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Kafein

3.5 star rating
based on 98 reviews

Categories: Restaurants, Coffee & Tea  [Edit]

1621 Chicago Ave
(between Church St & Davis St)
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 491-1621
Nearest Transit:

Davis (Purple, Evanston Express)

Good for Groups:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Price Range:
$
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
Free
Good for:
Late Night
Alcohol:
None

98 reviews for Kafein

Review Highlights   

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"They have this hot chocolate, that is like Mexican hot chocolate, SO YUMMY." (in 5 reviews)
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"…and drink with good seating, free wifi, and usually helpful and pleasant…" (in 7 reviews)
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"…in downtown evanston and is a great place to hang out at any time of day…" (in 4 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Annie Y.

 

14

39

Annie Y.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
11/10/2009

This is one of those stereotypical ~edgy~ cafes that attract dark, brooding artists. The music is usually terrifyingly akin to nails on a chalkboard, and the place is always littered with Northwestern students wearing impossibly tight jeans and an assortment of spikes through their skin. Nevertheless, it's always open late, so my friends and I used to come here every few days just to play cards and hang out.

The food is overpriced and really not that good. It's been a long time since I came here, so I can't remember what I've ordered, but I vaguely remember everything the milkshakes and sundaes being too sweet. I remember the croissant was great, though. The service was always crappy, but it's not like you expect people waiting on your every need when you come to hipster places like these.

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Photo of LuLu R.

Elite '09

45

73

LuLu R.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
11/17/2009

I have returned from my Yelp hiatus to remind myself to never come here again. Northwestern students all over this piece on their Mac Book drinking overpriced lattes with Daddy's money. Is this place is supposed to look like an antique store? Because if so, you failed. It looks like a bum's hideaway spot. The furniture is tattered and the service sucks. We went in there wanting some iced coffee and the guy behind the counter was like "just as long as you don't compare us to Starbucks...or shout Starbucks orders." I should have slapped him right there. Unlike him, I held my tongue. We got our drinks after a 15 minute wait and sat down at a booth table. For the badgering, unhelpful service, and a college type of place Crappy outdated Trivial pursuit cards scattered all over this dirty table still sticky from whatever the hell the prior customers had before. There was an open mic there but nothing that interested me.  

So to all my readers out there...I give this place a thumbs down and a whomp whomp....whomp whomp indeed.

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Photo of Kevin L.

Elite '09

1138

621

Kevin L.

Washington, DC

4 star rating
10/25/2009

This place feels like a joint plucked straight out of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.

It's filled with cluttered books that overflow off the shelves and onto the floor, mismatched ancient couches, and edgy hipster servers.  The menu even reflects the attitude of the coffee shop - just reading it makes me chuckle.

In additional to decent café grub, great coffee and tea beverage (with a dizzying variety of flavors and ingredients), Kafein offers up a number of ridiculously decadent desserts, including shakes and sundaes.  They're just as over the top as anything else here.

Of course, the memories associated with way too many late nights studying here once upon a cooling earth also add to my healthy regard for Kafein, too.  But when it comes down to it, how can any joint with bastardized versions of the Mona Lisa and Michelangelo's Creation of Adam paintings to include a cup o' joe -not- be amazing?

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Photo of Ken S.

 

0

8

Ken S.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
10/13/2009

Not the most pretentious cafe in the world (but in Evanston it wins).  I'm not talking about the staff - they may be a little slow and inattentive but they're also usually just NU undergrads.  It's over-priced menu is, well, unjustified expensive.  The selection is nice but it's really not any bigger than most cafes which have a sandwich menu.  The lighting is pretty bad and the music is sometimes really loud.  Once they were playing house music and the only person working was a German guy in a white tee-shirt about 3 sizes too small.  Sort of weird.  

One big upside I will give them are the hours.  Great hours at this place.  I think it's open until 2am!  Impressive for a town which has outlawed bowling.

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Photo of Rusty M.

 

0

4

Rusty M.

Cook, IL

1 star rating
11/5/2009

This place stinks.  Starting with the stupid alternative spelling of the word caffeine.  How "funky."  Yeah, this place is like a soccer mom's idea of a "funky cafe." It would maybe have seemed hip or whatever in 1990 when it opened.  The bad antiques, the dirty velvet couches, the crumbling books, silly paintings, and wobbly tables are all very GEN X undergrad cafe things.  It seems really dated and depressing now.  I guess it's ok if you are a northwestern student who likes to hang out in a pretend bohemian setting.
The prices suck.  Five bucks for a tiny milkshake.. get real.  Terrible jukebox that inspires idiots to ironically play Ace of Base songs.  The only thing to appreciate is that it stays open late, when most cafes are cutting their hours.

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Photo of Sara H.

 

0

21

Sara H.

Evanston, IL

4 star rating
9/15/2009

The menu is great -- tons of coffee and non-coffee options. Shakes, desserts, hot chocolate... it's pretty hard to go wrong. I've had pita and hummus there too, and it was a little bit blander than I'd like, but still nice and fresh. It's a decent place to go with a larger crowd.

My only complaint is that the staff can be kind of slow and unfriendly. While there are certainly exceptions, I just don't always feel very welcome.

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Photo of Jerry M.

Elite '09

207

167

Jerry M.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
8/12/2009

Kafiein is the kind of place that takes me back *ahem* years ago, to when I was a lovely young girl of 19, during my college years. And how fitting I went there with my college roommate visiting in town (No we didn't go to Northwestern - we spent our formative years in a small school in central Indiana).

Drink choices were OVERWHELMING - I sat down looking at all the yummy choices and decided on the matcha green tea latte. Can we all say YUM together? My roomie got the Carmel Zombie - apparently it had 6 shots of espresso in it, and it was evident by the way she turned into a peppy chatterbox.

Food is good as long as you can overlook the veggie quesadilla on a pita bread.

And it's great for kids! We had a little one napping on the couch the entire 2 hours we were there.

PS - I loved the gender confusion restrooms  - your choice between "Women?" and "Women!" (or "Men?" and "Men!" if you're a boy - I mean if you're sure, that is!)

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Photo of Orelia L.

 

1

15

Orelia L.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
9/1/2009

Lovely place. I was meeting a friend for dinner in Evanston few months ago, and I got to Evanston an hour earlier! I discovered this place while wandering around! And it was such a pleasure to find it! Like a hidden treasure in the most unexpected place!
Very tastefully decorated, all tables and chairs seem to be different. The waiter was friendly, sincerely friendly, not those fake smiling machines that greet you in most of the places!
The coffee was good, I was tempted to get something on their menu, but considering I was going for dinner, I had to skip it.
I must go back soon! Even though I live in Chicago, I keep thinking about this place! If you live in Evanston, or are passing through, do not forget to check out this place!

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Photo of Alex R.

Elite '09

6

67

Alex R.

Evanston, IL

4 star rating
10/12/2009

I love the fact that Kafein is the only coffee place that seems to be open past midnight in Evanston.  It's a great alternative if you just want to relax with a friend and chit chat while munching on some goodies instead of going to the bar.  They have a pretty extensive menu of coffee, tea, shakes, other sweet concoctions, and yummy food.  The atmosphere can get a bit loud, but never to the point it has bothered me.  The waiter service leaves much to be desired.  They are a bit absent minded and you will most likely have to go hunt them down for the check if you want to leave.  Other than that, I really like this place.

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Photo of Lesley A.

Elite '09

29

137

Lesley A.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
6/29/2009

Oh Kafein, I can't give you less than four stars because I've had too many good memories here. It's one of those places I go to when I'm with friends and want to have a nice late night conversation over hot chocolate, or eat decadent sundaes while I wow a particularly handsome friend with my knowledge of 1950s/1960s trivia.

Kafein has a well-worn look and feel to it that blends the spirits of patrons of years gone by: high school kids looking for a place to be hip before curfew, the transitional high school to college hipsters, the college scholars who must study under the scent of java, the college diners who want to share sundaes, the college performers masking their costumes and character shoes under winter coats right before rehearsal, the college soon-to-be grads grabbing dessert paid for by their accompanying parents, visiting alums, the locals, etc. And yet somehow these "young" spirits blend in well with the church pews, dusty books, worn couches, prayer candelabra, dim lighting, juke box and shabby curtain. There are also Trivial Pursuit cards on every table. On nice days there's a patio right by the adjacent retirement hotel's swimming pool.

Although Kafein sells sandwiches, my review is mostly about the sundaes. Get them, for they are tasty and wonderful to share. The brownie sundae comes on a plate with four spoons for a reason (though, one time, I opted out of dinner and ate the entire thing myself). I recently had the heath bar sundae in a nice tall ice cream shoppe glass and it was...MMMM! The "big ass cookie" sundae doesn't really come with a "big ass cookie". And the apple pie sundae doesn't always use fresh apple pie.

I'm also a fan of the white chocolate hot chocolate on colder nights.

Pass by...and while you're waiting for your order, try to find the Trivial Pursuit card that has "Jimmy Carter" as the answer to three of the five questions.

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Photo of R K.

 

0

25

R K.

Cambridge, MA

5 star rating
8/16/2009

If you wanted to start a business, and you wanted your business to make everyone happy, and you realized that probably meant that you weren't going to make anyone perfectly happy, you would probably open Kafein. Like other Yelpers have said, it's a place you gripe about at various stages of your life, but ultimately, all that griping just means you've been going to the same place for years and years, and it has to be kind of embarrassingly awesome for that to be true.

I started coming here because drinking coffee (but really milkshakes) socially was something seemingly cool to do in my (extremely limited) price range during the under 21, pre-paycheck, yearning for hipness years of high school. Then I came here during college breaks because it was a relaxed place to meet up with people that was open late. Now I come here when I'm in town to get work done on their wifi with their coffee and hummus plates.

And at every stage, I complained that the crowd was lame--it was too old when I was in high school, then too young when I was in college, and then just kind of weird (the support groups that meet in the afternoons?). Now I have made my peace with Kafein. Whenever I can't think of anything to do in Evanston or anywhere to meet, Kafein is the most likely to be open and have something to please everyone. And, I suppose it's kind of good to eavesdrop on high schoolers every once in a while to reinforce my belief in the vast superiority of adulthood. Avoid Friday and Saturday nights though if you want to avoid the kids.

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Photo of azzie l.

 

1

25

azzie l.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
9/11/2009

I met the man of my dreams here. It was our first date and we changed tables maybe three times because the ceiling lights were aimed at our eyes, but the waiter wasn't annoyed with us for doing it which was pretty nice of him. My date and I fell in love over delicious coffee, nice music, good service, and smiled at each other from our comfy seats. I'm not giving Kafein all the credit here, but it must have helped us out in some way because four and a half years later, we're still in love.

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Photo of ju l.

Elite '09

6

179

ju l.

New York, NY

4 star rating
5/18/2009

This is another one of those places I want to hate, but don't.  I adore the decor (reminds me of the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn, though the atmospheres are pretty different) and always hope to grab the ratty red couch by the window.  The menu is obnoxious and too intentional in its quirkiness, but that's okay.  

Kafein's Mexican hot chocolate and Aztec mocha basically taste the same and are just acceptable, but god knows Evanston doesn't have many options for spicy-chocolate-coffee drinks, so I keep coming back.  Also, the peanut butter milkshake is disgustingly delicious.  The house coffee is good, but nothing impressive.  

Service is very friendly and actually seems to be composed of people and not smiley robots, even though I really really wish deep-down that Kafein didn't have table service at all: I'm not a fan of spending $15 (at minimum!!) on only 2 drinks + tip.  I have had 2-person dinners for less than that.  

It does get loud at night, but not so loud as to prohibit conversation, and anyone who tries to get work done here is just lying to themselves.  There seem to be complaints about the WiFi as well, but I had my laptop once and the connection was totally normal, while a girl at a nearby table was whining and cursing about how the wireless sucked and wasn't connecting.  Fix your computer.  

Basically, Kafein is the only one of its kind in Evanston, and would be sorely missed if ever it just abandoned its patrons like the still-beloved Ambrosia did.  And, it gets upped to a full 4 stars because it seems to now be the only cafe open at a reasonable hour (i.e. after midnight).

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Photo of Justin H.

Elite '09

29

230

Justin H.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/14/2009

Neat little cafe
Patio on nice days
Amazing good food!

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Photo of gfiddy f.

 

12

540

gfiddy f.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
9/2/2009

Great drinks.

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Photo of E. W.

 

0

8

E. W.

Evanston, IL

4 star rating
3/3/2009

Kafein is hands down my favourite coffee shop in Evanston, and probably Chicago. Their Mexican hot chocolate and Grasshopper milk shake (chocolate mint ice cream with oreo chunks) are absolutely fabulous, and they're open later than any other coffee shop (or restaurant) in Evanston.

The music is often great, sometimes odd, and occasionally awful. It can be very crowded and noisy, which I don't mind, but not everyone likes. However, one can usually get a table.

If you don't mind the noise, it's a good place to study, especially during the afternoons. They have free Wi-Fi, which is not only accessible inside, but outside. It's hard to complain about studying when you're drinking a milk shake, sitting by the pool. (You can't swim in it, but it still makes for a pleasant view.)

The baristas/waiters are always nice, and often quirky. Sometimes they sit down next to you for a bit of a chat, if it's not very crowded. Drinks are cheap to reasonable in price. Service is sometimes fast, sometimes not, so if you want your check in a hurry, it's best to go up to the registers.

The food is hit or miss. My boyfriend's been pleased with the apple pie, but the chocolate-chip cookie I got was stale and dry. I'd say get your baked goods across the street at Whole Foods, and then come to Kafein for the drinks.

Kafein is sometimes chill, sometimes hoppin', but never pretentious. And happily, the element of grunginess that's part of its charm does not extend to the well-maintained women's bathroom!

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Photo of Marina M.

Elite '09

9

70

Marina M.

Evanston, IL

4 star rating
3/30/2009

Great coffee, cozy atmosphere, table service, and free WiFi make Kafein a great place to hang out or study. Go during the afternoon if you need a quiet place to study. At night it get really busy--usually packed with students doing homework or at least intending to do homework.

Also the staff is really nice. The last time I was there it was crowded and there weren't any tables available so my friend and I decided to leave. We got less than 10 steps out the door when on of the staff members ran out the door to let us know a table was available. Now that's customer service!

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Photo of Jesse N.

 

1

38

Jesse N.

Evanston, IL

5 star rating
3/14/2009

Great drinks
Great sandwiches
Trivia on the table

My girlfriend and I go here just for the trivia, roast beef sandwiches and coffee.. Yum.

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Photo of Amy G.

 

0

10

Amy G.

Columbus, OH

4 star rating
3/25/2009

Perhaps it's just nostalgia from my teenage years but, when I'm in town, I still love to hit up Kafein.

Contrary to what others say about the darkness, I actually enjoy the ambiance. Beaten up couches, tiny tables, piles of books, and Trivial Pursuit to keep you entertained it you end up out to coffee with someone a bit socially awkward.

Where Kafein loses a star is that the service, while friendly, can be a bit absentminded. Often one will order drinks and then not see their server for, oh, the next hour and a half. Oh, and open mic night. Beware, folks. I'm sure it's community service to relieve fifteen-year-olds of their angst.

But the reason why I keep returning? The drinks are absolutely fantastic. The mochas are rich and creamy (and now feature some skilled latte art!) and not at all bitter for you coffee- and espresso-phobes, the specialty drinks are served in massive beer-stein-sized mugs-- a true deal for about $3.50 a pop, and the specials on the menu are hilarious. Spontaneous lap dances or magic brownies, anyone?

Highly recommended? In cold months, the Mexican Hot Chocolate is king. Sweet, hot, and spicy with piles of cocoa, milk, and cinnamon. For lazing out on the patio during summer and spring, try the peach iced tea.

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Photo of Heidi J.

 

0

2

Heidi J.

Evanston, IL

1 star rating
10/16/2009

On 10/16 at about 4pm....So rude! I've been a server for years and never have I had such an experience. I came in and sat at a booth towards the rear of the place. The waiter (a guy about 30ish who looked like he hadn't showered in 3 days) took my order. Then he told me "I'm confused that was _my_ seat!" I played stupid just to see what weird thing he'd say...."Oh, I work here, that's ok I don't need a seat." He brought my coffee, it tasted burnt so I asked for a regular cup of coffee instead. "Are you going to pay for that!" he said. I told him it was burnt and he said "Oh that's how our americanos taste" What a prick. If this were my business I'd can his xss.

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Photo of Kim C.

Elite '09

39

146

Kim C.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/25/2009

Fun place to hit up late at night, though it gets pretty crowded and the service isn't the best. Once we were asked to leave because we ordered our coffee to-go and sat at a table.. c'mon!

Lots of interesting specialty espresso drinks, and the desserts are actually really good. I also loved grabbing an iced mocha whenever I walked by on a nice day (yummm, iced mocha...)

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Photo of Miraj P.

 

4

17

Miraj P.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
10/4/2009

While the decor is dark and dreary, there is an extensive menu here. I LOVE their coffee shakes---way better than the typical frappachinos at Starbucks. I had a large tuxedo mocha shake--a combination of white chocolate and dark chocolate all blended in a frothy goodness. Highly recommended. I just wish the drink would last longer than it typically does. By the time I walked to the student center, I was pretty much done.

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Photo of Colleen M.

Elite '09

22

154

Colleen M.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
2/17/2009

Kafein has the cozy, indie vibe I love in a good coffee shop, with the added bonus of table service and a large menu.  

Because they're open late when hardly anyone else in the area is, It's better to hang out there in the afternoon / early evening when it's less crowded with high school kids and students parked at tables for hours.

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Photo of Tom M.

Elite '09

1095

1198

Tom M.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
11/9/2008

You know, the grammar police might want to cite them for spelling their namesake caffeine wrong, but the food police will reward them for offering up:

- good vibe
- menu with a sense of humor: must read the back page!
- excellent selection of sweets, savories, and drinks
- great service - TABLE service at that!

I really enjoyed my tuna salad plate - nothing fancy, shi shi, or fru fru - just mayo and tuna goodness!

Thirst-quenching iced coffee - not very rich or strong, but really tasty and refreshing.

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Photo of David S.

 

295

650

David S.

Champaign, IL

4 star rating
9/28/2008

This place is an improvement over Peet's Coffee right across the street... It's big, quite a bit cozier, they also have free wireless (and you don't need to get a code from the cashier to use it), plenty of power outlets, tables, couches etc... A fairly extensive drink menu (my lemonade was good), and also some food.

It is mainly staffed by hipsters in tight pants, but they're very friendly and they had no problem with us sticking around for several hours to do some work. Granted, we were there in the middle of the afternoon and the place was almost empty. It did get more crowded later on in the evening (mostly Northwestern students).

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Photo of Adam M.

 

27

240

Adam M.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
11/30/2008

It takes so little to make a good cafe experience: good coffee, decent music, a few comfy chairs, and a barista that doesn't want to punch you in the face, maybe?

This place hasn't changed a bit in the 10 years since I've last been here. Coffee and a muffin for under $4? Sounds like a good, cheap Evanston breakfast to me. I'll be back before 2018, I hope.

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Photo of Art C.

 

21

48

Art C.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
1/31/2009

With the advent of big name coffee chains, its getting harder and harder to find coffee shops with any personality.  This place has it in spades, and I've been coming here since high school.

I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I like their turtle mocha a lot.  They even make little ninja turtle designs in the foam too, which is awesome!  The food ain't bad either, I always get the turkey club on a croissant.

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Photo of Lauren H.

 

4

9

Lauren H.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
2/6/2009

Pros: Open until 2am, cheap and pretty healthy sandwiches, tasty milkshakes, free wifi.

Cons: The coffee is soso, my friend and I waited half an hour for our uninterested server to bring us our check. It's full of high school kids whenever I'm there (even on a Thursday night at 10, it was packed).

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Photo of Nikk G.

 

0

18

Nikk G.

Beach Park, IL

3 star rating
9/8/2009

I hate to give this place less than four stars, but I have to. Ten years ago, when I first started coming here, the place was almost always dead and the few patrons that were there...were cracked NU physics students who were working on their seventh zombie while blasting Velvet Underground from the jukebox. And there was nary a Northshore mom to be seen in there. Now, I can't even spend more than an hour in there without wanting to leave in frustration. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but this place was cooler when I was younger. The coffee is still off the chain amazing, the decor is still just as wonderful as I remember...but the clientele leaves something to be desired. And the staff does have a tendency to rush you out the door or ask you if you need something every five minutes...and when I do need something, they're never anywhere remotely close. Oh well, I'll always have my memories.

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Elite '09

119

81

Hannah D.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
3/28/2008

9:43pm - I partake of their mocha zombie, which consists of 3 espresso shots, steamed milk, whipped cream and coffee.

9:58pm - I begin to feel the effects.  Music seems a little louder and my left leg starts getting antsy.

10:01pm - My roast beef and cheddar melt on a croissant arrives and I devour it between my turns at asking Trival Pursuit Baby Boomer questions.  It was yummy.

10:23pm - About 7/8 the way finished with the Zombie.  My right leg has now challenged my left leg to a antsy match a la dueling banjos.

10:25pm - I politely ask for the check.

10:29pm - I vibrate my way out the door.

3:16am - After a night of booty shimmy shimmy shaking, I'm still wide awake and curious to know how long it's going to last.

8:02am - Still awake....

10:23am - Still awake and starting to get hungry.

I'll have to ammend this once I do go to sleep.  Unless I never do.

If I start craving brains, I'll be sure to warn you all.

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Photo of Dean V.

 

1

22

Dean V.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
9/29/2008

I've enjoyed Kafein for many years.  

It's not the best roast around, nor the best interior -- but there's something about this place I've just always liked.  

Their sandwiches are GREAT.  Their hummus rocks!  And if you're into ice cream, all their shakes and stuff are popular.  Though they don't do vegan shakes, they can make LOWFAT shakes with frozen yogurt if you're watching your figure.

I have lots of great memories connected to Kafein -- and I hope it will keep thriving with the great vibes it's always had.

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Photo of Jeanne J.

Elite '09

11

188

Jeanne J.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
4/25/2008

Kafein is a nice place for students to hang out - surprisingly, besides some cafes around Evanston that don't really accommodate for groups that speak loudly or want to be comfortable, this is really one of the only places where you can sit around with friends and not feel like you have to be quiet, careful, or reading something.

I like how it's decorated, the drinks aren't really what you go for (unfortunately), and neither are the prices..I haven't tried any of the food.

Any how, the last time I was there they'd made an extra hummus plate and offered it to our table for free.  It was great.

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Elite '09

3396

1090

Colleen C.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
1/27/2008

I remember drinking a chocolate chai shake at Kafein about 5 years ago. Apparently that was enough to prompt an impromptu trip up to Evanston for some free wifi/food/lounging.

Ahhhh, yes. The shakes are as good as I remember. On the excellent recommendation of our sweet, albiet scatter brained server, we split a chocolate peanut butter shake...worth every penny of the $4.95, we sucked that thing down like someone were going to steal it momentarily.

Food was decent. I had the hummus plate, boy had the roast beef sandwich, we had some soup. Fairly cheap, good tasting food.

The vibe is very young, as many have mentioned. That's what you get in a college town/near a large high school. The table next to us had 3 girls with a combined age less than 40 (my guess). I honestly have never been anywhere and thought "I am the oldest person in here" but that is exactly the thought running through my head as I sat there...

And also, I thought..."why is the music so  loud?" And then, I decided...maybe I AM old.

But who cares, the peanut butter shake made me happy and I forgot all about that :)

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Photo of Heather K.

Elite '09

78

248

Heather K.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
3/4/2008

Oh boy, I feel obligated to step in and defend Kafein! Yes, it is predominantly a high school hangout...it's probably where I spent most of my money between the time I was 15 and 18. Even when I was at NU for undergrad, people tended to think that Kafein skewed "a bit young." However, this place has some of the most delicious desserts and coffee drinks around, and they were on the fancy-interesting-beverage bandwagon before many other coffee shops. If you go with a friend, split the chocolate chip cookie sundae - it's magnificent. Order a brownie from the dessert case and they'll warm it up if you want. Milkshakes are heavenly.

If you don't want to hang out with highschoolers, don't go on Friday or Saturday after 9:00 PM. Simple as that!

An Evanston staple, and the coolest place to be known as a "regular"...even if you're not yet old enough to vote.

VIVA KAFEIN!

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30

109

Marion P.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
1/5/2008

Woah, a MILK BAR! I've never actually been in one before.

We came here on a weekend night, when coffeeshops are supposed to be empty and the bars filling up. Not in the country with the world's highest drinking age! Kafein was crowded and steaming with hip and social 18 year olds.

It made me sad for a moment that I had no such milkbar where I grew up (although the drinking age in my country of origin is 16, and 14 year olds do get into bars, so there might not have been much of an audience). For the present, it made me sad to be a bit older than that, because I actually felt a bit out of place and too old for this place. And come on, I'm not even that old! I guess I'm starting to appreciate places that are a little bit less homogenous.

There was no room for us to sit down, and when we did get a table we were asked to clear it for a larger group of kids, which made me feel extra out of place, so we ended up just getting milk shakes to go. The shakes were expensive and really good. I had a cookie 'shake' that was so full of huge cookie pieces, I ate it at home with a spoon and never got through it.

Oh, and I should mention that we only went here because we were fully convinced it was a Japanese restaurant. Hahaha.

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2

11

Melissa T.

Darien, IL

4 star rating
11/4/2008

I've never actually had coffee at Kafein. I've only had ice cream, but I know that their cold treats are very good. :-)

Also, the atmosphere is really cool for college students, but it also tends to be really loud. If you need to study, I wouldn't recommend going there.

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Elite '09

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545

Jessica S.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
6/27/2008

I cannot stand this place from and I've been dragged to this place from high school till well past college. It's still the same "look at how cool I am studying with my iBook and hemp clothing while looking distant and full of angst 'cause I'm a student and you don't understand me."

They try to accommodate the Evanston crowd with the Sea and Cake and Sigur Rose in the background with mismatched couches, free fiction novels floating around and an air of "camp on down and stay for a couple of hours."

The drinks are expensive-$5 for a cup of milk and ground espresso beans?? It's not even hot and not very good at all. Their sweets are dried up and unconventional and they have annoying "servers" bug you to keep ordering more if you're studying. I agree if you're gonna just be studying to just to go the library but don't give 'em the 3rd degree.

I walked in for a quick mocha to go and was bombarded with NU students arguing about what else-government and getting progressively louder so it ended up sounding more like a shouting match than an actual debate amongst peers. I'm not impressed with their drinks, their atmosphere or the crowd it brings in.

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Elite '09

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120

Thane M.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
1/13/2008

If you want free wifi with your coffee and it's past midnight, Kafein is the only coffee shop I can think of that will meet your requirements. You certainly could go there at other times, but the number of options for decent coffee and free wifi rises considerably by every hour before midnight that you seek the bean-based drug, and unless you live nearby there are probably places that are closer to you.

This is not to say there's anything fundamentally wrong with Kafein. The coffee drinks are pretty good, and I've found the service to be more than adequate. Thankfully they don't seem to push food, either, something I clearly appreciate. It's not expensive, either.

It does seem to be more of a hangout spot for a late high-school/early college crowd than most other caffeine dispenseries. The last time I went, I realized that I very well might be the oldest person in the room, which was an odd feeling for me, because I'm not particularly old.

You can expect any late-night place that offers bored youngsters couch space and caffeinated beverages to be very loud. Luckily, the coffee shop I frequented in college was filled with just out of the closet teenagers, and so I became an expert in filtering out extraneous noise and concentrating. But if you can't do that, I wouldn't suggest going to Kafein with the aim of getting any work done.

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Elite '09

331

702

carolynne r.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
4/19/2007

I dont know why, but I always seemed to have all my blind dates here.  Maybe its because the atmosphere is so hip and fun, the music always cool and edgy, or the waitstaff just this side of normal.  

Anyway, on one blind date occasion, our server mysteriously disappeared before handing us the bill and I was left listening to a overtly long blathering session which I needed to get out of immediately.  So I excused myself to use the restroom and when I emerged, I asked the girl behind the counter to get our server for us.  He practically ran over to the table and was apologizing dramatically & profusely for some reason.  My date gave me the look of death and it was only after I left and was driving home did I realize what that scenario probably looked like to him.  He probably thought I gave that guy a piece of my mind just to end the date and get out of there!

Second blind date, the waitress disappeared AGAIN before giving us the bill (see any patterns forming here?) and again, I was stuck in a dreary mess of a conversation with a guy way too old for me.  When I went in back to find her, I asked for the check.  She made my night when she said, "Are the checks separate or should I put you and your Dad's drinks all on one?"

Anyway, I always have fun and get good memories out of going to Kafein's.  The drinks are pretty darn large and tasty as well.

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Elite '09

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1319

Dee W.

Evanston, IL

3 star rating
7/2/2006

Great cafe - I tried their iced lime green tea - yummy!  Their food definately had a simple but healthy undertone to them.  I tried their chicken salad plate which had a scoop of chicken salad and came with cucumbers, carrots, toasted bread, alfafa sprouts, and tomatoes.  Yum!

Service was decent and their shakes were alright, too.

I do have a funny story about the last time I was here.  I sat down next to a couple who was obviously on their first date.  He asked where she went to school and she mentioned that she went to Harvey Mudd and he's like "Oh - I've never heard of that school - must not be very hard to get into.  I, on the other hand, went to a prestigious school.  I went to Northeastern."  She then responds with "Northwestern?" He then, corrects her with "NORTHEASTERN" and looks slightly annoyed.  ANyway, he continues to talk about himself and how great he is (turns out he's a used car salesman) - I coudln't help overhearing!!  He was loud and obnoxious and sitting right behind me!

Anyway, she excused herself to go to the bathroom (probably to make a desperate call to a friend for help) and within 10 minutes of returning, her phone goes off and she picks up, "Hello?  OH!  I totally forgot that I was meeting up with you - I'll be right there."  She slaps down a $10 bill for her meal and gets up to go - the guy looks devasted and offers to call her to plan another date and she just smiles at him and says "no thanks"

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