This place is great. If I could give it a 4.5, I would, but I'll have to settle for a 4, just because I think 5 deserves perfection. I often come here for coffee (my favourite thing being the Mocha Iguana Special) and to study. Great atmosphere in the spring and summer months as they have big doors that open and allow the breeze to come through. The desserts are great, especially the Bougatsa and the European Dream Waffle which has chocolate, caramel, ice cream, and nutella all on a belgium waffle... oh so good. My girlfriend and I come here often to split that. I just signed up for yelp so that I could start reviewing some of my favourite places in Chicago and this is the first place that came to mind, so rest assured, it's good. read more

The service was bad. The waitress kept ignoring me and my friend and it wasn't even busy. She kept going to all the other tables but not ours. However, the crepes were to die for. I had the chocolate delight and it was AMAZING!! I really liked the atmosphere of this place. I will go back. read more

This place is great if you want to hang out and have a sandwich or a quick drink. The crepes and deserts are great here. So, it's a nice place to take a date if you're dating. Also, I've always liked the staff that worked here. Very nice and friendly staff that usually gets to you in a timely manner. Crepes: Chocolate Monkey, Sandwich: Mediteranean. Plus, the Iguana is kinda cool to see. The next time I go there, I have to ask them what the Iguana's name is.... read more

Pros: -In my hood -Prague Crepe was delicious! all of my favorite ingredients mixed in crepe form(bacon, gouda, green pepper, mushrooms, and tomatos!) -Friendly service, a little on the slow side, but didnt bother me since it was an off peak time of day and the servers attitude was pleasant. -I can come here anytime after 3pm and still get breakfast, hey Im a night owl and sometimes like my first meal at 3:30! Cons: -No free refills on coffee, stating that due to the high quality gourmet coffee they charge full cup price on refills. Ok, but there are plenty of establishments that offer better coffee with refills. -Only has Tabasco for hot sauce choices.. I think I need to start being one of those weirdos who carries their own condiments with me because it blows my mind how many places just offer Tabasco...maybe the worst hot sauce in my opinion, watery, not that spicy, too much vinegar..ok this is a whole separate review in it's own and Ill stop now! Over all, the food was awesome and Ill be back sometime soon.. read more

Solid 4 stars, but missing that extra spark to get 5. Read some reviews about slow, inattentive service which put me off trying this place for a while. But it's walking distance so curiosity and convenience finally got the best of me. The good news is that the slow service must be an evening thing. We went in for lunch and even though it was crowded, we didn't have to wait, and the waitress and the busboys were very friendly and attentive. We tried a number of items (salad, appetizers, etc.), but crepes are clearly what people come here for, and after trying the rest I'd suggest sticking with the crepes. Be prepared for some serious volume. Even though Iguana bills itself as a European style cafe, I can't ever recall getting venti-sized portions like this in any of my European voyages. The savory crepes come with a tomato slice as your only side. It's not terrible, but it makes the plate look somehow unbalanced and incomplete. Some potatoes or greens might be a better side for turning a crepe into a full savory meal. That said, the crepes (both savory and sweet) were delicious, and we'll definitely be coming back when the crepe bug bites us! read more

Great crepes! Slow service. Overall a nice place though. There's a weird iguana cage near the ceiling. Can't put my finger on the vibe, but it is barish, coffee houseish, and resturantish. Food was very good! Great price. read more

Iguana Cafe - Creperies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I would give this place four stars if they only served crepes. Those are awesome here. The appetizers and salads are bland. The crab dip was really "krab" and tasted funny, as artificial crab turns into that weird texture when baked. What sets this place off from your traditional Greek-owned place is their specialty, the crepes. Definitely have a crepe choice when you visit. Every time I've had crepes here, I've enjoyed them. Varieties range from sweet and fruity, to breakfast crepes, to meat and vegetable filled. The crepes are large and the portions are satisfying. The deco inside is cozy and chic, and they even have two iguanas to go with the name. The waitstaff always seems to change here, but it's always Eastern European chicks hired as eye candy. In my experience, the management has always been friendly and I will definitely be back. For crepes. read more

Dessert is good. The place is really not open until midnight. We arrived at 11:15 and were basically hurried out and rushed to make an order. They stop taking dine ins early but they need to specify. read more

Best ice cream waffle thingies in the world!!! Lol. Server was also very friendly! This place has an amazing vibe and food to match. I came for desert and wound up eating a full dinner. Definitely a crowd pleaser. would recommend if you'd like to please picky guests in town like I did. Lol read more

This was a great bang for the buck. The service was great and this place is nothing over the top but it a consistent go to place. The dessert crepes looked great! The chicken crepe had plenty of chicken and nice fresh vegetables. The atmosphere had a happening vibe. It was the perfect place to take a group to as the food was good and we waited on immediately. The orders came out quickly which provides for a quick can't miss lunch if you are on the go. Crepes were a fad at one point in time and it is nice to see its return. Nice to have a sandwich without all of the bread. Crepes were prepared with a nice airy texture and had a distinct flavor. This is a place I will continue to stop at when I am in the area!!! read more

Iguana Cafe - Amazing!!! - Creperies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The staff was quick to greet me, my waitress was very friendly and accurate, but most especially the food was fast and extremely delicious. I had the egg soufflé, definitely will be back for another soon. Plus the prices are good too. 10/10 read more

Euro Cafe-- Great atmosphere, open late(!!). All kinds of crepes and various Espresso/Coffee drinks! Many other cafe and dinner options-- Haven't had a bad menu item. Perfect date spot. (Just hoping too many people don't find out about it!! It'll be our secret, ok?) ps. They actually have an iguana read more

Never fails to exceed expectations. Take out didn't affect the quality. I ordered a variety, including dessert. Food was ready at the time I selected and ordering online was simple. Staff was kind and friendly. I ordered the chocolate delight crepe and it was so tasty! My favorite dish is the napolitan! It's like a hug read more

I got a Carmel iced coffee with almond milk. The coffee was ok but the atmosphere was meh. The lighting was very dark and I would usually be ok with that but for some reason it seemed off at this place. I also felt like I was being judged when ordering coffee. My friend and I both felt a weird vibe here. It was an ok spot, maybe just the workers that day. read more

Pleasantly surprised! On the walk to this location, I was a little nervous about how the quality of the food would be- but all in all great experience. We ordered a couple glasses of champagne and the goat cheese, sun-dried tomato pasta. It was very good, but very cheesy! Definitely enough for 2 people. I wanted to come here specifically for the crepes and they did not disappoint. We had the banana foster with a side of Nutella. Perfectly caramelized bananas and the crepe was perfectly made and folded. More than enough for 2 people! read more

Oh is this place a little gem!! I went here on a Monday around 12:45PM for a late lunch. The place was kind of standing alone, not too much by it so I almost missed it. Parking was very easy to find right out front, but bring lots of quarters for those damn meters! The spinach appetizer dip was average to good, the radioactive green color turned me off slightly. My veggie crepe was excellent (just big enough to be satisfying without being too much )and their prices are VERY fair! :) . My dessert crepe was Nutella/ peanut butter and it was OH SO GOOD. A tad on the overly sweet side but hey what do you expect when you combine those two? I LOVE crepes and good, light ones like these (not rubbery!) are hard to find. I am SO GLAD I discovered this wonderful spot! Waitress was very kind and attentive too! Normal crowd when I was there ( I'm not too big on "hipsters") read more

The spicy chicken pepper wrap wasn't spicy and it was pretty soggy. I needed 18 napkins to prevent the sauce and juices from running into my hands down to my elbows. I couldn't use a fork to eat a wrap, it just would look friggin right so I ate it the classical way. The wrap is falling apart even though it was on a Panini. The ventilation for the kitchen odors is poor. I'm in the dining room and I can smell my clothes getting a beat down by the grill and smell from the kitchen. Sure you want to catch some cooking aroma but this is different, it was awful. The place is really nice inside though, staff is ...The staff!..just there working with no smiles or warmth but I don't mind as I'm not a chatter box. Overall, good. If you're in the area then try it out. It's by no means a destination to brag about. read more

At this moment and time - (past 12am) I'm thankful we have places open like this, especially when you have an early flight to another state- it's conveniently nearby the blue line train station which takes you to the airport. Anyways I had the bougatsa - I looked at the other reviews and thought I have a late night dessert. It was my first time, I had the genius idea to put Nutella on the ice cream one... Big mistake - it was too sweet. But it was good for first time, it had its flaky crunchy texture on areas not drizzled by caramel or the Nutella and the creaminess and cool ice cream made the temperature hot dessert more enjoyable. Atmosphere is comfortable to talk at night, the worker/busser always hussles to take away trash, and refill your water. I was thankful it was opened conveniently for me to get a little dessert and figure some things out- thanks If I ever come back from California - I'll try something else and give another rating. :) read more

Delicious and inexpensive food, good drinks, nice atmosphere. Loved the Strawberry Mojito. Service is not super friendly but it's prompt. One of the places I always come back to. read more

Nice place we have been going to for years now. When in area or craving the chicken pesto pasta we stop in. You can usually find meter parking around block if not in front. Service varies, sometimes great other times ehhh. My friends love their crepes as well. read more

I've been to Iguana MANY times and absolutely love their pastas and desserts. Never had an issue and the staff is always friendly. I'm giving it two stars because recently I planned to surprise my best friend there with a cake for her birthday. We planned to all have dessert and then have her blow out candles and cut her cake. A few of us got there early so that we could have the staff hide the cake for the time being, that's when the manager told us there's a $20.00 fee for bringing in an outside cake and cutting it. We were taken aback. The birthday girl was on her way and it was too last minute to change dessert spots. I didn't understand why that is the policy, I've never heard a restaurant with that policy. We planned on ordering food, so we really weren't trying to just take advantage of them to cut the cake. We had the waitress ask the manager again since we weren't aware of this policy, and he gave the same response. By this time the birthday girl was here with another friend. We decided to order hot drinks and coffee instead. Outside of the restaurant I handed her the cake in a box with unopened candles and explained the situation-what a way to end a birthday on an awkward note. Do I plan on going back to iguana? Absolutely, as long as it isn't anyone's birthday. But am I upset at the way they handled the situation? Yes. Update on my comment: George, I was never told that if I ordered food I can bring in a cake. If I had been, we would have definitely ordered a few dishes. I think there must have been miscommunication. It really came off as we don't allow any outside cakes on any condition. So yeah, we decided to order hot drinks instead. read more

This place is a hidden gem for sure. Wanted to find a place to chill and have good coffee, and this place nails that. The décor and atmosphere reminds me of the easy going and nicely designed Italian cafe's in Rome. And then I tried the food, which was great!! Best Crepes in town. read more

Iv been coming here for years, can't go wrong with this place!! The European vibe and food is the best around town

I have had many late night lattes at this joint. It's such a great alternative to the cookie-cutter-on-every-corner-coffee-shop. Especially if you want to just lounge and have a great cup of coffee and some pretty good apps/sandwiches. But I am disappointed.... I've never tried the crepes that everyone is raving about! Don't worry...next visit, I'm all over them! read more

I agree with becky m.'s comments. The place was weird and the service was sketchy. The decor is weird except for the art on display which was rather good. There was some sort of boxed area in the back left side which I guess is supposed to resemble a fireplace but it was near the ceiling. The menu was boring except for the crepes which I guess is there specialty. This was kind of weird since it's a turkish coffee house. Anyway, I didn't have the crepes so I can't comment on them. However, I was expecting some sort of brunch or breakfast menu but found only egg sandwiches made on either a croissant or bagel. I chose to have the ham scrambled egg sandwich on an everything bagel. I expected to receive actual scrambled eggs with ham but instead received a McDonald's style egg patty with a slice of deli ham. I also ordered the fruit salad which was huge and well worth the money. It came in a huge bowl with strawberries, bananas, pears, apples and red grapes. The coffee was also good. I don't think I'll go back unless I have a taste for crepes. read more

I did love Iguana! Because the open late in my neighborhood, because of the food and good moments i had there with my friends. BUT GUYS, YOU WON'T KEEP CUSTOMERS MAKING SANDWICHES WITH A TWO DAY OLD BREAD! i'm sorry, but you did disappoint me today with my favorite salmon sandwich. I just had to throw the bread away. read more

Great atmosphere, nice service, disappointing food. I was very confused when I ordered a prosciutto and Gouda sandwich on a French baguette and got toasted sesame bread with regular ham and some kind of overly cooked cheese- not what I ordered nor expected. Maybe their other food is good but I was surprised by the good reviews, does no one know what a European sandwich is like? I ate it anyways, but won't come back. read more

I have been coming here for over 4 years, and I always have a great experience! this place is well deserving of 5 Stars! Great Ambiance! Great Food! Good Service! AWESOME PRICES!! This is the only place in Chicago that actually makes me feel like im in Greece! the open windows in the summer and the cozy feeling in the winter makes Iguanna café always warm and inviting. I love that you can see people playing backgammon and hear them speaking their language, its pretty European! hence "European Coffee House" Good for a quick meal, intimate enough for a nice date with the old lady, or when im entertaining people from out of town. I can usually order without opening the menu. I like the Freddo Cappucino, cheesy crab dip, chicken pesto sandwich or carbonara pasta and always a Chocolate Delight Crepe (I add a little bit of peanut butter) BEST CREPES IN CHICAGO!!! I highly recommend it. I will be back soon and often! Keep it up! read more

My 7 year old relationship with Iguana Cafe is still going strong !!! Love the crapes........ read more

The inside of this place looks awesome! It's like a cozy coffee shop and a bar mixed into one. The people here are super nice and the food is delicious! read more

Very European indeed, service included- meaning it's a bit slow. Other than that, I love this place. And just like in Europe, you can forgive the slower service because the drinks are tall, the food is good, and you fit right in no matter who you are. Great place to sit a while and do work or just sit and people watch (or you can watch the single TV that always seems to be on, but muted). I do feel bad for the real live Iguana though, that's the true reason I can't give this place five stars. read more

Went to Iguana last night after going to Navy Pier and let me tell you it was awesome!!! I had their chicken ceasar wrap and for dessert I tried one of there new waffles. The chicken wrap was outstanding. The waffle was to die for........... It had ice cream on top with chocolate syrup. Simply sinful :) The staff was very pleasant and friendly. I definately would visit Iguana again!!!!! read more

The European dream waffles are amazing! Cute place, open late & good price. Would def recommend.

horrible service. The blonde lady with the accent was very rude in her tone. She gave very sharp responses and never introduced herself, came back to check on us, or smiled. read more

This place is amazing. I always get the pasta carbonara!! I ordered it for delivery late one night because it was the only restaurant delivering and I fell in love. Definitely recommend! Try any of the pastas .. you can't go wrong! read more

A cute and affordable European cafe open late! There is plenty of seating and good for bigger groups as well (try to make reservation) I love the ability to create your own crepes (sweet or savory) but I stick to my usual nutella, strawberry and banana! The pasta dishes are great portions and are a fair price, especially cheesy! The tomato basil soup is a perfect pick me up on a cold day. The frappe is authentic (Greek) and perfect to compliment your crepes. The sandwiches are also tasty. A big draw for me is the big menu and almost everything is customizable. The service is usually excellent and the servers are friendly. A cute spot for a quick bite to eat or a few hours catching up on homework/work or with friends! read more

I love this place and I always feel welcome when I come here (which isn't as often as I'd like, due to the location being far from my apartment). After reading some really negative reviews here I decided to give my two cents and explain why I love this place so much. In the process I plan on addressing some of the complaints I've seen on their yelp page. Firstly, the coffee shop is very nicely decorated and isn't crammed at all. So, coming here for an afternoon get together with friends over some coffee and food is aesthetically pleasing. I was always greeted by the staff nicely and felt welcome. Speaking of the staff, one of you guys is owed a huge thank you for helping me get my friend out of the restroom that wasn't even locked (said friend is simply confused by how doors work). Thanks for helping and laughing it off. Since I've been here quite a few times I can speak for several dishes that I personally enjoy: Savory- Italian sandwich (get the potato salad as a side, much better pairing than pasta salad), carbonara and napolitan pasta, tirokafteri and the Mediterranean plate are great appetizers. They make a good club sandwich as well. If you want a lighter option their salmon salad is a good choice. Sweet- the Greek yogurt and Nutella & banana crepe. Coffee- I've tried a bunch of their coffees, they make European style coffees that taste great. But I'm not going to give suggestions for the coffee, they have so many options I can only suggest you get adventurous and try something you haven't had before, or explore the different syrup options for a custom drink. Now that food and drinks are covered lets talk about the service pace. Yes, it takes a while to get the check. The famed European style service that I hear about and experience a lot when dining in Eastern European places around town (and, well, in Eastern Europe in general) is present here as well. It truly is a thing, and I firmly believe it is due to trying not to have the patrons feel rushed, as opposed to what others have said (facebooking and ignoring patrons for no reason). Having that said, your water glasses will always be full and you will have ample opportunity to order additional items off the menu if you so choose. In a hurry? Don't appreciate the European dining pace? Me too! So now that you've been warned, make sure to mention to your server that you'd like the check to come out with your food and it will. Problem solved. As for the review about split checks and being forced to order food... I split checks just about every other time I go here and it is never a problem. You were asked to order something at a place of business that offers food and beverages? How shocking! Iguana might have a homey feel to it but you are not, in fact, in your own living room. Another thing I should mention for those that live or work around the area but are in a rush and don't have time to sit down and enjoy a meal- call them about 15 minutes before you can come in and place a to go order, your food will be waiting for you and you can merrily go on with your day. Iguana saved me from plenty of bad lunch option days at UIC. read more

Hands down the BEST chicken pesto pasta I've tried in Chicago. The portions are massive so I would definitely reccomend getting one bowl if two people want the same kind of pasta. We usually have the cheese dip as an appetizer which comes with warm crunchy or pita bread. The staff is friendly and there's always room to sit, even Friday evenings! It's never a disappointment. read more

Too bright for a bar; too dark for a cafe. What is this place? We step in & it's like a bad Disaronno ad, right before the women at the bar slurp off the ice cube. Normally, this wouldn't be so awful an image but it came off less like Playboy pay-per-view block being accidentally descrambled on your TV & more like walking in on your moms in a doggy style. And worse, your momma doing the horizontal hoochie coo to drum 'n bass. Drum 'n bass? Do people really still listen to this crap? Seriously. Did I stumble upon the Le Passage after party? Then, just when I thought I'd fallen into a time machine.... I look up to see Lou "Build a fence around the border" Dobbs on a flat screen TV. And Lou Dobbs is interviewing Ann Coulter and she's railing on that the Republican Party needs an attack machine. Really? Who unwinds like this at a cafe? Newt Gingrich? I try to order the simplest two items imaginable - lemonade and ice cream. Somehow two minutes later, I get a stein of iced tea. Whaa? On top of everything, the place is full of the most random people possible including a woman reading three GQ magazines over a drink ( I like Glenn O'Brien too, but not times three), a clueless couple laughing about using "food stamps" at Whole Foods, and a guy in a Rudy Lozano T-shirt. I wanted to throw them into a pop culture cage match. Maybe that's why it's so well lit and unusually tense in this odd place. It's the home for future tapings of MTVs "Non-Celebrity Death Match." As for my complicated meal, the lemonade was mostly lemon with little aid. The ice cream was passable. Hard to screw that up. So they didn't. I might have tried to order more except I didn't want to run into Karl Rove in search of a cappuccino. read more

Great weather finally !! Starting my night at Iguana Cafe with a beverage and appetizer Great staff - as well as beautiful waitresses Come check this place out late night ( Friday )for cocktails and food read more