Mudslingers Cafe

Great place for breakfast. Love the donuts. Friendly staff and they also have a drive-​thru.

I was hoping for a lot more out of this place. We arrived with about 50 minutes left of them being open. A female employee was mopping the floor, and didn’t look pleased to see 4 customers come walking in at all (sorry for the business?). I had an iced pumpkin latte, and there was no flavor to it at all. For nearly $ 4 for a tiny cup, I was expecting something borderline blow-​my-​mind. I tried a sip of my friend’s iced mudslinger, and still, nothing great. Thankfully I don’t live in the area so I can’t return anytime soon. The only decent thing was that their flavored whole coffee beans smelled pretty awesome.

Their doughnut holes are to die for, especially the apple cinnamon ones they have in the fall. Their coffee is pretty excellent too!

I’m a big iced coffee fan, and the largest iced coffee they offer is quite small in comparison to other coffee shops. I have only been here once on my way to NIU early one morning. While I thought my coffee was good, they gave me the wrong thing. I ordered a caramel iced coffee and what I got was something very chocolatey and dark. It didn’t taste bad, it just was not what I ordered. Also, the drink was overpriced for how small it was. I’d like to try it again because I think if they gave me the correct drink I would’ve had a much better experience. Wouldn’t recommend an iced drink to many people though. Seems you get more for your $ if you get a hot coffee!

Just got back from Mudslingers. Hot fresh doughnuts on an early morning bike ride.
Good doughnuts at a good price, nice staff. Nothing bad to say about this place.
Go. Enjoy.
(Oh, and good coffee, too.)

Love this place for many reasons. Love the slingers, drinks and sandwiches. My favorite is the turkey with coleslaw. My only complaint would be the limited evening hours. I moved to Genoa from sycamore but still try to go when I can because I enjoy it so much. The staff is always very friendly too.

Great place! Owner is super nice, bagel sandwich w/​bacon and egg was tasty, latte was great. Place has a nice vibe and is cozy inside. Highly recommend.

Excellent breakfast sandwich and very friendly staff. Their coffee and mini cinnamon doughnuts keep me coming back. Also free wifi leather chairs drive through nice and quiet inside to sit and read the paper.

Excellent service, tasty food, great coffee, and a comfortable/​relaxing work space! Bagel sandwich and coffee were perfect with an exciting homemade donut bonus!

I think every town needs more of these non-​chain type of coffee places. Preferably near every metra station… see where I’m getting at??? I always thought a small coffee shop with limited food was the best business, near a train because I know I’m not the only person who likes to grab breakfast on the go.
Anyway, this place does have a drive thru window so that requires a star as well.
This is a great place to chill out with your laptop and a cup of coffee, and maybe some eats like those mini donuts they have to purchase. It’s just a cute shop whether you’re a student, stopping in to work, meet friends, or whatever.
Again, every town needs one of these!

Absolute best coffee shop around. Coffee is great, food is awesome, and a very friendly staff to boot.

Fun place with a great friendly staff. Visited on the recommendation of a fried to try out the mini donuts. We had the Oreo & chocolate and the Ghirardelli Carmel, chocolate and nuts mini donuts and they were delicious! Coffees were great too and loved that they offer almond milk as a dairy alternative! Will definitely be back to try more of the menu!

Love this great spot just on the edge of downtown Sycamore. Mini donuts are a fun novelty that taste amazing. Sandwiches are incredible. Cozy environment. Great staff. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that the coffee could be better. Would love to have a spot in town that could highlight top-​shelf coffee and hand-​brewed methods.
Love coming here for some solo work or reading time, bringing the kids for a quick bite to eat, or with a group of friends for a chat.

I just when to Mudslingers for the first time today and I loved it! I’ve been to Shawn’s twice and neither experience was good so when I saw that there was a new locally owned coffee shop in Sycamore I had to try it. From the moment I walked in, the staff was extremely friendly. The guy who took care of me noticed I was looking at the menu and asked if I’d been there before. When I said no, he offered several recommendations. While he was talking the girl working in the back brought me a donut to sample! Fantastic and a nice touch!
Keep in mind I was there for several hours so I had:
The Mudslinger ($ 5.90): Since it was 82 degrees, I really should have gotten it iced but it was quite good. I’m a coffee drink person (not a fan of black coffee) and the sweetness was perfect for me, it wasn’t overly sweet, just the right amount to give it a nice flavor.
Turkey & Cheddar Panini w/​mini cinnamon & sugar donuts ($ 5.95): This was recommended by the guy working there and I loved it! You have a choice of seven grain or rye; I opted for the rye. I’m not a huge fan of deli mustard but it had just the right amount to give it a nice flavor without being overpowering. The bread also had a slight peppery flavor to it which was very nice. The donuts were good but I’d suggest getting one of the other sides and a half dozen donuts instead.
Iced Latte with Butterscotch ($ 2.85 + $.25 for the syrup): Good but really strong. If you don’t like strong coffee, add some sugar to it. Good price for 16 oz.
Mini Donuts w/​Ghirardelli Caramel, Chocolate & Nuts ($ 3.25 for ½ Dozen): Very good! The topping amount was just right to given the donuts enough flavor without being overpowering.
Wi-​Fi: Um… they have wi-​fi, you just have to ask for the password. I had no problem using it and since Shawn’s doesn’t have it, it’s a big plus for Mudslingers. It worked fine the whole time I was using it.
Hours and Features: THEY HAVE A DRIVE THRU!!! Love! Their «winter hours» (???, yeah, not sure what their summer hours are…) during the week are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. which I think is reasonable for a place in Sycamore. I agree that it would be nice if they were opened later but given the location and the rather limited menu, the hours are reasonable.
In terms of their menu, all drinks can be made hot or iced (their iced and blended menu is limited so I asked) and soy milk is an option. My one complaint is that the only vegetarian sandwich option is a grilled cheese. I know, it’s Sycamore, land of meat and cheese but it would be nice to have a lower-​calorie veggie option. They use Boar’s Head products for their sandwiches which is great!
I’m looking forward to going back and trying some of their other options. They also have frozen yogurt, smoothies, and shaved ice.
Overall, Mudslingers is really cute inside and very clean. The employees are really friendly which is great. A lot of people (for Sycamore) came in while I was there which gave it a great neighborhood feel. It’s quite enough to get work done or to chat with someone. I’m looking forward to going back when I need a quick coffee or to get some work done. Much better than Shawn’s!

Pros: Great mini-​donuts and other food. Staff is very hospitable and it actually feels like a mom and pop coffee shop rather than a corporate fast food coffee place. Easy to relax and have a good conversation or catch-​up on email/​read. WiFi is strong and reliable. (You just have to ask for the code which they are very forthcoming with.) Espresso made drinks are solid and worth the funds.
Cons: I’ve had better coffee.

On a second review, I have to downgrade a star. While everything I said before is still true, there are three major issues. 1) Limited hours, as Mudslingers closes no later than 5 pm, which is quite early for a place I would rather visit in the later afternoon. 2) Wifi was «limited access,» meaning I COULDN’T GET ON THE INTERNET. What good is wifi that doesn’t get me online? I understand that the typical Sycamore population might be made up of people who don’t care about things like wifi, but for me at a coffee shop, it is a MUST. If I am spending time there, it is probably because I need to work on something – something that always needs internet. 3) The drinks are just OK. After today’s visit, I had to get rid of the second half of mine because it tasted like the bitter taste of defeat.
I want so much to like you, Mudslingers, but I can’t let these things be.

The staff and owners should be proud! The coffee is genuine and I’m picky. The homemade doughnuts are crazy delicious, I mean really fantastic. The staff are friendly and prompt. I have had their sandwiches but they look tremendous. They are JUST what Sycamore needs.