Love this place. Family friendly. Owner and his family are super nice and hard working. This has become our family's go to breakfast/lunch spot. Try the Sam's special. Coffee is always fresh and delicioso. I recommend this place even if I hope to keep it my secret spot. read more

One of my favorite places to go for breakfast / brunch. Everyone is friendly and the food is great and they really know how to make coffee!! Until I started going here I never knew that you had to make iced coffee differently than regular. Most places would just use regular coffee that's gone cold. Here, as they are professionals that they are, they actually made the coffee to be stronger than regular to compensate for the dilution in ice cubes. Note that the pace is casual so don't expect to just dash in and dash out. Enjoy!! read more

What a disappointment! My girlfriend and I stopped in for brunch with a fairly tight schedule of 70 minutes. Our waitress came quickly with menus, but walked away without asking if we wanted to order a drink immediately. She returned after a short time for our drink order, but did not offer to take our food order. Admittedly, we should have pressed our order right then, but the place was clearing out and we felt we had time. Wrong! A few minutes passed when the waitress returned with our drinks in plastic to-go cups. She gave no explanation, nor did we ask. Everyone in the place had glassware, so we excussed the issue with thoughts that they must be out of clean glasses at the moment. We sat talking a while when we finally discussed that it had been too long with no food arriving, 30 minutes since the order was placed at least. The place had cleared out, so we were concerned about why we had no food. We decided to ask when we could, but our waitress was AWOL. Next we saw her she was delivering food to a single diner who had arrived at least 20 minutes after us. We caught her and asked on our food. She made a quick excuse as she kept walking away from us that they had been very busy, so the kitchen was behind. We waited another 10 to 15 minutes and asked her to box our food when it came up as we had no time to eat now. We received our bill which showed an hour had passed since we placed our order with her and we still had no food. We did finally receive our boxed food a few minutes later. My girlfriend rushed off to work with no breakfast and no opportunity to eat until 4 pm today and I returned home, less than 5 minutes away, to find my flapjacks cold. I do not know who made the error and do not care. I will not be returning and I suggest you chose a different Sunday brunch location. read more

Delicious coffee (at $2.75 for an iced coffee, it better be good!) and food also. Veggie-friendly. Went here for lunch on a weekday during prime lunch hour (or so I thought, at 12:30), and it was relatively empty, which meant good service and quick food preparation. Everything seemed a tad over priced, which is my only major complaint. I got a sandwich with fruit instead of chips, and an iced coffee, and it was $13-some! I'm assuming the fruit substitution upped the price, but THAT much?? Still, liked the chill atmosphere (not the hectic lunch crowd feel) and good food/coffee. read more

This is absolutely my favorite cafe in the city. Half diner, half trendy coffee house with the best amaretto pancakes ever. The coffee and the espresso drinks are excellent and they don't mind if you spread out and study for a couple hours. There is always bad local art on the walls and the waitresses all look like chicago versions of Amelie. Fantastic! read more

bad news first: -slow service -kind of pricey -hungover-college-boy-hostile hours (closed at 2.30 pm) -run on an academic-year schedule - this place closes on UIC breaks. the pros: -large portions -delicious coffee -FUCKING DELICIOUS -my girlfriend lives next door and has befriended most of the waitstaff, resulting in dramatically improved service. overall, i can't really justify the prices and the slow service unless i'm with my girlfriend. a pity, because their stuffed french toast is so damn good.... read more

Good: they roast their own coffee and it really is delicious. Bad: they need to stick to just making coffee because they have NO clue what it means to provide customer service in a restaurant setting. Sunday brunch--empty. There were tables open, no waiting. That speaks volumes. We sat in our booth for 15 minutes before even getting a glass of water or put in our coffee order. We ordered and didn't get our food for 45 minutes. When our food finally came, it was below average. The potatoes were not edible. We had to ASK for water/coffee refills, syrup to put on our waffles, and hot sauce for the breakfast burrito. There is NO sense of urgency among the staff (which was 2 servers...FOR SUNDAY BRUNCH). The only thing that came quickly was the bill, which we only had to ask for once. When we got the bill, we were charged for pico de gallo which was supposed to be included with my burrito. This was the final straw. I spoke with the manager and his response was "I'm sorry you feel that way. What do you want me to do?" I want you to reconsider your plan for your business because this is unacceptable and I know that nobody in my party will ever return and bad reviews travel fast... read more

The food at Demitasse is ok. But, there are better places for breakfast and/or lunch in the area.

I've never eaten here, but there coffee is really amazing, the staff is super friendly, and I'm a fan of their decor. I wish they were open later/more often because it's such a hassle to walk to Starbucks and I think Demitasse has better coffee. read more

This place has so many healthy breakfast options. I feel healthier just walking in. Coffee and fritatas are great. A few times I just ordered a breakfast sandwich to go.. I have been here usually on weekdays so service isn't too bad but the time that I did go on a weekend...service was slow. One waitress for the whole place. If you just want a place to relax and have some coffee and goodies...this is a good place. read more

The morning after my big move from the Big Apple, I was in need of a BIG, substantial breakfast to invigorate my could-not-peel-myself-off-the-bed exhausted self. Once I was able to manage the said peeling action, I strolled out one block onto Taylor st in search of any sign that read, "breakfast." About 30 seconds later, I found myself staring at the window-displayed breakfast menu at Demitasse. It seemed to include all that one would hope for in a neighborhood eatery and some more: bagel sandwiches, breakfast burritos, French toast, flapjacks, parfait, oatmeal, omelettes, and a variety of hot and cold drinks. Prices were quite inviting as well - ranging from $3 to $11 for each item. Naturally, without any hesitation, I breezed my way in and sat myself at a diner-style cushiony booth and ordered a bottomless coffee ($1.95), parfait ($3.95) and a bacon, egg, tomato and cheese sandwich on a wheat bagel ($4.95). After what seemed to be forever-long 10 minutes, my waiter returned with my orders. The parfait was perfection with just the right amount of sweetness and fresh fruits, granola and almond flakes. The sandwich was also very satisfying with a slightly smoky piece of ham and fluffy eggs inside. After about 30 minutes, I was a happy, just-arrived Chicagoan ready to take on the city's famous winds. So, off I went in my trusty wellies (as it was raining), rain coat, and an oversized, wind-buffered umbrella. read more

I lived near campus for 4 years. It took me until the day I moved out before I ate here. And I wished I had tried it sooner! Their breakfast was delicious!! I went early on a week day before work. There seemed to be a crowd of regulars in and out for their daily coffee. The "waiter" also seemed to be the owner/manager and was extremely friendly. I had a few substitutions (like I always do) and he was very accommodating. The meal was delicious and I would highly recommend it... even if you don't live by UIC! read more

I used to like this place. Service is okay but it seems like the employees just hang out there, instead of working. They used to have great food, but every time I went in there they were out of everything. To me that's a sign of a dying business who cannot afford their suppliers. It takes forever even when it's empty. It used to be a good back-up plan when Sweet Maple inevitably had a long wait...Sorry, Demitasse: We're broken up. read more

This place is truly truly under-rated. The food at this place is some of the BEST HOME MADE breakfast foods in the area. If you're like me and are sick of fru fru breakfast places that are packed to the brim, with 30 minute wait, then you should definitely give demitasse a try. You can tell everything here is made with care and from scratch. You won't find any frozen shipped potatoes here. The french toast is dipped in their own batter recipe, and their pancakes are honestly the best i have ever had. Simple, but so delicious. Not that dry cardboard stuff you get at i hop. Get the pancakes with amaretto and almonds. WOW!! the ham is also off the bone. If you want an honest, simply delicious breakfast, with fresh ingredients,come here. Oh and thats only the food. What they are actually most known for is their coffee. All that talk about people roasting their coffee beans like its a trend, Demitasse has been doing that for YEARS. The guy roasts his own beans in the back of the restaurant, and you'd definitely know it once you walk in. The place just smells of freshly roasted beans all the time. And its great coffee. Great food, great coffee, no hassle, no wait. read more

Nice breakfast joint when you're not in a hurry. The food is good and most importantly Varied and fresh. The atmosphere is very laid back, which is perfect for lazy weekends late mornings. The service is rather slow for the place, but always nice and that makes up for it. read more

First all, let me start by saying that all the people who complained about the tall guy with the glasses behind the counter misunderstand him. I think people expect servers to constantly have a superficial, forced smile on their face. Just because he is not your stereotypical waiter doesn't mean he's an a**. All the other waitresses are actually very friendly. They are very funny and sarcastic, but some people might not get that. They might not be efficient, but if you are disappointed with something just bring it up to them and they will be very accommodating. Coffee's great! People who complain about the coffee probably only get their coffee from Dunkin' Doughnuts or Starbucks. And if you come there early enough, you get to pick the coffee of the day!! The food isn't anything special, but they never claimed to be comparable to places like Sweet Maple or Meli. But you can never go wrong with their breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burrito, chicken salad sandwich and soup. Don't be snobby, this is a friendly neighborhood joint. read more

This place was so bad it was actually borderline funny. The waitress let us know when we came that the kitchen was a little backed up(although it was slow and there were a few open tables), so we were prepared for a longer wait. however, it took 15 mins to bring coffee/water. it didnt just take a few mins longer for the food-it took about 45 mins. we spent 1.5 hours there for 3 of us to get a blt and a breakfast sandwich. the potatoes were shriveled, greasy, and bland. I wish I could give this place zero stars!!! read more

"Meh" indeed. Lackluster service, decent food, poor coffee (and it's a coffee place!), overpriced. My girlfriend likes their bacon-egg-cheese-croissant thing to go, and I think that's the best part of it. Had breakfast there today and had a worse than normal experience: the staff didn't notice we had come in until they served the two tables after us (over 10 minutes), no refills on drinks (coffee and water), another table's food at first, still no refills, dishes didn't get taken off of the table... yeah. The guy at the counter, who said he was the manager, was apologetic and took a couple of bucks off of our $23 ticket. We keep coming back because the lines are insane at Sweet Maple Cafe, and we keep hoping it will be better. This probably isn't helping convince them they should do better! Oh well. read more

We ended up here on a Saturday morning because it was the only place on Taylor that didn't have a line. We now know why. The menu vastly overstates the food that was provided, and at Michigan avenue prices. Would not recommend and will not return read more

Right next door to Mario's is a really cool coffee shop with great food. They have an incredible coffee urn in the window. Can't be in a hurry when you are here but the food is good and freshly roasted coffee need I say more? read more

Slow service, but the food is worth the wait. Better than waiting for Sweet Maple down the street. And easier to find a parking place. And if you still have room when you're done, you can get an Italian ice next door! We'll definitely be back. read more

Pretty decent egg plates - bacon, cheddar, mushroom frittata was full of all 3 and filling. Tasty taters, too. Good service, funky decor and open when we were hungry for breakfast. And decent coffee. Not a huge place, but enough seating for a quick meal. read more

A total waste of time. We waited an hour for food that never came and got no apology. Can't speak to the quality of food.

Great food for a great price. I had the banana and toasted pecan waffle with strawberries instead of bananas and it was fantastic!

I came in to this restaurant in a group of 6 around 12PM to grab a late breakfast. We were seated and our waitress got us all our coffees/waters and placed our order within 10 minutes of sitting down (not bad.) We then waited for an HOUR for our food to come out... and when it did, it did not all come out at the same time. The last person in our group's meal came out 20 minutes after the first meal arrived, and most of the group was already finished eating because we had been waiting an hour for our food and were so hungry we could not wait! We all had pretty standard orders also (grilled cheese, egg sandwich, demitasse breakfast), not like we were ordering very off-the-menu items. None of this was acknowledged at all by the wait staff, no apologies of any kind to anyone in our group (which would have at least helped the situation a bit). Not sure if we came on a day where they were very understaffed, but this was extremely disappointing. If the service would have been better (even just average) I would return to this restaurant because the food was excellent once it FINALLY arrived. But because of the lack of customer service, I will not be coming back in to eat at Demitasse. read more

I will not be returning here. After some completely slow service by what I gather are hungover UIC coeds, we received our food. I ordered the "what came first" frittata. Ugh, it was so smothered by cheese that i had to carefully pick it off to discover the omelette underneath. I was charged $3.99 for a side of bacon that was 3 slices. The meal was expensive, the service slow and the food, bleh....the iced coffee was spectacular, but I won't be returning to Demitasse. read more

This sweet little place near the UIC campus is a great place for breakfast. I enjoyed their french toast with bananas and pecans. There was some confusion about my order, but it was quickly remedied and they charged me less for the trouble. So nice. read more

Bacon cheeseburger ordered medium rare was well done, with no bacon. The tortilla soup had no tortillas of any kind in it. Service was abysmal as the waitress ignored her few customers in favor of her phone. For $20 a head you could get a better tasting, fresher, nicer meal from a microwave. read more

I was walking past and stopped by bc the place looks a neighborhood gem. It is. I got the Demitasses Special (two eggs any style, toast,potatoes and bacon/sausage or ham smoked). If you like your potatoes crispy just mention it. They call them hashbrowns, but they are basically chopped up potatoes. the place was really clean, they came by and wiped my table and the food came out fresh. Great for brunch or groups. I bet lunch is fantastic! read more

Scene: 9:15 AM, Friday morning on my day off. I'm sound asleep. I heard pounding on the back door of my apartment; this is interesting because very few people even know we have a back door and even fewer can figure out how to get there without someone holding their hand. Thinking it's a friend of the idiots who live behind us knocking on the wrong door (it's happened before) I roll over and go back to sleep. Pounding continues but then subsides, but not before my cell phone rings. It's my dad. Giving no explanation as to why he's there, he yells at me to throw on some clothes and go to breakfast with him. Still rubbing my eyes and adjusting to daylight, I simply ask "what the fuck?" Still no explanation, except that I have two minutes before he leaves without me. Ok, I guess. Since moving real close I'd been meaning to give Demitasse a shot so after throwing on some boots and a coat we mosey over. We're seated right away in a cozy, nice dining area with pretty cool artwork on the walls. I like what I'm seeing and smelling. I order something that amounts to an open face omelet with two cheeses, sausage and ham. The waitress looks at me funny but writes it down. My dad gets probably the biggest fucking pancake I've ever seen. We eat; it's damn good. I drink some orange juice and continue to press why exactly my dad was there. Get a mumbled response. Whatever. I'm finally fully awake and don't really care any more. Food was really good but it was expensive. Glad I didn't pay for it. Will head back in if I'm trying to impress someone but probably not too often of my own volition. read more

I was really confused why this place has gotten such poor reviews! This place was awesome! Their coffee really is amazing! And the service was pretty decent! The workers are super friendly and helpful and check up on you, not very often but often enough that you get your coffee refilled, which is good .. no one likes a server who's there every minute asking you if everything's okay.. I had Sam's special, which was stuffed french toast with strawberries and bananas and whipped cream. It also came with 2 eggs and bacon or sausage links. The french toast was amazing. It wasn't too heavy, and the custard it was stuffed with was delicious. My friend had the demitasse special, which is 2 eggs, toast, house potatoes, and he got ham on the side. He also said it tasted great. Great breakfast place! I'd definitely recommend it!! Although I guess if you're looking for your overall american breakfast with hash browns, and lots of pancakes and omelets this wouldn't be it because they don't have a large choice of either. But it's definitely worth going here if you're in the neighborhood .. at least for the coffee! read more

I agree with John S. a few lines down. I have been in there a few times and I always sit at the counter. Tall guy is just a real bitch every single time. The rest of the staff has seemed pretty descent and food has been ok. read more

Went here today for a quick brunch with a friend. The place was pretty much empty, which should have been a sign. I kept my lunch simple with a BLT (ordered mayo on the side). Got my order and there was mayo in the the sandwich. Returned my order and it was fixed, although the they just swapped out the top bread so the sandwich was uneven in size (sliced loaf). The sandwich was just OK. The water glass also had a funny smell, which was gross. Overall the place just seemed dirty and the waitress was pretty indifferent to everything. I will not be going back here again. read more

I went here as a youngster in the first couple weeks they were open...long ago! Sometimes I go often, I like it late morning it isn't too crowded on a weekday (closed Mondays I believe). I like the coffee variety, the baked goods and the waffles I have had here were excellent and I like the old ice cream parlor vibe. The au lait is usually the best. read more

I've been going to this place for years and it gets better and better. The owner is super nice and really takes pride in his coffee and breakfasts. I highly recommend the firecracker, German apple pancakes and lattes! When the place gets busy expect a wait but definitely worth it! Great unpretentious vibe and you feel right at home. Families get treated with toys and books to keep the tots entertained which is unique to say the least. On Saturdays and Sundays I would make a reservation if you have a big party because it can get filled up fast. Definitely better than Sweet Maple and Hashbrowns in my opinion read more

After a long bike ride, we decided to stop by to have a quick breakfast. The staff was nice and attentive. The restaurant was not full so I'm sure that helped. I tried their stuffed french toast which I thought was ok. Nothing special about it. This brunch spot, overall, was just ok. read more

Stopped in early in the AM, coffee was terrible, very watered down , pretty gross

I was here recently and immediately fell in love with the place. The service was fast and friendly. I had the chicken pannini which was a bit dry for my liking. But I had the iced chai latte to beat that. The special of the day, bombay omlette was top notch! and the chicken quesadilla too. I would totally recommend people to this place for a nice sunday brunch! read more

Great breakfast and great service on taylor street. If your in the UIC ares you must stop in and try the Jack special. read more

Demitasse Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Some of the best coffee and scones in Chicago! When I have time I also enjoy the different breakfast sandwiches and lunch options. Great service, reasonably priced and excellent coffee and food. read more