Mainly gave this place four stars for the wonderful service in a self service type establishment. Â It's a cute little cafe wedged between the Bongo Room and Five Guys. Â I had my little brunch partner in crime with me - my 3 year old daughter. Â Yikes.
I ordered the breakfast bowl. Â Dang!!!!! Â Sundried tomatoes? Â Who has sundried tomatoes as an option for your breakfast? Â Nobody. Â I had Turkey, sunny side eggs, spinach and onion in my breakfast bowl with the lovely sundried tomatoes of course and it was AWESOME!!! I ate the whole dang on thing!!! It was great. Â Intelligensia coffee. Â Another favorite. Â The place was pretty quiet yet busy. Â Find your own table and eat.
Ahhh one more thing. Â With the name Artists Cafe, my kid wanted to paint and color. Â What's with the name she said. Â Ha!!!!
I had the tuna sandwich, which came with paper-thin potato chips and a tasty mayonnaise dip. Â It was all very good but a little over-priced. Â The name is deceptive; this restaurant is actually a bright, clean cafeteria--not a cafe. Â I am glad I tried this place out, but with Potbelly's across the street, I probably won't return.
Review Source:The options in the South Loop can be limited or expensive for what you get. I work in the area and Artist Cafe is a great deal for quality meal. I have had various items on the menu and the food is great! As time has gone on since they opened this location, I have been able to know the staff by name. They are all courteous and pleasant each time I come in. My food is always ready when I come in and everything is made fresh. Â
In addition, they are participants in the Belly Card Program. This is only another reason to stop in. I think the Artist Cafe is a hidden gem in the South Loop.
If you are in the South Loop stop by the Artist Cafe. Great food and great staff!
I went today for the first time, and I was pleasantly surprised!
I had the Fried Green Tomato BLT, it was so good!!! Â The bacon was perfect, and there was no skimping on the bacon!
The chips are homemade and ginormous! Â And delicious! Â And they have homemade gelato. Its great. Â And they sell Intellegentsia, which is my favorite.
A friend and I checked out this place before Christmas. It's a nice little eatery, conveniently located around the corner from the Roosevelt station. I really like the decor inside, very modern and bright. You order at the counter and then your food will be served at your table but that is about it as far as waiter service (you bring your own plates to the receptacles). Anyway, I decided on the pulled pork bahn mi sandwich - which was really good. Surprised they would have this (Vietnamese sandwich) on their menu (with a little twist). All in all a nice, quick place to get a bite to eat.
Review Source:Great food and friendly staff! Â I'm new to Chicago and I've never been greeted by a restaurant owner in Chicago until now. It's a clean place and excellent location. I ordered the Angus burger, Gouda cheese, BBQ sauce with fried egg on a pretzel roll. Holy cow! Â This was as good or better than Gibson's Steak House's version. Artist Cafe also makes their own potato chips that came with my meal. The service was quick and friendly. Â I also ordered a cup of their homemade gelato. I will be back to try their soup and salads.
Review Source:This is were I ordered the "Not for Kids Grilled Cheese Sandwich" that came accompanied by a cup of tomato soup. Let me tell you that it was wonderful and delicious and unforgettable. My partner in crime ordered a turkey sandwich and it was so massive she had to carry the rest to the Willis tower. This is definitely the right place to grab a bite to eat.
Don't go to 5 guys burgers, walk into this place instead. Treat yourself to an awesome grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Definitely a great spot for a quick and quality meal.  Convenient and trendy café style setting, accompanied by a friendly host & staff.  The "One great Burger "was up to par with an upscale steakhouse burger!  The Gelato dessert is also a must.  Delicious dining at a good value!  Will most certainly revisit .
Review Source:Typically, my girlfriend and I will head over to Yolk if we want Sunday brunch. We got a late start and by the time we got over there, the crowd out in front was too much to handle. Who wants to wait an hour to eat eggs? So we decided to give this place a shot. It's a nice little quick in-and-out place across the street from Trader Joe's on Wabash. It's owned by the same folks who own the original one on Michigan.
I had one of their breakfast bowls, which I enjoyed. You get to choose your meat, your cheese, and three veggies. The put everything on top of potatos and then eggs on top. My bowl was good, and I was happy to notice that the veggies they used were crisp and fresh.
I would definitely go back. If you don't feel like waiting in line at Bongo Room or Yolk, this is a good alternative.
They also have Intelligentsia coffee, and you can't go wrong with that.
You may have heard of Artists Cafe because the name has been around in Chicagoland since 1961. One of my favorite Greek families in the city, The Mitchell's, started this trend and it's still trending today! In 1961, George Mitchell started the Artists Cafe. It's presence next to Roosevelt University, Colombia College, and in the "Fine Arts Building", was the start of a sensational Family business, as well as, a beautiful LOVE STORY. One day, shortly after George opened the trendy Artists Cafe, a lovely woman named, Angela walked in because she was a student at Roosevelt College. The minute George laid eyes on Angela, that was it, she was soon to be Mrs. Angela Mitchell.
Fast forward some years later, and while George, Angela, and Sister Irene ran this amazing restaurant, Maria Mitchell was born.
The Famous Restaurant in Chicago has so much history. Now, in its new location South on Roosevelt and Wabash (in the South Loop), this is once again the place to be seen. For centuries this wonderful restaurant gave Chicagoans a feeling of joy and exhilaration. With the new look and same Family Ownership, Owner, Maria Mitchell, decided out of respect for her close knit family, the name and the quality of food would remain the same. However, the menu and look of the updated restaurant would change to keep up with the times.
Moving to the up and coming South Loop was a good choice for Maria. The space is directly next to Colombia College, and the location is great!
Maria Mitchell and her Aunt Irene are very proud of the cuisine this gem offers today. With a menu created by the professional and highly talented, Mr. Robert LaPata, of Forefront Hospitality. I am humbled to have met with and spoken to Robert about how he used his innovative and artistic palate to create the menu for Artists Cafe.
After spending time learning about the restaurant and it's history, I was taken on a tour of what I would call, "The Walls of Fame". Owner, Maria Mitchell walked me through a lifetime of pictures and memorabilia that was not only impressive, but extremely fascinating. To think that I could have met all of the movie stars and famous people who have stepped foot into the Artists Cafe sometime in the past years made my experience all the more delightful and appealing.
When you walk into the Artists Cafe it is colorful and refreshing. The high ceilings give it a great look. The walls are lined with the pictures of stories past, and the place is electric with positive energy.
The Manager, John DeVille is a sweet and friendly guy who makes it easy to enjoy your experience. In my opinion, every restaurant should have a Manager this fantastic. When you are dining at this reasonably priced hot spot, Maria walks around to each table individually to make sure each guest is enjoying his/her "overall experience." Maria cannot help but be happy and friendly, it's in her genetic nature.
One of my favorite things about Artists Cafe, is the fact that Maria MItchell tends to open her doors to Colombia College Students and Local Artists, just in case they are interested in showcasing their Artwork. If you call in advance and speak with Maria, John, or Irene, I am sure they will let you know what months they offer as "showcasing months."
Now that you are excited about the Artists Cafe, let's get to the real deal, THE FOOD!
A menu filled with one thing that's better than the next and then, not really, because it is all good. Especially because they do offer, Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.
Some of the best items on the Breakfast Menu are, the Santa Fe Wrap, Eggs, Gouda Cheese, Pico De Gallo, Bacon, Black Bean Salsa, Wrapped in a Warm Flour Tortilla. As well as, the Blueberry French Toast Bake, Baked Casserole-Style Brioche French Toast, Blueberries, Cinnamon with Butter and Maple Syrup. I could go on with Breakfast, but let's get into two of my favorite Lunch/Dinner items on this menu. The "Traditional Gyros" is to die for. So fresh and definitely the highest quality Gyros, you can tell. With the homemade Tzatziki Sauce, you will not want to go anyplace else. It is served with onion and tomato on fresh warm pita bread. The "Not Your Kids" Grilled Cheese, with Aged Chedder, Fresh Mozzarela, Goat Cheese, Marinated Tomatoes, Pesto, served of Thick Cut Country Bread. It will knock your socks off. This dish is wonderful and different.
Robert LaPata has generously set the menu standard high with decent affordable prices. He has also created some of the best specials in the city for this menu. Daily specials are also excellent.When you are all finished with your meal, a nice way to end your palate party may be some of Artists Cafe Homemade Gelato. It is creamy and delicious. My personal favorites are the Cannoli and the Pistashio. Or, if you are in the mood for a dessert, you can go to the pastry counter and pick out a fabulous treat by La Briola. The Artists Cafe offers some of the best Intelligentsia Coffee in the city. Â Tell them I sent ya!
This place is fantastic and exactly what this neighborhood needed! Â The food is so delicious and the menu is perfect - unique options with fresh ingredients. Â I can't seem to find their menu online, but you won't be disappointed. Also, everyone who works here is unbelievably nice! I love coming here!
Review Source:I've been to this new location three times since they've opened and I now consider myself to be a regular. Between myself and my fiance, we've never been disappointed with the food, the service or the establishment itself.
The first time we went was about 10:15am on a Monday morning. The men at the front desk said that lunch wasn't served until 11:00am, but they would accomodate us if we wanted something else besides breakfast. They also offered us a free sample of their Gelato and it was fantastic.
I've had the breakfast bowl twice and it was amazing each time.
Every member of the crew I encountered has been incredibly friendly which made my dining experience that much better! The building as well as bathroom is always clean and I look forward to each visit.
The only thing I would like to see is what most people have commented on so far. Some type of Combo meal would be nice to have. Besides that, this restaurant is a wonderful addition to the South Loop area.
Banh mi sandwich 7.95= You get a stale roll with nice grill marks, microwaved mushy mystery meat, soggy carrots and radish, and some sort of weird white sauce. I can't believe this passes. And after answering honestly when asked how everything was, the snippy cashier told me that the meat was "the best quality" and that the sandwich was a house favorite--yeah right! maybe if you had no eyes or tastebuds.
Review Source:I thoroughly enjoyed my Grilled Chicken Cobb salad (minus the bacon). Â The creamy scallion dressing was delicious and the chicken was great! However, things are a bit overpriced. $2.50 for seasoned fries is a bit much, especially since I purchase those same fries (in a large bag that is sold to restaurants on 71st Street) for the same price. Â You are getting more than 100% overhead on one order of fries and that's ridiculous!!!
My suggestion would be like everyone else's on here. Â If you want to survive, I suggest offering combos and also fries with the sandwiches.
Service is good. The cashier let me sample all the Gelato and all was great. Highly recommend that.
Good food and fantastic ice-cream (Gelato!). The staff is very friendly and attentive, always asking if you liked the food and offer samples of their selection (the homemade chips were a hit!).
I would perhaps suggest adding a few more small tables (sofas?) and perhaps some plants to increase the density and cosiness.
All in all, I recommend this place. They also have free WiFi connection, making this a great little neighborhood place to grab a bite to eat and do some work.
Just tried one of their hot sandwiches, that cost $8 with no side, and was extremely disappointed. The pork tasted great, but there was not a lot on there. I would think if anything when you open a new business you'd put a little extra on, but it really wasn't much. The bun was nothing special either. The cost doesn't come close to the product. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a horrible sandwich, just not worth $8, it would be a GREAT $6 sandwhich WITH a side! Or double the meat put on it! I will not be back, only because of the cost though.
Review Source:Overall I think Artist's Cafe was a nice spot with a lot of potential. We had the Caprese Panini, which although was very small, it was packed with flavor ($7). We also had the Green Tomato BLT ($7) which had a nice taste. The Bacon was thick and stood out in the sandwich, but was a little disappointed by the lack of tomato. My only problem with AC is the cost. None of their sandwiches come with fries/chips (an extra $2) or drink (extra $2). They'd do better with a combo price for a drink and side because the serving sizes (for lunch at least) seemed kind of small.
The staff was very attentive and friendly. Â And the facilities were well designed and artsy. It was only their 4th day open, so I'm sure they'll make some adjustments and this will become a great spot for breakfast or lunch.
Owned by the same folks who own Artist's Cafe on South Michigan Avenue. Â Curious that they would use the same name since the format here is different (no table service and a smaller menu which focuses on sandwiches and salads) and particularly curious since the original location doesn't exactly have a good reputation. Â But I'm not here to critique their branding strategy, just want to point out that it's a much different place than the one on South Mich.
The space is very attractive and service is friendly. Â The menu includes breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, wraps, soup and gelato. Â I had a ham & cheese on a pretzel roll. Â Tasty, but at 9 bucks kinda pricy, particularly since it's not served with anything. Â Homemade chips are a $4 add-on. So a sandwich, chips and a drink can set you back as much as 16 bucks.
Yes it's not Subway. Â It's not the Bongo Room either, but those are Bongo Room prices.
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