Perkolator

A very charming and authentic spot! Delicious coffee, fresh bagels with a variety of fillings to suit every taste. Art on the walls, rainbow-colored chairs, and neatly packed teas and coffees in different blends — everything adds to the cozy vibe. There’s even a comfy sofa for friends to gather. Such a lovely place!

Very cute neighborhood coffee shop! Great atmosphere and unique flavors. We were there on a Sunday about 11. Line was to the door and pastries were running low. They said that the food wait would be 45 minutes but it was only about 15. Tables were full so we sat outside - nice bench set-up. Mochas were yum, food was okay. I got a chorizo egg and cheese sandwich which was more of a sub and heavy on the chorizo. Bagel sandwich was good. I will try the burrito next time. The almond croissant was the best of my life.

This place is so quaint and cute! The vibe is very laid back and chill. They play good music and I love all the live plants. My latte and croissant were so delicious! The service was also great and the barista Chrissy was very kind and helpful! I will definitely come back!

Cozy coffee shop and roaster on the far north west side. Ontop of the in house roasting, they have a good variety of breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and rotating seasonal options available. The bagels and drinks we got were very good and the staff were super friendly. Very nice location to make a regular stop or to work or read.

Such a cute cafe! Really nice atmosphere and delicious food! The staff were also very welcoming. I got one of their summer specials the Goat, and a matcha latte.

Great choice for a local cafe serving delicious food and drinks if you’re wanting to support local rather than chain restaurants. The price is a bit high, but worth it if you’re looking to support a local cafe. I recommend the green smoothie, it has spinach, avocado, banana, a bit of pineapple juice, and agave. It was really good! There’s plenty of seating inside, though it gets busy sometimes. The space is good for chatting with a friend or two.

Still new to the area with my wife but we've had this place on the "To Go" list a while. Chai and Coffee drinks were great, chorizo sandwich was filling, pastries fresh, and we picked up some ground coffee to go. A busy Saturday morning but staff was cheerful. Will be in our weekend rotation now!

stopped in for the first time today because i had a gift certificate to use. asked the barista if i could order the bananas foster latte as a chai instead. he asked and the said that they could. Him and one of the other baristas asked me if i had gotten it before and i told them no it was my first time in there so they told me i had to let them know how it was and they had to try it when they had the chance. the chai latte was absolutely amazing and i will definitely be stopping by again to get another before it’s gone for the season and to see how the staff enjoyed it as well! I also got a jalapeño popper bagel, which was also delicious. such friendly staff, great drinks and food. will definitely be coming back!

Great sandwiches and awesome atmosphere! Wish that iced chai was a little bigger. I drank it so fast!

Cute cafe in the neighborhood. Very warm and home-y inside. They have an extensive menu offering different types of beverages and food items. Ended up getting a large caramel perkiato which is their version of a caramel macchiato. Twas delicious and not super sweet. I could see myself coming back for sure.

I've visited the Perk many times over the years. When I came in today the place looked shabby; don't recall it looking like that. While eating lunch I realized it was because of all the ugly grey-painted tables with paint peeling. Looks terrible. Buy some nice new tables. The food is good and the service is pleasant.

This coffee shop is adorable with friendly service. The coffee is delicious, I ordered a light drip coffee and my husband had a hot americano. There are gluten free treats available as well as gluten free options for bread. We had the breakfast burrito and the peppers and egg sandwich with the gluten free roll - both were awesome. 10/10 recommend.

Perkolator was a great place to catch up with everyone and grab a coffee. Descent spot with descent food!

I had a crazy bad experience I could have cried. They gave my order to someone else, tried not to remake it but did so. In my frustration at the wait (more than 30 minutes) I asked the barista, who originally made the mistake but was never made aware of it, to remake my lattes. He gave me a hard time even though they had been sitting there for 30 minutes getting cold. He kept insisting that they were busy, as if I'm being finicky. So already that didn't feel great. When I got my sandwiches, a full 40 minutes later, and the barista said, I made your coffees extra hot so they won't cool off. Even now, it upsets me, the passive aggressive tone, making me feel bad for wanting quality items that I spent $30 for!! Not cheap!! We exchanged some heated words, then he cut me off, in my upset complaining, and said Bye Have a Good Day - well, I'll never be going back.

We love coming to this great neighborhood spot. The coffee is always perfect and the sandwiches are on point. Service is usually pretty quick for how busy this place can get.

Solid coffee, solid food, solid dudes in a hip space. All good. Add to your list. They have espresso coffees, despite the name.

Really want to love this place but the staff remind me every time why I don't. I still keep giving them a chance though.

Service was great and food came out fast. That sandwich I had was filling and absolutely delicious

Great random find while looking for a coffee shop not too far from the airport to host an online meeting. Really great coffee, I had the Carmel Vanilla latte- which has a cute name I can't recall, and a turkey bacon avocado sandwich on sourdough. It was great, filling, good price. The atmosphere was perfect- good music, right volume, nice decor. Really friendly staff.

The best kind of neighborhood cafe! I've seen this place pop up on the feed and always wanted to try it, finally got the chance! It's a small little place but it has everything you need... Cold brew, coffee, tea, smoothies, sandwiches, bagels, avocado toast, pastries and even a breakfast burrito! The service is so attentive and friendly you can definitely feel their heart is in making the place great. I got the chorizo, egg and cheese on a croissant and added the jalapeño cream cheese my wife got on the side. Wow, it hit the spot! Also a very delicious mango colada fresh fruit smoothie. Great spot, take a walk or a quick drive and invest in the neighborhood!

Had the cortado and the turkey wrap and both were delicious. Took both to go but I wish I would've stayed, the vibes and decor were . Would definitely recommend

My favorite local coffee shop Their House Special - The Perkiato (iced) is the best version of a Carmel macchiato I've ever tried. The cafe is super cute and bright, and they have a whole outdoor bench area with trees and flowers that is perfect for a weekend morning. Their whole bean coffee blends are great as well. Would recommend going early to snag some pastries!

My family lives around the corner and this is my go-to place when I'm in town. Food choices are great for any appetite and the service is always attentive and friendly. I like the vibe of this local family owned shop. I've been to a few others in the area along Irving, but this place is tops on my list. Plus they're celebrating their 10 year anniversary which tells you they have what it takes to stay in business.

Cute cozy/homey feeling coffee shop on Irving Park that I'd seen people always stop at on my way to work, so thought I'd drop in one day. I ordered the Veggie Bagel and a cortado. The bagel was pretty good, nice and fresh, but I would have liked more of the spread. Unfortunately the coffee was very disappointing....it tasted very very earthy and maybe burnt. I almost didn't finish it. Also, there was no foam on the top of my cortado, like at all, and there should be a little, even if just the cream from the coffee extraction.

The matcha latte here is definitely a lower grade powder, it had a brownish tint to it. I didn't enjoy it. I also ordered an egg and cheese sandwich on a croissant. The flavor was fine but the egg itself was spongy, which you can see the texture in the pic. My friend had a cuppucino and a chorizo sandwich, she said her items were good. Customer service was pleasant and the place is otherwise I would rate go a half star less.

This place is one of my favorites in Portage Park! The coffee is delicious and the breakfast sandwiches are very tasty! Everyone is very friendly!

The place was so cute. The staff was friendly and the sandwiches were amazing. There is quirky art around the place and some amazing chalkboard art moments done by the staff. I will definitely stop by again if I'm in the area.

Pretty cute shop, stopped by for breakfast sandwiches but it was 20$ for two sandwiches and no sides or drink. The "brioche bun" was literally like a hamburger bun with some grill marks and the egg had a greenish blue color I still ate it because it was 20$ for two sandwiches but the color was hard to get past.

Visited with a large group and they took care of us all nicely. They said good would take 30+ minutes and I received mine in about 15. The iced chai tea was awesome!! Loved the vibe inside and the outside seating was cute.

Delicious brownies ! Great coffee The place is cozy a little neighborhood hidden gem. Staff was friendly and service was fast

Unpretentious cafe experience with eager to pour baristas. IG, selfie worthy seating for those looking to read awhile or work/study. 'What brings me back' are the made-to-order breakfast sandwiches. They also offer a donuts/ desserts gallery with selections that come from some of Chicago's favorites. Quantities are limited so you'll have to hit them up sooner than later. I was fearful that the pandemic could get them. Glad to see them still pourin'.

I had been meaning to go here and try the coffee after seeing a post by local shop Harebrained (which designed logo imagery for Perkolater). I'm glad I found this place. Coffee is excellent; I grabbed a bag of Portage Park blend beans for home, and I enjoyed a smooth cold brew. I tried the egg and cheese sandwich on brioche. It was a tasty sandwich. The breakfast burrito is highly rated and recommended. The space is nice with a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating. The service was friendly. Looking forward to future visits.

I've known for a long time that I can get a great cup of coffee in a pleasant and upbeat shop at Perkolator, but today I learned that they're also a woman-owned business on their Instagram page, so I wanted to hop on here and say, thanks for the great coffee and service, Perkolator. And also thank you for highlighting being woman owned. You rock and I'm celebrating your success today and always.

This is a great coffee shop on in the Portage/Old Irving area. I stopped in here one day when I was heading to the movies in Norridge (pre-pandemic) and needed to kill a bit of time before the movie began. It's cute with its retro vibe, and the seating, though sparse, is comfortable. The guy who took our order was super friendly and my chai was delicious, as was my friend's coffee. They use the storefront next door--which they're connected to--as shop selling books, records, and such. There are a few seats in that space too, though I think you're not supposed to take drinks in there (it would be very dangerous if you did!). A solid coffee shop worth a repeat visit.

Leadership here continues to shine and it's evident through the staff that works here. Happy ,kind and hard-working team that recognizes you and knows how to do their job quickly and efficiently. There is a reason this business thrives and that my friends is "quality"...all across the board. Cheers to the Perk team!

Very cute and friendly spot. Coffee and food were both yummy, and we loved enjoying them in the comfy chairs.

This place is so cute. I'm obsessed with the bacon jalapeño breakfast bagel sandwich! I've also tried a couple different lattes and enjoyed them

I had the bagel with the dill cream cheese (super yummy flavor) and my fiancé had the Jalapeño popper bagel. Both were very good. There was a slight wait for the food but we weren't in a rush. I would go there again.

So glad they opened this cozy but classy cafe. The vibe is incredibly warm and welcoming and coffee and tea offerings are top notch! Food menu is worth mentioning with great options for breakfast sandwiches as well as lunch offerings. (Cubaski and Chicken salad being specially noteworthy.) The owner operator makes sure that, even if you're just grabbing a cup and running, you are treated like family. This place rocks and its a much welcomed addition to the ever growing list of awesome things going on in our new and improved Portage Park neighborhood. So thankful they are here, bringing a Wicker Park vibe to Portage Park, and see all of you here! Alex

We came here because our daughter's art work was featured on the walls. What a cute quaint coffee stop. I ordered the golden milk latte... yum! Service was attentive and speedy. Nothing to complain about here!

Hands down one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. Love the indie vibe, genial service and proximity to my kid's school. I could stay and chill all day, but I don't think anyone would appreciate that :-)

Food is great ! Totally dif from Starbucks much kinder less hustle and bustle. Service is top notch and ambiance is very comfy/hippyish . I'm definitely going back!!

I really wish there was more places like Perkolator around. Sure, it's got the trappings of a third-wave coffee, hipster type place; c'mon they've got a record store in their adjacent space. But still has the accessible neighborhood vibe that can be sometimes missing in places like that. Despite it being my first time I sat there for hours, first after trying their Arnold Palmer-I like that they have coffee alternatives listed for non-coffee people like myself. I also tried their jalapeno popper bagel sandwich and it made me think 'why has no one else thought of this?' It's so easy but the combination of egg, bacon, cheese and just a few slices of fresh jalapeno on a toasted bagel? Genius. Since I was there to watch them switch from breakfast to lunch and my Arnold Palmer was so enjoyable I ended up getting the Cubanski for lunch. Again, a Cubano but with smoked Polish ham, I can see why it can be an acquired taste but I liked it. I will say that I wish seating options were a little more varied, there are just a few small tables and one long communal one and even when it was quiet it can be hard to find a more private table-the one in the record store side is really popular and maybe add one or two more two tops?

SUPER CUTE cafe on the northwest side of the city. A friend and I met up here for an after work coffee date, and we were both so pleasantly surprised. Their tea selection is on point, with their caffeine free options in blue, and their caffeinated options in white. The vanilla rooibos was superb and under $3. Their custom coffee creations were also appealing, so I might be making a before work stop here very, very soon! My favorite part of Perkolator was their staff though. SO KIND. Just so kind. Even when we sat there a teensy bit past closing, they were friendly and warm, and happily let us finish our convo. Such a fan. I'll be back!

I have heard of Perkolator for a while but I am not a coffee drinker so cafes aren't my thing. Then I heard they also have a great loose tea selection and decided to place an order. The website was super easy to maneuver but I somehow blew it and couldn't figure out how to do the free local delivery for orders of $15 or more so I ended up having to go in. I figured it out for future orders. They have a counter set up right at the door and my order was ready and waiting for me. Great! I am in love with the English Breakfast loose tea. It's going to become a staple in my house. They are only open until 1pm so that's tricky for me with remote learners at home. I definitely need to use free local delivery next time!

First time here, came here because of the great ratings however. I order to breakfast items and was told there be a 10 min wait, of course on Sunday. Unfortunately I waited 30min for food no one from staff cared to ask why I was waiting until I said something. I get it your a small shop but definitely should pay attention to customers...

Great breakfast burrito and mocha. Cute little place. Friendly staff. Would come here again.

By far one of my favorite places in the neighborhood. Great coffee and delicious food with lots and lots of options. We're talking gluten free, milk alternatives, vegan... Perkolator really seems to try to have something for everyone. The shop itself is comfortable, good wifi, and good seating options. Always a friendly neighborhood vibe. So thankful for Perkolator and happy to continue supporting this business! Ps: The carrot cake oatmeal is.... a dream!

Realllllyyy good bagel and quite a nice latte. The inside is very welcoming and the staff is super friendly. Definitely recommend for coffee and breakfast! Lots of seating and well decorated.

I'm a sucker for a coffee shop. I stopped here after happily by accident one Sunday. There was a poetry reading! What a lovely gem in Portage Park. Highly recommend. I got a coffee with milk and apple turnover and a cold brew can to go. I really thought about the delicious looking bottles of vanilla and lavender flavoring but I didn't think I could get them back home to VA in my carry on. Highly recommend a stop if you're heading west on Irving Park and otherwise in the area. It's a sweet little spot.

Great in house roasted coffee and the breakfast burrito is the best around. All the food is great. The place is super cute and cozy. Amazing staff and owners.

This spot never disappoints when it comes to lates and treats. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. If in the Northwest side of Chicago give them a try! The lattes and seasonal drinks are always my go to.

A nice stroll from the house with great coffee/teas and yummy sandwiches, mostly bfast items & nice vegetarian options too. Staff are super friendly & helpful. Another fun vibe inside & comfy dog friendly area to sit outside ( no tables tho). Everything made to order, so we try to order in advance before walking over unless we have time to just chill.

Their coffee drinks are good and most of their sandwiches are great! The veggie bagel will change your life and I'm a full on carnivore! The reason for the 3 star rating? Their customer service is lacking. What's disappointing is twice within the past few weeks I've been in to pick up online orders and I wasn't greeted or said hello to at all when I walked in and waited in line. Even though there were multiple employees talking amongst themselves. I really want to support local, but I'm on the fence if I'll give them another shot. We'll see.

Delicious flavorful coffee w a friendly staff. Can't beat that. Tried a red eye and latte

I visited Perkolator the other day for the first time. I found it to be a wonderful place to hang out with a friend or do your homework or your work. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The selection of coffees lol?

I am not from Chicago and I yelped this place considering the reviews and it lived up to its stars. Everyone was extremely nice and my breakfast sandwich was made with love. The dining experience is super casual and hipster. You can definitely set up a work area and sit here all morning with a cup of coffee. They sell lunch options if you end up staying a little longer or want to grab a quick bite. There are plenty of outlets so you can charge your devices. Very cute spot and "homey" vibe. Metered street parking is the only issue- could be better if it was free :) I would come here again if I visit Chicago.