks, and Tomate is already on my short list of eateries to hit (Hakka Bakka Kati Rolls being another)! See ya'll there!

Best burritos of my life. Carne asada is absolutely divine. The meat, the colored rice, non-refried beans, onions and cilantro. I crave this place and could eat it every single day. $6.50 for the burrito. -1 star for the fact that the ratio of rice/beans to meat is high. AKA there's a lot of rice/beans and never enough meat. The last 7 times I've come here I have ordered extra meat which is $2 extra. AVOID the tacos at all cost. I remember getting the salmon once and it was old...like it had been sitting there for a while, hard and dry. Ridiculously overpriced to top it off. Chicken tinga quesadilla is delicious and melt in your mouth. Really small though. Like a snack, very thin, not stuffed at all. $5.50 if I remember correctly. Horchata is good, not great, I usually skip it because of the price ($3.50). Stick to the staples at Tomate. Burritos only imo. Tip: you can always ask for spicy salsa and ask for grilled habaneros in your burritos. They may or may not charge you extra for the latter (sometimes they do, sometimes they don't for me, I think it's like 0.75 cent charge?).

Wow, authentic hole-in-the-wall Mexican food in Evanston! The way I measure the authenticity of a Mexican place is by the quality of the al Pastor Pork, and this was terrific. Despite the seeming complexity of the online menu, it's really quite straightforward: you can get a taco, gordita, burrito or empanada, and have it filled with pastor, carne asada, fish, caramelized onion/charred poblanos, or a few other variations. I tried several possibilities. The fish taco was small, garnished with diced pineapple, and the least expensive item. The gordita al pastor was generously stuffed with pastor, plus, oddly, some black beans. The burrito with caramelized onions and charred poblanos was huge, and although twice the cost of the taco about five times as much food. All three items were delicious. Everything is prepared to order, so it is fresh and HOT. Don't even think of eating here. Seriously, there is room inside the door for about six people to stand in line and order. No tables inside or out. Ordering online for delivery is probably the best approach.

Love this place! Easy contactless walk up/pick up window. Everything ive had here is is super good with interesting selections of meat and vegetarion items. Great place to just grab a fast small snack when that is all you want. This place is on my highly recommended list of local eats!