Star Lounge Cafe
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park2521 W Chicago Ave
(between Campbell Ave & Maplewood Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 384-7827
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Fri 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sun 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
41 reviews
Neighborhood: Lakeview
"They have really delicious sandwiches, soups and baked goods, at reasonable prices. The service is always friendly and attentive- and…" read more »
44 Reviews for Star Lounge Cafe
I go in to star lounge a few times a week and am never disappointed. Living only 4 blocks away it is hard to pass up when I want a place to hang out and read. I have tried a lot of their drinks and have always like them. They have now started roasting their own beans, which makes their coffee even tastier. They know what they are doing and it is refreshing to have a coffee shop that actually cares about how their coffee tastes.
I go in here before my stupid, unsigned metal band practices at North and Rockwell. It's always a drag when I have to leave for practice. I'd much rather sit in here for two hours and drink coffee than go to practice. In fact, why the hell do I even bother going to practice? We haven't played a show since MARCH. Part of that's because the drummer got all John Bonham and did himself in with dope. The other reason is because the guitarist is way too picky about finding a replacement. Still another reason we haven't played out in 4 months is because I always show up late for practice, insuring that we never get tight with a new drummer.
And that's because I am hiding from my bandmates in places like the Star Lounge Cafe.
Which is far from a bad thing. Hear me out. There have been other cafes in which I blew off practice. Usually, after 5 or 10 minutes, I'd get all guilty and leave the place in a hurry. Then I'd run into the rehearsal space making up phony excuses about traffic, the weather, getting another guy's wife pregnant, etc.
But not with the Star Lounge. I love this place. I've been here like three times and I will be going here regularly from now on before practice.
Actually, I think I might just quit that stupid unsigned metal band and stop here twice a week after work to eat. This place seriously calms my ass down. Thank you, Star Lounge Cafe.
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I stopped by Star Lounge this morning and it was a great experience. I was greeted as soon as I walked in by the two staff members. I loved the atmosphere...local art on the walls, vibrant colors, lights, a bar with no liquor instead a nice variety of tea leaves, comfy sofas, and a nice outdoor area/backyard.
I didn't know what I wanted and finally decided on the Mayan Mocha and a cranberry lime muffin. So the Mayan Mocha consists of expresso, steamed milk, mocha, and red chili pepper. Yes, red chilli pepper. It was so good...something new and I definately enjoyed it. After that I ate my muffin which was super tasty. The cranberry and lime combo was interesting yet full of flavor. Lol. Yummers!!!
This was a great place to just chill out with a nice cup of coffee and some pastries. They also have movie nites in the backyard!!! Funtimes!!!! Definately check out this place to try out some new expresso mixtures and just lay back.
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Great place. Great coffee. Go here often. Sometimes stay and use the internet. Someone who works here has a lot of Built to Spill albums. Do not recommend staying when they play them. Great coffee. Close to CVS. Excellent place to spend money. Contact me if you need more information.
The coffee here is fantastic, and I was pleased to find they serve breakfast bagels (even bacon, egg, cheese) now too. My wife and I come here for coffee every weekend, and are always greeted kindly, served quickly, and satisfied with everything we get.
So glad to have them in the neighborhood.
I am sitting in the Star Lounge reviewing the Star Lounge on Yelp.
Eh.
My iced tea is kind of bitter and not that tasty (even after I dumped what I thought was a ton of sugar in it), but worse is the fact that the free wifi doesn't work, and I am totally stealing it from somewhere else.
I'll go somewhere else next time I want free internet I think.
Cafe project rolls on....
Now this is REAL DEAL.
NO TEEVEES, super laidback staff, totally reasonable prices, a huge assortment of loose leaf teas, a handful of yummy sandwiches and sweets, Zeppelin on the sound system, quiet customers, and a plush chair right in the window.
THANK YOU, STAR LOUNGE.
Thank you.
I realize there are about 758 coffee shops between my home and Star Lounge Cafe....however, I was in the mood for a different scene, and I certainly found it.
First of all, hands down the best bathroom artwork I have seen in a long time. Whoever got all sorts of resourceful with paint color swatches (Glidden, I believe...but it could be Behr) is a genius. I am the proud of owner of approximately 8 bazillion of these color cards, and now I know what to do with them. Chop them up and make pretty pictures on the wall...on a side note: I always wanted to be the person that picked out the color names, they have to get pretty creative.
Ok, so enough about the bathroom, geez. The rest of the cafe is pretty stellar as well. I assume this used to be a bar of sorts, as ya know...there's a bar and all. However, there are no traces of sticky beer floors or smoke hazed, nicotine yellowed walls. Punk and pristine, nicely done...
Friendly, bottomless coffee for $2.50 and one helluva bagel (The Chicago Ave) hit the spot. Bright, shiny light in the back, lots of outlets, free wifi, and a cool crowd of non pretentious patrons. Parking is easy breezy...close to Chicago bus.
Love it.
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I wish I lived nearer to this place--but I'll definitely stop by when I'm in the area again. I just drank what is perhaps the best iced mocha I've ever had. Wow.
The cafe has four owners, one of whom, Chris, gave me the story of the coffee shop a few minutes ago: they've been open for just under six months and will soon be roasting their own coffees (right now they're working with a micro-roaster in Wisconsin). And their coffees are better than fair trade: their co-op works with the farmers themselves, so there is no middleman and the farmers can get a good price for their produce. Now there's something I can support.
Free wi-fi, reasonable prices, and one of the board games on the shelf is Pente, an amazing game I've never seen outside of a friend's house or the internet in spite of regular searching (you must grab a few friends and play this). There's outdoor seating in the back as well.
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I knew of this place when it was just a thought- back when the former owners bought the building and decided to flip the former bar and try their hand at the cafe biz. After spending the last 5 years working in independent cafes in New York and Oregon, I found myself recognizing a lot of qualities in this new business that I knew would be integral in the creation of a Star Lounge without the Bucks.
With the amount of time and care the former owners put into choosing the right brands and decor,and especially with amount of time and care the former owners put into choosing the baristas- it all came together to create this high-quality coffee paradise. And although the first owners didn't have the time and energy to wait out the time it would take to become truly successful (the cafe was a side gig that would need more than a side gig's-worth of attention), the stars aligned nicely to create the Star Lounge, truly a cafe-lover's cafe.
Star Lounge has EXCELLENT COFFEE at an AMAZING PRICE!!!!!
The guys that work there are all pretty damn cool too.
EXCELLENT COFFEE
AMAZING PRICE - Large soy latte coffee costs under $4!!!!!!!
Head a bit East and you will be paying $5 + for any large latte
I think that is pretty much we all need to know about this fantastic coffee joint!!
Here are a few of my favorite things:
1) great atmosphere--I can't explain it, but it feels more like you're walking into someone's home rather than walking into a Starbucks.
2) they recycle AND use biodegradable plastic cups!! They had me at recycling.
3) staff is awesome--I once spilled a freshly poured cup of coffee on the counter (and myself--eek!) and the worker was totally cool about it. I used to roll my eyes and grab the mop when I worked at a cafe, but he was more concerned about whether I was burned baldy rather than the mess in front of him. He even refilled the coffee for me...aww!
4) Their tea selection is awesome! and they make a great loose tea shaker.
5) They have bagel sandwiches that are actually pretty tasty despite their lack of a kitchen. (I recommend the "East Village Veggie Delight"!)
I can only hope they stay around longer than many of the businesses that have come and gone on Chicago Ave.
What a cool place. So glad they fought and kept it open. Way to go guys. The coffee is awesome - nice and strong. The bagels are good too. Free wifi - even better. Just a really welcoming place. Way better than Filter ever was, if I may say so. (Although Filter did have better bagels... but I digress). The best part - when I need to write my dissertation I can walk right over there. It will suck when I move out of the neighborhood next month, but I will still be coming back, albeit with a much longer commute.
The best coffee/tea shop this side of the Mississippi river. They all have an incredibly revolutionary passion for this place. Amazing enthusiasm. The coffee and tea is superb. The ambiance is rock and roll all night long. Be prepared to be blown away to pieces.
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Yes.
This place is awesome. I'm really into the new sandwich menu and the consistently delicious coffee. I like that they play an entire albums and have a backyard for dogs. And they have an unusually good-lookin' + hard-workin' staff. Star Lounge might be my favorite place in the entire city.
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Star Lounge is way better than your run of the mill coffeeshop. the staff clearly takes pride in their preparation of your custom beverage (who knew you could pull shots of rooibos? or that iced tea is supposed to have a foamy topper?), but also they have done the research and hand-picked their coffee, tea, sandwich, pastry, juice, and other suppliers to get only the best product for their customers.
not only can you expect wonderful service and yummy everything, but also Star Lounge is probably the friendliest spot in Chicago, if not the planet. the staff will gladly chat with you, but so will regulars! on previous visits i've said hello and have a nice day to anyone through the door. of special note though are the social events galore: from barbeques to open-mics to hip-hop nights to poetry slams, you can just expect the happenings at the lounge to boom now that nice weather is here!
so of course i highly highly recommend stopping by, whether it be for a quick cup and a friendly face, or hanging out for an afternoon on free wifi in the perfect atmosphere for doing exactly that...
life is better at the lounge. :]
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So I'm here at Star Lounge Cafe (phew, their Internet works well unlike at Savor the Flavor in Lincoln Park) and I like. It topped off my enjoyable drive around Humboldt Park. If you're not sure what to drink, just ask! I ended up with some neat concoction of pom juice, white tea, lime and blueberry. Who would have known?! The bathroom is...interesting. Everyone is really friendly. I found this out when I came into a crush for an electrical outlet. There are few outlets around so this pushes you to work with your neighbors. They decorated the blue bathroom walls with different paint swatch paper pieces. It seems that everyone who goes in there unpins and moves them around in a random disorder. I'll admit that I did the same, but of course with the intention of trying to fix the others movements! The art, colorful walls and outdoor areas make Star a *Star* lounge. P/S: Don't try the bagels. A bit tough.
Amazingly friendly place to sit back and enjoy a great cup of joe and some really good pastries. They also have good sandwiches and nice selection of teas.
The Mayan Mocha is amazing ... and Damen Ave bagel is great to wrap up and run to the Western Ave Metra station with. They also have this really really amazing ice pomegranate Rooibos herbal drink ... give it a shot.
This place is a great complement to the Uki Village / HP hood. Much better to have them here than BigBux!
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This review includes two firsts for me. It was my first time going to the Star Lounge Cafe, and also the first time I have ever been moved to write a positive review for any kind of establishment.
Upon entering I immediately received a friendly greeting, which seems to be more and more rare these days. As I was gazing at the food menu, trying to decide what to order, one of the owners/baristas told me that they weren't serving their usual food that night because they were having a barbeque out back, and to help myself to burgers, veggie burgers, whatever I wanted - awesome.
I placed my order and then realized I had left my wallet at work, which is no where nearby at all. When I told my barista he should cancel my order because I didn't have my wallet on me, he offered to give me my order anyway and said I could come back and pay for it later - again, awesome, particularly because it was my first time there and he had no reason to trust me. Trusting strangers is one of those other things that is more and more rare these days.
Anyway, not only was the service unbelievably great, but the coffee was too, and it's a really nice place to sit. All around goodness.
I will be back.
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Nice guys who are SERIOUS about their coffee. I searched long and far for a decent cappuccino in Chicago to no avail and low and behold Star Bar opened right in my hood. Ask for a wet cappuccino and you will get a real treat of a coffee drink the way God intended it to be.
I'm sitting here right now! Yes, free WIFI. Enjoying a delicious soy caramel latte... with smooth, silky foam, not that bubbly air-filled stuff that takes up half the cup... Mmmm... This place is so cute! And just what this neighborhood needs. I think most of the patrons are neighborhood folks... The owners are some cool young cats and I hope this business venture works out for them. They currently have some pastries and pre-made sandwiches/salads that are brought in.... otherwise, a limited in-house menu (bagel sandwiches, etc)... but planning to expand on that soon!
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This place has cool stuff on the walls & fun stickers on the big coffee-making machine thingie, George Harrison blasting over the speakers, funky baristas who know their coffee and tea, tasty treats...and it's cleaner than Atomix, by far. For which reason I now go to Star Lounge to study rather than Atomix, which is the other coffee place in my neighborhood that has a similar ambiance (now that Filter is closed...don't get me started).
In fact, I may just head over there now.
Okay, so overall I like this place well enough. I do, however, have some constructive criticism: please stop playing the music so loudly!! It is very distracting to people who are trying to get some work done. Even when I'm just there to socialize, it's hard to talk over the music. That type of volume is more suited for a bar or a music venue.
Other than this complaint, I like most everything else about the place. The owners are friendly and the drinks are tasty. The space is comfy and well decorated. I would probably come here more often if the music wasn't so loud.
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Star Lounge Cafe is one of those laid-back, super-friendly neighborhood joints that makes you happy to live in the vicinity. There's abundant free wifi, strong, well-made coffee drinks, and a host of sandwiches to keep your belly full if you decide to spend the day here working on your novel - yeah, the one you told your mom you'd write before you turned 30 and sell to Hollywood, justifying your slacker existence (at least in your mind).
Well, you're 35 now, your pals from that program at Iowa are working as paralegals, and you've got at least one kid -- that you know of. Your writing dream may be dead, but Star Lounge Cafe is still here to serve, should you decide to heed the call.
(as a semi-serious aside, if you aren't a fan of album oriented rock of the 60s, 70s and 80s, I'd recommend an iPod and noise-cancelling headphones, or you'll be whisked into the semi-insufferable world of endless Led Zeppelin or Phish).
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Wonderful coffee and presentation. Best egg bagel I have ever had. Very friendly , great atmosphere.
I've just rediscovered Star Lounge now that's been around a while - what was I waiting for?! I love it, great addition to the neighborhood and J the owner makes the best latte and cafe con pana this side of Italy. The attitude is laid back without the ignore part that usually goes along with it. You can tell the staff really cares about the place and their customers. The sandwich I had was pre-made but so yummy! Great atmosphere, good service and killer coffee - what more could you ask for?
I live a block away from the star lounge and love it. I go in almost every day. However now its closed! Everyone in the neighborhood loved it and recently they had said they were closing because the investors/owners were backing out because it wasn't an immediate success. Then there was word that the managers would take over, and a sign in the window saying they'd open again on 1/9. They didn't, and today the signs were down and it was still closed. So does anyone know what happened? I hope they reopen.
---------update---------
They're open again. have been for a while, and now its better than ever. If I could give star lounge a hug, I would. I used to go in every day, until I realized the chunk it was taking out of my wallet. So now, its like every-other-day. And the drinks are always like drugs in a cup. They are fabulous! I do miss the veggie delight sandwich from before, but I guess the cheese sandwich will do. I love to come here to work, and I love to just stop in. Everyone is friendly and recognizes me. Its the best. I can't live without star lounge anymore.
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Ah, Star Lounge. My home away from home. Which is convenient since it's only about 100 feet from my regular home.
I've worked at Starbucks for almost 5 years, so you better believe I'm used to drinking coffee. Let me give all you coffee elitists a moment to roll your eyes ("you call that mass-produced corporate bullshit COFFEE?!")
Anyways. When this place opened and I had my first latte there, I experienced the euphoria that is (presumably) on par with that first snort of blow. I have never done drugs (pot doesn't count) but seriously, if they make you feel anything close to the way Star Lounge's espresso made me feel, then I promise to never again tsk tsk the homeless crack addict panhandling outside my 24 hour CVS. I feel ya, brother.
Between my boyfriend and I, we probably drop at least 60 bucks a week here, between our daily cups of coffee, Naked juice, yummy Damen Ave bagel, and whatever pastry strikes our fancy. And of course the tip, as the baristas here surely deserve it.
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This place rules and I am so happy to see them back open and better than ever.
My friends and I boycott the Starbucks at the new Dominick's to help support The Star Lounge, the best cafe in town. You can get Starbucks anywhere in the world. Why not sip on something created especially for us and our community? The people here are great at making you feel welcome and finding out what drink best suits your mood.
Keep up the great work Star Loungers! I'll keep spreading the word.
Best coffee shop in chicago, hands down! I have to say that I prefer the sandwiches/baked goods, etc. at atomix, but the atmosphere/staff/music/decor/everything else here makes it indisputably the nicest place to go for coffee or tea with pomegranate juice or whatever other amazing beverage you want. The guys who own this place, as has been said, are wonderful, and I realllllly wish that this spot was here when I lived right next door.
I love this place. Great staff. Friendly without being obnoxious. It still looks like the bar that used to inhabit this space--kept the cool awesome original millwork. Love it.
It's funky and good and you should go there. Young folks own and run the place.
Star Coffee Lounge makes the best lattes I've ever had--and that includes Intelligentsia.
The space is gorgeous, they have delicious cookies, and everyone should go there. Save Star Lounge Cafe!
Excellent coffee, very good snackies and a nice vibe. Definately check it out- especially their Mayan Cocoa. It's spicy and chocolatey, velvety and exciting.
When Star opened a block from my house, my husband and I checked it out and were put off by the vibe--XRT on the speakers, yupsters with cellphones and babycarriages talking about how "cute" the neighborhood was...the owners and the clientele seemed like outsiders who were interested in "investing" in Ukie Village/Humboldt Park.
Well, apparently the real estate market crash had some good outcomes. When the owners decided to sell the place after a couple of months, the workers and an investor who has lived in the hood for years took it over. Now we can't spend enough time here.
Not only do they have the best coffees and teas I've tasted in Chicago, and are always experimenting with new blends and espresso and tea drinks (which they often give away free, as "experiments"), the guys who own it are always here behind the bar and are the friendliest, least jaded people I've ever met.
They have created a place in the neighborhood that is more like the old Chicago I remember--you see the same people here every day; they are totally open to performers and events of all kinds--just give them an idea and they'll probably love it. They have brought hip hop performers from the west end of the neighborhood and don't even seem to realize how unusual that kind of mix is these days, especially in the usually uber-hipsterized cafe society.
Star Lounge like a second home for us now. From the backyard, where you can usually find a dog or two and an impromptu bbq; to the overstuffed couches; to the good-natured "music wars" that occur between the dudes we've nicknamed "the hippie" and "Emo-boy"... it's all good here. Thank the gods for Star Lounge.
are you a tea or coffee snob? the owners are coffee and tea geeks (without being pretentious). they seriously know their shit. they've got a wall of tea to choose from. and they've started making their own blends as well. and sometimes, they blend and roast their own coffee, too. but if it's not jay's special blend, just know that a lot of love/time/obsession was put into the choice of beans that made the coffee you're drinking. so the coffee tastes good. really good.
there's free wi-fi. friendly laid back staff that will help you procrastinate or caffeinate you appropriately to get through your work.
and they just started bringing in southport grocery stuff. so if you've got a need for those amazing cupcakes to go with your perfect cappuccino, this is your place.
--no more southport grocery stuff, but the food and treats are pretty damn good. the last time i was there they had a chocolate chip/bacon cookie (a la vosges style). the perfect sweet/salty snack to go with the great coffee. :)
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I literally said to the bf as we were walking into Star Lounge Cafe for the first time this weekend, "I have really high expectations for this place, I hope it doesn't disappoint". So that should have been the kiss of death, right? Well it wasn't. It was just what I was looking for: cozy, artsy, friendly staff, good drinks, good pastries and savories (well I didn't actually try any of the food yet, but it looked and sounded good).
I recently migrated about 7 blocks west to this neighborhood and Star Lounge is only a few doors down from my new bus stop. Those 7 blocks = a seat on the bus and quick access to caffeine. Score.
YES! Finally a real coffee shop on the near west side! This is def your last stop in looking for the right coffee house. The incredible staff will help you have the best coffee experience possible by demonstrating their love and passion for the product. The Lounge is incredibly comfy and their back yard is dog friendly. Go there now! You will not be dissapointed!
So my boyfriend says this used to be a cool bar. Well ... now it's a cool COFFEE bar!
I popped in here this morning in hopes that it was *finally* open. I live a few blocks away and this is RIGHT on the #66 Chicago bus line. Talk about fate! I popped in after seeing the sandwich board outside -- a sure sign it was open. It was a little warm humid/sticky inside (it's a little too muggy this morning to have your doors open, but whatever floats the boat!), but the moment I stepped in I was in love. I began making plans for evening reading sessions and laptop-toting excursions.
The bar is still there. The physical bar, that is. I've never been to a coffee shop with an actual bar. There are no stools at the bar, and it's sort of hard to tell where you go to order. Luckily I was the only one in there at the time (though three or four others popped in while I was awaiting my morning drink). The friendly fellow at the counter immediately greeted me and filled me in on the grand opening tomorrow, that the hours were to be 7-7 beginning Monday, with 7-9 on the weekends (Thurs-Sat). I ordered an Iced Mocha and scanned the menu while waiting. There was lots of interesting concoctions that are personal to the Star Lounge, which is snazzy and a sign of creative drinkmeisters.
The joint is a little bare bones right now, but they have two cooler things with all sorts of Jones Soda beverages and other popular non-coffee drinks. They also offer tea and breakfast/sandwiches (though I got the vibe that they won't be ready for that until next week). It's a very large space with a little patio out back, too, which is actually a deck in the backyard. It gives it a really local, homey feel, in my opinion. There's free wi-fi, which rocks, too.
So in my short time spent in the Star Lounge, it's safe to say that I'm absolutely stoked that there is now a coffee joint near my place that I can dig on (I didn't have a good experience at Humboldt Pie, not to mention that someone "affiliated" with that place sent me rude messages about my review). The only dissatisfaction with Star Lounge at present is the hours. I'm a "stay at the coffee shop till 10 or later" kind of gal, myself.
Oh! And the mocha! How can I forget? The mocha was DELISH. It wasn't too sweet, and it had the PUNCH of espresso necessary to start the morning or lead into the evening. I'll be going back to try the tea, coffee, and the abundance of other drinks, not to mention to hang out in the unique, bar-style coffee shop that is, the Star Lounge.
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Fantastico.
Came here today before playing doctor at CommunityHealth Center this evening. Felt a little awkward in by business casual dress, but I got over that rather quickly. Besides that, I immediately loved it from the second I walked in the door. Since Filter has disappeared, I have been on the search for great places to get food and coffee; while their food selection is still a little lacking, what they have is good and I just love the smell of cheese and coffee.
However, I have been trying to wean myself off of coffee (please don't hurt me) and thus opted for the Chai Latte. NOT OUT OF A BOX?!? SHUT UP. GIVE ME TEN OF THEM. I was so pleasantly surprised that I said skim milk instead of soy milk. Which apparently was a mistake because they have very special soy milk (I was eavesdropping later). Regardless, it was great. Definitely going back for more.
Ordered the spinach sandwich (spinach, cheese and mushroom panini) -- YUM! And they give you Sun Chips! Double YUM! I mean, it's nothing gourmet, but it was very satisfying. Then I ordered a sandwich to go for a friend and the guy working there was SO NICE. I thought I would just order both at the same time to save him the trouble, but he voluntarily brought out my sandwich to eat there and asked me when I wanted the one to go to be made. WOW. It pretty much made my day.
And they take credit cards.
Love it -- can't wait to go back.
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