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    Ground Up

    4.5 (173 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Ground Up Takeout or Delivery

    Ground Up Photos

    Business Info

    GROUND UP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Ground Up

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    Exterior
    Sean Y.

    Neither the best nor the worst, it's a good coffee shop serving the area and a ton of UIC students. Strengths of Ground Up are its expansive menu and abundant seating and free WiFi, but no item on the menu is particularly standout in my opinion. The paper cups are flimsy to the point I had to drink half my coffee in store before being confident to bring the rest home. Staff are friendly and the loft look is very cute.

    This is some type of matcha drink. It was a bit sweet but quality matcha.
    Michelle R.

    This place was so welcoming. I had to leave a $2 tip only because the guy taking our order was absolutely welcoming and let me tell you... an awesome sense of humor. I would come again just to get some positive energy.

    Runzer W.

    I ordered a medium hot latte and stayed there for about an hour. Friendly staff. Nice vibe, while the light inside might make you sleepy lol.

    Justine C.

    Great coffee shop in West Loop! Their raspberry muffins are to die for! You have to request it heated for 100/10 flavor. Their specials are always a hit and are all so unique. I usually opt for my vanilla iced latte and they get it done right. Prices are fair and there are plenty of seats to do work or hang with a friend.

    Cashmere caramel
    Kenna G.

    The Cashmere caramel latte was insanely good, I've never had a latte that tasted like it!!! The pastry case here looked delicious, I am dying to come back and try one of them! Decent sized cafe, kind staff. Provided good recommendations. Only complaint is my medium latte WITHOUT upgrading milk was over $8 which is a bit painful.

    Turtle turtle mocha  Matcha latte  Cinnamon Latte
    Maitri S.

    They have seasonal items and I loved the verdure latte! It was a creamy pistachio drink which fresh pistachio. So comforting

    Fresas Con Crema
    Rathvon M.

    This is what every neighborhood needs. A solid, independent and comfortable coffee shop. You can easily spend a morning at Ground Up, surrounded by fresh baked goods, interesting espresso drinks and my favorite...hot, black, coffee. It's a darn good cup of coffee. Freshly brewed, hot and delicious. My daughter enjoyed the Fresas Con Crema. I'm not exactly sure what it was, but she definitely enjoyed the fact that I was buying. She really enjoyed her drink. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by for an excellent cup of Joe in a very comfortables store. Support your local coffee shops and make sure you tip your barista well!!

    Baklava latte though once it's in a togo cup it can be anything lol  It's really good though, so definitely try it!

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    2 months ago

    Delicious smooth hot latte, light and yummy blueberry muffin. And great customer service.

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    8 months ago

    Great cute place. Serves Greek coffee as well as nice fresh made pies/croissants. Staff is very nice as well.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Ground Up

    Do they offer milk alternatives and if so, do they charge extra for it?

    Yes they have milk alternatives for an extra charge when you order in person. They have oat milk and probably soy/almond milk too. They may have coconut milk depending on the seasonal drinks available. For some reason however there's no option to… Read more

    Are there outlets by the tables?

    Not all tables do. The bar-style tables do not but most of the small ones have two outlets by them.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    we tried the blueberry matcha. their matcha tastes high quality and they say it's ceremonial grade…read morewhich i believe. i think some places say theirs is ceremonial grade when it isn't. so we really enjoyed the quality of the matcha and it was the perfect amount of sweet from the blueberry. we also tried baursaq which is the fried dough bites. it tastes like a light donut ball. it's not heavy or greasy at all. they give you a dipping sauce which tasted like strawberry to me. overall a really clean and simple lay out for the shop. very minimal and upscale. it's not super busy and loud so it's a nice place to sit in and enjoy your drinks and maybe do some homework/remote work. i only gave it 4/5 just because the drinks were a little pricey but i think that's the norm now as well. hard to find drinks under 8$ these days.

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    We had a fantastic experience at the Reserve Roastery! So much to see and to try, and Zach was very…read morefriendly and helpful in recommending something we might like to try - the cold brew malt. FANTASTIC life choice, Zach you are the bomb!!! It was so good even tho it was a tad pricy, I'd come back just for that. Indoors it's 5 levels though the 5th is currently closed for renovations, and it was very crowded so it was difficult to find seating, but it's kept very clean and polished despite the high traffic. Kudos to the staff!!

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    Goddess and the Baker, 33 S Wabash-Millennium Park - Cinnamon Roll (~$7)

    Goddess and the Baker, 33 S Wabash-Millennium Park

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    Ground Up - coffee - Updated May 2026

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