Geraldine's

I don't live near Lincoln Square and I am completely jealous of anyone who does. Parking around there is not for the weak or the meek. That said Geraldine's a gem of a coffee shop. As far as ambience, its actually kind of small but its connected to the restaurant next door if you need some elbow room. There isn't really table service you kinda just order at the counter. But the food,Ah! The teas are great piping hot, easily refreshed (just ask) and just yum! If the baked goods don't catch your eye then you are a better person then me because they always look like they are ready to be picked up and noshed on. My favorite sandwich to order is the monte cristo. The ham, the egg, the spinach, the french toast altogether is so good. Freshly made and served with maple syrup. I am drooling just thinking of it. Most sandwiches comes with these smashed baby potatoes that are slightly crispy but still soft to just bite into. There are plenty of options in the neighborhood and this is just one of many good places to stop by, sit and enjoy the people watching while sipping a cup of ...whatever floats your boat. Every neighborhood has a coffee shop but this one is pretty... pretty... good.

Nothing fancy here, which isn't actually a bad thing just not sure it's my fav spot. I also prefer hotter beverages, and this felt slightly warm not hot. I also am a HUGE stickler for bathrooms and this one just didn't do it for me. The coffee shop shares with the restaurant next door, and there was a leak in the bathroom ceiling and a dish bin with standing water on the floor.

So I stopped into Geraldine's for a cookie as it looked like they had some baked goods available. I am also a baby and just got a blood test across the street so I deserved it.I walked in and surveyed the offerings and just about settled on a cupcake that looked really good and was filled when I saw the man behind the counter unloading a tray of cookies which I assumed were warm.Although they were not hot, they were warm enough where the chocolate was still melty (a win). The cookie itself was UNBELIEVABLE. I would say it rivals most of the cookies I've had in the city. The cookie culture hasn't really hit Chicago like it hit nyc, but I'm hoping it will soon and Jerry's rivals NYC's cookie game... which is saying something. It was SO GOOD.I think the worst part was finishing it but alas I will be back.

Not sure what's happened here. Was a favorite weekly summer Farmer's Market breakfast spot the last few years. The last three weeks have been ridiculously bad. Avocado toast was terrible (how is that possible?). The strata dense and inedible. The staff utterly indifferent, bordering on rude. Willow (formerly Cafe Selmarie) across the plaza stupidly doesn't serve breakfast until 10:00, so I guess we'll have to find another breakfast spot to suit our early-hour needs.

"Best breakfast sandwich I've ever had" - my mom, aged 75, during which time she's eaten many breakfast sandwiches. She got the same thing as me, based on my recommendation: the veggie fried egg sandwich with fried green tomatoes and portobello mushrooms. It's divine! Last week I took a friend visiting from out of town, and she enjoyed her food (omelet, I think) and scone, and got the banana oat latte. She loved the latte and we came back the next day and both got one. I agree it's delicious!

Omg what a little hidden spot!! The fooooood omg the breakfast bagels and the treats are just incredible. I must have missed this place in Lincoln Squarw but I am so glad I finally found it. The baristas are cool and make you feel super welcome. The coffee was like $3 and there's enough seating. If you come before 11 you can even sit across at Jerry's restaurant, which means more privacy and more space to hang out w friends/get work done/read/etc. I can't wait to keep trying out more of their food bc their coffee and cookie I had last week were delicious!!

This review leans more 3.5 but I'm rounding to 4. The food we ordered was delicious. I would go for the baked goods and breakfast sandwiches but our dine in experience could've been better.We received friendly service and opted for patio seating. Minutes later after ordering, our food arrived in takeout containers. The containers were convenient for leftovers however we didn't have leftovers because the food we had was simply delicious. Eating it was the challenge.I ordered a fried chicken biscuit with mushroom poblano gravy and my husband ordered the corned beef biscuit with pork sausage gravy. Both were easily a 5/5 however trying to eat our meals using the disposable wooden forks and knives proved to be difficult to cut through. Plain silverware would have done the trick, but we managed anyway.I kept seeing rave reviews on the desserts, so we ordered up a chocolate raspberry cupcake to go for later in the evening. The cupcakes are legit tasty! The chocolate cupcake was nice and spongy. The frosting was good, and we liked that the cupcake was not overly sweet. The tart raspberry filling complements the chocolate base and held up well hours later.The two other issues we had were their parking and menu pricing. The parking situation is a nightmare and we went during middle of the day on a weekday. Finding a parking spot along Lincoln avenue was challenging because this street is business saturated.We circled the neighborhood twice before we found a spot. Once parked, we had a significant walk before reaching the restaurant. The menu is pricey. The food and service are easily a 5 but the mishaps we had brought this one down a little. If you can get over the prices and parking it's still a good place to try out.

Cozy and cute shop with great pastries and coffee! They are very forward thinking with recycling and reducing the waste (all items in cardboard/paper, up to customer to snag a top for their drinks, etc.). Adorable decor and friendly (and prompt!) customer service. I enjoy Lincoln square and this place is perfect to grab a coffee to sip while meandering through neighborhood stores. Hidden gem and great alternative to Starbucks!

LOVE this breakfast spot. The original fried egg sandwich is to die for. I wish I could eat here all the time. Pastries are immaculate, especially the scones. Long lines on the weekend make sure to come early!

I've searched and searched for a good bakery in the Lincoln Square area. I'm not interested in the supermarket bakeries. I want an authentic bakery. Geraldine's is that authentic bakery. Scones to die for. Large, freshly baked selection. Great counter service. I will search no more.