Blue Box Cafe
| Address: | 176 E Chicago St, Elgin, IL 60120, USA |
| Phone: | +1 847-697-2583 |
| Site: | theblueboxcafe.com |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–8PM 8AM–9PM 10AM–4PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 13
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Erin Adame
The food was good and worth stopping in for. We liked the concept however, last night we walked in and the noise level from the IPOD filming was way to loud for the small dining room. We had a hard time ordering, talking and enjoying the food due, to the sound bouncing off the wall. There was no way to make conversation about what was being said and because it was too loud it was actually hard to hear what was being said due to the sound bouncing out and off the walls. Its a great idea but, the dining room isnt big enough for the sound. It would have been a more enjoyable evening if it was softer and more open like being in your actual dining room and sharing ideas. I cant say that Id return when they are banging the noise. I had to remove my hearing aid and when I left my ears hurt. I was the most painful sandwich Ive ever had! Fresh icetea is always a plus! Ive stopped in for their coffee which is good. What got me in end was that the co-owner asked for donations.....Owners are there to run a business and draw a crowd. I go to alot of restaurants in the city as my husband works and designs them. I have never ever heard of an owner asking for donations.........his BAD
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Nicholas Fries
The first time I went there was great. I didnt have my son with me. It was during a Pokemon Go event. The owners were in and they were friendly. The second time I went there, I had my son with me. The payment method asks for a tip which I think is very off-putting when Im coming up to the counter and not asking for anything extravagant. The kid that brought the food to the table asked whos food is for who and I playfully just said "eh, either or, were sharing, haha" and he plopped the food on the table and said "Well. Here you go," with a pretty nasty attitude then walked off in a huff. Like, yeah okay dude, I know youre working but you dont have to be rude. The food was "fantastic!". I just think they may need to either train their staff to be less "fake friendly" or find some new staff.
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Red Shell
Great food and and staff. Nice local place to meet other scifi fans and make new friends. Every time I have ever been, I just ordered whatever I saw someone eating, its a great way to try new stuff and the all the food here is wonderful. Staff is quick and polite, they work well togeather and it seems like everyone is always having a good time whenever I have stopped in. You can always count on Doctor Who to be playing on the TV, so great conversation starter and memorabilia changes occasionally for purchase. Amazing fan art for anyone who love art, its nice to check out the artwork in the halls here.
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Christopher Cork
Despite hours posted on Google, and on the door. They were closing an hour early (8pm instead of the posted 9pm) as we walked up. No other explanation from the guy at the door other than "We close early sometimes." It is kind of a destination for us to come here, and this was the first time. It is a bit of an effort to park in the parking garage and walk over. We were excited to try it out only to be let down at the door. Only reason Id even try to come back is if I get overruled by the girlfriend.
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Jennifer Day
Friendly staff, willing to work with us on a multitude of different allergies in our family. When available, they let us read ingredients labels for their breads and wraps to see if it was a safe food. When labels were not available, they gave us the bakery name so we could contact them ourselves. We were able to find options for everyone, and I truly appreciated that they not only endured our allergen questions, but asked about severity so they could take precautions to avoid cross contamination.
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Patrick Hillman
Solid local coffee shop and cafe with a Doctor Who theme. The staff is friendly and efficient, the food and coffee taste great and its location is perfect for stopping by real quick on your way into downtown Elgin. My one qualm is the prices of their sandwiches, theyre a little steep considering they dont come with chips or a drink. The coffee prices are pretty standard. They use boar head deli products. I plan on stopping by one of these days during their podcast or boardgame nights.
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Gina Tuozzo
Great, friendly atmosphere for all ages. Coffee & tea drinks and lunch items based on characters from the Doctor Who series. The Reuben Reuben and the Dalek Delight are personal faves! (Breakfast items too, but the sammies, salads, and lattes get the clever names) They host live podcasts, and have theme nights throughout the year. 3 screens show episodes of the Doctor, and memorabilia is tucked around the place to admire. Support local business, relax, and get your deli fix on!
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BaronVonSTFU
I am writing this review specifically for the barista that made my cappuccino today. She was wearing a tie dye shirt. She was unsure of herself because she couldnt differentiate between my cap and my wifes latte and thought she was doing something wrong. I drink a lot of cappuccinos. It may have been slightly more wet than dry but I have to say in terms of foam consistency and flavor it was one of the best cappuccinos I have ever had. Dont doubt yourself, you did a great job.
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Allan Costello
Im a coffee snob...go to Calibre coffee shop in The Arboretum of So. Barrington for Intelligencia... ( direct buy local and San Francisco roasters beans...grind my own and do variety of processes: French press; poor overs, etc). With that in mind the drip coffee at Blue Box SMOKED anything Ive had in a long time!! Great, distinctive taste..smooth...good "note" at end of each taste! Will go out of my way...past many starbucks etc., to go here.
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Dennis Allen
If youre a fan of Doctor Who, you owe it to yourself to go here. There is a lot of memorabilia there and fan art. TVs always running marathons of the show add to it and Im glad for the closed captioning. It gets loud in there so its good to be able to follow along with the episodes. Its your basic sandwich shop, but with a theme. Fans, nerds and geeks of all kinds are welcome! For first-timers, the door to the TARDIS opens...
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Elliott Serrano
This little gem of a cafe is a must-see for folks who are fans of Doctor Who and great coffee! The staff is friendly, the prices very reasonable (especially when compared to Starbucks or Intelligentsia) and the food is freshly prepared and yummy! Great ambience and quiet on days they arent hosting a podcast. On podcast days, the atmosphere is fun, but a bit more lively.
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Sandra Rocha
My first experience at the cafe wasnt very friendly, two workers came off as annoyed and rushed our order. However, I have decided to change my review based on my recent visit to give this cafe a second chance. The poor experience has not repeated and the attitude was friendly/genuine. Maybe I had arrived on a bad day the first time, but still.
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Krystle Fenger
I dont know anything about Doctor Who, but this place is adorable and I would get coffee here versus Starbucks any day. The customer service is absolutely phenomenal as well. They always get so excited when I walk my dogs there and the staff will come outside and give them bacon treats! This place is literally the gem of Elgin.
