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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Latin American, Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
Neighborhood: Logan Square"I had heard that the word on the street at Humboldt Park is that Borinquen had the best jibarito ever. I agree. For those who don't know,…" read more »
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Well this was a nice surprise. I was looking for a place not too expensive and a nice walking distance on a Saturday evening that wasn't a bar and wasn't just another taco joint, so I checked Yelp, and once again was not let down.
Inside is a cherry but cozy little coffee shop atmosphere with a few tables not too close together. The fella and I sat down and were greeted by a lovely server who seemed very excited and actually knew the food being served. I was expecting, at best, a decent diner type sandwich, but there were several Mediterranean pastas, 'wiches, and snacks along side the usual cheeseburger and chicken soup of the day. When in Rome...
I got the Shepard's sandwich, which is grilled eggplant, roasted red pepper, grilled chicken, onions, lettuce and mayo on a grilled whole wheat roll. It was delicious. The fella had a similar concoction, but went full veggie so he got more on his - I actually preferred his, I found the veggies were very flavorful and didn't miss the meat on his. We both got salads (you can choose between Caesar, house, fries, and some other side dish I can't recall) that were fresh and crispy. Nice. These were about 6:50 each plate.
As an appetizer, we indulged in the zaalouk-sort of a Mediterranean bruschetta- grilled eggplant, tomatoes, olive oil and seasoning that made it nice and fresh tasting and not oily (or slimy as some eggplant dishes are) served with warm pita triangles. Yum. About $5. I started with a bowl of really good lentil soup. Mom would approve.
They also serve smoothies, coffees, and desserts such as flan and cheesecake. There are mroe substantial meals there. I am a peeker, so I checked out the pasta dishes served (they range from about 6-10 $) and they looked pretty good sized and the people eating them seemed to be regulars who have come back a few times. Good sign, right?
The people there seemed to be pretty laid back pals and date couples. Nothing too swanky, not full of smelly hipsters, nor freshly minted Wicker Park yuppies. Nice young neighborhood young kids. As I write this, I can practically hear the cheesiness flying off my fingers, but it had that feel of homey authentic young artsy folks getting a decent meal because they spent all week at their jobs working for douchebags and now they are gonna listen to their buddy's band and chill out over a Pabst - not because it's trendy, but because they have been drinking that since they snitched one from their folk's fridge.
As the place doubles as a coffee shop, it has the typical coffee shop fare-muffins and cookies, teas and light snacks.
As an added bonus, they have FREE WI FI and are BYOB if a smoothie aint gonna do it for ya.
Lunch special of a sandwich and a side for 6.50.
So I can camp out there for a few hours, suck off your free wi-fi, drink my own brews, and get a full meal for under $7? Me likey.
I liked pretty much everything about this little cafe and look forward to sampling the menu and taking a break form the confines of a cube and doing a little reading here form time to time.
Small, non-descript looking store front that I noticed a couple of times when apartment hunting in the area; honestly, the place did not call out to me in any way. However, once I moved in and had no desire to cook (or no food) the reviews on Yelp prodded me to take a closer look. Surprise, surprise! What a cute little place.
A lot of visual stimulation hits you when you enter; smells of coffee and food, the sounds of a 3-piece (so far both times I have been there has been one), and lots of art work on the walls. A good chunk of the place appears to be dominated by the coffee bar/counter with small 2 and 4 tops around the room, yet with a 3-piece situated inside as well, the room does not feel cramped or overly loud.
As for the food I split some sandwiches with a friend the first time and we got the eggplant and eggplant and chicken; now while I found them to be quite good she felt they were a bit too spicy. While I am not sure their fries are the best in the world as the menu says, they were very good. And the cafe con leche was deliciously sweet and came with a tasty little cookie (Madeline I do believe). The only thing I could ask for would be some more veg options in the sandwich area as the eggplant is the only one; if you are veg your main choices will be off the salad or entree area.
Seeing as they are across the street I feel they will be more of a grab and go option for me (sandwiches and coffees). Not quite sure how often I will dine in though; while they are BYOB I can do the same across the way on my porch.
Yum! and Yay!
I love this place! They have a wide variety of surprisingly low-priced delicious food. I like the zaalouk (a north african/mediterranean dish)... eating it there inspired me to make my own later in the week. Avocado smoothies, yummmm!
The staff seemed so nice and cool! :)
There was a nice little jazz combo playing, even for very few customers. Quite the splendid touch.
A happy little neighborhood spot! I hope their business prospers- I know I'm hooked.
My friend Maria just moved in across the street and we decided to begin our exploration of the neighborhood here. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but once you get inside it's adorable. There was a three-piece jazz band playing when we arrived and there was one other person there at the time so although it is a tiny place, we had plenty of tables to choose from.
Although the band was playing, they kept the volume at a perfect level so as to have a conversation and not have to raise your voice. I ordered an eggplant sandwich as I'm trying to eat more vegetables. The first bite was yummy and then the spices attacked my tongue and I thought my mouth was on fire. Now, keep in mind that I find pepper to be spicy. Maria tried a bite and laughed at me for being a baby (as she was putting hot sauce on her food mind you). I'm sure for the average-joe it would have been super yummy, I just suck it.
I did have a few sips of Maria's café con leche and it was delish. I may make this my coffee stop off point when I crash at her place. I wanted to order a kiwi smoothie but they were out of kiwi, so I will have to make another stop by to try one of those as well.
EMPANADAS!!!!!
This is a great low-key and cheap place to eat.
WeRD
Two stars because I actually feel sort of sorry for this place. I ordered a latte here once, and I am convinced that while I had my back turned the "barista" made fake milk steaming noises with her mouth while she stirred the nescafe crystals into my cup.
The french fries were okay.
My business partner and I order lunch here all the time. You can get a burger and fries, and a burger and salad delivered for like $15. And they take AMEX.
The ability to get a salad is a huge plus, and I am pretty sure they deliver via bike.
Cheap, tasty and fast. Beats subway or pizza.
Really? Atlas is that bad? Whatevs.
During my time in prison--er, I mean, Logan Square--Atlas was the closest wi-fi enabled venue to my apartment. My ex discovered it, and I'd come here fairly frequently to play on the internet (which I was too cheap to get in my apartment). The food was always good, the service fine...it was a perfectly acceptable cafe.
Today, while at Chez Craque for an inordinate amount of time (and I'm still here, surprised that Jenny hasn't kicked my ass out yet), I discovered that I was craving beets. Treat was going to be my dinner option until I learned that they are closed for the Pride festivities ("Pride" as in "Puerto Rican Independence Day Extravaganza").
So I called Atlas and ordered a beet salad and a celery and avocado salad, in anticipation of smaller servings. But these salads were enormous--and fucking delicious, and dirt cheap.
Four stars for now, and I will definitely return once I'm permanently installed in the Crack House.
Had I opened a restaurant when I was 15 and dating a hippie who was into crystals, it probably would have turned out like Atlas Cafe.
Self painted decor, odd atmosphere, "eclectic" menu of all sorts of dishes, plain food, weird folk-reggae-singer songwriter musicians playing so you feel like you're being rude if you speak to your dinner pal.
The whole thing was a trip, and not a pleasant one.
Okay so I stopped by Atlas just the other day and took a chance on the Eggplant Penne.... AMAZING! It's a really simple pasta dish with amazing HUGE pieces of eggplant that taste like they've been fire roasted, chunks of yummy veggies all in a oil/garlic sauce... really light and basically the perfect summer pasta! And the bread they serve along with is totally yummy!
Support local businesses!
Two words ALMOND SMOOTHIE....
Try it and I swear you'll be hooked... even if it is still a bit…
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making steaming noise with her mouth?!? that is so ridiculous - why would anyone do that?!? I am regular at the Atlas Cafe and can assure you this is completely inaccurate. Their coffee is some of the best I have had in town and never have I had instant coffee at the Atlas. so silly...!
Atlas Cafe is definitely a gem in a sea of overpriced, pretentious and overrated restaurants. The place is not trying to bankrupt you, rather just give you good quality food that is fresh and made to order.
I feel bad for the people who have not had a a great time at this place.. you must try it out again.
Eclectic + Delicious = my kind of place
As my friend and I were strolling down Armitage, walking back to her car, we noticed that her car was parked right across the street from this cute little cafe. "An international cafe? hmm..." Seeing that we were both starving I suggested we try it. I had the grilled salmon (I'm a fan of well-grilled fish and seafood), which came on a bed of spinach. The seasoning was amazing and the spinach tasted really fresh. My friend got a mexican dinner. We were both satisfied and impressed. Good food, nice atmosphere, and amazing art (from local artists) all on the walls around us. I loved it.
My second time going wasn't as impressive, but still nice. There was a group having their Christmas party there and so there were only two other tables available, and only one chair to sit on while waiting for a table (wasn't a big deal, it was big enough for both my date and I and neither of us had to sit on the other's lap). Plus, all the big glasses were in use, so we had to drink out of these tiny glasses, which reminded us both of shot glasses because you really only had enough room in them for three sips of water. Though, I felt bad because this is the place I took my date and it wasn't at all what I imagined we both got a kick out of it. The food was out-of-this world once again, as well. I had the chicken Kabob; my date had the chicken alfredo pasta.
I think on a normal day it'd make a nice date place, but when a group is having their Christmas party in there, probably not.
Atlas participated in Share A Meal, which brought me to their door. I just picked up something for a quick to-go lunch. I got the grilled eggplant sandwich and a piece of vegan apple bread. O.M.G. It was not like the best sandwich ever, it was the best sandwich ever. The bread was a nice crusty roll that was toasted perfectly. They veggies were warm off the grill and juicy from the marinaded and it was just so super yum. Also, the apple bread was as good as homemade... which is saying a lot, i make awesome apple bread. I can't want to go back.
I found myself in Atlas quite randomly the other day as due to the glacially slow pace of AT&T customer service I was forced out to find an establishment where I could scavenge some free wi-fi, enjoy a snack and not want to physically assault an another patron. This, of course, rules out pretty much any chain coffee shop and the more pretentious independent shops and being a Saturday evening it ruled out bars as well. Due mostly to proximity I ended up at the Atlas Cafe and enjoyed the experience.
The staff was super friendly and I found them very attentive without being bothersome. The selection of menu items was pretty broad and had some dishes that while not even close to exotic where a step off the beaten path of standard menu items.
The food cam quickly, piping hot and quite tasty; not anything to really brag on but given the moderate price I was very happy with the food I received.
Stopped in to pick up some lunch on the way home. Ordered the lunch combo which included a turkey sandwich and a cup of chili. I thought for the money you got a lot of good food. I will keep going back and trying different things.
nice little on the corner coffee shop where you can get a good bite to eat and a nice conversation with a friendly and familiar barista. they often have local open mic nights and jazz nights. the owners are extremely friendly and if you don't seem too creepy, they'll even hang out with you from time to time.
good food
good coffee
good people!
my four star review is on account they're not open sunday.
I really like Atlas. It's so inexpensive, for starters. They have a wide selection to please just about anyone -- Greek, American, Latin American, seafood, pasta, salads... plus coffee and brownies. Great casual lunch spot.
OK, I just moved into the neighborhood and Atlas is less than 100 feet from my front door. Perfect, right? So I had to check it out. On moving day, I was starving around lunch time, so I went in to grab a burger. It was just OK...a little gray. The menu is very diverse so I could have been a little more adventurous, but I wasn't...Anyway, I see some have raved about the fries, but I'm sure they are not "the best in the world." Those of you that have been to Johnnies know that they have the best fries in the world...and of course the best beef in the world, but I digress.
Back to Atlas...so not very impressed by the first trip. Went back last night for some evening night food because I haven't had time to unpack or go grocery shopping yet. Ordered the Grecian salad and proceeded to enjoy a little free wi-fi. I was really excited about the salad (I can believe I just said I was really excited about a salad. To whom do I turn in my Man Card?!) Anyway, it had sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and goat cheese...What's not to love? Still didn't blow me away, but I did enjoy those aspects and the olives...The dressing was unimpressive.
So, in closing, this place is right next to me, so I know I'll be a frequent visitor and will be sampling the extensive menu. Tomorrow, I'll try the coffee...More to come.
Sat here and read newsweek for a while (they have quite a collection), the Reader, and my own book while enjoying a turkey wrap (whoa! definitely not skimping on the meat!) and a cup of yummy coffee with a mini madelaine on the side (cute!) The atmosphere and decor is a little too DIY for me, but that's just a matter of personal taste. Will be back again!
Atlas Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants. Not only is the food delicious--my favorite dish is the Tres Tacos--but it is a very unpretentious place to relax in. The smoothies are superb. The staff is excellent and friendly and it is genuine, not just about getting your money.
The coffee comes w/ a cookie..... I don't know what that is about but I like it. The place has free WiFi... Can't beat that. The smoothies are awesome even if they are out of season.
I give it an 8 on a scale of 3-13
I'm very surprised at the bad reviews for this place. Atlas Cafe is a hidden gem. The drinks are good. I would recommend either the Oatmeal shake or the Avocado shake. On Wednesday nights they have live music...and when that's not happening they always have a cd in with a great mix. I enjoy the atmosphere. The food is tasty....they have really good bread, which they put their sandwiches on. I also like the service.
If you haven't already this is definitely a place to check out.
I was excited to try this place as it was a mere two blocks from my apartment. I met a blind date there and lets just say both the restaurant and the date were complete disasters. While the waitress was friendly, she was entirely slow. There were virtually no other customers in the place, despite it being a Friday night. I couldn't comprehend why it took so long to cook the simple items we ordered.
I also take issue with the "international and eclectic" claim as it did not execute either concept well. I had high hopes for this place but was saddened that it did not deliver.
This is a great local unique spot for a very casual meal. The decor and menu is eclectic. The owners and staff are wonderful. I almost dropped my rating a star because a couple times I must have had the third-string cook prepare my salad, and the execution was sub-par, but that happens. 9/10 times I love my meal here. Takeout is great. I recomend the grilled steak Chacarero sandwich and the Lime Chicken pasta. BYOB and live music on Wed nights.
I had a pleasant eating experience here. I had a great oatmeal smoothie! The food was good and everything. This place is an anomaly in Logan Square because they actually have salads at decent prices. (Seriously, have you noticed that? Around my old house it was like, McDonalds, tacos, or greasy fried things. or subway.) I will be returning -- despite the Bob Marley.
I recently tried this place for lunch and found it to be average in just about every way possible. The menu: totally random, but good on veggie choices. The service: decent. The interior: it has one. My sandwich: unremarkable. The price: inexpensive.
It was yawningly three-star all the way... except my coffee came with chunky cream - yuck! - and they didn't have anything fresher so could only offer 2% instead. What else is pushing expiry in the kitchen? I'd be willing to try it again, as the dinner menu looks more interesting, but won't hold my breath.
The first time I visited this "international and eclectic" cafe, I was very dissapointed. My order of tacos was boring, bland even.
I am so glad that I am a forgiving person, as the second and third trips really paid off.
The mexican beef empanada was absolutely delicious, and the fries (which the menu describes as some of the best in the world) were pretty impressive. The grilled chicken chacarero was also very good.
I ate inside once, but will probably continue to get my meals to go. The service isn't bad, it's just the interior design leaves a lot to be desired. Not that I'm some snob or anything.
I've got to remember to get my afternoon coffee fix here, as they are decent brews and espresso drinks and very reasonably priced.
So good! Their eggplant veggie is a skillful combination of flavors.Still my favorite is those awesome cookies. Good vibe too. Plus they're delivery service is like fast, and awesome.
This place is so-so. I had a couple of empanadas when I came here, which were average and not super filling. The prices are decent here, but you don't get too much food.
I've since moved down Armitage to Bucktown, but even if I still lived in the hood, I doubt I'd frequent this place. I went there right after it opened, so maybe it was just new, but it had a weird vibe to it.
What I read in the other poster's review about the corkage fee discourages me. I probably won't come here again.
I don't know what it is about Atlas, but there's something quietly special about the place. I've never seen it packed full of people, but I've rarely seen it empty either.
The food is hearty and tasty, though you won't find much you've never heard of/had before. But, the ingredients are fresh, and the food is both well seasoned and cooked.
They also have fresh smoothies, which I recommend. If you're feeling adventurous, try the avocado smoothie. It's very refreshing (which is not something I would have expected), and certainly something that you won't find at too many other places.
The atmosphere is laid back and quiet. They offer free WiFi and a large amount of newspapers and various local publications for anything you might be interested in.
The only con about Atlas is that it's somewhat out of the way. Although it's not terribly far, it can be a bit of a hike, especially if you're limited to public transportation. But there is plenty of street parking if you're not.
Definitely a good place to try if you've not before.
Ah. At long last. A wonderful little haven for unpretentious, undisgusting, inexpensive food in Logan Square. Not only did I want to be best friends with the waitress but the calamari was grilled. Grilled! They deliver, they have coffee flan, the Atlas is da http://bomb.com.
Low prices, large portions, casual atmosphere- all in all, a nice place to go if you're hungry and strapped for cash, especially if you live in the area.
They have the most random menu I have ever seen. Seriously. There's a pretty big Mexican component, lots of Italian dishes, traditional American burgers. It's kind of bizarre.
That said, the food is pretty good (excellent creamy chicken pasta). The reason I really like Atlas, though, is the atmosphere. It's in a quiet area, and the restaurant itself only has about 10 tables. Usually there's only a handful of people there, which makes it a great place for a quiet dinner with a friend. It's pretty cheap, and the waitstaff is always very friendly.
Biggest con, as others have said, is its location in regards to.. everywhere else. It's a long ride on the Armitage bus, and even more difficult to get to if you're not close to the #73 route. Probably wouldn't take time out to go there if I had to go via public transport or didn't live nearby.
Yawn.
the former blonde waitress/barista makes the best mochas. srsly. and the acclaimed fries are so ungodly addicting. the empanadas and the lentil soup are up to par as well. but really, the cheap bottomless cup of coffee and the free wi-fi makes this place an essential neighborhood hangout.
warning: the art deco will make you cringe in horror.
Cute little cafe that has an neat variedad of Latin American cuisine and snacks. They have delicious little desserts from a local bakery (Smores are yummy and .99 cents). Also, if you like to read, they have a take one, leave one book shelf policy that is cute. My onl complaint is they didn't make what I wanted on the menu (Chilean Cahrquican), oh well...
Last summer I stopped by the cafe and picked up sandwiches for me and my boyfriend that were very tastey. The other night we wanted to order for delivery and I should have stuck with a sandwich, but I went for the chopped salad which was a big mistake. Iceburg lettuce is just blah, add a couple chunks of feta, avocado and onion and your on to something, but not quite there. The dressing could have made it, but didn't. I very very dissatisfied with my salad and my lentil soup. My boyfriend enjoyed his chicken/veggie kabobs though. I'll stick to sandwiches for sure.
SUPPORTING A SMALL LOCAL OWNER RESTAURANT...A must in this city full of wealthy corporate business owners...this is a small place on Armitage owned by a husband and wife team. The place is quaint with sun painted walls, live music on the weekends (jazz), wonderful cappucinos, great menu,and good service to boot. The menu is basic with pastas, kabobs, sandwiches, fish, ect. but is a good place to go before a casual date night. I love the chicken/brocoli pasta, the zalouk is a great starter made with eggplant, onions and stewed tomatoes. It is served cold with warm pita bread. They have a lime cream pasta that is interesting and great kabobs (chicken, beef or shrimp. Fresh bread always with dinner and really nice owners that come to your table and say hello. Free Wi-Fi, BYOB, great selection of tea and coffee drinks to boot..
It's a hole in the wall but the food is so good and so cheap. They offer soup, kebobs, salads, pasta and sandwiches. I had the Mediterranean salad with gilled calamari. It was huge- covered in sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese- whoa. The brushetta is amazing- fresh and tangy.
Love it! Where else can you get a killer Caesar salad with grilled calamari on top for less than ten bucks? I also recommend the skewers... chicken or shrimp kabobs over fresh fettucine. The store-front thing is fun too... you could wear your pajamas here and no one would look twice.
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Desserts
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