I'm an old guy with kids. Unlike the rest of the people flaming New Wave, I have actually never been treated rudely by any of the staff, even when I bring my kids in. I've always enjoyed coming to this place for a cup of coffee, to study, or to play a game with my kids on a rainy/snowy day. The atmosphere is a bit jarring, but that seems to be what the kids are into these days. That being said, I'm not sure what the actual agreement is between them and the creperie a few doors down. On its face, it seems terrible to restrict other new business from selling things, instead of working together to help the neighborhood. Sadly, I'll have to wait this out and see what happens. I can't support a business that would treat its neighbors this way. Would love to come back and spend my money just as soon as they find a more cooperative way to co-exist with their neighbors. Do the right thing, NWC. read more

The hipster vibe is plenty strong at this (what I surprise, wait, wait, wait) coffee shop! Wait a little longer...in Logan Square. Blown away, right? The neighborhood has changed dramatically over the past 10 years and New Wave probably represents this the most. The service is fine and the coffee is the same. I would only recommend going here if you are looking to get into the Logan Sq needlessly sad hipster vibe that will soon be as exclusive as it once was inclusive. read more

So the coffee I had here was terrible. I mean, just godawful. I got the drip coffee, put some skim milk and sugar into it, and it tasted like barely-lukewarm, week-old chai. That's about the best comparison I can come up with. I had my friend taste it. He said that I "must have done something to it." He suggested I get it refilled with dark roast. The dark roast didn't taste much better and it was still barely lukewarm. Was the machine broken? Somebody accidentally spin a dial or something? The staff is nice. The croissant I had was stale. The decor and environment is comfortable in theory, but not all thrift shop couches and reclaimed diner chairs are actually comfortable, nome sane? Sit down on that couch and you feel like you're being swallowed by a spongy combination of unsettlingly moist uncle hands and fresh Hepatitis. I may go back if I'm in the area and give the food and drink another chance. It gets good enough reviews that maybe it was an off day. read more

Even though it has a bit of that snobby hipster, 'we're too cool for school in our plaid shirts and skinny jeans', it's a great local coffee shop. HUGE selection of teas, they serve good coffee and have a good selection of baked goods. A lot of vegan options if you're into that. Prices are nice too. Like I said, just be ready for that hipster heaven attitude. read more

One of my favorite cafes in all of chicago .. and its a 4 minute walk from my front door in Logan Square. How many ways do I love thee? First, the coffee. They use metropolis, one of the best coffee beans ever. And Zach, of Zach and Susan the owners, sold me the whole beans in 1/4, 1/2, or 1 lb increments at decent prices. I don't know why don't more places in chicago use these delicious beans. Second, the sun. On a cold winter's day you can sit on the south side of the cafe shop by the full length windows and get bright warm sunshine on your face. Third, the atmosphere. It's huge, its artsy, its vibrant, it has cozy tables, comfy chairs and couches. Fourth, fast free wifi. Lastly, the owners and workers have more style and are more accommodating than most coffee shops. For example, they don't really have any light sandwiches, but they made me a grilled cheese with onions and peppers for under $3. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is the lack of food choices .. and beer. They do have lots of vegan choices including delicous vegan caramel cornmeal donuts, cheesecakes, cookies, etc, but when i'm eating my coffee I like bagels, muffins, scones .. here's where starbucks and peet's wins. They do have tastee sandwiches with creative names, i especially love the caddyshack - turkey on pretzel roll - altho the actual turkey meat is average. And if they ever got beer here .. It would be the perfect happy hour spot. It's big enough to have a little stage in the corner, too. Big UP New Wave! read more

This place is so delicious!! Such a friendly environment and amazing drinks! It has such a chill atmosphere ... it's good for kids, college students, and just a great place to chill with friends! They have a wide variety on sandwiches as well. They even have an ATM machine. Can you believe it ? New wave is such a chill spot! Love the S sandwich names too. "Go back to Cali" is one of them! Creative(; It has a retro/modern feel to it. They accept card and cash. New wave also has soooo much seating, even couches. The best part? It's open til 9pm!! read more

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Mmmmmm... The decor is exactly what I would expect from the name, bright colors splashed about including the black/white/multi colored tile floor- I liked it, it's fun and upbeat. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, the food was fantastic (I had a spicy coconut soup that was delicious, a veggie sandwich that was very good, a scone that was a little too dry, and a latte that was perfectly made). All were a good value as the prices are surprisingly reasonable for a coffee joint. I'm thrilled to have New Wave in the neighborhood and will definitely be stopping by again soon! read more

Where all the cool kids go in Logan Square...unfortunately, there seems to be a hipster population problem, as this place is usually packed with them, making it hard to find a chair. The drip coffee here is good (roasted by my Chicago-favorite, Metropolis). Haven't tried any of the espresso drinks yet. The desserts are pretty good; I appreciate that they always have a few vegan options. The sandwiches, however, are kind of sub-standard and overpriced. BIG PROBLEM: the WiFi here sucks, and I don't use that term loosely. On the occasions that I have used it, it ranges from being really slow, to being so slow that even basic pages never actually load. read more

I'm really disappointed in this place. It's convenient in relation to my apartment, but, other than that, it's failing miserably. Rude baristas don't bother me in the least, though most of them have been quite nice to me. I would even forgive that their prices are obscene. (How can you justify over $3 for a smaller-than-average croissant?) What I want from a coffee shop is a good place to work, and this fails on all the necessary criteria for that. The free wifi is too slow to get *anything* done online. The air conditioning is set so cold that I have to bring a thick sweater with me to avoid shivering and my nose is always runny by the time I leave. The music is generally turned too loud to be able to have a normal conversation or take a phone call. The electrical outlet situation is hugely inconvenient - tables are primarily in the middle of the room and outlets are only on the walls. They have no power strips, so even if you manage to push a table close enough to the wall, you still have to negotiate a joint custody arrangement with whoever claimed the outlet first. Clearly, people have not yet noticed the less crowded, cheaper, and better equipped Nothin' Less cafe just down the street. read more

Meh.. That's the thought that comes to mind when I think of New Wave. If you like your coffee shops with zero ambiance and a bunch of mish-mash, New Wave is for you. I don't drink coffee so i can't comment on the quality of the beverages BUT everything else is sub par at best. The chai, actually not the chai, because last time i was in, dying of thirst at the farmers market, I waited in line for 10 minutes for them to tell me it would be 15 minutes for an iced chai, no apology, no offer for something else, just me saying uhm No and walking out. I can only imagine it takes 15 minutes to open a box of chai. With that said, the staff always is always pretty rude and not to be bothered. Sandwiches and pastries seem like second thoughts and its hard to figure out what's what.. a clear menu would be a great addition, maybe some real signage. The space is big and decorated like a scrap book of hip ideas or something like that.. everything just strikes me as bargain bin. Logan has some great coffee shops and New Wave seems content to be the lazy, maturity challenged sibling.. maybe one day? read more

Logan Square has a new trademark, and I'm not speaking of the Eagle-dominated Marble Doric Column but the New Wave Coffeehouse. You can find all the quirks and qualities of the neighborhood in one visit (even though you're bound to find yourself wanting to return): Hip ~ Vintage ~ Culturally Diverse ~ Urban ~ Artsy ~ Friendly ~ Colorful ~ Comfy. NW seems to always be busy, especially on a weekend day. Don't be turned away by the lines at the cash register, just hum Finding Nemo's tune "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" and the currents will move you along. Although they have tons of tables, couches and antique desks, you'll still see the glances and pacing of newcomers searching out a seat. There are plenty of new electrical outlets for all the laptop lovers. Obviously they offer speedy Free Wi-Fi. They sell several sandwich options that are said to be very tasty. I have yet to sample one. In addition, they have international treats like alfajores (a Latin American/Argentinean caramel cookie specialty), gazpacho, Chicago's very own Eli's pumpkin cheesecake and other "near the cash register, buy on a whim" sweets. Be sure to check out the graffiti-filled men's bathrooms (not sure what the women's has to offer) that brings back Chicago's pre-spray paint 'prohibition' feel back to reality. The cyclists of Logan now have a new home that fits their styles--after all they should be proud to be a part of the historic turn-of-the-century celebrity Ignaz Schwinn's old hood (the Arnold, Schwinn & Co. bike manufacturer). The legacy still carries on not only with the bike-friendly tree-lined boulevards, but a cafe that cyclists come to to be themselves and take a break from the strong gusts of the Windy City. To support the cafe, take one of their free logo pins at the cash register to pin on your bag. :) read more

Great little hipster cafe in Logan Square that makes awesome coffee! I've only been here twice since I don't live in the area but if I did, this would definitely be my regular coffee shop. It has a nice laid back vibe and many people work/study here. The baristas are pleasant and quick to make your drinks. I've had a regular coffee and latte the two times I've been here. They use metropolis coffee and this was my first time trying it. I especially liked my latte but I can't put my finger on it other than it tasted amazing. Creamy and smooth with the right amount of coffee flavor. I wish I lived closer so I could come more often! The only thing about New Wave that might deter people is that it is a little shabby. The couches and chairs are a little rundown but that doesn't bother me. read more

New Wave Coffee - Drip coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First, I'd like to point out that the worse the review of New Wave, the more stereotypes it contains. I'm just saying. New Wave is great. This is why: good coffee, good seating, good sammiches, and good music at a reasonable volume. I really don't see what else is required in a good coffee shop. read more

Don't care for the beat up basement look with broken looking chairs, but that is how good everything else must be for it to get 5 BIG BIG stars.... Great coffee/food/baristas/crowd/music. In heaven. Some people like that beat up look,.. read more

New Wave, love coming in here an grabbing a morning coffee and the occasional pastry. However, a couple things: Within the last couple months, it seems like there have been more and more instances of the coffee tasting bitter / overly strong. I'm no expert, but I've heard the same from others. Did you change something? When winter rears its ugly head, can you do something about your front step? Almost busted my ass on the ice there. Why no donuts? Chicago loves donuts! read more

Went to New Wave tonight to get a cup of coffee. My girlfriend and I walked in at approximately 8pm and attempted to get our cup of joe. Behind the counter there was a male in his late thirties with a beard working. As we approached he began to play with his iphone. We stood at the counter for approximately five minutes as this employee had his back to us and continued to play with his Iphone. We patiently waited about another minute (Approx. 6min altogether) and he didn't even acknowledge us. We finally decided to leave without our coffee and at this point he decided to turn around, looked at us leaving and went right back to doing whatever he was doing on his phone. I read other post of this place having rude employees but I figured I would be the judge of that. Well the employee lived up to their reviews, he was rude and didn't care about serving us. I can't review the coffee because we were never served but i can say the service is HORRIBLE!!! read more

What am I doing in Logan Square? From my neighborhood this place is a pain to get to. The things I do for friends. What is this place? It looks like Over Our Heads from that old TV show The Facts of Life minus George Clooney hanging out and being cool. Or maybe the hangout from Diff'rent Strokes, minus the very special episode where Willis gets beat up by bullies. I could probably hang out here, too, with their checkered floors, hipsters lounging around. Wait, did Silver Spoons have hipsters? What about laptops? Pop culture references have been known to cause brain damage, so it would probably be best to get on with it. I admit I didn't know about New Wave until a friend suggested I make the trek. At night this place is pretty chill. Not too crowded and good music. I can never complain about Metropolis coffee. The service is nice and polite and they don't judge you for demanding that last slice of pie! I could spend an entire night there doing some work. Interesting pop artwork covers the walls. Even the bathroom walls are covered in quips. I have to say, if New Wave wasn't so difficult for me to get to, I might go there more often. read more

HORRIBLE! I've been to New Wave twice... the first time I ran in to get something to drink cause I wanted to try it out... the people working there were RUDE! and my drink wasn't really good... I told myself I wouldn't go out of my way to go there again... Today, some friends and I had to get some homework done and thought to go to New Wave cause it was big and could fit us all in... That's probably the only redeeming thing about New Wave... It felt like there was 5 outlets to plug into and they were all taken... the internet was so bad I literally could not connect to Google... and the drink i ordered SUCKED! After about 1hr of trying to steal a table to get near an outlet and repositioning myself to try and get a better internet connection... we decided to leave... I won't be going back to New Wave... i suggest you don't go either... Try Ipsento on Western. read more

After my negative review I got a message agre from the owner. He explained the situation, about his trip, employees / manager joyride, planned upgrades, management changes etc. Recently I decide to check the changes. Nice surprise. Much better service, clean floors, new tables and countertop, new menu. In my opinion NWC deserves 4 stars. I'll come back soon. read more

What's with all the attitude from the employees??? Get it together. If you don't like your job then quit! Simple. Also my latte tasted burnt. read more

Just your standard neighborhood go-to place. The other places--Gaslight or Intelligencia--will get higher ratings because of their atmosphere and aesthetics, but I guarantee you'll spend more time at New Wave for the same reason you've eaten at your local burrito place way more than Ruxbin or The Girl and the Goat--because it's your go-to place. There is a ton of seating, you won't have to feel like you're performing your poetry reading or journaling or Tweetbot checking for other people. The people behind the counter might brush you off--but what more do you WANT from a coffeeshop? You wan 90s shoe gaze hipsters flippantly handing you medium coffees, because that means they're _good_ at it. Apathy is a mark of excellence, or at least expertise. Seriously: great seating, no pressure environment. I go there more than any of the other places for this reason. It feels OK to be there, instead of having to buy something every 15 second to justify your existence there. read more

I was a little worried to go to this place based on past reviews but from my experience there is not a shred of truth to anything said in those negative reviews. The employees are super friendly, social, and laid back. All of the customers where chill. The music is not too loud at all. The wifi works great. There is plenty of seating. And the food was great. This place has an over all very good vibe and I'll be combing back to this place quite a bit to get work done, grab food, or just to relax with friends. read more

As has been said before, New Wave is "the living room of Logan Square." A comfortable, but stimulating environment for work, pleasure, and everything in between. There isn't anything else in the neighborhood that even comes close to the winning combination of atmosphere, good food, and, of course, excellent coffee. And at the core of any sound business are the people who run it. Great staff, very chipper and responsive. Ultimately that's what keeps me coming back. Great macchiattos, sandwiches, and pastries don't hurt either. And the Boulangerie debacle? It's not like La Boulangerie didn't know about the landlord-mandated non-compete clause when they signed the lease. If they put themselves in a difficult position, it's their own fault. I own a small business myself, and it demands moxie, research, and good problem-solving skills; I have no sympathy for self-sabotage. I wish New Wave the best of luck, and will continue to use it as a homebase. If you haven't been there yet, check it out! read more

I stopped inside on the rare lovely February day. So nice! And the best part--it was packed. It reminds me a lot of Filter only I don't feel like I'm going to catch scabies from the couches like I did at Filter. It's a great size and there's tons of seating. The coffee was affordable and delicious. It's such a great addition to the neighborhood. It was somewhat hard to find since they don't have a large sign up yet---it's right across the street from the Mega Mall parking lot. read more

I finally left for work early enough to stop by New Wave Coffee. (Of course the snowfall negated my efforts to arrive on time...) The space reminded me of the teen center at the church I went to as a kid - bizarrely-colored floor tiles, leather couch with a huge tear across the seat, '80s graphics... It's a comfy place to crash, rather than a snooty lounge for coffee aficionados. It's spacious and open, not crowded like Filter was - but perhaps that will change as more people visit. The baristas were cheerful - and thoughtful! The gentleman poured hot water in my thermal mug to warm it prior to filling it with my drink. They actually charge you for a size smaller if you bring your own to-go mug. Fresh-squeezed orange juice looked pretty good, but I wanted something hot today. Didn't look like they had any vegan sandwiches or baked items, but maybe if the demand is high enough they'll add them. I enjoyed my soy chai latte very much as I waited ankle-deep in snow for the bus. I don't plan to start a morning caffeine addiction, but I'll definitely come here frequently to warm up and hang out. It's only two blocks away from me and open late! read more

Wide open and the perfect spot for hanging out in the Square. The bottomless cup is something that I can't help but get for every visit. Compromises need to be made though for total satisfaction. I have an aversion to hot liquids. Soups, stews, hot tubs, and the like. Due to this odd trait of mine, the staff has been quite attentive to my needs. Rather than getting a standard mug of coffee, I get regular brew dumped over ice. Sure, it isn't the best method for icing coffee, but as I don't use sugar or milk in my cup, a mild dilution gets the job done. If I make it out to Logan Square during the daylight hours, I'm sure to head in here to fuel up for my night. read more

yes, this place is beautiful. big space! Bright! everyone is friendly, and there's a general feeling of "yay this is here!" in the air. they even accommodated my complicated green tea latte request! just throwin' another 5-star their way.... good thing! new wave! read more

I love me an independent coffee house any time, anywhere. It took me awhile to warm up to the joint, however, because of the "coffee elitist" attitude of the people behind the counter. I don't really care that a "dirty chai" is called a "hail mary" at your place, it's called a "dirty chai" everywhere else and I WILL have my venti dirty chai super sized!!! It's also pretty difficult to find a place to sit during the daytime, as everyone is there with their laptops. Since I am no longer unemployed, this bothers me considerably less. That said, the coffee drinks are excellently put together; nothing overly sweet. Sometimes you'll get a nice little "drawing" on top of your foam. I like the art on the walls and how accessible it is to be featured-- one need only to email a guy that works there, so I've been told. Let's get to my very favorite thing about New Wave, the thing that I want served at my funeral: The vegan donuts. Oh ehm gawd. They are literally the best donuts I have ever had. Lightly crisp on the outside and dense and chewy on the inside, and always a new batch of flavors every morning. Lately, the only thing that motivates me to get up for work is the promise of a New Wave donut. read more

I work down the block from here so my coworkers and I are here quite often picking up some coffee or buying a sandwich for lunch. The going back to Cali sandwich is awesome but a bit pricy in my opinion. Roughly $8 for just the sandwich. I like the atmosphere, I like the music, but..... One time a very nice gentleman was making my sandwich and he had the longest hair that wasn't tied up and I swear it was inches away from touching my sandwich at a point. -__- it was not a pleasant site to see. A coworker of mine then later told me the same thing happened with some chick who was preparing her sandwich as well. I nor does the rest of us customers want you all to wear hairnets but pls pls pls ATLEAST tie up your hair. Especially if you are all in the open where we can literally see you! I wish I could I've 3.5 stars, but this can easily be fixed so 4 is good. read more

I walk into this place and instantly felt like I was back at Oberlin. Most of the people that frequent this place look like the dumpster divin', shoegaze listenin', quinoa eatin' folks I went to college with. LoveD it. Btw, their coffee is soooo legit. That's why people come here right? Not just to discuss Marxist theory and read Walt Whitman? No joke. I overheard someone say that North Korea probably has a secret society that worships Mr. Marx. And you know what? I totally agree with them. New Wave Coffee, I look forward to seeing you again soon. read more

It's 90 degrees out. I just ordered a pumpernickel bagel with tomato and onion and an iced latte with vanilla (no caramel or Carmel here). I'm sitting on the patio. It's 1:03 in the afternoon. I'm not in the sun but it's nice out. So is this bagel and latte. The latte was cheaper than the cold brew. Wow, 2019 is crazy. Come here. It's good. Get what I got and you will be happy for 15 minutes or if you milk that latte (no pun intended) you can be happy for 20-25 min. Sorry no pic, I ate it so fast cause it was so good. read more

This place isn't bad. The coffee is pretty good. My only complaint is how cramped and crowded it is. There's a lot of furniture and the space feels kind-of cluttered at times. I've been a few times, and it's always overly packed. It's not a bad place to get coffee with a friend or two and chat, but it's usually hard to find a place to sit and chill out. read more

My favorite locally owned coffee shop. We used to go to Filter all the time and since it has closed we have been looking for a local place to enjoy in the morning. Free no-hassle WiFi, great sandwiches, plenty of seating and lots of spots to lock up bikes outside are the reasons I give this shop 5 stars. read more

A shark in hipster clothing. Funky casual atmosphere but a ridiculous restrictive covenant on La Boulangerie next door that forces them to sell pastries only by the dozen plus no coffee. One small business preying on another isn't cool no matter how many mismatched chairs and record album covers you have on the wall. I've been a few times in the past and it's ok. Nothing special. But I won't go back until they drop their stupid predatory practices. read more

Good coffee, nice atmosphere. It's just that simple, why can't other Chicago coffee shops get this right? So many other places feel like halfhearted attempts to create what New Wave has hit right on the nose. It feels like a real cafe and not a Starbucks. Great prices as well, $2 bottomless coffee is hard to get in this City, and nearly impossible in a place this cool. Keep your kids away though, I hate them. read more

This place is spacious, the coffee is Metropolis, and the sandwiches are o.k. (but overpriced). I've been to this cafe a handful of times and I think it's a good place to pop in for a quick cup of joe if it's an emergency-but that's about it. You are just as likely to get a super sweet barista as one who is surprisingly, over-the-top rude. Overall the vibe is not very friendly. I came to get some studying and work done one day and found it a bit difficult as the music was loud and it was pretty cold. I wouldn't go back again to do the same. read more

I'm always happy to see a new spot open up in Logan Square. I was here early on a Saturday and the service was great. The staff was really friendly in a non-TGI Fridays type of way. They had a very comfortable couch that I was able to sit and read a book. The person taking my order said I should try the bottomless house coffee the next time I stopped in. I really like the coffee cups they give you...no logos..and they appear to be larger than Starbucks..that could be in my head. I stopped by New Wave today, and I could swear I was back in college with all of the people working on their laptops. All of the tables were full, and people were stalking for chairs. Seems like the place has really taken off well, especially since there's more room for group work than Starbucks allows (Cali/Logan location). They seemed to be having issue with their wi-fi, and credit card machine...but all was sorted out in a matter of minutes. Overall, its a nice spot. I'll be back. read more

New Wave Coffee is pretty big, about as big as the old Filter was but not as big as Mercury Cafe. When I walked in someone was playing Dr. Mario on the old school nintendo. That's right they have a nintendo you can play. Just about everyone was sitting at a table with a laptop using the free wifi. That's right they have free wifi. I knew I just wanted a black coffee but they have a decent menu with some food options. The coffee was tasty, just about any place that serves Metroplolis is ok in my book. Ended up hanging out for awhile on one of the couches chatting and just enjoying the Saturday. New Wave Coffee is a great stop for coffee in Logan Square, I'll be back again! read more

New Wave Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Laidback atmosphere and great coffee. Also, I really enjoyed the interior of this café, convenient located on W Logan Boulevard. read more

New Wave Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great location and cool vibe, free wifi is win. My last visit the dark drip coffee had a weak and "moldy" flavor. I airquoted that because I don't know the real cause, it just tasted off. I purchased the all-day refill but didn't bother to get a single top-up. My choco croissant tasted not-so-fresh too. hm. Sandwiches sounded pretty good, will have to try one soon. (Except for the MacGyver, that sounded too weird.) Boring yelp-style had-to-be-there personal anecdote: I was laptopping over by the north door and a mom actually left her stroller in the corner. Right in front of me. I mean... NOBODY leaves baby in a corner! (That's an 80s pop culture ref, kids. New Wave is full of them.) I guess for now I mostly like how grungy and tatty this place is. I'll be sure to give the coffee another chance, and speak up in person like a gentleman if it's not to my liking. read more