We were on a tight schedule and I was famished when we got to Plein Air. It borders the Frederick C Robie House, which was where we were going next. The inside was crowded and loud. We waited some time to get to the front of the queue to order. We ate outside, where there was plenty more seating. The food was good, but my eyes were bigger than my appetite. read more

Food was good but really expensive. The cafe was very nice but did not have a variety of bakery treats. I'd recommend the drinks here. Also a great place to study for the college students. read more

Great patio vibes for an autumn afternoon. The line is long but moves fast. I had a matcha latte and a hazelnut beignet. The matcha latte was good! I was underwhelmed by the beignet; it was closer to a paczki and would have been better warmed. They also do not have wifi, so keep that in mind. That said, lots of seating and a unique indoor outdoor situation with nice greenery and the sun streaming in. read more

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Such a beautiful spot! Peaceful, charming, and so relaxing...a true hidden gem . Outside seating is blissful! read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Veggie Omelette - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Usually super crowded, which is why I have begun to avoid it. It's nice to sit outside during the warmer months, but of course that's a very small sliver of the year. There are ample vegan and vegetarian options, and I highly recommend the vegan tartine (possible to customize as a salad) and vegetarian quesadilla. The croissants and desserts are above average. Coffee/chai/hot chocolate are solid options, and there is a refrigerated section with bottled juices. Service is always exceptional, and the servers are almost always cheerful and polite. The cafe is connected to the seminary bookstore, which is fun for a quick browse. If you are not connected with the University of Chicago, Plein Air is like a window into the university and its architecture, situated right next to Frank Lloyd Wright's well-known Robie House. Most patrons are students, staff and faculty at the university. Overall, I recommend this spot if you are touring the university and need an atmospheric place to hang out. Importantly, however, menu options are limited in the summer months or during university breaks - check before you go! read more

The food here is outstanding, and I loved that we could have a glass of wine. It was around the corner from the Robie house, so was a natural for lunch. Lines were long, but they went fast. Beware, as the name tells you, most of the seating is outdoors! read more

I always look forward to my time at Plein Air. The pastries are great and the outdoor seating can be peaceful as long as you don't encounter bees. This cafe is usually bustling, but the table turnover is not too bad, and I've always been able to find a seat. For some reason, I always get great street parking outside, so I'll keep coming back. I like the variety of food options and people watching opportunities. read more

Light, healthy salad for lunch and iced tea in a shaded courtyard. They also offer breakfast options earlier in the day. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicken poblano sandwich was delicious! The baguette was crunchy and flavorful, and the chicken was marinated in a delicious creamy sauce and paired nicely with the manchego. The side salad was also so refreshing with a vinaigrette dressing! A cute coffee shop with lots of outdoor seating! The service was a bit slow... but maybe because my sandwich had to be heated up? My friends who got cold sandwiches got their food very quickly. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Chicken Poblano Sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious hot sandwich! Great for a quick bite or a light study sesh. Can get busy with lots of students but makes for a lively ambiance and there's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Get busy place, so I don't recommend studying here. The coffee itself is delicious (when hot but that's a preference of mind). The pistachio bakery was a go to fav, and I will be ordering that again. I also came back during lunch time for a chicken soup. That was delicious as well. For the price and the amount they give, I'd say it's worth it. Plenty of seating inside and outside the restaurant as well. read more

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Happy my kids brought me here for breakfast. Lots of good options. Small space but clean and streamlined. Happy they had matcha lattes. Service was good and my kids' chorizo burritos were delicious. Only negative was the mushroom & Gruyère quiche - zero taste and was over cooked. So skip that. Will definitely have to try other items. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Gruyère & mushroom quiche - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ginger plum tea was bomb! It's right on the uchicago campus and seems like a pretty popular study spot so seats go pretty fast

Cozy cafe on the UChicago campus - we managed to find seating even on a Saturday around 9:30 (it was packed!). Solid coffee and pastries - highly recommend the pistachio danish. Probably would not order the quiche again as it was a bit lacking in the flavor department. Beautiful space with tons of natural light. read more

The sandwiches are a great deal here, and they are always busy with students craving lattes and other drinks. I recommend ordering ahead on the app if you are in a hurry, especially during lunchtime. read more

The ambiance at Plein air is amazing, especially in the summer. It can be tricky to get a spot inside because it gets so busy. Their salads are amazing. read more

Plein Air Cafe is a hot spot at the center of UChicago's campus. It's located in the same building as Seminary Co-op (great bookstore) and right next to the Frank Lloyd Wright house, which you can view from their patio! They have a fairly small indoor cafe and a large outdoor patio. If you go at rush hour (lunch) there will most likely be a line and it will be pretty crowded with students working inside. The line wasn't too bad, and I was still able to find a seat on their patio despite how busy it was. They have a full bar, lots of wines, beers, and lattes. Breakfast is served til noon on weekdays and lunch starts at 11 am. I got the goat cheese and roasted pepper sandwich, which came with a nice little side salad. I liked the flavors of the sandwich and appreciated that there were multiple vegetarian options. Great place to work remotely, as the patio has plenty of shade and there is a lot of seating! read more

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The service is nice, the menu had a few good options, and there's a cold case for to-go drinks and wine. We got a bottle of prosecco and sat in the outdoor patio over the summer - you really can't beat that! The only con is that when you're standing in line to order, you prevent a lot of other patrons from moving around easily. It's just because the shop is a little small, but if there's anything to be improved on, that's it. read more

Ambiance: - when this place is busy, which is pretty much all the time ;) it gets loud inside from all the people speaking. I overheard people studying for their bio final, and thought I would never be able to study having to speak so loudly to get my partner to hear me. But.... The outside is where it's at! They have a beautiful outdoor area with tons of seating options. Today, I chose to sit at the communal long table with the planter in the middle. When it's nice out, I will always sit here. Staff: - the staff here are nice and go out of their way to help you. I asked one of the good runners a question that he didn't know the answer to, and I said that's okay, don't worry about it, I'll check when I go back inside. Little did I know, he found someone inside that came out and answered my question. Now that's "Disney quality" customer service! (When you don't know the answer to something, you find out for the customer) Food: I was craving soup, so I called ahead and asked what the soup of the day was. I was told chicken with rice. I asked the person on the phone if they liked it, to which they responded that they did. I then asked if I could order it for pickup over the phone and they said I'd have to use one of the online ordering systems because they don't do phone orders. Instead, I just walked over and ordered in person. Unfortunately, it fortunately (depending on how you look at it), coming in to order led me to spend more than I had intended- haha. I ordered the chicken and rice soup of the day ($5.95) as well as the Avocado and tomato salad ($11.95). The chicken soup was tasty. It had just the right amount of veggies and chicken to broth ratio. And it came with three small slices of baguette. The avocado and tomato salad is an arugula base (my favorite kind of green), and in addition to perfectly ripened avocados and tomatoes, has cotija cheese sprinkled on top and a cilantro dressing. The only let down was the cilantro dressing. I expected something vinegary and more cilantro flavored, but this was sweet. That was definitely not what I had in mind, but I know better now and will ask if the dressings are sweet or not in the future for other salads. Apart from the surprise sweetness, the arugula was wonderfully fresh, without any wilting! So, long story short, I would not get the salad again, unless I got a different dressing, but I would get the soup. And while I was seated, I saw several other things I want to try in the future... specifically their sandwiches. Those baguettes look so good! Also, the question I had asked was what came on the goat cheese sandwich because online said paprika and I was like it can't just be paprika and goat cheese. I think it was an autocorrect because the staff told me it's peppers! Hahaha. That is something I actually make at home all the time! Roasted red peppers, with goat cheese, and arugula on a baguette. So, that is something I will try in the future! read more

I found this little gem after my tour of the FLW museum. Order inside and take a seat. Felt righteous with my amazing salad after required Chicago must haves. Early summer the weather was perfect for sitting outside and relaxing a bit in the pretty grounds. read more

Updating my review as I came in again this past week. I ordered the chicken poblano sandwich, one of their only warm sandwich options, and wow! The baguette was perfectly toasted - crispy but still easy to bite into. I feel like usually the baguette is so hard I'm low key chomping down with all my life haha but not this time! The manchego cheese complemented the chicken poblano spread well. The salad also always adds a nice healthy touch. I will note I came in during a less busy hour as usually when I go the line is always almost through the door. I got my food quicker than usual today and not sure if the baguette quality had to do with a smaller crowd. Either way, as always, the staff were super friendly and patient. I will be coming again! read more

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Lines can be a little long, but you can order ahead of time, the food is tasty and wholesome.

Another of these pretty easy to miss places you have to work to find but worth an effort. It's hidden among the University of Chicago housing and offices. Plein Air Cafe is located specifically in a building next to the landmark Robie House. Good place to get some coffee plus healthy food. They have some vegan choices among these. Had a meeting with a few others and they chose to come here. It's good there were only a few of us because this place is pretty small. The place is also busy so it's super jammed almost all the time. Coffee is on the menu of course. They have a good selection of non dairy milks to add into these. I had a latte. It's $3.75 for a small. This was expensive but good though. As for the food items, these also were on the expensive side but certainly worth paying a little extra for. They have some good options for vegans. I had the Roasted Root Vegetables Tartine and was quite happy with it. It's about $11, which is the worst part. This comes on hard sourdough, and has avocados, kale, pepitas, pesto, and spinach. It was a pretty hearty lunch. This didn't look like much but looks are deceiving as the saying goes. Most of the others liked their stuff a lot. The one liked her omelette. Could come back if around here. It's open for breakfast and lunch. The hours are inconsistent because they often revolve around when school is in session. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Latte And Roasted Root Vegetables Tartine - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was delicious with portions to fill you up. Ambiance is basic university chic. What I didn't like was the unfriendly cashier which could have been solved with a smile and a thank you. The food runners were outstanding. Getting a second cup of coffee can be problematic if there is a long line of guests ordering food and drinks. Would I go back, for sure. read more

This place is usually crowded, but I love their coffee. Def some of the best I've had! They are a bit on the pricier end, but overall, ppl seem to enjoy it. Their French toast was good, but I didn't enjoy it because of the seasonal jam. If you like jam, you'll love the French toast but it was too sweet and sour for me so def not my thing! Overall, great vibes but I'll go for the coffee read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Pancakes - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place has amazing beans and make a fantastic espresso shot, even when they are busy. Event the cold brew was great here. I spent all day on the campus and had to come here twice because of how good the coffee was. read more

I've been here a few times and never disappointed. The food is great- I've tried the tuna salad sandwich, the goat cheese and something sandwich plus carrot soup (yum). I went with friend who had different baguette sandwiches and their deserts and they were very pleased read more

Stumbled upon this place when we were looking for a place to get some brunch before going to the science museum on a Sunday morning. It's nestled right on UChicago's campus. There's indoor seating and so much outdoor seating as well. Food was delicious- I got the homemade biscuit sandwich which had the fluffiest biscuit I've probably ever had. My friend got the chorizo burrito which was also good and flavorful. I wish they would've given me some more home fries on the side but other than that no complaints. All of their baked goods looked amazing as well. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Homemade biscuit sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have come here in the past for coffee or a pastry and I've always enjoyed it but hadn't reviewed. Also it's usually so crowded that there isn't a place to sit. Today I came for lunch with my brother who was in town and we both tried baguette sandwiches. We got the goat cheese & sweet pepper and the prosciutto & manchego baguettes and switched halves so we could try them both. They were both really tasty, with more elevated flavors that I've seen on sandwiches more expensive than $9.50. I enjoyed both but if I had to recommend one I would say the goat cheese and sweet pepper- it was just a really unique flavor and nice blend of creamy, salty, and sweet. The baguette was crispy but not hard and the meal as a whole was filling but not too heavy. We were able to sit inside and enjoy lunch; it's a lively, warm vibe so you can eat, chat, read or do work. I can't believe I've been missing out on the lunch food here for so long! Definitely will be back soon! read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Proscuitto Baguette and Goat Cheese Baguette - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped by Plein Air for brunch on our final day in Chicago before heading to the airport. It's super convenient to the University of Chicago, so the vibe is very young and airy. There's plentiful outdoor seating and the inside of the restaurant is beautiful - lots of bright, clean whites and modern furnishings. They were very busy when we got there, with no signs of letting up. You get in line to place your order at the counter. We arrived at around 11:20 and didn't get up to place our order until 11:55. It was a pretty slow moving line. The specific time only stands out because they serve breakfast items until 12. That's what I wanted to eat. Mercifully, even though we cut it super close, the employee agreed to put in my breakfast order. Unfortunately, they were out of breakfast potatoes and they asked if they could substitute with a salad. That really wasn't what I wanted at all, but not much to be done about it, so I accepted. We all placed our orders to go. To-go orders are shouted out through a window into the outdoor dining area. We tried our best to sit and enjoy our drinks while we waited, but they had a serious influx of yellow jackets that day that simply would not leave us alone, so that dampened things some. My two friends' orders came out a lot quicker than mine, perhaps because they ordered from the lunch menu, but eventually we got it and walked onto the U Chicago campus to escape the yellow jackets. My food was alright. I ordered the two egg plate, with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast with jam and breakfast potatoes (which were substituted with a side salad). The eggs were beautiful and overall decent but cooked a little hard for my preference - I prefer runnier scrambled eggs. I didn't like my salad because it was mostly arugula and I just straight up don't like arugula. The bread for the toast and jam was nice and crusty, but the jam (I'm guessing blackberry?) wasn't sweet at all. I was really hoping for some fresh, sweet, preserve-type jam, but this wasn't it. The bacon was definitely the best thing; very crispy, as is my preference, with a great balance of saltiness and subtle sweetness. Awesome bacon! Plein Air is a beautiful place to study and they have an attractive menu with lots of tasty sounding options. If I lived here, I would consider trying it again, just maybe ordering something different to see if I liked that a bit more. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Two 2 Eggs Any Style Breakfast with sourdough toast and bacon - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Plein Air Cafe is a hidden gem on U Chicago's campus. A friend and I stopped in for breakfast while we were in the area and it is clearly a popular place! We arrived just before the breakfast rush, and I'm glad we did because the line quickly went out the door. Plein Air has a variety of pastries and breakfast items, although the menu is small and only available near the register, so it is difficult to know what you want before you order. I think this had a slight impact on the efficiency of the ordering process. The cashier was nice and handed me my croissant immediately. My friend's breakfast sandwich and our drinks, all delicious, took about 25 minutes longer to come out. Seating is limited, as it is a small space, but there is a really nice patio outside. They do ask that you do not take a seat until you have placed your order - makes sense as you will need to stand inside at the counter to hear your name called to pick up your drinks. The food and drink were good, the employees were pleasant, and the bathrooms were clean. Overall, I would visit again, but would come much earlier when it wasn't as crowded to reduce my wait time. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Almond Croissant and Looseleaf Tea - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a hidden gem which is tucked away on the U Chicago campus in one of the school buildings. Both of the items that I ordered were delicious, the Mocha drink and the almond croissant. I was especially surprised at how good the almond croissant was, it had powered sugar on top and inside there was an almond buttery spread which was fantastic. This place seems to be always busy so it can be hard to find a seat. Also, the indoor seats are packed together super tightly so you may be almost elbow to elbow with the person next to you. However, they do have a spacious outdoor seating section which I will definitely be utilizing when the weather gets warmer! read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Their coffee and lattes are solid, and at a fair price. I think my biggest issue with this place is that their food is pretty mediocre at a price where I'm expecting something decent. For instance, $5 for a croissant or beignet. Or $15 for a breakfast burrito. It can get pretty crowded here during the weekend, with a huge line to show for it. Their patio is pretty great when the weather cooperates. read more

I want to share this while it is fresh on my mind. I have been there 6 times. I like the ambiance. Today they are playing 90s hip hop inside (and I am dancing in my seat, rapping in my head). I am actually surprised at the music selection because the patrons are of mixed age groups. I am, however, disappointed that they don't warm up their pastries, the don't carry lemon for your tea, and above all...they don't have public wifi. On a college campus, are you serious? read more

Excellent coffee and pastries. Wish their food was more customizable as some of it seems like they're trying to do too much to it. Service was good and the design is really nice with solid indoor and outdoor seating although outside could do with some shade covers for the rain or heat as the wood soaks a lot of moisture read more

The business name is appropriate for the way the food taste. Like plain air! I received a gift card from my teammate who lives in Virginia because this restaurant is near my home. I've never wanted to dine here honestly. But it's free so why not. I ordered the French toast and biscuit sandwich upon arrival since I can't order over the phone. The place is small and packed with university students or visitors. My food was ready in like ten minutes and I had to put the items in a bag myself. Not sure why I decided to tip if the service was suspect. Anyway, the French toast tasted like bread and was missing the fruit compote quantity which I was really looking forward to. If I was dining in I would have asked for more but I took the food home - thank God for maple syrup. The biscuit was soft and the bacon was smoked which I enjoyed but there were not preserves, jellies or jams in the bag. Thank God for Trader Joe's strawberry preserves that I keep in the fridge to save this sandwich. The potatoes were seasoned okay but not crispy. Overall it was $25 for the two meals which feels cheap in this post pandemic inflated economy. The sad part is that the taste was so underwhelming I have another $25 to spend here and I'm in no hurry to go back. It was clean and I'm sure the wifi was fast. Maybe that's the enticement to get me to return if I decide to walk on U of C campus again, which is highly unlikely. I can't even spend free money here. It tastes like plain air - sad but that's my truth. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Biscuit sandwich and potatoes wedges - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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food is just okay- however, the service is incredibly fast, so even though there's always a long line it moves quickly and food comes out almost immediately! the atmosphere is good too. but the mediocre food doesn't make up much for the good qualities read more

The omelette may look like any other omelette but this one is surprisingly buttery and creamy. The veggie and everything in the omelette made it so delicious. I'm surprised pleasantly by this awesome cafe every single time I visit. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Plein Omelet Breakfast - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend and I were looking for a cute cafe to meet up at, this spot came up and I'm so glad we went. The space was very clean and modern, with a nice ambience, and the window faces the super cool frank lloyd wright house. The front counter is so well decorated, and the food is all great. I got the mossy log latte and a pistachio danish and loved it. Definitely would come again. read more

Plein Air Cafe & Eatery - Pistachio danish, Mossy Log - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here for some coffee and a quick bite to eat. Unfortunately they only do online orders only, so when I tried to walk up and order, it was too late so I quickly sat down and put my order in. We ordered a croissant, beignet, macchiato, and their House Made Biscuit Sandwich. Not a big fan of their beignet. It was too dense and felt too much like a donut not an actual beignet. The coffee and croissant were ok, but their best thing was that Biscuit sandwich. The biscuit was huge and was so moist and buttery, and came with smoked bacon, egg, manchengo cheese and potatoes. A sausage patty would of made this sandwich a lot better though. Although the biscuit was good, that's the only thing that stood out. To be honest, it's a bit pricey and. It really a good value. It's in a nice location, right next to the Robie House, and right next to UofC, I believe they cater more to students and tourist than actual local people. Don't believe I will be returning anytime soon, unless I'm in the area, definitely wouldn't go out of my way. read more

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