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    Backlot Coffee

    4.5 (26 reviews)
    Closed 6:30 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Sandy's Holiday Soda--holiday special at Montrose.
    Aesha E.

    I love Backlot Coffee. They're cashless here. Not somewhere I get terribly often since usually I would stop by when I was visiting Hewn in Evanston, so I was super excited when I saw that we were going to get our own Backlot in Ravenswood/Lincoln Square. The chai is pretty good here, and that's my go-to drink so yay for me. Their specials are good too, like Sandy's Holiday Soda. Reminds me of my favorite punch at formal events and holiday parties we attended when I was a child. This location is much more spacious than the other locations; Evanston always feels crowded, though lively (but Evanston has the best food and pastries) and honestly I don't even recall if Irving Park has any seating besides maybe a few counter chairs. The Montrose location has several two-tops as well as a large communal table for folks to use. Parking can be more of an issue than the other locations, though. There are some street spaces along Montrose or the side streets as well as a 15 minute pick-up spot, but no dedicated parking for the place.

    Birthday cake donut and black coffee
    Min L.

    It was a rainy day, and I thought it would be the perfect excuse to explore this little coffee shop. They are laptop-friendly, which is always a plus. I got for a black coffee paired with their birthday cake donut. The coffee was smooth, and the donut was delicious. The barista was friendly and its cute cozy spot to check out!

    Olivia B.

    Very excited to have backlot in the neighborhood! I've been eagerly awaiting their arrival and I'm happy to say they're finally here!! They have a few street parking spots right out front which was convenient to run in and grab a cuppa while I was running errands. I was looking forward to grabbing a treat and a coffee. I got the horchata draft latte. It was pricey but what isn't these days. They only offered this in a 16 oz. For treats they only had cookies, banana bread, or a vegan scone available. Hopefully they'll have more options next time I stop in! The space was super bright, clean, and spacious. I could hear everyone's conversations so might not be the best place to work if you have work calls to take. I loved the gigantic round table. I'll be back!

    Cardamom Rose Latte
    Amy C.

    I mean... they had already won my heart just with their adorable flying squirrel merch and decor, but the coffee was also delicious. I highly recommend the Cardamom Rose Latte. I got it with soy. The apricot pastry was okay, not quite as great as the coffee. It's a cute space, and the staff were super nice. There were a good number of people in there studying or chilling when I came by on a Wednesday mid-afternoon but definitely enough seats left.

    Paula B.

    We love Backlot Coffee!! Two visits so far in the last month and my god we're glad this opened up. Interior is gorgeous, soft, and airy with an artsy vibe to it. Service is wonderful as are the staff. My favorite so far is the strawberry cream cold brew, I would drink this every morning. My husband loves the black cold brew and to him it's one of the best cold brews in the city. All the pastries are spectacular. We had two donuts so far as well as the following croissants: spinach feta, ham & cheese, tomato basil. Croissants are huge and flakey, just as they should be. Definitely add this to your radar.

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    5 months ago

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    17 days ago

    Thank you to the lovely Lady at the front , she ended up changing my coffee , Highly recommend this place !

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

    Great coffee and pastries. They have some unique coffee option too. They all have pup cups!

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

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    11 months ago

    Excellent coffee, tea, and baked goods. Our go to for any occasion. Their house beans also make great gifts.

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

    Thanks, Jane! We love the Horchata Latte!

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    2 years ago

    Great coffee, friendly staff, quiet environment when not busy, nothing more you can ask for :)

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    Isaac B.

    Aw - thanks, Stephanie!

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

    Thanks so much, Melissa!

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

    Thank you so much, Elaine!

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    2 years ago

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    Isaac B.

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    2 years ago

    Amazing coffee and a super friendly staff! One of my favorite cold brews in Chicago! This location is great to work at!

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    Ask the Community - Backlot Coffee

    Review Highlights - Backlot Coffee

    I highly recommend the Cardamom Rose Latte.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Matcha En - Souffl

    Matcha En

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    Very nice sit down fancy treats Bakery and Boba Tea House in ChinaTown. It is a very busy place…read moreand once inside you'll understand why. Tastefully decorated and very clean lines. The menus are easy to follow they even offer a digital kiosk from Chow Bus to order. Friendly help took my order. The brown sugar boba milk tea, make sure you secure the top and flip it over to mix it together well, otherwise the flavor is lost. They gave us a sample of matcha ice cream and that was delicious I must say. Many wonderful treats I noticed and a busy place. Well done! You can find it inside the West Entrance. In front of Lao Szchesuan . Across from Chinatown's Walgreens on Cermak & Archer Avenue . Enjoy !

    Cozy dessert spot in Chinatown closely connected to so many more dessert and dinner spots. There's…read morea tablet available to order from but I missed it on entry. It's located opposite of the cash register and menu. Service was friendly. Washroom (restroom, bathroom search terms) available. Decent amount of seating, serving as a solid space to study or get work done. Black Sesame Matcha Latte - while the black sesame graininess settled at the bottom expectedly, the matcha was clearly whisked well. There were no clumps of bitterness to be found. Despite sugar adjustments, this was still very sweet so I'd classify the spot as more desserty rather than strong matcha or a cafe. Though I'm happy to be proven wrong with their regular matcha in the future.

    Mango Mango Dessert - Mango Snowcloud

    Mango Mango Dessert

    (434 reviews)

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    Chinatown

    I had the Mango Coconut Sticky Rice and it was so delicious. The rice had a nice chew to it and the…read morecubes of mango were so ripe and sweet. I would've loved a touch more of sweetness to the dish overall. The white liquid that was served on the side seemed to be just milk, and it would've been better if it was a condensed milk sauce. This is located on the second floor and there is plenty of seating available. You order and pay at the counter and grab your food when your buzzer goes off. You can pay with card.

    Mango Mango definitely lived up to the hype. We went around 10:40 PM and it was still so packed,…read morewhich honestly says a lot, but luckily we were able to get seated right away. It was one of those places where people were constantly coming and going, so the energy stayed super lively the whole time. Everything looked so pretty and tasted even better. The bingsu was SO good -- super refreshing, light, and perfect if you love mango desserts without them feeling too heavy. We also tried a few different mango treats and honestly everything was a hit. The fruit tasted fresh, the portions were generous, and presentation was adorable. Such a fun late night dessert spot if you're craving something sweet but not overly rich. Definitely a place I'd come back to, especially with friends because there are so many things to share and try. Elite tip: come with a group so you can order a bunch and split everything

    UFOUU - Matcha ice cream

    UFOUU

    (60 reviews)

    Chinatown

    Cheesecake was fire, was fluffy and not too sweet. Very cute shop. A bit pricey for the portion,…read morebut it's Chicago.

    I recently tried UFOUU, the Chicago-based bakery known for their Japanese-style cheesecakes, and…read moreoverall it was a really a hit for me. I wish I was able to travel with one of their cheesecakes but they require refrigeration. Anyhow the cheesecake itself was delicious super light, fluffy, and honestly felt like biting into a cloud. I had the salted egg but they had several flavor options that I would've loved to try if slices were available. The texture is what really stands out, and the flavor was unique and interesting in a good way. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it taste like, but it was sweet, but not too sweet They only sale but I consider a personal size but it's definitely enough to share with two people, maybe even three depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have. My only downside like others is the price. Paying around $19-$20 for a small cheesecake felt a bit steep, especially since they don't offer slices. I really wish they had smaller portions available so you could try different flavors without committing to a full cake prize. They package it very well and they also serve you a cute little fork set and a knife for cutting which I think is contributes to the price. The shop itself is very cute with chic décor and a lot of Asian-inspired artwork, which adds to the overall vibe. Customer service was friendly. When I visit Chicago again I'd definitely go back the texture and taste alone make it worth it but I do hope they consider offering smaller portions in the future.

    Mabu Generation - Mabu egged Sukiyaki with rice

    Mabu Generation

    (57 reviews)

    $$

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    Decided to spontaneously eat here on a friday night while walking past and did not regret it…read more The restaurant wasnt overly crowded or loud and, the service was great while the food was even better. The taiwanese style popcorn chicken and pork cutlet were super juicy and tender with nicely crisp breading. The sausage had a pleasant sweetness to it and was served with garlic chips, which added a nice touch. Finally, the broth of the Sichuan noodles was packing with flavor: sweet, tangy, spicy, umami - truly hit all the spots without being too numbing to your mouth, if thats one of your concerns Would definitely return to try the other menu items, especially their hot sizzling plates and their dessert/drink offerings

    Valentine's Night in Chinatown is going to be a long wait for most places ... this was the 3rd or…read more4th place we went to and got only a 30 min wait (slight lullaby in patrons) vs the 90m to 2 hours from the Shabu Rotary and Sushi Plus across the street. Its a smaller place but has updated and cute design and vaguely anime vibe. The tables have little drawers with napkins and flatware like some Korean places do as a nice surprise... also the QR code menu on it. Food is Asian fusion and primarily Taiwanese I guess so it was different but familiar and I got a Hotpot to appease my disappointed shabu craving... pals like their dishes as well... drinks were pretty cute - especially the chocolate sugar bear. Good place to hit ii Chinatown next time youre down there.

    Backlot Coffee - coffee - Updated May 2026

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