Earwax Cafe

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1561 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622

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(773) 772-4019
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Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Earwax Cafe - Chicago, IL
Reviews
( 9 )
( 5 )
( 1 )
( 5 )
( 2 )

Best

This place is located in a really neat neighborhood, great place to walk around and explore. Their food was good and the ambiance in awesome, totally unique. I'm definitely going ...

Worst

Pros: The decor is really fun, and the staff is casual but efficient. Our nice waitress let me order off...

Unique spot, good food 4/18/2009

This place is located in a really neat neighborhood, great place to walk around and explore. Their food was good and the ambiance in awesome, totally unique. I'm definitely going back. Pros: Cool neighborhood, good food more
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Vegan Friendly, Eskimo Friendly 11/30/2008

Pros: The decor is really fun, and the staff is casual but efficient. Our nice waitress let me order off... more
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Vegan Friendly, Eskimo Friendly 11/30/2008

Anne Provided by Partner
Pros: The decor is really fun, and the staff is casual but efficient. Our nice waitress let me order off the kid's menu, despite the fact that I am... more
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Colorful, funky setting, good salads 7/7/2008

I visited Earwax about a month or two ago with my boyfriend and had a nice, relaxing meal. The food was good: he had a burger, which tasted alright, and I had a salad, which was fresh and crisp and exactly what I wanted. The meal took a bit longer than a normal lunch, probably because we arrived at their busiest time. We got there around 1 or 2 on a Saturday afternoon, so had to wait about 10 minutes or so. Service also took a while, for ordering, arrival of food, and removal of plates. In all, a satisfying average experience. Pros: Fun, funky environment and friendly staff Cons: Not well-equipped for weekend brunch/lunch rush more
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I don't know why people like this place. 7/1/2008

The food was mediocre and overpriced. The seitan was not spiced well (overwhelming in a weird way), the slaw was bad, and the veggies were not great either. The atmosphere was interesting, but not worth the money, especially when Sultan's Market is just down the street. If you want this kind of food, but better, go to Chicago Diner or something. The only star stands for the nice waiter, who we didn't tip enough, because we were so mad about wasting money on the food. Pros: nice waiter Cons: everything else more
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Earwax Cafe is just Okay 6/8/2008

I had lunch here, not a big deal.. The food was bland, it didn't seem clean, and the staff didn't smell very good. However, I did have a really good blueberry shake...although I can't remember the name of it...but it was one of the best I've ever had. Everyone was nice, just not my kind of place. more
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WORST WAITOR I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. AVOID EARWAX. 2/16/2008

i went to Earwax today with my friends and it was our first time there. our waitor named Miguel was the WORST waitor i have EVER HAD. he came over to our table and put his leg up on my friends seat. When i asked him how much something would cost if i had it added on to my meal he lazily said ""uhh i dont know!"" He had the worst attitude. When he delivered my pancakes there was pudding on it and not whip cream. I politely said ""Oh is there gelatin in this?"" he said ""Ugch. wellll you could have asked before you ordered it!"" and ran off. I highly doubt he even asked but ran back and said ""No gelatin!"" When my friend asked for hot chocolate in a to-go cup he brought hot chocolate with tons of whip cream and not in a to-go cup. she politely told him she wanted it in a to-go cup again. he went ""Oh yea you wanted it in a to go cup"" then he put a cup on the table and left it for us to deal with. because we had to pour it into another cup the toppings/cream were wrecked and it was so messy. i wasnt even sure if this guy was joking or what. Anyways, WORST SERVICE i have ever had. the food was fine OH AND THEY PLAY THE MOST OBNOXIOUS FOREIGN MUSIC. FIRE MIGUEL! more
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Seitan Ruben to die for! 11/27/2007

great place to have a meal with one or two freinds, and great veggie choices. seitan ruben was amazing, thier coffee is always fresh and tasy, and ecclectic atmosphere keeps it fun. Service can be just a little slow(while very freindly), but that is made up for with thier food and selection. Not the best breakfast tofu scramble ive had before, but that is my personal rating of any vegan place with breakfast, so im quite a stickler. Try it out! Pros: Food, selection, atmosphere Cons: quite busy at times more
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Great for vegetarians 11/4/2007

This place has a great selection for vegetarians. They have the best veggie burgers in the neighborhood and you have to try the Jamaican salad with Seitan, it's so so good. Great spot for lunch, especially when you're hitting up the local shops more
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Get past the name and chow down! 9/9/2007

Great service from the friendly staff, excellent menu suggestions from our just the right amount of attention waiter, could have lived without some of the funky, overloud music but LOVED the fantastic Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadilla Pros: funky factor, booths, delicious eats, Filberts beverages Cons: turn it down a bit I can't hear my friend more
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LOVE THE FOOD...and service is great, too. 10/28/2006

Being from Austin, TX...I look for places to take away my longing for that hippie-Austin food. Earwax is the place! Great service and atmosphere. LOVE the food and the chai is made in house! The sodas they carry are localy made and are great, too. more
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Was impressed... 6/27/2006

lets be honest, the name is just not appealing to the appetite.. but i was pleasantly suprised.. it turned out to be a good eatery with great service. more
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The yummy food is worth enduring the hipsters 5/8/2006

It's Wicker Park, so hipsters abound. But it's still got a great & varied menu, both the food upstairs & the DVD selection downstairs. I'm not a vegetarian, but I love the vegetarian entrees at Earwax. The sweet potato & black bean quesadilla with cilantro pesto is surprisingly delicious. The teas are great too, if a little pricy. There's a great selection of foreign films downstairs with a great organizational system. Yes, the guys who work there are total movie geeks & can be a little snobby, but they know what they're talking about. Pros: Tasty vegetarian food, Unique ingredients Cons: A little pricy, It's in Wicker Park. more
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Excellent Experience 12/8/2003

First visit was 9/02, most recent 12/03. The new location is great; same impressive decor, with improved seating and kitchen area. So good went twice on a two day trip to Chi-town. Friendly, helpful staff and great food made for great experiences. Would HIGHLY recommend. Pros: Friendly staff, Location to/from el, Food, food, food more
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uhhh... 3/1/2003

Although it is pretty cool that they have a movie rental establishment connected to the restaurant it does not make up for the attitude of the people behind the food counters. The guys upstairs are really cool (which makes me think there are different hiring managers for the restaurant and the movie place) but the kids below are nasty and snobby. The food is not worth the money it costs (or the wait to get it) and I am most confident that I will never return. It is too bad, too- because if it weren't for the staff the place would be okay.... Pros: movie place Cons: the staff more
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Great Place for Regulars 12/1/2002

I'm a regular at Earwax Cafe and I love it there. The staff is always friendly and attentive to myself and other regulars. On week ends the cafe fills up with suburbanites and other people of a snotty manor and their bad attitudes overwhelm the otherwise sweet staff of collage kids and struggling artists. My advice: don't be a jerk and they'll treat you well. Pros: good vegan food, friendly staff, great music Cons: pricy, jerk customers, sparce seating more
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bad waitstaff+so-sofood=ain't worth it 11/6/2002

the food, cool interior, nice setup were not worth the long wait, bad attitude, long faces of the waitstaff. Good vegetarian food is hard to find, but the bad vibe of this place just spoils one's appetite. Pros: cool interior, great place to chill Cons: BAD service, long faces more
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Menu for Earwax Cafe


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    It's a carnival in here, with Chinese-red walls, freak show banners, colorful globe lights, tables painted like pinwheels and high-backed carousel booths. Indie rental videos,...

  • 5/10/2004 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Monday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Tuesday CLOSED Wednesday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Sunday 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Wicker Park, West Side
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