I am definitely a fan of this little non-profit cafe. GREAT coffee (free refills) and excellent food. The manager and chef do an excellent job with ensuring that top quality ingredients, and experience is met. The other staff are kids (young adults) kinda shuffling along, and they have volunteers that come in, so that can make things seem a bit clunky. Keep in mind this is a counter service casual cafe, with a mission to employ and train young adults skills to enable them in the 'real world'. If you have a bit of an ego and want 5 star service, this is not the place for you to dine. read more

We decided to stop by Carl's after a day of visiting colleges because of its glowing reviews. And we were not let down! I really enjoyed their cozy atmosphere (soft sofas, local artists' work displayed, handmade menu board) and I love their mission to help at-risk teens learn the ins and outs of business. I ordered a strawberry kale salad and and oatmeal cookie. Both were delicious! I will be sure to come here again when I'm in town. read more

Food was mediocre and service was sub par to say the least. I know they have a good mission, but the training workers receive seems to not be adequate! I heard good things about the place, but once I visited several times...I was NOT impressed! read more

Love the food, coffee, smoothies, scones and mission of Curt's. You just feel good supporting it and the kids it benefits. It has come a long way since it opened. I also follow them on Facebook and love seeing all the success stories from the kids they have trained there, and the awards and accolades that the founder Susan has won. It's a great place to meet for conversation and coffee, or to have a small meeting. The atmosphere is a bit hodgepodge and eclectic and has a college town coffeehouse feeling. But overall it has a charming effect, and you get a real sense of community support and involvement from their bulletin board when you enter. I also just went to an event that they catered and the mini sandwiches were delicious! Next time I need a lunch catered, I will definitely go to Curt's! Last, I live in the neighborhood, and every time I stop into Curt's I run into someone I know, which is fun. It is a great addition to the West end of Central Street and a nice pit stop if you are out & about doing errands either at the businesses nearby or if you are driving down Central on your way somewhere else. Highly recommend! read more

Great little coffee shop with a lot of character! The girl that works there that took my order is really cute and all the people working there are really nice! Portions are really good and the prices are really low! Food was really good. I had the chicken noodle soup and the Tuscan panini and both were really good! Great spot to hang out with friends on really comfy furniture and really comforting environment. This is the place I would go to to study and have some great food. Check this place out! Plus this place is a non profit and they are helping the community around - can it get any better?? Will be coming back! read more

Curt's Cafe - Chicken noodle soup and the rest I couldn't photograph because it was eaten too fast lol - Cafes Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Wow! Their coffee was a lot better than I expected. I tried a Mocha latte made with Oatmilk. Absolutely delish! My boyfriend got a 2% latte. It was more bitter than the typical latte. I'll be coming back for the mocha. read more

I have been meaning to check this place out since they opened a few months ago, but just finally got around to stopping in (and will definitely be back!). First -- the mission of this place is awesome (you can learn more on their webpage). Second -- even without such an awesome mission -- this place would be a great cafe. The staff was incredibly friendly, kind and professional. The decor/atmosphere is a great -- a mix of comfortable cafe seating, child size furniture, board games + toys, vintage pieces, and local art work -- all working together to create a relaxing space for adults AND a kid friendly space for families. The food we had was good (we just had bakery items and coffee), and I can't imagine that the rest of the simple cafe menu wouldn't be. (Plus, my son noticed what we can only assume is cereal bar along the back wall, and he is SUPER excited to come back for breakfast). This is definitely a place I hope gets more publicity and buzz! read more

I've eaten here many times. the food is fantastic, inexpensive, and I really enjoy supporting a not for profit that helps at risk youth. customer service is excellent, always smiling and cheerful. the teens that they have there are eager to learn and serve. during slow hours i have had good conversation with them while enjoying a cup of coffee. I have to say i really enjoy the ethiopian blend of coffee that they sometimes have and will look for it weekly when I am there. go to sandwich? turkey and havarti - absolutely my favorite! read more

Wow what a great find! Hurry Here for the caprese sandwich, best We ever tasted. Stay for the warm welcome and special vibe. Everything was delicious and so fresh! The simple menu has plenty of choices for every taste. Quiche of the day was made from scratch and delicious too. The staff training here will certainly have top notch experience when they graduate! I wish I lived closer, I'd be here every day. Don't miss this treasure, I hope you enjoy supporting this endeavor as much as we did. A huge win-win. read more

To reiterate what everyone else has said, love the mission here! I've only gotten smoothies ( delicious!!) and lattes here to go, but felt warm and welcome and wish I could sit and relax. Very accomodating and will continue to frequent this place and you should too!! read more

Whenever I drop my car off at Bryan's Garage, I come here for breakfast and a coffee. The breakfast burrito is outstanding and it reminds me of Mexican food from SoCal. The burrito comes out warm, the house made chorizo has a nice spicy kick to it and the salsa verde is delicious. They also have a work program for high school students. A place that has great food, terrific coffee and supports the community will always have my support. read more

Curt's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

What a great little spot with a mission too! Instead of getting the lunch flight (really great deal, however), my companion and I split a full size salad - goat cheese, spinach, candied walnuts etc - and the Curt's Philly sandwich with sweet potato fries. All were delicious and we had intended to go elsewhere for dessert but the display of cherry almond cookies caught our eye so we stayed. OMG...a mound of perfection! Also took an orange cranberry scone to go and that was divine. In other reviews, service issues and lack of cleanliness were mentioned but we experienced neither of these. Incredibly friendly staff and place was neat as a pin. Can't wait to go back and so excited to learn they are in process of funding a Highland Park location, where I will be absolutely be a regular. read more

They moved into the old Casteel space and it looks great, much less cluttered and more welcoming than before! Be sure to try it!

Not a good place for food... coofee may be good.. i tried panini.. it was not good at all

Great place with a great mission. Food is good and fairly priced. Perfect for small meetings and casual gatherings.

The food is consistently good here. The three cheese grilled cheese is delicious! I am also a fan of the Mexican quinoa salad, and the spinach, feta, egg wrap. The sweet treats are yummy too. On top of the food being good, the purpose is outstanding. Why would you NOT eat here every week? read more

Curt's Cafe is a great place to relax. When you are at Curt's you feel right at home. The staff is very friendly and attentive to your every need. I did not even start mentioning the variety of food they offer. Today, I just had the Ham and Swiss sandwich and the Salted chocolate chip cookie with a bacon vanilla glaze. The cookie was delicious!!! Their lunches are very good and are very healthy. I recommend to anyone who has not been to Curt's Cafe to come and try it out. Plenty of parking too. read more

Everything about this cafe is spot-on. Delicious food, wonderful drinks, warm and inviting atmosphere. A fantastic spot to frequent alone or with a group. In addition to the food and drink, this establishment provides our community with an invaluable service. I would love to see more Evanston businesses mirror Curt's Cafe's commitment to our town and our youth! read more

First we had dinner in the Taqueria Saturday evening, delicious food, nothing fancy but served quickly and politely. I also picked up a catering order for a bridal shower that I hosted the following day. Everything was ready but one tray of scones. The manager told me that they would arrive in the morning with the catering staff that I had hired and they did. The food for the shower was great, the young man that served was polite and efficient. Not convinced that there was enough food, seemed a little thin but we had external food from other sources. Overall I would hire them for catering again. And the Taqueria was great! read more

Found this place on yelp and what a gem it was. I didn't realize it was a non profit organization which made me appreciate it more until I read the plaques on the wall. Such a quiet place with a great tuna sandwich. I have much respect for this place. read more

Do NOT use Curt's for catering. We had an order that was supposed to be ready by 7:15 am, and was still not ready by almost 8:15, which meant that we only got half what we ordered and we were so late, the people barely had time to eat. They also were unable to start delivery until 8:30 (which was too late for our requirements) so we had to arrange to pick up the food. Everything was confirmed in many emails, which said in writing the food would be ready by 7:15. I have ordered catering for 2 weddings and many smaller events, and this is the worst experience I have ever had. read more

Great mission, good food, great service. I like that the specials are always training. Everyone is extremely friendly. The owner is always asking customers for feedback about existing products and new products. read more

Love Curt's Cafe! Can't wait for the second location to open near my neighborhood in Evanston!

A good space and atmosphere. I usually grab a latte and do some work at a table where I can spread out a little. Better than my own home brew so I keep stopping by. read more

Curt's Cafe on Central is terrific. In addition to its mission and commitment to the neighborhood and the people it serves, the food is fresh and delicious. The original Curt's Cafe on Central has a great atmosphere, conducive to small meetings, hanging with friends as well as a terrific place to have a solidly good cup of coffee and dessert. I think the chocolate cookies are awesome! The new Curt's Cafe South has one of the best breakfast dishes I have had. The quinoa salad with a touch of guacamole and a fried egg on top is spectacular and memorable. I can't wait to go back and have it again! Chef Q has really created two great menus and we are happy to support a great cause as well! read more

Love their commitment to the community and their food! Staff super friendly and we love the atmosphere. The hummus platter is a great value and we loved their lunch sandwiches and salads. read more

Great food! I'm glad to have found this place. I highly recommend. (I even bought a tshirt)

LOVE this place! What a heart for people & super amazing food. Lorenzo made the BEST CAPPUCCINO! The Oatmeal bar was a super yummy snack... We ate every crumb! We will be back soon! read more

This cafe was amazing. The food was delicious especially the pasta and baked goods. They also make a mean laté. Everyone was exceptionally nice and accommodating. This is not a place to be missed read more

Yummy and generous serving of avocado toast and delicious breakfast burrito with tomatillo salsa. Eggs on the avocado toast cooked perfectly. Coffee is great too! Nice big tables and ambiance read more

The mission behind Curt's is amazing and the scones, coffee and the Original Spice Tea from Todd & Holland are my favorites. This is a great community gathering place and while the service can sometimes be spotty it is clear that this is a training facility for at-risk youths. They are friendly, committed and intent on providing great service. read more

Curt's Cafe is a wonderful place that rivals any European cafe. You find all sorts of coffees, teas, food, pastries, breakfast sandwiches and a regular, friendly clientele, all of which create a warm and inviting space and atmosphere. As if this isn't enough, Curt's Cafe embraces the commendable mission of training at risk youth. You need to go to to Curt's: your palate will be happy as well as your heart. read more

Really bad service. About 20 people behind the counter but no one actally doing much. Our order took 30-45 min and all the orders were incorrect and then they informed us they were actually out of what I had ordered. Strange atmosphere with bizarre seating arrangements and awful customer service. I understand they are training but there is no strong leadership going on here. read more

i LOVE Curts Cafe! Curts is a really cute, comfortable cafe. They have lots of couches and tables so it is the perfect place to study or catch up with a friend. They have a simple, classic menu and really good, strong, fresh coffee. And of course their mission is the most important part..they are giving back to the community in a real and tangible way! read more

I was in the area for a school project and went to this little cafe and was very surprised. The food was delicious and the service was great. The owner is really down to earth and easy to talk to. Next time im in the are I really want to try the smoothies! read more

Service was terrible and there was only one other customer in the place so no reason for no one even greeting us. Ordered breakfast sandwiches which were served about 8 minutes apart. They had not even realized they forgot half of the order. Coffee, which was self serve, had a lot of grounds in it - both the regular and the decaf. The eggs in the second breakfast sandwich was refrigerator cold and not a panini as ordered. Not a single reason to ever go back. read more

Not only is the food very tasty and well presented but the atmosphere is homey and conducive to both business and social engagements. Of course, having a social mission just makes it that much more attractive. Check it out--you won't be disappointed. read more

I went with a friend for lunch, what a great idea! I love its laid back, relaxed atmosphere, and my minestrone was tasty. As others have mentioned, to top it all you are supporting a great project, what more can you ask for? I'll definitely return. read more

Love, love, love it! Great for coffee and a bite to eat. Recently reserved their "Living Room" side for a party. The service and food were great. The atmosphere lovely and relaxing. Plus use of room is FREE. Previously I had only been to the evening Just Eight cafe that mostly serves made-to-order pizza and cookies -- both of which were really delicious. Check it out if you havent been. read more

Had dinner at Curt's new Taqueria last night!. Amazing tacos - I had carnitas, friend had a wonderful salad - both good size servings didn't leave us hungry. Of course chips and guac - fresh and wonderful too. Food is inexpensive, high quality, AND BYOB. Taqueria is open now in evenings at Curts North. Dine with a purpose! Bring friends to introduce them to Curts - a place with a real mission (and great food). read more