Cafe El Meson

An amazing Christian cafe with amazing service and outstanding food. Such a welcoming atmosphere, and the owner is beyond humble. He is so nice and a great guy to speak to. All the workers are very sweet, I’ve stayed for many hours each time I go

Beautiful Christian book store with top tier Puerto Rican food and service. Don Juan is that guy! If you love Puerto Rican 🇵🇷 food, please stop by and support this business. Great quality and great prices.

Love it! I love Jesus, so the vibez were vibing. I got to introduce more of Christ to my family member because of a book at the book section. The Pina colada was amazing. I also recommene the Chipotle Empanada 🥟.

Mango, green, pina colada are awesome and people love the Oreo and Nutella frappes. The mesenero sandwich and steak jibarito and tuna are my favorites. The space is nice upstairs. Juan is friendly and seems like a good community place for meeting people

I had their jibarito and el mesonero, it was AMAZING!!!!!!! Their arroz con gandules is nice and fluffy. So yummy. The service was amazing. So nice and welcoming. Kevin and Yohana were the best !!! Thanks guys!!!

Cute coffee shop with bilingual staff! I went there to have a little break and ended up having a very nice time there. This coffee shop has two floors, all packed with Christian books and even games! A very cozy ambiance. They have interesting lattes, too, and a variety of food I encourage you to try out!

I went here for a Bible Study with a friend, and the atmosphere was perfect for such a thing! It was so welcoming and honestly made me feel at peace. Service was great, and food was so delicious! I will definitely be coming back again & telling more friends of the beautiful place they have!

Amazing place to relax and enjoy delicious food. Peaceful atmosphere 🤲

Jibaritos, empanadas are good. pina colada and mango smoothies are great! Good place to study and work

Haven't seen many Puerto Rican restaurants on the south side, and this one is the only one in the McKinley Park area. If you're looking for Puerto Rican food and in the area, it's a decent spot which is why it gets 4 stars. The Jibaritos were tasty and so was the arroz con gandules! I think the restaurant is a unique concept: it's a combination of a small Christian book store and a home-like cafe combined with a Puerto Rican restaurant. The menu is small. The servers are kind and bring the food quickly.

El Jibarito (steak) sandwich and the el Meson latte were only outdone by the service. The owner took extra good care of us and made our meal extra special!

I have been passing by this spot for years so today was the day to try them. The outside is average, a few items indicating it's a Puerto Rican spot. It looks like a converted 2 flat or home. Upon entering I was stunned it was a Christian bookstore and in the back was a restaurant. Ok now. Nicely decorated, a piano and a few tables with items to purchase. The order taker stated they have been there for 16 years and they had an upstairs which I checked out after ordering. Upstairs is a chill area where u can drink your coffee and read, use wi-fi. The decor again was nice. There were 2 cooks. I ordered the chicken jibarito and my guest ordered the steak jobarito plus a chicken and beef empanada. The chicken jibarito was tasty, not as much meat as another jibarito spot I go to. The rice was delish, no pork. The chicken empanada was ok, not much meat. They enclosed their chipotle sauce which tasted more like regular mustard, not a fan. Would I come again? Sure...I want to try their other items including the coffee. It would be nice if they had more books in English.

Great owners and great food and coffee. The sandwiches are very creative and fresh. 10/10 customer service too. The ambiance of the cafe is great too.

This cafe/bookstore is super cute and cozy! It literally looks like a house on the outside and is super nice and spacious on the inside. The staff were all really friendly and helpful as well. I definitely enjoyed my coffee, didn't get the chance to try the food but definitely will get some if I'm back in the area.

Wow!!! Just stopped by for lunch for the first time... my mouth is still watering even after eating. The steak jibarito was absolutely delicious, one of the best things I've eaten! I wasn't sure about the plantains as bread but it was so good, and added such a great texture. The steak was so tender and flavorful. Sometimes, food is so good that you have to share it. I had to stop myself from eating all of it so I can bring some home to my boyfriend. I cannot wait to come back, which will be very soon! FYI, when you walk in, you might not notice there is a staircase to the left near the bathroom. I think there must be a cute seating area up there, don't miss it!

Amazing cafe with great atmosphere! The food and service there are awesome. It is also family owned and run!!!

My oldest son, Tony, and I went out to celebrate his birthday at Café El Mesón in Brighton Park,. Chicago. It's a Christian bookstore and café with delicious Puerto Rican food. The atmosphere is peaceful and the place is beautiful. The owner and his family radiate Christian love. Did I forget to mention how delicious the food is? The owner said his place has been there for 16 years. I can't believe I just discovered this gem!

Happened to find this place and decided to pop in for some coffee. Super pleasantly surprised to find the nicest owners and delicious coffee! We really enjoyed our choices but also the little gift shop was lovely. We will be back to this place.

Went with my family and it is so nice. Many books to read. The owner greets everyone as family. Great Christian collection and music. Love the Puerto Rican food, sandwiches and desserts . Great place for gatherings. It's hard to find a place that fells like home . I highly recommend this gem!

Cozy study cafe and amazing service. The family who owns it is very friendly and hospitable. We enjoyed the El Meson panini and steak el jibarito. Highly recommend supporting the small business!

Beautiful place to hang out and study. I ended up here by accident and ended up loving the place. This place reminds me of my church cafeteria. Nice quiet place and great food!

Friendly staff, the food, prices and overall environment were pretty great. I'm definitely going to go there again!

I was searching for a place to work and came across this coffee shop. I had their breakfast croissant and it was delicious! My latte was also great. Def recommend :)

Best food around. It's hard in that area to stand out as having excellent Mexican/latin quinine. They certainly do. They may take a little longer on some orders but it's worth the wait. They always want to make sure it's fresh and perfect. I ordered for an office the other day and everyone was raving about it. I'm an outside rep and my wife jokes I'm a "professional lunch getter." So when I do lunch 3-5 times a week and have a place really stand out, it really stands out. You can tell the immense pride they take in their food with every bite. Don't be a fool, if you can eat here do it!

The Cocolatte and the guava cheese bread are so delicious. The owners is such a pleasure to speak to each time. I've been coming to this place for years and it never fails to disappoint. I've been able to study there during my undergrad and now law school. I'm so incredibly grateful for this hidden gem.

This place is so relaxing as soon as soon as you walk in. The shakes and piña colada are so good!!

Used to come here when I was in college for some late night coffee and snacks with my fiancé to help us study. Hadn't stopped by in a few years, Glad we stopped by and it's still open. Owner Juan is awesome, makes great food and coffee and is a genuinely great guy. Highly recommended, definitely will coming back more often.

I was in the area after dropping off somebody at the airport and this place popped up on my yelp search. Went in and ordered an avena (Oatmeal) smoothie and it was fantastic! Great flavor and not overly sweet, just what I was looking for. I also had a delightful conversation with the person working behind the counter. Would highly recommend this place and I will definitely be back to try the food!

Love this beautiful sanctuary! awesome food and service. Best jibarito/arroz con gandules, not to mention their quesitos and outstanding coffee!

Amazing place! Love coming here to work or study for school. Amazing service and such good food!

This is a very cute family owned restaurant and we must support. They have many drinks, from coffee, teas, sodas and milkshakes. They are somewhat of a Puerto Rican cafe and they have my favorite sandwiches jibaritos. I order the steak jibaritos and they were amazing and big in portions too. I tried their mocha and it was just as I like it. The sandwiches you get are big and are reasonable price, not just the sandwich but everything that they sell too. This place is not only a cafe but also a book shop, you can find many books about religion, life and many other things. It's very clean and very nice inside with a patio in the back and front of the building, and it has a second floor where people can go an enjoy their food and drinks. I will definitely will be coming back

Wonderful find!! Delicious food - we had the croissantwich, quesadilla, milkshake and go green smoothie. Everything was fresh and tasty. Even better it's Christian and we felt the spirit in the store. Delightful little patio in the back as well.

The most delicious and authentic Puerto Rican sandwiches you will find in the city. I highly recommend the agua frescas as well, they are bursting with flavor.

So incredibly delicious, this place NEVER fails to satisfy with every item in their menu. Excellent customer service, but mostly very tasty, great flavor, very homey.

The upstairs is my favorite place to study! Ample space, lots of tables, lots of outlets, bathroom, smooth jazz, and couches if you need a break. Plus there's so many delicious food options downstairs if you need a little pick-me-up. Everyone who works here is SUPER nice and welcoming. The caramellato and the green smoothie are delicious. The "el mesonero" sandwich is pretty good too!

Overall it was good. I just think the tacos are a little over price @ $8.50 per taco. The orchata taste great. birria plate with consume was good. I just added a kitty hot sauce to make it spicy/

This place is so cute and cozy. The first floor is the cafe/gift shop. Upstairs is warm and comfortable-- super befitting for studying. The cider has an authentic taste in terms of bitterness. Honestly though I'm coming back for their sandwiches. The ingredients were fresh, and the bread/meat was toasted. Thxx

Nice establishment that offers different types of drinks and coffees as well as delicious sandwiches. Folks that work there are really nice

Hidden gem in Brighton Park. Got a frappe de avena y frappe de cocoa and it was yum yum yum!!! The lady working was also so sweet, I highly recommend visiting this place.

I love everything I have ever ordered from this place. Super delicious foods and Frappe. Ambiance is very calm and welcoming which is a plus.

This place is absolutely BEAUTIFUL with such a great ambiance. Peaceful, friendly, and clean. This is the best and favorite cafe without a doubt. Not only was the place GREAT, the food was DELICIOUS!!! To add, they had juego de Maracuya, which is rare to find. Let me tell you, it was phenomenal. Great food, ambiance, and the owner is very passionate about customer service. This is a gold of mine.

I've been living in the area for a while, but never stopped in until today. Let me tell you this is the cutest little cafe. Service was incredible and the food was wonderful! I highly recommend the El Meson and Wepa sandwiches. We also got an iced mocha, which was great as well. I will definitely be stopping in again soon.

Very nice and amiable people running this store. Their oreo milkshakes and piña colada's are a must !

I love this place... I used to pass by it everyday on my way to work. I never knew what it was. Then I just decided to stop in and I'm glad I did! Great espresso, cappuccino, add a little Nutella ... Homemade empanadas, pastries, and great sandwiches. Just a diamond in the rough. Don't pass it by, it's kind of easy to miss!

Such an amazing cute place to just come and relax. The owner juan at the counter was so friendly and made us feel at home. I wish he had a restaurant in my city. The food was very good and he suggested Nutella coco which is Nutella in coconut milk which hot the spot. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone. Upstairs was so nice and quiet and much needed for me and my sister.

Cute cafe! I'm so glad you we chose this place in our Google search for eatery! It's a cute little book shop with tables. Their foods are WOW! Does not taste like it came from a box. The guy behind counter was so nice to make sure my food isn't spicy. And his pina colada is DELICIOUS, reminds me of Cuba pina colada, we ordered another. I love how Christian appropriate this place is. I want to ask the owner if he can move closer to my home then I'd come every week for lunch. *updated- after our meal, I found my daughter talking for long time with the man behind the counter. At first, I thought they were having a good dialogue but I later learned he questioned her faith. He believes his mission is to evangelize but we are Catholics, we are already Christians. We may have differing views but really you shouldn't have to insist that your way made more sense. I am sorry you do not like our beliefs. We trust the man who began the Eucharist, the man who found our church and that is, Jesus Christ, himself. He chose His apostles to continue their leaderships. We may or may not like certain things but we will not leave His church just because we do not like certain parts. We will do His will, not yours, not ours. Please keep your cafe slash bookstore faith-filled with Jesus (it's so lovely!) but do not use the opportunity to compare our differing practices- maybe best to do it when the priests visit and they may be be able to explain why we do what we do. May your cafe be filled with Holy Spirit to continue being a place of comradeship.

best service. best drinks. amazing empanadas. my favorite drink is the pina colada i dream about it every night!!!!!!!!!!

First time ever ! Today the owner very humble talks with everyone great vibe awesome food !

BEST place to study very quiet, great smoothies, the owner is so sweet and makes you feel at home! Bought a smoothie, but before I did he let me try it! Definitely coming back to study and smoothies!

I am definitely a fan! I had the oatmeal frappe, and a quesito, both were phenomenal. Light, and refreshing. The owner made a few suggestions, gave great conversation, and made me feel like an important customer. I'll definitely be a returning customer.

I've been coming here since I was a kid. The consistency of the service and food has never changed! I highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a nice quiet place to study or catch up on work.

This place gave me the warm-and-fuzzies. It's a family-owed cafe and Christian bookstore with plenty of room to work, read or meet with a friend. The woman working was so sweet, she asked me how I wanted my coffee and made me a custom drink that was delicious. I also got the ham and turkey sandwich -- so simple, but so good. I will definitely return. Great service, great food and drinks and most of all a great atmosphere.

Great ambience and tasty sandwiches. Coffee could be a little better, but it's not bad.

Visited after receiving an email from Yelp about outdoor dining spots that are opened near me, so glad we did! We stuffed our faces before our sandwiches were done. It's a Puerto Rican café and it's so cozy and welcoming. The gentleman (maybe the owner) there was super friendly and made great conversation. Def a must!!!

The owner is very nice. He has grown his menu since I first started coming. The space is nice and quiet to study or have meetings. The food and drinks are also great.

The woman that works here is so sweet! She makes the best piña coladas and always gives me a small sample of whatever she's making while i'm there. The place is also very clean and tidy. I always have a good experience and i will always bring people to try it.

This place has a great environment to study or to go get coffee and chat. It's nonalcoholic piña colada along with the chicken quesadilla are both delish! It's a must try place.