We arrived and waited at the host stand to be seated as the sign prompted. We were waiting patiently for just under 10 minutes without even being acknowledged or greeted by any restaurant staff. My company and I are extra forgiving, given that we work in the industry as well and just couldn't believe the rudeness we were approached with by a short old man who claimed to be the restaurant general manager. He had passed the host stand about 3 times without acknowledging our presence but eagerly ran back to seat a 5 top of middle aged women! I was actually starting to wonder if I camouflaged into the environment the way we were being ignored? Totally rude and unwelcoming. The "GM" returned to which is when we asked if he was a manager which he said he was. We proceeded to explain that we've been waiting unattended for some time and it was rude to have sat a party without merely greeting the party that arrived before them... This review wouldn't be up if we were greeted with respect and kindness the way we work in our establishments! Ridiculous! read more

Overall a good breakfast spot in Chicago during our trip. It was close by and not packed which was a plus. Food wise, we had the Classic Benedict and the Irish Benedict (w/corned beef hash). Portion sizes were great and the food quality was okay. It wasn't anything out of this world as far as taste, but it also wasn't bad. Service was great! read more

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

With a special vegan AND healthy choice menu, in addition to the fantastic regular menu, this is one of the best places in Chicago to eat breakfast! Street parking and quick, attentive service round out the perfect Meli formula. I go to the one on Congress and it is just as good. Highest marks!! read more

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

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I discovered Meli's on accident while on my way to an interview. I had literally about 30 minutes to spare and knew I needed to eat quick enough in order to leave and get to my next destination. The staff was super helpful and quick to get breakfast out to me it literally took under 10 minutes. The pancakes were amazing and super fluffy and the strawberries were so fresh and not tart. And it's quite possibly the best bacon I've ever had at any breakfast location. I truly enjoyed my breakfast even tho I came and left within 20 minutes, I hope I get the job so I can be a regular! read more

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

Service was pretty slow and the food was ok. Nothing amazing but nothing bad either. I ordered the benedict and my partner ordered the pancakes plate. read more

Service was good on a very busy Sunday.... never had there chicken and waffle.... it was surprisingly very good... the bacon jam was perfect... waffle was just right..... oatmeal was very good... the Nutella banana creeps were not bad... I just wish they put more Nutella in it... it tasted more like chocolate and a lot of cinnamon than it was Nutella... but over everything else was really good... read more

Another place I wish we had in St. Louis! I love starting my mornings off with fresh juice, and Meli doesn't disappoint. I went on a weekday morning, and there were plenty of tables open. Service was just okay... not all that friendly... but I had coffee and juice within minutes, which I can't complain about. I ordered the Ginger Splash (pear, carrot, ginger, and orange) and besides being delicious, the way it was served was beautiful! The colorful juices were stacked in a big glass. You can get a genuinely healthy breakfast at Meli, and I had my eyes on the vegetable omelet. This thing is HUGE, and is loaded with portobello, broccoli, spinach, peppers, tomato, onions, and provolone. It was the biggest omelet I've ever had, hands down. They actually have a pretty big menu, and the "breakfast mounds" caught my attention. The name doesn't sound appetizing, but the idea is interesting... it's basically a mound of ingredients topped with scrambled eggs and cheese. They have a NY Reuben version that looks pretty spectacular! Service got pretty strange towards the middle of our experience... we were waiting for our food, and the server brought us our check and basically forgot that we hadn't eaten yet. It shook her up and made her pretty flustered, and created some awkwardness. This is one of those places that would SO be five star worthy if the service wasn't so sterile. Regardless, I loved my visit and would definitely go back again. read more

Mental mindset when walking: "oh, I'm going to order egg whites and fresh juice and be super healthy and urban yadda yadda. Today's the day I get my shit together" Reality: "Um, yes. I'll have the juice, espresso, banana maple pancakes, potatoes, scrambled egg whites and bacon." Obviously giving up on life in my yoga pants on a Wednesday. Number one reason I would return: the juice and smoothie menu (I highly recommend the pear, ginger, carrot and Orange combo) Number two reason: helpful and knowledgable service Number three: the banana walnut maple pancakes were delicious Slightly on the pricy side for a somewhat standard menu- I'll chalk that up to it being in downtown Chicago. It seems that the juice prices are more reasonable than the food ($5.50 for a large fresh juice). read more

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

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I squealed with delight when I first saw Meli would be opening another location in River North. Months later I was still waiting for the grand opening and my husband told me he was pretty sure it was never going to happen. I crossed my fingers and Meli FINALLY opened their doors! I hear the wait can be pretty long on the weekends, which isn't too surprising considering their original location is always packed to the max. However, the lovely Colleen C and I were one of the few tables when we met here for a yummy bfast on a Thursday morning. It's never easy choosing from their extensive menu, but I opted for their horseradish omelet: chicken sausage, portobello mushroom, tomato with horseradish infused cheddar. It was quite heavenly...just like everything I"ve ever eaten at their other location. This was definitely worth the wait! read more

Lovely little cafe tucked away on Wells Street - had to stop in for a quick breakfast this morning. I tried the Down on the Farm bowl - it was amazing and HUGE... full of ham, bacon and sausage, it was delightful. Eggs were wonderful. Toast was surprisingly only one piece of bread but good nonetheless. My breakfast date tried the veggie omelet. It appeared to be fine but nothing impressive, he didn't finish it. Staff was ok but seemed to require some encouragement to get the job done at times. Prices were a touch high but not outrageous. Hope to go back again soon. read more

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I ordered a mango , banana, orange smoothie this morning & the lady didn't know what she was doing I heard her ask one of the employees questions I guess on how to make it & when she gave it to me it was watery & tasted like a McDonald's orange juice & it was over priced what a waste of $10 horrible read more

I'm a huge brunch enthusiast. This was my second time in Chicago, and I wanted to make sure I got in some decent brunches every morning I was there. My group of friends and I ventured over to Meli Cafe on Saturday morning at around 10:30 AM. It was packed, but the wait was only about 15-20 minutes. We got seated within 20 minutes, which made us extremely happy. The decor is bright and cheery. There are big open windows all along the front of the restaurant. I ordered a Mango, Orange, Kiwi, and Honey juice, my other friends ordered the Green Machine smoothie and the Green Envy Juice. I loved it, you could tell it was freshly made, and they didn't overdo it with the honey. It had the perfect amount of sweetness to it. My only complaint was that the juice was very warm. I wish they would have refrigerated the fruit. I appreciate that they didn't try to fill up the glass with ice, but I ended up putting some of my ice cubes from my water glass to the juice. I ordered the Cafe Benedict, their take on a grilled pork belly eggs benedict. It was delicious. The pork belly was grilled perfectly, and the poached eggs weren't overcooked, which I appreciated a lot! My friend's foods looked good as well. Next time, I'm in town, I want to try a breakfast bowl. The specials sounded unique and really tasty as well. They also brought out some jams, I don't remember the specific flavor, but I believe it was mango and peach? They looked good and definitely not Smuckers or anything. Service wasn't too bad. Our waitress was super quiet, and I was the only one who could hear her because she stood the closest to me. After we finished eating, we waited a while for our check and eventually had to ask her to bring it to us after 10 minutes. And I think it was the manager, but he looked a little annoyed at us for sitting there for so long after our meal, even staring at us and bringing over another small party to stand there and wait for us as we got up to put on our jackets and gather our belongings. Not the best customer service, but we were full and happy so we didn't let it bother us and bring down our morning. read more

Meli Cafe - Cafe Benedict - Grilled pork belly, spinach, tomatoes, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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When you think super bowl Sunday you should be thinking Meli Cafe for breakfast Don't get sacked by high prices at other bougie restaurants Score a touchdown with one of Meli's huge breakfast sandwiches Then go for two with a side of pancakes or waffles 5 stars read more

Delicious and great service and would strongly recommend. Eggs where delicious. Coffe was fresh read more

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

With easy listening soft rock playing in the background we ordered our breakfast. I was particularly pleased with the amount of vegan and vegetarian options on the menu. Food came out SHOCKINGLY fast, and everything was fresh and delicious. Our server Maryann was a delight and took great care of us. No question we will be back. Meli Café is a SOLID option for brunch. read more

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Highlights/Lowlights 1) TONS of gluten free options 2) quick service 3) cute cafe ambiance We visited Cafe Meli on a blustery Monday morning. We were seated right away, which may be because the weather was rough. However, the space is huge but still has a cozy neighborhood cafe feel. I had done some research so I knew Cafe Meli had som gluten free options, but holy cow was I impressed! In addition to the usual omelets and breakfast bowls other gluten free options included; polenta pancakes, gluten free sweet and savory crepes, vegan French toast and more! I had the savory gluten free "salsa crepes" and they were SO SO good. The portion sizes are generous especially considering that the breakfast entrees range from about $9-$14. The service is friendly enough and very fast! We had waters right away when we sat down and our server came to get our drink and then food orders shortly after. Awesome breakfast spot in River North with tons of gluten free options! read more

Meli Cafe - Savory gluten free salsa crepes! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food. I got the breakfast tacos with side of French toast, coffee and mimosas. We enjoyed sitting by the window and looking at the city streets read more

Meli Cafe - two glasses of orange juice and a cup of coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Order this place if you want to ruin your Saturday. You think a breakfast place would understand how to make avocado toast and an omelette. News flash, they don't. Two thumbs down and I mean way down. Rather eat arbys for 6 months straight than go here again read more

Really a 3.5. Came with 7 friends for Brunch on NYE. They were very busy and the wait was longer than expected. Overall the food was good. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Standout items include the Turkey Burger and the fries. Service was not very good. Example: A few of us ordered coffee. Maybe 10 mins later, the waitress came to refill our cups to realize she never brought us coffee cups to begin with. A few of us ordered bloody Mary's and didn't get them until after the food came. Besides that everything else was good. Also I'm a big fan of still having Christmas music in the background on NYE. read more

Great food and the portions are huge! You won't go wrong with anything there. Customer service is great and there is barely any wait since it's such a big place. I had the Greek omelette and it was really good. If you like omelets you won't go wrong with that. read more

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

Very cute and tasty breakfast place! They have a lot of gluten free and a few vegan options . I got gluten free avocado toast and it was great. My boyfriend got the jalapeño breakfast bowl and loved it. Gave 4 stars because the service was just okay. I got an iced tea but they didn't refill it, and she didn't come back too often. Granted , it was busy in there so maybe just an off day. Highly recommend ! read more

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

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I came in a Sunday morning for breakfast and sat at the bar. I ordered my breakfast and I ordered a smoothie and my breakfast came but the smoothie did not. I decided that they must've forgot my smoothies so I ordered a Diet Coke. When the bill came, I noticed that they charged me for the smoothie so I asked them to charge me for the Coke instead. The waiter told me that it was the same price, but when I double checked, the smoothie was six dollars and the Coke was only two dollars!!! I asked him to switch it and he did not and gave me attitude. Not to mention the food was absolutely horrible. My tacos were dry and my boyfriend food was cold as hell. read more

I was a huge fan of Meli's smoothies (Oatmeal! Avocado! Wheatgrass!) but not too impressed with the food or the price tag for a sit-down breakfast. So my recommendation would be to belly up to the bar and ooh/aah at the orange juicing machine and the industrial blenders, then grab your $6 smoothie to go. Their custom juice creations were also amazing, but worth $5 for the portion? I don't know... my perspective is probably tainted because two of those also helped contribute to a nearly $50 breakfast price tag one morning... But still I liked Meli to go there three times on my most recent trip to Chicago. It's just unfortunate that our last time was the least favorite of my trips there, read more

Meli Cafe - Okay coffee. Had a few cups to get my money's worth, but not my fav. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great breakfast! We got there early Sunday afternoon and it was really crowded but we were seated right away. I ordered the Chicken Chorizo and substituted the red potatoes with French fries. The jalapeños were spicy and added a nice kick. She had the Beach Body special with scrambled eggs, broccoli, & kale. It was also really good. The only negative was the room temperature mimosas and water but it wasn't a big deal. The orange juice was fresh squeezed and delicious. read more

Meli Cafe - Sunny Side Up Chicken Chorizo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice brunch cafe to go to if you live in the neighborhood. Has the type of feel where you could make this your regular spot to go. Their menu is pretty extensive from food to drinks and they serve a lot of different flavors of mimosas! Didn't try but they all sounded really good. Their menu also comes with a daily specials Page located on the left side. My friend ordered the chicken scrambler from the specials and I ordered a breakfast bowl that came with chicken sausage, mushrooms, Swiss cheese and kale. They gave me the option of asking how you want your Eggs done so I went with scramble. It tasted pretty good in the portion sizes are really large so I could take it home. For breakfast and eggs though it's a little on the pricey side as mine came out to about 18 for just breakfast and no drinks. The two breakfast items did come with a side of toast or English muffin though. Overall pretty good experience and service was attentive so I would not mind coming back to try other items! read more

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

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We happened upon this place as we were wandering around on our way to Michigan Ave to shop. We wanted breakfast and the donut shop we were going to go to wasn't open yet and it was cold out so we wanted to keep moving. What luck! This place was delicious! I had breakfast tacos that were phenomenal. So delicious. My daughter had a waffle (suddenly, this is her go-to breakfast when we're out) and I can't really remember what my husband and son had, but I know we were all very full, and very happy with our choices. Would definitely stop in again if we were in the area, but unfortunately we do not find ourselves in the city too frequently. read more

Meli Cafe - Breakfast tacos. Fantastic! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had breakfast, the atmosphere is very relaxing and bright. The menu has a great selection of pancakes, french toast, omelets, juices, smoothies , I had the ghost pepper omlete, mediums heat level I added hot sauce with potatoes it was very light omlete but good portion and flavor. I had the jump start juice it was delicious for those who like to juice, I would visit again. I sis not see much parking we were able to walk from our hotel. read more

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My partner & I have worked on the Greek Islands and we know how coffee, food, and service should be. We have been to countless restaurants in Chicago for breakfast and are consistently disappointed. However, this place is spectacular! The food is delicious-- we ordered crepes and a skillet and we were wow'd! Everything is fresh. We are also so happy to see freddo cafe here as it's a greek treasure when it comes to coffee. We will only be having breakfast here from here on out! read more

Best crepe ever .must try it if you're in the area. Taste was super rich. Highly recommended! read more

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

The place is pretty nice, I ordered a bagel and lox, it was that good, mushy bread and sour cream instead cream cheese. My husband ordered egg Benedict, he liked them. read more

Great breakfast spot. We sat outside and enjoyed some mimosa's and breakfast. Our waiter was kind enough to give us our third round on the house. The food was great. We got eggs, bacon, banana bread French toast, and a bagel with cream cheese. Everything was your expected normal American breakfast. Yum! Very kind service. read more

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

Meli cafe is a simple diner in the heart of Chicago. It has a classic diner feel and menu. It doesn't try to compete with the "trendy" spots in the area and is the perfect place to go when you want a hearty meal! They have plenty of healthy options and items for each dietary restriction one may have. You'll be sure to find something for everyone! The cheap mimosas are also a huge plus! We love having this diner around the corner from us. read more

Meli Cafe - super hearty avocado toast! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Almost 3 years later and I've finally come back to check out breakfast. Okay, it actually wasn't my idea, but I'm very glad my boss chose to have our meeting at Meli! The restaurant wasn't busy at 9:30 am on a Tuesday and seven of us were able to get a big round table no problem. Service was great and WiFi worked well. Their menu is huge and as always I had a hard time deciding what I want for breakfast. Do I go the sweet or savory route? Can I do both? They have a great little menu for juice and smoothies and I kind of regret not diving in, but I knew I wanted some coffee and thought that would be a lot of beverages at once. False: you can never have too many beverages. Well... maybe if it's alcohol... anyways... To eat I finally decided on the granola pancakes. Sounded interesting and since that covered my sweet taste bud I also got a side of bacon for something savory. First of all, this breakfast was huge! I should should have known portions were large, because the lunch I had a while back was, but I was still surprised. The pancakes themselves were made with granola so you could taste the pieces in there. They were then drizzled with honey and served with yogurt, granola, and fresh berries on the side. It was delicious! It came with three large pancakes and it literally looked like I barely ate anything but I got so full! Finished most of my yogurt, so I took the pancakes home and they made for a yummy two more meals! The bacon was great. Thick and crispy just how I like it. I was impressed that even after we were finished eating our waitress still came around to fill waters and coffee while we sat there for another hour on our laptops. We never felt rushed which was nice. The women's restroom was under construction a bit, so I was surprised to walk in and find two men in the last stall working on it. I know the restaurant wasn't that busy, but kind of wish they had put up a sign to warn people. Regardless, another great meal at Meli indeed, and I know it won't be my last! read more

Meli Cafe - Goat cheese wrap and pasta salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delightfully priced mimosas, great breakfast, great lunch options too. My wife and I split a southwestern omelet and a Buffalo chicken wrap. So much food. Elevated diner vibes inside, bigger than it looks. If you're reading this, stop the search and just go here! read more

What's not to love? I came here with a group of seven for a breakfast work outing. We had a nice and fairly private table reserved in the corner, and that was just perfect for a meeting. Free WiFi, a large fresh juice menu, and a breakfast menu with way too many delicious options. The juice menu alone was intense! I thought about getting a breakfast smoothie for starters, but I remembered how big the food portions are after my last visit, and so I skipped it (I regret that). But I didn't regret ordering the fluffy scrambled egg whites again and the smoked bacon and potatoes. My fluffy eggs were exactly how I remembered them, and I look forward to the next time around. On another note...if you order the pancakes for any reason, my colleague ordered them, and I swear it was like she never even touched them when breakfast was over. I highly recommend Meli Cafe. Oh, I forgot to mention service was fantastic! read more

Cute place for a quick breakfast/brunch. Food was okay. Didn't have much flavor but it was okay for a breakfast. read more

Meli Cafe - Fresh Berry Crepe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here right after it opened at 7am on a weekday. The restaurant is pretty empty as expected. The restaurant has a ton of sweet and savory breakfast options ranging from omelettes, to crepes. They also serve a large variety of juices and smoothies. We tried: Pure Gold ($5.5): Pineapple, carrot, apple and ginger juice, sweet and refreshing Green Machine ($7): Huge smoothie! I had to take most of it to-go. Tasted healthy and light. Maple Butter Pancakes ($13.5): Large portions, tasty, but not the best pancakes I've ever had Chicken and Waffles ($16): Large portions, nicely friend chicken, interesting savory waffle with herbs This place kept my boyfriend and I full until past lunchtime! Solid place for breakfast, would come back to try other entrees! read more

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Stopped in on a brisk November morning for breakfast. Something about this place reminds me of the movie The Birdcage. It's so bright and light, all the staff that we encountered were foreign and GORGEOUS, it reminded me of South Beach. I was borderline hysterical the whole time we were there, waiting for Nathan Lane in drag to come strolling in.... All that aside, the food was delicious. The coffee comes in teeny tiny cups, we told the waitress to just leave us a pot but I don't think she understood us, because she just smiled and wandered away. We only got a couple refills, which makes us sound ridiculous, but the cups were tiny!! My husband ordered the chicken and waffles. Oh. My. Word. The savory herbed waffle was my dream. Seriously, it made me want to buy a waffle maker and beg for their recipe (I'm not a breakfast food fan, so this is extreme.) The chicken was tenders, and they were cooked perfectly - not hard or dry. And then there was bacon jam I ordered the Cobbler Crepes. As I said before, I'm not a breakfast fan, but something about this was screaming TRY ME. Holy. Crap. First of all, the portion was huge, I think there were 3 large crepes? Topped with berries and peaches, with a brown sugar granola topping...it was amazing. The granola topping MADE the whole thing, and the fruit was so flavorful and delicious. It blew my mind that the fruit could taste that good out of season. We also got a pumpkin latte to go, which was GROSS. It was gritty and had a weird sweetness that left a bizarre taste in both of our mouths. They had lots on the breakfast menu that sounded delicious, looked healthy, and judging by our portions, would feed an army! Also, I'm sincerely sorry if you can't go here without thinking of The Birdcage... read more

A cute little breakfast spot in river north, not as trendy as other spots, but feels cozy and warm. Great food, I had the breakfast tacos and they were pretty good! Also got the grapefruit juice, which was decent. Reasonable prices and only a 15 minute wait for a group of 5 on a busy Saturday morning read more

Wow this is the spot to go to for breakfast! I've been trying new places this month and this is the best by far. The inside seating area is so homey and the staff is amazing. The food tastes great and comes out quick after ordering. They also have handcrafted juices! So so fresh and tasty! Definitely coming back here again. read more

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