After riding a combination of El trains and CTA buses for an hour and a half to get to Jinx Cafe in Wicker Park, I was dismayed to find myself in a disappointingly dull, dingy coffee shop.

It was mostly quiet on the Thursday afternoon that I visited, except for the strains of moody alternative music coming from speakers behind the counter. The few studious 20-something patrons, each surrounded by their own cloud of smoke, didn’t glance up from their laptops and books as I placed my order and took a seat. The staff, however, was friendly, polite and attentive.

Jinx offers a menu featuring a variety of average coffee drinks as well as an interesting assortment of non-coffee beverages. The drink menu is enticing, but it doesn’t appear to have any kind of theme. The ginger iced tea, brewed in-house, has a sharp, earthy taste that was like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. As far as the food goes, Jinx’s list of grilled sandwiches and “bagel creations” are vegetarian-friendly and tasty, but they are on the pricy side.

The decor at Jinx is punky, if a little bit sparse. A few tables have artwork painted on them and a couple paintings labeled with masking tape hang on the tan and crimson walls.

Posters for the Deftones and Atticus are accompanied by ads for local bands, shows and apartments for rent. The light fixtures made of empty coffee canisters cast a dim light on the cafe that makes it somewhat difficult to read or study. They charge for refills on everything except water, so I wasn’t inclined to stay long to do homework.

All things considered, Jinx Cafe was an interesting venue to visit, but not quite worth the trek from Evanston.

— Katie Holland

Jinx Cafe

1928 W.

Division St.

(773) 645-3667

Hours:

Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.