Cafe 28

Rumor has it Café 28 is closing. Tragic news floating across the internets. The lovely Vanessa M and I had brunch before it did close and it was fantastic as always.

So, I hear its closed — which is a disappointment. Their Honey-​Jalapeño Pork Chops were amazing and most unique taste I have ever experienced.
I only hope someone or the main chef see’s this and lets us know where we might find the old menu perhaps in a new location.
It was a pricey restaurant but the food and flavor was top notch and worth it for that one in ahwile special night out.

I am SUPER DISAPPOINTED that this place closed. :(I am not even sure why I am writing this review — — maybe it’ll convince them to re-​open?
Came here last weekend of January as a last-​minute birthday dinner plan for a girlfriend and we found that not only was it BYOB, it was also MYOC — this was shaping up to be a fantastic dinner already. We made reservations and were told that the only had an opening at 8:30 (it was 6pm) and we thought we could go in early and just get seated. Well, of course we ended up running late anyway, but they were still able to seat us fairly soon after arriving with birthday girl and other girlfriends in tow.
Excellent server — fairly certain we play for the same team, but my girls and I could not help but stare at his butt, and yes, my boyfriend was right next to me. He offered shot glasses for our tequila and took our wines to mix up our own sangrias, which we unfortunately did not finish because the tequila dominated our systems soon after.
The meals were divine — I ordered the Honey-​Jalapeño Pork Chops (so tasty, even if I just ordered a single) and the two of the girlfriends ordered Scallops al Tamarindo, also delicious. We also did a couple tapas-​style appetizers which were tasty and gone before we knew it — I’d recommend the Empanadas, not that it matters. :(
Oh Café 28, with your awesome MYOC program and your cute-​butted server… you will be missed for sure.

My friends and I had never tried Cuban food before, so we decided to give this place a try during restaurant week. We were running late for our reservations because of traffic and the weather, but they still seated us immediately without any problems. I appreciate how accommodating they were. After a couple of minutes, we ordered off of the prix fixe menu:
Starters:
Empanadas Cubanas — fried turnovers filled with ground beef, raisins, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. It was accompanied with fried plantains. I thought this was just ok, I had better. The empanada’s fillings were not as flavorful as I would like it, kind of dry if you ask me.
Coconut Shrimp — shrimp cooked in a sweet and spicy coconut sauce served over curry rice. I’m not a big fan of coconut or curry, so I didn’t enjoy this dish at all. But if you do like coconut and/​or curry, then you might like it.
Bacon Wrapped Dates — dates wrapped in bacon served over a tomato basil sauce. These were good size dates without compensating its sweetness. Overall it was a good mixture of saltiness and sweetness.
Seconds:
Pear Salad — mixed greens served with sliced pears and spicy pecans. This dish was an explosion of flavor in your mouth. It was sweet, spicy, and sour all at the same time. It was pretty unique and quite tasty.
Corn Chowder — chunks of assorted seafood in a corn chowder. It was ok, nothing to rave about. It just taste like corn chowder, the waitress made it sound sooo much better than it was.
Entrees:
Ropa Vieja — marinated braised steak served with beans, rice, and plantains. Wasn’t a fan of this entrée. The steak was not marinated as good as I would like it. I had much better tasting ropa vieja at a much lower price point.
Blackened Duck — sliced duck served over mashed potatoes and green beans. The duck in this dish was overwhelmed by the sauce. There was no taste of duck anywhere in the dish. Personally I like duck, but this place was pretty disappointing.
Honey Jalapeño Pork Chop — 12oz bone in pork chop served over mashed sweet potatoes. The pork chop was cooked pretty well. It was easy to cut and wasn’t hard to chew. But this entrée was overly sweet. I wish it had more of a spicy kick to it.
Overall, the service was impeccable but the food here is nothing to rave about. At this price point, I expect the dishes here to be above average. Thank goodness we went during restaurant week and it was at a lower price point. I don’t know how I would feel paying more than $ 33 on this meal.

This was our first time here, and we came here for restaurant week. The service was great and the food was amazing. We had the green tamales, bacon dates, coconut shrimp for appetizers. For our main entrees we had the pork chop, ropa vieja, and the chicken fajitas. I would say the winner was the pork chop! It was so tasty and had a sweet taste to it. The ropa vieja was good but I’ve had better. The the chicken fajitas were very spicy but good.
This place is BYOB so that was definitely a bonus. We were looking at the drink menu and I wanted sangria. But I guess in order for them to make sangria you had to bring the wine in. So i don’t know how I felt about that.
Other than that the service and food was good. I would definitely recommend this place as a cute date night or a a night to catch up with friends.

Last Sunday was my first time back in four years and I was pleased with the food and service, yet again. One thing to note — it’s currently BYOB, but they will mix drinks for you. I brought a bottle of wine and they whipped up some really tasty sangria for the table.
There were four of us celebrating a birthday. We had the bacon wrapped dates and guacamole appetizers. Both delicious. The dinners were good … everyone was pleased. My meal was a bit sweeter than I like (I ordered the Comal w/​steak), but everyone else loved it. We ordered the flourless chocolate cake for dessert and we devoured it. I will definitely come back to Café 28 again soon.

Pro-​tip: They are temporarily BYOB with a killer MYOC (Make Your Own Cocktail) program… grab a fifth of some raucous rum and you’re in for a fabulous treat that won’t set you back a mortgage payment. ($ 4.50 served virgin, add your own booze, voila).
**check website or call to confirm their BYOB status, it sounds quite temporary**
Almost 4 years later (almost to the day!) and I’m back to say Café 28 should maybe just change their name to Café 5. Café 5-​stars. I made a reservation for 7 on a Saturday night that included a few picky eaters, my parents, etc. Everyone loved it.
Everything I loved about it 5 years ago (one of my very first Unilocal reviews!) I love about it today. Friendly service, great ambience, happy vibe, excellent food (the scallops were perfection!). We brought a few bottles of wine and were pleased as peaches.
Final bill for 7: $ 241 (inc tip). Extremely affordable for 7 adults that enjoyed a full round of appetizers + an entrée each. Roughly $ 30.
Those scallops were a standout.
MYOC? Get after it Chicago, get after IT.

When a place has a solid four star rating, 500+ reviews, you know its going to be a good night. I just can’t believe I never made it to Café 28 when I lived in Northcenter… passed it by many times for trips to Long Bar and The Piggery (which is now closed). It’s unsuspecting from the street but don’t be fooled.
We missed out on the MYOC (mix your own cocktail) service. Basically, bring a bottle of Bacardi or your favorite rum, and they will bring out the mixed drinks, and you add the booze. They run $ 4.50 each and you decide the stiffness.
They killed the appetizers and they came out in in no time. Bacon wrapped dates, guacamole, quesadillas, empanadas, chicken and ham croquettes (the taste of cuba). All recommended.
Entrees were all well received. Although one of our diners felt his pork shoulder was under seasoned… everyone is subject to their own opinion. I went for the scallops al tamarindo because I eat enough chicken, pork, and red meat. Happy I went with the mollusks. Seafood flavor with a sweet and sour asian glaze, vegetable risotto, cilantro oil. Executed perfect.
The service was spot on, the dining room was a bit loud but tolerable, and you can’t beat BYOB. I was impressed and is definitely worth another visit. Not surprised as another local Cuban joint (90 miles) made me a believer from the start.

love love love this place. I have to say that everything i ate made me happy.
Started with the Mojito– I would say there was a little too much sugar in there, but that was totally fine with me. You may find a couple of granules on the glass and in the drink.
Moving on to the apps. The guac and chips was just ok. The dates with bacon were perfectly made, with just the right combination of textures to make the flavours stand out. The salmon tartare was well prepared and presented, but I dont eat fish, so didnt enjoy that as much. The Papas Rellenas were incredible and I would recommend you get them every time you go there. The Taste of Cuba was interesting to look at but I wasnt a fan of that dish. The coconut shrimp was good– not superlative, but good.
For the main course I got the pistachio crusted chicken. mmmmmmm SO good. I never thought chicken would be so moist and delicious. From the website: Pistachio Crusted Chicken 19.50
Sautéed & baked pistachio crusted chicken breast, served over garlic white potato purée & sautéed Swiss chard, topped with a goat cheese porto wine sauce.
Yes its high for chicken. Yes you want it.
Dessert was lemon gelato– great texture and flavour, and chocolate mousse — too dark for me but well made and excellently presented.
The place is well suited to both small and big parties — I would say it’s a place that’s great for dinner, as well as dates. The décor is minimal– a few paintings and one painted wall. A note of caution– if you buy at the bar you pay at the bar. If you buy drinks at the table, you can pay for them with the meal.
Thanks for the dinner Café 28, I’ll be back!

We finally made our way to Café 28 on a Friday night & my only complaint is that we waited this long to do so!
Atmosphere
We had reservations for 7PM, but at that time the place was still pretty empty. It started getting busy later at night so make a reservation if dining later; otherwise you can probably just walk in and be seated.
The place is huge: small bar and a few small tables in the front and 2 large dining rooms in the back and a large patio outdoors. Loved that the patio is tucked away behind busy Irving Park Rd.
Service
From the host, to the bus boy, to our waiter, they were all excellent. The bus boy was super attentive and never let unused dishes sit on our table or let our waters go empty; our waiter was also attentive and checked in on us just the right amount.
Food
I am a pretty picky eater and everything I had here was excellent. Great variety of Cuban & Mexican cuisine on the menu.
We started things off with the Taste of Cuba appetizer platter that had empanadas, croquetas, as well as plaintain chips — SO good! The empanadas were filled with juicy and flavorful ground beef and the croquetas rivaled those of my favorite tapas place. I was impressed with the portion size — perfect to share.
For the entrée, I opted for my favorite Cuban dish, ropa vieja, and it did not disappoint. The steak was simmered to perfection and was delicious and tender — served with a side of white rice, black beans, and plantains. Best ropa vieja I have yet to try in the city.
Decided to treat myself to dessert and had the pistachio rum cake which was delicious — fluffy with small amounts of pistachio nuts and topped with whip and strawberry compote. Yum.
Drinks
They have a large wine, beer, and large list of cocktails as well. The red sangria was delicious and sweet with plenty of fruit. Apparently on Sundays they have half-​priced liters of sangria — will have to come back for that.
Overall, a wonderful night filled with excellent service, food, and drink. Steps from the Irving Park brown line this place is easily accessible and is really versatile: great date spot, night out with the girls, or a family dinner. Can’t wait to be back!

Yum

Café 28 is easy to love… and here’s the reason why. The food, it’s delicious!
For starters, we had Maduros which are insanely good, sweet, smashed plantains. For my entrée, I had THE most delicious dish. I’d highly recommend the Pistachio Crusted Chicken to anyone. It is sautéed & baked pistachio crusted chicken breast, served over Jalapeño Mashed potatoes (ummm, heaven!!!) & sautéed spinach, topped with a goat cheese porto wine sauce. OMG, it was amazing. My dining partner for the night had Ropa Vieja which is choice flank steak slowly simmered in a garlic tomato & bell pepper sauce until it falls apart (it’s damn near shredded). Served with white rice, black beans & sweet plantains. Again, another great dish but I enjoyed mine better… so did he. Since I was talked into not eating healthy for the night, I went for some dessert and these guys know how to knock it out of the ball park with their Tres Leches cake. It was honestly probably the best I’ve ever had.
The ambiance is fantastic. The service was great. There’s tons and tons of street parking. I’m in love with Café 28! I’ll be back soon.

Café 28 has made me fall in love with Cuban food. It’s simply delicious!
We started out by ordering the green tamale appetizer. It came in only 4 pieces, each kind of small, but the taste was great! I expected a sort of corn husk wrapped tamale, but these were baked in a wedge with the «inside» part throughout the tamale.
For dinner, my husband ordered the duck and I ordered the Bistec a la Cubana, though we both almost went for the scallops. My dinner was very tasty. The steak they gave me was a huge piece, and it was served with black beans, white rice, yuca, and plantains. Everything was very good and I would highly recommend trying out this restaurant.
It can be a little pricey, but we got a 30% off code to use off our total bill. It was a nice amount of savings.
Finally, I was impressed by our waitress’ knowledge of the wine selection. They have a bunch of South American wines that I wasn’t very familiar with. I asked a few questions to see which one I would like, and the waitress’ recommendation (the malbec) was perfect for my dinner choice.
We will be back.

I’ve made two visits to Café 28 and overall my experiences have been positive. The food is on par with some of the best Cuban places in Chicago. You must try the «Taste of Cuba» appetizer, which comes with empanadas, chicken & ham croquetas, plantain chips and a delicious saffron sauce.
For an entrée, I’ve had the honey jalapeño pork chops, which are tender and flavorful and huge! You have an option of getting a single or double chop. A single is plenty for one person so don’t get the double chops unless you’re sharing with someone. It also comes with a side of sweet potatoes. You can’t go wrong with any of the flavored or regular mojitos or margaritas. My favorite is the raspberry mojito, refreshing on a hot summer day.
Atmosphere and service are warm and friendly. My only complaint is that the entrée prices are just a tad expensive, but great place to grab some appetizers and drinks.

I have been to Café 28 a few times now, once for lunch and the other occasions for weekend brunch. The cuisine has consistently been well above average and it is a great venue if you are not in the mood for a run of the mill brunch menu. In addition to have some standard brunch items such as omelets and pancakes they have several more exotic offerings, featuring Cuban fare. If you still want pancakes, but want to try something different they have Caribbean Banana Pancakes. If you want something on the savory side, my favorite menu item is the Cuban Steak Sandwich; the meat is quite good and not the typical inferior low quality steak often used in steak sandwiches. This steak is good enough to stand alone. I also always order a side of their plantains here (Platanos Maduros), they are sooooo good. The empanadas make for a great appetizer.
In addition to having a stellar menu, the ambiance at Café 28 is pretty nice and the service has generally been pretty good as well. There is a nice outdoor patio when the weather cooperates. They have a full bar and serve some tasty bloody Mary’s during brunch and the coffee is quite good (and strong) to boot. The price is a tad steeper than most brunch locales, but just by a couple of bucks and the quality of the food makes it well worth the nominal increased cost.

I’m torn between 3 and 4 stars — I’d like to go with a 3.5.
Came here with my man a week or so ago after passing by the restaurant several times (and noticing it being pretty busy) — it looks cute, usually has a good crowd, so we tried it.
I made a res. but didn’t end up needing it; we arrived early and had no problem getting a table. We sat outside in their lovely patio area (recommend the outdoor seating here!) started with two mojitos (pretty good, though a little weak for an 8 or 9 dollar cocktail) and their bland bread basket (we both thought chips/​salsa or more festive bread would have been more appropriate than this very blah bread).
I ordered a chicken meal with beans, rice & plantains, and an odd addition of green beans (I love green beans, but that really didn’t fit this dish at all); He ordered a steak dish where half the plate was beans (he wasn’t happy about that), rice and plantains.
The food was good, but for the price ($ 15 – 19) I would have expected more: flavor, pizazz, quantity? Something!.. Particularly the beans/​rice — there was no extra flavor here — tasted like someone mixed white rice with a can of black beans — nothing more. The chicken had nice flavor, some seasoning, but nothing else really was anything special.
We both love 90 Miles — and the whole time, I couldn’t help but think how much better 90’s food and prices are!
We had great service from the time we walked in to getting our bill. Everyone was on top of things, but overall, I was a little disappointed with the flavor of the food (and the strength of the drinks), for the high menu prices.

The ceiling was leaking into a bin on the dining room floor. Gross.
Just because you call the food Cuban doesn’t mean it is. My jalapeño pork chops didn’t have a hint of jalapeño. My husbands steak was passable. The «taste of Cuba» app was decent but I’m not really sure what the various food items were– other than deep fried. Service was poor– we had 3 separate waiters that couldn’t keep track of what we ordered or deliver what was ordered. We got charged for an extra mojito that we never got. Skip– expensive and totally not worth it.

I was working in the neighborhood and came here for lunch with some coworkers a couple of weeks ago. Newcomers like myself should be aware that there are two entrances, one for dinner only, so make sure you keep looking until you find the lunch door. They do a lot of takeout but have a large seating area as well, and we were able to sit right away. I ordered some mango juice to start, and it came out in a delicate little champagne flute. I’d have loved a larger glass of the yummy stuff, but it was sweet and wonderfully refreshing.
We started with some chips and guac, which was just what the doctor ordered. They aren’t skimpy in providing their guac and there was much more left after we ran out of chips. They also offered us some toasted bread rounds, which made decent guac dipping devices.
For my entrée, I decided very quickly to go with the Cuban sandwich, as this is a Cuban place and it seemed like one of their specialties. I was in love from the first bite — the bread was grilled and crunchy, the cheese was wonderfully melted and the pickle was thinly sliced so as not to be overwhelming. It came with a side of plantain chips, which weren’t quite crunchy enough. Others got some less exciting looking salads and an interesting Mexican chicken sandwich.
The service was quick and friendly and I noticed there was some outdoor seating too, perfect for lunch hour on a warm day when you want to soak in some fresh air before heading back to the office. The lunch food here was simple but yummy, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone in the area!

Café 28 is a Mexican/​Cuban joint with lightning fast service, but incredibly overpriced food.
I rolled in with a group of friends, surveyed the menu and settled on the ropa vieja (choice flank steak slowly simmered in a garlic tomato and bell peppers sauce until it falls apart). It came with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains.
I ate it, it was good, but I was still hungry. With tax, that dish alone ran over $ 17.
Seventeen dollars is not a crazy amount to throw down if I’m going to have a good, filling meal. But if I’m going to eat what was essentially a disassembled Chipotle barbacoa burrito (minus the tortilla), $ 17 seems a bit extreme. In fact, I could have bought two of the aforementioned burritos and still had $ 3 leftover… and I would have been way more full.
On a side note, doesn’t «ropa vieja» mean «old clothes»? Nice name for your dish, Café 28.
Bottom line: The food is good, but not great. The service was awesome. But the value just isn’t there.

MEATY! If you like meat, you’ll probably like this place.
SERVICE: We were greeted the minute we walked in and were given a nice little table by the window (we beat the rush by going at 6pm on a Thursday night). The waiter was great by giving us time to think about our order and coming back when we needed him. He gave us a basket of bread with seasoned butter. The butter was pretty good, I tasted honey and something spicy.
MOJITO: $ 8 for a large glass (see photos). I was buzzed within 5 minutes (yes, I am a light weight, but it was strong!) It was too bitter for my taste, but that didn’t stop me from having every last drop.
DINNER:
1. Ropa Vieja — Flank steak slowly simmered in a garlic tomato sauce until it falls apart. Served with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains. This dish reminded me of pulled pork. It was pretty tasty and the sauce was good with the rice and black beans. My favorite part was the plantains, mmmm… sweet and delicious.
2. Honey Jalapeño Pork Chops — Marinated, grilled then baked to perfection. Served with sweet potatoes. This dish was too sweet for me (I like my main course on the salty side). They were the largest pork chops I’ve ever seen.
DESSERT: They do have a dessert menu, which I didn’t see on the website so I’m not sure if they change it often. I took a picture of it in case you are curious. I only finished half my meal but was too stuffed to order dessert.
AMBIANCE: Very nicely decorated and soothing Cuban music softly playing through the speakers. The bar area by the entrance looked cozy and inviting.
BATHROOM: For those of you that like to read about the bathroom, this place has a one toilet room for each gender. The Ladies happened to be out of order while I was there, so I had to use the caballeros. Nothing to write home about.
WHAT’S NEARBY? The Whole Tooth is right across the street and I could see the Irving Park Brown Line stop from my seat.
PARKING: We parked on Ravenswood where there were tons of parking. The sign says Permit 57, but that’s only from 8a — 10a.