Oh yea, I can totally see why this spot is popular amongst Hyde Park folks! Friendly and helpful owners when I asked for recs. There's even a community board towards the bathroom, which gives this spot a community-based vibe. It's a quick, casual spot with several tables open for grabs when people leave. I got a traditional everything bagel w cream cheese to start the day, which had the RIGHT amt of cream cheese. Sometimes places give wayy too much, ruining the exp. I also ordered their popular Sumac Chicken sandwich on their Dutch Crunch bread, which was really good!! The bread had a slight sweetness to it that was satisfying and the flavors altogether were soo yummy. I waited ~12 min for my order, since they were rightfully packed. No outside food/drinks allowed if you're grabbing a table to eat. There's WiFi and a restroom in the back. Lots of neighborhood regulars. Bonus points that their food is halal for those w dietary restrictions. Great neighborhood spot!! read more

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Stopped on a whim looking for a good local sandwich shop. The highlight was that bread was very tasty and fresh. The Caesar salad was also flavorful. It had homemade croutons and sides of bread. Got a slice of the carrot cake and it was very moist. Not too sweet with cream cheese frosting. Raisins included, if that matters to you. We got the garlic chicken on French baguette. It was a creamy base and not something I would buy again. Glad we added cheese because there wasn't much to it. the other sandwich we bought was avocado turkey on Dutch crunch. It unfortunately had enough mayo to drown the restaurant. The amount of meat left much to be desired. We asked for chips which they had but only for online orders that came in. ??? Doesn't make sense to me. For 2 Sammie's, a salad and cake it was $45, just for a gauge of prices. The cashier was on the phone the entire time and couldn't hear what we said because of that. Kinda acted inconvenienced we were talking while he was on the phone. The restaurant is pretty chill and seemed like a workspace for people with art on the walls for sale. The art also had a thick layer of dust, and overall the dining room could use a good deep clean. The bathroom cleanliness was decent. This probably won't be another place I would seek out in the future. read more

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Over the years I have visited cafe 53 and it's a nice place locals seem to hang out inside peacefully. Service is always nice a lot of choices and they will break it down for you as plenty of bread choices. The sandwiches are always fresh and very good and remind me of lunch time in grade school as I graduated from Murray right next door very nostalgic. Go see for yourself hot and cold sandwich choices... read more

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Tasty sandwiches and amazing bread I would say the Dutch crunch baguette was one of the best sandwich breads I've ever had. It was perfect for my tuna, avocado sandwich. The only problem was I didn't really taste the avocado. I would've loved to have more lettuce, tomato, and onion in there, but I didn't ask so that's not their fault. The sandwich was very tasty especially because the bread was so good. This is on a strip of lots of restaurants on 53rd St. near you Chicago so you're gonna get a lot of fun eateries here. Parking on the street and you have to pay. read more

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OMGosh! One of the BEST deli i've had. I love that they have several bread option and a lettuce wrap for GF folks. Sandwiches and drinks were phenomenal. I also tried their lemon bar and it was heavenly. So were the brownies, per my Hubby! read more

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I got their sumac chicken sandwich at a catered event and was surprised by how large their sandwiches were. The chicken in the sumac chicken sandwich was tender and the homemade cream sauce was very flavorful. The bread seems like it was made fresh which makes the sandwich feel fresh and not too heavy. I highly recommend the sumac chicken sandwich. read more

Cafe 53 - Sandwich larger than two of my hands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious!!! Wow sandwiches are great and crew/family is super friendly! Wife stopped in and got two roast beef paninis - you know they are going to be great when the takeout is wrapped in paper w sand name! Wonderful and perfectly made, almost felt like I should wrapped 1/2 of it back up. But, I ate it all... Funny the kid working the register was 6 as in years old! Winner read more

WOW -- if you're looking for a true Chicago gem, this is it. Easily one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. For just $12, I ordered the sumac chicken sandwich on Dutch bread (trust me -- you have to get it on Dutch bread), and it was incredible. The sandwich was huge, easily enough for two people to share. The chicken was bursting with flavor and piled generously, and the bread itself was flaky, freshly baked, and honestly some of the best sandwich bread I've ever had. The staff was incredibly welcoming and friendly, and it's also a great spot to get some work done or study. Such an amazing find in the Hyde Park neighborhood. read more

Cafe 53 - Sumac Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I cannot stop raving about their excellent vegan sandwiches! They have a seperate section of the menu just for vegan sandwiches. You cannot really go wrong with any of them, but my personal favourite is the vegan kufta sandwich. During the summer, I have enjoyed their mint lemonade. Do not sleep on the desserts - the chocolate cake is decadent. Price-wise, the sandwiches are at the more expensive end, but the portions are large. The cafe is self service but the people at the counter are very nice. There is artwork from various Chicago based artists on the wall that you can purchase. The artwork is nominally priced. The place is always bustling with students and locals, but the music is always great. I highly recommend visiting this place for the best vegan sandwiches in the city! read more

Shout out to Yelpers for letting me know of this gem! Wanted a sandwich spot that wasn't crazy expensive, had a variety of sandwiches and most importantly, had GOOD, hearty sandwiches. Cafe 53 checks all of those boxes. If you don't want a sandwich per se, you can opt for a wrap for almost any sandwich offering. I enjoyed the turkey avocado with the Dutch crunch bread, and it fills me up every time, to the point to where I don't need any sides to accompany the sandwich. The meat is plentiful for any given sandwich, and the additional ingredients don't overwhelm it. They also offer Italian sodas that are made very well; I recommend the lavender, but they have other, popular flavors The cafe itself is on the smaller side and can be cramped if it's a full house, but the employees are very friendly. read more

Cafe 53 - Kufta Sandwich - really good flavor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you need a good sandwich in the area, this is the place. I love their twist on some of their sandwiches like the chicken sumac sandwich, it's delicious. The seating inside is small, but they have an outdoor seating area outside. The owners are so friendly and the service is quick. read more

Cafe 53 - Turkey Avocado Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great and it's in Hyde Park. It's truly a neighborhood gem and it's beloved by the community. It has charm/soul and the employees are really nice. The owner in particular is awesome and makes good recommendations. Last time I came here he recommended the Kufta Sandwich on wheat baguette bread. I usually get the Sumac Chicken sandwich here (it's my favorite) but I wanted something different that day. And the Kufta, like most the sandwiches here, was super good. Anyway, I just love this place. I think it's rather overlooked and it indeed is one of the better sandwich spots in all of Chicago. It has soul, history, and very good food. And lots of University of Chicago students come here making for a good environment. Come here for sure and support small/local businesses. read more

This's my first time coming here for lunch. It's a small little cafe in Hyde park which had indoor and outside patio seatings!! It does get busy during lunch time and students from U of Chicago coming in to study. You order through the counter, and they will call your number to pick it up. I opted in for the sumac chicken sandwich on Dutch bread with extra onions. The bread was good, but I found the chicken to be a bit dry and tough to chew. The seasoning is subtle, but adds a good flavor to it. The price is very reasonable !!! You can customize it with the type of bread you want, and add in any extras ingredients you would like. It's a great spot if you want a quick lunch. I've heard my friend said that they have great coffee, I didn't get to try it. Will be going back again to try out their other items. read more

Cafe 53 - Sumac Chicken Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good old school feel and vibe here, and the sumac sandwich was pretty tasty and flavorful for a sammich, but really I've had alot better. It's been here since the early 2000s tho and contributes to the vintage vibe in this area. If you're by the Museum of Science and Industry as I was come check it out read more

This place is wonderful. The staff is very attentive and genuinely kind. The ambiance hits that perfect cozy+grunge blend. I ordered the sandwich "Jumpstart" with pastrami, pepper jack, eggs, peppers, and cream cheese. It fuckin' rocked. read more

Cafe 53 is a great neighborhood spot! So far I've tried a salad and a sandwich both of which did not disappoint. Service is always good! Definitely will be a place I frequent often!! read more

Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Quaint and cozy place. Lots of excellent options on the menu. Had the pastrami sandwich on French bread. It was delicious. I would definitely recommend. I will return on my next visit to this area read more

Nice small place the have tons of sandwiches options vegan and non vegan. I got the vegan pineapple chicken teriyaki. I ordered online so I didn't have to wait in line but the lines inside of here go pretty quickly. They have great local artist on the wall was around $11 and it was really good. It's also a great place to come and work out of. They have Wi-Fi but if. It was a little bit busy in there, but it was still nice and quiet. read more

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My fiancé raves about their sandwiches and he was so right. This spot is really chill so we dined in. I got the tuna avocado on Dutch bread and my fiancé got it on Italian, both were delicious. Their sandwiches are about 15" and thick so I was only able to finish half. The Dutch bread has a beautiful buttery texture. My iced mocha gave me the chocolate fix I needed. My fiancé also got a slice of the hazelnut cake which was also good. It's a huge piece of cake that two people can share. The staff is friendly. The guy at the register suggested the Dutch bread. He even came from behind the counter to explain something to a customer. Cafe 53 is easy to get to. You shouldn't have trouble finding parking on the street. read more

Pastrami sandwich for the win! The bread (chef kiss). The sandwiches are huge and shareable. The indoor seating is often packed with students using the WiFi luckily, there is a very welcoming outdoor patio which is great for beautiful days. read more

Garlic chicken sandwich was good but missing a little flavor or hot sauce. The French bread was fresh and delicious. The patio outside is perfect to sit at on a nice day. read more

Cafe 53 - Garlic Chicken Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here by myself because I was in the area and ordered the chicken sumac on Dutch crunch bread. The sandwich was sizable and the bread tasty. The person who took my order pointed out that this was the most ordered item on the menu. The sandwich was a 6.5/10 for me - mainly because the meat was dry/tough and the sumac seasoning was subtle. Different add-ins could have enhanced the sandwich and I kept thinking about the various things I would have added to spice up the sandwich. Still, this spot seems to be a local favorite and its casual ambiance is inviting for the solo diner. I will be back to try the other options! read more

Cafe 53 - Sumac Chicken Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time here and I had the turkey avacado on a french roll. The sandwich was really good and fresh. I like my sandwiches juicy but this one may have been over-sauced. That's my only complaint about the sandwich. I'm glad they didn't skimp on the avacado either. Inside, this place is quaint and neighborhood-like. They was art hung around the walls for sale and people sitting at the tables studying. Seems like a nice place to have a coffee with a pastry or lunch. read more

Great study to study in and crank out some work. Plentiful seating, although it feels a bit cramped. Amazing sandwiches with tons of vegan options! Pro tip: don't just default to Dutch crunch. Try the wraps and other breads for different sandwiches. The pastries are not bad. The mint chocolate cake I got was a bit dry, but it was still tasty. They have a lot of options! read more

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Delicious sandwiches, lots of variety. The bread is incredible. Service was fast. Restaurant was clean and cute decor. Selling art from local artists. read more

holy moly!! we were blown away by this place while visiting chicago. i've been vegetarian for about the past 13 years and let me tell you, it's not common to find such a stacked vegan/vegetarian menu like this. let alone find good vegan chicken?? the ultimate compliment i can give a sandwich is making my partner try it because im not sure it's actually fake meat. that happened here, and i've never had to do that for fake chicken before. amazing flavor and variety of options, and the bread im from philly so i don't play around with bread, and was blown away at their dutch crunch. my partner got the roast beef sandwich and also loved it! the only reason this isn't five stars is because maybe they were cutting onions? but something got in the air while we were there and i had to take multiple breaks because my eyes were watering so bad i couldn't keep them open. granted, im a baby when it comes to onions lol but even my partner was struggling. everyone was super nice and we'll definitely be be back to try more on other trips up here!! read more

Cafe 53 - Roast Beef Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So grateful to Cafe53 for taking care of my group event of 60 people! They were so professional and easy to work with. The food was right on time, which is key for events. Lots of people commented that the food was great (sandwiches and salads). Would definitely rely on them again for small or large groups. read more

They pastrami, dutch bread sandwich is too notch! It has a vibe of local cafe, and they appear friendly to people being there. Service is good, but it is not shining on cleaning side. read more

Have had the spicy tuna avocado here too many times to count. By far the BEST tuna sandwich I've ever had. The giardiniera, the sharp cheddar, the excess of Mayo, the perfect bread (normally I get the wheat). The sandwich is massive, like 1/2 is normally enough for me but I'm always more than happy to have the other half for later. The service here is always nice & I want to try more but I just keep coming back for this sandwich specifically. I'm always sad when I'm out of town and can't get this sandwich. If you like tuna, you have to try it. read more

Cafe 53 - Spicy tuna avocado on wheat - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really like this place. They are very kind to you. I love the back patio for seating. And the sandwiches are unique and read more

I doubt I can add much more than what's in the other good reviews. This place is awesome. Sandwiches are great. Outdoor seating in the back. It's a local staple. read more

I've been in a handful of times now and everything time it was amazing. 100% try the Jumpstart breakfast bagel sandwich! The sumac chicken it a must try and the cranberry tuna!!!! Customer service has been top notch every time as well. I can't say enough good things about this spot. read more

Great food and a great place to study. Really kind staff too. Would highly recommend!

The best Garlic Chicken Sandwich! I was visiting my man from Cali and he frequents Cafe 53 at least three times per week and they know him by his name! He orders the Vegan Buffalo Wrap (y'all know who he is...lol) Anyway, I ordered the Garlic Chicken Sandwich on a Dutch Crunch roll and it was delicious!!! It was large enough to have for two meals! The ambiance is quaint, clean and good energy! When I visit Chi town again I'll be stopping by to try another amazing sandwich! Happy yelping read more

Service was a little indifferent and annoyed (?) with me asking a couple of questions. Order a Turkey sandwich and a Turkey with Lingonberry sauce. French bread was crusty deliciousness and I liked the lingonberry sauce. My daughter enjoyed her chocolate gelato. Would recommend for to go food. Ambiance was odd, as in it seemed a college student hang out with high school or college art lining the walls. If not for the other good reviews, I would've skipped it on the lack of welcoming atmosphere. read more

I've lived in HP for awhile and had to finally check this place out. Because who doesn't love an independent sandwich shop in a college neighborhood. This one has everything you would expect. I can only give 4 stars because my sandwich was drenched in a white, sort of mayonnaise like sauce. It wasn't bad, there was just way too much of it. I would skip that or order light sauce next time. Otherwise, the place is a hit, including the friendly and energized but abrupt owner who is right out of sandwich guy central casting. read more

The avocado tuna melt sandwich I had was excellent! The tuna salad was delicious, and the avocados were very fresh. The portion size was just right. read more

Sumac chicken sandwich on the French baguette was really good. It's served warm and fresh. The chicken is well seasoned and the sandwich itself is very flavorful. It has a little bit too much mayo but other than that it's a great sandwich. I heard the back patio is super spacious. Will need to check it out when the weather gets warmer! read more

Cafe 53 - Sumac Chicken Sandwich on French baguette - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came on a Sunday afternoon and the place was full...I liked the wall art and the relaxed atmosphere. The gentlemen taking the orders, I assume he is the owner, was very nice! His recommendations were spot-on. We had the sumac chicken the garlic chicken and the kufta. The food was delicious and the sumac chicken is a clear winner! The Turkish coffee was very good! We ate in the back patio, ... A+ read more

This is the spot for a solid vegetarian sandwich! The vegan sumac chicken is a favorite of mine.