JJ Java

Open late, plenty of seating, food is good!

All the tables rock back and forth, and the service is usually pretty bad. they often play boring jazz music overhead and then the people working the register play their own music, so it sounds awful and is impossible to focus.
In short, if there was somewhere closer, I’d definitely go there. There’s not, so I make it work by sticking sweet and low packets under the legs of the tables to make them stop wobbling.

spacious. convenient location. decent coffee.
but everything is wayy overpriced, esp for a poor student like me. as for the interior, it has improved over the past year but as some people have mentioned, there can be better lighting, ventilation, overall interior design.
4 stars for the charm and for being a great place to study. a great place to hold an event as well!

I would not come here for the food or coffee, which are both overpriced for the quality and portion. I tried a couple of their «specialty» drinks (zebra mocha, raspberry mocha, white chocolate mocha) — they were very sugary and had no coffee flavor, and I found some of the powered mix they used still sitting at the bottom; not worth it for close to $ 5 for a «large» that’s the size of a small elsewhere. The breakfast burrito consisted of 2 piece of meat, soggy overcooked eggs, and prepackaged sliced fake cheese poorly wrapped in a dry tortilla. For almost $ 7. And a small bowl of chili that tastes as good as canned for $ 5. For the food and drinks alone, I would rate this place a 1, maybe 2 just for the bobtail ice cream, which is delicious.
But I come back here occasionally for the work space and just grab coffee that I won’t really drink. They’re open late and located near campus (and the foster El stop) which is super convenient, and the place is huge with nice tables where I can easily spread out all my work and buckle down. I would definitely suggest stronger lighting and some way to freshen the air because the place can start smelling stuffy and dusty.
Student discount 10% with cash only.
I really hate to see an amazing space not being used to its full potential, and there’s definitely a lot of room for improvement. I really want this place to grow into something great though, so I’ll definitely keep checking back for changes.

Went for a mid-​morning pick me up.
Earl grey tea was good, cranberry muffin also good — nice and moist. However $ 7.49 for the two was a little pricey, hence the 2 stars.
Student groups would probably like the large area for studying.
Back area could use some organizing.

Good coffee, creative ice cream treats, good fairly-​priced food, and a very inviting place. Open late, hooray! Evanston really needs an independent (not S*bucks), uncrowded (not K*fein), unpretentious (not, um, you-​know-​who-​you-​are) hang-​out like this. Lately there have been open mics here, stand-​up comedy, live music, and the Evanson Go Club meets here Wednesday nights to play and teach this board game. Lots of chess and scrabble for the eggheads, also Connect Four and other board games too, available all the time. I am rating them the max because this place WILL be the coolest place around, as long as we locals come support it when the students aren’t around. In truth the place could use better signs, a better sound system, more regular hours, more jazz music and some menu refinement. Actual current rating maybe only a little over 4. But I love this place, and urge everyone who cares about our neighborhood to give it a try.

The good:
For NU students who need a spacious study area within walking distance from campus that’s conveniently open until at least 1am ALL week long, this is the coffee shop for you. If you want to take a break, you can play chess, Scrabble, and Connect 4 on the mismatched couches or critique the oil paintings that line the west end of the coffee shop. If you want to study, there are plenty of outlets and tables.
I’ve tried my first Bobtail Ice Cream, which is Chicago’s only homemade hard-​pack ice cream. Even though I only asked the staff member for one scoop of espresso-​flavored ice cream in a bowl, she also added espresso powder, chocolate sauce, and waffle cone bits to my order. I think her ulterior motive was to convert me into a fattie, but I figure if the ice cream has less butterfat content than most other super-​premium ice creams, then it cancels out. Hopefully. In any case, the total was $ 2.89! Wildcats, you even get a 10% Wildcard discount.
The bad:
The food is mediocre – the Veggie Delite sandwich was bland, and the side order should be complemented by something other than chips and soda. It’s also located near the Foster El stop, so you’ll hear the occasional rumbling of the passing trains.
The ugly:
Nothing terrible yet to keep me from becoming a regular, because the good outweigh the bad.

This place shows some promise. I’ll be back in a month.
The ambiance:
Large, open space. Quirky layout (you have to walk in to see what I’m talking about). Mis-​matched furniture and modern lighting. Very kitsch.
The coffee/​food:
I’ve had a brewed coffee here en route to Kellogg from the Foster CTA. It wasn’t anything worth writing home about, but not stale/​bad. I’ve only had Bobtail Ice Cream here, which I’ve already been a fan of for a while now. The fact that I don’t have to drive to Wilmette or go to the city to get it is great. Bobtail is one of my favorite specialty ice creams and definitely my absolute favorite in Chicago. Try a couple scoops out ($ 2.85 for 2 scoops of any ice cream). There’s also a nice little 10% NU Student Discount that I wasn’t aware of that the owner told me about while I was paying.
The service:
The owner is there seemingly during all hours. She’s lively and eccentric and usually has her kid there, too. She provides energy to the dining area, which is appreciated (when you’re not there just trying to study).
TL;DR — Work in progress, but shows lots of promise. Cheap food and drinks. Bobtail Ice Cream #1 (and cheap here). 10% NU discount.

JJ Java is one of the best places for a cup of coffee in Evanston. It has a wide variety of food and attracts an eclectic crowd. It is a homey feeling and definitely not your typical coffee shop. The owner is very nice AND it’s cheap. The service isn’t amazing, but that is part of its charm.

A nice place to work. VERY slow service, so if you go there, plan on being there for a while. The owner is very nice, but she can sometimes make situations very awkward, as she will linger at your table after you’ve made your order and attempt to be a part of your conversation – but still very nice and very enjoyable to talk to. Has a lot of fun board games to play, and they have guest musicians pretty often. It seems like they’re on pace to become a Kafien-​like coffee shop; funky, hipstery, fun place to go.

I’d have to agree with Eric D. that JJ Java is a work in progress. It has a ton of potential to be a great place. There is a ton of space, outlets everywhere and ample seating. The cappuccino I got was just so so though, which is a deal breaker for me. If you want a nice place to sit down and get some work done then this is the place. If you want to get a great cup of coffee though, it’s not yet there yet.

The atmosphere at jj java is awesome, and there are lots of good places to work. The food is really good, the coffee could use a bit of an improvement. Really extensive menu though and most of the stuff is awesome – ice cream, soft pretzels, yogurt parfaits. I highly recommend it!

I’d have to call JJ Java a work in progress. The owners are very nice and eager to please. The space is large, sunny, and comfortable. It would be a great hang out for a writing group. We ordered breakfast and coffee. The food is cheap, which will be a big draw for students. My eggs and toast were good, though nothing fancy. My wife and kids loved the breakfast burrito. My coffee was weak and at first they couldn’t find any half and half, though they finally produced a small amount. They added a couple of shots of expresso to my cup after I mentioned the problem with the brew, which improved it a lot. My wife said her expresso was only lukewarm. With all the cafes in the area, they definitely need to fix the coffee issues. But I’m very hopeful they’ll get their opening kinks worked out, so I will definitely visit again and re-​review.

This place had a somewhat confusing opening, but I’ve come to really like it. They’re still getting settled logistically– the hours aren’t marked, they only have a few menus, and the music selection can be confusing– but it’s an excellent space, and it’s growing more so by the day. I’ve seen mostly other students in here, and it’s set up well for working, with lots of room, big tables, and plenty of outlets. Wicked interior with exposed brick and roughly finished pine.
As of now, they’re usually open at 5:30am and close at 2am. These might be extended hours, given that NU is in finals week, and lots of students are looking for late night study spots. It’s actually about 100 feet from the Foster El stop, which makes it a good option for stuff on the go.
The coffee– I’ve only gotten house blend and mocha so far– has been decent. It’s not as excellent as Coffee Lab a couple blocks north, but it’s comparable to other places in downtown/​north Evanston. They have a spread of food, but I’ve only had a few bites of a breakfast burrito (which was dang tasty).
Talk to the owner if you’re there. I think she works almost the whole time they’re open, which is nuts. She’s interesting and unfalteringly friendly, if awkward at times.