We drove up to Rivers & Roads Cafe around Halloween, and I loved the fun seasonal items they had available. Everything was really cute, but not necessarily the most flavorful. It was so crowded inside though, so we felt lucky to snag a spot. It was difficult to navigate around people inside. This is an hours' drive for me, so I probably wouldn't venture out this way again since the seating availability seemed iffy with how crowded they get. read more

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My goodness what a popular spot! Stopping by on a Saturday morning there was a line out the door! It moved fairly quickly though, and after ordering, we only had to wait a few minutes for our espresso drinks. The staff was kind and friendly. The interior reminded me of a caribou. I was here once when it was the former coffee shop (I forget the name), but this place is rebranded and the national parks/rugged theme suits the interior very well. We enjoyed the peach cobbler iced lattes (a seasonal drink!) but agreed it tasted more like a brown sugar/cinnamon flavor, but we didn't taste any peach. It was still delicious! The star of the show was the brown butter mascarpone banana bread. Thick, moist, and sweet frosting, topped with pecans. It was OUTSTANDING. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went here on our trip to Chicago and it became a daily morning visit because it was SO good! The staff are all very friendly and we loved the national park vibes of this coffee shop. The Garden Bagel (I think that's what this is) was to die for - I loved it so much. This will for sure be a stop on our next trip back. Bonus points if you love The Head and the Heart! read more

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There was a line out the door and MY GOD it was worth it. Delicious seasonal matcha with a subtle hint of pear, and delicious pastries that basically melted in my mouth on my walk along the "beach." So cute. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - sign in the front window - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TOP NEW CAFE ALERT. Big fan of the outdoors / national park theme. Big fan of the breakfast sandwich. Huge fan of guava and PR pride. Banana daiquiri latte with macadamia nut milk was delicious -- not overly sweet, had a nutty flavor, delicious espresso. Definitely recommending to my friends and family. Excellent folks behind the counter. Vibe was good read more

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Once upon a long time ago, I used to come to this space as a child and had Saturday school here. Walking in here brought back so many fond nostalgic memories with childhood friends and running around causing mischief but although it's since changed to a coffee shop, the warmth of the space has remained. I love the way that Rivers and Roads have utilized this space- a beautiful and welcoming space not just in spirit but also in the various different causes and actions that they support. When they say everyone is welcome, you cannot just feel that, you can see it. I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was popping! Good luck finding a place to sit because you'll be outta luck! Overall, pretty decent space but when it's so packed it looks smaller than it actually is. I had a specialty latte that they offer in the fall and my mom had a regular latte. I also had their cookie- so good Omgosh. I would love to comeback to try the rest of their breakfast menu. The staff was so friendly and they were communicating with each other effectively - there was cohesion between them from my POV and honestly that really affects the flow and mood of the space. Anyways, highly recommend coming here! read more

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A short walk from the Loyola Chicago campus, Rivers and Roads felt like a hidden gem, but for the fact that it seems pretty locally popular. Friendly informative and quick service, great original selection. Interior is cozy and rustic (per their national parks theme). The Giardiniera Croissant was absolutely delicious. If I lived nearby, I would be here often. read more

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This is a favorite among favorites of coffee shops and such a hidden gem of Rogers Park! I first found Rivers and Roads on Instagram. I've been to a couple of those foodie account coffee shops, and they've all been OK. However, this place exceeded expectation! Great theme. Great food. Great coffee. Great atmosphere. Easy street parking. Friendly baristas. Amazing spot! read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great coffee, fun theme, delicious cookies. The syrups are all made in house and they have a lot of fun options. I had the mango matcha latte and it was delicious. You must try the cookies. We tried three different cookies and every single one was fantastic. There is plenty of seating and it would be a great place to go to work. I noticed a lot of outlets along the wall seating. read more

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Very busy coffee shop with great unique flavors. Gives a vibe of Yellowstone amongst a big city. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great people, great coffee. They brew counter culture beans, which I'm partial to, and their pastries/baked goods are pretty great too. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Place was recently featured on infatuation's best breakfast sandwich establishments & seeing as how I'm desperate to find some new establishments I indulged. My initial reaction was that the sausage was reminiscent of play dough & seeing as how we eat with our eyes 1st I wasn't looking forward to this. Sandwich was subpar & seeing as how uber eats wasn't cheap I wasn't pleased. Do yourself a favor & go to loaf lounge read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Sausage (turkey), egg & cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really enjoyed studying here. For a packed house, it was surprisingly still possible to focus! Everyone there seemed to be working on stuff so it was not too much activity to get my own work done. I prefer my coffee a little sweeter/more flavor than it was made, but I know that's a personal preference. Lastly, the lox bagel had so much potential but was ultimately way too salty to eat. I got it on a rosemary sea salt bagel, so that was on me, but there is also sea salt on top and I just had to take off the tomato since that's where all the salt was. I'd just ask for no salt next time. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Halloween cookies- so fun! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Another stop at Rivers and Roads - this place still keeps the crunchy caffeinated vibe going in Rogers Park. This time we got our various forms of caffeination, all good, especially drinks with oat milk creamer - smooth and delicious. Highlight of the snack was a fruity pebbles-infused cookie that they were giving away for their anniversary. Giving away!? A clear sign that Rivers and Roads is invested in the community. Always a fun, bright stop in my Chicago travels, I'll be back. read more

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So cozy and cute. There is such a warm, nature-like environment here. It is a little small but once you have your seat, you're set! The workers are kind and welcoming. The drinks are great too, especially since all their syrups are homemade! They have monthly drink specials that I personally love... read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe is my go-to place to work when I want a change of scenery. Every time that I have visited the staff has been wonderful. Everyone is always smiling and they acknowledge you from the moment you walk into the cafe. They have ample seating to accommodate large to small groups of people. It can get really busy so if you want one of the prime working spots you have to get there early. In the warmer weather they have a decent sized outdoor space. Depending on the time of day the area is pretty shaded and tolerable to sit outside for a longer period of time. I love working at Rivers and Roads Cafe because they have a good amount of plugs for charging your devices. If you site along the wall you are not too far from a plug and I have not run into an issue asking someone to let you charge your laptop at the plug near them if it is not in user. Aside from the periodic bender/coffee bean grinder noises the music isn't too loud so you can take a call at the cafe. My go-to order are the lox bagel. They have a really delicious parmesan cheese bagel that takes the sandwich up a notch. I normally struggle to complete a whole one so you could easily share the sandwich. If you like sweets, they typically have a rotating seasonal cookie! read more

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Love that Rogers Park has this cute coffee house! The lattes there are delicious. Bagels are bomb! And the cookies they sell are to die for. They also have a window you can order from if you've got your pup with you! If you are in the area, check it out! read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We finally tried River and Roads Cafe. We loved the National park/outdoor concept and what we ordered. They have really unique drinks you can't find anywhere else. We will definitely be back again. read more

OBSESSED with the national park theme! Doesn't hurt that their coffee is pretty great, too. Looked like they had a nice pastry selection - will have to go back and try some of them sometime. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing little cafe with cute national parks theme. Very unique drinks with monthly specials. Line is usually out the door but service is fast and very friendly. Definitely recommend! read more

A friend told me I had to check this place out and she was right! Delicious bagel sandwiches, I chose the garden on rosemary salt bagel. Just the right amount if cream cheese and thin sliced cucumber, fresh tomato with capers, red ion and dill. She had the lox and loved it too. read more

Love a themed coffee shop! Wish they had longer hours. I had the house made macadamia nut syrup in a matcha latte.

The coffee is good, place is chill, service was fast and friendly. Highly recommend this place.

It was okay. This corner coffee shop has some counter seats along the windows, along with some two-tops and a couple communal tables. There's also lower counter seating where each space has a dedicated outlet and an individual light switch. This is cool regardless, but I wonder if it's particularly to appeal to college students, since Loyola is only a few blocks away. They had some cookies and quick breads that apparently are made by in-house/under the same ownership. But way too expensive for me--paying $6 for a cookie is just not something I could bring myself to do. I picked up a peach cobbler latte and a chai latte this afternoon after a trip to the library. The chai was just ok. It tasted kind of bland and lacking flavor; almost as though it was watered down, which was disappointing. Maybe they just use a chai concentrate. The peach cobbler latte was good. It tasted more spicy than fruity; in trying to figure out what flavors they were experiencing, my significant other wasn't sure if it was a variation on pumpkin spice or something. So maybe a tiny bit fruity, but warm fruit instead of bright, summer fruit. Regardless, this is something that would be ordered again, though the chai would not. For that reason, I'm not sure I'd be back; there are lots of coffee shops closer and with better fare. I'm glad I have visited though, I'm not mad about it! Parking is street only. Devon is paid parking, and the side streets possibly have parking--not sure that it requires a permit, but it's fairly close to Loyola so it could be in order to deter students from parking and walking. read more

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Moved to the neighborhood last year. This place is consistently great. From the service to the coffee, to the food -- amazing. It gets a bit crowded at times, but customers welcome the sharing of tables. My go-to order: lox bagel (great portion!), black coffee (Counter Culture!), and a scout cookie. This cafe is all-inclusive and welcoming. So glad I found it! read more

Rivers and Roads is an absolute gem. Every visit feels special because the menu is always evolving and full of creative surprises. You can tell the team puts real care into what they serve, and it shows in every bite and sip. The staff is genuinely friendly, welcoming, and happy to help you discover something new. The vibe is one of my favorite parts. It has a cozy, campy atmosphere that makes you want to linger, relax, and enjoy the moment. If you are looking for a place with great energy, great people, and great food, Rivers and Roads is it. read more

I'm not going to deny that the staff is very friendly and their pastries might be delicious, but I did notice that where was some flies on some of the pastries. Their coffee is bitter which makes me believe that the staff has no taste buds. Me and my friend got different coffees and they tasted the same. STRAIGHT UP ESPRESSO AND MILK. I even paid for extra sweetener because I wanted to get the full experience, unfortunately I was disappointed. I came here for the first time and now LAST TIME. I'm truly disappointed. read more

Customer service was phenomenal. Coffee was just ok. I wanted to love it. It's got the name of one of my favorite songs, cute interior, (again) wonderful staff, and delicious sounding coffee, but the coffee just all tastes the same. I got a s'mores latte and a bourbon one. Couldn't tell the difference nor spot any tastes that were specific to s'mores or bourbon. read more

They remodeled their cozy coffee spot a few months back and came back better than ever. The coffee is always fresh, the food amazing and the staff is the nicest. Definitely a good spot to chill and enjoy some coffee and chill with friends. read more

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What a cute, inviting little coffee shop. No corporate standardized decor here! It's very cozy and warm. I just stopped in and grabbed one of their iced cold brews - absolutely fantastic. I order it black, so I could really taste the coffee - roasty and nutty and just perfect on a hot day walking through the lovely neighborhood. The food items looked really good too - baked items and sandwiches, everything looked yummy. There is seating inside and the server was very friendly. I will return whenever I'm in this neighborhood. read more

Incredible workers, super kind. The cafe itself is clean and spacious, with a cabin-like and Halloween vibe going on right now. I ordered the London fog, large, whole milk for a total of $5.52- delicious read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - London fog Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

real lattes & amazing baked goods. there are a lot of cafes that sell garbage for the same price. i honestly went here to hate, expecting the loyola location to just be another annoying college demographic slop cafe. it not only exceeded my expectations, it raised them for other chicago cafes. i love everything i get here, and at this point ive gone thru half of their menu (besides the cookies, not much of a cookie person but i appreciate seeing them actually make & bake the cookies while i place an order- no premade frozen doughs!) i highly, highly recommend their black sesame matcha with their arugula focaccia sandwich. it is a DELICIOUS amount of butter and salt; i hope it isn't seasonal because it's my favorite savory item they have. their bagels are also solidly loaded, they are very generous with their proportions so it makes me feel better about how much money i spend here lol read more

the food is amazing i have had a few sandwich and you can't go wrong with any of them :) also everyone is really nice and super cute inside good amount of seating read more

I was staying at an Airbnb in the area and decided to stop in one morning to try some coffee. The guy working behind the counter was friendly and patient with me as I decided what I wanted. I ended up going there twice, and would recommend the mocha latte. I also tried their butter croissant which was delicious and perfectly flaky. If you're in the area, stop by and support this local coffee shop! read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Always pleased with the customer service, ambiance, coffee, and most importantly the sweets and food. They don't disappoint!! Worth the trip every time. read more

This Cafe is a cornerstone of the neighborhood. Great food, great drink, and amazing ambience. Truly a business run with passion and artristy. Service excels your wildest expectations. Not just a cafe but the heart of the community. read more

My favorite cafe in all of Chicago and I have been to a LOT of cafes in Chicago. The staff is extremely kind and there is always new options every month to switch things up. The national parks theme is so on point. So obvious that the owners and staff care deeply about great coffee and great vibes. read more

Only when I got home after spending almost $20 on 3 bakery goods that were all thrown into one bag like I want to taste all 3 items together at once did I realize that I spent $6 on a 4-day-old cookie and stale pastries that were sitting out too long. I skip the drinks here - the names are the most interesting thing about them and they taste like they're 95% milk and sugar. Never tried the foods bc the environment it's made in just doesn't appetize me. Anyway. Please don't sell 4-day-old cookies for $6. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - $6 cookie purchases 4/3. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I think this might just be my new favorite cafe. The ambiance is cozy? comforting? I'm not sure of the adjective but I get a nice feeling from the atmosphere. I plan to bring my cafe buddy with me next time for a full review. I ordered the cranberry coconut almond oatmeal and a seasonal drink. I didn't particularly care for the drink and the menu stated cranberry almond but not coconut (unless I missed that part) good thing I'm ok with coconut. I'm definitely going back though and trying out some other drinks. read more

Rivers and Roads Cafe - Oatmeal - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the closest coffee shop to my place, so it gets a bit of an edge due to convenience. They remodeled recently which is cool. The staff: I think they are super friendly and sunshiny. The cookies are good, but it's impossible to finish them. They are just so huge. It's more of a cookie that you would eat with a group of friends. I do think overall, the place is a little pricey. But for a coffee or treat, it's solid. read more