Gumbo sounds completely perfect on a cold fall afternoon, and Junebug's did not disappoint. Their roux was thick enough to make a proper gumbo. -No one wants a soupy one. With generous amounts of sausage and a thick and flavorful base, it was a 5/5. While I did like the fillings in both the meat pie and the red beans and rice pie, the puff pastry fell a little short for me. It just wasn't as flaky and buttery as I'd like. But dipped generously into the *delicious* creole remoulade sauce and it was nearly forgotten. Lavender lemonade is good stuff. Service was extremely friendly. Interior was cozy and cute with just a few tables. If I wanted gumbo, I'd definitely return. read more

Junebug Café - Junebug Gumbo Bowl (12oz) - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I pass Junebug all the time and have never stopped in. I've been missing out. The staff was really friendly the shop was inviting. I ordered the matcha, a meat pie and two beignets. The matcha was great and the meat pies were warm and delicious. The beignet was the perfect treat. I would describe it as a fried dough similar to a doughnut consistency with powdered sugar. Parking on Irving park might be a challenge as it's metered. It appeared they were pretty busy with Grubhub orders so that is always an option as well. :) read more

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The Gumbo is amazing! Consistently excellent, tons of meat and prefect spice. As always the staff is super friendly. read more

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The gumbo was delicious. The potato salad was delicious and the shake was delicious so fresh, so good I will order again.

This spot is really cute and awesome. I've begun to really appreciate small business with limited menus consisting of what they have perfected. This spot does JUST THAT. The beignets were hot and LOADED with powdered sugar. A lot of places skimp on the powdered sugar, so my sweet tooth and absolute zero regard for self control absolutely loved this. The gumbo was FLAVORFUL and loaded with sausages. The only thing that was a bit interesting was the meat pie. Maybe I have never had a traditional meat pie before, but I would have liked a bit more flavor... and to have it be more filling. It was a small meat pie (smaller than a soft taco from Taco Bell) but completely loaded jammed pack with ground meat. When we came in, the menu was very limited... and although the drink menu said "full espresso bar," the actual coffee items listed on the menu were drip coffee and cold brew. My misunderstanding, but I wish the menu was more clear that they offered americanos, lattes, etc. More so, my fiancé and I decided to share a few items because we didn't realize that they had COMBOS. I wish I did this because it would have saved us a lot of money, and we could have tried more variety. It would have been awesome if our cashier suggested this to us :( Overall, I would return if I'm in the area for the beignets! Food 4 Price 4 - bowl of gumbo was $10 Service 4 Vibe/aura 5 4.25 read more

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This place is so amazing. I'm writing this while still sitting here eating a meat pie! The food is delicious and the customer service was genuinely so amazing. As I am someone with a bit of anxiety when somewhere new I was spoken to in a nice manner with no rush. The decorations are also so amazing it feels real homey! I wish I lived closer. I would be here everyday! If u wanna try new spots I'd really suggest Junebug Café!! read more

Junebug Café - Louisiana Hand Pie (Meat Pie) Iced Coffee - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this place! The gumbo was fire. The owner was there and was so sweet and attentive. You can tell she really cares about your experience and is passionate about her food. Definitely have some beignets too, they're delicious. Definitely gonna grab some gumbo to bring home in the winter for dinner. read more

Tried a meat pie which was good. The sauce they serve it with is exceptionally delicious! My mocha was well prepared, nothing super special but tasty. The service was provided with a smile and cheerfulness. Always great when staff are happy. I chose to eat in. Ambiance was ok. Although it was not crowded I felt that the chairs were not properly distributed throughout. Could be the customers prior to me did not return the chairs to where they originally took them from and as a result I felt the navigation between the chairs near the front window challenging. I guess I could have returned the chairs myself but I was too tired and very hungry which the meat pie and wonderful sauce satiated! read more

Cute quiet place. Free Sunday parking on street. Creole inspired. Everything deep fried. One veg option plus beignets. Next time I will try beignets. Te Rouge pie good with remoulade sauce a bit spicy. Cafe in paper cup. Prefer porcelain when I dine in. Ask, maybe an option for you. read more

Junebug Café - The Rouges pie. (only veg option) of possible. Cafe Latte "Te Rouge" Pie (Red Beans&Rice) - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Junebug Cafe offers Louisiana style meat pies, beignets, and of course Cafe Au Lait! I tried the beignets this morning and they were exactly what I was hoping for. Hot, fresh, and tons of powdered sugar lol. The Cafe Au Lait I ordered was good too, I would get this any time I'm in the area to go with some of those beignets! The Cafe itself is so cute inside and has a few patio tables outside too! read more

Junebug Café - Beignets & Iced Cafe Au Lait - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome little spot with wonderful staff. Ordered 2 gumbo's to go and 2 iced coffees. Total was $21. Coffee if Dark Matter... No complaints...gumbo was excellent-packed with flavor. Only change would have been a piece of crusty french bread with it instead of the oyster crackers. Definitely will be back and recommend! read more

Junebug Café - Cup gumbo and iced coffee to go - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for an early lunch and really enjoyed it. I had the Chicago PoBoy which was cooked perfectly, great quality sausage and fresh D'Amatos roll. Mustard and creole remoulade really helped. Easy, friendly service. read more

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We stopped in before my friend was heading down to NOLA for Mardi Gras. The small interior is comfortable and clean. My red beans and rice lacked the usual gravy but the rémoulade that came with it was fine. My friend's shrimp po' boy was not great and gumbo was tasty but from other reviews I guess the thing to get here are the meat pies aka empanadas. Did not try the beignets, since I live in the neighborhood I'll come back for those. I'm glad to have it in the area with all the commercial development going on in PP. read more

I like this little unassuming spot tucked away from downtown. This little cafe serves AMAZING beignets! Maybe I haven't had too many beignets for that matter, but that doesn't detract from the fact that I can see why this is a very popular item for them. The beignets were soft and warm with a good deal of powdered sugar. So delicious! I also tried their meat pie, which was also pretty bomb. It came with a side of what I ca only describe as a chipotle sauce. It definitely hit the spot. It doesn't overshadow the beignets, but complements them as a good entrée/dessert combo. If I'm chi-town definitely hit this spot. Although I haven't gotten their coffee/tea, it's also suppose to be good! read more

Junebug Café - Meat Pie - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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NOLA Fix I've been wanting to try this place for a while. Anything Louisiana is alright by me. It's family- owned, super casual, and pretty good overall. We ordered a brisket po' boy, beans and rice with brisket, homemade potato salad and delicious beignets. Also iced tea and lemonade. Beignets were very good, but not NOLA worthy. Sandwich excellent, rice and beans pretty good, close but not close enough for my taste to authentic food. For both of us, the bill was $63+. For the portions and food quality, this is a bit pricey IMO. The inside atmosphere reminiscent of a Subway - very casual. Took a while to get our food. I was disappointed that the beignets came out with our meal, even after I mentioned it. Clearly, I wanted them for dessert. I know everything's expensive, but either offer free refills or stop ala carte. Give the people a side with their sandwich, etc. Lots of traffic for coffee to- go. read more

Go! Like us you will really enjoy the delicious, authentic Cajun style cooking and coffee. Other perks: Clean. Festive ambiance. Friendly staff. Easy parking - it's free just around the corner. Rating: 10 stars! read more

Junebug was a decent cafe, looking for some new ones in the area. We went in at around 10 on a Sunday, and they were already out of meat pies (opened at 9..). We ordered a latte and mocha, both which were pretty good. The workers kept taking their masks off and coughing, which I found interesting considering there was a sign going in saying to wear a mask. Other than that, the drinks were good, just a bummer we couldn't try the meat pies, especially since it was so early. read more

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Very good muffaletta sandwich, super fresh potato salad and really warm service. Thanks.

Went here on a whim and had the beignets, gumbo and the meat pie. All of it was delicious and would definitely recommend trying. I am planning on coming back to try the rest of the items! read more

Came here for "breakfast" yesterday! we ordered a meat pie and 2 beignets to share. The location is tiny with a few tables inside and street parking. The girl at the counter was very friendly. I also ordered a dark matter iced coffee. Very good. We thought the meat pie with the dipping sauce was very tasty and resembled an empanada but less greasy. The beignets were sooo warm and cozy and amazing, I got myself covered in powdered sugar but I didn't care. I can't say enough good things about them. We came around noon actually and everything was fully stocked with nothing being sold out (I'd seen in other reviews sometimes that wasn't the case) I'm still kicking myself for not getting a bowl of gumbo!!! We sat at a table outside. If ever in the area we will be back! read more

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I like this place...or at least the food and coffee. Stopped by in April. The baristas were very friendly and took time to explain the drinks and what extras I could add. Ended up ordering the Cafe Au Lait with lavender. It was really good! I ordered another one to take home. The gumbo was good, but they added way too much rice. Next time I will ask for no rice. The beignets were really good and you received a lot for the money! Will definitely visit again when I'm in the area. read more

Junebug Café - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

HORRIBLE...I spent $71 on a Grubhub order from this place, and I was so disappointed. The beignets that I ordered were awful, besides being overpriced, I requested a 'light' dusting of powdered sugar and received mine drenched in sugar. There was nothing light or fluffy about them, they were dense and chewy. I also ordered their 'famous' biscuits - awful. Again,overpriced and Crackle Barrel's biscuits are far more delicious and for half the price. I wanted to try this restaurant after seeing them features on Channel 9 (WGN); what a mistake, very disappointed. Wont' be ordering from here again. read more

Cute little cafe with New Orleans inspired menu and decor. It's the type of place you order at the counter. Food was tasty.

Came in to get some breakfast for my guys and pleasantly surprised with the quality of food and amazing customer service! The biscuits were freshly homemade and the guys could not stop raving about them! I personally loved that they didn't skimp out on the bacon or cheese! All around great little cafe that I'll definitely be back to and highly recommend if you looking for something new in the neighborhood. read more

Junebug Café - Ma's Breakfast Biscuit with bacon, egg and cheddar! - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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About a month ago i, for some reason, had a taste for beignets. I checked google and Junebug popped up. I drive by it almost every day and never knew it was there, so I stopped in. It's a really cool little place with just a handful of tables and it was very clean. I was greeted by a really pleasant employee and while I waited for my made to order beignets she told me about the other food on the menu. It's not a huge menu but an interesting one. I couldn't wait to sample some of it. The beignets were delicious and still warm when I made it home. It was a great 1st experience and I've been back since then. Always great service and the other food I've tried has all been worth going back for. This place is a hidden gem, don't cheat yourself out of a stop here if you want something different for a change. read more

Laissez les bon temps roulez!! The storefront is minimalist and the menu is limited -- some would say focused -- but hallelujah, it's a taste of NOLA in Chicago!! In our annual search for authentic king cake (since the closing of the Swedish Bakery), we stumbled on to Junebug. Holy NOLA, Batman!! Perfectly fried à la minute and buried under a mountain of powdered sugar, the beignets are Cafe du Monde-worthy -- and even better than Big Jones!! And the chicken sausage gumbo... we were initially skeptical when we saw the crockpot, but... BEST. GUMBO. EVER. The perfect spicy kick in a rich dark roux. You can't go wrong with the beef meat pie, especially slathered with the spicy, creamy cajun remoulade with bright fresh herbs... not the usual gloppy, flavorless mayonnaise-y mess that tries to masquerade as remoulade. And finally, the king cake... perfectly buttery and not overly sweet brioche -- not the coffee cake sacrilege or cupcake and donut horrors that most Chicago bakeries try to pass off as king cake -- with sugary crust (butter cream frosting is NOT WELCOME on king cake!!) in mardi gras colors. Skip the chicory coffee (far too light and not Cafe du Monde-worthy), and stick to the Dark Matter coffee. read more

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This place is more like a coffee and snack place with a tiny menu but so delicious. Everything we tried was amazing! read more

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I was very excited to see Junebug in the new location on Milwaukee. The food is pretty good, although we ordered the biscuit and was a bit overcooked. The gumbo is still very tasty. The bignets are excellent but I noticed a bit smaller than what they were used to be at the previous location. read more

Yes that's all you need to know if your thinking about stopping by, the food was amazing the staff was amazing I wish I could have taken the whole place home with me lbs read more

The gumbo is on point, I get mine with the rice in the side - delicious! Every time the ladies are friendly and welcoming super helpful and happy. I really enjoy come by the cafe and grabbing my food to-go or hanging out. I haven't been to the new spot but the Irving park location was amazing! read more

Great new addition to Portage Park. The couple who own the cafe grew up in the area but, have family ties and history in New Orleans. They're bringing their love of New Orleans food to us and it's clearly a win for the neighborhood. Serving local Dark Matter coffee and beignets as well as homemade New Orleans meat pies and Gumbo. Really cute, comfortable space to sip coffee and sample some unique goodies! read more

Junebug Café - Beignets!!! - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I needed something for my Mardi Gras party (happening two weeks after actual Mardi Gras). I saw they were near and had some beignets. While I thought the price seemed a little high, these beignets were enormous. The person giving me this order knew I probably needed these for a party so gave me some extra powdered sugar. It was much appreciated because these were a hit! Excellent actually! I'll be sure to stop by again to try other New Orleans dishes. The hours are a little weird, but I'm gonna stop by! read more

Great food. Really like their soup and sandwich combos. The beignets were delicious. Sucks it's closed.

Simply exceptional!!! I have had everything on their menu and it gets better every time! Thank you guys!!!

Ok, so I wanted something different for a change for lunch on game day. I'm a huge fan of creole and cajun cooking. LOVE IT. So let me start with the good. Gumbo, great flavor. Ok, good stuff out of the way... I ordered a bowl of gumbo, it was 90% green peppers and celery. I had 1/2 of a round of sausage in it, and 1 table spoon of rice. These are not exaggerations. I also ordered two of the meat pies. They were decent. Relatively bland, no real "cajun" flavor to it, and the remoulade was bland as well. I feel like the expense associated with this order was not equivalent to the food. Also, the fact that they had options on the website (muffaletta) and didn't have them on the doordash site kinda limited my options as well. Don't think I'll order again. read more

Hello Foodzies, here's a little treat for you. June bug cafe, it's a quaint little spot tucked away in the portage park area at 4944 w Irving park rd. In Chicago. It's a small cozy spot, with limited seating. We went there on a quest for beignets, I took Glenda to New Orleans a few years back and she fell in love with them. Besides the beignets which were like large pillows covered with an avalanche of powder sugar we also tried the gumbo and meat pies. The beignets although being large were a little dense. The gumbo had a nice heat to it, a very hearty meal packed with ocra, carrots, smoked sausage and chicken. Just like you get in NOLA. The meat pies were good size filled with ground beef, pork, onions garlic and green peppers. A nice filled pastry fried and seasoned perfectly. I give this restaurant 3 1/2 stars, but don't take my word try it yourself and let me know what you think. Ciao Ciao for now. read more

Junebug Café - Fresh Beignets (2 Pieces) - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

everything tasted really good. Staff was very welcoming and kind. and the vibes inside was giving New Orleans.

I am from New Orleans so when I miss home and feel in the mood for some gumbo, I go here. It's the closet place to me that sells gumbo. The gumbo is ok. I haven't found that place in Chicago that the gumbo taste exactly like home. I was hesitant on trying their beignets, because I knew I would be disappointed if it didn't taste like home, but the person behind the counter swears that the beignets taste like beignets from New Orleans . Not sure what beignets they've tried, but these do not taste like New Orleans beignets at all, they were ok but not for me to go back and order them, I will just get them when I go home. . But if you aren't from New Orleans you won't have those years of taste of the food there so it's will be good. The place is a cute little place. I give it to them for trying though to replicate the goodness of New Orleans. read more

The food here is amazing and make sure to try the lavender lemonade before they run out for the day. Also the beignets and fresh and fluffy yet perfectly chewy. The staff is friendly and they have great service. read more

Such great food and they deliver jugs of cold brew on DoorDash. What more can you ask for. I just moved back into the neighborhood and can't wait to order from them every day! I called the restaurant after placing my DoorDash order and spoke to the super nice lady woman on the phone. I let her know we just moved and don't have milk or anything for coffee in the house until we make it to the store later. She gave me a container as well as sugar packets. They went above and beyond! read more