Conflicted...it's convenient if you don't want Starbucks, however, it's not the highest on the list. Every time I've frequented, service has been lethargic; they either don't acknowledge or it takes a decent amount of time more than a pour over should and generally orders get mixed up. It's usually clean and they have a nice private workspace that can be reserved I believe. The vibe of the place is like if central perk grew up and got an office job. Overall: fine place to hang out but maybe take the roasting down a notch. read more

This place frustrates me because they are so incredibly slow for run of the mill coffee and specialty drinks, because of this I was proactive, we had a special outing that involved a hair appointment for a cancer patient so I called ahead to order and was told I absolutely could not do this, what horrendous customer service. I promptly called Starbucks, a block away and they accommodated our request even though it was not protocol for them to do so. I will now be taking my business to Starbucks where it is always above standard and the service is unprecedented. read more

Great coffee. New to town. Not the greatest place for relaxing, mostly tables and a bar area. Could use more comfortable chairs. However, the pastries, food and coffee are outstanding. New to the area and have tried Starbucks and Grahams 318 and was not impressed. I will be back for the coffee. read more

This is definitely the best coffee house in the area with great variety of drinks and typical coffee house food. A lot of space to work and connect to their free wifi. It's a great place to meet with friends or to get work done because it is not too loud. I enjoy their selection of teas and free refills on medium or large teas and coffees. read more

Great place! Quant & quiet! Lattes are excellent! Great location with lots to do. Also plenty of parking in front of the establishment...

Wow, this is a trendy quaint coffee shop with everything you can imagine! Good food and creative coffee selections, oh and free wifi! read more

Arcedium Coffeehouse - Gingerbread chai latte... - Cafes Near Me - Saint Charles, Illinois

I worked here a few years ago posting under an alias. I hated my time working here, I really did. My coworkers were great, the regulars were great. Hell, the coffee is great too although I disagree with their roast profiles on a few of their beans. The reason for this review is the owner, Dennis. He was cheap, disrespectful, and constantly bitched about money. The work environment was great when he wasn't around, and tense as hell when he was. He didn't understand the concept that happy workers = good service, and his employees talked about him behind his back (rightfully, myself included). I decided to write this review because I now work at a different shop, and I see the potential left behind at Arcedium. I want to see it thrive, but I refuse to give a penny to the man in charge and I don't see it changing there anytime soon. My suggestion: spend your money elsewhere for your morning cup. There's plenty of other shops around that treat their workers better and deserve the money much, much more than Dennis. read more

I've been coming here for four years or so. We have a group that meets in the room they have set aside. Fantastic they let groups reserve this space. We usually have 7 to 12 people so it pays to have us meet here! That being said it is very nice. As far as I know they have never dropped a reservation and they have a sign on the door showing it's reserved and for how long. The room used to get Really Hot. We'd have to go hustle to look for a fan. But in the last year they have a fan that's always in the room. That's very nice. I'm not a coffee snob. I usually get the house coffee (with some ice - gasp). Living in NYC where they make you pay for coffee/ tea refills I learned not to take free refills for granted. But it's the Midwest people & businesses are just nicer and customer oriented. The hot sandwiches are pretty good. They give you a little number to put on your table and they deliver. Also, very nice. And today while reading comments I learned they have an open mic night! So I'll be asking about that. I do have three negatives. They do need more help to make drinks. In this gourmet coffee era drinks take forever. So the wait time for drinks can get pretty long. Second the seats are not that comfortable. Butt if you're here a long time I guess you just have to put up with it. Besides, most restaurant owners want "turn over" so the seat situation won't change. Last, and I hope the owners read this, there is no hot water in the men's room! Does this violate health code? Staff should have hot water to wash their hands. So should customers to help kill germs. read more

I love the coffee but almost every time I go in the service is terrible. Forgotten orders, simple sandwiches that take 20 minutes to arrive. I wish I could rate it higher because I do enjoy the finished product but the trouble go thru to get it almost isn't worth it. read more

I feel like a bit of a curmudgeon only giving 2 stars, but hear me out. I love the concept of Arcedium. The coffee is better than good. I love that they roast their own beans. The selection of raw bars and food is great. Now here it goes. I would absolutely steer you away during peak times. The staff is mostly (a few exceptions) pleasant, but very slow to make drinks. Most times I've seen a huge line and 1 barista. If you do go at a peak time, just get drip coffee. You'll have it in no time. My even bigger gripe is the seating. They have a side room that is nearly always reserved. That's fine. I actually like that they have it, but it's a quarter of their seating. The other issue is, the rest of the seating is a smattering of high tops, a bar, and 4 tops. Today, at a non peak time, with 3 cars parked out front, you can not find a seat. Most of the time, you'll see 4 tops occupied by 1 person. If they just put in smaller 2 top tables, they would accommodate way more people. I hope they see this and think seriously about doing so. I prefer giving them my business, but after today I'll only grab a coffee to go every now and then. read more

you know those people who like to hide and wait for you to pass by so they can pop out and scare you? yeah, that happened to me today, but instead of one person it was a huge group of people... and i didn't know them... and most of them probably didn't know each other... and they weren't hiding... and i'm pretty sure popping out to scare me wasn't on their minds... but, i startle easily. so, i was on a quest the other week to visit some coffee places and this was on my list. unfortunately, by the time i got there it was closed. so, today i made it in on time. for some reason i had like, complete tunnel vision when i walked in. i opened the door, saw the register, walked straight to it and got all nervous because my tunnel vision was blocking out the menu. o_O i finally found it and a huge display board featuring specials so i went with their toasted marshmallow mocha and a grilled cheese sandwich. well... it wasn't called a "grilled cheese" sandwich because it was so much more, but, in essence, that's what it was. so, i make my order and i'm thinking, "I hope they have places to sit." and i turn to the left and immediately jump back. the place was pretty packed. i seriously didn't notice people sitting at the tables and bar and talking... i almost screamed. also, to my surprise, there's a huge coffee bean roaster deal right in the middle of the floor. i completely didn't see any of it upon walking in. talk about tunnel vision. the mocha and the sandwich were awesome. the sandwich especially. it was made with multiple cheeses and it had an awesome mayo-y, spicy, chipotle-y spread. delicious. the place has a really relaxing ambiance and relaxed feel to it. i'd easily spend a few hours here to just chill. i'm curious about the history of the place though. the building really came off to me as civic center-y. like, a community multi-purpose building turned coffee shop. something about the walls and the layout i think. overall it was a great experience. read more

I love this place! All the drinks are high quality and not artificial like so many other coffee shops which use cheap syrups. It's very cozy inside and a great place to relax and sip on a delicious latte. read more

Super friendly staff. Very good drip coffee and lovely beans, so worth picking some up. Perfect iced chai.

My husband and I live in St. Charles and like to give small local businesses as much of our business as possible. We were so excited to see Arcedium open up. It started out strong but lately has been leaving us dissatisfied. The service is beyond slow. The turn over in staff means someone new is always under training. Today they messed up our latte's yet again. After spending $8.00 in drinks and realizing they were wrong in the car we didn't return because honestly we didn't have ANOTHER 15 min to wait for them to fix it. We'd love to say goodbye to Starbucks for good but we're just not ready. read more

Great location next to the Fox river and nearly walking distance from home, but damn their espresso is bitter. Having just visited Metropolis on Granville in Chicago the day prior, this was not a good coffee drinking experience. My caramel latte was extremely underwhelming from the bitter espresso to the airy and thin foam which carried the bitterness from the espresso. The place is neat and clean and the location is great, but this place fails badly in the number one reason to come to a coffee house and that's for good quality coffee drinks! read more

As a person that lives by the mantra "go big or go home", I can confidently say that no matter how indulgent you are feeling, you should not drink a large iced Aztec mocha. Although the first sip of cool, smooth, cinnamon chocolate deliciousness prompted me to believe I could drink a gallon of this miracle elixir, it is gluttonous to take down the monster brew. Next time I would definitely opt for a smaller size but with all said and done, I regret nothing. For $9.79, I ordered both the ginormous iced mocha and a tomato, pesto, parm quiche that was a perfect, teeny buttery delight. There is an attention to detail and thoughtful touches (such as offering both coconut and rice milk among traditional creamers), which truly set Arcedium apart from other spots. The staff was friendly and the male barista did a great job of calling out drinks loud enough to hear over the constant hum of the crowded shop. I love how this spot has a coffee bar...maybe that just the drinker in me, but I usually opt to belly up there and savor my beverage while tending to my business. Today, I sat at a table with a friend and had an equally pleasant experience. This place is hopping, but do not be discouraged, I easily crept on a table that was leaving and nabbed the spot. My only criticism would be that maybe they could have more two person tables, as most were for four people, although only occupied by two, which could possibly create opportunity for more people to stay and enjoy their beverages and the atmosphere. Their menu of salads and paninis intrigued me, and I will be back again and again to sample different beverages and food items alike. read more

Went there for early coffee on a Sunday. The pastries were really good. I had an almond croissant and my mother had the regular croissant. The latte was delicious. All of the workers were very friendly. My only complaint would be that I was going to get a drink and pastry to go for someone else when I was leaving but the line was out the door at 8 am. There wasn't a wait really when I got my coffee but they could probably use one extra register or barista on the weekends. read more

This review has been waiting to happen but - not exactly sure what is wrong with the customer service, but working in that industry myself I can't imagine ignoring and treating customers in the fashion they do. Laughing at a guest's simple order of a medium coffee with soy shouldn't 1. Be super complicated and 2. Come with a side of eye rolling and sarcasm. There wasn't a wall hiding the cashier and barista from talking their talk amongst the guests which I find extremely unprofessional and rude. The coffee was fine- would have loved to stick around and enjoyed my beverage but the atmosphere lacked comfort. Poor customer service.. And the few times I've been in here the few drinks I have had have been sub par. read more

5 minutes for a latte and there wasn't anyone in front of me! I've been a barista, trust me it doesn't take that long. I like to support the small business owners but that was a total lack of respect for my time. read more

I'm a coffee house addict and looove independent businesses such as Arcedium. Not only do they roast their own coffee, but they serve local baked goods from the Cocoa Bean in Geneva. They also have regular acoustic entertainment and paintings on the walls from local artists. There is a bulletin board to pin your business cards, and post flyers for local events. The servers there are quick to recognize regular customers and make newcomers feel welcome. The atmosphere is very comfortable and conducive to a variety of purposes...reading for enjoyment, chatting with a friend, studying for a final, emailing for work. There is even a private meeting room with a door. Arcedium is very conveniently located near the Blue Goose supermarket and near the St. Charles riverwalk on the Fox River. read more

My favorite coffee house that I go to quite often, has to be Arcedium. I've been going for two years and love almost everything about it. It's a very hip and clean coffee house, and I always get a large soy latte, they are the best! I just wish they would add more vegan options to the menu, perhaps some meal items would be great! read more

We strictly go here for the Aztec Hot Chocolate. This is by far the best Hot Chocolate my fiancé and I have ever had. I highly recommend.

The store is in a good location but It didn't matchup our expectations. The service was great but the coffee taste was raw. Next timee I'll try other coffee. read more

First time there all associates look like they did not wanna be there.None of them smile or even say hello. The messed up my order, I waited 290min for a macchiato, but never received it. I just walk out without what I paid for. Great customer service! I would give a zero*bought yelp won't let me do it. read more

This place is pretty great. I have always been a Starbucks guy but have been told by many people that I needed to give this place a try. I was not disappointed. My wife and I stopped by yesterday afternoon and the staff could not have been more friendly or helpful. We both got French press and different recommended beans and sat down in some comfy chairs for a game of scrabble. It was a nice time with great coffee and possibly the nicest staff in St.. Charles. read more

Great coffee, love the refills and different varieties!

The coffee is the best in the Fox Valley area, and I wish that the atmosphere matched that level of quality. The decor screams "hotel lobby." It is beige...very, very beige. The tables, the walls, the art on the walls...all beige. The seating is surprisingly uncomfortable, and I can't sit here for more than 30 minutes without getting antsy, The customers seem to be 90% real estate agents and local business job interviews, so it is usually pretty loud and full of discussions about mortgage rates, The coffee is really good. They roast their own, and they know what they are doing, so it is worth hitting this place if you are just getting something to go. The staff is great, with the exception of one socially awkward bearded guy who continually tries to be funny and generally elicits uncomfortable silence from the customers he is talking to. Otherwise I really like the people. Free Wi-Fi, of course, and reasonably prices refills definitely helps this place out, but nothing overcomes the atmosphere. read more

Cute coffee house with an intimate feel and decent coffee. Service leaves something to be desired however. Sandwiches are tasty, but for the love of god, don't order one if you have anywhere to be in the next few hours... read more

Great wifi, great coffee... what else do you need in this world, right?

I am writing this updated review and truly feel that this place is a great community location. The Food is great and the Tea great as well. The coffee is number one. Yes, The internet needs a speed bump but that is all. The staff go for the small things... I bough a coke and was handed a glass with ice and didn't have to ask. Food came out quick and was phenomenal. A great place to go for food and coffee/ tea. read more

Just what our town has always needed and it's amazing! The coffee is freshly roasted daily and the care shows. I would meet my son there and we'd just enjoy the constant flow of people while we enjoyed the best coffee anywhere. Great Location, great coffee, great staff! Yes, it can be a little slow sometimes but it's always well worth the wait! read more

I've been meaning to review this place. It is just fantastic! My parents live in the area and every single time I go to see them I make it a point to stop here. The coffee is so smooth and delicious and the espresso drinks are wonderful, not at all bitter but still nice and bold. Its hard to go back to the starbucks on my walk into work in the city after treating myself here. read more

I visit here on occasion as I work in Geneva. This is a really nice little coffeehouse. One of the things they do that I especially like is they offer (during certain hours) coffee made via siphon brew. It's one of only a few places I know of that will prepare coffee this way. It's labor intensive, fun to watch and oh so worth it. The taste is incredible. The prices are on par with a Starbucks and the baristas are very friendly. Do your community a favor and support local businesses! read more

I have to say it was really disappointing when I got a small, iced mocha and it cost me $7.24!!! The only extras I got was almond milk and an extra shot of expresso. I've done this at other coffee shops and it never cost me that much. Needless to say, I won't be back for an iced mocha again. read more

WOW what happened to all the home-baked treats?? Snack mix, cupcakes???? We miss them!! Time to find another spot, coffee's great but this place needs more than Coffee!! read more

The perfect experience on a brisk fall day. Delicious Aztec mocha and classic latte. The latte art is nothing to rave about, but it tasted great, was frothy and creamy all at the same time :) read more

Nothing great. Felt bad, the girl using the cash register was either new or a weekend employee only and had problems working it and we had a line behind us. Also the sizing that we ordered was incorrect when given to us, but we didn't want to go through the hassle of fixing it due to the confusion behind the counter. read more

Delicious coffee and teas. My husband enjoys the bagel breakfast sandwiches and a latte every weekend! I like a dirty chai latte and a vegan bar. There are options for everyone! read more

I'll admit that I usually go down the block to Starbucks. Arcedium is usually busy and there's not always a table open...and that's a really good thing for a local business. I love the coffee roaster behind the bar. Their coffee is great - I usually get an au lait. It's made real well. Their coffee bar is nice because they have some simple syrup you can add to your drink instead of just adding granulated sugar. Baristas are nice and you can tell they have their "locals", too. I'm hoping to reserve the room they have for an event I'm hosting. read more

Love it. Great space, good coffee, free wi-fi. If they added better breakfast sandwiches I'd be done with Starbucks.