Been passing by this coffee shop a lot and finally had the chance to go. Apple Maps had the wrong…read morebusiness hours listed but the owner still opened up the door for us 20 mins after closing and even insisted on making us coffees to go. To top it all off the coffee was amazing! Definitely will be coming back!!

Cafe 44 is a cafe that in the Morton Grove 'hood, offering various cold and hot drinks and…read morepastries. We came here for a caffeine fix, ordering the following: +Turkish Coffee +Latte with almond milk +a Pistachio Latte +and, a Spanish Latte We also tried their mini bird's nests, a few filled with chocolate, and another few filled with pistachio - these were actually pretty tasty! Unfortunately, the coffee was not brewed well and was extremely weak; they looked aesthetically pleasing, though, with the latte art and/or the toppings. Staff were friendly; once you order, your items will be ready for you on the side counter. The space is bright, and they have a handful of seating inside - the place is popular, so you may have to wait a few for a table. Street parking is available off of Waukegan. +weak coffee +stick with the mini bird's nests +street parking available

This place was a huge miss for me sadly. i had high expectations given all the media hype around…read morethis place and my love and constant obsession with dubai chocolate anything. space is huge and nice. i was really excited when i walked in... until i saw the menu board. they have similar items to melt n dip but the prices were all $2-3 higher than melt n dip which is already priced pretty high. food: -portion sizes are really small for the price -dubai cake.. the best part of the dubai style desserts is the crunchy katifi. it tastes stale and really unpleasant. the top chocolate part of the cake was really good though and made up for it -baklava.. fine. nothing crazy but for the size.. it should have been a bigger piece pros: i liked that they have self serve water available and service was ok sadly will not be back

Haven't been here before the remodel so this was a first attempt of trying to go here. It was ok…read moretried pistachio gelato ice cream. Their pistachio latte didn't really taste much of the pistachio. Biscotti latte was ok, a bit too sweet for my liking but overall not so bad.

I just recently discovered this place. I work in Lincolnwood. It has a great ambiance to talk with…read morefriends, co-workers, or just chill by yourself and sip on coffee. More than enough seating and outlets to do work. My go-to drink is the iced café latte with whole milk. The coffee quality is far superior to Starbucks. Also, I love the gauva empanada with cream cheese! Also its good to know you are supporting a local business. Happy to know 5% of their proceeds go to charity. Overall highly recommend!

Such a warm and cozy cafe. Grab something to go or stay awhile, this place is IT. They have…read morecoffees, teas, and specialty lattes. I went with an iced peppermint tea and it was very refreshing. I also tried the guava and cream cheese pastry and my goodness this was insanely delicious. The pastry dough is crispy, flakey and fluffy. The guava jam and cream cheese was sweet and not overly sweet. I stopped in on a weekend morning and throughout my time here there was a constant flow of customers coming and going. Staff members were able to keep up with the influx of weekend customers. Within 5 minutes of placing my order my items were ready to be picked up at the front counter.

This bakery has some of the most legitimately delicious bread I've ever had, and it's become a…read moremandatory stop whenever I find myself in Niles. No matter how many times I visit, I always end up finding something new that catches my eye. Between the incredible selection of breads, pastries, and drinks, it's nearly impossible to leave empty-handed. One of the things I love most about this place is the variety of bread flavors they offer. Whether you're in the mood for something sweet, savory, classic, or unique, there always seems to be a fresh batch coming out of the oven. The bread always tastes incredibly fresh, whether you're eating it immediately there or in the car or saving some for breakfast the next morning. The drinks deserve recognition too. They're consistently good, surprisingly affordable, and pair perfectly with whatever baked goods you decide to bring home. My go to drink here is the jasmine milk tea with 50% sugar and light ice. It's rare to find a place where the quality is this high while the prices remain so reasonable. I've tried a variety of their drinks over the years, and they've yet to disappoint. I was so happy they finally opened an 85 Degrees bakery here in the Midwest because I would always visit this place when I visit the West Coast. If you're a bread lover, this bakery is absolutely worth the trip. The combination of fresh-baked bread, flavorful drinks, affordable prices, and an endless selection of goodies keeps me coming back time and time again. It's one of those places that makes you start planning your next visit before you've even finished what you bought from this one.

We initially were going to a different bakery/cafe but when we realized it was in H-Mart, we wanted…read moreto go somewhere that was more comfortable. We were meeting our daughter and this was a convenient location. 85 C was in the same parking lot as H-Mart so we changed our plans. They are laid out like other Korean Bakeries. They have a very nice selection of sweet and savory pastries, bubble teas, coffees, milk teas, regular teas and more. I simply had an iced tea. At our table we also had one bubble tea and one latte. My partner and daughter also had pastries. I don't eat them but was told they were very good. They don't have a whole lot of seats but we were fortunate to get a table right away. We didn't feel rushed at all even though they were busy. I'd say this is a fine place to for an afternoon visit.

I would give Matari 4.5 out of 5 stars, so I'm rounding to 5 based on service and ambiance! I heard…read moreabout their fruit mousse cakes online, so we knew we had to stop by to check it out. The cafe is immaculate and service was very friendly. The person who took our order was patient as he explained the different pastries in the case. I wish they had signs explaining what each pastry was so I could have decided while waiting in line. We ended up sharing an iced pistachio latte (delicious and 10/10!), the pistachio cheesecake (10/10!), and the strawberry mousse cake (7/10 - a subtle sweetness, great texture, but needed more cake or crust inside as it was mostly whipped cream and the shell). The mousse cake was $12.00, which felt steep considering it was mostly whipped cream, even though it was obviously beautiful. We would definitely come back for the coffee and to try more menu items! Check this place out!

I wanted to like it. I did. But after a few visits, it's just not for me…read more The first trip, I tried the Matari Tea: Green tea, Himalayan pink salt, milk, and spices, topped with roasted pistachios. Sounds good, right? Alas, it could not have been blander. I couldn't taste any "spices" or even the hint of salt. The profile was that of very watered-down tea mixed with milk, and a ton of pistachios floating on top. Like, barely crushed pistachios. Huge pieces, covering the top of the drink, bobbed around like tiny icebergs, and even they somehow had a toned-down flavor. The drink was definitely a swing and a miss. Fast forward two weeks, and I tried Matari again. This time with a simple cortado. I sat at the table right by the door, and the espresso was pretty good. Solid body, not too bitter. It was on the pricy side ($7+), but I was ok with that. But then, I'm hanging out, sipping my coffee, and I catch a burst of perfume-like scent. I'm shocked, but whatever, I figured someone in heavy perfume walked by, no big deal. A few minutes later, wham, I'm hit in the nose with another burst of perfume. Then, I see it. A slight haze around me. So, not a heavily perfumed woman after all, but an automated air-freshener. After further inspection, I see the unit plugged in on the ground right behind my chair, which sprays up and out on a timer. That's right, an air freshener right next to a table where people consume food and beverages, shooting a mist into the air that slowly rains down onto my head and table, and into my coffee. I ended up tossing the last few sips of my cortado, as I could taste the scented whatever-it-was in my cup. I'd have gone to the counter and asked for a new one, but I was so over my visit by then, I just opted to get out. The staff aren't very friendly. Not rude, but they don't give off a welcoming aura, and I didn't feel like trying to explain the issue. Lastly, can we talk about their little "your order is up" beepers? We've all seen them. The little electronic things that blink and make a noise when your order is ready, so you can go snag it from the counter. When I think of a coffee shop, I think quiet and peaceful, or perhaps a bit louder, with bustling people and well-paired music. At Matari, it's an insane BEEP BEEP BEEP that goes off every few minutes when an order is up. I get it, you don't want to bring the food out to your customers. But does it really need to feel like an airport Chili's? It's a bummer, because Matari is beautiful inside. It's clean, it's chic, and its location is at a notable crossroads in Skokie with plenty of parking, leaving it extremely convenient. They've even got an easy-to-use website, which so many coffee shops simply do not have. There aren't a lot of coffee shops in this particular part of town, which is why I so, so very much wanted to love Matari. But subpar drinks? Air freshener spray intrusions? Frequent and obnoxious beeping? I tried. I'm sorry. I just can't.

This is my second time here and it's amazing as it was the first time. I love coming here later in…read morethe evening or at night as they stay open late. It's very family friendly, and there is plenty of seating. I ordered their pineapple passionfruit refresher and my boyfriend got their cloud matcha latte. He said it was very good and I loved my refresher. We also tried the mango pastry and the Oreo cheesecake. Both were 10/10. Unfortunately I spilled my boyfriend's matcha everywhere and felt so guilty. The cleaning staff was super polite and told us not to worry about it. On the bright side, my boyfriend took the opportunity to try another drink that had also got his attention. I will definitely be coming back and won't spill anything next time!

I was craving cardamom coffee and we decided to stopped by Haraz to try it out. Very spacious and a…read morelot of parking spot. They even had a quiet room with door for coworking/studying. Went with their all spice mofawar, and a cleaner palate one Qishr since hubby wanted something tea-like. After ordering all that, we noticed there's a separate tea option that had a citrusy flavor so we got the sunlit tangerine also. The drinks were very strong in a whole mix of spice flavors, which I actually really liked, but it is a little too watery, not dense or creamy enough, and the coffee flavor lean a bit more too acidic/sour. It's not bad, but I think it's just not exactly to my liking. What I didn't realize was that a lot of the spices sunk to the bottom so when I remixed the thic layer of spices with oatmilk at home, it tasted pretty good with the right consistency. All of the drinks were pretty diluted in our opinion, and I think it's too much spice for my husband although I liked it. I also ordered some pastries, but the server packed the wrong one. If I didn't look closely enough I might've missed that. There was one last Dubai pistachio cookie which I asked for, but they gave me the Biscoff cookie instead which was a less expensive one. Anyway, they were fine switching it out after I pointed out, but no apologies or anything. While we weren't impressed with the drinks at first, the medovik mouse/honey layered cake was really good-- it was pretty dense where the buttery parts were, and it was pretty sweet so it balanced well with the acidic coffee. We didn't know the cookie had more fillings on the inside until we got home. The fillings had crunchy flakes which adds a really nice texture, and the filling is not too sweet. Really good. We liked the pastries a lot more than the coffee. Perhaps we just aren't used to the flavor and taste profile of the coffee. I'd be willing to try more here.

Now this is a cool concept. Let's back up. I meet a couple of friends on Sunday mornings at coffee…read moreshops and cafes. No chains, just stand alone locations. Each place has a theme, or a charm all its own and Grind N Gears Cafe is one of the latter. When you pull up you immediately recognize the place as a former body shop or service station. Not a as station, but a body shop. They have their own small parking lot in front with special motorcycle parking on the sides of the lot. It's a small place. When you walk inside there is a runner leading up to the counter with their case of delicious looking eats and a platform above with an old Indian motorcycle perched looking over the place. To the right of the counter are some toys for the kids, including a kids motorcycle and other funs toys to keep the kiddos busy while their parents enjoy a magically concocted coffee drink by the shops artisans. There are comfy little sitting areas composed of oversized furniture from your parents basement. The front has a few racks of leather jackets that feels like your at The Alley's northern location. They do have some hats and apparel for their own shop and I almost bought a hat. On the left side, they have another seating area, but it looks more like a table in a cozy kitchen than a sitting room. It's quaint no matter where you look or sit. Lastly, their drinks and food are quite good. With all the stand alone coffee places popping up, Grinds N Gears is one of the cooler places and I don't mean hipster.

Service isn't the best, but the coffee seems okay, maybe a little better than average…read more Nice concept, but they should put bike people can touch even if they're from the scrapyard. That would automatically make it cooler here.

The store was very cute! Lots of places to take some pretty, fun pictures (even a ginormous bear…read morethat my daughter loved)! The Vietnamese coffee was strong but so good! They even have a sweeter version if you prefer that. They had so many choices, I will need to come back to try some other drinks. I got my daughter the coconut, mango drink with mango popping boba and she really liked it (25% sugar). The staff was friendly and helpful as well. We got our drinks pretty fast. They have plenty of seating or games to play while you are waiting.

They had good amount of seating and plenty of people getting their work done here! I enjoyed their…read morestrawberry matcha although they used small ice chunks which threw me off a little bit haha. I'd come back if I was in the area to try something different :)

A new place for me that I accidentally found on Google Maps. It looked interesting in the photos,…read morebut in real life it's even more beautiful. A very nicely decorated place with great taste and attention to detail. I went with my friends for an afternoon coffee. We all ordered different types of coffee, and every single one was excellent. Unlike chain coffee shops where everything comes in paper cups, here you actually get a real cup, which I really appreciated. My friends also ordered spinach pie and said they hadn't had such a good one in a long time. The guys who work there are very kind and pleasant. Overall, everything was truly wonderful. I would definitely recommend everyone to visit this place!

Nice opening store with Middle Eastern flavors. Love the…read morecoffee roasting machine sitting in the entrance of the store. Will be fun if we came in a time when they roasting the coffee. The air in the store fills with the really nice Chia aroma. The pastry is a little bit on the sweeter side. We came in around 3:30, and there were no lines. So we got our coffee quickly.

We LOVE Sweet Reserve! It's such a lovely spot to step out of the hot (or cold!) and enjoy a coffee…read moreor tea. They have a great variety for everyone and even have a selection of fresh pastries and cakes. I go here often and the baristas are always so kind. The shelves of art and jewelry made by local artists is always fun to look at and I love the support for the local community! Highly recommend Sweet Reserve in Skokie!

The cake menu has some interesting options. Unfortunately, the online ordering process is a pain,…read moreand you can't call in. The bakery offers large cakes - and yet they will.not customize in any way, not with any kind of birthday message, or anything to recognize a special occasion. We went to pick up the cake, the young kids working there didn't even seat the cake well in the box - didn't close the box properly, and when we got home, the cake had shifted so that it had rubber against the side of the box. The chocolate cake layers themselves in the Ferrero cake were excellent - a slightly denser texture with some chew, but not overly so, and nice and moist. The hazelnut cream was ok. Overall it was hard to taste that this was a Ferrero cake, although I could see a few crushed up pieces of the Ferrero chocolate inside. But the white frosting was awful - tasted something between flowers and soap. I do not enjoy a soapy cake. In terms of the cafe itself , it's an industrial space that put minimal effort into feeling like a modern/minimalist cafe. Not somewhere I see myself enjoying a latte in. I don't see myself returning any time soon.