Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe
| Address: | 1323 E 57th St, Chicago, IL 60637, USA |
| Phone: | +1 773-538-7372 |
| Site: | zhmarketcafe.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM |
Location
Photos 32
Reviews 17
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Steven Beasley
New owners as of Nov 2016... avoid at all costs. Z&H used to be our go-to sandwich place in the neighborhood... solid sandwiches made from really good ingredients by people that cared about the quality of what they were making. When I went in today I thought something was up... all of the good chips were now Flaming Hot Cheetos and Doritos and the coffee was cheap pre-pack stuff theyre probably ordering from Sysco. The menu was the same, at least on paper. Once we went back to the counter was when we really saw the difference... sweatshirt on top of the meat slicer and cheap gas station-quality lunch meat. Im not exactly sure why the current owner purchased Z&H only to essentially change everything that was good about it. The location will be closed in 3 months.
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Alison Neidt Toonen
The new ownership has apparently taken the attitude that quality need no longer apply at Z&H. Co-worker ordered soup and sandwich. They forgot soup and gave him the wrong kind of sandwich. 2nd co-worker ordered his sandwich on bread instead of as a wrap. Sandwich came wrapped. I didnt get chips—as were supposed to be included in my order. More disappointing, however, is the SERIOUS downgrade in the quality of ingredients. My Mae Wilson had dry, day-old bread, brownish guac, and government-grade slimy turkey. It was hard to tell if they pinkish grey junk was actually protein. GROSS. This sandwich cost me $9.50. I could have gotten something from a vending machine with higher quality ingredients. Z&H used to be a lunch staple. Sorry guys, we will NOT be back.
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Isotope Blue
Coffee house / cafe / deli (real deli where people come to buy sliced meat and such) / gourmet food store. Brick walls, hardwood floors. Eclectic music on not too loud. Layout is a bit odd -- one bar, a long set of table pushed together in a middle, and a few scraggler tables. Several outlets, though some are broken or nonstandard. Free wifi with password - reliable and high speed. I was there on a Thursday afternoon in autumn. It got crowded around lunch, then emptied out in afternoon. Large lunchy menu - I had a good, if not exciting, salad. Small selection of high quality loose leaf teas. Small selection of pretty good pastries. They do a nice chai - not too sweet. Im torn between 4 and 5 stars, but its not quite cozy feeling enough for 5.
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Ian Caveny
"How empty sits the city once full of people!" Like the prophet Jeremiah, it makes me weep to pass by Z&H these days. Just six months ago, it was one of the best lunch spots near UChicago (second only Bergsteins for sandwiches), and now it has devolved into a poorly-stocked, understaffed, half-rate dive. The new management (whom I hope are reading this review) need to turn this business around or it will go the way of the dodo. Better yet, they should ask some of their long-term employees how the old management handled things; they could learn much from the previous owner.
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Max Rempel2
The cashier was unfriendly, punched in an extra sandwich (extra 7$), the food was not fresh, we didnt like it, one of our group left hungry, the roast beef smelled spoiled, the bathroom lacked paper towels, its hand drier was slow and didnt dry hand, it lacked the waste basket, the menu was confusing, the place seemed not clean and the workers seemed not very clean either. The food was served wrapped in paper even for eating in the cafe. Pros: the menu and recipes seemed a bit inventive, but the crew was clearly not matching the idea of the establishment.
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Dustin Mitchell
This is a nice little sandwich and coffee shop, giving the time-worn Medici a run for its money. Its also a gourmet snack food kind of shop, but I dont think they sell much. They have a large garage door in the front thats open when the weathers nice, with sidewalk seating, and a well-hidden back porch (requiring a walk around the alley). The sandwiches are great, and the coffees well-prepared. The place is generally crowded around lunch, but you can usually find a seat at the coffee bar any other time of day.
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Teresa Kilbane
Read the reviews after I ate. Explains poor quality. My panini came out by the time I walked to the back. Hardly toasted. Meat looked skeptical. Not coming back. I also had been back 2 times before this after long hiatus. Neither time did they have sugar free vanilla and wait staff felt need to flirt with a guy and let line back up waiting for their drinks. Dont think theyre coming back either. A real shame. Go to Robust 63 and Woodlawn. You wont be disappointed.
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Heather Walder
I dont understand the hype. Im visiting from out of town, and for the price, I expected a larger sandwich with more veggies, or at least something that I could call dinner on its own (I ordered the roast beef and bleu cheese "blue moo"). Also, they took down my name incorrectly, so it took several times of them calling my order before I realized that my sandwich was ready. Take your $9 elsewhere if youre only in town for a short time.
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Amy Chung-Yu Chou
Z&Hs Chicken cilantro lime soup is divine and they serve great iced lattes (which I am not ashamed to admit that I drink even during the heaviest snow days). They have some of the best sandwiches Ive ever eaten and also great taco nights. Service is friendly and they still remember you years after youve graduated from the U of C.
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Jaqueline Stoutin
I stopped here to have a latte and a Nordalbingia sandwich before every single one of my ochem exams. I attribute my good grade in large part to that delicious coffee and sandwich combo. This is a really cool spot with tasty food! If you live east of Dorchester, it will definitely become a regular stop.
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Nabokov Nabakov
This place used to be very good to even great. I ate the 90 mile most days for a year in 2011-2012...the new owners should be taken to court. What a disgrace. The food is sub-airport...thats not a nasty remark...I mean LITERALLY its WAYYYYY below airport standards...go to Midway for your food.
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K. Morris
Awesome environment. Excellent staff. Great eats. One of my favorite Z&H people is Nale; she makes a fantastic sandwich and her customer service is tremendous; she always makes sure you feel like you are the most important customer. I highly recommend you take a visit.
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Anna Knes
Z & H is a great place to get snacks with friends. The hot chocolate and apple cider are delicious, and I assume the food is great too, but I havent eaten it yet. The decor is amazing because my friends sister did it! Overall, everyone should go at least once.
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Hannah Fullmer
Z&H is a great place to stop if you want something quick and tasty. Everything is fresh and all their sandwiches taste really great. I wish it was a little cheaper but overall its pretty good. I got the Auntie Mae and really liked it.
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Angie Castells
Nice, casual spot to get a quick sandwich & chips in the University of Chicago campus area. There is one big table as well as some smaller ones, and there were plenty of students working on their laptops when we visited.
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Amanda Hartman
Z & H is the best place to go for amazing sandwiches, kombucha, and other trendy concoctions. The baristas are always fun to chat with. It is a dream place to work, with awesome coffee.
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Kasey Klipsch
New owners are destroying a gem. Switched to some garbage bargain coffee. Never has supplies like bagels or croissants. Used to come here 4 or 5 times a week and now I never do.
