Unicorn Cafe

This place has a nice atmosphere and is usually decently busy. Sometimes it is completely full and it is hard to find a seat, however the vast majorities of the times I've been here I've been able to find a place. The staff are very nice and the coffee is good. My only complaint is that it gets very very very HUMID inside to the point that the windows fog up if it is cold outside. Also the wifi is kind of spotty so you definitely can't always rely on it. Otherwise it's a good place to study and meet up near Northwestern campus.

Someone described this as a sort of unofficial student union for Northwestern, which seems accurate. They have a selection of coffee and sandwiches, and the demographic seems mostly like college students and faculty. I ordered one of the sandwiches, which was totally fine but nothing to write home about. The atmosphere is good, cozy enough to plunk down and work in for a few hours, though that wasn't my intention. I had a latte which was pretty good, but it's hard to get those wrong. One odd component is how they handle payment. They're effectively cash only. If you want to pay by card, you have to be charged up to the next $20 increment and given the rest back in cash change. This sucks. It meant I walked away with $7 something in cash I didn't need. Overall, it's an okay coffee shop, but I think there has to be a better one in the area. Nothing really was bad, though their payment system was mildly frustrating.

Great local place that's been around for a while and is a town fixture. Has a great atmosphere to sit down and have a coffee with someone or work on your laptop. If you're looking for super fast, cheap service, this is not the place for you. The staff are friendly and committed to remembering regulars. They serve colectivo brand coffee which is delicious as well as an assortment of good pastries. There is sometimes a shortage of outlets and they do only take cash or debit, but all in all still an amazing experience.

I absolutely adore Unicorn’s staff, atmosphere, and coffee, but there’s one thing that always sticks out to me: it’s super humid. I don’t know if it’s a factor of the space or the a/c not being run, but as soon as the shop gets busy the windows fog up and it gets sticky. It definitely can make it hard to stick around and enjoy. That being said, Unicorn is one of the only local places left and absolutely deserves your patronage! It’s just a damper on an otherwise wonderful coffee shop.