Beautiful inside with a classy coffee shop vibe. No computers are allowed on the weekends. Honestly…read moreit was nice to see people catch up with each other without heads buried under laptops. Coffee was solid, tried their vanilla latte. They have their own selection of food but didn't get a chance to try this time.

I got a hot latte and a cheese guava danish. Both were pleasant and ready quickly. No qualms on the…read morefood and drink, but this is definitely a vibes/aesthetics cafe above all. Great photo opp. Nice place to sit and do work too. The only thing that made my experience unpleasant was that their light bulbs could use a change - a couple of them I was sitting by were flickering and it was quite distracting. Overall, I recommend visiting.

Buttercup in the South Loop is an absolute gem, especially if you're even remotely into amaro. The…read moreselection is unreal, like the kind of list that makes you pause and realize you're about to learn something whether you wanted to or not. It's curated in a way that feels intentional, not just "we stocked a bunch of bottles." You can tell whoever built it actually cares. And shoutout to Axel behind the bar, because she is amazing. Friendly, dialed in, and genuinely knowledgeable without doing the annoying bartender thing where they make you feel dumb for asking questions. You can tell she really enjoys working here. She makes a fantastic Negroni. Great vibe, great drinks, and the kind of place you immediately want to make "your spot."

It's nice to have another coffee shop in south loop and this place is very cute! Cozy vibes and the…read moreservice is nice and fast enough. My friends and I each tried their specialty drinks and i got an everything croissant. We had high expectations because everything looked so good on the menu. Unfortunately none of us particularly enjoyed anything we got. All of our drinks just tasted like milk (both iced and hot options) and my croissant was oddly sweet because of the filling and I didn't love that. The pastries are actually being shipped in from elsewhere (they have exactly the same one in coffee shops out in Naperville too lol). Which leaves nothing special here. It's also very small so it gets crowded and swamped pretty fast. You're really constantly stepping out of someone's way when you're just waiting for you order, so that's not ideal either. Likely won't return.

Connected to our Best Western Grand hotel, convenient location for us to get a quick fresh pastry…read more I noticed this place is a chain, because we saw these stores all around Chicago including Chinatown. My daughter loves strawberries and tried the strawberry croissant and enjoyed it. I tried the hash brown ham and cheese croissant, because I prefer savory over sweet. I did not enjoy it. I had to take it back to the counter to have it warmed up, it still wasn't that warm . It would taste better warm, so I would not recommend this savory pastry. The ketchup on top did not accompany the pastry well. I was not impressed. I'd try this place again, but definitely get something different. Pros: the individual pastry tongs to grab your pastry and then you take it the counter so they are cleaned, this keeps it very clean.

Absolutely love Paris Baguette. Every time I go there's something new to try and it's always…read moredelicious. The pastries on display open for customers to pick exactly which pastry they want, then it's brought to the counter to check out. It's my go-to for a sweet treat and friends & family always ask to go when they visit.

We picked up Tilly bagels at the recommendation of my daughter who is a college student at SAIC. We…read morearrived on a Saturday morning and there was a line of about 10 people down the block. They manage the line and let a few people in at a time. We ordered at the counter, and the workers were super friendly and helpful. We ordered a couple of sandwiches for my daughter and her friend. They were out of vegan cream cheese, so they suggested avocado for my daughter's, and she loved it. My gluten free sister in law got their GF bagel with blueberry cream cheese. They can't guarantee there won't be cross contamination with the toaster, but she decided to risk it. She said it was the best GF bagel she has ever had. She ended up going back to grab some more on her way out of town. We also ordered half a dozen bagels to go and toasted them at our hotel. Overall I liked them but I wish they wouldn't have put fennel on the everything bagel. The bagels are huge. If you get a sandwich, you can probably share. There are a few tables inside as well as a cozy sofa area.

Tilly's in South Loop is a solid maybe for me. Service was quick and friendly, the place was packed…read morewhen I went in but the staff handled the rush well and got everyone through in a reasonable amount of time. The shop itself is really clean too, always a plus. Food was a mixed bag. The bagels themselves were so soft. The lox bagel was honestly pretty mid, the salmon didn't do much for me and I wouldn't order it again. But the sausage egg and cheese on the Cacio e Pepe bagel with chive and bacon cream cheese was really good. The bagel had great flavor, the sandwich was put together well, and that cream cheese combo was a nice touch.

Really easy in and out and yummy beverages and breakfast sandwiches. I loved the tahini latte.read more

Hit up Fairgrounds after a class in the Chicago Athletic Association. Had a delicious coffee, and…read morebaristas were very nice. It's a very small space - perfect for pick up and go. There are a few seats, but it's pretty tight. They were a little slow BUT my drink did end up coming out well. I've enjoyed their other locations where there's a bunch more space to sit and chill.

Consider this my love letter to a small Cuban cafe chain that gave us all the home vibes we needed…read moreto get through the cold Chicago. We originally stopped in for a hot colada and warm tostada. A delicious little pick me up treat to get us by as we braved the Windy City block by block. After having a taste and thinking back to line busting through their doors, we decided we had to try their meals for dinner. Thankful that we were able to locate their locations on all the delivery apps, we opted to dine in our hotel room and have the food come to us even if it impacted the flavor a bit. I'm happy to say, it did not. The food was as flavorful and delicious as if my abuela had just laid it on the table in front of me (although my grandma does burn the maduros for that extra sweet crisp IYKYK). The star of the show was the Ropa Vieja sandwich. Probably one of the best I've had. Even counting back home, in Miami. If you're a local or just in town visiting, this cafe is definitely worth a visit.

This location in the loop is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city conveniently…read morelocated near Grant Park. If you're in the mood for Cuban, don't skip Cafecito. The pressed sandwiches are clutch for any kind of weather, and there's a wide variety to choose from. I went with the Chivito which has steak, ham, bacon, fried egg, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, onion, citrus aioli, and shoestring potatoes. If I didn't get that, I'd go for the Cubano or Jamon. They offer salads, plates (with rice, black beans, and plantains), and vegan specialties. Pair your meal with a café con leche or other coffee drink, and it's a happy day.

This was close to our hotel. The food was fresh and delightful. It certainly did not dissapoint…read more Great service. Cooked to perfection. We will go back while we are in town . 10/10

Excellent place to have breakfast! We had breakfast for 5 days and the food was great , staff was…read more attentive and courteous. Definitely recommend if in area to go here.

Even though I was staying at the hotel for a week, I only had breakfast here once. I mean they do…read morehave food and drink items that are not breakfast items as well but I was so busy during the days I was there. I wanted to take advantage as well because my job was reimbursing for meals so I went to indulge. I have been staying away from meat for the past year so I was disappointed that they did not have any meatless options for the breakfast sandwiches. I decided on the croissant sandwich, which had bacon, egg, and cheese. I also ordered a large iced coffee. Holy crap-for those 2 items-it was $17!!! We went back to our room to eat and the food was still warm enough. It was good but not like $12 amazing or worth it. The coffee was good. I had to ask for almond milk to be added afterwards because that was not an option at the self serve area. They had Stevia though so I was excited about that. The staff were pleasant. This place is also open late, like 10pm or 11pm! I checked out the deli sandwiches but they looked skimpy and again not worth $15+ so I didn't bother considering here the other days for food.

Considering this is the only spot to grab coffee if you're staying in the Hilton, I think it could…read moreuse some work. Don't get me wrong, the staff are great and work efficiently to get the hoards of conference goers and hotel patrons through the long lines but this place could use an upgrade. It looks like it hasn't been upgraded since the early 2000s and the breakfast options leave much to be desired. I wish there were some healthier options besides oatmeal, maybe something more protein heavy. Coffee was decent.

This was my fiancé and I's first stop once we arrived in Chicago. It was recommended to us from a…read morefriend. I was skeptical at first because it is a local chain, rather than a singular location. However, it lived up to the hype. Service: it was extremely busy when we came in. The line was almost out the door. They have a system in place for ordering and seating so it worked well and fast given how busy they were. We didn't have any questions on where to order or where to stand when waiting for a seat. The staff were friendly and helped us find a spot to sit at. Ambiance: classic cafe in a city. Loud chatter, but it's a vibe. Very colorful and fun interior with cool textural elements. We had a seat that was facing the street so it was fun to people watch as we sipped and ate. Food: amazing breakfast selection! We ordered the morning sandwich and barbacoa bowl. The morning sandwich had THICK scrambled eggs which were super soft and tasty. I could've used more salsa verde on it. The bread was barely toasted. I'd rate the sandwich a 3.8/5. It got the job done. The barbacoa bowl was "really good" according to my fiancé. A great source of protein, fresh ingredients, nice flavor, and great portions. He would rate it a 5/5. Coffee: I am a coffee snob so I am quite harsh when it comes to reviewing it. Their machine is a cute La Marzocco. Appropriate sized "for-here" glasses according to the drinks. Plus, they were really cute. Wide variety of drink selection from your standards to the more girly-drinks (if there is such a thing). We ordered a cappuccino and small hot mocha. Latte art 4.5/5, temperature 5/5, flavor 4/5. The espresso didn't stand out to me, very standard flavor profile. However, the chocolate in the mocha was delicious. It's more of a rich, dark chocolate. Nice thin layer of foam. Would recommend to try at least once when you're in Chicago! Glad to have stopped in.

I walked over from my hotel right at the time they opened, and it was raining. There was no line,…read moreonly a handful of people waiting for their order. I got the pistachio croissant, shakshouka pastry, and berry crunch oatmeal. It took about 20-25 minutes, which made no sense because the pastries are in the case and the oatmeal......is oatmeal. I suspect they opened without having all of their prep done because the delay made no sense. Their staff looked frantic. The croissant wasn't filled, it just had pistachio cream on the top with a couple of nuts. I would order the shaksouka pastry again. The egg was cooked well, and the tomato was very good. They were supposed to heat it up, but it wasn't warm.

I stopped by Intelligentsia Coffee and really enjoyed it. I ordered a matcha latte with almond milk…read moreand my husband got a cappuccino with oat milk. Both were excellent. I appreciated that the matcha can be customized. You can choose sweetened or unsweetened and even adjust the matcha strength. Since I am sensitive to caffeine I chose light matcha and it was perfect. Smooth flavor and not overly sweet. The cafe is also a really nice place to sit for a bit. There are big tables and lots of natural light which makes it feel relaxed and comfortable. The staff were nice and the drinks came out quickly. Great spot for a quality matcha or coffee in the area. I would definitely come back.

Stopped into this coffee shop on a weekday right after landing in Chicago. I needed somewhere to…read moresit, work, and kill time while waiting for my accommodations to be ready--and this place did the job. Hella busy, the staff was semi-helpful while I was trying to decide what to order--not rude, just not super engaging either. I ended up settling on a latte, which... whew. $8 for what felt like a few swallows. The cup was hella small, so that part definitely hurt a little. Menu isn't substantial. Despite how packed it was, I was able to take a meeting without too much trouble--shoutout to my noise-canceling headphones, because they were doing the heavy lifting. The space itself is on the smaller side, so if you're planning to camp out for a while, just know it can feel tight. The bathroom could've used a little attention. Nothing major, and maybe expected with a lot of people. Overall, it's a decent stop if you need coffee and a place to sit for a bit, especially in a pinch. Just be prepared for crowds, limited space, and pricey drinks that disappear way too fast.