Skip to content
312 Eats
Loop · Caribbean · $

Cafecito

4.5859 reviews ·Opens at 8AM tomorrow
The fried plantains were also outstanding—perfectly cooked and delicious
Brice LeroiBrice Leroi · 209 Google reviews
Read the reviews on Google →

Cafecito — neighborhood caribbean in Loop. The kind of place your parents probably knew about too. The drinks match the food in quality, and solid veggie options. Eddie Torres: "The sandwich was pressed to perfection—crispy bread packed with juicy roasted pork, ham, Swiss, pickles" [$]

🌱Vegan & vegetarian friendly — real options, not one sad pasta.

What 859 diners keep saying

Fast serviceNeighborhood institutionCozyOld schoolGreat cocktailsQuick bite
Plan your visit
7 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60606
Loop
Today8AM-5PM
SunClosed
Mon–Fri8AM-5PM
SatClosed
Own Cafecito? Claim this page · Spot an error? Suggest an edit

What 859 diners keep saying

verbatim, from Google
Review photo by Dulce Ramos
Jan 2026

I pays almost $20 for a Cuban sandwich and cafe con leche. The sandwich seemed small at first but it did NOT disappoint! At the end, I had a very happy tummy. The food was fresh and the coffee was nice and hot on this cold winter day. Seating is limited. Great sandwich. Totally recommend.

Dulce Ramos

Dulce Ramos

284 reviews on Google

Review photo by Mile Dom
Dec 2025

Un pequeño restaurante q sorprende, buen trato, buen servicio y la comida excelente, recomendado, muy céntrico

Mile Dom

Mile Dom

33 reviews on Google

Review photo by James Warren
Dec 2025

Superb Curbano, tasty coffee & friendly staff! A must visit

James Warren

James Warren

198 reviews on Google

Review photo by Michael Maguet
Sep 2025

Stopped in for a quick coffee and Tres Leches. Delicious.

Michael Maguet

Michael Maguet

22 reviews on Google

Review photo by Rolo
Jul 2026

This is the kind of place you would most certainly walk past without noticing but I was thrilled that their cuban style sandwich was very good and worth a try. But its not flashy or full of hype, just good food served by friendly proprietors that care about preparing a good product. Their chivito Cuban sandwich is essentially a “breakfast” grinder with steak, ham and bacon with a fried egg & melted cheese on a soft yet toasted pressed bread. Its a balanced bite of tang and acidity cutting through the richness of the fatty meats. There are many more sandwiches on their menu but if they are all of similar quality, I will need to revisit this place sooner rather than later. A solid 4⭐️s!!

Rolo

Rolo

417 reviews on Google

Review photo by Pangoo
Aug 2025

Was alright good for a quick lunch stop.

Pangoo

Pangoo

360 reviews on Google

Review photo by stacylaughs
May 2025

I now understand why this place is always busy. Get the Cubano or Chevito. I take my food to go, in part because of the limited seating. Coffee and hot sauce are great.

stacylaughs

stacylaughs

806 reviews on Google

Review photo by DM
Jul 2025

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 eaten fresh!

DM

DM

99 reviews on Google

Review photo by Purple Swag
May 2026

I've ate in person before and the food is fresh , they tried pulling a fast one when I ordered online giving me yesterday's rice. Absolutely disgusting , never again. Food is good when you order in person , online they will try to give you what's at the back of the fridge microwave it and hope you don't notice. And no this is not sticky rice , this is yesterday's rice.

Purple Swag

Purple Swag

21 reviews on Google

Jul 2026

If you want great food at a reasonable price from lovely people... this is it all day long. I would recommend giving this place a visit.

James Smith

James Smith

2 reviews on Google

Jul 2026

😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😩😘😩😘😩

Pope Magiet

Pope Magiet

96 reviews on Google

Apr 2026

This is amazing little find for us. We were only in Chicago a few days and came in. It got really busy after we got our food and I never heard the staff be anything but lovely to the customers. The ropa viejo was so tasty and the coffee really nice. After eating here it is no surprise that it became standing room only at lunch time.

Jennifer Wicker

Jennifer Wicker

23 reviews on Google

Sounds like your kind of place?

Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.

First Bite

One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.

More Caribbean in Downtown & River North

See the ranking →

If it's packed, walk to…

More good rooms in Loop, minutes away.

Keep exploring