I had a very upsetting experience at Chicago’s Smack Dab. When I politely asked to exchange a burnt donut, the owner, Christine Forster, began yelling at me and acting in a completely unprofessional manner. Her reaction was extremely aggressive and erratic—it honestly felt like she was not in a stable state. I’ve never been treated this way as a customer anywhere. It was deeply unpleasant and completely unnecessary.
I really wanted to support a local spot, but this experience was unacceptable.
Tzlil Orit
Absolutely vile experience at Chicago’s Smack Dab. I was served a sandwich with spoiled, rotten meat — the stench alone was enough to make me gag. But the real shock? When I brought it to their attention, they didn’t apologize, didn’t offer a replacement — they kicked me out.
Let that sink in: I got served inedible, potentially dangerous food, and when I dared to complain, I was thrown out of the restaurant. That’s not just bad service — that’s outright hostility and negligence.
This place clearly has no respect for basic food safety, let alone for its customers. I strongly urge others to stay away, unless you enjoy being insulted, endangered, and treated like garbage.
Jeff Howe
Food is good (must try their donuts), but pricey. The thing that got me today is they are very strict on specials. I walk in 4 min early (because I don't have much time as its Tuesday at 9am...) Thinking hey maybe they can put my order in. They unfortunately can not which is fine but for a small business maybe don't be so strict on ordering food....
Parking: not much of it
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Bestest Seller
Natasha Al-Rafie
Got breakfast here on a Saturday morning around 10:30am. Definitely kid friendly, and the staff are super sweet. We got our food quickly, and it came out as it was made which is always a benefits when you have kids. The place is cute, LGBTQIA friendly, pro-Palestine, incredible.
The food… very good, but I think I liked the vibe more. I got the breakfast burrito with smoked bacon, I think I wanted less egg more burrito ingredients like beans, salsa, something along those lines. It was more of a breakfast wrap. But a VeryVery good breakfast wrap. My partner got a Shakshouka breakfast sandwich which looked and tasted great. Lots of flavor is what I am told.
My kiddo got a donut, tempered hot cocoa and loved it all.
Great New Orleans style coffee, wonderful environment.
Kid-friendliness: Lots of kids here
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich, Sandwich
Manja Petrov
Smack Dab Sandwich Shop – Good, but Not Smack-Dab-Tastic
First off, we had no clue this was a full-blown brunch spot, so that was a pleasant surprise. Less pleasant? The price tag. Dropping $40 on two sandwiches and a cappuccino in Rogers Park felt… ambitious. Yes, we know it's bird flu season, but that markup is flying a little too high. We tried The Best Seller, which, ironically, wasn’t the best. The biscuit wasn’t all that great, and for the price, let’s just say I expected something a bit more… substantial. Then came the Breakfast BLT, which had all the right elements—crispy bacon, a brioche bun, a fancy tomato jam situation—but still didn’t quite justify the cost, especially when so many other spots offer similar (or better) sandwiches for less. Now, the real kicker: I impulsively grabbed a tiramisu on the way out. Should’ve known better. What I got was a soggy, sugar-bombed, buttery creation that had absolutely no business calling itself tiramisu. Somewhere in Italy, a pastry chef shed a single tear. On the bright side, service was genuinely great—friendly, welcoming, no complaints there. But overall? Decent food, questionable value, and a dessert that made me rethink my life choices.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Prez 32
Another breakfast spot we found while in Chicago. We really enjoyed it for the price!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich
Paige Cullins
We could do a better job cooking sunny eggs for breakfast hash and also cut the vegan sausage and add it into the breakfast mix hash!! Just saying !! Kitchen needs to take there time and cook these eggs 🍳 right
No rush
Besides that great service and fun environment
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Adam Price
Good place for coffee and chill vibes but the food was average.
I ordered the grits and I kid you not when I say it was one of the saltiest things I've ever tasted. We had to ask the server if there was some kind of mistake because it wasn't edible. The sandwich I ordered was fine but I wouldn't get it again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Eddie Urzúa
The bestest thing around Clark and Pratt. There’s something special for everyone.
LOVE Smack Dab!! I live in RP and walking to Smack Dab always makes my day. The coffee is amazing. The vibes are so cute and so are the folks that work there. Recommend 100/10.
Michael Manning
Don’t sleep on the Detroit Style pizza folks. Wow. Thanks for a great dinner smackedab ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pizza Is Available
Michael Kraig Beeck
Great morning stop
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon Jam, Best Seller
Devin Bean (TimeLord)
Always amazing, friendly and delicious.
Dietary restrictions: Lots of fantastic gluten and dairy free options
This place is the worst, it should be shut down.
I had a very upsetting experience at Chicago’s Smack Dab. When I politely asked to exchange a burnt donut, the owner, Christine Forster, began yelling at me and acting in a completely unprofessional manner. Her reaction was extremely aggressive and erratic—it honestly felt like she was not in a stable state. I’ve never been treated this way as a customer anywhere. It was deeply unpleasant and completely unnecessary. I really wanted to support a local spot, but this experience was unacceptable.
Absolutely vile experience at Chicago’s Smack Dab. I was served a sandwich with spoiled, rotten meat — the stench alone was enough to make me gag. But the real shock? When I brought it to their attention, they didn’t apologize, didn’t offer a replacement — they kicked me out. Let that sink in: I got served inedible, potentially dangerous food, and when I dared to complain, I was thrown out of the restaurant. That’s not just bad service — that’s outright hostility and negligence. This place clearly has no respect for basic food safety, let alone for its customers. I strongly urge others to stay away, unless you enjoy being insulted, endangered, and treated like garbage.
Food is good (must try their donuts), but pricey. The thing that got me today is they are very strict on specials. I walk in 4 min early (because I don't have much time as its Tuesday at 9am...) Thinking hey maybe they can put my order in. They unfortunately can not which is fine but for a small business maybe don't be so strict on ordering food....
Parking: not much of it
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Bestest Seller
Got breakfast here on a Saturday morning around 10:30am. Definitely kid friendly, and the staff are super sweet. We got our food quickly, and it came out as it was made which is always a benefits when you have kids. The place is cute, LGBTQIA friendly, pro-Palestine, incredible.
The food… very good, but I think I liked the vibe more. I got the breakfast burrito with smoked bacon, I think I wanted less egg more burrito ingredients like beans, salsa, something along those lines. It was more of a breakfast wrap. But a VeryVery good breakfast wrap. My partner got a Shakshouka breakfast sandwich which looked and tasted great. Lots of flavor is what I am told.
My kiddo got a donut, tempered hot cocoa and loved it all.
Great New Orleans style coffee, wonderful environment.
Kid-friendliness: Lots of kids here
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich, Sandwich
Smack Dab Sandwich Shop – Good, but Not Smack-Dab-Tastic
First off, we had no clue this was a full-blown brunch spot, so that was a pleasant surprise. Less pleasant? The price tag. Dropping $40 on two sandwiches and a cappuccino in Rogers Park felt… ambitious. Yes, we know it's bird flu season, but that markup is flying a little too high.
We tried The Best Seller, which, ironically, wasn’t the best. The biscuit wasn’t all that great, and for the price, let’s just say I expected something a bit more… substantial. Then came the Breakfast BLT, which had all the right elements—crispy bacon, a brioche bun, a fancy tomato jam situation—but still didn’t quite justify the cost, especially when so many other spots offer similar (or better) sandwiches for less.
Now, the real kicker: I impulsively grabbed a tiramisu on the way out. Should’ve known better. What I got was a soggy, sugar-bombed, buttery creation that had absolutely no business calling itself tiramisu. Somewhere in Italy, a pastry chef shed a single tear.
On the bright side, service was genuinely great—friendly, welcoming, no complaints there. But overall? Decent food, questionable value, and a dessert that made me rethink my life choices.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Another breakfast spot we found while in Chicago. We really enjoyed it for the price!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich
We could do a better job cooking sunny eggs for breakfast hash and also cut the vegan sausage and add it into the breakfast mix hash!! Just saying !! Kitchen needs to take there time and cook these eggs 🍳 right
No rush
Besides that great service and fun environment
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Good place for coffee and chill vibes but the food was average.
I ordered the grits and I kid you not when I say it was one of the saltiest things I've ever tasted. We had to ask the server if there was some kind of mistake because it wasn't edible. The sandwich I ordered was fine but I wouldn't get it again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
The bestest thing around Clark and Pratt. There’s something special for everyone.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
You spend money, and you are still hungry.
LOVE Smack Dab!! I live in RP and walking to Smack Dab always makes my day. The coffee is amazing. The vibes are so cute and so are the folks that work there. Recommend 100/10.
Don’t sleep on the Detroit Style pizza folks. Wow. Thanks for a great dinner smackedab ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pizza Is Available
Great morning stop
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon Jam, Best Seller
Always amazing, friendly and delicious.
Dietary restrictions: Lots of fantastic gluten and dairy free options
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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