I LOVE so much of the food from Tomate. They always follow the special instructions in our orders, and the food is delivered hot. Our favorites are the sweet potato and the chicken tinga burritos. However, we most recently ordered two lunch salads, and they weren't edible. The lettuce was wilted and rotted to the point that the salads stunk when we opened them. We were starving and fresh back from vacation, so we had no food in the house -- so we scraped the toppings off, tossed the lettuce, and ate the toppings with some tortilla chips we had around the house. read more

Tomate Fresh Kitchen - inedible rotting lettuce from my salad, described in my review - Latin American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Still one of my favorite places to grab lunch in Evanston! Tomate's burritos are my comfort food during exams. I've taken friends and family here, and they seem to have something on the menu for everyone. Their catering selection is delicious as well. read more

I usually get the sweet potato burrito. As stated by others, the quantity of the filling (sweet potato for me) is less and burrito is mostly stuffed with rice and beans. The flavour is what brings me back. My favourite burrito place in Evanston (MUCH better than Chipotle IMO). The ingredients taste fresh. I could eat it everyday! Update :I change my rating to 5 stars just because the service is so good. They're always nice and smiling. read more

Amazing. The tofu burrito and horchata are to DIE for, I wish I could come here every day! Get there a little before 12:30 to avoid the lunch rush. read more

RUDE AS HELL! Literally closed the door in our face when speaking to him. Just trying support their business. Food isn't that great either... read more

You know how mexican tacos are different than white people tacos? And how white people tacos are great in their own way but if they try to act like a Mexican taco they don't taste as good? That's the type of tacos I was expecting. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out they were great. Imagine a mexican taco place acting like a white people taco place. It's was so amazing I had the sweet potato and black bean tacos. The tacos were packed full, spicy enough to be enjoyable, and had an interesting blend of flavors that makes you curious to try more. En su punto! 5/5 stars because it was the best they could be, however, not my #1 read more

Tomate's food is great. I've gotten multiple different burritos, tacos, and quesadillas and have liked all of them. The two things I love that I keep going back for are the carnitas tacos and cheese quesadilla. I also really like their carne asada burrito but the amount of rice and beans always overpowers the meat so I typically stick to the tacos. Overall just a really good neighborhood spot to hit up. Wouldn't necessarily make a long trip just for Tomate but if you're in the area definitely give it a try. read more

I can't believe I lived for nearly four years without discovering Tomate! It's a family-run Mexican restaurant with very little seating and a tiny corridor for orders. It's definitely one of those "to-go" places if you're looking for something fast and delicious. I decided to try their chicken burrito, which came with salsa. It was super delicious and packed with a ton of flavor! My only gripe is that I wish my burrito had a little more roasted corn in it. Tomate's burritos aren't rivaling Chipotle's anytime soon in terms of size, but they are extremely tasty. I can't wait to come back and try some of the other things on the menu! Service was fast and when I went, a bunch of students were there trying to grab dinner. Prices are extremely student-friendly as well! read more

We waited in a line that swirled out the door into the freezingness for the following: - "Sorry, we don't have any of the empanadas today." - "Sorry, we don't have the drink you want. Actually, we don't have any of the drinks yet. We're working on that." - "Sorry, we don't have the yucca with chimichurri." I got my fourth choice, a 'panko-habanero crusted tilapia' gordita for $4. It was soggy, flavorless, mushy in the middle, sprinkled with rock-hard pineapples, and tiny. Habaneros are spicy - there was no spice whatsoever! Reading the menu, it really seems like most of the stuff would be delicious and creative. Sadly, I didn't see any evidence of this. read more

I think I've finally figured out my order: Al Pastor burrito with less rice and a side of avocado. Notes to self: Don't get sucked in by promises of steak with the carne asada - it's not as good as the al pastor. Do order a side of avocado instead of guacamole, because the guacamole will likely end up on one end of the burrito only and no one likes that. Always ask for LESS RICE. Always ask for extra salsa. I've also tried the quinoa salad but didn't like it as much as the burrito. read more

Best carne asada burrito in Evanston and possibly in the Midwest! (disclaimer: I haven't tried them all) FOOD: 4 stars I could eat a CARNE ASADA BURRITO everyday. Their RED SALSA is smooth, flavorful, and mild. There's also something about their TORTILLAS. They're light and even have a hint of sweetness to them. To me, tortillas were always just a vessel for the contents of the burrito. But here, for the first time, I look forward to the tortilla. Delicious! I can't give them five stars because the other things I've tried have been ok. Their chicken burrito isn't that flavorful (especially when compared to flavor of the carne asada) and the fish taco was also ok. I'm also not big on their Mayan style GUACAMOLE, though I understand it's just a different style and not necessarily poorly made. To me it just tastes like avocado paste instead of the deep, varied flavors of Mexican style guacamole. Their HORCHATA is also on point, but not the best I've had. Their STRAWBERRY WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA was fantastic, but they change agua frescas daily so you'd have to call to see what they have that day. Also, prices overall are reasonable. $6.50 for a meaty burrito is a steal. It's cheaper than Chipotle and the ingredients are so much better, as are the flavors I would argue. $3 for a good sized taco is on the higher side but fair. $8 for chips and guacamole is definitely a ripoff, I don't care how much avocados cost. But everything else seems fair to me. SERVICE: 3.5 stars This is definitely a take-out place. I always opt to order on the phone ahead of time because there's almost always a line of 4-5 people and there's really no good place to wait, especially on a cold day. But they've never done me wrong. Food's always ready when I finally make my way to the counter. Sometimes they don't pick up when I call, but they're a busy place and there's only one guy taking orders. AMBIANCE: 3.5 stars Nothing special here, but it's cool to see the employees work and make the food. I know the owners (a husband and wife) are real latinos and that gives me a lot of confidence that what I'm getting is authentic. I am so happy to have found a place that serves authentic carne asada burritos. If my wife liked latin food then I'd probably do take-out from here almost every week! read more

Tomate has some of the freshest Mexican food that I've ever had. Their flavors are off the hook! The owner, Tania, has an outstanding staff that knows exactly how to make delicious Mexican food. I've yet to try the tacos or empanadas, but their burritos are huge and fairly priced at $6. One of my colleagues got the tacos and he loved them. The one that jumped out to me was the habanero panko crusted tilapia. Don't tell Rollin to Go, but I might have a new regular lunch spot on Noyes. This is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood. read more

I kept walking by this place for the longest time, all because I once had a ground beef empanada from them at the farmers' market that I didn't think was all that great. I was missing out. Let me just say that we are really, really lucky to have this place in Evanston, a town with many mediocre and some downright awful food establishments. Tomate is reasonably-priced, the food is good and authentic, and they even take online orders (the restaurant can get very busy during the lunch rush, so online orders speed the process considerably). The only downsides are a) their hours can change without much notice, as they are also a catering company, b) there is nowhere to sit in the restaurant and it's standing room only when you order during crowded times and c) they don't update what it is possible to order, so you might order something online that they don't actually have in the restaurant once you arrive. Let's hope they'll be around for a long while. read more

I was excited to try this place and was disappointed. Had all the freshest ingredients but lacks flavor. I ordered Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Goat cheese empanada and it tasted straight up like raisins and not even a hint of goat cheese. The burritos had so much rice but not enough meat and even had potatoes in it?. Duck tacos was a nice try and that's about it. The Mayan style guac and chips had fresh avocados but doesn't taste like guac, needs more spices. Horchata? ehhhhh. Thanks for supporting our local farmers!! read more

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Tomate has always been here for me when I need it the most. When things are looking down, a burrito from Tomate will almost certainly put a smile on my face. Whether it's after a grueling midterm exam (or before, in premature celebration) or right before a flight, Tomate delivers. In my opinion, I would say that the burritos are the only item on the menu worth getting. In the past, I have tried their tacos, but the size of their tacos is extremely small so I feel you would end up spending a lot more before you are full. Now their burritos, on the other hand, are decently sized. Compared to Chipotle's, I would say that Tomate's burritos are not as "brick-like" but they are quite large. Almost all of the meats I have tried have been fantastic but I would have to say that my favorite is definitely the carne asada. I have been here so much already that the people at Tomate know my face pretty well. They are all very nice and friendly which is another reason why this place is so great. I know that I will visit this place a good number of times more before I finally graduate from college. read more

Love!! Everything here is great, you get a lot of food for your money, would recommend the carne asada, chicken tinga and al pastor.

I just moved over to this area of Evanston and heard such great things about this place, I had to try it for myself! First, the restaurant is incredibly small. There is no place to sit. But the food outweighed the size of the restaurant! I had the Cochinita Pibil Burrito and it was absolutely amazing! I was stuffed after I ate, and you can't beat that price!! I will definitely be coming back here!! read more

My absolute favorite spot in Evanston. Lived right around the corner from Tomate for 2 years while I was at Northwestern, and this place was a STAPLE in my diet. I'm not a vegetarian, but my go-to was the mushroom burrito with the spicy hab salsa. You also can't go wrong with the carne asada burrito. They are SO friendly here, always smiling -- a restaurant has never felt more like home. I just graduated and moved away, but my Tomate cravings have definitely not received the message. read more

Tomate Fresh Kitchen - A high quality photo of my mushroom burrito. - Latin American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This tiny little Mexican counter is A-Ok for a quick pile o' tacos or burritos. GrubHubbing or calling your order in ahead of time is the best way to avoid standing in line against the wall to wait for your food. All of the dishes seem heavy on cilantro and special salsas to make the dishes unique and more authentic tasting. However, I think that the quacamole and regular salsa were a bit bland. The chips that came with the guac were also very greasy. The hot salsa was fiery, to the point that I couldn't taste much else. I will visit again, but this certainly isn't the best Mexican food I've ever had. read more

Loving the team, loving the tacos! This is a fantastic place to pop in for a picnic take out. Great vegan options!

One of the best Mexican/ Caribbean influenced restaurants in Evanston. I usually get the chicken burrito and the plaintains. Both are delicious and you get huge portions. I've eaten here since the restaurant opened and they continue to bring the consistency of good, fresh food. Support this business... you will not be disappointed. Tip: there is usually a line during peak meal times so I recommend ordering in advance and picking up. Also there is no indoor seating and very limited outside seating so don't plan to sit down and eat. Metered parking nearby. read more

I tried the carne asada burrito ($6), cochinita pibil burrito ($6), chicken tinga gordita ($4), and chorizo empanada ($3). All the fillings had great flavor, and the salsa verde that came with the burritos was excellent. The flavor alone deserves 5 stars. I'm giving this place 4 stars because of their odd pricing system. The burrito is easily 5x more food than the empanada and 2x more food than the gordita. It'd make more sense if they sold the empanadas as multiples, say 3 for $6. That said, while the burrito is the best deal in terms of quantity of food obtained for your money, it's also more than half rice and beans. I prefer the burritos they have at Aguas Tortas -- more meat, and instead of rice they have lettuce. There are no seats in this place, although there is a very narrow counter along the wall at which you could theoretically stand and eat, but I imagine doing that would be difficult when there's a line of people. It's more practical to get take-out from this place and go somewhere else to eat. read more

This new little Latin America cuisine take-out joint is a gem of the most delicious kind. It was recommended to me by a friend in the know when I was looking for catering for our New Year's Eve party. Tania, the store owner with her husband, delivered and set up the food herself. We offered our guests a taco bar with all the trimmings and some of her fab empanadas. Our guests raved about the food. Tania uses her Guatemalan roots to inspire her cuisine. This makes for a wonderful and oh-so tasty spin on the usual Mexican fare. She uses only fresh ingredients. You can just taste the fresh oregano in her awesome guacamole. Dreaming of Tomate as I write this... read more

I have probably ordered almost every kind of burrito and taco on the menu. I was ordering from the place weekly, sometimes twice in the same week. It was getting out of hand. I'd blame them for the pot belly I'm growing but their ingredients are super healthy and fresh that it's probably all of the not working out I've been doing. I highly recommend their sweet potato burrito, their black bean and queso taco, and basically anything else. You won't be disappointed with anything on the menu. read more

My wife ordered their food through grub hub and had it delivered to the house. We tried a few burritos, empanadas and tacos. Wow the food was amazing. Very flavorful. It is pretty obvious whoever opened this restaurant really cars about food. On par with wholly frijoles. 5 stars all the way. read more

Honestly kind of overrated. Food is flavourful but portions aren't huge and some things are super overpriced (their horchata). Also, they refuse to give you tap water! read more

Takeout and delivery only, this little establishment is true to its farmers market roots. Excellent daily choices are to be found on the board above the kitchen, where you can watch a gigantic burrito being assembled. Bottled sodas and containers of yummy sauces for home made tortilla chips round out the order nicely. If you are looking to find good street tacos, look no further, Tomate does it right. read more

Tomate Fresh Kitchen - Closed on Sundays! - Latin American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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I live a few blocks away and this place is an Evanston necessity. They have affordable and big portions as well as a huge menu of authentic Mexican food. The owners are super friendly and the service is great. My favorite is the grilled queso black bean burrito as I am a vegetarian and it fills me up. read more

Tomate Fresh Kitchen is the Latina mother who makes sure that your stomach is bursting like a five year old's balloon at his birthday. Tomate is the leprechaun that everyone swears exists and then you don't believe it until you see it. Actually, I'm not too keen on how I came up with that metaphor but it seems fitting to the circumstances. Carne asada burrito, complete with succulent onions and cilantro, I will be waiting overseas (in the Bay Area) until you come back home. If this place ever gets shut down, I will be in full protesting mood. read more

I'm used to $2 tacos instead of $3 but it's a delicious, family owned Mexican restaurant on Noyes street. Though the restaurant itself offers no seating for dining, they've recently added a bench and a few chairs outside to accomodate as best as they can (the restaurant is tiny: there is only a small corridor for customers to enter, order, and wait. This restaurant is one of those small local farmers market restaurants where the food turns out to be extremely well made and authentically Mexican. The owner and the staff are all extremely friendly and courteous, I'm so glad to have this restaurant in Evanston! It's incredibly convenient for students that live on the North side of Northwestern University campus in the Ridge/Notes area to grab some affordable, tasty Mexican food. I often order ahead on Yelp at the end of class before I go home and, by the time I get to the restaurant, I have a nice burrito waiting to be eaten. They also have delivery on Grubhub and Postmates for you South campus kids!!! read more

Being from California, everyone knows how much I complain about not having a good taco in Chicago. From Clark Street to Pilsen, I have yet to find tacos that taste like my favorite restaurants in my home state. Tomate was recommended by a lot of friends, so I stopped by when I had the time. I ordered the three types of tacos that will showcase taste: carne asada, carnitas, and fish. I ate the carne asada taco first, it was tasty but sort of greasy. The fish taco was kind of odd, with a pineapple salsa, and the tortilla was so soggy it started falling apart. The carnitas taco was just as soggy, and I was astonished to find that it was chunks of pork instead of shredded pork. Overall, it was just okay. read more

Walked into Tomate with a friend on a whim after a study date after we decided we were hungry and there was an option for tacos nearby. We were very pleasantly surprised! The space is small and the standing area to eat is right by the cashier. We decided to stay in and eat since it was cold out today and felt like we got in the way occasionally, but we tried letting the other customers squeeze by us. The staff is sweet, very friendly and welcoming. The food is great and not pricey at all. They've got vegetarian options, which was perfect for us. I had the fish taco, grilled onion taco, and sweet potato taco. Our tacos were $3 to $4 each (my friend got a special for a dollar extra - salmon taco). The horchata was good, too. We'll definitely be returning here again, but maybe we'll just order to-go and find some place to settle before chowing down. read more

Good, conveniently located, cheap. All-around, perfect to satisfy your Mexican food craving. Plus the staff is always super friendly!

We ordered tomate for a small corporate gathering tonight and everything was PERFECT! The food was great, the delivery was on time, everything was labeled and easy to distribute while using caution during COVID. Thank you Tomate! Will order from you again! read more

Ordered from here last week for the first time and I must say those tacos were the best tacos I've had EVER in the states!!!!! They're on the same level of tacos from when I was in Mexico last year! This is a must stop and next week I must stop to get more read more

Got my order completely wrong and only refunded me half of what they owed accusing me of being one of the many people who come in complaining to "Rip them off." There was no meat in one burrito and the meat in the second burrito was so hard it was like biting into rocks. We threw out the order and I went in to complain because nobody would answer the phone or respond to my emails. Got called a liar even though I went in twice to fix the problem. So disappointing as I've never had this problem with them ordering from them before. Never getting my business again. read more

Tomate Fresh Kitchen is an Evanston staple. If you are able to make your way down to Noyes Street, you will most likely see a line outside the door, full of people eagerly waiting to eat a delicious taco or burrito. Their food is authentic, fresh and delicious. I will often venture to their fine shop to grab a taco or burrito. Their selection of homemade chips and guacamole is top-notch and can be found nowhere else in Evanston (from what I know). While there are some small issues with accessibility, the lively environment and authentic food presented at Tomate Fresh Kitchen will leave you think about when you can eat here again. read more

This is one of the best places in this area. Everything is super fresh and really good. The only thing I have had here that I didn't like were the empanadas. The tamales are awesome and also a big fan of the queso and black bean tacos. I don't like that they don't really salt their chips, but maybe that's a personal preference. I only give 3 stars because I think it is a little over priced for what it is, but then again the area is expensive. read more

Tomate Fresh Kitchen - Cutting carrot and cauliflower fresh for the veggies - Latin American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Tomate Fresh is a delicious, reliable, and comforting Evanston staple. The service is always friendly and professional, and they've thoughtfully adapted to COVID-19 safety recommendations with a no contact online ordering system and pick-up window. We've loved their food for years-- especially the sweet potato burrito (and other creative veg options) and tamales! They're great people serving terrific food-- a gem for Evanston and the Northwestern community. Highly recommend. read more

my mouth is watering as i'm writing this review. tomate is deliciously vegan friendly. i was very surprised to see that they offered tons of unique flavors and blends of plant-based ingredients, in addition to their innovative, but still traditional meat-based dishes. best of all, the menu changes every so often! right now, looking at the menu, i can see that there is the sweet potato with carrots, cauliflower, and charred corn, yucca with chimichurri, caramelized onions and charred poblano, black beans, tofu, made into tacos/burritos. but i remember eating a delicious mushroom burrito from here once! -1 star for sometimes too hard rice that is uncooked to one degree :-( and closes too early! sometimes i want tomate after 5pm... i mean always... read more