Essential Smoothies Cafe

Reviews

• MY

  Miles Yohnka

  Apr 13, 2026
  5.0
  Essential Smoothies is Great! They sell smoothies at Kankakee High School which is so clever. There are always a ton of students walking through the hallway or sitting at lunch enjoying a smoothie, myself included!
• PD

  Priscilla Dwyer

  Apr 1, 2026
  5.0
  The staff are so sweet and always go above and beyond. I teach yoga in the same building and they eye sweet enough to bring my shake up to me this morning in between classes. One time I had low blood sugar and they gave me some juice for free. The smoothies are amazing! 🤩
• DS

  Delisha Spears

  Mar 31, 2026
  5.0
  Mannnn when I tell you that the Acai Bowls are FYEEE … I had the pleasure of meeting the owner very nice person. The staff are amazing 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• DF

  Dawn Fitzgerald-Giganti

  Mar 28, 2026
  5.0
  If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. Essential Cafe is such a hidden gem. We came here because my son and his partner are vegan, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But wow… every single one of us loved our food. The smoothies and protein shakes were incredible, the burgers were packed with flavor, and the buffalo chicken sandwich was so good you’d never guess it’s vegan. Everything tasted fresh, clean, and made with real ingredients you can actually feel good about. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxing, the kind of place you want to sit and stay awhile. The staff was genuinely friendly and welcoming, and Denise, the owner, made the whole experience even better. She came out to check on us personally, asked how everything was, and you can just tell she truly cares about her customers and her food. We ended up loving it so much that my son and his partner ordered more food to go before we even left. I grabbed a protein shake for the road, and I’m still thinking about it. I live about 40 miles away, and I will absolutely be making the drive back, with or without my adult kids. This is going to be a regular stop for me, at least once a month. The prices are very reasonable, especially for the quality you’re getting. If you’re on the fence, don’t be. You do not have to be vegan to love this place. Just go. You’ll be planning your next visit before you even leave.
• AL

  Alexandra Lorrae

  Mar 26, 2026
  5.0
  LOVE that there is finally a spot in Kankakee County for us vegans that isn't the one option at Chipotle or Burger King. Staff was super friendly. Food was DELICIOUS (I ordered the Mac burger and 10/10 recommend). I will definitely be back to slowly make my way around the entire menu : )