Great cafe to sit for a while. We came expecting to sit for an hour and ended up staying for three. The service was slow at first but we didn't mind since we could sit and talk without feeling rushed or bothered throughout the meal. I had almond tea and a slice of tres leches. The tea selection was large and diverse, and the cake was amazing--some of the best tres leches I've ever had. The space is a little small and gets really loud when it's full, but otherwise, a cozy space with good food and a huge menu! read more

Cafecito - Tres Leches and almond tea - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Loved this place!!!! It was right down the street from our hotel. The service was amazing and they have many vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and meat options for all! Great prices and every night they showcase a special from the bar. I took advantage of their $3.50 Ace guava cider from Brazil and it was delicious and served in a cold glass. The vegan mojo sampler was AMAZING and had incredible flavors with a bed of fresh rice and black beans. The sausage was Beyond Meat and seasoned and cooked to perfection. Total tab was only $18 and I was so satisfied! Will definitely be back when in Chicago! read more

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We went on a Saturday mid morning and it was not too busy, probably 5-6 servers working. We were sat fairly quick indoors. Even though my pressed sandwich was made incorrectly and missing multiple ingredients that are listed on the menu, the food was very tasty and seemed fresh. The real problem here is the service. Once we received our food, we literally never made contact with our server again. We were finished eating and we watched her go get a coffee for herself and sip it after making eye contact with us. Didn't take our plates or stop to ask if everything is ok (which would have been nice considering my sandwich was completely wrong), didn't ask if we needed another refill on our empty drinks. Another server finally noticed we were waiting with our empty plates stacked at the end of the table and cleared them for us 30 mins later. Then we waited another 30 mins for our server to come ask if we needed anything else and to pay. I even finally took my card out and placed it on the table to make it more obvious we were ready to pay. Our server walked by probably 4 times and never stopped to ask. She was then behind the bar cleaning empty glasses. I had to flag her down after she passed a 5th time and made eye contact with us but STILL didn't stop to see if we're ready to checkout. It was just unacceptable. read more

If you have time to be ignored for the first 15 mins before having to literally tell someone "hey, I'm here and am looking to eat," then yeah, chose this place. Although, I did read the reviews before mine, which also said the service sucked, but I really hoped for better service. I just don't understand how such a small establishment can literally be struggling with good customer service. I literally heard the girl beside me ask for a refill of water 3 different times. She never got her water before she left. I will say that the food was great, but doesn't make up for the service. The restaurant is inside of an apartment building and the lighting is dim, but not so dim you can't see e what you're eating. Giving this place a 3/5 because overall the food was great, but I do recommend they coach their staff because the service was just horrible. read more

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Once I got my sandwiches, I walked back to my hotel. It was only a 5 min walk, but as soon as I made it back, my mind started to race. I started to have visuals of me choking while alone in my hotel room. Then I thought about the poor cleaners that would end up finding my body and uneaten sandwiches days later. At that point the tuna would have definitely gone bad. They wouldn't even get to enjoy it. Then I started to think about the people that would stay in that room after me. Would I just be perpetually haunting every guest? That's not what I want for my after life. I ended up walking back to Cafecito and ate my sandwiches there. Luckily, I didn't have any chocking scares and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. read more

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God this place is good. If you're looking for authentic delicious Cuban food look no further. If I lived nearby I think I'd try every single one of the sandwiches. The chivita was fantastic and the shoestring fries gave it a nice little crunch. It was packed with meat and pressed to crunchy perfection. My wife got the vaca Frita and the flavor was fantastic. It's a friendly cozy restaurant with a fun casual atmosphere. Will definitely be back in the future to try the Ropa Vieja next! read more

Cafecito - Chivito Pressed Sandwich with White Rice and Black Beans - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Did takeout the other day. This is still a great place and a great neighborhood gem. Cubano sandwich is great. Lovely clean. Good coffee. Highly recommend. Fair prices for this neighborhood. read more

Cafecito - MOJO shrimp - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was pretty good. I wanted Spanish food and this place popped up on my search so we decided to try it. The staff was very friendly and the menu was great, many choices to choose from. The food came out rather quickly which was nice and the drinks were decent. They do need to update their booths though. There was lots of cuts and rips in the one we were sitting at. read more

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The food was alright and the outdoor seating was scenic but I wouldn't eagerly suggest this place to anyone who asks. The service was also not too great: it took a very long time to get our orders, the check was incorrect, and no one came by to check in on the meal. We ordered: - mango tajin cocktail and margarita: they definitely don't skimp on the alcohol which is ++, but the mango tajin was excruciating to finish (that may be due to the tajin/jalapenos which is a taste we failed to acquire) - cafe con leche: the top milk foam part was delish, however it was overwhelmingly sweet near the bottom - mango milkshake: this really did not taste like much. It was a texture like whipped yogurt and tasted like milky air with a hint of mango. Not really sweet either which can make be considered a plus if you are limiting your sugar intake. - cubano sandwich: tasted like a standard sandwich to me, nothing bad or outstanding. If you're a fan of mustard/pickles you'll like this because that seems to be a highlighting flavor. - juego sandwich: there was no salt in this sandwich so it was really very bland. the waiter didn't come back so we couldn't request salt - lechon platter: This was my favorite item. Plenty of meat, and I enjoyed the plantains. The beans are nice and salty too so you can pair them with other items that may be lacking that element. Overall, I would come back but I would pick other items on the menu in hopes of a better experience for the palate. read more

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cafecito is fireeee!!! the sandwiches are so good and the mojitos are amazing!! would come here again and again!!

Love the hot pressed sandwiches here. Great Cuban flavors at a very reasonable price. Lots of people so get here early. Got the Jerk and Chivita pressed sandwiches today. Both were great. Jerk comes with chicken and carribean spices. Chivito has steak, bacon and frrid egg. read more

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The food was a bit bland, certainly had higher expectations. The service was pretty slow and we did not get a coffee we ordered and a guest at our table had his food forgotten about s so everyone was done eating before his was delivered. Eating outside was nice but mostly because the weather was nice. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best spots on the Mag Mile! I challenge you to find me a place where the food is fresh, fast, cheap, and authentic remotely close to Michigan Avenue! I have worked on the Ave for many years, and this place is truly a gem! I almost didn't want to leave them a review because I want to keep it a secret. I have basically had the entire menu, including breakfast, and have never been disappointed. Everything is delicious and reminds me of being in South Beach. They have won awards for their Cubano, but I love their plates more than their sandwiches. However I'll always prefer rice over bread if I'm gonna go ahead and indulge in carbs. Service is pretty good; it depends on how busy they are. They're always nice but sometimes slow. You must also try the Cuban coffee here. Great food that's friendly on your wallet. read more

Cafecito - Beer and wine menu - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food - the atmosphere!! The people !! I will visit here each time I come to Chicago !! This place is A MUST STOP !!!! The coffee is amazing ( and you can buy it for home use !! ) read more

I came here for brunch with a friend and the first thing I noticed was that the place was a little dark and hard to find since it was in an apartment building. We sat at the bar and each got a different type of Cubano and tater tots. Ther service was good and the food came hot, but the cubano and tater tots did not have a ton of flavor without adding hot sauce. The prices are reasonable though. I am not sure if I would rush back to try it again. read more

My wife and I stopped in for a quick bite before an event at the MCA, a little after six on a Friday. Since there was only the two of us, our wait was not long. The food - a Cubano and a Chicken pannini - were delicious and reasonably priced. There was a primarily a young crowd of Northwestern Law and Medical students, but there were a few "oldsters" like us. The ambience was pretty lively and the noise level high. The service was efficient and friendly. Looking forward to stopping in again earlier in the day so we can sample the coffee! read more

This is by far the best cafecito I have had outside of Miami. I spend a lot of time in Miami because my office is there. I drink Cuban coffee almost daily, but I've never found a good one outside of Miami or my own making. I ordered a Colada and the poor waitress thought I was nuts. It's for sharing with a few people. Not me-I drink it all. Outstanding! Oh yeah. The food is pretty good, too. I had a roasted pork omelette with their house made picante sauce. Very tasty. Pork was a bit dry, but the flavor was there. I'll definitely be back when I am in Chicago again. Minus one star because even though the service is good, it is slow. Presumably because they're running a skeleton staff due to outrageous Covid restrictions in communist Chicago. read more

Cafecito - Roast pork omelette - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good place to grab lunch or snack while walking the Magnificent Mile. Get outdoor seating when weather permits.

I visit here often mostly because this cafe is conveniently close to where I live and their soups are extremely delicious! You can order salads sandwiches and meals to go but I prefer to have a seat inside to relax. Their food is reliably good and if your particular server isn't available just ask another person or the bartender because they all take turns with the orders here. I love their sandwiches and soups and if you do order a panini you can upgrade any sandwich with soup and a beverage for an additional charge. This is also a coffee shop so if you want a coffee or hot chocolate you can get that here too. I prefer coming here in the summer for outside seating and yes dogs are allowed so I used to bring my fur baby here in the summer before she passed away this February. Nice relaxing atmosphere and reliably good Cuban food. The prices are extremely reasonable for what you get and dress casual. read more

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Came by for lunch on a Monday during covid lock down so only patio seating was available. It was a big chilly so they turned on the heater for us. I got steak chimichurri and my partner got ropa vieja plate. Both came out fairly quick. The meat for ropa was much more flavorful than my steak chimichurri. Downside of sitting outside is we were bothered by baby birds trying to eat our food..we kept having to shoo them away. Good place to grab lunch if you work around the mag mile area. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing coffee. Varied menu. Proud of their offerings and it shows. Locations I've been to were comfortable and low key. Wish they were located in my building. Would never cook again read more

Loved this place I found. The food was really good and cheap! My hubby had a breakfast sandwich, and I had the lechon pressed sandwich. Didn't come with sides but this was the perfect portion honestly. There is a full bar although it was too early for us to drink so we passed on that. There's indoor and outdoor seating. To-go orders are made at the register, while dine-in is seat yourself. This was about the only issue I had with the place. We were first in line and waited about 5-/+ minutes. Upon arrival we waited for the waitress to take an order over the phone. After she was done, she did acknowledge us, but said she'd be right back and proceeded to make coffee. She then was done with that, then got back on the phone. After she was done with that, she tried to help us but when we ordered and asked for a table, she said tables are self-serve. At that time, there was a line of maybe 6-7 behind us, and a few others followed us to the dining room, bc they heard her tell us to go straight over there if we wanted to eat at the establishment. A sign upon walking in probably would've alleviated this issue. But other than that, ratings on the food itself is excellent. FYI - this place is located in the same building of an apartment complex. So you will enter the bldg. then walk to the left. read more

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Adorable and cozy neighborhood gem. They have jupina my favorite soda, and the sandwiches are very good, but I could probably eat about a million maduros read more

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Went there for lunch today & ordered the Cubano sandwich. I've had others that were very tasty, this one was not. Tasteless, meat on it was very thin, don't know if it came with pickles, I just didn't see them. Very dry & even with extra mustard it didn't so the trick. Not going back! read more

Horrible service and food is okay. Way overpriced for what we received. We ordered a huge order to go and it took about 20 minutes to get to us. I should have checked at the restaurant to make sure our order was correct but once we got to the hotel I noticed an order was missing. At that point I didn't even bother to call or go back and let them know. Probably wouldn't go back if I'm ever in Chicago again. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Highly recommend the Chivito. All the ingredients blend very well together, and the flavors are delectable.

5 stars delicious eats! 4stars service could refill waters/ bus a bit during meals Excellent excellent first time trying recommend sandwiches and the fish meals and platanos!!! read more

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I tried the chivito and it fell nothing short of delicious. It was plenty enough to eat in 2 or 3 portions, I had to stop myself from trying to eat it all in 1 serving. Service was great, carry out wait wasn't long, and it was rightfully busy with patrons. read more

The margaritas shook my hand and the Cubano slapped my ass. This place deserves all the praise it has gotten. The thinly sliced pork and the toasted bread danced me back to old Havana. My gf also felt it pertinent to include that the mojitos were "Deloish", which I'm assuming is some term mojito drinkers use. Either way , solid stop would send my mom here if she asked for recommendations read more

Cafecito - Cubano Pressed Sandwich Provoletta en Plato - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Liked the ambiance and the fact that it was walking distance from the magnificent mile as well as the water tower. What was not to like? Loved the Cuban coffee!! read more

I will definitely be returning to this spot! Chivito is so delicious and the cafe con leche is perfect, I regretted getting a small. There is a lot of seating in the back. Unsuspecting spot but definitely a game changer in this part of streeterville! read more

Love this spot. Stopped by the other morning after walking along the lake and it was the perfect post-workout pick-me-up. They are currently open with take out, patio, and indoor dining options. My boyfriend and I really just stopped by for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. I haven't had a cafecito since I lived in Florida so I absolutely needed to order one and it was exactly as I remembered (although I forgot I prefer half the amount of sugar). The cortadito was also amazing. I'm not sure what beans they use, but they remind me of Bustelo which is what all the Floridians use for their Cuban coffees! As for the breakfast sandwich, I believe we had the chimichurri egg sandwich and it was so good, reasonably priced, and came with the best bread! Getting a breakfast sandwich on a muffin or bagel can get old so this was awesome. I also loved how many plant-based/meatless options that they had on the menu. I absolutely cannot wait until I am back in town to try the ropa vieja and other Cuban specialties! read more

I was super excited to eat here, but we ended up walking across the street to be served with good food in a timely manner with service members that didn't make you feel like you needed to go crawl in a hole. When we walked in we came to the counter- there is no clear way to know how to wait for a table. The cashier told us there'd be an hour wait so we decided to order "to go." She told us to give her a minute and decided for ten minutes to do receipts for all the in dining customers instead of even attempting to take an order in between. She was catching up on work as the other worker just leaned against the counter with arms crossed in back of her- not able to work because myself and my date and the four new people in line couldn't order. After 10 minutes we decided to bust because she refused to look up or give any sign of moving forward and the wait didn't seem worth it. The menu looks fun- but like I said- we walked across the street and found an awesome lunch at 519 read more

The Lost Art of Giving Great Service The food at this cafe was decent. My grandmother is a native of Havana, Cuba so I thought I'd get a taste of my childhood. Not really! The service was terrible all around. They mixed up me and my wife's coffee and also brought the wrong order for my son. As a long-time vacationer to Chicago, this is one of my worst dining experiences. Definitely not the beauty and love my grandma would have put into preparing and serving our family authentic Cuban food. The worst thing was as my family was ordering food, we left our bags in the foyer of our Airbnb. A guy with a Cafecito, (the cafe's name) walked up to me and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was waiting on our food from his restaurant and was checking on my bags. I also shared that I was a guest in the adjacent apartments and we were preparing to leave. He responded by saying "oh yeah you're in the Airbnb on the 16th floor." Wait, what? I've never seen this guy in my life nor have I provided details about my stay. How the heck did he have any idea I was in an Airbnb and what floor! Long story short...visit Cafecito at your own risk!! read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went there for breakfast, loved the cafe con leche! A great way go start the day. The service wasn't the best, but the food made up for it in my opinion. read more

Cafecito - Cafe con Leche - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It would be nice if they had a QR menu at the host stand. Almost skipped this spot since the menu is in the dining area and I felt rude approaching due to pandemic stipulations / social distancing. Very affordable food for the location and no pretension so arriving in gym clothes isn't an issue. The bathrooms are well maintained, and have an inviting layout. I had the shrimp ceviche, which needed jalapeño slices and more lime juice to suit my taste. The wait staff had no issue accommodating my request. I also had the saltado platillos. This fell flat for me, the beans were A-1 and the highlight of the plate. I requested hot sauce to give the dish more flavor, which again was accommodated no issue. Maybe chimmichurri would be nice, I'll try next time. Great pit stop when you're in the area. read more

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Have only gotten takeout a few times but the food has exceeded expectations every time. The Vaca Frita was delicious and I'll be coming back for the cafe con leche - ordered mine half-sugar and it was perfect. Definitely worth seeking out in lieu of some of the more touristy/chain places along the Mag Mile. read more

Great vegetarian options here! My sis and I visited this restaurant on Monday late in the afternoon. When we walked in, there was no line. By the time we ordered, about 8 people lined up behind us. The dining room area was comfortable and casual with several tables and chairs, a sofa, and a television. The decor was simple and basic. At this restaurant, you order at the counter and pick up your food when your name is called. The menu was posted above the counter. Pressed sandwiches, salads, platillos, and yummy sides were listed on the menu. I ordered the Jardin and my sister ordered the Cubano. The Cubano came out in a reasonable amount of time. The Jardine took a little longer. Both sandwiches were amazing! The sandwiches were warm and highly satisfying. The bread was moist and crunchy. My eggplant sandwich was probably the best I've ever had. Service was good. There were no restroom available for patrons. This restaurant is definitely worthy of a repeat visit. read more

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Hidden gem! Found this place on accident. The service was great! The food was delicious. I had the tilapia platter with white rice, black beans and refried platano. Highly recommend. Parking may be a little difficult. read more

First off, this place has best Maduros I've had since visiting Puerto Rico. Their Yuca Fritas are great. The black bean soup brings back such great memories. It's wonderful. And not to be outdone user their Margaritas. Lunch is very busy. Visit in evening and you won't regret it. read more