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Cafe Central Info
Amenities
Service options
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Curbside pickup
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Takeout
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Dine-in
Highlights
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Fast service
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Great coffee
Popular for
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Breakfast
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Lunch
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Dinner
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Solo dining
Accessibility
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Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
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Alcohol
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Coffee
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Comfort food
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Halal food
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Quick bite
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Small plates
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Vegetarian options
Dining options
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Breakfast
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Lunch
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Dinner
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Catering
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Counter service
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Dessert
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Seating
Amenities
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Bar onsite
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Restroom
Atmosphere
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Casual
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Cozy
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Historic
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Trendy
Crowd
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Family-friendly
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Groups
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LGBTQ+ friendly
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Tourists
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Transgender safespace
Planning
Payments
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Credit cards
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Debit cards
Children
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Good for kids
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High chairs
Parking
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Free street parking
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Paid street parking
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Parking
Other
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LGBTQ+ friendly
Best WLM Reviews
Overall Thoughts: Cafe Central is a long-standing Puerto Rican establishment in West Town. I ordered takeout, but the interior had a comfortable, homey diner feel. The total price for my 2 items was $30, which was reasonable for the portions and the area. While I wouldn’t recommend the cod fish stew mixta plate I ordered, I thought their jibarito was great. I’d either skip the mixta plate altogether or try a different protein choice. For takeout, you need to call them in advance and say your order clearly. They misunderstood my order over the phone, so they had to change the order receipt after I arrived. Including the mix up, the order took ~20 minutes overall to pick up, which is still reasonable.
Food I tried:
- Mixta Plate with Arroz con Gandules, Beans, and Cod Fish Stew (Friday Special) (3.2/5): I wasn’t a fan of the cod stew— the cod was quite dry and rubbery, didn’t taste very fresh, and lacked flavor. The rice was flavorful and tasty though a little too hard. The beans were pretty good, but could’ve had more flavor. It was a large amount of food for $15, but not fresh enough in my opinion to justify getting again.
- Steak Jibarito (4.6/5): This jibarito redeemed the mixta plate for me. It’s not the best I’ve had in Chicago and a lot smaller than most (especially for the $12 price point), but it’s still super delicious. It’s less garlicky than I like (I wish it came with extra garlic sauce), but everything else about it was perfect. The plantain was thin and crispy and the steak was extraordinarily flavorful and well cooked. The ratio to other ingredients was perfect.
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Price (relative to peers): 4.3/5
Food: 3.9/5
Ambience: N/A
Service (takeout): 4/5
Overall Value: 4/5
Wow! What an amazing place! The staff is really nice and I felt right at home. The food was delicious and just like Mama makes. The arroz con gandules was made just right. The acapurrias, jibarritos, flan and tembleque were absolutely perfect. They taste just like my mom’s. They even brought my nephew a little bowl of arroz con gandules. I felt like I was sitting with family because the waitress was so kind to us.
This place is a true treasure! The staff's warmth instantly made me feel at home. The food was exceptional, reminiscent of the flavors of home-cooked meals. The arroz con gandules was perfectly executed, and the acapurrias, jibarritos, flan, and tembleque were all exquisite. Each dish showcased the culinary mastery of the kitchen, leaving me thoroughly impressed. Dining here felt like a delightful culinary journey, thanks to the attentive and friendly service.
LOVED THIS EXPERIENCE SOOO MUCH! Mari helped me with the dish, such a great environment, people and delicious meal! Highly recommend if you are visiting Chicago!
Stopped in because I was craving a jibarito. I was highly disappointed in the size, lack of meat...all of it. Saddest sandwich ever!! For a whopping 11 bucks...And not even offered with a side of rice! The flavor was non-existent. I attempted to eat it, but just couldn't and asked them to take it back and left. There are SO many better spots in the city to get an awesome jibarito. Maybe their other dishes are decent? Not willing to give them another try.
This is a family-owned small business that serves great Puerto Rican food. They always have fresh food prepared daily and they have different specials and soups everyday. I've been coming here for the past 5 years and it is a real nice gem. Sandra always gives amazing service and it is a pleasure to be there. The decor is very old school with booths and tables which adds to the authenticity of its customers and staff. I highly recommended this place.
I honestly don't understand the hyped reviews. 4 tostones $4.50! 1 order de carne frita $22! "Perdoname, pero esto aquí esta mas caro que un catalitico robao." The service is "excelente" and atmosphere is great, but where are the Puertoricans! I was rooting for this place, but too bad the food is mid at best, maybe awesome "pa' los blanco", but something tells me it's not authentic P.R. food. There is something about the lack of seasoning and flavor that is off. The "Mofongo" literally a dry fried ball in a "pilón", since when is mofongo fried into a ball. Where's the garlicky olive oil to drizzle over the mofongo? "A lo seco!" Speaking of balls, the Rellenos de Papa saved the day♡, they were great, crispy browned on the outside and soft on the inside. Unfortunately, the carne frita was basically hidden under a mound of cold onions. Again, dry. Back to the mofongo; not one piece of "tocino", not even a little cup of "caldo" to get it down, maybe a complimentary small simple lettuce & tomato salad, how about the typical french bread slice on the side, nothing. I guess I'm biased from living in P.R. for 12 years and enjoying "Ponce" here in Chi'. So basically overpriced "Mas o menos" Puertorican food without the true homemade Puertorican culinary swag. Give the dishwashers a raise; too many plates everywhere, literally a plate for every individual item. Yo!, where is the pique!!!???????? Nowhere in site, just a tiny cup of some refrigerated mild green stuff. ????????
$100, 2 adults & 2 kids, must be the economy.
Stopped in for dinner and it was really excellent. My wife and I split 2 meals:
* Arroz Con Pollo (Yellow Rice Mixed with Chicken)
* Creoles Camarones (Shrimp in a tomato base sauce)
We also got sides (included) of sweet plantains (OH, SO GOOD) and a corn & lettuce salad. Portions were VERY generous and prices were very reasonable. We had enough left over to take home that will be fine for a second meal for both of us.
We got a bit adventurous and mixed the 2 meals together. In my humble opinion, it was um, um, um GOOD!!! Your tastes may vary.
To finish off we ordered 2 Flan deserts and the were scrumptious.
Service was excellent and definitely plan on returning.
Quick Facts About Cafe Central
Today
Opening Hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
| Thursday | 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
| Friday | 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
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