Julius Meinl

Peter was funny and helpful to suggest the Frankfurter Worstel, that was not on the menu. So good! The place is charming, nice service and jazz and blues by Ken Shiokawa to boot.

It was ok. Metropolis has better coffee.
The sandwiches are perfectly sandwich-​y.
The salad greens didn’t have any wilty bits in them, which I like, as most places that serve you salad with your sandwich just toss a fistful out of a bag onto your plate without looking to see if there are any of those partly liquefied lettuce gobs in it. I don’t know about anyone else, but those squik me out.
On the spendy side, but, Lakeview. Everything is overpriced.
I’d go back if I was in the neighborhood, but wouldn’t make any special effort to go otherwise.

I was pretty disappointed during my recent visit here. I have been here a couple of times for some coffee and pastries to go and have enjoyed good coffee and tasty pastries. Although I have never felt real welcome by the staff here, this last visit really left me feeling like their staff really doesn’t care much.
I ordered a spinach and cheese croissant (great, BTW) and asked if it could be warmed up. The girl at the counter said, «it’s still warm.» Which I took as a «no.» I didn’t press the issue, but found out when I got to the car that it was not warm at all. I put it in the oven when I got home and it was very tasty though! Anyway, I felt it was lazy and showed a lack of service to tell me it was still warm when it surely was not.
Anyway, speaking of warm, or cold, whatever, I also ordered an apple strudel which I noticed was actually frozen in the center! Really? I know it’s early, but at least defrost your frozen pastries before offering them for sale! I had always assumed that their pastries were at least fresh baked, if not even on premise! I guess you have no way to know when or where your Julius Meinl pastry was baked, which I found very disappointing. But they should at least fully defrost these things before selling them in a café. And didn’t this lazy counter worker realize that it was cold as an ice cube? Maybe my request to warm the other item might have triggered the thought to warm this up too? No, cold croissant and frozen strudel were served instead.
On top of this, the atmosphere here feels quite stuffy to me. Lots of self-​important types that wear admiral’s caps and crap like that. Pretty much every time I walk by there are people with snooty looks on their faces and weird outfits on. I don’t think I’ll be back, it’s just not my type of place. Between the strange, off putting atmosphere and the cold pastries shipped from God knows where and the indifferent service, I think I’ll just steer clear in the future.

What can I say, this is a wonderful brunch spot. I love that you feel welcomed to sit and stay on a Saturday for as many foofy coffee drinks as you’d like, instead of being hoarded in and out like most brunch spots on the weekends.
It’s the most perfect place for a coffee date. Not too loud, and with a twist of Austrian to keep things interesting. You’ll find some traditional Austrian foods on the menu like spaetzel and lox platters, but also an assortment of more Americanized items. Everything I’ve tried here is great. The spinach and feta croissant… AMAZING. The flakiest, most buttery little pastry of goodness, oh my gosh. I could eat one every day. The baked eggs are also to die for. It’s the perfect amount of food so that you’re not overstuffed.
I highly recommend everyone gives this place a shot. It’s such a shining star on the Southport strip!

The café is beautiful, but I have to say, the staff was a bit… off. I’m usually really considerate of staff, too, but the people working this morning were just not communicating.
I asked if they had breakfast besides what was in the display case, and the guy looked at my blankly. I asked again, still blank stare and this time clear confusion. I heard the guys in the back speak Spanish, and I thought «okay maybe language barrier, no big deal» so I asked in (fluent) Spanish and SAME blank stare. I got an egg sandwich… after pointing to it. Then another girl came to actually ring me up, and she didn’t understand, either. She did, at least, tell me they don’t have breakfast (which leaves me confused).
Where are the baked eggs I read about? Where are all the delicious pastries? I was looking forward to them! Ah well, I have my sandwich. I am, however, less than impressed, especially since I know the Julius Meinl brand from Europe, so I was kinda looking forward to this!
Maybe they’re just having an off morning, I dunno.

I love love love this place! It is one of the few locations, where you could get decent European style coffee in Chicago. Great espresso, cappuccinos and Viennese specialty espresso drinks. Baked eggs and almond croissants are to die for. Black forest cake is pretty decent. Free live music on some Fridays and Saturdays is a nice addition (check their website for schedule). The atmosphere is very similar to all the Julius Meinls in Vienna (just louder, of course, since we’re not actually in Vienna), and the newspapers on wooden boards just made me smile.

This place is the best employees are awesome! Large Americano comes with four shots and small with 3 on the other hand Starbucks gives you 2 shots they also occasionally have live musicians to come and play and creat a classy unique environment. Their breakfast is great and closest thing to a European coffee shop you can get. I have tried most of their drinks and so far everything is exceptional. If your in lake view area this is a must stop place.

Love this place for brunch. I went with 2 of my friends and the staff was very knowledgable and accommodating. The atmosphere is lovely. The only thing that will keep me from returning all the time are the steep prices… But as they say, you get what you pay for…

I came in to do some work and have a coffee. I purchased my coffee and sat down and when I asked for the wifi name, they informed me that they don’t turn on the wifi until five to avoid having people come in and not leave.
This information isn’t made available any where and had I known I would have gone somewhere else.

I broke my ban on this Meinl location recently, having previously boycotted it due to the most consistently terrible service in Chicago. I stopped by on my way to work shortly after they opened. I walked in and was the only customer in the entire store. While the guy was taking my order at the register, a woman came in and stood behind me. I paid for my americano and I swear to god I knew what was going to happen next. Yup, sure enough, the guy then starts taking the woman’s order rather than getting my americano. Well guess what? She was ordering three drinks, all with some special request so the process took a while. He then goes and makes all of HER drinks and gives them to her. Then he gets started on mine.
I got mad and actually told the guy the service sucks and I was done coming there. Next step is writing email to corporate. The place is a disgrace.

Don’t like being ignored while waiting at the counter. Not likely to come back. Had the red envelope and tore it up.

Although I didn’t expect a full-​service coffee shop, it’s great. The seating is varied and spread out throughout, the coffee needs no milk or drust, it’s just that good. Free refills while you sit, along with water and a cookie! Great recommendation from a friend to visit during my stay in Chicago. Again, just note you’ll pay more than a standard «coffee shop». Didn’t have the food, but everything seems to be popular. Big windows, music not too loud, attentive service.

Entrees, coffee, pastries are very good, read the other comments, can’t add much.
We have been many times, but not for a year, and definitely facilities in need of attention, just seems on a decline, chairs, couches, etc so beat up it kind of creeped us out. Staff, a bit of an attitude? What’s with that? Usually means there’s some issues with management. mBut then we did get one nice waitress.
Nice stop before/​after the Music Box, my grandaughter liked it. But I wouldn’t take a date I wanted to impress – that’s a change from 1 or 2 years ago

Friends and I were visiting the area and asked a local for a breakfast spot on Southport. She suggested here and we trusted her! The atmosphere is quaint and welcoming, I liked it the instant I walked in. I decided on the ham and cheese quiche (the quiche of the day that morning) and added a side of fruit. The quiche was delicious and the side of fruit was beyond my expectations (I’m used to honeydew and cantaloupe). Everything tasted so fresh and our server was very attentive. Great experience!

Awesome service and awesome latte. I seem to get my usual, vanilla latte, and also got the quinoa salad!!! Amazeballs, wish I had a picture to put up. (Maybe will be my excuse to go back and get it again!!!)
Did some work from here and was a nice environment, people coming in and out for coffee dates and some working with their laptops. Great atmosphere.
Only thing is that there is no parking lot, parking is pay to park down Southport, but if you know the neighborhood, there are streets that are permit parking (starting at 6pm), but also be careful in reading signs because there are streets where it is permit parking ALL day! You don’t want to pay the city of Chicago ($ 75), total waste of money!
Enjoy Fellow Unilocalers :)

The coffee is always very good. The food is always very good.
Two things are not — the level of service and the seating. I really don’t know why the service is so slow when the place is so small. Getting menus, getting your order in, getting your check. I often just go to the front counter to do this stuff, but they promptly tell me to go back and sit in my seat until they send the server over.
The other weird part is the seating. Its so small its like little tike furniture. I feel like a giant sitting at the tables because the surface is practically the same level as my lap when I sit. And I’m normal sized. Alot of the tables and seats are broken/​screwed up. There’s this one booth that would be a good seat, but the springs in it are broken so it feels like you’re sitting in a hole. I don’t know if its just old or some massively fat person broke it, but the place won’t replace it. It’s like they’re punishing their customers.
Same with the patio seating. I practically had to re-​arrange the whole thing to find a table/​two-​chairs combo that wasn’t crazy wobbely.
Fortunately the staff is a bit snarky, so enough people stay away so its easy to get a table!

Looking for the ideal breakfast spot to fill your waffle indulgence? Maybe you dance a cup of amazing French press café. Or maybe you just love breakfast! Whatever your taste buds linger for, this quaint spot in the heart of Wrigleyville is sure to please.
Breakfast and Brunch times on the weekends tend to make this the idea spot to grab a bite and catch up with friends, as many patrons were seen doing, so there may be a slight wait. No worries, these guys are on the ball and they will help make your wait that much smoother, or grab your items to-​go like some busy locals choose to do. I found this place especially wonderful on my rainy day visit. As soon as we walked in, I found this place to be just like a mini bistro out of a movie, with classic décor and all the smells of a a coffee connoisseurs dream come true. Not only do they have their own amazing blend, but it is available for purchase.
I ordered a simple breakfast of eggs and bacon with their french press while my guest had french toast. All the items were on par and perfect treat on the rainy day. Our server, even though he had quite a few tables and was super busy making sure everyone was happy, was still very much attentive to our needs, often looking at our table to see if we needed water, condiments or anything else. While our stop was quick, since we had other plans for the day, it was quite easy to get in, sit down to eat and leave. But, before we left, i grabbed a bag of whole bean coffee for my french press at home.
Just an FYI, they do not have a parking lot so you will have to find street parking, which during the busy days can be quite daunting. However, the neigborhoods nearby have quite a few spots if you do not find anything on the main street. Not the most quiet place to eat, but overall a great stop for breakfast.

Let me start by saying this is not my kind of place. I recently had to give up coffee (for a few reasons) so, I wasn’t thrilled about coming to a coffee place. I did have a tea, green tea and I thought it was okay at best. I don’t know if it just wasn’t strong enough or if it was whatever else was mixed with it. I just thought it was okay. The atmosphere was great. I think if I came here 4 months ago when I drank coffee, I would have loved this place.
I’m sure I will get haters and that’s fine. I just wasn’t that big of a fan.

I loved everything I ordered, but Meinl lost a star for my friends’ orders.
This place is known for its authentically Austrian coffee, served on silver trays with a caramel biscuit. I ordered the Frankin-​something (sorry! I can’t remember the real name!). It was small, but deliciously strong, with the right amount of foam and unsweetened whipped cream.
The Meinl Baked Eggs with avocado, cilantro, etc. were incredible and perfectly seasoned. I seriously add hot sauce to EVERYTHING, but the herbs and onions added a freshness and crunch that didn’t deserve to be drowned in bottled spice & saltiness. The baked eggs are served with two slices of toast (choice of Ciabatta, sourdough, pumpernickel) and butter & jam. I basically licked the plate clean.
My sis got the Austrian Breakfast, which may be authentic but didn’t warrant the price tag. A soft-​boiled egg (served in the shell) with slices of toast, salmon, and Swiss cheese… didn’t quite satiate. My friend’s Brioche Sandwich was a bit dry and small — could have used a side of sauce. They ordered the fruit cup to make up for it, but it needed more berries or grapes or something besides the usual bananas and apples.
Overall, I think the food menu may be hit or miss — but order wisely, and you’ll hopefully luck out!

Good place for breakfast. It has a great terrace perfect for a coffee! Real coffee
The food is good. It takes a little bit to be served but once it comes, you know why.
On the other hand, and it applies to all the places I have been in the States, freshly squeezed orange juice it is not what you serve…

I just love Julius Meinl! It’s adorable. I can’t believe I lived in the area for 3 years and never stopped in. So glad to have finally came for breakfast with friends this past weekend.
They have indoor and outdoor seating, but we opted for a seat inside because it was a tad chilly. They have a great breakfast menu. I’m a sucker for a good quiche so I inquired about the quiche of the day — veggie and goat cheese. Yum! Goat cheese is my absolute favorite so that was a no brainer. I ordered a side of fruit (which I thought it came with) which had an unexpected up-​charge of I want to say like $ 2.99. I thought this was a bit steep, but I did get a lot of fruit. A good variety too with banana, strawberries, apples, blueberries, and pineapple.
The quiche itself was delish. The perfect veggie to cheese and egg ratio. I also thought the crust was the perfect density — not super crispy or mushy, just right. My favorite part of this breakfast experience were the beverages. So cute! I ordered the blue sky iced green tea which was phenomenal. I so appreciated that it was unsweetened. My tea was served on a silver platter with a straw, sugar, spoon, and cookie. Just darling! My friends ordered a coffee and a diet coke and they were both brought out the same way.
Our waitress was friendly and our food came out fast. It was a nice relaxed and quiet atmosphere. Great for catching up with friends on a Saturday morning.

Julius Meinl takes you to Europe with their design and food. I really enjoyed my time here. It’s a great median between a casual café and European charm.
I ordered the quinoa salad which was interesting, but really good. I also tried a little of the harvest salad as well as the veggie sandwich. Both were delicious! I was a little upset that they discarded the combo option…
As for dessert I tried their esterhazy. A little too sweat for me, but I am looking forward to try their banana tres leches in the spring.
Great place to come read, study or hang out with friends.

Julius Meinl was exactly what I was lookin for to do some school work in the morning.
I thought it was going to be styled like a restaurant which it IS but it also has a coffee shop vibe.
I was in the mood for a bacon egg and cheese bagel sandwich. They do not appear to have even 1 bagel in the whole place which is fine obvi so I got the same items on a «mini brioche bun». I thought it was pretty cheap at $ 5.80 but I did not realize mini meant LITERALLY MINI it was about 2 inches by 3 inches by 2 inches tall. It was very good but also very tiny.
i had a nice iced mocha too but I forgot my earbuds otherwise I would have stayed and studied a lot longer.
The atmosphere was perfect for spending a nice morning there on the internet.

I came here with a friend for coffee and pastries one morning. I ordered the café au lait, monkey bread, and croissant. The croissant was very flakey and buttery. Just the way it should be! I would skip the monkey bread next time. Nothing special.
The service was very poor. My friend had to flag down the waiter several times for her order. It was coffee and a pastry. It shouldn’t have taken so long that she told me to start eating first.
If I come back, I will definitely order my things to go.

Julius Meinl, quel nom étrange pour un établissement spécialise en petits-​déjeuners et brunch, sans oublier les sandwichs. Situé sur Southport Avenue non loin du CVS, c’est un endroit très agréable et paisible le matin pour s’y poser.
Deux choix possibles, soit au comptoir pour prendre des consommations à emporter avec cafés, thés et autres viennoiseries. Soit a table, et la c’est un service classique avec une belle carte complète de petit déjeuner et brunch.
La carte justement parlons en ! Elle est très réussie sans doute à cause de ses inspirations de divers pays et notamment l’Allemagne avec de belles pâtisseries. Tout les classiques américains du petit déjeuner sont au rendez-​vous, une petite touché française avec une quiche et une anglaise avec les œufs brouillés et bacon.
Bref j’ai été bien séduit par cet établissement tant par sa carte et ses mets que par son ambiance et sa salle !