Very fancy place , almost over priced cafe style foods . BUT there stuff is deliciousread more

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.

We LOVE Sweet Reserve! It's such a lovely spot to step out of the hot (or cold!) and enjoy a coffee…read moreor tea. They have a great variety for everyone and even have a selection of fresh pastries and cakes. I go here often and the baristas are always so kind. The shelves of art and jewelry made by local artists is always fun to look at and I love the support for the local community! Highly recommend Sweet Reserve in Skokie!

Ambiance - casual, spacious, great place for coffee & dessert…read more Service - only 1 person taking orders/making drinks on Sat night, service slightly backed up Food - hot chocolate + biscoff topping was slightly on the sweeter side

A new place for me that I accidentally found on Google Maps. It looked interesting in the photos,…read morebut in real life it's even more beautiful. A very nicely decorated place with great taste and attention to detail. I went with my friends for an afternoon coffee. We all ordered different types of coffee, and every single one was excellent. Unlike chain coffee shops where everything comes in paper cups, here you actually get a real cup, which I really appreciated. My friends also ordered spinach pie and said they hadn't had such a good one in a long time. The guys who work there are very kind and pleasant. Overall, everything was truly wonderful. I would definitely recommend everyone to visit this place!

Nice opening store with Middle Eastern flavors. Love the…read morecoffee roasting machine sitting in the entrance of the store. Will be fun if we came in a time when they roasting the coffee. The air in the store fills with the really nice Chia aroma. The pastry is a little bit on the sweeter side. We came in around 3:30, and there were no lines. So we got our coffee quickly.

Cute coffee shop with unique drinks and longer hours than most cafes. I have popped in here a…read morecouple times when we've made it out this way for shopping. Staff was fast and friendly and prices are not too high!

I stopped in for a coffee and an almond croissant, but unfortunately the croissant was stale and…read moretasted old. The gentleman apologized and offered to replace it, but when he checked with the other two staff members, they looked at each other and said there were no more. No one offered a refund or another option, although I didn't ask for one. I understand this is a new business, but I hope they take the feedback seriously. The pastries should not be left sitting around until they're old and then served to customers.

This place has the best French toast with bacon, great smoothies and awesome service…read more Thank you!

I've been to Blue Kale several times and have recommended this place to others because I genuinely…read morewanted to support the business. Unfortunately, my recent visit this past Wednesday was very disappointing, particularly because of the customer service. The staff member who made and served our drinks was a tall college-aged girl. Unfortunately, she was not attentive or welcoming during our visit. We had to wait for assistance, and the overall service felt dismissive and inattentive. As someone who has visited before and recommended this cafe, I expected a much better level of customer service. I even contacted management directly to discuss my concerns regarding the staff member and my experience, but I have received no response or follow-up. That was especially disappointing because I made an effort to address the issue privately and give management an opportunity to respond. After this experience, I no longer feel comfortable recommending BK or returning as a customer. I hope management takes customer service concerns more seriously and provides better training and accountability for their staff.

Seriously chill place. The coffee is great. And the sound of washing machines is soothing. The…read moreperfect spot for a clean working session

Try to come here a couple times, parking was absolutely a hot mess. Monday they are close from…read moreTuesday through Thursday beyond a hot mess express on the parking in the lot or side street. Very hidden location, chill, coffee is easy going. Not impressed of the wow factor of the drinks. It's not strong coffee. Great location, you can do laundry, and great a drink of coffee or tea or a snack. Or you can bring your work stuff and get stuff done. Staff is amazing and easy going.

Nice large area with traditional bake goods. I tried the spinach and cheese pockets which were…read morefreshly made. Criapy and delicious and would come back for more.

Disappointing. I got coffee and two pastries from the glass case. My croissant was slightly burnt…read moreon the bottom. The other pastry I don't know the name of, but it had spinach and cheese. It was dry and could have had more flavor. I don't think I'll be back unfortunately.

stopped in (finally) to pick up a few treats to entertain guests coming for coffee. Great…read moreassortment to choose from.. difficult even, but we were able to fill a box to everyone's enjoyment. I really liked the assortment of cakes, pies, cookies and more available and will certainly be back again.. and again. A suggestion: While I was intrigued by the sandwich board I had no way to know what the sandwich would look like. Bread? pandora? Ciabatta? 6", 8", 10", 12"... or bread loaf slices? So my suggestion is they get some photos taken or make a few sandwiches wrapped and ready to grab n go. Make one of each and see what sells. I'd use sandwiches as a way to bring in customers who will then purchase a pastry or cookie.. or come back when they need something sweet. sorry, no photos... pastries were gone too fast and they were delicious.

I had a wonderful experience on my first visit to this establishment. I came across New Paradise…read morethrough their Instagram page and based on their featured content, I decided to check them out. That decision was worth the visit. I had delicious coffee, pastry, and gelato. I received good, friendly service. I had a cream and fruits filled croissant, coffee, and a cup of gelato with coconut and pistachio flavors. They were all delicious and pretty good. The gentleman who served me gave me a generous portion of their homemade gelato which was creamy and flavorful. I enjoyed my experience here. I liked the variety of pastries and other sweet treats this fime establishment had to offer. I definitely recommend checking them out.