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    Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar

    4.3 (569 reviews)

    Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar Photos

    Business Info

    HERO COFFEE AND BAGEL BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar

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    Bullfrog (doechi special) - matcha with vanilla, honey drizzle, espresso on top
    Megan G.

    Was visiting Chicago for a couple days and was looking to get my bagel fix - I found the spot! I stumbled upon Hero coffee on yelp and decided to check it out. There was merch and black coffee already out front and the atmosphere was lovely and colorful. With a wide array of signature bagel sandwiches, I chose the bulls-eye and it was 10/10, full but still light. I also tried a seasonal drink (lolla inspired doechi!!) - matcha latte with espresso, vanilla, and honey drizzle. Awesome vibes from the workers, super friendly and helpful!

    Iced caramel latte
    Lauren B.

    I stopped by Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar for breakfast and a coffee right when I arrived in Chicago. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing. I ordered a large iced caramel latte, and the drink tasted like 99% milk. The coffee flavor was so faint and the caramel flavor was non-existent. I also ordered the hero bagel, and it was pretty bad. The avocado was not yet ready to eat, and super hard/inedible in some parts. It was also bland and lacked salt or just flavor in general. Service was standard. The ambiance was just ok - not cozy at all for a coffee place. For over $20, I regret not picking another place in the area.

    Usual Suspect on sesame bagel (no cream cheese)
    Jessica W.

    Super inviting place with good vibes and fast service. We got a variety of bagel sandwiches and coffees and loved all of it. Everything came out hot and fresh with glorious cheese pulls. We agreed that the everything bagel was A+ due to the fact it was not spilling over the top with seasonings and taking over the other ingredients. Likewise, I was weary about having cream cheese on the sandwiches but moving forward I might start adding that to every breakfast sandwich - it was delicious! The Sausage, egg, and cheese was the crowd favorite today. Worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood!

    Location of this is so whimsical in the snow.
    Amanda M.

    I go to Roosevelt University and on this day it was my very first snow. I was so excited to walk around in my new snow boots and see what it was like. I walked to Hero coffee and it looked so beautiful tucked back in the alleyway as snow danced before its windows. I went inside and was warmly greeted by the staff. No one was particularly thrilled about the weather until I stated it was my first snow. It was really cool that people perked up for my excitement. That was cool of the staff, they didn't have to do that. I ordered a small decaf seasonal latte. I loved it! I love that it wasn't too sweet, it wasn't really sweet at all. But the flavor! The flavors were so nice and I had the best time sipping on it as I made my way back through the snow to class. This will definitely be a memory that will stay with me.

    Wall mural
    Stacie B.

    What a fun local spot! We have been coming here every time we visit the city for years. It has changed in decor and ambience a bit but the flavors and commitment to the community remains solid! The menu and ordering counter are just as you walk in, and there are a few tables but it is a rather narrow spot. They have a bar for seating along the window which is a favorite spot. Their coffee is great and they have a ton of offerings. They also serve vegan donuts which are amazing! Fresh and light which is a fun pairing with various beverages. Their bagel sandwiches are a favorite of my husband so he got a Hippie Bagel Sandwich which was loaded and had the right chew (according to him). I just loved the coffee and enjoyed every last drop. I had one of their seasonal specials which seemed to be pairings of Girl Scout cookie flavors! Fun! Definitely worth checking out if you have never been, and we will return for sure!

    Americano And The Fig Of Your Imagination
    Steve A.

    Good small coffee place on Dearborn in South Loop. Hero Coffee Bar is a locally owned shop that has variety on the menu. It's not a big menu, but there's still quite a big though. Classic coffees to choose from. There's also pastries and sandwiches. Came in the morning and it wasn't that busy. It's a small place so it just looks busy if there's a few people in here. There's only a few tables and some seats by the window. Get some of the common coffee types here. Prices aren't that bad for a place like this. It's about $3 for an Americano. Several non dairy milks are available including almond and oat. Also there's food. It's about $8 for a bagel sandwich. Good and healthy. It has the Fig Nut Of Your Imagination. This has almond butter and organic fig nut preserves. Even though it's a small place, it has plenty to get to drink and eat. It has many coffees to choose from. There's also the bagel sandwiches that are okay for vegans and vegetarians.

    Hero bagel and iced almond milk latte
    Addie P.

    Had to go more than once while I was near this place because was so good. The bagels are amazing and the service was just extremely good and everyone seemed to be enjoying what they were doing. Just overall great vibes, good music playing inside, and the vegan donuts are incredible. Coffee was obviously amazing too

    Reservoir Hog
    Jamie L.

    Small coffee shop in the South Loop. I heard Hero Coffee Bar had a cute alley way look but it was the other location. Womp womp. We tried three drinks. I first tried the Brown Sugar Latte and Pumpkin Pie Latte. The flavors on both were a little weak for my taste. I saw that the Peach Cobbler Chai comes with a brulee top on it so I ordered it. They didn't ask how I wanted it so I assumed it came hot, seeing as it has a brulee top.... They made it iced for me so it was just a regular iced chai with a little peach flavor in it. I wish they asked, because for the price, I rather have the extra brulee on top. We also ordered two bagel sandwiches. They are decent and are good if you're hungry. Not my favorite but not the worst either. Drinks are made very quickly and I do appreciate that! I'm not sure I would go back to try again though.

    Natalie M.

    I've been coming to this location since September, 3 times a week. And I have never been disappointed. Dany, Hayden, Beau, and Alyssa take care of me every morning. When I see them in, i immediately feel happy and taken care of! Their bagels, smack everytime. Super delicious with amazing choices!! Their lattes are actually to die for. I really recommend the Teddy Graham flavour. It's sweet, and compliments the espresso really well. This crew does an outstanding job at customer care, and pushing through the morning rush. I see them all of the time, busting their butts off cleaning, taking orders, handing out beverages, and handing out their bagel orders. Stunning employees here!

    Kay P.

    The most delicious seasonal strawberry matcha! They also have really good bagel sandwiches. They have several locations and love them all

    Usual Suspect
    Brenna V.

    One of the best bagels I've had in Chicago! Sandwich was a good and interesting balance of flavors, easy to pack to take to the lake!

    Jessica S.

    A cute coffee spot tucked away in downtown Chicago! I ordered their seasonal strawberry matcha which was so good. It was a bit too much on the sweet side for me, but I tried my boyfriend's cold brew and that was great as well! Our drinks came out pretty quickly despite there being a long wait. It definitely gets a little claustrophobic with how crowded it gets in the little alley.

    Francine Y.

    I might be biased but I'm not the biggest lover of bagels. The bagel I got was pretty good though. I loved the music and the atmosphere. The place had nothing but good vibes and good service. We came with a party of seven and our bagels took a while to be made but maybe it's because of how big our party was. I would probably not expect to sit inside if you have a large party we got lucky and got seats. The place is very small inside, but they do have a lot of cute artwork on the walls.

    The "Usual Suspect" on a jalapeño cheddar bagel

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    Small little coffee spot with a cute patio. Tasty iced latte made with one of their own syrups

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    Page 1 of 15

    Ask the Community - Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar

    Do they have free parking available or their own parking lot?

    sadly no, but there are TONS of street spots and lots. or if you're risky like me, just pull up up and run in!!!

    Is it really permanently closed?

    No? I was just there on Saturday.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    New York Bagel & Bialy

    New York Bagel & Bialy

    4.3
    (766 reviews)
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    I'm extremely thankful to have a friend who introduced me to this bagel spot. Definitely a top 2…read morefavorite of mine. I haven't been to the location but have had these bagels consistently for over 10 years. The texture and flavor of the bagel is everything a NY bagel is and should be. Fluffy on the inside, somewhat crispy on the outside, and oh so thiccccccccck! Their cream cheese?! Ugh! Don't skip on it, seriously everything about this place is perfect. My go to selection is the egg bagel with chive cream cheese. It's chef's kiss and hits the spot. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!!!!

    If you're expecting this to be interchangeable with the franchised bagel places that have spread…read moreacross the country, recalibrate now. This is not that. I've been going to New York Bagel & Bialy for over 50 years, and places like this operate on a different clock, a different standard, and frankly, a different philosophy of what a bagel is supposed to be. Timing matters. If you show up after about 8:00 AM, your odds of getting bagels at their absolute peak--still warm, properly textured, with that slight resistance on the outside and softness inside--go up significantly. Earlier can be hit or miss depending on the batch cycle, but once they're in stride, this place delivers. The essentials are all here and worth your time: poppy seed, sesame, everything, and especially the bialys. The bialys alone are reason enough to make the trip--properly done, with the right chew and depth of flavor that you simply won't find in mass-produced versions. Don't overcomplicate it. Grab a dozen. On your way home, stop and pick up a couple packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and some smoked salmon a jar of capers, a Bermuda onion--whether here or even from Walmart--and you've got a meal that outperforms most brunch menus at a fraction of the cost. This isn't trendy. It's not trying to be. It's something better: consistent, old-world, and still doing it the right way. If you're going to call something a bagel, the standard is not branding--it's process. That's why New York Bagel & Bialy on Touhy stands apart. They actually do it right: kettle-boiled first, then baked in rotating ovens. That single decision--boiling--changes the entire structure. It gelatinizes the outer starch layer, locks in density, and produces that thin, glossy crust with real chew. Without it, you don't have a bagel--you have bread with a hole. The rotating ovens matter too. They deliver even heat, which means you get the correct balance: a slight exterior crisp with a dense, elastic interior. No puffiness. No sponge. No collapse under toppings. That's the difference here. Most chains optimize for speed and shelf life, so they steam or shortcut the process. Many local shops land in the middle. This place doesn't compromise. If you care about what a bagel is supposed to be--not just what it's called--this is the benchmark in Chicago.

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    New York Bagel & Bialy
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    Ruben @ New York Bagel & Bialy.(Touhy Ave.Lincolnwood IL)Breakfast Bakery NY Bagels Bialy Sandwiches Salads Soups etc.OldFashion Deli.Cool!
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    Tilly Bagel Shop

    Tilly Bagel Shop

    4.5
    (284 reviews)
    0.2 mi
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    We picked up Tilly bagels at the recommendation of my daughter who is a college student at SAIC. We…read morearrived on a Saturday morning and there was a line of about 10 people down the block. They manage the line and let a few people in at a time. We ordered at the counter, and the workers were super friendly and helpful. We ordered a couple of sandwiches for my daughter and her friend. They were out of vegan cream cheese, so they suggested avocado for my daughter's, and she loved it. My gluten free sister in law got their GF bagel with blueberry cream cheese. They can't guarantee there won't be cross contamination with the toaster, but she decided to risk it. She said it was the best GF bagel she has ever had. She ended up going back to grab some more on her way out of town. We also ordered half a dozen bagels to go and toasted them at our hotel. Overall I liked them but I wish they wouldn't have put fennel on the everything bagel. The bagels are huge. If you get a sandwich, you can probably share. There are a few tables inside as well as a cozy sofa area.

    The Chicago bagel with cream cheese was delicious. The combination of poppy seeds and celery salt…read moregives it a distinctive Chicago flavor that you don't find just anywhere. It's a simple idea, but it really works and makes the bagel stand out. The drip coffee, on the other hand, was just okay--nothing special and could be a lot better. One thing to keep in mind: if you're expecting a sweeter bagel, this probably isn't it. Chicago is known for its savory flavor profile, and that comes through in this bagel as well. The seasoning blend gives it a uniquely Chicago character that locals and visitors alike should appreciate.

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    Inside
    Inside
    Turkey bagel sandwich
    Turkey bagel sandwich
    Love it and super happy with my bagel

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    Love it and super happy with my bagel
    Schneider Deli

    Schneider Deli

    4.4
    (207 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Great lunch/breakfast spot with fast service and simple/fresh sandwiches…read more The oven roasted turkey sandwich was great, tasted like something my grandma would make me (in a good way). Will be back.

    I really want to like them so much more than I do. If there were a continuum from hipster deli…read more(think Mile End) to traditional deli (Manny's, 2nd Avenue, etc) Schneider would on the hipster side of center. Two of us shared a half pound pastrami on rye with a side of hash browns. The rye was pretty decent but the pastrami was sliced far too thick and the meat was lean. That is not a good thing when it comes to pastrami and I attribute the lean meat to the deli catering to its hipster-ish audience. Although the flavor was decent, the sandwich was dry and difficult to eat. We disagreed on the generously sized pickle. One of us thought the flavor was just right, the other not so much. We both agreed on the hash browns. It's a no-go. They were well fried but entirely unseasoned. I understand the lack of schmaltz but there was no onion or salt or anything else. Waffle House has nothing to worry about. (IYKYK) Service was fast and polite. The space is tiny, but it works. Prices are okay for this area but if you want traditional deli in Chicago, go to Manny's.

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    Schneider Deli @ Ohio House.600 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL Jewish Deli Fresh Breakfast Lox Pastrami CornedBeef Bagels & Sandwiches. Cool!
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    Eunice's brisket sandwich.

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    The Bagel Restaurant and Deli

    The Bagel Restaurant and Deli

    3.5
    (662 reviews)
    4.4 mi
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    This diner has a huge, comfortable dining area which isn't immediately apparent from the street…read more The menu has tons of choices and there is a daily special menu also. Our server, Brenda, was hilarious and sassy in the best old style Chicago way possible. Even if the food had been poor we would have left smiling. I had a bagel breakfast sandwich which came with a side of fruit, tomatoes or hash browns. The hash browns were seemingly totally lacking salt but that was easily remedied with table salt. The bagel sandwich was excellent with a generous scrambled egg and nicely toasted bagel. Brenda even brought hot sauce anticipating that I might want it which I did. One thing that has to be noted is the (not good) value factor. The Bagel Restaurant is really pushing limits on pricing. 7.75 for a fruit cup, 4.60 for a cup of juice etc etc.

    The Bagel is truly an iconic establishment in Lakeview East neighborhood. Historically it is a…read morepillar to the LGBTQ+ community, offering a space for those to gather that didn't have families to see during the holiday times. Today, it stands strong with an extensive menu and friendly staff providing the same welcoming environment that started it all. Most recently I ordered the Chinese Chicken Salad, which is huge and super tasty. Their fountain soda comes with free refills, which is always a perk to me. I left happy and full at the end of my meal. If you're looking for a classic diner, I couldn't recommend it more. I'll be back soon!

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    Roasted Turkey on Rye
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    Steingold's of Chicago

    Steingold's of Chicago

    3.8
    (178 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    You'd swear these are the most seeded and topped bagels you've seen. Their poppey bagels are so…read moreseeded they look like a cocoa powder dusted donut, same with the sesame and everythings. I don't know what technique they do it get or keep so much topping on them, but it's a pleasure to have too much rather than not enough. They service beer here which makes it slightly unbreakfasty and their bagel sandwiches used baked eggs rather than griddled/flat topped or from a pan. Keeps them fluffy, but I prefer mine a little runnier. Service is very good, friendly, not rushed or fake hospitality. They cure their lox in house which to me feels more tender than other places, probably just a lower, longer heating or a gentler cure. Excellent schmear, a not heavy handed when scooping (respect the schream cuz). Prices are pretty good considering the care and love they put into the bagels (hand rolled, multiple proofs). They have crunch, chew, density, but air pockets. Chef/owners def put thought into the menu with flavors like zatar, dilly ranch deviled eggs. Dr. Browns sodas. Baclava cappuccinos. White fish on bagel chips, Bagel dog is such a simple combination of not just the everything bagel seasoning, but the dough as well. And the mustard pairs better than had they added schmear (sorry Seattle dogs, i'm not a fan, i only like my cream cheese in philadelphia sushi rolls, lol) . The pizza bagel needs more toppings like pepperoni, sausage becuase then it would eat like a normal size bagel bite. The challah bread on the rachel really is more well rounded than the reuben. It's something I've been recreating back home. Giard cream cheese, cmon ya'll are really hitting the nail on the head for a Chicago bagel shop. I guess that's why there are 3 locations now. The Haystack with apple butter works better than expected, but also works with a chive cream cheese sub, no ketchup needed (if you do go with the harissa ketchup from the yada yada). BEC with a side of salted tomato and harissa ketchup is amazing. If everything was 10% more like toppings wise this would be amazing, but they always seem to skimp on something whether it's the schmear, pickels, salad. I feel like i was haggling for my meal sometimes. Prices area little high for most items, but of great value for others. It's busy in the mornings, but lines move long and only once did I have to wait for a fresh batch of anything despite some large orders ahead of me. It's a 20 minute train ride, but worth it. Prime location near Wrigley.

    If you're looking for the best za'atar bagel or lox sandwich in the city, this is the spot. I've…read morebeen going to Steingold's for years and continue coming back here despite all the new bagel stores popping up. Definitely recommend the Za'atar Bagel with Lox, Pickled Cucumbers and Chive Cream Cheese! Also, their Nutella Rugelach is to die for!!! Steingold's has a ton of unique flavors and the staff is extremely nice so they can definitely help out what best to go with when you get there. They have a ton of casual and clean seating inside, as well as outside space during the summer at a first come first serve basis. You can either order at the counter or through a QR code too!

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    Steingold's of Chicago
    Steingold's Classic Lox (Cold)
    Steingold's Classic Lox (Cold)
    Brisket and Schmaltzy Potatoes

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    Brisket and Schmaltzy Potatoes

    Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar - bagels - Updated June 2026

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