Whispers Cafe

Some people might say, "if you been to one Blue Bottle, you've been to them all", well I beg to…read morediffer when it comes to this location. Located near the Merchandise Mart and overlooking the Chicago River, this location has floor to ceiling windows with amazing views in every direction. Considering the layout, I am sure this place is frequented those who work and/or live nearby. There are plenty of table/chair combos; the perfect setup for laptop and tablet work. I stopped through on Saturday morning and there was a number of people already setup with their respective devices. They also have music playing in the background (at a very acceptable volume level) which for me, just added to the vibe. The staff, were friendly and helpful. Add to that, they did an awesome job of managing the line as it never got too long. As for drinks and food, no complaints here. It's consistent with the Blue Bottle level of quality I have come to expect and appreciate. Overall, I highly recommend checking out this location.

This spot is bustling! Can't say that I'm surprised given its prime real estate in the heart of…read moredowntown along the water- great for both downtown employees and tourists alike. I ordered a cappuccino and set up my laptop at their wrap around bar to work for a few hours. The energy here is great and I loved the abundance of natural light. The Wi-Fi was strong and the bathrooms were clean. And of course, the coffee was great. Note that it can take a while to get your order given the long lines. They have a variety of seating types for those sticking around. Overall, a positive experience!

0.8 mi•River North, Near North Side

New Orleans- style Iced Coffee

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New Orleans coffee (food not from blue bottle)

TARY Coffee

4.4(221 reviews)

Loved the food here so good . The coffee is way better than…read morein fam coffee shops . Try matcha too

the food is mad good for a quick snack. i love central asia cuisine, and i will most definitely be…read moreback! this place gets busy quick. limited seating, so we got rlly lucky having found a seat right as it got busier in the afternoon.

Interior

American with oat (poured) and a Cinnamon Rollcinnamon

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Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Balkaimak Cream

Caffe Umbria

4.4(386 reviews)

I went here twice on a recent visit to Chicago and ordered a latte with a touch of honey and…read morecinnamon. Perfection is how I would describe it. This shop knows how to make an elevated latte! Highly recommend!

The sign of a good coffee shop TO ME is if they 1) make their syrups in house and 2) don't charge…read moreextra for plant-based milks - they charge $1 for plant based milk - the honey in my honey oat latte was described as half honey, half water (so a honey simple syrup) - no working space, this is more of a grab & go shop, with bar seats and 2 small tables outside - /+small latte is 1 shot of espresso (could be useful for a late coffee when you don't want to be wide awake). This is the first shop I've been to that offered a single shot in a small latte. + if you like straightforward coffee this is the place for you + my half sweet latte was perfect. Some shops my half sweet latte is still very sweet + they have tea options + clean interior and friendly staff + extra shop of espresso is only $0.50 + honey oat latte was delicious + they sell their beans This coffee shop seems to fit the area, working professionals coming in for their caffeine fix and leaving.

1.0 mi•River North, Near North Side

Coconut cloud (amazing!!)

Coconut cloud

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Hot vanilla latte

Marshall's Landing

4.2(125 reviews)

Happy hour specials

Takes reservations

Came here just to grab coffee and ended up loving the space. The pistachio latte was amazing. I…read moreordered it hot but got it iced, and honestly... if it were hot, it might've been the best pistachio latte ever. The flavor was still really good. The collagen protein latte tasted okay for what it was. The ladies were very nice and offered to remake the drinks. The space is huge with comfy chairs, lots of room to work, and water stations which I always appreciate. Great chill spot if you want to get work done or just see the river.

A top tier professional environment to get work done. It's on the second floor of the Merchandise…read moreMart, and if you make a left after entering, steps will lead you right there. The iced latte was tasty and there's a variety of seating. I sat at a hightop which had a prime view of the World Cup match.

What happened to service? Used to be so good.

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Chicken fries and Brussels during happy hour!

Big Shoulders Coffee

4.4(88 reviews)

1.2 mi•The Loop

Excellent espresso, excellent service, and pricing is really reasonable. This coffee company is…read moreclearly one of the best in the country.

Came by for coffee the other day and it was a decent experience. The coffee shop had lit vibes as…read morewell as chilled out staff. Opted for an iced mocha and it was ok. The espresso was on the bitter side. Luckily the chocolate wasn't too sweet. They said that the chocolate is made in-house! There were plenty of seats to hang out, including some seats facing the street. $7 for an iced mocha.

Chai tea with lavender

Iced lavender latte with oat

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Counter

Levain Bakery

4.5(216 reviews)

holy shit this was SO GOOD. we got chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate peanut butter, and twice…read morechocolate chip. we got all of them freshly baked piping hot at 10:45pm 15 min before closing they also had a few options left if you don't want to wait for them fresh. the overall store was also super cute, lots of decor and history and merch! CHOCOLATE CHIP WALNUT SO GOOD BEST CHOC CHIP COOKIE???? crispy outside melt chocolate inside so yums dark chocolate peanut butter v rich, same crispy outside gooey inside. p good but kinda too sweet after a few bites twice chocolate chip has hella chocolate chips and also dark chocolate. tasted diff then the og walnut one i think too much chocolate takes away the cookie flavor idk... yummy but not as good as walnut I WOULD GO BACK JUST FOR THE CHOCOLATE CHIP WALNUT AGAIN OMG

Let's get to the point... - small menu, with most cookies…read morehaving chocolate in them (I'm not much of a chocolate person) - no fun cookies, like you would find at other bakeries - $6 for a single cookie is WHEW! + they stay open late + I LOVED the composition of the cookie: a biscuit/cookie mix, giving you both a crunch and soft interior + impressed by the fact that my cookie wasn't warm BUT when I split it in half, the chocolate was gooey + they have ice cream + coffee, I didn't get either

1.1 mi•River North, Near North Side

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and Vegan & GF Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie

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One of the lovely employees, Heidi P.

Infuse Coffee and Tea Bar

4.0(5 reviews)

This is a delightful little kiosk. Staff is very friendly and the coffee is surprisingly good…read more Sadly, they will be closed tomorrow due to weather, but props to the management for thinking of their workers! I'll need to be sure to get my fix in for today.

Coffee is decent, the bagels are ALWAYS hard and chewy. I miss Cafe Baci.read more

Metric Hellion on Draft!

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Our espresso bar, the commemorative 10,000th La Marzocco FB80 ever built!

Joe & The Juice

3.1(70 reviews)

This place is so cute and awesome. The coffee was super yummy and the good was good. The staff was…read morereally nice and helpful and they are located right by the train station. It's a spot I would like to go back to

I stopped here a few hours before leaving Chicago. I wanted something healthy and quick as I was…read morefeeling a little under the weather from how old it was!!! -2 degrees! I ordered me a sandwich and a "Feel Good" juice which includes Carrot, Turmeric, Ginger, Lemon, Apple, Olive Oil. Super yummy and very delicious. The female at the register was new and still learning the system so I was very patient with her as she was patient with me trying to figure what I'd like to order. She mentioned a few of the popular drinks and I ended up choosing the "feel good". She did make my drink and let me tell you she did not disappoint! She did make a bit extra and offered to pour the remaining juice in a different cup which I thought was very nice of her. This is a mellow, laid back juice bar where once can simply study or simply people watch like I did. I ended up sitting here solo for about 30 - 40 minutes people watching lol! I thought the restroom sign was very unique and had to take a picture of it! Definitely recommend to those in the area or simply visiting.

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$16 juice

Doughnut Vault

4.3(1.2k reviews)

Geeeeez my sis *inhaled* the old fashioned donuts lol. She's a big fan of old fashioned donuts and…read moreclearly she enjoyed the ones that we got here. :p For me, they were a little too sweet (I have old AzN lady taste buds in which "not too sweet" is a strong compliment), but wow the crispiness for old fashioned donuts was on-point! The buttermilk one particularly gave county fair funnel cake vibes and the lemon poppyseed one reminded me a lot of a lemon bar lol verrry lemon-y (in an indulgent-good way). Friendly lady at the interior counter nook. We visited on a Monday at 9 am and there was no line at all.

Doughnut Vault exists in a weird limbo for me, because the donuts are excellent and the rotation of…read moredaily specials are fun. However, these donuts are pricey which to be fair they're based in River North. I also usually prefer the old fashioned donuts, because the filled donuts can be too sweet for me. Verdict: fun as a once in a while treat but not a regular stop for me along the way to the office.

Glazed vanilla

Vanilla Birthday Cake

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Firecakes Donuts

4.1(2k reviews)

0.8 mi•Near North Side

Delicious! Simple house made donuts, fresh espresso and hot chai were perfect. Firecakes offers…read moremultiple locations, with easy access throughout the city, open early and closing late, making it the perfect sweet treat all day long. The raspberry bold orange donut truly was fire, no premade compote here, fresh raspberry filling was a game changer. The cinnamon roll donut was decadent but totally worth it with all the walking you do as a tourist.

I think unfortunately people in Chicago might have never had a good donut in their lives. Firecakes…read morehas endless rave reviews, but the donuts I tried from here were borderline inedible. Horchata Donut: I don't know what the filling is here, but it was kind of oddly rancid / sour. No one in my group had more than a nibble. The fried dough in the Jelly Donut and the Cinnamon Sugar were both painfully dry, but the toppings themselves were fine. Glazed Cake Donut: This was the most palatable of the donuts we tried, but it's a very average cake donut. Kinda dry and Do-rite honestly does these way better.

Happy Birthday!

Vanilla Sprinkle Donut

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11 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jaime H.

15 years ago

Sitting in the triangle at a cafe table, as I have done now for almost 5 years on my breaks. I work across the street at Urbam Oasis Massage Spa. We all go there on our breaks to relax in between clients. Today I decided to buy a chai from starbucks, sit at whislers cafe and read a book while on break. This skinny rude latino guy whos watering the flowers and trees comes over to me and starts harrassing me. Saying I cant sit there if I dont buy from Whispers... I state that Ive been coming there for years and I work across the street. Thinking he'll be considerate considering we both work in the area. He says get your feet off the chair then walks away. He then comes back with two cops and they continue to tell me he has the right to tell me to leave if I havent bought anything... I explain to them I come there daily as do my coworkers and the one day I buy starbucks I get harrassed... well, instead of fighting I got up and walked away. I then stopped and looked around to see that the majority of the people sitting there either had no coffee and were just reading as I was or they had starbucks cups! So, why harrass me I ask???? I work in this area and as a fellow gold coast business person I believe I was treated with disrespect and have posted what happened to me at my spa. I dont believe any of us will be returning to whispers cafe. I also will be explaining this situation to Blue Agave, Dublins, Hunt Club , Gibsons, Carmines, Corner Bakery, Subway, Puma ect, employees that have known me for the years that I have worked in this area.... You may not loose alot of business,but you will loose a good portion of our 'keep our neighborhood economy alive' business... read more

Jen A.

15 years ago

3 words: BEST. COFFEE. EVER... ok a bit more. the location is great. the service is great, everything is perfect, whats not to like about the park! all i wish is that they made it more exclusive- meaning if you want to sit you have to actually be a paying customer... there isnt enough space to hold all of those people! that just shows you how amazing this place is, never a seat left in the house. Just take great coffee, mix it with a perfect location, great staff, awesome gelato (and i mean AWESOME), and sprinkle it with a little jack Johnson and you have a masterpiece! oh and to jaime H... you dont go to subway, buy a sandwich, then sit at jimmy johns and eat it do you? didnt think so. these people pay for rent and upkeep of that park, and you sitting there doesnt do anything for them- dont like it sit on a bench- those are public property but actual customers at whispers deserve those seats! read more

Gabby C.

13 years ago

By far one of the best coffee spots in the city. I have been going to Whispers for over 5 years and this "coffee stand" never disappoints. From delicious hot or ice coffees drinks, fresh squeezed juices, smoothies, soda drinks to GELATO (in the summer) ~ Whispers truly has it all. Furthermore, during warm weather it is the BEST people watching/hang out spot at the park. If you are not big fan of bars but still want to do something fun on a weeknight or weekend night, they stay open pretty late when it is warm. The owner as well as the employees are very friendly!! read more

Stanley D.

1 year ago

I swung by Whispers Cafe the other afternoon and had a real gem of a time. I grabbed a cortado and a scoop of pistachio gelato--delicious combo--and a warm almond croissant that was flaky AF. Sat outside in their shaded square spot; felt like a low-key oasis right in the loop. All in, I dropped about $12, which felt fair for the high-quality stuff and chill vibes. The baristas were super friendly too--real laid-back and chatty. If you're in the mood for a solid caffeine kick and top-notch baked goods without the mad hustle, this is your spot. read more

Dubois C.

1 year ago

Visited Whispers Café in the Gold Coast with my family for ice cream, and sadly, our experience was very disappointing. The staff member on duty was unusually rude and unhelpful, refusing even simple requests like sampling flavors. We noticed that other guests seemed to be treated very differently, which made us feel singled out and unwelcome. This was not the friendly experience we had come to expect from this café. read more

Winston F.

13 years ago

Great little cafe in a perfect location with nice classic music. Located right next to Gibson's, Carmine's, and Tavern in it's own little park-like triangle, Whispers has some great coffee, smoothies, and gelato. I had a mango smoothie there just last night and it was great. A very nice place to relax at any time of day while watching people pass by. read more

clare t.

17 years ago

To me, summer hasn't truly arrived until I get that first cup of coffee (hot chocolate, if I'm feeling childlike) and sit late night outside of Whispers people watching on State and Rush. I love it here! read more

Tara H.

16 years ago

What a nice place to hang out on a nice summer day! I enjoy grabbing a cup of coffee and eating a slice of blueberry cake while sitting in the center of Rush street 's entertaining triangle! read more

Dina H.

15 years ago

I love taking friends who have never been here before to this place. The atmosphere here is awesome and there are lots of choices.

Eli S.

12 years ago

Very poor coffee here. Really quite terrible. Nice outdoor seating, but horrible coffee.

Mike Z.

17 years ago

Just an overall great place with the nicest employees.

Whispers Cafe - coffee - Updated August 2026

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