Awesome coffee and great selection of pastries and food. Great tea selection as well. Area for small meetings and/or for work read more

This is our neighborhood coffee joint :) Have walked here so many times. Reliably great coffee, crisp and satisfying paninis, delicious savory croissants. Relaxing, light-filled interior with ac in the summers. Friendly service. Never had a bad experience :) read more

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Good coffee and they have do-rite donuts, but the most unfriendly staff I've ever encountered. It's as if they are upset you're giving them business. Been there about 4 times in the past few months since it's convenient, and each time no "hello" or greeting of any kind, no "thank you" or "have a nice day" or basically any human kindness whatsoever. read more

Groundswell is a member of the Chicago coffee passport. Very modern atmosphere with reclaimed wood and clean lines. Not a huge seating area, but enough small tables and bar seating that I had no trouble finding a place to park and do some work. Free wifi. The baristas are very friendly and are currently playing Spice Girls pandora radio (it is nearing closing on a Sunday night), so they are my favorite people ever. "I am giving your everything, all that joy can bring....Say you will be there...." Hearts. They use a homemade mint syrup for their mint mocha. It is sweet, but you do get the espresso come through and not just sugar. read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Solid pastry selections- sweet and savory. - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This used to be my favorite coffee shop in the city - spent a lot of time here when I was in between jobs. I think some of the employees changed over, though, and lately it has been less-than-stellar. For example, today, they had some very loud pop-punk/alt-punk music blasting -- I noticed a lot of other patrons who were trying to do work filtered out a lot sooner than I'd expect; I fully believe it was due to the noisy atmosphere. Nothing like what I (or many of my other business or conversation-oriented folks) would look for in a space to work-outside-work. My girlfriend went here to get me a coffee a couple weeks ago. She doesn't frequent the place, so asked for a vanilla latte (they don't have vanilla). The employee just said "no." - nothing else. No joke, no fun back and forth - it was extremely rude and she was understandably upset. I had a similar experience today. I'm not looking for someone to be annoyingly cheerful! I'm just looking for someone polite. The coffee they make here is great and it's a beautiful location - I love the windows that look at the street, and the wooden interior is beautiful. In theory it's a great place to do work! But not anymore in practice. I probably will not be going here again unless something changes, which I'm very sorry to say, because I like everything else about it. For now, though, I'm home to nurse my migraine. [Edit] I forgot, their router DNS seems to be messed up - only about 50% of websites resolve. Would love for that to get fixed. read more

Cute coffee shop in Ravenswood. Great relaxing place. There were lots of families. It was so packed. Service was nice.

I'm at a regular here, completely committed to my iced latte and the laid back neighborhood atmosphere. The black and white mural, with just enough white space + the wooden tables and hanging greenery = the ideal coffee space. I always experience friendly and efficient service, occasionally opting for the espresso soda to mix things up (it's a party for your taste buds). Definitely recommend Groundswell! read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Iced lavender latte is so good. - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The coffee just doesn't taste good. I was so excited to pick up a cup of latte on the way to my work that would brighten up my morning. I got a 16 oz latte. As soon as I took a sip, I knew something was off. It just didn't taste good at all. It had a very mild coffee flavor with A LOT of milk, which nearly tasted like a half shot of espresso in a 16 oz cup of milk. I used to go to groundswell in the west loop before, and I absolutely loved their coffee, so I had expected the same thing from this place. Just sad. read more

I was in the mood for a chai latte. Decided to try this place out. I'm so glad I did. The staff was very welcoming and friendly, not to forget knowledgeable. The chai was great, it had the spice that makes a chai a chai but not too sweet. You taste subtile notes of cardamom and spice. The plum colored mug it came in was cute too. The space is really laptop friendly. By that I mean you can virtually sit anywhere and have an outlet handy. read more

I was in the market for a new coffee shop to do some work in, and stumbled across this on Yelp. WOW! I am ecstatic that there is a coffee shop like Groundswell in my neighborhood now. Its modern and simple design still feels very cozy. I had a full load of work to do so I was there long enough to try a vanilla latte, green tea latte, and their breakfast panini. Without a doubt, some of the best food and drink! Their vanilla latte was SO fluffy, it was amazing. Their green tea latte had just the right amount of sweetness to it. And their breakfast panini, perfect! It's filled with cheddar cheese, ham, crumbled egg and sriracha aioli! YUM! Definitely coming back here as much as possible! read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Green Tea Latte - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Would have liked to try this establishment but I felt immediately uncomfortable upon entering. The barista checked me up down and turned around without a greeting. I'm wearing sweatpants on a Sunday morning. Sorry I'm not in dress code? I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

I'm struggling to find a flaw, but I can't. Maybe the warm day has me struggling and this place is very well air conditioned. The staff members are all very friendly. Smiles across the board. I ordered an iced green tea latte with a breakfast panini (no aioli). Both are great! The drink came in a very large size (more than expected). And the panini was just yummy. Overall, great service matching great food with a modern interior. read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Iced green tea latte and breakfast panini - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool bright space and ambiance is the first thing u notice when u walk in. Proceeded by friendliness and super knowledgeableness of the baristas (I know it's not a word but it just fits!). They roast their own beans and its a lighter roast coffee/espresso beans, just the way I like it! Their pastry line up is super impressive as well - banana bread, muffins, croissants - not sure if they make them in house or get them from a bakery...but they are solid! The almond croissant and the apple cranberry (?) muffin is a must! Plenty of street parking since this place is in a neighborhood area (Ravenswood). I highly recommend visiting this shop. I live in South Loop and would make the trek out there for a morning cup of joe any day! (Sorry I didn't post any photos of the actual coffee and pastries we got - we gobbled them up way too fast! Lol) read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Amazing space! - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Easily the rudest barista I've ever had the pleasure of ordering coffee from. Will not be retuning unless management reaches out. Rolling eyes at the customers and not responding when you say something. So rude. read more

Finally found a great coffee shop near me. Excellent coffee AND croissants! The perfect combination. Super nice people too.

I still love groundswell. I still come all the time. But one barista, who I've seen working for weeks, consistently coughs all over the bar without covering her mouth. Even when making paninis. Today, she handled my money without taking off her panini gloves. Then she made more food after handling money without changing gloves. Please train your baristas (maybe it's just one who is the issue) to be clean!!! read more

House coffee is good. Enjoyed the vegan cookie; happy that there is a vegan treat at all. Chairs in the back, where we sat, are stools, not chairs. My middle-aged bony butt was not comfortable, and I wished for back support. Atmosphere is pleasant; nice decoration, background music present but not intrusive. Toilet is gender neutral, but the temperature in that room is like that of a meat locker; I guess keeping the room cold keeps people from lingering, so the line for the toilet doesn't get too long. Not crazy about service. Yes, you will get your drinks and treats. Standing at the counter, not much delay. When I've sat outside during warm weather, staff will wave at you when your order is ready. It's hard to see that happening. You have to sit and stare indoors, and hope you understand the wave is for you, not for someone else. Advanced non-verbal communications skills are needed, when they shouldn't be. Just walk the order outside, okay folks? It won't kill you. I've had the caprese panini. It's heated so hot, the cheese runs out of the sandwich like melted butter. Once the panini cools down enough to eat, the cheese has all run out, and your hands are super-greasy because the melted cheese has permeated the bread. You don't get to eat the cheese, you just get to hold its remnants in your greasy little hands. It'd be nice to get a smile from the counter staff. I keep waiting to get Anya's line from Buffy the Vampire Slayer; I'll pay, I'll get my order and change, and I'll be told "please go." read more

Awesome place!! The coffee is outstanding, so are the sandwiches. Try the Brazil Carme de Minas pour over coffee. You'll like it a lot. My husband and I tried their sandwiches too. He had the ham and swiss. I had the turkey provolone with pesto. Both were very tasty. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. Thank you Jason, Ashley, Candice and Wes. The atmosphere is so laid back. So glad they finally opened. They always say, good things come to those who wait. read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Busy place - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely love the matcha latte there. Not a spacious coffeeshop but the servers are friendly. It was a little dim inside the store so it hurts my eyes after staring on staring laptop for a while. But I highly recommend it if you are down to chat with your friends. read more

Cannot understand what everyone's fascination with this place is. It's fine. It's okay. It's ridiculously slow to get a coffee, and it's not a better product than other local shops in the area. The seats are uncomfortable and it's just truly not.that.great. read more

From a coffee enthusiast, this place was a disappointment!! But I hope my visit was in bad time. I read a lot of good reviews but it was a busy Sunday morning.. there was a long line of customer and when I ordered my pour over they were in a hurry to complete orders and it only took 1 min!!! For a pour over??? The place is nicely designed and furnished and the baristas were nice.. seating is limited but they have awesome pillow cases made from coffee bags. Overall: Atmosphere:8 Service:8 Coffee:3 I'll give this place another chance!! And will update this review after that read more

Best latte in the City! They have a way of steaming the milk that makes it so creamy. I love the home made flavorings. They have vanilla all the time, and unique specialty flavors in different seasons. read more

Had their mocha latte and it was delicious! I do this usually drink coffee much but when I do I try to stick to basics. Also their ambience is very nice and the music is super chill. It's also located in the quaint neighborhood of Ravenswood. :) I would suggest going here and then checking out the cute stores nearby as well! read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Delicious mocha latte - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

***update! I've been to 3 different Groundswell locations and am always impressed. Consistently great coffee time and time again. Definitely my favorite place in the city for iced vanilla lattes (real vanilla!!). So yummy! read more

Stopped in here after an appointment and was able to park right outside. Was greeted by the barista who made a great cappuccino and flat white. We'll be back when in the neighborhood and need a pick-me-up. read more

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Came here twice and really wanted to like it because my husband and I moved back to this neighborhood but just not a big fan. The iced coffee is just okay, and for a 16oz it is almost $4 including tax which was just as expensive as a cold brew. The breakfast panini was good (I had it without the ham) - it was scrambled eggs, cheese, and sriracha mayo. Nothing overly creative or super memorable. Maybe I'll be back. Not sure yet since there are more cafes east of here. read more

Whoa. The iced latte had me questioning what type of coffee I was drinking prior to this. I've had a few iced soy lattes here - they remain consistently great. I wish they had almond or coconut milk versus soy but I'm happy they have a non-dairy option. read more

Groundswell coffee offers up mostly light to medium roasts, with their darkest being a Brasilian roast. The Ethiopian and Rwandan roasts were excellent (black drip without any cream/spices); the dark brasilian needed cream/cinnamon, but tasted very good after the additions. The service was welcoming; the space is clean, and inviting. Small, square tables are methodically aligned back-to-back in the narrow layout, for those wanting to get work done. I'll certainly be back! read more

So I'm a Dolce Casa partisan and would never have come in here at all except that Dolce Casa is closed for renovations - so now I've been here twice. Good news: the coffee here is great, the music is on point, and the pastries are totally acceptable. I haven't tried any sandwiches yet, but the price is right at $6.75 - the sandwiches at DC are great but they are sooo expensive. The seating is remarkably uncomfortable, though I suppose that'll at least prevent the laptop campers that tend to colonize Perfect Cup and the Grind. I also wish they were open later! All the good coffee shops around here close so early D: Glad to have another option in the area. read more

I had a cup of Chemex brewed Rio Palanda coffee today. It was a perfect cup. I enjoyed the taste and aroma of the coffee. Coffee: Excellent Price: Reasonable Service: Ok but suggest to improve. It took 15 mn for my coffee to be prepared, It was slow. The brew job needs to be better coordinated and spontaneous. Ambience: clean and welcome read more

My wife and I are coffee shop addicts, and we've been to this one more than any other in the city. In fact, we start pretty much every weekend day with lattes from Groundswell, even if that means driving out of our way to get them (we don't live in the 'hood). The vanilla latte--which my wife gets hot and I get iced--is the best cup of coffee I've ever had. It is so smooth and creamy that, for a long time, my wife and I were convinced they were sneakily making all drinks breve. But we've watched them and--nope--it's straight up milk. I don't know what magic they perform, but I must attribute it to the fact that they roast their own beans, resulting in the silkiest espresso I've ever tasted. They also have wonderful pastries and sandwiches, and the staff is very kind. It's a small space, but there's usually a table open, despite there clearly being a series of devotees who frequent the shop. It's also part of a great, new stretch of shops on Damen, including a few really great furniture and design stores. So, if you are making the trek just for the coffee, take a little time to look around. read more

Groundswell is a favorite neighborhood coffee jaunt. The staff are down-to-earth, kind, and make a damn good espresso.

My husband and I moved into the neighborhood back in May. Groundswell opened within a month of our joining the 'hood. So, I feel a weird kinship to this establishment because we joined the neighborhood around the same time (now you are all probably thinking I'm super weird). Anyway, I have been to Groundswell a few different times and I've never been disappointed. We had some friends visiting from out of town and we wanted to take them to a coffee place for some pour over coffee. So, we went to Groundswell and enjoyed a cup of their pour over. If I'm remembering correctly, I think they switch their pour over flavors from time to time. The coffee that we had included a citrus-esque flavor which I really liked. But I also love citrus flavors, so that's totally up my alley. Another time that I have visited Groundswell was to get my husband a drink. He told me that he wanted an autumnal drink. I had been walking by Groundswell earlier that day and they had a sign out front that advertised a sweet potato flavored coffee beverage. So I went in and ordered that for him and it was delicious!! Pumpkin spice lattes need to watch out because this drink was delicious with hints of maple and cinnamon. For myself, I ordered an autumnal tea which had a cranberry apple flavor. I wish I had gotten the larger size because it was so good. I've never had the food, but every time I'm in there, someone orders a grilled cheese and it smells like Heaven. Overall, definitely give Groundswell a try! read more

Coffee and scones are good, but service is questionable at best. Very annoyed after waiting 15 mins for our drink order, which apparently never made it from the cashier to the barista (who was standing a whole 2 feet away). If it was a chaotic morning, I might understand, but it wasn't really busy at all. Perfect example of why tipping ahead (via iPad payment) is stupid. Would appreciate being able to retract my 15%, which was given in anticipation of good service. Update: manager contacted me via Yelp, apologized, and offered to refund tip. Appreciate that they acknowledged the issue. read more

Had the most amazing almond milk chai tea latte here today while finishing my homework. I appreciated all the music being relaxing and it was not loud, perfect environment for homework. Will definitely come back here again. read more

Great coffee! Everything they serve is roasted in house, I believe. I've tried the iced coffee, iced Americano and Nitro cold brew (I prefer iced drinks if you couldn't tell) and all were delicious! Very flavorful and smooth. Barista's are friendly and service is generally quick, although I've never been there when its slammed. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! Excited to try their new location, glad they're growing! read more

Love this local joint. Their coffee is excellent. I usually opt for the latte, mocha, or specialty drink of the day/week. They highlight that they roast their own beans and I can't recommend highly enough getting a bag of their coffee to make at home. They also have the best breakfast sandwiches. You can't go wrong with the grilled cheese over lunch either. I live a few blocks farther from Groundswell than I did when they first opened, so that keeps me from getting there as often as I'd like. When the first opened, the owner was often around and would chat with you about the growth of the business. Not sure if this is still the case, but his wife was involved in getting the bakery they have (also really good scones). If you're in Ravenswood/Lincoln Square, be sure to check them out. read more

Great place to visit for a coffee break. I order the chi tea latte and a everything croissant. Both items were delicious. Nice atmosphere, nice employees, great coffee and yummy food. I'll be back time next I'm in the area. read more

Groundswell Coffee Roasters - Cafes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everyone who works here is great. Coffee is great. Oat milk late is everything. Can get busy during the day so can be hard to find a spot to work or dine in. read more

I've stopped by Groundswell a couple times and received great, friendly service and solid coffee, teas, and pastries. The place is very clean and comfortable. I typically get pour-overs and they make them well. The owner and his employees obviously care about service and product and we're happy to see them open along Damen Ave. read more