First off, I love this place. I live in the neighborhood and it's one of my go-to spots for coffee drinks and sandwiches. The coffee is top notch. Have always enjoyed the sandwiches as well whenever I go. Great atmosphere and everyone that works there is awesome! Only negative part about this place is the salads. I would recommend skipping that part of the menu. I had my first salad there last week and it will be my last. The salad was given to me literally packed to the brim with stuff. I was then given the salad dressing on the side. I don't see why I need to dress my own salad at a restaurant. Throw the greens in a bowl, put the appropriate amount of dressing and seasoning, put in service bowl and serve. It's also impossible to properly dress a salad in full to the brim bowl. I made a mess, salad all over the table. Because I couldn't mix it properly I ended up putting way too much dressing on. It was a very bad salad. Besides that though I would 100% recommend for studying, drinks and food. read more

Best bagels on the Northside! The grits are great too. Fresh OJ and Do-Rite donuts. It's a Go-To weekend spot. There will be a wait but it's not bad & worth it. We're so happy this is in our neighborhood! read more

Paid for a ham and cheese croissant and was given a chocolate. I had already left the cafe by the time I noticed. Wednesdays, amirite? But really, all I wanted was the ham and cheese croissant. read more

This place is the best! The coffee is good, the homemade cream cheeses are even betters, and they have a ton of local pastries, t-shirts, art, etc. But better than all that, what prompted me to write a review for Spoken is their service. This must be a great place to work because the employees are INCREDIBLY nice, patient, and helpful. Seriously. A few times I've walked in not knowing what I wanted and disoriented from lack of caffeine--the baristas are always really pleasant and willing to help my confused little brain decide. Every different person I've interacted with there has been kind, funny, and chill, treating me like an old friend. Maybe they put something in the water? Anyway, to summarize, if you want to drink good coffee, eat good food, and be put in a great mood, Spoken is the place! read more

My favorite coffee shop in all of Chicago! They brew coffee like it's a science and it always tastes great, flavorful and strong but not too strong. The food is great too, my favorites are the breakfast sandwich on a bialy (less bready than a bagel) and the Cubano. Lovely, friendly staff. read more

Food is below average... Coffee is even worse. Very mediocre cafe with unfriendly staff. Definitely would not recommend.

I was the only person wearing dress pants and not a flannel shirt. Shame on me! Very cozy local neighborhood spot with great coffee and deserts. Staff very friendly. I will be back. read more

Great neighborhood coffee shop with good food and a cozy atmosphere. Serve wonderful canelés (a carmellized pastry straight from heaven).

I was immediately greeted at this cafe with a warm smile and a compliment. My baristas gave me wonderful recommendations for food and beverage for me to find out my card didn't work. (For legitimate reasons not po' people reasons... Well kinda lol) That being said, the barista handed me the coffee and told me she already poured it so I must take it anyway. This gesture was gorgeous and extremely revealing of the type of business being run here. The coffee was also a great roast from Rwanda I believe... Will definitely be back w/ Money next time ! read more

One of my 2 favorite bagel places in the city. Used to come here when it was Beans and bagels, and am so glad the only change was the name. You cannot beat this place for the selection of cream cheeses, my personal favorite is the feta dill! They also have great coffee and a pretty big selection of glazed and infused donuts. read more

I love this place. Their name change (from Beans and Bagels) did not diminish their greatness. Their bagels, sandwiches, especially paninis, coffee, customer service, attitude, are all top notch. The atmosphere in the place is always friendly, too. read more

My absolute favorite coffee shop. Love the coffees they choose to brew and sell. The food is outstanding and is made with ingredients as local as you can find. The staff is knowledgable and gracious (which isn't always easy when you get up at the crack of dawn to serve the public for hours). I always buy my beans for brewing at home there. (Counter Culture Coffee is the BEST.) We are truly delighted to have this spot in the neighborhood. read more

I'm not one to write a yelp review unless I'm impressed by quality and service at a place. This is my favorite local coffee shop in all of Chicago, and I've lived in a few different neighborhoods. The pastries and coffee are delicious (haven't tried their cafe food yet), and the employees are always in a good mood even if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed. The only negative is it is a little pricey, but you pay for what you get at Spoken Cafe! read more

***update***. I'm editing this review to only notify people that the short haired lady in the front isn't the worst person I've ever seen at a cafe...it is instead Amy at the Old Town School of Folk Music Cafe. Since I've found such a terrible and miserable person elsewhere, I've increased the rating here. I'll mix thing up and start with the bad. The short haired lady at the front is awful. Just terrible. Snooty, stuck up, bad attitude and just ruins the total experience of what otherwise would be a pretty good coffee shop. It surprised me, especially given the other review of this person, that they keep her around. She's got to be one of the worst all around thinks-her-stuff-doesn't-stink attitudes ever. It's almost like she assumed if you're getting coffee in that neighborhood that you're defaultly pretentious so she takes the offensive. It's sad and pathetic. The pretty good:. The coffee is pretty good. Definitely better than most in the neighborhood (Oromo is better) and good cafe food. I recommend their cream cheeses. The good. The manger/owner/santa claus looking guy is super friendly and very knowledgeable about coffee. He spared this review from a total onslaught. I hope that special someone at the register finds a well deserving place in the unemployment line soon...I'd go everyday if that were the case. read more

I just had the most incredible sandwich of my life at spoken cafe! And I'm pretty much always in search of a delicious sandwich. This one made me full, and feel good! The multi grain bread it was on was incredible and hearty. The spicy ranch, which is made in house like many other ingredients they use, was so creamy! And there was this awesome tang that added dimension to the whole sandwich. It was warm and toasty and I'm really just waiting until I can go back and try another sandwich. Their menu looks amazing across the board and the atmosphere is really neat! I have really enjoyed exploring what ravenswood has to offer this whole summer, this is by far my favorite find so far. read more

Best place ever! I practically live here because it's so close to work. The specials are always on point and the variety of food/coffee is impressive. read more

Delicious breakfast and lunch options PLUS a super friendly and helpful staff. I love this place!

I LOVE THIS PLACE! Their homemade bagels are awesome and they make really tasty sandwiches. The servers are super friendly and it's a really cute and laid back vibe. Great spot to grab something before heading on the train or relaxing with a good book. read more

I love Spoken!! I go here all the time. The people who work there are supper nice and know me whenever I go in. (With the exception of the new people.) the bagels are so good. My favorite is an everything bagel with chine cream cheese. With that I also get a large orange juice. The place is usually filled with young families and 20 somethings working or hanging out. They have a good selection of pastries and now that they've changed to Spoken from what they where Beans and Bagel they've added a bunch of Louisiana inspired foods. They have great cheesy grits! Yum. If you are looking for a place to do writing or work though this place may be too loud. Many times there are young kids or Just a lot of people at the small tables and the brown line tracks are right outside so the loud train rambles by and there is no outdoor seating. read more

I called ahead to place a simple order for a plain bagel and cream cheese. I was told over the phone that they had them in stock and let me place the order. When I got there they proceeded to let me pay for the order just to end up 5 minutes later tell me they were out of plain bagels. Usually when you call ahead to a business and place an order they put the order to the side until you get there and pay. The reasoning for this (I later found out), according to the owner, was that they considered me a 'no show' and threw my order out. I called and placed the order at 10:51 AM and got there within an hr. An hour is not enough time to deem someone a 'no show'. For all they know, I could've been stuck in traffic. Overall, this situation wasn't necessarily the hugest deal but I did not appreciate how they handled it. They made it seem like it was my fault my order was canceled when in actuality it was due to their poor sense in judgement. The couple of times I've been here, I've left disappointed. I do not feel it is worth it to go back to this establishment. read more

I agree with the last reviewer about the high quality. People want to know that they will get the same quality the 2nd and 3rd time as they did the first. This is always perfect. Friendliness is always nice, so training where needed. I do agree about the clutter/signage/space. I would recommend to the management that they go to trade shows or look online for information for businesses on how to best make a small space feel easily navigated and efficient. One thing about signage is that it is often written by people who don't understand ways that different people receive information. Keep up the great quality, but do some serious "tidying up" to make customers' experience a smooth one. read more

Stopped in here on a blistering fall day to get some warm coffee. The barista told me all about the history of the cafe (one of the oldest in Chicago!) and changes they've made (including growing their own veggies!). The food looked good, the coffee was good, and the atmosphere was pleasant. The only downside is it's mostly bench seating without a back. Not the comfiest for a long time. read more

This is the rename of the previous beans and bagels...same staff just a new name and some cool new updates. I feel like family here! My finance's and I are having a kid and had to move closer to the burbs but we love this place so much that we go out of our way when we can to go here. The best coffee in the city that I have ever had, always fun to see everyone, incredible breakfast bagels, sandwiches, and pastries. Purposely went here to get bagels and cream cheeses for my baby shower and everyone loved them! Thank you guys for only getting better and better as time goes on! read more

This place is doing everything right! I go here whenever I can when I'm in the neighborhood. Hard to find salt bagels (with poppyseed) and everything I used was recyclable or compostable. I can't say how good it feels to have low environmental impact like that along with good food. read more

I went here last-minute with my sister for lunch, and it was fantastic. Quick service, good food, and really nice people. There were tons of vegetarian options for my sister as well, which was great. I didn't get the chance to try their coffee, but I'll be sure to go back for it! read more

Today my girlfriend and I decided to try 'Spoken' cafe. We really wanted a coffee and had never tried 'Kickapoo' coffee before. We read previous reviews and everyone raved about the coffee, so we thought we'd give it a try. I don't know if we were served a different roast to everyone else but our coffee was horrible. As soon as I took one sip I was shocked as to what I was tasting. It tasted like beer? Never have I had a coffee that tasted like beer before. Sure, maybe a slightly acidic or medicinal taste but never beer. I'm not sure what they do to the coffee or if maybe it was the milk but partners coffee tasted the same. I had a cappuccino and her a latte. We also ordered a raisin and cinnamon bagle with cream cheese. It was spot on, very tasty. Im giving 2 stars for the tasty bagel and the quick service, as we waited less then 5mins for our order...But then again you can get a decent bagel at most places. We were lucky and got there before a rush of people. Atmosphere is nice but its easy to see how crowded it could get. I watched a few people open the door and see the line and turn away. read more

Turkey Ruben is excellent - warm, well-toasted, and a great flavor. I really like the atmosphere there too.

The food at Spoken and the front staff are SUPERB. I love all the staff at the front. But the usual guys who make the bagels/sandwiches are not very nice, unless you're one of their friends. They'll make their sandwiches first, every time. So if you're not a friend of the staff, be prepared to wait 15-20 minutes for a breakfast sandwich. read more

I love, love, LOVE Spoken and am so happy to have this in Ravenswood; I will cry if it ever closes. They have amazing sandwiches, pastries, and bagels/cream cheese. Let's talk about the bagels for a second. They are awesome. Spoken has a variety of different flavors with TONS of cream cheese options. In addition, you can add things like lots of fresh veggies to your bagels to make your bagel actually have some nutritional value. (I'm partial to adding spinach, caramelized onions, and tomatoes when they are in season) Everything at Spoken is SUPER fresh and a lot of the veggies are locally sourced etc. I do wish that they had other milk options other than cows milk or soy for their drinks. I try and stay away from too much dairy (but break this rule for cream cheese) and can't have soy. I understand the sustainability factor of almond and coconut milk, but wish they had alternate options. read more

Fresh OJ was on point. My bagel was great. Only thing that would have improved it is if they were playing the 1999 Grammy Award Winning Hit Single, "Smooth" by Santana feat. Rob Thomas of matchbox 20. read more

Best bagels in the city. Go early on weekend to get your favorite. The weekly specials are unique and an adventure into their southern heritage. Bad ass feminist in the mix as well, so you know it is cool. read more

This is what Chicago neighborhoods are all about for me. Finding a quaint, smaller, refreshingly local place for coffee, baked goods and breakfast. Sitting by the window, watch the locals coming and going, both inside and out. Try the daily special as well as lattes served in ceramic cups. Ahhhh. Enjoy. read more

Such an amazing little neighborhood cafe! I really only stopped here because it's near where I'm staying, but it has everything I could ever ask for in a coffee place -- delicious Counter Culture coffee, amazing donuts, friendly baristas, and a great atmosphere. If I lived around here, I would be at this place all the time! read more

I live in the neighborhood and can't say enough good things about the quality of their food and drinks. Everything I have ordered is delicious. However on 4 occasions now when I have stopped in or called, they are out of bagels. One recent time was 11am, today was 12:00pm. So it's not a matter of coming in when they are closing. I find this a bit odd and frustrating considering a large part of their menu consists of bagel sandwiches and multiple flavors of cream cheeses. I would eat here much more frequently if they were consistent about keeping food in stock. Disappointing since the bagel sandwiches are great! read more

Great little place. Southern exposure with lots of natural light. Convenient location by the el with easy street parking. Kinda small but has wooden benches and tables to sit at. Friendly service with good food, free wifi and eclectic tunes. What makes this unique is the mashup of Louisiana culture (where the owners are from) and Chicago pride. Highly recommended. read more

I am a long time customer who had a bad experience this morning. I stopped in to get bagels and treats for my work team. I started by asking if any of their baked goods were a dairy free option. There were none. I then ordered an assortment of 9 bagels and 2 cream cheeses. They asked if there was any flavor of bagel I did not want included. I said nope, just mix it up so there is an assortment. When I got to work they had given me all plain bagels. I could have stopped at the grocery store and spent $10 for a full dozen of plain bagels. I didn't need to spend $22 for what I ended up receiving. Very disappointed. read more

best bagels. texture is amazing, not tough/chewy. each bite is heavenly. i will be back many many times. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Their breakfast sandwiches are super good! Staff is friendly and nice. Sometimes it takes awhile to get your food/drinks but worth the wait.

Hands down the very best hot chocolate I have EVER had anywhere. Very chocolatey without being very sweet - so good! Nice people running the place too. read more

The variety of coffee and the delicious breakfast foods are top rate. My only reason for not going every day is that I would turn into a blimp. After a long absence of their famed croissants, they're back, but better; I had a cheese croissant made to order that was simply the best. There is a noticeable emphasis on being green: Bring your own cup, and get a hefty discount; no icky straws or wooden stirrers but real spoons. The atmosphere is very inviting, lots to read, and the staff and owner are the friendliest, most awesome people! If you like good bagels but want to have a choice, come early--they do sell out. But if they do, there is always a tasty alternative. Location BTW is very convenient right next to the Brown Line Montrose stop. read more