After a day shopping on Magnificent Mile north of the river in Chicago, we stopped at nearby Cafecito 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! read more

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My cousin recommended this spot for lunch, and I'm glad I checked it out. I ordered the Ropa Vieja Platillo, which came with black beans, rice, and sweet plantains. The portion size was generous--I couldn't finish it all--but everything was flavorful and well prepared. I also tried the café con leche, which was rich, smooth, and a perfect complement to the meal. The service was quick and friendly, and the spacious booths and open interior made the restaurant feel comfortable and inviting. Overall, it was a great lunch experience, and I'd definitely come back to try more items on the menu. read more

Cafecito - Cafe Con Leche Large - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cafecito had my favorite sandwiches in the city - all time favorite is the ropa vieja. It's meaty from 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. read more

Great food and great price! Its a brightly colored space and the food reflects that! I thought the shrimp were awesome and the chivito was delish! Service was slower but it was a sunday at an odd time so I won't hold it against the spot. Id go back! read more

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Nice late lunch outside at the Chestnut location. Yucca fries, pressed sandwich and a tequila cocktail. Perfect note on a warm, sunny day. Being post peak, service was super fast. read more

Cafecito - Yucca fries and Guava - Q Pork Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing lunch or dinner spot! I have consistently had some of the best food in the area here. Great for dine in or takeout, Cafecito has a large menu and something for everyone. I recommend the tostones, the cubanito or the guava q, and a cortadito. They have a large area and a bar for dine in. It usually doesn't take long to be seated and the service is always very friendly. It can get busy, so don't plan on a super quick lunch if you're dining in, but it will be worth your time! read more

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Great spot for some straightforward Cuban food right downtown. I got the GuavaQ Chicken plate which comes with black beans, rice, and sweet plantains. I thought everything was well balanced and very good. Honestly, the black beans and maduros were the highlights for me but everything was good. My mom also enjoyed her meal, she got the proveletta sandwich and added turkey. Service was good and food came quickly though I will say there were only 3 other tables when we went which was at an off time in the afternoon. They have a walk up counter if you'd like to take your meal to go. They have a mix of high top tables and booths. The seating area is dark and cozy. It looks like they have a full bar as well though we didn't check that out. Would come back again! read more

Cafecito - GuavaQ Chicken Platillo - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I can't stop thinking about my experiences at Cafecito. This was my second time and I ordered ToGo before exploring Chicago. I was obsessed with the Lucila's Guava Alfajor! The flavor combination was so good and the inside was so creamy and delicious! I also ordered an Iced Vanilla Chai with Oatmilk and had no regrets. So tasty! I also grabbed a pasta salad from the front, but I wasn't the biggest fan. It had a pretty strong fresh tomato taste. I think my taste buds were expecting an Italian dressing type salad, and I personally don't like raw tomatoes. That's not to say that it wasn't good. I did like it, but the flavors weren't for me. I can't wait to come back and visit again! read more

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I had great service and a delicious meal on a particularly cold evening in Chicago. I was visiting for work and a friend who is a local suggested this place. Three of us came here to have dinner in a Wednesday night. No reservations needed (or accepted, I don't think). The place was full but we were able to get a table quickly. The ambience is cute but casual. Bright colors on the walls and cool eclectic art. There is a counter art the front is you just want to pick up and go. Lots of tables stretching back into the restaurant. My server helped me to choose the coffee ribbed flank steak. I don't really care for coffee but she said I wouldn't notice it, and I really didn't! The steak was a little overcooked/ tough but still delicous. The beans and rice were perfection. I only wish that I had more beans. We also had mojitos because they were on special for $8! read more

Really great lunch! I had the proveletta and it was incredible. Next time I'd ask for a side of chimichurri as the sandwich felt a bit dry but this is me nitpicking. The pollo chipotle was quite plain according to my lunch mate. Could use a bit more flavor but it was super filling. The restaurant has a counter to place to go orders and get coffee and desserts. Some outdoor seating is available too and plenty of inside seating that could be good for big groups. The service was pretty good and quick. I would love to go again to try other items including the vegan options. Also still need to try their coffee ! read more

Cafecito - Proveletta - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was great! I got a vegan cubano and it was delicious. The staff were very kind. I was looking for a place to work as I was traveling and they didn't mind that I was there for a while at all. The inside was nice -- great decor. Quiet vibe in the mornings. read more

Cafecito - Vegan Pan De Havana - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got takeout and it was the best experience. Bomb plantains, juicy and tasty shrimp, rice and beans were perfection. Pretty quick too! read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We picked up takeout from Cafecito last night. Mason's cream of chicken soup with everybody's favorite although none of us liked the bacon in it. My husband and I split two of the different Panini sandwiches. The barbecue chicken with guava was the standout star since they have breakfast lunch and serve dinner late-ish we will definitely be back! read more

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Came in for lunch and it was fairly empty on a Monday. It's a small cafe, in the same building as some apartments with lots of booth seating. We were seated right away and staff was nice. The Ropa vieja sandwich had good flavor, but wish they added more plantains - mine only had 1. They serve breakfast, lunch, and drinks available and a few other locations throughout the city. read more

Cafecito - Ropa Vieja Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Busiest place we had been to in a while but we stayed and got to drink and eat. It can get kind of expensive so we wouldn't come back often. Cafecito has a few locations including this one across from the John Hancock Center. Has a to go counter if not wanting to wait to eat inside. They have cocktails though so we wanted that with the food so that's the reason for staying. A ton of people always seem to be here. It's expected with it being in a touristy area so if needing a table get reservations. They also have a counter where food can be ordered to go if not wanting to stay and get a table. Bad thing is the cocktails can only be ordered if eating here. We had to eat here because of this. It's about $13 for a cocktail. The one I got was the El Vecino. Hot stuff. This is made with cayenne, ginger beer, jalapeño, lime juice, and vodka. It's about $15 for an entree. There's a section of things for vegans. I got the La Playa Sandwich. This has Beyond sausage, plant based versions of cheese and chipotle mayonnaise, chimichurri, mojo, roasted red peppers, and spinach among the toppings. She had what they call the Sabor Impossible Sandwich, which is similar kind of. This has Beyond meat with plant based versions of cheese and chipotle mayonnaise, along with onions, pickles, spinach, and tomatoes. For sure it's a popular place judging by how it's always busy. It's located on Chestnut across from the John Hancock Center. There's lots of things for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Cafecito - El Vecino And The La Playa Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came for dinner one night and it was so good we came back for breakfast another day. For drinks we got a Cuban mule and the Accidente. Both were good. For dinner we had the Ropa Vieja and the Guava-Q Chicken. Both were incredibly good! The black beans were phenomenal, probably the best I've ever had! For breakfast we had the Cubanismo plate (chorizo, peppers and onions, eggs, bread) and the Guajiro. The Cubanismo had so much food, it could easily be shared. Service was adequate- not overly good but not bad either. It had a typical Cuban vibe to it. read more

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Breakfast sandwich jamon con huevos. wow wow wow. If I lived near this place, I would be there every. single. morning. It was 2 blocks from my hotel and the great thing is that you can order your meal via yelp. By the time I walked over, it was ready and sitting there on the counter. I wish I ate it there because it was cold/windy out and by the time I walked back to my hotel, went up the 17 floors, and could enjoy my sandwich, it was kinda cold. Nevertheless, this place rocked. I'll be back anytime I'm near the mag mile. read more

Cafecito - Jamon Con Huevos - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here on a Friday evening to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen in quite a while and realized how perfect of a spot this was. We weren't looking for a heavy meal and ideally I just wanted to chat over a coffee but still ende up ordering food here. This particular location is located at the bottom of an apartment building so you have to enter the building complex to actually find the door to the restaurant/coffee shop inside. To my surprise, the place id an actual restaurant and has nice booth seating with dimmed lights and is a perfect place to meet up with friends or honestly even go on a date! They have a bar to the side as well with bar seating if that's your vibe. Was not expecting any of this since I imagined it to be more of a coffee shop with food offerings. I ordered the "Boracho" sandwich and my friend ordered a different one. We both liked it, although I think considering mine had "spicy" ingredients, it could have been spicier. We grabbed hot sauce to add to it lol. We had great service the entire time with multiple water refills so the experience overall was great. We didn't spend too much either which was great on the wallets. I'd come back for sure! read more

Cafecito - Borracho sándwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best sandwiches I've had. Looks unassuming at first, but decent seating area as you walk back. They had netflix on playing random movies which I thought was quite funny. We ordered several things: maduros, croquettes, chivito, and cubano. The croquettes were the weak point. They were fine, but nothing special and were missing that it factor. The maduros were delicious. They were cooked wonderfully and had the perfect amount of sweetness. Now onto the stars; the sandwiches. The Cuban was great. The meat was flavorful, the bread took me back to Little Havana, and there wasn't too much of anything one thing to throw off the taste. A great sandwich. The chivito was even better. I was a bit hesitant due to all of the toppings on it, but IT WORKS. Steak was cooked perfectly and everything complimented one another. This is worth traveling for; it's that good. Fantastic food. Good service. What's not to like. read more

Former Floridian so I grew up on Cuban food. Cute little spot walking distance from our hotel. They serve breakfast and have a vegan menu. I was starving and forgot to take a pic of the ceviche but it came with a great little salad with red wine dressing, chips, and the ceviche even has corn in it. I also got the guava pork plate portions were huge and has a nice sweet flavor. Did notice the sandwiches come with no sides. With the 2 plates and the appetizer. It was about $50. They have a to go window and a bar. Service was also great read more

Cafecito - GuavaQ Pork Platillo - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped here for lunch on a saturday afternoon, was not disappointed! Waited a bit for someone to greet and seat our party. Ordered the Pollo Chimichurri Platillo, the chicken was very juicy and well-marinated even without dipping it in the chimichurri sauce. I did have to ask for extra sauce on the side since there was only a small amount on the plate. The rice, beans, and plantains were cooked and seasoned perfectly. read more

Cafecito - Pollo Chimichurri Platillo - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Finally caved and hit one of the oddly numerous cafecitos that seem to dot the Chicago streets like stars in a Havana night - shockingly, the Cubano -- which they hyped all over their site and menu like it was sacred -- ended up being the weakest thing we ordered. it tasted like a plain ham sandwich I could've made half-asleep in my dorm. I think it was supposed to be marinated pork that transported me to another dimension, but it just... wasn't. it tasted like Marianos deli meat. - thankfully, I got the shrimp exotica salad, and this thing was massive and actually delicious. spinach base (already a gamble), but somehow had flavor. the mix of hearts of palm, tomato, and vinaigrette made me eat like 12 cups of it without blinking. - my friend got the "el toro" with chicken, Mexican chorizo, tomato, Swiss, chimichurri. this was a hit. the plain chicken was paired perfectly with the spicy chorizo and oily chimichurri. every bite was balanced and flavorful. - we split the tostones which were kinda dry, chewy, didn't do much. the croquettes, though, were warm and mushy inside in the best way. loved the creamy sauce on the side to cut through the salt. - service was... bizarre. multiple servers came up asking for our order after we'd already ordered. then one asked if our coffee was from a different restaurant?? even though their own staff had just handed it to us. baffling. read more

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I placed an order online for pickup to grab before hitting the road and it said that it would be about 45 minutes because it was busy. I only ordered 2 coffees a couple of pan con mantequillas, and 2 pastelitos but still waited the time. I got there and no one was the front, so I waited a few minutes and then finally someone returned. The pan had been sitting there for a bit and they said they needed to make the coffees. The guy also informed me that the pastelitos were sold out so they were giving me a different one. I thought that was a bit strange - they didn't ask if I wanted a different kind, but just gave it to me. I figured my husband would eat them, so it was fine, but off-putting. The coffees were done and I was on my way. The coffee was ok, my husband said the pasteilitos were good, and the simple pan con mantequilla was the best thing there. I would maybe return if eating there, but not the best experience overall. read more

Do NOT sleep on the Mar y Tierra pressed sandwich. it is so good!! Smoky chorizo, juicy shrimp, and arugula and tomato.. try it now!

Be prepared for LONG WAIT AHEAD when busy! *** SERVICE / Wait - This location is BUSY! Went for lunch and ordered takeout during a weekday and it was so understaffed, and you had to wait a while before anyone would come take your order at the counter. Also the staff member was just so not friendly when asked to check on our order which we had waited for almost half an hour for, and she just said without going to the back to check, IT ISNT READY I CHECKED. Literally a minute later, we asked another staff, and she actually walked to the kitchen / back and brought out our order. **** FOOD WISE: not a huge portion but decent size 4/5 for the Ropa VIEJA sandwich -- it was delicious. But it was quite oily. There are outdoor seating / indoor seating booths / and it's all very casual. read more

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First time here, for dinner, food was great. Large helpings so be ready to eat. Service was very good and drinks were on point. I will be back. read more

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Cafecito was everything I was hoping for and more. It had been on my mind for awhile and I'm so happy we finally went. The ropa vieja was spectacular and as an avid potato lover the tater tots with it were just perfect! We also tried the El Fuego sandwich which was just as perfect. I definitely would get both again, just depends on the time of day. We got the cubano too which was definitely good but I just preferred the el fuego. The ambiance was very fun and intimate. Low ceilings but well lit and very lively. I liked how casual it was while still being a sit down place. The service was great, the food came out quick, and I enjoyed the vibe. We also got a Cafecito and tres leches cake. If you don't have time for food, just grabbing these to go is just as worth it! I'm so excited to go back! read more

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Let's start with the downsides. While the little restaurant was very nice, I found it also a little dark, and it was loud enough/close enough that I could hear the conversations in the booth behind us and the one behind them over the music. The server did a nice job. He was pleasant and brought our food and drinks fairly quickly. The best parts were the food and drinks. There were several things on the menu we would have liked to try. We went with ropa vieja and guava-q chicken. Both came with black beans and rice. Both were excellent. For drinks, we tried the Cuban mule and the accidente. Both were also very good. On a whole I would gladly go again. read more

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Cafecito was very close to my hotel and I desperately needed a midday pick me up. I stopped in around 3pm on a Friday and had an iced cafe con leche and some alfajors. Both were excellent and kept me going, since I had late dinner plans that night. Staff were super nice, very friendly, and just great to interact with. read more

Wow has this place gone down hill. I had in the past enjoyed their pressed grilled sandwiches especially the eggplant and cheese. I ordered delivery which took almost an hour longer than scheduled but I was ok with it until I looked at the sandwich unpressed thrown together in a supermarket bun - soft cold meh. OK I have a paninis press - got out my press and olive oil and cooked it myself. Sit down to eat but wait....where's the cheese where's the juicy eggplant? Inside this $30 with delivery etc sandwich there appeared 4 little hard uncooked squares of eggplant and a scattering of red pepper and no cheese. Shame on whoever let this embarrassment of a supposedly " pressed" nothing sandwich leave the premises. I am only embarrassed myself for having referred Cafecito to friends and family. Yuck. Oh and they do not answer their phone - I wonder why read more

Cafecito - Pressed sandwich not - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very good food. Small lil shop. Usually see cops on their lunch break here. Very delicious food I highly recommend el torro

This place was awesome and delicious! The vibe was cozy, service was quick, and the flavors of the food were delicious! One thing about me....I love a sweet plantain! I haven't found them in soooo long and I was so happy to get some good ones. The meat was seasoned incredibly. We had tres leches for desert and it was the perfect balance of sweetness and moisture. Great price point for the portion sizes. We'd definitely go back. read more

Cafecito - Ropa Vieja Platillo - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped in for a coffee and couldn't resist a cubano. We walked right in and were seated immediately and the coffees and sandwich came out quickly. There were a lot of things that sounded good on the menu, so I'll have to come back! read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Walked over for breakfast this morning and was not disappointed. Food was outstanding. Waitstaff were friendly and helpful. All-in-all a great experience. read more

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Some of the tastiest coffee I've had in a while! I have never had Cuban coffee before so I was so excited to try Cafecito! The first time I went I tried the cafe con leche, which was kind of similar to a latte. It was sweetened and to perfection. I later tried the cortadito, which was a smaller espresso drink, also sweet amazing. Also, very reasonably priced! Probably my favorite coffee in the city. I also tried the Cubano sandwich, which was just scruptious. I'm not even usually a fan of mustard but it was so well paired with the juicy meats and pickle in the sandwich. The bread was also great. Altogether, great sandwich, great coffee. Overall I recommend this place! You can order to go or sit and eat. Fun environment and I will be back! read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you want some bold and strong coffee that'll actually work, give them a try! No pictures since I got a coffee to go (had to ask for a little more sugar than I usually do because it was actually very strong) but the place was packed! It was a nice late night spot for coffee and the ambiance was giving me date night. read more

Visited Cafecito multiple times during our recent Chicago trip. My wife loves Cuban coffee and I saw it on the menu, which prompted our visit. I noticed some other tasty-sounding menu items, which we indulged in. We dined in and were promptly seated. Looking at the menu, I wanted the sammich that packed the most flavor. Counting the ingredients, the Chivito won because it had more ingredients than all the others. My wife requested a ham and egg sammich with some tater tots and a cortadito. I went with the Chivito along with a large vanilla latte. Our drinks were delivered and my latte was yummy. My wife said the espresso was amazing. My counting ingredients method was successful - the chivito had an excellent variety of flavors. Flavor contrast is my jam. It was one of the better sandwiches that I've had. The sandwich was excellent and I'd order it again. In fact, I wish I had one right now. The tater tots were perfectly crunchy, salty, and flavorful. We had a great meal. We were so impressed that I visited again the next morning to get another round of drinks. read more

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The 5 stars are mainly given for their INCREDIBLE Cubano. As a sandwich lover I have been looking forward to try their sandwich for quite a while, so I did this during my recent most visit to Chicago! The restaurant was located in an apartment style building. Not easy to find the entrance. The inside was just like a cafe. You can either dine in or order to go. I got the red pepper & hearts of palm salad, as well as Cubano. I first got the salad, which was a bit disappointing to me as the dressing is already mixed with the veg. The dressing was too sour and contained lots of oil. Then I got the sandwich. It was a large, rectangular shaped one, sliced into halves. The bread was amazing: crispy outside, dense and soft inside, and the change of flavor from outside to inside was great. Another highlight was the piled-high meat sandwiched between the two pieces of artworks--juicy, tender, balanced fatty and lean meat etc. Finally, the pickles added extra flavor to this masterpiece. Will definitely come back. And really recommend to try their sandwiches! read more

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Every time I visit the Chestnut location, I have a great experience with the service they provide. The food is always delicious

Went around 9am, they had pick up only, but outside there's nice seating! The Chivito was absolutely exquisite. Every bite had a new taste. Definitely will visit this place again before I head back home! read more

Cafecito - Chivito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois