Cafecito — Restaurant in Chicago

I really wanted to like this place. My hopes were high! The menu looked varied and promising.

But—

the yuca frita was bland (without the mojo). the beans and rice were so dry and with no flavor. The beans tasted exactly like room temperature can beans recently rinsed off. the Jerk was only ok. No explosion of spices or hint that it was marinated. The stringy, soggy lettuce really brought it down. el borracho— I saw one shrimp and it was whitish-pink. No seasoning, no grill marks, no sign of anything but being defrosted and maybe boiled.

And finally, this one hurts: there was a hair in the beans and rice. 😔

It’s a shame. The woman at the counter was lovely! And the homemade hot sauce she gave me was the best part of the meal.

Ugh, their menu over promised and the final result under delivered. Maybe it was a one-off. Or maybe it’s the takeaway experience? I’m sure it’s better...

Cafecito in Chicago is an exceptional Cuban restaurant—a true hidden gem I discovered while strolling through the city. Once again, my intuition and senses didn’t fail me. This place is simply fabulous.

The menu offers a great variety of choices, with traditional and healthy dishes full of flavors. What impressed me the most was the perfect mix of ingredients in the meals: rice with vegetables, perfectly roasted meat, black beans, and onions. I have a special love for black beans when they’re well-cooked, and Cafecito absolutely delivered.

The fried plantains were also outstanding—perfectly cooked and delicious. The excellent quality of the food, combined with the reasonable prices, makes it an unbeatable experience.

I’ll return every time I’m in Chicago. I even met some Chicago city staff who were having lunch there, and they told me, “This restaurant is a treasure.” And they’re...

In all honesty, very kind and nice service. They really do try to make the experience pleasant for every customer. When the line gets extremely long (which it can especially in the summer months [small establishment but it can easily get out the door and longer on a nice day]), they may even walk outside to take orders to expedite the process.

Great sandwiches, try them all and see what you like best. Did I mention the prices are better than jimmy johns???...and it's Cuban sandwiches!! This place is a buzz around lunch time so 10 minute wait is normal unless you time it right (takes weeks of practice to time it right lol). Great spot, I usually go once or twice a week, highly recommended, don't expect a place to sit during lunch hours b/c tiny hole in the wall...but is there anything better...