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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Restaurant was super busy when we went so, we got takeout. Food was delicious and came out quickly. Would love to go back to actually have a sit-down meal. read more

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

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

Super surprised by the less than stellar service. Slow to place our order, slow for food to arrive. I had high hopes for the Cuban but it was cold and no different than others I've had. Had the jardin, was better (Warner) than the Cuban. Sat on the patio. Maybe out of sight, out of mind? But others seemed to feel the same as us today. Many people walked inside to ask for what they needed. read more

Such a cute spot! Unfortunately we were starving and didn't get a chance to photograph our food. But the cocktails were good, I had a play on the Moscow mule (I think it was called the Cuban mule) it was good but I like my fiancé cocktail better which was the Accidentè, it was yummy! To start we ordered the Yucca frita, and the ham croquettes. The yucca was decent, I think because they weren't hot it made them less enjoyable. But the ham croquettes were delicious!! Hands down the best bite our entire meal... For the entrée I ordered the Steak chimmichuri.. I'd give this a 4 out of 10. I really enjoyed the sweet plantains that it came with but everything else just seemed a bit underseasoned... Had they kicked up the seasoning this would of easily been a 10! My fiancé had the Saltado and he felt the same... For dessert, I wanted the guava and cheese pastry but they didn't have anymore because it was evening, he said they bake them in the morning but usually run out. So we had the guava duce de leche cheesecake, it sounded delicious but I didn't care for it. Overall experience 8/10! read more

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Overall: Cafecito serves up some good Cuban food, but the wait can be long and confusing. Food: 4.5 Vaca Frita: This plate comes with rice, black beans, and plantains. The meat was crispy with just the right amount of fat/oil, but it was a little dry. The rice was nice and fluffy. Chimichurri Steak Sandwich: This was a simple sandwich done well. The steak wasn't tough, and the chimichurri sauce along with the tomato added the right amount of acidity to cut through heaviness of the steak. The bread was perfectly crisp. Service: 3 When I arrived for lunch, a line was forming outside so we stood in line waiting to see what would happen. A server will eventually come around to seat you when a table opens up outside. When it was our turn, I mentioned that I would prefer to sit inside and she told me that I would have to check inside for an open table. A server inside helped me find an open table inside. To this day, I'm still not sure if that line is for outdoor seating only and there is a separate wait for indoor seating. Once we had a table, our server was great. She was patient with our questions. Food does take a decent amount of time to come out so be prepared to wait (again). Ambiance: 4 It's a little cafe tucked amongst some residential buildings. There is a patio with outdoor seating. Inside, there are booths, tables, and a bar. read more

Order a Cubano sandwich with plantain. Open the sandwich and there was no plantain. Complained cause I paid 16 dollars for a sandwich to have no plantain. The "chef" said he put plantain and they toke my sandwich to the back to examine. They proceed to bring back a sandwich that was literally torn apart to find one piece of plantain. The cashier/waiter proceed to place his acrylic nails in the sandwich to point out the one small piece of plaintain. Y'all are crazy if you think I'm paying for a 16 dollar sandwich that has one plantain. Maybe non Caribbean people will pay for this crap because they don't know any better but I will in fact not . This place is over priced and I will not be back. Good luck with your business. read more

Food was great! I had the Pavo sandwich without tomatoes and it was great. The bread was toasted and the bacon was crispy. I could tell that they had accidentally put tomatoes on the sandwich and then removed it, but this did not impact the sandwich. The tostones were delicious! They were crispy and a decent size for a side. read more

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

Came here as it was very near the water tower in the city. This was a great coffee shop find as they had many different coffees and sandwiches. I was especially happy to see the vegan options as they provided impossible meat for their sandwiches as well. I ordered a Mata Chai Latte, a tomato mozzarella sandwich, and one of the impossible sandwiches. All of the items were very good, but the impossible sandwich could use a bit more flavor. Overall, great coffee shop go try out when you're in the city. read more

Cafecito in the Chicago neighborhood of streeterville is a Cuban restaurant. They have both dine in and takeout. There is inside and outside seating as well. Both times I was here I ordered takeout for both breakfast and lunch. The food is good. For breakfast I had steak and eggs and for lunch I had a chorizo sandwich with sauteed onions and mojo sauce. The breakfast was hardy. The sandwich for lunch was about a 6 inch pressed sandwich for around $7. It was a bargain. This is a chain Cuban restaurant and where it shows is in the coffee. I have lived in South Florida for over two years and am used to real "south Florida" Cuban coffee. I ordered a double cordida which is like cuban expresso with sugar and here at Cafecito it wasn't even average, it wasn't awful either, just ok. The Cafe con leche I ordered was about the same. I asked for it Oscuro which is dark and the Hispanic woman at the counter had no clue what I was talked about. I just chalked it up to a Miami or Hialeah thing which doesn't equate to the midwest. Still though, the food is good and the service is okay. read more

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Got to Cafecito hoping to try some good Cuban food since I'm originally Cuban but left before I even got to order. Seats are uncomfortable, no interaction with staff (who was rude), you're supposed to order on line and food is brought to you. Not a cozy place, seems more like get your order in and leave. Was not impressed. read more

A place that I'll be adding to my go-to list ! Cafecito was dope and it's clear that everyone knows it. The place was busy, but not so packed uncomfortably. There was a nice line of folks placing to go orders and they had multiple seats filled with folks dining in. Their staff were nice and quick and very cool and down to earth. I ordered the chimichurri steak with rice, beans, and plátanos maduros. And everything was so good! I really wanna go back and get one of their pressed sandwiches before my trip ends. read more

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

Highly recommend this place as it was a welcomed break from the cold and noise of walking around downtown. The food was really good and came out quickly. Restrooms were very clean. The service was just ok. We waited quite a bit to place our orders and had to go to the bar to track down our bill. No one checked on us after our food was delivered. Try the nachos and fried plantains! read more

Cafecito - Cuban Nachos - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love this place! It's definitely well tucked away from the chaos on Michigan avenue. The food here warms the soul. I've gotten take out a few times and I've sat down. The service is decent and the people are friendly. A really good no-frills cuban place in downtown. I swear by the ropa vieja and the tostones. This always stays in my chicago food rotation. read more

July 2021 - COVID Review: SO GOOD that we had to come back twice during our short trip to Chicago! So glad one of my friends recommended this place! There's a few other locations around the city as well but this one is located in between some office buildings. It is a hidden gem! There was some outdoor patio seating where you order inside at the counter and seat yourself or you can wait to be seated inside with a server. There's so many yummy pressed sandwich options on their menu! Hands down my favorite was the palmonilla! Some of the best Cuban sandwiches I've ever had. Make sure you make a visit (or two)! read more

Cafecito - palomilla, cubano, chivito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We sat down but they also have a carry out service at the front. The Cubano sandwich was just okay. Soup was decent could use a little more flavor but it comes with pressed bread. Service was slow to get a menu, water, and order taken but food came out fast after that. read more

Cafecito - Jerk Pressed Sandwich and Cuban (back) - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food is so good, you can't go wrong. The cuban coffee is amazing as well. The only drawback is it can be a little slow sometimes, so order ahead if you're in a rush. read more

By far the most OUTRAGEOUSLY good (addictive) Cuban coffee of anywhere in the city... and their food is very good and quite reasonable too! However, their wait times are also OUTRAGEOUS and it seems they simply cannot keep up with their orders. This is probably my 6 or 7th time here and I keep telling myself to get this place out of my head because I leave frustrated each and every time!!! Today I waited 45-minutes for a to-go pressed sandwich and all the people who were ahead or behind me in line had already came and left. The girl working the counter was clearly flustered because three times in 45-minutes she kept asking me what I was still waiting for and three times I had to repeat my already paid for order to her which she scribbled down three times. SMH. Oh and good luck getting them to actually answer their phone because you'd hope calling in an order in advance would solve that headache, but if it's a weekend it's unlikely just to set your expectations fairly. Warning to the wise: do not come here hangry!! It will not end in your favor. Wait & wait you must. However if you are a patient and not very hungry person, you should probably give Cafecito a try. It's clearly a favorite of locals and many of Chicago's finest CPD, CFD who are here literally every time I walk in. No joke! My favorite is the o'guava pork pressed sandwich ($8.99) and although not huge, it's so filling and very flavor rich! In the summer they also have al fresco dinning but again, prepare for a wait to be seated, and a wait to have your food served. You will likely have to remind your waiter you are still there if you expect refills or anything else after your initial order is placed. Service is only mediocre at best and twice I stopped here for what I hoped would be a "quick bite" and 2+ hours later it just is never quick here. So yes this is a "I love your food (& coffee)" but "I have little patience to do this often" - a true love/hate review!! Maybe they need more help or more locations in the area?! read more

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Cuban restaurant and cafe and bar, breakfast through late night. The place is pretty big, with counter service in front and dining in the back with the bar. Outside seating available. You do have to go up a small flight of stairs to go inside. Food is just alright. -Cubano: pretty average Cuban sandwich, meat was a bit dry -Palomilla platter: thin steak slices with onions, came with beans, rice, and plantains. The meat was ok and the dish felt overall pretty homey. Beans were seasoned very well. Service was average. We waited to order at the counter to get seated but then they told us to grab seats first. Once we seated ourselves it took a bit for a different staff to notice us and take our order. Food came out relatively quick but no one stopped by after and we had to flag someone down for a check. read more

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Best place to get Cuban coffee and great breakfast. The Cuban sandwich and fried yucca are also fantastic! Check it out!

Cafecito never fails to have horrible service but fantastic food. I love this place tucked away in the lobby of an apartment building. It's almost "hidden" which makes it feel like a little secret. The inside is always dark which adds to the "hidden" vibe. The service does seriously lack though. There's been many times where I have sat there wondering if my order would be taken. I think a lot of this stems from the fact that it is seat yourself. But whatever! I love this place regardless. My go-to is the borracho. I dream of this sandwich. It is the absolutely perfect shrimp sandwich and I would eat it multiple times a week if I could (I guess I can but I won't). The plantains are greasy -- warning, ask for napkins! read more

Visiting from Seattle stopped by here for brunch and got the el Toro sandwich and my boyfriend go the steak chimmichuri sandwich when I tell you spectacular food also got a iced latte which was also amazing and sooo reasonably priced in comparison to your regular cafe highlyyy recommend!! read more

Cafecito - Iced Caramel Latte Large - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Don't sleep on the guava and cheese sandwich for dessert. Not too sweet, filling, clearly meant to be a main course but was good for after as well. Fast and friendly. read more

So disappointed. I must have ordered the wrong item. Stopped by for a little supper. Girl recommended the steak sandwich, La palomilla. It was a pressed sandwich with greasy chopped steak bits and hardly any chimichurri sauce with shredded lettuce and thin sliced tomatoes. Steak was a bit dry. Almost no taste or seasoning on the steak. The bread was also not good. read more

Food was really good. Service was amazing. What we love the most is that you could add beyond sausage to any meat sandwich if you don't eat meat. read more

I went for lunch on a Thursday afternoon and it was not too busy. However, I was confused whether it was a type of restaurant where you could wait yourself to a table or a hostess will direct you on where to sit. I saw no hostess or sign to "please wait" so I assumed I was able to grab a table for myself. I was able to grab a table booth for 2 people once I walked in. The service was okay, I had to wait about 10-15 minutes before I was brought a menu but that could be because this is possibly a "wait to be seated" restaurant? I got my food in a reasonable amount of time and everything tasted good. This was the first time I tried Cuban food and I definitely would want to come back to try their sandwiches. Upon looking at their menu, I'm glad there were vegetarian options. read more

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Keep the drama away from your customers! I'll start with the food - got the steak, egg, and cheese pressed sandwich. Honestly, it was just okay. Had some tough pieces of steak and overall was just bland. Thankfully I ordered a few sauces on the side which saved it. My main server was very friendly and attentive. However, towards the end of my visit a new server showed up. I was sitting at the bar top because I was alone - the first thing she did (as walking right by me on the other side of the bar) was mumble to herself, "I'm not working the f****** patio today. Then, a few minutes later she says to another coworker behind the bar, "Friday was crazy! I had an old white guy call me a b****. Then, proceeded to talk about a "regular" who she described as "probably mid-40s and pudgy". Part of me feels bad posting this review because I'm not looking to get anyone in trouble, but I find it unbelievable how someone feels comfortable telling those stories (loudly) as a customer sits right there. Long story short, overall I've always liked this place- just an unfortunate experience this morning. read more

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Ambience is a little too dark for my liking. Waitress was a tad rude. But the food made up for it. Glad wild berry was too long of a wait. Cubano was great but the cafe con leche pancakes were the greatest and not too sweet! Will come back again read more

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

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We came here at 10:30am on a Saturday and the restaurant was already quite crowded. You sit yourself here and most of the seats were already taken. We ordered our food and drinks and sipped on the coffee while we waited. It took ~ 30min for the sandwiches but it was well worth the wait; we also got a seat in the meantime. I got the "cafecito" coffee and it was great, just the perfect sweetness. It was also so warm that I was using it to warm up my hands from the cold. For the sandwich, we got the Cubano & Chivito. I really liked the Chivito sandwich. It was so yummy and it was stuffed so full with veggie, meat, and sauce. I didn't like the Cubano sandwich as much because it was drier & more bland - mostly meat, compared to the other sandwich. Nevertheless they were both very filling and I really liked this small cafe in my neighbourhood (and it opens until late). I will definitely come back for the cheap coffee & delicious sandwiches! read more

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I was very disappointed. Ordered through UberEats delivery (the delivery itself was fast) and the prep time was over 30 mins for a sandwich and side of mariquitas. Ordered the lechon pressed sandwich. The sandwich wrapping was completely soaked in grease as was the sandwich itself. I expected a nice pulled pork like Porto's in California but instead the pork was thick, fatty and dry slices of meat that were difficult to chew. The mariquitas portion was generous but was so oily that I couldn't eat a lot of them. Many pieces were undercooked, soaked in oil, and not crispy at all. I also requested a mandarin Jarritos but received mango. Too bad, but I'll stick with better Cuban restaurants. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service was very slow and left much to be desired (we stopped by at 9:30am on a Friday). My husband ordered a batido and they said they didn't have any. Then he ordered the Buenos Aires omelette, and they brought it without the star ingredient - chimichurri! Poor guy - needless to say, he wouldn't have given this place 4 stars. They only reason why I'm rating it high is because the cafecito was very good and the pancakes I ordered were delicious. read more

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The caramel latte and crema de pollo soup was phenomenal! Would definitely come again.

A friend recomended this location to me to try their cubano sandwich since they were the best cubano sandwich she's ever had. The service was fast and we got the food within 10 minutes. I ended up taking it to-go, but it was hot and fresh when I received the food. The place was super clean and well-taken care of. It was a lot of food for me and tasted amazing! read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A nice find for Latin food and drinks. I happened to stumble upon this place as we were walking downtown. The wait to get a table and served was lengthy on a Friday evening, but once we actually got our food everything was great. read more

Cafecito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Surprised at what a nice place this is! Had lunch here, sat at the bar. Thin steak with white rice and black beans and sweet plaintains. Everything so FLAVORFUL! Fairly priced. If I lived in Chicago, I'd make a habit of this place. read more

Cafecito has tons of vegetarian and vegan options! Various sandwiches, many with vegan cheese and beyond meat options, and a few with just veggies as well if that's not your thing. I ordered the La Playa vegan sandwich (sub swiss cheese for vegan cheese) and it was delicious. a pretty simple sandwich, nothing amazing but will probably come back here since I'm in the area often. Both times I've been here I've had to wait close to 20 minutes for my food so I would recommend placing an online order to avoid the wait. read more