I have been excited about the addition of Bean Bar to our neighborhood in downtown Northbrook for a…read morewhile.  We finally had a chance to visit together before we went to the Art in the Park the Saturday of the Mother's Day weekend!  It totally justified all the hype! Given it was a Saturday, there was an annual art fair in the Village Green close by, and the Mother's Day weekend, we expected it to be very busy, and it was justifiable so.  There was a rather long line placing orders at the cashier, but it moved quickly.  There were many laminated menus for us to read while waiting in line.  The cashier was friendly, patient, and helpful in answering questions.  Our daughter ordered an Avocado Toast and a Berry Zen Refresher.  My husband and I found that a good idea, and each of us also ordered an Avocado Toast, although I had hoped that I got different types of dishes to photograph, lol.  Husband had a Cappuccino, and I had a large Iced Pistachio Latte (oat milk).  This simple brunch came up to $77.34 with tip, and it's worth it. All 3 Avocado Toasts were perfectly made.  All the ingredients were very fresh, although there wasn't a lot of seasoning, the taste of each ingredient worked well together to achieve a delicious dish.  I especially liked the over easy egg and the crispy edges of the warm toast.  My Iced Pistachio Latte was very good without being too sweet. Although the food and drinks were the star, the ambiance was so pleasing and relaxed that totally elevated the entire experience.  The dining room with high ceiling and chandeliers was spacious and beautiful.  There were many different types of seating for patrons -- big comfy couches, regular tables, high-tops, small booths, conference rooms with long table and chairs, small private rooms... not to mention about the large sheltered patio with many tables and seats!  As I have mentioned, we went at a busy time, there were not a lot of tables left for dining purposes, we opted for a high-top.  Even though the venue was almost filled to capacity, it still felt very airy and comfortable.  I could just chill there happily for half a day with my latte! However, there were small hiccups that fortunately did not ruin our first experience there.  My husband's and daughter's drink came out almost instantly after we sat down, but I had to chase down a staff (there's no servers except for the staff who delivered the dishes or cleaned tables) to tell him that my drink was missing.  I told him that it's supposed to be cold but with no ice.  He immediately got me a Pistachio Latte but with ice.  The cashier lady had specified no ice on when she placed the order for me, I talked to her about this and she offered to make me a new one, but I had already had a sip and didn't want to put the drink to waste, so I just kept it.  I later scooped out all the ice so that it did not dilute my drink, and it was good.  I must mention that the food came out in just 5 minutes even though the place was busy. Our high-top table wobbled when we used our knives and forks to cut the toasts, not a very big deal, but the restaurant could easily have that fixed as I am pointing it out now, It's one of the high-tops under the BB sign. This brunch kicked off a very happy Mother's Day weekend.  I was in a very good mood going to the art fair from Bean Bar.  We will definitely return to try the many other items on their menu.

The ambience is incredible here! What an eclectic, artsy vibe. I feel like I'm in Chicago when I'm…read moreat the Bean Bar. I love the brick walls, high ceilings, and the wide variety of seating areas - both indoor and out. Staff here is wonderful, very friendly with top-notch service. I ordered the avocado toast with no egg to make it vegan, and a latte with oat milk. The latte was perfect, but I didn't love the avocado toast. Bean Bar is the perfect place for both personal and work gatherings... or to just hang out by yourself.

This was my second time here! I got the iced banana cream latte w/ oat milk for the second time! I…read moream usually not one to get sweet drinks but I am obsessed with this drink. It's sweet, but not too sweet. The large iced latte is also great, it has 3 shots of espresso which makes the ratios perfect. My boyfriend and I also got the Bacon egg and cheese, sausage egg and cheese, and the Korean chicken cheesesteak sandwich! Also super yummy. Cant wait to check out the other new location in Park Ridge! The vibe and aesthetic are also so cute in here! Love the simple design! It is located inside the train station, so while it was busy both times I went I received my food and drinks super fast! I am super picky with where I spend my money on coffee/matcha, but this is one of the few places in the area worth it!!

The drinks here are really a delicious suck I got the ube…read morelatte which is really thick so if you like your drinks more watery or thinner this might not be for you. It does have condensed milk in it. But the flavor of the new base is so rich so delicious it's not over sweet I definitely would come back if I was ever in Chicago again. My friend also got a drink I want to say she got the banana flavor I could be wrong but more than once she looked at me and said I chose the right coffee shop

Dip and Sip is a bit hidden, tucked in a corner. I made it in right before they closed. Their menu…read morehad a variety of donuts to choose from. Being the first time there, I wasn't sure how it worked. Could I order only what's in the display or were there some in the back? The man working there was super nice and helpful. He advised me that I can choose from the menu and he will make it in the back. I went with the Mexican hot chocolate donut. The first bite was into a crisp exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. The combo of glaze and cream was slightly sweeter than I'd like, but perfectly complimented my black cold brew coffee. I definitely want to come back and try the strawberry fields signature donut.

This is my favorite local donut spot right now! I love all of the fun flavors and they are…read morebeautifully decorated. My favorites are the Boston creme and the apple cider. They also have a "donut bar" where you can pick your own flavor and toppings. There are a few tables in there and it's decorated really cute. It is pricey but it's worth it!

Great place for delicious cake! Parking can get a little bit crowded right in front of the store…read morebut if you don't mind walking the lot is larger in the back area. I ordered online for a 10:30 cake pickup but got a text that it was ready at 10am. We had the strawberry lychee cake which was nice and light and the favorite 'not too sweet'. The store itself had so many options and coming in the morning they had a huge selection. The service was fast and friendly for pickup too.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience here was disappointing…read more My family and I stopped by on Saturday shortly before closing. As employees were already putting away the bread, I politely asked if I could grab a piece before everything was picked up. I was told that the bread was being moved to the front and that someone would assist me there. While I waited, two other groups entered after me. They heard the same information and ended up being helped before I was, despite the employees knowing that I had been waiting first. I politely asked twice for assistance and was told to continue waiting while the other groups were served. What made the situation more frustrating was that the customers ahead of me were taking a long time deciding what they wanted. I had already put on a plastic glove and was prepared to select my own bread, but I was told that wasn't necessary because an employee would help me. While waiting, I witnessed one of the teenagers from a group point directly at the bread, and another teenager pushed their hand into it. This happened in front of the employees, and no one addressed the situation or reminded them not to touch the food. As someone who was trying to follow proper sanitation practices, I found this very concerning. Not only did this happened once but 2,3 times infront of them. Yet nothing was addressed. After being ignored, waiting while others were served ahead of me, and seeing unsanitary behavior go unaddressed, I decided to leave without making a purchase. I was disappointed by both the customer service and the lack of attention to food handling standards.

I just recently discovered this place. I work in Lincolnwood. It has a great ambiance to talk with…read morefriends, 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!

Such a warm and cozy cafe. Grab something to go or stay awhile, this place is IT. They have…read morecoffees, 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.

ooooh probably one of the best for chicago suburbs. they have a wide selection and they are all…read morepretty solid. i got the Vietnamese coffee and tastes v authentic. the interior is cute and the staff is super nice. not sure if the staff was super overwhelmed but my friend got the ube coffee drink with milk and it just straight up tasted like ube milk not coffee. :/ recommend altering proportion since the coffee taste isn't even subtle!

I was so excited to try this cafe out because their drink selections are unique and look so…read moredelicious but I was pretty disappointed with the lack of flavor. I came here twice and both times it was mid. First time I ordered the mango matcha which was lacking in the mango flavor. The second time I ordered their double ube and it was lacking the ube flavor. The ube cold foam on top was pretty delicious but the rest of the coffee was eh. The atmosphere is very chill and vibrant inside. I love the touch of the big teddy bear by the entrance door. The service is good. The employees are all so kind.

Great place in Glenview Chicago not far from the Windy City!…read moreMet my cousins for some coffee and light breakfast per their recommendations! I ordered a cappuccino and an avocado toast. Everything looked so good it was hard to choose! There were fresh pastries and biscottis also available. Service was friendly and by the amount of business you could tell they were a popular spot!

It's about time Glenview got a place like Hometown! It is a very nice, neat, modern, and clean…read morecoffee shop. It has such a youthful and positive vibe to it, and the coffee and pastries are very good. Not going to lie, sitting outside on the patio on a beautiful day and taking in the relaxed atmosphere gave me a bit of a European cafe vibe. This is a spot I'm sure I'll be coming back to often

I would give Matari 4.5 out of 5 stars, so I'm rounding to 5 based on service and ambiance! I heard…read moreabout their fruit mousse cakes online, so we knew we had to stop by to check it out. The cafe is immaculate and service was very friendly. The person who took our order was patient as he explained the different pastries in the case. I wish they had signs explaining what each pastry was so I could have decided while waiting in line. We ended up sharing an iced pistachio latte (delicious and 10/10!), the pistachio cheesecake (10/10!), and the strawberry mousse cake (7/10 - a subtle sweetness, great texture, but needed more cake or crust inside as it was mostly whipped cream and the shell). The mousse cake was $12.00, which felt steep considering it was mostly whipped cream, even though it was obviously beautiful. We would definitely come back for the coffee and to try more menu items! Check this place out!

I wanted to like it. I did. But after a few visits, it's just not for me…read more The first trip, I tried the Matari Tea: Green tea, Himalayan pink salt, milk, and spices, topped with roasted pistachios. Sounds good, right? Alas, it could not have been blander. I couldn't taste any "spices" or even the hint of salt. The profile was that of very watered-down tea mixed with milk, and a ton of pistachios floating on top. Like, barely crushed pistachios. Huge pieces, covering the top of the drink, bobbed around like tiny icebergs, and even they somehow had a toned-down flavor. The drink was definitely a swing and a miss. Fast forward two weeks, and I tried Matari again. This time with a simple cortado. I sat at the table right by the door, and the espresso was pretty good. Solid body, not too bitter. It was on the pricy side ($7+), but I was ok with that. But then, I'm hanging out, sipping my coffee, and I catch a burst of perfume-like scent. I'm shocked, but whatever, I figured someone in heavy perfume walked by, no big deal. A few minutes later, wham, I'm hit in the nose with another burst of perfume. Then, I see it. A slight haze around me. So, not a heavily perfumed woman after all, but an automated air-freshener. After further inspection, I see the unit plugged in on the ground right behind my chair, which sprays up and out on a timer. That's right, an air freshener right next to a table where people consume food and beverages, shooting a mist into the air that slowly rains down onto my head and table, and into my coffee. I ended up tossing the last few sips of my cortado, as I could taste the scented whatever-it-was in my cup. I'd have gone to the counter and asked for a new one, but I was so over my visit by then, I just opted to get out. The staff aren't very friendly. Not rude, but they don't give off a welcoming aura, and I didn't feel like trying to explain the issue. Lastly, can we talk about their little "your order is up" beepers? We've all seen them. The little electronic things that blink and make a noise when your order is ready, so you can go snag it from the counter. When I think of a coffee shop, I think quiet and peaceful, or perhaps a bit louder, with bustling people and well-paired music. At Matari, it's an insane BEEP BEEP BEEP that goes off every few minutes when an order is up. I get it, you don't want to bring the food out to your customers. But does it really need to feel like an airport Chili's? It's a bummer, because Matari is beautiful inside. It's clean, it's chic, and its location is at a notable crossroads in Skokie with plenty of parking, leaving it extremely convenient. They've even got an easy-to-use website, which so many coffee shops simply do not have. There aren't a lot of coffee shops in this particular part of town, which is why I so, so very much wanted to love Matari. But subpar drinks? Air freshener spray intrusions? Frequent and obnoxious beeping? I tried. I'm sorry. I just can't.