My experience here has always been good. I come from time to time, since like 2022. It's a great…read moreplace to work. Ambiance is good. Food is good. And service is typically good as well. Maybe it's because I'm not typically on my phone when I go to order so I've never heard of this "rule" before. But apparently, they don't serve people if you're "on the phone." In my case, I wasn't just otp, I was on a Zoom meeting. Can't just sign off. It was for work, just wanted a coffee and maybe something to eat before heading to my job. It wasn't a negative experience. Per se. It looked like the owner was pretty chill about it. And I get it---ppl can be rude, I'm sure. Having to take an order while someone is on the phone is annoying. But it's also strange to police people's behavior to that extent. So anyway, I got my coffee and decided against getting food. I'll still probably come back. My fave is their pistachio latte and it's a comfortable, chill spot to write at. They should probably put a sign up about that rule if they haven't already!

Unbelievable negative experience based on how our situation was handled, not because of an order…read moremiscommunication. Context: I ordered a specialty sandwich with a bread substitute and gave my name. The name was misheard and written down incorrectly (and order was not repeated for confirmation). So there was confusion when the order was called out. When I checked on it, I was told by the manager the sandwich can't have substitutes and to either order something else or take the already-made order (that was probably cold at this point). Instead of acknowledging there was a misunderstanding, it seemed the blame was shifted on us and that we were SUPPOSED to know they can't substitute when we initially ordered, even though we weren't informed of this by the barista. We felt the manager approached us with a more accusatory tone than necessary, so we requested a refund. Instead of refunding my card, he returned with a gift card for the value of the sandwich. We were confused because this had not been what we asked for. And then he went on to inform us that he had reviewed security camera footage and had confirmed via the footage that there was "no mention" of the bread substitution (even though he admitted there was no audio recording). He stated he needed to side with his employee even though we repeatedly told him we understand that miscommunications can happen. We didn't expect him to throw his employee under the bus or "choose sides" but we expected him to handle the situation more professionally. His handling felt unnecessary, dismissive, and confrontational. The focus should have been on resolution NOT investigation. He was especially dismissive to my girlfriend who voiced the concerns initially because she wasn't the one who paid for the order directly. We were both rightfully upset so it felt rude for him to shut her down. Mistakes happen in any restaurant. What shouldn't happen is making a customer feel as though they are being blamed or told their account of events isn't credible (which he consistently did). A straightforward acknowledgement, refund, and moving on would have resolved everything. Instead, the situation was escalated and handled in a way that felt defensive and unprofessional. Ultimately, we received a cash refund, but unfortunately, this left a far worse impression than the original mix-up, especially for a cafe that has "Community" in its name. ‍

This was our second time attending an art show opening at the Bridgeport Art Center. Other than…read moretwo popular event venues, namely the Skyline Loft on the 5th floor and the Sculpture Garden on the first floor, the huge building also provides art studios and office spaces, and two spacious art galleries on the 3rd and 4th floors. Both times we attended the art openings on the 4th floor by taking a manned-freight elevator from the 1st floor. The first time we went two years ago, there was a public ticketed event going on. So, there were long lines just getting into the building. This time we arrived at 8:00 pm for a 7:00 - 10:00 pm opening, they had the entrance on the side of the building, and there were no lines. We attended "The Landscape is Changing" art exhibition that runs from July 18 to September 5, 2025 on the 4th Floor Gallery. It featured multimedia artworks from 101 contributing artist. There were paintings, photos, 3-D art, and sculptures that depicted natural and man-made structures of our surroundings, inspired and influenced by the landscape. The galleries were spacious and well-lit, and the exhibitions well-planned and professionally done. Since refreshments and beverages were on the 3rd floor, we decided to go down one floor by taking the stairs instead of the freight elevator. However, be prepared to go through quiet hallways of storage spaces that felt like a maze and adventure. It was nice that all the spaces were clean and well-maintained. However, I hope Bridgeport Art Center would look into improving the air conditioning in the art gallery spaces. Two years ago, it was hot and miserable during a hot summer night. This year, we were lucky that we had an exceptionally cool summer evening, that the outside temperature was only in the 70s. But the inside of the galleries was not too hot, but still on the warm side. I saw a couple of ladies fanning themselves with paper or something in their hands, while complaining about being too warm. However, other parts of the building could be nice and cool, that included their office. When we were leaving, the freight elevator door opened on the 5th floor, where a wedding reception was going on, we could feel a nice blast of cold air getting into the elevator. I highly recommend "The Landscape is Changing" art exhibition with free admission and runs until September 5, 2025, but please check the weather forecast and pick a cool day so that your experience will be more enjoyable.

Was at the venue as a guest for a wedding in the Sculpture garden…read more Was an elegant well run event. Building is gorgeous and all was done efficiently and without issue. Plenty of parking was a nice bonus. Dinner service was done effortlessly. No complaints as a guest.

Visited over the weekend for Pigmented FINE Black Art Faire and the space was great. This space…read moreallowed the artist to spread out and viewers were able to admire the art up close and personal. There was so much space here it was a full house but we didn't feel like we were in a crowd. Lovely space can't wait to return.

On the Third Friday of each month, Zhou Art center hosts a free exhibition and open studio event…read morewhere locals can explore the main galleries and the resident artist's studios. This is a great opportunity for Chicagoans from all over and tourists to come and support the artists. This was my first time visiting Zhou Art Center and it was ok. The staff was just walking around and not engaging with frowns on their faces. Some of the art work displayed throughout the center was pretty nice. It was nice to come out and see some creative pieces. This is a very beautiful art center. You can book an event space, host a party and wedding. A hidden gem right down the street from Bridgeport Art Center. You can have the best of both worlds and visit both art centers.

After searching for a unique, affordable place to have my Dad's 50th birthday party, I came across…read morethis gem in Pilsen. This 1500 square foot space functions as an art gallery, so beautiful art adorns the walls. The interior has a raw, minimalist vibe to it, which is refreshing. In the center of the gallery, there's a bar with about 6 or 7 stools. Also, there are a couple flat screen tv's and stereo system with a microphone that we used for karaoke at the end of the night. In short - we had a blast! This space is very affordable, plenty of parking, beautiful vintage space and the staff (who actually live in the building) were really nice/ helpful. Oh, and it's also run completely by wind power too!

I read reviews that this place was great to rent out space for small parties. I called twice and…read moreleft voicemails and nobody responded. And then i called today, a woman with a groggy voice answered, and just said "we don't rent out the space anymore" after I asked if i was calling the right space. And that was it. I respect people/businesses who respond to give me an update to avoid wasting my time. It's not like I don't live in Pilsen.

Vjosa Cafe is the real deal! We've been waiting for a place like this to open up in Bridgeport…read more We've stopped in twice for breakfast- no wait, and a full case of delicious treats! It is nice inside- cute decor and seating options. Theres a nice floral mural in the front area. There's a large selection of croissants, danishes, cupcakes, and more. Everything looked so good and is reasonably priced. My husband got the breakfast sandwich on the croissant both times and I had the danish. The first one was a berry and then a blackberry lemon. Both were phenomenal. The pastry was perfectly light, flakey, and rich. Crispy but not hard and crunchy. This is definitely our go to bakery now and we're looking forward to trying the cupcakes!

I really enjoyed this cafe as there was a lot of space for both the cafe and a pop up market. The…read morematcha latte is a little pricey and is a go to I order but the chocolate croissant was delicious. The croissant was nice and fluffy with a good amount of chocolate inside. The cafe has quite a bit of space for seats and standing too.

This weekend we came for a birthday party in the Eagle Room. It was beautifully decorated with a…read moreflower display at the buffet table. It's a small intimate area. The food was brunch with frittata, French toast, bacon, sausage, roasted vegetables, butternut squash and fresh fruit. The food looked delicious. The butternut squash was my favorite. Now for the downside, my bf and I were a few of the last people to get our first plate. When we were getting food, most of the trays were almost empty and they didn't have enough food. It's a buffet and shouldn't there be enough food for all. My bf didn't get the frittata or bacon. Usually there's more than enough food and then some. People asked and they weren't making more. A friend wanted more sausage links for his son and they had to make a couple links. Disappointed because usually there should be second helping and at least enough for first helping. So I ended up with a stomach ache and not feeling well. I hadn't left yet. I rushed home. Found out there were a couple more people had the same feeling after leaving. We were looking to try the Sunday buffet. I don't think I will now.

Came here for brunch late Sunday morning. It was pretty empty so our server was really attentive…read more. I think it's a bnb so it gives off a home atmosphere and has a parking lot! The food was pretty good and wasn't skimpy with the portions. It has my tummy rumbling now thinking about the crispy tots and bacon. The combo I got also came with a pretty good omelete, sausage links and French toast. You can swap out the tots for sweet potato fries to feel more healthy or just eat the fruit cup and call it a day. Not one of those bougee overprice brunch spots, an actual brunch spot. Definitely want to return some time.

Definitely a great place to see a huge variety of local music in a unique atmosphere…read more More decadent than other venues of the ilk both visually and food-wise, the crowd here was somewhat diverse and seems to vary week to week. Donate and there's a whole buffet waiting for you (vegetarian friendly), and a sizable selection of teas. It's a pretty friendly, comfortable place to come and hang out on Sunday nights. And I gotta give them credit for being non-profit and completely volunteer-based. Oh, and I don't think there's BYOB: it's an all-ages venue.

I showed some work here a few months ago and the staff is the sweetest ever!…read more I enjoy the artists and musicians they have weekly and LOVE the food!