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    Cafecito

    4.2 (2.1k reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Cafecito Takeout or Delivery

    Cafecito Photos

    Business Info

    CAFECITO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafecito

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    Jessica L.

    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.

    Kendra L.

    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.

    Guava-Guava Q Chicken Sandwich
    Chasiti P.

    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.

    Cubano
    Kathy T.

    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...

    Cubano
    Susan Z.

    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!

    Cuban Coladas & take out
    Miss A.

    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.

    Mark T.

    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!

    White rice and black beans
    Xav Q.

    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.

    Caramel Latte Large
    Alex S.

    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

    Sapna S.

    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.

    Arugula salad
    Judy T.

    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.

    Cubano Pressed Sandwich
    Aishah P.

    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.

    Potato salad
    Tara K.

    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.

    Chivito

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    1 year ago

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

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    9 months ago

    Los mejores chilaquiles en el área. La atención es buenisima. Definitivamente tendré que volver otra vez! Lo amé.

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    Cafecito - Steak Chimichurri Sandwich

    Cafecito

    (1k reviews)

    $$

    Streeterville, Near North Side

    After a day shopping on Magnificent Mile north of the river in Chicago, we stopped at nearby…read moreCafecito on Chestnut. It was early Sunday afternoon, and we were too large a group to arrive without calling ahead. You walk up a lovely old half-flight of stairs under an ornate ceiling. After a short wait, half of our party went elsewhere, and the remaining four of us were quickly seated. The front area is mainly a café, with maybe 10 seats at tables for two. Farther back is a hallway and a larger room with seating in booths and at high-tops for maybe 40, and maybe 6 more at a small bar. The staff is quick and friendly. The food is delicious and fresh and hot! And the music is loud and festive :-) We had the thin-cut savory palomillo steak, a generous serving, pounded to tenderness, served with classic wet black-beans and white rice, sweet soft platanos maduros plantain pieces, and some greens and tomato. We had a lovely colorful medium-sized Mojo Shrimp in tart garlic citrus mojo sauce, with sateed red onion crescents, tomato chunks, and parsley. And we had the huge slow-cooked tender shredded-beef Ropa Vieja pressed sandwich, sauced lightly with slightly-tangy creole sauce, served with platanos maduros and black beans. All of their food delightfully authentic. We liked it so much, a few days later we ate at their South Loop location, too!

    Cafecito had my favorite sandwiches in the city - all time favorite is the ropa vieja. It's meaty…read morefrom the steak and slightly sweet from the plantains - so delicious. Their shrimp and guava-q sandwiches are also other go-to sandwiches for me. The one on wells is perfect for a lunch in the loop. If you want sit down service, the gol coast location is decent. The location on Fullerton kinda sucks - service is just really slow there so if I get sandwiches from there, I exclusively go the take out route. But all in all, the sandwiches are amazing!! And the yucca fries are good too. Oo and the guava cheese pastry is nice if you want a sweet treat after.

    Bayan Ko Diner - Baby bangus silog

    Bayan Ko Diner

    (120 reviews)

    Ravenswood, Lakeview

    BBQ Skewers: tender chicken thighs and the perfect amount of sweet glaze…read more Lumpia Shanghai: the crispiness was perfection and the sauce was so good, it was like a slightly sweet vinaigrette Lechon Kawali: so crispy on the outside and the pork was juicy and tender inside, the sauce helps give flavor and softens the crispiness of the the pork Ropa Vieja: the shredded beef brisket was cooked to perfection but was very salty, eat it with the sweet plantains and rice and it reduces the saltiness taste, sweet plantains are black but not burnt, garlic rice is tasty Adobo wings: messy but worth it, delicious Saffron cream cheese flan: very sweet, but also had salt on top, texture is thick and smooth and melts in your mouth Halo Halo Banana Split: pandan ice cream is so good, loved the shredded coconut and the rice crispies to add the crunch, the fried banana lumpia was so good Hibiscus ginger cooler: slightly sweet and so refreshing, can def taste the hibiscus Pandan Mojito: slightly sweet and has like an aloe after taste Table reservations are for 90 minutes only and they give you a 20 min warning. Order quickly! You can sit at the bar if your time is up and still want to hang out afterwards. Highly recommend getting the $30 prix fixe menu (reasonably priced) and ordering one more dish from the menu for two people. We left feeling very full and satisfied if you're super hungry. Love the decor inside and very tropical with its palm leaves wallpaper. Latin music gives an upbeat atmosphere. There are two locations for Bayan Ko. One is a diner and the other place is for a more private tasting menu. I accidentally went in there instead of the diner place.

    I want to preface this review by saying I am of Hispanic descent, so I may naturally have a higher…read morebar when it comes to Latin cuisine and what I expect in terms of AUTHENTICITY and flavor... I arrived with my family and there is a sign at the entrance instructing guests to "please wait to be seated." Unfortunately, there was no host or hostess present at the front, so we stood waiting and tried to get the attention of the only visible staff member in the restaurant. He appeared to be working alone behind the bar counter and didn't notice us right away. This already created a slightly disorganized first impression. If a restaurant is going to require guests to wait to be seated, there really should be someone assigned to the front to greet and seat customers..... Once seated, the same gentleman brought us menus, but it took quite a while for him to come back and take our orders because he was handling multiple roles at once--taking orders, preparing drinks at the bar, and bringing out food. It honestly felt like he was doing the job of several people, which is not fair to him or the customers. On to the food: as someone who is Latina and familiar with both Cuban and Filipino cuisine (through family and community), I was surprised by the execution. Appetizers were served in very small portions-- only two or four pieces per order--such as the lumpia, which felt overpriced for measely two pieces. The pricing overall felt quite high for the portion sizes even with 4... Flavor-wise, the food leaned heavily toward a more Americanized interpretation. The ropa vieja lacked depth and seasoning compared to what I'm accustomed to, and the pancit bihon tasted closer to a salty chow mein-style stir fry rather than the traditional dish...even the noodles used were very different It didn't reflect the authentic balance of flavors associated with Filipino cuisine... Overall, while I appreciate the concept and understand the challenges of running a restaurant, the execution felt inconsistent. Between staffing limitations, high prices, and food that didn't fully reflect the authenticity of either cuisine, the experience fell short for me and my family.

    Marinas Bistro & Rum Bar - Lollipop Pork Chops

    Marinas Bistro & Rum Bar

    (126 reviews)

    Uptown

    My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025!…read moreRestaurant: 51/50 Month tried: September Favorite dish: Pollo Al Ajillo Marinas is an unassuming spot in a strip mall that packs big flavors and cheerful service. Was so happy to discover this place. I tried to go back on a random Friday night recently, and they were completely booked up for the night, so definitely make a reservation!! Drink: La Playita - yummmm House Starter: Yucca fries and I believe some kind of guava dip? - This was SO good. I need to know exactly what that dip was and how I can get a jar of it. Starter: Queso Frito con Tamarindo - Fried cheese, how can you not love it?? Entree: Pollo Al Ajillo with rice and beans - This was so simple but SO flavorful. And a HUGE portion, perfect for lunch leftovers. I truly cannot stop thinking about this perfectly executed plate. Dessert: Flan - I have never in my life enjoyed flan, but they brought it for my friend's birthday, and I really liked it! Did Marinas make me a flan fan?? It took a bit of time to get our check. I had the feeling they wanted us to sit and enjoy more drinks. Next time I think I will do just that :)

    We made a reservation since there were six of us. It is very small inside so plan ahead. My friends…read moretried to eat here on Sunday night, but they were told the restaurant had run out of food. So we tried again on Friday. The service was exceptional. We loved our waitress. Everyone enjoyed their food. The craft cocktails were also good. If you are looking for authentic Puerto Rican food, you should try this spot.

    Omarcitos Latin Cafe - Steak Sandwich or Steak Jibarito

    Omarcitos Latin Cafe

    (118 reviews)

    $$

    Logan Square

    Had a great lunch with friends here yesterday . The spot is a little confusing when you first walk…read morein... there's a patio with a food truck and outdoor seating . You can sit outside or grab a menu and go inside . The inside has about 8 tables that fit 4 people each . Inside there is a table with utensils and water glasses as well for help yourself service . You order at the food truck window and grab a seat. They brought our food inside to us on a tray. We ordered the rope vieja, steak jibaritos, and flautas . Everything was very good but I especially loved the flautas with the consome. It was absolutely delicious and very unique, I drank the leftover consome because it was that good . Just poor everything in one big bowl . The flautas keep their crisp even when swimming in the broth . I liked the shredded Munster cheese on the jibarito and loved the green sauce . Sooo good!! The restaurant is byob and we brought mixes for bloody Mary's and some beers. It was nice to enjoy the meal and not feel rushed . I really enjoyed the experience, good music playing and kind service . Definitely recommend

    I had such an amazing experience at Omarcitos today…read more I stumbled across an IG reel of this food spot, and I immediately knew I had to check them out. The cafe has such an interesting set up. You order from what appears to be a food truck, and there is an outdoor (open concept) and indoor seating. We ordered the steak sandwich and ropa vieja plate. The steak sandwich was DELICIOUS. The bread was crispy, and the meat was flavorful and juicy. The sandwich also paired so well with their garlic side sauces. The Ropa vieja was also so insanely yummy. The beef was so juicy and savory. The garlic rice was also so yummy. I'm not a huge fan of plantains, but the plantains were actually pretty decent! Overall, I had an excellent experience at Omarcitos. I cannot wait to come back once it gets warmer!!

    Bayan Ko - ADOBONG PUGITA

    Bayan Ko

    (234 reviews)

    $$

    Ravenswood, Lakeview

    I celebrated my 50th birthday here, and the experience was more than I had dared hope for…read more Delicious food, excellent service, and a comfortable atmosphere. We had the 7-course tasting menu. It was varied, filling, and memorable. My partner is not usually a fan of octopus, and she still talks about how incredible that course was. We did the wine pairing, which was generously poured and perfect for the dishes. Alfredo is a masterful server who facilitated our experience like clockwork. I would not hesitate to return here. Phenomenal for a special occasion or just a nice night out.

    Tasting menu: 1. Prawn Kinilaw - coconut, thai chili, yuzu…read more2. Duck Croqueta - foie gras, guava sweet & sour 3. Arroz Caldo - black rice, lobster, calamansi, quail egg 4. Adobong Pugita - octopus, potato, black garlic emulsion 5. Lechon Asado - iberico pork collar, sour orange, yuca con mojo 6. Ropa Vieja - wagyu brisket, plantain, olive sofrito, congri 7. Chocoflan - coconut flan, chocolate bibingka, passion fruit, miso, white chocolate caramel, black truffle Well worth the price for the service, flavor/presentation/texture execution, and portions. My few criticism are prawn was a tad overcooked and black rice was too buttery for my personal taste. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole tasting menu. Service was good and ambience was simple and relaxing. Highly recommend this place for foodies and special occasions.

    Cafecito - coffee - Updated May 2026

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