I love this cafe! It is my go to spot when I have breaks in my work day. The staff is super friendly and welcoming. It feels nice to walk in as a regular here. Jennifer always provides the best service, she is personable and gives great recommendations for what I should try next on the menu. Their menu has its staple items and they have weekly items that always sound enticing, I've enjoyed everything I've had from breakfast to lunch entrees. I'll be back of course! read more

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Delicious food. Amazing service and such a cute atmosphere! Perfect place to go for delicious and fresh food, any day

Came here on Easter and experienced one of the worst service ever. Right after we got seated, another customer asked our server where the bathroom was and her answer was "go ask the front desk." When we got everything we ordered but had been waiting for the last item for about 10 minutes, we asked the server where was the French toast and she said "I don't know" without anything else. Since we had 6 people, we were charged 20% gratuity. If I can choose, I for sure won't give that much tip. Food otherwise was fine. Huge portion and taste was good. But with this level of service, I will never go back. read more

Meli Cafe - CYO Omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went here for brunch on a Saturday and the venue is OK. I had a 24 karat apple martini that was really good to drink. I didn't see a meal that I wanted so I got chicken breast and cheddar grits.. I was told that the chicken breast were gonna be good and crispy and well seasoned they were not. The cheddar grits were too watery neither eye or another person in my party finished ours.. Our server was very polite. Answered a lot of questions and was prompt and friendly. The atmosphere is very welcoming there were adults. I didn't really see kids, but I could see that family dining as possible. There is ample street parking. I did not check out the facility so I don't know about that. I don't know if I would return, I was not left impressed. read more

Meli Cafe - 24K Apple Martini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The good ~ friendly service, atmosphere was relaxed but warm/clean feeling, not too loud, we were able to be seated right away for Saturday brunch, and metered street parking outside was easy. The ok ~ I tried the "green envy" juice, lamb shakshouka, and banana bread french toast. The juice was ok ~ a little bitter. In the shakshouka, the lamb pieces were good, the eggs were nicely poached, and the side of pita bread was really nice. Unfortunately the chickpeas in the shakshouka were undercooked and the actual tomato stew part was just ok ~ a little extra feta, tomato chunks, or parsley I think would've been nice. The banana bread french toast was the best of the bunch. I think if I were to return, I'd stick with something basic like eggs and sides or pancakes/french toast. read more

Very good! Breakfast brunch. I actually had the special Salmon wrap! We also had chocolate crepes,with strawberries, and cream. The egg bowls were amazing. Sorry limited food pictures but we we hungry! read more

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I was here before for a mimosa while killing time. This visit I had time to dine in to thoroughly enjoy the cafe. The food was ok, I didn't finish my meal. The food was greasy and the bacon not crispy like I asked. The cocktails are still good but I'm not sure I'll choose them for a good meal. The service was good but the meal was mediocre. read more

Meli Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very classic breakfast place with a large menu! There is a bit of a focus on Greek food so you can find something interesting things on the menu, but if you're looking for a typical American breakfast this would be a great place to go! A cafe with unlimited coffee will never disappoint. The food was reasonably priced and delicious. We went on a weekday so it was quite empty but the location is large so you can likely walk in whenever. The service was great from start to finish! Would definitely pop by again if I was in the area! read more

Charming little breakfast spot! They had a good variety of food - I ended up with the eggs Benedict - they were pretty good but nothing too crazy or out there. Our waitress was a little short and hard to flag down at times. Would recommend for a pretty straightforward breakfast experience. read more

Meli Cafe - The Classic Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best breakfast spots in Chicago! Always take friends there... Huge menu and everything is great and serves every craving! Also great gluten free options and quickest service ! read more

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River North location -- super cute and more homestyle feeling than the South Loop location. Excellent service, great food. My mom and I came here after yoga! read more

Meli Cafe - Down on the Farm Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was staying at a very nearby hotel and this restaurant popped up! So happy it did! The latte was supreme, they used and arsenic coffee that really woke me up for a day in the city, I ordered the down to farm breakfast bowl and it was great, very well balanced and delicious! They have a very nice menu, like you almost can have whatever you are thinking of. The breakfast came in with a toast on the side! Service was good, they weren't that busy that morning and that made them give us a very good service, I am just looking forward to comeback to Chicago and come to this place again, for sure! Shoutout to that great latte you guys do. read more

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Closed for good per a 4 May '26 article. There's still a spot by University Center. It's just okay but there when one needs to eat.

Service was good, but.... WHAT IS WITH THE SMELL OF SEWAGE COMING FROM THE BATHROOM??? They offer wheatgrass shots... WARNING- they're powdered- NOT FRESH Pretty sure scrambled eggs are made with water, super tasteless. Hashbrowns were good (but very small serving size). Most likely won't be back here ever. read more

Meli cafe serves consistently delicious breakfast and lunch. They don't take reservations, but I've hardly ever had to wait for a table. Portion sizes are huge! They have a full juice bar that makes a variety of fresh squeezed juices and smoothies. I've had a few and they weren't great. I'd stick to food here. read more

Came here for breakfast. Cute restaurant. Service was great. Food was honestly just ok. Typical diner food. The potatoes were not seasoned at all, super bland. The rest of the roof I food was okay. Nothing special. read more

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FOODIE ALERT!! Meli Cafe in Chicago When Lou Malnati's had an hour wait , we wandered down the street and stumbled into a hidden gem Meli Café (breakfast + lunch heaven, 7am-3pm). We just made it before closing . Highlights: Banana Bread French Toast (life-changing), fluffy pancakes , strawberry feta salad , buffalo chicken wrap + moreeee (yes, we ordered half the menu lol). Kid-approved Autism-friendly Mama stuffed . Funny moment: my 5-year-old thought our waitress needed butt pats followed by "Oh, sorry" every time (thanks for being a good sport, Meli fam ). Chicago friends this spot is SO worth it. read more

This place is legit amazing. Great juice selection; all the egg dishes are fantastic. Anybody writing a bad review here doesn't know ball. -- best breakfast diner in the city read more

We came here for Sunday brunch and the place was busy, but a table outside opened up just as we arrived so we were seated right away. I ordered the Jalapeno bowl with scrambled eggs and a bagel. The food for two of us came out in a decent amount of time, but the third person's food came later and ended up being a completely wrong dish, so we sent it back. A bit later they came back with the correct dish of Avocado toast but without the requested modification (no egg), but we decided to just keep it and remove the egg as best we could since we were hungry. Coming from New York, my friend told me that bagels in Chicago just can't compare, so I decided to try it for myself and sadly this was true. The bagel was way too soft compared to the bagels I like in NY. The bowl was lacking seasoning, and the egg and hash browns were both a bit too flavorless and mushy for my liking. When we got the bill, they didn't show us an itemized receipt, but luckily I noticed that the price seemed a bit steeper than what we ordered. I'm glad I pointed this out because it turns out that they had charged us for that wrong dish that we didn't order. Overall, too many things went wrong with this meal that I wouldn't come back. read more

Meli Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was good, great chicken and waffle. The restaurant is pretty spacious, so we did a walk in with no wait time. The service was quick and attentive. The menu was pretty diverse too. Would come back again. read more

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Very good brunch establishment. Portions were solid, flavors were there, and servers were attentive. The interior felt super homey which was appreciated considering its location. Would definitely recommend giving it a try if you're looking for a breakfast like this in the city. read more

Meli Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love their juices, and mocha! Their breakfast is also solid, you really can't go wrong. It tends to get crowded, but service moves pretty fast. I would definitely recommend getting a fresh juice with your order. read more

Quickly greeted and sat down on an Easter Sunday morning. Coffee was plentiful, hot chocolate was delicious looking and tasting. The special creme brulee french toast with berries was excellent as was made to order omelette. read more

Meli Cafe - Creme brulee french toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Been here twice. Both times were delicious and wait times weren't bad for weekends. Also, a huge thank you for having alternative milk options! read more

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Perfect breakfast, strong Bloody Mary's and fantastic service. Brought my husband and two kiddos here for a 9am breakfast and it did not disappoint. The chocolate chip pancakes were a hit and everything had a made from scratch taste and feel. The restaurant is lovely and feels like an adorable city cafe with a light airy ambiance and relaxed and attentive staff. read more

This is my favorite little diner in River North! It's fast service & the menu is so big so lots to choose from. It's also very reasonably priced. I try something new everytime & it never misses. read more

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this was such a great experience for the food and service! food was extremely filling!! i wasnt personally a fan of the vegan pancakes because it seemed like a grittier texture to me but my partner who is vegan loved it!! we thought the tofu scrambler was amazinggg! we have tried tofu scramblers before and this one is definitely at my top 3!! the juice blends were also a hit with us. beet one was obv more earthy tasting but still tasty and the green envy was nice and sweet from the pineapple. our waitress was super sweet, very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed! definitely would come back for a cute breakfast spot. the space was pretty big with different kinds of spots to sit in throughout! read more

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Stopped in for breakfast and ordered the spicy flamenco omelette. Food and service was excellent!! Highly recommend. read more

Meli Cafe - Inside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Meli Cafe is a great River North place to go! We were greeted by the welcoming staff as soon as we entered the vibrant Greek themed restaurant from the brisk, windy Chicago morning. You'll immediately see a beautiful mural reminding me of all the Mediterranean charm of Mykonos. Our waitress, Jennifer, was so nice answering all our questions as we explored their delightful menu where we opted for the Crème Brûlée French toast and maple buttermilk pancakes. Both were delicious and we can't wait to visit again. read more

This place was amazing! Best gluten free French toast I've had in a long long time! The amount of food is amazing and the service was awesome. Our waitress Amparo was so sweet and bubbly she made the experience awesome. The cafe is very cute too and has lots of space. It was kind of cold so bring a sweater. We also noticed they allowed dogs in the outdoor tables so that's always great! read more

Meli Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The inside was brightly lit with lots of windows. The portion sizes were huge. They serve coffee and mimosas, bloody Mary's and other drinks. The service was very good. read more

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Amazing ambience, delicious food and a great experience overall! Our server was great and help make our experience special!

I mean honestly, it doesn't look like much in a neighborhood more know for late night clubs than it's dining options. It kind of blends in on the street with no outstanding features to make it noticeable. Yet, when you enter you see a very large room with a good size bar on one wall and an open kitchen area in view of the patrons. Very clean and not at all cramped as some of the places in the neighborhood can be. It was pretty slow the day we went but that was why we did. I see how this place can be packed to the walls with lines on a weekend brunch. According to or server, who by the way is excellent, that's exactly what it is on a weekend brunch, packed. The offerings are surprisingly original and plentiful. Being more a breakfast/brunch/lunch spot the offerings lean that way. Being former late night bar patrons industry type guys my buddy and I do late morning or early afternoon breakfast often. We both opted for breakfast and neither of us have great expectations to get more than the basic breakfast offerings. Well, at Meli we were pleasantly surprised. I suppose we shouldn't be as Greek style diners are the great diners in our city. To the Greek diner credit they have made quality food something one should expect. As a side note, my photos are not representative of how our meals came out. The presentation was excellent. The photos are of how I massacre my breakfast at first fork. From dining partners I'm often told that I should just order a scramble considering how I slay an omelette. That said ... Both of our meals were excellent and pretty large. My veggie omelet was chock full of large chunks of crisp obviously fresh veggies. A garden full really. The hash browns were cooked very well and had a nice crunch to them. My friends steak skillet was according to him was to his surprise full of tender quality strips of steak and crispy hash browns topped with poached eggs. He thoroughly enjoyed it and believe me, when it does to food this guy can be hard to please. The toast choice which is brought as one slice was more than enough for this breakfast. That the folks here recognized that is a big plus. Too often we Americans can get spoiled and become accustomed to to much food on our plates and it's a waste really. If you would want another slice you can order it. This causes less food waist, too common and overeating which is too often an American fault. I guess in the end it's a great choice for a nice breakfast or lunch meal or light salad. There are I believe three locations around the Loop area of the city. read more

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Very lovely experience here with friends! Our server was extremely kind & attentive by consistently refilling our waters and checking in on us throughout. We ordered the shakshuka ($16.50), spicy flamenco omelet ($17.50) and green juice ($6). The shakshouka was the best I've had and the crispy, chewy pita bread that came with was a great pairing. My boyfriend got the omelet and he thought it was standard but satisfying with a good spicy kick. Would return again! read more

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Incredible hidden gem! Food, drinks, and service were amazing! Please check this place out. We had brunch and it was out of this world!

Came here for brunch over the holidays. The menu offered plenty of options for all dietary restrictions and we enjoyed the prompt and attentive service. The tofu stacker was delicious and super filling. The group also enjoyed the chicken and waffles entree and avocado toast. Would definitely come back again! read more

Meli Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Slow service. Minimal number of staff. Will not return. Everything is the bare minimum.

Very disappointed. Host was in a poor mood. One server was rude; thankfully, a second who was tending our area was very polite. My friend ordered oatmeal and banana. The pricey banana arrived while and (see picture) unappealingly overripe--hardly appropriate for restaurant service. Each of us ordered a la carte single eggs-mine was undercooked with runny runny whites. One of 3 tough/not tender pancakes was partially burned. As a server myself, this meal was one I would have had the kitchen re-do, not present to the customer. No one checked back with us and it was clear from all attitudes the only person who would have cared was the single polite server mentioned above. Yuk. We will skip this place next time. read more

Fair warning to anyone ordering Cole slaw for carry out. It was packed in a paper container. The dressing leaked on everything in the bag. Even though I cleaned the containers, there was dressing in the channel of the large plastic container so when I opened it, the Cole slaw dressing splashed onto me. Make sure your to go slaw is not in a paper container. read more

The Tango Stacker was an awesome version of eggs Benedict. Piled high with super-spicy salsa that gave the dish a depth of flavor and the eater a runny nose. Super friendly service and quick seating and food delivery. Absolutely everything I wanted this morning and couldn't have asked for more the place was packed and loud, and happy to see them thriving. read more

Meli Cafe - Tango Stacker - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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