This one-room cafe can feel as cold as a catacomb on your first encounter: Exposed ventilation stretches above a dimly glowing light track along the side of the cafe's brick walls, overlooking concrete-topped tables and plastic folding chairs. The one cafe window is frosted with the Mud signature decal (the "U" in mud has steam rising from it like a coffee cup), and while it attracts sunshine to a few worn plush seats and wicker footstools, the middle of the cafe is left a bit gloomy. Fortunately there is a tiny, couch-filled stage that is lit with those massive black theater lights, but from time to time, that area becomes storage for mic stands.

But if you can accept the aesthetic chill and deal with the fact that the gray-haired, European-accented, dime-for-a-smile owner is the only one manning the counter, you might begin to appreciate some of the rarities Mud brings to the Evanston coffeehouse scene. Yes, other places have a bookshelf stacked heartily with board games and weekly free city-guides at the door, but tell me where else you could find a place willing to stay open until the last customer leaves. And how about Mud being a hotspot for live music on the North Shore (remember those mic stands)? This ain't your typical open-mic, people. From international folk singers to free jazz artists to local college bands to noise-rock performers, the artists here make Mud a very culturally aware cafe. That said, stick with the espresso bar here: Mud's specialty drinks are overpriced and served in small portions.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Puhala