Chicory Cafe

I was in town for a conference and I wanted something local to the area. When I saw the New Orleans style eats I was pretty excited. I have to say that gumbo was superb. It at the perfect balance of spice and flavor. It's not the best gumbo that I've had in my life but it easily made #2. The po boy was prepared to perfection and the ingredients were fresh. Outside of a few questions that the person at the concert couldn't answer regarding some of the menu items (which they were newer so not a huge deal) the ordering process was easy and painless. The vibe was chill and very easy to have a conversation. I would recommend this place and would visit again when I'm in town.

We picked chicory because it has always been a fun atmosphere and we wanted to do our Girls Christmas brunch then to see the nutcracker, getting into the Christmas vibe. When a our group walked in it was dead maybe 1 or two people inside then the staff. The staff was not so friendly and were even making rude comments about our group. We were laughing and sharing gifts but this has never been an issue before as there is usually live music. We order drinks and food mostly everything was good some things not so much the hummas was gritty and came with 6 baby carrots and 4 pieces of celery. The staff was making comments about our asking for another round of mimosa's and what felt like they cut us off stating they were out of things to make the drink when it was there special. I usually go to the chicory downtown mishawaka and have always had a great experience with the food and staff. I am sad to say that south bend location was just not a great time. Hopefully it was a one off day as it was snowy and slow. Best of luck.

My cousin took me to this cafe for a late bday lunch. We saw online that they had drinks with fruit and ‘Cajun’ food so we thought we would give them a try. To start off the drink were thrown together with little to no care, no fruit. The bartender was asked to remake my cousins drink and then which she did and admitted she made it wrong the first time and still gave it to her. She was nice, but the drinks need makeovers and better recipes. I had some sort of tropical lemonade and the cream from the key lime rum was curdling and kind of made my belly hurt. As far as food I ordered the Mardi gras Mac and had not a lick of chicken in there. I also ordered beignets to go and they tasted like sugared salty bread. Being that I have family in Louisiana, this did not give southern comfort food, rather Midwesterns best try. I would like to try lattes and poboys, may I will go to the Mishawaka location and it will be better

Genuinely neighbourhood-y atmosphere that’s not trying too hard to be cool. Breakfast and people behind the counter were meh! Nothing wrong but no too much to talk about too. Coffee cup sleeves advertised gambling :-/

It's a homey and quaint space. Being counter service there really wasn't much chance of personal interaction, but the food came out within 3 minutes, so it was quick. I got the seafood gumbo which is listed as having shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage- i picked through the dish and found not 1 piece of shrimp, maybe a couple small bits of chicken- it was hard to discern any really, and just several small cuts of the sausage. It was still tasty, but more of a Midwestern cajun style rice soup than an actual gumbo you would find in the south. The cornbread was a delight, not too sweet, great texture, and a great flavor.

Chicory cafe has super chill atmosphere, and is an inviting place for a quick bite. It's good for takeout and fine for hanging out too. The food selection is influenced by New Orleans French quarter, and overall has a good selection and is tasty. The line can occasionally get long, so usually I prefer to order ahead. They have more than one location in the area. As others have noted service can be incredibly slow, and they don't really seem to care, so just be prepared to wait if you order at the counter.

Ordered takeout breakfast, food was stated online that it would be ready at 9:15, showed up at 9:05. Part of the order was given to me right away but the hot food wasn’t ready yet. My name wasn’t called. Waited until 9:22 to go up to see how soon the food would be ready and the clerk was like “oh, here you go” and grabbed the takeout bag that had been sitting on the counter for awhile… The steak, eggs and cheese was good. Atmosphere was nice, lots of tables and had a live music playing in the morning.

Recommendations: •Steak po’boy breakfast sandwich- I don’t know if it was because I was starving but this sandwich was so good! The bread was so soft and had shaved steak with cheese had lots of flavor. The combination was delicious! Of course, I used their Louisiana hot sauce for some spice. Aaaand no meal is complete without some sweetness… •Beignets: doughy goodness with a good amount of powdered sugar. 3 to an order. They are honestly so filling I would say 1/2 of 1 is good if you just wanted a taste. Especially if you are already full. My son & I shared 1 piece and took the rest back to the hotel. •s’mores Latte was delish (if you like sweet coffee) We went around 10:30am and as you can see it was not very busy. Plenty of seats available. They had a corner that looks like it’s for live music! All around really cute and cozy. I bet it’s great at night! The only con is probably the bathroom. It’s shared with other establishments and you need a key but not a big deal at all.

The Cobb salad was made with top notch ingredients. The carnivore me loved this salad. The older more health conscious me was disappointed by not enough lettuce. I don't want to complain about that and am even surprising myself that I am... Food came out quick. I showed up on trivia night... wouldn't recommend if you aren't doing it. Was crazy loud. With that said, if I lived here, I'd start my own team and show up.

I had the breakfast wrap and turtle late. Both were fantastic! Wish I was local so I could come back!

Today was my second time at Chicory and it's still AWESOME! Last time I got their Seasonal - Sugar and Spice Latte and this time I got the Christmas Cookie Latte! I did get both latte's "half sweet" as my coworker suggested to me that they are super sweet. Both latte's were amazing and this is definitely a go to as it's located right downtown South Bend! They also have locally sourced flavored Milks and Cold Brews -- I plan to try that next time I am in town! Service has always been quick and easy for me as well! Can't wait to go back!

Came here as it is a family favorite. Service was friendly. Getting your food was a challenge. We ate in rotations as the food came out. I tried to order the chicken creole. I don't eat pork so that wasn't an option as it is already mixed with the chicken. I settled for the shrimp po boy which was ridiculously salty. Everyone else liked it. I tried again and got the caprese grilled cheese. Yum. My son ate half of it because his food never came out. The oven wasn't working so they refunded our money. We tried to get him a smoothie and the blender was broken. Lol. Third try and he got the Mac and cheese. He had to wait an additional 8 minutes but the dish was hot and yummy. Service was friendly. Ambiance was good. I think it was just an off day. Will definitely be back.

Decent quality food l. If you're looking for some variety departing from the local cuisine check them out for breakfast or a quick brunch....Now if you have a sweet tooth like I do yourself a favor and grab the beignets.

Downtown South Bend, went for lunch. We shared a shrimp po boy sandwich and a cob salad. Both were good and plenty to share. Nice place, mid afternoon with no rush atmosphere. Chessboards are on the tables with the invitation to stick around for trivia night, music. Bands. Service was good and took care of us. Yes, we will return to the chicory cafe.

Drive here on a whim t9 try something new. So good! Love the baked macaroni. I'll be back to try breakfast and a sandwich. The coffee is very good. Happy we drove down.

I was in South Bend for work. I didn't expect to get a good bowl of gumbo there, but I did! Bloody Mary was good, too.

If you want a glimpse (and taste) of NOLA, this is it! All of the traditional food you travel for are right here in South Bend. Beignets, Po'boys, and Nola inspired drinks (coffee and non). I ordered an iced French Quarter Carmel Latte with oatmilk. Perfect balance of sweet and amazing espresso. I ordered the Cubano Sandwich. It was hot and crispy. Every bite was full of flavor. The environment was active and welcoming with lots of seating. The touches of NOLA decor makes you envision you're in Louisiana. The staff was friendly and sincere. They have an area with several outlets where people can work or study. If I move here, this will be my spot!

My favorite place to go when in town. Great; food, price, service, location and atmosphere.

Good: the decor Bad: The food was served lukewarm and tasted processed; customer service could be better, no one greeted me before or after receiving my order just handed me my food and walked away. I didn't feel welcomed therefore I will not be referring anyone here.

Please stop here and try the beignets and a coffee. Everyone's favorite. I honestly wish I could have stayed longer or have visited again to try something else on their menu. We had limited amount of time but if I'm ever in the area I will definitely come back

This is a place that I make sure to hit at least once whenever I'm in South Bend. The food is really great, the drinks are tasty, and the beignets are out of this world.

Craving some New Orleans style food? Look no further than Chicory Cafe! While we visited for breakfast, this cute spot in downtown South Bend has po'boys, jambalaya and other Cajun classics on the menu. I was hungry for some beignets- haven't had any since a visit to New Orleans a few years ago and they were quite good! The dough was fried perfectly and the powdered sugar gave them that yummy dessert/breakfast kick. Also got a chai latte - non-coffee version and it was a perfect compliment to the beignets. Definitely recommend this spot for breakfast and want to try it in the future for another meal.

The food tastes good but it is very expensive. I paid $18 for half a sandwich and a 20 oz latte. for this reason, I will not go there again.

I have been going to Chicory Cafe in South Bend for years. This establishment has always been pretty iffy with service standards and customer satisfaction, but for the most part they have always done right by me. I went to Chicory Cafe of South Bend this afternoon with my sister to grab a couple drinks. The manager on duty was John and the Barista was Ashley. I drank the entirety of what I thought was a subpar, bitter Chai Latte, seemingly missing a proper amount of Chai Tea powder. Towards the end I was greeted by the awful mouth feel of a chunk of gooey Chai powder. Upon opening the lid, lo and behold the missing Chai Tea powder! Beyond being mildly offended that the Chai Tea isn't actually Tea but literally powder, they could at least STIR IT. All I can say is DO BETTER.

Perfect stop if you're craving pillowy yeasty fried dough in the form of a beignet. Yum! This is a New Orleans inspired menu and cozy atmosphere. A short wait for the beignets which come out of the kitchen hot and fresh and generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Enjoyed a French quarter latte while waiting. They also have a nice looking menu with healthy breakfast and lunch choices.

Always underwhelmed. Has potential but menu is chaotic and unappealing Food I've had is overpriced and below average in appearance and taste

Just delicious especially the Beignets!!! Visited from out of town and this place did not disappoint. Firendly service, great and freshly made food and amazing coffee! Super cool environment to get in out of the morning cold temperature. Worth a stop in!!!

This is my first time checking out chicory cafe and my it's delicious. I got a bowl of jambalaya and an order of beignets. The only unfortunate thing was I didn't get cornbread with my jambalaya so I was a bit disappointed. I had already left before I realized there was no cornbread. Besides that, the food was tasty and piping hot! Update: * don't get the rose lavender tea latte (I think that's what it's called). I got a medium iced one so that it wouldn't be over $5 and I was almost charged like 1.50 more than what was stated on the menu price. I asked why it was so much and she was like oh it rings up like that ... but then I pointed out the board so she had to try to manually fix the price since it seems like it's just charging all lattes as over $5 before tax. The cashiers always seem to be new or something cause I've gone a few times and they are always fighting with the cash register. Oh yeah, don't order this, they didn't steep it long enough so I basically had a faint taste of rose. Plus, it was 80% milk and barely any ice. I keep having screwed up experiences here so I'm not sure I want to come back .. maybe the other location is better?

Great little cafe with amazing staff. You order the food and they bring it to your table. It has music, chess tournaments and multiple other community events- there is always something going on! Good place for lunch or if you just want to catch a local vibe!

Just passing through this morning on our way to Minneapolis and thought we'd try this cute New Orleans style cafe. It's spacious, clean, and has sweet staff. The menu is expansive but we kept it simple. My fiancé ordered the chicory roast coffee which he found to be good. The egg and cheese po'boy is just a hoagie roll with egg and a slice of cheddar cheese. Nothing special but if you want something simple and predictable, that's the move you should make. I had the full order of biscuits and gravy. The gravy is andouille-based and is absolutely delicious. I'm glad I ordered the full size because my fiancée ate some of it too! The beignets were the star of the meal. They were equally dense and fluffy with a great perfectly crisp exterior. We wish we got more!

This is such a cool cafe downtown! I love the New Orleans theme and their location across from Studebaker Plaza is nice in the summertime to get food to go and enjoy live music across the street. We all enjoyed the turkey club and especially liked the honey mustard sauce on the sandwich. Of course we tried their beignets and loved every sweet, warm bite. They have a stage area for live music and a bar that serves adult beverages. The coffee menu is a whole other huge menu behind the food menu. I'm looking forward to coming back!

Come in and sit down .. enjoy your food and drink This is such a nice place, I love the open feel not to mention the food is delicious. If you have time get the Po'Boy or better yet keep coming back and test the menu out lol

Glacial service despite not being busy, took over 15 minutes for a sandwich only for it to not be made right. The food is ok but overpriced. would not suggest for anyone working on a lunch beeak

We were staying in south bend for a wedding and wanted a quick snack before hand. We strolled into the cafe a little after noon on a Saturday and got coffee, beignets and a muffuletta. We were really happy with the whole experience. The staff was friendly and the food good. It was just the right balance of food before a wedding. If we are in south bend again we will stop by. (Sorry I forgot to take photos)

Since I can't go to New Orleans as much as I'd like to, I guess this will have to do. And it does. I love everything from their andouille mac and cheese to their beignets. I'd love to see more crawfish on the menu but I'm sure it's hard when we don't live close to water. Cute spot over all, and a nice spot to sit and get work done while drinking a Bloody Mary.

Nice coffee shop. Beniets are really good too. It's been a nice place to take my daughter before we leave town after a visit.

We were in town for an anniversary party. It was such a cute restaurant, we decided to go in and try the food. I ordered the jambalaya and a fountain drink. My daughter ordered the sicilian salad and a frozen blueberry lemonade. The fountain drink had no carbonation. When I first received the jambalaya it was lukewarm and the cornbread was cold. I told the waiter the food was not hot and the fountain drink had no carbonation. He told me he was new and would heat up the food, but was not sure what to do about the drink. The jambalaya was watery and had no flavor. My daughter's salad was mostly a head of lettuce. Her blueberry lemonade had a hint of blueberry and was so tart, she couldn't drink it. We spent $38 there. We couldn't eat the food and ended up going next door to Jimmy's Johns. Needless to say, we won't be returning.

I really wanted to love this place, but I struggle giving it a higher review. We ordered takeout to take to my husband's grandmother. I ordered it about 30 min away, and when I got there, they hadn't started to make it. I'd understand if the place was swamped, but when I walked in, I was one of three people there. When I eventually got my order, I noticed that they missed part of it so had to wait longer for that. Eventually I got out in the car only to realize that a sandwich had leaked all over the other sandwiches. They were still very good sandwiches, thankfully, and the coffee I got while waiting in the meantime was good, but I don't think I'd come back for takeout. Maybe dine in is better.

When I go there I get the Cubano sandwich every time and every time it is perfection! The cafe is a great place to meet with friends or have a meeting, and the staff are eager to help if you need anything!

My husband and I were missing NOLA and decided to try here for some crawfish and beignets. My husband had a crawfish po boy and I had crawfish Mac and cheese. His po boy was sparsely decorated with a little lettuce, tomato, a slice of onion, what tasted like Italian dressing and a few pieces of fried crawfish. Not to mention it was on ciabatta bread and not French bread. The few pieces of crawfish that were included were very fishy tasting and not at all like any we have had anywhere. The Mac and cheese was delicious but the crawfish tails in it were so chewy they were difficult to eat and, again, extremely fishy tasting. Way overcooked and definitely not what we hoped for at all. Especially for the price. We moved on to the beignets and found ourselves extremely disappointed again. The beignets were extremely bland dough with a little powdered sugar. They also had a fishy taste because I assume they were fried in the same oil as the shrimp and crawfish. These do not taste like the "real" beignets at all. Will not return.

This place was awful in every way. I don't ever leave a bad review, but this place deserves one due to the amount of positive reviews that led us here. First, the person at the register taking our order had no idea what she was doing, and we couldn't hear anything she was saying. We ordered two sandwiches and two drinks and the total was over $40. The soda machine was down, so we then had to pay $6 a drink for something we didn't want to have something to drink with our meal. I ordered a "Cajun" chicken sandwich, and my boyfriend ordered the muffuletta. We waited for almost 30 minutes to get an incorrect drink, and for sandwiches that were on Aldi French rolls. (No shade to Aldi) I literally gasped at my sandwich when they gave it to me. It had frozen bagged grilled chicken, not even seasoned or enough to fill the bun, and three small slices of sausage... and maybe 4 leaves of spinach. I really couldn't believe how busy this place was when it was so awful. It was super crowded, and the patrons had to move tables around and there was live music that was loud. I know I'm sounding like a Karen... but please know that this place is not worth your money. We went through McDonalds after leaving here and paying $43 for our food.

We have been to Chicory Cafe a number of times but it took till our third visit to actually find a seat so we could actually sit down and eat. That's frustrating but also a really good sign. The first time we got a seat we ended up going somewhere else for dinner and came back and found seats so that we could sit and enjoy an after dinner drink. The drinks were really good, I had the spiked cappuccino Valentines Themed and my wife had a Mocha. They were both good although they could have been hotter. The next time in we had lunch. We both had meals off of the special board. I had the half Caprese sandwich with soup and my wife had the Denver Quiche. The Caprese Sandwich was really good. At first I was afraid it would be to heavy on the bread but it was a good combination. The Balsamic Vinegar was just enough to keep it fresh and not tasting dry. The Roasted Red Pepper Gouda soup was good. I was a little surprised with the meat in it but overall it had a good flavor. Once again it could have been hotter but I scraped the bowl. The Denver Quiche, ham, mushrooms, onions, red and green bell peppers, garlic and Thyme with Cheddar cheese was ok. It was definitely a reheat in the microwave which made the crust rock hard. I really could not chisel through the crust. The quiche itself was more of a cheese pie then a quiche but other then the microwaved aspects we enjoyed the flavor. This place definitely has something going for it. With all the evening activities and the casual atmosphere, it is a place I would frequent f I was a local.

We went here on Sunday. We informed the cashier that there were four of us but would be paying separately. After two of us ordered, they closed the kitchen because of an influx of online orders. They insisted that the first two pay for our meals even though we wanted to leave since not all of us could eat together, which is common sense. They were very rude about our very reasonable request and finally allowed the other two people in our party to order after a minute-long conversation. Terrible service and dry mac and cheese. Will never go back!

Waited over 25 mins for my coffee at 9am on a Sunday morning, only a couple of customers were in the store. The worst management and operations that I've seen. Definitely not recommend.

I brought my daughter to lunch at Chicory today to celebrate the end of her college semester. I spent many years working in downtown South Bend and eating at Chicory, so this is where I chose to enjoy a lunch when I came back to town. We both ordered the veggie hummus sandwich and iced tea. The bread was decent. The veggies were generous and of good quality. The hummus was a bit stingy. The iced tea was weak and a waste of money. But what ruined our experience was that on this very cold day (rain/snow mix), a staff member came to the dining area and propped the door fully open. This had us, and two other tables of customers, putting our coats back on. I asked a staff member about it. She said "We have to. It's hot in the kitchen." I said "well your customers are freezing." She wasn't concerned in the least. I'm sorry if the kitchen is hot. But that's part of the job of working in a kitchen. We paid good money to sit with a cold wind blowing on us and that is super rude to your customers.

I came into Chicory Cafe during my lunch break. It's a nice cafe in downtown South Bend with plenty of unique food options. My Cubano was delicious but my main concern was the length of the wait. From ordering to getting my sandwich to go took almost 30 minutes.

Kinda felt cramped, but other than that the food was amazing and the staff was super friendly!

I have eaten the specials they have. The are meals just like homemade. A real pleasure to have such quality available.

Seems like it's under a new manager or something. Service is starting to degrade. Go here all the time and the gravy has been cold the last couple times and then you ask for a remake and they had you back microwaved chewy biscuits that were originally crispy and great. Really sad cause this place has the best biscuits and gravy ever. Manager also said you already ate two of the biscuits soo? like uhh yeah but they were cold. Now I'm still hungry and pretty unsatisfied. And sad cause my favorite cafe is now run by someone is has been run by someone who couldn't care less about customer service

WE love it here! Every visit to South Bend we must include a stop to Chicory Cafe! The menu is HUGE and they are open breakfast-dinner so there is always something you'll be in the mood for. Their Po-Boys, and mufflatta sandwiches are divine but the star is their made to order beignets. The restaurant is spacious yet feels cozy and they have events throughout the week. It's always mardi-gras here. I also appreciate the huge selection of hot sauces.

Sandwiches, soups and salad all delicious! We love the atmosphere and the fact that it is downtown. As a bonus they sometimes have live music. Janet

Very delicious! Beautiful atmosphere and yummy and fast service. I love the beignets.

So happy that there's a place that offers gluten free bread for their sandwiches! I was visiting friends in town & looking for something yummy for lunch. This place did not disappoint! Thank you :)

What a great find! Thanks to fellow reviewers, we took the quick stroll down the block from the DoubleTree to get some breakfast. The shop has construction taking place on the side of the street a long Jefferson but the door is still accessible and there is a second door at the back that we walked right passed on Michigan. When you walk in you are taken into a New Orleans feel with all the decor and friendly atmosphere. The menu is vast and breakfast is served all day which is a huge bonus. I ordered the Egg Po'Boy with cheddar ($3) and the fiance ordered the Egg Andouille Po'Boy ($5). He ordered the Bourbon Street latte and I grabbed an English breakfast tea. Both our drinks were served in nice large mugs and the breakfast sandwiches came out on nice thick French Bread. The egg looked like it was more like an omelet that was placed on the bread! It was so nice and thick and fluffy and cooked perfectly. Mine had a nice slice of cheddar melted on top and the fiance sandwich had the sausage inside the egg. Both were just the perfect amount food and what a stellar value for the amount of food. The bourbon latte was an excellent blend of flavors with a hint of sweet. The sweetness of the chocolate blended well with the aromatic flavors of the Bourbon syrup. The service was superb and everyone was super friendly. They had delicious cucumber water you could serve for yourself and there was a station to place your dirty dishes at the end of the meal. The place was full of friends meeting up, business associates meeting to work on projects, students studying, etc. I would take this spot over Starbucks any day!! They have live music, trivia, chess night, really something for everyone. Seems like the type of shop that is very community oriented. We are here through Saturday and we will be back and we will be sure to send our wedding guests to check it out as well.

Cool spot for an informal brunch with pretty quick counter service and choose-your-own table. Breakfast wise the options are fairly limited - I opted for an egg and cheese Po' boy that was unfortunately a little cold. Lunch menu with New Orleans specialities is more extensive, and there was a great coffee selection with plenty of fun drinks to try! Atmosphere felt just a little dark/worn-out inside, but I do want to come back to see what things are like at night.

Chicory Cafe is a great, casual venue in downtown. The coffees are always good with a nice selection of seasonal favorites. There is a pretty extensive menu featuring a handful of breakfast items that are available all day. It's a great option to pop in for a quick breakfast - massive breakfast sandwiches for $5 that easily feed two. Nice selection of soups, salads and sandwiches for lunch / dinner along with beer, wine and cocktails.

Chicory is THE place to meet friends and business associates. It's open, relaxed and the food is excellent. All precautions taken for the virus. Just genuinely nice folks. Nice variety of foods for all tastes.

So many celiac-safe gluten free options on the menu. Cashier confirmed that the gluten free sandwiches are prepared in a separate area I had the Italian sub which was a little more salty than I expected but still tasted great.