UPDATED REVIEW: What a disappointment! My family placed a lunch order for take out for Mother's Day that did not meet expectations. We knew they would be very busy today so we made sure to place the order early at 11:00. My mom only wanted a cheese enchilada but unfortunately it was about 1/3 of the size of the usual cheese enchiladas that my dad ordered. We did not order a child size enchilada! I called to voice my concerns and the lady that answered the phone was the same frazzled person I had called my order in to. She was clearly very busy and overwhelmed with the volume of Mothers Day orders they were not prepared for. She apologized and did not show any concern to make the order right. I ended up sharing my chicken quesedilla with mom, but have noted that after this experience we wont be going back to Tommy's Salsa anytime soon. Do better Tommy's Salsa by ensuring that all to go orders are properly prepared to meet customer expectations. read more

Worst Mexican food I've ever had. Tortilla was hard? Never seen that before. Birria was flavorless. Chile relleno was soggy. To top it all off, it took 30 mins more than the 20 mins they quoted me for my food to be ready. Skip this place....hand made tortillas yeah right. It tasted like I was eating a cracker. read more

Went here because I was craving for fish tacos. The restaurant's decor was cute but the chairs were a little old. Friendly staff. Good selection of salsas at the salsa bar. Ordered the 2 fish taco plate and horchata. The complimentary chips and bean dip was unexpected and much appreciated. The horchata was perfect. The taco had a lot of fresh slaw but I was disappointed that there was not a lot of fish. Couldn't really taste the fish. Maybe I'll come back for something else as they do have an extensive menu. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

Came from out of town again to visit and had to stop here at Tommy's Salsa. Service was great, food was fantastic. Just as we remembered. Fresh, delicious, and the prices are very fair. We ate outside and the tables were clean. Wish we lived near so we could go more often. So happy we got to come again. read more

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Haven't been here in a while so stopped in for a mid-day meal. Ordered a no meat tostada which satisfied my craving. That and the complimentary fresh chips that come with a bean dip and salsa rounded out my delicious lunch. The place stays busy. Lots of seating options inside or at one of the outside tables. Order and pay at the counter, food delivered to your table. The lady at the counter had her hands full today as she was taking orders and serving the food, but she handled it like a pro! read more

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We found this spot on a whim looking for food late night. I'm not sure what I ordered. It could've been tacos, nachos, a burrito. Whatever it was, it was delicious and the staff brought great customer service. It's definitely worth checking out. read more

We were in Novato for our son's basketball game and decided to go get a bite while the team warmed up. We drove around, debating a few different options and decided to pop into Tommy's Salsa. The first thing I noticed was how charming the atmosphere was, including the lighting and warm cozy temperature. It was a chilly evening and absolutely wonderful to walk into this welcoming atmosphere. The young woman who took our order was super sweet and friendly. I ordered the chicken soup with a side of avocado to put on top and my husband had a beer along with tacos. I noticed they were very busy with a lot of people coming in for pickup. We were starting to get nervous because the game was about to begin and our food was taking a long time. even though we had to go ask for our food, worried that we were forgotten. I still did not dock them a star because of how friendly they were and how delicious the food was. Very nice people work here! We enjoyed complementary chips, along with a tasty bean dip, My soup was a generous portion, and the broth was tasty but a bit on the salty side, still, loaded with vegetables and generous portion of chicken: two drumsticks. The squeeze of lime that was provided was the perfect compliment. It would've been nice to have more time and feel relaxed, but we had to rush back for the game. I have a favorite Mexican restaurant in San Rafael however, every time we go there, the bright fluorescent lighting is brutal and it's like eating in a refrigerator . And the people that work there are kind of like robots and don't really seem to care about us. I'm only saying this because yes, the food is important and Tommy's has absolutely delicious food, but it is also about feeling comfortable in the environment. Next time we are in Novato, we will definitely eat here again! read more

I dunno. Something has happened to Tommy's Salsa. Their RBC burritoes used to be the best -- best rice and best beans -- but no longer. Not sure what happened. This was my go-to Mex place in Novato, but the last three times were just terrible, Feb-Apr. I'm trying other places, now. read more

Horrible! Why! We ordered a super burrito and two pastor street tacos. The burrito had rice and carnitas in a soggy flour tortilla falling apart, no beans, no salsa , no avocado, no sour cream and a gross mushy mess. The pastor tacos had some kind of disgusting sauce not marinated not grilled The whole thing was "horrible"!!! We have eaten many Mexican meals in restaurants and food trucks in various cities in the USA including Mexico. We love it! This food qualifies as the worst in our book and unfortunately we have say "don't waste your money". It's not cheap either! read more

Been eating for many years and love it. I particularly like their chile verde, but the fish tacos and burritos are great, also.

LOVE LOVE LOVE The torta cubano!! Loaded with meat & flavor! Best fries too! This sandwich is huge- definitely can be lunch for 2 people. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Torta Cubana - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

This is a gringo taco joint. The food has very little flavor even w the spicy salsa on. The chips are terrible, thick and flavorless the place is clean and attractively decorated w dia de los muertos chotchkees. The location is very good. All this equals a long standing restaurant. All we need is SABOR!!!!!!! read more

We always order the crispy fried fish tacos here, my wifes favorite. Self serve, order at the counter and they will bring it to your table. Their decor is interesting lot of "day of the dead" trinkets.. fun and most importantly food and price is thumbs up! read more

I called in an order to pick up because I'm moving and gave nothing at either house to eat. I ordered a simple steak quesadilla with rice and beans. It was delicious!!! I got all the salsas to enjoy, too!!! When they tell you the habanero is hotter than usual, believe them!!! Hot, spicy and flavorful!!! Excellent customer service and the restaurant was very read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

We've been going here for decades, has changed ownership a few times but the food is phenomenal. Their rice and beans is the best.

Great food. Cute atmosphere. Good prices We will definitely come back again and again. I can say this is the best Mexican restaurant in Novato. read more

Went in about 2:30pm there was a couple eating. Eating area is a good size, clean and well decorated with diia de la muerta pictures. I ordered two carne asado "street tacos". Sat down and I was given complementary chips and a hot bean dip salsa. The tacos were made quickly and it tasted like my favourite taco truck. Simple but tasty. And the chips and bean dip salsa were freshly made and savoury too. I recommend this place for a quick bite and will be coming back. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Carne asada "street" tacos - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

Tommy's Salsa recently began serving breakfast, so we had to go check them out. I was very impressed by their menu, and everybody in my group was able to find something that they really wanted. I ordered the huevos rancheros, which were absolutely amazing! My kids had the pancakes with an egg that was a kids meal offering, and they loved it. It was so refreshing to go to a breakfast spot where it was not a long wait to sit down, and our food came out really quickly. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Huevos Rancheros - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

First time here, looking for authentic taco- here I was able to get a steak taco with chips made my way for 6$. Really- flavorful filling and 6$ with chips and salsa. Woo hoo easy going counter help - read more

We recently ordered catering from Tommy Salsa's for my son's birthday. We did the taco bar and some quesadillas for the kids. The food was excellent. I would definitely use them again! Thank you so much. read more

Super frustrated! Tonight I walked into Tommy's Salsa to order Chicken Tortilla soup, was told it will be a little bit because they had to make it. Paid and tipped on the soup and a quesadilla. I told the guy I would run an errand and come back. While I was out, my Dad called to say he would be coming for dinner, I called TS and told the guy I wanted to also add a burrito to my order and I would pay when I got there. When I got back to the restaurant, I paid and tipped for the burrito which was on the counter and the I sat and waited for the soup and quesadilla. After 15 minutes of sitting in the restaurant (35 min since I placed the order) I stood up and asked about my soup. A female worker asked the chef about the soup order and he said something to her, she then turned to me and said, they didn't make it because they didn't have the ingredients. WELL WHY did I sit there for 15 more minutes???? I asked if my quesadilla was ready and she said, they didn't make that either. So basically, my order never went in. I asked for my money back because I could not and would not be waiting any longer. The most frustrating part is the guy who took my original order AND my phone order just stood there and didn't have anything to say. My dad did say his burrito was yummy. read more

I love Mexican Food - yes, beyond El Farolito. I love the usual suspects like burritos and tacos. I love the deeper cuts. I love it all! I was excited to try this place for the Birria. This isn't common, yet isn't hard to find either. The trick is finding a version that you think is good. Tortas, Chimichangas, Salads, or Sauced burritos filled with tender braised beef are the things I often crave. All of these things are excellent here. The beans and rice make any meal satisfying. I don't like spicy because I like to actually taste my food, especially the freshness. The variety of fresh salsas and sauces make this an easy request. Whether you like your food spicy as hell or mild and flavorful, Tommy's Salsa is easily my favorite place to satisfy my Mexican food cravings. You can order delivery, take-away, or dine in. * this great small business donates and supports the community through charitable works which makes supporting them a great thing! read more

Absolutely delicious! We usually come in on the weekends but decided to have an early lunch during the week. We didn't realize it until after we ordered that we arrived 10 minutes before they opened. Maria was wonderful and didn't tell us they hadn't actually opened yet - she just let us order. Service is always friendly and fast when we come here. My usual, "Juanita's Heuvo Rancheros" is only served on the weekends (WHAT?!) so I opted for the "Regular Burrito" with shredded chicken. OMG the shredded chicken was so flavorful! And I never realized how bad other burrito shells are until I had this one - it tasted so...fresh! My hubby got the 2 combo plate and his taco also had the shredded chicken and he loved it as well. The tacos were big and the lettuce and tomatoes "taste very fresh." Price was better than the other Mexican restaurant we ate at recently, and the food was better. The restaurant itself is well kept, clean, smallish (about 6-10 tables and chairs inside), and has fun decor throughout. Tables with umbrellas are also available outdoors (4 tables). We'll be coming back for weekday lunch/dinner more often now that we know their weekend brunch isn't the only good food. * they also have a food truck that can be found around if you can't make it to the restaurant. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Outside of Tommy's Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

Had Tommy's two fish tacos combination dish yesterday. The dish was delicious. Friendly service. read more

This is a great spot to take the family or friends. They have a nice range of homemade salsa's but what really set's this place apart from the rest is their Al Pastor. Most places can't do it right but they nail it! Another indicator is their beans and rice and they do a good job of that too! Edit: 2021. It seems that there has been some minor changes to the dishes. It doesn't quite have the flavor it used to have but it is still a good go-to and the outdoor seating is nice in these times. They also had to shut down the salsa bar. You can get little plastic small servings of their salsa though. The owners are really nice people and support the community through donations and fundraisers. I will still take my family here whenever possible. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

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FINALLY! GLUTEN FREE BURRITOS! Breakfast burritos, too... Any burrito on the menu can be made gluten free for a small fee, and the rice and beans are veg friendly. Staff is helpful. read more

I used to work here while I was in high school about 5 years ago and the owner Javier was one of the best bosses I had, He was super informative and professional. Maria who was a Manager taught me all about customer service and how to treat people with kindness and compassion. The kitchen was always clean and fridges were neatly organized. The food is great and overall is a good place to have mexican food. (I've moved out the city of novato 6 years ago but i bet and trust this restaurant has only gotten better and better) read more

Grew up coming to Tommy's so love that they have legit vegan-friendly options now. If you order the brown rice it's vegan but their Spanish rice is cooked with chicken broth so not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. All the beans are vegan. I got a veggie burrito with impossible mean and absolutely loved it! If you're looking for a vegan burrito in novato this is your spot! I do wish they had vegan cheese and sour cream as well as swapped veggie broth in their Spanish rice. Maybe one day! read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Vegan burrito with impossible meat - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

Ate outside Very tasty Torta Mexicana Carne Asada and string fries. Got it without the jalapeno guacamole and with avocado. Spouse had Tostada Mexicana and she too enjoyed it. Chips provided were plenty for the meal and two small mild salsa tubs. No salsa bar until Covid is over. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Chips and fantastic mild salsa - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

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Machaca burrito was pretty good. The service was excellent. Tried the habanero, red and tomatillo salsas. They should have something with a heat level in between the red and tomatillo salsas that are both mild and the habanero which is very hot. read more

Tommy's Salsa's food is good but more importantly, they are a pillar of the community. During the pandemic, they helped out teachers and first responders, offering free food. They do a lot to help Novato. They are the kind of business we need more of in our town. read more

My favs are the quesabirrias & the torta cubana (add lettuce). Staff is always friendly, they're quick and always deliver a delish meal read more

Great for takeout! Always a family favorite! We love the burritos, but the taco macho is the favorite.

We've been coming here for years but we now avoid anything that has "steak" as whatever it is they are advertising as steak is anything but! I ordered the Bronto burrito, and the steak was like small cubes of a very tough, rough texture, didn't seem like any meat I have had before. The rest was horrible grizzle and fat. Seriously, why would you serve any patron this? This is has happened a number of times before and we never said anything. I hope the owners read this. You're buying the lowest quality meat whatever it is, it's not even flank steak and calling it steak. It's the worst quality meat I have ever had in Mexican food. We will be back to support your business but will never order what you are calling "steak". read more

My family and I used to love Tommy's Salsa-- but ever since the pandemic, the prices went up and the food quality went down. We keep trying from time to time, but it simply does not taste as fresh as it once did. Maybe they will one day return to making their formerly reliable and tasty food. I hope so. read more

We've lived in Novato for 3 years and hasn't tried this place so my husband and I decided to give it a try. It's more casual than I had anticipated, but that's not a bad thing. You order at counter then they bring to your table. We ordered chicken fajitas and nachos to share. It took about 15 min to get our food because it was very busy, but it came out hot and fresh so worth the wait. Staff was very friendly and considerate. We loved it, delicious food and friendly staff. We will definitely make it a regular spot. read more

I had been hearing the raves of Tommy's Salsa, so I couldn't wait to try this restaurant. I was finally in Novato, so stopped by to pick up lunch to-go. I ordered the taco macho & puffy Texas taco, one with Carne asada, and one with carnitas. Flan is my favorite dessert, so picked that up also. The order took 20 minutes, and cost $18 total. I really liked the puffy Texas taco shell. It was crispy and crunchy, and tasted really good. The taco Macho shell is thicker than a traditional shell, but it was cold, and tasted like it was pre-cooked and had been sitting too long. The meats were both unsatisfying and flavorless. The carnitas were mushy, and the carne asada was dry. I was severely disappointed after hearing how much patrons like the food here. The tortilla chips with hot salsa were good, and the flan was excellent. Service was friendly. I wish I liked Tommy's Salsa as much as others. The restaurant was crowded with big catering to- go orders, so I'm glad they have a huge following, but it's not for me. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Taco Macho, puffy Texas taco, & flan - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

Pretty great food, although the place is more fast casual than full service. I like to order the Cabeza plate with a side of refried beans and guacamole. read more

So freaking good! The chicken molé was sooo good! Amazing value for the price. The kids loved it too. read more

Hate when I order a carnitas super burrito and get a rice burrito. Tommy salsa used to be my favorite place. read more

Tommy's Salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California