This cafe is located right in the center of the Art Institute of Chicago. You order at the front and the servers bring out the food and waters and silverware so one step up from some other museums cafes I have been to. I ordered the salmon bowl and friends ordered the avocado toast and French onion soup. The salmon bowl was tasty but would have been better with less mayo sauce and with mixed greens added. Friend said avocado toast was delish but the French onion soup did not come with cheese and had a different flavor than traditional. Overall good for a museum cafe and we greatly enjoyed the visit to the museum! read more

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At 12:30 there was a long line to get to the counter to order. The line moved in :20. The case of pastries on the counter were artistic. We shared a hot honey chicken flatbread with a side salad. Lunch was $36, and we were given #55 which we put onto the holder on our table. Our meal was brought to our table & water glasses refilled. The vinaigrette was very tangy. The flatbread was interesting with fresh dill, sweet red onions & hot honey. read more

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Forgot to take a picture but I tried the Caesar salad with pulled chicken and sweet potato fries. It was super easy to order at the register and then you sit down and they bring the food to your table. My only complaint was that the sweet potato fries were not hot or even warm, but the salad was great. The tables weren't getting cleared very quickly and it took awhile for some of the tables around us to get cleaned. However it was nice to get a lunch and not have to walk anywhere else and wait forever for food. I would recommend! read more

This is located on the lower level of the Art Institute. When we went there we had to wait until they opened at 11am. We line up at the front and order and pay first. The inside seating area has plenty of options inside and a nice outside patio, if open for the season. The food we ordered was good and came out quickly. I appreciated that they asked for any allergies in our party and the manager made sure to update us about the food. The food is a bit pricey, but you should expect this for a restaurant in a museum. If you have a membership at the Art Institute you get 10% off at the cafe. If you are a member, note that you can order food from the cafe in the member lounge - in case the museum cafe is very busy. read more

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We had an amazing lunch here during a visit to the art museum. The art museum staff are a bit brusque, but wow, the cafe staff were warm and welcoming. It was a night and day experience interacting with the museum staff and the cafe staff. The food was amazing. I had an avocado toast that was incredible. The vibe is art museum cafe for sure, but the warmth of the staff more than make up for the starkness of the space. I was in Chicago for four days, and the best food and best service I had the entire trip was here. read more

The museum cafe shut down for several years across the pandemic, and so only the newest reviews would apply to this new iteration, which appears to be a different vendor. I've been four times this summer--the staff I've seen are generally positive and friendly. But the ordering system is very very bad. You have to wait in a long line to order at mealtime. Why did they remove the kiosks? And then once you're seated it's like a crapshoot when a server finally sees you and tried to start hunting down your food. It took about 15 mins for me to get a side of chips today. I just watched multiple folks try to wave down servers saying they are waiting for parts of their meal--or even beverages like coffee--for excessive periods of time. Servers were confused between themselves who had been served. To their credit many of the staff are personable, and were kind and apologized. You can tell this is a poor management / process issue. Warm weather atmosphere in the central courtyard is unmatched in the Loop, with the bronze-green fountains, quiet trees, and flagstone. This space falls to the cliche that the better the view the worse the service experience. It's too bad because the pre-pandemic "upscale cafeteria / food hall" concept was never amazing, but the food was tastier (they had a pastry chef and a donut I would walk downstairs for), had better selection, and the self-service worked better than this current replacement. read more

Bring your own food, overly priced, prepackaged.........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The cafe here is pretty expensive, but not as bad as is typical of a museum cafe. Watch out for the automatic 20% gratuity -- you can ask them to take it off, but it's not clearly indicated and I didn't realize until after I'd paid. They close at 4, before the rest of the museum, and stop serving except dessert and drinks sometime before that (I suspect at 3). The lemon tart I got was good, albeit small and probably worth only 60% of what they were charging. The cafe is large, quiet and well-lit, and there's a courtyard I was told is open seating as well once the weather gets better. It was a nice place to sit and relax for a while. read more

Had a lovely cucumber gazpacho, cold asparagus and crab meat in a nice aioli sauce, plus the tasty (and substantial Le Burger (which could have maybe used a little less bread on top). With cold brew coffee on a hot summer day, made for a perfect lunch! Also friendly service in a bright setting. Bonus: getting there takes you by the famous Chagall stained glass windows. read more

The point of coming here on a bright summer day is to sit in bliss by the fountain in the shady courtyard. On our visit, the food was better than we had any right to expect at this kind of place. The gazpacho, grilled cheese, curry chicken salad, and roasted carrots were all delicious. The sandwiches were big enough to share with an added side or soup. If you visit the museum in beautiful weather, make sure you plan your day to allow for lunch in the courtyard. It's one of the best places to savor a perfect Chicago summer day. read more

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OK, first off, we all know and accept we're going to get ripped off a bit at a restaurant inside a museum. It's part of the deal and we all begrudgingly accept it because, we tell ourselves, we're "supporting the museum" and it's easier then finding lunch somewhere else. Fine. But as part of that bargain, the museum cafe agrees to have decent food and, if table service is provided, to do a nice job with that and keep the dining room clean. Pretty straightforward. So if, say, the museum cafe decides to charge SIX dollars for a lemonade for a patron's child, they will have the common decency to bring it in a cup with some ice so we can all pretend it's something nice. What the museum cafe does not do is drop a bare can of Minute Maid onto the patron's table, without even so much as a straw. I know you're ripping me off, but you don't need to rub my nose in it. Again, let's remember this $1-2 can of Minute Maid was just sold to me for $7.20 including "optional" tip -- a price even an airport terminal wouldn't dare charge. Put. It. In. A. Cup. Futhermore if a customer at your museum cafe sits down at a table in your little courtyard and right next to the table, there's a big mess of what looks like vomited up cottage cheese with a big spoon in it? Your part of the deal is that someone cleans that up promptly and it doesn't sit there for 30 minutes drying in the sun. And if a waiter does come over and then stands directly IN this mess without acknowledging it? Well, in that case, the waiter should not then snottily say "I'm aware" when the customer points out the mess. Again, museum cafe, your job is not hard. You provide a clean and attractive place to eat, provide decent quality food, present it and serve it reasonably well, and we agree to overpay for it because we are at the museum. Museum cafe, you provided acceptable food but you took ages to bring it out, served it without even the most rudimentary effort at presentation -- and inexcusably, you let my daughter and me sit next to a revolting mess. On top of all this, you had the gall to charge a 20% gratuity in advance. You have failed. read more

Museum Cafe - I sat next to this mess for 30 minutes without anyone cleaning it up. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a perfect pit stop for some food and drink. There are seats inside and outside that are around a beautiful fountain. Max and I only came for the later... two beers please! The staff is very helpful and friendly. read more

Museum Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The customer experience/logistics of this newly-reopened cafe are a case study in what not to do. You have to wait in line to order at 2 registers. As of late June 2025, there is no menu posted on the wall or on the digital screens before entering the line to help decide if you even want to wait in line - only one small 8.5x11 menu printout in a placard once you get close to the register. Line - 20+ people deep. The lack of self-order kiosks - which I believe they had previously before Covid - makes absolutely no sense. The food itself is not great, and is outrageously priced. 1 turkey sandwich, one side of semi-stale and overly peppery chips, and 1 tiny San Pellegrino - $36.90! Also no mention of the automatic 20% gratuity - just for them to bring your food out and bus the table. No "service" beyond that that I saw. They give you a remote device similar to Panera; I assumed you could just pick up your own food. Which would be far more efficient and fast. Instead you place the device into a dock on the table, and that's how they find you to drop your food. For a sandwich and chips, I waited 20 minutes. I don't remember eating here being this bad of an experience prior to the re-opening. I will not be coming back on any future visits. read more

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Large menu on wall before you get to the counter to order & pay. I received a 10% discount with my membership. Th 20% tip was automatically charged as well, so I didn't have to calculate or add it later. I ordered the broccoli salad (which was listed as "Asparagus salad in the wall menu. Some of the broccoli pieces were too large to eat, and the butter knife provided did not cut anything. I'd have preferred a sharper knife or smaller broccoli sections. The outdoor eating area with umbrella covered tables around a lovely fountain will make me return the next time I'm in the museum read more

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The ambiance and service is excellent. You order at the counter and servers will bring your food in a large bright and roomy cafe. The problem is the food. We ordered the ham sandwich, roasted beet salad and sweet potatoes fries. The ham sandwich's bread was on focaccia was so thick and slightly stale. The roasted beet was still tough as I couldn't cut it with the butter knife and salad had too much dressing. It would have been better with pear instead of Granny Smith apples since the dressing was already tart. The cafe is best option in the museum but I'd probably just get a beverage. The servers and cashiers were all great, they were 5 stars. read more

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I came here before the pandemic and it was yummy. So we decided to return now in 2025. It's nothing like it used to be. The food is pretty basic. One of my kids ordered a turkey sandwich and it was just turkey and white bread. The outdoor sitting was nice. Our order took 30 minutes and the place wasn't busy. I think i would eat somewhere near the museum instead. I do think museum restaurants are more expensive but usually they are tasty. This one is sadly below average read more

The cafe at the Chicago Art Institute is worthy stop for lunch or a snack while touring the huge museum. By the looks of the crowd and lines, I thought it was going to take awhile to get food, but the system they had going on was efficient. Lots of space inside and out to dine. I ended up with a curry chicken salad sandwich with a cup of hot coffee. I thought the sandwich was on the pricey side for the serving....but it is downtown Chicago. It was very tasty and enough to recharge for rest of the museum tour. Service was prompt and pleasant. They charge a 20% auto gratuity at time of ordering, so double check your receipt. The outside courtyard with the beautiful sculptural fountain is worth mentioning. The day I went was very hot and opted for the cooler indoors. read more

We were at the museum on the opening day of the Georgia O'Keefe exhibit, and the museum was packed! When we went downstairs for a quick bite, the line was so long. a café employee walked through the line and handed out menus, he was so incredibly pleasant, he assured everybody that they would be serviced quickly, and just put everybody's mind at ease. The line moved quickly and efficiently, and our food came out to our table without too long of a wait. The café was very well staffed, the food was delicious, we had a great experience. Kudos to the chef and hospitality manager, as well as the entire staff. You have a well-oiled machine. read more

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This museum cafe is super disappointing compared to the Met's in NYC and the the Getty in LA. The chicken pot pie is tiny, the size of a cup of soup, and is not enough for most adults. The meatballs were mushy and super salty (sodium could be cut back by 50%), and the salmon in the salmon bowl was just okay, with slightly fishier taste than usual. We are not happy with the mandatory 20% gratuity for someone just bring a tray of food over. We had to get up and get our own water refill. The food trucks outside are probably a better option. read more

Museum Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went without looking at the ratings. Big mistake. Pictures of the tv menu are nothing but absolutely nothing of what they serve you. We had the curry chicken, chicken was super dry and barely anything in the huge bun they serve, and the smoke ham sandwich was a joke. Ham isn't smoked just plain ham, couldn't find the French mustard on the bun and the pickled onions I found a couple at best. Lastly more so on the price $20 for a cheap supermarket sandwich level quality. Will never come again. read more

Museum Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ambiance is killer outside in the courtyard. Great lunch spot to eat outside- no traffic noise, just the sound of the fountain in the middle of the courtyard. Service was fast and friendly, both when I sat down and later when I added desert to my lunch. Spinach salad was delicious, maybe a bit over-dressed, but overall, much improved from my previous visit - very fresh. Chocolate chip cookie was made in a food factory and not worth the $5 charge - its only value was its sweetness, the dough was dry and curiously smooth, the chips were tasteless. How hard is it to find a handmade cookie these days, made with real butter and decent chocolate? It's just a cookie, I get it, but why charge $5 for a cookie you paid less than a dollar for? read more

Cafeteria style food option inside the museum of Science and Industry Chicago. The food was so bad I ate 3 bites and tossed it. I'm not hard to please generally but it all tasted like cardboard and no amount of added condiments could fix it. $50 lunch that the garbage can ate! Poor little girl behind me couldn't even eat the breadsticks. read more

Museum Cafe - Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwich and Quinoa salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food is shockingly, outrageously, insanely overpriced. And it is only barely acceptable as food. You'll eat better off the floor of the nearest McDonalds. read more

Museum restaurants are usually overpriced, have a paltry menu, and are not the most pleasant part of an overall museum visit. Luckily, the Museum Cafe tries to be a step above the others by offering a nice selection of different cuisines at reasonable prices. read more

Museum Cafe - Cinco De Mayo special w/flan - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So you line up to give your order at the desk and prepay. There were 3 of us, 2/3 wanted lattes, 1 wanted decaff and 1 wanted regular. We repeated our order 3 times as each time the "repeat back" was incorrect, and we have regular Chicago accents! God help any tourists who have limited English. We took our QR code to an open table and waited..... Eventually a very nice wait person, came and scanned the code and reread our order; 4 coffees and no decaff!! Apologies and 2 coffees were refunded. The soups arrived, beautiful flavor but cold and TINY portions. Impossible to find someone to complain to, so we just supped our cold soup. Coffee was good, salads were good but the whole thing is seriously overpriced. read more

My experience was superb from the moment I arrived. After an hour of viewing exhibits I wanted a snack. The front hosts were very friendly and helpful. In addition to the wall menu they provided a paper menu. They made some suggestions and provided descriptions of desserts. I ordered sweet potato fries. You order at the front desk and then sit wherever you want in airy well lit space with a view of the outdoor terrace. (A couple was having wedding photos taken outside.) The server inside was so welcoming and polite. He gave me water glass immediately. The shoestring fries with seasonings didn't disappoint! The cafe has a winning formula and really go the extra mile to make you feel special. I'll be going back! It enhanced my overall museum visit. read more

I had good memories of this place from when I was a member at the Art Institute years back. They didn't have the pasta I fondly but vaguely remembered, but I think their menu changes often to keep things interesting, which I can appreciate. They had a section that I didn't remember with Indian-inspired cuisine, which is what my girlfriend and I both got. If you're especially sensitive to spicy foods, it's probably not for you, but we both enjoyed our meals (we like a little spice but typically can't handle it). Of course the food is a little pricy for what you get, but as that's standard for museums across the country you should know to pack a lunch if you're not prepared to be up-charged for the privilege of eating surrounded by beautiful things. read more

Museum Cafe - a plate of dumplings and a bowl of dipping sauce - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice clean serving area brightly lit. The museum is set up cafeteria style. The food looks good and is presented well and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The normal soups, salads, pizza, hot dishes like chicken or salmon with a variation of sides (2 per main entree). They also have burgers, sandwiches and a variety of dessert/. I opted for the chicken with a side of quinoa w/wild rice and mixed vegetables with Lima beans, corn, red peppers & peas unfortunately the food is very bland and really doesn't have much flavor of any of the items. My wife got the same sides w/salmon that was a little better then the chicken but isn't anything that would have us rushing back. read more

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food is horrible. i got my burger which was cold!! sweet potato fries are cold!!! only accepts card!!! the only good thing was the coke and cookie. everything was cold. i saw a fork being dropped, and picked up without being cleaned. overpriced trash. read more

It was something of an adventure to find the place. I think we went up and down elevators, up and down stairs, asked directions multiple times and finally located this café. It is a little confusing, but you walk around and see something you like and someone will help you get that. There were many options and everything looked good. The food is fairly high end, nothing like a school lunch cafeteria. And, it's a little pricey. But, I enjoyed every morsel of my lunch and was happy to pay a little more for such fresh and well-prepared food. My daughter enjoyed her turkey panini and tabbouleh. I loved my falafel pita sandwich with Greek pasta side salad. read more

Museum Cafe - Turkey panini with tabbouleh. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I would say the drinks and the food were a little overpriced. And the water dispenser was super dirty. we ordered the lemonade drink from the bar which was good. read more

A five star review for a museum café? Weird, right? But seriously everything about them is on point. We sat near the bar so I could have a few cosmos which were excellent but expensive. The food was far better quality than what I would have expected. The person running the café gave my friend and I a free German chocolate cupcake like what a sweetheart. Definitely recommend this place for grabbing a small bite if you're at the art institute. read more

Museum Cafe - Complimentary German chocolate cupcake. Great service. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

"Simple food, well-prepared at reasonable prices and served with a smile" is how I'd describe this cafe in the Art Institute. I always venture in here for at the very least : a side of something healthy. I delighted in a side piled high of bok choy...They do veggies right! If you are more full-on hungry, there's always a full entree or pizza slices or soup/salad/sandwich and dessert! They usually have a meat entree as well as some kind of fish. I haven't tried anything that has disappointed. It's a cafeteria style where you may view the offerings and have the dish loaded up before your eyes. (don't forget that tray.) I once complimented and thanked one of the chefs and he was very appreciative - you could tell he took pride in his work! I like how that ethic shows through in his smile and his food prep. There's a nice selection of desserts as well - ranging from "gummy worm mud parfait" type thing to cakes and pies and cookies. There's water, soda, juice and also wine. Yes, the prices are more than "regular cafeteria" but it's reasonable within/adjacent to the Art Institute and I find it a satisfying value and very convenient. (Members always also receive the 10% off.) The downstairs (where cafe is housed) has been recently remodeled and I'm looking forward to getting a taste of it! Note: other food/bev choices in/adjacent to Art Institute (AI): Year round: Caffe Moderno - within AI, overlooking Griffin Court -soups, sandwiches, snacks, coffee, tea, water Terzo Piano - adjacent to AI, more formal dining, reservation suggested Summer: McKinlock Court Restaurant (formerly Garden Restaurant) - courtyard dining within AI Piano Terra - outside AI in North Garden (closed for the season as of 9/2/13) read more

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Great food selections with creative dishes. I had to get a Chicago hot dog since the city is famous for them. The gal who put it together did an excellent job spreading all the ingredients evenly. She remembered that I didn't want onions even though she was doing several other orders at the same time. Also had the sea salt & vinegar chip and squash soup. Both were very good. Wish I could have ordered more since so much looked awesome. Prices were very good, too. Only complaint: there needs to be more signage to help people understand how to order things, where things are and what's supposed to happen after done eating (several of us wandered around trying to figure out what to do without trays and then how to proceed! Signs on walls spelling it all out would be very helpful (we are fluent in English. Can't imagine foreigner visitors trying to do this.) read more

Wasn't expecting a lot for a museum cafe but we were shocked on the quality of the food! I had the shrimp, andouille sausage and grits with fresh vegetables. My girlfriend had the turkey sandwich with baked beans .. we shared each others. Amazing! So refreshing to find a cafe that's quiet with healthy tasty food. Makes staying at the museum all day easy read more

Museum Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Rude service. Stale roll. Mediocre quality food. Poor value for what we received. Canned beets used in beet salad. Cream of mushroom soup tasted almost as good as the canned version by Campbell's. Many better food venues near by. Just walk across the street and check out Michigan Ave for numerous other choices. Recommend Miller's Pub. read more

Museum Cafe - Half Salad for $8.00. Stale roll for $.50. Beer tasted Ok, but at $5.00/12oz can. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wow! Such yummy food! Had steak tacos on flour tortillas with salsa, cheese and cabbage slaw then topped with their red sauce and a cilantro lime sauce. Side of rice and beans (I added the rice and beans tot the taco when I ate them. My significant other had their guacamole and chips and said to was really good (huge portion too) price wasn't too too outrageous but it wasn't cheap. read more

Museum Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Come here out of convenience if ur hungry and dont want to rush through the museum. I was glad that they had cooked vegetables (roasted cauliflower) which was pretty good and the turkey with wild rice was tasty w cheese though not sure where the turkey went...glad I came. read more

My mom and I were at the museum and decided to have lunch here. There are several self service areas and counter service at other areas. I had a salad from the salad station. The server acted a bit inconvenienced that I asked her for something. Mom waited in line for the grill and ended up with a pastrami sandwich and fries. That service was a bit slow as they were busy and one of the cooks was not sure what he was doing. The other guy kept having to tell him what to do. You pick up desserts at the cash register. Mom had a donut and I had a cookie. Both were tasty. There are lot of both indoor and outdoors tables. And you bus your own tables and drop off everything a tray station like in a cafeteria. Overall a good experience. Not the best food but not bad. Mom's fries were good. read more

The food here is always good. Always seems freshly made and well seasoned. Many organic options. However, the food is just so overpriced. I know it's a museum but nearly $5 for a pb&j sandwich for kids? Not including drink or anything else? And each time I go, they seem to be out of something- like half of the options for beverages. Honestly, I keep going and the food is great. Just frustrating to have the same issues each time read more