Great environment to come and study and get work done. They even have a conference room you can…read morereserve if you need more privacy. The drink was great got their special Pistachio Cloud Almond Iced Latte, very good taste only thing is $10 for a small latte might be much even with all the positives of this place. Service was fast and friendly, no complaints on that aspect.

I went to Portage Coffee after a morning of pickleball at Portage Park, and this was a great…read morelocation to stop at! I wanted to take more pictures of the location itself, but it was bustling so I didn't want to bother others. But the place is spacious, they have indoor and patio seating, as well as a great space to wfh! They have a printer you can use, a work meeting space in the back corner away from the noises, and a clean background too. But the main area still gives a great coffee shop vibe, with outlets for laptops. Also, the service is great! The food was really good, I loved the chocolate croissant. It was melting all over my hand with how much chocolate it offered. The cold brew was great as well, it was a great boost after an outdoor session. I did pull out my laptop to work on stuff, I do suggest either your own internet or if you have xfinity, use the hotspot. Their WiFi is ok for work and such, but due to the business it does slow down a bit, which is an average experience. Overall, 5/5! Great location, great team, great food. Will be back!

I love coming here. The coffee and the people are fantastic. They always are in such a good mood…read morethere and have great deals on comics and books! Never mind the delicious truffles! I bring my friends here as often as I can.

Cute little cafe with large news stand inside that sells newspapers, books, magazines, and…read morecalendars. We visited the cafe. I had a mushroom and kale pot pie and a hot caramel latte. The latte was delicious and the pot pie was amazing. Service was great and she was helpful. The ambience was much like a cute cafe in the middle of the busy city with Frank Sinatra songs playing.

This caught me completely by surprise…read more My friend and I just wrapped up having dinner and were looking for a place we could enjoy a desert that was something other than the usual boring ice cream or cake. I looked up Google for ideas and came across the TAJ Coffee House which was only a few minutes away from where we dined. The photos looked impressive, but I had absolutely no idea what was to come. We walked in and were immediately greeted by Shams and Louai. Their warmth and great personalities made my friend and I feel instantly welcomed and valued. To the right of the shop, our eyes were drawn to a wall of gorgeous, colorful Turkish candies which were a mind-blowing experience to behold. This, plus an elegant, large, comfortable sitting area with sumptuous gray cushioned chairs, lovely chandeliers and beautiful decor set TAJ far and above any coffee house we have ever seen --- and we've seen many! When we walked to the counter, Shams and Louai were so helpful and accommodating as we asked questions about all the astonishingly beautiful pastries, cakes and candies in the glass cases before us. Everything in front of us was unbelievably appetizing to the eye and nearly all were items we had never seen before. My friend and I settled on a variety of "Turkish Delights" and "Turkish Sweets" to get out feet wet, and we loved each and every selection we ordered. We ate a pistachio baklava which was the finest we ever had. I also tried a cake which had a dark reddish glaze and was similar to tres leches but far superior. We also sampled a variety of candies and nougats that were transcendent. One candy, in particular, was rolled in dried, chopped rose petals and was my absolute favorite. I had to order a few more to take home. For drinks, we tried their lotus milkshake which was magnificent. The types of drinks TAJ offers is extraordinary. They range from various hot and cold coffees (including Turkish) to iced shaken espressos, matcha drinks, Turkish teas, Dubai chocolate drinks, frappe, smoothies, juices and glorious mojito-style concoctions. As mentioned earlier, my friend and I had no idea what to expect from this but came out of TAJ stunned by the spectacular offerings within. The flavors we encountered were unlike anything we ever experienced before, and we will definitely make the TAJ Coffee House a regular place to savor over and over again. Once more, special recognition must be given to both Shams and Louai. They are ideal ambassadors for TAJ Coffee House and need to be recognized for it. They provided wonderful customer service and were kind, professional, knowledgeable and welcoming. Perfection!

The service was great. Owner was very sweet and genuine. Abundance of treats to buy along with…read morecoffee options. Very clean inside and nice areas to sit.

I really love having Ciao Ciao in the neighborhood. My kids and I love coming here after hitting up…read morethe Portage Park playground or pool. Sometimes when I need a little treat without the kids I'll walk over here to enjoy a nice affogato. I've had it with Pistachio gelato and with Salted Caramel gelato, and both were really good. The people who work the counter are always super welcoming, nice, and patient while we make the very serious decision of what Gelato will we try today? The inside is nice, and has a few Instagram-able areas to take pics. They are walking distance from my home, so I've never driven but I suspect that parking wouldn't be too hard to find off of Irving Park.

I was very pleasantly surprised with Ciao Ciao Gelato. They had wayyyyyyy more flavors than I was…read moreexpecting - but the best surprise of all? They have LIMONCELLO GELATO. No - not limone sorbetto. Li. Mon. Cello. Gelato. Yes - a creamy, dairy-filled lemon-flavored icy treat. And don't get me wrong, I love a good lemon sorbet, also, but something about having a dairy version of a lemon gelato was just... chefs kiss. Outstanding. Unique. And I loved it. I've been thinking of that exact flavor since visiting and need to go back! It's a bit out of the way, but worth it! :)

Went here for the first time since I had some free time and was in the area. The beignets and gumbo…read morewere fantastic! Will be back again! The owner was very nice and welcome as well!

Finally, a proper beignet place in Chicago. Been missing it since Grand Lux closed down. Took…read moremonths to get here and every bite is worth the trip. Service is amazing, quick and friendly. Coffee is impressive and lemonade fresh as it gets. Cute cute cute fun place to visit. Their beignet was too doughy and dense today- maybe didn't have time to let yeast rise properly. We are willing to try again. Remember to order properly if you order 2 for 6$ set you can add a third for 2$ but if you order 4 more they they charge for 3$ each. We wanted 6 today so next time will remember to order 2x3 for 6$ instead of set of 2 then 4 more on side. But the owner was super kind so we didn't mind one way or another. She let us try their sauces and they were both amazing. I think addition of chocolate sauce like Grand Lux used to have in their triple sauce set, may be a crow pleaser.

Sipping Turtle Cafe was truly just a mediocre experience. I visited the coffee shop around 10 am on…read morea Thursday with a friend and there were only 3 other customers inside. The shop is sparsely decorated but seems to be a real staple in the community, which felt special to visit as an outsider. My friend and I both ordered egg and goat cheese bagel sandwiches. I ordered an iced lavender matcha and my friend ordered a cappuccino. The sandwiches were made with boiled eggs, which felt extremely odd. The egg type was not clarified on the menu, but I feel like for a breakfast sandwich to include a boiled egg instead of a traditional fried or scrambled egg, that should be disclosed to customers with some sort of expectations. My friend said the cappuccino was "just like every other cappuccino I've ever had." The lavender matcha really just tasted like a regular matcha. It was good but not much lavender flavor! Our food also took a bit to come out, despite the coffee shop being empty (only one other person already dining when we came in) and what we ordered. It looked like there were only two workers. I personally wouldn't visit Sipping Turtle Cafe again, unfortunately. There are a lot of other great options around that satisfy me more.

A great spot with a great vibe! We didn't try any of the food, so I can't speak to that, but it was…read moresolid drip coffee and cold brew and friendly service. It seems like a great neighborhood spot - very welcoming!

Really good breakfast burrito and amazing coffee. They roast the beans right on site. They also…read moremake their own syrups. In the summer they host a group that sells heirloom seeds. We love Perkolator!

I stopped by Perkolator Coffee in Portage Park for a scheduled work meeting at 9am. Surprisingly,…read moreit was already very crowded for a Wednesday morning, which made it a little difficult to find a comfortable place to sit. The space itself is pretty small and the tables are also on the smaller side, so it's not the easiest spot if you're trying to have a meeting or spread out to work. I ordered a latte, which was really good nice and strong, exactly how I like it. I also tried a breakfast sandwich. It was decent but pretty average, and I did feel like it was a bit pricier compared to similar coffee spots. The staff was friendly, which always helps the overall experience. Parking can be a challenge though since you have to rely on street parking in the area. Overall, it's a solid neighborhood coffee shop and I would come back, but it's probably not my favorite spot if I'm planning to meet someone or need a little more space.

Lots of sweets and stuff though they seem to have a small food menu as well, which is nice to…read morecounteract the sweets. I stopped in to go and the chai was different from what I've tasted before; hard to explain. I did't like it at first but it grew on me. I wonder if it wasn't well mixed, perhaps, because it was a little stronger at the end. Having a drink to dine in might be nice though. They have a really nice tea. The parking lot though is a mess. This is located in a strip mall right off Lawrence and Oketo so it can quickly get congested, and it's a little tight. But a nice comfortable place to stop if you'd like a coffee or tea.

Simple, fresh delicious. This is where you go to eat, relax and hold hands with your loved one. The…read morefood is great, restaurant is relaxing and you don't feel rushed . you forget you are in the bustle of city life. Merci this chop is wonderful!!

Tried this place on a whim and so glad I did. The store itself is small but super cute. No room for…read moresitting but looked clean and smelled like fresh pastries. Staff were so nice and charming. Very polite and welcoming when you walk in. Some of the best cold brew I have ever had. I'm a black coffee drinker and will definitely be back. They also had an assortments of baked good and their almond croissant is a must try.

I've always wanted to try this small cafe but they're only open on the weekends! Finally got my…read morechance and they have some lovely people inside who greeted me and my dog warmly. There is street parking but no seating except for a small bench outside. It was hot outside so I wanted a cold drink, so I went with their Chocolate and Pistachio Iced Coffee. Unfortunately, this wasn't it for me. I couldn't even taste the chocolate and pistachio...it was like garnish on the cup more than anything. I tasted the espresso shots briefly but it was all milk afterwards. Since I got there in the afternoon, I decided on their Breakfast Sandwich for a late lunch. This one hit the spot for me! Bacon, soft scrambled eggs, caramelized onions and sriracha...delicious! For my pastry, I chose the Guava Cheese Bread. It's like a bigger and denser version of pao de queijo. Really liked how the tartness of the guava jam complimented the savoriness of the bread. A little bummed the drink wasn't a home run for me because that's mostly the reason I came but I'll give it another chance! Also, it's a dog friendly place so that's always a plus for me!

I have been a barista for a few years and a coffee drinker since I can remember. There are a few…read morethings that I look out for when visiting a new shop (grinders, espresso machine, house-made syrups, ease of ordering/POP layout, seating...etc.). My fiancé and I stopped in as soon as they opened to grab some fuel for our roadtrip out of town. We were greeted as soon as we walked through the door, bright and early at 6:30am. The baristas were super friendly. The atmosphere is nice and bright. Light wood tones and soft colors. Cute merch, too. The baked goods counter looked divine and wanted to purchase everything, but I stuck with a slice of banana bread. SOOOO GOOD. It was fresh, moist, and had the right balance of flavor between the banana and chocolate chips. Sometimes it gets too chocolatey, but the banana flavor was first and foremost. We ordered a drip coffee and a large iced vanilla latte with an extra shot. The drip coffee was fresh and hot with a nice flavor profile. The espresso used in the latte was fresh, bright, and slightly nutty. They have a La Marzocco, and you can usually expect pretty good espresso from those machines. I believe the vanilla was house-made, so bonus points for that. All things that I personally love in a latte! There was also a parking lot, so we didn't have to worry about street parking. We will definitely be back the next time we are in town! 10/10 recommend.

This cute coffee shop has developed a lot more since I last visited. They have a community bulletin…read moreboard, local art on the walls, and a decent grab and go section. On this particular weekday morning, they had a great looking selection of donuts I sadly resisted, along with some other pastries. My boyfriend had the oatmeal cookie latte and I got the ginger snap latte. While tasty, the coffee flavor itself wasn't super strong, but overall the drinks were yummy. The vibe in here is quaint and bright, with different seating options. Would be a good spot to work from! Due to its convenient location and parking lot, I will definitely visit again!