Please bring back the old version of COCO BREW. I'm begging…read more I've been a regular since they first opened a few years ago, I think around 2019? Their Coco Brew used to be one of my absolute favorite coffee drinks for years, up until recently. I'm not exactly sure when the recipe changed, because as far as I remember it still tasted the same through 2025. I've been busy this year and haven't come as often, but the last three times I ordered it, it was completely different. And since it was made by different baristas, I'm assuming this is a recipe change rather than just inconsistency. (Check the photos to see the differences!) The old version was much lighter, mildly sweet, and had that lovely coconut milk aroma. It tasted fresh, smooth, and really balanced. The new version is totally different. The first thing I noticed was the color. It's way darker now. And the taste matches: darker, more sour, and with a strange almost medicinal aftertaste (reminded of some cough medicine..) The gentle sweetness and mildness are completely gone. Now it somehow tastes strong, sour, and watery at the same time. What happened?? Please don't change something that was already so good. Even the ice seems different now. It used to have smaller ice pieces that filled the cup more evenly and let the liquid move through, so you got that really pretty layered look with the coconut milk and cold brew. Now it's large chunks of ice just floating on top. Anyway, this is just my little heartbreak over a drink that used to be so beautiful and delightful. Other than that, the vibe is still nice as usual, maybe a bit more crowded than before. The decor is still cute, and I've always liked the woody interior. It's also one of the brighter coffee shops in Evanston, with really nice natural light.

Love this bright, clean, and professional coffee spot! Plenty of free parking with a large lot…read moreattached, which makes stopping by super easy. The baked goods are incredible, and the baristas are friendly and easy to chat with. Lattes are beautifully made, and I really appreciate the care put into the latte art. A great place for quality coffee with a welcoming vibe.

Great matcha. Friendly staff. Good ambiance and overall great experience at this establishmentread more

I was amazed at the service of café Shepard! The door to door service truly hit the mark! I was…read moreespecially impressed with the frothiness of the milk and the temperature of my coffee. Not too hot that it burned my tongue, but definitely a nice warm beverage to take on my trek up to north campus. I appreciated the chef himself taking the time to explain to me the ratios of what went into my coffee. I am currently feeling buzzed by the espresso proportion and recommend this coffee for the energy to do your work, as I ran all the way back from north campus for no reason. The ambiance of cafe Shepard was eclectic and sophisticated yet still understated. 10/10

About a 1-1.5: Evanston Pour is a popular coffee spot in the Evanston 'hood - we came here to get…read morea caffeine fix, and ordered: +the Cookie Butter Latte - prepared with cookie butter syrup and milk; I did request this to be extra hot, but it was served lukewarm +a Latte with almond milk - also served lukewarm +an Almond Croissant +and, a Scone The coffee was just not strong, and the fact that it was served lukewarm was a total no. The pastries were just okay, but could have been more fresh and/or warmed up. Staff was friendly, and the place also offers cocktails/other alcoholic beverages. Seating is available, but somewhat uncomfortable; not much of a place where you can do work or study. Metered street parking can be found in the area. +lukewarm, weak coffee +metered street parking

I've been here several times since my first review and it just hasn't been the same. I believe they…read moremake their own syrups in house but they're not potent in flavor. In the fall I had the pumpkin latte and I had to ask for more pumpkin because I couldnt taste it. Today I tried their new cookie butter latte and it doesn't taste like anything. How can the pumpkin latte and cookie butter latte taste the same? They also charge $1 more to make the drinks with oat milk. Why are they punishing customers for dietary restrictions? The prices are also high compared to other places. My husband ordered a slice of their blueberry almond loaf and it cost $7!

I was quite impressed by this location, particularly the hot food. I was staying in the nearby…read moreHilton Orrington/Evanston and this is the closest coffee shop I found on Yelp. The coffee is standard (nothing special) but the hot food is what really impressed me. I had the bacon egg and cheese croissant, and it came out so fresh and hot that I couldn't touch it for a few minutes. Once it cooled a bit and I sunk my teeth into it - oh my! Delicious. It doesn't like much in the photo (and it comes wrapped in paper almost like a fast food sandwich), but the taste is great. I liked it so much that I came back the next morning for a Cajun breakfast burrito and same story - piping hot and delicious. Portions are perfect for breakfast. Location is perfect for those at or visiting Northwestern. And the dining area is quite spacious, welcoming, and clean. Staff are quite nice as well. Highly recommended if you're in the area.

After being quite impressed with a Colectivo Coffee in Madison, Wisconsin, I was a little bit…read moresurprised to see that it was a chain. While waiting for my car to charge nearby, I decided to pay this location a visit. I ordered one of their seasonal lattes, a small hot one. All in all, there was a lot to like! First, the coffee wasn't overly sweet and had some actual coffee notes, instead of all of it being buried under milk and sugar. Second, they have more than enough seating for everyone who wants to grab a cup. Because of the number of people working, I can't call it a "third place" but the fact that they are welcoming to students and Yelpers alike without making them keep buying beverages or banning laptops outright is worth a shout-out (you'd be surprised) One of the best things about this place was the service. The person taking my order was very kind and welcoming, and the coffee came out very fast, especially considering how busy it was inside. Final verdict: I appreciate that Starbucks has to deal with ten times the online and mobile orders. Still, I feel as though Starbucks needs to take notes - for what it lost, it seems Colectivo still has.

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.

Good coffee. Love the vibes they put out. Busy place, but not so much that you wish you'd have…read moregone to another place. The folks who take your order are proficient. Some coffee places you only order coffee since the food selection is weak. That isn't the case at Backlot. I get the Classic( somewhat spicy) and my wife gets the Monty breakfast sandwich. A great start to your day!

They have a wide selection of drinks, pastries and local fare. The staff is very friendly and the…read morevibe is a friendly neighborhood coffee house full of art, plants, fresh pastries and local fare. It's always good to support local.

Reprise is so underrated! I love their rosemary sea salt caramel latte…read more Also, their coffee is award-winning. The vibe is great for meeting up with a friend or getting work done.

Disappointing. Been here twice and the service was paltry…read moreeach visit. Today me and my fiancé walked in and said hello to the unoccupied barista. Asked the barista their recommendation and they said they had none and told me to look at the menu. Didn't bother staying and left. Employees there appeared like they didn't want to be there and very unwelcoming. We won't be back

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.

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!

Cute coffee shop with lots of natural light serving up a good coffee! There are many tables inside…read moreand outside the cafe to enjoy your coffee on site or take on the go. The drink menu is basic but offers bold flavors. The iced coffee I had was strong and hit the spot. Employees are friendly and helpful. I will definitely go back!

Very popular coffee spot in a quaint neighborhood in Evanston. The place was buzzing with people…read morewhen we walked in and there were no seats available (good sign), so we ordered lattes and an egg pocket to go. I wasn't going to order food but was tempted when I saw the delicious egg filled pastries on others plates while waiting. Very good coffee and yummy sandwich. Friendly, efficient service and homey/cozy ambiance. We found street parking with no issue in this mostly residential area.

Great place for a nice brunch with friends! Very hide inside with seating options as there are…read morecouches on the side for those that jut wanna place to chill with a coffee and read a book or table tops on the main dining area. Went there this past Saturday with friends and glad that we got there when we did because the line just kept growing lol. I got the Sweet Potato bowl and added some smoked salmon to it and did not regret my choice at all. Flavorful, healthy yet, satisfying. And the pastry display caught my attention (as it always does anywhere I go) so just had to snag their newer item...the Walnut Chocolate Chip Banana bread which was a nice way to end this brunch. This is going to be a nice go-to brunch spot in downtown Evanston for me...and apparently the rest of Evanston from what I saw lol. Popular spot and I see why. Great location, great food and great ambiance.

Sharing Sandwiches, Sharing Burgers, Sharing Recs, Sharing Stories, Sharing Hearts, Sharing Love,…read moreSharing the Rest of our Lives together...... Never Ever Apart Again.......... Don't you EscapeZzzz.....