Great food, atmosphere and service. First time there. Loved it! The chips and the tacos are awesome!

How can two recent experiences be different? Two weeks ago we had dinner on the roof deck and it was memorably good. Last night we ate inside the restaurant and it was ok. Our server week one was exceptional. Last night our server was very kind but in the weeds, which isn't his fault. He had to serve outside and inside. Looks like he was the only one. That's not fair. Two weeks ago I ordered a Casa Salad with shrimp and it was good. Last night I ordered the same thing and the dressing was actually insanely bad. I've not had something so spicey in most of my life. I even had my husband taste it and he agreed it was actually insanely bad. I ended up with what felt like ulcerations in my mouth from it. Someone must have used the wrong peppers or something. I did order something else to replace this but the meal was ruined for me. As I type this I don't feel well hours later. I can't imagine the dressing is always so ridiculous. Oh and the club soda was flat. No reason for that either. It just means the bar will be turning out drinks that are sub-par. Consistency is important in a restaurant. The problems with dinner last night mean the manager and chef are not watching carefully. read more

Upscale Spanish restaurant in the heart of Evanston to impress any foodie! Ambiance was beautiful inside with modern feel from the decor to the decorative plates on the table. We came on a rainy weekend with our parents and it was relatively quiet, in contrast to the other reviews we got lucky in that regard as it wasn't crowded. Street parking was easy to locate with minimal issues. Service was exceptional from the friendly staff to the beautiful playing of each dish, you can tell they take attention to detail seriously. Food and drinks definitely appeased us on the quality of the ingredients and the well seasoned protein dishes. I had their fish tacos and was perfectly satisfied with it as well as the caipirinha that was well crafted by the bartender. For dessert, we opted for the tres leches cake which was not setup how it is traditionally made but we enjoyed the experience. read more

Comida - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I'd like to start by highlighting how great the staff were; we encountered 3 different staff members, mainly, two women with short hair, and briefly, a guy named Trey. They were all very nice and welcoming. We chose Comida for its vegan options to accommodate two in our group with dietary requirements. There were just a few options, but enough to make choices. For the vegan dishes, we placed an order for 2 of the Kamoosh De La Choza. For this dish we asked that the sour cream be omitted, and that the vegan queso be substituted in place of the original queso. We also opted to "add a protein", the vegan chorizo. Soon after placing our orders, the waitress returned to let us know that there would be a $17 upcharge for each vegan queso substitution. We all looked at each other a bit dumbfounded. An order for their regular queso is $15, and an order for their vegan queso is $17, so wouldn't it make sense for the upcharge to be $2 to substitute it on the dish?! We, ultimately, decided to order one Kamoosh De La Choza, and an order of just the vegan queso. I've had and made, many a vegan ques., some, with or without cashews. This queso missed the mark for us; a bit odd in flavor and too thick to be called queso. The Kamoosh De La Choza was, otherwise, flavorful with the added vegan chorizo. The rest of our party enjoyed the burrito and enchiladas. The portions here are all large which is a plus. read more

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We were here once before and thought it was great. However our second experience back here was not nearly as good. We asked for chips and salsa which not only they charge for, but we waited a very long time for them. They also seemed very hard almost stale and not very fresh. I ordered the kamoosh which came drenched in cheese sauce and not actual cheese - even though the menu just says cheese or actually, queso which is cheese in Spanish. We also ordered the cheese enchiladas with mole and even though the mole sauce was very good, the cheese was not melted at all inside - either from sitting too long before being served or never being properly cooked. We asked if they could just heat up the enchiladas a bit. I never expected a new order of which they made and that was finally very good. I also sent the kamoosh back when they offered to remake it for me with real shredded cheese. However the remade kamoosh with real cheese seemed to be skimpy on the cheese and it came missing the sour cream this time. Also by the time everything was brought out the second time, we weren't able to enjoy it that much because we had waited so long and filled up on chips. They brought a second basket of chips and this time the chips seemed hot and freshly made which confirmed that the first order they brought out were indeed old. It was nice that they remade the things and I do appreciate that. It's just that it makes dining out so unpleasant when so many problems come up and makes me question if it's even worth trying to enjoy a meal out. This is a lesson learned that it's just sometimes better to make the food at home and not spend so much on a meal that is not very pleasant. I know that I can make a better kamoosh myself. read more

Comida donated a cake to my middle school Spanish class, and it was the most amazing treat ever! If you're even thinking about trying Comida--stop thinking and just go. This place is an absolute gem. The vibe is modern yet warm, the staff is super friendly! But let me get to the real reason I'm writing this review: the tres leches cake. I've had tres leches at a lot of places, but Comida's version is next level. Moist without being soggy, perfectly balanced sweetness, and the cream topping is so light and fluffy it might as well be a cloud. You can tell they actually care about getting it right, and wow, do they ever. read more

Comida - Thank you! - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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In the heart of Evanston's Central Street neighborhood, you'll find @comida_cantina.evanston. Step into this beautiful space where Mexican and Latin American-inspired cuisine is served in an upscale cantina style setting - complete with open-air dining on their rooftop deck. We opted to enjoy our meal on the rooftop deck because it was a such a gorgeous and sunny day! The rooftop was breezy and super spread out. I really loved that the tables were not all on top of each other! Don't forget your shades if you dine on the rooftop during sunshine hours!! Ordered: Aperol Spritz - mocktail Diet Coke Chicken Tinga Nachos Costilla Platter 3 Taco Platter Blood Orange Flan Cake Highlights of the meal were definitely the Blood Orange Flan Cake, Chicken Tinga Nachos, and the Costilla Platter The Chicken Tinga Nachos were MASSIVE. Definitely perfect to share or even to order as an entree. Plenty of leftovers with this dish! The chicken was super flavorful and the nachos were absolutely loaded with all different types of toppings! Very delicious!! The Costilla Platter was equally delicious! From the tender meat to the tasty plantains, this option is a sure winner! If you like to put together your own tacos, this one is for you! Last but definitely not least, we chose their Blood Orange Flan Cake for dessert. This dessert was phenomenal! I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of flan, creme brûlée, or even cheesecake! Absolutely loved this! Check out Comida during your next visit to Evanston! I highly recommend the Chicken Tinga Nachos and the Costilla platter! And don't skip dessert!! read more

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I went here with my family. We had a amazing experience. One person really stuck out though, his name was Colin. the way he was cleaning the tables and he gave us the food and he was incredible social i had a full conversation with him and we had a great time. read more

Comida - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

First of all, nice room, nice atmosphere, nice waitress, and a beautiful snow fall in progress outside. Good chips and salsa. But I was so disappointed in the Grande Burrito. It had no authenticity nor flavor whatsoever and was served shy of lukewarm. It is hard to screw up a burrito, but it was one of the least favorable I've come across. It was not nearly as good as a Chipotle burrito. And it went from a reasonable $16 to $25, just adding protein (steak). A $9 add-on for what was not a difference maker at I all. Shame on me for not reading the fine print. I only ate half of the burrito there, and took the other half home, thinking at the very least I could put it in the microwave and eat it hot. Not all was lost on our initial visit. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her Chimichurri Fries and the $12 protein add-on, which was the vegan chorizo. She loved it. read more

Comida - Chips & Salsa. - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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The vibrant colors of the lively decor fits nicely with the welcome you receive when stepping into Comida. From the outset, we felt like we were among friends. The rooftop dining is a clear win on a temperate evening, and the service will make you feel ready to have a good time. Start with a well crafted cocktail. There are many, and the Caipirinha is true to its Brazilian roots. Prickly pear martini was also a hit. The food menu is varied and touches on several different regional influences. The Argentinian steak with Chimichurri was perfectly cooked and very flavorful and the accompanying Pappas Bravas were crispy while also being fluffy inside. The Mahi Mahi is also well cooked and had good flavor. All in all, Comida is an attractive venue with a friendly staff offering elevated Latin American food. A definite must try if in Evanston. read more

We were seated promptly in a bright, airy room with Mexican tiles, wooden furniture and hand blown Mexican lights. The restaurant also has roof deck seating which we didn't see. A friendly waitress immediately greeted us and asked for our drink and appetizer orders. We had the taco chips and salsas, shrimp tostones and chicken enchiladas,, which we would describe as Mexican inspired but not traditional Mexican. All were excellent and carefully seasoned. During the course of our meal we were greeted by two managers, which i feel is highly unusual. We will definitely return! read more

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The most tasteless, overpriced food. I got the fajitas recently, and the chicken tasted like fast-food level meat. VERY low quality! The $17 guacamole has absolutely zero flavor, and is almost watery. And I have never had a decent drink there. I live in the neighborhood and keep trying Comida hoping it will get better, but alas, I don't think it's in the cards. The two stars are because the waitstaff is always very friendly and attentive. Otherwise, the food would get one star, at best. read more

Outstanding! Very interesting Mexican fare. We started with the Cauliflower queso after asking about it. It's mostly cheese with Cauliflower for some texture. It's served with amazing pico and housemade tortilla chips. Very good. The Empanadas were chicken the night we went and were outstanding. My friend had the flank steak which he enjoyed. I opted for an order of their guacamole and elote. The elote didn't typically come with chips which I found odd as it's not on the cob. They graciously gave me chips with the meal. Margaritas were really great and strong. Service was outstanding. read more

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This place had cute reviews and I definitely missed Evanston food (I was NorthShore Yelp Elite for many many years before Milwaukee). I love the food in Evanston and wanted to take someone out local out to dinner here. My guest picked Comida out of the four or five choices I gave and we both enjoyed it. 1) I highly recommend a reservation. We reserved a spot for 2 on a Saturday (early) and noticed the tables getting full. For two people, we were not seated by the window but near it (by a table with a booth on one end, and a chair on the other). FYI- the chair is surprisingly comfortable. 2) Food: very yummy choices. My guest opted for the Steak tenderloin (pork was sold out) and I selected the shrimp salad. My salad had generous large shrimp pieces and it was filling and flavorful. My guest enjoyed the steak and we both split plaintains and chips and salsa. The chips are homemade and are those thick- fried-tortilla chips- my absolute favorite. 3) Dessert: they only had one option for dessert- a chocolate oreo-type empanada and it was very memorable. I would come back to eat that dessert again. 4) Service: Our waitress was wonderful. She was attentive and kept checking on us. She made sure we had everything we needed and very grateful for her service. She also knew the menu very well. I would definitely return again to Comida. Parking was abundant (early) on the street for a Saturday. It is street parking on Central so plan ahead! read more

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Tried this place with some friends a few days ago. They had a few vegetarian options and I tried the vegetarian burrito. The potions were huge, but felt like the flavor was a bit lacking. I was hoping for something a little more flavorful/spicier. It definitely felt hearty (lots of veggies), but didn't feel spicy enough. I also tried their guava margarita, which was yummy! read more

Comida - Burrito Grande Entree - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Comida is fantastic--every dish feels crafted with care. The street tacos are perfectly balanced, and the margaritas are some of the best around (especially the jalapeño one). The service is quick and friendly, and the vibe manages to be lively without feeling crowded. A go-to spot for great food and even better energy. read more

We came for the rooftop because I love rooftops on a nice summer evening. We were there at 5:00 because we had somewhere else to be later. I was so excited to see that their basic margarita was the natural kind, just like I make them at home. I'm allergic to red onions so my choices were limited, but Trey was very accommodating and allowed me to substitute avocados for the guacamole that was included with my quesadilla. Trey gets extra credit because he saw me use a lime from my marg to squeeze on my food and just brought me a glass of limes without me ever staying a word. Exceptional service! Quesadillas were amply loaded and the barbacoa tacos were very good. read more

Wonderful Mexican food. A nice change of pace from the fast/casual burrito spots in the area that we also enjoy, but this is an elevated, chef driven cuisine but won't break the bank. We got a to go order over the weekend and I appreciated that they packed all the different condiments and sauces, the enchiladas were some of the best I've had in the Midwest. We also enjoyed the elote and plantains. The patio was packed and it's definitely a great place to grab a drink when the weather is nice. The manager Jamie introduced herself a prior occasion when we sat at the bar and she went out of our way to make sure we were taken care of and enjoyed not only our meal, but our whole experience. A must do if you're looking for a bite in the area. read more

I'm very sad to give this place a 1 star rating but the service in general is awful literally awful and I really haven't seen it this bad. Our waitress was very nice but she doesn't really have much input on when food comes out. The bus staff delivers the food and that is all they care about yet they were having trouble finding the right table and this was the whole evening. Many customers including me would try to flag them down to either serve our entrees or ask for plates and forks and refills on drinks but they were never looking to help. In fact they often stood behind a bar area and never checked on tables for any service need. We tried to leave but after waiting 30 minutes our dessert arrived and again without utensils. The food and menu selections were wonderful but it is so distasteful and disappointing to have the staff lingering and doing nothing that it was really hard to enjoy the dinner. I do hope the owner(s) will actually take a look at the execution of their food and get some of the staff trained and then some. read more

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Service was excellent. Food wasn't anything special :/ we got street tacos and the flavors weren't vibrant. House margarita was also EXCELLENT read more

We hosted my friend's large bridal shower here and I can't say enough good things. Service was perfection, for the first time in forever I didn't feel like I had to do/plan anything. We ordered the food/drinks, dropped off some party decor and Jamie and her team did the rest. It was so seemless and easy. The food was delicious, so were the drinks including mocktails. They set up everything, food was timed perfectly, decorated for us and even packed away the gifts. On top of everything else, the prices were fair and we had the whole restaurant to ourselves including the rooftop. I can't recommend hosting an event here enough! Thank you so much for making this such an easy, enjoyable day! read more

Comida was great. The food was good, the server was friendly, and the rooftop is awesome. But unfortunately one negative experience overshadowed the meal. I explained to our server that my child is highly allergic to dairy. He recommended the kids taco, and said they could make it plain--just the meat. Great. It came, and my daughter was munching away...when I saw cheese dangling out from the bottom of the taco. We had a nervous few minutes while we waited to see if she'd ingested any. Given the severity of her allergy, our epi pens were ready and we looked to see how far we were from the Northwestern emergency room. Luckily she hadn't eaten any. And our waiter was apologetic about the error. Did they offer to bring a new taco? No. I brought it home and will eat it myself today, I guess. And when the bill came? Yes--I was charged for the anaphylaxis tacos. It's not the $14 that bothers me--I just think it's tacky when you make such a big mistake and my kid can't eat what I ordered for her. I'd go back for margaritas with my husband. The rooftop is great. But I'll probably get a babysitter or bring food from home for my child if they're that careless with life threatening allergens. read more

Popped by just for drinks with colleagues, on a lovely summer day. Sitting on the roof in the sunshine with a Comida Margarita in your hand and a basket of their addictive chips and guacamolé what could be better? Good time, good service, lovely location, great company, what more could one ask? It's just like being downtown Evanston, without the parking hassles and I can practically walk home. (although you know I didn't). I'll certainly be back! read more

We ate here in early December 2021 and really enjoyed it. My burrito grande (black beans, rice, mixed vegetables, shredded cheese, garnished with guacamole, sour cream, and green chili sauce) was really good--too big to be picked up to eat but easy enough to get at with knife and fork. The chips came with three types of salsa. I wanted one of them to be spicy, but none were -- each of them was good, different from typical salsas. I was pleased to see that there are numerous vegetarian options (not just entrees that you can request be made vegetarian) as well as a few vegan options too. I'll have to come back to try a few more of them out. My paloma mezcal was really good (although I might have liked it a touch stronger...). It's a great combination of variety and flavor with a laidback atmosphere. I've been to too many restaurants with similarly ambitious menus that take themselves a little too seriously and expect their clientele to do the same. read more

Comida - Paloma, a mezcal-based cocktail... - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Well, my daughters and I stoped at Comida, for dinner. This was our first time here. The biggest turn off was entering the restaurant and have the hostess say "I have a table but I'm going to have to take it away from you in an hour and a half. It's reserved for another party but you can have it if you'll finish eating in 1 1/2 hours." We stayed and I'm surprised that I did ! I felt that greeting could've been handled differently. The food was good, drinks good. Our water was good. The rest of the service, not good. read more

The food here is good and elevated from the usual Mexican fare. Hubby loved the tacos and I had the enchiladas. Spicy but not too. Portions were large ( had enough for leftovers) and it was a good value. Our waitress was "lights on-nobody home" iykwim. Everything we asked for-a Glass for my beer, a fork, extra napkins-had to be mentioned again and sometimes again. I know all businesses are still struggling for help so I didn't really take off points. Bottom line, I wouldn't go way out of my way for it, but a great neighborhood choice... read more

Service was okay albeit very inexperienced servers/wait staff. Ambiance was impeccable! Rooftop is highly recommended. So much of the food was fantastic. Cauliflower queso was delicious and the plantains were incredible. Construction of both the veggie fajitas and enchiladas was lacking. Enchiladas tasted delicious. However, the fajitas were terrible. No sizzle upon arrival, poor choices in seasonal veggies, along with no green peppers or onions to be seen, and had to ask for sour cream. Should not be described as fajitas and definitely too mushy from the vegetable choices. Would eat here again, just not get the fajitas. read more

Comida - Rooftop view of central street - Mexican Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Good food, has alcohol free drinks available, nice ambiance. Friendly servers and staff.

cheeks horrible bathroom has pee everywhere and someone spit on me inside of the restroom food was ok nothing special mama robie lepsze

The food was below average. The drink was good. The ambiance and service was good. We made a reservation and came here on a Friday night. The service was prompt and we got seated right away. The drinks that we ordered, the margarita and the strawberry daiquiri, were good. The food like I said was below average. We decided to order a few small plates instead of the big plates since we were not that hungry. So we got 4 small plates: pão de queijo (3 sliders; $16), seared ahi tuna tostada (2 tostadas; rare; $14), brussel sprouts in mole ($10), and peruvian potato hash ($8). We loved the pão de queijo the most since we thought the beef was tasty, although I thought the cheese bread was too soggy. The tostada is okay too, but nothing special. The potato hash is below average; to me there was nothing "Peruvian" about this, it seems just like a boiled potato. Finally, the brussel sprouts were the worst. I was surprised that they can make it so bad (our server was nice enough to try to fix it for us but that didn't help). In my opinion, they were way undercooked; the brussel sprouts were still hard and our forks have a hard time poking them. In short, I'd not recommend this for food. But it has a good ambiance for quick drinks. read more

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Great food, inconsistent service, HORRIBLE noise! I got a headache just trying to eat dinner with a friend. There is absolutely no sound absorption and lots of loud people, drinking, and getting louder. I couldn't even hear the waiter when he was standing next to me. Also, the person who took my order repeated and ostensibly wrote down, no added onions, no added garlic. My delicious grilled cauliflower plate had an entire huge garlic clove in the middle! The only way I will eat here again, because it's in my neighborhood, is during nice weather, upstairs in the outdoor patio. read more

This Comida restaurant surely will be my new favorite spot. The ribs and the butter shrimp thing were truly amazing. I would also recommend trying their sweet potato tacos and those are perfect with a little bit of heat. The best vegetarian tacos I had so far. The place was extremely busy for a Sunday night, so we sat at the bar and meet the bartender, he was very friendly and accommodating. We had such a great experience here! Highly recommend! Big thanks to all the staff! read more

I've order carryout multiple times and dined in a few times. And I just can't do it anymore. There are ALWAYS items missing from the order. No queso. No jicama. These are on build a bowls where I specifically order the items. Another taco had no sweet potatoes. Only shredded carrot. And when I dined in, potatoes and beans were way undercooked. Potatoes like apple hard. I live within a block of this place so it is disappointing to have to avoid dining here again. read more

The ambience is ecclectic and the food is very good. The only annoyance is the rushed service. You are not even settled and there pushing to place your food order before drinks arrive. Your last bite, and the dishes are wisked away. This works for someone who is in a rush. read more

I'm sorry to say that this wasn't very good. The pictures on the website made it look so good and we read some good reviews but...I'd recommend an authentic Mexican place around here over this any day. Even Lula's on Davis is better. The mayonnaise-y sauces on the tacos were overwhelming and gaggy. I guess paying for chips and salsa to start is becoming commonplace but they were brought with the dinner and definitely not even worth the 4.50. Rice tasted like Uncle Ben's , very overcooked or chewy. Pelote was soo saucy and almost undignified from a cultural standpoint. The margarita was an 8/10 and strong but didn't make it worth the trip. Also the clientele and waitstaff make me feel like I was in Winnetka. read more

Holy cow was this place fantastic! From the service, to appetizers, to entrees, to drinks, to desert, this place does not disappoint! I highly recommend without hesitation and look forward to going again. read more

Food is very good; service is excellent - go above & beyond to make sure you're happy. Will be back!

A visit to Comida Cantina will bring your taste buds to different countries of Latin America. Its a great addition to the row of restaurants in the Northshore. We started with Margaritas and you have the option to make it classic, fancy or mezcal based. The drink list includes Latin classic cocktails such as mojito, pisco sour, caipirinha, daiquiri and others. The menu offers a lot of choices from pupusas of El Salvador to Pao de queijo of Brazil. We had the Duck Breast with cashew mole and the Garlic shrimp. They are so goOd and packed with flavors. We will defInitely come back to try other dishes from the menu. Thanks to Luis, our server and the talent of Chef Greg for the excellent dining experience. read more

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Huge shout out to the manager Jamie! I had a slight issue with some food a few weeks back. Figured I would try again because I enjoyed the ambience and vibe so much. I called the restaurant and let Jamie know what happened with my last order. Without hesitation she replaced the order for me. When I came in the restaurant was busy and I saw Jamie doing table touches, while also bussing tables, and communicating with staff to ensure quick table transitions for waiting customers. Through all this she still made it a point to hand me my order personally with a smile. I've been in the restaurant industry for about a decade now and it's hard to find someone who radiates hospitality but she's got it... oh and the food hit the spot! read more

Decent enough. THey seem to be getting their act together on production and wait staff, and seem quite agreeable. The food seems high quality and well tended, and they have a full bar, so it's a good spot for a meal with a friend or special someone. read more