I hate to say it, but I think the quality at Tomatillo has declined somewhat recently. I used to be really excited about going there (it being the only "real" Tex-Mex restaurant near Jongno), but the last time I went for lunch, I had a chicken burrito that was just...wet. Really sloppy, drippy wet lettuce, drippy wet chicken...by the time I unwrapped at my office, it was just a soupy mess. And I think they changed the recipe for the chicken, too... it was much spicier than before, but not in a good way. Tasted more like chili than spicy chicken. I haven't been back since.

The other problem (although it's hard to blame them too much) is that the lunch rush can be SO insane. The lines are literally out the door, and you can wait a good 20 minutes in line before getting your food. Somehow I think they could manage the rush a little better than they do.

ive gone their many times and i never have problems. i think its very good. maybe when you took your food to office the steam made everything mushy. i dont think its tomatillo's fault. as for the line. yeah, its a little crazy.

holterbarbour, I have sent your message to Tomatillo. I was just there like a week ago and I thought that the food was amazing. I'm really sorry that you didn't have a great experience there. I do know the manager and he works very hard to make sure quality is maintained. I do think that the steam caused everything to get soggy. As for the chicken...I'll ask if they've changed the recipe.

Thanks for posting.

Dan

Tomatillo at the Gangnam Finance Center was an absolute disappointment.

I ordered a fish taco and came across a flat, dry, lifeless paper thin fillet of frozen fish (which was not fresh at all) that had been battered in bread crumbs and deep fried in what smelled like old oil.

They tried very hard to benchmark Chipotle, but the owners apparently don't understand the small details that have made Chipotle and enduring success.

I visit there once or twice a month.I think this is good place to someone likes Taco and burrito. There is no Mexican restaurant near Jongno as i know.so I dropped by lastnight get some tacos.
Thanks to Seoul Eats Notice, I can have gone a good place and eaten awsome meal. whatever...
thank you Dan!

Jiwon

Holterbarbour--Thanks for your comments and bringing this to our attention. I appologize for your last dining experience and would like to invite you back to dine--on my dime. We haven't changed the chicken recipe since we went from the stewed chicken to the grilled chicken last May. Same recipe day in and day out.

Now what it was...guranteed....was the hot sauce. We've been having some problems with employees adding WAY TOO MUCH HOT SAUCE to items making them sometimes inedible--we are working to fix the problem.

I suggest in the future to perhaps ask for the sauces to be given to you on the side...that way it can help prevent the burrito from gettign soggy...and you can regulate the spiciness.

Bechamel--we need to also apologize to you for your bad dining experience. We'll work hard to improve and look into what went wrong with your fish taco. If you want to try something else on the menu...let me know...and it's on the house.

To our fans....and everyone else...We strive every day at Tomatillo to give customers what they want--fresh, delicious Mexican food at affordable prices. It's not easy and we recognize our faults...we could have take the easy route like some brands and focused ONLY on burritos, tacos, and salads...using minimal ingredients. We decided to challenge ourselves and throw in Quesadillas, Nachos, Baja Fish, as well as offering Wet Burritos, etc....It's tough, but it's a road we'd rather be on. That being said...to maintain consistency is our biggest difficulty, especially when we're in an industry of extremely high turnover. We're trying for perfection...please bear with us.

Stephen and Daniel: Thanks!

Stephen- that is the perfect way to respond to a customer complaint. I almost feel ashamed for having criticized you guys now. :)

I'll definitely give it another shot now knowing that the sauce was likely an issue. I'll ask for it on the side next time.

I'll let it be known that until the "wet burrito incident", I had gone with considerable regularity and enjoyed a bunch of stuff on the menu. I'll be back again soon.

(And thanks for the offer of a free burrito.. but there are surely people more deserving of a free lunch than me.)

Stephen, hats off to you. I have been coming in to the Jonggak location regularly for about 8 months now, I am the Korean guy with long hair and a black leather jacket on usually, I normally scarf down my food and head back out to work, haha. I find myself with less time for lunch these days but I do crave Tomatillo's tacos and I think you guys do a great job, I say this as I had the notion to start a Mexican place here in Seoul many years ago, and maybe up until last year, was intent on doing one, knowing how hard it is to pull together all the ingredients and maintain a consistency fitting a professional outfit like yours. The decor is good, and your employees all know what is going on. good stuff.

I will probably try plying my trade in other cuisine soon, but I do admire the Tomatillo chain and hope you guys carve your niche. You're so much better than any of the other Mexican joints in this city, and I take note of the places that take their food seriously, which you guys definitely do. It shows. I normally order a few carne asada tacos, but I've tried everything but the fish (don't really like it) on the menu, and it's all good. I like your salsa cruda, I like your carne asada recipe, and I really like the tostadas on days when I feel like something more in the vein of a salad.

I had suggested long ago on the facebook group that you guys offer a 'buy 10 get one free' card, like coffee shops have, and I am now happily in possession of that exact card from you guys, so I am pleased. I'll definitely go through a few of these things in no time at all.

One small thing: I realize how difficult limes are to get, and I don't mind a lemon garnish in a limon margarita, bottled lime juice in the salsa or in the margarita mix, and I realize a lime is worth 1500W here and supplies are inconsistent, but I can't drink a Corona with a lemon, man. I'd pay 6500W (what are the beers now, 6000W?) and gladly drink Coronas with my tacos if you guys would do lime wedges instead of lemons. I can excuse a small neighborhood bar for putting lemons in their Corona, but I kind of wish you guys, in your position, would set an example and do the right thing.

I've had some of the tacos with the extra extra hot sauce and also noticed the chicken recipe change a bit this summer, but those don't bother me so much, I know a restaurant can change day to day. I see the hard work put into everything, see your American tortilla machine, I think all the recipes are great, I just think some limes for the beers would be the final touch!

Just had lunch there. Hot sauce on the side was indeed the trick.

I hereby formally withdraw all my previous complaints. Tomatillo has redeemed itself!