The food was delicious and the service was great!! We really enjoyed our brunch at Tempo!

This is just one of those places that feels classy and a Chicago staple, the gluten free options are amazing as well, the toast the pancakes, waffles, the bacon is cooked to your liking, and who doesn't love those nostalgic coffee mugs, which in my opinion make the coffee taste even better read more

Stopped in for a "late night" breakfast after a great show at the Goodman Theatre. Solid breakfast fare.Slightly uninspired, but hearty and very flavorful. One lets are served atop slightly undercooked sliced potatoes in a skillet. Toast is Greek bread. I had heard so much about the orange marmalade, was surprised it did not come with the omelets. The waitress did bring some when we asked and it was delicious. Omelets were fluffy and very tasty. The menu says five egg omelets and they are easily that. Huge, I managed to finish only half of mine and I was stuffed. Bright and cheery spot even late night. Looks like they have a patio in the summer, would love to try sitting outside. read more

See all

Excellent in all ways! The food was outstanding. Sitting outside on a gorgeous sunny day was wonderful. The manager/owner was amazing and let us buy a jar of the orange marmalade that they make inhouse. He then came out with a second jar on the house. We bought some of the orange marmalade they make inhouse. The best we have ever tasted! Highly recommend. We will be back! read more

This place is somewhere I would always walk by and never thought much of it but boy was I missing out! Tempo Cafe has such a huge and versatile menu which sometimes is skeptical but their food is AMAZING! The portions are HUGE and for Chicago food it is very cheap! It's also a very homey and warm environment and the staff is always extremely welcoming. The best part... it's BYOB! My friend and I split the poor mans veggie skillet and added sausage which was sooooo tasty and even a lot for 2 people to split. Their homemade orange marmalade and salsa are also both fantastic. I would recommend this place to anyone! read more

Tempo Cafe - Cheese pull baby - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The banana pancakes were so good. They actually put the banana inside and not just on top of them. The pancakes were too much though and couldn't finish them. They can be shared to save some moneyz. It gets bit busy for breakfast but worth it. Do not sit outside if you have any issues with bees. There are a lot of them that will harass you. read more

See all

I had the veggie skillet (no cheese). It was a big portion with 3 eggs, reminded me of Turkish Menemen. I liked it.. I wish they had sourdough bread for the butter and delicious marmelade. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because you can't sit long, there is this feeling of eat and leave... read more

The food was okay, my huevos rancheros were freshly made but the potatoes were cold, they served it on this pan that wasn't even hot and the sauce was cold from refrigeration. I was sick for the next 2 hours. read more

See all

I refer to this place as THE BREAKFAST E R. yes as in emergency room. Yes they take breakfast so seriously that just like in the ER you will be serviced all day just as long as you are ordering breakfast. I figure I will add this. About 2 years ago all I knew about food is that I liked it. I am not a foodie per se but I am getting there. I am a foodie in training (FIT) Dont get all nuts when you read this review and are like " shit where is the blow by blow description of the tuna melt" ?. I am not on that level yet. I will leave that up to the true foodies :) The cooks are like skillful hear surgeon's who you should entrust with your life because they know what they are doing. The wait staff are like the nurses carefully plying your but into the seat and treating you with just enough love that you will want more coffee and some more pie with your already huge order. I think they should make caffeine available from a option that would feed it to you intravenously over here. At 5 AM it would make a lot of sense. Back to the ER comparison. And you are the patient. While in the ER they would give you a gown presumably if they were going to operate or give you a shot ; here they arm you with your own frying pan to serve your eggs in should you order an omelette. The best time to go here is on weekends after 11PM. It's like being a night club without the cover charge. The French toast is out of this world. Don't get involved in anyone shouting at each other. Rest assured they love each other ( or at least will try after they come here ) but they are communicating with each other the only way they know how to after many martinis or beers. If you drank that much you would also be argumentative. There are many ways this place amuses me. I keep going back and bringing people to see the amusement. Enjoy the food and the scenery. read more

Great place for good food and a casual breakfast or lunch. I've eaten at Tempo many times with my family and friends!

I've been here twice, once dine in for coffee and another takeout. Attached is their avocado toast .. pretty bad & soggy. Wouldn't not recommend. The side of potatoes were average at best. read more

Tempo Cafe - Avocado Toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service and pleasant seating area outside. We had breakfast sandwiches to start our day along with some delicious coffee. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute restaurant with great food! read more

I went by the place on the bus practically every day for 5 years when I lived in Chicago and never stopped in to eat. But my fella's step sister lives across the street so when we were meeting his family for breakfast when we were all out in Chicago for a weekend we decided to pop in. Stopped by around early Sunday morning (10ish) and while it was crowded we still got a table pretty quickly. They have a lovely patio but it was a bit chilly so we went inside. The table was small and a bit cramped for 5 people but we made it work. Breakfast was simple but good. I had a ham and cheddar egg white omelet with a side of potatoes. Holy cow, what a huge portion! I could barely finish half. Egg white omelets can sometimes be a bit dry but this one was cooked very well. My fella got a belgian waffle and it was a modest size (no oversized waffle machines here) but just the right amount of food. Also it was very pretty to look at. Decorative and tasty to boot! Service was quick. It was inexpensive and unfussy. I'd do it again! read more

Tempo Cafe - Egg white omelette with ham and cheddar. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I love this place. Fast service. Always lively. Great breakfast! I've been staying at the hotel next door for the last 10 days - in town working on a TV show - and I've had breakfast here nearly every day. Not a greasy spoon diner, but also not a fancy place. Very comfortable. The omelettes are ENORMOUS. The skillets could do with less cheese. And I wish they would go ahead an butter the toast, rather than give it to you in a little cup. But that's a minor complaint. For a big breakfast in this neighborhood, for 2/3 the price of what you'd pay in your hotel, this is the place. read more

Tempo Cafe - Corned Beef Hash and Eggs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a great experience for a late breakfast. Instantly had a coffee as I sat down and the portions are enormous! Food came out quick and servers were pretty attentive read more

Tempo Cafe - Omelette with onion and cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wandering the streets in search of a decent and not terribly expensive meal, I walked past and decided to give it a shot. I only realized after I ordered that they don't accept credit cards, which is just weird. Fortunately, I had enough cash in my wallet. My egg omelette (the "Omni" which includes ham, green peppers and onions) was light and fluffy and moist. There is no way that's just three eggs. It has to be at least four! And underneath were sliced potatoes. On the side, two pieces of excellent toast and what tasted like fresh homemade marmalade. Pretty inexpensive for such a large meal, I was very pleased. Good service too and it was nice to sit outside with the traffic going past. Woohoo! As good as it gets! read more

Tempo Cafe - Egg omelette - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious pancakes, great service. It's super busy so you have to do the waitlist. With the waitlist you can practically walk right in. read more

Tempo Cafe - Apple stuffed pancakes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went here the other day because I was off Friday and got myself some brunch. The 3 times I was here before was at about 3am and prior to COVID it's a great spot to end your night after hitting the town. I haven't had a bad experience here. It's a great brunch spot and their food always hits the spot. I mean it's not like fancy or anything but if you want quality breakfast food when you wake up in the morning it's very good. The other day I got one of their 5 egg omelettes with chicken sausage, spinach, and feta. I got a chocolate milk on the side and some hash browns. No complaints, everything was great. read more

The food (eggs Benny and "chilaquiles") was so gross. The chilaquiles was literally eggs with salsa on them. That's it. Eggs Benedict was a cold English muffin, circle of Canadian bacon, and overdone eggs. And the waitress stalked us for refills because they are (as very clearly stated on the menu) NOT FREE. I apologized to my friend profusely for having recommended the place. Won't be back. read more

Old school cafe. Very nice staff. Fresh squeezed orange juice! I ordered the eggs Florentine (think eggs Benedict switching out spinach for Canadian bacon) delicious! And they know how to do a medium poached egg! I always order medium poached eggs in restaurants, rarely get it. They got it perfect! read more

Tempo Cafe - Medium poached egg! Perfect. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Went to Tempo Cafe on Sunday morning around 11. We had a party of 5 and only had to wait 10 minutes for a table, which we expected a longer wait. We sat inside and it was a little loud because we were next to the kitchen, but it wasn't bad enough to where we couldn't hear each other talk. There was a big menu with breakfast and lunch. I had the strawberry French toast and 3 eggs breakfast which I shared with one other person. The food was good and tasted like typical breakfast food. The French toast was decent, but nothing special. The 3 eggs breakfast came with turkey sausage, eggs cooked your way, and fried potatoes. We also ordered a fruit platter for the table with strawberries, pineapple, melon, and grapes. It was a lot of food! The ambiance in the place was good. Other than being next to the kitchen, it wasn't super loud when it was full. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Overall, it was a great breakfast experience! Perfect place to go for brunch on a Sunday morning. read more

See all

This diner / restaurant was so good we walked here in the rain a couple of days later to get breakfast again. Friendly service and decent sized portions for breakfast. There's not many Breakfast places around, so this was a hit. My only complaint was the crabmeat Benedict. Very skimpy on the crab, especially for the high price. Covid crab I'm sure. I've had whole crab cakes for the same price, and this was more like a suggestion of crab, hidden under a thick slice of tomato. I even asked if there was any crab ... until the waitress told me where to find it. I'll skip the crab (as should you) and just stick to the other items. The scrambles, BTW are very good. read more

If you like breakfast food.. why not come here?. .it reminds me of a Denny's but located in the city...open 24/7.. Food: Scrambler with cheddar cheese, green pepper and canadian bacon comes with toast of your choice..it tasted ok..I'm sure you can make this at home on your own though...portion was big so I had me some leftovers... -Tastes: ok, not anything to amazing that would make me want to go back, but if I was in the area craving breakfast food & lazy to cook.. I guess I would come here.. Portions: are big enough for leftovers..but it also depends on what you order Atmosphere: diverse.. all ages and family friendly..doesn't look clean, but doesn't look really dirty either.. reminds me of a Denny's... Service: waitress was nice..don't have any complaints really.. read more

Tempo Cafe - Scrambler with cheddar cheese, green pepper and canadian bacon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here for Sunday dinner a few weeks ago after my partner got off work. It was close by and we were hungry. He had been here before for breakfast only, so I was skeptical... Anyway, loved it! I actually have walked by Tempo Cafe many times, and never really paid any attention to it. This place is really a diner, in my opinion, similar to Nookies or Melrose (when there was a Melrose) in Lakeview. I had the chicken livers dinner (I know). I love chicken liver but never make it at home so I thought this would be a good time to have it! It was amazing! The dinner came with a salad, with which I started. Dinner came served piping hot. I got rice and potatoes to go with the livers, which were perfectly sauteed with onions. Dinner came with dessert! I left a pretty happy camper. I would definitely go back for a casual laid back Sunday dinner :-) read more

Tempo Cafe - Chicken liver dinner with rice and potato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

6 egg omelette! Prompt service, and friendly. Sat outside at a table for two. Waters were on time. Coffee was good and refilled consistently. Server was kind and friendly. Stopped in on a Saturday morning. Asked for a table for two. We were told 15 minutes, only waited 8. Great all around. Will return! read more

Had an amazing breakfast at Tempo Cafe. We were seated quickly and had coffee on the table promptly. I ordered the scrambler with turkey sausage, chorizo and feta cheese. Man oh man it was delicious. Food portions were big so there's no way you're leaving hungry or short changed. Price point was very reasonable for the area. Highly recommend if you're ever in the area. read more

Tempo Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tempo is a busy breakfast place in the The Gold Coast. The food is always hot and delicious. The skillets are enough for two meals if you add 2 more eggs at home. The Waffles and Pancakes are delightful. Even the lowly grilled cheese is pretty terrific. Only drawback is that it can get pretty loud inside. read more

Decent food/service. Doesn't accept reservations. Sunday mornings: go early - no wait @ 8:30. read more

Great food and atmosphere! Seemed like a new restaurant so trying to get off the ground but the Bloody Mary was GREAT

Kind staff, great food, nice ambiance. Was in town for a short trip and would definitely recommend for a brunch place.

Where do I begin? I'm the duchess at Tempo Cafe (30 + check in's), so you definitely want to read this. If other chicagoans are like myself and grew up on the East Coast (jersey girl right here), you know that eating at diners is as common and essential as filling your car up with gas (as jersey natives know, we don't even pump our own gas). So, upon moving to Chicago 3 years ago, I was very disappointed to learn that diners aren't exactly a thing here. And what I mean by Chicago doesn't have diners, I mean there is no where... except my second home TEMPO CAFE aka "Tempo" or "temp" that will whip up just anything you desire. Some of my "off menu" favorites include: -Tuna melt -Chocolate chip pancakes -Grilled cheese with avocado -Oreo milkshake ...the list goes on Okay, so even if you aren't relating to my east coast Diner realm, Tempo is a must for the following reasons: 1. It is open 24-7. I legit watched the cubs win the World Series here because everywhere else was too crowded and I had a blast, while drinking a milkshake of course 2. Right off Michigan Avenue so if you're a tourist or shopping, come here for brunch/lunch 3. Dinner here is always less crowded so you can get a seat 4. The staff is like having home cooked dinner from Mom. The waitresses can almost like read my mind when I'm hungover, they bring me coffee and bread without even asking. Tempo is a second home to me and I'm so thankful I have this place. read more

Tempo Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I needed a solid breakfast at the break of dawn that wasn't to far from the hotel. I wanted to go to this other place but ended up here instead. It was a bit of a jaunt from my hotel, but hey, I needed the excercise so I off I went. Walking in, the place has a cozy diner feel to it. Lots of seating, and the staff was friendly and helpful. The menu here is large with a nice variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options for whatever it is that you may want. I went with the Huervos Rancheros, becuase I was needing to be full when I was done. I had considered the pancakes, but figured they wouldn't hold me. When the breakfast came out, it was a nice huge portion. I could barely finish the hash browns, and they were done really well. Loved it. My server was great, and got me everything I needed. No problems there. Total bill after coffee and all was about $12.45 plus tip. Also, I think this place is open 24/7 which is nice if you need food at odd hours like I do. (I'm up *really* early these days.) it was nice to not have to wait for a place to open and I could just drop in and eat. read more

I was first introduced to Tempo Cafe after a night of partying. I must admit that I was starving when I visited so the food may have tasted way better than it probably was. Tempo Cafe is massive inside. When my group got to the restaurant it was jam packed but they were still able to seat us within one minute of us arriving. The restaurant could easily accommodate a vary of group sizes. The wait staff was very friendly and patient with all the intoxicated people around us. The wait staff was a little forgetful. We had to ask multiple times for certain things to the point of having to get a second employee to get it for us. I think how busy it was may have played a part in the forgetfulness. The food portions are massive. I ordered a reuben sandwich and the corned beef was spilling out of the sandwich. I was impressed by the reuben and fry combo when I was in the restaurant. But I took the rest of my reuben home to eat it later that day and it was just okay. I would love to visit Tempo Cafe earlier in the day so I can observe it when it's not dealing with the 3 am rush. I would definitely recommend checking out Tempo Cafe at least once if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Really good food. Costly of course. I think this is a place for a date or an alone dine, not a big family. It was really good and beautiful though. I was upset that they didn't tell me they didn't have grape juice though. I wouldn't have gotten a refund if I hadn't realized that I didn't have my juice. I was an hour away on my way to work when I realized it. I was switched to at least 4 different people before someone was able to help me. They should post that on here that they no longer serve grapefruit juice. read more

See all

Good food. Good service. Recommend using the waitlist app. Portions are large so if you don't have a place to store leftovers, you might need to be conservative in your ordering. read more

Been coming to this breakfast place for over 20 yrs Never a bad meal, perfect neighborhood joint No frills just good food and friendly atmosphere read more

Hadn't been in many years. Brought my son for first time, solid as remembered. Wish I'd been hungrier, felt bad leaving as much food as I did--was staying in nearby hotel. Kid did damage. read more

This place is reviewed harsher than it is!! Things I had: The Waffles and the Omelette. Apple-carrot-celery Juice Service: I like it!! Still operates like a family Diner. The Omelette was good. It's the usual, nothing fancy. But that is what you are here for and it gives you just that. The flower shaped Waffles remind me, a tad bit, of the Norwegian waffles and does the job right. You wanna have breakfast for dinner, then this is a great spot. Now for the star of the show: The complementary slice of toast and the homemade orange marmalade. If there is a gateway jam drug, this is it. It's just so damn good. I find myself going back just for this jam. Side quest: If there's a long wait for brunch, drop in your name walk down the street to Potash market for a few minutes and if you find there pistachio bread, let me know. Brunch is, at best, a 4 star affair. The orange Marmalade though deserves a star on its own. read more

It was packed on a Sunday early afternoon around 12:30 but we managed to get an outdoor table for 3 after just a 10 minute wait. Their skillets were the bomb. Ordered the workman's skillet. It was hefty and packed with 2 eggs any style, 2 types of cheese, potatoes, ham, and green pepper. Added chorizo sausage on top to make for extra meat and flavor. All delicious. The skillet also came with thick toasts and butter and marmalade. Their iced coffee was a bit watered down. read more

Tempo Cafe - Workman's skillet and iced coffee. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I go to tempo weekly since moving to Chicago in 2019. I love it. Classic cafe in all the right ways. Huge menu, elite breakfast and very solid lunch options. Patio when the weather makes sense. Friendly staff. Heart of beautiful Gold Coast. It's THE vibe. read more