I'd never had Cuban food before until I came here. I got a fried tilapia platter which came with rice and a spinach salad. I genuinely cleaned this plate off. The spinach had a kind of sauce with it that when mixed with the rice and fish tasted absolutely divine. The plantains were perfectly fried. My friend got the pork sandwich which she also enjoyed. We also got two vanilla lattes which were very good. This place has both indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for outdoor because the weather was nice but the vibes were good inside as well. They have a pastry counter indoors that looked good. I would highly recommend making a reservation because the place was packed on a Thursday morning! In the future I would bring friends and family here. read more

Cafecito - Tilapia Criolla Platillo Guava, Q Pork Sandwich, plantains - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I saw this place was close to my hotel, so I decided to give it a shot. I noticed they had a lot of good options, but I decided to stick with the pollo chimichurri. My food was ready within minutes and while I was hoping for a mouthful of flavors, I got anything but. The chicken wasn't really seasoned. In fact, it was lukewarm and bland. The plate could have gone without the tomato's as it made the maduros mushy. The plate itself was rather meh and I was pretty disappointed. Also, I was expecting the chimichurri to already be on the chicken and not for me to have to add it myself, especially considering I didn't get very much. Maybe they had an off day or I just chose the wrong dish. read more

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This place is near my workplace and it's gotten good reviews so I decided to try them. Staff is very friendly. I ordered the Steak Chimichurri Sandwich and a side of plantains. The sandwich was okay but the plantains were really good, I enjoyed them. I sat inside to eat. It was quiet and a steady flow of customers coming in. Clean inside. The have a cooler with many drinks to choose from which I appreciated. I may try them again and get a different sandwich. All in all, okay. read more

Cafecito - Delicious plantains! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Phenomenal! First morning stop during a visit to Chicago and everyone was happy. Wonderful vegan options! Cozy seating! Amazing atmosphere! Right off miracle mile. You better eat here!!! read more

Cafecito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cafecito is the best place to get a reasonably priced, casual Cuban meal. The menu has variety of options, including sandwiches to plates. I've heard that service can be very mixed, but I've never had a bad experience. The portions are decent. read more

Cafecito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped in with 12 middle school girls and they all loved their sandwiches! How often can you please every teenage girl in your group?!?! The employees were helpful and friendly. read more

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It was OK. Not sure how many Cuban spots there are in Chicago, so it's all comparative. Food was decent but I wouldn't call it great. read more

Cafecito - Guava-Guava Q Chicken Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here excited because of the reviews and I really enjoy a good cuban sandwich but left a little disappointed. My friend and I ordered the Cuban Sandwich and the Chimichurri Beef Sandwich. The cuban sando was OK and felt a bit dry. Flavor was a bit lacking. The chimichurri sandwich was definitely better cause the sauce saved the sandwich. Overall, food was ok... read more

Cafecito - Cubano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pretty good Cuban style sandwiches in downtown, I've been coming here for years. Service is usually pretty good and fast. Nice location for a quick fix that's close to everything. read more

It's been a few years since I've had Cafecito since I don't work in the area anymore, but it's just as delicious as I remembered it to be! Still busy but the line goes quick. Love their cubano and chivito! read more

Cafecito - Cubano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Quick & Tasty! What more could you ask for on a midweek lunch run? I have been to the Cafecito in Gold Coast which is a much bigger space and full restaurant but this is my first time coming to this particular location in the downtown loop. This is more of a take out spot with only 4 small tables. Same menu as the other locations but more geared towards fast service in contrast to full service. I'm okay with that! In & out in less than 10min. I got the Guava-Q pork platter which comes with a side of sweet plantains, rice & black beans and a pressed ropa sandwich. Everything was packaged nicely, nothing spilled or made a mess in the bag. The lady at the counter was a little grumpy but I could tell she was tired. Quantity was plentiful, full of flavor, and just under $30 USD. The location seems more authentic Cuban - very colorful and cheerful but also be mindful it is in a more run down part of the city. Outside was under the El train and a bit dingy. I say this because I just wouldn't want to be walking here after the loop empties. Note: They close by 5pm and only open weekdays. read more

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Has anyone else heard that Gabriel Iglesias bit about Calle Ocho & the Cafecito? I don't want to spoil it, but misadventures ensued. Point is, ever since then I have been wanting to try this allegedly delicious concoction! So much so, when thinking of going to Miami, a visit to the aforementioned was basically guaranteed. Now, I discovered this cafe by accident. On a 90° day, I was searching Yelp for ice cream near me, and the powers that be (ie Yelp's highly imperfect search algorithm) showed "Cafecito" in the results. It was at that moment I proclaimed "Ice cream be darned!" I was going to try this thing even if it meant a hot beverage on a hot day. Now that I've tasted it, I can not only tell you it was worth it, but that I will likely be dreaming of it for the next couple of days if not weeks. The espresso is perfection - right in that narrow sweet spot between bitter and sour. Speaking of sweet, the amount of sugar was perfect to make the drink pleasantly sweet, and help moderate some of the stronger coffee notes of the espresso without hiding or overpowering them. I will give further credit for the size - even though I ordered a single, the amount of espresso was more than fair, especially at a price of $2.69. Finally, I had the further delight of trying one of the Alfajores. The cookie was very soft, not overly sweet, and the combination of flavors was excellent! I can tell these are made with love, and with a recipe/technique handed down through a couple generations. It was an awesome compliment to an awesome coffee. With all this, I have 100% become a raging fan of Cafecito (the cafe) and the cafecito (the drink). If a place serving them (and done right), doesn't open in the Boston area, I might have to open one myself! read more

Cafecito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My hopes were too high being a former resident of Miami. It's been a long time since I've had Cuban food. Sooo I came here and there's a huge menu on the wall. The cashier was friendly but busy. I decided on chicken with rice, black beans, and plantains. The rice and beans was bland, the chicken was okay, and the plantains tasted off. It just wasn't an enjoyable meal for me. read more

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It was my first time trying a Cuban sandwich and boy was it delicious. This restaurant is a cute small place with a couple of tables. They have breakfast and lunch sandwiches as well as coffees. I got the egg and cheese sandwich and added onions. The bread was absolutely delicious! It was so soft and flaky. I do wish the egg had some seasoning on it because it was a bit bland. Overall a super delicious and filling breakfast sandwich. My friend got the jardin and that tasted incredible. The veggies were cooked perfectly and tasted so well with the mozzarella cheese. The sandwiches came out super quickly! Highly recommend this place for a delicious sandwich. read more

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stopped by on my way to the van buren street station. the seating area looks very nice a good amount of space. the workers were really friendly. i ordered a large hot caramel latte. it's very yummy, although the size for a large is pretty small for my preferences, especially at almost $7. not as hot as i would've liked either read more

Cafecito - Caramel Latte Large - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great little spot for lunch! Food tastes fresh and well made, and the food came out quickly. Generous portions. Arugula salad was huuuge and included mozzarella and roasted red bell peppers. Cuban sandwich was wonderfully tangy with mustard. Service was fast and friendly. read more

Cafecito - Arugula salad - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I feel the quality/customer service has gone downhill since a few years ago... it's still a decent place especially if you're looking for a little more "sazon" in your food... the quantity is pretty good for downtown pricing... the coffee used to be top notch however, now it is just OKAY.... Sometimes the girl cashier can be a bit dismissive....they used to have a really easy way to get points for free coffee after a number of drinks but then they switched to Clover which from what I have read is pretty inconsistent both for the business owner and the customer... there has been a number of times I dont get the points Im supposed to get...when I tell that to the girl working the register, she seems annoyed and very dismissive... I know this is a 3rd party app but ultimately, the business is responsible for choosing and managing the systems they use. If the loyalty feature doesnt work consistently, it's their job to either fix it, switch systems or manually honor rewards when it fails. Dismissing concerns is not acceptable- especially as a loyal paying customer. Loyalty programs are a promise- and customers are in the right to expect them to work! read more

I've only been here once, so I feel a lil bad about leaving a 3 star review. I ordered the Cubanismo which was Mexican chorizo, bell peppers, onions over tater tots topped with two fried eggs. We waited for over a half hour for our food and noticed people who ordered after us were being served. Turns out they lost our ticket, but got our food out to us in about 10 minutes. The meal itself was a little underwhelming and bland and wasn't very filling. I wish I'd gotten the Cuban cuz it looked amazing. read more

Their cuban sandwiches are so beyond good and a great brunch or lunch option. I love the vegetarian options, the egg and cheese as well as the eggplant are so good. My husband has tried many but loves the jerk. Definitely worth trying if you havent! read more

YUM! Went in to Cafecito for a quick light dinner and split a Cubano pressed sandwich with my friend. It was sooo yummy! If you pair it with the guava habanero sauce, it's perfection! The cafe itself is welcoming and the workers were so sweet! So far I'm loving this place and I would come back just for the Cubano alone. read more

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Solid Cuban food in downtown Chicago with all the favorites like Lechon, platanos, rice, beans...plus they have pasties and coffee too! There are a few locations in Chicago and all have a different vibe. This one is quite small so getting a table at lunch can be challenging. The other location is much larger but food is equally great! read more

We stopped here for a quick bite after going to the art museum. Cute little place, with a nice girl working the counter. We ordered Guava-Q sandwich and the steak chimichurri sandwich, plus a side of potato salad. I ordered an iced coffee, which was delicious. The sandwiches were great, I especially thought the pork Guava-Q sandwich was very unique, especially the sauce. The steak was seasoned well in the chimichurri sandwich. I really like the potato salad, too. read more

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Loved this place and the simplicity of the sandwiches and maduros (plaintains). The food was fresh, served quickly and very fulfilling. It is a bit loud in the restaurant, but mostly because it's full of happy customers enjoying coffee and great food. read more

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Found Cafecito on Yelp and it seemed popular, so we ended up visiting for a late lunch! My partner and I tried the Cubano sandwich for takeout The sandwich had a great balance of flavors and was well worth the price! The sandwich was PACKED with flavor, with tender roasted pork, slices of ham, melted Swiss cheese, tangy pickles, and mustard pressed between crispy Cuban bread. The sandwich was definitely loaded, so one order was enough for the two of us. I think the only thing that I didn't enjoy very much was how packed the restaurant was - there wasn't a clear line nor enough waiting space and the dining tables weren't cleaned for new parties to sit at. We were planning on getting takeout nonetheless, but I think it would've been nicer if it was easier to move around in general here. Overall, if you're looking for a delicious Cuban sandwich, Cafecito is definitely worth checking out. They had a great selection of sandwiches here, and I can see how it makes the perfect lunch spot in Chicago! read more

Cafecito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cafecito is a great spot downtown perfect breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Their sandwiches and plates are always on point and their coffee is strong and cuban! They're pretty busy, but you could dine in. read more

These were the best pancakes I have ever had! It was way too much but I stuffed them all in because they were too good to go to waste! Get the special pancakes!!!! Also the bacon was cooked perfectly. read more

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DoorDash and customer service disaster. DO NOT ORDER DOORDASH HERE!!! I experienced the most horrific lunch here. I placed a DoorDash group order with my colleagues at the office at this location. After I unpacked my order I realized several items were missing and a note was attached stating items were missing. I called Cafecito and asked why they sent me an an order they acknowledged was incomplete? The response: Our DoorDash menu isn't the same as the shop menu and DoorDash doesn't give us your number to call. My response: Your internal issues are not my issues. How are you going to take all of our money and not send us a complete order? It is unacceptable to knowingly take all of our money and not complete my order. I have hungry people at the office without lunch. Why not send me something comparable? Or Google my employers number in the notes or the easiest solution cancel my order?? I asked her to make us comparable sandwiches to those missing and I'd pick it up because they couldn't send it over...although I paid for DoorDash ‍ I arrive and my incomplete order isn't ready and doesn't take priority in total I waited for about an hour waiting for my order that we paid for and they didn't handle correctly. The lack of customer service, problem resolution and common sense was astonishing. I am then notified by a colleague of another missing item, I let the employee know and she said that's not our shops menu our menu is small and posted on the wall. Again, my response, great again not my problem, make me something comparable. Nothing was made right here I wasted so much time, the employee seemed frustrated with me and was ignoring me and various other customers. This shop seems to be understaffed and shouldn't be taking DoorDash orders as they are incapable to do so while also providing acceptable customer service. We will never again order here. I am going to reach out to DoorDash also as this transaction was just embarrassingly disgusting and lacked competence. I also ended up picking up the order so what exactly did I pay DoorDash for??? I finally arrived back to the office with the missing food. Some colleagues were so hungry they ordered elsewhere and our food was cold since most of us waited to eat together. read more

Cafecito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I go here a lot for lunch and/or coffee. And so does my office staff. We love the Cubano and Ropa vieja sandwiches. Their coffee is also really good. It gets really busy around noon so go a little later if you can't wait. Just a note: they don't have iced tea even though it is listed on the menu hanging at the location. read more

These sandwiches were EVERYTHING. Exceeded every possible expectation, just so delicious and flavorful. The churro was the only thing that was ehh- I'm sure it's good fresh but not sitting under the heat lamp. I got the Mar y Tierra (10/10) but I really don't think you could go wrong!! Sad I don't live in Chicago bc I'd be there a lot ... a lot. read more

Forgot what I got but all I know is that my sandwich was good and was pretty filling. It was just hard to eat in bites maybe because my mouth is small not sure but it was quite messy for me. Loved their spicy homemade sauce , forgot what that was called again. Overall great. Service was good but they could use a hand because there wasn't a time without a line. They were pretty busy. Ambiance can be improved but it's not bad. Judging by just the food: 5/5 read more

Cafecito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Decent lunch spot, has some good sandwiches and coffee, food comes out fast, and it's not that expensive. My favorite sandwich is the Cevito with a side of Yuka fries. The food is a lot better when you eat there vs doing pickup or delivery. The staff is nice and gave me pretty good menu recommendations. The restaurant is definitely smaller and built to be more of a grab and go spot but if you can eat in then you should. read more

Good Harty breakfast sandwiches. We got the steak ,egg and cheese w coffee. It's a real hole in the wall hard to find. It had salsa music for the mood. It would complete if the sold Spanish pastries maybe they can add that. read more

Cafecito - Steak egg and cheese n onions - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Splendid! I had like a steak egg and ham breakfast sandwich that was undeniable. Not a long wait but if you want something different and unique this is the place to go read more

This place was great! I hope one day Cafecito will expand my way out in the suburbs; if it were closer, I would probably eat here all of the time. As it is, we stopped here for some lunch following a visit to the Art Institute. This location is pretty small, but the one on Fullerton looks bigger, if you want more space. The menu here appeared to be full-size, at least, and the upbeat music contributed to an overall pleasant atmosphere. My sister and brother-in-law each got sandwiches (a roasted eggplant sandwich and a Cubano, respectively), while I got the Palomilla platillo. That includes "thinly sliced steak, grilled onions, raw onions, parsley, lime juice, and mojo." At about $15, it's not a bad value at all, especially considering all of the platillos include "white rice, black beans and plantains unless otherwise noted." Hopefully their prices continue to stay that reasonable! The flavor of my dish was on point as well. I hope to have more opportunities for return visits so I can try some of their other tempting menu items. It was so hard to choose! read more

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Decent sandwiches, busy during lunch - they seem to be efficient but I would recommend ordering ahead to avoid a wait

OMG!! I didn't believe the hype at first. I had the Palomilla sandwich and it was so good. all the flavors can be tasted in the sandwich. To the marinated steak and onions right down to the sauce. read more

I flew in to Chicago on a 6:30 AM flight, meaning that by the time I got to Cafecito on my layover, I had eaten nothing all day but a single pack of saltine crackers at 4 AM. I ordered the Guava-Q platillo, and I'd hardly taken my coat off and settled down before it was on the table -- seriously about three minute flat. I fell upon it like a wolf, and it was so satisfying and good. Smoky-sweet plantains, sticky onions, garlicky, steaming rice, simple perfect black beans... it turned my whole day around. I was all crabby from my early morning and stressed about the day full of travel still to go, and the delicious hot food and friendly server cheered me up completely. Writing this review from the terminal, still smiling about it, and looking forward to my leftovers! read more

Cafecito - Guava-GuavaQ Chicken Platillo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've always loved this spot. Their food is quality. The bean soup is tasty. I haven't had a bad sandwich. If you order on Yelp, go earlier than what Yelp says. Glitch in system I guess. Servers are nice as well. All around good lunch spot read more

Went at 12:30p on a Tuesday and it was busy busy! Everyone coming in and out on their lunch break. But we were lucky to grab 2 window seats for a quick bite. Food: got the Cubano sandwich and it was warm/savory. Friend got the pollo chipotle and he was happy!!! Way better than Subway or any other sandwich place I've tried so far. Would definitely come back for another quick bite and try more of their sandwiches!!! read more

Cafecito - Cubano Pressed Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Popped in here randomly while waiting for our show to start at the theatre. I had a cafe con leche which was perfect! My friends and I also shared a lechon pressed sandwich, plaintains, and a small beans and rice. This quick bite didn't disappoint and the service was quick. read more