Eating right on the water is incredible! The food is good. Nothing incredible but an easy place to walk to if you are in or around campus. We got the impossible burger on GF bread and chips + guac. read more

Currently at the Waterfront Cafe on Memorial Day let's start with the Good the location by the lake and the ambiance can't be beat the fact that there's no parking is also a plus cuase then it's local and we got seated quickly but the time it took to get our food at least 30 mins cast a shadow on the experience. The food is good the Shwarma and Lobster roll are quality and I really like the Fries it's crunchy - the Tres Leches was good all that almost made up for the wait read more

I love this secret gem on the north side. Almost an oasis of sorts. So happy they're open during COVID-19 now. Even though the experience is different (bring back the music!!!) the food is still great and drinking wine by Lake Michigan with tiki torches in the summer is a must do. Also, the included cookie was a nice touch. Thank you all! read more

Solid spot next to the lake. Parking can be tough. Good is avg but the views make up for it.

This place is a total hidden gem. Had great crab cakes, a fresh lobster roll and an awesome cocktail all just feet from the lake in a secluded part of Berger park. Maybe some others have had bad experiences but I honestly have no idea why this place only has 3.5 stars. There's nowhere else like this in Chicago at all. Part of me wants to leave this place underrated to keep throngs of people away, but I also feel I have to share what a great find it is. read more

The Waterfront Cafe - The patio view at The Waterfront Cafe. Great place! - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I agree with Ryan H. Great location, incompetent staff, poor quality food. They changed the menu and I won't be back until they change it again and train their staff. Our server was not capable of answering our questions about the salads. We asked similar questions in several ways because we didn't feel we were getting through and getting the correct answer. We went for the lobster in the salad and it was horrible. The lettuce clearly hadn't been in a fridge that day. The lobster was a pile of scraps. I used to really enjoy this restaurant. I won't be back until they make big changes. You should have to reset the yelp review numbers if you change your menu. read more

I have been going The Waterfront for years and have always loved this beautiful spot- but that is all it is anymore, a beautiful spot. The service was TERRIBLE. I have never been treated so aggressively by a waitstaff in my life. Unfortunately this is not the first time I have been treated with such an indignant attitude. Needless to say, I will not be heading back there ever again. read more

This is the sweetest little spot. Just found it by accident. Truly a gem. Food is phenomenal. Music is wonderful. Its like sitting on a veranda on vacation. It's just a nice little piece of heaven! So glad we found it. read more

What an awesome place on the lakefront just a few blocks from Loyola. Good food, but incredible ambience. Takes a bit of time to place order and get food, but scenery is well worth the wait. read more

Great date night. The calamari was awsome. Fish and chips has a nice breading. Good fresh food. Friendly staff. read more

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There is no other place like this in Chicago: I love it there! Beautiful views, music, on city park land: it's awesome. I've had the Beyond Brat and Cajun Shrimp Roll and enjoyed both. Buckets of beers, too... did I mention the view? read more

Food: ok Price: acceptable Service: ok Ambience and location: fantastic A great location and view. The food is so so. I enjoy sitting under sun and a glass of wine. So relaxing. I had a falafel wrap. read more

I don't write negative reviews. I don't really like Yelp. I've certainly never written a negative review for a place where I was still sitting. This is important though, because this is one of the prettiest spots on the North Side waterfront and I need this establishment to go out of business ASAP so that a competent establishment can open up here. It took 5 minutes for the server to take our order (48th Ward chicken sandwich and "Shawarma" hold the onions.) and 52 more minutes for the food to arrive. At the 25-minute mark, the server came out and drawled with a very stoned affect that the cook "totally put onions in [my Shawarma] and [he] made them redo it." That was a little upsetting. Really upsetting was when the food arrived 27 further minutes later, the "Shawarma" was a cold gyro with what appeared to be the gyro version of Steakums. They'd forgotten to add the tsatziki, but they definitely put some onions on there...I tried to wave the server back over but he pretended not to see me until my wife actually got up and walked to the server station. I was like "here's all the onions they failed to take off in the past 27 minutes, and isn't there supposed to be some tzatziki on there?" He tries to take it away and I said " no, leave it, I don't have another half an hour." He brought me some sauce and I ate my cold gyro and my cold fries. My wife's chicken sandwich was OK. We weren't offered anything for the wait or the repeated failure to hold the onions, and I paid the dude a full 30 bucks plus tip (and I tipped him fine) and we went about our day, walking past a dozen better places to get gyros that aren't billed as shawarma, and places to get actual shawarma. I love Edgewater and I love Berger Park. Please run this dippy snack bar out of the neighbourhood so someone can open a real restaurant there. read more

Edgewater has some hidden gems- and we are pretty closemouthed about them. We are kind of greedy that way. This gem is truly awesome. It has had a few incarnations in the past few years. The current owners have improved on the rehabbing of the past operators- and It SHOWS! Food is simple, inexpensive and good. Vegetarian choices abound, salads, wraps and fries are on the menu. Metropolis coffee is served, shakes, blueberry lemonade and other specialties are available. The ambiance is what makes this place. nowhere else in Chicago can you sit in a quiet and little used park, bury your feet in the sand, stare at the water, enjoy the peace, and have some fantastic food. I love this place. It is a summer retreat! They have free wifi (or used to, check yearly), live entertainment, and a host of other fabulous options! But seriously- stay away. I like the quiet. read more

Excellent location. Prepare a picnic lunch. Walk here from Wisconsin. You will still eat sooner than if you rely on the service here. The food is fine, maybe overpriced. (When things were faster here, you didn't have as long to contemplate such matters in quite the same pathological depth.) They appear to have a passive-aggressive disdain for customers and although honest, their sign indicating it might take an hour for you to get your freshly prepared salad or wrap... AN HOUR FOR A SALAD OR WRAP? SERIOUSLY. There's leisurely and then there's "Suck it, watch the lake. You've already paid." I think this "hidden gem" has become less secret and suffered for it and instead of making any effort to alter the lackadaisical service model that wasn't an issue before, they post a sign. I can point out 3 things that I guarantee would have improved the efficiency. read more

I'll agree with the older beer-drinking gentleman who invaded my picnic table - he said "this place is a gem" - and by golly, he's right. My sister and I wanted nothing to do with this chatty fellow, but he did have a point. The place is nestled on the sandy beach front of a park - the roped in eating area is just feet from the waves - surrounded by tiki torches, some tables covered, some exposed if you want to soak up some rays. It is an ideal place for a leisurely summer meal. Food is ordered inside the small / cute ordering area and kitchen, then is brought out to your table / picnic table. The sailor-hat-wearing server boys brought us our baskets of food, and we were left to enjoy the grub and scenery. We split the fish & chips and a chx pesto wrap. The fish was our favorite. Quite good - 4 very crunchy seasoned fillets served with very crunchy fries (the fries were overcooked - the fish was just fine) also came with a side salad. This is the kind of place you could easily spend hours at before realizing it's later than you thought. And we probably would have done just that, except for our "friend" unexpectedly joining our table. Luckily, we were already finished eating. All good things must come to an end. We shall return! read more

My favorite hidden gem in Chicago! Only open seasonally, this lunch or dinner spot is right on the water in the middle of a park. There's no parking, so if you do drive in park on the side streets west of Sheridan. Food is simple and delicious wraps, salads, burgers. Some fun cocktails in generous pint glasses along with the usual beer and wine are available. Live music on the weekend! read more

This is a nice waterfront place where you feel like you are in paradise. Actually you ARE in paradise. A bit windy but not a problem. Only stayed for margaritas. Their margaritas are standard and nothing special. Their food menu looked good and watching food being delivered basically indicated that people were happy with their food. Will be back! read more

The Waterfront Cafe - The view! - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We have had many good experiences here, sadly this evening we were presented with a drinks menu that only had six food options instead of the normal selections - no salads, no appetizers, everything that can basically be fried up from frozen/bagged. Topping this off we waited for ten minutes with no service staff, water being presented before walking away from the table. With kids in tow we're ready for cocktails but not willing to tolerate such an understaffed and lacking experience. read more

This is where you will find me on full moon nights !!!! So why did I find this place is so special, just in one visit? Great view of the lake , out door seating, the simplicity of the venue, sweetness of the staff and overall organic welcoming feeling I enjoyed during my visit. I was here to see Japanese koto harp and trumpet player Jeff Wichmann, it was a great concert and the music obviously influenced/enhanced my experience here. The lingering scent of of fragrant ice tea, mixed with the smell of the lake and the sounds of a Japanese harp...add the perfect companion on full moon night and this is my idea of a romantic night !!! read more

Omg, what a gem, a jewel, hidden treasure. This place is fabulicious- that's fabulous and delicious wrapped up in one! I'm afraid to gush about it too much because I don't want to give away the secret wonder that is Waterfront Cafe. It's such a great location, right on the lake, and you feel like you're away on vacation. The building itself is owned by the Chicago Park District, which explains why some of the prices are kind of high ($25 for a pitcher of sangria!). The food is quite nice, and a step-up from what you'd expect from a waterfront cafe. We had the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Dip and the Yummus Hummus, both of which were good, but that jerk chicken dip was delicious. The seating area is much larger than I imagined it would be- there are picnic tables and 4-top tables, and torches top the fence around the perimeter. They have live music Thursday-Saturday..the band we saw was so-so, but, it added to the experience and made for a lovely evening. It's the perfect spot for al fresco dining in Chicago. read more

Every time I have returned to this place since my first visit, there has been an issue. For starters, they are chronically out of menu items, on what is already a very limited menu. My most recent visit just may be my last unless they reopen under new ownership, which I pray is mercifully soon. First, how do you run out of jerk chicken nachos by 1 o'clock when the restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m.? Judging by the popularity of this item based on the reviews, you'd think they would make sure supply keeps up with demand. But it was late in the season, and they just don't care. I later heard another server tell a nearby table that they had just run out of some other menu item. Brilliant management. The coup de grace, however, was when our server (I wish I had registered his name), literally did a 180 and walked away from our table without a word in the middle of taking our order. Actually, walked isn't quite the right term. He bolted from our table. Mind you, no one had said anything offensive to him or was being remotely difficult or demanding. He just decided he was bored with us and had better things to take care of, I guess. Really? No "I'll be right back" or "I'll check back with you in a little while." After ten minutes went by while we watched him wait on other tables, I got up and went to try to find him, or anyone. He actually looked straight at me with no acknowledgement. Another waitress apologized and came to take our order. I guess we'd have sat there being ignored all day if I hadn't gotten up. That was a first. It makes me wonder how this dude reacts when a table is actually being difficult, like complaining about the food or sending it back. Which the table next to ours did with another server. The only way a waiter would act like this if he knows there are no consequences, like the season is about to end and his job is almost done. Which is the problem with Waterfront Cafe in a nutshell. They just don't care, because they don't have to. Like other reviewers have said, the site needs to be purchased by someone who will put a real restaurant there, with indoor and outdoor space that is open year-round, with real waitstaff who don't have personality disorders. I read that this place started as a snack bar without table service. It should have stayed that way, judging by the food quality and service. read more

I very much enjoyed my first visit here, after a nice afternoon swim with a friend. The layout is very inviting and most unusual with its location smack on the lakefront. The small building where the cafe counter is located is very charming. The food and drink selections are good with a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, wraps and salads. There are about a dozen beers to choose from and the choices are domestic, and international. Prices are very reasonable. We ordered chicken nachos, beer and a very generous pour of wine white in a nice large glass. The total was $18.00. The seating area is nicely arranged and large. There are cafe tables and chairs, but also wooden picnic tables sitting in imported beach sand. Fences and paths allow for passers-by and park patrons to wander through the dining area. There are torch lamps for the evenings. I imagine this place is really pleasant at nightime, too. This is one of those hybrid spots where you order up front and they deliver to the table. our server was really pleasant and fun. He even offered his recommended way to eat the nachos. Which, by the way, were great. In short, we'd love to come back, try more things, and lounge a little longer here, too. Nice view of the beaches south and of the Chicago skyline, too. I would just recommend taking public transit, walking or biking here, because the parking in the neighborhood is quite the challenge. Lots of neighborhood permit parking and metered on Granville. So, walk, bike or run, for a little summer fun at The Waterfront Cafe. read more

This place is awesome! I can't believe how many people don't know about this place. I believe it's the only place in Chicago where you can get food and drinks on the lake and not be overwhelmed by shirtless douchebags on a crowded beach. And the food wasn't bad. I had the shrimp which was way better than I could have imagined and the chips and guac were good as well. Not a big beer or food selection but what can you ask of a place that is only open like 4 months out of the year. Great view, no crowd and they have like live Jazz on the weekends too...If you are into that. read more

The place is cool but the food is so hit or miss and the lines on busy days really piss me off. Make a bar line and a food line or have wait staff to push booze. It is just fusterating to be thirsty and have a weird sandwich and the person by you has a great sandwich and you are out of beer. MAKE IT EASIER. read more

What started off as a 5 star experience soon degraded to a two star one. First, what a great location! Spectacular view of the late, great ambience with Hawaiian music playing gently in the background. My girlfriend and I came here to have an afternoon snack, do a little work and maybe stay for drinks after working for a few hours. Initially our server was very friendly, if a little too enthusiastic. We ordered 2 of the most expensive non-alcoholic drinks on the menu and one full size entree. After chowing down we pulled out our laptops and went to work. This seemed to bother our server for some reason (btw, Yelp lists this as a "cafe", so go figure). We ordered 2 coffees and spent the next 1.5-2 hours working. At this point our server had changed completely from being cheerful to being passive aggressive. We finally decided to stop working and order alcohol. Our server, clearly upset, hurriedly took our order. My girlfriend ordered a $10 vodka lemonade, but once it was served, we found it basically has zero alcohol in it. Keep in mind, my girlfriend is 90lbs, so she would notice. We told the server to try it, because we were certain there was no alcohol. He tasted it and stated "the ice waters it down, but there is a double shot of vodka in there". I laughed, as that excuse was clearly BS. He rectified this by giving us another shot of vodka, extra attitude included. At this point we were feeling so uncomfortable and disappointed, that we could not enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. We both left upset, with no desire to return. Such a shame that bad service has ruined an otherwise lovely place. read more

Something has changed. And not for the better. The food is poor, limited in selection and overpriced. And, long gone are the $5 beers and $7 wine. Really too bad. A lovely little spot. Two months later...food and menu have recovered, thank goodness. I'd bump it up to 3 stars. Still kinda pricey. read more

My friends and I tried to go here in Thursday night and were told there was a 35 minute wait because the kitchen was backed up and the servers were overwhelmed. We waited for a half hour and then got sat. We then sat at the table for 15 minutes and no server came by so we just decided to leave. We decided to give it another try for lunch today. We got the jerk chicken nachos for an appetizers and they were pretty good. My sister got the chicken and chips which looked and tasted like they were thrown from the freezer bag into the fryer. Our server was very nice and sweet. Overall a disappointing experience though, aside from the view of course. read more

I highly recommend this place on atmosphere and vibes alone. It really does feel like you are on vacation. The views, the birds, the lake, paired with great service and good food and drinks. You can't go wrong! We came on a Saturday for lunch. It was a gorgeous day and I was surprised it was not crowded. I ordered the lobster roll and it was good but not super delicious. My husband got the fish and chips which he also said was good but would't get again. We both ordered a margarita on the rocks and you can tell it was pre-made. But nothing was bad or horrible and the prices were right. My sons meal came with a juice box and apple slices which is always a huge plus when going out to eat with kids. I'll definitely come back in the evening when they have live music. Located a bit far north but that's what makes it feel secluded and quiet. read more

This place has the look you want: Steps from the lake front path Cute picnic tables as seatings Trees on the property and just general adorableness But look and don't touch! We were seated immediately and waited 10 mins for our waitress Our waitress took 5 minutes to bring water Our appetizers took 45 mins to come out of the kitchen. This is utter foolishness. 45 minutes for nachos? They put chicken on chips and want you to wait 45 minutes for that? By this point I was too hungry and annoyed to fight, but the craziness hadn't ended. We get the bill and we were charged for tap water! Yes! WATER COST MONEY! When I asked I was told they were wasting to much water. I don't know what this means, but I do know I will never go back! read more

The restaurant has a fantastic view, the food... well, not so fantastic after all. We ordered tuna advocado salad and fish & chips. The fries... are very similar to McDonald's, fried fish is a bit better than the fries. Coffee tastes almost like water. read more

The Waterfront Cafe - Fries like McDonald's, didn't finish the salad either. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food? meh. The drinks? exist. The service? enthusiastic! But oh lord the feeling. read more

I used to love The Waterfront Cafe but my two experiences this summer haven't been good. It must be under new management and all new waitstaff because nobody seems to know what they are doing or anything about the menu. Hope it shapes up for next year because it's such a beautiful place. read more

Well, we initially tried to come here for brunch. However, the Waterfront Cafe doesn't seem to be too thrilled about late sleepers so lunch it was! You can't beat the location-- it's a beautiful spot and you spend your entire meal looking over the lake. The food is pretty good, too. First off, one must always order the blackberry lemonade. Define, and especially so when it's hot and humid out. Since my brunch didn't happen, I ordered the most brunch-y sounding thing: the turkey apple bacon ranch wrap. And it was wonderful. It came with a choice of pesto pasta salad or chips; I went with the pasta salad but was underwhelmed. That having been said, I'd definitely come back again. read more

The view was breathtaking & amazingly gorgeous. Believe me, no sugar coated here;) I decided to check out Waterfront Café on one sunny Sunday and wanted a restaurant with an outdoor lake view. This place only offers outdoor seating, so I believe it is only open during the summer. The place can be described as simply laidback; with the added Caribbean feel from the sand and cool breeze. The overall food quality was above average, especially the 'fish & chips', which is one of their specialties. As for the drink, I ordered the Sangria. Although it was not extraordinarily delicious but it was still one of the better Sangrias I've tasted all over Chicago. The best part of it all was the scenic view of the lake and I am definitely making another trip back there before the season abruptly changes. read more

The Waterfront Cafe - The scenic view - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came to the Waterfront Cafe to have a drink before seeing a play at Theatre on the Lake. The ambiance is great, of course, being right next to the lake. Service was fine but a bit slow. I ordered a mojito and my partner ordered a blackberry lemonade. Both were disappointing--the mojito was extremely watery, and the lemonade tasted like it was made from a powder (and watery as well). I could excuse the mojito, but for $11 it ought to taste a lot better than this. We also got the basket of fries, which was pretty good. My recommendation would be to stick with water or something from a bottle and just order off the food menu here. read more

A hidden gem but such an amazing location! The F&B is okay - we had the greek fries - but this is all about the location!!

I visited today for the first time and left very impressed. The setting is so fantastic and lends to a very cool vibe. The menu is small, but intentional. We enjoyed the watermelon agua fresca, crab cakes, aloha veggie burger (vegan as is, which is nice and not something you always find with a non-meat option), and fish and chips. I would recommend every dish we ordered. Some details we noticed: the coleslaw with the fish and chips was fresh and crispy, the fries were served with an added touch of sprinkled parsley, and the house made tartar sauce with the crab cakes was very flavorful. It's also nice that tables are served with an entire bottle of water. We will definitely be back. read more

Laid back spot with a great view if you're in the area. This is located in Berger Park off of Sheridan Road, behind some park district buildings. What makes this place special is the view! There are plenty of outdoor tables with a great view of the lake and skyline. When I went at lunchtime, there was a mixture of young and old, couples and families. Service was pretty slow in terms of the person taking your order...But the interior is so cute! I had the turkey, bacon, apple and brie sandwich (although more like a wrap) with a pasta salad side. My friend had the falafel. Food did not disappoint. And what others ordered looked great as well-cerviche, chips + salsa, salads.............All more reasons for me to go back and relax in the view. read more

The Location of this place is really amazing ... but that is all about it ... the food is very blah and their Sangria really tastes like CoolAid: bad to say the least. That said, it is a really great place to be outdoors and have a drink (Other than Sangria of course) and if you don't mind having really regular oily fries as appetizers then it is your kind of place. I am disappointed because I think there is so much potential to this place: low key, surrounded by great views and nature. I am new to Chicago but the location of this place seems to be really the exception. If only they would upgrade the menus and have a faster cashier the improvement would be really towards their advantage. read more