The food and sandwiches are phenomenal ! Vibes is that of cross btwn eclectic hipster cafe and NY deli Solid coffee!! - didn't expect the cappuccino to be perfect when they have like 20 options for caffeinated drinks! read more

Making a passable sandwich isnt hard. There are plenty of fast food options like Penn Station, Quiznos, JJ's, etc. What makes cafe 53 so much better is they don't cut corners on bread or sauce. The Dutch Crunch bread is delicious and has a great texture. All the different sandwiches have a unique sauce - teriyaki, sumac, buffalo - and every single one of them slaps. If you're vegan, there's really no better option for protein substitutes. Their meat substitutes are packed with flavor and will leave you questioning if they got your order right. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu and I can't recommend it enough for anyone looking for a high quality meal. 10/10. read more

The sandwiches here are the best I've ever had! I love their freshly made dutch crunch bread and it tastes great with any of their sandwiches! My fav sandwiches here are the sumac chicken and turkey avocado sandwich! Love that this place is halal and offers delicious vegan options! You wont regret experiencing this place! read more

Best-tasting coffee in Hyde Park, and the best food to go with it out of the coffee shops too. Delicious cakes and bagel sandwiches. But several improvements are needed: 1. They're understaffed. The wait times on food orders from 10-2 are upwards of 30 minutes. This is not ideal as a coffee shop largely serving on-the-go students. It's not because they're slow or lazy--they are clearly rushing and sometimes this results in clumsy mistakes (I've been given slightly incorrect orders many times). This could be fixed by hiring a few more people. 2. They need to be a little more careful to get orders right. I've ordered from here roughly 40 times, and can recall at least five errors deviating from my receipt (wrong milk in coffee, scone x instead of scone y, missing bagel sandwich ingredients, etc.). Overall the best coffee shop on the South Side! But still frustratingly held back by a small number of flaws in service that could mostly be fixed by hiring a few more people. read more

If you ever want REAL authentic coffee and fresh food, come here. I live 30 minutes from this place but the drive is always worth it. The workers are always so kind I recommend an iced dirty chai latte with oat milk. Although the building itself is pretty small, this place is worth it. read more

An unassuming place with their own version of hot sandwiches. Nice that the staff offered to give me a free plastic cup (of cold water) or a purchase of a plastic bottle of refrigerated cold water. Looks like all their sandwiches are made to order. read more

This review is way overdue. I have been eating from this cafe for at least 6 years. Everything is phenomenal! From the vegan, vegetarian, chicken, roast beef, breakfast sandwiches is made with high quality fresh ingredients. Meats are high quality halal certified. Sandwiches are always made to order so be a little patient- I promise it's worth it. We have catered meals from here for work and for personal gatherings and their service is always on point. They always take time to answer all your questions. The ambience is perfect for getting work done. Space is limited but they never make you feel rushed or unwanted. read more

I'm so mad nobody told me about this place ! I had the garlic chicken sandwich and omg it was sooooo good . Better then pop belly . Should have be a little cleaner for people to dine in but it's pretty cool place . Will definitely go back read more

Tried the vegan pineapple teriyaki chicken sandwich today! Delicious, as always, but unexpectedly spicy (a little too much for my low spice tolerance). I think the flavors are amazing though and pair really well with the pineapple. The teriyaki sauce adds a good kick, and as always, the vegan chicken was delicious. Just wish it was marked as spicy on the menu so I could have asked for a little bit less heat. Overall, I don't think it makes my top 3 vegan sandwiches at Cafe 53 (mostly because it is up against some tough competition) but it was still super yummy! read more

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

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Small shop. Tried the turkey avocado on French bread. It is a large sandwich. The French bread was fresh, a good amount of deli sliced turkey, cheese and avocado. The only negative was the iceberg lettuce on the sandwich. read more

Checked this place out for breakfast and was pleasantly surprised. The prices were reasonable and the food was delicious. I tried the egg sandwich with veggies in a croissant and loved it! Giving 4/5 stars only because had to wait quite a bit to get my order even though there were barely any people in the store. read more

Honestly the best coffee shop around 53rd for great sandwich. It is just very small if you need space to sit and work

Absolutely obsessed with this Palestinian owned coffee shop! Their sandwiches are PHENOMENAL. Their outside patio is incredibly adorable and beautiful to sit in. They are the most kind and generous hosts - the owner gave us free ice cream. LOVE LOVE LOVE and can't wait to go back to Chicago just to hit this spot up. read more

Came here for breakfast one morning and had a great experience!! We got an iced coffee and iced chai latte, the vegan buffalo chicken sandwich and a bagel with hummus, cream cheese and tomatoe. Both were very filling and great! read more

The sandwiches here are amazing!! I have a gluten allergy, and when I mentioned it to the owner, he went and made my sandwich himself. He said he would guarantee no cross-contamination, use new ingredients, clean the work service, etc. It meant so much to me that he would not only make my food himself, but also that he knew all the precautions that needed to be taken. I enjoyed a delicious turkey and avocado wrap. The others in my party (who are not allergic to gluten), had a chicken sumac sandwich and a garlic chicken wrap. They also gave five-star on their food. We enjoyed our sandwiches on the back patio, which was comfortable and quiet. Absolutely will be going back here again, and would absolutely recommend this place to anyone who is wanting a delicious sandwich In Hyde Park! read more

Cafe 53 - Gluten free turkey avocado wrap - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm so bummed I didn't take any pictures of our delicious food! My daughter got the bbq chicken sandwich and my niece got the Turkey sandwich. They both said they were absolutely delicious! And we were shocked by the size of them. They ate the one half that same day and the other half for lunch the next day. I wanted to order myself a vegan one but it was late for me and I decided not ans wish I would have. We were in town visiting family. And help is always my number one go to. So this was near my uncle's house. Will definitely go again when I'm back. read more

Extensive choices for diverse styles of sandwiches & desserts!! A gem in Hyde Park on 53rd.

Honestly a blessing to Hyde park! It's completely halal, which even if you aren't Muslim it's still a plus Bc the meat is pretty much cruelty free and way more hygenic. Everyone who works here is genuinely nice. The food is a 11/10!!! I had the garlic chicken sandwich which came out fresh, hot and massive!!! It easily became my lunch and dinner and I still had some left. I also had a pistachio cannoli which was great because it wasn't overly sweet, being over the age of 16 super sugary things just don't go well for me but this was a pleasant surprise. You could tell they put in a lot of love and effort into the cafe in general from the food they make to the actual atmosphere. Probably my favorite spot in HP now; can't wait to return read more

Great food, great study spot, fast service. This place is a hyde park classic. Highly recommend the sumac chicken

My new fav place. I love all these sandwiches and their coconut ice cream is the best thing in the world.

Loved this place. Stopped for lunch with the family after the Museum of Science and Industry. Delicious sandwiches, especially the bread (Dutch Crunch), and also got ice cream and specialty coffee drinks. Very reasonably priced. Highly recommended! read more

Sandwiches are pretty good! The cafe's got a nice vibe and a lot of students from Uchicago come here to do work. the gelato is also delicious! read more

Two words- DUTCH CRUNCH!!!!!!! One of the best sandwich shops out here. I always get the garlic chicken on a Dutch crunch bread.

Great sandwiches and drinks. The ginger iced tea was good. I recommend the garlic chicken sandwich on French bread.

All around good service, food and atmosphere. Love being able to stay close to home and finding good food.

Love the atmosphere here. It seems like I am at a village coffee house on vacation. Great food, coffee, & ice cream selection. Only negative is the wifi sucks. Did a wifi speed test and was amazed to speed is slower than my data speed when not connected to wifi. read more

Cafe 53 - Love the atmosphere here - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Have only been once in three years... but I'll probably correct that. Enormous, reasonably priced sandwiches. Could maybe use a bit more meat but not a bad deal at all. Everyone loves the Dutch crunch bread. I honestly don't see what the big deal is. It's good but not amazing. But good is perfectly good. Hummus is great -- I especially love the peppers they add to give it a bit of a kick! read more

This place was delicious! Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon. The staff confirmed everything is halal (!) We ordered a kofta sandwich and breakfast sandwich (egg, everything bagel, cream cheese, pastrami, cheese, and giardinera- SO GOOD). Honestly one of the best breakfast bagel sandwiches I've had. Art on the walls for sale, huge menu for breakfast and lunch, college student studying. Will be back! read more

Cafe 53 - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nice cafe located in Hyde Park. They have several coffee and food options. I had the Turkish coffee and basil, goat cheese sandwich on a croissant. Great service and food. read more

Delicious sandwiches. Welcoming and culturally rich atmosphere. Family owned Palestinian store. Worth a visit and the wait!

Service was good, vegan sandwich was excellent and I will certainly have it again. Dining in a little complicated as the place is small and the popularity makes it a little congested. Wouldn't stop me from going again though. read more

Excellent surprise. Notable vegan menu items and wonderful service. Vegan Sumac Chicken Sandwich was awesome.

Don't eat at Café 53! Food was nightmare! I didn't like the taste of the corned beef at Café 53, so I returned it. I was told that it didn't matter whether I liked it or not, they would not even replace it. The male worker, decided to call me derogatory names as I left. This was a Groupon, so Groupon even refunded my money. Why did the worker call to harass me an hour after I left the store? read more

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Owner was very nice and helpful with recommendations. Sumac chicken was great! Lots of different options for sandwiches.

You have got to try this place. One of the best halal subs I've had. Great service and amazing food. Their Sumac Chicken Sandwich is out of this world! The best point, their meat is all halal! read more

I have to say that it's rare that you go somewhere and EVERYTHING is delicious. My vegan friend had the Vegan Garlic Pesto, a Chai Latte W/Almond Milk, and a slice of sweet potato pie! I had lemonade, and the sumac chicken sandwich in a lettuce wrap with hot peppers & a side of garlic sauce! (Which is different from the sauce it comes with). I had some sort of gelato to which the name escapes me but it may be my new favorite flavor! Think of vanilla with pieces of Oreo & maybe cheesecakes mixed in with a caramel ribbon. We'll definitely be back! read more

Cafe 53 - (Left) Sumac Chicken Sandwich lettuce wrap with giardiniera peppers and garlic Vegan Chicken Pesto (Right) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This little cafe can easily be mistaken for a coffee and pastries ONLY shoppe. With restaurants and shops crowding the area, it was not our first pick. We dipped in a few places looking for food that was quick and convenient, but good. With the restrictions, we wanted to choose something that's not too messy, while eating on the run. This place checked the boxes. There's something to be said about judging a book by its cover. Cafe 53 has the coffee/latte drink menu, but also lots of sandwich options (hot and cold), cafe drinks. My mother went in to look at the menu while I navigated the metered parking. While waiting, she encountered a playful young gentleman and a very serious older man. So mom was giggling when I came in, as the young guy resumed his duties. She'd decided that we'd eat here. LAUGHTER AND CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS GO A LONG WAY. The older man was quite serious. He could use a smile and a more motivated staff. He was giving sharp orders In front of customers. He seemed burdened by work. There was a patio available solidifying our decision to 'dine in' (or out). The patio was a yard in the back of the business, nestled between apartment buildings. It was clean, quiet and shaded by trees. There was plenty of space and spacing between tables. Our wet tables and chairs were wiped down for us, by the same young man that made my mother laugh. He was genuinely relatable and a bit comical. I used the bathroom to wash my hands. It could use a little TLC. The Sumac Chicken sandwiches that we selected were delicious and the portions plentiful. We ate 1/2 for lunch and 1/2 for dinner. My mom LOVED her chai latte. It was piping hot and tasty. I ordered lemonade, but was informed that they had to make more. I was offered other options. There was enough to make an Arnold Palmer, so Arnold Palmer it is. It was refreshing. We enjoyed our visit and will visit again to try more sandwiches. read more

One of my favorite places in Hyde park. Sandwiches are great and unique. Setting is a small cafe with limited seating but get a sandwich to go and enjoy it in the park or at the lake. read more

great vibes and great food! the staff is nice and there's a great (halal) sandwich selection here. try the pastrami and the salami/turkey on the dutch crunch! they also have a cute outdoor patio! it's unexpected because the entrance is all the way at the back of the restaurant so you wouldn't know it's there but make sure to grab your sandwiches and eat them outside on a nice day! read more

i LOVE cafe 53 and am so upset that i only found out that they had such a nice patio as i was packing up to leave uchicago :(((( their sandwiches are always super incredible, and i love how they have so many great vegan alternatives with super great fake meats!!! their dutch crunch bread is MINDBLOWING and any sandwich with their garlic sauce is sure to make ur brain explode!!! any sandwich with the roasted eggplant is also fire fire fire !!! this was my go to for gelato when i came back to hyde park to move out!!! i'll forever cherish the memories of splitting gelato with friends in the patio in chicago's beautiful summer warmth, and i'm so happy that cafe 53 is just.... the spot...... the coffee and mint chocolate gelatos are sooo creamy and good and the portion sizes for one scoop are absolutely ridiculous. it's almost insane how much ice cream they give you for three bucks, and this will for sure be my most missed hyde park restaurant. i'll think about u a lot cafe 53, much love uwuwuwuwuwuwu read more

Cafe 53 - i think this is a vegan chicken sandwich? i don't entirely remember cause this was like a year ago, but any sandwich slaps! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois