I just recently discovered this place. I work in Lincolnwood. It has a great ambiance to talk with friends, co-workers, or just chill by yourself and sip on coffee. More than enough seating and outlets to do work. My go-to drink is the iced café latte with whole milk. The coffee quality is far superior to Starbucks. Also, I love the gauva empanada with cream cheese! Also its good to know you are supporting a local business. Happy to know 5% of their proceeds go to charity. Overall highly recommend! read more

Such a warm and cozy cafe. Grab something to go or stay awhile, this place is IT. They have coffees, teas, and specialty lattes. I went with an iced peppermint tea and it was very refreshing. I also tried the guava and cream cheese pastry and my goodness this was insanely delicious. The pastry dough is crispy, flakey and fluffy. The guava jam and cream cheese was sweet and not overly sweet. I stopped in on a weekend morning and throughout my time here there was a constant flow of customers coming and going. Staff members were able to keep up with the influx of weekend customers. Within 5 minutes of placing my order my items were ready to be picked up at the front counter. read more

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On my first visit to Complimentary Cafe, I had a good experience. While in the vicinity of this Café, my family and I, were looking up a coffee shop that offered lattes or a shop that offered boba milk teas. Our search showed us Complimentary Café as an option. Upon checking its website, we decided to check out Complimentary. The atmosphere of the café was inviting, the café's decor was nice, and the menu variety was good. The pricing of the items was on par with the current standards of such independently owned cafés. We ordered one CC Signature latte, one Cardamom Rose latte, and one Ube latte, and a Guava pastry. We received good, friendly service. Our order was ready shortly. All the three sticks were good in taste. My favorite was my latte, the Cardamom Rose one. It was perfect to my liking. Complimentary sells pastries from shops like Savory Crust and others. I forget where the Guava pastry was from but it was good. All in all, we enjoyed our visit to Complimentary and I definitely recommend checking it out. read more

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Complimentary Cafe has it all: positive vibes, quality drinks, and cool atmosphere. I visited mid-morning on a Saturday and was impressed by their latte flavor selection. I saw they had a Rose Cardamom Latte and had to order! The flavor was a perfect balance to the coffee beans. My husband also tried their Chai Latte and was impressed. If the drinks don't draw you in already, their concept is giving compliments. Each cup has an inspirational message on it; and one can also purchase a coffee, write a message, and leave for a friend. What a great idea! Could not recommend Complimentary Cafe more! read more

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Amazing experience! The neon sign 'Here for the Compliments' says it all. We loved the positive energy of the place. The matcha latte was delicious and the motivational quotes really made us smile. A perfect spot to relax and feel good. Highly recommended! read more

Modern but comfy cafe. The specialty coffee drinks are noteworthy. The cafe seating is great for remote work but there's also soft seating for conversation. Barista was very welcoming and kind. I loved the positivity quotes handwritten on the coffee cups and coasters. These little details make an impression and a difference. On street parking was readily available. read more

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I loved this café. The menu features unique drinks, like a cardamom latte with condensed milk and an ube latte. It's a great place to relax or catch up with friends. The empanadas were delicious -- we tried the Argentinian with mayo-sriracha and the Picadillo with chimichurri sauce. I also love the concept of writing a complimentary message on your cup -- such a warm, thoughtful touch. The staff is incredibly friendly, too. I'll definitely stop by again if I'm in the area. read more

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I got a hot cardamom rose latte and I was not a fan. Something felt off about the flavor but I can't quite pinpoint what. I got two empanadas - the samosa and picadillo. They were both very flavorful, but the picadillo was the clear winner. Everything from the filling to the dough was perfect. The dough was nice and buttery. It was extremely packed around noon on a Sunday so I had to get my items to go. read more

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I was craving some coffee and wanted to try someplace different. I stumbled upon reviews for this place and thought I'd get a pick-me-up AND a sweet treat. I was really looking forward to the compliment on the coffee after a rough week of breast cancer treatment but "you're doing amazing today" felt super generic. They also made my coffee incorrectly (iced instead of hot). The inside of the venue is very appealing and it seems like it would be a nice place to do work or go on a cute date (like if your date got to write your compliment on your cup). The latte was nothing I'd write home about but maybe I need to give it another chance. read more

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Got an iced espresso with lavender and vanilla syrup and a splash of oatmilk. It was ok... i would need to try other combos maybe?! The empanadas i got were bbq chicken, samosa and spinach feta. Out of those I definitely recommend the spinach one. read more

Complimentary Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

I may have found my new favorite studying spot. And I do not have to trek all the way into the city for it. Not gonna do that especially with the construction! Walked into Complimentary Cafe and immediately greeted with some relaxing music playing overhead. In reading the reviews on Yelp I knew I wanted an empanada. I quickly ordered a Spinach & Feta Empanada and chose to pair it with Chimichurri sauce. For my caffeine kick, chose an Iced Americano. Since I was staying there I was given reusable cups and plate. The utensils were made of wood. I appreciate the eco friendliness! Their drinks are served on coasters that have COMPLIMENTS on them. (now I get it - complimentary cafe!). My coaster told me that I am "...the sip everyone needs!" :). Very cute touch and detail. The empanada was great and so was the iced americano. Also threw in a Pecan bar ~ delicious! Not too sweet and paired well with my americano. Everyone at the counter was super friendly and pleasant. There were several people on a weekday studying/working. But the place was still very quiet and conducive to productivity. Downtown Skokie seems to be developing, especially with all these larger condo/apartment buildings. Complimentary Cafe is a welcome addition! read more

Complimentary Café - Pecan Bar, Spinach & Feta Empanada with Chimichurri sauce, Iced Americano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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What a wonderful idea to fill someone's day with brightness - a few kind words go such a long way. The girls behind the counter were sweet and patient as we deliberated our order. Enjoyed the fact that they savory empanadas in the bakery case cuz I don't always want more sugar with my sweet beverages. Liked my cardamom rose latte. And everyone else in our group enjoyed the F&B too. The coffeeshop itself is spacious with clean design and plants to add good energy. read more

Complimentary Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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I admittedly have been avoiding cafes and coffee places for a while because I've been disappointed with the price:quality ratio the past couple of years in the burbs and the city, but I'm SO glad that this is the first place I've visited in a while that actually reminded me that coffee can taste great that the cafe ambiance is pretty sweet too once in a while. Service was lovely and the cafe was surprisingly busy at 4:30 on a Saturday with people studying as well as a few groups just hanging out to chat. I ordered the iced raspberry mocha latte and in all honesty, this is the kind of drink that I will 100% go out of my way to come back and order again. My friend ordered the ube coffee, and it was a nice comfort drink for the cold day. read more

Delish drinks! Food wasn't anything special, but will be back to try again! The compliments are so cute and a create great community building feel. It's never too busy in here, so a great spot to get some work done or chat with a friend. read more

Complimentary Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Omg I love!! Wish I came sooner! I need to try the rest of their menu. I was feelin a matcha so I opted for their mango matcha latte. They also offer a passionfruit flavor which I thought was awesome and unique! The matcha overall was delish! So smooth and the perfect color. It tasted like a mango lassi but with matcha! Also love the concept of positive phrases written on the cups. It felt welcoming and cozy inside. read more

Complimentary Café - Iced mango matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

My go to is an iced lavender vanilla latte. This place is consistently amazing and the coffee never disappoints.

Every visit here has been a pleasure. From the service to the food to the coffee, I recommend this dime to everyone!! ONLY AND I MEAN ONLY one thing I feel they can improve... the lids on their coffee cups for some reason always leak. But that's seriously if you want to find something to complain about. See, me personally ima keep coming back regardless. read more

If you love great coffee and local businesses, Complimentary Coffee is a must try. This is honestly some of the best coffee I have ever had, and I do not say that lightly. The black seed honey coffee is incredible, smooth, rich, and completely unique. I am also obsessed with the spinach feta, it is the perfect pairing and clearly made with care. The ambiance is exactly what you want in a coffee shop. It works beautifully for catching up with friends, getting work done, or sitting quietly with a book. Warm, inviting, and calm without feeling dull. Customer service is excellent, genuinely kind, welcoming, and attentive. You can tell they care about what they are offering and the people who walk through the door. I am genuinely surprised there is coffee this good in Skokie, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Do yourself a favor and come here, and please support this coffee shop. Skokie is better with it. read more

Came here on a Saturday for a little snack and do some light reading. I've seen this spot a few times on TikTok and Instagram so I decided to check it out. To my surprise, the cafe was packed! This is a very popular spot for people to study and mingle. I ordered the Cardamon Rose Iced Latte and an Ube cookie. I would never think to add a spice like Cardamon in a latte but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it paired. The Ube cookie is from another company but it was still quite moist. I loved the incorporation of toasted coconut and marshmallows on the cookie , it added for some awesome texture. One thing I will say is that the day I went, the cafe seemed understaffed making for a long line. One woman even threw a fit at the counter and left really annoyed with the baristas. I wasn't up close for the drama, but despite the wait I will say the drink and cookie were good. I can't wait to come back to try their other speciality drinks! read more

Complimentary Café - Ube cookie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Cute modern and chic coffee shop with friendly staff. Music plays loud enough not to hear those around you but quiet enough if you are sitting with people and can still hear them. Mange Matcha tastes just like mango lassi with a hint of matcha and is super creamy and sweet. Spanish latte is bitter but has a hint of sweetness from the cinnamon. Also they get their empanadas from savory crust which is SO GOOD. Any of the empanadas with the chimichurri sauce is amazing. read more

Complimentary Café - Mango matcha and spanish latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Friendly staff. Chill seating & pleasant music. Ube latte was delicious. My preschooler liked the overhead lights; he said they look like dandelions. Highly recommend. read more

Complimentary Café - Overhead lights (dandelions) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

This is one of my favorite cafes to visit. Everything is great from the staff, food and ambience. The aesthetics are modern, bright and welcoming. The staff are always super friendly. I'm always happy with their drinks and food. They are consistent every time. Always flavorful and yummy :). I really enjoy what their company stands for with their donations, quality of their coffee/drinks and showcasing other small businesses. A great place to do work/study. Not too big of a space so it can get packed. Parking on the side streets or a little lot on the side of the building. I'll be back because this cafe is officially one of my regular spots :). read more

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Very friendly service and coffee is delicious to the last drop. We drove 35 minutes to try this coffee shop and it was well worth it.

Love it! Sandwiches treats! The servers are friendly and helpful. It's clean comfy a nice place to study or work with soft music ! I got iced green tea . Lattes are great also Many seating styles table chairs . Will be back read more

Complimentary Café - Inside complimentary cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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My compliment on my EZ Mint Latte: You are an inspiration to those around you Thank you, Complimentary Cafe, I'll return the favor: - You have a comfortable vibe, warm and relaxing. - You have a nice range of drinks, from drip coffees to lattes, and specialty drinks like EZ Mint Latte and Passion fruit mojito mocktails. - You have organic, fair trade products, and offerings from local dairies, bakeries and entrepreneurs. -You make a difference with 5% of profits to charity. - You have free WiFi. I will return to try some of your delicious looking pastries. read more

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I've tried the BLACKSEED HONEY LATTE and CARDAMOM ROSE LATTE. They were both unique and delicious. I loved the blackseed honey latte the best. For pastries, the GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE EMPANADA and SPINACH AND FETA EMPANADA were both perfection! The service is efficient and friendly. The interior is inviting and very clean. This is truly a gem in downtown Skokie. I love the positive vibe from the compliments written on the orders. Keep it up! 'Til next time:) read more

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While I was in Chicago over the new year, I came here 3 separate times with friends! The first day we came I got a mojito mocktail because I wasn't in the mood for coffee and it was delicious. We sat in the comfy chairs by the entrance and had a great time. The second time we came it was the morning of January 1st. The guys working the counters were very nice, despite us coming in super early. I ordered a London fog and it was good, just very sweet. I couldn't really finish it. The third time I ordered a honey latte and it was ok. I've had better and I've definitely had worse. Again, the vibes were the main selling point for me. Overall, the vibes here are fantastic and the concept is very cool. They have a table with people's names on cup sleeves so that when they come in they can get a free drink. It was very cool! read more

PROS - love their iced matcha. light green, not grassy, works well w the whole milk - i drink a lot of matcha, and i appreciate both the rich and light ones. this is a light and easily enjoyable one. i could drink this multiple times a day, for days lol - amazing baked empanadas! they are from Savory Crust. i love the chicken pot pie - kind and informative service. not pushy at all CONS - coffee is meh, but that's ok. drink the matcha and eat the empanadas - almost all the baked treats (brownies, cookies) are from a gluten free bakery lol. i wish they had options with all the gluten, too RECOMMEND - iced matcha latte. whole milk + simple syrup on side - baked empanadas, especially the chicken pot pie read more

Cute coffee shop and great selection of good food and drinks! They have unique desserts and the nice complements add a nice touch.

This is a really great place to come and get some work done--cozy, welcoming, and thoughtfully designed for focus. The coffee is excellent across the board, no matter what you order. Honestly, no notes... they even earn some extra credit for how seamless and pleasant the whole experience is. read more

Complimentary Café - Raspberry white mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Got a decaf honey blackseed latte, a ube blondie, and two chicken empanadas (the first was so good I went back for another). The latte I got was so unique and really delicious, would definitely recommend. The environment was nice, service was quick and helpful, and the compliments were adorable. read more

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Super cute cafe. Very clean and stylish interior. There lots of seating though on a Sunday afternoon it was packed with laptops at each table. We picked up coffee Togo and it was delicious. As far as ube lattes go this is one of the sweeter and milkier ones I've had but can still takes the espresso which I love. But does it Ube? Yes it does. read more

Complimentary Café - Ube latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

One of my favorite coffee shops! Friendly staff, cure decor and very good coffee! I'm going there at least 3 times a week! I love their idea to add compliments on every cup you take to go. I attached some of the compliments I got in the last few months! On top of good coffee you get a compliment to make your day!! read more

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Complimentary Cafe is such a welcome addition to the DT Skokie area! Their menu offers espresso, specialty drinks, mocktails, teas, and snacks (empanadas, bagels, scones, brownies, etc.). We came here to get a little bit of a caffeine boost, and we tried: +a Vanilla Cardamom Turmeric Latte - prepared with vanilla and cardamom syrup, turmeric, and milk; I thought this was a little watered down, and wished there was more of a cardamom taste to it +Orange You Spicy Shaken Espresso - a shaken espresso with orange brown sugar syrup, topped with oat milk; really loved this refreshing drink! The citrus from the orange the brown sugar really came through, and this was really tasty! +LV Matcha Latte - made with organic matcha powder, lavender, vanilla, and milk - this could have been more creamier, maybe request a higher fat-content milk next time? Each beverage came with a sleeve with a written compliment, which I found it to be very endearing and sweet! There is a little table by the entrance area in which you can pre-pay for future orders/patrons' drinks - what a great idea! There are plenty of tables and seating options, but it's slightly cramped; the place does get packed, so the volume can be a little high. I saw one family who allowed their kids to place their bare feet on the table, which I found it to be super gross and disrespectful - I mean, come on! Check yourself. Staff are friendly. Street parking can be found in the area. +sleeves come with compliments! +Orange You Spicy Shaken Espresso +friendly staff +street parking available read more

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This cute cafe has all the good vibes! It has such a friendly atmosphere and the drinks are great. I've tried their LV latte, their london fog, and their guava cheese pastry. I love london fogs, and they make a delicious one here. I highly recommend it. This is a great place for chatting or doing work/studying. It's clean and comfortable inside. Staff is helpful and friendly. There is free street parking around the area. 10/10 read more

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The inside of this coffee shop does give real cosy vibes. On a middle of a Sunday afternoon every table was packed with people studying. I got a lavender vanilla shaken espresso and it truly was delicious. Very lavender forward. But the espresso really woke me up for a midday reset. Also coming into this place, I truly thought they wrote the compliments in front of you so I was so excited to see what they'd say but it's all prewritten. read more

Complimentary Café - My compliment! LV Latte Special - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Best name for this coffee shop because it's accurate. Complimentary Cafe makes one feel good about drinking and eating here. It's one of the most pleasant places to enjoy a morning. Also the coffee is good. The prices are okay for an independent and locally owned place. Coffee is the main thing of course. It can be argued that compliments are the main thing though. This has some of the nicest staff, and that rubs off on the customers as well. As for any business, it also needs good products. There's no problem with that. I like the Shaken Espresso. It's $6 but it's good. Of all the coffee on the menu, this may be the best thing. Get two shots and a choice of syrup. Then it gets shaken up. Also they have brownies and cookies. It's about $3 and these are locally made. There's some that are vegan. Good stuff to munch on with a coffee. There's usually plenty of tables and most have outlets. Fun comfortable place to get some coffee. It also has a few vegan treats. The atmosphere is pretty relaxing and is good for working. read more

Complimentary Café - Shaken Espresso And Vegan Brownie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Starbucks better watch out because this is definitely my go-to cafe now. I tried the classic caramel macchiato, my favorite Starbucks drink, and found it even better here. On my second visit, I tried the ube latte and empanadas. While the empanada was just okay, the ube latte was delicious. The staff is friendly and efficient and the place is nice, my only suggestion is play relaxing music in the backgrounds to block out other back background noise and people talking . read more

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Lovely coffee shop in the area with solid latte options and treats. Lots of cozy seating options and a few people with laptops. Friendly baristas and I love the cute shtick of compliments written on cup sleeves for drinks to go and napkins for drinks to stay. read more

Complimentary Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Cardamom Rose Latte was amazing. Light floral essence mixed with spice... Roomy cafe with casual atmosphere. The staff was so friendly- will be looking forward to my next visit soon! read more

Complimentary Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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