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    Tempo Cafe

    3.7 (1k reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Tempo Cafe Takeout or Delivery

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    TEMPO CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Tempo Cafe

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    Soup of the day
    Mark W.

    Tempo cafe is one of the well known diner place in the neighbourhood. We didn't have a chance to try their breakfast, but we went in around 4pm for afternoon tea. We ordered a burger and tuna burger. Our meal comes with a cup of soup and fries, we enjoy the food. The burger were cooked to perfect, and very juicy. Similar to other diner place, the waiter are more than happy to refill your coffee if needed.

    State Street Omelette. Egg whites, spinach and bacon subbed for ham. Sooo good and fluffy!!
    Jennifer M.

    Oh Tempo how I love your healthy breakfast options! Absolutely the best fluffiest egg white omelettes I've ever had!!! Always 10/10 ! But recently you've changed your really good breakfast potatoes to hash browns PLEASE bring back the old potatoes that were some of favorite breakfast potatoes I've ever had!! Hashbrowns were extremely greasy also

    Morning Glory Waffle
    Taquanda H.

    I went to Tempo on a Thursday morning. The wait time was approximately 30 minutes for two people. The restaurant is small and you will be sitting tight in your seat. Our server was friendly when she finally arrived at the table. We waited another 5 minutes or so before we were greeted. I ordered the morning glory waffle, turkey sausage and 1 egg scrambled with cheddar. The sausage and eggs where cooked well. The waffle came out cold. I requested whip cream, as I am not a huge fan of syrup. I got a small drop of whip cream not worth mentioning. Although everything was fresh and appealing I can't say I will be returning anytime soon.

    Build Your Own Skillet
    Christina A.

    Tempo Cafe is a great, no frills diner in the Gold Coast. As with any diner, if you go there on a weekend morning it's going to be packed. However, if you're willing to put your name in early on Yelp or put your name in and wait a bit, it's worth it. Classic huge diner menu with whatever you want. Great omelets, Turkey club BLT, and coffee.

    Inside
    Anastasiya K.

    Food was good, service was FAST. On a Saturday morning, I've never been seated so fast, order placed, coffee in my hand and a meal in front of me within 20 minutes. They definitely get busy on the weekend and know how to handle the flow. It was maybe a little TOO fast because I was barely able to catch a breath and talk to my friend. The food was really good. My chorizo/mushroom/cheese skillet was very tasty. A lot of food and wasn't even able to finish it all. Ask for the spicy house sauce - it was wonderful!! The inside looked very festive and cute. Service was nice.

    Corned Beef Sandwich with a Gyros Plate in the back
    Joani O.

    Tempo has been here on the Gold Coast forever and when my daughter and I were thinking about lunching in the area, it came to mind. Tempo is a cute diner on the corner that serves up great breakfasts and is good for late evenings too. We had sandwiches that come with one of their soups (yummy) and fries. (Also good) Our waitress was sweet and service was excellent. I heard that the owner passed recently so I'm glad they're still there.

    Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
    Rahima J.

    I got takeout from here so I'll need to come back to the get the full ~ experience ~ but the pickup order was really easy and they were very fast with getting the food made. The portion size itself was huge and they gave bread and jelly on the side too! Food itself was so yummy but nothing too crazy to rave about! Excited to come back and try it out another time

    Happy campers enjoying a stack of pancakes with blueberries and chocolate chips, and milkshakes for breakfast with Nana and Pop Pop.

    We first visited Tiempo Cafe back in 2017 solely because it was close to our hotel and it featured Illy Coffee. Over the last eight years, we've probably enjoyed meals here dozens of times when we come to Chicago. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, the food is absolutely solid, the prices are eminently fair and the portions are, to quote he who shall not be named, YUGE! When we stay downtown, our grandchildren love to join us for breakfast at Tiempo and the pancakes with blueberries and chocolate chips is #1 with them both. Plus, they love the milkshakes made with real ice cream. Things are always popping no matter what time of day you visit, and the smiles on every diner's face tell the story better than any written review. True Chicago place, with long time servers and cooks make Tiempo your best choice on the North side of the city.

    Build Your Own Omelet
    David T.

    Love this cafe!!!! Came here for breakfast both days I was in Chicago. I stayed in the Gold Coast- one of my favorite neighborhoods. Simple cafe with clean space. The staff are super friendly. The breakfast is exactly what I make at home without all the trouble of having to actually cook or clean dishes. The build your own omelet is delicious!!!! Huge portion and flavorful. Great for post workout meals!!!!

    Turkey Reuben Sandwich
    Michelle C.

    Seems like a very popular spot. Lots of people waiting, but the service was awesome and fast What we ordered: Turkey Reuben: Very yum! Lots of flavors, and I love the open-face format. It was not overly saucy, and the sauerkraut flavors were strong Poor Man's Skillet: tasted okay. The eggs were a little bit too cooked for our liking

    Customized Skillet
    Logan B.

    I've lived in Chicago for the past 3-4 years and this was my first time at Tempo! I've heard incredible things so I had to give it a try. Tempo is your casual weekend brunch spot but ELEVATED. Luckily on Saturday morning we didn't have much of a wait, but you can definitely expect there to be one most weekends. Use their website to see what the wait times are! All their ingredients from their bread, vegetables, meats, and especially their homemade marmalade and salsa were fresh and full of flavor. My aunt got their fresh squeezed orange juice and she couldn't get enough of it! I decided to customize my own skillet and it did not disappoint. Simple, but executed to a T. They have these hashbrowns that are sliced potatoes? So good. I'll most definitely be back for what on my wish list (everything on the menu). Warning: salsa has a little heat to it!

    Eggs Benedict Poor Man's Skillet
    Nav S.

    This restaurant was recommended to us for their brunch selection/menu selection. The menu offers a very large selection from sandwiches, skillets,pancakes and salads. They even have special for the day that you can ask for. I want to start off with saying on a Saturday it will be a wait so come prepared. There is a paid parking garage to park at which is way easier than trying to find parking on the street. On to the important part of the review, we ordered the poor man's skillet, eggs Benedict and FRESH orange (amazingggg). I can't wait to bring my family back to this place. Service was great, it is a busy place and loud so be prepared along with the wait time. It is worth the wait!!! No complaints Con: parking ( they do validate for the garage and it's actually cheaper 10 dollars for 12 hours) Ps: there is a yelp waitlist

    Iced Latte

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    Stefano K.

    Thank you, Mark!

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    8 months ago

    We had a good experience. My mom and I both ordered corned beef hash and eggs. The portion size was very good for the price.

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    Stefano K.

    Hi Logan, thank you for the great review!

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    2 years ago

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    Thank you, Nav! Check your inbox when you get the chance.

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    Hi Savanna, we sent you a private message!

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    Thank you Elizabeth!

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    1 year ago

    Tempo is very consistent. Always enough food for a fair price. Omelette are huge and fluffy. BLTs are the best in the city.

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    Page 1 of 26

    Tempo Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Tempo Cafe

    Are y'all open on thanksgiving?

    No...they have a sign on their door that they are closed for thanksgiving

    I thought I saw somewhere online that this place is BYOB. Can you really bring your own alcohol?

    Correct, until 10pm

    View All 4 Questions

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    La Malinche Coffee & Tea House

    La Malinche Coffee & Tea House

    (118 reviews)

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    A beautiful, eclectic coffee house just outside of Chinatown, La Malinche was the perfect place for…read morea casual late breakfast. With a cozy locals vibe, there was a mix of young professionals on laptops and families starting the morning. The bright aesethics of Mexican heritage and decor celebrating local artists make the space inspiring and energizing. The coffee was great. I got the horchata latte, which tasted even better than I hoped. I also ordered a El Chavo Torta, a deceptively simple sandwich that was incredibly delicious. I don't know what they put in the bread or what magical place they bought the cheese from, but my mouth is watering just thinking about it. When I'm in Chicago again, La Malinche is on my list of must visit spots.

    Stopped by La Malinche Coffee & Tea House in Pilsen to try something new. Place is nice and quiet…read more Bright pink walls, little decorative hearts, alebrijes all around and full piano in the room. Felt cozy right away. The staff were really welcoming, for an early morning. I got the hot chocolate. Honestly that's exactly what I needed that morning. It had that real Mexican chocolate taste. Thick, creamy, smooth and rich. The cinnamon came through warm but not too strong, plus a little extra on top that hit your nose before the first sip. Sweet and it almost had this slight earthy note too... hard to explain but good. It even had that little design on top, like the ones they do on cappuccinos. Didn't expect that but it was cool. I finished it slow. Didn't wanna rush it. Just sat there taking small sips and enjoying it while it was still hot.

    Dolce Arte - Veggie Skillet

    Dolce Arte

    (69 reviews)

    Bridgeport

    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.

    The staff is amazing and so is the food! The twins and I…read moreate everything! There was so much left over we ate it for breakfast the next morning! Next time I'm adding photos! Sorry it was so good I forgot to take any .

    The Stockyard Coffeehouse - Horchata latte

    The Stockyard Coffeehouse

    (140 reviews)

    $$

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    This southside coffee shops offered a variety of drinks (caffeinated/ non-caffeinated option) but…read morethe best part in my option is their flights. Why would you not order a flight to try a variety of drinks all at once? We had the hibiscus lemonade and matcha flight, the mango con crema and banana con crema were the standouts. We went on a weekend and there was a long line but it moved pretty quickly. Limited seating space but there are also chairs and tables on the outside. Street parking available. They also offer brunch food items which we did not get to try. But overall cute shop with a variety of speciality drinks that I will definitely try in the future.

    Stockyard Coffee House in Chicago, Illinois. Overall, I really liked it. The only small downside…read morewas that it felt a bit warm inside, probably because it was already a hot day outside. The staff--at least the person who helped me--didn't feel super welcoming. Not that they were rude, just not particularly warm either. I get it though, because even I get a little irritable when it's hot, so maybe that played a part. What I love the most is that it's Latina-owned, and that's something I truly admire. I always try to support Latino entrepreneurs when they're doing things right, and this place is definitely doing something creative. We ordered two flights--one with coffee and one with matcha. Each flight comes with four small samples, and they were all seasonal fall flavors, which I thought was such a fun and unique idea. It's cool because you get to try different drinks in little cups, almost like a tasting experience. The coffee flight (we got it iced) was amazing--the flavors were bold and had that strong coffee taste I personally love. The matcha flight was also fun, but I would have preferred a stronger matcha flavor in some of them. They also have plenty of milk options--we ordered ours with oat milk and it was delicious. On top of that, they have a pretty wide food menu with bagels, sandwiches, wraps, and more. We tried the tuna sandwich and it was really good, definitely worth recommending. The café has little chairs outside, the vibe inside is cozy, and I loved that they were playing Spanish music. That's something you don't usually find in most coffee shops here, and it gave the place extra personality. The only thing I'm still unsure about is the price. For two flights (coffee + matcha) and the sandwich, the total was around $55. Maybe that's a bit expensive--or maybe it's just the nature of ordering flights, since I had never tried that before. Either way, it was worth it for the experience and the flavors. In short, it's a cute, cozy, and creative spot that's definitely worth checking out--especially if you're into seasonal flavors, want to try something unique, and love supporting Latina-owned businesses in Chicago.

    Tempo Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

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