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

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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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

Slow start excellent finish. We dropped by after coming down from the 360 Chicago. It's about 10:40am and we show up to a line of folks looking to eat here. Maybe popular? Anyways we wait, and 15min later we get seated. We get our waters, and then maybe at 11:01 we get told that they stopped serving breakfast at 11.:00. We order some coffees and make the mental adjustments. We get a new server with a new attitude and he's amazing. We get the kids a Timba pressed sandwich (grilled Swiss cheese sandwich with guava jelly. We ordered the guava on the side, no problem. I ordered the Fuego platter which was like a jerk pork with black beans, white rice, and maduros plantains on the side.it was a big platter. The only thing that would have made a difference to me was knowing that the pork was sliced... It would have been better in a sandwich, but there wasn't enough seasoning in the platter. How are you gonna call this plate Fuego and it not have the bite that jerk sauce carries? Ah well, for next time. The iced cafe con leche was delicious on a hot summer day. The right balance of coffee, milk, and sugar. The kids' sandwich was also pretty good. The guava jelly paired well with the grilled Swiss. This place is tucked away off Michigan Ave and Chestnut St. It's easy to miss, but if you're in the mood for Caribbean flavors, give strong consideration to checking it out. Take out is an option too. The the saving grace from the weak open, due to a server shortage, would have been a quicker attentiveneas and an opening statement about breakfast. Other than that it was great. read more

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A true hidden gem! Every time I visit Chicago this is my 7th trip I make sure to stop here. It's the perfect escape from the hustle and overpriced chaos of downtown. The coffee is strong and satisfying, the breakfast is well-priced, and the portions are generous. It's one of those places that feels like a local secret. Highly recommend! read more

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

Had to stop mid-bite to leave a review but this is the most delicious Tres Leche i have ever had! I feel so honored to receive the last one of the day -- Definitely will be back. read more

Cafecito - Tres Leche - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was on vacation with my family and visiting Chicago. We went here based on my sisters recommendation. We ordered the vegetarian sandwich with the chimichurri sauce and it was DELICIOUS!! But I don't think I would ever sit down again. It's better to grab and go with your food. The service was super slow. There were no directions for if we could sit ourselves down, and one waiter tending to anyone who dined in. There were people who came after us who also ate and left faster than us and it was the same number of people too. I would recommend their sandwiches to go again. read more

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It's been a while since I've been to this location, and I used to come almost every day when I worked a few blocks over. I LOVE the Cafecito con Leche (iced or hot), and the sandwiches are delicious too. I I haven't had their desserts in a while, but they still looked good. Service has always been pleasant and helpful. Would recommend. read more

Great Cuban food! We have come for the sandwiches or dinner meals, but recently tried breakfast which was also excellent. I had savory chimichurri eggs and shared dulce de leche pancakes with my family. All so good! May have to wait for a table but worth it. read more

The Doctor and I decided to walk around the corner to Cafecito for dinner as we were staying at The Drake. I am a big fan of Cuban food and the menu looked pretty good in terms of the variety and selection. The restaurant itself in a somewhat lower level of an apartment building. There is a counter for takeout orders and the seating towards the back. There is a small bar and several booths on the left as you want into the restaurant. There is no one to seat you, you just walk in a grab a table, which we did. We were seated for a bit before the bartender came over with menus, then it took some more time before our server came over to take our drink order. We started out the meal with Nachos Cubanos (plantain chips, mango pico de gallo, mojo sour cream, guacamole) and the Shrimp Ceviche, but instead we were brought the salad instead (mixed greens, shrimp, tomato, corn, avocado, red onion, celery, lime, rocoto pepper, tortilla). Both of these dishes were very underwhelming when it came to flavor, there just didn't seem to be any there. We didn't even finish these. For dinner, I got the Lechon (roasted pork, grilled onions, raw onions, parsley, lime juice, mojo) and The Doctor got the Ropa Vieja (slow roasted skirt steak, onions, bell peppers, garlic, tomato creole sauce). Both of these dishes were excellent, with great flavor. The roasted pork was tender and had a nice roasted flavor. I tried some of The Doctor's steak and it was nice and tender. The veggies had a nice fresh taste to them. The rice was interesting, more like a Chinese sticky rice, but good, nonetheless. I added the mojo sour cream and guacamole from the nachos to my dish and it was great. I saw some of the other customers ordering sandwiches and they looked good. I wouldn't mind trying some of those. At some point during our visit, our server disappeared, and I mean just vanished. He was nowhere to be found and eventually showed up to check on us to see if we wanted more drinks, which The Doctor did. But guess what, that beer never showed up. He was gone for most of our meal. I did not want to tip him, but The Doctor is a kind soul and left a $20, which I thought was too much for a disappearing act. While our main course was very nice, the overall experience was less than satisfying and I would not come back here for a sit down meal, maybe takeout. read more

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Overall a pretty nice option, just a block from Michigan avenue. I ordered 2 entrees because I wanted a little tasting menu. The Cubano was one of the better cuban sandwiches I've ever had. The pork was delicious and the mojo marinade really came through. The steak chimichuri was just ok, could have used more Nice quite neighborhood spot read more

Cafecito - Cubano Pressed Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was visiting Chicago from Denver...found this place while walking to another breakfast place and decided to eat here instead of our intended pick...glad we did, it was delicious (one of my favorite meals from our trip) and service was great. I ordered the Pobrecito and my boyfriend got the ham breakfast sandwich...like I said they were delish. Ended up coming back 2 more times for just coffee...the Cafe con Leche was amazing. Would highly recommend! read more

Me, my fiancé and kids went to this Cuban restaurant to have breakfast. It felt cozy, and I loved that they played a lot of old Spanish music. It reminded me of growing up and my mom playing those songs. It felt like home. Our waitress was friendly, and she was knowledgeable when we asked her about the menu. The food was good. I did order ceviche, but it wasn't so tasty. That's my only complaint but everything else was good. Me and my fiancé had steak and eggs, and the bread that came with the breakfast was so soft and buttery. The steak was very well seasoned and I loved that they gave tater tots with the breakfast. read more

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This is a regular stop for me when I'm in the area. The sandwiches are fantastic and the cortadito puts some more pep in my step!

Delicious Cuban food at an unbeatable price point for Chicago! They have incredible pressed sandwiches on the best bread (breakfast sandwich w chimmichurri and the ropa vieja are my favorites), they have plates of delicious entrees. Salads and sides are stellar. The only caveat with this incredible spot is that it is authentically Cuban in the service too! It can be slow, relaxed, definitely not rushed, you might have to flag someone down for help, so if you go in with this expectation you'll fall in love. read more

I came here after one of my clinicals, it was close to Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. It's a nice place for lunch. Plenty of seating inside. I ordered a chivito sandwich along with the caldo gallego soup. Chivito is the national dish of Uruguay. It contains steak, ham, bacon, fried egg, mozzarella, lettuce, onion, tomato, and citrus mayo. Yes it is as tasty as it sounds. All of the flavors came together nicely. The fried egg was good to have, to break up the heaviness of the steak, ham, and bacon. I only wished they had more restaurants that sold this sandwich in the suburbs. The caldo gallego soup is made up of white beans, onions, spinach, ham, potato, and chorizo. I'm not a fan of beans but I am a fan of this soup. Soup was hot and it came with a piece of bread. Great service. read more

Cafecito - Chivito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was great. Service was great. The restaurant was freezing cold. Even the host was walking around with a puffy jacket on. I don't know if they were having issues with the heat, but it was not comfortable sitting in there for very long. read more

Delicioso! Cafecito is this adorable little coffee shop in streeterville just behind the water tower place. It has a full menu of coffee, both savory and sweet breakfast options, salads, and sandwiches. I chose the takeout counter but you can dine-in as well. I read that Cafecito has the best cubano in Chicago so you already know I had to go try for myself. Boy was I not disappointed! The cubano has exquisitely tender and juicy pork with a delicious tasting marinade paired with ham, pickles, provolone, and mustard all on perfectly toasted bread. It was the best cubano I've ever had. I also got the café con leche and it was so good. A beautifully sweet espresso with milk for a coffee that was rich but not too sweet. I normally like a flavor or sweetener in my coffee, but this coffee is so good on its own it doesn't need it! I speak a fair amount of Spanish so I feel qualified to say that Cafecito es magnifico y tiene el mejor cubano en todo la ciudad! (This place is magnificent and has the best cubano in the city!) read more

Cafecito - Cubano - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered beyond sausage, was given regular sausage. When I asked the waiter the response was an eye roll and the words "Jesus Christ". And then he proceeded to hide in the back, it took asking another waiter for confirmation that it was in fact real sausage. Eating meat makes me physically ill so to have a waiter care so little is incredibly frustrating. read more

Excellent, delicious platters, pressed sandwiches, salads, sides, coffee, drinks, desserts. Service is excellent as well. Large vegan section of the menu. Breakfast menu also includes vegan items. To go and dine in. read more

Food is great. Coffee is great. We came by because of the convenience, our hotel is walking distance. The service though, awful, on Sunday the young lady with glasses working at the register Togo was overwhelmed!!! While in line "hi what can I get you, than you" not approachable whatsoever!! Second day coming by on Monday we sat to dine in the gentleman short guy was a little better at his table manners but still he gave the vibe of being bothered. Today Tuesday July 1st another tall gentleman was out waiter and he seem bothered overall. This place has a lot of potential but their service has to be on it. read more

Awesome cafe con leche and great Cuban sandwiches. Have it in the restaurant or take it to go and sit out at the Lakeshore Park. The cafe con leche is milky, the right amount of sweet and the coffee is delicious and a well balanced combo of the three. The Cuban sandwiches are perfectly crisp and not overly greasy like in some other places. I've only eaten inside here once and the experience was ok...I typically prefer to take the food and coffee to go and eat it outside in the park if the weather is nice. The interior is more of a darker setting so I don't prefer eating inside on a sunny day but it could be nice in the evening. I'd definitely recommend this place on the basis of their cafe con leche alone. This place is technically nestled inside the lobby area of an apartment building so don't be too confused if you can't find the front door either. Give it a shot and enjoy a nice casual meal with great coffee! read more

Cafecito - Cubano Pressed Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Most of the sandwiches average between $15-16. Not enough meat on the Cubano I tried. Couldn't find the ham on the 2nd one I bought. Better off going to any Rush street restaurant (like Gibson's) and pay $20 for a gourmet sandwich that comes with a side, along with a waiter and white cloth dining. read more

Customer service = NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. I just had to start the review stating that. My friend and I stopped in for dinner on a Tuesday night. Now I've been before during the pandemic and ordered vegan food and it was expensive and lacked flavor etc. was just a greasy mess. I came to give this place a second chance while my friend got to experience it for the first time. Upon walking in, Juan, who would later become our server, looked us up and down as if we were in the wrong place. He then proceeded to lead us to a table. Ok... nothing rude or weird about that at all. We order the Quava Guava-Q Chicken Platter, tilapia Criolla and a daiquiri. Chileeeee the daiquiri was served in a maritime glasses, non frozen with no straw. When requesting straws for our water and the drink, Juan was clearly not having it - giving yet another duck facial response. He provided my friend with a super size me straw for the tiny martini glass. Now sir, I know darn well you could've found a coffee straw somewhere. We received our meal and the photos is what I got. Where is the guava yall cause I don't see it. I see a grilled chicken breast drenched in bbq sauce. I know my sauces and this tasted like baby back ribs. Y'all not fooling nobody! The chicken should've been shredded to elevate then dish and for texture purposes. I didn't wanna feel like I was at the bbq cookout. The rice was well cooked yet no salt or nothing. The plantains were mehhhh. Like how you mess up frying a plantain? There were no condiments on the table - not a lick of salt or anything. I don't get it. For a $15.50 meal, you're served with a large portion of food. However, you can't convince me this is what they're serving folks in cuba. You just can't. I know someone's Abuela is shaking right now if this were to be given to her. Let's add the fact this place charges a pier tax and a city of Chicago tax. We aren't even by navy pier. Hell navy pier don't charge a navy pier tax! Lol Fix it - goodness. I don't know or want to know what a city of Chicago tax is. For lackluster customer service, mediocre food I could've fixed at home y'all need to remove the taxes out of respect. I will never return or recommend this place to anyone darling. read more

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The chimichurri sauce on this pressed steak sandwich is so flavorful, the steak is tender and the bread is fresh. The chicken sandwich on the other hand, I wouldn't recommend. However, I will go back for the steak. The restaurant is first come first serve and they do get busy so be prepared for a wait if you're going during peak times. read more

Cafecito - Steak Chimichurri Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cafecito in Chicago Streeterville is an affordable, authentic Cuban restaurant. Known for their pressed sandwiches, loved the Mar y Terra that combined chorizo, shrimp, & arugula. Salads are large & fresh - the Fresca Salad was huge! Cute booths. Like many local restaurants, service can be hit or miss, but once your order is placed, food comes out fast. All the wait staff help each other out too. read more

I was shocked to see how well the plates were served. Under $20 and you get steak, rice, beans, and plantains. I will say the only flaw was the meat lacking flavor but nothing their hot sauce couldn't fix. read more

It's a pretty small restaurant, and we didn't realize that the takeout counter was separate from all the seating. Once we sat down, the servers came immediately, and they were very attentive throughout the meal despite being a "seat yourself" type of restaurant. Everything on the menu looked so good, and we settled on the chivito and the ropa vieja. The chivito was delicious and very filling. The steak was ground up, and it was incredibly flavorful. The ropa vieja was a little smaller, and we enjoyed the plantain in the center. The meat itself was a little acidic, but the plantain was perfect for cutting through it! I also got the ace guava cider, which was sweet and refreshing. We'd definitely come back to try out more of the menu, and it also looked like they had some nice special! read more

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This is a great spot if you are looking to grab something to go or sit outside on the patio. I really loved the cafe con leche as well as the pobrecito. It was a wonderful combo to enjoy while sitting outside taking in the city life. read more

Food is delicious and super authentic. Seating is weird: they ask that you wait to be seated, but there is no hostess. So asked for permission to sit myself. They have very nice outdoor seating, indoor seating and also a very, very nice counter for takeout with very good looking, fresh appearing food. I ordered the saltado, and the food is the reason why they got 4 stars. The meat and the yucca were cooked to perfection, the veggies were cooked, but still had texture. I came here looking for the Cuban seasoning and didn't get any. I had to add salt and pepper to my food. I came looking for the freshness of cilantro, for the garlic, for some pepper. Missed those spices. The tres leches was absolutely perfect. PERFECT! I will still come back and highly recommend this place. But I did miss Cuban spices on my food. The texture was Cuban, though. read more

This was on our list of places to try for Chicago and we were very disappointed! The pancakes were very underwhelming. Husband ordered the abuelita cakes and it was strait up normal cakes with drowning Hershey's chocolate syrup, and three very small churros that could brake a tooth biting into. And the cakes themselves were way overpriced to not come with anything. The drinks were okay. read more

Although the food was pretty good, one standout here was that the service was extraordinarily slow and inattentive. It took forever to order as well as pay our check. Also basic things like getting napkins, a new fork due to the fork being dirty, etc. Perhaps this is better as takeout. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Out of the handful of places we have visited in our time in the city, this is by far the best place the service the food the everything was perfect the wait was a bit long but we'll worth it read more

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Went here twice for my 5 day trip to Chicago, got a breakfast sandwich and a lunch sandwich! Cubans was a 3.5/5 tbh but wanted to go with a 4 stars since I really enjoyed the huevos con jamon. Something about the mustard in the cubano just threw us off or maybe the sandwich just wasn't my style. Service is friendly and fast, good to stop by for a quick bite but wouldn't sit down for this meal. Super casual inside. read more

Cafecito was the first dining spot upon my arrival in Chicago and it did not disappoint. This restaurant shares a space with what seemed to be an apartment/condo lobby area. I love the specially dedicated to-go concept immeadiately on the left when you enter with a few tables setup coffee shop style. I figured it was an order and sit situation, but the helpful young man behind the counter quickly greeted us and informed us that we could seat ourselves where more seating was available in the back and order from our table. It was Cinco de Mayo and lunchtime, so it was pretty crowded, but not packed...we still found a seat. I mean it was like a day/night transformation. We went from coffee-shop style to the Friday evening spot, just turn the lights down. Full bar, wonderful music, beautiful energy. My sister and I both ordered drinks, an app to share, sandwiches and sides. I was super impressed with their vegetarian options. There were many beyond meat Cuban varieties. I believe the menu option also included eggplant, but it would've been the ultimate impression to have more of those options -- maybe a portobello pressed sandwich or something of the sort. I had the Vegan Provoletta Sandwich with a black bean salad and my sister had the Borracho with a caprese side. Fingerlicking good! I'm only giving 4 stars because the app came out after everything else. That always confuses me whenever it happens, but it was fine. We were just starving -- no big deal. Other than that, I have to say this is a must if you're ever in the area. read more

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I love ropa vieja so I had bookmarked Cafecito when planning my trip to Chicago, and I'm so glad I did! The location has both inside and outside table service seating, as well as three tables for those who opt for take out/casual dining (like me!) There were a lot of people coming in seemingly on lunch breaks to pick up and order food- the constrant stream of locals felt like a sign I had made the right choice. And I did! The ropa vieja was SO good- the meat was incredibly tender and flavorful. If you're debating whether or not to check this place out, don't hesitate! read more

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

such an underrated place!! they feel like a hole in the wall restaurant because the entrance is tucked away in dt chicago. the latin american music playing and the bar really set a unique ambiance. the cafe con leche pancakes were SOOOO fluffy and moist, and the cubano had amazing rich, flavorful pork with the nice sharpness from the pickles and mustard. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cubano ($11.49) had a decent amount of roasted pork, but it was a little dry. Kinda wish there's more cheese/sauce. Still finished the whole thing read more

Cafecito - Cubano - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been here numerous times and always get the same combo of items: the chivito sandwich, borracho sandwich, and a cafe con leche adjusted with 50% sugar. The food has been delicious and consistent every single time. They also make hearty delicious breakfast sandwiches if that's what you're feeling instead. There is a display case/to-go stand with desserts at the front by the entrance. I highly recommend trying a few of these desserts as they go great with the cafe con leche. read more