Great neighborhood spot. I’ve enjoyed both the coffee and their sandwiches. The staff is accommodating and kind.
suzanne west
My husband and I love coming here for breakfast and/or lunch. The food is good and it is a very relaxing atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rebecca Fishow
I don't usually write reviews, but I'm surprised this place has 4.6 stars, so I thought I'd contribute my experience. This review is primarily about the food, and specifically about the smoked salmon bagel sandwich. It is not even mediocre. I've gotten it a few times, because I love lox bagels and Sipping Turtle is close to my home. I'm not going to try again. Each time, I was really disappointed. This place goes light on everything. The sandwich had maybe five or six capers, not much salmon. The bagel is soft, more like bread than a bagel. I asked for tomatoes to be added, and the result was a fifty-cent up-charge for two grape tomatoes sliced in half. Their food in general is overpriced and underwhelming, especially since there are so many wonderful options in the area for sandwiches and pasties. A note on the employees: each time they seemed consistently cold or even annoyed when helping customers. The space is nice, however. Lots of seating options, so it might be a good choice if you want to sip coffee while getting some work done. Otherwise, I'm sincerely confused by the 5-star reviews.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
M. L.
**Update Feb 2026**: we ordered lattes and they did not taste right (some chemical taste). I threw out a half of mine. Maybe there is something wrong with their coffee beans, or the espresso machine needs cleaning and/or descaling. Also the ledge on the bottom of window seats is very dirty. At least one chair by window needs repairing, its cushion is completely collapsed.
Old review from a few years ago: Very good cappuccinos, sandwiches. Atmosphere & service were nice. Adequate indoor seating during pandemic. We just went there on a Sunday afternoon.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Jackqueline “Jacky” Marchan
Very cozy space to read a book or do a little bit of work. When I was a student in college, this was one of my favorite spots to complete assignments and have a treat. I think their boba and iced Americanos are solid as well as the pastries when they are available. However, my last visit missed the mark. My order of a bagel and matcha took over 15 minutes, and I found the bagel to be lackluster. Hospitality could also be better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Selim Onay
Rarely do I leave a review for a cafe. But, it's been getting difficult to find the perfect coffee shop in terms of ambiance, food, layout, comfort, natural lighting. I think this shop checks all the boxes. A nice couch for reading, nicely arranged tables for working, fast reliable WiFi. Great bagel sandwiches and well crafted drinks. Nothing more to ask for, I hope to return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yasmeen Almuhanna
When the staff realized that the group I was with were muslim, they drew the star of david on all of the coffee cups in reference to the current violence being enacted....really low behavior.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Peter Hollis
Sipping Turtle Cafe is a cozy, inviting spot in Chicago for a relaxing coffee or tea break. The drinks are consistently high-quality, with rich, flavorful coffee and a variety of specialty teas to choose from. The café has a warm, comfortable atmosphere with plenty of seating, making it a great place to work, read, or chat with friends. Staff are friendly, attentive, and happy to offer recommendations. A charming neighborhood café that’s perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a peaceful and delicious beverage in a welcoming setting.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pricillia
Dirty chai is addicting
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Francisco Lara
Super cute shop, they have a nice selection of coffee and it has the perfect atmosphere to study/relax if that’s your thing! Loving the creme burlee latte
my favorite coffee shop in the area. The bao buns are delightful and so are their seasonal soups. Great matcha and coffee. Inclusive and welcoming space, work friendly, and great tunes. Support this spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amelia Gonzalez
My husband and I visited Chicago and ordered to go from here last week. We both ordered rice porridge 1 chicken and 1 pork. The flavor was good but I kid you not we only got ONE (1) tiny shred of chicken in one and ONE (1) tiny piece of pork in the other. I’m not sure if that’s their usual portions size or what but for close to 8 bucks I wanted more than just rice porridge. 😐 Our coffees were good though!
Food: 3
Timmy Hellstern
Very cozy vibes. Bagel is good and coffee is tasty, what more do you need.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
simran nanda
Surprisingly really good! Had their dirty chai which was excellent, I’m indian so I know good chai when I taste some! It was definately on the sweeter side if that’s what you like. I had their pork bun with it, which was really yummy too. Cute neighbor, cute cafe!
Hannah Esparza
Great small, local business. Delicious coffee! And the most adorable logo you've ever seen.
Great neighborhood spot. I’ve enjoyed both the coffee and their sandwiches. The staff is accommodating and kind.
My husband and I love coming here for breakfast and/or lunch. The food is good and it is a very relaxing atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don't usually write reviews, but I'm surprised this place has 4.6 stars, so I thought I'd contribute my experience. This review is primarily about the food, and specifically about the smoked salmon bagel sandwich. It is not even mediocre. I've gotten it a few times, because I love lox bagels and Sipping Turtle is close to my home. I'm not going to try again. Each time, I was really disappointed. This place goes light on everything. The sandwich had maybe five or six capers, not much salmon. The bagel is soft, more like bread than a bagel. I asked for tomatoes to be added, and the result was a fifty-cent up-charge for two grape tomatoes sliced in half. Their food in general is overpriced and underwhelming, especially since there are so many wonderful options in the area for sandwiches and pasties. A note on the employees: each time they seemed consistently cold or even annoyed when helping customers. The space is nice, however. Lots of seating options, so it might be a good choice if you want to sip coffee while getting some work done. Otherwise, I'm sincerely confused by the 5-star reviews.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
**Update Feb 2026**: we ordered lattes and they did not taste right (some chemical taste). I threw out a half of mine. Maybe there is something wrong with their coffee beans, or the espresso machine needs cleaning and/or descaling. Also the ledge on the bottom of window seats is very dirty. At least one chair by window needs repairing, its cushion is completely collapsed.
Old review from a few years ago: Very good cappuccinos, sandwiches. Atmosphere & service were nice. Adequate indoor seating during pandemic. We just went there on a Sunday afternoon.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Very cozy space to read a book or do a little bit of work. When I was a student in college, this was one of my favorite spots to complete assignments and have a treat. I think their boba and iced Americanos are solid as well as the pastries when they are available. However, my last visit missed the mark. My order of a bagel and matcha took over 15 minutes, and I found the bagel to be lackluster. Hospitality could also be better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Rarely do I leave a review for a cafe. But, it's been getting difficult to find the perfect coffee shop in terms of ambiance, food, layout, comfort, natural lighting. I think this shop checks all the boxes. A nice couch for reading, nicely arranged tables for working, fast reliable WiFi. Great bagel sandwiches and well crafted drinks. Nothing more to ask for, I hope to return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
When the staff realized that the group I was with were muslim, they drew the star of david on all of the coffee cups in reference to the current violence being enacted....really low behavior.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Sipping Turtle Cafe is a cozy, inviting spot in Chicago for a relaxing coffee or tea break. The drinks are consistently high-quality, with rich, flavorful coffee and a variety of specialty teas to choose from. The café has a warm, comfortable atmosphere with plenty of seating, making it a great place to work, read, or chat with friends. Staff are friendly, attentive, and happy to offer recommendations. A charming neighborhood café that’s perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a peaceful and delicious beverage in a welcoming setting.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dirty chai is addicting
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Super cute shop, they have a nice selection of coffee and it has the perfect atmosphere to study/relax if that’s your thing!
Loving the creme burlee latte
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
my favorite coffee shop in the area. The bao buns are delightful and so are their seasonal soups. Great matcha and coffee. Inclusive and welcoming space, work friendly, and great tunes. Support this spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My husband and I visited Chicago and ordered to go from here last week. We both ordered rice porridge 1 chicken and 1 pork. The flavor was good but I kid you not we only got ONE (1) tiny shred of chicken in one and ONE (1) tiny piece of pork in the other. I’m not sure if that’s their usual portions size or what but for close to 8 bucks I wanted more than just rice porridge. 😐 Our coffees were good though!
Food: 3
Very cozy vibes. Bagel is good and coffee is tasty, what more do you need.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Surprisingly really good! Had their dirty chai which was excellent, I’m indian so I know good chai when I taste some! It was definately on the sweeter side if that’s what you like. I had their pork bun with it, which was really yummy too. Cute neighbor, cute cafe!
Great small, local business. Delicious coffee! And the most adorable logo you've ever seen.
Loading...