TOMO Japanese Street Food
Diana Grossman Tantra Butterfly · 420 Google reviewsTOMO Japanese Street Food — solid, no-fuss japanese in Evanston. Moves fast. "The broth was rich and creamy, and the ramen was topped with a healthy portion of karaage" — Jonathan Lee [$$]
What 237 diners keep saying
What 237 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“The food is flavorful and fresh, with generous portions and authentic Japanese street food vibes. Service was quick and friendly, making it a perfect spot for a casual, satisfying meal. Highly recommend their signature dishes if you’re in the area!”
“We had a wonderful experience here at TOMO! The ambience inside the restaurant is very casual, and the workers were super friendly. We had takoyaki to share, and I got the must-try karaage ramen. The food came out very quickly and was so delicious. The broth was rich and creamy, and the ramen was topped with a healthy portion of karaage. If you’re in the mood for a lowkey place to enjoy fresh Japanese cuisine, come here!”
“Wow! What an amazing experience at TOMO. Highly recommend this place for authentic Japanese street food, I ordered the lunch special panko shrimp bento box that includes rice, goyza, salad, miso soup and shrimp and it was fantastic, delicious and worth the price. We also tried their karaage Ramen and was blown Way by the broth and the fresh Ramen and perfectly fried chicken! We also tried their friend chicken bun 10/10 delicious flavors! Will return to try even more items on the menu.”
“Amazing, well-portioned food and calm vibes. Service felt rushed.”
“Great food. The tonkatsu and tom yum ramen were very good. The food arrived fast and we were able to see it being made. A must visit restaurant.”
“5+5+5🌟 It really had the feel of a small eatery in one of the quieter regions of Japan. Chris the owner wanted to give a realistic experience. His wife who is of Asian descent, also a veteran of the food business, had a huge input on the menu. And, it is a wonderful menu. I had the teriyaki steak bowl, also the cucumber salad, some hot sake to drink, and, the black bean paste dessert. Very sweet. My wife, she had the octopus, the cucumber salad, green tea, and a very delicious Japanese guava juice. The facility is very clean, it is small, but they have a large room in the back for karaoke. By the way the bathrooms and the kitchen were extremely clean. That tells you all you need to know about the compassion of the owners. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It really did remind us of Japan when we went to visit our daughter. One thing I will mention, they do have a day, Tuesday, where there is an English conversation dinner for all non-native English speaking students going to northwestern. It's like everyone getting together and learning about everyone else. It's a very United Nations type of feel. What a wonderful idea! 🫶”
“I've been here before and it was essentially the same: pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. a rather simple poke bowl, and a standard katsu curry. the cutlet in the curry could've been a bit crispier and a bit juicier, and the veggies in the curry a bit more cooked (really big chunks), but otherwise the flavor was all there. poke didn't really stand out, not bad, not amazing. I'll still come here again in the future if I'm ever in Evanston and am feeling very specifically something on the (rather large) menu, but otherwise it's not a destination restaurant.”
“Lovely tiny gem. Ate by myself after work and enjoyed the lava takoyaki & tempura udon. The octopus was delicious but the shrimp from the tempura was tough. I originally ordered soft shell crab bao buns but was then told they were out of crab. Wish they led with that, my only real complaint because I was craving crab.”
Sounds like your kind of place?
Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.
One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.
More Japanese in Chicago
See the ranking →
In the same lane · Japanese, mid-range
If it's packed, walk to…
More good rooms in Evanston, minutes away.