My favorite cafe in Hyde Park. I love the coffee and the cute interior. Everyone is always friendly, I will continue to visit.

I went here last week. I really liked the place! The coffee was very good. And the staff was incredibly nice! I highly recommend!

Nice small place to get some coffee and baked goods. Their sandwiches aren't bad either! Definitely worth a try.

I love coming to this coffee shop to get work done. The only issue can be finding a seat at times. The coffee is great, the service is friendly, and I love when coffee shops have real food too! read more

Some of the staff are not accommodating to allergies. Bionca made mistakes with my order that could have left me very sick. She lacks people skills. If it's not on the menu she can't make substitutes. She doesn't recall preparing me food I was allergic to in the past, and got angry when I gage back some days later ordering something without my allergens. Another employee will not look at you in the eyes as he takes your order and knew nothing about the menu and the wifi password. I kept going back because Sparkle is good st her job. I really want to support the cafe, but they need training on customer service. These jobs provide transferable life skills. Although politesse is dying. read more

Delicious sandwiches with soft tasty bread and the best cup of coffee I have had in ages.

Nice coffee, nice interior, nice staff. An asset to the neighborhood.

Super cute, wonderful debit always smells amazing, has an extensive menu of blended drinks as well As coffee drinks and teas, etc. Came for lunch one day, got a blt didn't regret it. Also they have free wifi. Can't beat that. read more

Robust is amazing. They are in the perfect location on my way to work, sell Alterra coffee from Milwaukee, and are super clean and friendly! So happy I stumbled upon them. They have completely replaced Starbucks for me!!! read more

It's okay for people who like being on lab tops and drink coffee all day ,more of a sandwich shop. OK but I doubt I'll come back. More yuppie style. read more

I've been here a couple of times. It's a great study space, as long as you don't come super early in the morning during the school year. Order the Mocha Diablo! Also, while most people come for coffee and food, I would recommend trying their (mango) lemonade. read more

I just had one of the worst customer service experiences. I placed an order over the phone for two breakfast sandwiches and a shake @ Robust Coffee Lounge on 63rd and Woodlawn. Upon arrival I was informed that they don't take bills higher than $20. Now see this is bs starts. The cashier goes and ask the (white) manager, owner, whatever he was if he could expect my c-note. He looks at me with this jacked up expression on his face then tells her no. I felt some kind of way about the look he gave me. Then the cashier proceeds to inform me there's a gas station 4 blocks away where I could get change. To make a long story short. I come back and my food is cold, shake melted and I'm hot and pissed off not to mention now I have to wait in line. Moral of the story is, if had been a doctor from up the street at the university with a lab coat on I bet it wouldn't have been a problem. Nowhere in the establishment is it posted that they don't except large bills so how the hell can you not honor my cash. I will never set foot in this place again. Don't get me wrong, I love their food but it's not worth the humiliation I received this morning. read more

This is my favorite coffee house. The staff is always pleasant, patient and helpful. It's my go to for coffee, remote office, quick bites or just to see a smiling face. read more

The place can get a bit too loud but ample natural light makes up for it. Just be sure to bring headphones that can effectively block out the blaring jazz music and/or the occasional social workers' gossips. Space is a bit cramped and they don't accept credit cards for charges less than 3 bucks so bring $$$. read more

Great service great drinks and food I just wish they ordered more inventory and kept their stock up they are always out of my two favorite drinks cake batter and vanilla bean mix read more

Hands down one of the best coffee shops in the city, right up there with Dollop. The coffee is great, the food smells delicious, though I've yet to taste any of the cuisine. The atmosphere is very trendy, but manages to still feel very south side. There are plenty of outlets and seats, although the few times I went, the available seating was limited to the area by the door, because the lounge area was pretty packed. When I was growing up down the street, I would never have imagined a place this cool and diverse venturing outside of the Hyde Park/ U of C area, but I'm glad they did. read more

Coffee was amazing!! I got an iced caramel latte and my friend got a hot french vanilla latte. 10/10 and the customer service was sweet and patient. read more

I have never yet written a review, but I felt it was obligatory-- mainly because of their dark chocolate iced mocha. This is only my second time here, and this is so far the only thing I've had off the menu, but oh, my goodness...it is like heaven in your mouth. The dark chocolate and the coffee blend together in this smooth, perfect goodness that is basically magical and you don't want to add anything to it. You can't just have one first sip. Even when it melted a bit and got watery, it was still good. Average price/A bit expensive, but for sure worth it. Plus, the music (Adele today, and similar genre last I was here) and atmosphere is great. I was there today, parked myself and my homework in front of one of Robust's big windows and enjoyed some good productivity. The owner (I met one today) is friendly and approachable. I left in a great mood! Will be back again! read more

Great chai tea latte! There is plenty of seating and the music isn't too loud... the staff is friendly. Food looks and smells great, but I haven't had any yet. Wish I lived closer so I could come here more often! They also have a great breakfast deal- coffee and a bagel for $3. read more

A very solid neighborhood coffee shop with friendly staff and tasty food. Good prices all the way around. I'm definitely sad that I don't live around the corner from them anymore. My only issue is that they are fairly slow with getting food out, which isn't great if you're on your way to work. They also don't use the highest quality ingredients in their breakfast items--very processed mixes, etc. But their sandwiches are great and reasonably priced. read more

In search of good coffee & in support of small business I came across this place! Excited to try and be blown away by their ROBUST coffee I was certainly blown away by the price . Their small coffee only has 1 espresso shot where as other places I have visited there are 2 espresso shots which is why I had to pay extra for a small 12 oz coffee. The coffee was great the beans made a great vanilla latte. Would I stop by again ... maybe not but if you're willing to pay 5 and some change for a small coffee then be my guest ! Staff making the coffee was not very friendly I said thank you and have a good day and he just looked at me with dislike . read more

Was there today for a Breastfeed Chicago meet-up; yup, almost 20 women with their babies and boobies, and we were made to feel perfectly welcome! I had a minty mocha, and it was fabulous. This place has everything I look for in a coffee shop - comfy seats, fair-trade coffee, good music, friendly baristas. Oh, the only bummer was that they were out of their Belgium waffles when I tried to order one- I'll just have to come back! Thanks, Robust Coffee Lounge, for kindly hosting the Breastfeed Chicago meet-up. read more

I am a Youth Readiness Mentor, and in mid-July, my mentees and I decided to meet at Robust for our regular weekly meeting. After purchasing a drink from the counter and waiting for my mentees to arrive, I realized that the employees were stealing disapproving glances at our table far too frequently. They peeked around the corner and walked away whispering among themselves and made me so uncomfortable that I gathered my mentees and left. I can't, after all, successfully teach job readiness in a place where disapproval and discriminatory behavior is so blatant. I don't know if the problem was that we went on a Sunday, or if it was that the young men in my group had on jeans. At any rate, there is wi-fi and coffee all over the city. This is one place we SHAN'T visit again. read more

Robust, management and staff bullied an elderly disabled woman of color just because they could. As a dissatisfied customer who fell into this category they refused a refund/replacement I ordered a barbeque sandwich and decided to get a chicken salad sandwich by phone. Upon learning they put walnuts in their chicken salad I called and told them I would return the sandwich when I left work. They pointed to a tiny sign on the wall that said the salad had nuts in it. There is no sigh outside their establishment saying they use nuts. There is no sign inside their store saying they have a no refund policy. threatened to call the police because I demanded a refund but I beat them to the punch on their threat. It wasn't a criminal matter but I got good advice about how to handle a civil matter. read more

A wonderful and much needed addition to the Woodlawn Neighborhood. The coffee and service have been excellent, and the location is really comfortable and welcoming. Welcome to Woodlawn, Robust Coffee Lounge! read more

This lounge is awesome. The staff, no matter what time of day / night, are uber-friendly and accommodating. My daughter & I eat here just about daily. It's such a comfortable hang-out. My daughter & I love, love, love their sandwiches (the Turkey on buttered-croissant w/ cheese, L/T/M and cranberry sauce to sweeten... Oh-Eem-Gee!) I've developed an addiction to their kettle-cooked chips. (Mind your quantities, pls, as I'll be purchasing :-)) Great coffee, and the cake doughnuts are to die for.... (Again, mind your quantities!) Fresh-faced youngstas take really good care running this place. GO support Robust on Woodlawn Ave & get addicted, won't you???? read more

I'm not such a fan. I went this morning and got the oatmeal-- terrible. $2.75 for instant oatmeal with nothing in it? I could have bought a pack of Quaker for 25 cents and it would have tasted better. I'm not sure where the poster below got craisins and granola (which do sound good) because I was offered chopped nuts or strawberries, neither of which sounded appealing. And each topping is an additional 75 cents. Starbucks includes three toppings in the basic $2.75 price-- so to get the same here, I would have had to pay $5 for oatmeal. No way. And they don't even have brown sugar at their coffee-fixing bar to sweeten the oatmeal-- just white refined sugar packets. I didn't make it through three spoonfuls. They do have a doughnut and coffee combo for an affordable $2, but I guess someone who wants to eat something healthy has to pay a premium here. I will not be back. read more

To start, I worked at a coffee shop throughout high school, and have been a cafe-body for years. This cafe is par excellent. Great prices; service so polite it's uncanny; exceptional variety of quality pastries, coffee, etc.; reasonable prices; great atmosphere. And coffee refills at $0.50! read more

Robust is a gift to our neighborhood. Not only did they take a chance opening the first and only coffee shop in Woodlawn, but they do it all in a community minded and delicious way. They have quickly become a neighborhood gathering spot, offering not only good coffee and fresh healthy food, but also a hub for neighbors to get out on the street, meet each other and enjoy where we live. That's a first. The coffee is great - fair trade, good and dark. Waffles are -excellent-! Covered in fresh fruit (none of that nasty pre-fab sugar syrup fruit) and hot off the iron. Good fresh bagels, sandwiches, etc. The diablo hot chocolate and diablo mocha are worth going in for -- dark chocolate and chili pepper. Yes. I've never had anyone at Robust be unfriendly or rude. Quite the contrary - they know my name, they chat, huge smiles, you name it. A friend held her toddler's birthday there - and they opened early on a Sunday and let her bring tons of cushions for the kids to build forts on the floor. Forts, of all things! In a coffee shop. Most days you can see a cross section of Woodlawn in here - a number of students, professionals and community organizers working on laptops or meeting at the tables, parents with kids, friends chatting, and later the after school crowd of teenagers. This last group has unfortunately brought on the policy of tables for customers only because they tend to hang out in such large numbers waiting for rides or just socializing. Robust management has had to pass some reasonable rules just to keep from being overrun. (Of course if we had a community center for kids to go to after school, this wouldn't be a problem...) Robust is by far a better place to eat, to work and to hang out than any coffee shop in nearby Hyde Park. And just by being where they are and doing what they do, they are improving our neighborhood. If we had more small businesses like these guys, Woodlawn would be a healthier, more enjoyable place to live. read more

Excellent coffee and food, good atmosphere and very reasonable prices- and the only business on the block. Thank you for existing!

Best coffee shop on the Southside. No context. This is one of my favorite places in Chicago

Awesome neighborhood coffee shop. I live down the street so I visit frequently. The staff are friendly, drinks are good, chill atmosphere, and the sandwiches and pastries are pretty tasty. read more

Love this quaint little coffee shop. Often meet with business associates there for the warn atmosphere, great eats & fantastic coffee. It is easy to find, very accessible, ample parking, excellent decor & lighting coupled with good pricing. You can't lose! read more

Nice place! Had the BBQ Betty. It was suppose to be on a pretzel bun, they were out of them so I was offered an onion roll. I must say it was tasty but every bite I wished I had that pretzel bun. Also Got a piece of Carmel cake that was huge, tasted average and was $5, ugh. Seems like a great place to escape and get some work done, or study. Nothing else really around it in walking distance. read more

I meet the owners when they were building this cafe. I knew then it would bring new life into a neighborhood with very few social spots to hand out. Robust is a great place to meet with friends and family or to do a quick meeting. They since than have opened a new lounge on 416 W Ontario St. They both are the perfect mix of great coffee, social atmosphere and goooood food. :) read more

It's a hidden gem! Really nice on the inside and very spacious. The food is quite tasty especially for a coffee shop. Definitely recommend giving it a try. read more

I live about 3 blocks from the Robust. @ 63rd/woodlawn Good deal: Large cof/1.50--3-5pm; med cof w/donut: $2. BUT: They should be embarrassed to serve their lemonade. Had a taste today for Shaken Lemonade. I've had plain lemon water that was better. Shame, shame!!!! Michael read more

I have to start out by saying that I actually really love this spot. It is really comfortable, the music is always good (and not too loud!) and the staff is always very friendly. The food and coffee are also quite good and very reasonably priced. Overall, a great ambiance. The last two times I've been there, however, the place has not been as clean as I would hope an establishment that serves food would be. And when I say this, I'm mostly talking about the bathroom. When I was there today the bathroom sink was clogged with paper towel and some stuff that looked and smelled really nasty. On top of that, there was dirty toilet paper covered w/ sh$t in the trash can and the toilet itself was dirty. The smell was so gross that I gagged so hard I almost threw up. When someone complained about the state of the bathroom, an employee went in and cleaned the sink with a plunger that he had taken from the men's bathroom, and that I can only assume had previously been used on the toilet (gross!). I didn't see him clean the sink after he used the plunger. He also failed to do anything about the dirty paper in the trash. I had noticed earlier that this same employee took a newspaper into the bathroom to, I assume, read while doing his business. This in itself does not bother me. After he finished, though, he put the paper that he had been reading *in the bathroom* back on the bar *where they serve food*. I saw several customers pick up this same paper and thumb through it. I'm sorry, but this is just too much, and it makes me question how sanitary this employee is when making and serving food and what the condition is of the back room where they prepare the food. I will definitely go back here because like I said, I actually really like the place. I will, however, be very hesitant to order food. Hopefully the staff will pay more attention to issues of cleanliness in the future. read more

Great coffee shop supported by the community. However, it could return something to the community by cleaning up the corner and their front door. Trash is all over the place. Especially all along the east side of the lounge. Take a page out of Tom Tunney's playbook: Tom, himself, kept the entire block around Ann Sather's clean, including curbside and gutters. I go to the 63rd street lounge 4 days a week because I want to support it, but it needs to clean up if I am to continue. read more

Great place for tea, and breakfast sandwiches, especially since it is local to my home. The staff is friendly and courteous and it is reasonably priced. read more