Mano Modern Cafe

5/5 stars After marrying into a Filipino family, my mother-in-law has introduced me to so many delicious Filipino dishes that I'm now hooked and always looking to try more authentic Filipino cuisine. Mano Modern Cafe definitely delivers on that front! We ordered through DoorDash and everything arrived very hot and incredibly tasty. The flavors reminded me of the wonderful food my mother-in-law makes for me at home. The quality and authenticity really stood out. There are quite a few Filipino restaurants in the Fulton Market area (Mano Modern might technically be more West Town, but close enough), and this place is definitely one of the best. The food was fantastic and the whole experience was great. If you're looking to try Filipino cuisine or you're already a fan like me, definitely give Mano Modern Cafe a shot. Highly recommended!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Awesome, chill, neighborhood coffee shop with quite good Filipino influenced dishes. I had the Adobo Bowl (not exactly Filipino but was excellent). Ample seating, free WIFI, bright, and relaxing. The coffee was good too :)

Everything I ordered was very delicious. I will say the price is decently steep but I would definitely return. The Calamnsi Iced tea tasted like an elevated Arnold Palmer, the chicken adobo bowl was very flavorful, and the lumpia was very crisp and tasty as well.

Love the team at Mano that turns on my brain every morning! Seriously couldn’t get through my day without getting a cappuccino from them! Each of their baristas knows how to perfectly execute the espresso to foam ratio. I walk by two other coffee shops to get to them. Because it’s worth it! I know they make more exciting drinks but I stopped by every day for cappuccino because it’s consistently good, their team is incredible and it’s fast! I’ve also had the food which is quite wonderful! I’m a big fan of the classic hashbrowns! Definitely give this place a try! If you’re lucky you’ll get Jose one of my favorite baristas.

The Pan De Slider- Tocino Bacon was so good. It took me to the Philippines, opening my taste buds to something new. Slider includes candied tocino bacon, Pan de sal, fried egg, american cheese, and Pinoy Bang Bang sauce. And it is definitely not tiny, as you would assume for a slider. Definitely a perfect breakfast for one. Be sure to add a hash brown on the side, then stick it right on top of that cheese and egg. Coffee was great, too, I might add. Counter service, plenty of space for dining in. Quick service, great staff.

Very cute homey feel cafe. They have your classic coffee drinks with phillipino variations. Constant flow of guests which is a great sign and super busy on weekends. Enjoyed the food and the cold brew was solid.

If this is your first experience with matcha, this could be more enjoyable. But if you’re a more experienced/traveled matcha enjoyer, I wouldn’t have high expectations. I ordered an ube matcha with oat milk and my girlfriend ordered a strawberry matcha with oat milk (which she described to have tasted like cereal milk). Mine tasted like water with a hint of ube flavor in the after taste. I couldn’t really taste any matcha flavor. I wanted to try the ube foam (which is on the sign by the register) but they were somehow out. Lumpia was good! Unfortunately, the service was not pleasant or friendly. I was really excited to try this place but I wouldn’t recommend or visit again for matcha.

Lovely staff to start , the place is small luckily we were first comers that day. We had their coffee which was amazing! I love sweet coffee so if you enjoy sweet coffee then you will like this one. Also the Ube tiramisu is delicious. Breakfast Sandwiches were small in size so make sure to order more than one, the breakfast bowl was lovely and tasteful. overall lovely visit I would come there again

FANTASTIC new coffee shop that my husband has become obsessed with. We stopped in on a day off together and enjoyed the atmosphere and decor and the coffees were very good quality. Modern Filipino influence. I've tried the Ube latte and the Pandan latte. I'm an Ube girly through and through so that's my pick! Their plain vanilla oat milk latte is quite to die for though I must say. They offer a menu of Filipino food that looks divine and I really look forward to trying. Saw others food come out and it looked and smelled wonderful. If you're in a rush you may want to skip this place. This is not a Starbucks- this is carefully made coffee crafted by a single barista. Great quality. We waited for probably 10-15 minutes for our two coffees to go. I didn't mind because the cafe is a very nice vibe!

I came here on a weekday morning and there was only one other table occupied at the time. The bench seating is kind of awkward since the bench is much lower than the table. I shared the longanisa silog with hubby (2 pieces longanisa, fried egg, garlic rice, green onion), lumpia, pandan latte, and ube latte. I was concerned that the lattes would be too sweet so the barista only used two pumps at first and let me try it. It wasn't that sweet and the flavor was mild so she added another pump and it was much better. Both lattes were good but I preferred the pandan latte since it is more unique. The longanisa silog was decent but wish that the garlic rice had a stronger garlic flavor. The longanisa was pretty oily but I guess that is to be expected. The lumpia are small (6 pieces per order) so we got two orders but were good so we devoured them quickly. Overall, would come back to try other items on the drink menu!

Yay for more Filipino coffee shops! As soon as we touched down to Chicago, I knew I wanted to come here. The drinks looked delicious on Yelp and I had to get my hands on them. I absolutely loved the ube and buko pandan drinks. They were so good. My friend got an iced tea and she liked it too. This looks like a great coffee place to work out of too as they had ample space. I'd def come back here.

I love how there are so many modern Filipino food options now in Chicago! And I love me some Longanisa, tocino and garlic fried rice, AKA Silog! It's such a great comfort food if you are Filipino as this is something that I grew up on. I love the ambiance of a small intimate cafe where you can get a full meal, cafe beverages, and dessert! Their Shanghai egg rolls are delicious and come in shareable sizes which come in handy if you got some hungry teens with you! The ube tiramisu is also a must have! Can't believe I forgot to take a picture of it as I was enjoying the creamy goodness of this sweet treat. You just need to trust me on this one and try it for yourself. Definitely recommend!

Mano is a fun cafe that has a strong neighborhood community vibe. I visited for the first time recently and I'll definitely be back to hang out with a book or with my laptop. The service was great. The staff was really knowledgeable about their offerings and were patient in walking me through the menu. I got a hashbrown (fried to perfection!) and the ube steamer. Overall the food and drink were solid. My only complaint is that the order waiting area can get pretty packed because it's so small.

Ideal for a young crowd on a budget. Lower your expectation from real Filipino restaurants where your friends will bring at a potluck. Food is delicious but it's comfort food picnic style. My tosilog wasn't the real deal, it was bacon, $10. The pork adobo bowl was shredded pork with rice, $10 ++ . The calamansi juice $ 5++ was excellent! The cashier was pleasant, kind enough to offer breakfast dish at lunch period. There is no waiter. Order at the counter and they bring your food to your table. Vacated tables were not wiped down and sanitized. I still gave 10% tip for service that was like fast food style. There was a lot of Filipino touches on the walls here and there but there was no Filipino staff at that time to give the same hospitality and warmth. Note: 1) the place is not wheelchair accessible including the washroom 2) street parking

The breakfast combo bowl is one of my favorite meals! The candied tocino bacon, crispy egg, and longanisa go well with their garlic rice. It's a very filling breakfast that comes out hot and fresh. The iced white rabbit latte with oatmilk was delicious, the white rabbit flavor is not too strong. It's like a subtle version of vanilla flavor. There are plenty of tables here, but when it's peak time around 11am on weekends it can actually get pretty packed. It's pretty cozy in here, I like that they have a lot of plants inside. I recommend the lumpia as well.

My first stop of my first visit to Chicago was Mano Modern Cafe. I'd been eyeing this place on Instagram ever since I started following Salamat Cookies, another Filipino small business based in Indy. The cafe itself is spacious, clean, and industrial. If I lived in the area, I would definitely make Mano Modern Cafe my go-to workspace. I ordered an iced ube latte, no adjustments. The latte was impressively ready in under 2 minutes and was delicately layered by the barista. I wish I took a picture of it before mixing the layers! I'm not one for sweet coffee drinks, so I was a bit worried that it would taste like a dessert without making any adjustments to the sweetness. I was pleasantly surprised that the drink didn't taste like candy. The espresso flavor was stronger than the ube syrup, which I prefer. The only thing I would adjust next time is the amount of ice in the latte; about 1/3 less ice would have been perfect!

Mano is a small and locally owned Filipino cafe located in the west town area. This establishment can seat about 20-30 people comfortably. There are a few outdoor seating spots as well. Tip: highly recommend going on an early Sunday AM since parking is free that day and street parking is plentiful. There are 2 ways to order - at their front counter or online. I ordered online and their system is user friendly and easy to navigate. I ordered an Ube chai latte with pistachio milk and it was delicious! This was my first time having pistachio milk as a milk sub and I enjoyed it. For food I tried the longansia and tocino bowl which came with a fried egg and rice. I'll probably pass on ordering food from here going forward, however I do appreciate that they offer food which makes it an easy 1 stop spot! The owner was there and he was hustling! It was great to see this place busy especially since they were only open for about an hour at that point. He was very friendly and kind which shows me he truly cares about his business and making his customers feel at home and welcomed.

Recommended to visit this cute Filipino coffee shop/cafe by a colleague. The interior has a contemporary fresh design with their order counted in the far back, up a short set of steps. When we visited on a Saturday afternoon, there was a mix of friends catching up and a number of people independently working. I imagine it's more crowded (louder) during mealtimes. My husband and I ordered an iced Ube Matcha Latte with pistachio milk (with some guidance from the cashier) and an iced Calamansi tea. The Calamansi was an inhouse made juice; freshing as described. I was grateful that my latte wasn't overly sweet (often happens with Ube flavoring) but it did overpower the matcha. Half way through, I realized my latte reminded me of a flavored vito-soy; not good not bad, but familiar! We also ordered a Pinoy Poutine to share. The portion was perfect for us to share. My favorite part were the fried cheese curds! We enjoyed sitting outside since it was a beautiful overcast day (despite the location being off the bustling car-dominated Ashland. It's a bit far to walk from our place, but I'd happily come back to meet up with a friend or two and try their Filipino breakfast. Cheers to a great neighborhood spot in West Town. Gotta thank my colleague for the rec (:

I've been meaning to come here to grab some breakfast for a long time and I finally made it! The inside is very trendy and looks like it would be a nice spot to catch up with friends or even to do some work on your own. The staff were friendly and recommended the tocino bacon sandwich which was absolutely amazing! The combo of the sauce and yummy bacon went perfectly with the runny yolk and soft bread. I also ordered an iced ube chai tea which was nothing like I've ever had. I'll definitely be back to try the bowls and lumpia next time I'm in town!

I tried their ube chai and it's so good! It's a cute coffee shop with Filipino food and drinks. I'd come back to chill. They also have plenty of seatings under cool AC and mellow soft R&B music.

I came here on a Saturday afternoon to study. It's a small cozy place - providing both studious and social vibes. Depending on where you sit there are outlet plugs available. There is paid parking on Ashland street. We ordered the lumpia and the iced caramel latte. I recommend the lumpia - perfectly fried and delicious filling. The lumpia is bite sized. Heard good reviews about their other food so will be back to try it out

Prior to coming to Mano we had lunch. Mano wasn't planned but we took advantage of stopping by as we drove down Ashland. The drinks were on point and so was the lumpia. Next time we will comeback for food-food and desserts!

Since Kasama came around, there has been a crop of Filipino restaurants popping up in Chicago. Mano Modern Cafe seems to fill in the breakfast and brunch with coffee or afternoon tea niche. Inevitably, comparisons are made to Kasama, which can be considered the "gold standard" in Chicago. The cafe itself is located along Ashland, and street parking is usually plentiful in the mornings and early afternoon. The interior is decorated cleanly. Food-wise, the breakfast sandwich (pan de slider) is not as good as Kasama's. Overall, the sandwich itself is not as flavorful, and the bread feels a little too soft and without texture. The rice bowls (Silogs) are really where this cafe shines. The serving size is a little smaller than Kasama's, but has similar flavor and holds its own against its Michelin-starred brethren down the street. Additionally, make sure to order a lumpia, which always came out piping hot and freshly fried. Drink-wise, I enjoyed the coffee-based drinks much more than Kasama. The Ube latte was more ube-forward, whereas Kasama's was a bit heavier on the cream and milk. A footnote - according to Filipino friends, Mano refers to a gesture and phrase of respect to elders, usually initiated by persons of younger age. Hence, the large "Mano po!" signage on the window of the cafe. Overall, Mano Modern cafe is a solid addition to Chicago's rapidly growing Filipino culinary scene. In my books, it's dug itself a solid niche as a local brunch and coffee spot that is far more accessible than Kasama and also provides its own solid offerings. Definitely a spot that I will be frequenting.

Love this place! The ube chai latte tasted amazing but would probably get a little less sweet next time. Also got the longanisa wrap and bowl which were perfect breakfast items, as well as the lumpia. Fantastic flavors and great service. Solid spot to start off the morning with chill vibes.

I loved this place! When I saw that this place was a Modern Filipino Coffee Shop/Breakfast spot, I just had to go. I've been on the search for some of the best coffee spots that incorporate ube and pandan in their drinks and I just wokeup craving Filipino food, so this was a given. I'm also not from here so I was excited to see what it was like in Chicago. The area it was in was cute and charming, it wasn't too busy and it was in a relatively clean area. I would say parking can either be really easy or a bit of a challenge. We got lucky and got parking on a side street where we didn't have to pay, and it was right around the corner from the coffee shop. There was parking on the street that its on, and that one you have to pay for. We saw some spots open on the street, however I can picture that being a challenge later on in the day. The coffee shop itself was cute, clean and cozy. It wasn't the biggest but I genuinely think they had a good amount of seating in there. I like how they had subtle hints and decorations that pay tribute to the Filipino culture. Service was pretty good. I had no issues personally. Staff greeted me with a smile, I felt that they were very patient and they helped me find a drink that fit into my cravings. Pretty good service overall. I saw them constantly hustling to make sure things were clean and that customers were well taken care of. For drinks, we had the pandan latte (iced) and the ube chai latte (iced). Both were pretty good! My only thingis with the pandan, I do wish the pandan taste was a little stronger, but I appreciate how the coffee didn't overpower it. The Ube Chai was really good and pretty! I had no issues with it and really enjoyed it! For food, we had the pinoy poutine and the longanisa and tocino candied bacon silog. I enjoyed both dishes. The poutine was really good! I enjoyed the coconut gravy and thought it was a creative take on poutine. The silog satisfied my craving. Its pretty hard to butcher a silog dish, they didn't butcher it and I was happy. The candied tocino was so good, I wish I had more. I loved this find. Please open in San Diego lol. But when I come back to Chicago, I don't mind coming here. I also loved how I saw many different people of different ethnic backgrounds trying Filipino dishes and drinks (I'm Filipino lol). I think this place did a great job and I hope to see them again soon!

Mano is a little gem on Ashland. You might think at first they are just a coffee shop, but they have a pretty serious menu of breakfast/lunch items. I was craving a good egg breakfast sandwich and had heard that Mano was cooking up some Filipino fire - they most definitely are. Longansia slider features tons of complimentary flavors - smoke and hearty meat from the sausage, savory egg and cheese, and sweet bun to add even more flavor. Felt like a steal at $6. I got a hash brown with it and ended up putting it inside the sandwich, which only kicked up the flavor explosion more. Definitely get a breakfast sandwich. The coffee here is very solid too! I ordered a cafe de leche and it was perfect. My wife got the Ube Latte, which was also delicious and I want to come back and try the iced version as I feel the ube will stand out better in that. This might be the new weekend spot for me!

Went back again the same week! Really a lovely place to vibe and study. It's easy to order at the counter and sit down. They bring your items to you. I tried their White Rabbit latte and the iced version of the ube latte. The iced version had pretty layers, make sure to mix before drinking! I still like the hot latte version because I think it brings out the potato-y flavor better. The white rabbit latte didn't really taste like white rabbit candy. It seemed similar to a white chocolate mocha but I guess White Rabbit candy is just condensed milk so it's not too unexpected. The calamansi was refreshing. Like a tart orange juice with a hint of bitterness. I tried their beef patty breakfast bowl because I was craving something saucy. The gravy was amazing to mix into the rice and the patty was almost the size of the bowl! Would love if the gravy was an option for all the bowls. I also tried a bit of the candied tocino bacon and it was delicious!! Sweet and salty, not a crispy as I hoped but still very tasty.

What a cute cafe! Went in for a quick breakfast on a Monday around 10:15am and the shop was pretty quiet. I could see how it would get busy and packed on the weekends. The Ube Latte was delicious and the breakfast slider and hash brown were perfect! Super reasonably priced too!! I personally preferred this Longanisa slider over another local cafe made famous by a certain Chicago based tv show (if you catch my drift). Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area or on the hunt for the best breakfast sandwich in Chicago! I will be back :)

Absolutely love new Filipino restaurants popping up in the area. Street parking, open early and through dinner. Fireplace by the front windows, multiple drinks and foods available. Handicap entrance, but the counter to order has stairs so I'm not sure how that is handled. My wife and I went early morning on a weekday as soon as they opened. Limited seating inside, but we were able to get out items quickly. Filipino breakfast is served all day but it is very expensive for their servings. We got the longanisa (2pc) and spam (1pc) combo and it was around 10 after tax, but compared to Uncle Mike's around the corner, their portion seemed like an appetizer. I ordered an Ube latte. I took the pistachio milk (cost extra) vs whole milk. I was surprised and happy to see the it was not overly sweetened for a latte or an Ube drink. It's was more creamy from the milk and very subtle Ube flavor. The milk almost masks the purple potato flavor. I noticed that their lattes depend on their espresso machine. Unfortunately it produces one at a time so during rush hours, expect a wait.

This cafe is a cool space perfect for enjoying a drink and getting some work done! We got the Ube Matcha Latte with oat milk. It had an earthy flavor from the matcha mixed with sweet vanilla flavor from the ube. Overall it wasn't too sweet and the flavors blended well together. I would've wanted just a little more oat milk to add a creamy flavor. The staff very friendly and I got to watch them make my drink in the coffee bar right next to the counter.

Overall Thoughts: The vibes in Mano are great-- though a small-ish space and can get crowded, it's decorated aesthetically with cool, purplish lighting. The music wasn't too loud, so it's a great environment for doing some light work and the playlist was great. The staff are really nice too. While I enjoyed the variety of the Asian-inspired drink flavors and the Filipino/Filipino-inspired food items, the drink flavors were too mild and the food portions were too small for the price. Nonetheless, it's a wonderful vibe and the food is overall solid in taste, so I'd always be down to come back to chill, do some work, and try their other creative drinks and food options. Food I tried: - Pandan Latte (4/5): Tasted good overall, though the pandan flavor was very light and difficult to detect. - Vegan Chorizo Bowl (4/5): This tasted pretty good with solid flavors all around, but I wish it came with more chorizo. The garlic rice was also a little lacking in flavor. My main gripe was that the portion size is pretty small, and I still felt peck-ish afterwards. - Lumpia (4.4/5):Tasted good-- pretty meaty in flavor with very crispy texture. - Tiramisube (4.6/5): Such a soft and moist cake with soft, light frosting/cream. The ube flavor was there, but not very strong. It's a little pricey ($8), but easily shareable amongst people. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5 Food: 4.2/5 Ambience: 4.9/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall Value: 4.4/5

Came here for breakfast on a Saturday morning - super early. The outside ambiance and decor is so cute yet sleek. I love its simplicity yet boldness to attract folks. It is small enough to make it cozy yet large enough to house groups of people if wanted. My friend and I decided to grab some bites and drinks. I adore and appreciate the need for Filipino cuisine in this neighborhood with really great prices. I ordered the Silog burger steak breakfast bowl along with a Pandan Pistachio milk chai latte. My friend ordered some fries and tea. My bowl was incredibly tasty - the gravy was really good and wish there was more. I did think the garlic rice was overly greasy and could have used way less oil. The fries were well-seasoned and crisp. The pandan chai latte was the best item I ordered. Never have I ever been offered pistachio milk as a milk alternative. It added depth and flavor to the beverage. I do plan to return and try their dinner and some of their desserts!

For a cafe with "modern" in its name, the decor/environment actually feel quite dated. I ordered the cafe con leche and it was terrible - watery and overly sweet (I know "leche" is in the name but you can still have a balanced sweetness). I think this is partly because they used drip coffee instead of espresso, which is traditional and would have complemented the sweetness a lot better. I threw it away after drinking 1/4 of it. I do appreciate that it's a nice and quiet environment for working and studying, and I would be willing to stop in again if I were in the area to try some of the food items. Definitely not confident in the drinks, though.

Mano is probably one of my new favorite breakfast spots in Chicago! My friend and I stopped by on their opening day and we ordered the Pandan Latte, Ube Latte, a rice bowl with bacon and sausage, and their Tiramisube. The lattes were so good with strong flavors of both the ube and the pandan. It was pretty sweet and they give you a generous amount for the cost. The garlic rice bowl was so good and the bacon was incredible. The tiramisube was also fantastic, though I probably wouldn't order it on a regular basis. The inside has a good amount of indoor seating, and the service was quick and friendly. I am looking forward to going back to try other things on the menu!

I've been seeing this cafe on ig a lot and I was in the area and decided to give it a try. They have a very quiet, cozy, modern interior design of the cafe. It's really cute and I'd love to come and sit here to work or study. I tried the ube latte and the beef bowl with added tofu. The beef bowl was really well flavored. The added tofu was chopped in dice sized and I was charged $5 for just a little bit of it which wasn't quite worth it. The ube latte was made with ube syrup when I was expected real ube paste so that was my fault. Overall it was a nice try if this cafe.

Saw this place on instagram and wanted to check this out since they recently opened and I was in town for the weekend. Love the name of the cafe-it's simple and catchy. However, mano is an honorary gesture in the Filipino culture which is a sign of respect to elders and as a way of requesting a blessing from the elder. The person giving the greeting bows towards the hand of the elder and presses their forehead on the elder's hand. The inside was definitely had the chill coffee shop vibes with cute decor. I can see myself definitely having coffee and studying or having a small meet up here. The decor is so cute that they even have a little tabo hanging in the bathroom. When you are Filipino, you know what I'm talking about. I ordered the pandan iced latte with almond milk and my mom got the ube latte. Delicious! Smooth and on point! I had to get less pandan syrup since you really couldn't adjust the sweetness; therefore I barely tasted the pandan. My mom said the ube latte was good but too strong for her. Anyone that likes coffee, this is on point for a latte. I also got the combo bowl with tocino and longanisa for $9. It came with two thin pieces of tocino, 1 egg, 1 longanisa, and garlic rice. Perfect for the price. Tocino was like bacon...I was expecting thicker pieces. Longanisa was delish with the fried rice. Overall, it was a good Filipino bowl for a reasonable price. I would love have tried the pan de sliders. Maybe next time. We also tried the space yam cookies. They were a bit too sweet for me with the coconut. I can barely taste the ube as well. It would be nice to have pastries available besides cookies and the $9 ube tiramisu. Definitely looking forward to coming back! Nice to see more Filipino options here in the city!

Super duper cozy. All the food smelled amazing. All I got was a latte but I was sitting there wishing I was dining in while waiting for my drink. Very homey feel. Well-heated and cute interior. Latte was not too hot and not too sweet!

Love to see my culture flourishing throughout the city of Chicago! I came to show my support and it hit the spot after a night shift in the hospital. I was really surprised by their menu items for all 3 meals of the day - makes me want to come back and try them all! For breakfast I got the longsilog (my fav filipino breakfast) and it was very good! To drink I got the pandan latte and I love that the flavor was subtle and didn't taste artificial. Would love to try the ube latte next!

Stopped in for lunch with some friends on a Sunday! I had been wanting to try Filipino food so I was excited when I saw Mano open!! The space has a decent number of tables but is pretty small so it's a little tight but we were able to find a table! We ordered at the cafe counter and they brought our food out to us very timely. I got the adobo pulled pork bowl and it was really yummy! I was excited for the "pineapple slaw" and there wasn't that much. The ratio of ingredients would have been better to have a little less rice. But it was a good satisfying portion, especially for the price. I'd love to come back and try their unique coffee drinks! I love coffee shops that have actual substantial food menus and I love the uniqueness of this one. A great addition to chicago!

For my first visit, I tried the breakfast bowl with longanisa (sweet Filipino breakfast sausage), Tocino candied bacon, fried egg, garlic rice, green onion & Lumpia & Tiramisube & Pandan Latte w/ pistachio milk My favorite dish was the Lumpia rolls, crispy and delicious. The other meats, longanisa and Tocino bacon, were also tasty. Garlic rice did not have garlic flavor. Tiramisube was a great tiramisu but no ube flavor. Pandan Latte w/ pistachio milk did not have Pandan flavor. If it did, it was overpowered by the pistachio milk and they should revisit the ratios. But I went back the next morning to try a different combo - ube chai and I could distinctly taste the ube and chai flavors. Employees are nice. I like the modern interior design but they try to pack as much seating as possible into a small space so there's a lot of noise. This is a decent place to get a light/simple lunch but not to relax like a typical cafe.

This was such a cool place to go to and we came at the right time, because as soon as we finished eating I looked up and every seat was full! The ticket times were great for us, maybe 5-7 minute wait for our drinks and food. But of course this depends on how busy it gets and like I mentioned - it gets busy! But it's a small but cute space. Great vibes and great decor. But now the food quality - SO GOOD. We got two lattes, Ube and Pandan (if you're not familiar it's a southeast Asian plant usually used in desserts and the dessert will have a green color). We also ordered two meals - the Spam Silog (spam and eggs over rice) and Spam Pan de Slider - a fun take on a spam egg and cheese slider but using Filipino bread rolls. The spam silog was so good! The rice was garlic fried rice and it worked really well with the spam and egg. And the egg being runny over the spam and rice? A Filipino classic and I loved it. Just know that if you want ketchup with it (which I'm a KETCHUP FIEND), you have to ask them. Condiments aren't on the side for you to grab. And the Spam Pan de Slider was great! Great idea of the pandesal as a roll for spam and eggs. The cheese was a good move and the egg was still runny! The lattes were both great! Subtle notes of each flavor with espresso and oat milk. By the way - their milk substitutes are either oat or pistachio milk! 5/5 would recommend! Big notes - it's a small space and fills up quickly. Also the ordering area is on a staircase, which is slightly inaccessible. But the service was great so I'm sure they would be more than happy to help take your order even if you aren't able to go up!

Everything on the menu is good! My favorites are tofu sisig and pandan chai. Staff are very friendly. Definitely a must stop for filipino quick bites if you're in Chicago.

The space is quite small but they make good use of it! There looks to be seating for maybe 25? I love the decor and extra points for the walis tingting (IYKYK) I met up with a friend for lunch on Friday- we didn't realize they hadn't had their grand opening yet!! We didn't even have to wait to get in or order. I ordered a white rabbit latte with oatmilk and for foodi ordered the combo silog bowl. It was delish- and of course loved the garlic rice. Their tocino is more like bacon as opposed to being like thicker tapa. I wish I asked for my egg to be over easy, it came well done. I also ordered a tiramisube--YUMMMMM!! I am loving all the Filipino restaurants here. I'll def be back.

Really cute spot! Seem like a good place for work, free WiFi. Beautifully lit inside too. Service is fast and very friendly. Excited to see the place grow and thrive. Definitely recommend this place for drinks! Loved the pandan chai and the ube latte.

Very cute cafe with amazing Filipino food. Got the lychee black tea which has a subtle sweetness. The lumpia is from my dreams! So flavorful, with a nice wrapper crunch paired with a tangy sweet chili sauce.

Mano is a quaint little spot with a unique charm that makes you feel right at home. The coffee is fantastic, especially the cold brew--smooth and refreshing with a richness that stands out. Xandro, the barista and owner, is incredibly knowledgeable about coffee and brings a personal touch to each cup. His passion really elevates the experience. The decor is just as thoughtful, with used cans repurposed as plant pots that add a cozy, homey feel. My only wish? That they'd sell those Rizal stickers--they'd be the perfect takeaway from such a special place.

Ordered an Ube Twinkie and iced Pandan latte. Loved how everything was not too sweet (highest compliment that can be given to a dessert imo). The Twinkie tastes like it's made with rice flour (not sure if this is true), but I loved how chewy, spongy, and dense this was! Definitely coming back to try more drinks in the future. Only negative is parking on Ashland can get nuts, so beware if you are coming by car.

I'm so glad that another Filipino spot has opened up near West Town/Wicker! Mano Modern Cafe was packed on a Saturday morning, and it makes sense why! Their food and coffees are delicious! I came back again on Wednesday morning! I tried the longanisa Pan de slider, which has egg, cheese, bang bang sauce, and longanisa (a sweet and savory sausage) in between two big buns. I would prefer less dense buns but thats just my preference! It was delicious and I would get it again. I also tried the combo sisig (egg, longanisa, tocino (bacon), over rice). It was a filling portion size and so tasty! The tocino was incredibly flavorful and more on the sweet side which I really enjoyed. For drinks, I tried the white rabbit latte and pandan latte. The white rabbit latte was lightly sweet which I enjoyed. The pandan latte was my favorite of the two! I got it iced, and the flavor profile definitely comes out and is a beautiful green color. I also learned I've been saying pandan wrong my entire life lol. It is pronounced phonetically "pon don". Oops! Definitely worth checking out. Warning that it is packed on the weekend morning but just be prepared for that and don't let it deter you. Weekday morning around 8 is populated but not busy, so you won't have to wait long!

I'm always one to support local businesses, but this one sadly missed the mark overall. I understand they opened about a week ago, so I'll show grace by giving 3 stars instead of 2. 1 star for hospitality/ambiance and another for the pandan chai latte. I was bummed to find that I missed breakfast upon entering at 11ish, but sounded like they had some interesting lunch options. One of the baristas did an excellent job running through each of the lunch items (a variety of rice bowls and burgers) since they don't have an offical printed menu quite yet. Based on the barista's recommendation, I opted for the pulled pork adobo rice bowl. The pulled pork (seemingly the prepackaged kind from Costco) was quite dry and chewy, drizzled in some bottled "bbq" sauce. Uncle Doug's maybe? I understand this isn't a Texas smokehouse, but I expect better quality considering how much I'm paying for the bowl, which was $14 if I remember correctly. The corn and purple cabbage/onion relish didn't enhance the flavors much, and seemed to be more for show. I couldn't put my finger on any adobo flavor either; it was next to nonexistent! The pandan chai latte, on the other hand, was my only saving grace and the main reason I came here. While unique and satisfying, it is not necessarily something I would go out of my way for again. Maybe there are a few kinks that they still intend on working out, considering they are still quite a new establishment. Wishing them all my best in their endeavors moving forward!!

I'm Filipino so take this with a grain of salt. For starters we had the pandan and ube chai. Both freshly satisfying if a touch too sweet. Next we had the tocino burger, pulled pork adobo burger and the longanisa(sausage) rice bowl. All were fine not bad. The longanisa with egg is probably my pick. If you're looking for something different check this place out. It's not too ethnic, the food is familiar to westerners with just a little Filipino twist.

Good place for a casual but nice brunch when you're tired of the typical pancake and waffle type joints! The space is small but very clean and well maintained, and your brunch options are a mix of nicely prepared Filipino classics like their silog (garlic rice bowls with an egg and your choice of meat) or adobo chicken and pork. The coffee options are straightforward with some interesting Filipino inspired drinks like the ube latte, or the even more interesting pandan latte which is a combination I've never had before. We got the adobo chicken, tocino + longanisa bowl, a pandan latte, and a to-go "tiramisube" (an ube tiramisu). The chicken was savory, lean and shredded but still pretty juicy, with a more soy sauce-y and less vinegary kick than lots of other places. The rice bowl wasn't huge but the garlic rice was flavorful, the two longanisas (sweet savory sausage) were juicy with a nice bite on the outside, and the tocino wasn't traditional the cut of sliced pork but was instead thin slices of tocino flavored bacon which was delicious in its own way. The pandan latte had a nice flavor and a very aesthetic look before mixing the pandan. The tiramisube was creamy and had a nice ube flavor that didn't overpower the classic espresso taste of the tiramisu, although it could've been a bit less sweet. While the menu isn't very big, this place is a nice addition to the area and a nice break from your typical Chicago coffeeshop and cafes!

Delicious food and excellent service! It's a small place but is very welcoming. We ordered the calamansi drink, breakfast sandwich and a longanisa & spam rice bowl. All very good.

I'm a bit upset with my experience at Mano. My friends and I have been looking forward to trying out Mano for a while since we're Filipino and love supporting Filipino businesses. Let's start with the food, The Pinoy poutine was amazing and flavorful and the Calamansi juice just hits right. Perfect and delicious. The tiramisube was not too sweet and fluffy which was good but a bit dry for tiramisu. I got the burger steak silog which was a popular item in their menu but was so disappointed because of how bland it was! Seriously. I was scanning the cafe for salt because the steak (and egg) was unseasoned and not enough gravy to compensate. I usually hate wasting food and would just eat but I couldn't finish it at all. My friend had the longanisa + tocino bacon which were ok she liked it so we had no issues there. The service is what really put a downer on our experience I think. The worker who took our order was very rude. They slammed the tiramisu on the counter, causing the forks to fall off, rolled their eyes multiple times at us and was not very friendly with their tone which was so weird! When they brought the poutine down at our table they basically tossed the poutine at us and rolled their eyes which made us feel uncomfortable. I politely asked if we offended them in anyway in which they said "it's just been a long day". Look, I understand having a bad day but I feel like we didn't deserve that treatment especially since we've been so polite to the staff the entire time we were there. We got there at 6ish, too. So it's not like we came to eat 20 mins before closing. We were just left confused to why we were treated that way and it's really enough for me to not recommend this place over all. We were there only customers dining in since we got there, so it's not like they were super busy either. We didn't get an apology from them whatsoever, and the experience made my friend almost cry because of how they acted. Overall I wouldn't recommend this cafe, but don't let my bad experience deter you from trying it out.

Love the vibe in this cute Filipino cafe that is perfect for meeting friends for a lively meal! Found parking easily on the streets and was served by very friendly and helpful staff. Thankful that we ordered ahead because our food and drink were ready when we arrived and didn't have to stand in the long line that was out the door. Tried the longanisa slider, tiramisube and cold ube chai. All were delicious and just perfect for the quick bite I needed before heading to the airport. One tip...eat the slider over a napkin because the overeasy egg and juicy sausage can get a little messy. Will be back in town soon and look forward to trying some of the other items on their menu!

Been here couple of times, and their drinks are a hit or miss. Cant say for food, but I ordered the black sesame latte and pandan latte and they are oddly bitter with minimal flavoring. Black sesame 5/10: I usually love black sesame drinks so maybe it was my fault for having expectations, but it was extremely bitter and had an odd texture. I had to add some extra milk and sugar at home and blend it a little more to make it palatable. Generally, I don't like my drinks that's sugary to begin with, but it was even hard for me to drink. Pandan latte 7/10: Much better, it was light and sweet. Pandan flavor was strong. Service: Like the coffee, hit or miss. I've had very nice and welcoming service, but also times where they were on their phone and I barely got the time of day. Ambience: During the afternoon on weekdays, there are less people and a solid study spot. There's a wall with cushions that's quite comfy. Weekends are busier and lively. Overall, I've had good coffee here previously, but could be hit or miss.

Absolutely loved this adorable cafe! The atmosphere was so trendy and the food and drinks were delicious! It's really small so I can see how it could get crowded on the weekends but we happened to go during a weekday and it wasn't too bad. The Ube chai was to die for. SO GOOD. My sister and cousin ordered an Ube latte and they didn't like it as much as mine. The adobo was very flavorful and a good portion. We also tried an Ube cookie and Ube blondie brownie which were so yummy. The blondie brownie was a lot better than the cookie so highly recommend that! Would absolutely come back in a heartbeat! Love the Filipino representation and the atmosphere and food were amazing!

Very cute cafe! The staff was very kind and accommodating. I really enjoyed my calamansi iced tea. It incredibly refreshing, however the food was so bland. The rice, the egg, and sausage tasted of nothing. No flavor of any kind. Definitely would like to try their coffee next time, but I think I'll skip all meals here.