got green chicken empanadas at the trinket fest pop up and they were SO GOOD. not too spicy for my low spice tolerance. thank you for introducing me to the wonders of empanadas read more

Go early because they sell out! I had the apple pie empanada and spicy iced mocha. Really delicious and the mocha hit the spot. There's a cute courtyard set back from the street to enjoy your treat. read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Apple pie empanada and spicy mocha - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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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! read more

I look forward to my rajas empanadas and iced horchata latte every weekend! Love this place.

Who doesn't love empanadas?? a great stop on the walk over to Southport after a Cubs game

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! read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love the food here and try to stop in for the Monday special! Make sure to step out of your comfort zone and try other things, it will surprise you read more

Always get their horchata lattes and love them. I don't know if this is because someone is new or management changed but the new horchata lattes given out recently have been bad. I'm not one to complain but the one I got this week was thick and tasted old. Like they used old horchata. This is such a let down. read more

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! read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love cafe Tola! They offer a variety of food and drink items and the staff is lovely. Make sure you stop by early to get a good pick of empanada flavors read more

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. read more

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. read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yummy Empanadas. Awesome staff. Lovely space and has a CA film lab drop off which is so needed in Chicago.

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. read more

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!! read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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 read more

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. read more

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. read more

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

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. read more

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! read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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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 ‍‍ read more

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! read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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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. read more

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! read more

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. read more

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 read more

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! read more

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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. read more

Cafe Tola #3 - OG tacos and Horchata - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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. read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Ropa Vieja (special of the day) and spicy green pork empanada - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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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. read more

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! read more

Cafe Tola #3 - Horchata and chicken empanada - Tacos Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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! read more

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... read more

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. read more

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. read more

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! read more

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. read more

Some of the Best empanadas and tacos in the city. Steak tacos from here are a weekly occurrence.

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.) read more