Cafecito

I went here for breakfast and had a guava and cheese pastelito and a breakfast sandwich. I’m from south Florida and this is by far the best Cuban food I’ve had in Chicago. The pastry taste just like the ones I’ve had in Miami. I will definitely be going back.

Cafecito hit me like a truck! There was quite the demand for Cafecito during lunch hours, and the staff was moving quick to get everyone’s orders in. I got the Cubano sandwich and a single hot Cafecito (Cuban coffee). The sandwich was really good and a nice portion, and I liked it a lot with the guavapica salsa they had. The coffee came in half of a small cup but packed an absolute haymaker of a punch. I took about 3 sips of it and had to throw it away because it was just too much for me. I don’t even know if it was bad or if I’m just not built for it, but I’m going to stay away from Cuban coffee for awhile. I’ll probably be back to try another sandwich, though. The atmosphere is nice with decorations behind the order counter and different accomplishments on the wall. Overall, Cafecito gets 4 stars!

this place may never have pastelitos or croquetas when i happen to walk in, but they have the tastiest cafecito (cuban coffee) i’ve been able to order in the city. most places only do espresso that is super bitter. so, there you go. ☕️

I had no idea how good their vegan menu is! Had the La Playa sandwich yesterday for lunch. Can’t wait to try it all.

This was such a cute little breakfast spot and they have amazing caficitoa. The price is very affordable and it is always busy. We got the ham egg and cheese sandwich as well as the chorizo egg and cheese sandwich and both were awesome but their coffee store the show! For sure check it out if you are around. Very quick

Fun small shop! The chorizo breakfast sandwich was fantastic and didn't taste at all greasy. They have loose leaf tea too which was a great surprise! I tried the coconut and enjoyed it.

I was excited to try this place, but it was disappointing. I got the ropa vieja sandwich. Although the filling was flavorful, it was more of a smashed up mush. Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be? This was my first time eating ropa vieja, so maybe my expectations were wrong? The other issue was the bread was very soggy. I cannot stand a soggy sandwich. I ate mine pretty quickly from the time I got it, so that’s not the reason. Overall, I tried it, but I can’t say I’ll be back.

I went with a few coworkers to this nice hidden gem. I ordered the Cubano sandwich and the sweet plantains. They were so good and complemented the sandwich most delightfully. Staff were very friendly and pleasant, enjoyed the Spanish music as we had our lunch. I would recommend giving this place a visit. 👍🏼

Has anyone else heard that Gabriel Iglesias bit about Calle Ocho & the Cafecito? I don't want to spoil it, but misadventures ensued. Point is, ever since then I have been wanting to try this allegedly delicious concoction! So much so, when thinking of going to Miami, a visit to the aforementioned was basically guaranteed. Now, I discovered this cafe by accident. On a 90° day, I was searching Yelp for ice cream near me, and the powers that be (ie Yelp's highly imperfect search algorithm) showed "Cafecito" in the results. It was at that moment I proclaimed "Ice cream be darned!" I was going to try this thing even if it meant a hot beverage on a hot day. Now that I've tasted it, I can not only tell you it was worth it, but that I will likely be dreaming of it for the next couple of days if not weeks. The espresso is perfection - right in that narrow sweet spot between bitter and sour. Speaking of sweet, the amount of sugar was perfect to make the drink pleasantly sweet, and help moderate some of the stronger coffee notes of the espresso without hiding or overpowering them. I will give further credit for the size - even though I ordered a single, the amount of espresso was more than fair, especially at a price of $2.69. Finally, I had the further delight of trying one of the Alfajores. The cookie was very soft, not overly sweet, and the combination of flavors was excellent! I can tell these are made with love, and with a recipe/technique handed down through a couple generations. It was an awesome compliment to an awesome coffee. With all this, I have 100% become a raging fan of Cafecito (the cafe) and the cafecito (the drink). If a place serving them (and done right), doesn't open in the Boston area, I might have to open one myself!

My hopes were too high being a former resident of Miami. It's been a long time since I've had Cuban food. Sooo I came here and there's a huge menu on the wall. The cashier was friendly but busy. I decided on chicken with rice, black beans, and plantains. The rice and beans was bland, the chicken was okay, and the plantains tasted off. It just wasn't an enjoyable meal for me.

terrible. Horrible service, overpriced and my food never came out I ordered 20 minutes in advance and some girl walked and got her food within two minutes because their policy is whoever walked and gets their order first calls and online orders come second. They lied to me on a busy morning and made me wait for a fucking tuna sandwich that should've taken 5 minutes to assemble. The service was just as bad as my experience. 0 stars

this place may never have pastelitos or croquetas when i happen to walk in, but they have the tastiest cafecito (cuban coffee) i've been able to order in the city. most places only do espresso that is super bitter. so, there you go.

Loved this place and the simplicity of the sandwiches and maduros (plaintains). The food was fresh, served quickly and very fulfilling. It is a bit loud in the restaurant, but mostly because it's full of happy customers enjoying coffee and great food.

We stopped here for a quick bite after going to the art museum. Cute little place, with a nice girl working the counter. We ordered Guava-Q sandwich and the steak chimichurri sandwich, plus a side of potato salad. I ordered an iced coffee, which was delicious. The sandwiches were great, I especially thought the pork Guava-Q sandwich was very unique, especially the sauce. The steak was seasoned well in the chimichurri sandwich. I really like the potato salad, too.

Amazing Cuban food. Highly recommend. Prices are affordable and the food is high quality. Definitely getting your money's worth. I also got a latte which was good as well!

Popped in here randomly while waiting for our show to start at the theatre. I had a cafe con leche which was perfect! My friends and I also shared a lechon pressed sandwich, plaintains, and a small beans and rice. This quick bite didn't disappoint and the service was quick.

They added a 30% tip without my permission for a pick up order. That is theft. Food is excellent.

YUM! Went in to Cafecito for a quick light dinner and split a Cubano pressed sandwich with my friend. It was sooo yummy! If you pair it with the guava habanero sauce, it's perfection! The cafe itself is welcoming and the workers were so sweet! So far I'm loving this place and I would come back just for the Cubano alone.

I used to come here for a quick sandwich and study when I studied here a few years ago. Came back for a quick lunch on a weekend trip. Lots of different sandwiches available or try. Can eat in or take out and grab to go and eat by millennium park or the lake. Only thing is there is no WiFi if you're looking to study or work

Forgot what I got but all I know is that my sandwich was good and was pretty filling. It was just hard to eat in bites maybe because my mouth is small not sure but it was quite messy for me. Loved their spicy homemade sauce , forgot what that was called again. Overall great. Service was good but they could use a hand because there wasn't a time without a line. They were pretty busy. Ambiance can be improved but it's not bad. Judging by just the food: 5/5

As a Cuban I'd say the food is pretty close to authenticity! The bread was great but was missing something that makes Cuban bread different from most. Other than that the ingredients in the sandwich were all my favorites. The service was quick and the delivery of food was professional. The restaurant is located on a busy street but when you're inside you don't hear much, so it would be a great place to study or have small meetings.

DoorDash and customer service disaster. DO NOT ORDER DOORDASH HERE!!! I experienced the most horrific lunch here. I placed a DoorDash group order with my colleagues at the office at this location. After I unpacked my order I realized several items were missing and a note was attached stating items were missing. I called Cafecito and asked why they sent me an an order they acknowledged was incomplete? The response: Our DoorDash menu isn't the same as the shop menu and DoorDash doesn't give us your number to call. My response: Your internal issues are not my issues. How are you going to take all of our money and not send us a complete order? It is unacceptable to knowingly take all of our money and not complete my order. I have hungry people at the office without lunch. Why not send me something comparable? Or Google my employers number in the notes or the easiest solution cancel my order?? I asked her to make us comparable sandwiches to those missing and I'd pick it up because they couldn't send it over...although I paid for DoorDash ‍ I arrive and my incomplete order isn't ready and doesn't take priority in total I waited for about an hour waiting for my order that we paid for and they didn't handle correctly. The lack of customer service, problem resolution and common sense was astonishing. I am then notified by a colleague of another missing item, I let the employee know and she said that's not our shops menu our menu is small and posted on the wall. Again, my response, great again not my problem, make me something comparable. Nothing was made right here I wasted so much time, the employee seemed frustrated with me and was ignoring me and various other customers. This shop seems to be understaffed and shouldn't be taking DoorDash orders as they are incapable to do so while also providing acceptable customer service. We will never again order here. I am going to reach out to DoorDash also as this transaction was just embarrassingly disgusting and lacked competence. I also ended up picking up the order so what exactly did I pay DoorDash for??? I finally arrived back to the office with the missing food. Some colleagues were so hungry they ordered elsewhere and our food was cold since most of us waited to eat together.

Found Cafecito on Yelp and it seemed popular, so we ended up visiting for a late lunch! My partner and I tried the Cubano sandwich for takeout The sandwich had a great balance of flavors and was well worth the price! The sandwich was PACKED with flavor, with tender roasted pork, slices of ham, melted Swiss cheese, tangy pickles, and mustard pressed between crispy Cuban bread. The sandwich was definitely loaded, so one order was enough for the two of us. I think the only thing that I didn't enjoy very much was how packed the restaurant was - there wasn't a clear line nor enough waiting space and the dining tables weren't cleaned for new parties to sit at. We were planning on getting takeout nonetheless, but I think it would've been nicer if it was easier to move around in general here. Overall, if you're looking for a delicious Cuban sandwich, Cafecito is definitely worth checking out. They had a great selection of sandwiches here, and I can see how it makes the perfect lunch spot in Chicago!

first time trying this place and i ordered the provletta sandwich. This sandwich definitely has a bold taste, not sure if acidic is the right word but the tomatos and pesto definitely have a strong and almost overpowering flavor in the sandwich. And I don't think the saltiness from the cheese helps. Overall, felt the sandwhich needed more balance The guava salsa was decent kind of reminds me of a spicy barbecue. This place has a big menu so i'd probably come back to try something else. a the price point is fair and the staff was very nice and friendly.

I was there this past weekend on a vacation We were looking for a nice cozy place. Food was good. I would eat again. Service was bad the girl literally threw/slide the menus across the table to us. Didn't bring straws or napkins I had to get up to get them. Place would be great with better service. The hot drinks all taste like hot milk no taste at all. I would order food to go.

Honestly, one of the best Cubanos I've ever had. I went with a classic. The cafe itself is very chill but I took mine to go and sat in the park by the lake and scarfed it. I suggest you do the same.

I've consistently heard good things about Cafecito; however, I've been late to the party. I grabbed lunch at Cafecito today and I was very impressed. I ordered the Chivito Pressed Sandwich it is now my new favorite breakfast (containing egg) sandwich. All of the ingredients were fresh and flavorful. I have a high standard for my skirt steak, and I was pleased with the cut, flavor, and consistency of their skirt steak. The ham was delicious, and the creaminess of the cheese and egg really pulled the whole sandwich together. I also appreciated the amount of lettuce that they used, it helped bring a fresh crispness to the sandwich. Lastly, I have to comment on the sauce as it also helped bring all of the flavors together. The sandwich was made on a fresh loaf of bread and had a crunch to the outside of the sandwich and a soft chewiness in the inside of the sandwich. I also think that the sandwich is adequately priced considering the quality of the ingredients, the variety of the ingredients, and the location of the storefront.

A great lunch spot! I liked the Chivito and breakfast sandwiches, the yuca side was just ok. I wish they were crispier or fries instead but still yummy! I need a whole jar of their mild spicy sauce to take home too

I was totally disappointed walking in this place. The ambiance and atmosphere matched the food. I had a chicken and rice dish that was just bad. The chicken was dry and flavorless, bland rice and the beans... This was the worst Cuban food I've ever eaten. Do not come here thinking you can have a nice sit down meal. It's more like a grab and go.

Very good if not one the best shrimp sandwiches I ever had. Shrimp was fresh enough shrimp to enjoy in every bite. You do not want to miss the boat on this.

The posted hours are not accurate. For the past 2 weeks they weren't open at 7 as stated. I stopped in at 7:45 and it was closed. Came back 15 minutes later and still closed. I don't think the employees get there on time. They also don't close at 6, more like 5.

We went here with 14 middle schoolers. They all took the tomatoes off their sandwiches because they didn't see it listed on the description. It's very possible they didn't read well enough. The service was fast, prices are reasonable, and the sandwiches were good. I swear I remember them being bigger. I left a little hungry. My Elveez was not enough on its own.

BEST CUBAN?!?! Went in and ordered it for take out. When you walk in there are signs that say they have the best Cuban in Chicago. For that reason, I decided to try out the Cubano and Palomilla. It was not long until my order was ready and headed back to my nearby hotel. When I got back, my sandwiches were still pleasantly warm. I bit into the cubano and I was let down. I was expecting the "best" but I find it hard to believe. It was very average. The Palomilla was way better as it was more flavorful. I would get the Palomilla again but not the Cubano. Overall, if you want a sandwich this place is a pretty good option.

Genuinely one of the worst restaurant experiences in my life. Waited 30 minutes for any waiter to arrive to our table after we repeatedly tried communicating with the staff that we were ready. Food came out reasonably quickly but (coffee) came out about 20 minutes after. I ordered an omelette that was meant to come with pork, veggies, and sauce. I received pork in an omelette, ew. I told this to two waiters at different time points and they both tried to lie to me that the omelette I ordered only came with pork (?). I eventually had to pull up the menu on my phone to prove my point, and they finally conceded and told me they would add a manager's discount. Their solution was to remove $4.50 off of our group's $100 check (we asked for the entire meal to be removed which they eventually did). No apology, no offer to bring out different food, just rude wait staff who were trying to gaslight me for their mistake. I normally love Cafecito but this experience was so ridiculous. Will not be returning, I recommend thinking twice about dining here.

I love this place - unique Cuban sandwiches that are tasty and reliable! The Cubano and ropa vieja are so yummy! Great price point too. I come here every time I'm in downtown Chicago!

This place was great! I hope one day Cafecito will expand my way out in the suburbs; if it were closer, I would probably eat here all of the time. As it is, we stopped here for some lunch following a visit to the Art Institute. This location is pretty small, but the one on Fullerton looks bigger, if you want more space. The menu here appeared to be full-size, at least, and the upbeat music contributed to an overall pleasant atmosphere. My sister and brother-in-law each got sandwiches (a roasted eggplant sandwich and a Cubano, respectively), while I got the Palomilla platillo. That includes "thinly sliced steak, grilled onions, raw onions, parsley, lime juice, and mojo." At about $15, it's not a bad value at all, especially considering all of the platillos include "white rice, black beans and plantains unless otherwise noted." Hopefully their prices continue to stay that reasonable! The flavor of my dish was on point as well. I hope to have more opportunities for return visits so I can try some of their other tempting menu items. It was so hard to choose!

I've always loved this spot. Their food is quality. The bean soup is tasty. I haven't had a bad sandwich. If you order on Yelp, go earlier than what Yelp says. Glitch in system I guess. Servers are nice as well. All around good lunch spot

Ordered delivery and got the La Costa. The delivery experience was good, but the La Costa definitely didn't taste as good as getting it and eating it at the Fullerton location. Thinking I should try something new when doing takeout.

This place has the most delicious brunch, and the absolute best pancakes I've ever had the mangonut!

Went at 12:30p on a Tuesday and it was busy busy! Everyone coming in and out on their lunch break. But we were lucky to grab 2 window seats for a quick bite. Food: got the Cubano sandwich and it was warm/savory. Friend got the pollo chipotle and he was happy!!! Way better than Subway or any other sandwich place I've tried so far. Would definitely come back for another quick bite and try more of their sandwiches!!!

First time trying cuban food and their Ropa Veja Pressed Sandwich did not disappoint! Been coming here regularly since then. It gets pretty crowded to dine in so I usually just order to-go.

Cafe con leche is so good. And any pressed sandwich. Their sandwich cubano or breakfast sandwich I've had and always good.

It finally happened! My boss took the whole company out to eat at Cafecito to make an "important announcement" the other night. After the fantastic meal of slow roasted skirt steak with juicy plantains and perfectly cooked rice, he made the announcement: he was going to retire. This is great news because a) Huey has quite possibly been the worst boss I've ever had and b) I'm quite on track to be promoted to his position. Thank you Cafecito! Thank you for helping deliver this fantastic news!

I was visiting a friend in Chicago, and this place was recommended by a family member! It was extremely cold, but the warmth of this cafe made my day. You have to get the Chivito sandwich, bomb.

We ordered this today for lunch and everyone was correct. It was so good. I got the chicken Portillo I think and it wasn't spicy at all. The Cuban is what they're known for I'm told. We had it delivered by Uber.

Just stopped in for coffee, but was really impressed! Not much to look at from the outside and pretty tiny cafe/seating area but plentiful menu and counter service was really nice. One of the better cafe con leches I have ever had! Would not hesitate to return for breakfast or lunch.

Very crowded and service is slow. I waited 40 minutes for a cubano. It tasted good but not worth the wait.

Added this place to my Chicago itinerary after seeing the raving reviews here and ended up trying the chivito and cafe con leche. They were both okay. I liked the soft bread of the chivito, but everything in between the bread was bland. The steak especially was flavorless and had a gray color to it. Maybe like 5 shoestring fries were in the sandwich. The sandwich kept me satiated for sure from all of the protein but not in a satisfying way. First time trying cafe con leche and maybe I should've ordered the coffee drink that has less milk in it (the cortadito) because this one tasted a little too creamy. It may/may not be authentic Cuban espresso in it (saw comments about it on other reviews) but the flavor wasn't remarkable. Overall it tasted like a Starbucks Frappuccino (not saying that it was terrible.....I like Frappuccinos from time to time but I was expecting a coffee drink with some oomph). Ehh maybe this place just isn't my cup of tea (or coffee).

Why am I just now finding this place? A huge variety of pressed sandwiches, platters, salads, desserts and drinks. I had to start with the tender con leche cookie (melt in your mouth amazing)! I got two sandwiches to share and the jarmon definitely beat out the cubano. The cubano was too dry for my liking but still tasty. The jarmon with the red peppers is a delicious combo. This place is clean, everyone is wearing masks and the service is quick. Go here for a delicious lunch and don't forget that cookie!

It's a tiny tiny restaurant. I went with the chicken chipotle sandwich and it was pretty good. I might venture back to try other sandwiches but maybe a different location. First, this location didn't offer croquettes! Wish I knew that before heading to this location. And they ran out of another sandwich which is disappointing but also speaks to their popularity. Some people sat down and ate with the limited seating but this is more of a grab and go place. Perfect for summer with outdoor seating.

My Cafe was delicious and gave me the kick I needed to start my day. Also tried a Guava Alfajore and it was DELISH!

This place is in a dark area under the El so you can miss it. It is a small cafe with breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches. I stopped as it smelled wonderful. They have pressed sandwiches that you can customize. Add a bag of chips and a fountain drink for meal. The sandwich came with a sauce which was a little spicy for me so I left it off. Bread and meat were good. There were desserts and salads in the cooler you can choose from as well. Service was fast as I ordered when I got the there. They had lots of pickup orders and I always saw a crowd so I figured why not? I was satisfied with my choice for lunch and I took it back to the office. They have a few small tables but it is too crowded to eat there as people are waiting for their orders.

So... this place came highly recommended but I just wasn't impressed. The sandwiches were messy and basically just grilled chicken in bread with bbq sauce. The pastry was good but hardly any filling. Don't have much to say other than there are better sandwich options in Chicago.

Wonderful service, great coffee, and delicious pressed sandwiches in an unassuming location under the tracks. Recommended if you're looking for a quick bite in the Loop without spending an arm and a leg.

I just came back from Chicago from visiting my sister. Whenever we speak she blames me for getting her addicted to Cuban coffee...My favorite! She raves about Cafecito's espresso deche Leche coffee. As soon as I arrived I had to go their. I drink coffee all day & had to see what she's been raving about. Upon arriving, she was explaining how they have open air dining and noticed 2 women with 3 dogs sitting at a table in a corner, where one woman was feeding her dog with his paws on the table eating treats. Then the server came by, and nicely asked her not to feed the dog on the table. I couldn't believe that she started rant about the service and that the server couldn't even speak proper English & she would write the worst review & would NEVER recommend this place. I'm the concierge at the Hilton & I will ruin your business. I wanted to say you're in a Cuban restaurant & English is their second language & maybe she needed to learn proper manners & some diversity training. Then the Manager came over to kindly ask the woman to refrain from having their dogs eat on the table. She began to rant at HIM and said she was the "Concierge at the Hilton" and that she will tell everyone not to patronize this establishment. I live in Boston Massachusetts and we too have open air dining and are able to bring our pets, but because of Board of Health statutes they are not allowed on the tables and chairs or eat off the table. I'm sure it is the same in Chicago. What made her think she is so privileged that she is allowed to have her pets eat off the table? Not sanitary! I am a pet owner & my animals aren't allowed to eat off the table for that reason. I was so embarrassed for the server and the manager, that I was compelled to apologize to them for being confronted in an open-air setting for all to hear. How rude and unprofessional of a woman that is a concierge at a Hilton, and is this how they treat their guests at their establishment? Well, I must say the coffee was AMAZING & the staff I found to be very pleasant, cordial and had a great personality. The manager I thought handled the confrontation with respect and professionalism and people like Eric the manager should be CLONED! I was very impressed! An asset to this establishment. We didn't eat here because we already ate, but the food I saw come out of the kitchen looked amazing and sooooo appetizing, I wish I didn't!! NEXT TRIP! People should be aware that voices travel in the open & the reason for this review. Unless that was her intent! Everyone has off days, but that was uncalled for. If you visit this establishment you will love the area, the people & the COFFEE!! Now I know why CPD was always outside. They know where to get the best COFFEE!

I found this spot on yelp summer 2022 during a trip to Chicago and decided to give it a try. We got two sandwiches which were both a bit light but flavorful. The coffee I ordered was smaller than I expected but it packed a decent punch which helped me walk around like a tourist.

TL;DR What to order: * cafe con leche ($2.79/$3.29) * cubano ($7.49) * probably anything, really What to watch out for: * this location is very small (might not matter much for the time being since no dining in is allowed anyway, heh) * cafe con leche comes pre-sweetened ======== I've gone to the south loop Ida B Wells location a couple times pre-COVID and really enjoyed the cubano ($7.49) and one of the breakfast sandwiches with steak in it. I've also sampled the Ropa Vieja ($8.29) and Guava-Q ($7.99) and everything I've tried has been really good. As mentioned above, I really like the cafe con leche and it's one of the tastiest coffees I've ever had, but it does come quite sweet. Next time if I have some self-control I'll ask for it to be less sweet. I've also tried the guava cheesecake ($3-4?), which was interesting and not bad, though I wasn't a huge fan of the sponge cake bottom crust and it was on the sweeter side. There was also a really great flan dessert I tried before, but I didn't see it at this location when I went recently. I really love Cafecito and have never had a bad experience the handful of times that I've been at either this one or the south loop location! Will definitely be back to try more of the menu.

We took a walking tour in the morning & had another one scheduled for the afternoon in a different neighborhood. We asked our morning tour guide for a quick lunch place in the neighborhood (not far from the Loop) and he recommended Cafecito. It's a casual place with great menu options, sandwiches or salads or platters, nominally Cuban, but really a bit more varied. You look at the menu, order at the counter, and then someone brings your order. The method is that the server is carrying it into the seating area & they call out the order - if it's yours, you claim it! My friend like her sandwich, I don't recall which one she had. I ordered the Jerk chicken sandwich. I get that it was lunchtime. I get that it's hard to get sufficient staff these days. I get that they got slammed around the time of my ordering. But 25 minutes later I still didn't have my sandwich & I was ravenous - my friend was almost finished with hers! So I went to the counter & ordered one of their salads and asked if I could have it right away - the young woman was very accommodating & dished it out & handed it to me. I'm afraid I kind of scarfed it down, but it was a generous portion & very tasty (hearts of palm, olives, in an awful lot of olive oil dressing). Finally I stood up with my receipt & tried to get someone's attention to ask about my sandwich - at that moment, the server grabbed an order from the cook's counter & called out "jerk chicken." I asked if it was mine, because I had ordered to eat there & this was in a to-go bag. She looked at my receipt & the ticket on the bag, & said yes, so then she went back to the cook's counter to get it plated for me. She hands me the plate - and it isn't jerk chicken, it's something else! I hand it back to her - after a back & forth with one of the guys in the kitchen, I did finally get my jerk chicken sandwich. It wasn't much in terms of jerk seasoning, but I'll admit that there was a good amount of chicken on the sandwich with lettuce & whatever, so at least I did have lunch! I'd recommend this place - but don't go if you see a long line.