Swing open the door to find a minuscule bar and tiny seating area. But a doorway hidden at the back leads to two much larger dining rooms, both with colorful artwork by local painters decorating the warm brick walls. Café 28 is deceptively cavernous, so don’t be surprised when the compact menu at this family establishment yields generous portions of Mexican and Cuban dishes inspired by the owners’ heritage. The hefty salmon and avocado tartare starter manages to be both creamy in texture yet clean in finish. Likewise, the pistachio crusted chicken contrasts a roasted, nutty crunch against the astringent juices of Swiss chard and a rich goat cheese wine sauce. Mojito fans will love Café 28’s version of the Cuban classic, which strikes just the right balance between aromatic mint and citrus pucker. Like the room and dishes on the menu, there’s nothing skimpy about it.

Salmon tartare
Green tamales
Pistachio crusted chicken
Honey jalapeño pork chops
Tres leches cake
view full menu here

The middle room is the liveliest, perfect for letting the mojitos and the good times flow. Patrons seeking a quieter atmosphere might prefer the back dining room. In warmer months, the pretty patio is open for dinner, although the Brown Line L rumbles past on a regular basis.

In another life, Café 28 was a sleepy breakfast spot named after that owner’s lucky number. When Berta Navarro bought the restaurant, she kept the name, perhaps taking the fact that it was her son’s (co-owner Ricardo Miranda) high school baseball number as a lucky sign of
their own.

lunch: Thu.–Fri. 11 AM–2 PM
dinner: Tue.–Thu. 5:30 PM–10 PM;
Fri.–Sat. 5:30 PM–10:30 PM; Sun. 5:30 PM–9 PM
brunch: Sat.–Sun. 10 AM–2 PM
closed Monday

$12.50 (sandwich Cubano) to $25.50 (honey jalapeño pork chops)