Good place to hang out, excellent coffee, nice addition to the fast-improving Howard streetscape. I was glad to see a decent crowd in here the other day. Wish they had some more substantial eats... maybe some good quiche?
A drawback is the acoustics - like so many places going for a groovy modern look, they have almost no soft surfaces, which makes for a very reverbery experience. Didn't help that when I was there, one large table had some kind of meeting going on, with people making pretty loud speeches (I mean, not formal speeches, but one guy in particular kept yammering on about their project & so on, and seriously, I was 3 tables over and didn't -- couldn't -- miss a syllable... How do you tell adults to use their indoor voices?). I hope that's not too common. Also didn't help that others were having loud cellphone conversations -- one or two of whom seemed to be the owners or managers of the place. Ummm... if there's no chance of being able to read or otherwise concentrate, this nice space you've created here is not going to be high on my come-back list, kids. Don't you have an office you could do your business calls in? Or a closet?
The space could surely handle a few more tables. For some reason most of the little tables were paired up, which meant that one person would end up using 2 tables. Not a very efficient use of space, and you feel strange asking if you can take that 2nd table... I think they could leave the tables apart and let people join them if they want. Then they could un-join them later if the customers neglect to do so. But that would require the baristas to do the one thing that baristas are so loathe to do: come out from behind the counter... (God forbid they might do so with a rag in hand to wipe down a table or two...)
Seriously, though, the help here was very helpful. (The preceding rag about wiping tables is my generalized rag on coffee houses, where you give your order at the register, clean your own table, and then bus it... and are expected to leave a tip in the tip jar...) This is a fine place and I hope they work out the kinks and have a long run here. Howard needs them.
WIthout a doubt, Sol Cafe is my new favorite coffee shop in the city. Beautiful decor, wonderful drink, and amazing service. I have watched Sol be built from the windows over the past few months and I can't describe how excited I am that they are finally open.
Do yourself a favor, check it out.
My wife and I live a couple of blocks away from Sol and had been wishing for a nice (within walking distance) coffee shop like this, ever since we moved into the area. FINALLY!!
I love the atmosphere, decor and the delicious coffee & tea. The Batista's are very nice and attentive. We've needed something like this on Howard for a long time and I'm so clad that Sol is setting the path for a modern and hip Howard Street.
Having had few choices for my morning coffee that were right on my way to work, I was excited to see this open. I've been here twice now, and must say I am pleased overall.
The decor is an odd, but pleasant "recycled" look (Mason jar lights, Tables that look like they were made from barrels) The front of the shop is oddly bare, but I'm betting that's because they are going to have live music come in at some point. The coffee itself is a nice, smooth blend that lacks some of the acid taste Starbucks or Metropolis has, and the pricing is pretty good (less than 3 bucks for a large au lait).
The only part they really fell down on was on my second trip, they ran out of coffee and were just starting to make a fresh pot. Unfortunately, they didn't say this before I ordered. They were, however, nice enough to comp me the difference for a Latte. I chalked this up to working out the kinks of a new place with a new staff.Good recovery, so I'll be back again soon.
The fingers of gentrification have begun to wrap themselves around the throat of Howard street. Â This well -designed zen meets industrial yuppie oasis shines like a beacon to hipsters on a street crowded with sneaker shops, Caribbean restaurants and working class mothers on their way to the grocery store.
The space itself is one of the most well thought-out and aesthetically appealing  coffee shops I've ever visited and by far the best in the area. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I do enjoy their selection of very good herbal and green teas. The wi-fi situation kinda sucks. Similar to the Coffee Studio in Andersonville users must log on to Web Beams using a code good for one hour of free internet access.
I'm happy to see this shop in the neighborhood. I do, however, fear that this is a sign Howard street may soon lose the grit, diversity and charm that drew me to the area. With the upscale cocktail bar Ward Eight also moving in a few blocks away, I hope Howard doesn't get sucked up by the yuppie vacuum of our neighbors to the North.
So far, so good. Â My wife and I just stopped into Sol Cafe today, after watching them build the cafe over the recent months. Â This stretch of Rogers Park could definitely use another good cafe (Charmer's Cafe is the only one around) and Howard St. doesn't have one at all. Â
I purposely kept my expectations low (so as not to be disappointed), and I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice it is in its first week. Â The coffee was really nice (a black drip and a Americano), the service was excellent (prompt and polite) but I was especially impressed with the decor. Â They've created a really nice little environment that chain cafes just can't match. Â There were about 8-10 people relaxing and enjoying themselves on this cold, rainy Saturday. Â I can only hope that the crowds stay steady, and other quality businesses can be attracted to Howard St.
They're only serving muffins and cookies, foodwise, but the woman behind the counter said that they will soon be serving paninis and other types of food...
I highly recommend that locals make an effort to patronize locally owned businesses like this. Â It's perfectly located near the Howard El stop, and makes a nice pit stop while walking to get groceries, or on the way home from work. Â
Good job Sol! Â Best of luck to you....
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