Julius Meinl Coffee House

Approval Rate: 87%

87%Approval ratio

Reviews 24

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  • by

    citysearch1437_301541

    Wed Oct 07 2009

    Wonderful coffee house! ANd the food is great too! My husband is from Europe, and so he is what I call a coffee snob and when we found thi...

  • by

    theculinar

    Sat Dec 13 2008

    My husband woke up craving a Chicago-style hot dog, but our daughter Emily had something entirely different in mind. We were visiting her new hometown, and a pastry from Julius Meinl's authentic Austrian cafe would be the next best thing to breakfast in bed. Who could argue with Viennese coffee delivered to your table on a small silver tray, French toast smothered in baked bananas, luscious pumpkin pancakes, or baked eggs with pancetta, spinach and feta cheese? It's easy to see why Julius Meinl has become a favorite gathering place for neighbors on Chicago's north side, a place where you can linger over coffee and quiet conversation and forget about all the errands you have to run on a busy Saturday morning. See my complete review at "The Culinary Tourist."

  • by

    dietch1

    Sat Sep 27 2008

    We frequent this spot at least once a weekend. We love the baked eggs, almond croissants and lattes. However, every time we are there the service is incredibly slow. Once or twice is understandable, but without fail it takes too long to order, get the coffee or food to the table and you can add ten more minutes waiting for the bill.

  • by

    citysearch8550_92612

    Fri Apr 25 2008

    This is a very classy coffee shop! They serve great drinks and also a variety of deserts and meals! Very fun atmosphere! Great alternativ...

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    mosaicstar

    Mon Sep 10 2007

    Julius Meinl is one of my favorite cafes in Chicago. I lived in Vienna for a while and this place lives up to its European counterparts. I especially love the high tea here which is not as pricey as the Drake Hotel but the food is definitely better. I have never had any trouble with the service at Julius Meinl, they have always been nice and friendly.

  • by

    vegitoboi1_422104039

    Sun Jul 22 2007

    One phrase says it all, Mmmmmm!!! I haven't been there recently (being since Winter 06), but I think it's time I stop in and have some dessert and one of their specialty mochas (yum) =p. Actually, I found out about this place from my "ex" who just happened to have some good taste (except for dumping me for an uglier guy of course, but that's another story). Believe me, once you step in and order something, you'll never want to head back to any Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks ever again. What's surprising to me is that they've never been featured on Food Network or any food shows. What's wrong Rachael Ray, can't make it out to Lakeview? Wether it's a cold winter's day (or any type of day for that matter), or coming from the Musicbox Theater after a show, this place will surely warm you up with their tea or espresso drinks and put the "sweet" back in your sweetooth.

  • by

    lkens1

    Sat Feb 17 2007

    I'm not sure if they are made in-house or not, but they have the amazing chocolate cupcakes with frosting. What a treat!

  • by

    irdon1

    Tue Jun 20 2006

    very nice place. good coffee. good prices. Great customer service. Environment is great. It's spacious, a variety of couches, lounge chairs, and working tables. Parking is not a problem.

  • by

    belmotcafe

    Sat Jul 09 2005

    Good coffee and many choices of tea (little bit pricy)....but nothing is very special. Servers really sock. Very slow, rude, and unprofessional. Sweets were not great either. Some of them were dried out. They try to make the shop fancy, but not good at all. Not recommended.

  • by

    citysearch_1447661721

    Wed Jun 01 2005

    The coffee is delicious. The pastries are little works of art (and are pricey, but worth it if you are treating yourself). Fresh soups, sa...

  • by

    newmail545

    Thu May 19 2005

    Julius Meinl used to be my favorite cafe in the City, but since it has become popular I hve had two instances when I came to its doors and had to turn back and go someplace else because the wait was 20 mins! I think waiting 20 mins to get coffee or a pastry is unreasonable. I guess they can't do anything about being so popular but still.... The teas are awesome, the Death by chocolate too, I wouldn't say all of their deserts taste as good as they look (and they look Really good!).

  • by

    ked6841

    Mon May 16 2005

    I love going and sitting here. It just feels so relaxing. I'm picky about my coffee and this definitely is my favorite place to get it from. I'm so sad to be moving away from this place.

  • by

    contributo2327_15

    Tue Dec 28 2004

    In Short As legendary coffee roaster Julius Meinl's first store in the U.S., this Lakeview shop is authentically Viennese. Coffee is delivered to tables on small silver trays, and the interior of leather-upholstered benches and suspended light fixtures was built in Austria and shipped to the States. Choices on the beverage menu include Meinl's famous coffees, plus iced lattes, espressos, mochas and hot chocolate. Nibbles include tuna melts, strudels and traditional breakfasts of poached egg, ham and Emmentaler cheese.

  • by

    scattereds7880_99340

    Sat Mar 20 2004

    Julius Meinl is an excellent addition to the Chicago cafe scene. Hopefully it'll be a standby for years to come. This isn't to say that polishing isn't needed. For one, service tends to either be disinterested or overly precious. Certain details are attended to, others are forgotten. For example, why so stingy with the sugar? One packet came with my coffee, one request for extra packets was ignored, and another request was partially honored. I received 2 packets of sugar to sweeten both mine and my wife's coffees. Perhaps I like sweeter coffee than most, but I hated having to beg like this. That aside, everything I've tried here, sandwiches, sweets, soda and coffees were delicious and I definitely appreciate the atmosphere; refined without being intimidating. It's a particularly attractive destination during late evening, when a calm, comfortable site is the perfect compliment to strong coffee and conversations.

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    pixy_stix1

    Thu Jul 31 2003

    I really like this place. I love that the pace is less rushed and less cookie-cutter like than Starbucks. I had a bowl of soup and it was superb. The service wasn't as good as you would expect especially since it wasn't crowded. One visit I had great service and on others it wasn't so great. It's a toss up. The desserts were a bit dry for my taste. I've have dessert on each of my visits and, sadly, have not really enjoyed it.

  • by

    miriam1

    Mon Mar 31 2003

    How nice in a world of fast coffee places to find somewhere that understands what is means to have coffee. Not only are the pastries made fresh on location but they are delicious and beautiful. This was a wonderful, relaxing cafine and sugar high!

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    misanne1

    Thu Jan 09 2003

    Once you have had Julius Meinl coffee you will never go back to what we americans have been accustomed to. The coffee is smooth, the atmosphere is elegant, and the pastries are sinful. For the chocolate lovers, I would recommend the Mohr Hemd. Hungry for a light lunch, the soups are fantastic however, the sandwiches could use some work. What happened to the fresh roasted turkey breast?? Overall, check this place out...you won't be disapointed!

  • by

    lakeview66

    Thu Jan 02 2003

    The place has a lot going for it. Excellent coffee and very good pastries, but cant seem to get its act together. Should be refined and elegant, but seems like a ball of confusion. I'll give it another try, but am disappointed in their execution of what should not be so difficult.

  • by

    jbakija1

    Wed Jan 01 2003

    Absolutely wonderful addition to Chicago! The coffee and pastries are outstanding; so exciting to get a true Melange in Chicago. Waitstaff seems somewhat overwhelmed. Once they serve you, service is great; however, it sometimes takes a long time to get their attention with the seat-your-self service. Nice to see people of all ages enjoying themselves. Overall, there isn't a better place to spend a Sat or Sun afternoon. Skip coffee & dessert next time your're out for dinner, and stop here instead!

  • by

    luc_physic

    Thu Dec 19 2002

    I stopped by Meinl for the first time a month ago, and seemed to be swept thousands of miles away to a small kafehaus in Vienna. My order of loose-leaf Earl Grey soon arrived on a steel tray, complete with a small glass of water, for the Viennese touch. I also ordered what turned out to be a great Roast Turkey Sandwich. They used some type of sweet, berry-like dressing, giving the sandwich a refreshing taste twist. For dessert, I tried a piece of cake, something that looked like Black Forest. It was ok, a bit dry, but I think that one of the well-touted pastries filling a glass display case near the counter might have been better. I returned with a girl after seeing a film at The Music Box, and the atmosphere in the couch-filled "Sitting Room" was perfect for quiet conversation. I recommend this restaurant wholeheartedly.

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    ptyksins1

    Wed Dec 18 2002

    Top-notch coffee and great service. Desserts are made in-house and are luscious. It's actually a very casual place, despite what one reviewer said.

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    rdl441

    Sun Dec 01 2002

    Charming if hectic at times. Great food, coffee and desserts. A wonderful alternative to Starbucks and other ubiquitous coffee places. Good light lunch food. Could use a more formal seating system when busy (it's grab an open table right now)

  • by

    cityfoodie

    Mon Nov 18 2002

    This place has absolutely no clue about customer service. Waitstaff was unattentive and disorganized. Desserts that are displayed and pre-made took 20 minutes to get to our table. No apologies whatsoever. The coffee came 10 minutes later, long after the desserts were gone. Only after we complained did we get a half-hearted "I'm sorry". If Julius Meinl is attempting to bring a Viennese touch to Chicago's coffee scene, they should try old fashioned customer service. I will never come back to this place again!

  • by

    dawg19981

    Sun Nov 10 2002

    This place is top quality, priced fairly, and quite fancy...but why is it in Lakeview/Wrigleyville? Not that I'm a neighborhood spokesperson, but this joint should be located in the Gold Coast where image is primo and ambiance is king. You can't go wrong with a small group, but this is not a place to relax and hang out for casual enjoyment.