Cafe Logan is a grab & go option on the campus of the University of Chicago at the Logan Center for…read morethe Arts. The hours were a little limited from my film-viewing perspective, but once I realized that, I was able to time my visits accordingly. Staff were fast and friendly. I ordered a cup of tomato bisque soup and it hit the spot.

There are so many planned cultural events here it makes one head spin. Throughout the building as a…read morewhole there's things happening, but they had a nice jazz series in the Spring. We came here on a Tuesday to hear some live music. It was cool on this day so we opted for tea instead of a 'drink'. The variety has good picks of pastries and salads. I don't think there is table service, but rather you have to go up and order on your own. It is not cheap but not grossly overpriced either. I usu get beverages so I can't quite speak to the food. I found comfort on the elevated seats, but there are comfy chairs and outdoor seating as well. The attached pictures are from an exhibit by Tony Smith, 'Black is Beautiful'. The walls are a pretty blue but I hope they keep rotating and redecorating the area. What a great space for a gallery/cafe!

Dolce Arte ended up being a nice place to slow down for a bit. It's inside an art gallery, so it…read morehas this mix of rustic and industrial style that feels different from a regular coffee shop. They also have a patio, and with the weather being nice, it was easy to just sit outside and relax for a while. I was honestly too hungry to spend much time deciding, so I just ordered one of the sourdough donut ball. It was exactly what I was hoping for. The outside had a light coating of sugar that gave it just the right amount of sweetness without being too much. Once I bit into it, the inside was soft, airy, and slightly chewy from the sourdough, which made it different from a regular donut. There was a subtle tang from the sourdough that balanced the sweetness really well, so it never felt overly sugary. It had a light crispness on the outside, then a warm, pillowy center that practically melted away with each bite. I finished it way faster than I expected. The only thing I forgot was ordering something to drink with it. Looking back, a good coffee would've made it even better. Still, I'd definitely stop by again the next time I'm in the area.

Not sure why I had not reviewed this soot earlier, I come here often, in fact I'm here right now…read more Great spot! Set in an old warehouse that is now an art gallery event space and restaurant nestled in an older warehouse district in Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. Beautiful decor and laid out perfectly. The natural wood floors furniture ie tables chairs etc and iron work throughout sets the ambiance for old meets new. It works. The wide spacing between tables makes for a comfortable dining experience. So many folks come in to do their work and dine here. What a super addition to the neighborhood that less than a decade ago was essentially a street that was more a run down semi-truck alley. Great menu with neighborhood favorites leaning toward the old school Italian dishes. Sandwiches, soups, salads, and breakfasts just to name a few are all excellent. The pastries are insane and a must take home deal. I love the American Breakfast. Three eggs your way, thick diced America potatoes, thick cut bacon, and sourdough toast. Accompanied by what I believe to be home made jelly and for sure homemade gardiniera. Caruso's gardiniera actually. Diced into a relish unlike most standard gardiniera it's easier to eat with many dishes. Excellent flavor and just the right kick to it. FYI Dolce Arte also sells a to go line of homemade Caruso products from their gardiniera to past and past sauces and more. Yes, their coffee is really good too. Lavazza products I believe. The service is always on point. Casual but on point. Very friendly staff from diverse backgrounds. This is the place you bring people close to you, business lunches, meetings, formal ir informal, or like me, save it for myself as my own getaway spot. It's an artists dream and sets a positive time for any gathering.

One of my favorite local coffee shops! Starbucks who?!?…read more This place is amazing and the food/coffee is equally good. The services is some of the best I've experience.

This was my second time stopping by this place. I usually take a moment to snap a few pictures of…read moremy food, but I was extremely hungry today and couldn't wait to dig into their ham and cheese croissant sandwich. It wasn't until I had completely devoured it that I realized I wanted to write a review. The sandwich was just as delicious as I remembered. It's consistently good, served quickly, and the service is always friendly. I also picked up a caramel macchiato, and it was just as enjoyable. One thing I really like about this place is the decor. It seems small when you first walk in, but it opens up into a nice seating area in the back that makes it feel much more spacious and inviting. I'm hoping this becomes my version of Cheers, the kind of place where they know your order and you're always happy to stop by.

First time coming to this café and was greeted by Mario the guy with the pink beanie. It was a very…read morequiet mid afternoon and I ordered me a too good to go to waste food. The place is going on a year in May. I love that it had Mexican music not so loud just to write amount of loudness. A very pleasant Cafe and it is a Latino owned coffee shop.

El sitio tiene una buena vibra, el día que estuve ahí había un evento lo cual se me hace muy padre,…read morecreo que es un lugar muy agradable, con buen café, buena comida, si quieres pasar momento de calidad con amigos y familia este es un sitio muy bonito y tranquilo

Stopped after the library closed for a coffee and a bite. Got the cortado and a turkey sandwich…read more The cortado was really smooth and had non-dairy options. The salad and dressing were great and the turkey sandwich was hearty but honestly a little plain. Overall good stop with a cute vibe and great space.

Now, why didn't anyone tell me about Plein Air? I was in the Hyde Park area with a friend for a…read morewalk when we were browsing the neighborhood for a place to have breakfast and we found Plein Air nestled on the University of Chicago campus. To my surprise this is now my new favorite breakfast spot! Plein Air does not take reservations it's a first come first served restaurant where you order your food at the counter and seat yourself. They value community and have plenty of seating inside for folks as well as a larger patio area if you prefer to eat our doors. Their space was open, airy and welcoming. The line can get pretty long but just a little patience because it's worth it and they try their hardest to get you serviced. The food was awesome! So awesome I offered several things from the menu because I couldn't pick just one thing! I ordered their egg breakfast which was served with eggs your way, protein choice, breakfast potatoes and toast, their yogurt and granola bowl, coffee and I absolutely could not forgive myself if I left without getting their raspberry beignet. Everything was delicious, fresh, light, and quality. I can see why it gets so busy! I cannot wait to get back because thay yogurt bowl has been calling my name since I last had it

I've been going here forever and it's still excellent, the prices are still pretty affordable…read moreespecially after how much the neighborhood has changed. Sandwiches on focaccia are very tasty and come with pasta or chips. I like the pasta which is very strange, barely seasoned and cold but it's more satisfying bc it feels very home made. Pretty generally it is always packed but the service is fairly efficient. It's rare to be able to get a table but there are so benches outside, so you probably are best taking your sandwich to a nearby park or home. Also I've always loved the portrait of Subcommandant Marcos.

This place seemed like a hot commodity. Don't be fooled by the long lines. They move pretty quick!…read moreIt is pretty tight on the inside. There's 1 long standing table by the window for waiting or if you want to chill a bit and tables with chairs across from the ordering table for sitting and dining. Not a lot of seating tho! So heads up. Service was quick and friendly. They have food and beverages that all sounded yummy. I got a sparkling water and matcha. Pretty satisfying! Would come back to try different options.

The original pancake house, but not the original original…read more I ordered the skillet. Honestly, it was very solid and tasty. The hot chocolate was full of whip cream with marshmallows. Wow it was powerful. Grateful for accommodating like 11 people. Overall, good experience.

This was a very good dining experience. We had a large group of 9 so our waitress was definitely…read morechallenged, but she handled it very well and we didn't have to wait an unreasonable amount of time for anything. This was one of the best vegetarian breakfasts I've ever had. The pancakes are amazing too. You really don't even need syrup. I would definitely go here again when I am in Chicago and you should too!

Such an amazing friendly place!! Loved everything about it. The barista Melanie made my drink and…read moreit was amazing!! customer service was on point !!!

The service here is not bad, and the staff generally do a good job of working under the conditions…read morepresented. Most of them show genuine interest and experience in coffee, so for those unsure of what to order you can definitely get help in finding something to suite your needs: that being said the quality of the coffee varies wildly, often depending almost entirely on who is behind the bar rather than the ingredients in the drink. I've come and eaten from here multiple times and brought friends for different food truck events, dj sets, etc. their cuisine is all massively overpriced for the neighborhood, the worst example of this being the jalepeno chicken salad sandwich which was chicken salad between two plain pieces of untoasted white bread sold for a staggering 13.99. The empanadas are also serviceable, but a hard sell at 8 dollars a piece;especially when much better empanadas (ones actually from locals rather than a greedy wannabe Michelin star chef) can be found for 3 bucks each down the block. I'd advise against ordering these items but there's a good chance whatever you order is out of stock anyways since management seems to have major issues on the operational front, not to mention the perpetual lack of updates to the online menu. Online responses to reviews will show the back of the yards PR team boasting that their community "deserves nice things too" to justify their pricing, but the disconnect between these prices and those just down the street are not the sign of a business which serves its neighbors. A great alternative for cuisine in the area is Grano Panaderia y Cafe or just down 47th. The vibe inside this place is cold, sterile, and dreary despite the efforts of many of the hardworking employees it is clear the are understaffed, underpaid and overworked. If you attempt to tip, the employees will inform you they aren't allowed to receive tips as a part of their "livable wages" though you'll never see them there more than three times a week. Curious. It doesn't match the lovely decor of the other businesses in the the neighborhood. The establishment proudly wears their back of the yards and Mexican pride yet the owner drives a Tesla. Even more interesting now that they're rolling out "trans joy" drinks driving the car of the country's richest transphobe. Every aspect of this establishment is a performance. The food performs as local upper echelon cafe food despite tasting often average at best, the drinks perform as in-house made despite tasting strikingly similar to Costco brand coffee, and the management perform as paragons of equity despite clear signs of poor business practices. If you support back of the yards as a neighborhood and want some good food and drink during your visit here, there's a half a dozen places within a mile that are worth the walk to. Back of the yards coffee makes lots of bold claims, but falls short across the board. 2/5.