Café by The River

Café by The River can be a bit deceiving, at first glance ("eh, a little cafe shoe-horned into a basement location in a corporate building..."), but don't overlook it as they have great offerings!I popped in for breakfast on a random day and took a minute to peruse the menu. A breakfast sandwich was exactly what I was looking for but, sadly, they were out of the one I wanted (the Sausage Breakfast Sandwich). However, the staff were quick to offer an alternative, the Cafe Breakfast Sandwich (with bacon added), and I accepted.To kill the time while I waited (and waited, and waited...) for my sandwich I struck up a conversation with a coworker and also enjoyed the river views of the location. Overall, this is a neat little spot that offers ample seating and some very relaxing views. I'm really looking forward to nicer weather and being able to actually sit out on the river.Taking my finally-ready breakfast sandwich to go I headed out. Settling down at my desk to eat I was blown away by the burst of flavor from this little sandwich. It honestly is not an exaggeration to say that this is the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. It was absolutely amazing (that garlic mayo and the pan de cristal really make this thing!) and of good size too, just shy of being overly-filling.To be frank, I'm very impressed with Café by The River. It is a quaint little spot that is staffed by some friendly people and serves up some delicious options. I will be returning again, probably on the regular, for another breakfast sandwich and also to sample their other offerings. Do yourself a favor and give them a shot, they're wonderful!

They changed the chicken sausage breakfast sandwich that was unique and great. It tasted like a generic overpriced jimmy dean breakfast sandwich. How unfortunate that this hidden gem has become another coal in the city

Great quiet spot to grab a bite or cup of coffee in the morning . I would come back again.

Non pretentious place with good local brews and a nice view of the river. Good place to sit and enjoy the area.

Pricey classy Jose Andres cafeteria food in a beautifully designed new space with some outdoor seating on the River. Great for meetings over a quick bite. They have his ridic potato chips, which are the best money can buy. That's a spicy chicken sammie with chips and a fresh squeezed orange juice for $22.11

It's a winner by chef José Andres (big surprise, right). Great little breakfast/lunch spot right off the Chicago River. Would love to hit it up for breakfast. Grabbed a super flauta iberico ham sandwich and sauntered down the River walk with my dog. It was a great lunch!

Well prepared food but I ordered a Southwest Chicken bowl and there was about one tablespoon of chicken in the mix. Disappointing portions to say the least. Overpriced indeed although staff are friendly and nice atmosphere.

I was really looking forward to trying this place ever since I first heard this was coming to the neighborhood. When the first press releases came out, the restaurant was going to be called "Joes by the River"(https://www.mashed.com/378249/jose-andres-has-good-news-for-fans-in-chicago/). So when I went into the building to find the restaurant, I asked the security guards how to get to Joes by the River and they insisted they'd never heard of the place. Finally they mentioned that there was a place called "Cafe by the River" and gave me directions. There's no easy signage to find it on your own. I originally walked all around the building, expecting to find an entrance from outside but you have to go inside to a hidden elevator in a corner and go down through several doors and twisted hallways.I ordered the BLT. It was 2 strips of bacon, and a sprinkle of shredded lettuce that didn't even make a full single layer across the bread with a little bit of tomato. I actually took it apart to make sure that all B, L, and T were in there because it looked empty. Very very sparse. The bread was delicious but the fillings were almost nonexistent. I was very disappointed even though I love BLTs.Also be warned, when you exit the elevator to leave, the lobby revolving door is directly in front of you. However, there is an invisible curved glass wall. So even though it looks like you are supposed to walk straight to begin pushing on the revolving door, you will slam face first into glass. I found that out the hard way. You truly can't see the wall when you are focusing on the door.editing to add - I took a vanilla cream roll to go (I think it was called Brazo or something). That was definitely excellent, moist and delicious.

It's convenient and pretty quick. However, the sandwiches and coffee tend to be disappointing.

Great coffee/breakfast spot that just opened right on the river! Had the 'Classic Breakfast Sandwich', which was way better than I expected. Perfectly charred bread & fried egg. They added tomato, avocado and arugula as well, which helped balance out the fatty, saltiness with a hint of acid and pepper. Came out to $12, with add bacon, which is on par with the nicer breakfast places downtown. Would recommend 10/10.