The Spoke & Bird (South Loop)

Came here with my 9 year old for a quick breakfast before heading to The Field Museum. Having never been here before, the layout confused us a bit - the dining room is down the block from the outdoor patio where orders are placed. We quickly got over that though. The outdoor seating area is massive and beautiful, but we opted for the dining room since my kiddo was chilly. The vibes are great. They weren't super busy so no service issues. The food was A+. I got the grits bowl, and my kiddo got the classic breakfast. Both were delicious, but I really loved the grits bowl. I would definitely visit again!

- Kristina Chamis -

This is a very nice cafe in a beautiful part of historic Chicago that is well worth a visit. I went here for a quick lunch during a convention just to tide me over until dinner and the sandwich was exceptional. The bread was toasted lightly, but not overly toasted, just enough to give a good crunchy mouth feel that went great with the tomato bisque soup. One thing that is kind of silly is that when looking at the menu, it seems like it makes more financial sense to order certain sandwiches with toppings that effectively make them another sandwich. For example my wife wanted a BLT but we were able to sasve $7 by her ordering a grilled cheese sandwich and adding bacon and tomato. I'm sure this type of thing happens and it kind of makes the menu more confusing than I think it really needs to be. Anyways, the sandwiches were great and the soup was nice and creamy. Overall the food was good, but not terribly filling, which was good since I was only stopping here to tide myself over until dinner time. Would recommend for the atmosphere and how close it is to parks!

- Tyler Gubala -

Stumbled upon a hidden gem in Chicago — Spoke & Bird! Tried their grit bowl and it hit the spot — savory, hearty, and full of flavor. I also grabbed an iced spiced latte, which was delicious but had me feeling like I was sipping a chai latte with a cinnamon red-hot tucked in my cheek (not mad about it, just surprised!). It’s a beautiful day here in Chicago, and I seriously wish I could teleport y’all to enjoy it with me.

- Amanda Faulkner -

The staff was so nice and the food was delicious! Was near by for a conference and went here at least once a day for breakfast, plus one lunch. The French toast was perfectly cooked every time, which can’t be said for many places. Drip coffee was fantastic. We ordered one to go meal and it was ready right when we had it scheduled. Highly recommend this neighborhood gem!

- Marin Parker -

Cool space, huge outdoor area for breakfast and brunch. Egg sandwich was fine, however the veggie sandwich (mushroom and cauliflower) was excellent, highly recommended. Service is slow, don't go there if you are in a hurry.

- c l -

I walked by this place many times during the late summer and early fall months and noticed that this spot had many people using their indoor and outdoor dining areas. Also, good mix of people of all ages that seemed to be from the neighborhood and surrounding. I would have to try this spot before it got too cold. Finally got around to it and ordered some of their signature breakfast offerings. I had to try their egg breakfast sandwich with ham and cheese on a brioche bun. This was really tasty and the ham was more reminiscent of ham carved off the bone similar to those at Christmas dinner. It was a bit too salty for me but still devoured it with gusto. I also tried their swiss and mushroom omelette. To me it was a fairly decent sized omelette, and they sure did not skimp on the mushrooms. Well-seasoned and earthy sauteed mushrooms with the salty melted cheese all wrapped up in an egg blanket was delicious. Only thing I felt amiss here was the pricing which I felt was a bit overpriced. But still really enjoyed everything here. Washed it all down with a tall cup of coffee (it wasn’t quite as hot as I like my coffee). I would like to try the outdoor seating next season during summer.

- Rolo -