Perfect Blend

Very nice atmosphere the coffee is pretty good a very good place to get work done as well!

I was in Highland Park for some reason and wanted a coffee. My girlfriend and her family went to a Greek yogurt place across the street (which I should’ve gone to) but I decided to go get a coffee at Perfect Blend.
I ordered a small «Coffee of the Day,» unbeknownst to what the coffee of the day actually was. I asked the manager, who was not particularly fluent in English, what the coffee of the day was.
He responded, «The perfect blend.» Upon receiving the coffee, it was not a perfect blend. In fact, the blend offered was quite imperfect. I’m not even particularly partial to blends (I prefer single origins) but this blend was definitely not perfect.
I’m never returning, you liars.

Just stopped in for a quick tea and a muffin. There was nobody there. No employees in sight and no customers (should have been my first clue!) After standing at the counter with my daughter for three minutes, with no help in sight, I decided to cough loudly a few times. No response. Two more minutes later, I walked around the counter and noticed an employee in the back room. I politely said «Hello». No response. (I could see him. He did not look up… ignoring me.). Again, «Hello» (I had to try again – this is the Midwest – people are friendly here, right? WRONG!). I wanted to start yelling «I can see you!» But decided against it – trying to set a good example for my daughter. After another brief wait, we realized they did not want our business, so we left. DISAPPOINTING!!!

It’s a shame, this place used to be a great little corner coffee spot. The service was nice and they had good coffee. A lot has changed. Today I went in for a cup of nostalgia as I haven’t been here in seven years. No coffee had been brewed and the surly cashier made and up charged for an Americano that was dreadful.

Don’t understand all the bad reviews. I ride my bike here atleast twice a month. Solid shop, good coffee, tasty treats. One of my favorite coffee shops on the North Shore. Check em out!

My son and I stopped in for a snack while bike riding through Highland Park. We decided on muffins and were shocked to find they were $ 2.50 each. The muffin was good, but not great. A bit on the dry side.

The coffee isn’t bad and the food is ok. It is the service that is just terrible. There are too many other places to go. On a few occasions I have had staff roll their eyes at me. Also I have heard them bad talking the customers behind their backs. It is a shame the service is so bad. Good luck.

Amazing. Love. We come every week for the smoothies and muffins. They are super friendly and have great food.

Looks like this will be my summer hangout to work and have lunch while my son is at art class. Was delighted to see they have a veggie sushi roll and got that and an apricot iced tea. The roll was good and freshly made. The tea was excellent and could have gone without sweetener, but I went ahead and added some sweet n low. I’m looking forward to trying their soups, other lunch items, and coffee. Perhaps I’ll update after a few visits. I’ve been here a few times before and was fine with it but I didn’t really have a reason to come regularly, now I do!

Perfect Blend is the perfect place to stop for a little pick-​me-​up when bike riding through Highland Park, be it on Saint Johns, or the Robert McClory Trail. If you need something warm, something cold, something caffeinated, or something fresh-​baked and sweet, they have it for you, complete with outdoor seating and a bike rack nearby (and a nice bike shop a half a block away.) Saturday or Sunday morning, you’ll find the place hip deep with us cyclists, chatting amiably as we catch our breath and slake our thirst.
Make sure you bring your phone in; they Belly!

With a love for coffee and experience working at Caribou Coffee for a little I started out 2014 with the mission to visit all of the coffee shops in my area. After visiting a few, I thought why not write reviews and share my thoughts on each of them. So here we are… with out any further ado let’s dive right in to my unbiased review of The Perfect Blend.
First I will say, I wrote this review based on the first time I went. After visiting a second time, or attempting to, they were not open. Their sign said 7:30am, and I waiting a half hour in the parking lot (I thought they opened at 7) and eventually made my way to the shop around 7:35. I pull on the door and its locked. I then looked inside and saw all the lights off, no bakery pulled out, nothing happening, and after waiting a few more minutes I eventually just left and headed to a different coffee shop. The chances of me returning after this experience are very low, and I must now agree with all other low rating the shop has received! With all this in mind I am not going to alter my review (listed below) I am just going to change my rating, and no longer recommend this shop!
Location & Ambiance:
The perfect blend has a nice location in downtown Highland Park. The location itself I imagine brings in a lot of business. While I was there it was a little busy but I was able to find a table to sit at and enjoy my warm skim latte + an amazing French Toast Muffin! The muffin was warmed up with out even having to ask which was definitely a plus! Overall Location & Ambiance are top notch.
Coffee:
Well it is a coffee shop, so lets talk about the quality of my cup of coffee! I will say this shop isn’t die hard with their coffee as they do offer quality blended drinks as well as a quality espresso based drink. There espresso drinks are made by hand on an old-​fashioned non-​automatic espresso machine. The milk was not burnt or old tasting. So overall if you’re looking for a quality cup of coffee or even just a blended drink (I tried the blended Peanut Butter one and it was quite good)
Food:
There are a lot of options for you if you want a little breakfast with your cup of coffee. I personally have only tried their French toast muffin (both times I have gone to visit) because it is so tasty! I asked their staff about the muffins, and they told me they make them in the shop and get the dough locally! So fresh homemade tasting food is always a plus for me!
Staff:
The staff was nice, but felt the same as Starbucks, Caribou, or any other corporate store. I wouldn’t say this ruined my experience, but it for sure didn’t make it better.
Overall, I would definitely give The Perfect Blend a try despite its other overall poor reviews. The quality of my coffee, AMAZING muffin which was served warm, and an average staff I would give this a «Meh. I’ve experienced better» rating at 4 of 5 stars. (Note based on the lackluster approach to management, which was seen by having no one at work on Sunday after I traveled to their shop and waited, I will be changing their rating to 2 of 5 stars. This is because although they are a mess management wise, they still have some damn good muffins!)

The food, coffee and drinks here are actually fairly good. They should actually have negative points for service. I have been here multiple times and the service not moves at a snails pace but they have the attitude that they are doing YOU a favor to wait on you.
Often you come in and the clerk is sitting a table (not there are many table to begin with) chatting with her friends. Clearly an imposition to wait on actual customers!

Perfect Blend, oh you are almost perfect, just almost. I’ve been coming to this place for years, it’s conveniently located on the corner of Sheridan Rd and Central so definitely easy to spot. They have outdoor seating in the summer which is always a plus and I’m definitely a fan of mostly everything they are serving.
I’ve had a bunch of their pastries and they are very fresh, moist and can’t complain about them one bit. I’ve had some of their salad including the harvest salad with chicken with a yummy rasberry vinagrette. The salads are around $ 7 so not expensive and you get a decent portion. So if you’re looking for quick snack or lunch and you don’t want to break the bank, Perfect Blend is your place. I also like most of their sandwiches, my coworkers love the tuna salad sandwich. I personally usually get the turkey with all the veggies (and they have avocado) on a toasted, everything bagel. I also like that they can toast all your breads here. Some of my other friends like their simple, veggie maki rolls. Those aren’t for me since I need lots of fish, fresh fish in my sushi, but if you’re craving all veggies, that’s not a bad option.
Now, my absolute favorite thing on the menu is the granida. Yes, it’s this amazing, frappucino like, they don’t serve this at Starbucks, cool coffee drink. I can’t even describe it other than saying it’s $ 4.00 well spent. Every time the weather gets better and I need my caffeine fix with something delicious and fulling shall I add, granida is the way to go. I tell all my friends who come to Highland Park to make a quick stop here.
Overall, a great little coffee shop good for breakfast and lunch. The guys working there always have a smile on their face. The prices are decent and the service is good so I think they will not be going anywhere despite the economy and all the changes happening in Highland Park. By the way, they don’t accept American Express, but Visa and Mastercard are just fine.

Have you ever wondered why you keep going back to certain businesses time and time again? For some reason I always choose Perfect Blend as a place to meet friends and clients. It’s not the only coffee shop around, but it’s simple and familiar and really low-​key. When I stop in, I always order a delicious cranberry muffin and a small regular coffee. The house coffee blend is smooth and not too strong. The muffins are always fresh since the coffee shop owners also own Breadsmith on the west side of Downtown. A small coffee is less than $ 2 and rightly-​sized for a pick-​me-​up. The guy behind the counter has been there forever. Though we carry on brief conversations, he respects my time and I respect his.
The atmosphere is small, cozy, and typically the perfect temperature. I will say that in the cooler months it can get a little toasty, but I’m always chilled. The only thing I don’t love about this place, especially for someone who might be stopping in for the first time, is that the tables are really close together and it’s not very private. If you’re hosting a business meeting you’ll want to sit outside, or come early enough to grab a table in the north end corner where it’s a bit more tucked away.
With the new coffee house around the corner and down the street, I asked the guy behind the counter whether it has affected his business. He said it hasn’t because the customers come for a personalized experience. He also said he tends to remember their orders and they really like that. Though he has yet to remember my usual order, he’s right about the regulars. I always see the same familiar faces.
In my opinion, the upside of Perfect Blend is that it’s low-​key and neighborly. My coffee and muffin are always consistent, and for those with bigger appetites they offer a small lunch menu consisting of soups and sandwiches. Their smoothies are also pretty tasty. Street parking has never been a challenge, but in case you come during the rush, there are two parking lots just down the street. The downside to this place is that some will think it’s nothing super special and private conversation opportunities can be limited.
Though Perfect Blend might not be perfect for everyone, it’s certainly a right place for me.

Perfect Blend of nastiness, me thinks.
tsk… **grimace** should have gone to the Starbucks down the street. At the very least, they pretend to be nice.
Was in desperate need of caffeine & food. Coffee, not so good. Iced coffee even worse. Their oatmeal was a watery mess. It was instant, not real sure how they could screw up pouring water «up to the line».
Upon pointing it out, the response was:
Guy: Well, what do you want me to do about it?“
Me: Um… can I have a new one?
Guy: Undisguised eye roll.
Not sure what the attitude was all about… but there’s a newish organic place across the street… gonna try my luck there, next time.

A quick visit here,
so I’ll write a quick review.
Do you like Haikus?
A good location.
Quaint place with lots of sunshine.
Some quiet seating.
Extensive menu.
Lots of sandwiches and drinks.
I was so hungry.
I got a sandwich.
It was pricey and boring.
Don’t want to come back.

BIKERS AND ALL OTHERS, DO NOT PATRONIZE THIS PLACE!!!
I have stopped here countless times in recent years for muffins, tea and coffee. Although the food is barely adequate, that is not the issue. I stopped there 4÷7÷12. I saw the sign in the window, «FREE WIFI INSIDE». So, I asked the surly counter person for the password. He says, «you must purchase something in order to get a password». I freadked out. I reminded him of my frequent purchases at this place, and he says, «I don’t remember you.» Not only is this insulting, but what coffee shop in 2012 makes wifi conditional on a purchase? So, he calls the owner, Yong Min Choi. She confirms this foolish and archaic policy. So, NEVER AGAIN at this dump.
Right around the corner is a lovely coffee shop and deli, Arriva Delicious. They will get all of my business from now on. I hope other bikers will move their business to this much friendlier place, that also has much better food and beverages.
In reading other reviews of Perfect Blend, I realize I am not alone in my rant. Many others have had similar negative experiences.

This was my 2^nd visit.
Not sure what to make of it really…
I actually had a pleasant experience during my first visit.
My Americano was pretty decent.
I didn’t like any of their selections of pastries that were left.
I wasn’t sure about their coffee drinks… So, I just went with the tea, from a single tea bag… wasn’t very good…
The guy working at the register was nice but couldn’t really answer any of my questions… (I guess he didn’t know much…)
Since I’m in the neighborhood at least once a week… I may need to stop by for a hot cup of drink in the cold months…
I may give them another try…

I try to patronize independent coffee shops in lieu of Starbucks. I wish we would have gone to Starbucks.
It’s kind of rundown, has a limited selection of teas, and one very surly employee.
Not a winning combination. :-(

Came here after Unilocaling a non-​Starbucks coffee shop that my friend and I could sit at and study in for a few hours. I am not a big coffee drinker so I ordered their berry-​green ice tea, it was pretty good by itself and just needed a little bit of Splenda to make it sweet enough for my taste.
I started sitting in the back away from the, what seemed to be a regular group of cyclists as well as families letting their children loose while I questioned their parenting skills. After sitting there for a couple hours I got hungry and ordered their Chicken breast sandwich, multi-​grain bread. The sandwich was perfect, warm chicken with crisp veggies and a spicy mustard that must have a little bit of horseradish in it because it had a little more kick than some of the bland mustards that I’ve had in other places.
My study buddy eventually caved into his hunger as well. He went all out ordering a raspberry smoothie, chicken caesar salad and a corn muffin. He really seemed to enjoy the salad, digging into it with gusto. The muffin though, which I got to sample a bit of was really very good. I don’t expect much from coffee house pastries, I expect them to be a little stale and not flavorful but this was outstanding. Soft, warm and like a little corn bread popover. Delicious.
The staff seemed to know almost everyone who came in to stop and sit, chatting them up and catching up on little things. Eventually, we were the only two left and the owner actually came to talk to us a bit as well. A really nice laid back place to study for sure. I think it will be me and my buddy’s default study spot on the North Shore.