Tooley’s Cafe

The «cash only» policy makes me suspicious having worked in a restaurant for fifteen years I am acutely aware of the potential for cash skimming and unreported revenue, plus it is absurd in this day and age of smartphone options of payment and plastic.
Everything tastes like the tiny grill it’s cooked on in the tiny tiny kitchen area. Very overpriced and the food presentation is severely lacking in beauty and creativity. No care is taken to be unique and the people running this place do not love food but see it as a way to make cash.

I want to give Tooley’s five stars but I can’t quite justify. However, Tooley’s is one of my favorite spots in Tucson.
Yes, it is cash only, but I know this and I make sure I have a little cash on me when I come. The prices are very reasonable. Today, the entire time I was eating, there was a guy siting at a nearby table with his credit card siting on top of the check. I don’t know why the server hadn’t picked it up or let him know about the cash only policy. The small sign was up near the register but they need to get the word out before people order.
They are always, always, out of stuff. Do not plan on getting what you had last time. For me this is part of the charm of Tooley’s but there are limits. Once they asked me if they could substitute pork for turkey. It made me laugh and I was ok with the change, but not everyone would have been so understanding. As a note, the pork is much spicier than the turkey.
If they have the horchata get it. It is some of the best horchata I have ever had.
The hot tea is good too. On a previous visit, when the weather was cooler I order black tea but I got mint. It turns out the mint tea was being stored in a container marked black tea. I am glad I was drinking my tea in the shop and hadn’t taken it to go. I asked them to switch the tea. I need a little caffeine. I have to say, both cups of tea were good.
People have mentioned the slow service. The last time I was at Tooley’s I had a friendly slow server. Today the service was super minimal. It was as if the server was afraid to talk to people. However, my burrito was made and served very quickly.
I love the out of the way location. I like to visit midmorning on a weekday and there is never a crowd. I like the atmosphere and the tiny size of the shop. The food and drinks are good.
Tooley’s is one-​of-​a-​kind. Yes, the hours are sometimes impossible, Monday-​Saturday 9am-​3pm. Yes, they only take cash. Yes, they are always out of a portion of the menu. However, I still love Tooley’s. It is as if they are an eccentric friend, the inconveniences are out weighed by their character and charm.
I recommend giving Tooley’s a chance, but go with an open mind and a little bit of time to spare. I think your efforts will be rewarded.

Cash Only!
Food was very good. I got a breakfast pork hash. The pork was slightly crispy but really juicy. I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful everything was. Service was friendly and attentive. The water the waitress brought came out of a see through container that was sitting on the counter, so I could see the few slices of orange floating in it. It was gross, warm with an oily consistency and unpleasant aftertaste. But, water, it’s free, no biggie except that they were out of the beverage I ordered. I’d give four stars, but the dining room was hot and there were quite a few flies (though there is a lovely patio, it was just full when I arrived). It’s a very cool atmosphere though; 32 years in Tucson and I’d never spent any time in the Lost Bario. I’ll be back again soon.

Love this place! The food is fresh and authentic and the vibe is very down to earth, very Tucson. I had the huevos rancheros and cleaned my plate, it was that good! They only take cash, so that’s the only minus, but their prices are very reasonable (starving student: 2 eggs/​toast is only $ 3), so I forgive them for it.

Love Tooley’s. Glad to see them back open again. We generally go for breakfast. The food is simple, good, and affordable – yay! Tastes like home cooking. The posole is top notch, light and brothy and topped with radishes, cabbage and cilantro. The Killer Mailman burrito is loaded with meat, though you do have to watch out for the occasional bone. I also like the corn pancakes – not too sweet. Haven’t had anything on the menu that wasn’t good, and we’re looking forward to the return of more pastry offerings. The mood is casual with the old timey feel of a café in New Mexico twenty years ago – screen door squeaking, regular customers dropping in, a nice porch. Wish there was a spot like this in every neighborhood in town. A hidden gem. Only complaint – the way the tables have been rearranged, it’s hard to walk through to the counter to order, especially with a walker like my mom has.

Love them. Perfect place for a simple affordable breakfast. The restaurant itself is adorable, authentic Tucson flavor, with a little bakery area as well and espresso drinks, indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a very laid back place, quiet, ideal for Saturday mornings with a book. The corn pancakes are delicious, also the calabacitas special when they have it. No frills hearty Mexican fare.

We walked in the door and were greeted by a server. «Is this your first time here»? Yes, we answered. «We only accept cash» was her reply as she handed us a menu and told us to come to the counter to order.
We were a little put off by the «cash only» welcome, but decided to give the place a try. Big mistake. Huevos Rancheros were ordered by both of us. The corn tortilla’s were so tough they had to be cut with a knife. The salsa was OK – nothing to write home about and the refried beans were definitely unremarkable.
Tropicana orange juice is served out of the same container you see at any grocery store. REALLY? Can’t we do better than that?
Coffee was acceptable.
It’s a funky place, which by itself has it’s charm. Yet, the place looks dirty and the food is definitely not worth a return trip.
Remember to bring cash if you decide to give Tooley’s a try.

Having the corn pancakes with a black bean side dish (considered a carbohydrate in diabetic nutrition), a scrambled egg, and coffee. I was hoping to see kernels of corn in the pancakes, but it’s only the cornmeal. The syrup, jalapeño, is light with a nice flavor and bite to it. The coffee, too, was light with a nice flavor — I enjoyed two cups ;)
By the way, the Café closes for the last week of July and first two weeks of August.

The ambiance was great. The lost barrio is a perfect setting for this trendy-​yet-​original spot. My hot tea was very good, my friend’s coffee was great. I had a Mexican wedding cake for an appetizer & it was light and lovely.
I really would love to give this place 5 stars, but the food was just not that amazing. I ordered the turkey sausage platter and it was just meh. My friend ordered a lunch meal – it came with tortilla soup which was very good, but her entrée was just meh like mine.
I’ll go back, but only for snacks and tea/​coffee, not for main meals!

While I love the charm of the neighborhood and restaurant décor, the food was just ok. I ordered the special of the day (calabacitas) and it was disappointing and flavorless. I plan on going back and trying more items but might bring along some of my own cholula to spice things up. Definitely recommend the coffee though, excellent americanos!

The Famous Killer Mailman burrito is appropriately named. Despite my dislike for turkey, this burrito was absolutely heavenly. I would recommend it it to anyone who is accustomed to ordering a chicken based dish.
The flavors were brilliantly melded, with no overpowerings of grease laden sauces that are the usual in mexican food. I will update this review as I try more of their wonderful offerings.

When a friend called and invited me to eat at Tooley’s, I was worried. The establishment received mostly negative reviews from my foodie amigos, and I was not in the mood to pay $ 10 for a bad experience. In spite of my negative expectations, my experience at Tooley’s was incredibly enjoyable.
The menu is small and mouthwatering. I asked an employee at the register for advice and she recommended the mole. I ordered the turkey mole enchiladas, which are served with beans, rice, and a side salad. For a measly $ 7.50, I chowed down on juicy shredded turkey and creamy, thick, warming mole. It was not the best mole I’ve ever eaten, but it was exactly what I wanted at the moment. (Rule of thumb, always appreciate an apetizing mole that didn’t take you 5 hours to make.) The lunch was large enough to pack half into a box and take it home for dinner. The beans could have used more salt, but the rice was perfect.
I’m looking forward to eating at Tooley’s again, perhaps if it happens to be open while I’m perusing through the cute store next door, Mast.

This place has all the makings of being a four-​star café, if they were a bit more efficient. The place was busy, but not so much that breakfast took over an hour to come out. If you’re hungry or in a hurry, breakfast here might not be the best option.
This was a bummer, since we really enjoyed the food. The corn pancakes with jalapeño syrup were an original twist on a classic, and they hit it out of the park! They were so good that it almost made up for the long wait, almost. Their Achiote Turkey Sausage was also unique and quite good. It was more like a spicy meatball but had a good spice, but not too spicy. It also had a spicy dipping sauce that went well with it. We also ordered a The Dodi burrito on their lunch menu. The burrito was good but not too memorable. The ingredients were all fresh and the tortillas were noticeably tasty. We’ve had better, but it was still enjoyable.
For being a coffee shop, their coffee left a little to be desired. Instead of regularly brewed coffee they serve more an espresso based Café Americano drink. It’s not bad, but some times you just want a coffee with breakfast, and it was a bit too thick and strong. The café au lait had a similar problem with its strength, but some additional cream and sugar fixed the problem.
All-​in-​all this place has a lot of positives. The atmosphere is fantastic. We sat on the patio, which was charming and perfect for the weather. Plus it’s a great place to start your day if you’re going to poke around the Lost Barrio shopping district. The food was an overall above average experience. The coffee selection left a bit to be desired. The staff were very nice, but there was absolutely no communication regarding the status of our food. Apologetic smiles work for about the first half hour, but start having the opposite effect when things take as long as they did. Maybe we came on an off day, but the long wait with no communication really turned us off!

Little hole-​in-​the-​wall places like Tooley’s Café are why I love Tucson and why I adopted my «Anti-​Chain» moniker for Unilocal.
Tooley’s is tucked into the armpit of MAST, avery cool artists-​in-​residence boutique, which is tucked into Tucson’s little-​known Lost Barrio. It’s cozy, laid back, eclectic, fun and friendly. Put your order in at the counter and grab a chair by the wood stove or on the patio.
On my latest visit, I was entertaining a «snowbird» from Calgary. We chatted over soy lattes, all the time forking an embarrassingly obese chocolate chip cookie. One the woman at the counter apologized for this monster being «smaller» than she usually bakes! Let’s agree that the size was ample for (at least) two people. (These two felt like gluttons afterward).
Foodies: I have a feeling Tooley’s Café is never going to win any awards with you. But the menu is good in my opinion. More important to me: Tooley’s is an unpretentious oasis, a big «hug» of a place right in the middle of this small city. I absolutely adore it.

What?! How have I never been to this awesome little place?
On my first visit, I went for the egg and potato breakfast burrito and an iced vanilla latte. The burrito was quite nice and came with a side of mild salsa and a slice of fruit.
…yeah. Just one sad slice of fruit.
The burrito was excellent. The potatoes were very nicely cooked and it was the perfect serving size for a meal that turned out to be both breakfast and lunch.
The latte? Not so much. I think the problem was that the espresso was shocked, probably from pouring it over ice. The only other disappointment was that it was difficult to find an electrical source. It’s fantastic this place offers free WIFI, it just would be nice to have some extra outlets so you can get the juice necessary to power a laptop.
But, in all, gorgeous location. Wonderful staff. Awesome patio. Lovely space — and within walking distance of some cool shops. It was nice to see folks hanging out socially or hanging out with their little ones and a group that was having some sort of volunteer or work-​related meeting. Nice range and good energy. I plan to return to try lunch.

CASH ONLY??? I told the lady who worked there that I haven’t been to a place in a long time that only take cash especially when I don’t carry any cash. (I should have read the reviews before going) I even asked her if there was an ATM near by and she said there was one up on the corner of Broadway and Park at the Circle K. I didn’t want to leave and come back.
I ended up just ordering the egg and cheese potato burrito that was $ 5.50 because my husband happen to have $ 10 in his wallet by some miracle! and a $ 2 cookie to go with my meal. The cookie was just OK nothing write home about. The burrito was just OK, but it wasn’t even wrapped good that the insides were falling everywhere!
I really wanted to like this place. I am not saying I won’t try it again, but next time I better bring some Benjamin’s.

After going picture-​hunting around Tucson, we stopped here for a caffeine fix. Right away I loved the Mexican-​style interior. It is sooo cute and colorful, with bright murals and flowery tablecloths to match. The place is small and cozy, the ambiance alone is enough to make me want to return. Don’t get me wrong, the food was great too. My mocha was not only huge but delicious. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that it has Mexican chocolate, and it makes for a very satisfying and unique mocha. And because you can’t get enough chocolate, I got their perfectly crispy chocolate chip cookie. Huge as well. Too bad that we had other lunch plans-​the calabasita plate was so calling my name! Oh well– there’s always next time.

Not the best mole I’ve ever had, but I’m giving Tooley’s a solid 4 stars because they bring a few other things to the table. First off the portions are epic. I mean I’m sad that I didn’t LOVE the mole because there was so much I felt bad not finishing it. They have some pretty darn good sweet treats. The space itself is super cute, and it’s perfect for a lunch meeting if you plan on having a little convo. I’ve only ever seen two people working, so it can be a bit slower, but I think for the atmosphere and the experience of dining in the lost barrio, it’s totally worth it.
Know Before You Go:
Plan to stick around after lunch and go into to M.A.S.T. Great little shop with unique items perfect for someone who has everything!

The lost barrio is a beautiful little area, and the outdoor seating at Tooley’s is great. The food is even better.
I ordered the corn pancakes with jalepeno syrup and black beans, it was delicious. They have great eggs with chilis and special turkey sausage. The Nopales (prickly pear cactus pads) were tasty and the freshly squeezed limeade was superb.
This place is not expensive and the food/​environment is GREAT!
(it took about 15 – 20 minutes to get our food)

Tooleys is in the warehouse/​art district known as the Lost Barrio, hidden to the south east of Park and Broadway.
You order at the counter and then take a seat where ever you like. Be warned, it is cash only.
The restaurant itself is cute and artistic in nature.
I had the turkey quesadilla which came with a small side salad. Both items were quite good.
The best part was the giant chocolate chip cookie I took home. It was delicious.
If I am ever in that area again, and looking for a light lunch I would go back.