Backlot Coffee

The coffee shop, just off to the side of the Metra Railway station (hence backlot?) is a very chic and somewhat hippie-vibed coffee shop that would be very at home on a college campus. The shop is adorned with modern art and creative wall paintings. The clientele meshes nicely with the vibe (except me, perhaps😁). Young, urban, stylish customers fill out the experience. The staff is friendly and the restrooms are clean and cutely decorated in the same style as the rest of the shop. Pro Tip The music, staff and customers can be pretty loud. Enjoying the vibe is great. Doing work here may not be so much so.

Compact coffee shop with a large selection of pastries, in house roasting, and some hot breakfast options. Staff were very friendly, and there was a nice amount of art for sale and on display. Specialty drinks had some very unique options and the drip was pretty good. Did not try any hot food options but the pastries were good. If you do get hot food, it is in a cooler directly opposite the register and can be reheated in a microwave. Solid spot, especially if you're taking the metra or blue line. There's also ample parking!

I wanted to try something new on my way to the Skokie Festival of Cultures and glad I stopped at Backlot Coffee! It’s a small space that packs a lot of character! They had art for sale on the walls and plenty of space to sit to enjoy your coffee or work on your laptop. I got a hot coffee with caramel and it was handed to me immediately and it was just what I wanted! The banana bread has chocolate chips and really hit the spot! Fair prices and kind staff. They have parking too!

If you're tired of your basic coffee routine, Backlot Coffee is a delightful change of pace. This cozy little neighborhood spot offers robust, flavorful coffee that stands out from the mainstream options. Their menu also features a variety of delicious pastries and bakery items (some of my favorites being their banana nut bread and the spinach feta croissant) making it a perfect spot to satisfy all of your morning cravings at a generally quick and always friendly pace.

Great local coffee spot right off Irving Park blue line stop in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. They have a huge selection of delicious pastries and goodies (banana bread is awesome!) and excellent coffee ☕️ everyone working here is really friendly and welcoming. The place gets really busy in the morning on weekends but there’s lots of spots to sit. I also loved the artwork on display by Sarah E. Wain! So I posted it in the photos. Definitely my new coffee spot in the neighborhood.

I recently visited Chicago for the first time and Backlot Coffee was the first coffee shop I went to. I was immediately impressed by the bright and airy atmosphere, and the friendly and welcoming staff. I ordered a cardamom rose oatmilk latte, which is now my new favorite coffee flavor. My mom ordered the oatmeal cookie latte, which she loved. We also shared a blueberry donut, which was the perfect way to end our breakfast. The donut was fresh and soft, with a generous amount of blueberry throughout. I later learned that the donuts are made by a local bakery, which is always a plus. I loved the artwork on the walls, which is for sale and created by a local artist. It was a nice touch that added to the overall charm of the coffee shop. I will definitely be returning to Backlot Coffee every time I visit Chicago.

Really friendly staff, enthusiastic and informative. I tried the spinach and caramelized onion quiche which is excellent in their microwave for 45 seconds and the vegan, olive oil orange donut both brilliant!

Small but excellent cafe. They roast their own coffee from a single origin. As a pinky up coffee drinker it can't get much better than that. I had a Mexican single origin drip. Black. Sweet subtle chocolate and fruit 🎶 notes Wi-Fi ✅ Chargers for laptops ✅ Water cups ✅ Single origins ✅ Roasted locally ✅ The staff was unexpectedly friendly. I didn't catch the two girls names but both seem really nice and unstressed despite the busy location. Stop here after the train or on your way north west. I'll mark this in my map for sure - Dr Greenz Greenz.coffee

Cute corner coffee shop. The cashier always has a smile on his face, feels very welcoming. Been here a few times and it's always a great experience. Lemon Poppy Loaf Frosting on top really helped enhance the lemon flavor, great if you like lemon. Banana Bread Subtle Banana flavor, had chocolate chips more of a chocolate chip flavor bread if anything Iced Mocha with oat milk Espresso roasted well, no burnt taste Light mocha flavor and not too sweet

Wasn't expecting cute latte art on my chai latte, but I was pleasantly surprised! It's delicious, and I would totally get it again! This location is smaller than the Evanston location and don't seem to have as many breakfast options, but I noticed they have ice cream.

This is a cute little coffee shop with tasty treats and a friendly staff. Parking is available in a lot and along Avondale and it's right by the Irving Park L stop and metro lines so it's probably super convenient for commuters. If you're looking for your "Friend's Central Perk" this isn't it but a quiet, quality little shop it is.

So good! Visiting a friend for the weekend. Had an oat milk cappuccino both mornings and didn't want it to end. The maple chai vegan donut was amazing! Thank you for having vegan goodies!

Nice and quiet atmosphere. Small space but a good amount of space to work! Staff is very friendly and got my drink out within minutes! I ordered a dirty matcha, a little feint in matcha and sweetness but overall I would give it 7/10.!

I am by no means a coffee expert but I absolutely loved my visit to Backlot! Both lattes we tried were absolutely fantastic- my favorite was the oatmeal raisin one. The service was excellent - super accommodating when I wanted to change from a to go to a here cup and the latte art is gorgeous. I appreciated the variety of seating options and all of the cool artwork. I wish I lived closer this would be a regular stop for me!

Met up with a colleague the Friday after Thanksgiving. Right off the Kennedy. Missed the turn onto Avondale, it's the road directly west of the Kennedy. Fairly busy at 8:30 am. Coffee was good as usual, never been to this location, but have been to the Evanston location many times. Service was great, quick and efficient. There is off street parking and plenty of street parking

Came upon this as kind of a surprise given the location around it is basically not much to look at. It ended up being pretty good actually, thanks to the coffee and some dairy free treats. Backlot Coffee is a good name for it to be honest. Kind of hidden from Irving Park Road, and you have to go in the back to get in. The coffee is pretty good priced and so are the cookies and scones. After getting off at the Metra stop, I came in at breakfast. It's not a big place, but there thankfully wasn't a crowd. There's a pretty easy to understand menu. It's not complicated like many coffee places are. Still has lots to choose from. It's about $5 for a medium coffee. The seasonal specialties they had included the Mimi's Autumn Latte. This was made with cinnamon, espresso, ginger, milk, nutmeg, and vanilla syrup. Non dairy milks are available. There's also non dairy treats. It's about $3 for a Breakfast Scone. They even have a microwave you can pop it in to warm it up if you feel like that. Good coffee. It's also a pretty good place to do some work because it doesn't get that much of a crowd and it's kind of quiet. There's also a few treats for vegans.

So first the weird. They're apparently under renovation of some sort... no places to sit or anything, not even a bar or a single table. But not a terrible thing, especially since I was getting it to go anyway. But what was a little more strange is when I asked for a stopper for my cup and she said they didn't have them, but "we have tape". Um, nah, you can keep your blue painters tape. I got a chai, my go-to drink since us non-coffee drinkers really only have that or hot chocolate. Their chai is excellent. A lot of places just seem to get the chai concentrate and add some steamed milk. But here at Backlot they have a house blend which was well spiced and even if it is a concentrate it's enhanced and much more flavorful. It also has a small parking lot, which I wasn't expecting. Not huge, and it's shared with several other businesses. This coffee shop isn't exactly convenient to me, but I would stop by when in the neighborhood.

They do good coffee Stopped by to grab a cup to go Would recommend Haven't had a chance to try out their bakery

Cool place! A little small inside with community table setup but it works well! Coffee was good!

The staff at Backlot are always welcoming and friendly. We have been enjoying their drinks and pastries for over 5 years. Isaac recently helped my Wife, Mazie and me with our "coffee needs" for a brunch celebration we had Aug.13th. I highly recommend Backlot Coffee to anyone in search of quality products with a personal experience. David Perez

Great service! Better coffee and some of the best baked goods around! I specifically love the Maple Chai Donut! Cool atmosphere to sit with a friend! I try to stop here at least once when I'm in Chicago!

The team at backlot is amazing! Super friendly, helpful, and informative when buying beans or choosing a drink. Fav drinks are the oatmeal cookie, mimis latte, and matcha latte. Fav beans are the Mexico organic beans and the cold brew howler! If you return your empty howler, you get a little discount on your purchase. Love this neighborhood gem! :)

Super cute spot I love coming here to get work done, very friendly staff, everything I've tried has been great but I love their matcha & pastries

This place is a bit hidden but worth the find bc the baristas are all friendly and polite and will tailor your drinks to your preference. Mu husband usually gets the drip coffee and it's pretty standard and I usually get a soy chai latte which is delicious and tastes super fresh. This past week I asked for a couple ice cubes bc I usually have to wait a while for my drink to cool down, well the barista suggested a "less hot" instead of adding the ice. Idk if that's an official ordering term but basically they just steam it less - seems obvious but I've never heard of that and nobody has ever suggested it in my 20 yrs of drinking coffee!! Anyway, if you're in the area check it out!

Good coffee at normal prices, not as expensive as some small business coffee shops. Would like to see seating but it's just grab and go.

I want to love it but the food choices are very limited and the taste doesn't really have a punch. Too much open space? I don't know. I really wish they had more food.

Coffee was great. Best croissant I've ever had. Adequate seating and food selection. Grabbed a can of kombucha.

The coffee is good. But they are in the process of renovation or so. There are no sits and a lot of stuff around.

Staff is friendly and gave great suggestions. I wasn't sure what drink to get so I mentioned which ones perked my interest and they gave me their opinions on what they thought of the drinks which helped greatly to making my decision. I grew up with a love for cardamom through my great grandmother's Swedish coffee bread. To my surprise of walking up to the counter, I saw cardamom sweet rolls and cardamom rose latte which with your choice of milk. Their special which is called The Bloom, I don't remember exactly what type of coffee drink it was but it was made with rose and cardamom. My husband and I got bother drinks mine was the bloom with oat milk and his was the cardamom rose latte with whole milk. His drink was sweet and savory at the same time. It was more overly savory with the sweet rose flavor coming in the end. It was a nice change from overly sweetened coffee drinks from a well known chain that will not be named. The bloom was refreshing and light. I forgot to mentioned both were iced as the day was working it's way to the mid-80's. As for pastries, the cardamom roll did not disappoint. We also got a glazed donut & ham & cheese croissant for the kid, an apple friter and two of the cardamom rolls. They do over a cinnamon sugar coated donut that is gluten free. I meant to ask if there were other gluten free items available but didn't get the chance or if the one item alternates with another. The place is near Irving Park road by the metra station, a Lou Malnati's and a Potbelly sandwich shop.

This was decent enough before COVID. I didn't love their coffee but I drink decaf so I'll let you judge on that. I was in in Jan 2023 with a friend for a quick catch up and chat. Poky, uncomfortable environment. Not conducive for winter catch-ups. Maybe to-go and not decaf.

Cute little place with even tastier drinks and goodies! Stopped by Backlot after seeing raving Yelp reviews and couldn't agree more. The shop wasn't too crowded and we got our drinks quick. The vanilla latte was one of the best I've had and the chocolate croissant really sealed the deal. Went back the next day because it was so great!

A great place to grab coffee or matcha. Service is always fast and kind. The vibe inside is simple and comfy. There is a selection of premade food and treats. Their donuts are from Do-Rite, and are sooo good. Highly recommend stopping in here.

Super cute coffee shop in Irving Park! They serve amazing pastries from Phlour that were super delicious, and I tried the iced Oatmilk Cookie Latte which definitely hit the spot. A pro: they have free parking on the street and in a lot. There's also space to work from with WiFi!

Recently visited for the first time because it's a little out of the way for us, but we loved our lattes so much that we'll do the drive again soon! I got the cardamom rose latte with oat milk and my husband tried their seasonal fireside latte. Both so good, latte art, cup art, and all! Can't wait to return to try more things on the menu.

Neighborhood coffee shop at its best. It's not easy to truly delight customers, but this place is so wonderful I can see why it has a spotless reputation. The service is personal - and not write your name on a cup - but actually getting to know people in the neighborhood by name in a genuine way. The pastries are fresh and delicious - had the spinach and feta croissant - I'd take a picture but it was so delectable there's nothing left. I had a chai latte that was perfection - delicately prepared and not overly sweet. Perfect spot (and a must go) when hopping on the train at Irving Park.

New favorite find alert! It's a teeny tiny store front on a hidden little street that you will certainly miss with the blink of an eye. I plugged it into my useful app Waze and may or may not have been told to make an illegal left turn. 1. Don't make an illegal left turn, and 2. Don't let that lack of a left turn deter you from stopping here. It's too great to miss. For starters, they have 15-minute flashing lights parking, which is my fave. Run in, run out, no messing with pay to park! If you're planning to stay and hang out, there's parking in back. Upon walking in, I was greeted by the friendliest service. I loved the two guys working there! Kind, funny and in great moods for 7:00am! Most importantly though, the lattes they are serving up are SUPERB!!!!!! I'm a fan of floral, so the rose cardamom was calling my name. This dreamy, creamy latte was $5 (tax included) for a 16oz, which is reasonable, and absolutely delicious. Worth 5,000 calories, especially with the beautiful heart design. Will I be back? Well, their current special is an oatmeal cookie latte, and they always have a large selection of Do Rite donuts, so... ABSOLUTELY. Daily if my wallet could afford it. :)

Great place. Starbucks, watch out. I don't know if I was more impressed by how nice and helpful were the people that worked there; if the cuteness of the artwork on the walls impressed me; or it was the quality of their coffee and tea. We got there about 20 minutes before closing time, ordered and sat around and talked. Before we knew it the doors were locked and they were putting things away. But they never asked us to leave. When we realized they were really close, we got up to go but were encouraged the stay and have a good time until they were done. Seriously, I don't think Backlot Coffee is going to put Starbucks out of business. But finding a local coffee shop I really enjoy makes me want to go there before thinking of a national chain.

Friendly staff. Great coffee. Yummy donuts. We moved farther away 2 years ago but still occasionally make the drive back here for the oatmeal cookie latte.

I love Backlot's coffee and donuts! I all love that they take reusable cups, and generally focus on sustainability. I came in one morning because I forgot my water bottle, and they had water in aluminum cans for sale! I was so happy to not have to buy plastic.

There's nothing as smooth as Marvin Gaye's voice, a Derrick Carter blend of beats, or a baby's skin. I think I found something close. I had the espresso at Backlot. It was silky smooth. The taste is not overpowering, and the aroma is perfect. I'm going to have to try the drip coffee next, to see if it competed with other great local roasters.

"Backlot Coffee" opened a few months ago, replacing the old Bow Truss Coffee that no longer existed in Chicago due to labor disputes. With that being said, I felt a sense of relief when I realized that another Indie coffeeshop took over the space. On Mondays to Fridays, from 6am to 8am, they have $2 coffee! Both 12 oz. and 16 oz. cups are $2! Wow, that's an awesome deal. Hubby and I have taken advantage of this offer for some time now. I need to be at work at 7am, Mondays to Thursdays. Although it's not the direct route to my job, I willingly detour myself by taking a different bus so that I can get my coffee. They brew "Stumptown Coffee." They also sell "Do-Rite Donuts." I can't leave the venue without a pistachio donut. "Backlot Coffee" is conveniently located by the CTA Irving Park Blue Line station and Irving Park Metra station. The guys work there are always cheerful and ready to serve their customers. The dining room is clean and inviting. Free parking is available in the back shared with other retailers and condo residents.

Even when there is a line out the front door, you'll be greeted with a friendly (masked for now!) face, super short waits, and a cup of delicious coffee.

Yes great local coffee shop with great food selection for breakfast like the breakfast burrito, quiche, yogurt and of course the fresh pastries... just wish there was seating to enjoy the food and coffee there! It would be a sweet spot to meet people for quick meetings but no seats!

I live in Sauganash, where we have 0 local, independent coffeehouses. There's a Starbucks, which is my fallback, but it's not a place I want to sit and chill. Luckily, my parents live right by Old Irving Park, and there's a plethora of independent places. My mom and I tried several of the coffeehouses in the area, and decided we liked Backlot the best, and we've been regular Sunday customers since last summer. The atmosphere is relaxed, welcoming and mostly quiet, the interior is clean with a great flying squirrel mural on the wall (they just released an enamel pin of a squirrel and coffee mug!), and other local art on the walls. There's a long table that seats 8-10 and several small tables for 2-3, and when those are all taken, there's a couple countertops with stools to sit at. There's a parking lot which makes coming here really convenient. The baristas are all super friendly, and always answer any questions about the drinks. My mom always gets a small regular coffee, as she doesn't believe in coffee fanciness. My favorites are the iced grapefruit green tea for the summer (so refreshing!) and the cardamom rose latte for the rest of the year (like a warm cozy hug!), although the oatmeal cookie latte special is quite delightful. I had oatmilk for the first time here, in my cardamom rose latte, and I always get oatmilk now. The food is mainly ready made pastries from local bakeries, and they have whole grain oatmeal they'll add hot water or milk to. I've had the cocoa hazelnut version or the almond one when I'm feeling healthy. I've also tried the red white and blue sprinkles gluten free donut from Do-rite on July 4th, but my favorite is the vegan breakfast scone, I'm totally hooked on that one! My mom likes the ham croissant or the buttermilk old fashioned donut. I'm so happy Backlot opened a shop in Old Irving, it's a great addition to the neighborhood, and it's a welcoming and comfortable place to come and spend an hour so. I wish we had that a little further northwest, in Sauganash!

This is a really cool coffee shop. Nice open space with plenty of lighting. I just got their regular hot coffee (unlimited refills if you get a large) and it was strong but not as bitter as Starbucks. I also ordered an everything bagel with plain cream cheese and it was tasty. I'd want to come back here and try their other drinks like the military latte which is matcha green tea with a shot of espresso!

This a very good coffee shop in a neighborhood that needs more places just like this one. I have been here twice. Once to just get coffee and go and once to do work. Both times the lattes I ordered were great. They have great donuts from Do-Rite and good selection of other pastries. The abundance of seating and outlets for phone charging and laptop use. I highly recommend and will be returning.

Friendly staff, amazing coffee and products!! I especially appreciate that they compost. Around the holidays I stock up on their candles and swag, they are great gifts. Love you Backlot!!!

Trying as many coffee spots as I can, so I try to get a new one in each morning. Backlot has a great COVID set up. It was easy to order inside (5 customers allowed inside at a time) and the staff were really nice throughout the whole process. The iced coffee was very good. My buddy ordered a dirty chai and said it was really good. Had a muffin too. Fresh and moist. I also ordered a bag of Columbian beans and asked them to grind it for me. I made a cup of hot coffee with the beans this morning at home and it was a great cup of coffee. This is not super convenient to my apartment, but I'm glad I came here and I'll absolutely be returning.

Came here ord covid. Really liked the vibe and the coffee. If they set a cart up outside the train entrance to the comity they would make a fortune. Being on the other side doesn't help all of us running to the train in the morning!

Great Covid19 interior setup. Well-run with kind employees. Great iced coffee. Very happy with my experience! Fonts were yummy

Was looking for a coffee shop nearby with oat milk latte options. The cardamom rose latte was perfect, and my husband really enjoyed his ham and Swiss croissant. If we're ever back in the area, I'd happily return for another morning treat.

Great safe distance and allowed to go inside and see others getting lattes and ordering drinks before 2pm. I called before going to make sure they would be able to grind the Columbia beans for a French press and the guy on the phone happily said they can do that and will have them ready for pick up along with the other bag of beans of the same delicious variety of single origin Columbia. It was a nice surprise to see they had Kilgus farms half gallons of milk for $4. And other baked goods. But I am on a budget and just added the milk to my beans order. Wish I could have tipped more, but being on unemployment, this was my splurge. Glad I could support this business as I wasn't aware they were the same business I bought beans from in Evanston. Good to see they're open and making a go at being a small business. On a side note, bummer to see a huge line at the dunkin on Addison. Don't they know there are better ways to support local coffee business. Ahh well, everyone had their preferences.

Great neighborhood coffee shop right next to all of your public transit needs! Friendly staff, welcoming and warm environment, and excellent beverages and pastries. I have yet to have a bad experience here. And one of the best parts? Parking is available usually right up front! Can't go wrong at Backlot!

Haven't written a Yelp review in literally years but after just sampling a cardamom rose oat latte and two pastries from here, I am in actual heaven. Worth a trip across town! Also super Covid cautious, which I appreciated.

Super duper cute spot near the Irving park blue line and the Metra station! Though parking is scarce due to the other business in the building- it is the perfect pick me up! I am a super fan of Starbucks pike place with my steamed almond milk..decided to try this due to a friends review and wow!! I had their coffee and steamed almond milk--it is so much stronger than the Starbucks! Couldn't say enough about the environment and the workers as well! it a gem!! Plus it was buy one get another pastry--so I had to grab them! I was told the oat milk was something to try, but unfortunately they were out the two days I went in. Hope they have it soon!

I love this place! Super friendly and warm service! Great indoor and outdoor lighting. And the coffee is high quality and at a good price. They have a variety of milks to choose from, including oat. Their scones are amazing and I am a big fan of any of their honey or cinnamon drinks. I ordered a vanilla latte and they make their own vanilla! Also, I apologize I don't know his name, but the really nice gentleman with the beard and bald head, is so sweet and makes delicious coffee! Great place, highly recommend!

Lovely atmosphere. It is a great place to meet up with a friend, sit on your laptop, or enjoy one of there delicious sweet treats. All of there cookies and brownies are homemade with real ingredients, and no artificial nonsense. They make fresh pistacio and almond milk daily. Their menu is quite pricy, but you are paying for quality ingredients. It is located right across from Lincoln Square Athletic Club and there is free parking down the street in the residential area.

Stopped in to grab some cold brew today. Here's what I noticed. Stumptown Coffee, coffee drinks, Do-Rite Donuts, Bang Bang Pie muffins and pastries,Frio gelato, and Amaneger breakfast tacos. There's really only 1 reason why I didn't give 5 stars. I wish the place had at least 1 comfy chair where 1 could just chill for a while.