Spoken Cafe - Chicago, Illinois

Carl S.

This place is the real deal. The grits are out of this world, creamy, rich flavor, with cracklings and chili, it just fed my soul in a way that normally only mom’s cooking can. I highly recommend the grits.
Seeing the turkey was brined in house I went with that and was delighted at how flavorful and moist the turkey is, they pull it like pulled pork, on top an everything bagel, so chewy and crunchy, is divine to dip in the cheesy grits.
Saturday morning it was busy but moves fast. The inside is such a good vibe. The people who work there seem super cool and are friendly. Big selection of pastries with flavors you don’t often see, and they hand make jam. Not to mention the boudin. Already dreaming about next visit

brent S.

We have regularly been visiting this cozy coffee shop and enjoyed it very much. The variety of donuts are appreciated by my kids and they gobble them down every time. Somewhat like a Louisiana Wolfhound.

Today was no exception. One child consumed a chocolate topped brown donut with a smoosh
Of
Extra chocolate. Seems to me they also loved the cappuccino. The swirl was legit.

Even the water with aluminum cups is sustainable.

We achieved street parking so that was a good fit for
Our busy schedules.

Then we can walk to the brown line train L which is only steps away. School, breakfast, everything is within reach and we recommend more visits to SPOKEN.

A chicago classic.

Michael D.

Fantastic cafe and coffee shop nestled next to the brown line.

A little slice of southern Louisiana, they have some very delicious options that can be very hard to find around the city like grits and boudin.

Ontop of the standard cafe fare they have some packaged goods for sale like jams, pickles, and pre made dishes. Everything including the packaged goods are made in house as well.

Decor and a very nice owner & staff round out a great experience. Very worth your time to go out of the way for this one.

Martin L.

This cafe has such a warm and neighborly atmosphere. I really enjoyed the lox bagel sandwich I got. I don’t get bagel sandwiches often and at $15 before tax, the sandwich felt kind of small for the cost. But I enjoyed every bite of it- tasted very fresh. And I’m excited to come back and try other breakfast and bagel sandwiches.

Vina K.

I recently visited Spoken Café and had a mostly enjoyable experience. I ordered an everything wrap with pesto, bacon, and scrambled eggs, which was fresh and delicious—definitely the highlight of my visit. The fresh orange juice was also refreshing and complemented the meal nicely.

The coffee, however, left me feeling disappointed—but not because it wasn’t good. I ordered a macchiato and was so excited for it, only to be surprised by the size. It was served in a tiny shot-sized cup, much smaller than what I was expecting. While the coffee itself was good, the portion was underwhelming and took away from the experience. It seems there was a misunderstanding on my part about what to expect, but it was still disappointing.

On top of that, the price was quite steep. I paid $30 for the wrap, orange juice, and macchiato, which felt a bit excessive.

Overall, Spoken Café has tasty food and good coffee, but the price and my unexpected letdown with the macchiato size left me feeling mixed about the visit. If you go, the breakfast wraps won’t disappoint, but dont order machiato , order latte.

Elliott Y.

Fresh orange juice, prime ingredient coffees/lattes, and a truly bangin' bagel experience. I'll probably come here any morning I'm in this part of Chicago, there's so much more on the menu I want to try. I was here years ago, and again recently - it's as good as ever, and you should tell your early rising friends to try it.

Also they serve your bagels in these delightful little baskets with napkins holders underneath, and metal cups for water and cold drinks. Primo user experience.

All the above aside, one of my best friends is an acknowledged regular here, and that tells me enough.

Eloise

The bagels are some of the best in the neighborhood. A smaller space that is usually quite busy, but a cozy atmosphere overall. Friendly staff and lots of creative breakfast offerings

Mary M.

Came here for the first time today mainly because I needed a place to kill time before work and they were the one place in the area that was open early and had good parking. (It’s free street parking before 8am!!) I came in and was immediately greeted. At 730am I was bracing myself for a tense crowd and anxious patrons but instead it was completely opposite. Instead there were some laid back customers and the workers were really happy and nice. What really stood out to me is how literally every one of the customers would talk to each other. I assumed everyone knew each other but they were all strangers. People would just start conversations about anything. How cool! Maybe I came in on a pleasant day but it seemed like everyone’s been there before and it was just the norm. Also they are big on sustainability. The food was good. And they sell local gifts. Prices felt a little high (almost $30 for my drink, sandwich, and tip) for me but to do it regularly but the food was good. Great experience I’ll def be there again soon! ☕️💕