Cute little corner neighborhood cafe. While the service wasn't the friendliest, the vibe, seating and playlist made up for it. read more

The Perfect Cup - a tree in front of a building - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love to support small coffee shops, but for the life of me can't understand why they have the door always wide open? It's freezing when people are sitting there. I understand that the people behind the counter are hot, but if that's the case open that door near them. Open it without the screens if they're that hot. read more

Great place to hangout with coffee and a pastry. Outside in the summer and cozy but spacious inside. Lovely staff

This place is super cute. Yes, great coffee, but also great sandwiches and donuts and outdoor seating. It's rare for a coffee shop to check every box but this one definitely does. Check it out. read more

This is a very quaint coffee shop with an amazingly relaxing atmosphere. The coffee is delicious. I usually get a latte and my husband gets black coffee. We like to get a breakfast sandwich here as well. When I asked to omit the meat, they offered to put a slice of tomato in it's place. Love it! There is outdoor seating under the shade of beautiful giant trees. The inside is super cozy with wood floors and old fashioned tin printed ceiling. The location (on Damen) is close to everything in Lincoln Square & Ravenswood. The exterior of the building is very "Chicago" (yellow brick with ornate trim...curved corner) and the outdoor lighting makes it so inviting. It's reasonably priced and one of our favorite coffee shops. read more

Local coffee spot with abundant seating inside and outside. I've only had hot coffees and iced coffee and both have been great. They also offer breakfast pastries ( I have my eye on the orange cranberry muffin) and paninis! It's my go to spot when I'm headed to the Ravenswood metra station bc service is always speedy and friendly! read more

I always love going to the Perfect Cup. The coffee is superb, the staff is friendly, the food hits the spot and the seating is cozy. I also really like that they are open later in the day. Because sometimes you just need a place to relax after 2pm. read more

Was it a perfect cup? No, but that's because I have certain coffee brands I like better. I honestly popped in here for a quick cup to go, and when I got in the car my coffee was a bit on the cold side, but maybe I put too much cream in it. I didn't finish the cup, but it's because the brew was a bit too bitter for my liking. Coffee was A-OK. Even though my coffee experience was 3-stars, the atmosphere at The Perfect Cup is 4-stars with a super comfy urban vibe. This independent coffee shop has been in the area forever, and it really is the neighborhood stop off the Damen Brown Line. Grab your coffee to go or hang and get some work done--if you can find a table. It's a bit on small side with limited seating. But the crowd seems super chill and cool. They have pastries and serve light breakfast and lunch from what I can tell. If I lived in the area I would go there, because I think it's important to support your local independent. But, I don't live in the area and would probably return to one of my other favorite stops in the city before coming here. It's cute and served a purpose. read more

See all

Good coffee. Welcoming atmosphere though it is not always easy to find a seat. Convenient to Lawrence Ave.

Our favorite local coffee shop. Staff is efficient and friendly, food and coffee are very good especially for mornings we need to grab and go. And the place has two sides with lots of room to sit. We can go quick or plan to sit and do work/read/chat. Lovely spot to spend a few hours. read more

Great place to enjoy a cappuccino Two cozy rooms to seat They also serve snacks breakfast items I be back soon The lady is really sweet It's all about coffee read more

See all

Great neighborhood spot. They have plenty of space inside and outside. Selection of sandwiches is delicious. Service is great. I am glad I found this place. read more

Great spot in the neighborhood. Relatively small menu food-wise, but certainly made up for with the atmosphere and friendly staff. Would recommend to anyone in the area. read more

I've been co-hosting a small monthly meetup here since April. The staff is very kind and accommodating, and the coffee is delicious. I have not been disappointed in the sandwiches, and pastries are generously sized. We have seen other meetups here, so I'd recommend headphones if you want to get work done. However, the environment is very cozy and I'd definitely recommend to drop in with a book or a friend. read more

I live next to The Perfect Cup, and it's just the best little neighborhood coffee shop. Friendly staff, reasonably priced, adorable decor and local art on the walls, and super comfy inside. The even have couches in the back to make it a little more homey. Free WiFi - always a plus. And their gelato is amazing! read more

My relationship with The Perfect Cup is one of the longest relationships in my life. When I was looking for an apartment in Ravenswood/Lincoln Square in 1999, I stopped at The Perfect Cup to read ads in The Reader. I've visited The Perfect Cup ever since. In the last couple years, The Perfect Cup has made some changes. It now accepts credit cards! It expanded to a second room, not only doubling the space, but adding comfy chairs and couches that allow customers to kick back and relax. It added Gelato, which doesn't appeal to me, but is a big attraction to friends who come here with me. And it made the Wi-Fi free, instead of adding a charge for internet access. I really don't eat here much, other than the occasional sweet treat. They are just fine. I do like the coffee. The taste of the coffee is important, because I drink it black or with just a little sweetener. Sometimes the coffee is a bit too strong or bitter, so I add a little bit of water from the big water bottle near the counter. I think the coffee must have a high caffeine quotient, since I always get a major buzz from it. The coffee I make at home just doesn't have that caffeine kick. The music playing here is relaxing without putting me to sleep. There's a lot of jazz. The volume is high enough to be noticed, and low enough so that it doesn't interfere with conversations. A lot of neighborhood people come here and hang out for hours, on a regular basis. Sometimes you'll have a hard time finding a seat. Can't be helped, I suppose. I shoThatuldn't complain, because occasionally I am one of those people. I sit in one of the couches by the window and watch the world go by. I wouldn't call it a piece of heaven, but it sure does feel nice. read more

The Perfect Cup - The Perfect Cup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Seems like math is not their purrrrr- fect cup of joesephine but the coffee is pretty good. What's up with no light roast? Clean assed toilets and outdoor sidewalk patio earned the 3.5 ratting so rounded down. read more

The Perfect Cup - What does it look - A freaking coffee joint. Duh - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Coffee shops can be difficult to review. Unless there is an overtly outstanding or deficient element, typically there isn't much to say. Most of them just serve their purpose blandly: a undistinguished beverage to go, a handful of afterthought-quality pastries, some couches, free wifi--ho hum. The Perfect Cup is one of the better ones, quietly and modestly scoring above-average marks in all the important categories. First, it hits the sweet spot on the coffee shop aesthetic continuum--the sweet spot between the extremes of dingy/shabby and slick/austere. The hardwood floors are beaten, but the front room features matching tables and chairs and a high, spacious ceiling. Businesslike, but not uninviting. The side room is more cozy, with cool blue walls and eclectic but handsome furniture. I particularly like the denim-upholstered couches. This room is comfortable and charming without being too aggressively bohemian. The staff are consistently pleasant, way better than expected. They offer a $4 breakfast sandwich or wrap (pretty tasty if you have ten minutes to wait). They make a very good mocha, and over the summer I enjoyed their selection of three iced teas. The mango was my favorite and if you're drinking "for here," they give you a free refill. It may not be the acme of its kind, but I am happy for The Perfect Cup to be the closest coffee shop to my home. I'm not a regular, but whenever the mood strikes, that's where I steer. read more

I've used the Perfect cup as my perfect spot to meet blind or first dates, in the past. Its usually laid back and weekend mornings and early afternoons would usually offer a few people enjoying brew and working on their PCs. I Agree with other reviews, the cash only thing needs to be done with. We need more options. I tend to go for cafes that can offer a strong brew, while I don't buy my coffee here, I'll opt for fresh baked goods and an occasional ice coffee. Free wi-fi and they have comfortable couches which can keep you sitting and reading for hours. Counter peep is helpful with offering her advice on selections. read more

Cute place, tasty cookies, nice Batista. One of the worst lattes I've had the misfortune of tasting. Sudsy dishwater foam, bleh. I wanted the pick-me-up, but dumped it out and grabbed a can of soda instead. Some places I can accept crappy coffee from. Dive diners, for example. Coffee shops with $5 drinks, not so much. Maybe their drip coffee is good, but unless they learn how to steam milk somewhat decently, it's not worth a return visit. read more

Fantastic service and delicious, speedy drinks. The staff was very kind and thoughtful, and the drinks were fantastic. The chai is delightful :) Very spacious with lots of space to sit, definitely the perfect place to go on a hot day. read more

This review is only for their pastries. A cute little coffee shop near the Damen brown line stop. I was hungry and craving something sweet. Luckily for me they had muffins, scones, croissants, and other pastries. I went straight for the chocolate filled croissant. Delicious! There's only a few small tables here to sit at and even on a Friday morning at 10am the tables were full. Prices here are cheap. Unfortunately they don't take credit cards here. I'm usually a credit card gal, but luckily I had cash on me today! read more

This is a cute little cafe that serves up coffee, gelato and sandwiches. It is actually quite spacious in there. There are two parts, one with tables and the other with chairs and sofas and artwork. The decor is cute and modern, yet had flairs of vintage furniture. I like the tranquil ambiance and the Italian/French/Jazz/Eclectic cafe music they play. It feels like I am in a French Italian cafe, but in a cozy neighborhood. The service is also warm and friendly. This is a great place to chill and get a cup of Java! A great place to get some work done or just relax! We'll definitely be back in the future. Also, this place is cash only so bring some greens when you come here. read more

This is a really cute spot in a walkable neighborhood. They have a good variety of tea and coffee options and a good amount of seating. Parking can be tricky, but it's right off the 50 bus line and near the Brown line. read more

I have spent full days working here while my son goes to camp nearby, and am loving it. What's to appreciate? Tasty, fresh breakfast sandwiches and yummy coffee, all reasonable priced. Friendly staff, peaceful atmosphere, original paintings on the walls, bookshelves to browse (even some games and children's books). A skylight that floods the room with warm light, and variety of seating including bar stools, armchairs and comfy couches. Come hang out, support a local establishment, and enjoy the good vibes! read more

I came here to study for a few hours over the weekend. Overall this was a decent place to sit and work but I simply wasn't a fan of the music or coffee. Ambiance: There were plenty of places to sit on a early saturday afternoon although it did fill up a few hours later. The couches were particularly comfy. The servers were super helpful and brought my cappucino out to my seat shortly after I ordered and sat down. I gotta say I wasn't a fan of the music that day as it seemed to be all jazz and not indie/alternative/pop but that's just a personal preference issue. Coffee: I gotta say my coffee was really nothing special. My cappucino did not have a strong coffee flavor, perhaps a little too much milk. My fiance had a mocha and it simply tasted like powder-mix hot cocoa. They were not bad by any means but I probably won't be coming back here for the coffee. read more

This weekend I embarked on yet another quest to find the perfect coffee shop to do work. I wasn't able to find it yet but it was an afternoon well spent at The Perfect Cup. (+) free refills on iced teas (+) staff is friendly (+) not too loud (-) super small bathroom (-) 3 hr time limit for internet usage which can be really fast...or intermittently really slow (-) they forgot the tomatoes in my grilled cheese. I like the cheese they use though...provolone I think? I wouldn't mind coming back again if I don't super need the internet and it would be nice to sit in the quiet room next time. read more

This café is outstanding. Among it many fine features, The Perfect Cup offers good coffee and tea for low prices, a comfortable area for seating with a variety of seats, decent background music played a suitable volume, and WiFi. The coffee is good. I like the teas, although the selection is somewhat limited. There is a full selection of espresso drinks. Custom drinks can be designed and ordered. (I particularly recommend Annie's Special if you like the drink's design. It is the best deal on the menu board.) The café offers a small selection of panini and a nice selection of gelato. The panini is made in-house, the gelato is not. Ambiance: Inside, there are armchairs, wood chairs with wooden tables, a picnic bench, sofas, and a bar area for seating. The café also has two benches outside. Three hours of WiFi comes with a purchase. The password is on the receipt. The patrons respect and preserve the quiet noise level in the adjacent library room. Background music is pleasant (to my taste) and of an acceptably low volume. (Starbucks is awful in that regard.) The actual store space is well rehabbed. As a result, the entire cafe looks and feels nice. The café occupies two rooms with a connecting doorway. The far room is the Quiet Room, with softly playing jazz, the sofas, armchairs, picnic table, coffee tables, and the bathroom. We patrons generally use this room as a library reading room. The near room, which is the cafés main entrance, has the bar seating plus wooden tables and chairs. This room is generally quite noisy. Nevertheless several customers are always using their computers in this space, unaffected by the noise. Outside are two benches, one along Damen, the other along Leland. In general, customers don't use them much regardless of the weather or the sun direction. (See picture attached to this review. The Perfect Cup is at the nexus of several CTA lines. It is next to the Damen Brown Line, on Damen Avenue (bus stop), and one block south of Lawrence (bus stop). Since Damen and Lawrence (Damen, in particular) are also major bike paths, The Perfect Cup has an easily accessible location. There is a limited selection of pastries and breakfast sandwiches. I have tried the breakfast sandwich. I thought it was excellent. The Perfect Cup also sells gelato. You can buy their coffee beans. The tea bags can be purchased individually. In general, there is a small rotating display of accessories available for purchase. I have one of the handmade cup sleeves. Finally, bikers will appreciate that a water keg is at the condiments table during the warm months. Finally, The Perfect Cup has a bulletin board inside for the use of the community, and community announcements. It is a good meeting place for book groups and for other social gatherings. See their website and Facebook pages. Cash only. 3/29/12 - I added a fourth star and included a few more details in the body of the text. read more

This is one of my favorite coffee shops in the area. The lattes(hot or iced) are always amazing. The mochas have the perfect amount of sweetness. The chai is also great. I haven't tried anything I don't like. It's perfect for studying or working. There are two different rooms. Plenty of space. Can't go wrong here! read more

The Perfect Cup - Can never go w/o whip on my mochas. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

this coffee shop is perfect to get work done !!! Most of the customers in there are working and not really talking at all . It's like a library in the area where the sofas are . The coffee is really good and the pastry I got was the cranberry muffin , which was delicious ! I was just weirded out because of the plastic cup that my iced latte came , it felt like it was little odd for a coffee that wasn't to go . I don't why but I have just become accustomed to glass . I am being picky maybe . but overall a great place to get work done and get in the zone ! and they do accept credit cards ! Parking is pay per hour because everything else is permit parking ! read more

The Perfect Cup - Iced latte in a plastic cup and a muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wonderful little corner coffee joint that I couldn't recommend more highly. Coffee and baked goods are delicious. Service is fast and friendly. Charming spot overall read more

I love this little coffee shop! Even though I now live on the west side of Lincoln Square, I still find myself wandering the 20 minutes to get here. The coffee is always good (shout out to the Anne's Special). Paninis are solid. Real good croissants. I like the vibe. The music selection is always on point. It's a good spot to get some work done, read a book, or catch up with friends. You should probably stop in too. read more

I had some work to get done, so I was searching for a nice quiet cafe to study. I ordered a large size cappucino, and it was sooooo large and tasty I loved it so much! The coffee was very reasonably priced, and if you tell them you need wifi, they give you a User ID and Password. The thing was that you could only use that once. I brought my macbook and my iphone, and when I logged in with my macbook, I couldn't use the passcode for my phone. So I had to use my internet while doing my phone. Also, the wifi usage time was written as 3 hours, but mine got cut off after about 2 hours. Well, I had a book to read so that did not annoy me that much and I enjoyed the overall cafe! Even though the wifi is not unlimited, I would definitely take my friends here because coffee and the atmosphere makes up for it! I really enjoyed this place, and i'll come back read more

The Perfect Cup - warm big size cappucino! It wad gigantic and I loved it! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A friend and I stopped into this joint while on a walk this morning. We had delicious hot chocolates and stellar peanut butter cookies! Super friendly and inviting shop: give it a go! read more

Grew up in the neighborhood, and would come here to write some in my journal or sketchbook or to do homework but that was many moons ago. Nice, non pretentious neighborhood cafe, right outside of the Damen brown line. Decent coffee, meets the standards of high end coffee snobs. read more

It's a cute spot with an even cuter atmosphere! The prices are reasonable and the selection is great. Nevertheless, the flavor isn't ever really stand out or anything to write home about - really, I only stop by when the other cafes in the area are closed. read more

Cute local coffee place right by the damen brown line, we enjoyed an iced coffee and caramel latte. Today was a perfect fall day to enjoy coffee on their patio read more

The Perfect Cup - Entrance - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

As the name implies, their coffee (and espresso drinks) are perfect! Also they have some very comfy sits in their side room for both work and just hanging around. Staff is always nice and the service is excellent. One thing to note - WiFi is limited for 3 hours per purchase, so this might not be convenient for work for everyone. read more

Awesome little neighborhood coffee shop with a nice selection of sweets. The atmosphere is casual and staff are super helpful/friendly.

The best little local coffee spot in Ravenswood. I go here just about every morning. Delicious coffee, food, super friendly staff. And I love the atmosphere. Thanks for all you do, Perfect Cup! read more