The Perfect Cup

Terrible service.
Barista gave me an attitude for using a debit card and not tipping him. Rolled his eyes and sarcastically said thanks.
I don’t tip baristas with shitty attitudes.

Muffins are decent. Coffee is watery. Wifi is freakin’ ridiculous. BUT if you’re a hipster, this place is for you!

Internet… please update your modem. It makes connecting to a remote computer, listening to music, multi-​tasking so frustrating. I am going to have to my very long (8+ years) relationship with you elsewhere… and I don’t want to.

Update: still a wonderful place, and they now take credit cards! They even created a new little outdoor seating area during the summer.

Based on the other Unilocal reviews, there have been some updates that make this a go-​to study and work spot.
1. Wifi for 6 hours instead of 3 as previously stated (I stayed for a little over 3 hours and was never timed out)
2. Credit cards accepted (25 cent surcharge but no minimums)
Upsides: Very creamy capp, maybe not as strong as others I’ve had but I’m very sensitive to caffeine so that was fine with me.
Downsides: Not that this was the fault of The Perfect Cup, but I took off one star because the «quiet» lounge side of the café wasn’t so quiet at times. I sat in front of a man who spoke on the phone in his outside voice for at least 10 – 15 minutes at a time, multiple times and it was very distracting since I was working on writing my dissertation. Additionally, some families came through with loud children, but that’s to be expected on a Saturday morning.
Long story short, I will definitely be returning! Staff are friendly, place has a great vibe, and the drink I had was lovely.

Atmosphere is conducive for studying or having a lovely chat with somebody. Staff is extremely friendly too. Wifi is only good for 3 hours.
Coffee is just eh. My friend ordered the special and told me it tasted like water.

Best coffee shop in the city. Everyone there is so friendly and hardworking. The owners are amazing people and sure know how to pick the right staff to represent their shop. I have been living the the neighborhood for 4 years now and one of the reasons I will not move is because of this place. Fresh food and coffee, free wifi, quiet and spacious, super clean… what more can you ask for?

They take credit cards now. Paid with my card tonight. Had the hot green tea and it was great. The seating is comfortable and the overall ambiance great. I’ll be back!

I had some work to get done, so I was searching for a nice quiet café to study. I ordered a large size cappucino, and it was sooooo large and tasty I loved it so much! The coffee was very reasonably priced, and if you tell them you need wifi, they give you a User ID and Password. The thing was that you could only use that once. I brought my macbook and my iphone, and when I logged in with my macbook, I couldn’t use the passcode for my phone. So I had to use my internet while doing my phone. Also, the wifi usage time was written as 3 hours, but mine got cut off after about 2 hours. Well, I had a book to read so that did not annoy me that much and I enjoyed the overall café! Even though the wifi is not unlimited, I would definitely take my friends here because coffee and the atmosphere makes up for it!
I really enjoyed this place, and i’ll come back

This is a great coffee shop. The atmosphere and especially the owners (?) and staff are so nice. It is a great place to meet someone AND to work because the shop is split into two different rooms. One is quieter with couches and tables to work at, and you get a wifi code good for 3 hours with a purchase. It’s really nice to sit by the big windows in the sun.
I only give Perfect Cup 4 stars because I don’t think their coffee is very good. I don’t know what brand they use but it is just thin and tastes like Foldgers or Maxwell House. In Chicago where most coffee shops serve a brand of craft coffee, their coffee just can’t compete. I have had a few things on the menu, and the food is pretty good, no fuss breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese, etc.
I will be back for the welcoming atmosphere !

First stop on our trip back to my hometown. Made for a good start. Warm place and friendly people. We had breakfast and coffee all which were good. Arrived a bit after breakfast was over but the guys happily made the exception. Wish we had more time to hang out here. Would recommend.

This café is great for getting work done. Most of the costumers will be working as well, and he café is generally pretty quiet. There’s lots of tables and couches as well. The coffee is good, and the service is great as well.

this coffee shop is perfect to get work done !!! Most of the customers in there are working and not really talking at all. It’s like a library in the area where the sofas are. The coffee is really good and the pastry I got was the cranberry muffin, which was delicious ! I was just weirded out because of the plastic cup that my iced latte came, it felt like it was little odd for a coffee that wasn’t to go. I don’t why but I have just become accustomed to glass. I am being picky maybe .
but overall a great place to get work done and get in the zone ! and they do accept credit cards !
Parking is pay per hour because everything else is permit parking !

I have wanted to try this place for awhile. I stopped by with my partner this afternoon, since it was pretty warm out and was time for an iced latte.
What a cozy place! Plenty of seating in two areas of this shop. They have a couple of sofas, but definitely could have a group of friends there. Very friendly staff greeted when we came to the counter.
They have a great variety of your standard coffee drinks and for you. tea lovers also. The tea they carry is called Tea Leaves and Bud. Never heard of them, but if I am ever in the mood for tea (which is rare) I may have to give it a try.
Now for the coffee. Their coffee is from Caffe Umbria which is from the Northwest. I enjoyed it, but have experienced better roasts locally here in Chicago. If you get and iced coffee, your first refill is free.
Overall, I would recommend this place. It’s cozy, fits the neighborhood very well. Oh, and there is a nice candy shop next door too!

The hot chocolate and hot coffee tasted bland. the hot chocolate taste just like warm milk with lots and lots of herseys syrup. I did not enjoy it one bit. That’s where I took my stars off.
The décor is really cute and the place is very cozy. There is free wi-​fi, which I’m sure everyone enjoys!
The staff is really nice and friendly. Would I come again? Maybe. would I recommend it? I’m not sure because other than the décor and the friendly staff, I don’t like their coffee/​hot cocoa.

This place is awesome, the staff is so friendly and the drinks are all great. This is the perfect place to sit on a couch with a latte and catch up with friends. I’m so happy that they now accept credit cards!

This weekend I embarked on yet another quest to find the perfect coffee shop to do work. I wasn’t able to find it yet but it was an afternoon well spent at The Perfect Cup.
(+) free refills on iced teas
(+) staff is friendly
(+) not too loud
(-) super small bathroom
(-) 3 hr time limit for internet usage which can be really fast… or intermittently really slow
(-) they forgot the tomatoes in my grilled cheese. I like the cheese they use though… provolone I think?
I wouldn’t mind coming back again if I don’t super need the internet and it would be nice to sit in the quiet room next time.

I love that this place is close to my favorite laundromat and I finally ventured in. My first impression was that it’s truly a neighborhood joint. I can’t say for sure but it looked like a lot of comfy cozy regulars. So once I found out they had dairy milk alternatives, I decided to try an almond milk chai latte. One of the nice lasses behind the counter asked me if my order was for here or to go. I let her know it was to go and I thought I heard her say, «sh*t». She assured me she merely said «sure», and we all shared a good chuckle. They also have packaged vegan cookies so I grabbed one to go. I really liked the mellow, not too sweet chai. I say if you’re in the hood stop in and visit.

For those of you who are credit-​card dependant: The Perfect Cup is cash only. Not that it makes any difference to me. Personally, I prefer to pay cash for small purchases like coffee and pastries. If I start charging everything, then the MasterCard statement grows and grows, almost without my knowing it. I don’t understand the business rationale behind it, but hey, all I want is a pleasant place to drink strong coffee, eat sweets, and park my bony middle-​aged butt into a comfy chair. I get all that at The Perfect Cup.
There seems to be plenty of space to sit. I especially love and appreciate the couches and armchairs.
I can’t speak to you about the Wi-​Fi, because I go to The Perfect Cup to get away from my computer and the whole internet. I am so old, so old-​fashioned, that I go there for conversation with a friend, or to actually read printed material. The staff are pleasant, co-​operative, and they make sure to go around and pick up the trash from the entitled people who are moving to the Ravenswood neighborhood.
I’m not crazy about the purple wall, but that’s just a matter of individual preference. Maybe next time I go out for coffee with my good friend The Purple Grandma, I’ll bring her here. The last time I saw her, she was wearing five different shades of purple. If she likes the wall, I’ll learn to like it too.
For what I want, The Perfect Cup is the Perfect Place for my Perfect Break. It’s comfortable, casual, and unpretentious. Perfection indeed.

Update: I was very excited to learn that they take credit card now. Finally. But it’s a 25 cent service fee. This really rubs me the wrong way. It’s not a quarter each time they run a card. They’re making money off this service fee.
Ok ok Perfect Cup, you’ve grown on me over the past year. My original tip said that the wifi was horrible, which is not the case anymore. It still isn’t the best wifi, but it gets the job done.
I’ve spent a lot of time here the past year, and it is one of my favorite study spots now. There’s lots of seating and it never gets too loud.
I’ve mostly has their drip coffee, it’s decent as far as coffee goes, nothing too special. Their cappuccinos are good as well. I’ve eaten a few things. The grilled cheese is my favorite. It comes with chips and it’s still under 5 dollars. Can’t beat that price for a lunch.
The only downside, which is kind of a big downside, is that they are cash only. Ugh. Cash only. I really dislike places that don’t take cards, especially these days. Who has cash??? Well I make a point to have cash if I’m coming here. They do have an atm, but I’m sure the fees are outrageous. No thanks.
I might give them more stars if they took cards and if their wifi was better. But overall it’s a solid study spot when I have cash.

This is a cute little café that serves up coffee, gelato and sandwiches. It is actually quite spacious in there. There are two parts, one with tables and the other with chairs and sofas and artwork.
The décor is cute and modern, yet had flairs of vintage furniture. I like the tranquil ambiance and the Italian/​French/​Jazz/​Eclectic café music they play. It feels like I am in a French Italian café, but in a cozy neighborhood.
The service is also warm and friendly. This is a great place to chill and get a cup of Java! A great place to get some work done or just relax! We’ll definitely be back in the future.
Also, this place is cash only so bring some greens when you come here.